Cast Member: Kirin Kiki

‘After The Storm’ doesn’t quite hit the heights of ‘Our Little Sister’, but it is another world class contribution to cinema by one of the modern masters.

‘Kamikaze Girls’ is a fun, gentle(r) slice of kooky Japanese celluloid with a refreshing female slant and enough gentle kookiness to put a smile on your face.

‘Our Little Sister’ is another beautiful work to add to one of the most impressive canons in world cinema, a sincerely-acted, thoughtful meditation on family and the relationship between very different sisters.

‘Returner’ is a bizarre blend of sci-fi and action that rarely really seems to succeed in either genre.

As a work of cinema, ‘Shoplifters’ is as carefully considered, lovingly framed and beautifully measured as the very best the medium offers.

‘Still Walking’ is mature cinema, thoughtful and deceptively powerful, another significant contribution to world cinema by Hirokazu Koreeda.

Once again, Japan has given us the cinematic equivalent of an antique porcelain swan – something so beautiful, delicate and sublimely crafted that it’s hard not to be impressed.

‘Villain’ is not a whodunnit – the identity of the killer is uncovered early on in the film. It is, however, a whydidtheydoit (that’s not going to catch on is it) and quite an excellent one too.