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@benjybox.bsky.social
East Asian cinema obsessive and host of The Third Window Films Podcast 🤓
Definitely the best part of my Spotify Wrapped this year 😅
December 4, 2024 at 4:33 PM
Definitely the best part of my Spotify Wrapped this year 😅
#NowWatching Yugo Sakamoto’s BABY ASSASSINS: NICE DAYS. The thing I love most about these films is how well each genre is tackled. The slacker comedy is really funny and the choreographed fight carnage is so well executed! This latest one looks like it could be the darkest yet!
November 30, 2024 at 7:33 PM
#NowWatching Yugo Sakamoto’s BABY ASSASSINS: NICE DAYS. The thing I love most about these films is how well each genre is tackled. The slacker comedy is really funny and the choreographed fight carnage is so well executed! This latest one looks like it could be the darkest yet!
If you’re a fan of Asian cinema but haven’t seen this film yet then seek it out immediately!
November 30, 2024 at 9:44 AM
If you’re a fan of Asian cinema but haven’t seen this film yet then seek it out immediately!
#NowWatching Keishi Kondo’s NEW RELIGION. This one is near and dear to my heart! A visionary film about loss that explores its themes in such a mysterious way. Tonally sitting somewhere between Lynch, Cronenberg and SILENT HILL, but with a strikingly bold visual style. I love it!
November 28, 2024 at 7:15 PM
#NowWatching Keishi Kondo’s NEW RELIGION. This one is near and dear to my heart! A visionary film about loss that explores its themes in such a mysterious way. Tonally sitting somewhere between Lynch, Cronenberg and SILENT HILL, but with a strikingly bold visual style. I love it!
Oh dear 🤦♂️ Is this a thing over here?
November 28, 2024 at 5:11 PM
Oh dear 🤦♂️ Is this a thing over here?
This has been a long time coming but I could not be more thrilled to finally be checking the check disc for @thirdwindow.bsky.social’s physical release of Keishi Kondo’s NEW RELIGION. There’s something on this release that is so incredibly exciting! All will be revealed December 10th 😉
November 28, 2024 at 10:18 AM
This has been a long time coming but I could not be more thrilled to finally be checking the check disc for @thirdwindow.bsky.social’s physical release of Keishi Kondo’s NEW RELIGION. There’s something on this release that is so incredibly exciting! All will be revealed December 10th 😉
#NowWatching Ataru Oikawa’s TOMIE. 4 years ago I binged all 9 of these films back to back, and this first entry was by far the strongest in the series! Part abstract arthouse mystery, part bizarre exploration of trauma cycles, and part gory psychological J-horror. It’s amazing!
November 24, 2024 at 9:17 PM
#NowWatching Ataru Oikawa’s TOMIE. 4 years ago I binged all 9 of these films back to back, and this first entry was by far the strongest in the series! Part abstract arthouse mystery, part bizarre exploration of trauma cycles, and part gory psychological J-horror. It’s amazing!
Keisuke Yoshida is such an interesting filmmaker, and seeing his development from jarring genre mashups like HIMEANOLE to more measured dramas like this whilst still maintaining his unique voice is testament to his talent. I can’t wait to see what he tries next as this is great!
November 24, 2024 at 2:26 PM
Keisuke Yoshida is such an interesting filmmaker, and seeing his development from jarring genre mashups like HIMEANOLE to more measured dramas like this whilst still maintaining his unique voice is testament to his talent. I can’t wait to see what he tries next as this is great!
Whilst this isn’t nearly as brutal a watch as INTOLERANCE, the message is just as powerful. Yoshida has such a good grasp of his stories tone and pace, and the performances he gets from his cast are phenomenal. Satomi Ishihara is especially impressive here in a difficult role!
November 24, 2024 at 11:54 AM
Whilst this isn’t nearly as brutal a watch as INTOLERANCE, the message is just as powerful. Yoshida has such a good grasp of his stories tone and pace, and the performances he gets from his cast are phenomenal. Satomi Ishihara is especially impressive here in a difficult role!
#NowWatching Keisuke Yoshida’s MISSING. Apparently this is a thematic follow up to Yoshida’s incredible INTOLERANCE from a few years ago. A study of the devastating power of guilt and blame after abject tragedy, and the responsibility of the media in handling the story afterwards
November 23, 2024 at 10:05 PM
#NowWatching Keisuke Yoshida’s MISSING. Apparently this is a thematic follow up to Yoshida’s incredible INTOLERANCE from a few years ago. A study of the devastating power of guilt and blame after abject tragedy, and the responsibility of the media in handling the story afterwards
Just caught this awesome little horror short called THE INVITATION by Miroho Mieno! It feels like a throwback to the early 2000s J-Horror boom. All shot in a single location and mostly by flashlight in the dark, it makes really effective use of the simple premise! I loved it!
November 23, 2024 at 5:42 PM
Just caught this awesome little horror short called THE INVITATION by Miroho Mieno! It feels like a throwback to the early 2000s J-Horror boom. All shot in a single location and mostly by flashlight in the dark, it makes really effective use of the simple premise! I loved it!
#NowWatching Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s CLOUD. If you follow me then you probably know that this is without a doubt my most anticipated movie of the year. Kurosawa is a master of genre filmmaking, and his latest is a social commentary, a shoot-em-up, and a brooding moral tale all in one!
November 21, 2024 at 8:06 PM
#NowWatching Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s CLOUD. If you follow me then you probably know that this is without a doubt my most anticipated movie of the year. Kurosawa is a master of genre filmmaking, and his latest is a social commentary, a shoot-em-up, and a brooding moral tale all in one!
This was one of the first dvds I got after @thirdwindow.bsky.social and I connected, and it still really holds up! From an eccentric offer to make two films in two weeks using the same cast, the result was two gangster revenge flicks completely different in tone and plot yet still interlocked!
November 21, 2024 at 2:57 PM
This was one of the first dvds I got after @thirdwindow.bsky.social and I connected, and it still really holds up! From an eccentric offer to make two films in two weeks using the same cast, the result was two gangster revenge flicks completely different in tone and plot yet still interlocked!
What struck me most on this rewatch was how much more I could appreciate the structure of the film having just seen the remake the night before. Due to the budget and time restraints the setup is simple and fast, but the clever use of revenge genre conventions shine through!
November 21, 2024 at 8:32 AM
What struck me most on this rewatch was how much more I could appreciate the structure of the film having just seen the remake the night before. Due to the budget and time restraints the setup is simple and fast, but the clever use of revenge genre conventions shine through!
#NowWatching Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s SERPENT’S PATH. I’m revisiting this after catching Kurosawa’s own French language remake. It’s a pivotal piece of his filmography! Written by Hiroshi Takahashi, starring Shô Aikawa and Teruyuki Kagawa, and all filmed in one week on a micro budget!
November 20, 2024 at 9:22 PM
#NowWatching Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s SERPENT’S PATH. I’m revisiting this after catching Kurosawa’s own French language remake. It’s a pivotal piece of his filmography! Written by Hiroshi Takahashi, starring Shô Aikawa and Teruyuki Kagawa, and all filmed in one week on a micro budget!
The main difference in this remake (besides the location/language change) is how Kurosawa updated his lean 85 minute darkly comedic revenge thriller into a nearly 2 hour polished psychological mystery. A side story involving Hidetoshi Nishijima stretches out the plot’s runtime.
November 20, 2024 at 10:32 AM
The main difference in this remake (besides the location/language change) is how Kurosawa updated his lean 85 minute darkly comedic revenge thriller into a nearly 2 hour polished psychological mystery. A side story involving Hidetoshi Nishijima stretches out the plot’s runtime.
#NowWatching Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s SERPENT’S PATH. At the moment CHIME is still my favourite film of the year, and whilst I’m eagerly awaiting the release of CLOUD I thought I’d check out the master’s 2024 French language remake of one part of his experimental double bill from 1998!
November 19, 2024 at 7:13 PM
#NowWatching Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s SERPENT’S PATH. At the moment CHIME is still my favourite film of the year, and whilst I’m eagerly awaiting the release of CLOUD I thought I’d check out the master’s 2024 French language remake of one part of his experimental double bill from 1998!
The “Director’s Company” series from @thirdwindow.bsky.social have already been some of the most exciting releases of 2024, but it’s looking like 2025 is going to be just as impressive! I can’t tell you how excited I am to get my hands on these beauties 🙌
November 19, 2024 at 2:40 PM
The “Director’s Company” series from @thirdwindow.bsky.social have already been some of the most exciting releases of 2024, but it’s looking like 2025 is going to be just as impressive! I can’t tell you how excited I am to get my hands on these beauties 🙌
Before I dive into THE CREEP TAPES I thought I’d revisit the two films that started it all! I love both of these so much, not just because of how effective they are but for how they were made and the ethos behind just getting out there and filming something to see what it becomes
November 17, 2024 at 5:52 PM
Before I dive into THE CREEP TAPES I thought I’d revisit the two films that started it all! I love both of these so much, not just because of how effective they are but for how they were made and the ethos behind just getting out there and filming something to see what it becomes
This is so much fun! It takes a little time to get going, but once the comedy of errors and misconceptions start then it’s a fast paced and frequently very funny farce. The situation is well set up and the performances are all effective despite the ridiculousness. It’s a blast!
November 14, 2024 at 5:15 PM
This is so much fun! It takes a little time to get going, but once the comedy of errors and misconceptions start then it’s a fast paced and frequently very funny farce. The situation is well set up and the performances are all effective despite the ridiculousness. It’s a blast!
#NowWatching Itaru Mizuno’s TRESPASSERS. I’ve heard wonderful things about this female-led heist comedy about three unlikely thieves who break into a mansion looking for the cash they believe the owner is hiding, only to encounter unexpected complications. Madcap caper fun 😅
November 13, 2024 at 7:09 PM
#NowWatching Itaru Mizuno’s TRESPASSERS. I’ve heard wonderful things about this female-led heist comedy about three unlikely thieves who break into a mansion looking for the cash they believe the owner is hiding, only to encounter unexpected complications. Madcap caper fun 😅
One of the most impactful films of the year is under 60 minutes and perfectly encapsulates why art is so special, and how a common interest can bring people together despite their differences. Do yourself a favour and settle into this life-affirming love story to manga 🥰
November 12, 2024 at 2:03 PM
One of the most impactful films of the year is under 60 minutes and perfectly encapsulates why art is so special, and how a common interest can bring people together despite their differences. Do yourself a favour and settle into this life-affirming love story to manga 🥰
#NowWatching Kiyotaka Oshiyama’s LOOK BACK. Adapted from “Chainsaw Man” creator Tatsuki Fujimoto's one-shot manga of the same name, It is fitting that a story about the inspirational power of art has received such a carefully crafted and beautifully recieved adaptation! #anime
November 11, 2024 at 8:11 PM
#NowWatching Kiyotaka Oshiyama’s LOOK BACK. Adapted from “Chainsaw Man” creator Tatsuki Fujimoto's one-shot manga of the same name, It is fitting that a story about the inspirational power of art has received such a carefully crafted and beautifully recieved adaptation! #anime
Gakuryū Ishii’s THE CRAZY FAMILY is one of those films you have to see to believe. At its core it is a deconstruction of the modern nuclear Japanese family, but it escalates from quirky comedy to wild Battle Royale driller killer free-for-all in a blink of an eye! Another must watch 😅
November 10, 2024 at 3:29 PM
Gakuryū Ishii’s THE CRAZY FAMILY is one of those films you have to see to believe. At its core it is a deconstruction of the modern nuclear Japanese family, but it escalates from quirky comedy to wild Battle Royale driller killer free-for-all in a blink of an eye! Another must watch 😅
Toshiharu Ikeda's MERMAID LEGEND is one of the greatest films I’ve ever seen! It starts as a relatively tender study of grief, but the last half is brutal beyond belief! Mari Shirato’s performance from oyster-shucking housewife to blood-drenched angel of vengeance is a must watch for genre fans 🙌
November 7, 2024 at 3:26 PM
Toshiharu Ikeda's MERMAID LEGEND is one of the greatest films I’ve ever seen! It starts as a relatively tender study of grief, but the last half is brutal beyond belief! Mari Shirato’s performance from oyster-shucking housewife to blood-drenched angel of vengeance is a must watch for genre fans 🙌