When it comes to Japanese cinema most people will first say the name of Kurosawa and Ozu, and sometimes Mizoguchi. These giants of film did perform some miracles (Seven Samurai; Tokyo Story; The 47 Ronin), however there is also plenty of enjoyable and some outstanding contemporary Japanese films to see. I will recommend a few which I've seen in the last years.
Departures (2009)
Departures is an excellent tale about a 30ish couple facing new challenges in life, both at work and in their relationship. After the husband looses his job in the big city, they return to the countryside to reboot their life. The film handles difficult topics (death, jobs, love, trust) with sublime, genuine humour. It is one of those rare gems of a movie where one laughs, sheds a few tears, and feels touched too.
Our Little Sister (2015)
Our Little Sister is a touching family story of reunion, or learning about each other, and how different characters can fill each others' lives with meaning and joy. The sisters return to their hometown after the death of their divorced father and meet for the first time their younger half-sister. They agree to take her in and a splendid tale of affection begins to unfold.
Chronicle of My Mother (2012)
Harada's movie is based on Inoue Yasushi's novel of the same title. Chronicle of My Mother does address some topics - care for an older relative with dementia, discord in a tight-knit large family between generations - but it does not psychologise or dramatise them overly. Rather, it puts them in their place: instead of creating problems larger than life out of them it shows that a family that works normally and supports each other can tackle and overcome most issues. Certainly a nice and heart warming message in an age when the extreme individualism most developed countries embraced - one of the sad influences of too much US cultural and political influence - is causing enormous social difficulties.
Recall (2018)
This is an exciting movie about corporate corruption and how it can be fought. The actors in Recall are doing a great job, and the script splendidly addresses several of the main issues of our age: the total takeover of large money, rule of interest, influencing of media by big business owners, and the difficulty of average people to be independent of such huge organisations. The movie shows that on their own neither the young people wanting to reform big business from the inside, nor media, nor the owners of smaller companies have enough influence and information to affect a real change in things. However if everyone in society works together - or at least for the same goal, even if separately - and the police is willing to listen, then things can be achieved. An exciting drama with great tension, revelations and good tempo!
The movie is set in Japan where it is particularly actual due to the many recall and quality issue scandals since 2010. But it is obvious that in one sense at least Japan is admitting and making such cases public. One can only guess how many similar cases would be uncovered if the US, China, and some other larger countries would be as open and critical with their companies as the Japanese were willing to be in the last decade.
Haru's Journey (2010)
Haru's Journey is a sad, slow and meditative movie. It deals with old age, aging society, loneliness, the lack of guidance and identity that current modern states offer for youth, and especially for young Japanese females. Haru accompanies his old and jobless uncle on a trip to visit the uncle's still living relatives. The meetings don't bring any joy, rather bitterness, as they reveal old conflicts about which way to head in life and failures that no one wants to admit. It is a hard movie to watch, but useful. One can get a sense of the very real despair holding the hearts of many people at this very moment who are alone and without any outlooks. It can spur one into motion, it can make one a bit more sensitive and compassionate.
Dolls (2002)
Kitano's film is a true romantic masterpiece about love that does not fear sacrifices and love that does not rest until the fates of the lovers merge. A fantastic visual feast with shots of the Japanese mountains and seasons that will forever linger before your eyes, Dolls is a real treasure. For lovers, for those who are not in love at the moment, for those who loved, or who want to love, for those who don't care about love and just want to see a well done and masterfully shot movie, and for everyone else too.
