The Limit of Sleeping Beauty (Japan, 2017)

Aki Oria came to Tokyo ten years ago to become an actress. She is now 29-years-old and works as a magician's assistant. She has no passion for her work or goals to live for. She pretends to be hypnotized on stage. This leads to a blurred line between reality and illusion. Soon, her mental state drifts between the two mental states.

The Limit of Sleeping Beauty is the fruit of a new wave of directors in Japan, made by Ken Ninomiya who only started to direct a few years ago. His visual language is immediately showing off with explosive colors and a rarely stationary camera (sort of like the direct opposite of Ozu), and it all marriages perfectly with a dream-like narrative that would make Satoshi Kon (Perfect Blue, Paprika) proud. 

This film is devoid of aesthetic ugliness, everyone's gorgeous and they all exist in this candy colored fantasy, and while not exactly without its share of human malevolence, you can't help but wanting to look for the silver lining together with Aki. Also, the theme song of the film is an absolute banger.    

Genre: Drama

Mothers (South Korea, 2017)

Hyo Jin is a 32-year-old woman. Two years ago, her husband died in an accident. Her husband has a 16-year-old son, Jong Wook, from a previous marriage. One day, Hyo Jin begins to live with Jong Wook.

It's relieving to see a film where the kid is not the scum of the earth, which seems to always be the case when a teenager arrives, but rather someone who develops through the story and becomes sympathetic. Mothers doesn't exactly innovate the drama genre but it's well-written and packs some great performances, while also avoiding being too melodramatic for its own good. 

Genre: Drama

Hanagatami (Japan, 2017)

In the spring of 1941, sixteen-year-old Toshihiko leaves Amsterdam to attend school in Karatsu, a small town on the western coast of Japan, where his aunt Keiko cares for his ailing cousin Mina. Immersed in the seaside's nature and culture, Toshihiko soon befriends the town's other extraordinary adolescents as they all contend with the war's inescapable gravitational pull. With his memories as a survivor of World War II echoing in the uncertainty of world events unfolding today, director Obayashi returns us to 1941, a pivotal time for Japan.

Director Nobuhiko Obayashi wrote himself into cinema history after his total out-of-body experience House (1977) which to this day is one of the craziest film ever made, and can you believe that he somehow manages to catch the lightning again? Hanagatami incorporates every little trick in Obayashi's sleeve, the amount of film-techniques and little quirky effects mounts up to one hell of a bizarre and exhilarating three hour ride. It looks both hilariously cheap and amazingly well-put together at the same time, the editing is like a roller-coaster of its own. Obayashi was diagnosed with lung cancer just before the production of the movie and was given three months, and during that time I reckon he did everything he could to give the world a film they wouldn't soon forget.

Genre: Drama/War

Microhabitat (South Korea, 2017)

Mi-So has worked as a housekeeper for the past 3 years and she makes 45,000 won ($40) a day. Mi-So loves drinking whisky and smoking cigarettes. Her boyfriend is Han-Sol and he wants to become a webtoon writer. Even though Mi-So is poor, she is happy as long as she has whisky, cigarettes and her boyfriend. Unfortunately, the prices of cigarettes go up on the first day of the new year. Mi-So has to give something up and she decides to give up her apartment.

In my ongoing search for female directors I discovered this lovely work by Go-Woon Jeon, where she tackles the disconnect in urban society and focuses on a struggling woman, Mi-So. The setbacks keep piling up but Mi-So manages to stay afloat, moving from place to place and taking one day at a time. A film that deals with relatable, modern problems 

Genre: Drama

On the Beach at Night Alone (South Korea, 2017)

After an affair with a married man, actress Younghee decides to take some time out. She travels to the far-off, city of Hamburg. In a conversation with a friend she asks herself if her lover will follow her and whether he misses her as much as she misses him. During her long walks through wintry parks and along riverbanks, she attempts to make clear of this illicit relationship with the director.

Hong Sang-soo (The Day He Arrives, Grass) keep pumping out those dialogue heavy, intimate films that we're used to see from him. His films seem to be sort of hit or miss with me, but On the Beach really struck a great balance and didn't make me loose interest. As usual with Hong's films we see his partner Kim Min-hee (The Handmaiden) in the lead and she's great at making conversations flow in different directions. Some dinner scenes gets really uncomfortable, and when some characters don't know when to stop you almost want to avert your eyes to avoid the embarrassment, which of course is fantastic. 

I've read reviews who've praised this film to the skies and others who were bored to tears, and as always it just comes down to taste. I personally thought is was more engaging than some of Hong's other films but then again I don't mind when nothing's really happening as long as the script and acting holds up.

Genre: Drama

Wrath of Silence (China, 2017)

Baomin is a miner who works far away from home because of some disputes he had with the townsfolk years ago, whilst his wife and son remain near the mountains running a small sheep farm. One day, Baomin learns that his son Lei hasn't come back from shepherding for two days. He goes back to find his son. His appearance back in town makes people anxious. Searching for his son, Baomin heads for the rough and dangerous mountains, but the resentment and distrust of the townsfolk leads them to turn a blind eye to the reality of a missing child, and the corruption and danger permeating their lives.

China continues to be a superpower when it comes to the slow-burning mystery drama genre, Ash is Purest White (2018) and Long Day's Journey Into Night (2018) being some of the most recent. Wrath of Silence gushes with a heavy mood and takes its time telling a story that's not in a hurry to get to all the violent parts, but more inclined to portray a desperate father's search for his son and how warped his morals can become in the hunt for the perpetrators. Not the ideal film for people with short attention spans but a treat for cineasts and lovers of thoughtful, beautiful cinematography. 

Genre: Crime/Drama/Mystery

Mr. Long (Japan, 2017)

A Taiwanese hit-man goes Japan to kill a man. But nothing turns out in the way he expected. He finds himself in a dumpster and with neighbors' helps he gets his own stall where he cooks delicious noodles. But his past won't leave him alone.

Mr. Long explores the world around an assassin who failed a mission and must stay out of harms way.  There's a couple of bloody fights and scenes where the titular Mr. Long shows off his skills, but the story is much more focused on where he wants to steer his life and connecting with people in a way he previously never did. In these days where every film with an assassin is all about all-out action it's nice to see more of a character piece and a story about a killer who experiences a serious change of priorities. The kill list is gone, time to cook delicious meals. 

Genre: Crime/Drama

One Cut of the Dead (Japan, 2017)

Things go badly for a hack director and film crew shooting a low budget zombie movie in an abandoned WWII Japanese facility, when they are attacked by real zombies.

This has to be one of the best surprises in a while. I've heard of how this film tried to break some new ground in a genre that's so stale it's practically a walking corpse itself, and at the beginning I couldn't help but feel really sceptical, but then director Shin'ichiro Ueda makes a sharp turn with the narrative and makes you feel stupid for thinking this was just another run-of-the-mill comedy. Characters you thought you hated are redeemed and everything just clicks. An original and very funny film that gives you a great lasting feeling. Now we can say that Japan has its own Shaun of the Dead (2004), and for the moment I rate this movie higher than most other zombie films I've seen. 

Genre:  Comedy/Horror

Blade of the Immortal (Japan, 2017)

Manji, a highly skilled samurai, becomes cursed with immortality after a legendary battle. Haunted by the brutal murder of his sister, Manji knows that only fighting evil will regain his soul. He promises to help a young girl named Rin avenge her parents, who were killed by a group of master swordsmen led by ruthless warrior Anotsu.

I get the sense that Takashi Miike really feels self-confident with making more and more samurai movies. Here we are, and yet another bloodbath is upon us. 13 Assassins (2010) showed that Miike can churn out something gory as #!%&*, but still maintain a serious storyline and mature characters. With Blade of the Immortal, which is based on a manga, it's all a lot more comic book-like. There's undead warriors and fighters with super strength you'll only see in, well, a manga. The fights and over-the-top samurai clashes are all very well-done, but it could have benefitted from having maybe a deeper (and shorter) story, and maybe re-write or remove the young girl from the film because she doesn't add anything except screams. 

Still, Blade of the Immortal is an extremely violent and impressive film. If one should have the urge to watch a modern, bloody katana fest, look no further. It also happens to be Miike's 100th film, so congratulations to him!

      

Genre: Action/Drama

The Villainess (South Korea, 2017)

Sook-hee is a trained assassin who was born to kill. She was just a little girl when the training started in Yanbian, China. After the death of her mentor, when the chance of starting a new life was given to her, she came to South Korea as a government agent. They promised her that she will be free after ten years of service. So she begins her new life as a theatre actress. But soon two men Joong-sang and Hyun-soo appear in her new life. And she started to find deep dark secrets about her past.

It's promising when the first few minutes of a film delivers better action scenes than I've seen in at least a year. Holy crap. With some of the coolest fights in such a long way and a story which both has a pulsating tempo and patient for characters to grow a bit (though I would have liked a little bit more humor here), The Villainess is a mighty satisfactory experience. It invokes that special sort of gleefulness I remember getting from seeing Kill Bill (2003) for the first time. Skillful movie-making, a super cool femme fatale for a main character, slick presentation and jaw-dropping action makes this a film you really should give a chance if you're a fan of the genre. 

Genre: Action/Drama

Tokyo Idols (UK, 2017)

Girl bands and their pop music permeate every moment of Japanese life. Following an aspiring pop singer and her fans, Tokyo Idols explores a cultural phenomenon driven by an obsession with young female sexuality, and the growing disconnect between men and women in hyper-modern societies.

Here's a documentary that shows us the world behind the stage of a pop idol in contemporary Japan, and what happens when the curtain falls. It's a testament to how different Japan is to the rest of the world. Older men are lining up to watch young girls perform and basically want nothing else than to adore the hell out of them, get autographs and have their photo taken together with them. There's also a darker side to it, when men are talking about how they given up on other social relationships just to devote themselves to their idol-worshipping full-time. Very insightful interesting, Tokyo Idols is bound to spark a few culture shocks.

Genre: Documentary