A narrative of subtle affection carried by the layered performances of the cast.
Sep 19, 2023 • Subscribe
More like this
Tsuyukusa (ツユクサ, Hideyuki Hirayama, 2022)
A middle-aged woman begins to rediscover joy after her car is hit by a meteorite in Hideyuki Hirayama’s charmingly quirky dramedy.
![Featured image for Yamabuki (2022) review [IFFR 2022]](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20220204/1643935114.30396.58118.jpg)
Yamabuki (2022) review [IFFR 2022]
“A beautiful socially-engaged narrative that explores the very fact that, by being grasped within the societal network of relations, one cannot but influence the other and become influenced…
Missing (2022) review
Shinzo Katayama delivers one of the most satisfying drama-thrillers this year.
Usogui (2022) review
‘Usogui’ got 99 problems, but the manga-like appearances of the characters ain’t one.
Rageaholic (2022) review
“A great dystopian narrative that clearly gives expression the director’s fear of certain right-wing tendencies that linger within Japanese society.”
Ribbon (2022) review
Non, in short, proves with her first feature film that she has a future as screenwriter and director.
Onpaku (2022) review
While Fujii does not re-invent the J-horror genre with Onpaku, he does prove the horror-frame can still be exploited to deliver satisfying horror narratives.
Wandering (2022) review
With his poetic sensitivity, Sang-il Lee delivers a rich tapestry of genuine emotionality and a powerful affirmation of the fact that the affirmation of the subject lies beyond…
Noise (2022) review
A highly satisfying experience that delivers suspense as well as good dose of touching emotionality.
Review: Snipers (2022)
Snipers 狙击手 China, 2022, colour, 2.35:1, 95 mins. Directors: Zhang Yimou 张艺谋, Zhang Mo 张末. Rating: 6/10. Gripping action/psychodrama, as Chinese and US snipers face off in a…
Review: Summer (2022)
Summer 野夏天 China/Taiwan, 2022, colour, 2.35:1, 113 mins. Director: Su Zhexian 苏哲贤. Rating: 4/10. Taiwan singer Chen Jiahua is overshadowed by Mainland character actor Geng Le in a…
Parallel (2022) review
A fabulous narrative that does not only delivers a thrilling slasher-like experience, but offers a touching romance between two people that are, in their own particular way, deeply…
XXXholic (2022) review
“An exquisite visual experience that is sadly held back by its unfitting manga-like moments.”
2022 in Review
2022 winds down as catastrophically as most other recent years. The war in Ukraine grinds on. A "tripledemic" rages in the US. Covid has ret...
Review: Hero (2022)
Hero 世间有她 China/Hong Kong, 2022, colour, 2.35:1, 115 mins. Directors: Li Shaohong 李少红 (I), Chen Chong 陈冲 [Joan Chen] (II), Zhang Aijia 张艾嘉 [Sylvia Chang] (III). Rating: 6/10.…
![Featured image for Straying (2022) review [Camera Japan 2022]](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20220914/1663121940.43600.74074.jpg)
Straying (2022) review [Camera Japan 2022]
A pleasant and charming exploration of the fact that, within the game of love and romance and beyond, subjects often rely on acting-out to reveal to the other…
![Featured image for Angry Son (2022) review [OAFF 2022]](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20220318/1647566914.33043.61143.jpg)
Angry Son (2022) review [OAFF 2022]
“An incredibly rich and deep narrative that not only delivers a satisfying coming-of-age story but also an elegantly delivered social commentary on some of the frictions marking Japanese…
![Featured image for Random Call (2022) review [OAFF 2022]](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20220420/1650435278.34892.63431.jpg)
Random Call (2022) review [OAFF 2022]
Ohkanda’s narrative proves that one does not need a big budget to deliver a narrative that touches the spectator.
![Featured image for Shaman’s Daughter (2022) review [JFFH 2022]](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20220818/1660787940.42009.72202.png)
Shaman’s Daughter (2022) review [JFFH 2022]
A genre mish-mash – a cocktail of light-hearted comedy, family drama, bloody thriller, and ghostly romance – that is not only pleasant but offers the spectator a rich…
![Featured image for Melting Sounds (2022) review [OAFF 2022]](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20220414/1649898878.34540.62994.jpg)
Melting Sounds (2022) review [OAFF 2022]
“Kahori Higashi’s debut is impressive.”
![Featured image for Stone Steps (2022) review [JFFH 2022]](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20220701/1656653134.38682.68061.jpg)
Stone Steps (2022) review [JFFH 2022]
A great indie narrative that highlights the need for the parental and the traditional Other to aid the subject to embark on the path of his own desire.…
![Featured image for Goodbye Cruel World (2022) review [Japannual 2022]](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20221207/1670402410.47989.79429.jpg)
Goodbye Cruel World (2022) review [Japannual 2022]
“A stylish exploration of the cruel call for destruction that structures the perverse criminal field.”
![Featured image for In The Distance (2022) review [Japannual 2022]](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20221204/1670140810.47841.79244.jpg)
In The Distance (2022) review [Japannual 2022]
“A very pleasant slice-of-life narrative that elegantly shows that bonds between subjects are that much more genuine if they are grounded in the acceptance of the other’s radical…
![Featured image for Our House Party (2022) review [OAFF 2022]](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20220411/1649666678.34398.62824.jpg)
Our House Party (2022) review [OAFF 2022]
Kawanobe delivers a very touching and emotional story about homosexuality in Japan.
MYSTERY INCORPORATED (2022) – Review
Earlier this week, I made a post about my impressions on The Legend of Genji, a fan-made Avatar (the one with Aang, not the blue people) comic book.…
Year in Review 2022
Can you believe this will be the fifth time I get to write this post? Technically the blog is just over 6 years old at this point, but…
New Religion (2022) review
A splendid horror-drama narrative that will keep the spectator on the edge of his seat from start to finish.
Review: 0.1% World (2022)
0.1% World 好想去你的世界爱你 China, 2022, colour, 2.35:1, 93 mins. Director: Sun Lin 孙琳. Rating: 3/10. Fanciful rom-com’s only original factor is the two millennials being thousands of miles…
Review: Ordinary Hero (2022)
Ordinary Hero 平凡英雄 China, 2022, colour, 2.35:1, 96 mins. Director: Chen Guohui 陈国辉 [Tony Chan]. Rating: 4/10. Race-against-time medical drama is a melodramatic meld of weepie and heart-warmer,…
Review: Beating Heart (2022)
Beating Heart 世界上最爱我的人 China, 2022, colour, 2.35:1, 93 mins. Director: Huang Yuetai 黄岳泰 [Arthur Wong]. Rating: 3/10. Simplistically scripted hospital drama squanders the combined talents of its two…
Review: Nice View (2022)
Nice View 奇迹 笨小孩 China, 2022, colour, 1.85:1, 104 mins. Director: Wen Muye 文牧野. Rating: 7/10. Young actor-singer Yi Yangqianxi makes a strong lead as a do-or-die entrepreneur…
Pure Japanese (2022) review
Matsunaga’s narrative lacks the glue that would put all the parts fluidly together and create a truly impactful action experience.
Review: Serendipity Love (2022)
Serendipity Love 我的遗憾和你有关 China, 2022, colour, 2.35:1, 91 mins. Directors: Zhen Yongbo 甄永波, Zhen Yongtao 甄永涛. Rating: 4/10. Poorly written Gen-90 romance is just about watchable thanks to…
Review: 0.1% World (2022)
0.1% World 好想去你的世界爱你 China, 2022, colour, 2.35:1, 93 mins. Director: Sun Lin 孙琳. Rating: 3/10. Fanciful rom-com’s only original factor is the two millennials being thousands of miles…
Ring Wandering (2022) review
With his narrative, Kaneko gracefully invites the spectator to question whether he has not forgotten the subjective importance of forging inter-subjective bonds.
Review: Mr. Zheng (2022)
Mr. Zheng 叫我郑先生 China, 2022, colour, 2.35:1, 100 mins. Director: Zou Dequan 邹德全. Rating: 4/10. Semi-road movie about two grieving souls is nicely shot and played but very…
2022 Review Sneak Peek
2022 is finally here, at last, which means another year of anime goddess. 2021 was a wild chaotic year for me for both seasonal and non-seasonal I hope…
Review: Post Truth (2022)
Post Truth #保你平安 China, 2022, colour, 2.35:1, 110 mins. Director: Da Peng 大鹏 [Dong Chengpeng 董成鹏]. Rating: 6/10. Typically sketch-like comedy by Da Peng, as a sleazy undertaker…
Love Nonetheless (2022) review
A modern classic about the beauty of being in a state of desiring and the impact a phallic injury can have on the ability of a subject to…
Re/Member (2022) review
A pleasant experience that succeeds in offering both the thrills of a horror-slasher as well as a touching exploration of romantic and amical feelings.
Kisaragi Station (2022) review
Thanks to a good narrative structure and pleasant performance this low-budget horror film succeeds in engaging and satisfying the spectator.
Plan 75 (2022) review
Hayakawa hauntingly confronts the spectator with what would happen if the existence of the subject was radically reduced by the government to how much he/she financially contributes to…
Review: Butcher Hunter (2022)
Butcher Hunter 猎屠 China, 2022, colour, 2.35:1, 98 mins. Director: Guo Xiaofeng 郭晓峰. Rating: 3/10. Anti-scamming police drama, set in Southeast Asia, is functionally shot and directed, with…
Review: Home Coming (2022)
Home Coming 万里归途 China, 2022, colour, 2.35:1, 137 mins. Director: Rao Xiaozhi 饶晓志. Rating: 7/10. Visually impressive but emotionally rather cool drama of Chinese workers evacuated from a…
Review: Almost Love (2022)
Almost Love 遇见你 China, 2022, colour, 2.35:1, 109 mins. Director: Luo Luo 落落 [Zhao Jiarong 赵佳蓉]. Rating: 5/10. Initially interesting youth romance is worth a quick look for…
Anime 2022 In Review
Another year, another list of “Top 5 Anime”. While I had wanted to make this list a sort of tradition like other blogs, the last list I made…
Review: Lost Love (2022)
Lost Love 流水落花 Hong Kong, 2022, colour, 2.35:1, 92 mins. Director: Jia Shengfeng 贾胜枫. Rating: 5/10. Over-schematic story of a wife who devotes her life to fostering kids…
Beloved (2022) [Film Review]
Beloved; or, Stay With Me I have an idea. How about we spend one last day together? Go somewhere, walk around, have dinne r… Director B...
Sadako DX (2022) review
“A failed re-imagining of a classic horror-story.”
Review: The Hotel (2022)
The Hotel 旅馆 Hong Kong, 2022, b&w, 1.33:1, 104 mins. Director: Wang Xiaoshuai 王小帅. Rating: 5/10. Sleekly-shot chamber drama about characters stranded in a hotel during the Covid…