244. The whale god (1962)

Country: Japan
Directed by Tokuzo Tanaka

Expecting a rather trashy production with a simplistic storyline involved a monster who kills and some sugary melodrama, somebody gets impressed by the high quality of a film that combines existentialism with fascinating action, raw violence with tender feelings, awe and terror for the dark side of life with relieve that a final realisation of harmony and cosmic unity gives: the end of the movie is nothing but death but its still highly optimistic. However its not much a surprise if you see the names of the participants in this film, from the composer, to photographer and to scenarist. An unknown and underrated moment of Japanese cinema

You can watch the full movie here: https://youtu.be/WjykZ6jTvxo

243. Children who draw (1956)

Country: Japan
Directed by Susumu Hani

An early original piece of Japanese new wave cinema, Children who draw is a sweet, cute documentary with children but somehow incorporates as well many of the obsessions of the modern cinema: phsycology and subconsious, abstract and imagination, reflection of the social conditions to the inner world and shaping of the human characters, realism, collective every day protagonists instead of the special individual. Susumu Hani does a great job portrayting the kids a d their art in a tender film that remains surprisingly fresh 60 years or so later

You can watch the full film here: https://youtu.be/HDslIUYAKiY