“Ox-Head Village” is the third film in Takashi Shimizu’s “Village Horror Triptych” that mixes together folk-horror, social media, urban legends and a touristic time. S…
Jul 18, 2022 • Subscribe
More like this
Ox-Head Village (牛首村, Takashi Shimizu, 2022)
A young woman finds herself battling a malevolent supernatural force while searching for her doppelgänger in Takashi Shimizu’s folk horror.
Ribbon 2021 Director: Non [New York Asian Film Festival 2022]
Ribbon is a Covid-19-themed film about the frustrations of life in isolation and creative blockages. Combining the two, we see a coming-of-age drama where the protagonist overcomes both through…
Ox-Head Village (2022) review
A solid horror-movie that pleasantly utilizes a sense mystery to engage the spectator and fluidly integrated unsettling imagery to put the spectator ill at ease and even scare…
New York Asian Film Festival Confirms 2022 Lineup
At Lincoln Center & Asia Society 15th – 31st July
Junk Head ジャンク ヘッド Director: Takahide Hori (2021) [New York Asian Film Festival 2021]
Junk Head ジャンク ヘッド Director: Takahide Hori (2021) is a dark dystopian body-horror
New York Asian Film Festival 2023
Table of Contents For the third year in a row, the Heroic Purgatory podcast is covering the New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF)…
Shin Ultraman シン・ウルトラマン (2022) Director: Shinji Higuchi [New York Asian Film Festival 2022]
Shin Ultraman is a fun special effects feature that reboots the classic tokusatsu/kaiju series in a Shin Gojira style. Shin Ultraman シン・ウルトラマン (2022) Director: Shinji Higuchi [New York Asian…
Mayhem Girls メイヘムガールズ (2022) Director: Shinichi Fujita [New York Asian Film Festival 2023]
Mayhem Girls メイヘムガールズ (2022), by director Shinichi Fujita, is a fun youth story of girls finding self-confidence and a place in a world where everyday pressures and Covid-19 affect…
Broken Commandment 破戒 Director: Kazuo Maeda [New York Asian Film Festival 2022]
Broken Commandment is a fine-looking well-acted historical drama that has an earnest plea for people to treat others with respect and fairness. Broken Commandment 破戒 Director: Kazuo Maeda [New York…
New York Asian Film Festival Confirms 2023 Lineup
Runs July 14 to 30.
Egoist エゴイスト (2022) Dir: Daishi Matsunaga [New York Asian Film Festival 2023]
Egoist エゴイスト (2022) Dir: Daishi Matsunaga [New York Asian Film Festival 2023]
Bear Man 웅남이 (2023) Director: Park Sung-kwang [New York Asian Film Festival 2023]
Bear Man 웅남이 (2023), by director Park Sung-kwang, is a solid comedy/action/crime film about bears that turn into men. It makes good on its premise and offers an…
Home Sweet Home スイート・マイホーム Director: Takumi Saitoh [New York Asian Film Festival 2023]
Home Sweet Home スイート・マイホーム, by director Takumi Saitoh, is a great thriller full of shocks and revelations, and threats that will draw viewers in and leave them on…
An Interview with Anshul Chauhan, Director of December 赦し (2022) [New York Asian Film Festival 2023]
An interview with director Anshul Chauhan on his third feature film December 赦し. He goes in depth behind the scenes on an impressive courtroom drama, from research to casting…
New Religion ニューレリジョン (2022) Director: Keishi Kondo [Osaka Asian Film Festival 2023]
New Religion ニューレリジョン is a highly-atmospheric horror film from Keishi Kondo who crafts an original story with distinct visuals. It’s one of the best J-horror films I have seen…
Escape from Mogadishu 모가디슈 (2021) Director: Ryoo Seung-wan [New York Asian Film Festival 2021]
Escape from Mogadishu – 모가디슈 (2021) Director: Ryoo Seung-wan – provides pulse-racing action by retelling a dramatic moment in history. It opens the New York Asian Film Festival…
Hail to Hell 지옥만세 (2023) Director: Lim Oh-jeong [New York Asian Film Festival 2023]
Hail to Hell 지옥만세 (2023), by director Lim Oh-jeong, is a glimpse into the harsh and dark aspects of Korean society and the people who prey on the…
Mountain Woman 山女 (2023) Director: Takeshi Fukunaga [New York Asian Film Festival 2023] 2
Mountain Woman 山女 (2023), by director Takeshi Fukunaga (Ainu Mosir), is an atmospheric drama about outcasts struggling in a small famine-hit village in Tohoku, circa the late 18th Century.…
An Interview with Takeshi Fukunaga, Director of Mountain Woman [New York Asian Film Festival 2023]
Takeshi Fukunaga talks about the making of his latest film, “Mountain Woman” in an Interview [New York Asian Film Festival 2023]
Nomad 烈火青春 (1982) Director: Patrick Tam [New York Asian Film Festival 2023]
Nomad 烈火青春 (1982), by director Patrick Tam, is a sensuous story of youth looking for themselves through love and culture. [New York Asian Film Festival 2023]
Killing Romance 킬링 로맨스 (2023) Director: Lee Won-Suk [New York Asian Film Festival 2023]
Killing Romance 킬링 로맨스 (2023) Director: Lee Won-Suk [New York Asian Film Festival 2023]
Grown-ups わたし達はおとな (2022) Director: Takuya Kato [New York Asian Film Festival 2022]
Grown-ups わたし達はおとな (2022) Director: Takuya Kato [New York Asian Film Festival 2022]
New York Asian Film Festival Confirms Lineup For 2021 Hybrid Edition
In-person at Lincoln Center & SVA Theatre and online across the US Aug. 6 – 22
Lesson in Murder 死刑にいたる病 Director: Kazuya Shiraishi [New York Asian Film Festival 2022]
Lesson in Murder is a fine Kazuya Shiraishi production that adapts a novel for the big screen. Although slow, the performances will enrapture viewers. Lesson in Murder 死刑にいたる病 Director: Kazuya Shir…
A Light Never Goes Out 灯火阑珊 (2022) Director: Anastasia Tsang [New York Asian Film Festival 2023]
A Light Never Goes Out 灯火阑珊 (2022), by director Anastasia Tsang, is a solid drama about the art of making neon signage and what it means to Hong…
Ninja Girl シュシュシュの娘(こ)Director: Yu Irie (2021) [New York Asian Film Festival 2021]
Ninja Girl シュシュシュの娘(こ)Director: Yu Irie (2021) [New York Asian Film Festival 2021] is a quirky contemporary ninja action comedy/political satire. It plays on Sunday, August 15th at 5:30pm at…
The Abandoned 查無此心 Director: Tseng Ying-ting (2023) [New York Asian Film Festival 2023]
The Abandoned 查無此心, by director: Tseng Ying-ting (2023), is a solid serial killer film that finds originality in its milieu of illegal immigrants and in the theme of…
An Interview with Kazuya Shiraishi, Director of “Last of the Wolves” [New York Asian Film Festival 2021]
An Interview done with Kazuya Shiraishi, Director of “Last of the Wolves,” as part of the New York Asian Film Festival 2021!
Out of TOKYO202x Director: Akinori Ikuse [Osaka Asian Film Festival 2022]
A refreshing sci-fi short from Japan, Out of TOKYO202x takes the time-slip formula and uses it on the summer Olympics of 2021! Director: Akinori Ikuse [Osaka Asian Film Festival…
Intimate Stranger 親密な他人 Dir: Mayu Nakamura [New York Asian Film Festival 2022]
Intimate Stranger 親密な他人 Dir: Mayu Nakamura [New York Asian Film Festival 2022]
A Tour Guide 믿을 수 있는 사람 (2023) Director: Kwak Eun-mi [New York Asian Film Festival 2023]
A Tour Guide 믿을 수 있는 사람 (2023), by director Kwak Eun-mi, offers a compelling character study of a North Korean defector slowly becoming alienated from those around…
December 赦し (2022) Director: Anshul Chauhan [Osaka Asian Film Festival 2023]
December 赦し is director Anshul Chauhan’s third feature film. An impressive courtroom drama, it takes us through a harrowing criminal trial that constantly keeps us empathising with and questi…
A Preview of the Japanese Titles at the New York Asian Film Festival 2022 (July 15th – 31st)
A Preview of the Japanese Titles on the New York Asian Film Festival 2022 Programme
Last of the Wolves 孤狼の血 LEVEL2 Director: Kazuya Shiraishi (2021) [New York Asian Film Festival 2021]
Last of the Wolves 孤狼の血 LEVEL2 Director: Kazuya Shiraishi (2021) [New York Asian Film Festival 2021]
I Don’t Fire Myself 나는 나를 해고하지 않는다 Director: Lee Tae-Gyeom (2021) [New York Asian Film Festival 2021]
“I Don’t Fire Myself” is a compelling look at workplace exploitation and one woman taking a stand to overcome it. I Don’t Fire Myself 나는 나를 해고하지 않는다 Director:…
A Preview of the Japanese Titles at the New York Asian Film Festival 2024
A glance at the Japanese films programmed for New York Asian Film Festival 2024!
Heroic Purgatory Podcast Covers the New York Asian Film Festival 2021 (August 06th – 22nd)
A Preview of the Japanese Titles (and some from other countries) at the New York Asian Film Festival 2021 (August 06th – 22nd) – here are the films…
Strangers 人知れず Director: Sae Suzuki [Osaka Asian Film Festival 2022]
Strangers 人知れず Director: Sae Suzuki [Osaka Asian Film Festival 2022] is an effective look at how people can explore thorny issues such as sexual harassment and discrimination in…
Out of TOKYO202x Director: Akinori Ikuse [Osaka Asian Film Festival 2022] V-Cinema
A rewrite of my review of Out of TOKYO202x, a refreshing sci-fi short from Japan that takes the time-slip formula and uses it on the summer Olympics! Director: Akinori…
An Interview with Sae Suzuki, Director of Strangers [Osaka Asian Film Festival 2022]
STRANGERS tackles gender discrimination and sexual harassment in a heartfelt and interesting way. Director Sae Suzuki talks about how she made it in an interview done in Japanese…
Homunculus (ホムンクルス, Takashi Shimizu, 2021)
Is the world we see merely a self-created illusion, or do we each share a concrete, objective “reality”? It’s a question which seems to obsess the antagonist of…
Offbeat Cops 異動辞令は音楽隊! (2022) Dir: Eiji Uchida [New York Asian Film Festival 2022]
Offbeat Cops is a fun, family-friendly film about learning to harmonise with others. Offbeat Cops 異動辞令は音楽隊! (2022) Dir: Eiji Uchida [New York Asian Film Festival 2022]
Hold Me Back 私をくいとめて Director: Akiko Ohku (2020) [New York Asian Film Festival 2021]
Director Akiko Ohku and lead actor Non make a dream team for the film Hold Me Back, a romantic-comedy which reflects the concerns of modern women. 私をくいとめて Director: Akiko…
Jigoku no Hanazono: Office Royale 地獄の花園 Director: Kazuaki Seki (2021) [New York Asian Film Festival 2021]
Jigoku no Hanazono: Office Royale is a funny battle comedy that satirises office culture and delinquent manga/films! Jigoku no Hanazono: Office Royale 地獄の花園 Director: Kazuaki Seki (2021) [New York …
An Interview with Fumito Fujikawa, Director of The Light of Spring [Osaka Asian Film Festival 2022/Five Flavours Film Festival 2022]
An Interview with Fumito Fujikawa, Director of The Light of Spring, a dramamentary that played at Osaka Asian Film Festival 2022 and is currently screening online at Five…
Osaka Asian Film Festival 2022 Announces Complete Lineup
At venues across Osaka March 10 to 20 plus 10-film retrospective selection streaming worldwide March 3 to 21
Osaka Asian Film Festival 2022’s Japanese Films
Details on many of the Japanese films that will be screened at Osaka Asian Film Festival 2022
Snowdrop スノードロップ Director: Kota Yoshida [Osaka Asian Film Festival 2024]
Snowdrop スノードロップ, by director Kota Yoshida, is a socially conscious domestic drama/character study that looks at the welfare system via a woman chased by the trauma of abandonment…
POP! Director: Masashi Komura (2021) [Osaka Asian Film Festival 2021]
POP! provides a slightly surreal, slightly sweet existential crisis. POP! Director: Masashi Komura (2021) [Osaka Asian Film Festival 2021]
In Her Room ひとりぼっちじゃない (2022) Director: Chihiro Ito [New York Asian Film Festival 2023] 2
In Her Room ひとりぼっちじゃない (2022), by director Chihiro Ito, is an offbeat and erotic tale of jealousy that is told in a visually dazzling way with a slow pace…