Reviews from Japan

Superlative - everyone should see this

Great, a must-see if you like the genre

Good, a decent example of the genre

Watchable, but only for serious genre fans

Unwatchable

Half stars could have gone either way depending on mood.

Movie Name / Release Year	Summary	Date	Reviewer
The Stairway to the Distant Past (1995)	Dazzling	2024-01-01	Simon
Hana-Bi (1997)	Close to cinematic perfection	2021-08-10	Simon
The World of Kanako (2014)	An astonishing glimpse into a disturbing world	2021-06-12	Simon
Love Exposure (2009)	It's holier than a hard-on. It's about love.	2021-01-16	Simon
Meatball Machine: Kodoku (2017)	One of the great works of cinema	2020-05-10	Simon
Confessions (2010)	One sin leads to another	2014-03-08	Simon
Rashomon (1950)	Kurosawa looks at the blackness of the human heart	2012-11-13	Simon
Violent Cop (1989)	A landmark in Japanese cinema	2020-07-11	Simon
The Taste Of Tea (2004)	Something to remind you what films CAN be like	2012-05-22	Simon
Swallowtail Butterfly (1996)	One of the greatest movies ever made?	2002-03-17	Simon
Seven Samurai (1954)	One of the best films ever made	2003-01-31	Simon
Rainy Dog (1997)	One of Miike's strongest and most well balanced films.	2002-12-13	Simon
Love Letter (1995)	Beautifully crafted, haunting movie. Iwai is a master of his art!	2002-04-17	Simon
Kikujiro (1999)	Delightful little road movie	2002-01-28	Simon
The Guys From Paradise (2000)	Further confirmation of Miike's extraordinary film-making talent	2003-06-23	Simon
The Most Terrible Time in My Life (1994)	Smart, stylish and funny	2024-01-01	Simon
Chasuke's Journey (2015)	Another unique film from Sabu	2022-06-18	Simon
All About Lily Chou-Chou (2001)	Beautiful and harrowing	2021-08-08	Simon
Miss Zombie (2013)	The PARASITE of zombie films	2021-04-10	Simon
Rage (2016)	...read review...	2020-11-01	Simon
Helter Skelter (2012)	It's certainly convenient to be pretty	2020-08-15	Simon
Hana and Alice (2004)	...read review...	2020-08-11	Simon
Boiling Point (1990)	Stylish and whimsical	2020-07-24	Simon
Space Travellers (2000)	Very enjoyable hostage-based capers	2001-10-15	Simon
When The Last Sword Is Drawn (2003)	Excellent Samurai film	2003-12-27	Simon
Visitor Q (2001)	Definitely not a film for the easily offended.	2012-05-22	Simon
Ugetsu (1953)	Recommended	2012-05-22	Simon
Kamikaze Taxi (1994)	A very quirky, contemplative film that is never predictable	2004-12-10	Simon
Blues Harp (1998)	A subtle and complex work	2021-08-24	Simon
Hanging Garden (2005)	Complex and rich, defying easy description or summary	2006-02-09	Simon