Himizu, 2011
As if
Sion Sono hadn't already established himself as the king of my heart with the absolute monument of film that is
Love Exposure, already with a plethora of emotions,
Himizu is a bit more of a downcast and melodramatic endeavor that hit way too close to home. These two movies have probably made me cry harder than any others. This deals with a boy just trying to be ordinary, and the girl that's a fanatic for him, and admittedly he treats the situation like a huge dick, but I guess he has his reasons. But I've never seen a character break down so vehemently. In the end it's one of the most moving feats of cinema ever.
Noriko's Dinner Table, 2005
A much heavier sequel to
Sono's Suicide Club, which was tight in it's own right but not exactly flooring. It takes another look at the club but with a stronger focus on its effects on people. The titular Noriko runs away from home to meet with a perfect stranger from an online forum, which just so happens to be the HQ, if you will, of the club. She falls into a sort of prostitution that revolves around playing the part of an individual's family members, and thusly is exposed to many a shady dealing. Perfect coming of age story.
Cold Fish, 2010
A prime example of the director's darkest humor, a violent painting of a broken man who just wants a good time with his family. Don't expect that to happen. Dude gets seriously pissed. Dead meat and bones everywhere.
Strange Circus, 2005
A bit of an enigma in the director's body of work, leaning much farther towards surrealist horror, but still,
Sono has a distinct style and way of bringing emotions to the frontlines. It's about trauma and identity and things of that nature. Great circusy soundtrack loaded with accordion.