Movies
A dreamy drama with a solid underlying romance. The cinematography is lush, the score is pitch-perfect and the lead performances are strong. Add to that a lovely setting, an economic runtime, and a moving finale and you have a prime Japanese drama. The romance is on point too, but not quite as accessible, and hardened romantics may have some trouble with the outcome here. But this is exactly the kind of drama I love to see coming out of Japan, I clearly need to see more of Agashi's work because her direction elevates this film well beyond the usual fodder.
21st Century Girl
Welcome to a new generation of directors. 21st Century Girl is an anthology featuring only young, female directors, tasked to make a film for 21st century girls (hence the name of the project). Apart from Yuki Yamato, I wasn't familiar with any of the chosen creators, so I was looking forward to the result. Lack of consistency is often seen as a weak point of anthologies, personally I love the versatility they bring. That's my only real critique here. While there are a few highlights and no real disappointments, I expected a bit more variation in themes and styles. It too often feels like there's just one typical 21st century girl, which is highly doubtful. My main takeaway from this film is that Yuki Yamato is by far one of the most promising young directors working in Japan today. I instantly recognized her short and it's easily the stand-out of the bunch. The rest of the women deliver solid films, and they all deserve their shot at a full-length feature. For an anthology though, I expected a tad more creativity.Read all