Informative but good movies about Japan?

[R176]

First off, I'm going to say hello to everyone! I just signed up tonight and have been reading/looking around the forums a bit. Looks like a great community as far as I've seen xD. My name is Koko (feel free to call me that, as it's the name I go by irl and is also easier/faster to type than my username).

That aside, I'll just give a bit of information related to what i'm asking. I've been really interested in Japan from a young age, when I was little all I wanted to do was have my own Totoro friend, eat noodles and speak Japanese xD. Lately I've been getting more into Japanese culture and the language and whatnot. I've been watching a couple movies about Japan here and there (NOT just anime xD) and I bought a Japanese coursebook that I've been slowly working on too. I'm planning to take a trip to Japan in the next 1-2 years.
What i'm really asking here is if anyone has some movie suggestions for me! I'm looking for some movies that are informative about modern (and/or older) Japanese culture. Anything from a brutally honest "This is Japan" sort of style to silly americanized movies (Ex: The Ramen Girl, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, etc) will be fine. Preferably something true to actual Japanese life/culture though. I'm really looking for something that I can learn from, that's really realistic and informative. Hopefully some of you guys can help me out!

Thanks in advance.

[R176]

Bump?
I guess nobody knows of any T_T

[Columbine]

Originally Posted by R176

Bump?
I guess nobody knows of any T_T

Don't bump. People are busy and don't always have time to respond that quickly.

If you want a film set in Japan, about Japanese people and culture, go watch films made by Japanese directors. They may not be exactly 'true to life', but you can gain a little sense of the place in the little details, and the fact that it is made by a Japanese person for a Japanese audience. These tend to be less misrepresentative as well, compared to 'western' films 'about' Japan. Tokyo Drift might be set in Tokyo but it's pretty much rubbish information-wise. If you want something thats 100% realistic and informative, I recommend NHK world. They do documentaries about places and people all over Japan and have the benefit of being almost totally factual.

The key thing is to use your brain when you're watching, rather than just accept that what is on screen is fact.

[R176]

Originally Posted by Columbine

Don't bump. People are busy and don't always have time to respond that quickly.

If you want a film set in Japan, about Japanese people and culture, go watch films made by Japanese directors. They may not be exactly 'true to life', but you can gain a little sense of the place in the little details, and the fact that it is made by a Japanese person for a Japanese audience. These tend to be less misrepresentative as well, compared to 'western' films 'about' Japan. Tokyo Drift might be set in Tokyo but it's pretty much rubbish information-wise. If you want something thats 100% realistic and informative, I recommend NHK world. They do documentaries about places and people all over Japan and have the benefit of being almost totally factual.

The key thing is to use your brain when you're watching, rather than just accept that what is on screen is fact.

I'm aware of all this, sir. The thing is, I don't know of any (good) Japanese movies. That's basically the point of my question.

[Columbine]

Originally Posted by R176

I'm aware of all this, sir. The thing is, I don't know of any (good) Japanese movies. That's basically the point of my question.

You could try a few bits of classic cinema; they'd be easy to find in DVD shops. Things like Zatoichi, Yojimbo and the more modern Twilight Samurai (all samurai films), Rashomon. Barefoot Gen is anime but it's about Hiroshima. There's a few ghibli films that are more real-life based, like Only Yesterday. Other films include, All About Lily Chou Chou, Nobody Knows, After Life, but I can't guarantee you'll like the same films I do. You know the genres you like; scrabble about and pick something maybe from Amazon.

[MMM]

Originally Posted by Columbine

Other films include, All About Lily Chou Chou, Nobody Knows, After Life, but I can't guarantee you'll like the same films I do.

Not exactly the most uplifting trio of movies, but all fine titles on their own.

I would also recommend The Family Game (Kazoku Geemu) as well as Tampopo, and Minbo or the Gentle Art of Japanese Extortion. All are by Juzo Itami and are great.

[Obba3]

13 assassins is a japanese movie about samurai's.
Hmm, well i dont know much about unanimated movies in general.
But if check out "downtown no gaki no tsukai ya arahende" a really entertaining gang.

[JohnBraden]

It is not a movie, but a documentary about a woman in Japan. I watched it a few times and was quite impressed.

Japanland DVD by Karin Muller

[Columbine]

Originally Posted by MMM

Not exactly the most uplifting trio of movies, but all fine titles on their own.

I would also recommend The Family Game (Kazoku Geemu) as well as Tampopo, and Minbo or the Gentle Art of Japanese Extortion. All are by Juzo Itami and are great.

No, not exactly comedies. But then I tend to find that Japanese cinema does gritty, horrifying or hard-hitting very well; eccentric passably well and most other stuff is only so-so or poor. For some reason those were the first that sprang to mind anyway. I'll add some more:

Departures is also quite nice (about a man who becomes an undertaker, which isn't seen as a very admirably job), as is The Witch of the West is Dead (about a girl who refuses to go to school and her granny) and Shall we Dance. I didn't mind Sakuran, and Gigolo Wannabes, Swing Girls and Waterboys were kind of ridiculous but fun. Hula Girls had it's moments too and touches on the issue of dying towns in rural Japan.

[baraku85]

*All About Lily Chou Chou
*The Taste Of Tea
and Ramen Girl, lol.