Japanese films

I've binge watched director Sion Sono's movies. So far I've watched Noriko's dinner, and Himizi
All these movie revolved around the theme of existentialism.

Anyway I came here because I wanted to talk about these movies, what they mean, their implications.

I feel like these movies I've watched are specific to Japan. Although I am sure the themes of existential dread, hopelessness, abuse, absurdity, are universal, I haven't really seen western films that deal directly with these themes. I guess, I mean to say, although I am not well versed in existential western films (the most I've watched was flight club) I haven't seen any western movies that deal with these themes so directly.

That led me to wonder if perhaps Japan as a society is collapsing, in the metaphysical sense. Perhaps even U.S.A. is, albeit in a different way. Specific to Japan is this loss of sense of identity. Now this may very well be a generalisation, but I'd like to see what other people think.

And at the very least, I'd like to get some more Japanese movie recommendations :) Thanks Sup Forums

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Himizu*

true kino

Watch The face of another

It will REALLY make you think

Is this from love exposure? (Haven't watched it yet)

From what I've read, it's just glorified hentai.

Thanks user I will :)

Nope, The Torture Club. Love Exposure is great, watching it and reading about it are two different things, however. Worth it if you want to watch a sprawling epic take place with "ordinairy" people.

The Japanese Vampirella movie was weird.

Well, I guess Suicide Club fits this motif. Certainly apocalyptic animu like Evangelion is a common enough theme in their animation industry. You even sci fi anime film lile Rojin Z which deals with Japan's population decline and elderly situation. Plenty of Japanese horror and sci fi movies have a sense of dread about the future.

I guess that can happen when your country is the only one in the world to lose a war with two cities vaporized by atomic bombs. Not to mention the bleak corporate culture that took over Japan.

>From what I've read, it's just glorified hentai.
yep and way too long, it's shit, I feel sorry for people who don't fast forward through that shitfest

the manga is better

>Suicide club
This is on my watchlist, yup

>animu like Evangelion

Really wish I could get into anime but the expressions and emotions seem so stilted. It's a shame really. I've seen Evangelion's ending and I know it would be good to watch.

>bleak corporate culture that took over Japan.

Interesting you mentioned that.
Eventhough Japan has copied this culture from the West, Japan's society seems to be facing a greater rate of deterioration than the USA. This is evidenced from the number of suicide clubs sprung up in Japan, and Japan's history of having some of the youngest and most horrifying tortures (case in point~ en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Junko_Furuta), plus the number of fetishes created solely in Japan.

All of this begs the question whether it's something inherent in Japan's society itself or whether urban society will inevitably result in moral and spiritual deprivation.

Is there more hentai than substance? If there is, I think I'd rather just skip the movie and watch suicide club only.

The Sono films I like the mostare Guilty of Romance and Why Don't You Play in Hell. His schtick seems to be adding lots of dialogue, exposition and internal monologues instead of letting the scene tell the story which gets tiresome if you watch his films consecutively imo.

Here's a list of modern Jap drama films I'd recommend:
>Tokyo Sonata
>Departures
>Backwater/Tomogui
>All About Lily Chou-Chou
>Hana-bi/Fireworks

I guess my favorite modern Jap director is Kiyoshi Kurosawa. Then again I like horror more than most. Creepy from last year is pretty nice, although very polarizing for a movie of this genre.

Just read any basic book on existentialism and you'll get a far more better experience and realization than watching low brow shit like Sion Sono.

Thanks for the recommendations user. Hana-bi and All About Lily Chou-Chou looks interesting so I'll add them to my watchlist.

Part of the reason I chose film was to accustom myself to the sounds in Japanese and also to understand the culture and it's concerns. Simply reading a book, unless in Japanese and an audio book, will not accomplish my needs.

>watching low brow shit like Sion Sono.

I don't think it's low brow shit. If you know of any better films please do tell. And if any books, I'll still be glad to peruse them.

Bump for more recs

Just watch Kikujiro or something. Takeshi seems much more natural in this role, or at least comes over as he wasn't even acting.
Though he was told to do the same in Battle Royale, I found it to be not as believable.

>I haven't really seen western films that deal directly with these themes

watch Naked by Mike Leigh then

Added, thank you

I'm looking for horror/psychological thrillers more than comedy, but thanks anyway

>I haven't really seen western films that deal directly with these themes
You need to watch some Lynch my man.

Which ones?

All of them. But Inland Empire is probably a good place to start.

Sono's wife Megumi Kagurazaka

dude is alpha as fuck

Looks very plain.

then why does he hire guys to graphically rape his wife in all of his movies?