★★★★☆ Film Review: Sheep in the Box 箱の中の羊 dir. Hirokazu Koreeda

Koreeda’s retreads familiar ground with themes of found family and the process of grief in this futuristic fairy tale with mixed results. Sheep in the Box sees award-winning filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda return to his specialty of family, grief, and the fragile systems we build to survive both, but refracts them through a near-future setting that is conceptually rich, emotionally uneven, and structurally overextended. It is … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Film Review: Sheep in the Box 箱の中の羊 dir. Hirokazu Koreeda

★★★★★ Review: Monster 怪物 dir. Hirokazu Kore-eda

Truth that lies buried under the pressures of society. A monster is often imagined to be a singular, bestial creature bringing terror to all in its vicinity, a wickedness and intentionality behind its cruelty that warrants a hero to vanquish it. Yet, monsters are not born but made, where behind every action is a reason, to the extent that we wonder – is it possible … Continue reading ★★★★★ Review: Monster 怪物 dir. Hirokazu Kore-eda

★★★★☆ Review: Broker 브로커 dir. Hirokazu Kore-eda

Societal misfits find a sense of belonging in this tender Korean drama by Kore-eda. Over the years, the road trip movie has been done numerous times, across nationalities, age, and genre. But one thing that has always remained a constant is how by the end of the journey, the ones who’ve traversed countless obstacles, encountered one event after another, and so much distance together, come … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: Broker 브로커 dir. Hirokazu Kore-eda

Review: The Third Murder dir. Hirokazu Kore-eda

Hirokazu Kore-eda is best known as a master of the intimate Japanese family drama, with slow burns of films like Nobody Knows and After The Storm. In his latest outing, The Third Murder changes up the formula a little, focusing instead on a legal thriller that has as many twists and turns as a typical film noir. Directed and written by Kore-eda himself, The Third Murder opens on a brief crime scene … Continue reading Review: The Third Murder dir. Hirokazu Kore-eda