It seems that the approach Nikkatsu has been implementing for the pinku film through her Roman Porno is creating ripples in the Japanese movie industry, with Toei also following suit, through the same, more sensitive to the times approach, that also focuses on women as much as on men. Haruhiko Arai has been another ‘champion' of the approach, as witnessed in his previous work, “It Feels So Good”. “A Spoiling Rain”, based on the Akutagawa Prize-winning 2000 novella “Hanakutasi” by Hisaki Matsuura, follows in the same footsteps, although the focus on the actual Japanese movie industry gives it a more personal sense, since Arai, as a scriptwriter, got his start as a screenwriter in Nikkatsu's Roman Porno.
A Spoiling Rain is screening at International Film Festival Rotterdam
Two bodies wash on a beach in the winter of 2012, in a lover's suicide involving actress Shoko Kirioka and director Kuwayama. It is left to Suichi Kutani,...
A Spoiling Rain is screening at International Film Festival Rotterdam
Two bodies wash on a beach in the winter of 2012, in a lover's suicide involving actress Shoko Kirioka and director Kuwayama. It is left to Suichi Kutani,...
- 1/29/2024
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Stars: Sôsuke Ikematsu, Shin’ya Tsukamoto, Minami Hamabe, Mirai Moriyama, Tasuku Emoto, Nanase Nishino | Written and Directed by Hideaki Anno
The third entry in the Shin Japan Heroes Universe, Shin Kamen Rider, steps away from the kaiju-oriented plots of Shin Godzilla and Shin Ultraman to let writer/director Hideaki Anno, the driving force behind the Shin project, reboot a character that dates back to 1971 and who has, over the years appeared in various incarnations spanning live action, anime, and manga forms.
Takeshi Hongo was a socially inept college student who only cared about his motorcycle until he was kidnapped by S.H.O.C.K.E.R., Sustainable Happiness Organization with Computational Knowledge Embedded Remodeling, and experimented on by Professor Midorikawa, played appropriately enough by Shin’ya Tsukamoto, the director of Tetsuo: The Iron Man and its sequels.
He fused Hongo’s DNA with that of a grasshopper giving him incredible strength,...
The third entry in the Shin Japan Heroes Universe, Shin Kamen Rider, steps away from the kaiju-oriented plots of Shin Godzilla and Shin Ultraman to let writer/director Hideaki Anno, the driving force behind the Shin project, reboot a character that dates back to 1971 and who has, over the years appeared in various incarnations spanning live action, anime, and manga forms.
Takeshi Hongo was a socially inept college student who only cared about his motorcycle until he was kidnapped by S.H.O.C.K.E.R., Sustainable Happiness Organization with Computational Knowledge Embedded Remodeling, and experimented on by Professor Midorikawa, played appropriately enough by Shin’ya Tsukamoto, the director of Tetsuo: The Iron Man and its sequels.
He fused Hongo’s DNA with that of a grasshopper giving him incredible strength,...
- 7/24/2023
- by Jim Morazzini
- Nerdly
The quality of Asian short films have been increasing exponentially during the last few years, with the necessity to cut down on production size due to Covid actually giving a number of directors the opportunity to shine in the format. Shorts Shorts Film Festival and Asia highlights the fact with an impressive selection for their 20th anniversary, with one of the dominant trends of this year having Japanese actors directing their own films, with Kengo Kora and Hiroshi Tamaki being two among a number. Our coverage of the festival includes a number of reviews and interviews, beginning with one with the director of Ssff & Asia, which sheds a very thorough light to a number of details regarding how the whole thing works.
Click on the titles for the full articles.
1. Amp Video Interviews: Shoko Takegasa
2. Short Film Review: Courier (2023) by Kengo Kora
To begin with, the thing the viewer will...
Click on the titles for the full articles.
1. Amp Video Interviews: Shoko Takegasa
2. Short Film Review: Courier (2023) by Kengo Kora
To begin with, the thing the viewer will...
- 6/27/2023
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
It seems that in this year's Short Shorts Film Festival and Asia, one of the motifs is famous actors shooting their debut short films, with Kengo Kora and Hiroshi Tamaki being two of the most prominent samples. The former has come up with “Courier”, a short that focuses on a bicycle courier in Tokyo.
Courier is screening at Short Shorts Film Festival and Asia
The said individuals is named Maru, and we follow his path through the streets of Tokyo during a day of his work. First, he goes to an office building, then he takes a break by visiting a cycle shop owner who is in a philosophical mood. A bit later, he goes to his usual joint to grab a bite, where he meets a colleague, Hide, who tells him of his plans to move out of Tokyo, now that his wife is expecting a child. Lastly, during the night,...
Courier is screening at Short Shorts Film Festival and Asia
The said individuals is named Maru, and we follow his path through the streets of Tokyo during a day of his work. First, he goes to an office building, then he takes a break by visiting a cycle shop owner who is in a philosophical mood. A bit later, he goes to his usual joint to grab a bite, where he meets a colleague, Hide, who tells him of his plans to move out of Tokyo, now that his wife is expecting a child. Lastly, during the night,...
- 6/15/2023
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Delivering one of the best monster movies of the past decade, Hideaki Anno’s 2016 Shin Godzilla outpaced any of Hollywood’s output with the creature as of late. After jumping back into animation with Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time, he’s returned to live-action, writing and producing Shin Ultraman, which got a brief U.S. release earlier this year. Now, he’s back in the director’s chair with Shin Kamen Rider.
First emerging as a television show 50 years ago this year, created by Shotaro Ishinomori, the series follows a superhuman, motorcycle-riding hero who battles villains. Recently released in Japan, while we await news of a U.S. release, a pair of thrilling new trailers have now arrived for the film starring Sosuke Ikematsu, Minami Hamabe, Tasuku Emoto, Nanase Nishino, Shinya Tsukamoto, Toru Tezuka, Suzuki Matsuo, and Mirai Moriyama.
See the new trailers and poster below via First Showing.
The...
First emerging as a television show 50 years ago this year, created by Shotaro Ishinomori, the series follows a superhuman, motorcycle-riding hero who battles villains. Recently released in Japan, while we await news of a U.S. release, a pair of thrilling new trailers have now arrived for the film starring Sosuke Ikematsu, Minami Hamabe, Tasuku Emoto, Nanase Nishino, Shinya Tsukamoto, Toru Tezuka, Suzuki Matsuo, and Mirai Moriyama.
See the new trailers and poster below via First Showing.
The...
- 3/24/2023
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
The Japan Academy Film Prize Association held the 46th edition of its awards ceremony on March 10, 2023. The nominees are selected by industry professionals from the pool of film releases between January 1 and December 31, 2022 which must have screened in Tokyo cinemas. Award categories are modelled after Hollywood's Academy Awards®.
Following its success at the recent Blue Ribbon Awards, and leading with 13 nominations in 12 categories, Kei Ishikawa's “A Man” walks away with 8 Japan Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress. The full list of winners is described below.
Picture of the Year
A Man
Shin Ultraman
Phases of the Moon
Anime Supremacy!
Wandering
Team from A Man Animation of the Year
Inu-Oh
Lonely Castle in the Mirror
Suzume
One Piece Film Red
The First Slam Dunk
Director of the Year
Kei Ishikawa – A Man
Takashi Koizumi – The Pass: Last...
Following its success at the recent Blue Ribbon Awards, and leading with 13 nominations in 12 categories, Kei Ishikawa's “A Man” walks away with 8 Japan Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress. The full list of winners is described below.
Picture of the Year
A Man
Shin Ultraman
Phases of the Moon
Anime Supremacy!
Wandering
Team from A Man Animation of the Year
Inu-Oh
Lonely Castle in the Mirror
Suzume
One Piece Film Red
The First Slam Dunk
Director of the Year
Kei Ishikawa – A Man
Takashi Koizumi – The Pass: Last...
- 3/15/2023
- by Suzie Cho
- AsianMoviePulse
"Kamen Rider" is a new Japanese live-action superhero film written and directed by Hideaki Anno, scheduled for release March 18, 2023:
"...college student, motorcycle enthusiast 'Takeshi Hongo' is abducted by the evil group 'Sustainable Happiness Organization with Computational Knowledge Embedded Remodeling', aka 'S.H.O.C.K.E.R.' and converted into the cyborg 'Batta Augment-01' as part of their plans for world domination.
"But before they can brainwash him to do their bidding, he escapes and uses his new enhanced abilities, renaming himself 'Kamen Rider', to wage a one-man war..."
Cast includes Sosuke Ikematsu as 'Takeshi Hongo', Minami Hamabe as 'Ruriko Midorikawa', Tasuku Emoto as 'Hayato Ichimonji', Shinya Tsukamoto, Toru Tezuka and Suzuki Matsuo.
Click the images to enlarge...
"...college student, motorcycle enthusiast 'Takeshi Hongo' is abducted by the evil group 'Sustainable Happiness Organization with Computational Knowledge Embedded Remodeling', aka 'S.H.O.C.K.E.R.' and converted into the cyborg 'Batta Augment-01' as part of their plans for world domination.
"But before they can brainwash him to do their bidding, he escapes and uses his new enhanced abilities, renaming himself 'Kamen Rider', to wage a one-man war..."
Cast includes Sosuke Ikematsu as 'Takeshi Hongo', Minami Hamabe as 'Ruriko Midorikawa', Tasuku Emoto as 'Hayato Ichimonji', Shinya Tsukamoto, Toru Tezuka and Suzuki Matsuo.
Click the images to enlarge...
- 2/11/2023
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
In the early days of the Academy’s animated feature Oscar, there were questions as to whether enough films would qualify each year for the award to be given. Not anymore! This year sees a record number of contenders across a wide variety of genres, styles and audiences, from serious, adult-targeted films (like “Charlotte” and “Eternal Spring”) to boffo offerings from Hollywood’s top toon studios — and that doesn’t even count such anime franchise sensations as “One Piece Film: Red” and “Jujutsu Kaisen 0,” which didn’t submit but further illustrate the vitality of the form.
Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood
Director: Richard Linklater
Voices: Glen Powell, Zachary Levi, Jack Black
Studios: Minnow Mountain, Submarine, Detour Filmproduction
Distributor: Netflix
A time capsule made possible through a sophisticated blend of 2D, 3D and rotoscope techniques, allows the “Boyhood” director to revive the style of “Waking Life” and his own 1960s Texas boyhood.
Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood
Director: Richard Linklater
Voices: Glen Powell, Zachary Levi, Jack Black
Studios: Minnow Mountain, Submarine, Detour Filmproduction
Distributor: Netflix
A time capsule made possible through a sophisticated blend of 2D, 3D and rotoscope techniques, allows the “Boyhood” director to revive the style of “Waking Life” and his own 1960s Texas boyhood.
- 12/6/2022
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
"Kamen Rider" is a new Japanese live-action superhero film written and directed by Hideaki Anno, scheduled for release March 2023:
"...college student, motorcycle enthusiast 'Takeshi Hongo' is abducted by the evil group 'Sustainable Happiness Organization with Computational Knowledge Embedded Remodeling', aka 'S.H.O.C.K.E.R.' and converted into the cyborg 'Batta Augment-01' as part of their plans for world domination.
"But before they can brainwash him to do their bidding, he escapes and uses his new enhanced abilities, renaming himself 'Kamen Rider', to wage a one-man war..."
Cast includes Sosuke Ikematsu as 'Takeshi Hongo', Minami Hamabe as 'Ruriko Midorikawa', Tasuku Emoto as 'Hayato Ichimonji', Shinya Tsukamoto, Toru Tezuka and Suzuki Matsuo.
Click the images to enlarge...
"...college student, motorcycle enthusiast 'Takeshi Hongo' is abducted by the evil group 'Sustainable Happiness Organization with Computational Knowledge Embedded Remodeling', aka 'S.H.O.C.K.E.R.' and converted into the cyborg 'Batta Augment-01' as part of their plans for world domination.
"But before they can brainwash him to do their bidding, he escapes and uses his new enhanced abilities, renaming himself 'Kamen Rider', to wage a one-man war..."
Cast includes Sosuke Ikematsu as 'Takeshi Hongo', Minami Hamabe as 'Ruriko Midorikawa', Tasuku Emoto as 'Hayato Ichimonji', Shinya Tsukamoto, Toru Tezuka and Suzuki Matsuo.
Click the images to enlarge...
- 12/5/2022
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
Sisyphean is the ennui rampantly in situ within the modern life architecture. A void of degradation, of scintillating deception, its barbaric psychosis does not so much ensnare its occupants as it does digest their capacity to exist outside its sphere of influence. Out of its relentlessly turning cogs emerge identical faces, diluted and filtered to resemble mirror images of a central unifying idea – a world long prophesied and dreaded within the arts. Out of this humdrum existence, it only takes a spark to ignite the incendiary desires of a nihilistic teen longing for purpose – just a few millimetres of alcohol waiting for a cigarette to meet its inevitable, timely demise can, in the eyes of Ken Ninomiya’s mesmerizing “The Midnight Maiden War”, tilt the balance off its axis and verge towards chaos.
The Midnight Maiden War screened at Camera Japan
A listless student by day and a laborer at a flower warehouse by night,...
The Midnight Maiden War screened at Camera Japan
A listless student by day and a laborer at a flower warehouse by night,...
- 10/7/2022
- by James Cansdale-Cook
- AsianMoviePulse
Director Masaaki Yuasa and screenwriter Akiko Nogi’s adaptation of Hideo Furukawa’s novel The Tale of the Heike: The Inu-oh Chapters finishes with a couple screens of text describing its titular Noh performer’s final years of success, despite his name being all but forgotten in comparison to the shōgun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu’s personal favorite. It’s why these three have brought the story of Inu-oh to life—to ensure his name, and that of his friend Tomona from Dan-no-ura, a blind biwa-playing priest, won’t disappear again. What better way to do so than a 14th-century anachronistic rock opera set during Japan’s Muromachi period, courtesy two cursed men who dare give voice to the voiceless and subsequently free themselves from the chains that society uses to bind them?
Though the characters exist 600 years in the past, their story begins about 300 years earlier during a war between the Genji and Heike.
Though the characters exist 600 years in the past, their story begins about 300 years earlier during a war between the Genji and Heike.
- 7/31/2022
- by Jared Mobarak
- The Film Stage
Although its characters get drunk all the time, “And Your Bird Can Sing” is as sober as it gets. Captured in the triviality of everyday life in northern Japan, Sho Miyake presents a lackluster love drama based on a novel by Yasushi Sato.
“And Your Bird Can Sing” is streaming on Sakka Films
A nameless book dealer played by Tasuku Emoto (“Air Doll” 2009) falls in love with his coworker, Sachiko. His roommate, Shizuo, also has interest in her. Normally, a perfect base for conflict. But somehow Miyake misses to build up the tension. I don’t blame the actors. Shota Sometani (“Parasyte” 2014) as Shizuo and Shizuka Ishibashi (“Nights Tightrope” 2016) as Sachiko are doing their best. Natural acting, becoming one with the camera and creating harmony on screen. Unfortunately, this does not help the pace of the film, who fails to arouse the interest of the viewer.
“And Your Bird Can Sing” is too long.
“And Your Bird Can Sing” is streaming on Sakka Films
A nameless book dealer played by Tasuku Emoto (“Air Doll” 2009) falls in love with his coworker, Sachiko. His roommate, Shizuo, also has interest in her. Normally, a perfect base for conflict. But somehow Miyake misses to build up the tension. I don’t blame the actors. Shota Sometani (“Parasyte” 2014) as Shizuo and Shizuka Ishibashi (“Nights Tightrope” 2016) as Sachiko are doing their best. Natural acting, becoming one with the camera and creating harmony on screen. Unfortunately, this does not help the pace of the film, who fails to arouse the interest of the viewer.
“And Your Bird Can Sing” is too long.
- 6/28/2022
- by Alexander Knoth
- AsianMoviePulse
Takahiro Horie started his career in the movie industry as an assistant director and writer, before making his feature debut on 2015, with “Hurt”. In 2021, he directed 3 episodes for the TV series Takane no Hana-san. “Sensei, Would You Sit Beside Me?” is his latest feature.
On the occasion of “Sensei, Would You Sit Beside Me?” screening at New York Asian Film Festival, we speak with him about the unusual story of the film, Haru Kuroki and Tasuku Emoto, manga and live-action adaptations, and other topics
Translation by Koichi Mori
The storyline of “Sensei, Would You Sit Beside Me?“ depicts an unusual couple’s therapy. How did you come up with the idea for the script?
It started out as an attempt to portray a story of a wife who commits adultery as revenge against her husband, who cheated on her first. However, I felt that if the husband and wife directly clashed with each other,...
On the occasion of “Sensei, Would You Sit Beside Me?” screening at New York Asian Film Festival, we speak with him about the unusual story of the film, Haru Kuroki and Tasuku Emoto, manga and live-action adaptations, and other topics
Translation by Koichi Mori
The storyline of “Sensei, Would You Sit Beside Me?“ depicts an unusual couple’s therapy. How did you come up with the idea for the script?
It started out as an attempt to portray a story of a wife who commits adultery as revenge against her husband, who cheated on her first. However, I felt that if the husband and wife directly clashed with each other,...
- 8/18/2021
- by Alexander Knoth
- AsianMoviePulse
Sawako and Toshio are a manga artist power couple. When Sawako’s mother is in need of help, they have to relocate and things start to change. In the new environment, the women’s imagination is sparked by a driving instructor, who does not only liberates her from driving phobia, but also from her frail relationship.
“Sensei, Would You Sit Beside Me?” is screening at New York Asian Film Festival
Takahiro Horie’s (“Hurt” 2016) second feature film is part of the Tsutaya Creators’ Program and features Haru Kuroki (“A Bride For Rip van Winkle” 2016) and Tasuku Emoto (“And Your Bird Can Sing” 2018) as the lead actors. Both are prominent faces of the current Japanese cinema and always a secure choice when it comes to realistic drama. The screen presence of the couple is one of the more positive aspects of the film, though.
“Sensei, Would You Sit Beside Me?” begins...
“Sensei, Would You Sit Beside Me?” is screening at New York Asian Film Festival
Takahiro Horie’s (“Hurt” 2016) second feature film is part of the Tsutaya Creators’ Program and features Haru Kuroki (“A Bride For Rip van Winkle” 2016) and Tasuku Emoto (“And Your Bird Can Sing” 2018) as the lead actors. Both are prominent faces of the current Japanese cinema and always a secure choice when it comes to realistic drama. The screen presence of the couple is one of the more positive aspects of the film, though.
“Sensei, Would You Sit Beside Me?” begins...
- 8/17/2021
- by Alexander Knoth
- AsianMoviePulse
The New York Asian Film Foundation and Film at Lincoln Center are delighted to unveil further highlights of the 2021 New York Asian Film Festival (Nyaff), including the Opening film, lifetime award honorees, the competition lineup, the inaugural Asian American Focus and additional films. The Festival will screen over 60 films, both virtually and in person, to audiences in New York and across the country from August 6 – 22, 2021.
Nyaff’s 20th edition will kick off at Film at Lincoln Center on August 6 with the in-person international premiere of Ryoo Seung-wan’s tense action thriller “Escape from Mogadishu,” starring Kim Yoon-seok (Nyaff Star Asia winner 2018) and Zo In-sung. The film is dramatically constructed based on real events that took place in 1991 at the onset of the Somali Civil War, and depicts the perilous escape attempted by North and South Korean embassy workers who were stranded during the conflict. (Well Go USA is releasing the...
Nyaff’s 20th edition will kick off at Film at Lincoln Center on August 6 with the in-person international premiere of Ryoo Seung-wan’s tense action thriller “Escape from Mogadishu,” starring Kim Yoon-seok (Nyaff Star Asia winner 2018) and Zo In-sung. The film is dramatically constructed based on real events that took place in 1991 at the onset of the Somali Civil War, and depicts the perilous escape attempted by North and South Korean embassy workers who were stranded during the conflict. (Well Go USA is releasing the...
- 7/18/2021
- by Grace Han
- AsianMoviePulse
The New York Asian Film Foundation and Film at Lincoln Center will unspool the 2021 edition Aug. 6-22 at Flc, kicking off with the premiere of “Escape From Mogadishu,” directed by Ryoo Seung-wa.
In all, 60 films will screen to audiences in person and virtually, with premieres of first and second features from directors for the feature film competition: “Anima”, “City of Lost Things”, “Hand Rolled Cigarette”, “Joint”, “Ten Months” and “Tiong Bahru Social Club”.
Hong Kong new wave director Ann Hui will receive the Variety Star Asia Lifetime Achievement Award, and the festival will screen her film “The Story of Woo Viet” and Man Lim Chung’s pic on Hui, “Keep Rolling.”
The festival will introduce the section Asian American Focus, which will feature films including Aimee Long’s “A Shot Through the Wall.” The team behind the film will be present at the festival.
“Sensei, Would You Sit Beside Me?...
In all, 60 films will screen to audiences in person and virtually, with premieres of first and second features from directors for the feature film competition: “Anima”, “City of Lost Things”, “Hand Rolled Cigarette”, “Joint”, “Ten Months” and “Tiong Bahru Social Club”.
Hong Kong new wave director Ann Hui will receive the Variety Star Asia Lifetime Achievement Award, and the festival will screen her film “The Story of Woo Viet” and Man Lim Chung’s pic on Hui, “Keep Rolling.”
The festival will introduce the section Asian American Focus, which will feature films including Aimee Long’s “A Shot Through the Wall.” The team behind the film will be present at the festival.
“Sensei, Would You Sit Beside Me?...
- 7/16/2021
- by Shalini Dore
- Variety Film + TV
As the film begins with an action scene filled with visual effects, explosions and war in all its cinematic glory, one would think that this was going to be another war drama about the loss the Japanese suffered in WWII, much like one of Takashi Yamazaki’s previous works, the multi-awarded “The Fighter Pilot”. However, as soon as the second scene depicts a heated argument among the people in charge of the Japanese navy in 1933, regarding the type of the vessel they should build, it becomes evident that the based on Norifusa Mita’s manga film is a whole different kind of movie.
On the one hand, Shigetaro Shizuma and mechanic Tadamichi Hirayama insist on building a huge battleship that will boast the glory of Nippon and elevate morale among the troops and the population. On the other, Isoroku Yamamoto and Osami Nagano insist that a fighter...
On the one hand, Shigetaro Shizuma and mechanic Tadamichi Hirayama insist on building a huge battleship that will boast the glory of Nippon and elevate morale among the troops and the population. On the other, Isoroku Yamamoto and Osami Nagano insist that a fighter...
- 6/2/2021
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Although the name Kiyoshi Kurosawa has become synonymous for the early days of J-horror as well as effective thrillers such as “Creepy”, the director is also known to experiment within genres, finding new ways of storytelling and visualizing a world. One of those cinematic experiments may also be “Beautiful New Bay Area Project”, a short feature commissioned by the Hong Kong International Film Festival and which screened at international festivals such as the 13th edition of the New York Asian Film Festival. Currently streaming on Mubi, it blends elements of drama and martial arts with an additional comment about the mentality of certain corporations changing the landscape of a city.
“Beautiful New Bay Area Project” is now streaming on Mubi
Upon inspecting a wharf where his company plans a new project commissioned by the city, company president Amano (Tasuku Emoto) observes a group of workers, among them Takako (Mao Mita...
“Beautiful New Bay Area Project” is now streaming on Mubi
Upon inspecting a wharf where his company plans a new project commissioned by the city, company president Amano (Tasuku Emoto) observes a group of workers, among them Takako (Mao Mita...
- 2/17/2021
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
“Lovers on Borders” is the first-ever co-production among Japan, Portugal and USA, and its 132-minute version has already screened in Portugal, Japan and Sao Paulo Film Festival in 2018. Atsushi Funahashi recently created an international version trimmed down to 123 minutes, which deals with a number of sociopolitical issues through a story of revenge that takes place in two different periods.
The first axis takes place in Japan in 2021, just after the Olympics and ten years after the after the Fukushima catastrophe. Shiro is a Brazilian-Japanese musician who works in a factory in Japan and dreams of opening his own shop of selling guitars. Along with his girlfriend, Mariana, which he met while in Portugal, they also perform fado songs, live in a club. Shiro is pretty close to securing a loan from a bank to open his shop, right around the time when the financial issues Japan faced after the disaster result in many layoffs,...
The first axis takes place in Japan in 2021, just after the Olympics and ten years after the after the Fukushima catastrophe. Shiro is a Brazilian-Japanese musician who works in a factory in Japan and dreams of opening his own shop of selling guitars. Along with his girlfriend, Mariana, which he met while in Portugal, they also perform fado songs, live in a club. Shiro is pretty close to securing a loan from a bank to open his shop, right around the time when the financial issues Japan faced after the disaster result in many layoffs,...
- 10/3/2020
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Haruhiko Arai (recently portrayed by Kisetsu Fujiwara in “Dare to Stop Us“) has always been a somewhat controversial personality in his more than 40 years in the movie industry, although his prowess in script writing is undeniable. One of the elements that make his work stand out, is that he is one of the few Japanese artists who uses explicit sex in organic fashion in his movies, not mainly to titillate, but as part of the overall narrative, with films like “Vibrator” and “Kabukicho Love Hotel” highlighting this trait in the best fashion. This approach is also obvious in his third (fourth if you count a co-director credit in “Gushing Prayer“) directorial effort which netted him awards from Kinema Junpo and Yokohama Film Festival.
It Feels so Good is screening at Camera Japan
Akita and Naoko are cousins but also used to be lovers some time ago. Since then, however, their...
It Feels so Good is screening at Camera Japan
Akita and Naoko are cousins but also used to be lovers some time ago. Since then, however, their...
- 9/24/2020
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Although its characters get drunk all the time, “And Your Bird Can Sing” is as sober as it gets. Captured in the triviality of everyday life in northern Japan, Sho Miyake presents a lackluster love drama based on a novel by Yasushi Sato.
“And Your Bird Can Sing” is screening at Five Flavours Asian Film Festival
A nameless book dealer played by Tasuku Emoto (“Air Doll” 2009) falls in love with his coworker, Sachiko. His roommate, Shizuo, also has interest in her. Normally, a perfect base for conflict. But somehow Miyake misses to build up the tension. I don’t blame the actors. Shota Sometani (“Parasyte” 2014) as Shizuo and Shizuka Ishibashi (“Nights Tightrope” 2016) as Sachiko are doing their best. Natural acting, becoming one with the camera and creating harmony on screen. Unfortunately, this does not help the pace of the film, who fails to arouse the interest of the viewer.
“And...
“And Your Bird Can Sing” is screening at Five Flavours Asian Film Festival
A nameless book dealer played by Tasuku Emoto (“Air Doll” 2009) falls in love with his coworker, Sachiko. His roommate, Shizuo, also has interest in her. Normally, a perfect base for conflict. But somehow Miyake misses to build up the tension. I don’t blame the actors. Shota Sometani (“Parasyte” 2014) as Shizuo and Shizuka Ishibashi (“Nights Tightrope” 2016) as Sachiko are doing their best. Natural acting, becoming one with the camera and creating harmony on screen. Unfortunately, this does not help the pace of the film, who fails to arouse the interest of the viewer.
“And...
- 11/18/2019
- by Alexander Knoth
- AsianMoviePulse
Although its characters get drunk all the time, “And Your Bird Can Sing” is as sober as it gets. Captured in the triviality of everyday life in northern Japan, Sho Miyake presents a lackluster love drama based on a novel by Yasushi Sato.
“And Your Birds Can Sing” is screening at Berlin Film Festival
A nameless book dealer played by Tasuku Emoto (“Air Doll” 2009) falls in love with his coworker, Sachiko. His roommate, Shizuo, also has interest in her. Normally, a perfect base for conflict. But somehow Miyake misses to build up the tension. I don’t blame the actors. Shota Sometani (“Parasyte” 2014) as Shizuo and Shizuka Ishibashi (“Nights Tightrope” 2016) as Sachiko are doing their best. Natural acting, becoming one with the camera and creating harmony on screen. Unfortunately, this does not help the pace of the film, who fails to arouse the interest of the viewer.
“And Your Bird Can Sing” is too long.
“And Your Birds Can Sing” is screening at Berlin Film Festival
A nameless book dealer played by Tasuku Emoto (“Air Doll” 2009) falls in love with his coworker, Sachiko. His roommate, Shizuo, also has interest in her. Normally, a perfect base for conflict. But somehow Miyake misses to build up the tension. I don’t blame the actors. Shota Sometani (“Parasyte” 2014) as Shizuo and Shizuka Ishibashi (“Nights Tightrope” 2016) as Sachiko are doing their best. Natural acting, becoming one with the camera and creating harmony on screen. Unfortunately, this does not help the pace of the film, who fails to arouse the interest of the viewer.
“And Your Bird Can Sing” is too long.
- 2/9/2019
- by Alexander Knoth
- AsianMoviePulse
Sho Miyake – directed his first feature, ‘Good for nothing’ in 2010. His ‘Playback’ debuted in competition at the 2012 Locarno International Film Festival and won him several directing awards in Japan. The ‘Cockpit’ premiered at the Cinéma du Réel documentary festival. He also directed TV dramas and video artwork. His new film ‘Wild Tour’ will be released in 2019.
Tasuku Emoto – actor who is from a family of prolific and well-respected character actors. His father is actor Akira Emoto, his mother is actress Kazue Tsunogae, his younger brother is actor Tokio Emoto, and his wife is actress Sakura Ando. He began acting as a young teenager and has since played many supporting roles and starred in a wide range of TV dramas and feature films. He was born in Tokyo on 1986 and attended Wako High School. His career began in 2001 while he was still a student. That year he auditioned for and won...
Tasuku Emoto – actor who is from a family of prolific and well-respected character actors. His father is actor Akira Emoto, his mother is actress Kazue Tsunogae, his younger brother is actor Tokio Emoto, and his wife is actress Sakura Ando. He began acting as a young teenager and has since played many supporting roles and starred in a wide range of TV dramas and feature films. He was born in Tokyo on 1986 and attended Wako High School. His career began in 2001 while he was still a student. That year he auditioned for and won...
- 11/30/2018
- by Nikodem Karolak
- AsianMoviePulse
The Japanese films in this year’s edition of the New York Asian Film Festival are typically eclectic and mostly accomplished, ranging from fresh takes on period films, dark and often disturbing depictions of high school life, to bold takes on genre films. In this fest dispatch, I consider a few notable selections. ----- "Art is an explosion." This is the faux-profound and mockingly pretentious mantra repeated in voiceover by Akira Suei (Tasuku Emoto), the subject of Nyaff opener Dynamite Graffiti,(top), Masanori Tominaga's lengthy biopic of Suei, the notorious porn-mag publisher whose publications - with such innocuous titles as Weekend Super, New Self, and Photo Age - were ubiquitous...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 7/11/2018
- Screen Anarchy
Masanori Tominaga, known from his documentary “The Echo of Astro Boy’s Footsteps” (2011) about Matsuo Ohno and narratives like “Pandora’s Box” (2009), which was based on a story written by Osamu Dazai, returns to the silver screen with a biopic about Akira Suei, Japan’s famous erotic-magazine editor. Even though the erotic images – including the work of Nobuyoshi Araki – were the main attraction of New Self, Weekend Super, and Shashin Jidai, these magazines also featured articles about various underground cultural phenomena and the work of distinguished writers like Genpei Akasegawa and Shigesato Itio. Now, With Tominaga’s adaptation of Suei’s biographical essay “Suteki na Dainamaito Sukyandaru” (1982), we finally get a chance to explore the life of one of the most controversial editors of the eighties.
Dynamite Graffity is screening at the 17th New York Asian Film Festival
It took only one explosion to radically change the subjective trajectory of...
Dynamite Graffity is screening at the 17th New York Asian Film Festival
It took only one explosion to radically change the subjective trajectory of...
- 7/1/2018
- by Pieter-Jan Van Haecke
- AsianMoviePulse
Film production and sales company T.O Entertainment has posted a trailer for Ryuichi Hiroki’s Bokura wa Aruku, Tada Soredake on YouTube in preparation for its upcoming R2-j DVD release on May 25, 2012.
The movie itself is actually a few years old, but hasn’t gotten much attention aside from a few smaller festival screenings including the 35th Yufuin Film Festival in 2010 and the Okuradashi Film Festival in October 2011. Okuradashi is a festival reserved strictly for unreleased movies.
Hiroki was reportedly inspired to write and direct this when he saw the band Spank Page perform their single “ame~rainsong~” at a live show in 2009.
Sakura Ando (Love Exposure) stars as a young woman named Miyuki who returns to her hometown, camera in hand, after a difficult breakup. As she walks and takes photographs, she meets a variety of people and begins to realize she doesn’t have to go...
The movie itself is actually a few years old, but hasn’t gotten much attention aside from a few smaller festival screenings including the 35th Yufuin Film Festival in 2010 and the Okuradashi Film Festival in October 2011. Okuradashi is a festival reserved strictly for unreleased movies.
Hiroki was reportedly inspired to write and direct this when he saw the band Spank Page perform their single “ame~rainsong~” at a live show in 2009.
Sakura Ando (Love Exposure) stars as a young woman named Miyuki who returns to her hometown, camera in hand, after a difficult breakup. As she walks and takes photographs, she meets a variety of people and begins to realize she doesn’t have to go...
- 3/15/2012
- Nippon Cinema
28-year-old actor Osamu Mukai will get his first lead film role in Kenta Fukasaku’s Bokutachi wa Sekai wo Kaeru Koto ga Dekinai.
The film is based on a self-published novel by 26-year-old Kota Hada in which he relayed his experiences helping to fund and build a school in Cambodia with some classmates from Nippon Medical School. The students learned that 1,500,000 yen could pay for a 5-classroom school in rural Cambodia, so they traveled there and began volunteering in an area still scarred by civil war.
Mukai will play Hada; his castmates include Tori Matsuzaka (22), Eri Murakawa (23), Tasuku Emoto (22), and Masataka Kubota (22).
Filming began in Tokyo early this week and the production will move on to Cambodia in mid-November. A theatrical release is slated for fall 2011.
Sources: Tokyograph, Sankei Sports...
The film is based on a self-published novel by 26-year-old Kota Hada in which he relayed his experiences helping to fund and build a school in Cambodia with some classmates from Nippon Medical School. The students learned that 1,500,000 yen could pay for a 5-classroom school in rural Cambodia, so they traveled there and began volunteering in an area still scarred by civil war.
Mukai will play Hada; his castmates include Tori Matsuzaka (22), Eri Murakawa (23), Tasuku Emoto (22), and Masataka Kubota (22).
Filming began in Tokyo early this week and the production will move on to Cambodia in mid-November. A theatrical release is slated for fall 2011.
Sources: Tokyograph, Sankei Sports...
- 10/22/2010
- Nippon Cinema
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