Yanakaya succeeds in visually engaging the spectator and deliver a narrative that will leave audiences satisfied.
Feb 13, 2022 • Subscribe
More like this
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…
Let Me Hear It Barefoot (2021) review [IFFR 2022]
“A great narrative that elegantly and gently exploits non-verbal communication to deliver a touching tale of subjective struggle.”
Short movie Time: Nowhere To Go But Everywhere (2022) [IFFR 2022]
“An incredible short that explores the subjective impact of the lack of materiality (i.e. bones) on the process of mourning in a very intimate way.”
Dark Blue Forest (2021) review [JFFH 2022]
A great experimental thriller-mystery narrative about borders and the destructive nature of prejudice.
A Madder Red (2021) review [Nippon Connection 2022]
Machiko Ono and Yuki Katayama breathe extra-ordinary life and realism into the pain, the hopes, the white lies, the tears, the smiles, and the anger of contemporary female…
2021-2022 Top 10
Between the start of July 2021 and the end of June 2022, I watched 36 anime series/movies. Here are my top 10 from those, as well as some…
I’ve Died a Lot Lately (2021) review [JFFH 2022]
Kanemoto proves that he has the talent to create, with a limited budget, a narrative that is not only creative but able to give the spectator a good…
Reviewing 2021 to start 2022
(featured image from dreamstime) Happy New Year to all my fellow bloggers! I hope that the holidays have treated you well, and you’ve been able to spend some…
2021 Milestones and 2022 Goals
As this year comes to an end, I am amazed and pleased at everything we accomplished this year, which was challenging in every possible way. To finish off…
Short movie time: Reason To Oblivion (2021) review [JFFH 2022]
A pleasant horror short-narrative that showcases Miyahara’s talent.
Short movie time: North Shinjuku 2055 (2021) review [OAFF 2022]
“A pleasant experimental short.”
Plans for December 2021 and 2022
It’s December 2021, and here are my plans for this month and next year. I’ve made a few adjustments to my original plans from Fall 2021.
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…
Underdog (2021) review
“Take’s film powerfully shows that the heroism of the art of boxing lies in the very subjective meaning that power the jabs, the hooks, and the uppercuts.”
Review: Yanagawa (2021)
Yanagawa 漫长的告白 China, 2021, colour, 1.85:1, 112 mins. Director: Zhang Lv 张律. Rating: 3/10. More accessible than most of Zhang Lv’s features, this indie confection is still a…
2021 in Review
The world continues to go to hell in a handbasket. The pandemic continues to rage. The world supply chain is borked. Inflation is rampant. W...
Rain Boy, Yawara!, Bakumatsu no Spasibo, Super Cub, Horimiya
Review: Shallow (2021)
Shallow 出拳吧妈妈 China, 2021, colour, 2.35:1, 95 mins. Director: Tang Xiaobai 唐晓白. Rating: 6/10. Despite a few shortcomings in the script, under-rated Mainland actress Tan Zhuo throws herself…
Review: Synesthete (2021)
Synesthete 越界 China, 2021, colour, 2.35:1, 80 mins. Director: Liang Honghua 梁鸿华. Rating: 3/10. An interesting idea never comes to fruition in this messy, low-budget ghost movie with…
Character (2021) review
It might not be a film that challenges or subverts the tropes and dynamic of the mystery and thriller genre, but it sure does deliver a satisfying and…
Homunculus (2021) review
“A worthy attempt to offer something fresh to the horror-table, but Shimizu struggles to blend the many pleasing parts into a whole that truly engages and pleases the…
February 2021 Review
Ah, February is here and thus another traditional post to be done-a review focused on character relationships and/or romance. Hard to believe I have done reviews of this…
Review: Secret (2021)
Secret 秘不可言 China, 2021, colour, 2.35:1, 90 mins. Director: Cao Yong 曹涌 [Cao Yong 曹勇]. Rating: 5/10. Intriguing, well-mounted psychodrama-cum-mystery starts well but becomes scarcely credible later on.…
Blue (2021) review
“A very emotional journey about the difficulties of dealing with loss and lack.”
Frantic (2021) review
“Fuji delivers his best movie yet and, quite possibly, the cult-film of the year.”
March 2021 Review
You know, I have never been too keen on superheroes. Not much a comics guy, nothing against them, but just never struck my interest. Hell out of the…
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…
Tsuyukusa (2022) review
A narrative of subtle affection carried by the layered performances of the cast.
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.…
Ribbon (2022) review
Non, in short, proves with her first feature film that she has a future as screenwriter and director.
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...
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.”
Usogui (2022) review
‘Usogui’ got 99 problems, but the manga-like appearances of the characters ain’t one.
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…
XXXholic (2022) review
“An exquisite visual experience that is sadly held back by its unfitting manga-like moments.”
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…
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.
Missing (2022) review
Shinzo Katayama delivers one of the most satisfying drama-thrillers this year.
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…
Noise (2022) review
A highly satisfying experience that delivers suspense as well as good dose of touching emotionality.
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…
Melting Sounds (2022) review [OAFF 2022]
“Kahori Higashi’s debut is impressive.”
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.
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.…
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…
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…
2021 Recap, Shout-outs and 2022 Resolutions
Favorite Bloggers and Blog of the year Traditional Catholic Weeb (Most comments received) Sushirainbow (Best twitter friend) Lita & Egghead Luna (honorable mentions) Best New Blog we foun…
Shari (シャリ, Nao Yoshigai, 2021) [Fantasia 2022]
A red monster roams the landscape smearing its blood wherever it goes in Nao Yoshigai’s surreal documentary hybrid.
Seire (세이레, Park Kang, 2021) [Fantasia 2022]
A new father finds himself haunted by paternal anxiety and old transgressions in Park Kang’s eerie folk horror.
Best Japanese Dramas of 2021 and 2022
This is the list of what in my opinion the best Japanese dramas of 2021 and 2022 but first I want to mention what taste I have for…
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.”