action

August 21, 2025

Tange Sazen Yowa: Hyakuman Ryō no Tsubo (Tange Sazen and the Pot Worth a Million Ryō) (1935)

Directed by Sadao Yamanaka I’m delighted to say that today’s film has no shortage of reviews online. Unlike my blog’s usual fare, it’s a comedy. I tend to avoid reviewing comedies from other countries because appreciating humor typically requires a… Continue reading
July 14, 2025

Jiraiya (1937) / Yoja no maden (Ninja’s Weapon) (1956)

Directed by Masahiro Makino (1937) and Sadatsugu Matsuda (1956) Are ninja/sorcerer movies samurai films? Or are they fantasy films that are samurai-adjacent? There’s lots of sword fighting, to be sure, but why use conventional means of combat when you can… Continue reading