Vengeance Is Mine (Japan, 1979)

Iwao Enokizu is a middle-aged man who has an unexplainable urge to commit insane and violent murders. Eventually he is chased by the police all over Japan, but somehow he always manages to escape. He meets a woman who runs a brothel. They love each other but how long can they be together?

As a big fan of Shohei Imamura (Black Rain), seeing him tackling the story of a real life serial killer was a no brainer. It's not exactly for the faint of heart due to the grisly acts of rape and violence toward women, and it can be a bit draining. If you've seen a film about Ted Bundy, this has some of that same style of following a psychopath and being horrified by the fact that people like this can exist anywhere, and on the outside they look just like anyone else. 

Genre: Crime/Drama

The Man Who Stole the Sun (Japan, 1979)

A misfit high-school science teacher decides to build his own atomic bombs. He uses the bombs to extort the police and forces them to give in to his own crazy demands. Soon it's a race to see what wins first: the determined cop who's after him, the bomb he's carrying, or a growing case of radiation poisoning...

With a limited budget, independent filmmaker Kazuhiko Hasegawa still managed to make an ambitious movie about the fear of an atomic bomb and how the authorities completely are in the hands of a single man. Also, it's highly interesting to see the creation of the bomb. Not a film you usually hear about, so here it is in all its atomic glory.

Genre: Crime/Thriller

Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro (Japan, 1979)

Renowned international thief Lupin III (known as "Wolf" in the English dub) comes to the small European duchy of Cagliostro to investigate some excellently-forged money and stumbles across a national conspiracy going back some hundreds of years. Lupin and his friends must rescue the beautiful Clarice from the hands of the evil Count Cagliostro and solve the mystery of a hidden treasure dating back to the 15th century.

The Castle of Cagliostro is hailed as one of the best stand-alone films from the Lupin III franchise, and rightfully so. It was co-written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, who five years later would found the animation giant Studio Ghibli (Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke). The incredible style and charm mixed with old-school animation makes it a joyride from the get-go and steps on the gas constantly, but even though there's tons of action the film is not at all afraid to have very small and subtle moments. One thing I love about it is how there seems to be so much history and lore behind everything, and we're not watching a crazy anime but true historical fiction. There's just enough backstory to make things seem very mystical but we're also exploring and learning alongside Lupin. There's something about it that just makes you wish it's not going to end, that Lupin will get himself in one more dangerous situation and go on another adventure. 

Genre: Animation/Action/Comedy