Pursued by loan sharks, our nameless protagonist is rescued by a mysterious man in orange overalls, and spirited away to "The Town," where other dropouts hide out from debtors, abusive partners, or the police. It’s a perpetual holiday resort where every comfort (even sex) is catered to, but the arrival of a woman looking for her missing sister uncovers a sinister conspiracy.

Director Shinji Araki

Ambitious and compelling, this is one of the most politically astute Japanese films in years. The allegory of Japanese society is spot-on. From rules of enforced etiquette to transactional sex, this is a system that keeps its people docile and dependent on instant gratification. Channeling sci-fi dystopian classics like LOGAN’S RUN, 1984, and THE TRUMAN SHOW, the film is a potent mirror of our global malaise: internet bullying and surveillance, election interference, and terrorism. Shinji Araki, who previously worked with comic genius Matsumoto Hitoshi (BIG MAN JAPAN, SYMBOL), has directed a visionary, chilling yet beguiling thriller, with electrifying tension throughout. (Vancouver International Film Festival)