I rave so much about Japanese art that it may seem like as far as I’m concerned, everything is the “best” or “most important” or “life-changing” or oh-so-much better than its Western counterpart. But getting down to it. Across all genres–what is the best, that is the one most important story told in recent years: the narrative of modern Japan? As an example of what I mean by this, in America for a long time it was Fitzgerald’s Great Gatsby. Like it or not (I personally don’t), that’s basically the story of America. As far as post-War Japan goes, Neon Genesis Evangelion is a strong candidate. So is Barefoot Gen. But I have to put my money on the pop-culture phenomenon of Battle Royale. More »

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Move over Kurosawa, there’s more Japanese cinema goodness to be had this month. Today kicks off Rekuru’s (and Ningin’s) Japanese Cinema Royale Special , an all week look at the many films, actors and actresses, and more from the land of the rising sun. Below, for your viewing pleasure, I’ve listed this week’s schedule of posts you can look forward to. So kick back, get comfortable, and prepare yourself because this week is going to kick some serious butt. I’m just saying. More »

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So up until now, I’ve been writing about Akira Kurosawa films I had already seen; only now have I taken advantage of the riches of the Film Forum going on now in New York and seen for the first time Kurosawa’s High and Low (1963). I do encourage everyone living in striking distance of New York to get out and attend this thing; it’s a great opportunity. As for High and Low itself, I strongly recommend it–perhaps not on a level with Rashomon and Ran, but at the same time, it presents a side of Kurosawa you don’t get from his best known films. More »

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Stereotypically, one might expect Japan’s greatest filmmaker to craft intricate, mysterious, emotionally opaque films with a subtly previously unknown to the West. And if you think that greatest filmmaker is Yasujiro Ozu, you’d be correct. But Kurosawa wears his heart on his sleeve, and his films, however stylistically intricate (and not being a film expert, I’m more or less blind to these subtleties) are political, emotionally raw, moralistic, at times even sentimental. In fact, Kurosawa was taken less seriously in his time by certain Japanese critics who found his sensibility “too Western.” Nowhere is this more evident than in my personal favorite, Ran (”Chaos”). More »

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“Freedom is something you have to fight for.” - Professor Yagihara

This is a line from Akira Kurosawa’s 1946 film No Regrets for Our Youth which, coincidentally, sums up the entire theme of the film. Set in Kyoto after the Manchurian Incident, No Regrets tells the story of three classmates attending Kyoto University and their life-long struggle for freedom amidst militaristic, fascist opposition. While the film has long gone unnoticed (most likely due to it not being available on DVD until just recently), No Regrets is a powerful and fantastic film that’s definitely worth a watch. More »

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Homer Simpson: Aw Marge, why do we hafta go to Japan? Marge Simpson: You liked Rashomon. Homer: That’s not how I remember it. More »

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Fresh to the Tokyo police force Murakami (longtime Kurosawa regular Toshiro Mifune) is not having a good day. Besides having his gun stolen on a crowded bus, his police-issued firearm is now being used by a criminal for robberies and worse. What’s a guy to do? Well, take to the hot summer streets and do some detective work for one. More »

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Cinephiles rejoice! One of cinema’s greatest directors of all time is getting the Rekuru special treatment this month. More »

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