#857 – Eros + Massacre, (エロス＋虐殺), 1969, Yoshishige Yoshida
Two interwoven stories. The first is a biography of anarchist Sakae Osugi which follows his relationship with three women in the 1920s. The second centers around two 1960s students researching Osugi’s theories.
#858 – A Silent Voice, (聲の形), 2016, Naoko Yamada
Shouya Ishida starts bullying the new girl in class, Shouko Nishimiya, because she is deaf. But as the teasing continues, the rest of the class starts to turn on Shouya for his lack of compassion. When they leave elementary school, Shouko and Shouya do not speak to each other again… until an older, wiser Shouya, tormented by his past behaviour, decides he must see Shouko once more. He wants to atone for his sins, but is it already too late…?
#861 – 13 Assassins, (十三人の刺客), 2010, Takashi Miike
A bravado period action film set at the end of Japan’s feudal era in which a group of unemployed samurai are enlisted to bring down a sadistic lord and prevent him from ascending to the throne and plunging the country into a war-torn future.
JUMBO CACTUAR APPROVED FILM
#876 – Demons, (修羅), 1971, Toshio Matsumoto
Gengobe Satsuma, an exiled samurai cast out as an Asano clan retainer is given a second chance to join his brothers in arms to become the 48th Ronin against the Shogunate. His faithful servant gathers the 100 ryo required for his acceptance. Gengobe is also in love with a greedy geisha named Koman. About to be sold to another man, Gengobe learns that for him to keep her, her debt is exactly 100 ryo.
#877 – Early Spring, (早春), 1956, Yasujirō Ozu
A young salary man and his wife struggle within the confines of their passionless relationship while he has an extramarital affair.
#884 – Fires on the Plain, (野火), 1959, Kon Ichikawa
In the closing days of WWII remnants of the Japanese army in Leyte are abandoned by their command and face certain starvation.
#891 – Red Angel, (赤い天使), 1966, Yasuzô Masumura
In 1939, Sakura Nishi is a young army nurse who is sent to the field hospitals in China during the Sino-Japanese war. She has to assist the surgeon Dr. Okabe with an incredible number of amputations. In the crowded wards, she gives sympathy to some of the soldiers, including sexually servicing one who has lost both arms and has no hope of returning home. She falls in love with Dr. Okabe, and follows him to the front, even though he is impotent from his morphine addiction
#893 – Fighting Elegy, (‘けんかえれじい), 1966, Seijun Suzuki
Kiroku boards with a Roman Catholic family and falls for the daughter Michiko. He ignores his feelings, joins a gang, gets in fights and, eventually, becomes involved with the radical Kita Ikki group.
#898 – Happy Hour, (ハッピーアワー), 2015, Ryūsuke Hamaguchi
Jun, Akari, Sakurako and Fumi truly believe that they can confide in each other. But one day, at a party, Jun confesses that she is seeking a divorce from her husband and this information seems to upset the other three. They follow her trial as she attempts to win her case against her husband’s will.
#902 – Younger Brother, (おとうと), 1960, Kon Ichikawa
Set in 1926 when Japanese tradition was much stronger, this standard drama looks at the inner workings of a small family, especially the relationship between a sister and brother. Also known as “Her Brother”.
Jumbo Cactuar Film Index 