Category Archives: Films

Review: Films Set In Japan – The Barbarian And The Geisha (1958)

‘You Only Live Twice‘ or ‘Walk Don’t Run‘ may be the more famous of the older films set in Japan but I recently encountered one from nearly a decade before those. Of course I was very much aware of John Wayne … Continue reading →

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Review: Films Set In Japan – Letters From Iwo Jima (2006)

I decided to watch this again a few days ago having just taught a student who this week is going to visit the island of Iwo-jima which is actually part of Tokyo albeit a long, long way south (750 km) … Continue reading →

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Back To Hong Kong After 6 Years

Of the many Asian places I’ve visited over the last six years one of my favourites has to be Hong Kong which I visited during the World Cup in June 2006. Back then I slummed it at the infamous Chungking Mansions … Continue reading →

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Review: Films Set In Japan – Enter The Void (2009)

Starting off with a hard techno beat and flashing credits this arty-farty French directed film comes across as tediously excruciating with any real story replaced by indulgence for the sake of art. We see all the action through the eyes of … Continue reading →

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Review: Films Set In Japan – The Fast & The Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006)

As someone who can’t drive and has no interest in cars I had no interest in this franchise for many many years and just assumed it was dumbed-down, brain-dead, lad-popularist titilation designed for people…..well people like me who have a … Continue reading →

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Review: Films Set In Japan – Gung Ho (1986)

Michael Keaton plays a cocky, obnoxious, arrogant and disrespectful American called Hunt Stephenson whose big car manufacturing company in Pennsylvania is on its knees and needs buying out by Japanese firm Assan Motors. He goes to Tokyo to convince their bosses to … Continue reading →

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Review: Films Set In Japan – Stratosphere Girl (2004)

This modern art film is a short 84 minute story (always a good thing in my book!) about an 18 year old blonde girl called Angela who gets into a conversation with a Japanese DJ about going travelling to seek adventure … Continue reading →

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TF Film Review: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (2011)

I hadn’t even heard of this film until I went back to England at Christmas and saw the posters on billboards all over London in anticipation of its Boxing Day release. I then saw the trilogy of books by Stieg … Continue reading →

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If Star Wars Was Set In Japan……

1. There just wouldn’t be a rebellion against the Empire. 2. Mos Eisley would have a lot more speeder accidents. 3. The deicison to hunt the droids would take the Empire years. 4. There would be a new emperor every 12-18 … Continue reading →

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Review: Films Set In Japan – Mr Baseball (1992)

As I was watching Brad Pitt in ‘Moneyball‘ on the way back to England recently I found it very hard to not keep comparing it to ‘Mr Baseball’ which, as far as I’m concerned, is the greatest baseball movie out … Continue reading →

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