“Rashomon” isn’t a whodunit thriller. Instead, it’s an observation of the unreliability of human short-term memory, particularly of the multiple witnesses at a crime scene, who are also possible victims or perpetrators.

Full Review | Original Score: 5/5 | Sep 21, 2024

Thoroughly unique, crafting a recognizable template for future films that opt to distort their narratives through the eyes of multiple storytellers and unreliable presentations of facts.

Full Review | Original Score: 6/10 | Jul 20, 2024

The fourth story is seemingly the most objective of them all, and it's probably the closest to the truth. But even in that story, there are big holes. Everyone has something to hide.

Full Review | Original Score: 5/5 | Nov 14, 2023

What's revealed is a prismatic view of how people portray themselves, and how the truth is more complex than merely one single interpretation.

Full Review | Jun 27, 2023

Sophisticated presentation on truth and justice...

Full Review | Mar 8, 2023

It’s easy to forget, nonetheless, that the movie offers more rewards than a dazzling superstructure. It’s beautifully shot, vividly performed and is ultimately an arresting pop treatise on the impossibility of objective truth.

Full Review | Original Score: 5/5 | Jan 9, 2023

Kurosawa pushed through the boundaries of the artform to redefine storytelling itself.

Full Review | Apr 14, 2022

Rashomon implies that no real world exists at all, only the indifferent universe in which we invest our feelings and perspectives.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/4 | Feb 14, 2022

Akira Kurosawa's Rashomon is not only a well-made, well-acted film, it is a fascinating exploration of humanity and storytelling.

Full Review | Apr 1, 2021

Kurosawa's film changed criticism for the better. [Full Review in Spanish]

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Nov 13, 2019

A brilliant, puzzling, shocking export from Japan.

Full Review | Oct 30, 2019

[Kurosawa] has made it an intriguing picture, occasionally an exciting one. He accents a lot of his dramatic effect, it might be noted, with the throbbing of an increasing taut, Ravel-like bolero.

Full Review | Oct 16, 2019

...overtly devoid of entertaining, engrossing elements and generally comes off as a fairly interminable cinematic experience.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4 | Mar 5, 2018

A film that demonstrates that how you tell your story is just as important as what that story entails.

Full Review | Original Score: 5/5 | Oct 9, 2017

A top-to-bottom miracle of a film, burly in its philosophy and graceful in its style.

Full Review | Original Score: 5/5 | Aug 30, 2017

Akira Kurosawa's famous cosmic shrug

Full Review | Mar 8, 2015

With fast tracking shots, b&w chiaroscuro camerawork and a pessimistic intimation that what exactly was done is not essential, the result hit the bull's-eye with foreign filmgoers and critics.

Full Review | Jan 4, 2012

Masterpiece about absolute truth. Best for teens.

Full Review | Original Score: 5/5 | Jan 1, 2011

"Rashomon" may be a prosecutor's nightmare, but it's a film lover's dream.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/4 | Sep 10, 2010

The mixture of bravura camera work, muscular direction and inventive storytelling remains unmissable.

Full Review | Original Score: 5/5 | Jun 21, 2010