[The following review contains MINOR SPOILERS; YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!] Japan Cuts frequently programs movies about amateur filmmakers—a...

[The following review contains MAJOR SPOILERS; YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!] When introducing Japan Cuts’ recent screening of Toshiharu Ikeda’s...

[The following review contains MAJOR SPOILERS; YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!] Kubi is a film of deliciously compelling contradictions. A period...

Nezumikozo Jirokichi—recently screened as part of Japan Cuts’ Shorts Program 2–managed to hit three major categories on my annual...

[The following review contains MINOR SPOILERS; YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!] Look Back opens with a shot that seems simple at first glance, but...

[The following review contains frank descriptions of sexually explicit material (albeit in a tasteful, artistic context); YOU HAVE BEEN...

[The following review contains MINOR SPOILERS; YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.] The Box Man is based on a Kobo Abe novel that is—according to my...

[The following review contains MINOR SPOILERS; YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!] Back in 2020, Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes—Junta Yamaguchi’s...

[The following review contains MINOR SPOILERS; YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!] The opening scene of Kaz I Kiriya’s From the End of the World—an...

In her brief introductory speech preceding Japan Society’s screening of When Morning Comes, I Feel Empty, director Yuho Ishibashi claimed...

[The following review contains MAJOR SPOILERS; YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!] Near the end of The Legend & Butterfly—a lavish period epic...

I went into Single8 hoping that it would recapture the magic of It’s a Summer Film!—which remains one of the best movies I’ve ever seen...

This one was kind of a cheat. The Japan Cuts screening of The First Slam Dunk sold out almost immediately after tickets became available...

I Am What I Am is the exact sort of pleasant surprise that defines Japan Cuts for me. The synopsis on the festival website led me to...

After taking last year off due to COVID-related concerns, Japan Cuts has finally returned to NYC! Since I’m feeling a bit out of...

Concluded Japan Cuts 2021 with a self-curated double feature: It’s a Summer Film! : This lighthearted ode to the spirit of creativity is...

If you still require evidence that Takashi Miike is a certified cinematic genius, look no further than his latest effort, The Great Yokai...

Here in the United States, Kiyoshi Kurosawa has acquired a reputation for primarily producing “J-horror,” thanks in large part to the...

The jidaigeki genre has become increasingly rare in recent years, even in its native country. Revisionist, postmodern, cynical twists on...

Decided to cap off Japan Cuts 2020 with yet another short film double feature: See You on the Other Side: Director Yoko Yamanaka...