A narrative that fluidly combines comedy and tragedy to deliver an experience of smiles and tears.
Mar 17, 2024 • Subscribe
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Snowdrop (2024) review [OAFF 2024]
A complex character portrait that touchingly illustrates how easy it is to misrecognize the logic of the subject-supposed-to-be-in-need.
Suton (2024) review [OAFF 2024]
Rikako Watanabe’s narrative succeeds to echo the unvocalized ‘pandemic’ truth of many.
Wash Away (2024) review [OAFF 2024]
A pleasant narrative that offers a fresh but familiar exploration of the subject’s fundamental desire for recognition/love and the problematic yet medicative function of consumption.
Sumiko 22 (2024) review [OAFF 2024]
A subtle but playful narrative about a subject who slowly tries to crawl out the hole of emptiness and diminished self-worth.
Blue Imagine (2024) review [OAFF 2024]
A powerful reminder of the sexual transgressions that structurally plague the Japanese film industry
Memories of this Scent (2024) review [OAFF 2024]
An endearing and fragrance rich tale of subjective change.
Faraway Family (2023) review [OAFF 2024]
A very touching narrative that explores the frail position of the father and how his structural failure can cause subjective struggles and inhibitions.
Short Movie Time: Perfect・Nervous (2024) review [OAFF 2024]
An exquisitely crafted narrative that touchingly shows that a simple encounter, a simple exchange of signifiers, can turn a wish to die into a desire to life.
Performing Kaoru’s Funeral (2023) review [OAFF 2024]
Yuasa’s narrative shows that the unavoidable presence of death during a funeral can allow a subject to re-route his own trajectory.
Short Movie Time: On a Boat (2024) review [OAFF 2024]
The exploration of the frail stability of an obsessional neurotic does not miss its impact on the spectator.
Ask For The Moon (2022) review [OAFF 2024]
A satisfying narrative that illustrates how the subject’s ego is but a response to his complexes and struggles.
Short Movie Time: Ririka of the Star (2024) review [OAFF 2024]
A narrative that does not merely emphasize the beauty of moving female body, but reveals that such beauty can change subjects.
Cafune (2023) review [OAFF 2023]
A very strong debut by Haruki Kinemura.
Goto-san (2021) review [OAFF 2021]
“Gokan expertly reveals the position of the freeter as an attempt to escape the capitalistic machinery but also as a position that most easily falls prey to the…
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…
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.
Melting Sounds (2022) review [OAFF 2022]
“Kahori Higashi’s debut is impressive.”
Our House Party (2022) review [OAFF 2022]
Kawanobe delivers a very touching and emotional story about homosexuality in Japan.
Side by Side (2023) review [OAFF 2023]
A peaceful dream-like visual experience that celebrates both the impact subjects have on each other as well as the manner in which the subject remains opaque to himself…
Short Movie Review: Natsuko (2020) [OAFF 2022]
“A splendid debut by Shuna Iijima.”
Sweet Bitter Candy (2021) review [OAFF 2021]
“An amazing exploration of the clash between a sweet youthful romantic desire and the bitter urge of a wounded subject to defend his subjective wounds.”
OAFF 2022 Special
Hello everyone, In this special episode of Heroic Purgatory, John and Jason discuss their favorite movies from the wonderful 2022 Osaka Asian Film Festival. Timestamps:2:53 - Media Consumption19:12 - News23:42…
OAFF 2022 Special
Hello everyone, In this special episode of Heroic Purgatory, John and Jason discuss their favorite movies from the wonderful 2022 Osaka Asian Film Festival. Timestamps:2:53 - Media Consumption19:12 - News23:42…
OAFF 2022 Special
Hello everyone, In this special episode of Heroic Purgatory, John and Jason discuss their favorite movies from the wonderful 2022 Osaka Asian Film Festival. Timestamps:2:53 - Media Consumption19:12 - News23:42…
A New Wind Blows (2021) review [OAFF 2021]
A great film that shows that the madness of the male subject is often function of a woman, of a woman that unknowingly puts the by a man…
Far Away, Further Away (2022) review [OAFF 2022]
“A beautiful film that elegantly explores the role the imaginary plays in marital failure as well as in the beginning of a new romantic bond.”
Short Movie Time: Outsourcing (2022) review [OAFF 2022]
“A very satisfying satirical short thta shows that, within the job-seeking process, only the image matters.”
Short Movie Time: Bagmati River (2022) review [OAFF 2022]
“A beautiful poetic short that elegantly plays with the contrast between life and death.”
The Burden Of The Past (2023) review [OAFF 2023]
With his latest drama film, Funahashi’s delivers a contender for this year’s best Japanese film.
The Light Of The Spring (2022) review [OAFF 2022]
“An experimental ‘dramamentary’ that succeeds to charm and touch the spectator with its rich mundane and genuine interactions.”
Sanka: Nomads of the Mountains (2022) review [OAFF 2022]
“A visually enticing narrative that elegantly explores the unresolvable tension between the societal Other and the subject.”
Howling (Japan, 2022) [OAFF 2022]
Jason Maher reviews M Haris Sheikh's neo noir Howling.
POP! (Japan, 2021) [OAFF 2021]
Jason Maher reviews Masashi Komura's surreal coming-of-age tale POP!
Ito (Japan, 2021) [OAFF 2021]
Jason Maher reviews Satoko Yokohama's comedy-drama Ito.
JOINT (Japan, 2020) [OAFF 2021]
Jason Maher reviews Oudai Kojima’s debut feature JOINT.
Short movie time: North Shinjuku 2055 (2021) review [OAFF 2022]
“A pleasant experimental short.”
When morning comes, I feel empty (2023) review [OAFF 2023]
A slow moving narrative that accumulates in a subtle but touching shift in the subjective position of its protagonist.
People Who Talk to Plushies Are Kind (2023) review [OAFF 2023]
Kaneko convincingly shows that the symptomatic usage of the plushie attempts to repair the tensive bond with the Other or subdue its overbearing presence.
Melting Sounds (Japan, 2021) [OAFF 2022]
Jason Maher reviews Kahori Higashi's debut feature Melting Sounds.
Random Call (Japan, 2022) [OAFF 2022]
Jason Maher reviews Riki Ohkanda's comedy-drama Random Call.
Bagmati River (Japan, 2022) [OAFF 2022]
Jason Maher reviews Yusaku Matsumoto's short film Bagmati River.
Summer Wedding (Japan, 2022) [OAFF 2022]
Jason Maher reviews Azusa Hieda’s short film Summer Wedding.
Gotō-san (Japan, 2020) [OAFF 2021]
Jason Maher reviews Hiroshi Gokan's capitalist critique Gotō-san.
Angry Son (Japan, 2022) [OAFF 2022]
Jason Maher reviews Kashou Iizuka's drama Angry Son.
A Seasonal Review — Winter 2024
Didn’t Watch: See Seasonal Impressions 23. Meiji Gekken 1874 — D- What a disappointment. Why did I try to watch this… 22. Metallic Rouge — D What the…
Winter 2024 Anime In Review
Quick Overall Thoughts Over all this season was pretty alright. Some of the weight of how good it is comes from continuing series like Frieren and the Apothecary…
Chocolatefest Knoxville 2024 Review: Sweet!
So 2024 is off to an unusual start with the conventions that I attended as I find myself at my first ever chocolate con. Now as someone who is…
To Be Killed by a High School Girl (2022) review [OAFF 2022]
“The effective interaction between his fluid composition, the great narrative structure, and the thematical exploration of trauma and perverse fantasies ensures that the film hits all the rig…
Short Movie Time: Kanro (2023) [OAFF 2023]
A simple but effective short that explores inter-subjective distance and the desire to bridge it in a surprising and satisfying way.
North Shinjuku 2055 (Japan, 2022) [OAFF 2022]
Jason Maher reviews Daisuke Miyazaki's sci-fi short North Shinjuku 2055.