Week 3

It's Japanuary! Watch a movie with a Japanese theme

Hey there CineChums! This week, we're diving headfirst into the cinematic world of Japan for our next movie challenge!

Ideally, you’ll immerse yourself in an authentic Japanese film. Perhaps a Studio Ghibli classic like "My Neighbor Totoro" or "Spirited Away", or a classic Akira Kurosawa like "Seven Samurai" or "Rashomon". If horror is your bag, jump into the ever popular J-Horror, maybe you’ve not seen "Ringu" or "Ju-On". Or if standard horror is too light, how about a dark treat like "Battle Royale" or "Audition"?

If you’re not in the mood for subtitles this week, there are still plenty of options: like a movie set in Japan, like "Lost in Translation", Wes Anderson’s "Isle of Dogs", "The Last Samurai" or "47 Ronin". More than a handful of J-Horrors have had US remakes, like "The Ring" (Ringu) or "The Grudge" (Ju-On). Failing that, you could watch something starring a prominant Japanese actor like Ken Wattanbe (Inception, Memoirs of a Geisha) or Rinko Kikuchi (Pacific Rim, Babel)

Suggestions

These movies are mentioned in the video as potential suggestions for the challenge.

Challenge Stats

Completed the Challenge
80
Total Movies Watched
131
Different Movies Watched
86
Hours Watched
243
Paprika
7
Paprika (2006)
Godzilla
6
Godzilla (1954)
Spirited Away
5
Spirited Away (2001)
The Boy and the Heron
3
The Boy and the Heron (2023)
Seven Samurai
3
Seven Samurai (1954)
Godzilla Minus One
3
Godzilla Minus One (2023)
Ghost in the Shell
3
Ghost in the Shell (1995)
Howl's Moving Castle
3
Howl's Moving Castle (2004)
Battle Royale
3
Battle Royale (2000)
Shin Godzilla
3
Shin Godzilla (2016)
Your Name.
2
Your Name. (2016)
Audition
2
Audition (1999)
The Tale of The Princess Kaguya
2
The Tale of The Princess Kaguya (2013)
Onibaba
2
Onibaba (1964)
Suzume
2
Suzume (2022)
Rashomon
2
Rashomon (1950)
Tetsuo: The Iron Man
2
Tetsuo: The Iron Man (1989)
Pulse
2
Pulse (2001)
Cure
2
Cure (1997)
My Neighbor Totoro
2
My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
One Cut of the Dead
2
One Cut of the Dead (2017)
Akira
2
Akira (1988)
Drive My Car
2
Drive My Car (2021)
Isle of Dogs
2
Isle of Dogs (2018)
Ikiru
2
Ikiru (1952)
Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop
2
Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop (2021)
The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom
1
The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom (2011)
Porco Rosso
1
Porco Rosso (1992)
Silence
1
Silence (2016)
Ju-on: The Grudge
1
Ju-on: The Grudge (2002)
Memories
1
Memories (1995)
Cube
1
Cube (2021)
Weathering with You
1
Weathering with You (2019)
Ju-on: The Curse 2
1
Ju-on: The Curse 2 (2000)
The Hidden Fortress
1
The Hidden Fortress (1958)
Cowboy Bebop: The Movie
1
Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (2001)
Cats on Park Avenue
1
Cats on Park Avenue (1989)
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
1
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)
13 Assassins
1
13 Assassins (2010)
The Happiness of the Katakuris
1
The Happiness of the Katakuris (2002)
Throne of Blood
1
Throne of Blood (1957)
The Cat Returns
1
The Cat Returns (2002)
Gamera 2: Attack of Legion
1
Gamera 2: Attack of Legion (1996)
Memoirs of a Geisha
1
Memoirs of a Geisha (2005)
Antiporno
1
Antiporno (2017)
Dead or Alive
1
Dead or Alive (1999)
Lu Over the Wall
1
Lu Over the Wall (2017)
Onoda: 10,000 Nights in the Jungle
1
Onoda: 10,000 Nights in the Jungle (2021)
maboroshi
1
maboroshi (2023)
Batman Ninja
1
Batman Ninja (2018)
Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters
1
Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (1985)
Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms
1
Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms (2018)
Millennium Actress
1
Millennium Actress (2002)
Minamata
1
Minamata (2020)
Perfect Days
1
Perfect Days (2023)
Departures
1
Departures (2008)
Samurai Cop
1
Samurai Cop (1991)
Hiruko the Goblin
1
Hiruko the Goblin (1991)
Suicide Club
1
Suicide Club (2001)
Kamen Rider Geats: 4 Aces and the Black Fox
1
Kamen Rider Geats: 4 Aces and the Black Fox (2023)
Tokyo Olympiad
1
Tokyo Olympiad (1965)
Golgo 13: The Professional
1
Golgo 13: The Professional (1983)
Ran
1
Ran (1985)
Gamera: Guardian of the Universe
1
Gamera: Guardian of the Universe (1995)
Fireworks
1
Fireworks (1997)
Like Father, Like Son
1
Like Father, Like Son (2013)
Tokyo Story
1
Tokyo Story (1953)
Hard Days
1
Hard Days (2023)
Never Let Me Go
1
Never Let Me Go (2010)
Jiro Dreams of Sushi
1
Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2011)
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence
1
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983)
Confessions
1
Confessions (2010)
Good Morning
1
Good Morning (1959)
Ride or Die
1
Ride or Die (2021)
Emperor
1
Emperor (2012)
Dead or Alive 2: Birds
1
Dead or Alive 2: Birds (2000)
High and Low
1
High and Low (1963)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III
1
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III (1993)
Night Is Short, Walk On Girl
1
Night Is Short, Walk On Girl (2017)
Ju-on: The Curse
1
Ju-on: The Curse (2000)
Kuroneko
1
Kuroneko (1968)
The Meg
1
The Meg (2018)
Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes
1
Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes (2020)
Dead or Alive: Final
1
Dead or Alive: Final (2002)
Violent Cop
1
Violent Cop (1989)
Tokyo Godfathers
1
Tokyo Godfathers (2003)

Most watched actors

Koichi Yamadera
Koichi Yamadera (8)
Paprika (2006)
Ghost in the Shell (1995)
Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop (2021)
Batman Ninja (2018)
Millennium Actress (2002)
Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (2001)
Memories (1995)
Tokyo Godfathers (2003)
Takashi Shimura
Takashi Shimura (7)
Godzilla (1954)
Seven Samurai (1954)
Rashomon (1950)
Ikiru (1952)
Throne of Blood (1957)
The Hidden Fortress (1958)
High and Low (1963)
Ren Osugi
Ren Osugi (6)
Shin Godzilla (2016)
Audition (1999)
Cure (1997)
Dead or Alive (1999)
Dead or Alive 2: Birds (2000)
Fireworks (1997)
Ryunosuke Kamiki
Ryunosuke Kamiki (6)
Spirited Away (2001)
Godzilla Minus One (2023)
Howl's Moving Castle (2004)
Suzume (2022)
Your Name. (2016)
Weathering with You (2019)
Minoru Chiaki
Minoru Chiaki (6)
Seven Samurai (1954)
Rashomon (1950)
Ikiru (1952)
Throne of Blood (1957)
The Hidden Fortress (1958)
High and Low (1963)
Sachio Sakai
Sachio Sakai (5)
Godzilla (1954)
Seven Samurai (1954)
Ikiru (1952)
Throne of Blood (1957)
The Hidden Fortress (1958)
Tetsu Watanabe
Tetsu Watanabe (5)
Shin Godzilla (2016)
Gamera: Guardian of the Universe (1995)
The Cat Returns (2002)
Silence (2016)
Fireworks (1997)
Akio Otsuka
Akio Otsuka (5)
Paprika (2006)
Ghost in the Shell (1995)
Howl's Moving Castle (2004)
Porco Rosso (1992)
Tokyo Godfathers (2003)
Takeshi Katō
Takeshi Katō (5)
Seven Samurai (1954)
Ran (1985)
Throne of Blood (1957)
The Hidden Fortress (1958)
High and Low (1963)
Kanji Tsuda
Kanji Tsuda (5)
Shin Godzilla (2016)
Audition (1999)
Onoda: 10,000 Nights in the Jungle (2021)
Ju-on: The Grudge (2002)
Fireworks (1997)