A woman is a woman.

Une Femme Est Une Femme (A Woman Is a Woman), Jean-Luc Godard 1961

Jean- Claude. Anna. Jean-Paul.

Anna Karina and Jean-Paul Belmondo

Comedy. Tragedy. Musical.

Jean-Claude Brialy

Colourful. Theatrical. Spontaneous.

Existential. Surreal. Playful.

Men. Women. Babies.

Red Cliff 1 & 2

Red Cliff (Parts 1 & 2), John Woo 2008 & 2009

Takeshi Kaneshiro & Yong Hou

A great blockbuster epic from China's action-directing John Woo, which centers on the Battle of Red Cliff fought in China's Three Kingdoms period in 208 A.D.

These two films were shortened and released as one film in the West, but the original un-cut versions, which include characters and storylines omitted in the international release, is available as a double DVD and is highly recommended for action- and epic-film lovers.

Chen Chang

Tony Leung & Chi-Ling Lin

Fengyi Zhang

A contender for Best Beard in Cinema History award

Exceptionally well-crafted and choreographed battle scenes, good character profiles with moments of humour, luscious scenery and touching characters who display the humanity of war, the Red Cliff films are a must-see, and one of the most popular in Chinese history, breaking box-office records upon release.

The actors give effective performances, notably Takeshi Kaneshiro, Tony Leung and Wei Zhao.
Woo has said that his film differs from other works based on the Three Kingdoms battle as Red Cliff "brings out more humane stories tangled with the characters' psychology and life events", adding that he wanted to capture the "courage and wisdom" of Asian people and culture.

 

Wei Zhao

If possible, get your hands on a copy of the original two-part release - action epic fans will not be disappointed.

A morning with Philip Marlowe.

"The coffee-maker was almost ready to bubble. I turned the flame low and watched the water rise. It hung a little at the bottom of the glass tube. I turned the flame up just enough to get it over the hump and then turned it low again quickly. I stirred the coffee and covered it. I set my timer for three minutes. 

Very methodical guy, Marlowe. Nothing must interfere with his coffee technique. Not even a gun in the hand of a desperate character." 

 - The Long Good-Bye, Raymond Chandler

Book by Penguin. Coffee maker by Bialetti. Cup by Marimekko.

Nothing must interfere with the coffee technique. 

An Autumn Afternoon

An Autumn Afternoon, Yasujiro Ozu 1962

Some find Ozu's films too stark and light in pace and narrative progression - indeed, early in his career his films were thought to be 'too Japanese' to appeal to international audiences - but I find his masterfully austere films with universal themes to be very appealing both visually and emotionally.

His domestic dramas, like An Autumn Afternoon, relate common universal problems that humans experience - be it a husband learning how to live as a widow, the reality of the rising cost of living, a son's struggle starting his own family, or the guilt inflicting a young woman caring for her widowed father who is urged to leave home and marry.
Although Yasujiro Ozu films may seem intrinsically Japanese, his themes are universal yet powerful, and easy to relate to.

For me, Ozu's trademark compositions filmed with a static camera 3ft above the ground perfectly showcase the Japanese architecture and design which I am so fond of.

An Autumn Afternoon - one big Sapporo ad

A touching and poignant film, and Ozu's last, An Autumn Afternoon sweetly reminds us of the struggles that we all face, and ultimately, the importance of friendship and family.

Ozu regular Chishu Ryu

Shima Iwashita