Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy

"Slight but satisfying (...) Audiences tend not to take well to coincidence in drama(...) In Hamaguchi’s hands, however, lucky (...) twists don’t feel so much like manipulation as a chance for the filmmaker to explore a series of intriguing scenarios" 

"Hamaguchi's intimate snapshots of middle-class angst are unusually humane by the standards of modern cinema, frequently invoking Eric Rohmer's warmly indulgent depictions of Parisian bourgeois ennui" 

"An alternately scathing, erotic, terrifying, and affirming fable of the primordial power of storytelling (...) Rating: ★★★½ (out of 4)" 

"The finished product is only greater than the sum of its parts because Hamaguchi understands that the best short fiction isn’t just a travel-sized version of something bigger." 

"It’s an overwhelming film, amongst the best of the year, and a beautiful reminder of all the lives being lived in spite of our oddly lifeless time." 

"As with any anthology series, some parts work better than others. But even when the quality dips slightly, we remain consistently intrigued (…) Rating: ★★★½ (out of 4)" 

"Womanhood is challenging to navigate as the pressures of life can be overwhelming. However, as the main characters mature and move on, they realize and verbalize how they feel about themselves and others –without judgment"