Japanese Live Action Movies I've Seen
Made from looking over my ratings list. List order is more or less from favourite to least favourite. This was pretty difficult to do for two reasons:
1) There are so many genres to compare, from Kurosawa to Robogeisha.
2) My memory of some of these movies has faded over the years. It's hard for me to believe, but I watched some of these almost 15 years ago! I don't know where exactly to slot in new movies because of this.
If you're looking at 'list order' and you want a recommendation:
From 1~35ish is a favorite of mine, so I highly recommend it (my taste and yours will vary, of course...)
35~65ish is a recommend,
65~110ish is a hesitant recommendation (basically, if you're into that sort of movie, you'll probably like it),
110+ is a no
(anything after 'Keitai Kareshi' and 'Keitai Kanojo' is a HELL NO. I use them as the line between 'fun bad' and 'bad bad').
I would love your suggestions! I don't intend to watch Battle Royale though, so please refrain from recommending that. I love the novel too much to see the film, so I won't watch it because I will invariably end up complaining.
1) There are so many genres to compare, from Kurosawa to Robogeisha.
2) My memory of some of these movies has faded over the years. It's hard for me to believe, but I watched some of these almost 15 years ago! I don't know where exactly to slot in new movies because of this.
If you're looking at 'list order' and you want a recommendation:
From 1~35ish is a favorite of mine, so I highly recommend it (my taste and yours will vary, of course...)
35~65ish is a recommend,
65~110ish is a hesitant recommendation (basically, if you're into that sort of movie, you'll probably like it),
110+ is a no
(anything after 'Keitai Kareshi' and 'Keitai Kanojo' is a HELL NO. I use them as the line between 'fun bad' and 'bad bad').
I would love your suggestions! I don't intend to watch Battle Royale though, so please refrain from recommending that. I love the novel too much to see the film, so I won't watch it because I will invariably end up complaining.
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- DirectorKore-eda HirokazuStarsYûya YagiraAyu KitauraHiei KimuraIn a small Tokyo apartment, twelve-year-old Akira must care for his younger siblings after their mother leaves them and shows no sign of returning.Absolute classic
- DirectorTatsuya HagishimaStarsRiko NarumiKeisuke KoideMika HadaRyou is a girl isolated by everyone else in her class, she doesn't even have a cell phone because no one would call her anyway. One day, she suddenly starts hearing voices of Shinya, who lives in a different prefecture.I really love this movie. I cried like five times watching it. The short story is great, but the movie has a stronger focus, making it absolutely beautiful.
- DirectorMasayuki MiyanoStarsYuri NakamuraSayuki MatsumotoMiyavi MatsunoiA nice looking SCOUT hooks a future PORN STAR near the department store one day. It didn't take her long to be the highest paid porn actress, which eventually leads her to meet her NYMPHOMANIAC mother living in a trash-filled house. Next to the house, there lived a KARAOKE BOX STAFF who can't say "no" yet thinks himself as a special agent of the Galactic Forces (photo at left). In his imagination, he fights with yakuza and high-school girls, who extort money from real old-men through affairs in karaoke boxes. Meanwhile, an educated FREELANCE WRITER whose only companion is his little boy, was making out for the first time in many years with an ASPIRING VOICE ACTRESS who secretly films a "Fat Girl and Ugly Guy" porn series. Each life overlaps with one another in the street of Tokyo. Are they happy? Can they overcome such miserable situationReally fun series of vignettes
- DirectorAtsushi WadaStarsAi HashimotoRikako SakataNako MizusawaA student in high school obtains a rare avatar on a social networking site and the boundary between her real and online identities becomes blurred.I really love this one because I play a dress-up avatar game like these characters. Even if you don`t, this movie is really really fun, and obviously more interesting than the big-budget movie of the same name.
- DirectorRyosuke HashiguchiStarsYoshinori OkadaAyumi HamasakiKouji YamaguchiThe movie is built around the very complex relationships between Yoshida, leaving Shimizu for Aihara (or at least he tries to), and his friend Ito, whose love for Yoshida seems to have little chance for success. In the end we have a coalition of Ito and Aihara - who may or may not be in love with Ito - teaching Yoshida a lesson.Extremely romantic and heart-wrenching
- DirectorYasujirô OzuStarsChishû RyûChieko HigashiyamaSô YamamuraAn old couple visit their children and grandchildren in the city, but receive little attention.A real classic
- DirectorHiroshi KurosakiStarsKyôka SuzukiHiroki HasegawaKyôko FukadaSet 5 years after the ending of the NHK drama series "Second Virgin," Nakamura Rui is transferred to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia while still taking care of Suzuki Marie.A deeply romantic movie that I would recommend to anyone. You don`t need to be familiar with the drama to enjoy this.
- DirectorTetsuya NakashimaStarsTakako MatsuYoshino KimuraMasaki OkadaA psychological thriller of a grieving mother turned cold-blooded avenger with a twisty master plan to pay back those who were responsible for her daughter's death.Very very very memorable and interesting, and pretty nuts. I enjoyed this one a lot. I would say that this is required viewing.
- DirectorShin'ya TsukamotoStarsShin'ya TsukamotoCoccoYûko NakamuraWhen a single mother suffers a nervous breakdown, she is suspected of child abuse and her child is taken away. Her mental suffering escalates as she succumbs to her darkest fantasies.A great look at mental illness. The editing style is so intense. I wouldn`t want to watch it again though - it`s quite disturbing.
- DirectorKôta YoshidaStarsNoriko EguchiSaori HaraYui Kaneko30 something year old Yuriko (Noriko Eguchi) works as a aromatherapist at an aroma salon. She uses essentials oils and her hands to soothe her client's inner well-being. Yuriko also has a secret she can't tell anyone. She gets incredibly turned on by the sweaty scent of a 17 year old high school student named Tetsuya (Shota Sometani). Tetsuya is also the nephew of the salon owner (Jun Miho). Meanwhile, salon client Ayama (Saori Hara) asks to practice aromatherapy, but her real intent is to press her large breasts against Yuriko.Leads have good chemistry, the story moves along briskly and Noriko Eguchi and Saori Hara are both very beautiful.
- DirectorItsumichi IsomuraStarsKumiko TakedaKazuya TakahashiNatsue YoshimuraTenderly played Japanese love triangle between a man, his girlfriend and a transvestite hooker.Wild pink film...it's just *beep* insane. I was able to take it seriously and revel in the madness.
- DirectorHideaki AnnoStarsTadanobu AsanoMitsuru FukikoshiMegumi HayashibaraA high school girl engages in compensated dating in order to buy an expensive ring before the day ends.Really touching
- DirectorKôki YoshidaStarsKaho MinamiMariko TsutsuiTomorô TaguchiIn this story of a dysfunctional family all the stereotypes of a Japanese unit come to the fore when the wife works the kitchen, the husband is focused on his work and the son does not have a full-time position and all do not really interact. When a family does not communicate the family does not understand each other and the slippery slope rolls downward.Ambitious and atmospheric, just five-minutes in I was feeling the heavy burden of the main character. It really drags you in and it affected me while I was watching it. If you like indies, you will love this one.
- DirectorTatsuya MoriStarsHiroshi ArakiAum Shinrikyo, the Buddhist sect led by Shoko Asahara and responsible for the 1995 Sarin gas attack on a Tokyo subway, becomes the subject of this documentary.Very insightful documentary. I'd recommend it to anyone.
- DirectorSaku NakamachiStarsNaohiro AriyamaTaigo FujisawaJuokaei IkeguchiI am so fascinated by this movie. It`s apparently a pink movie for straight men (I rented the DVD, but found it streaming on a hardcore porn site later when researching info about the movie), but it has a decidedly female viewpoint. What ends up on the screen could be better. Especially the random rape scene of a nameless female character could be removed entirely and I would bump this movie up higher. That scene just HAD TO be added in later for the intended male audience, because up until that point the rapist was supposedly gay. In fact, all of the men in this movie are presumed gay at one point. Every last one. A gay love triangle is the linchpin of this movie about a 24-year-old woman trying to lose her virginity. And when she does, it is just horrifying. This movie was really out-there. It`s not the ideal version of this movie that I have in my head (it wraps up a little too quickly for me - although I love the totally-random-but-not-really ending), but I love it nonetheless. I want to see more movies about lonely women and gay guys, like this and `Onnagokoro`.
- DirectorYoshihiro NakamuraStarsMao InoueGô AyanoNanaoA young woman who works at cosmetic company becomes the prime suspect after her beautiful co-worker is murdered.Loooved this movie. Great plotting and characters, with relevant critique of today's society. I went in expecting nothing and I came out amazed.
- DirectorNaoko OgigamiStarsMikako IchikawaReiko KusamuraKen MitsuishiA single woman runs a rent-a-cat service to provide companions for lonely people.A very lighthearted movie. It`s a little repetitive at times, but I enjoyed it whole-heartedly.
- DirectorKôji FukadaStarsKenji YamauchiKiki SuginoKanji FurutachiThe film follows the follies that ensue when a man and his wife shack up with a family that owns a printing press in their building, the husband takes it over, and the couple begin inviting a motley crew of friends.A very character-driven movie. I really enjoyed the clashes between the 'normal' lifestyle and the 'different' one. I watched this movie a long time ago (it was screened at a local museum!), but I can still remember it well, and that says a lot.
- DirectorRyûichi HirokiSuzuki MatsuoMiwa NishikawaStarsMisaki AmenoNozomi FujiwaraRie HagiwaraFive short films by different directors.Set of sexy short stories. There's one to like for everyone.
- DirectorKenji MizoguchiStarsKinuyo TanakaYoshiaki HanayagiKyôko KagawaIn medieval Japan, a compassionate governor is sent into exile. His wife and children try to join him, but are separated, and the children grow up amid suffering and oppression.An engaging older film
- DirectorYôjirô TakitaStarsMasahiro MotokiRyôko HirosueTsutomu YamazakiSoon after buying an expensive cello, Daigo learns that his orchestra is disbanding. He moves back to his hometown with his wife, where he answers an ad for what Daigo thinks is a travel agency but is, in actuality, a mortuary.It feels tightly paced, even though it's two hours long. Very good.
- DirectorAkira KurosawaStarsToshirô MifuneMachiko KyôMasayuki MoriThe rape of a bride and the murder of her samurai husband are recalled from the perspectives of a bandit, the bride, the samurai's ghost and a woodcutter.Also an engaging older film
- DirectorMika NinagawaStarsErika SawajiriNao ÔmoriShinobu TerajimaTop star Lilico undergoes multiple cosmetic surgeries to her entire body. As her surgeries show side effect.Decadent and wild, this movie really plays to my sensibilities. I enjoyed it very much, even though it`s stylishness was suffocating at times.
- DirectorDaisuke MiuraStarsKasumi ArimuraSakurako MizukiFumi NikaidôLooking for jobs, five young friends regularly meet at one's apartment. Judging and gauging one another by their ability to land job pits the friends as also competitors. When one of the friends finds work the remaining four feel abandoned and the relationships are not the same anymore.When I walked out of the theatre, I was like "huh, that happened". But the more I thought about it, the more I liked this movie. It really captured the feeling of "what should I do now" when you're graduating university in Japan - you're either joining a company now or your choosing to withdraw from traditional salaryman life. A Japanese blog on movies suggested that this might work better as a horror movie and I agree to a point...? This movie is short, so if you have access to it, just watch it. ad judge for yourself
- DirectorKoto NagataMika OhmoriTaikan SugaStarsAyaka KomatsuHosachi MoriEri MurakawaA great anthology film that ends up being more memorable than the manga it`s based off of.
- DirectorTsutomu HanabusaStarsJunpei MizobataIto OnoMasaki SudaHaruna who devoted herself to softball decide to find a boyfriend in high school by instruction from Yoh, who is willingly to teach her how to get a boyfriend but with only one condition, don't fall in love with him at all.Wickedly funny movie. Like the manga, it`s better than it looks.
- DirectorAyato MatsudaStarsErinaAyaka MaedaKenji MizuhashiLooks like it was filmed for 200yen, the `story` moves very very very slowly, but I was very invested in it for whatever reason. It is a very fascinating character study of a self-destructive woman.
- DirectorNobuhiro DoiStarsKasumi ArimuraNanami AbeMorio AgataFact-based tale of a slacker high-school girl, years behind in her studies, who decides to start working hard and pass the entrance exams to a prestigious university in Japan.This movie is objectively 'bad'. It's cheesy, it's dumb, the characters are cliche. It's everything the average imdb user should hate. But I LOVE THIS MOVIE. As with a lot of native English speakers living in Japan, I have experience teaching English. I have experience dealing with this type of student - unmotivated, doesn't care about anything. The teacher in this movie was a 100% perfect, do no wrong type of character but damn it, I wanted to be him. I really bought into Sayaka's journey, that education can change your life, that kids like her can want to change their lives. Basically, I was the target audience, so I loved it. I fell for it. I can't be unbiased.
A note though, probably people raised in average North American families would take objection to the way household violence is dealt with in this movie (which is to basically do nothing). There needs to be more resources for families living in violent situations in Japan, no question. So if you are sensitive to depictions of household violence that has no real recourse for the perpetrator, you might want to avoid this. - DirectorRyûichi HirokiStarsShôta SometaniAtsuko MaedaRoy 5tionOver one day at this love hotel in Shinjuku, Tokyo - where guests have the choice of staying for a short time or overnight - the dreams and desires of these characters intersect while aspiring for something greater.A few too many 'coincidences' in order to move the plot along, but it's a thoroughly enjoyable movie nonetheless. It's just really fun to watch, and it kept my attention throughout the long-ish running time.
- DirectorNoboru IguchiStarsAya KiguchiHitomi HasebeTakumi SaitôAfter receiving robotic implants, two sisters compete as assassins.Yeah, I liked this a lot. Pretty fun movie.
- DirectorJun'ichi MoriStarsYôsuke KubozukaKoyukiTakashi NaitôA young man named Teru, mentally altered by a childhood injury, runs a laundry and falls for Mizue, a lonely young woman with internal scars.A really interesting movie. There is not really a focused plot, but it is a really good human drama.
- DirectorKore-eda HirokazuStarsMasaharu FukuyamaMachiko OnoYôko MakiRyota is a successful workaholic businessman. When he learns that his biological son was switched with another boy after birth, he faces the difficult decision to choose his true son or the boy he and his wife have raised as their own.Captivating, and makes relevant points about masculinity and class-ism in Japanese society without beating you over the head about it. The viewer can come to their own conclusion about who and what was 'right', and each viewpoint would have supporting evidence. I don't trust that the planned American remake can capture that.
- DirectorTakahiro MikiStarsSôta FukushiNana KomatsuMasahiro HigashideOn the way to his university in Kyoto, a 20 y.o. man falls in love with a woman on the train. He tells her. They start dating. She has a supernatural secret.The first half is straight romance and it's sooo good, but there is a bit of a confusing twist in the second half that limits the time the characters have together. I'm glad that the movie stuck to the twist and didn't give the characters a happy ending.
- DirectorSuzuki MatsuoHideaki AnnoStarsRyûhei MatsudaWakana SakaiSuzuki MatsuoLive-action adaptation of a madcap manga about art, opposites, love and a whole lot of cosplay.It's kind of a mess, but any nerd can enjoy this immensely.
P.S. - If you're reading this, then that's likely you. - DirectorKatsuhide MotokiStarsRena TanakaRyô KaseMayuko FukudaA teenage girl adopts a homeless puppy and names it "Socks". They take care of each others since then, until one day when she is thinking Socks to be smaller than she thought it used be...I'm a sucker for animal movies, especially with dogs, so I loved this.
- DirectorKentarô OhtaniStarsMika NakashimaAoi MiyazakiHiroki NarimiyaA chance encounter between two girls of the same name, "Nana," triggers a series of events and relationships.Very solid film
- DirectorTakashi MiikeStarsFumi NikaidôTakehiro HiraHideaki ItôA popular high school teacher concocts an extreme plan to deal with the rise of bullying and bad behavior among the student body.It`s dark with a quantifiable trashy side. Great build-up with just enough character development to make me care. And a fantastically violent climax that was ear-shattering in the cinema. Didn`t feel like it was over two hours long.
- DirectorYû IrieStarsFumi NikaidôKurumi MorishitaTatsuya SakamotoVery fun movie, even if you`re not a fan of Shinsei Kamatte-chan.
- DirectorKazuyuki MorosawaStarsKentaro AraiAvery FaneMasaya KikawadaRina is the it girl. She is thin, has long hair, is flaunting and dresses attractively. Every man wants to be with her and every woman wants to be like her. She also happens to be self-absorbed, mean and nasty. Then calamity hits and she is diagnosed with an illness. The meaning of friendship and true friends and love soon become apparent.This movie proves that Keiko Kitagawa is a true talent. She is able to elevate this cliche material to another level. Perhaps it`s because I am the target audience, perhaps it's because a high-tolerance for trashy cinema, but I really liked this one.
- DirectorChul HanStarsHaruna KawaguchiYûsuke YamamotoRyô RyûseiHaruhi Fujioka (Haruna Kawaguchi) is a female high school student the prestigious Ouran Academy. Unlike most of the students who come from wealthy families, Haruhi Fujioka comes from a modest family background and entered the school with an academic scholarship. One day, she wanders around the campus and stumbles by accident into the school's "host club". The host club consists of six handsome male students who entertain female students. In the room, Haruhi unintentionally breaks an antique vase worth 8 million YEN. To repay for the broken vase, the six male members of the host club makes Haruhi join them - not realizing that Haruhi is actually a girl.Absolutely stupid, but equally fantastic. I enjoyed it, but only because I am a little bit of a fujoshi. If you are not familiar with/don`t enjoy the rhythms/storytelling mechanisms of anime then you should avoid this, as it would be absolutely foreign to you.
- DirectorTomoki SanoStarsKôhei AoyamaAsumaShigeru ChibaA really ridiculous and hilarious (for otaku) movie that has a great energy. It`s a really stupid movie - I`m pretty sure the staff who made it think so too - so you can enjoy it ironically.
- DirectorKôsuke HishinumaStarsShintarô AkutsuAtsushi AraiAya EnjôjiThe film is spawned from the manga regarding the living dead and depicts a land where a virus causes the afflicted to become zombies. A young man, who is about to graduate from high school, contracts it. Consequently, he cannot obtain a job and society is cruel to him. He has little sympathy at large. He is stressed and unhappy, which makes his illness worse. His family, girlfriend and friends want to help, but can do little.A really fun interpretation of the zombie genre. I really enjoyed that the setting was not an apocalypse, but simply daily life plus zombies.
- DirectorKore-eda HirokazuStarsHiroshi AbeYôko MakiSatomi KobayashiAfter the death of his father, a private detective struggles to find child support money and reconnect with his son and ex-wife.The back end is soooo blatantly set up (trapped in a small apartment in a storm, it's now time the ex-husband and wife have a scene! Now the mother and the ex-husband have a scene! etc.), but forgiveable because it's a movie. It's messy and nothing is really resolved so it may feel pointless to some, but I enjoyed it.
- DirectorIsao YukisadaStarsTakao OsawaKô ShibasakiMasami NagasawaWhile searching for his fiancee Ritsuko, Sakutarou rediscovers through flashbacks the void deep within him caused by the events from his high school days.The novel was better (I AM DEFINITELY THE FIRST PERSON TO SAY THAT ABOUT ANY MOVIE EVER [/sarcasm]), but this is good in it's own right
- DirectorTakashi MinamotoStarsHiroki NarimiyaYû YamadaShûgo OshinariSet in Tokyo's otaku mecca Akihabara, "Akihabara@DEEP" tells the story of five otaku who drop out of society and end up founding their own successful IT venture called Crook. But Nakagomi, president of an influential electronics company called Digital Capital, will do anything to get his hands on Crook.An enjoyable ride
- DirectorJûzô ItamiStarsNobuko MiyamotoTsutomu YamazakiMasahiko TsugawaIf tax evasion is an art, wheeler-dealer Hideki Gondo is Rembrandt. And so, a determined taxing woman gets the tough assignment of trying to catch him.A nice movie. Good intro to Japanese cinema (which it was for me)
- DirectorYûichi OnumaStarsNaoko WatanabeKen MitsuishiAimi SatsukawaYoung and attractive, northern Japanese girl from Niigata Prefecture makes the move south to the bright lights of the Japanese capital of Tokyo upon graduating from high school. Hiromi aspires to become an actress. Her physique helps her be scouted and leave her temporary job of working at security. She becomes a pornographic actress using the Mihiro alias.A movie that sort-of glamorizes that AV industry. Kind of refreshing. We never got a look at the main character`s motivation though - she starts adult modeling for no particular reason and without much thought. Not that she needed to feel conflicted about it. Just that ANY deeper motivation would have made it easier to sympathize with the character. All we get is `I`m moving to Tokyo after university! I hope I`m scouted!` She seems like a fame chaser who will do anything to be in front of the camera.
- DirectorYuki TanadaStarsKento NagayamaTomoko TabataMieko HaradaA married woman has an affair with a high school student. A video of their exploits soon turns up on the internet affecting the lives of both couples.A series of five vignettes, the first two showing the same events from two different perspectives, the next two showing the lives of two other characters (and a little of the aftermath of the first two), followed by a wrap-up from the first character. Just based on this movie, the novel this movie is based on seems interesting. However, the vignette format did not translate well to the screen. I was very interested in the first two stories, and was not terribly interested when the third story was giving a lot of information about a new character. I think this movie would have worked better with the four stories intertwined rather than separated.
- DirectorSang-il LeeStarsKen WatanabeMirai MoriyamaAoi MiyazakiA grisly unsolved murder links three seemingly unrelated stories in three different Japanese cities.Solid movie, if not obvious "oscar bait", but when you're dividing the time between three stories it becomes obvious that some are better than others (I liked the story in Chiba the best).
- DirectorMiwa NishikawaStarsYûsuke IseyaRena TanakaTakako MatsuAfter losing their restaurant in a fire, a husband and wife come up with a strange plan to rebuild their shattered finances: marrying the husband off to a series of lonely women and defrauding them.Very interesting. The subtleties in the characters are well-drawn.
- DirectorLeos CaraxMichel GondryBong Joon HoStarsAyako FujitaniRyô KaseAyumi ItoA triptych examines the nature of one unforgettable city as it's shaped by the disparate people who live, work (and even run amok) inside one enormous, constantly evolving, densely populated megalopolis, the ravishing and inimitable Tokyo.Don't know if I should include this on the list since the directors are not Japanese, but it's a pretty good film.
- DirectorHyoe YamamotoStarsAyaka MaedaNahanaKyoko is an aspiring writer whose artistic vision is yet to be formed. When her girlfriend Rie asks her to move in with her, Kyoko begins to wonder about their uncertain future as a lesbian couple in Tokyo.Straight-forward short about a lesbian couple in Japan deciding what to do next in their relationship. There are a few gay movies lower on this list that could learn from this short film.
- DirectorSeijun SuzukiStarsZiyi ZhangJoe OdagiriHiroko YakushimaruAmechiyo (The banished prince) falls in love with Tanukihime (a princess of raccoon dog disguised to human). This is an Operetta which includes comedy, singing and dancing, and a love story.A musical with Ziyi Zhang, who doesn't know Japanese. But the movie is very interesting.
- DirectorSion SonoStarsRyo IshibashiMasatoshi NagaseMai HoshoA detective is trying to find the cause of a string of suicides.Not as wild as I wanted it to be, but still pretty crazy
- DirectorKenji MizoguchiStarsMasayuki MoriMachiko KyôKinuyo TanakaA tale of ambition, family, love, and war set in the midst of the Japanese Civil Wars of the sixteenth century.Saw this along time ago, thought it was great.
- DirectorYukiko MishimaStarsTomoyo HaradaYô ÔizumiKanna MoriyaYoung married couple Rie and Sang move from Tokyo to Lake Toya in Hokkaido Prefecture to start a bakery restaurant named Mani. Sang bakes bread and Rie makes food. Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter, the customers leave in a happy state.Gorgeous scenery and food make this a perfect escapist fantasy for those who wish for the country life.
- DirectorYôichi SaiStarsKaoru KobayashiKippei ShînaTeruyuki KagawaAs a Labrador puppy, Quill is sent to live with a couple, Isamu and Mitsuko Nii, who work as volunteers, training guide dogs (seeing eye dogs). When he grows to an adult dog, he is taken to a guide dog school, by a friendly, yet firm trainer Satoru Tawada. Although Quill is a little slower than the other dogs at the school, he seems to have an unusual 'empathy' and remarkable patience with his trainers. Tawade decides that Quill would be the ideal guide dog for Mitsuru Watanabe, but Wanatabe, a lonely and ill-tempered middle aged man, isn't as enthusiastic - he would "would rather sleep than be dragged around by a dog.". From here, the story is narrated by Wanatabe's daughter, Mitsuko, and slowly, Wantanbe is rehabilitated, venturing into the outside world, and learning, not only to trust other humans, but the animal at his side who guides him.Another dog movie!! This one is very sad
- DirectorGen TakahashiStarsKanata HongôRin TakanashiKunihiko IdaMorino and Kamiyama share a morbid fascination with cruelty and murder in this horror. Together they track down a brutal serial killer to find the latest two victims - not necessarily to bring the killer to justice but to inspect their handiwork...Taking just one of the short stories\chapters from the book was a perfect choice - it allowed the movie to be moody and atmospheric. Kind of the opposite of the other Otsuichi short story adaptation `Zoo`.
- DirectorNakaba UedaStarsMari SakuraiBobbyAki KawamuraIt's almost as if I wrote this movie myself. Any tragic prostitute storyline you can think of, it's in here. The main character is dumb as hell, the male characters are dumb as hell, this whole movie is dumb as hell (yet acts as if it is the most dramatic and amazing love story of all time). So, as someone who loves trashy movies, and can easily get swept up in 'drama', this was amazing.
- DirectorMipo OhStarsGô AyanoChizuru IkewakiMasaki SudaTwo troubled souls living on the fringes of a port town fall in love, but their trials are far from over.Well acted and directed, with good pacing. It kept my attention, but it really wasn't anything special. I have a soft spot for 'human drama' like this, so I enjoyed it, but it was lacking that special something.
- DirectorHisayasu SatôStarsTomori AbeHirofumi AraiToyotaka HanazawaA timid young woman who lives with her domineering mother accepts an Adult Video scout's offer to "become somebody else" by performing in porn videos. As she rises in popularity, the boundaries between her two lives begin to disintegrate.A little too blatant with the fan-service, but this is a good movie, especially for those who like movies about the porn industry. I cannot say that I understand the significance of the ending, but it is quite stylish.
- DirectorMasako MatsuuraStarsSaki KagamiJoe OdagiriMaho NonamiOn her seventeenth birthday Aoi is raped by her friends. Her family rejects her and she runs away from home. Because money and materialistic wealth is now all she cares for, she ends up working in the sex industry.Very straight forward movie about a fictionalized Ai Iijima's descent into the AV world. Ending was a bit too sentimental for my liking.
- DirectorKôichirô MikiStarsJôji AbeKazuyuki AijimaDuncanSayaka works as a property agent. One day after work, she finds a man, named Itsuki, collapsed outside her house. She takes him in and they start to live together. Itsuki teaches her about cooking and plants, but holds many secrets.I thought that this was going to have fantasy elements, and I was pleasantly surprised when it turned out that it didn't (maybe spoilers?). This is a very pleasant an nice romance movie.
- DirectorShin'ya TsukamotoStarsTomorô TaguchiKei FujiwaraNobu KanaokaA businessman accidentally kills The Metal Fetishist, who gets his revenge by slowly turning the man into a grotesque hybrid of flesh and rusty metal.Kind of weird, but at least it tried something different.
- DirectorTakashi MiikeStarsShôta SometaniNijirô MurakamiRyunosuke KamikiA group of high school students are forced to play a game of death without knowing who, why or how.A version of 'Aku no Kyoten' for kids who can't sit through two hours of set-up before getting to the violence. I enjoyed it, but I wish that Miike had made an 'Aku no Kyoten' sequel instead of this.
- DirectorTeinosuke KinugasaStarsMachiko KyôKazuo HasegawaIsao YamagataA samurai pursues a married lady-in-waiting.Saw a long time ago, thought it was alright
- DirectorTakeshi KitanoStarsTakeshi KitanoTadanobu AsanoYui NatsukawaThe blind masseur/swordsman comes to a town in control of warring gangs, and while bunking with a farming family, he meets two women with their own agenda.Very entertaining and engaging, but not enough to really "chew on" for my tastes
- DirectorKôji ShintokuStarsKei InooMizuki YamamotoMomoko KikuchiMomo Adachi is a female high school student. She appears to be a wild girl due to her tan skin and dyed hair, but she is a actually naive and sweet student. Since her days in middle school, Momo Adachi has secretly held feelings for classmate Toji. Meanwhile, the most popular male student, Kairi Okayasu, becomes interested in her. Her friend Sae is jealous of her and tries to block Toji from Momo. Momo is conflicted with Toji and Kairi, but she has to make a decision.A perfect light and fluffy teen movie for those interested. Stays true to the spirit of the original manga.
- DirectorFumihiko SoriStarsHaruka AyaseShidô NakamuraYôsuke KubozukaIchi is a blind woman who roams about town with her shamisen (a three-stringed Japanese guitar), but she has exceptional sword skills with which she fights off yakuza and other villains.More serious than Zatoichi, but also more generic
- DirectorDaigo MatsuiStarsShôta MatsudaNozomi SasakiAtsushi TsutsumishitaA young man with a new hair style falls for a beautiful neighbor in this romantic comedy.Better than you think it‘s going be. Not great, but better than average, especially if you like mild cringe humor.
- DirectorKen'ichi OhmoriStarsReiko IgarashiMariko KôdaArisa NotoVery cliche story, but a certain warmth radiates from every scene. I felt like a lot of scenes were long shots, which added to the warm atmosphere. It was a very fun movie to watch, and not super long so it didn't outstay its welcome.
- DirectorHitoshi ÔneStarsMasaharu FukuyamaLily FrankyRika IzumiShizuka Miyakonojo (Masaharu Fukuyama) is a 40 something paparazzi photographer. He is a skilled cameraman who has a gambling addiction and is in debt. An ex journo for a weekly picture magazine 'Scoop!,' he had fame for numerous scoops. Currently working as a freelance journalist applying his talents and fishing for celebrity scandals. He is joined by Nobi Namekawa (Fumi Nikaido), who works for his old magazine, who as a rookie reporter, becomes invaluable as they are on the verge of one of the greatest Scoops in Japans history.Pretty much a 40-something male fantasy. It's still kind of interesting though.
- DirectorGorô KishitaniStarsJuri UenoYoshino KimuraKazuki KitamuraHiroko is soon to marry when disaster strikes. On the road to Mount Fuji a woman falls on the hood of her car. The woman is Kobayashi Fukuko, and she attempts suicide again and again. The two women become friends, but Hiroko will meet disaster once again.Not as funny as it thinks it is, but it has some moments.
- DirectorYûichi FukudaStarsShin'ichi TsutsumiDonald AshGaku Hamada41-year-old Shizuo Daikoku (Shinichi Tsutsumi) suddenly quits his job at a company to become a mangaka. His family and friends become involved in his new pursuit.There was too much time spent on characters outside of the main one, but it was pleasantly funny enough and held my interest. Could have easily been 30 minutes shorter though.
- DirectorRyosuke HashiguchiStarsReiko KataokaKazuya TakahashiSeiichi TanabeSoon after the disparate yet compatible Naoya and Katsuhiro start to settle into a relationship, a slightly unhinged young woman named Asako asks Katsuhiro to father her child.It`s a slow, quiet movie, but it`s fine. I enjoyed the female character much more than the romance between the men.
- DirectorRyûichi HirokiStarsAoi MiyazakiOsamu MukaiTatsuomi HamadaMovie adaptation of the Japanese novel "Kiroi Jou". A married couple Ayumu Muko (Mukai) and Aiko Tsumari (Miyazaki) live a peaceful life in a cozy old house in the countryside. Ayumu works as an unsuccessful novelist while Aiko is a happy but naive housewife. After a letter arrives for Ayumu their relationship grow distant and deteriorates.Not nearly as precious as it thinks it is. I don't really pay attention to Japanese actors, but my God is Osamu Mukai a terrible actor and Aoi Miyazaki a fantastic one. A scene where they are eating dinner in the middle of the film and Mukai 'breaks down' says it all. Miyazaki is able to sell the more cheesy moments of the film (LIKE HER NIGHTLY CONVERSATIONS WITH A TREE), but Mukai and ultimately the script fail this movie. There is one amazing scene about 3/4 of the way through, though I really hated the final message of the movie... Overall, it held my interest, and I would recommend this over some generic pablum.
- DirectorYôji YamadaStarsIsao HashizumeKazuko YoshiyukiMasahiko NishimuraIn this update of Yasujiro Ozu's "Tokyo Story", a retired schoolteacher and his wife visit their three working children in modern-day Tokyo.Not especially well-acted (especially from the daughter) and incredibly generic, yet it somehow captured my undivided attention. It`s well-made pablum.
- DirectorShôsuke MurakamiStarsTakayuki YamadaMiki NakataniRyôko KuninakaThe supposedly true story of a 23-year-old otaku (Japanese geek) who intervenes when a drunk man is harassing several women on a train. The otaku ultimately begins dating one of the women, and posts on a website asking for advice every step of the way.Kind of a cold movie for such a silly story.
- DirectorJun IchikawaStarsKoji YakushoHiroyuki SanadaJinpachi NezuA cab-driver spends his days listening to his passengers' conversations. A writer faces a creativity bottleneck.Comprised of two short stories, the first one being a really interesting look at a lonely taxi driver, the second being a really annoying look at a delusional author. Overall, it's not bad, but it's no classic either. It's too unbalanced to fully enjoy.
- DirectorRyu KanedaMasaki AdachiHiroshi AndoStarsPatrick HarlanYui IchikawaRyunosuke KamikiHiroshi Ando aka "Zoo" Synopsis.....This collection of shocking, unpredictable stories feature the first screen adaptation of the number one young author of his generation, Otsuichi. Working with five different directors, ZOO features five stories (four live-action, one animated) of fear, sadness and pain. ======================================================================================= "Zoo" A man kills a woman at an abandoned zoo and takes pictures of her dead body everyday. Then suddenly the zoo is gone and the line between reality and fantasy becomes blurred. "Kazari and Yoko" The mother of twin sisters, Kazari and Yoko, loves only one of her daughters, and abuses the other. When the abused tries to break free, things take shocking turns. "Seven Rooms" One day, a young boy and his older sister find themselves trapped in a small, concrete room. There are seven rooms in all, each containing a different prisoner. On the sixth day, everyone will be massacred. Can they survive? "So Far" A young boy's father is convinced that his mother is dead. The mother is convinced the father is dead. The boy is the only person that both father and mother can see. "When the Sun Shines" CG animation about a unique man learning about life and death in a world where most of humanity has already died out.As with most any anthology movie, I enjoyed some shorts more than others. I was impressed with the twin story, but beyond disappointed with `Seven Rooms` (my favorite from the book). `Seven Rooms` probably could have been a good 90-minute movie by itself. Kind of the opposite of the other Otsuichi short story adaptation `Goth`.
- DirectorMunetoshi MukaiStarsKaoru MitsumuneMiyako TakayamaYukiyo SonoA pretty small movie. Kind of calm, maybe bland even, but it's short enough that is goes by quickly. I feel like the initial idea was for the four characters to go on a road trip instead of just three of them. But perhaps because the actress had health issues or contract issues she didn't participate in the road trip. So, that weakened the theme of the movie as well (after university we will all be separated -- oh no, even now we are separated, OK...).
- DirectorAtsushi KaneshigeStarsShunsuke DaitôJun FukuyamaYuta FurukawaCollege student Mutou Ookawa catches a glimpse of Ametani Yuiko, his co-worker from a former part-time job and falls immediately in love. Summoning up his courage, he eventually confesses his feelings to her and she responds "...but I'm a fujoshi." Mutou not having the slight clue what "fujoshi" means, immediately responds "That's OK!"More romance than fujoshi jokes, this one is a fine time-filler.
- DirectorHideki TakeuchiStarsHiroshi AbeAya UetoKazuki KitamuraLucius, a Roman architect, is transported through time to modern-day Japan, where he learns about Japanese bathhouses and uses this to his gain back home.The first half is HILARIOUS, the second half is very generic and boring. If only it decided to go with full-on comedy...
- DirectorShûsuke KanekoStarsTatsuya FujiwaraKen'ichi MatsuyamaAsaka SetoA battle between the world's two greatest minds begins when Light Yagami finds the Death Note, a notebook with the power to kill, and decides to rid the world of criminals.I was surprised at how "Hollywood" this felt.
- DirectorKen IizukaStarsShun OguriTakayuki YamadaYu ShirotaKou Ichinomiya comes from a wealthy family and his father runs a famous company. Kou is smart enough to already run several high-flying firms. From an early age Kou's father taught him to never owe anybody anything. Because of this, when he does owe someone something he will suffer an asthma attack. He's obsessed with never becoming in debt to another person. One day, Kou falls into the Arakawa River and is saved by homeless girl Nino (Mirei Kiritani). Kou is in debt to Nino for saving his life. With his obsession over never owing something to another person, Kou asks Nino if there is any way he can pay her back. The girl doesn't want anything. Kou persists in paying back his debt to her and finally Nino asks Kou to love her. Kou will then start to live under the Arakawa River bridge with Nino and other homeless persons.A nice, wacky movie that still has a crowd-pleasing bent. It`s nice enough. I enjoyed it.
- DirectorYûya IshiiStarsSatoshi TsumabukiKazuya KamenashiRyô Katsuji1918 -1942 , A Time Period passed . Vancouver Canada , a Japanese Community and the struggles and triumphs they faced , and the Spirit of a Baseball Team that won over many, and overcame barriers . A Story with history embedded in the Museum of Baseball in Vancouver Canada.As a Canadian, I felt like I had to watch this even though historical movies aren't my thing. I enjoyed the time period, the sets, and the overall 'mood'. Unfortunately, the story was just your average drama with some racism thrown in. It was well made, it was just very very average.
- DirectorTakashi MiikeStarsHiroki NarimiyaTakumi SaitôMirei KiritaniFollowing the murder of his mentor, rookie Defense Attorney Phoenix Wright must find the truth behind not only her death, but that of an unsolved case from 15 years prior.A love letter for fans of the game. I can`t say if anyone who hasn`t played the game would enjoy it. I am only a casual fan so I was only mildly enthused.
- DirectorNagisa ÔshimaStarsTakeshi KitanoRyûhei MatsudaShinji TakedaThe new member of a samurai militia unit causes disruption as several of his colleagues fall in love with him, threatening to disturb the rigid code of their squad.Didn't live up to the potential
- DirectorHideo NakataStarsHitomi KurokiRio KannoMirei OguchiA mother and her 6-year-old daughter move into a creepy apartment whose every surface is permeated by water.Saw the American remake first, the two are virtually identical. Good horror flick.
- DirectorKeishi OtomoStarsTakeru SatohEmi TakeiYû AoiA former assassin who has resolved to never kill again has his vow sorely tested.It did a good job of erasing the episodic nature of the early volumes of the manga, but in the end it tried too hard to shoehorn in famous scenes and characters from the manga, causing it to drag.
- DirectorShunichi NagasakiStarsYui NatsukawaMichitaka TsutsuiChiaki KuriyamaWhen Hinako was a child she was separated from Fumiya and Sayori as she moved to Tokyo. Now she has returned to Shikoku, but it turns out that Sayori drowned. When Hinako starts seeing Sayori in her dreams, she seeks help from Fumiya.Kind of cheesy, but pretty good
- DirectorTakashi ShimizuStarsNoriko SakaiChiharu NiiyamaKei HorieAs their curse spreads on, the ghosts find their chance to live once again through the pregnancy of a cursed woman.Felt like it had more direction than the first one.
- DirectorYû IrieStarsKazuya KamenashiYûsuke IseyaKyôko FukadaIn Japan, Lieutenant Colonel Yuki (Yusuke Iseya) recommends the creation of spy training school "D Kikan".My friend said it best - this movie played like a cartoon. It was a fun adventure movie, even if the action did seem quite Lupin-esque at times.
- DirectorSion SonoStarsErika SawajiriGô AyanoKôsuke ToyoharaA down-and-out man finds a new job in Tokyo's red-light district as a scout who recruits women to work in the adult-entertainment business.It was totally different than what I expecting from the trailer (which made it look like a revenge flick). It was more of a 'yakuza' flick if anything (yes, I know that they were not technically 'yakuza'). It was fine. I liked the final montage at the end, the main character was compelling, and was generally invested in Erika Sawajiri's story line. I'm not generally a fan of crime movies, so the main story line didn't really hold my interest. The fights were good and this movie was well made, but it just seemed to be going through the motions at times.
- DirectorHideki TakeuchiStarsHiroshi AbeAya UetoKazuki KitamuraA sequel to the comedy Thermae Romae, an adaptation of Yamazaki Mari's popular comic. A Roman Empire bathhouse architect learns how to travel through time when in need of inspiration. Then, a conflict could divide the Roman Empire.I liked the 'story' part of this one better, but unfortunately the humor just didn't work as well the second time around (as is usually the case).
- DirectorYukio NinagawaStarsYuriko YoshitakaKengo KôraArata Iura19 year old Rui finds life deeply disappointing until she falls in love with Ama in Shibuya, Tokyo. She was attracted by his piercings so decided to have her tongue pierced too. Pain is the only way that she can feel she is alive. The tatoo designer, Shiba, is also getting curious about Rui due to his sadist split. Ama protects Rui with violence and Shiba is using violence to love her. A strange love triangle of violence and sex and Rui's body changed with a tatoo and a large piercing.Dully weird. It`s not great, but at least it has some ambition. The novel is better though (of course).
- DirectorSakurako FukuyamaStarsIto OnoKaramAkiraMizuki looks like a boy and she also leads the all girl rock band Burauerozen. Then Akira, a boy who looks like a girl sneaks in to watch Burauerozen concert and confesses his love to Mizuki. Will Their love begin?Just as ridiculous as you'd expect. Not as manic as the similar-energied 'Koukou Debut', so it ends up being dragged down by it's love story more than it should. If there was more focus on the gags and side-characters in the second-half, it could have been better.
- DirectorHajime KadoiStarsEriko SatôKazuki KitamuraTetta SugimotoShinji runs a bar. A woman named Moeko appears in front of Shinji. In the past, Moeko stole 200,000,000 yen from member of the National Assembly. Shinji , Moeko, Detective Sone and a gang soon begin to collide because of the money.The first two-thirds are quite interesting, with the audiences' perception of the characters' allegiances shifting frequently and the violence quick and a natural part of the movies' world. The last third makes the allegiances of the characters 100% clear (and as expected), and ends with a typical-action movie shoot-out (I did like the first shoot-out in the sparse forest though). Add in a requisite 'happy ending', and this movie just straight-up missed it's potential.
- DirectorTakashi ShimizuStarsMegumi OkinaMisaki ItôMisa UeharaA mysterious and vengeful spirit marks and pursues anybody who dares enter the house in which it resides.Whooo scary kids...
- DirectorKazuyoshi KumakiriStarsFumi NikaidôTadanobu AsanoAoba KawaiAfter losing everything in a tsunami, 10-year-old Hana is taken in by 26-year-old distant relative Jungo Kusarino. They live as father and daughter but share a profound sense of loss. Jungo works as a cook for the coast guard, leaving young Hana alone for days at a time. In wintry Hokkaido, Jungo and Hana both desire to fill their empty, love-starved hearts as they set foot into a forbidden world. Eventually, an elder benefactor in their small town learns of their illicit relationship. When he tries to separate them for Hana's own good, it provokes her emotional rage. Soon after, a murder quietly occurs atop the ice floes. With their dark secret, Jungo and Hana escape to Tokyo.I was aware of the nature of the content before going to see this (QUASI INCEST!), but it was just super uncomfortable. I was with this movie until the main female character entered high school. After that, Fumi Nikaido's acting was terrible, and I couldn't feel why she would want to do what she was doing. On the flip side, I guess it's a testament to his acting, but I totally hate Tadanobu Asano now, as his character was replusive. The movie was artfully put together, but the pacing was just too slow.