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Mark Schilling
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Sep 29, 2022
‘My Broken Mariko': Childhood friendship drama rings true
Yuki Tanada's film about a fraught yet deep relationship between two young women is moving and disturbing.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Sep 22, 2022
‘Riverside Mukolitta’: Lessons on death told with pathos
Naoko Ogigami's drama about a man who confronts a past trauma with the help of his neighbors is quirky and comforting.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Sep 15, 2022
'Hell Dogs': Mayhem with a touch of noir
Masato Harada's fast-paced film starring Junichi Okada as an undercover police officer in a yakuza gang delivers blood-spattering action scenes and a flurry of movie references.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Sep 11, 2022
‘The Fish Tale’: Non exudes natural charm as an oddball fish devotee
Non brings a bubbly energy and rock-solid commitment to Shuichi Okita's film based on the autobiography of TV personality Sakana-kun.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Sep 2, 2022
'Green Bullet': Assassin sextet brings on the action
Yugo Sakamoto's mockumentary-style film about a group of aspiring hitwomen whose training camp comes under attack features gritty fights that deliver a realistic gut-punch impact.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Aug 25, 2022
‘Violence Action’: Quirky killer lacks an element of surprise
Toichiro Ruto's film, adapted from a webcomic, features artfully choreographed action scenes, but leaves out details from the manga that gave the story much of its flavor.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Aug 18, 2022
‘It's All My Fault’: Who's to blame for strained familial relationships?
Although Yusaku Matsumoto's drama doesn't have much of a plot, Joe Odagiri is effortlessly likeable as a friendly homeless man who takes a young boy under his wing.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Aug 4, 2022
'Let Me Hear It Barefoot': Charming love story spins its wheels
Given the variety of LGBTQ experiences now depicted on screen, the term “gay-themed” sounds like a catch-all. What links the films of Ryosuke Hashiguchi, which reference his own life as an openly gay man, and the steamy, dreamy flicks adapted from BL (boys’ love) comics besides the sexual orientation...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jul 29, 2022
A cinematic plea for peace in Ukraine
Slovakian filmmaker Juraj Mravec Jr. presents firsthand accounts from a war zone in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region in his 2016 documentary “Peace to You All.”
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jul 28, 2022
Akane Sakanoue shines in ‘Lovely Little Ai’
Candice Mana Ono's LGBTQ-friendly debut features Akane Sakanoue as a teenage girl who goes from a lonely wallflower to a confident fashionista with the help of a friend and confidante.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jul 21, 2022
‘Cat and Salt, or Sugar’: Absurd family drama offers a glimpse into the NEET life
Takashi Komatsu's somewhat autobiographical drama about an idle young man who lives at home with his dysfunctional family provides some insight into unconventional lifestyles.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jul 15, 2022
'Amiko': Newcomer Kana Osawa steals scenes as a force-of-nature protagonist
Kana Osawa gives a fearless and natural performance as an isolated preteen finding her way in an idyllic seaside town in Yusuke Morii's first feature.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jul 7, 2022
‘Broken Commandment’: A timely call for a tolerant society
Kazuo Maeda's film about a man grappling with his identity as a member of the burakumin minority group in the late Meiji Era faces questions of equality that still exist in Japanese society.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jun 30, 2022
'Love Is Light': Charming rom-com puts a fresh spin on love triangles
Keiichi Kobayashi's sweet and quirky comedy centers on a university student with the secret ability to see love in the form of little balls of light.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jun 23, 2022
'Tokyo 2020 Side B': Behind the scenes of the 'pandemic Olympics'
While the overall tone is positive and inspirational, the second volume of Naomi Kawase's documentary on the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games feels overloaded with aural and visual details.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jun 16, 2022
'Broker': The all-star cast shines in Hirokazu Kore-eda's latest film
Actor Song Kang-ho stands out in the director's incisive and at times heartwarming feature about a band of misfits involved in the black market for babies.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jun 9, 2022
‘Yes, I Can't Swim': Tearful comedy avoids the shallows
Though Kensaku Watanabe's film follows a predictable story arc, it maintains a humorous vibe while exploring serious subjects such as facing fears and overcoming tragedy.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jun 3, 2022
Seven to see at this year’s Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia
The short film festival celebrates the briefest of screen gems. Festival winners not only get the respect of their peers but a shot at an Oscar as well.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jun 2, 2022
'Gensan Punch': It's the fights outside the ring that matter
Veteran character actor Shogen's soft-spoken and self-abnegating portrayal of the hero manages to exude a quiet grit that comes off as authentic.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
May 26, 2022
'Anime Supremacy!': An informative look at the business of anime stops short of getting real
Though charming, the film adaptation of a novel by Mizuki Tsujimura misses an opportunity to tackle the actual problems facing young animators.

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