Hi {{name | friend}},
There is something really comforting about the bonds we form when everything else falls away. Sometimes you find that connection during a quiet car ride with a stranger, inside the memories of someone you lost, or in a tiny home with people who simply choose to take you in.
This week, all of our movie picks carry a very distinct, gentle Japanese vibe. They are quiet, slow-moving stories that look closely at how we heal and who we choose to call family.
These films show us that family isn't always about blood or shared names. Sometimes, it is just about finding the people who are willing to sit with you in the quiet moments and help you carry your past into the future.
Issue #09 | The Weekend Watchlist
Top prize at the Cannes Film Festival
/ When family is found in the people who choose to keep you /
Shoplifters (2018)
Director: Kore-eda Hirokazu
The Story: A poor family in Tokyo relies on shoplifting and odd jobs to survive. One cold evening, they find a neglected little girl outside and take her into their cramped but warm home, until a secret threatens to break them apart.
Why it’s worth your time: The movie shows that love and care can matter more than blood relations. It does not judge the characters for stealing to get by; instead, it looks closely at how they look after one another.
Trivia: The film won the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival. The director based the story on real Japanese news articles about families committing low-level fraud.
The straight translation of the Japanese title is "a family of shoplifting".
It suggests that each member of this family was also "shoplifted" or "found" from where they originally were.
/ When your home is built on the memories you leave behind /
After Yang (2021)
Director: Kogonada
The Story: In the near future, a family adopts an android named Yang to act as a big brother to their young daughter. When Yang breaks down, the father tries to fix him and finds a recorded history of Yang's memories, showing how much he appreciated small moments of human life.
An A24 film
Why it’s worth your time: It swaps typical sci-fi action for a quiet look at what makes a family. The story makes you notice and appreciate the ordinary parts of your own daily life.
Trivia: The movie opens with a synchronized family dance competition that took the cast weeks to practice. It features music by the late Ryuichi Sakamoto.
Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Screenplay
/ When you have to drive through the pain to get to the other side /
Drive My Car (2021)
Director: Ryûsuke Hamaguchi
The Story: Yûsuke is a theater director whose wife dies suddenly, leaving behind an untold secret. Two years later, he drives to Hiroshima to direct a play. The festival assigns a quiet 20-year-old woman, Misaki, to drive his car. During long rides together, they slowly share their personal regrets.
Why it’s worth your time: The film takes its time, showing how people heal from loss through everyday routines rather than big arguments. It shows that people can understand each other well, even when they speak completely different languages.
Trivia: This was the first Japanese film nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars. The opening credits do not appear until 40 minutes into the movie.
As Parasite director Bong Joon-ho famously said in his Golden Globes acceptance speech,
Once you overcome the one-inch tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films.
A sneak peek of COSMICINEMA
We are excited to give you a quick look at the interface today. If you know a fellow film lover who hates the endless streaming scroll as much as you do, please share this newsletter and bring them along for early access next month.
Lastly, how’s your week?
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