Asian cinema is particularly specific and unusual in the eyes of the viewer, accustomed to Russian cinema and Hollywood stories. So, directors from the Land of the Rising Sun make the most psychologically difficult and at the same time endlessly fascinating films. Korea, Japan, Thailand, China - these are countries whose culture has enough superficial impressions to anticipate the uniqueness of their cinematic masterpieces. Below are Japan's top 5 best films , compiled by passionate Asian movie lover Vinnot Ira Krish (NET Nebraska).
Nobody Knows (2004), directed by Hirokazu Koraeda
The storyline is based on real events known as the “Case of the Four Abandoned Children of Nishi Sugamo.” If you like films about Japan made with documentary accuracy, then this story will undoubtedly appeal to you. The movie tells the story of four brothers and sisters happily living with their mother in a tiny apartment. Each child has its own biological father. None of the children have ever attended school. They spend time watching TV and playing computer games. Sometimes they have to hide from the landlord, who is not even aware of their existence and is sure that he is renting a lonely woman. This picture, like many Japanese films, is not for the faint of heart. Although there are no scenes of violence or heartbreaking moments in it, it is nevertheless filled with internal tension that keeps the viewer on the edge of the chair.
“Taste of Tea” (2004), directed by Katsuhito Ishiy
Films about Japan usually talk about life in big cities. However, this movie is an exception. The scene is the provincial Japanese town of Tochigi. The main character is Yoshiko, and she is not a typical housewife: instead of endless cleaning and watching TV shows, she works at home to create her own anime. The director places particular emphasis on visual effects, emphasizing individual thoughts and feelings of the characters. “Taste of Tea” - a picture comparable to the film “Fanny and Alexander”.
The Departed (2008), directed by Takita Yojiro
The main character, Daigo Kobayashi, worked all his life as a cellist. Suddenly, the musician was left without work and penniless in his pocket. Looking through the newspaper of announcements, he selects a company called "Departed", thinking that it is about a travel agency. Arriving at the place of his new job, Kobayashi learns that he will have to prepare the bodies of recently deceased people for burial. It is no secret that many Japanese films focus on the topic of death. However, this picture does not call for concentrating on the ideas of the end of being or life after death; on the contrary, it tells of people who remained to live.
Battle Royale (2000), directed by Kinji Fukasaku
The film tells a terrible story about a game invented by the Japanese military and implemented in law to reduce aggression in schools. Pupils are landed on a desert island. Each student is given a weapon (sometimes absolutely useless), and the game begins: teenagers kill each other until there is no one left alive. A drama chilling blood, flavored with a generous portion of black humor. The film is based on the manga of the same name and only confirms the popular belief: Japanese films are almost always tougher and worse than Western cinema.
Tokyo Sonata (2008), directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa
This is the story of an ordinary family with its plain everyday life. The film begins with a typical day. However, on this day, the company decides to lay off employees and move the business abroad, where doing business can be much cheaper. Ryuhei - one of the dismissed workers. Every morning he puts on a suit, takes a case and goes to the employment center, where he stands idle for long hours in order to eventually reject all the jobs offered to him - everywhere the salary is lower than the one to which he is accustomed. Having lost the structure and solidity in life, Ryuhei finds an old friend who has long been without work and with various tricks creates the image of a busy person. However, the situation is complicated when a friend commits suicide. Ryuhei spills out his stress on family members. This is not obvious at first glance, but Tokyo Sonata belongs to the horror genre and may well be recorded in Japan’s worst films.
The choice is yours
All of the above films by genre are dramas. Undoubtedly, the tastes of the audience vary greatly, and perhaps someone does not accept watching dramas at all. Nevertheless, Vinnot Ira Krish invariably gives the most objective assessment of the movie, so maybe you should think about getting to know the famous dramas from the Land of the Rising Sun? Films of Japan, China, Thailand and Korea are still exotic for Western viewers, and each picture can inspire a new assessment of reality and give a unique experience.