Ohkanda’s narrative proves that one does not need a big budget to deliver a narrative that touches the spectator.
Apr 20, 2022 • Subscribe
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Random Call (ランダム・コール, Riki Ohkanda, 2022)
A struggling Tokyo actor learns a few life lessons through randomly reconnecting with old friends in Riki Ohkanda’s heartwarming dramedy
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“Kahori Higashi’s debut is impressive.”
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…
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Kawanobe delivers a very touching and emotional story about homosexuality in Japan.
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…
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“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.”
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.”
Short Movie Time: Bagmati River (2022) review [OAFF 2022]
“A beautiful poetic short that elegantly plays with the contrast between life and death.”
Short Movie Review: Natsuko (2020) [OAFF 2022]
“A splendid debut by Shuna Iijima.”
Random Call ランダム・コール Dir: Riki Ohkanda [Osaka Asian Film Festival 2022]
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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.
North Shinjuku 2055 (Japan, 2022) [OAFF 2022]
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Out of TOKYO 202x (Japan, 2022) [OAFF 2022]
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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…
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The Wonder Of a Summer Day (2022) [OAFF 2022]
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2022 was a rough year in a string of *rough* years for the world. It was a year of war, toxic politics, COVID still lingering, and whatever the…
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A narrative that fluidly combines comedy and tragedy to deliver an experience of smiles and tears.
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A complex character portrait that touchingly illustrates how easy it is to misrecognize the logic of the subject-supposed-to-be-in-need.
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Rikako Watanabe’s narrative succeeds to echo the unvocalized ‘pandemic’ truth of many.
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Random Blog Post for 10/31/2022
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A powerful reminder of the sexual transgressions that structurally plague the Japanese film industry
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Shin Adachi utilizes the dynamic of the encounter to examine the problem of desiring within the societal field and the way desire give rise to misunderstanding between subjects.
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A very touching narrative that explores the frail position of the father and how his structural failure can cause subjective struggles and inhibitions.
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Kimura’s choice to give the tragical dimension of love a deadpan comical twist pays off, creating a unique narrative that will resonate with youth and those who have…
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“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…
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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.
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A subtle but playful narrative about a subject who slowly tries to crawl out the hole of emptiness and diminished self-worth.
Random Manga Review Post 2020
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