A mother demands answers from her son's teacher when her son begins acting strangely.

Director / Cyfarwyddwr: Kore-eda Hirokazu
Writer / Ysgrifennwr: Yûji Sakamoto
Cast: Sakura Andô, Eita Nagayama, Soya Kurokawa
2023Japan127 mins12A

Review: “The stretch of time that unfurls in the sublime Japanese drama “Monster” begins with a fire and ends during a monsoon. These elemental disasters, and a fragile cluster of events that fall between them, are viewed from the perspectives of three characters entwined in a messy struggle for understanding: a boy, a mother and a teacher… Lovingly detailed and accented by an aching score from Ryuichi Sakamoto, who died in March [2023], “Monster” is one of the finest films of the year, and its structure — like its circle of characters — carries secrets that can only be unraveled through patience and empathy. Put a different way: It’s easy to call someone a monster before you squelch a muddy mile in their shoes.” Natalia Winkelman, New York Times