The Best Japanese Films of the New Millennium
There is a widely spread perception among critics, scholars and film buffs that Japanese cinema died decades ago. Some see the end of the studio system of the golden post-war era as the turning point while others consider the downfall of Japanese New Wave the last period of time when Japanese cinema was still interesting and relevant. Having spent many years watching Japanese films I have grown to dislike this idea because there are lots of interesting Japanese films that are not getting the attention and distribution outside Japan that they deserve. In order to do something about this situation I want to create much-needed discussion about contemporary Japanese cinema. Some sort of “canon” is needed for discussion. Although I do not believe my personal list will be enough for a proper canon, but I hope it creates discussion and inspires interest in Japanese cinema that is still as alive as ever despite financial problems.
For those of you who like Japanese cinema or are interested in trying out recent Japanese films, this list offers one way to discover gems (both well-known and obscure). My intention is to include all sorts of films in this list: thought-provoking, hilarious, melodramatic, meditative, heartwarming or just downright unsettling.
I do not care about the precise rankings so much because they change almost daily, but I was very careful about which 100 films I chose for the list. I spent months rewatching films I had seen a long time ago and watching recent films that had been on my backlog for too long. I deliberately ruled documentaries out of the list because I have seen so few of them and thought it would not pay enough respect to the genre if I just added the few documentaries I know and have seen.
I hope you find this list interesting and useful. I am thinking of updating this list once I have seen more new films.
For those of you who like Japanese cinema or are interested in trying out recent Japanese films, this list offers one way to discover gems (both well-known and obscure). My intention is to include all sorts of films in this list: thought-provoking, hilarious, melodramatic, meditative, heartwarming or just downright unsettling.
I do not care about the precise rankings so much because they change almost daily, but I was very careful about which 100 films I chose for the list. I spent months rewatching films I had seen a long time ago and watching recent films that had been on my backlog for too long. I deliberately ruled documentaries out of the list because I have seen so few of them and thought it would not pay enough respect to the genre if I just added the few documentaries I know and have seen.
I hope you find this list interesting and useful. I am thinking of updating this list once I have seen more new films.
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- DirectorShunji IwaiReparto principalHayato IchiharaShûgo OshinariAyumi ItoLa agitada vida de unos estudiantes adolescentes para los que la música soñadora de la cantante Lily Chou-Chou es la única forma de escapar de una sociedad alienante, violenta e insensible.All About Lily Chou-Chou
Shunji Iwai's All About Lily Chou-Chou is one of the films that have altered and determined my taste in film. It is one of those films that deeply unsettled me when I first saw it and continues to enthrall me whenever I see it again. It is not a perfect film by any means, but it is an undeniably important film for me personally. I did not experience anything nearly as bad as the film's characters when I was a teen, but somehow the story feels just like my youth. It addresses themes that people of my generation find familiar. The Lily Chou-Chou of the title is a fictional pop star that connects all the characters: her enchanting music and Björk-like character are the only way out of the cruel society for the young, alienated cast. The film does not pull punches with its vicious depiction of bullying, trauma and death. Iwai gets everything he can out of the early digital cameras with dreamlike colors and haunting shots of the characters in wide green fields. By the time the end credits roll the film has managed to capture the mindset of what it is like to grow up in the modern society.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5k6GFVlnMo - DirectorHideaki AnnoReparto principalShunji IwaiAyako FujitaniJun MurakamiUn cineasta desilusionado tiene un encuentro con una joven que tiene el ritual de repetir "Mañana es mi cumpleaños" todos los días. Intenta comunicarse con ella a través de su cámara de video.Ritual Day
Hideaki Anno's Ritual Day plunges into the minds of its two desperate and lonely protagonists: a burned-out film director and the odd girl he is following. Produced with a small cast and crew, Anno employs the haunting industrial landscapes of his hometown as the two wander around, trying to communicate with each other. As their relationship develops the film reveals many psychological shades of pain the two are going through. The director is struggling with his own work, which reflects Anno's own experiences, and the girl is fighting with her inner demons and deeply rooted mother issues in her surreal abandoned apartment block full of red umbrellas, water and junk. Anno's study of the two characters is both haunting and uplifting because it grows through hell in order to find a peaceful conclusion. The conclusion is not a "they lived happily ever after" ending, but it brims with hope for the damaged souls.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32WdNraeZwE - DirectorHirokazu KoreedaReparto principalHiroshi AbeYui NatsukawaYouUna familia se reúne para un ritual conmemorativo cuya naturaleza solo se aclara gradualmente.Still Walking
When a family gathers together on the anniversary of the oldest son's death, the conflicts within the family burst open over the course of a day. Koreeda's magnificence is that he can be both universal and culturally specific at the same time. Still Walking's portrayal of middle-class family life hits on the dramatic and comic notes that are common all around the world, but at the same time it also delves deeper into Japanese traditions, such as the importance of the oldest son of a family. Grumpy grandfathers, doting grandmothers, nervous in-laws and energetic children. All of them are familiar to us. Still Walking inserts immense depth into all the cliches of family dramas all the while it investigates the huge impact of the loss of a son even decades later. Especially the second son of the family has to carry the burden as the parents keep wondering how everything would be better if the perfect first son were still alive. If Yasujiro Ozu had ever made a film in this day it would have perhaps been similar to Still Walking.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gPbHqmjhNU - DirectorSion SonoReparto principalTakahiro NishijimaHikari MitsushimaSakura AndôUn extraño triángulo amoroso se forma entre un joven fotógrafo católico, una chica misándrica y un cultista manipulador.Love Exposure
Sion Sono's Love Exposure is a 4-hour epic of love, religion, and youth that does not leave its audience cold. By now I have introduced dozens of people to it and not one of them has regretted sitting down for 4 hours to watch the madness. The son of a moralizing priest is looking for his personal "Maria" when he comes across a punk girl who hates men and a crazy cult that brainwashes its recruits. Thus begins his great journey that is a glorious mixture of voyeurism, crossdressing and boners. The film begins as a hyperactive comedy, but it gradually turns into a grim drama that completely absorbs the audience. Punctuated by a powerful combination of classical music and psychedelic rock, Love Exposure is an explosive cinematic experience that everyone ought to see.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Fxa5NuVrqU - DirectorTatsushi ÔmoriReparto principalHirofumi AraiJoe HyûgaMansaku IkeuchiA child's horrific murder brings to light the haunted truth of an affair between her mother and a neighbor. As a magazine reporter investigates the case, he finds that nothing is as it seems.The Ravine of Goodbye
As a journalist investigates a child murder case he finds out the remarkable secret of the couple next door. Tatsushi Omori's The Ravine of Goodbye is a gut-wrenching but sophisticated portrayal of the consequences of a rape crime. It views the incident from a number of perspectives which bring their own colored judgment, but the ambiguous truth lies in the confused and unsettled minds of the perpetrator and the victim. What is the driving force for the two? Guilt? Retaliation? Love? Or is it something completely different? Omori proves himself a fully matured visionary who delivers his drama with chilling power and complex understanding. Furthermore, the performances of his leads (Yoko Maki and Shima Onishi) are absolutely phenomenal - among the best acting performances of the new millennium. The Ravine of Goodbye is a haunting masterpiece that still lingers in my mind even a month later.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0HQV2NsDbU - DirectorNaomi KawaseReparto principalShigeki UdaMachiko OnoKanako MasudaA care-giver at a small retirement home takes one of her patients for a drive to the country, but the two wind up stranded in a forest where they embark on an exhausting and enlightening two-day journey.The Mourning Forest
In The Mourning Forest, one of Japan's leading directors, Naomi Kawase, tells a story about a woman who is still grieving her son’s death working at a nursing home where she forms a special bond with an old man with dementia struggling to accept the death of her wife. The scenario is a great platform for Kawase to meditate on death, loss, old age and letting go. While the themes do overlap a little with the director's other films, The Mourning Forest focuses on a decidedly different aspect. While the film mostly consists of the two protagonists wandering lost in a forest, it is an earth-shattering cinematic experience. In only 97 minutes Kawase manages to craft an enlightening and almost spiritual experience that will certainly haunt me for a long time.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SY9A3yJARgk - DirectorKôhei OguriReparto principalTadanobu AsanoMai EnokiTokie HidariMachi, a young high school student from a small mountain town, is having fun with her friends inventing the outline of a fantasy tale. They all add an episode to this exquisite invention whilst, in parallel, the adults pursue their daily life.The Buried Forest
Perhaps the most challenging film of the list, The Buried Forest is the film of a veteran director who has only released 5 films in his long career that spans 4 decades. It is a surreal film about a village in which teenage girls begin to tell their own fantasy story that starts to become real when a buried forest is found nearby. The film mixes up reality and fantasy freely, with even the viewer not being able to distinguish between the two at times. Oguri keeps his camera at a distance, using close-ups only on a few occasions, and he does not build many characters. Instead his characters are more like parts of scenery in his gorgeous cinematography that is almost like a series of paintings. The soundscapes are also very diligently controlled as the director creates a hypnotic air of mystery around the surreal village. Yet he does not directly imply what the film is about, instead he leaves it up to the viewer to be active and find one's own interpretation. The Buried Forest is a one-of-a-kind masterpiece that rewards curious film buffs even if it is far from being accessible.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbwNodzDH3U - DirectorKiyoshi KurosawaReparto principalTeruyuki KagawaKyôko KoizumiYû KoyanagiUna familia japonesa común se desintegra lentamente después de que su patriarca pierde su trabajo en una empresa importante.Tokyo Sonata
Tokyo Sonata is Kiyoshi Kurosawa's ultimate masterpiece that takes a look into the inner workings of the contemporary patriarchal family structure that is still very common in Japan. The gradual disintegration and reunification of a family paves the way for a thought-provoking and emotionally involving exploration of the insecurities of the characters. Their pride can not handle the constant dread of trouble with finances and employment in addition to losing face in front of family and society. Kurosawa's conclusion to how the family can overcome their deeply rooted problems is surprisingly optimistic for the director, but it is also a very mature conclusion that is the logical next step after the film's hard-hitting thematic ruminations. In conclusion, Tokyo Sonata is a complex portrayal of the key issues of modern day family that cleverly extends its focus to all the family members.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyWp__jXNRw - DirectorHirokazu KoreedaReparto principalMasaharu FukuyamaMachiko OnoYôko MakiRyota es un exitoso hombre de negocios adicto al trabajo. Cuando se entera de que su hijo biológico fue cambiado por otro después de nacer, se enfrenta a la decisión de elegir a su verdadero hijo o al que ha criado como propio.Like Father, Like Son
In Koreeda's modern masterpiece, two families find out that their sons were accidentally switched at birth when the two boys are already old enough to enter school. Fans of the director will be delighted to see that he has found his own position in mainstream filmmaking. Like Father Like Son does not feel like a compromise at all despite its star-studded cast and accessible story. Koreeda does deliver the drama with touching and tearjerking conviction, but he also subtly depicts the many shades of parental love. He explores the underpinnings of the two different families and how the Japanese concern for blood relations has its influence on the parents' actions in the touchy dilemma. Like Father Like Son is yet another masterpiece from Koreeda and it deserves its worldwide critical acclaim without a doubt.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9ZU0_RFiDQ - DirectoresMasaaki YuasaKôji MorimotoReparto principalKôji ImadaSayaka MaedaTakashi FujiiDespués de un encuentro mortal con dos yakuza, un perdedor enamorado de su novia de la infancia va al cielo y regresa, embarcándose en una experiencia psicodélica de autodescubrimiento con ella y sus amigos.Mind Game
Masaki Yuasa’s insanely hyperactive film about a man who gets a second chance from God to rescue the girl she loves from gangsters. One thing leads to another and he ends up in a dark, stranded place with his girl, her friend and a mysterious old man. Yuasa's imagination runs wild as the four try to find ways to spend time in their lonely world, ranging from oddly erotic balloon art to crazy mindtrip sequences. The film's depiction of God and death is also one of the imaginative and creative I've ever seen in film, be it anime or live-action. Even though the films runs wild with its surreal imagery and peculiar animation it never loses track of its characters: they find themselves quite radically changed after the adrenaline-pumping climax that is one of the greatest sequences of animation genius and hyperactive direction. Mind Game is an innovative and delightfully experimental piece of cinema that rivals even the greatest Ghibli films.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XU4EfF85u60 - DirectorHayao MiyazakiReparto principalDaveigh ChaseSuzanne PleshetteMiyu IrinoDurante el traslado de su familia a los suburbios, una niña de 10 años de edad deambula por un mundo gobernado por dioses, brujas y espíritus, y donde los humanos se convierten en bestias.Spirited Away
Hayao Miyazaki's widely popular and critically acclaimed masterpiece follows the story of a girl who wanders into a fantasy world inhabited by gods, witches and monsters. There she is made to work at a bathhouse that serves all these creatures. Spirited Away has won over fans all around the world with its magnificent depiction of the charming fantasy world. Miyazaki combines his love for a more traditional life style with imaginative fantasy creatures and the creator's concern and criticism of modern life. With a meticulously constructed visual language and Hisaishi's sweeping soundtrack, Spirited Away is an unforgettable experience that comes loaded with Miyazaki's personal beliefs and lots of magic.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiEzl7SEtkI - DirectorShinji AoyamaReparto principalKôji YakushoAoi MiyazakiMasaru MiyazakiLos traumatizados sobrevivientes de un secuestro en un autobús se unen para un viaje por la carretera para intentar superar su yo dañado. Mientras tanto, un asesino en serie anda suelto.Eureka
A bus driver and two siblings are the only survivors of a bus hijacking. We never get to know who the hijacker is and why he does what he does. What Aoyama’s film is interested in is the trauma of the survivors: it affects their lives even a long time afterwards and they are unable to recover. With no understanding people around them, they gather together for a road trip to recuperation. At 3 hours and 38 minutes Eureka is an exceptionally long film that indulges in its heavy atmosphere and slow pace, but that makes the trauma of its characters all the more tangibily haunting. With beautiful sepia-colored imagery and a melancholic mood Aoyama dives into the mindset of his characters who are unable to fit into society without getting over their PTSD. Even though the story reaches murky depths it remains hopeful for the characters although their answers and recovery don't come easy and without sacrifices.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_o0CONMqKOc - DirectorHirokazu KoreedaReparto principalYûya YagiraAyu KitauraHiei KimuraEn un pequeño apartamento de Tokio, Akira, de doce años, debe cuidar de sus hermanos menores después de que su madre los deja y no da señales de regresar.Nobody Knows
Inspired by a true story of a mother abandoning her children in Tokyo, Koreeda's Nobody Knows is a peek into the devastating lives of the abandoned children. Working with a mostly young cast, Koreeda crafts unforgettable characters with lovable personalities. A life without adults is a recipe for disaster even if the kids are exceptionally resourceful and dutiful. As the mother refuses to show up, the kids' lifestyle devolves to a point that sparks tragedy. Even though the film mostly consists of the kids innocently playing around, Nobody Knows is one of the most depressive and grim films in Koreeda's repertoire.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyFm4gQly38 - DirectorMiwa NishikawaReparto principalTsurube ShôfukuteiEita NagayamaTeruyuki KagawaA young medical intern student is dismayed when he is assigned to work in a remote countryside village.Dear Doctor
Dear Doctor begins with a village panicking over the disappearance of the liked village doctor. It then moves on to lengthy flashbacks while the police are investigating his disappearance. The film gradually builds the doctor’s image and personality with scenes of him treating his patients, but the mystery surrounding him becomes even thicker as he is clearly lying about his background - it turns out he is a fake doctor. Dear Doctor is not only a very delicate and touching portrayal of an unusual protagonist, but it also contemplates on the ambivalence of truth, the health care system and the values of modern society. The film doesn’t lecture about them, but raises questions and depicts central issues. It is rare to find a movie that is at the same time concerned about the story's dramaturgy, ethics and thematics - and all of its elements come together effortlessly.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLWxyAxpyxQ - DirectorAkihiko ShiotaReparto principalAoi MiyazakiSeiichi TanabeTetsu SawakiFollowing the divorce of her parents, her mother's suicide attempt, and the rumors of an affair with her teacher, a lonely 7th grader starts skipping school in an attempt to find herself.Harmful Insect
A girl feels alienated from the society while exchanging letters with her former teacher who is implied to have been in a romantic relationship with the girl. Her single mother is only concerned for herself because she wants to find a man to help with her loneliness. Meanwhile the girl spends time with shady men who are nice to her but she only ends up going from bad to worse. Akihiko Shiota's Harmful Insect is a devastating critique of a nation that does not take care of its young girls and instead sees them as decorations or mere commodities. It is also a vivid portrayal of the girl's alienation from modern society despite the desperate actions of her well-meaning friend to persuade her to go to school. The film shows how a society has turned against a frail and innocent mind that is waiting to break apart. Shiota's pessimistic film describes a cold society full of people taking care of only themselves - at the cost of innocence.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oo2hYJZTOUM - DirectoresMahiro MaedaMasayukiKazuya TsurumakiReparto principalMegumi OgataMegumi HayashibaraYûko MiyamuraHan pasado catorce años desde el casi tercer impacto. La mayor parte del mundo ha cambiado, excepto Shinji Ikari, quien despierta en un entorno nuevo y extraño sin haber envejecido.Evangelion 3.0: You Can (Not) Redo
The third part of the film series of the Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise (check the other two parts lower on this list), Evangelion 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo is a controversial film among the franchise's hardcore fans. It completely abandons the original storyline, reinterprets the multifaceted characters and forces the audience through a gut-wrenching thematic exploration of guilt, atonement, and the unability to redo one's past. Without giving away too much, I will just mention that the film puts the audience in the protagonist's place as he wanders around confused in a completely new environment. The film is a masterful character study of the protagonist and how he deals with the devastating and terrifying consequences of his previous actions. Anno proves that he is still capable of putting out psychologically and thematically ravishing stories that dare to destroy expectations and traverse into uncomfortable territory.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ua75H0k7-N0 - DirectorNobuhiro YamashitaReparto principalBae DoonaAki MaedaYû KashiiUn grupo musical de chicas necesita aprender a tocar una canción antes del festival escolar.Linda Linda Linda
Nobuhiro Yamashita's Linda Linda Linda catches something about the rustling spirit of youth that other films lack. Its story about a high school band recruiting a lonely Korean exchange student to sing Japanese punk rock proceeds at its own charming pace. The film excuses the characters for their mistakes and portrays their embarrassing stumbles in communication with exceptionally dry but gentle humor. As everything is beginning to fall apart, will the band be able to play at the school festival? Yamashita's build-up to the climax cleverly increases the tension as everything seems to be falling apart. While the film's humor may not be as absurdist or eccentric as what Yamashita is known for, his form works just as well (perhaps even better) with the more accessible script.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNEeKAJQ-qY - DirectorYûya IshiiReparto principalHikari MitsushimaKôtarô ShigaRyô IwamatsuAfter 5 years in Tokyo, 5 part-time jobs, 5 boyfriends, Sawako's life is going nowhere. When her father gets seriously ill she have to take over his struggling factory. Gradually she becomes the decider of her own life.Sawako Decides
Yuya Ishii's working class comedy is centered around its unusual protagonist. Sawako is a woman with no ambition who openly calls her "lower middle class". When she returns to her roots from which she escapes as a teenager, she has to win over the prejudicial middle-aged ladies working at her father's factory at the same time as she needs to set records straight with her tree-hugging boyfriend and his child. Ishii finds his humor in the filthiness of the characters' lives as the stuck-up ladies and cheating men battle it out. The heroine's development from an indecisive woman with no direction to a lady in charge of her life is fun to watch - and that is not just because of the big laughs that Ishii delivers. Sawako Decides also takes its characters seriously: Sawako has to face the family issues that made her run away before she can move on in her life.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwnJpZtGhYM - DirectorMiwa NishikawaReparto principalTakako MatsuTae KimuraYûsuke IseyaAfter 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.Dreams for Sale
Continuing with her investigation into the nature of truth, Nishikawa's Dreams for Sale sets its camera on a couple desperate for money that resolves to fraud. In the end, what is it that the two truly want and what happens when they are getting too deep into their web of lies? Although the film has its moments of black humor and suspense, it plays out more like an understated but rich character study of its two protagonists who are carried over full-fletched, three-dimensional development arcs. Despite running well over two hours and featuring an enormous cast of characters, Dreams for Sale is a very tight and focused film that never lets the audience off its grip.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfHHHonvjTc - DirectorTetsuichirô TsutaReparto principalRina TakedaShima ÔnishiMin TanakaAs a tunnel construction project threatens the natural order of one of Japan's last untouched regions, an old man and his granddaughter Haruna's humble lifestyle begins to influence the outlook of a man from Tokyo.The Tale of Iya
In the remote Iya Valley a young girl is living with an old farmer, and a young man has come to the valley from Tokyo to find a life free of technology and convenience, but he faces huge obstacles as he tries to make a living in the countryside. The film portrays a lifestyle that is vanishing as the world is beginning to prioritize technology over nature. The locals can’t wait to get out and live conveniently while the outsiders find the valley an idyllic place worth protecting. The powers of nature are pitted against civilization. The film is only shown in film theaters so if you ever have a chance to watch it, do it because it will be your only chance. I am still dying to see the film again because it is one of the most mesmerizing and unique cinematic experiences I’ve ever had.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8M62rTiEjaA - DirectorKazuyoshi KumakiriReparto principalMitsuki TanimuraPistol TakeharaRyô KaseIn the city of Kaitan, during the winter, the local shipyard is downsized and workers are laid off. Futa (Pistol Takehara) lives with his younger sister Honami (Mitsuki Tanimura). He loses his job at the shipyard and, feeling uneasy about their situation, goes with Honami to see the sunrise on a nearby mountainside for New Year's Day. Makoto (Takashi Yamanaka), a new city hall employee, visits the only remaining house in a redevelopment area. The home belongs to a 70-year-old woman,Toki (Aki Nakazato) who lives with her cat and a few animals in her backyard. Toki refuses to vacate the land and Makoto tries to persuade her that she will be forcibly evicted. 49-year-old Ryuzo (Kaoru Kobayashi) works in a small planetarium, while his relationship with his wife Haruyo (Haruyo Hika) and teenage son is deteriorating. Haruyo finds release by working as a hostess in a cabaret. Haruo (Ryo Kase) has taken over the operation of his father's gas company, but he worries about the state of his business. He also has a strained relationship with his wife, who takes out her anger on their son Akira. Taichiro, a street car driver, spots his son, Hiroshi (Masaki Miura) walking in downtown Kaitan. Although Hiroshi lives & works in Tokyo, he has come back to Kaitan for business. But he doesn't contact his father, even though it is the holiday season.Sketches of Kaitan City
Based on a short story collection, Sketches of Kaitan City is set in the titular harbor city in which a huge layoff is about to begin. The film features altogether 5 stories of working class suffering that don’t really show any hint of hope even though the characters in them are portrayed in a positive way - with the exception of one story that is a full-blown take on domestic violence. What makes the film a great drama is Kumakiri’s direction. He sets a very oppressive, downbeat mood for the film that suggests impending tragedy and when it does come, there is no melodrama, but instead the heavy cinematography and the subtle acting performances deliver the hard-hitting blows. Even by the standards of downbeat tragedies, Sketches of Kaitan City is quite heavy and dark, but it is a great film.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2ZTXP_HQ7g - DirectorMamoru OshiiReparto principalRinko KikuchiRyô KaseShôsuke TaniharaThe Kildren, a group of eternally young fighter pilots, experience the sudden loss of innocence as they battle the enemy in astonishing dogfights above the clouds.The Sky Crawlers
Mamoru Oshii's The Sky Crawlers may be a film about pilots waging a war, but the whole setting is just an allegory that Oshii uses for social criticism. The fighters are children who are unable to age and for every one of them that dies there is a replacement. The sides who are waging war are actually companies - not nations - and the war is seen more like a game with the casualty numbers being reported in daily news like sports results. Oshii covers the whole film in a very laconic and depressive atmosphere as he goes on to point out how society needs a war to keep running - even if the war is not real. Oshii's style is quite polarizing, but I personally find it engaging, especially in The Sky Crawlers.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqnrMe7_rT8 - DirectorYong-hi YangReparto principalSakura AndôArata IuraYang Ik-joonBased on the director's own experience, Our Homeland follows a Korean family living in Japan, of which the father (Masane Tsukayama) decided to take North Korean nationality because of his strong belief decades ago. In 1997, Sonho (Arata Iura), the son of the family who was sent to North Korea under a "repatriation program" with the promise of a "paradise" free of discrimination, returns to Japan for the first time in 25 years to seek treatment for his brain tumor due to the difference in medical technology between the two countries. Allowed to stay for only three months and closely monitored by a North Korean officer (Yang Ik-Joon), Sonho is welcomed and embraced by his family and old friends but his father, who is still sticking to the belief but also feeling guilty about sending his son to North Korea at the same time, while Sonho's younger sister Rie (Sakura Andô) develops the aversion to North Korea and its political ideas.Our Homeland
Some of the North Korean immigrants in Japan send their children back to their homeland when they come of age. Based on the director's own real life experience, Our Homeland portrays one such man who returns to Japan for medical treatment 25 years afterwards. Under strict surveillance, the family begins to stir as their held-back emotions of their isolated homeland and manipulated upbringing are let loose. Yang's camera follows the characters closely, but lets the audience grasp what is going on in their minds only very gradually as the man keeps himself distant from others. His little sister who has grown up in Japan (the director's self-insert character) is the true focus of the film: she struggles the most with her troubled ancestry. In a nutshell, Our Homeland is a touching film about the human tragedy of powerless bystanders in a political struggle.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CspYud16RiA - DirectoresNoriyuki KitanoharaKazuya SakamotoNoriko TakaoReparto principalAya HiranoTomokazu SugitaMinori ChiharaUna semana antes de navidad, Kyon despierta en un mundo donde la Brigada SOS no existe. Mikuru y Yuki no lo reconocen, al igual que Haruhi e Itsuki parecen haber desaparecidos.The Disappearance of Suzumiya Haruhi
The Disappearance of Suzumiya Haruhi is a film sequel to a highly popular TV series in which a high school girl who is interested in supernatural phenomena is unaware of her powers to alter reality, resulting in a group of time travellers, espers, and aliens being formed around her. All of this is being observed by a cynical boy named Kyon who is dragged into the girl's selfish adventures. The film contains a particularly epic and moving episode in which Kyon wakes up one morning only to find that the world has returned to normal and the others do not recognize him for some reason. As he begins to investigate what is going on, the film begins to reveal new aspects and underpinnings to the characters familiar from the TV series as Kyon needs to make a choice that will determine the rest of his life. The series itself is a fun blast of sci-fi, but the film outdoes it with a storyline that lifts the franchise high above its competitors. It is an emotionally involving film that develops its characters in unpredictable but mature ways. Running over two and half hours, The Disappearance of Suzumiya Haruhi is an exceptionally long blockbuster anime film, but it never slumps in quality or pace.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdqqASpMV0Y - DirectoresSatoshi KonKô MatsuoReparto principalMiyoko ShôjiShôzô ÎzukaMami KoyamaUn entrevistador para televisión y su cámara conocen a una actriz retirada y recorren sus recuerdos y su carrera.Millennium Actress
A popular old actress who now lives in recluse grants a rare interview to a TV interviewer who turns out to be a big fan of hers. Together they recount the steps of the actress' life story which reveal that the actress has been chasing after a secret love all her life. At the same time the two go on a journey of cinematic history with the two recreating famous scenes from the films of the actress. These dreamlike sequences are reminiscent of Kon's other films that deal with the surreal and subconscious. Very few manage to do as much in only an hour and a half as Kon does in Millennium Actress: his loving tribute to cinema is also a hypnotic love story of fate with richly detailed characters and Susumu Hirasawa's great electronic soundtrack.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpGrD5wUzKE
