Japan

SEXUAL DRIVE: Empty Calorie Food Porn
SEXUAL DRIVE: Empty Calorie Food Porn

Sexual Drive has its moments, but you’ll likely find more satisfaction in a bowl of that fatty ramen than you will in this undercooked film.

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 2: Speeding Into A Standard Sequel
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 2: Speeding Into A Standard Sequel

For setting low goals, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 mostly delivers what it promises for the fans and families. 

Horrific Inquiry: JU-ON: THE GRUDGE (2002)
Horrific Inquiry: JU-ON: THE GRUDGE (2002)

And unforgiving and relentless curse, Ju-on delivers on its promise to terrify – even long after the movie has ended.

MERRY CHRISTMAS, MR. LAWRENCE: War Crimes and Christmas Time
MERRY CHRISTMAS, MR. LAWRENCE: War Crimes and Christmas Time

Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence is a beautiful film, and despite its grim subject matter, there is an underlying sense of warmth to it.

LABYRINTH OF CINEMA: The Final Masterpiece From Nobuhiko Ôbayashi
LABYRINTH OF CINEMA: The Final Masterpiece From Nobuhiko Ôbayashi

Labyrinth of Cinema tells an empathetic and energetic story about the power of cinema to change the world — one that we would all do well to take in. 

PRISONERS OF THE GHOSTLAND Trailer
PRISONERS OF THE GHOSTLAND: Balls to the Wall

Sion Sono’s English-language debut stars Nicholas Cage as a criminal forced to track down the granddaughter of an Old West-meets-Mad Max warlord.

MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM HATHAWAY: A Sublime Spy Thriller With Mecha
MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM HATHAWAY: A Sublime Spy Thriller With Mecha

For a franchise that has been around for 40 years, Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway emerges as one of the best films in the Gundam universe.

ANGEL'S EGG: A Charlatan's Musings
ANGEL’S EGG: A Charlatan’s Musings

It’s films like Angel’s Egg that make the critic feel like a charlatan, aimlessly looking for patterns in the entrails.

ANNETTE: Sympathy For The Abyss
ANNETTE: Sympathy For The Abyss

Not everyone will be won over by the weirdness of Annette, but for those who are, they will absolutely love it.

Growing Pains: Coming of Age, Kitano-Style, in KIDS RETURN
Growing Pains: Coming of Age, Kitano-Style, in KIDS RETURN

In Kids Return, the warmth of Kitano’s brand of brotherhood glows on the palate long after the acidity of his cynicism has subsided.

ONLY YESTERDAY, Isao Takahata's Forgotten Masterpiece, 30 Years Later
ONLY YESTERDAY, Isao Takahata’s Forgotten Masterpiece, 30 Years Later

Thirty years on, the poignant, thoughtful Only Yesterday stands out as a mature, sophisticated gem among Studio Ghibli’s catalog.

FROM UP ON POPPY HILL Gorō Miyazaki's Best Film, 10 Years Later
FROM UP ON POPPY HILL: Gorō Miyazaki’s Best Film, 10 Years Later

Looking at the legacy of Gorō Miyazaki’s best film, From Up On Poppy Hill, which was written by his father, the legendary Hayao Miyazaki.

BLOODY SPEAR AT MOUNT FUJI: A Samurai Masterpiece From Legendary Director Tomu Uchida
BLOODY SPEAR AT MOUNT FUJI: A Samurai Masterpiece From Legendary Director Tomu Uchida

Tomu Uchida’s Bloody Spear at Mount Fuji is a masterpiece, offering a complex rewriting of Japanese national mythology.

THE HUMAN CONDITION Criterion Review: Masaki Kobayashi's Epic, Remastered
THE HUMAN CONDITION Criterion Review: Masaki Kobayashi’s Epic, Remastered

The new Criterion release allows the viewer to appreciate everything Kobayashi’s towering masterwork has to offer at an even greater level.

DEMON SLAYER: MUGEN TRAIN: Action & Emotions Collide In Japan's Highest-Grossing Film
DEMON SLAYER: MUGEN TRAIN: Action & Emotions Collide In Japan’s Highest-Grossing Film

In Demon Slayer: Mugen Train, can Tanjiro & Co. find the the demon responsible for strange disappearances on the Mugen train?