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Definitely the best part of my Spotify Wrapped this year 😅

#NowWatching Yugo Sakamoto’s BABY ASSASSINS: NICE DAYS. The thing I love most about these films is how well each genre is tackled. The slacker comedy is really funny and the choreographed fight carnage is so well executed! This latest one looks like it could be the darkest yet!

Definitely one of his most powerful performances alongside Vital and Labyrinth of Dreams 🙌

Haha nice! I’ll send a pic of the collection when I’m back home

If you’re a fan of Asian cinema but haven’t seen this film yet then seek it out immediately!

#NowWatching Keishi Kondo’s NEW RELIGION. This one is near and dear to my heart! A visionary film about loss that explores its themes in such a mysterious way. Tonally sitting somewhere between Lynch, Cronenberg and SILENT HILL, but with a strikingly bold visual style. I love it!

Oh dear 🤦‍♂️ Is this a thing over here?

This has been a long time coming but I could not be more thrilled to finally be checking the check disc for @thirdwindow.bsky.social’s physical release of Keishi Kondo’s NEW RELIGION. There’s something on this release that is so incredibly exciting! All will be revealed December 10th 😉

#NowWatching Ataru Oikawa’s TOMIE. 4 years ago I binged all 9 of these films back to back, and this first entry was by far the strongest in the series! Part abstract arthouse mystery, part bizarre exploration of trauma cycles, and part gory psychological J-horror. It’s amazing!

Keisuke Yoshida is such an interesting filmmaker, and seeing his development from jarring genre mashups like HIMEANOLE to more measured dramas like this whilst still maintaining his unique voice is testament to his talent. I can’t wait to see what he tries next as this is great!

Whilst this isn’t nearly as brutal a watch as INTOLERANCE, the message is just as powerful. Yoshida has such a good grasp of his stories tone and pace, and the performances he gets from his cast are phenomenal. Satomi Ishihara is especially impressive here in a difficult role!

#NowWatching Keisuke Yoshida’s MISSING. Apparently this is a thematic follow up to Yoshida’s incredible INTOLERANCE from a few years ago. A study of the devastating power of guilt and blame after abject tragedy, and the responsibility of the media in handling the story afterwards

Just caught this awesome little horror short called THE INVITATION by Miroho Mieno! It feels like a throwback to the early 2000s J-Horror boom. All shot in a single location and mostly by flashlight in the dark, it makes really effective use of the simple premise! I loved it!

I’ve been hoping for a legit release here but just couldn’t wait 🤪

#NowWatching Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s CLOUD. If you follow me then you probably know that this is without a doubt my most anticipated movie of the year. Kurosawa is a master of genre filmmaking, and his latest is a social commentary, a shoot-em-up, and a brooding moral tale all in one!

This was one of the first dvds I got after @thirdwindow.bsky.social and I connected, and it still really holds up! From an eccentric offer to make two films in two weeks using the same cast, the result was two gangster revenge flicks completely different in tone and plot yet still interlocked!

What struck me most on this rewatch was how much more I could appreciate the structure of the film having just seen the remake the night before. Due to the budget and time restraints the setup is simple and fast, but the clever use of revenge genre conventions shine through!

#NowWatching Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s SERPENT’S PATH. I’m revisiting this after catching Kurosawa’s own French language remake. It’s a pivotal piece of his filmography! Written by Hiroshi Takahashi, starring Shô Aikawa and Teruyuki Kagawa, and all filmed in one week on a micro budget!

The main difference in this remake (besides the location/language change) is how Kurosawa updated his lean 85 minute darkly comedic revenge thriller into a nearly 2 hour polished psychological mystery. A side story involving Hidetoshi Nishijima stretches out the plot’s runtime.

#NowWatching Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s SERPENT’S PATH. At the moment CHIME is still my favourite film of the year, and whilst I’m eagerly awaiting the release of CLOUD I thought I’d check out the master’s 2024 French language remake of one part of his experimental double bill from 1998!

It’s one of my favourite films of all time! The fact we are getting an HD Remaster has me giddy! I can’t wait to see the new print 🥹

The “Director’s Company” series from @thirdwindow.bsky.social have already been some of the most exciting releases of 2024, but it’s looking like 2025 is going to be just as impressive! I can’t tell you how excited I am to get my hands on these beauties 🙌

Before I dive into THE CREEP TAPES I thought I’d revisit the two films that started it all! I love both of these so much, not just because of how effective they are but for how they were made and the ethos behind just getting out there and filming something to see what it becomes

This is so much fun! It takes a little time to get going, but once the comedy of errors and misconceptions start then it’s a fast paced and frequently very funny farce. The situation is well set up and the performances are all effective despite the ridiculousness. It’s a blast!

#NowWatching Itaru Mizuno’s TRESPASSERS. I’ve heard wonderful things about this female-led heist comedy about three unlikely thieves who break into a mansion looking for the cash they believe the owner is hiding, only to encounter unexpected complications. Madcap caper fun 😅

One of the most impactful films of the year is under 60 minutes and perfectly encapsulates why art is so special, and how a common interest can bring people together despite their differences. Do yourself a favour and settle into this life-affirming love story to manga 🥰

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Painstakingly brilliant in every way! The score had me even before the incredible visuals kicked in! The love that has clearly gone into this low-key masterpiece is evident from every scene, from the enormous emotional beats down to the small moments that resonate even harder 🥹

#NowWatching Kiyotaka Oshiyama’s LOOK BACK. Adapted from “Chainsaw Man” creator Tatsuki Fujimoto's one-shot manga of the same name, It is fitting that a story about the inspirational power of art has received such a carefully crafted and beautifully recieved adaptation! #anime

I’m going to put more time in here and want to follow fellow folks who love East Asian cinema, horror and gaming! Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated 🥹

I’m still finding my footing here. Will try to put more time into it though!