The Third Murder (2017)

This is something of a departure for Koreeda. Though there are some family dynamics here (father-son, father-daughter), they are not the focus of the movie. In fact, the introduction of some of these familial relations seem rather irrelevant. Instead this is a legal thriller. The themes raise grand questions about justice. The answers aren't apparent. But Koreeda does a good job at mystifying the truth. While the movie doesn't pack the same emotional punch as his family dramas, his writing is still careful and deliberate. And the mise en scene is still striking. I'm a fan of reflections in the glass.

Like Father, Like Son (2013)

This is another beautiful film from the Japanese master, but I feel like there is something missing. Unlike Still Walking and After the Storm, this movie is missing that moment when the emotion just overwhelms you and you don't quite know why.  That moment is not necessarily at the climax. It sneaks up on you quietly and delicately. That being said, this movie doesn't really have a climax. There is a runaway scene that almost hits a climax, but it doesn't quite get there. There is a scene when emotion finally hits the protagonist, but at that point it's too late. He has been so emotionless for so long that it doesn't make the viewer emotional.

The movie still has Koreeda's characteristic carefully crafted dialogue. He maybe does a little more telling than he typically does, usually letting the visuals speak for themselves.  He's typically a master of show-don't-tell. The movie is a switched-at-birth drama that asks if parents can love a child that is not theirs. The kids are so cute and so good.