Top 250 Movies Like Heaven And Earth

In this Golden Globe winner for Best Foreign-Language Film, director Heinosuke Gosho -- a master chronicler of Japanese middle-class life -- presents the story of Kiyoshi Yoshida (Koji Shitara), who feels estranged from both parents after his father returns from war. How the boy adapts to life with the virtual stranger his father has become is the film's focus. Chikage Awashima, Yûnosuke Itô and Yoshiko Kuga also star.

Tara Woodley is a reporter looking to do a story on the famous ghosts of an old desert town. she can't seem to find the place until she picks up a strange hitchhiker, who tells her he knows the way. they proceed on a journey involving a variety of characters, including an Army Sergeant whose vicious cruelty kills on a young recruit and three hapless campers who stumble into an old cursed cemetery!

Nanako returns to her hometown on the tiny island of Aguni to meet her grandmother Nabbie. However, when Nanako's ferry arrives, it is also carrying Nabbie's former lover, who has returned to Aguni after a long absence.

In this sequel to The Jolson Story, we pick up the singer's career just as he has returned to the stage after a premature retirement. But his wife has left him and the appeal of the spotlight isn't what it used to be. This time Jolson trades in the stage for life in the fast lane: women, horses, travel. It takes the death of Moma Yoelson and World War II to bring Jolson back to earth - and to the stage. Once again teamed with manager Steve Martin, Jolson travels the world entertaining troops everywhere from Alaska to Africa. When he finally collapses from exhaustion it takes young, pretty nurse Ellen Clark to show him there's more to life than "just rushing around".

Akira Kurosawa's lauded feudal epic presents the tale of a petty thief who is recruited to impersonate Shingen, an aging warlord, in order to avoid attacks by competing clans. When Shingen dies, his generals reluctantly agree to have the impostor take over as the powerful ruler. He soon begins to appreciate life as Shingen, but his commitment to the role is tested when he must lead his troops into battle against the forces of a rival warlord.

A story about the disappearance of Kirishima, a star athlete of the volleyball club, and how his disappearance affects every person in school.

Shortly after the Inter-High of Kagami and Kuroko's second-year, a street basketball team from the USA called Team Jabberwock came to Japan to play a friendly match against a Japanese college-level street basketball team, Team Strky. Despite their best efforts, Strky is brutally crushed by Jabberwock. After the match, the Jabberwock players insult the players from Strky and all of Japanese basketball, claiming Strky's basketball was at the same level as monkeys and telling the players and crowds to quit playing basketball and kill themselves. As a revenge match, Kagetora assembles a dream team of all members of Generation of Miracles plus Kuroko Tetsuya and Kagami Taiga, along with bench players Hyūga Junpei, Takao Kazunari, and Wakamatsu Kōsuke, forming Team Vorpal Swords, with the hopes of reclaiming the pride of Japanese basketball.

A chronicle of Babe Ruth's phenomenal story--from his hard knock beginnings at a Baltimore orphanage, to his meteoric rise to baseball superstardom and his poignant retirement from the game. His amazing career included seven American League pennants, four World Series championships, two tempestuous marriages and a wild lifestyle that earned him numerous suspensions.

Al Stump is a famous sports-writer chosen by Ty Cobb to co-write his official, authorized 'autobiography' before his death. Cobb, widely feared and despised, feels misunderstood and wants to set the record straight about 'the greatest ball-player ever,' in his words.

Based on renowned Japanese writer Natsume Soseki's same-titled short story collection, Ten Nights of Dreams brings ten fantastical dream sequences to film with great visual and psychological panache. Representing the combined efforts of eleven directors, this outstanding anthology delves into the surreal subconscious with ten madly imaginative, reality-subverting visions that range from wonderfully wacky to nightmarishly unsettling.

In 1604, Miyamoto Musashi attacked the Yoshioka family at their dojo and defeated master Seijūrō and his younger brother Denshichirō in two duels. To save their reputation, the Yoshioka family decides to fight back with all 100 family members and hire an additional 300 samurai. Now Musashi sets out to defeat all 400 enemies in his most famous battle.

When 35 year old stand-up comedian Steve Mazan learned he was dying of cancer, he dedicated the rest of his life to making his dream come true: performing comedy on The Late Show with David Letterman. This documentary chronicles his five-year journey, as he races his own ticking clock to achieve a nearly impossible goal. Hilarious and heart-breaking, Steve brings a brand-new perspective to living with cancer. This is a story that proves it's not how much time you have, it's what you do with it. As Steve says, 'If you stop chasing your dreams, you're already dead.'

A chronicle of Nelson Mandela's life journey from his childhood in a rural village through to his inauguration as the first democratically elected president of South Africa.

The chronicle of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin and his tyranic rule from 1971 to his overthrow in 1979.

Tokiko is a mother patiently waiting for her husband's return from the war when her 4-year old son becomes ill. She takes him to the doctor for treatment but has no way of paying. She resorts to prostitution. One month later her husband returns from WWII to find his desperate wife, who tells him the truth. Together they must deal with the consequences.

Documentary filmmaker Genya Tachibana has tracked down the legendary actress Chiyoko Fujiwara, who mysteriously vanished at the height of her career. When he presents her with a key she had lost and thought was gone forever, the filmmaker could not have imagined that it would not only unlock the long-held secrets of Chiyoko’s life... but also his own.

An expedition in the South Pacific lands on a tropical island where the natives worship the mysterious deity Gappa. An earthquake opens up an underground cavern and a baby reptile is discovered inside. The natives warn the foreigners to leave the hatching alone, but they don't listen and take it back to a zoo in Japan. Soon after, moma and papa Gappa start smashing Tokyo looking for their kidnapped child.

Story follows high school student Saki Miyanaga and her classmates as they become absorbed in the game of mahjong. They target an upcoming national competition.

Set at the end of the Sengoku period to early Edo period, "Sanada Ten Braves" follows 10 members of a ninja group who all serve under samurai warrior Yukimura Sanada.

Momose (played by Sousuke Takaoka), who used to be a street punk, lives with girlfriend Kayo (played by Tomoko Tabata). Trouble brews for the couple when Kayo's younger sister Momo (played by Erena Ono) moves into their home for the summer. Momose finds himself gradually being drawn to the free spirited ways of Momo. A new love comedy from Keisuke Yoshida director of "Cafe Isobe".

A disc jockey invites a relationship therapist as an on-air guest. They explore LA relationship struggles through three different callers' unbelievable stories, and in the process the DJ discovers his own love issues.

The background to and depiction of a watershed battle in Japanese history, at Sekigahara in 1600, when Tokugawa Ieyasu's Army of the East defeated the Army of the West of Ishida Mitsunari. The story includes the intrigues and shifting loyalties of the various retainers, family members, and samurai.

A shogun's eldest son must do whatever it takes to survive a series of attempts on his life. He receives much-needed aid from seven warriors who are led by a strong leader.

After the death of her dearest mother, her serious-minded father goes missing, leaving their only daughter Mitsuko. Six months later, it turns out that he is at Yuri's house, who is rumored to be an eccentric and is commonly known as Argentine hag.

Yutaka was fourteen years old when he was run over by a car and fell into a coma. Now, ten years later, he wakes up and realizes that his family is not intact anymore: father, mother and sister live at different places. Yutaka decides to re-open the pony farm that his family once ran.

Captain Thomas Wall was a firefighter and a hero. This heartfelt and inspiring documentary chronicles Tom's life, and his untimely death while battling an inferno.

BHUTTO is the definitive documentary that chronicles the life of one of the most complex and fascinating characters of our time. Hers is an epic tale of Shakespearean dimension. It’s the story of the first woman in history to lead a Muslim nation: Pakistan. Newsweek called it the most dangerous place in the world, and the home of nuclear war heads and the Taliban.

Chronicling the short but eventful life of Hank Gathers (played by Donny B. Lord as a child and Victor Love as a young adult), this fact-based drama chronicles the hoopster's rise from the inner city of Philadelphia to a starring role on Loyola Marymount's basketball team before a heart condition cut his career short. Nell Carter plays Hank's supportive mom, and George Kennedy portrays a neighborhood priest who inspired the boy.

Part-time worker Hazuki lives with her younger sister, high school student Koharu, and their mother Sawa. One day they receive word that their estranged father is on his deathbed, so Sawa asks Hazuki and Koharu to visit him and take one last photo to remember him by.

Shuhei is leading a tough life. His alcoholic mother Akiko can only hook up with bad guys and order Shuhei to go get money from his disapproving grandparents instead of going to school. Except raising the little half-sister, his rock-bottom life seems to have no end.

Taiji has been estranged from his mother Mitsuko for years. Due to a meeting with his friend, he looks back at his past with his mother. After not seeing her for years, Taiji sees Mitsuko again. He tries to regain his mother's love.

Just when you think Kyoshiro's life can't get any stranger, someone starts running around raping and murdering, and leaving notes proudly proclaiming that he did it. Tracking down the real culprit willtake him along a twisted trail that involves the Shogun's harem, hidden christians, and positively pregnant politics!

This time the girls are the bad guys. Which means they will be a lot nude and action in this series and they have to fight a superhero called Jirasyso.

A seasoned detective is called in to rescue a politician held hostage by a lunatic. In a brief moment of uncertainty, he misses the chance for action. Leaving his job and family without explanation, he makes his way to a mountain forest, encountering a peculiar tree called Charisma.

Kon Ichikawa's retelling of the classic true story of Samurai honor. When a young clan lord is forced to commit seppuku (ritual suicide), his loyal followers (now Ronin, masterless Samurai) dedicate their lives to avenging his death.

Inventor Thomas Edison's boyhood is chronicled and shows him as a lad whose early inventions and scientific experiments usually end up causing disastrous results. As a result, the towns folk all think Tom is crazy, and creating a strained relationship between Tom and his father. Tom's only solace is his understanding mother who believes he's headed to do great things.

Musashi returns Japan's legendary swordsman and philosopher to the screen once again. In an original period drama based on the historical facts of the life and travels of the famous Miyamoto Musashi we find an apprentice, an instructor and the account of a famous battle in Japan of the Middle Ages where many questions will be answered.

Oichi may have met her match as she vies against the evil beauty that has set her sights on destroying her. She must face numerous other challenges before confronting her greatest rival. While longing to live and love like other women, she realizes that she can never have a normal life, her sword which she holds on to like a security blanket will always come between her and such a life...

The time of the New Generation Heroes is drawing to a close. Hiroyuki is being targeted by a dark power, forcing the other Ultra Heroes, from Ginga to R/B to appear and help the Tri-Squad battle these evil forces. But among them is Taiga's father? What has happened to Ultraman Taro?!

4 shorts from French Directors, working in the tradition of Grand Guignol, set in Tokyo. Stories about a man repeating a bloody day running from the Yakuza; a woman's violent encounter with her mirror image; a woman and her lasergun fighting of a shadowy demon; and a man being cursed by the famous Hachi-statue to become a werewolf pining for a prostitue.

The story of the film is set after the conflict instigated by Toyotomi Hideyoshi ended, but not before the Battle of Sekigahara determines who shall be the Shogun of Japan.

As winds of change sweep Japan, an honest man joins the Shinsenhumi out of admiration for its leader and because he wants to live and die as a samurai. However, as his involvement grows, reality and idealism come into deadly conflict.

Ryu (Akira Kobayashi) sets foot on the Yokohama port with a suitcase filled with 300 thousand dollars. He was sent by a jewelry company in Hong Kong to retrieve a certain diamond that was stolen from them. The "Himalayan Star" is worth couple hundred million yen and unbeknown to Ryu, it now lays in the hands of Aizu (Jo Shishido), the infamous ”Pirate of the Tokyo Bay."

The fictional land "Pandora" sends three (numbered) graduates of the "National Gambling University" to Japan. You should defeat the master player Kôji, control the international casino empire and use the profits to achieve world domination. But Japan's most famous left hand knows what to do.

An important silent film survives, Kumahiko Nishina's Umon torimonocho rokuban tegara jinenji kidan (The Samurai Detective, aka The Detective Records of Umon, aka Detective Umon Diary: Exploit Number Six, 1930). Umon on his shining white horse stops a conspiracy against the Shogun. Umon was played by Kanjuro Arashi in this early film, & long after in the post-Occupation jidaigeki revival he reprised the role in Kajiro Yamamoto's Muttsuri Umon torimonocho (1955), helping to launch the renewed interest in such films.

Students, including Aoi Nishino, take part in class and sports activity at a prestigious high school. Aoi Nishino is a member of the school's archery club. He practices archery studiously and doesn't socialize much with the other students. His childhood friend Haruka Seno is also a member of the archery club, but she worries about Aoi Nishino. One day, thunder strikes the school grounds. After that, the ordinary lives of the students changes drastically. Many samurai descend on the school grounds. It appears that the entire school has traveled back in time to the Sengoku period. Making things worse, they realize that they are in the time right before the Battle of Okehazama takes place.

The blackest and most evil painting in the world. In pursuit of its mystery, Rohan Kishibe, a manga artist with a special power, visits the Louvre in France. There, a number of horrifying events await him...

There are two villages on the land. They are called Farri and Nestarico, both surrounded by mountains. As the villagers of Farri have lost their houses and food, they've left the village to seek a new place.

A Hibari Misora musical.

Miharu Tamaki is about to move to Nagasaki due to his parents' divorce. As his final summer vacation in Tokyo draws to a close, he is drawn to an inscription on a high voltage tower reading "Musashino Line Tower 75". With his friend, he resolves to find Tower 1.

The true story of Louisa Gould, a widow living in Nazi occupied Jersey, who takes in a Russian prisoner of war.

The life story of one of Britain's most notorious bare-knuckle fighters, Lenny McLean, also known as "The Guv'nor".

Eric Liddell - China's first gold medalist and one of Scotland's greatest athletes - returns to war-torn China.

Adapted from a book by Robert Lacey, this biographical film chronicles both the private and public life of automobile manufacturer Henry Ford (Cliff Robertson).

An inaccurate retelling of the life of silent filmmaker and comedian Buster Keaton.

The life and loves of Coco Chanel who rose from the bottom with no family or financial support and became one of the most legendary creative icons.

The story of Martha Jane Canary aka Calamity Jane.

Years after the death of legendary tea master Rikyu, his disciple Honkakubo attempts to resolve the mystery of the master's death.

A film about the early life of the rock musician and his burgeoning career as a member of the Beatles.

Biography - The Goal" chronicles the lives of two athletes who are on an adrenaline track, one to the Olympics and the other to the world of Pro Soccer - Michael Best, Rado Bily, Matt Clark

A chronicle of the life of Yasui Santetsu, a 17th century master of go who turned his attention to astronomy and created a new calendar for Japan. Based on the life of Santetsu Yasui (December 27, 1639-November 1, 1715), appointed as the first official astronomer in the Edo Period and would go on to create the Jokyo calendar at the imperial request.

Groucho: A Life In Revue highlights the legendary comedian’s life and amazing career. Written by the ultimate authority – Groucho’s son Arthur Marx – this comedy with music chronicles the unparalleled rags-to-riches story of America’s funniest entertainer. Groucho is portrayed by Frank Ferrante, whose more than 2,000 performances in this role have earned him critical acclaim worldwide. Groucho: A Life In Revue entertains as a comedy, a play and as a musical. With ten songs and musical underscore throughout, the score captures the comic genius and wildness of Groucho, the Marx Brothers and the times in which they lived.

Pulled from the second season of web series "Coffee House Chronicles," with new adventures of unlucky-in-love Eli, this movie continues to explore the life and loves of LGBTQ+ folks in Los Angeles.

The story of a school festival that is being jointly organized by Tadakuni, Yoshitake, and Hidenori's all-boys school and an adjacent all-girls school. At an all boys high school, Tadakuni (Masaki Suda), Yoshitake (Shuhei Nomura) and Hidenori (Ryo Yoshizawa) are close friends and think usually all day about girls. Their high school then co-hosts a school festival with an all girls high school.

Maki Yoshioka is a novelist and mother. She has been experiencing writer's block. One day, she gets into a disagreement with her neighbor Miwako Wakata over a futon. Maki gets harassed by Miawako increasingly more as the days pass. She decides to write about Miwako Wakata in a novel, but this has unexpected consequences. The small quarell becomes a media sensation.

Mikami, an ex-yakuza of middle age with most of his life in prison, gets released after serving 13 years of sentence for murder. Hoping to find his long lost mother, from whom he was separated as a child, he applies for a TV show and meets a young TV director Tsunoda. Meanwhile, he struggles to get a proper job and fit into society. His impulsive, adamant nature and ingrained beliefs cause friction in his relationship with Tsunoda and those who want to help him.

A humanistic account of "the Robin Hood of the Cookson Hills", in which Charles Arthur Floyd is portrayed as a decent man who has a strong sense of family and duty.

A documentary chronicling Queen and Lambert's incredible journey since they first shared the stage together on "American Idol" in 2009.

The true story of German-Czech businessman Oskar Schindler (1908-74) as told by some of the Jews — more than a thousand people — whose lives he saved from extermination during World War II.

Explore the lost biography of Jesus Christ in this doc, chronicling an untold version of Christ's life story that would have been told by those who knew him better than anyone else - his closest followers and his family.

Dewey Bozella’s life changed forever when he was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison for a murder he did not commit. Throughout his 26 years behind bars, Bozella found strength and purpose through boxing, becoming the light heavyweight champion of Sing Sing Prison, and made it a goal to be proven innocent and box professionally once he was released. ESPN Films chronicles Bozella’s journey from prison cell to professional boxer.

In this documentary film, the final day in the short life of the guitar god Jimi Hendrix is reconstructed using theories swirling around a CIA hit list, Mafia debt, and police surveillance.

Oda Nobunaga and Nohime were originally married to mend a hostile relationship between neighbouring regions. Unfortunately, they were like oil and water, making for a somewhat unhappy marriage. When Oda’s enemy, Imagawa Yoshimoto, attacks Owari with his vast army, Oda is devastated by the overwhelming gap in military strength. However, Nohime encourages him not to despair and the pair draw up a tactical plan that will allow them to overcome the odds.

Upon reaching the train station to death, a dejected soul is informed that he is "lucky" and will have another chance at life. He is placed in the body of a 14-year-old boy named Makoto Kobayashi, who has just committed suicide.

Set in the 19th century, "Moeyo Ken" follows the life of Toshizo Hijikata. He was the vice-commander of the Shinsengumi and fought against the Meiji Restoration.

The last year of Ryotaro Shiba's life, as he tried to achieve peace and independence without joining the armies of East and West.

The wife of an elite government official left her husband, and a young journalist is sent to investigate the case. But his boss has a hidden agenda.

Five short stories from five different directors set ten years in Japan's future.

Representing a destitute mother in an infanticide trial, a female lawyer attempts to convince a conservative prosecutor of the benefits of Japan's democratized post-war legal system.

Having put down his sword and given up the will to fight, the masterless samurai Iemon lives in solitude while being haunted by his violent enigmatic past...

Ren struggles with the death of his longtime friend Kaoru. He finds a painting of a girl that Kaoru left behind. Ren sets out on a journey to find the girl.

Oda Nobunaga (1534–1582) was a major daimyo during the Warring State period of Japanese history. He was the second son of Oda Nobuhide, a deputy military governor with land holdings in Owari province. Nobunaga lived a life of continuous military conquest, eventually conquering a third of Japanese daimyo before his death in 1582. Telling the story of his rise to prominence as he leads an army of 4,000 men against the 40,000 troops of Lord Imagawa Yoshimoto to prevent the arrogant daimyo from crushing the Oda clan and taking control of the entire nation. From a newly restored anamorpic widescreen print, this is the ultimate warlord movie.

The story about the rise and fall of the famed mercenaries, Shinsengumi, who are hired by a crumbling feudal government.

The story of the special revolves around the Sanada brothers in their youth. Nobuyuki and Yukimura swear to each other to protect the influential Sanada clan. However, thinking of how to best continue the Sanada clan, Yukimura makes a decision, and meets with Mitsunari Ishida and Naoe Kanetsugu at the location he arrived at. On the other hand, his elder brother Nobuyuki must worry about the selfish demands made by the Tokugawa clan.

The first movie in the four-part King of Prism: Shiny Seven Stars movie series.

The school’s handball club is about to close down. Can social media bring it back to life? Masao Kiyota is a high school student living in Japan’s southern Kumamoto Prefecture. Lacking passion for anything in life, he spends his days like so many youth on his smartphone along with his childhood friend, Okamoto. One day, they upload a photo taken three years previously when they were both part of their school’s handball team. To their surprise, the post goes a little viral. Encouraged, they add the hashtag: “#Handball Full Power” and are swarmed with “likes” from around the country. Amidst the sudden social media attention, Masao and Okamoto set to resuscitating a nearly defunct men’s handball team.

A group of Japanese soldiers land in Chinese territory. They advance on a village ; one soldier, Norimoto, is killed in the attack, but the village is captured. Norimoto’s body is recovered and buried. Over the next two days, the soldiers advance inland. Two more soldiers, Naito and Takahashi, are injured. They remain behind to recover, but vow to catch up. Their comrades march on...

Three years had passed since Ichiro Takeo left Japan. He was a young physician with a promising future, until his medical error caused the death of a big-shot politician. He was discharged from the hospital and had since sailed around the world as an on-board doctor. As he was about to reach the Taiwanese piers of Kinmon Island, thoughts of his days in Japan crossed his mind - he reminisced about the Taiwanese girl, Yan, who had scooped him out of his misery during the time of the medical accident. At times of war, the two rekindle an old flame.

An early example of the Japanese war film, closer to documentary realism than the kind of propaganda produced at the height of the Pacific War. "A company commander calls on five men. They are to reconnoiter, but on their way they are attacked. Only four of them return. While his companions mourn the fifth straggles back. Soon after comes the order to move out for a general attack. The men know that this time there will be no returning." (Donald Richie)

A narrative depicting the appearance of soldiers scattered in Rabaul during the Pacific War. The original work of Yoshinori Matsuura was dramatized by Toyama Tetsu of “Smuggling of the Body”, also directed by Yutaka Abe, and Shigeyoshi Mine of “Densuke's Propaganda” was in charge of the shooting. The main performers are Michitaro Mizushima of “Smuggling of the Body”, Ryoji Hayama of “The Sorrowful Garden”, Shoji Yasui of “The People of Okino”, Shiro Osaka of “Lonely Man”, “Tetsuji Kawakami Story 16” In addition to Hiroshi Nihonyanagi, Shinsuke Maki, Isamu Kosugi of the "Hunger Soul", Ko Mishima, Satoshi Nishimura, Saburo Hiromatsu, Hiroshi Kondo and others.

When a US army sergeant is found drowned in Tokyo Bay, an investigation is launched to determine how and why he lost his life. The investigation uncovers a black market scheme involving counterfeit money, murder, and conspiracy.

The film is a series of vignettes from Taiji Tonoyama's life and film clips, interspersed with a dialogue to camera by Nobuko Otowa, addressing the camera as if she is addressing Tonoyama himself, recollecting events in his life. The film focuses on Tonoyama's alcohol dependence and his various sexual relationships, as well as his film work with Shindo.

Based on the coming of age comic by Mayumi Yoshida.

A retired samurai must redeem himself for a crime that he committed earlier in his life.

Documentary about the arena-packing Swedish DJ, chronicling his explosive rise to fame and surprising decision to retire from live performances in 2016.

Lord Oda Nobunaga plans to control Japan where rival warlords battle by waging war against several clans. His vassal Araki Murashige stages a rebellion and promptly disappears.