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Labyrinth of Cinema

Play trailer 2:17 Poster for Labyrinth of Cinema Released Oct 20, 2021 2h 59m Comedy Drama Fantasy War Sci-Fi Play Trailer Watchlist
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93% Tomatometer 30 Reviews 86% Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
Setouchi Kinema, the only movie theater on the Onomichi seafront, is about to close its doors. Its last night of existence will be an all-night marathon screening of Japanese war films. When lightning strikes the theater, three young men in the audience find themselves thrown back in time into the world inside the screen. The trio are thrust into the Boshin War, the Second Sino-Japanese War, the Battle of Okinawa and then finally Hiroshima on the eve of the atomic bombing. There, they meet the traveling theater troupe "Sakura-tai". But can they alter the course of destiny to save the troupe?

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Labyrinth of Cinema

Labyrinth of Cinema

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Critics Consensus

Ambitious to a fault, Labyrinth of Cinema concludes writer-director Nobuhiko Ôbayashi's career on an epic, immersive high note.

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Critics Reviews

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Jenny Nulf Austin Chronicle Labyrinth of Cinema's breathtaking journey through time is a stunning endeavor, as timeless as they come, like much of the master's work. Rated: 4/5 Dec 31, 2021 Full Review Richard Kuipers Variety Emerges as a touching plea for peace and an exuberant celebration of the artifice and transformative power of cinema. Oct 29, 2021 Full Review Simon Abrams RogerEbert.com Labyrinth of Cinema is tremendously affecting, frequently beguiling, usually exhausting, and on, and on, and on. Rated: 4/4 Oct 20, 2021 Full Review Carson Timar Filmotomy Labyrinth of Cinema still serves as a justified sendoff for legendary director Nobuhiko Obayashi, even if it wont go down as his magnum opus. Feb 12, 2022 Full Review Kathy Fennessy Video Librarian Magazine Ôbayashi’s swan song proves that his passion, loopy sense of humor, and visual ingenuity remained fully intact until the end. Rated: 3/4 Feb 8, 2022 Full Review Robin Clifford Reeling Reviews "Labyrinth of Cinema" is good film for us movie buffs out there but it may be too long a slog for the average movie lover, especially because the octogenarian spends the last hour preaching his philosophy and political stance. Rated: B+ Jan 7, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Steve C A Japanese musical.... it's a labyrinth all right. I lost the plot... Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 08/21/24 Full Review Audience Member The final film by Nobuhiko Obayashi, Labyrinth of Cinema has the late director returning to the subject of Japan's history of warfare. If Obayashi had only made one movie — and that movie was House — he would still be celebrated. This film brings his career — and life — full circle to a small movie theater in the seaside town where Obayashi shot a dozen films in his early. years. During an all-night showing of war movies, lightning takes three men through a cinematic journey through Japan's history of war and the sixty years of his career. Shot and edited his final film while Obayashi was receiving cancer treatment, this film finds the artist recreating, commenting on and even making fun of Japan's warrior cinematic history. The boys are trying to rescue Noriko, who has tumbled into the screen. but that's just the story skeleton for Obayashi to hang his theme of cinema being at once a seducer and a source of empty promises. There's also a time traveler involved, frequent appearances of animation, remembrances of other directors and the title that reminds you out loud that this is a movie, not real, but a piece of filmed art to fall into yourself, explore and wonder about your place in the world, just as the creative genius that gave it birth did, staring at the end of his life. Somehow, this movie makes three hours feel like three minutes. Were that all experiences were this filled with promise, with joy and with inspiration that maybe we can all retain our artistic ideals like its creator. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/06/23 Full Review Read all reviews
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Movie Info

Synopsis Setouchi Kinema, the only movie theater on the Onomichi seafront, is about to close its doors. Its last night of existence will be an all-night marathon screening of Japanese war films. When lightning strikes the theater, three young men in the audience find themselves thrown back in time into the world inside the screen. The trio are thrust into the Boshin War, the Second Sino-Japanese War, the Battle of Okinawa and then finally Hiroshima on the eve of the atomic bombing. There, they meet the traveling theater troupe "Sakura-tai". But can they alter the course of destiny to save the troupe?
Director
Nobuhiko Ôbayashi
Producer
Nobuhiko Ôbayashi
Screenwriter
Nobuhiko Ôbayashi
Distributor
Crescendo House
Production Co
PSC
Genre
Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, War, Sci-Fi
Original Language
Japanese
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 20, 2021, Limited
Runtime
2h 59m
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
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