The 20 Best Japanese Movies of The 1990s

Takeshi Kitano

The 90s signaled the return to movie theaters, as the introduction of the multiplex drew audiences to cinemas once more. This trend gave an even bigger boost to anime productions than the 80s, with Hayao Miyazaki, Mamoru Oshii, and Satoshi Kon producing some of their trademark films during this decade. Takeshi Kitano, Takashi Miike, and […]

6 Reasons Why “Memories of Murder” is a Modern Masterpiece of South Korean Cinema

Bong Joon-ho’s “Memories of Murder” is one of those rare films where great quality combines with commercial success. In that fashion, by the end of its domestic run, more than 5 million people have watched it, making it the most watched movie for 2003 in South Korea, and the fourth most watched of all time. […]

8 Reasons Why “Seven Samurai” Is A Masterpiece of Japanese Cinema

The 1950s are considered the Golden Age of Japanese cinema. The aftermath of World War II and particularly the atomic bomb, and the subsequent American occupation left the country scarred, but filled with inspiration and eagerness to start over. One of the most iconic films of this era is Akira Kurosawa’s “Seven Samurai”, considered among […]

7 Reasons Why “I Saw the Devil” is a Modern Masterpiece of South Korean Cinema

“I Saw the Devil” is one of the best samples (if not the best) of revenge-themed, violent, action thrillers that ever came out of South Korea, in a category with an abundance of entries. The film made its premiere in the United States at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival and had a limited US theatrical […]

6 Reasons Why “Infernal Affairs” Is Better Than “The Departed”

“Infernal Affairs” is one of the most successful films in Asia, and it became internationally known when Martin Scorsese adapted it to shoot “The Departed”. Chen Wing Yan is an undercover agent who has been chosen since his days in the police academy to infiltrate the crime world, particularly the gang of the notorious Sam. […]

7 Reasons Why “Your Name” Is The Best Animated Movie Of 2016

“Your Name” proved that Makoto Shinkai is the next “master” of anime, with the film becoming the fifth highest grossing film of all time in the country – domestic or imported – and the second biggest domestic film ever, behind the Oscar-winning “Spirited Away”. It is also the first anime not directed by Hayao Miyazaki […]