Harmonium (Japan, 2016)

Toshio hires Yasaka in his workshop. This old acquaintance, who has just been released from prison, begins to meddle in Toshio's family life.

It always amazes me how radically a film can make me feel about it in just a short period of time. In the beginning of Harmonium I didn't have the highest of all hopes, but after a while it delivered the goods without hesitation. Heartbreaking yes, but the film honestly earns it by having such a captivating story and believable characters. Also, fans of actor Tadanobu Asano should really give it a watch because here he plays a sinister man that gets under your skin, and someone you love to hate.

Genre: Drama

Sweet Bean (Japan, 2015)

The manager of a pancake stall finds himself confronted with an odd but sympathetic elderly woman looking for work. A taste of her homemade bean jelly convinces him to hire her, which starts a relationship that is about much more than just street food.

Sweet Bean is a warm film full of joy. Well, at least it begins that way. Even the sun has its spots, just like this lovely drama has its fair share of darkness. It's a wonderful testament to how tragedies can be defeated by our shared interests like food, like new relationships and like the perfect sweet bean paste. 

Genre: Drama

Belladonna of Sadness (Japan, 1973)

After being banished from her village, a peasant woman makes a pact with the devil to gain magical ability.

Belladonna has that genuine 70's vibe, and I can easily picture The Beatles suddenly starting to play during its lively watercolor imagery. There's lots of still images which are meant to speak for themselves, and they really do convey every bit of horrifying and erotic fantasies dwelling underneath the paint. It gets extremely surreal at times, and often it feels like you're on a jazz-infused acid-trip. 

It may be hard to fully grasp the story, but the amount of crazy things practically spewing out at the viewer makes it very re-watch friendly. Truly a visual treat. Not exactly for viewers without patience, but a stunning film if you allow yourself to be drawn into its fairytale-like world. 

Genre: Animation/Drama/Fantasy

Midori (Japan, 1992)

Midori, is a young, and vibrant girl who enjoys her school and classes, but after her mother became very ill, and their dad evaded contact with her, her mom dies from her ailments. Midori is then tricked by a circus producer to enter his funfair, where she is consistently raped and abused by the circus folk, but when she is on the edge of giving up hope, she is acquainted by a dwarf, and her whole world changes.

The whole story of how this film even got made could be its own stand-alone article. It got banned pretty much everywhere, even in Japan, due to the graphic violence and sexual abuse. The director, Hiroshi Harada, had to animate it all by himself because no one wanted to come near it. After its release, people did their best to destroy every copy of the film, which is why it's so obscure these days. Well, how bad could it be, you ask?   

The trailer says it all, really: "the ultimate antidote to mainstream anime". If you've grown tired of everything Japanese animation has to offer, this is your last stop. It has a staggering shock factor and could be seen as a more juvenile version of Freaks (1932). Had Midori been live-action, it would have been one of the most disturbing films ever made, but as an animated feature it reaches half-way and "only" leaves you deeply disturbed afterwords. Precisely the kind of film that would have been passed around as a rumoured bootleg back in the 90's. A stern warning must be issued though, due to the heavy themes of rape, abuse and animal violence taking place during its rather short runtime (56 min). Adult audiences only. 

Genre: Animation/Drama/Horror

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

The Red Turtle (Japan/France/Belgium, 2016)

A man is shipwrecked on a deserted island and encounters a red turtle, which changes his life.

The Red Turtle isn't entirely a Japanese production, but you'll thank me big time for giving it a pass. Directed and written by Dutch animator Michael Dudok de Wit, and with help from Japanese animation house Studio Ghibli, we are treated to some of the most gorgeous and heartfelt animation I've seen in a long time. Being completely free of dialogue, the film relies on stunning visuals and a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack to express its narrative. Watching it feels like taking part of another's life, another's amazing experiences and their sorrow and happiness.

It's one of those films that stays with you for a long time after having seen it.

Genre: Animation/Fantasy

The Long Excuse (Japan, 2016)

A recently widowed writer whose wife died in a bus crash comes to terms with his grief, or lack of it, in caring for the children of a working man who also lost his wife in the same accident.

The Long Excuse doesn't specifically do anything that's been done before, but it still manages to feel very gripping and bittersweet. Masahiro Motoki from the fantastic Departures (2008) plays the main role, and I got a serious urge to watch all his films because he feels like a very charismatic and engaging actor. 

The film starts off pretty basic and feels like your standard melodrama, but it gets more and more interesting and really delivers, and towards the end you've worked up a genuine care for the characters. A sort of quiet, sorrowful but yet carefully optimistic, well-acted drama.

Genre: Drama

I Am a Hero (Japan, 2015)

One day, after returning from work late in the evening, Hideo witnesses a traffic accident in which a car crashes into a nearby pedestrian, killing the victim instantly. However, despite severe injuries including a broken neck, the victim's body stands up and walks away. Hideo questions whether this is another one of his hallucinations, but strange events begin happening around him.

I Am a Hero delivers exactly what I want from this type of film: large amounts of gore (well-done gore!), a simple story but still enjoyable and interesting, and lastly a main character that's easy to root for. This is an immensely fun film for zombie lovers, and a great action flick for everyone who just wants a good time. I liked this a lot more than Train to Busan (2016), another zombie film from South Korea, which was dragged down by endless scenes of crying and sentimental reunions and whatnot. I Am a Hero skips all but is all the wiser for it. 

It's based on a popular manga but no prior knowledge is needed to enjoy the film, and me who hasn't read it wasn't yelling at everything they perhaps got wrong in the transition from page to movie. 

Genre: Action/Horror

A Tale of Samurai Cooking - A True Love Story (Japan, 2013)

Set within the Kaga Domain in the Edo Period. Oharu is an excellent cook and recognized for her skills. Due to her cooking talents, she marries Yasunobu, who is an heir in the Funaki family. The Funaki family serves as the cook for the Kaga Domain. Nevertheless, Yasunobu himself is a terrible cook. With the help of Oharu's mother-in-law Mitsuru, she begins to teach Yasunobu how to cook.

Here's a samurai film where the samurai are not wielding swords, but chopsticks. An easygoing and charming film about trying to cook the perfect meal. It goes without saying that there's not a lot of drama or action, but I still commend it for telling a story other than clans who are at war with each other. Consciously silly and borderline sappy, A Tale of Samurai Cooking is not for everyone but will please those looking for something that's not too serious.

Genre: Drama/History

The Handmaiden (South Korea, 2016)

1930s Korea, in the period of Japanese occupation, a new girl is hired as a handmaiden to a Japanese heiress who lives a secluded life on a large countryside estate with her domineering Uncle. But the maid has a secret. She is a pickpocket recruited by a swindler posing as a Japanese Count to help him seduce the Lady to elope with him, rob her of her fortune, and lock her up in a madhouse. The plan seems to proceed according to plan, until both girls discover some unexpected emotions.

I'm very late to the party with this one, and everyone has basically praised it enough, but one more recommendation can't hurt. Extremely well shot, full of memorable scenes (keep an eye out for the giant octopus), and a superb direction by the legend Park Chan-wook all makes it one of those films you just need to experience. You'll quickly notice how every scene is fine tuned to perfection and nothing was left to chance. It's based on (or loosely inspired by, if you ask the novels writer) an English novel called Fingersmith, which is set in London's Victorian era and you can really get the sense of that and not only because of the mandatory comedic scene involving a corset. Beautiful visuals and cinematography which is to expect when watching a film by Chan-wook, and even compared to his previous feats such as the deliciously edited Stoker (2013) and the fantastically written J.S.A. (2000), The Handmaiden ranks as one of his finest works.

My curious eye for art also picked up some interesting things, like when one of the characters is reading from an actual existing woodblock-printed book erotica, painted by the Japanese artist Hokusai. One of his most famous pieces include The Great Wave off Kanagawa, but the fact that he drew erotic art was news to me. In the film, his piece The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife is featured, and it's quite something. It has some sort of horrifying beauty to it and you get the feeling that it could be part of a much bigger mythos.  A fascinating flashback to old art.

Genre: Drama/Mystery/Romance

Creepy (Japan, 2016)

Takakura is a former detective. He receives a request from his ex-colleague, Nogami, to examine a missing family case that occurred 6 years earlier. Takakura follows Saki's memory. She is the only surviving family member from the case. Meanwhile, Takakura and his wife Yasuko recently moved into a new home. Their neighbor, Nishino, has a sick wife and a young teen daughter. One day, the daughter, Mio, tells him that the man is not her father and she doesn't know him at all.

Finally a new film from one of my favorite directors, Kiyoshi Kurosawa (Pulse, Tokyo Sonata), and he's back in the genre that started my fascination for him: horror. Though! As its title quickly tells you, Creepy is more of a slow-burning, very uncomfortable portrayal of a growing suspicion between two neighbors. It's basically void of jump scares and cheap methods to frighten you. Not one of Kurosawa's best, but still an effective and dark experience.   

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Terra Formars (Japan, 2016)

In an attempt to colonize Mars, 21st century scientists seed the planet with algae to absorb sun light and purify the atmosphere, and cockroaches who in turn spread the algae as they feed. 500 years later, the first manned mission to Mars loses contact with Earth, and a second ship is sent to investigate.

Terra Formars is one of those films you need to see to believe. It's so bad it's good. Directed by Takashi Miike, Terra Formars lets us follow a group of super soldiers to fight cockroaches who're all built like Arnold Schwarzenegger. Every protagonist can morph into a personal insect and gain its individual power to fight the aliens. But be ready, the costumes often look so bad that it's hard to believe the film is not fan-made. I've seen cosplay that looks way, way better but this is all part of the fun. If you see it together with someone it's so easy to have a blast and wonder what crazy sh*t gonna happen next. 

Genre: Action/Horror/Sci-Fi

Godzilla: Resurgence (Japan, 2016)

An unknown accident occurs in Tokyo Bay's Aqua Line, which causes an emergency cabinet to assemble. All of the sudden, a giant creature immediately appears, destroying town after town with its landing reaching the capital. This mysterious giant monster is named "Godzilla".

The King of Monsters is officially back. There hasn't been a Japanese Godzilla movie since 2004, but now, everyones favorite nuclear powered 380ft tall lizard is here to be a huge pain for the people of Japan once again. In the directorial seat we have Hideaki Anno, known for his Evangelion-franchise, and his love for practical effects shine through every city demolishing scene in this film. Unlike the American entry from 2014, directed by Gareth Edwards, Resurgence (a.k.a. Shin Godzilla) very rarely cuts away from the action and often just basically gives the viewers what they want. Halfway into the film it loses some steam, and there's a lot to be explained by men in suits and while it isn't as fun to see a board meeting about Godzilla than it is to see trains being thrown into buildings, the film is commenting on the failing bureaucracy during the 2011 Fukushima disaster. A promising new beginning, and I'm looking forward to the the upcoming sequels.

Genre: Action/Adventure/Drama

The Wailing (South Korea, 2016)

A stranger arrives in a little village and soon after a mysterious sickness starts spreading. A policeman is drawn into the incident and is forced to solve the mystery in order to save his daughter. 

From Hong-jin Na, director of the intense thriller The Chaser (2008) comes this wildly disturbing tale of exorcism and spirits hell-bent on vengeance. The characters immediately reminded me of Memories of Murder (2004) and other South Korean murder mystery films where they often use clumsy and sort of goofy protagonists. I could easily see actor Song Kang-ho be the main lead for this film. 

The movie builds up really well, and from what started as a mysterious murder case, the story don't pull any punches when evolving into the most nail-biting and gruesome piece of cinema I've seen in a long time. I caught myself sitting with my eyes wide open on several occasions. This is a jaw-dropping and visually stunning thriller about a peaceful, rural village's dark descent into evil. 

Genre: Drama/Fantasy/Horror

Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV (Japan, 2016)

The magical kingdom of Lucis is home to the hallowed Crystal, but the menacing empire of Niflheim will stop at nothing to make it theirs. War has raged between the two for as long as most can remember. King Regis of Lucis commands an elite force of soldiers dubbed the Kingsglaive. Wielding their king's magic, Nyx Ulric and his fellow glaives stand before the crown city of Insomnia, fighting to stay the inexorable advance of Niflheim's imperial army.

Kingsglaive is the latest in the CG fests that's been rolled out by game developer giant Square Enix, preceded by The Spirits Within (2001) and Advent Children (2005). It's basically an introduction to an upcoming game, but it's so completely crazy that fans of computer animated films can enjoy the spectacular end overly epic fights taking place all over Kingsglaive's running time. You're thrown into a storm of names and political intrigues, and it can certainly be hard to follow everything that's going on, but the animation is beyond beautiful and seeing it a second time can help with getting a grip on the story rather than just drool over the visuals. Sure, it can be regarded as mere guilty pleasure, but it's way better and more developed than  the often dreadful Advent Children. Kingsglaive takes every amazing fight in that movie and cranks it up to 11. A bit cheesy and melodramatic, but entertaining nontheless if you're in the mood for explosive eye candy.

Genre: Animation/Action