Onibi

Having just returned from Shikoku, Japan yesterday, this film was in my mail and it brought back quite vividly the feeling of a humid summer in Japan. The subtle performance by Japanese actor Yoshio Harada as a recently released from prison Yakuza was captivating. Wisened by more than 25 years in jail for 2 murders, Harada's character captured the essence of a life gone wrong and the search for some form of redemption eluding him by who he is and the circumstances befalling him.

This was a very impressive film and one of the better Yakuza films I have seen. The violence is realistic yet not gratuitous, almost poetic. Don't miss this film if you enjoy Japanese cinema.