Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on August 2012

The late Kaneto Shindo became the oldest working Japanese film director when he shot his last film Postcard (2010; pictured) at the ripe old age of 98. The director died in May shortly after his 100th birthday, and now Shin-Bungeiza in Ikebukuro (3F, 1-43-5 Higashi-Ikebukuro Toshima-ku; www.shin-bungeiza.com) is paying tribute with a retrospective August 5-13. The lineup includes Children of Hiroshima (1952), The Naked Island (1960), and Onibaba (1964)…

If you sometimes feel like a movie fan who was born in the wrong decade, head to Cinema Vera (1-5 Maruyamacho, Shibuya-ku; www.cinemavera.com) for their program of masterpieces from cinema history running until August 31. Highlights in the program are The Wizard of Oz (1939), It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) and High Noon (1953)…

Need a superhero fix but The Avengers seems too plausible? Then maybe you should check out the Indian sci-fi romp Ra.One (2011), on for the late show at Shinjuku Musashinokan (3-27-10 Shinjuku; http://shinjuku.musashino-k.jp) from August 4. The plot tying the special effects together involves a game designer perfecting technology that bridges the real world and game characters—only to be hunted by his own creation.