Country: Japan

Although it barely scratches the surface in terms of the quality of the show, this is a good example of how to make an anime series into a film without giving away any of the finer details.

‘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.

A hard slog for some, but a beautiful appreciation of the ordinary for many, a look at how day-to-day life can have a worth all of its own.

‘Ponyo’ is yet another strong Hayao Miyazaki movie that is as uplifting and enthralling as ever.

‘Poppoya’ is unlikely to be a film that many will feel passionately attracted to, but it succeeds because you feel drawn into the central dynamic and intrigued by what troubles the lead protagonist.

A fantastical story filled with a meaningful narrative and superb characters. Truly another masterpiece from the mind of Miyazaki.

A laudable film with a mixture of the heart-warming and the heart-wrenching, ‘Quill’ is well worth 100 minutes of anyone’s time.

‘Quirky Guys And Gals’ fulfils the obligations of its title: it’s quirky; there are guys and gals and even guys pretending to be gals.

A slick looking thriller set and shot in Tokyo, ‘Rain Fall’ had all the makings of an exciting Bourne type action ride but unfortunately ends up as a dull, dreary and often pompous experience.

Based on a pre-war short story, it tackles a major crime in a sober, yet discreet way and plays with the idea that even an obvious crime has many layers hidden beneath the surface.

It may be a little too simplistic in its narrative for some and others may find the one-man-army slant pushed to its limits but ‘Re:Born’ is a triumph for all involved.

Beneath the simple premise is a dissection of friendship and finding one’s place in society that is about as good as cinema has ever shown.