Japan

In this fifth episode of the “Wataridori” series, Taki Shinji (Kobayashi Akira) drifts north to Hokkaido, where he helps protect an Ainu village from unscrupulous land developers.Read More »

Synopsis:
Zatoichi comes upon the town of Tonda, overrun by gangsters. Using one of his favorite techniques, Zatoichi proceeds to win 8 ryo in a rigged gambling game. Of course, the local gangsters attempt to kill him, and the adventure begins. It turns out a blacksmith named Senzo examines Zatoichi’s cane sword, and discovers it to be forged by his old mentor. Senzo discovers the sword is at the end of its usefulness and will break when it is used next….Read More »

Married for a decade, a couple have no child. He is a lawyer, however, and as a result of one of his cases has the daughter of an imprisoned man living with them. The girl, who is understated, has a boyfriend, but otherwise only ventures out to meet her jailed father. The family is visited by the daughter of a friend from Osaka who has made the journey without informing her parents. That her personality is the opposite of the girl who lives in the house is obvious. At the same time, the wife runs into her own ex and the husband faints at work due to exhaustion. The live-in girl tends to the husband in a way that leaves the latter’s wife concerned.Read More »

Quote:
A self-absorbed young actor humiliates an elderly Noh performer, who then commits suicide. His act of cruelty compels his father to disown him, leading the once promising actor to a life on the streets. But his desire to win back the respect of his father and the affection of the dead actor’s daughter pushes him toward a more noble existence. Naruse employed a delicately structured mise-en-scene in this family melodrama, which evokes the work of Josef von SternbergRead More »

Made in 1936. The eldest son of Edo Kitamachi Magistrate Toyama Kinzaemon, Kinshiro, is the heir to the Toyama family, but after he thought that Shinnosuke, his stepmother, Fusae’s son, would succeed in his place, he left home, became acquainted with the yakuza and got into trouble. Even though his father, Kinzaemon, seemingly disregarded Kinshiro, he was concerned about him every day. His stepmother was also worried. One night, the couple go separately to find out about Kinshiro.Read More »

Quote:
In the fictional Tokyo suburb of Mahoro, Keisuke Tada (Eita) works as a “benriya” – a general problem solver for hire.
One day in January, former classmate Haruhiko Gyoten (Ryuhei Matsuda) appears unannounced. Back in their schooldays Haruhiko was a quiet person who rarely talked. Now, Haruhiko is talkative. Both men are over 30 years old and divorced. Without giving an explanation, Haruhiko suddenly asks to spend the night at Keisuke’s home. Keisuke turns down Haruhiko, but Haruhiko is persistant and finally Keisuke allows him to sleep over for one night. What Keisuke is unaware of is that Haruhiko plans to stay for more than one night. Eventually, Keisuke accepts Haruhiko as his assistant and they become involved in various cases involving an assortment of people from different walks of life.Read More »

Set in the postwar turmoil, Akasaka no shimai paints a vivit portrait of the life of three sisters who struggle to live in Tokyo.Read More »

imdb:
A foreign spy using the Sorge alias is assigned to Tokyo the capital of Japan just prior to the outbreak of World War II and in the midst of the Japanese imperial ambitions in Eastern Asia. The spy becomes acquainted with a sympathetic communist who like he is attached to the ideals of freedom and rule of the masses. Sorge is able to feed the Soviet Union useful information regarding the Axis allies and their movements in Asia and beyond.Read More »

imdb Bandits on the Wind, Inagaki. This movie is beautiful, funny, heroic. It’s a shame it’s not better known. At one point the most immature and pathological bandit (in a bad bunch) is forced to pretend to be a prince. The timing that shows this Japanese’s inability to sit cross legged is hysterical. There’s a wonderful joke where a bandit weeps to recall how peasants were forced to build a defensive wall, and then slaughtered to keep it secret. “How did you escape?” another bandit wants to know. “Escape nothing: I was one of the guys doing the killing!” The martial arts triangle defense–two katana and a spear–is stellar. The bandits blend cooperation and chaos as it suits them; in the end their Bushido is heroic.Read More »