Rikyu (1989)
★ ★ ★ - Okay
A very zen film about striking the right tone. Rikyu is a master - THE master - of the tea ceremony. The film details his abilities like he's the lead from Perfume. You believe the excellence because the environment surrounding the drink has an air of unstressed perfection to it. This is contrasted by a warlord who is the storm to Rikyu's calm. The film is a bit black-and-white, but I liked the way it find the film's tonal balance in the contrast between the two men's personalities.
Zatôichi monogatari (1979)
★ ★
Excited that I was easily able to find the two episodes on YouTube, and subtitles to go with them. The lead actor is the same one from the lengthy film series. However, that only further points out the difference of watching the iconic character working in television. Smaller budget, no artistry to it. The stories themselves aren't bad, it's just that I was looking for some Teshigahara and this is work for hire.