Yojimbo means "bodyguard". The movie describes the life of a Japanese samurai, quite far from the common Western perception of it.

There is a scene in this movie, when a man looks at an old prostitute with a lantern and invites her to his place. There he draws the lantern to her face and shows her to a group of young men. He asks them if, after seeing what she is and how she looks like, they still feel like buying a woman...Then he pays Oharu, and tells her to leave. I find this to be an instance of cruelty beyond any limits.

Alienated husband and wife get together again through the help of a photographer who has cancer. The "help" he offers is quite erotic, however. Nevertheless, I found the plot to be lacking if not quite confused. Still, worth taking a look.

The life of Yukio Mishima intertwined with three of his novels--The Temple of the Golden Pavilion, Kyoko's House and Runaway Horses. Apart from the terrible English narration, a must see for Mishima's admirers. Philip Glass's music creates a sense of tension and anticipation, which I liked.

I don't know why this movie gave me the same feeling as reading Remarque's The Night in Lisbon.

I will only say I wish I had the guts (and partner) to live like that :)

A very pleasant movie about traveling Kabuki actors, their personal lives and secrets. There is something spontaneous and fresh about it.

Mizushima is an epitome of Japanese individualism (yes!) and more broadly, human compassion and Buddhism. I would say this movie is controversial despite its antiwar message. The Burmese are portrayed as very peaceful and passive people.

Directed by Kenji Mizoguchi. A wonderful slow and graceful movie about Japan's post-war morals and a woman struggling to preserve her loveless marriage.

Maybe the most objective movie I have seen about what can turn a man into a murderer--seen in light of his childhood, Iwao's actions make sense (despite being socially unacceptable). With or without knowledge of his childhood and family, his crimes remain heinous but a focus solely on his violence would have been totally incomplete. I can't dislike him.

Based on Junichiro Tanizaki's Kagi (The Key); an excellent adaptation of the novel although some subtle psychological nuances, which make the book such a joy to read are difficult to find in the movie. English subtitles not great either.

This 30 min movie is entirely focused on the performance of hara-kiri by Mishima himself. His devoted wife, Rieko, follows. It is quite explicit and disturbing. Several of Mishima's fetishes obvious-focus on his body hair and muscles, in particular. You can find the short story "Patriotism" in his "Death in midsummer" collection.