Category: World Cinema
Shogun Assassin (1980)
1980 Director(s): Robert Houston, Kenji Misumi Starring: Tomisaburô Wakayama, Akihiro Tomikawa, Kayo Matsuo, Tokio Oki Words – Nathan Scatcherd. The kind of bloody, balletic Samurai film you rarely see made anymore, Shogun Assassin stands as perhaps one of the finest examples of the Jidaigeki… Continue Reading “Shogun Assassin (1980)”
Cinema Paradiso
1988 Director: Giuseppe Tornatore Starring: Salvatore Cascio, Marco Leonardi, Jacques Perrin, Antonella Attili, Pupella Maggio, Enzo Cannavale, Isa Danieli, Leo Gullotta, Agnese Nano, Leopoldo Trieste Words – Christian Abbott “The old movie business is just a memory”, a line which summates so much feeling… Continue Reading “Cinema Paradiso”
Our Little Sister
2015 Director: Hirokazu Kore-eda Starring: Haruka Ayase, Masami Nagasawa, Kaho, Suzu Hirose Words – Natalie Mills Based on manga series Seaside Town Diary, Our Little Sister follows the lives of three twenty-something sisters. Abandoned by their separated parents, they live together in the beautiful,… Continue Reading “Our Little Sister”
Tekkonkinkreet
2006 Director: Michael Arias Starring: Kazunari Ninomiya, Yû Aoi, Yûsuke Iseya, Kankurô Kudô, Min Tanaka, Rokurô Naya, Tomomichi Nishimura Words – Joe H. Tekkonkinkreet is based on the popular original Japanese manga series ‘Black & White‘, written by Taiyo Matsumoto. The title Tekkonkinkreet is… Continue Reading “Tekkonkinkreet”
Seven Samurai
1954 Director: Akira Kurosawa Starring: Toshirô Mifune, Takashi Shimura, Keiko Tsushima, Yukiko Shimazaki, Kamatari Fujiwara, Daisuke Katô, Isao Kimura, Minoru Chiaki, Seiji Miyaguchi, Yoshio Kosugi, Bokuzen Hidari, Yoshio Inaba Words – Christian Abbott All great films can be traced back to other works of… Continue Reading “Seven Samurai”
Tetsuo: The Iron Man
1989 Director: Shinya Tsukamoto Starring: Tomoro Taguchi, Kei Fujiwara, Nobu Kanaoka, Shinya Tsukamoto, Naomasa Musaka Words – Christian Abbott “Your future is metal!” This line hits two-thirds into the film, and after a series of deliriously disturbing sequences, you believe it. It’s hard to… Continue Reading “Tetsuo: The Iron Man”
Parasite
Director: Bong Joon-ho Starring: Kang-ho Song, Sun-kyun Lee, Yeo-jeong Jo, Woo-sik Choi, Park So-dam, Jeong-eun Lee, Hye-jin Jang, Ji-so Jung Words – Rhiannon Topham Rarely does a film defy all cinematic conventions and pull it off flawlessly. Even more rare is for a film… Continue Reading “Parasite”
Godzilla (1954)
1954 Director: Ishiro Honda Starring: Akira Takarada, Momoko Kochi, Akihiko Hirata, Takashi Shimura, Fuyuki Murakami, Sachio Sakai Words – Rebecca Kirby. It took fifty years for the original, uncut version of Ishiro Honda’s “Godzilla” (or Gojira) to receive an official release for western audiences.… Continue Reading “Godzilla (1954)”
MONOS
2019 Director: Alejandro Landes Starring: Sofia Buenaventura, Julian Giraldo, Karen Quintero, Laura Castrillón, Deiby Rueda, Paul Cubides, Sneider Castro, Moises Arias, Julianne Nicholson, Wilson Salazar Words – Joe H. In the remote mountains of South America, a group of child soldiers occupy an almost… Continue Reading “MONOS”
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Director: Céline Sciamma Starring: Noémie Merlant, Adèle Haenel, Luàna Bajrami, Valeria Golino Words – Rhiannon Topham Describing a film as a ‘historical drama’ conjures particularly priggish dress, dialogue and narrative, none of which is typically original or disruptive to the staid all ways of… Continue Reading “Portrait of a Lady on Fire”
