The 2018 film On Your Wedding Day (너의 결혼식) is a heartfelt, realistic coming of age story about the people and moments that help to shape your life.
Jero Yun’s 2018 feature Beautiful Days (뷰티풀 데이즈) is a haunting slice-of-life melodrama that features quietly affecting performances from its main cast and an engaging film with a relatively simple and ultimately straightforward story.
Disney’s 2020 live-action remake of the classic animated film is not a bad movie. However, in trying to distance itself from the original by finding its own, more mature voice, Mulan falls far short of being a truly epic event. The potential is there and the foundation is solid. But by never truly committing and following through on what it wants to be, the film feels undercooked and underdeveloped.
Ra Mi Ran and Lee Sung Kyung kick ass in the hilarious, fun, action-packed film Miss & Mrs. Cops (걸캅스/Girl Cops).
It’s been a few years since I first watched Studio Ghibli’s Arietty (借りぐらしのアリエッティ/The Secret World of Arietty) directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi. I remember enjoying the familiar story presented in a different, but familiar way. That is, Japanese animation. And watching it for the first time since then, I find myself appreciating it even more.
When Marnie Was There (思い出のマーニー) is a moving film about understanding your own identity and the power of love and family. Presented with the stunning animation one comes to expect from Studio Ghibli, the film lends itself to being open to one’s interpretation and understanding while also on its face being a fully realized mystical journey.
Studio Ghibli’s 2002 film The Cat Returns (猫の恩返し) is a hilarious, quirky and whimsical adventure that stands on its own while also being an extra treat for anyone who has enjoyed the 1995 film Whisper of the Heart.
Isao Takahata creates a timeless masterpiece with The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (かぐや姫の物語). It is a stunning adaptation of one of Japan’s oldest folk tales (The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter) and it is lovingly brought to life in a memorable and profound cinematic experience.
Studio Ghibli co-founder Isao Takahata has delivered some stunning stories over the years. But My Neighbors the Yamadas (ホーホケキョとなりの山田くん) is a beautiful, heartfelt film that includes the hallmarks and sensibilities he would show in his other works while presenting a unique and experimental visual style that makes it even more special.
Hayao Miyazaki’s 2008 film Ponyo (崖の上のポニョ) doesn’t reach the heights of some of his more acclaimed work. But the film nonetheless enthralls like a film from Miyazaki could with its stunning visuals, likeable characters and irresistible magic.