悪は存在しない (aka Evil Does Not Exist) (2024)

Set in a small rural Japanese village, a real estate developer purchases land with the intention of turning it into a tourist glamping (a portmanteau of glamour and camping) site. However, the local villagers object to the negative consequences the site will have on the environment. Written and directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi (DRIVE MY CAR). Hamaguchi's DRIVE MY CAR received critical attention and acclaim and the film earned him two Oscar nominations, best director and best picture. This movie, his follow up film, also earned him some critical acclaim but it slipped under the radar so to speak. It's a deceptively simple film with Hamaguchi taking a leisurely pace throughout till it reaches its shocking conclusion. The ambiguous ending is open to interpretation but it leaves a disturbing taste in one's cinematic mouth. Combining a political concern for environmental protection with a possible sociopath at the core of its storytelling, the film weaves a spellbinding web. With Hitoshi Omika, Ryuji Kosaka, Ayaka Shibutani and Ryo Nishikawa.