Japan

A WHISKER AWAY: A Perfect Ode To Summertime (And Cats)
A WHISKER AWAY: A Perfect Ode To Summertime (And Cats)

While missing opportunities along the way, A Whisker Away makes up for it with its stunning original art and world of humanoid cats.

THE TRUTH: You Can't Trust Memory
THE TRUTH: You Can’t Trust Memory

The Truth is an impeccable and intimate view into the quietly tumultuous relationships between mothers and daughters and the shape they take into adulthood.

JU-ON: ORIGINS Season 1: An Unsettling, If Overstuffed, Old-School J-Horror
JU-ON: ORIGINS Season 1: An Unsettling, If Overstuffed, Old-School J-Horror

Ju-On: Origins may not reinvent the formula of the franchise, it still has enough stuff to give the audience a terrifying nightmare.

ONIBABA: A Dark Mirror Revisited
ONIBABA: A Dark Mirror Revisited

While it once remained in the shadows of cinema, Onibaba has since etched out a place among the pantheon of must-watch Japanese films.

Japanese-American Representation In Classic Hollywood Cinema
Japanese-American Representation In Classic Hollywood Cinema

Images are powerful as is representation. Based on my ancestry, I thought it would be…

TERRACE HOUSE PART THREE
TERRACE HOUSE TOKYO 2019-2020 PART 3: Hearts Bent, Boundaries Broken

In Part Three of Terrace House Tokyo, there are twelve different people living in the house throughout the twelve episodes, and there is just too much content to focus on.

WEATHERING WITH YOU: Romantic Fantasy Planted In Reality

Shinkai’s Weathering With You is more than content to face the onslaught with the naive fantasies of youth. He’s unabashed about giving himself over to them totally.

TERRACE HOUSE TOKYO 2019-2020 PART 2: Energies & Relationships Shift As New Housemates Arrive
TERRACE HOUSE TOKYO 2019-2020 PART 2: Energies & Relationships Shift As New Housemates Arrive

When it comes right down to it, Part One of any Terrace House season serves…

TERRACE HOUSE TOKYO 2019-2020 PART ONE: A Pleasant Japanese Journey With A Few Surprises

So far, this season of Terrace House Tokyo has had a mixed bag, and it really doesn’t seem like anyone is close to accomplishing their stated goals.

WEATHERING WITH YOU: Another Oddball Romance From the Director of Your Name
WEATHERING WITH YOU: Another Oddball Romance From The Director Of Your Name

Weathering with You, the latest film from Makoto Shinkai proves that he is one of the most delightfully unique voices working in the world of animation today.

EARTHQUAKE BIRD: Psychological Thriller Starts Off Strong But Veers Off Balance

Earthquake Bird is likely to be but a blip in the filmography of both its stars and director.

10 Great Horror Movies from Around the World Part 3
10 Great Horror Films from Around the World Part 4

In years past, I recommended great horror movies from around the world. Find part one…

How KAIRO Defined J-Horror And Made Japan's Demons Real
How KAIRO Defined J-Horror & Made Japan’s Demons Real

Kairo’s ghosts aren’t unearthly terrors, but rather memories of people lost, without names or faces, silently preparing themselves for an eternity of death.

FIRST LOVE: Miike Mayhem Strikes Again
FIRST LOVE: Miike Mayhem Strikes Again

Stylish, savage and supremely funny, First Love is the shock of adrenaline the action genre needs and deserves.

Mental Illness In The Movies: THE END OF EVANGELION
Mental Illness In The Movies: THE END OF EVANGELION

Jack Godwin takes a look at the portrayal of mental illness in anime film The End of Evangelion.