Rating: 4.0

Imbued with that understated eccentricity that many Japanese comedies have used so effectively, Masayuki Suo’s homage to his country’s unique culture proves to be a winning effort.

Go into ‘Sunny’ with the right mind-set and its as enjoyable a piece of commercial film-making as you’re likely to get – just don’t be too surprised if you encounter feelings of narrative deja-vu.

The great on-screen chemistry of the two leads help this stylish and hugely enjoyable caper move along at a leisurely, but absorbing pace.

If you just remember to bring a sense of humour, and wonder, you’ll be rewarded with what is easily one of the best Japanese films of the year.

‘Suspect X’ plays with the usual hero/villain dynamic before settling into a denouement that reveals the complexity the audience was hitherto unaware of.

Once again, Japan has given us the cinematic equivalent of an antique porcelain swan – something so beautiful, delicate and sublimely crafted that it’s hard not to be impressed.

With a wonderful, toe-tapping soundtrack, a gallery of amiable characters and a gutsy energy, ‘Swing Girls’ is a resounding success.

In a relatively short time Yee creates a fascinating martial world every bit as involving as the visions that Chor Yuen used to put together years before.

‘Swordsman’ is not as strong as its superior sequel and the aforementioned difficulties are all apparent, but it is still an ultimately rewarding film.

The viewer is treated to a visual feast that fully sketches out this almost mythical setting – kudos once more to director and cinematographer.

If you want to see simple but effective story telling, characters you could easily bump into in the street and three of Korea’s best young actresses then just ‘Take Care Of My Cat’ for a few hours.

Fantastical ingenuity, crazy comedy, outlandish practical effects, and hard-hitting martial arts are thrown together in perhaps one of the best zany action flicks to come from the Golden Era 80s.