Vendetta of a Samurai

Vendetta of a Samurai 1952

6.80

The famous showdown at Kagiya corner has been told many times, but never before with the realism and intensity of this version scripted by Kurosawa Akira and starring Mifune Toshiro as the famed swordsman who must face his best friend as they are forced to take opposite sides in a vendetta caused by the murder of a family member. Told mostly in flashback as the avengers await the arrival of their quarry, this film displays true heroism in the face of fear as most of the combatants, while of the samurai class are not skilled swordsmen. They contrast sharply with the true warriors involved in this battle. Araki Mataemon (Mifune), who was not only a direct student of Yagyu Munenori, but the founder of his own sword style under the Yagyu name is a powerful force ready to assist his brother-in-law against the murderer's allies that include not only another noted sword teacher, but the deadly spear of Katsumi no Hanbei.

1952

Serpent's Path

Serpent's Path 1998

6.80

Miyashita, a former low-level yakuza member, has tracked down and kidnapped his daughter's murderer with help of his friend Nijima. But others are soon implicated in the death, leading the pair further down a violent path of revenge.

1998

The Wicked Reporter 2: The Rebirth of Horserace Betting

The Wicked Reporter 2: The Rebirth of Horserace Betting 1994

8.80

The continuing adventures of Matsuzaki (Eiji Okuda), a racing tipster for a sports paper. In this sequel to 1993's The Wicked Reporter, Matsuzaki befriends a mysterious old bettor at the track named Tokudaiji (Kei Sato). The man turns out to be a well-connected millionaire and invites Matsuzaki to his home... While the sequel covers the familiar territory of gambling and gangsters, Mochizuki also attempts to tactfully approach such subjects as gender dysphoria, transvestism, and infidelity.

1994

Rashomon

Rashomon 1950

8.08

Brimming with action while incisively examining the nature of truth, "Rashomon" is perhaps the finest film ever to investigate the philosophy of justice. Through an ingenious use of camera and flashbacks, Kurosawa reveals the complexities of human nature as four people recount different versions of the story of a man's murder and the rape of his wife.

1950

Cure

Cure 1997

7.50

A detective starts spiraling out of control when a wave of gruesome murders with seemingly similar bizarre circumstances is sweeping Tokyo.

1997

Pulse

Pulse 2001

6.60

In the immense city of Tokyo, the darkness of the afterlife lurks some of its inhabitants who are desperately trying to escape the sadness and isolation of the modern world.

2001

All Night Long 2

All Night Long 2 1995

4.40

In downtown Japan, a lonely computer nerd tries to maintain a peaceful existance while being stalked by a gang of deviant homosexuals who want to use him for their brutal S&M activities.

1995

Ugetsu

Ugetsu 1953

7.98

In 16th century Japan, peasants Genjuro and Tobei sell their earthenware pots to a group of soldiers in a nearby village, in defiance of a local sage's warning against seeking to profit from warfare. Genjuro's pursuit of both riches and the mysterious Lady Wakasa, as well as Tobei's desire to become a samurai, run the risk of destroying both themselves and their wives, Miyagi and Ohama.

1953

Hiroshima Mon Amour

Hiroshima Mon Amour 1959

7.70

The deep conversation between a Japanese architect and a French actress forms the basis of this celebrated French film, considered one of the vanguard productions of the French New Wave. Set in Hiroshima after the end of World War II, the couple -- lovers turned friends -- recount, over many hours, previous romances and life experiences. The two intertwine their stories about the past with pondering the devastation wrought by the atomic bomb dropped on the city.

1959

The Crucified Lovers

The Crucified Lovers 1954

7.70

When the wife of a 17th century Kyoto scroll-maker is falsely accused of having an affair with his best employee, the pair flee the city and find themselves falling for one another.

1954

Dersu Uzala

Dersu Uzala 1975

8.00

A military explorer meets and befriends a Goldi man in Russia’s unmapped forests. A deep and abiding bond evolves between the two men, one civilized in the usual sense, the other at home in the glacial Siberian woods.

1975

Sansho the Bailiff

Sansho the Bailiff 1954

8.10

In medieval Japan, a woman and her children journey to find the family's patriarch, who was exiled years before.

1954

Gamera 2: Attack of Legion

Gamera 2: Attack of Legion 1996

7.50

A strange meteor lands in Japan and unleashes hundreds of insect-like "Legion" creatures bent on colonizing the Earth. When the military fails to control the situation, Gamera shows up to deal with the ever-evolving space adversary. However the battle may result in Gamera losing his bond with both Asagi and humanity.

1996

Dead or Alive 2: Birds

Dead or Alive 2: Birds 2000

6.80

Two contract killers cross paths in the middle of the same job and realize they are childhood friends. Together they take a break from killing and visit the small island they once called home. After reflecting on their past lives they decided to team up and use their talents in killing for good... much to the upset of the crime syndicates.

2000

Princess Yang Kwei Fei

Princess Yang Kwei Fei 1955

6.70

In eighth century China, the Emperor is grieving over the death of his wife. The Yang family wants to provide the Emperor with a consort so that they may consolidate their influence over the court. General An Lushan finds a distant relative working in their kitchen whom they groom to present to the Emperor. The Emperor falls in love with her and she becomes the Princess Yang Kwei-fei. The Yangs are then appointed important ministers, though An Lushan is not given the court position he covets. The ministers misuse their power so much that there is a popular revolt against the Yangs, fueled by An Lushan.

1955

Fires on the Plain

Fires on the Plain 1959

7.60

In the closing days of WWII, a Japanese soldier afflicted with tuberculosis is abandoned by his company and left to wander the Philippine island of Leyte.

1959

Madadayo

Madadayo 1993

7.32

Based on the life of Hyakken Uchida, a Japanese author and academic. The film opens with Uchida resigning his job as a German professor at the onset of WWII. The story is told mostly in vignettes as he is cared for by former students in his old age.

1993

The Tale of Zatoichi Continues

The Tale of Zatoichi Continues 1962

7.00

Returning to the village where a year before he had killed Hirate, a much-admired opponent, Zatoichi encounters another swordsman and former rival in love.

1962

Gamera vs. Barugon

Gamera vs. Barugon 1966

6.50

Gamera escapes from his rocket enclosure and makes his way back to Earth as a giant opal from New Guinea is brought back to Japan. The opal is discovered to have been an egg that births a new monster called Barugon. The creature attacks the city of Osaka by emitting a destructive rainbow ray from his back, along with a freezing spray capable of incapacitating Gamera.

1966

Tomie: Rebirth

Tomie: Rebirth 2001

7.30

Young art student Hideo paints an unnerving portrait of Tomie, who whispers that she loves him. Inexplicably, he reacts by stabbing her to death with a painting trowel. Two friends, Takumi and Shunichi, arrive on the scene and help him dispose of the body. To cheer him up, the boys take the unwitting murderer to the nearest bar for a party... but a mysterious girl named Tomie shows up, bearing a few odd physical resemblances to the dead girl in the ground.

2001