News — Japanese film

Film Review: Black Box Diaries 黑箱日誌 (2024) - Japan / USA / UK Reviewed by Andrew Chan (Film Critic Circle of Australia) I rated it 8/10 Support my reviews by buying me a Coffee! https://buymeacoffee.com/neofilmblog Support our reviews by buying from official DVDs / Blu Rays at NeoFilmShop.com A Harrowing Thriller Written in Blood and Courage - Shiori Itō does not merely tell her story in “Black Box Diaries”, she forces you to live it, breath by ragged breath, in the suffocating darkness of a system designed to silence her. This isn't just a documentary; it's a first-person procedural thriller...

Review: Shoplifters 万引き家族 (2018) - Japan Reviewed by Andrew Chan (Film Critics Circle of Australia)  Help us continue to cover more Asian and Martial Art films by making a donation to Neo Film Blog below. Director Hitokazu Koreeda (“After the Storm”) continues his trend of portraying dysfunctional families with “Shoplifters”. One of the most beautiful aspect of this film is how the story is told without manipulation of emotions, but simply presenting the events as it unfolds in a slow yet dedicated pace. We see a family of sorts being on display, struggling to live in the commercial driven Tokyo as different family...

The Confidence Man JP: The Movie (2019) - Japan Reviewed by Andrew Chan (Film Critics Circle of Australia) Help us continue to cover more Asian and Martial Art films by making a donation to Neo Film Blog below.   This is a highly enjoyable escapist conman type of movie that arose as a spin-off in the star-studded Japanese TV series of the same name. In fact, the lead is played by con-woman Masami Nagasawa, meaning the title should have been named - “Confidence Woman”. Still, the film make use of Hong Kong as an ironic backdrop and even manages to breezes by with...

When I Get Home, My Wife Always Pretends to be Dead (2018) - Japan     Reviewed by Andrew Chan (Film Critics Circle of Australia)   The latest Japanese comedy by director Toshio Lee, despite its interesting premises of having a wife that pretend to be dead every time the husband returns home, is really at its core about modern marriage. What I liked about the film is the manner it approaches different aspect of a marriage and the importance of communication and understanding. All seems rather basic on paper goes far deeper and engages with the audience as a...