Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on November 2012

There will be a feast for the eyes as the French drama Chicken and Plums plays at Shinjuku Musashinokan (3-27-10 Shinjuku; http://shinjuku.musashino-k.jp) from Nov 10. Beautifully shot in Tehran, it tells the story of a violinist (Mathieu Almaric) whose life is changed after he loses his favorite instrument.

Ever miss a film during its initial theatrical release but still want to see it on the big screen? Then second-run theater Waseda Shochiku (1-5-16 Takadanobaba, Shinjuku-ku; www.wasedashochiku.co.jp) is the place for you. Coming up in their November schedule are Aki Kaurismaki’s Le Havre paired with his earlier work La Vie de Bohéme, Woody Allen’s Vicky Christina Barcelona and Midnight in Paris, and Sean Penn in This Must be the Place alongside Hedwig and the Angry Inch.

Roman Porno, the series of erotic films produced by Nikkatsu Studios between 1971 and 1988, were known for their inventive storylines and cinematography that rose far above the standards of the soft-core genre. Selections of the best works from the prolific period are featured in a program running through December 21 at Laputa in Asagaya (2-12-21 Asagaya Kita, Suginami-ku; www.laputa-jp.com/laputa/).