Unforgiven (Japan, 2013)

Set in the late 1800s, after the fall of Shogunate, onetime assassin Jubee Kamata lives in seclusion on a small farm. But when the new government begins harassing the local populace, Jubee is forced to break the promise he made to his dead wife and take up the sword once more.

I came in to Unforgiven with a negative mindset, because the word 'remake' rarely means anything good these days. I was proven wrong. In the same way Kurosawa's Yojimbo got an American remake with A Fistful of Dollars (1964), director Sang-il Lee (Villain, Rage) decided to adapt Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven (1992) with a Japanese cast. I rarely see the point with remakes, but I can recognize good cinema when I see it. Lee's version is made with the utmost care and attention for authenticity, and thankfully far from being a cheap cash-in riding on a big name like Clint Eastwood.

Ken Watanabe plays a compelling character, who as a seasoned old veteran, must again pick up his weapons and do battle against an abusing regime. In the fact that the film is set in the Meiji period you kind of get the best of both worlds; a western and a samurai film. The action is dealt out in small amounts but instead of being the one thing you wait for like in other action movies, here it's more like extra delicious seasoning to an already fantastic stew. Accompanying the film's journey are some beautiful landscapes, and I'm totally fine with having the setting changed from your ordinary western scenery to the both snowy and lush hills of cold Hokkaido.

Unforgiven is great on its on terms, and even though Eastwood's film is the blueprint, Sang-il Lee had the ability to approach it from his own personal viewpoint and adjust it after a different culture.

Genre: Action/Crime/Drama. 2h 15min.

The Burning Buddha Man (Japan, 2013)

There is a series of Buddha statue thefts in Kyoto. Beniko, a high school girl, gets the Buddha statue at her family's temple stolen and has her parents killed at the same time. Beniko hears from Enju, her parents friend, that a robbery group called SEADDATTHA are the one who killed her parents, and feels the strong urge for vengeance. 

The Burning Buddha Man has got to be one of the trippiest films ever made, that's for sure. It uses a technique called "gekimation", and it involves placing figures in the foreground and background, focusing them appropriately to add depth and scope and shaking them about to imitate body movement and such. It's kind of a primitive film-style but when it's this well made you're enjoying every second of it. 

The artwork on the flat figures are fantastic and gross, the surreal and grotesque nature of the story fits perfectly with the chosen film technique and I'm more invested in this story, played out by tiny pieces of colored paper-craft, than I've been in many big-budget productions. Imagine that. A really interesting and disgusting experience, it gives you something original and wraps it in blood-soaked Buddhistic themes of ultra-enlightenment, levels of Zen that turns us into something beyond human. Something much more slimy. 

Genre: Animation/Fantasy/Horror

Butter Lamp (China, 2013)

A young itinerant photographer and his assistant photograph Tibetan nomads in front of various backgrounds.

Short films can always impress me with how much they manage to express in a very limited amount of time. Butter Lamp may have a lot people wondering why we're watching a bunch of people getting their pictures taken, but others may find a lovely portrayal of a rich foreign culture, capped off with an ending which effectively comments on how the old meets the new and urbanization.

Genre: Short/Drama

The Ravine of Goodbye (Japan, 2013)

A child's horrific murder brings to light the haunted truth of an affair between her mother and a neighbor. As a magazine reporter investigates the case, he finds that nothing is as it seems.

The Ravine is based on a novel written by Shuichi Yoshida who also wrote A Story of Yonosuke (2013) and Villain (2010), two films I like so much that it basically becomes a principal thing for me to watch this film also. The Ravine deals with characters with secrets, dark secrets which become uprooted in a murder case that takes place in a deep, idyllic valley. It would have benefited from being an half hour shorter, but still, it's a somber drama with a dark portrayal of romance.   

Genre: Drama

R100 (Japan, 2013)

An ordinary man with an ordinary life joins a mysterious club. The membership lasts for one year only and there is one rule: no cancellation under any circumstance. The man enters into a whole new exciting world he never before experienced where crazy love goes wilder and crazier. Is it an illusion or is it real? Welcome to the world no one has dared to explore until now.

Here's a film that easily can make you wonder what the heck you're watching. Directed by Hitoshi Matsumoto, who's previously made films such as Big Man Japan (2007) and Symbol (2009), there's no doubt he's a man who knows how to capture the essence of all that's strange in Japanese culture. R100 unleashes a whole troop of kinky S&M performers and let them have their way with a worn down businessman. The women all have their own special ability: Whip Queen, Saliva Queen, Voice Queen, etc, and when you first get a look at Gobble Queen... oh my God. A hilariously weird and captivating film. 

Genre: Comedy/Drama

The Eternal Zero (Japan, 2013)

A young woman and her brother explore the history of their grandfather, who died in the WW2. They start contacting his colleges who knew him, asking them about his personality, and slowly starts to understand what kind of man he was and how he influenced those around him.

The Eternal Zero has an epic storyline and spans many years of turmoil in Japans bloody history. We befriend a group of kamikaze pilots (it's a lot nicer than it sounds) and follow them through WW2. I never expect much from Japans CG-effects but some of the scenes in The Eternal Zero are quite spectacular and did make me raise my eyebrows. Sadly some overacting is present, but we still got a good war drama following a young pilot who steers his fighter plane towards the most dangerous spot in the battle.

Genre: Action/Drama

Bilocation (Japan, 2013)

Shinobu Takamura is an aspiring painter. One day, she is accused of using counterfeit money. Shinobu is confused by the allegation, because she never did such a thing and was at home when the crime occurred. Police Officer Kanou then appears and takes her to a place. When they get there, a group of people are already gathered. All of the people there are concerned over a doppelganger like existence that looks just like them and acts like them. They call that existence "bilocation".

Bilocation is a film with an interesting concept: what if there could exist an exact clone of yourself? What would you do if you met this person? Bilocation is about individuals who all have a mirrored self walking around. It reminds me a great lot of the 2014 film Enemy, starring Jake Gyllenhaal (though Bilocation came out first). It has been labeled as a true horror film, though I can't really stand behind that, but it is disturbing from time to time. A film worth seeing, no doubt.

Genre: Thriller

Han Gong-ju (South Korea, 2013)

Han Gong-Ju is taken to a home in an unfamiliar area. The home belongs to her former high school teacher's mother. The mother wants to know why her son is leaving Han Gong-Ju there, even if he promises she will be there for only a week. An investigation is ongoing back in Han Gong-Ju's hometown. Can Han Gong-Ju escape from her past?

If you want to watch something cheerful and uplifting, look away now. Han Gong-ju is one hell of a tragic and bleak story which follows a girl who've experienced something awful and is trying to move on, but it's also very powerful and features some great performances. I strongly recommend it, but I hope you don't feel too horrible after watching it.

Genre: Drama

Patema Inverted (Japan, 2013)

A world, forever beyond your expectations. In a dark, cramped, underground world of endless tunnels and shafts, people wear protective suits and live out their modest hard and yet happy lives.

Patema Inverted introduces a wildly interesting concept of two different gravity zones next to each other. Above ground, people can walk around normally without any problem, but deep underground there's a group of people who's used to the gravity being inverted. It's kind of hard to explain and it gets even crazier towards the end. With good animation and a very original story, Patema Inverted is a recommended watch for anime fans.  

Genre: Animation/Adventure

The Mole Song: Undercover Agent Reiji (Japan, 2013)

Reiji Kikukawa, who has a strong sense of justice, graduated from the police academy with the lowest score ever. He becomes a police constable, but is suddenly fired by the Police Chief due to "disciplinary" issues. In actuality, the firing is part of a carefully orchestrated plan. Reiji is ordered to become a "mole," an undercover cop. His target is Shuho Todoroki, the boss of the Sukiyakai gang. The group is the largest crime group in the Kanto area. Masaya Hiura, who works as a young boss of a Sukiyakai affiliated gang likes Reiji. While going through various hardships, Reiji works his way towards Shuho Todoroki.

It's been a while since a Takashi Miike (Audition) film was featured on this blog, but here he is again with one of his latest movies, The Mole Song. Though by now he's probably directed a couple of more films since this one hit theaters, the man is productive, I'll give him that. In The Mole Song we see his usual mix of insane violence, quirky humor, colorful characters and of course, the Yakuza. Agent Reiji is a hilarious guy and easy to like, and to see him try to become a part of a powerful Yakuza family is a blast. Some scenes really had me laughing, like when Reiji is about to lose his virginity for example. Simply hilarious. A highly amusing and wacky Yakuza film in true Miike fashion. 

Genre: Action/Comedy

The Tale of The Princess Kaguya (Japan, 2013)

An old man makes a living by selling bamboo. One day, he finds a princess in a bamboo. The princess is only the size of a finger. Her name is Kaguya. When Kaguya grows up, 5 men from prestigious families propose to her. Kaguya asks the men to find memorable marriage gifts for her, but the 5 men are unable to find what Kaguya wants. Then, the Emperor of Japan proposes to her.

Once again a new Studio Ghibli film has made it to western shores, and I dare to say that this is one of their best one yet. For the first time in ages, Hayao Miyazaki is not the director, but Isao Takahata, who made Grave of the Fireflies (1988) and Pom Poko (1994). Here, Takahata has based his film on one of Japan's oldest folktales: The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, where a baby girl is discovered inside the stalk of a glowing bamboo plant and is said to be from Tsuki-no-Miyako ("The Capital of the Moon"). The film is rich with Japanese customs and culture and overall feels like a love letter to nature.

There's not much in this film not worth praising, the art style is very distinctive and beautiful, and there's a certain scene where Kaguya runs as fast as she can and flees out into the wild where it's drawn with such perfection and with very violent lines. This film shows an amazing love for traditional animation in a world where CGI has become a standard, and that's extremely endearing to me.

Joe Hisaishi, who composed the score for Studio Ghibli-films such as Princess Mononoke (1997) and Spirited Away (2001), is also back with full force and has written one of his best soundtracks ever (maybe the best?). The story is equally magical and juggles family values, ancient teachings, the importance of home and loss. So basically this film has every quality of a Studio Ghibli-masterpiece, but I'm very sad that this is most probably Takahata's last film. At least he finished amazingly strong, and gave us one hell of a breathtakingly beautiful movie.

For people interested, my Top-3 of Studio Ghibli-films would have to be:

1. Pom Poko (1994)
2. The Tale of The Princess Kaguya (2013)
3. Porco Rosso (1992)

Genre: Animation/Drama/Fantasy

The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness (Japan, 2013)

The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness tells the story of how the animation-house Studio Ghibli came into being and goes in-depth on Hayao Miyazaki and his retirement. 

If you're a fan of Studio Ghibli, you simply must see this. It's the best documentary to date about Miyazaki and his co-founder Isao Takahata, whom I always wanted to know more about. I really enjoyed the rare footage of a much, much younger Miyazaki when he was just starting Studio Ghibli many years ago. 

This documentary was filmed when Ghibli still was working on one of their latest films, The Wind Rises, so we get to go behind the scenes and see how that film slowly comes together and that's really interesting. Another thing that struck me while watching this film was how surprisingly serious and honest it felt. It's far from just being a over-happy behind-the-scenes flick where everything feels right, and I can really appreciate that. So, this film you could say is more for longtime fans rather than new, and for those who've followed Miyazaki's work for years and years.

- Aren't you worried about the studio's future?

- The future is clear. It's going to fall apart. I can already see it. What's the use worrying? It's inevitable. "Ghibli" is just a random name I got from an airplane. It's only a name. - Hayao Miyazaki

Genre: Documentary

Murderer (South Korea, 2013)

Joo-Hyub is a cold blooded serial killer, but he tries to live unnoticed in a small village with his son Yong-Ho. His son becomes friends with Ji-Soo who is a new transfer student at his school. Ji-Soo soon realizes that Joo-Hyub is a serial killer. Joo-Hyub decides to kill Ji-Soo for himself and his son.

Here's a film which I don't reckon made too much noise when it was released. Probably because it doesn't exactly do anything better than most other thrillers that are being released nowadays, but I definitely think that it belongs on this blog. What surprised me was that the relationship between the two students had me far more interested than the actual story about the killer. The films cover and synopsis may lead you to believe that it's a stone-cold and brutal film but it focuses more on other stuff than just killings. The running time is also far from going overboard, clocking in at about an hour and fifteen minutes. 

A good thriller with unexpectedly tender moments.

Genre: Thriller

Metro Manila (UK/Philippines, 2013)

Seeking a brighter future in megacity Manila, Oscar Ramirez and his family flee their impoverished life in the rice fields of the northern Philippines. But the sweltering capital's bustling intensity quickly overwhelms them, and they fall prey to the rampant manipulations of its hardened locals. Oscar catches a lucky break when he's offered steady work for an armored truck company and gregarious senior officer Ong takes him under his wing. Soon, though, the reality of his work's mortality rate and the murky motives of his new partner force Oscar to confront the perils he faces in his new job and life.

Metro Manila had an English director, but with a Filipino cast in the capital of the Philippines. So it's debatable if the film is Asian or not, but what I do know is that you can not miss this film. It's so well-acted and it looks incredible, the cinematography is nothing short of amazing. Manila is portrayed through filters of purple neon and warm, orange colored sunlight. It exposes the often horrible nature of a modern society, a mix of tears and alcohol. The musical aspect is also of high quality, with slow, melancholy and atmospheric post-rock to accompany the tragic and desperate situations. A truly powerful experience that leaves you breathless.

Genre: Drama/Crime

The Attorney (South Korea, 2013)

An ambitious tax attorney decides to represent an old friend in court.

I've been wanting to see The Attorney for a long time, now. A movie where Song Kang-ho (The Host, Thirst) plays a carefree attorney that takes on a case that will challenge the legal system itself? Yes, please. In the first half of the film Song is trying to get his practice together, and he's a pretty carefree guy who loves his family. In the second half, we have a full-scale court drama. 

It didn't have as much humor in it as I first would have thought when I heard who was going to play the main character, but nonetheless, it was still a great film and Song Kang-ho remains a big favorite.     

Genre: Drama

The Suspect (South Korea, 2013)

Dong-chul is the best field agent in North Korea - until he is abandoned during a mission, his wife and daughter murdered. Hunted and on the run, torn between grief and vengeance, he takes a job as a night driver for the CEO of a powerful corporation. The chairman is brutally assassinated - but gives Dong-chul a pair of glasses before he dies. Now, he's on the run again. Accused of murder, wanted for treason, and desperate to uncover the volatile national secrets hidden inside the glasses. Dong-Chul wants the truth. And he'll start a war to get it.

If you're familiar with the American Bourne film series, then you kind of know what you're getting with The Suspect. Imagine those film, but with an all asian cast. Tight action and some high speed car chases here and there makes it a competent thriller that should please those who just want something action-packed and fast. 

Genre: Action/Thriller

Ilo Ilo (Singapore, 2013)

Set in Singapore, Ilo Ilo chronicles the relationship between the Lim family and their newly arrived maid, Teresa. Like many other Filipino women, she has come to this city in search of a better life. Her presence in the family worsens their already strained relationship. Jiale, the young and troublesome son, starts to form a unique bond with Teresa, who soon becomes an unspoken part of the family.

Ilo Ilo has a theme which has been covered before on this blog with films such as The Way Home (2002) and Kikujiro (1999), where a young boy is suddenly in the hands of a new caretaker and must come to terms with it. The director of the film has captured a growing friendship perfectly, and you would never guess that you'd hope for these two characters to stay together. A lot of heart in this one. 

Genre: Drama