Japan Cuts Starts This Week So Go Buy Lots Of Tickets- A Curtain Raiser

The glorious Japan Cuts starts this week and I have almost nothing to say except “it’s all good-go buy tickets”.

Okay, that’s not entirely true, there are a couple of films I didn’t love (but I did like them), and I still haven’t seen everything, However I know for damn sure why everything is at the festival, which is saying a great deal in an age when so many film fests are full of “what were they thinking” films. Japan Cut is full of films that you will either absolutely love or at worst like but not love, while completely understanding why the film was programmed. I say this because there were one or two that weren’t my cup of tea but were still interesting enough that I was glad I saw them.

But enough of this idle chatter what you all want to know is what should you be getting tickets to- or in a couple of cases what films are worth waiting on the standby line to see (a good number of the films are already sold out)

My choices for the MUST SEES at Japan Cuts based on what I’ve seen areas follows:

ISLAND OF CATS – cat porn drama set on the legendary Japanese island has a cat trying to help his master find companionship. You will want to o buy yourself lots of cats.

BEING NATURAL – is a wild and woolly that is not for all tastes. The story of a man left adrift when his uncle dies leaving him with nowhere to go takes a bizarre and what planet did they get that from turn on the final 20 minutes. If you want weird cinema this is it- just be willing to wait for it.

STEP FORWARD – one of the great films of 2019 concerns a minister manning a suicide hot line. I was moved to the point where I am still struggling to find words to review it. I simply don't have words.

RED SNOW – visually and aurally stunning film concerns a reporter opening a decades old case and wrecking everyone's sense of the staus quo. While things may not be perfectly resolved the ride is magnificent.

NIGHT CROSSING –A thought provoking look at a blind man who wants to make a movie that forces you to reconsider what cinema is, how we see the world and how we communicate with those with differing points of reference.

BLUE HOUR – Closing night film has two friends going home again and finding things they didn’t expect to find. The set up maybe one we’ve seen before the delivery is not with some great characters doing some very real things.

I also highly recommend both KILLING and BULLET BALLET which are playing as part of the festivals tribute to Shinya Tsukamoto who is being honored at the festival. Look for coverage of both films and an interview with the man himself.

And there is more- but those should get you started.

I don't know what to say other than JAPAN CUTS ROCKS- GO BUY TICKETS

For more information and tickets (and information on sold out shows) go here