Reviewed by GREG KING Director: Naomi Kawase Stars: Masatoshi Nagase, Kirin Kiki, Kyara Uchida. This gentle and delicate little drama from Japanese filmmaker Naomi Kawase screened at the Melbourne International Film Festival in 2016, and is now gaining a limited theatrical release. It is a deceptively charming little film that will win audiences over. The… Continue Reading »
HARA KIRI: DEATH OF A SAMURAI
Reviewed by GREG KING Director: Takeshi Miike Stars: Ebizo Ichikawa, Koji Yakusho, Eita. Japan in the 17th century. The former feudal structure is crumbling, and as shoguns and war lords lose their power, many former samurai find themselves out of work and impoverished. Many find it hard to eke out a living or support their… Continue Reading »
13 ASSASSINS
Reviewed by GREG KING Director: Takeshi Miike Stars: Goro Inagaki, Koji Yakusho, Yusuke Iseya. The Dirty Baker’s Dozen? Prolific Japanese director Takashi Miike (Audition, etc) leaves behind his preferred milieu of gangster thrillers and horror movies to venture confidently into Kurosawa territory with this sword and samurai action film, set in mid-19th century feudal Japan.… Continue Reading »
NORWEGIAN WOOD
Reviewed by GREG KING Director: Tran Anh Hung Stars: Kenichi Matsuyama, Kengo Kora, Rinko Kikuchi, Kiko Mizuhara. Taking its title from the Beatles song of the same name, Norwegian Wood is a visually beautiful, elegiac and haunting tale of love, longing, loss of innocence, sexuality and madness from award winning French-Vietnamese director Tran Anh Hung… Continue Reading »
NORWEGIAN WOOD
Reviewed by GREG KING Director: Tran Anh Hung Stars: Kenichi Matsuyama, Kengo Kora, Rinko Kikuchi, Tetsuji Tamayama, Kiko Mizuhara. Taking its title from the classic Beatles song of the same name, Norwegian Wood is a visually beautiful, elegiac and haunting tale of love, longing, loss of innocence, guilt, sexuality and obsession from award winning French-Vietnamese… Continue Reading »
