No matter how much he devotes to his sport, veteran boxer Urita remains in the blue corner – the domain of the underdog in the ring. Despite on a permanent losing streak, his meticulous analysis of fights benefits Ogawa, a gifted talent and champion hopeful, and Narasaki, a timid rookie, both gaining strength and confidence under his discipline. Punching his 30 years of boxing experience into the screenplay and the choreography of action sequences, director Yoshida Keisuke uppercuts a realistically crafted drama that underscores the passion, sacrifice and camaraderie in the world of combative sports.
Taratoa Stappard’s brooding debut feature plunges us into the dour moors of 1859 North Yorkshire, where the British Empire’s reach casts long and twisted shadows. Mary Stevens (Ariāna Osborne), a young Māori teacher from Aotearoa (New Zealand), arrives in search of family truths, only to find the man who summoned her already dead and no clear path home. Stranded in an unfamilia...