Looking for good modern Japanese films... (1 Viewer)

[Eric_E]

I'm looking for good, entertaining Japanese films that represent a (relatively) accurate depiction of modern-day Japan. By modern let's say... Showa 55 (1980) through the Heisei era up to current date.

I'm not looking for films dealing with any other time frame, so no Kurosawa samurai epics or post-war examinations please. I'm really interested in films dealing with issues in modern-day Japanese life. These don't have to be profoundly philosophical films or anything; an example of the type of film I'd like to see more of is "Shall We Dance?"

So if you have any recommendations for this type of movie, or good modern Japanese directors, please share! Thanks!

 

[Brendan Brown]

Audition

.....

*grins maniacally*

 

[Yumi]

[SIZE=no]Hi!Eric,
You can find some information from this website www.asianfilms.org.
Hope you can find what you need.
Good luck![/SIZE]

 

[Stephen R]

Some good recent films that examine youth in contemporary Japan:

Go (d. Isao Yukisada)
All About Lily Chou-Chou (d. Shunji Iwai) ; and anything by Iwai, really
License to Live (d. Kiyoshi Kurosawa)

And I would second Brendan's Audition recommendation since it does present a contemporary view of sexual politics, dating, and various other things in modern Japan. Not everyone's cup o' tea, of course.

 

[Tim RH]

Yes, GO is highly recommended and of course BATTLE ROYALE and LOVE LETTER are really good too.

 

[Brook K]

The Funeral
Tampopo
Hana-bi aka Fireworks
A Scene At The Sea

 

[Pascal A]

Some suggestions:

The difficulty of immigrant assimilation in a monoethnic society - Swallowtail Butterfly (Shunji Iwai)

Films inspired in the aftermath of 5/20/95 sarin gas attack on Tokyo subway by Aum Shinrikyo "Doomsday" cult - Distance (Hirokazu Kore-Eda), Eureka (Shinji Aoyama)

Technological alienation - Pulse (Kiyoshi Kurosawa), the aforementioned All About Lily Chou-chou (Shinji Iwai)

Aging and the elderly in contemporary Japanese society - Will to Live (Kaneto Shindo)

Also, in the field of light comedy in the spirit of Shall We Dance?, try Waterboys (Shinobu Yaguchi)

 

[Eric_E]

Thank you very much to everyone for all your suggestions. I now have a great list that should keep me occupied for some time.

 

[Tony Stirling]

You might want to check out Hirokazu Koreeda, especially Maboroshi no Hikari, although I hear that After Life is good, too. I thought Maboroshi no Hikari was very atmospheric and interesting. Very thoughtful. Hope this helps.

tony