8 Movies Directed by Shunji Iwai

Undo

Undo

Basic Info:

Released Date:

1994-10-07

Languages:

Japanese

Countries:

Japan

Runtime:

47 min

IMDB Ratings:

6.8 (394 Reviews)

Director:

Shunji Iwai

Fullplot:

Moemi is not overly pleased when Yukio brings home a couple of turtles to keep her company. Although Yukio works at home as a writer, Moemi feels neglected and desired a dog or a cat, but neither is allowed in their apartment. He drills a hole in the front of one turtle's shell so that it can be taken for walks on a leash, but Moemi spares the second from the same fate by proclaiming it "The House Turtle." Their lives seem reasonably happy until she has her braces removed, and Yukio finds kissing her less satisfying. She soon starts tying up everything in her sight with knotted twine, starting with the turtles. A psychiatrist diagnoses "Obsessive Knot-Binding Syndrome" due to deficiencies in her relationship with Yukio. Moemi continues to expand her activities, tying herself in knots with cords stretching across the apartment. The doctor tells Yukio that her illness has reached a critical point, and that he should tie her up that evening. This he proceeds to do, with her encouraging him to bind her more and more. Where will this end ?

Love Letter

Love Letter

Basic Info:

Released Date:

1998-07-10

Languages:

Japanese

Countries:

Japan

Runtime:

117 min

Rated:

PG

IMDB Ratings:

(4318 Reviews)

Director:

Shunji Iwai

Genres:

DramaRomance

Fullplot:

Hiroko Watanabe's fiancè Itsuki died two years earlier in a mountain climbing accident. While looking through his high school yearbook, Hiroko in a fit of grief decides to write a letter to him using his old school address. Surprisingly she receives a reply, not from the dead Itsuki, but from a woman with the same name whom had known Hiroko's fiancè in school. A relationship develops between the two women as they continue to exchange letters and share memories of the dead Itsuki.

Picnic

Picnic

Basic Info:

Released Date:

1996-07-26

Languages:

Japanese

Countries:

Japan

Runtime:

68 min

IMDB Ratings:

7.3 (1099 Reviews)

Director:

Shunji Iwai

Genres:

DramaFantasy

Fullplot:

Believing that the world will end that very day, three mental patients Coco, Tsumuji, and Satoru set out upon a journey. Walking upon the tops of the walls of the city, they seek to find a picnic spot with the best vantage point to view the final event.

April Story

April Story

Basic Info:

Released Date:

1998-03-14

Languages:

Japanese, English

Countries:

Japan

Runtime:

67 min

IMDB Ratings:

7.3 (1696 Reviews)

Director:

Shunji Iwai

Genres:

Romance

Fullplot:

In spring, a girl leaves the island of Hokkaido to attend university in Tokyo. Once there, she's very lonely and finds out people aren't anywhere near as friendly like she'd hoped.

All About Lily Chou-Chou

All About Lily Chou-Chou

Basic Info:

Released Date:

2001-10-06

Languages:

Japanese, Ryukyuan

Countries:

Japan

Runtime:

146 min

IMDB Ratings:

7.7 (5796 Reviews)

Director:

Shunji Iwai

Fullplot:

Life isn't easy for a group of high school kids growing up absurd in Japan's pervasive pop/cyber culture. As they negotiate teen badlands- school bullies, parents from another planet, lurid snapshots of sex and death- these everyday rebels without a cause seek sanctuary, even salvation, through pop star savior Lily Chou-Chou, embracing her sad, dreamy songs and sharing their fears and secrets in Lilyholic chat rooms. Immersed in the speed of everyday troubles, their lives inevitably climax in a fatal collision between real and virtual identities, a final logging-off from innocence.

Hana and Alice

Hana and Alice

Basic Info:

Released Date:

2004-03-13

Languages:

Japanese, Mandarin

Countries:

Japan

Runtime:

135 min

IMDB Ratings:

7.5 (2532 Reviews)

Director:

Shunji Iwai

Genres:

DramaComedy

Fullplot:

Upon entering high school, two best friends named Hana and Alice notice a boy a year older them while waiting for the train, and they both develop a pretty strong crush on him. One day while secretly following him home, Hana witnesses the boy walk right into a wall and pass out. When he wakes up, she lies and convinces him that he must have amnesia, because he doesn't remember the fact that she was his girlfriend. After this, hilarity ensues as the two girls attempt to run with the lie. Of course, complications soon arise.

New York, I Love You

New York, I Love You

Basic Info:

Released Date:

2009-10-16

Languages:

English, French, Cantonese, Gujarati, Yiddish

Countries:

USA

Runtime:

103 min

Rated:

R

IMDB Ratings:

6.3 (37661 Reviews)

Cast:

Writer:

Hu Hong (segment)

Yao Meng (segment)

Israel Horovitz (adaptation)

Suketu Mehta (segment)

Shunji Iwai (segment)

Israel Horovitz (adaptation)

Olivier Lècot (segment)

Jeff Nathanson (segment)

Xan Cassavetes (segment)

Stephen Winter (segment)

Anthony Minghella (segment)

Natalie Portman (segment)

Fatih Akin (segment)

Joshua Marston (segment)

Hall Powell (transitions "Randy Balsmeyer")

Israel Horovitz (transitions "Randy Balsmeyer")

James C. Strouse (transitions "Randy Balsmeyer")

Emmanuel Benbihy (concept)

Tristan Carnè (premise)

Fullplot:

Ten vignettes in New York City: a pickpocket meets his match; a young Hasidic woman, on the eve of her marriage, reveals herself to an Indian businessman; a writer tries a pick-up line; an artist seeks a model; a composer needs to read; two women connect; a man takes a child to Central Park; lovers meet; a couple takes a walk on their anniversary; a kid goes to the prom with a girl in a wheelchair; a retired singer contemplates suicide. There are eight million stories in the naked city: these have been ten of them.

Vampire

Vampire

Basic Info:

Released Date:

2012-09-15

Languages:

English

Countries:

USA, Japan

Runtime:

120 min

Rated:

R

IMDB Ratings:

5.4 (949 Reviews)

Director:

Shunji Iwai

Fullplot:

On the surface, Simon is a dedicated teacher living a normal life. But he has a terrible secret - he is compelled to drink human blood. Using online chat rooms as his hunting grounds, he searches for suicidal young women to satisfy his dark desire.

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