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July 16, 2024
 

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Mark Schilling
Actor Nahana says she considers her role as a punk rocker who falls in love with an avenging hero in Takahisa Zeze’s four-hour epic “Heaven’s Story” a turning point in her career.
CULTURE / Film
Sep 6, 2023
Indie film royalty Nahana looks back on 22 years
The Cinema Novecento theater in Yokohama is set to screen 12 of the versatile actor's films as a tribute to her long career.
A couple with a young daughter move into their dream house but soon realize there is something sinister afoot in “Home Sweet Home.”
CULTURE / Film
Sep 2, 2023
‘Home Sweet Home’: Horror house is light on frights
While the main cast delivers strong performances, Takumi Saitoh’s film about a dream home with spooky secrets offers chills rather than true terror.
An internet influencer (Tina Tamashiro) loses her identity to AI in Daisuke Miyazaki’s “#Mito.”
CULTURE / Film
Aug 24, 2023
‘#Mito’: Sharp satire riffs on the dark side of AI and social media
Daisuke Miyazaki’s drama offers an intimate look at an influencer’s life and career stripped of surface glamour and glitz.
A father-daughter duo keeps a beloved local tofu shop running despite disagreements and obstacles in Mitsuhiro Mihara’s “Takano Tofu.”
CULTURE / Film
Aug 17, 2023
'Takano Tofu': Cranky craftsman serves up heartwarming drama
In Mitsuhiro Mihara’s touching drama, Tatsuya Fuji adds layered nuance that sets his tofu-making protagonist apart from the typical cinematic elder.
A divorced mother (Aika Yukihira) finds herself wrapped up in a complicated sexual relationship with her old high school boyfriend (Sho Aoyagi) in Hideo Jojo’s “S-friends.”
CULTURE / Film
Aug 12, 2023
‘S-friends’: Female-centered plot proves refreshing
Hideo Jojo’s drama about a divorcee venturing into a sexual relationship with a man from her past touches on the real-life problems of middle-aged women.
Members of the Writers Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists walk a picket line outside of Paramount Pictures in Los Angeles. Hollywood actors and writers are currently on strike, effectively bringing the giant movie and television business to a halt in the first industry-wide walkout in 63 years.
CULTURE / Film / Wide Angle
Aug 10, 2023
The Hollywood strike is a wake-up call to Japan's film industry
With Hollywood writers and actors on strike, what lessons can creatives in the Japanese film industry learn from the fray?
A retired assassin (Haruka Ayase) fights off military imperialists in Isao Yukisada’s “Revolver Lily.”
CULTURE / Film
Aug 10, 2023
‘Revolver Lily.’: Lavish anti-war actioner racks up body count
Haruka Ayase plays the titular assassin intent on thwarting an imperialist plot to start a war with stylish confidence.
A woman (Rinko Kikuchi) shut off from the world confronts her unresolved fury toward her dead father in “Yoko.”
CULTURE / Film
Jul 28, 2023
Rinko Kikuchi completely commits to raw performance in ‘Yoko’
The Oscar-nominated actor plays a socially isolated woman who attempts to hitchhike her way to her estranged father's funeral in Kazuyoshi Kumakiri’s powerful road movie.
Director Christopher Nolan (right) poses with "Oppenheimer" cast members (from left) Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Cillian Murphy and Emily Blunt at the film's premiere in Paris earlier this month.
CULTURE / Film / Wide Angle
Jul 27, 2023
Summer film releases in Japan and the 'Oppenheimer' problem
Moviegoers may not get their "Barbenheimer" moment, as Japan likes to keep things family friendly in summer.
Director Hirobumi Watanabe (second from left) stars alongside his brother Yuji (far right), who has served as composer on all of his films, in his new feature “Techno Brothers,” which follows a sibling trio on the road to Tokyo to find success in the music business.
CULTURE / Film
Jul 21, 2023
Foolish Piggies Films keeps humor at its heart
Indie director Hirobumi Watanabe looks back on 10 years of making distinctive, micro-budget films with his brother and seeking out new challenges on and off screen.
A lonely woman (Ayaka Nakagochi, left) develops romantic feelings for her personal care humanoid (Kosei Kudo) in “12 Months of Kai.”
CULTURE / Film
Jul 20, 2023
‘12 Months of Kai’: When Prince Charming is too perfect to be real
Mutsuki Kameyama’s sci-fi romance about a woman who falls in love with a handsome humanoid delves into the difficulties of “unconventional” relationships.
Japan Times
Film / Reviews
Jul 13, 2023
'Techno Brothers': Off-kilter road trip comedy pays homage to techno pioneers
Hirobumi Watanabe finds inspiration in Kraftwerk and 'The Blues Brothers' while maintaining his personal style, which blends minimalist arthouse influences with offbeat humor.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jul 7, 2023
Director Takeshi Fukunaga opts for authenticity over 'falsely uplifting' in new film, 'Mountain Woman'
With ‘Mountain Woman,’ director Takeshi Fukunaga has looked back at a time of famine and woe in Japan, and given viewers lessons for the modern day.
Japan Times
Film / Reviews
Jul 6, 2023
'One Second Ahead, One Second Behind': Rom-com remake benefits from fantastical twist
A remake of the Taiwanese hit 'My Missing Valentine,' Nobuhiro Yamashita’s rom-com gets decidedly quirkier with a midpoint twist.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film / Reviews
Jun 29, 2023
‘Mountain Woman’: A steep slope of rural, human cruelty
Co-scripted by Takeshi Fukunaga, the film is set in the latter half of the 18th century with a story inspired by the folklore collection “The Legends of Tono.”
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jun 23, 2023
Why are Hollywood films falling out of favor in Japan?
American films used to dominate the box office in Japan, but over the past 20 years Hollywood's share has slowly shrunk.
Japan Times
Film / Reviews
Jun 23, 2023
‘Insomniacs After School’: A cute film that barely passes the grade
Chihiro Ikeda’s adaptation of Makoto Ojiro’s manga tugs on the heartstrings but feels devoid of a truly compelling conflict.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jun 14, 2023
A few small tips for the Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia
Our film critic provides his recommendations for Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia, which is currently unspooling at cinemas across Tokyo.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jun 8, 2023
‘Dreaming in Between’: Thoughtful character study stimulates self-reflection
Acting veteran Ken Mitsuishi portrays a flawed middle-aged man facing the end of his life with depth and pathos in Ryutaro Ninomiya’s drama.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jun 2, 2023
'The Night Before Upheaval' navigates the murky waters of overseas film festivals
Japanese indie director Mutsuki Kameyama explores the ins and outs of the overseas festival circuit in their new documentary.
Bloodied Trump survives assassination attempt at political rally
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is surrounded and evacuated by Secret Service agents at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday. Trump was rushed off stage at the rally after shots rang out.
How to beat Japan’s summer heat in ways better for the planet
Tenugui towels hang up to dry at a dyeing company in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, on May 8. The durable and versatile tenugui, which many people have in their homes, can be used in many ways to cool one’s body.
The neurological disorder that 'kills culture'
Akiko Trush says her experience with the neurological disorder dystonia left her feeling like she wanted to chop her own hand off.
Amid same-sex marriage ban, LGBTQ couples opt for 'photo weddings'
A lesbian couple, consisting of a 35-year-old woman (left) and 40-year-old woman, cover their faces with bouquets as they pose for wedding photos in Yokohama on Nov. 1.
China and Russia conduct joint Pacific military patrol
The Russian corvette Gromkiy enters the Chinese port of Zhanjiang as part of a joint China-Russia naval exercise on Saturday.
How to beat Japan’s summer heat in ways better for the planet
Tenugui towels hang up to dry at a dyeing company in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, on May 8. The durable and versatile tenugui, which many people have in their homes, can be used in many ways to cool one’s body.
After Trump shooting, U.S. presidential race might take a violent turn
United States Secret Service Counter Snipers stand guard on a rooftop during a campaign rally for U.S. President Donald Trump in Avoca, Pennsylvania, in 2020.
No AC this summer? No problem (for me).
Think air conditioning is a requirement for a Tokyo summer? Think again.
She’s paying ¥1 million to help behind the scenes at the Paris Olympics
Mai Tarumi, who previously volunteered at the postponed Tokyo Olympics in 2021, has a travel budget of ¥1 million for her trip to volunteer at the Paris Games.
How to tweak your diet when temperatures spike
Most people think of hydration as a strictly liquid-based concept, but eating foods with high water content is an essential part of making it through a Japanese summer unscathed.

Podcast

You can often see generations of families enjoying performances together at Fuji Rock Festival.
Japan’s summer music festivals are feeling the heat in more ways than one

Longform

Akiko Trush says her experience with the neurological disorder dystonia left her feeling like she wanted to chop her own hand off.
The neurological disorder that 'kills culture'
By Tomoko Otake

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