10. Book, Paper, Scissors (Nanako Hirose)
“Book, Paper, Scissors” is a very interesting and well-shot documentary, that manages to address a number of issues through a captivating portrait of a master artisan. People who read will definitely have a blast with it. (Panos Kotzathanasis)
9. The Flowers of Evil (Noboru Iguchi)
I have always been a sucker for darker coming of age films, but even within realizing my bias given the title and the content, it seems easier for directors to squash hopes in adapting material than to bank on such a truthful and well executed adaptation. Thankfully, Iguchi makes what may be my favorite movie adaptation of an original manga. The appeal will definitely extend to those unfamiliar with the source material, as technically and contextually “Flowers of Evil” is a well constructed coming of age drama. To fans of the manga and works of Shūzō Oshimi, they should have reason to rejoice and make haste to the closest screening available. (Adam John Symchuk)
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8. The Fable (Kan Eguchi)
Kan Eguchi directs a movie that combines comedy, parody of both manga and adaptations, and violent action in an impressive package, which, amazingly, manages to thrive because Eguchi does not seem to know where exactly he wanted to go with the overall style, but exploited the fact in order to present a rather entertaining spectacle. In that fashion, the film begins as a comedy filled with slapstick humor and gags, with the concept of Jackal Tomioka being the highlight, but as time passes, it becomes more serious, to the point that, at the end, it borders on the action thriller. Furthermore, the flashbacks to the protagonist's childhood provide a somewhat dramatic element, in essence resulting in a film that takes loans from every commercial genre. (Panos Kotzathanasis)
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7. Blue Hour (Yuko Hakota)
In the end, “Blue Hour” is a heart-warming film about life choices, about finding a way to proceed in life and the inability to do so. Supported by a powerful cast, a brilliant script and beautiful cinematography, Yuko Hakota's debut feature is an impressive display of her talent as a storyteller. Hopefully, this is just the beginning of a long journey for this film and it will find many open-minded viewers willing to enjoy this gem of a movie. (Rouven Linnarz)
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6. Hanalei Bay (Daishi Matsunaga)
Daishi Matsunaga directs a very sensitive and sincere film that focuses on a mother's effort to cope with her loss by understanding who her son was. Her failure to let go, as so eloquently presented by her continuous trips to Hanalei Bay, that have actually made her a “figure” in the area, forms another central part of the narrative, while her meeting with the two boys serves as a testament to motherhood, a capacity that never leaves women, despite everything that happens in their lives. (Panos Kotzathanasis)
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