Kyoka Suzuki Movies

With his enigmatic, cerebral drama Koorogi (aka Crickets), Japanese writer/director Shinji Aoyama pays openly declared homage to one of his influences, the recently deceased Swiss director Daniel Schmid. Laden with symbols and archetypes, the picture concerns Serene Kaoru (Kyoka Suzuki), a young female caregiver assigned to look after a deaf and mute elderly gentleman (Tsutomu Yamazaki) at a seaside house. She has sacrificed numerous pleasures and comforts from the outside world to take the job, and thus begins to "test" her client's dependence on her by increasingly removing herself from his sphere and evaluating his response. Director Aoyama films the picture experimentally, with a 1:33:1 aspect ratio designed to create visual restrictions for the viewer and thus emulate the restrictions of Kaoru's new life. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide

A nebbish father and schoolteacher finds the courage to face both his personal issues and a horde of invading aliens after assuming the guise of an unpopular television superhero in maverick Japanese director Takashi Miike's warmhearted comedy. Nice guy Shinichi (Sho Aikawa) just can't seem to find the respect he so readily deserves: he's cuckold at home, his son is constantly harassed by bullies, and is teenage daughter is always willing to sell her body to the highest bidder. In order to escape from his depressive reality, Shinichi frequently slips into his private room and dons his patchwork Zebraman costume. As a child Shinichi loved Zebraman, and despite the fact that six episodes of the series ever aired the nobility of the character has stuck with the Shinichi well into adulthood. One night, while Shinichi is prowling the streets in his Zebraman costume, he comes across the frightful Crabman - a perverted villain with crab head and a dangerous pair of scissors. Already in character, Shinichi acts on his Zebraman instincts and effectively employs the Zebraman back kick. Later, Shinichi strikes up a friendship with handicapped transfer student and fellow Zebraman fan Asano, and begins to develop feelings for the boy's pretty and kindhearted mother. Suspecting that an alien takeover may be at hand when a horde of squishy extraterrestrial invaders begin possessing the locals and claiming the lives of young girls, the fledgling superhero leaps into action. While at first Shinchi bumbles in his attempts to keep the town safe from these strange beings, it doesn't take long for him to develop the confidence that will allow him to truly take on the persona of his childhood hero and fully realize his Zebraman powers. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Shinji Aoyama's Mike Yokohama - A Forest With No Name is a loose adaptation of the work of Mickey Spillane. Private detective Mike Yokohama (Masatoshi Nagase) is hired by a rich businessman to find his daughter who has joined a commune. Mike goes undercover and joins the secret group, where everything is not what it seems. Mike begins to suspect that the leader of the group (Kyoka Suzuki) is up to no good when a former member of the commune is arrested for murder. This is the first in a series of films that will be made for Japanese television. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide

Yoshimitsu Morita's long filmography includes everything from art-house hits to romantic drama by way of porno comedies, but Keiho is his first psychological mystery-thriller. Keiho diverts from recent Japanese thrillers as its focus is not so much a journey into existential darkness, but emergence of long-hidden secrets through patient investigation. Stage actor Masaki Shibata Shinichi Tsutsumi has murdered a man and his wife. He confesses his crime; he says his motive was that the woman, who is five months pregnant, criticized his one-man show. It could be an open-and-shut case except for the 'diminished responsibility' clause of Japan's criminal law. Masaki has to go through psychological examination to determine his sanity. A police psychiatrist declares he has a split personality, but his female assistant, named Kafka as a result of her father's literary tastes, does not agree. She begins her own research into Shibata's background and comes up with disturbing discoveries. On the other hand, a cocky police detective is also busy doing his own investigation and comes up with evidence that the victim raped and killed a girl when he was a teenager, but escaped punishment for the crime because a psychiatric examination found him not guilty. Further investigation reveals hidden identities, but the mystery is never solved. As the curtain falls, we are informed that the case is still continuing. It is not the crime or the criminal that is being explored so much as the complications of human psyche, but it is somewhat too confusing for the viewer, whose interest cannot be sustained with the incomprehensible twists and turns of the plot. Keiho Dai sanjyukyu jyo was one shown in competition at the 49th International Berlin Film Festival in 1999. ~ Gönül Dönmez-Colin, All Movie Guide

Shinya Tsukamoto wrote, produced, directed, edited and stars in this Japanese thriller. Goda (Tsukamoto) grieves over the suicide of his lover (Kyoka Suzuki), wondering if he might bear some responsibility. Failing to acquire a gun, he wanders Tokyo streets, meets Chisato (Kirina Mano), and is beaten by her street-gang associates. He sets out for revenge -- only to receive more beatings from the gang. Made in black and white, Bullet Ballet was shown at the 1998 Venice Film Festival and the 1998 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide