Naomi Kawase’s melodramatic adaptation of a novel by Mizuki Tsujimura, is directed with finesse, but relies too heavily on PSA-style storytelling that rather explores the past than the present with situations that miss their mark in trying to establish a real emotional force. After trying to conceive for a while, a Japanese couple undergo tests. …
Tag Archives: japanese film
TIFF20 Review – ‘Under The Open Sky’
TIFF20’s fourth film on our schedule is the incredibly beautiful Japanese feature ‘Under The Open Sky’ (originally titled ‘Subarashiki Sekai’). Inspired by Mr. Ryuko Saki’s novel ‘Mibuncho’ (translated ‘Inmate Files’), director Nishikawa Miwa for the first time ever uses someone else’s story to create one that’s inspired by ex-convicts who try to adapt to a …
Japanese Film Festival Review – ‘JK☆ROCK’
“You can’t fire up my rock spirit and then run away!” – Sakura Copyright 2019 “JK☆ROCK” Business Partners A Japanese coming of age tale infused with soft rock music. JK☆ROCK is just that. Nothing more, nothing less. We first meet our lead male Jyo Kaieda (Shôdai Fukuyama) as a miserable, entitled, handsome university student with …
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