I just got really into Japanese film about a year ago (thank you, Internet) – a few of my friends are really into J-Pop and anime, but none of them are really interested in any J-films or directors. When I went abroad to study, I met a bunch of people who were into films (duh! it was film school, after all) and we went into films all the way.
One of my first memories (maybe 2003?) of Japanese Cinema was Battle Royal. My! What an example, eh? I was blown away~~ I don’t have other memories of J-Film prior to that other than animated films like Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi (Spirited Away) and Mononoke Hime (Princess Mononoke)… which brings me to my post of the day for the Blogathon~~~
The Top10 Japanese Films I Watch this Past Year
in the order in which I saw them from earliest to latest~
only between these past 365 days – some of my fave didn’t make it
- Kiraware Matsuko no Issho (Memories of Matsuko)
by Tetsuya Nakashima (loads of people with Miki Nakatani, and Eita) - Tekkonkinkreet
by Michael Arias (voice of Yu Aoi) - Love Letter
by Shunji Iwai - Cha no Aji (The Taste of Tea)
by Katsuhito Ishii - Sasame-yuki (The Makioka Sisters)
by Kon Ichikawa - Tenshi no Tamago (Angel’s Egg)
by Mamoru Oshii – sooooo weird xD - Wool 100%
by Mai Tominaga - Hyakuman-en to Nigamushi Onna (One Million Yen Girl)
by Yuki Tanada (starring Yu Aoi) - Tsumiki no Ie (La Maison en Petits Cubes)
by Kunio Kato *short film - Aruitemo, Aruitemo (Still Walking)
by Hirokazu Kore-eda
Almost made it, xD
- Hito no SEKKUSU o Warauna (Don’t Laugh at my Romance)
by Nami Iguchi (with Kenichi Matsuyama, Yu Aoi, Shugo Oshinari) - Gaichu (Harmful Insect)
by Akihiko Shiota (starring Aoi Miyazaki)
I used to watch Japanese classics many years ago (Ozu, Kurosawa, Naruse, Ichikawa etc…). More modern J-films are fairly new to me, I started about two years ago and watched several hundreds (no kidding)
I’ve been rarely disappointed. Most of them were good and entertaining in some way, some (quite a lot indeed) were total gems.
Thanks to Nippon Shinema, I’ve found a new filmlife that Hollywood was no longer able to give me.
I don’t think I’ve watched hundreds, but I’ve seen some bad ones… I must admit. But many are gems =D
Yeah, I haven’t been able to watch many Hollywood films that satisfy my interest… at least not the big-budget ones. I seldom find the rare indie flick =D