11. Film Review: Alien's Daydream (2023) by Yoshiki Matsumoto
Yoshiki Matsumoto creates a pastiche of different cinematic and narrative elements, in an approach that is as chaotic as it is intricate and intriguing. The narrative is dominated by a sense of mystery and disorientation, through a number of secrets that are revealed, each of which both result in a new revelation and a new perspective of the story, but also create more questions. This labyrinthine approach, although occasionally confusing and definitely including some elements that could be deemed unnecessary, actually works quite well in terms of entertainment, essentially carrying the movie from beginning to end of its 99 minutes. The fact that Matsumoto presents the story through an approach that combines elements of documentary, news strip, sci-fi, thriller, horror and family drama also works in the same path, in the second most impressive trait of his direction. (Panos Kotzathanasis)
12. Short Film Review: Keiko-san and I (2023) by Yuriko Yamamoto
The conflict between mother and daughter is channeled through the passionless presence of Keiko. As a being with no emotions, she is still able to trigger other people's feelings. The film misses the chance to fully embrace that aspect and only sprinkles some rare moments of Keiko's imperfection, which appear like little breakaways from the conservatively directed plot. Otherwise, “Keiko-san and I” progresses in a pretty predictable way, which makes it difficult to judge on. Neither a tearjerker nor a heartless sci-fi drama, the short stays in one's memory as a realistic and contemporary document about a not- so-unlikely setting. (Alexander Knoth)
13. Film Review: Till the Day I Can Laugh about My Blues (2023) by Karin Takeda
While some sections hit hard, most of the movie's approach to its thematics falls flat due to its direction. Rather than a deep character study as intended, the story primarily plays out as just an underdeveloped series of events, and its characters aren't engaging enough to get invested in the intended emotions. Perhaps this wasn't the intention, but the writing isn't strong enough to make this narrative engaging or believable. In addition, its drama tends to feel heavy-handed, even unintentionally corny in moments. (Sean Barry)
14. Short Film Review: Don't Go (2023) by Daichi Amano
Daichi Amano directs a very tender and amusing movie that essentially shows how important the need for closure is for the people who are “left behind” as much as how the lack of communication can lead to misconceptions, with the beach scene actually highlighting them both, and the rest providing a path towards the particular closure. As we watch how the family's sentiments change, one can only empathize with all of them, while the tragic irony of the end, and the interaction the three experience, adds even more to the entertainment, and the whole aesthetics of the movie.
