Japanese Cinema
Japanese cinema flourished early on and silent films were being made right through the 1930s. Most were accompanied by a 'benshi' or live narrator telling the story as well as live music. Very little survives from this era however; the 1923 earthquake, the bombings of WW2 and the country's high humidity destroyed many of these historical works. Of those that survive, the early works of Kenji Mizoguchi are highly regarded and he went on to make the classic 'The Life of Oharu' in 1952. Of course no discussion on Japanese cinema is possible without mention of their best known son, Akira Kurosawa. With a career spanning 60 years Kurosawa's ground-breaking films (e.g. 'Seven Samurai', 'Kagemusha', 'Ran') influenced film makers around the world. Most recently Japanese cinema hero 'Beat' Takeshi Kitano revitalised the Yakuza genre; and young mavericks like Takashi Miike ('Audition', 'Ichi the Killer) and Hideo Nakata ('Ring', 'Dark Water') have breathed new life into the horror flick, their films often (and promptly!) remade by US production houses.
For Japanime, use the animation link to the left.
Pictured: Kurosawa teamed once more with the incomparable Toshiro Mifune for 'Seven Samurai'
Never Give Up (1978)
6.3/10
Director: Junya Sato
Starring: Ken Takakura, Isao Natsuyagi, Ryoko Nakano
Believing he can leave his dangerous life in the special forces behind, Ajisawa (Ken Takakura) abandons his job as a soldier and adopts Yoriko (Hiroko... Read more
Ninja Scroll: The Complete Series (2003)
7.9/10
Director: Tatsuo Sato
In feudal Japan, the Edo period brought a time of delicate peace bought with blood. Revisiting the popular 1993 Animé film, this series chronicles the... Read more
Ninja Wars (1982)
5.7/10
Director: Kosei Saito
Starring: Hiroyuki Sanada, Noriko Watanabe, Sonny Chiba, Hiroshi Tanaka, Akira Nakao
"The epic battle between man and black magic..." An evil magician is enlisted by Lord Donjo to help him marry the beautiful princess Ukio, thus ensur... Read more
Nobody Knows (2004)
8.1/10
Director: Hirokazu Kore-eda
Starring: Yuya Yagira, Ayu Kitaura, Hiei Kimura, Momoko Shimizu, Hanae Kim
Inspired by incredible true events, this is the story of 12-year-old Akira who one day finds a note from his mother saying she'll be gone for a while,... Read more
Norwegian Wood (2010)
6.4/10
Director: Tran Anh Hung
Starring: Kiko Mizuhara, Kenichi Matsuyama, Rinko Kikuchi
Set in 1960s Tokyo, this romantic Japanese drama based on Haruki Murakami's semi-autobiographical 1987 novel concerns a literature student (Kenichi Ma... Read more
Norwegian Wood ( Blu-ray ) (2010)
6.4/10
Director: Tran Anh Hung
Starring: Kiko Mizuhara, Kenichi Matsuyama, Rinko Kikuchi
Set in 1960s Tokyo, this romantic Japanese drama based on Haruki Murakami's semi-autobiographical 1987 novel concerns a literature student (Kenichi Ma... Read more
Ocean Waves (1993)
6.9/10
Director: Tomomi Mochizuki
Based upon author, essayist and playwright Saeko Himuro's most popular, best-selling novel, this is one of Studio Ghibli's most poignant and unsung ma... Read more
Ocean Waves (Blu-ray) (1993)
7.6/10
Director: Tomomi Mochizuki
Based upon author, essayist and playwright Saeko Himuro's most popular, best-selling novel, this is one of Studio Ghibli's most poignant and unsung ma... Read more
Ohayo ( aka Good Morning ) (1959)
7.8/10
Director: Yasujiro Ozu
Starring: Chishu Ryu, Koji Shidara, Haruko Sugimura, Kuniko Miyake, Yoshiko Kuga, Masahiko...
Ozu's hilarious Technicolor reworking of his silent "I Was Born, But...", "Ohayo" ("Good Morning") is the story of two young boys in suburban Tokyo wh... Read more
One Missed Call (2003)
6.2/10
Director: Takashi Miike
Starring: Kou Shibasaki, Renji Ishibashi, Shinichi Tsutsumi, Kazue Fukiishi
From cult Japanese director Takashi Miike comes this typically stylish idiosyncratic horror-thriller. Yumi's friend has a missed call on her cell-pho... Read more