20. Snow Drop by Kota Yoshida
The motive of the return of the missing father and dementia are two topics that have significantly increased in Japanese films and tend to claim more and more space in the screenplays. Lately, “Ripples” and “Great Absence” have been two other examples of these new family dramas mixing social issues with illness and certain types of mania. “Snow Drop” stands out because of its desanitized sincerity and flawless technical execution. (Alexander Knoth)
19. A Spoiling Rain by Haruhiko Arai
Some lagging, as usually, particularly close to the ending does exist here too, but in general, “A Spoiling Rain” is a very entertaining film that combines the erotic with the dramatic and a pessimistic sense of nostalgia in the best fashion, benefitting the most by both the direction and the charisma of all three protagonists.
18. Missing by Keisuke Yoshida
Heartbreaking and engaging, “Missing” is an excellent film. It balances showing the tragedy surrounding missing person cases while inserting effective media critique. Keisuke Yoshida continues to showcase his talents as a filmmaker, and Satomi Ishihara delivers an incredible performance that will surely stick with viewers.
17. (Ab)normal Desire by Yoshiyuki Kishi
“(Ab)normal Desire” is an excellent film, a unique case for Japanese cinema, particularly because it manages to shed much light to a series of concepts that are considered taboo, without fetishizing them in any way, neither resorting to crime tropes in order to make them more interesting.
16. Matched by Eiji Uchida
“Matched” is not high art, and the story will probably alienate the fans of ‘true crime’. However, as a fairy tale whose main purpose is to shock and entertain it definitely succeeds.
15. Kingdom: Return of the General by Shinsuke Sato
The fourth instalment in what has come to be one of the best and most successful anime/manga adaptations is as epic as the previous parts, in the movie that concludes the first season of the anime (there are 5 by the way). “Kingdom: Return of the General” continues in the same, rather high quality of the previous movies, while has enough elements, particularly regarding the permeating drama, to make it stand out.
14. Look Back by Kiyotaka Oshiyama
Based on the rather successful one-shot manga by Tatsuki Fujimoto, “Look Back” is a mid-length anime movie that deals with the manga industry in two different time parallels. (…) Granted, the impact of the movie would probably be bigger if it ended in the first part, but the quality of the art here and the comments deriving from the story definitely compensate, in an overall excellent title.
13. A Samurai in Time by Junichi Yasuda
“A Samurai in Time” is a great blend of jidaigeki and a story about time travel. Junichi Yasuda directs a feature which, aside from a few funny and bizarre moments, is an engaging personal drama about a man’s struggle to let go of a time he is no longer part of. (Rouven Linnarz)
12. Bushido by Kazuya Shiraishi
“Bushido” is a must-see for longtime fans of samurai cinema and a stellar introduction for newcomers to Chanbara. Coupled with lavish production values and stylish direction, Kazuya Shiraishi treats viewers to a compelling revenge tale while showcasing powerful themes of deconstructing preconceived judgment during a gritty period of Japanese history. Despite intentional pacing and minimal action, the film remains engaging thanks to a superb script and great performances. (Sean Barry)
11. Stay Mum by Kosai Sekine
“Stay Mum” is terrific, successfully balancing its various narrative elements in a powerful story of familial bonding and healing from trauma. Rather than peter off into formulaic melodrama, it’s a movie that isn’t afraid to pull punches in how it approaches sensitive topics, which gives its drama additional weight. When the characters have touching moments of love and comfort, audiences will be so engaged that they will share that happiness with them and wish for those humane moments to continue, only to be sad when the harsh truths shroud that reality in darkness. (Sean Barry)
