by Chris MaGeeI think that both Marc Saint-Cyr and I were very honoured to be ask to contribute content to Midnight Eye in 2010. In Marc's case it was an interview with director Gen Takahashi and for me it was an indepth article on Tatsumi Hijikata's butoh dance films. It was because of these contributions that Midnight Eye co-founder Tom Mes approached both of us to take part in their annual top ten lists. Of course we said yes and just this week the results were posted over at Midnight Eye.
What did we choose as the best of last year? For me it was Linda Hoaglund's fascinating documentary "ANPO" that explored how the U.S./ Japan Mutual Security Treaty shaped the arts and culture in Japan during the 1960 and continues to play a major role today. Marc made a very wise choice and named Gen Takahashi's gritty police masterpiece "Confessions of a Dog" as the top of the year.
I do want to say that I have to agree with Marc and say that "Confessions of a Dog" is one of the very best films to come out of Japan in the past decade, and I was honoured debut it here in Canada as part of the Shinsedai Cinema Festival 2010 line-up (also my Shinsedai partner Jasper Sharp went on to screen it in London as part of his inaugural Zipangu Fest). I do want to say that I would have probably joined Marc in naming Takahashi's film as best of 2010, but I tend to make my list up of films that were completed and released in that calendar year (gove or take a month or so). "Confessions of a Dog" is a 2005 film which in no way affects its status as a brilliant film, I just am a stickler for films released in the last 12 months. That being said I'd advise all of you to catch "Confessions of a Dog", either if it screens in your area or when it is released on DVD in the UK by Third Window Films March 14th.
Enough of me gabbing though... To check out what else Marc and I chose as our best of 2010 and what Jasper Sharp, Tom Mes and the Midnight Eye crew thought were standouts last year then click here.
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