This is the second in a series of lists I am publishing to provide a concise and engaging overview of the movies of different cultures/countries. I want to make clear that the purpose of this list is NOT to list the 50 best Japanese movies. Rather, it is to provide what I consider a good overview, summary or cross-section of a culture's movies. For these lists, I have a framework that I am working within which is as follows:
1) the movies should reflect the different periods of the course of movies over time, from the earliest movies to the most recent;
2) only TWO movies by the same director or with the same lead actor/actress are allowed;
3) the movies must cover all major genres (drama, thriller, comedy, romance, horror, science fiction);
4) the movies should reflect all aspects of a culture/country as much as possible; and
5) where possible, a few 'popular' movies, such as 'less-artistic' action or comedy movies, should be included.
I hope people enjoy these as much as I have.
