"For the sake of your family, it's time to go back to being a ninja." A whole house of ninjas?! Now just one or two or three, but an entire house of them in one series. Awesome. Netflix has revealed the main official trailer for House of Ninjas, an upcoming action thriller series arriving for streaming on Netflix next week. If this is your jam, it's out to watch very soon! Not too long of a wait. Ninjas have fascinated the world with their mysterious and fearsome physical abilities... but what if they were still hiding in modern Japan? Watch an all-original story about the last ninja family — one that abandoned its identity following a past mission — facing a crisis that shakes the nation. This Japanese production from Toho & Netflix stars Kento Kaku as Haru, Yôsuke Eguchi as Souichi, Tae Kimura as Yoko, with Kengo Kôra as Gaku, Aju Makita,...
- 2/7/2024
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Ryuhei Kitamura has had a rather interesting career. Starting with some of the cult titles of the 00s, including “Versus”, “Azumi” and “LoveDeath”, he then shot a Godzilla and a “Lupin The Third” film, then he moved to Hollywood to shoot films with Ruby Rose and Jean Reno among others, and now he is back with “Three Sisters of Tenmasou”, a manga adaptation that shows his most sensitive side as of now.
Three Sisters of Tenmasou is screening at Japan Cuts
The particular manga is “Tenmasou no Sanshimai: Sky High” by Tsutomu Takahashi (published from 2013 to 2014 by Young Jump Comics) and revolves around the said inn, a quaint out-of-time place in the small port town of Mitsuse. The establishment functions as a stopping point for people on the verge of death to decide if they want to return to the world of the living, where they are in a coma from an accident or illness,...
Three Sisters of Tenmasou is screening at Japan Cuts
The particular manga is “Tenmasou no Sanshimai: Sky High” by Tsutomu Takahashi (published from 2013 to 2014 by Young Jump Comics) and revolves around the said inn, a quaint out-of-time place in the small port town of Mitsuse. The establishment functions as a stopping point for people on the verge of death to decide if they want to return to the world of the living, where they are in a coma from an accident or illness,...
- 7/31/2023
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
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
The story begins with an unexpected encounter on a rainy day…
Chisa Sakaki, a 26-year-old, has closed her heart due to a past event and spends her days in an indifferent manner. She has promised herself that she will never fall in love, but something changes in her that starts the clock ticking again… (Source: Japanese Film Database)
Directed by Tetsu Maeda (Do Unto Others) based on the manga by Rettou Tajima (published from August 2018 to July 2020) and screenplay adaptation by Satomi Oshima, this movie stars Suzu Hirose, Riku Onishi and Kengo Kora. It was released in Japan on June 9, 2023.
Chisa Sakaki, a 26-year-old, has closed her heart due to a past event and spends her days in an indifferent manner. She has promised herself that she will never fall in love, but something changes in her that starts the clock ticking again… (Source: Japanese Film Database)
Directed by Tetsu Maeda (Do Unto Others) based on the manga by Rettou Tajima (published from August 2018 to July 2020) and screenplay adaptation by Satomi Oshima, this movie stars Suzu Hirose, Riku Onishi and Kengo Kora. It was released in Japan on June 9, 2023.
- 6/23/2023
- by Suzie Cho
- AsianMoviePulse
Hiroshi Tamaki is another actor that has recently turned director, as in the case of Kengo Kora. His own short has boxing as its main premise, but essentially deals with the concept of the self through a rather philosophical approach.
Count 100 is screening at Short Shorts Film Festival and Asia
Kago is a professional boxer that made it to the top, becoming the Japanese lightweight champion two years ago. Shortly after, however, he was defeated, and he never managed to bounce back from the loss. Currently he can barely box, while his girlfriend, who followed him to the city they live now to support his boxing career, is completely fed up with him. Beaten both metaphorically and literally, Kago receives a leaflet by a stranger on the street and decides to check it out, only to find himself facing a creature that soon assumes his own appearance, and promises to make his life better,...
Count 100 is screening at Short Shorts Film Festival and Asia
Kago is a professional boxer that made it to the top, becoming the Japanese lightweight champion two years ago. Shortly after, however, he was defeated, and he never managed to bounce back from the loss. Currently he can barely box, while his girlfriend, who followed him to the city they live now to support his boxing career, is completely fed up with him. Beaten both metaphorically and literally, Kago receives a leaflet by a stranger on the street and decides to check it out, only to find himself facing a creature that soon assumes his own appearance, and promises to make his life better,...
- 6/17/2023
- 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
Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia (Ssff & Asia) 2023, one of the largest international short film festivals in Asia and accredited by the US Academy Awards® announced on April 27 on the festival’s official website the nominated films and special screening films.
Beginning with the opening ceremony on June 6 (Tuesday), this year’s film festival will be held at multiple venues in Tokyo until the award ceremony on June 26 (Monday). The online venue will open on April 27 (Thursday), where you can enjoy selected short films from all over the country until July 10 (Monday).
◆ Announcement of about 200 nominations selected from 5,215 works gathered from 120 countries and regions around the world
In the Japan section of the official competition leading to the Academy Awards® nomination, short films featuring actors turned directors Kengo Kora, Tao Tsuchiya, Taishi Nakagawa, Mansai Nomura, Hiroshi Tamaki and Eita Nagayama are among the nominees.
◆ Japan premieres and special screenings
Chris Rock...
Beginning with the opening ceremony on June 6 (Tuesday), this year’s film festival will be held at multiple venues in Tokyo until the award ceremony on June 26 (Monday). The online venue will open on April 27 (Thursday), where you can enjoy selected short films from all over the country until July 10 (Monday).
◆ Announcement of about 200 nominations selected from 5,215 works gathered from 120 countries and regions around the world
In the Japan section of the official competition leading to the Academy Awards® nomination, short films featuring actors turned directors Kengo Kora, Tao Tsuchiya, Taishi Nakagawa, Mansai Nomura, Hiroshi Tamaki and Eita Nagayama are among the nominees.
◆ Japan premieres and special screenings
Chris Rock...
- 4/29/2023
- by Suzie Cho
- AsianMoviePulse
Coming-of-age dramas often focus on challenges that affect us all and how they can be overcome. But Yusuke Morii's “Amiko” focuses very much on a child that isn't like anyone else, and as such, those around her don't know how to deal with her, as a story of a unique life sees a unique comedy in a strong directorial debut.
Amiko (Kana Osawa) lives in a suburb of Hiroshima with her father (Arata Iura), pregnant mother (Machiko Ono) and older brother. They have what appears to be a very simple life of a young family, with a humble father, diligent mother and caring older brother for his eccentric and enthusiastic little sister. But tragic events strike, and the family all have their lives shaken up. All that is, apart from the naïve and bright-eyed Amiko.
While the rest of the family show clear signs of grief, Amiko is still...
Amiko (Kana Osawa) lives in a suburb of Hiroshima with her father (Arata Iura), pregnant mother (Machiko Ono) and older brother. They have what appears to be a very simple life of a young family, with a humble father, diligent mother and caring older brother for his eccentric and enthusiastic little sister. But tragic events strike, and the family all have their lives shaken up. All that is, apart from the naïve and bright-eyed Amiko.
While the rest of the family show clear signs of grief, Amiko is still...
- 3/9/2023
- by Andrew Thayne
- AsianMoviePulse
Netflix has greenlit a Japanese drama series about the last ninjas to remain in modern times.
Man From Reno director Dave Boyle is behind House of Ninjas, which will air in 2024 and is based on a story by Kento Kaku, Yoshiaki Murao and Takafumi Imai.
The series will tell the story of the Tawara family, the last ninja family that abandoned its roots after an incident took place, who must take on the greatest crisis in Japanese history, threatening to shake the nation to its core.
Ninjas have been an area of fascination over the centuries and, as shown in the program, the legendary Japanese heroes of the shadows remain active today.
Boyle, who also wrote and directed Big Dreams, Little Tokyo, White on Rice and Surrogate Valentine and tends to utilize primarily Asian or Asian-American casts, will pen with Masahiro Yamaura, Kota Oura and Kanna Kimura.
Toho Studios’ House...
Man From Reno director Dave Boyle is behind House of Ninjas, which will air in 2024 and is based on a story by Kento Kaku, Yoshiaki Murao and Takafumi Imai.
The series will tell the story of the Tawara family, the last ninja family that abandoned its roots after an incident took place, who must take on the greatest crisis in Japanese history, threatening to shake the nation to its core.
Ninjas have been an area of fascination over the centuries and, as shown in the program, the legendary Japanese heroes of the shadows remain active today.
Boyle, who also wrote and directed Big Dreams, Little Tokyo, White on Rice and Surrogate Valentine and tends to utilize primarily Asian or Asian-American casts, will pen with Masahiro Yamaura, Kota Oura and Kanna Kimura.
Toho Studios’ House...
- 9/8/2022
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
“Are we doing this or not?”
There is a story about the making of Steven Spielberg’s “Jaws” which is something of an interesting tale about the kind of stress and strangeness that goes along with the filmmaking process. As actor Richard Dreyfuss had finished his part, the production had already been through several obstacles, one of which was the electronic model of the shark not working. Stressed and eager to go home, he took the plane home only to find the familiar face of Spielberg sitting only a few seats from him. When the actor asked the director why he was leaving the crew, Spielberg apparently told him he simply had enough and thought the rest of the filming would work just fine without him.
Although an anecdote such as this may be exaggerated at times, and in retrospect highlight or even romanticize the production of a film, in...
There is a story about the making of Steven Spielberg’s “Jaws” which is something of an interesting tale about the kind of stress and strangeness that goes along with the filmmaking process. As actor Richard Dreyfuss had finished his part, the production had already been through several obstacles, one of which was the electronic model of the shark not working. Stressed and eager to go home, he took the plane home only to find the familiar face of Spielberg sitting only a few seats from him. When the actor asked the director why he was leaving the crew, Spielberg apparently told him he simply had enough and thought the rest of the filming would work just fine without him.
Although an anecdote such as this may be exaggerated at times, and in retrospect highlight or even romanticize the production of a film, in...
- 1/15/2019
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
Stars: Hiroki Hasegawa, Yutaka Takenouchi, Satomi Ishihara, Ren Ôsugi, Akira Emoto, Kengo Kôra, Mikako Ichikawa, Jun Kunimura, Pierre Taki, Kyûsaku Shimada, Ken Mitsuishi, Shingo Tsurumi, Kimiko Yo | Written by Hideaki Anno | Directed by Hideaki Anno, Shinji Higuchi
Godzilla, officially The King of the Monsters, returns to his Japanese roots following the 2014 Gareth Edwards directed Us film in Shin Godzilla. Set in present-day Japan, the film sees an unexplained seismic event occur off the coast of Shinagawa, causing ripple effects all the way to the capital. Ministers scramble to figure out what’s going on but only cabinet secretary Rando Yaguchi knows what the audience already does. That Godzilla has majestically returned and has his fire-breathing, stomping sights on Tokyo once more…
It’s hard to belive that Godzilla, such a symbol of the nuclear fallout of the Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki; and (to a lesser extent) the Daigo...
Godzilla, officially The King of the Monsters, returns to his Japanese roots following the 2014 Gareth Edwards directed Us film in Shin Godzilla. Set in present-day Japan, the film sees an unexplained seismic event occur off the coast of Shinagawa, causing ripple effects all the way to the capital. Ministers scramble to figure out what’s going on but only cabinet secretary Rando Yaguchi knows what the audience already does. That Godzilla has majestically returned and has his fire-breathing, stomping sights on Tokyo once more…
It’s hard to belive that Godzilla, such a symbol of the nuclear fallout of the Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki; and (to a lesser extent) the Daigo...
- 12/8/2017
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
Stars: Hiroki Hasegawa, Yutaka Takenouchi, Satomi Ishihara, Ren Ôsugi, Akira Emoto, Kengo Kôra, Mikako Ichikawa, Jun Kunimura, Pierre Taki, Kyûsaku Shimada, Ken Mitsuishi, Shingo Tsurumi, Kimiko Yo | Written by Hideaki Anno | Directed by Hideaki Anno, Shinji Higuchi
Godzilla, officially The King of the Monsters, returns to his Japanese roots following the 2014 Gareth Edwards directed Us film in Shin Godzilla. Set in present-day Japan, the film sees an unexplained seismic event occur off the coast of Shinagawa, causing ripple effects all the way to the capital. Ministers scramble to figure out what’s going on but only cabinet secretary Rando Yaguchi knows what the audience already does. That Godzilla has majestically returned and has his fire-breathing, stomping sights on Tokyo once more…
It’s hard to belive that Godzilla, such a symbol of the nuclear fallout of the Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki; and (to a lesser extent) the Daigo...
Godzilla, officially The King of the Monsters, returns to his Japanese roots following the 2014 Gareth Edwards directed Us film in Shin Godzilla. Set in present-day Japan, the film sees an unexplained seismic event occur off the coast of Shinagawa, causing ripple effects all the way to the capital. Ministers scramble to figure out what’s going on but only cabinet secretary Rando Yaguchi knows what the audience already does. That Godzilla has majestically returned and has his fire-breathing, stomping sights on Tokyo once more…
It’s hard to belive that Godzilla, such a symbol of the nuclear fallout of the Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki; and (to a lesser extent) the Daigo...
- 2/24/2017
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
"That nutty old man is my father." GKids has debuted a trailer for the animated film called Miss Hokusai, which opened in Japan in 2015 and played at numerous film festivals last year. The film is about the life and works of Japanese artist and ukiyo-e painter Katsushika Hokusai, also known as Tetsuzo, as seen from the eyes of his daughter, Katsushika O-Ei. You all know his work because Hokusai painted the very famous piece known as "The Great Wave off Kanagawa". The voice cast includes Anne Watanabe as O-Ei, Yutaka Matsushige as Hokusai, plus Kumiko Asô, Gaku Hamada and Kengo Kôra. Not only is it cool to see a story about Hokusai, but it's lovely to see it told from the perspective of his daughter, who was dedicated to making sure her father could produce this art. I love catching up with animated films like this. Take a look. Here's...
- 8/27/2016
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
There’s this nutty old man who painted a huge Dharma on a huge sheet of paper and draws sparrows on tiny rice grains. Some may know him as Hokusai the painter, but his daughter, O-Ei, knows him as Tetsuzo.
A new trailer for Keiichi Hara’s animated coming-of-age tale, “Miss Hokusai,” has just been released, courtesy of Gkids and Japanese powerhouse Production I.G. The film follows the remarkable story of the daughter behind one of history’s most famous artists.
As all of Edo flocks to see the work of the revered painter Hokusai (voiced by Yutaka Matsushige), his daughter O-Ei (Anne Watanabe) toils diligently inside his studio. The latest trailer shows her as she begins to work on her own masterful portraits – sold under the name of her father – which are coveted by upper crust Lords and journeyman print makers alike.
Read More: ‘Kubo and the Two Strings...
A new trailer for Keiichi Hara’s animated coming-of-age tale, “Miss Hokusai,” has just been released, courtesy of Gkids and Japanese powerhouse Production I.G. The film follows the remarkable story of the daughter behind one of history’s most famous artists.
As all of Edo flocks to see the work of the revered painter Hokusai (voiced by Yutaka Matsushige), his daughter O-Ei (Anne Watanabe) toils diligently inside his studio. The latest trailer shows her as she begins to work on her own masterful portraits – sold under the name of her father – which are coveted by upper crust Lords and journeyman print makers alike.
Read More: ‘Kubo and the Two Strings...
- 8/26/2016
- by Liz Calvario
- Indiewire
Cast: Anne Watanabe, Michitaka Tsutsui, Yutaka Matsushige, Kumiko Asô, Shion Shimizu, Gaku Hamada, Kengo Kôra | Written by Miho Maruo | Based on the manga by Hinako Sugiura | Directed by Keiichi Hara
Choosing to depict an artist’s life in a form close to their own can be a tightrope walk. Miss Hokusai dares to examine the work and lives of two Japanese artists in the form of anime, but this turns out to be a natural fit: the broad brushstrokes of its principals stand in harmonious contrast to the considerably less stylised but no less lovely animation of the film. It’s a shame that this is the only aspect of the film that really strikes a chord.
Set in 19th-century Edo (later known as Tokyo), Miss Hokusai centers on talented young artist O-Ei and her father, the Hokusai of the film’s title, also a painter but with far greater success.
Choosing to depict an artist’s life in a form close to their own can be a tightrope walk. Miss Hokusai dares to examine the work and lives of two Japanese artists in the form of anime, but this turns out to be a natural fit: the broad brushstrokes of its principals stand in harmonious contrast to the considerably less stylised but no less lovely animation of the film. It’s a shame that this is the only aspect of the film that really strikes a chord.
Set in 19th-century Edo (later known as Tokyo), Miss Hokusai centers on talented young artist O-Ei and her father, the Hokusai of the film’s title, also a painter but with far greater success.
- 2/4/2016
- by Mark Allen
- Nerdly
The Woodsman And The Rain
Stars: Kôji Yakusho, Shun Oguri, Masatô Ibu, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Kengo Kôra, Asami Usuda | Written by Shûichi Okita, Fumio Moriya | Directed by Shûichi Okita
It’s not often that a feel good movie is set in a village that appears to be overrun by zombies, or that the film itself features a film being made about said zombies but then again I’m sure there are not many films like The Woodsman and the Rain. I may have exaggerated about the zombies, but they are integral to the storyline and important to the tale of a Woodsman and a shy film director.
Katsuhiko is the Woodsman, spending his day cutting down trees in a small village in the Japanese mountains. He’s happy with his life and appears to like the serenity that the job provides. When a film crew invade the mountains though to film...
Stars: Kôji Yakusho, Shun Oguri, Masatô Ibu, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Kengo Kôra, Asami Usuda | Written by Shûichi Okita, Fumio Moriya | Directed by Shûichi Okita
It’s not often that a feel good movie is set in a village that appears to be overrun by zombies, or that the film itself features a film being made about said zombies but then again I’m sure there are not many films like The Woodsman and the Rain. I may have exaggerated about the zombies, but they are integral to the storyline and important to the tale of a Woodsman and a shy film director.
Katsuhiko is the Woodsman, spending his day cutting down trees in a small village in the Japanese mountains. He’s happy with his life and appears to like the serenity that the job provides. When a film crew invade the mountains though to film...
- 1/31/2013
- by Pzomb
- Nerdly
After its release in Japan in December, Tran Anh Hung's Norwegian Wood (Noruwei no mori) will come out in select Canadian theatres on July 15 according to Cinemamontreal.com.
The film is based on a novel written by Haruki Murakami.
The story takes place in Tokyo in 1969. Kizuki (Kengo Kôra) and Watanabe (Kenichi Matsuyama) are both best friends.
After Kizuki's suicide, Watanabe gets closer to Naoko (Rinko Kikuchi), Kizuki's girlfriend. As both Watanabe and Naoko tries to get over their bereavement, Watanabe bonds with Midori (Kiko Mizuhara), a girl who goes with him to the same university in Tokyo.
The film will be distributed by Mongrel Media in Canada.
The film is based on a novel written by Haruki Murakami.
The story takes place in Tokyo in 1969. Kizuki (Kengo Kôra) and Watanabe (Kenichi Matsuyama) are both best friends.
After Kizuki's suicide, Watanabe gets closer to Naoko (Rinko Kikuchi), Kizuki's girlfriend. As both Watanabe and Naoko tries to get over their bereavement, Watanabe bonds with Midori (Kiko Mizuhara), a girl who goes with him to the same university in Tokyo.
The film will be distributed by Mongrel Media in Canada.
- 4/15/2011
- by anhkhoido@gmail.com (Anh Khoi Do)
- The Cultural Post
After its release in Japan, Tran Anh Hung's Norwegian Wood (Noruwei no mori) will come out in France on May 4.
The film is based on a novel written by Haruki Murakami.
The story takes place in Tokyo in 1969. Kizuki (Kengo Kôra) and Watanabe (Kenichi Matsuyama) are both best friends.
After Kizuki's suicide, Watanabe gets closer to Naoko (Rinko Kikuchi), Kizuki's girlfriend. As both Watanabe and Naoko tries to get over their bereavement, Watanabe bonds with Midori (Kiko Mizuhara), a girl who goes with him to the same university in Tokyo.
The film will be distributed by Mongrel Media in Canada. However, no Canadian release date has been confirmed. Moreover, the organizers of Montreal's Fantasia International Film Festival haven't confirmed the presence of Norwegian Wood in its line-up.
The film is based on a novel written by Haruki Murakami.
The story takes place in Tokyo in 1969. Kizuki (Kengo Kôra) and Watanabe (Kenichi Matsuyama) are both best friends.
After Kizuki's suicide, Watanabe gets closer to Naoko (Rinko Kikuchi), Kizuki's girlfriend. As both Watanabe and Naoko tries to get over their bereavement, Watanabe bonds with Midori (Kiko Mizuhara), a girl who goes with him to the same university in Tokyo.
The film will be distributed by Mongrel Media in Canada. However, no Canadian release date has been confirmed. Moreover, the organizers of Montreal's Fantasia International Film Festival haven't confirmed the presence of Norwegian Wood in its line-up.
- 4/9/2011
- by anhkhoido@gmail.com (Anh Khoi Do)
- The Cultural Post
Norwegian Wood (15)
(Tran Anh Hung, 2010, Japan) Kenichi Matsuyama, Rinko Kikuchi, Kiko Mizuhara, Tetsuji Tamayama, Kengo Kôra. 133 mins
Between its daunting cult status and its decidedly un-romcom themes, it's amazing Haruki Murakami's proto-emo Japanese teen tale ever got made. Coming of age here is a languid, melancholy journey across tragedy, mental illness, sexual frustration and other sorrows, but the tone is beautifully maintained, visually and aurally, and it captures something most youth movies never even attempt to find.
Fair Game (12A)
(Doug Liman, 2010, Us) Naomi Watts, Sean Penn, Ty Burrell. 108 mins
What Hollywood liberal bias? This dramatisation of the outing of CIA agent Valerie Plame over her husband's non-cooperation with Bush's Iraq plans dares to name names and point fingers. True-life political and personal tensions are brought back to the boil.
Battle: Los Angeles (12A)
(Jonathan Liebesman, 2011, Us) Aaron Eckhart, Michelle Rodriguez, Bridget Moynahan. 116 mins
This massive-scale action epic launches...
(Tran Anh Hung, 2010, Japan) Kenichi Matsuyama, Rinko Kikuchi, Kiko Mizuhara, Tetsuji Tamayama, Kengo Kôra. 133 mins
Between its daunting cult status and its decidedly un-romcom themes, it's amazing Haruki Murakami's proto-emo Japanese teen tale ever got made. Coming of age here is a languid, melancholy journey across tragedy, mental illness, sexual frustration and other sorrows, but the tone is beautifully maintained, visually and aurally, and it captures something most youth movies never even attempt to find.
Fair Game (12A)
(Doug Liman, 2010, Us) Naomi Watts, Sean Penn, Ty Burrell. 108 mins
What Hollywood liberal bias? This dramatisation of the outing of CIA agent Valerie Plame over her husband's non-cooperation with Bush's Iraq plans dares to name names and point fingers. True-life political and personal tensions are brought back to the boil.
Battle: Los Angeles (12A)
(Jonathan Liebesman, 2011, Us) Aaron Eckhart, Michelle Rodriguez, Bridget Moynahan. 116 mins
This massive-scale action epic launches...
- 3/12/2011
- by Steve Rose
- The Guardian - Film News
Earlier this month, a teaser trailer was released for Yoshihiro Fukagawa‘s upcoming film adaptation of Byakuyako, a crime story by Keigo Higashino which was originally serialized in the Shueisha literary magazine Shousetsu Subaru for two years from 1997.
The story was adapted to an 11-episode TV drama which aired on TBS in 2006. The television version co-starred Haruka Ayase and Takayuki Yamada, but this version has been recast with Horikita Maki and Kengo Kora in the lead roles.
Plot: As children, Yukiho (Maki) and Ryoji (Kora) each murder one of their parents to protect the other. Now young adults, they go to extreme measures to protect their mutual secret, even if it means bringing misery to those around them. Eiichiro Funakoshi plays a detective who was involved in the original case and has been closely monitoring the pair as they’ve grown up.
“Byakuyako” will be theatrically released by Gaga Communications...
The story was adapted to an 11-episode TV drama which aired on TBS in 2006. The television version co-starred Haruka Ayase and Takayuki Yamada, but this version has been recast with Horikita Maki and Kengo Kora in the lead roles.
Plot: As children, Yukiho (Maki) and Ryoji (Kora) each murder one of their parents to protect the other. Now young adults, they go to extreme measures to protect their mutual secret, even if it means bringing misery to those around them. Eiichiro Funakoshi plays a detective who was involved in the original case and has been closely monitoring the pair as they’ve grown up.
“Byakuyako” will be theatrically released by Gaga Communications...
- 9/25/2010
- Nippon Cinema
Earlier this month, a teaser trailer was released for Yoshihiro Fukagawa‘s upcoming film adaptation of Byakuyako, a crime story by Keigo Higashino which was originally serialized in the Shueisha literary magazine Shousetsu Subaru for two years from 1997.
The story was adapted to an 11-episode TV drama which aired on TBS in 2006. The television version co-starred Haruka Ayase and Takayuki Yamada, but this version has been recast with Horikita Maki and Kengo Kora in the lead roles.
Plot: As children, Yukiho (Maki) and Ryoji (Kora) each murder one of their parents to protect the other. Now young adults, they go to extreme measures to protect their mutual secret, even if it means bringing misery to those around them. Eiichiro Funakoshi plays a detective who was involved in the original case and has been closely monitoring the pair as they’ve grown up.
“Byakuyako” will be theatrically released by Gaga Communications...
The story was adapted to an 11-episode TV drama which aired on TBS in 2006. The television version co-starred Haruka Ayase and Takayuki Yamada, but this version has been recast with Horikita Maki and Kengo Kora in the lead roles.
Plot: As children, Yukiho (Maki) and Ryoji (Kora) each murder one of their parents to protect the other. Now young adults, they go to extreme measures to protect their mutual secret, even if it means bringing misery to those around them. Eiichiro Funakoshi plays a detective who was involved in the original case and has been closely monitoring the pair as they’ve grown up.
“Byakuyako” will be theatrically released by Gaga Communications...
- 9/25/2010
- Nippon Cinema
Natalie Portman is superb as a troubled ballet dancer, Robert Rodriguez gets trashy, and a Jerusalem-set drama provides this year's turkey at the Venice film festival
The Venice film festival began with a feverish combination of burning heat and rainy thunderstorms that swept the Lido, and its opening film was appropriately hotwired with psychodrama, melodrama and ionospherically over-the-top theatrics. Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan is a heavily sexualised psycho-thriller about an over-wrought ballerina in New York about to take the lead role in Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake; she finds that preparing for the dark "Black Swan" role, and fending off the ambitions of a rival dancer, is unlocking something disturbing within her own troubled soul.
Thoroughly outrageous at all times, Aronofsky's film is certainly watchable, though his inability to see a stop without pulling it out perhaps lessens the impact after a while. There are some scary moments and a queasy,...
The Venice film festival began with a feverish combination of burning heat and rainy thunderstorms that swept the Lido, and its opening film was appropriately hotwired with psychodrama, melodrama and ionospherically over-the-top theatrics. Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan is a heavily sexualised psycho-thriller about an over-wrought ballerina in New York about to take the lead role in Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake; she finds that preparing for the dark "Black Swan" role, and fending off the ambitions of a rival dancer, is unlocking something disturbing within her own troubled soul.
Thoroughly outrageous at all times, Aronofsky's film is certainly watchable, though his inability to see a stop without pulling it out perhaps lessens the impact after a while. There are some scary moments and a queasy,...
- 9/5/2010
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
Brand new images have just arrived for several big name films that will be showing in and out of competition at this year's 67th Venice Film Festival including brand new looks at Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan, Julie Taymor's The Tempest, Robert Rodriguez's Machete, Anh Hung Tran's Norwegian Wood, Sofia Coppola's Somewhere and Ben Affleck's The Town.
The festival runs from September 1 - 11 and I only wish I was going to be in attendance as films such as Somewhere and The Tempest won't be crossing over and showing in Toronto. Not to mention, while I am excited for my first trip to Toronto this year, it wouldn't be half-bad hanging out in Venice, Italy. Nevertheless, let's get to the previews...
I've included one pic from each film directly below. You can click on the picture or the link to be taken to the full gallery,...
The festival runs from September 1 - 11 and I only wish I was going to be in attendance as films such as Somewhere and The Tempest won't be crossing over and showing in Toronto. Not to mention, while I am excited for my first trip to Toronto this year, it wouldn't be half-bad hanging out in Venice, Italy. Nevertheless, let's get to the previews...
I've included one pic from each film directly below. You can click on the picture or the link to be taken to the full gallery,...
- 8/26/2010
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
Are you guys ready for the oldest film festival in the world? Yeah, sure you are! Who’s crazy enough to miss all that glamour, great movies, and well-known faces? Guess nobody!
This year’s Venice Film Festival runs from September 1- 11th and some great titles will compete for Leone d’Oro, or if you prefer Golden Lion, indeed!
Just in case you don’t trust us, check out a list of all the films playing in competition:
In Competition
Black Swan, Opening Night Film (dir. Darren Aronofsky – U.S.) Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel, Barbara Hershey, Winona Ryder
La Pecora Nera, (dir. Ascanio Celestini – Italy) Ascanio Celestini, Giorgio Tirabassi, Maya Sansa
Somewhere, (dir. Sofia Coppola – U.S.) Stephen Dorff, Elle Fanning, Benicio Del Toro, Michelle Monaghan, Laura Chiatti, Simona Ventura
Happy Few, (dir. Antony Cordier – France) Marina Fois, Elodie Bouchez, Roschdy Zem, Nicolas Duvauchelle
The Solitude of Prime Numbers,...
This year’s Venice Film Festival runs from September 1- 11th and some great titles will compete for Leone d’Oro, or if you prefer Golden Lion, indeed!
Just in case you don’t trust us, check out a list of all the films playing in competition:
In Competition
Black Swan, Opening Night Film (dir. Darren Aronofsky – U.S.) Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel, Barbara Hershey, Winona Ryder
La Pecora Nera, (dir. Ascanio Celestini – Italy) Ascanio Celestini, Giorgio Tirabassi, Maya Sansa
Somewhere, (dir. Sofia Coppola – U.S.) Stephen Dorff, Elle Fanning, Benicio Del Toro, Michelle Monaghan, Laura Chiatti, Simona Ventura
Happy Few, (dir. Antony Cordier – France) Marina Fois, Elodie Bouchez, Roschdy Zem, Nicolas Duvauchelle
The Solitude of Prime Numbers,...
- 7/30/2010
- by Fiona
- Filmofilia
Yahoo! Eiga has uploaded a trailer for Masahiro Kunimoto‘s upcoming terminal illness tearjerker Oniichan no Hanabi starring Kengo Kora (Fish Story, Box!) and Mitsuki Tanimura (Canary). The trailer is also available on the film’s official website with an additional intro from both stars.
Originally inspired by a real-life documentary, the film stars Tanimura as a 16-year-old named Hana who moved to a small town in Niigata 5 years ago with her family and has been receiving treatment for leukemia for the past 6 months. Every year, the town hosts “Katakai Matsuri” which is known for being the largest fireworks display in the world. Hana’s older bother Taro (Kora) is a hikikomori, and spends most of his time alone in his room. However, to make his sister happy, he decides to make more of an effort to get out and participate in the festival with her.
Go! Cinema will be...
Originally inspired by a real-life documentary, the film stars Tanimura as a 16-year-old named Hana who moved to a small town in Niigata 5 years ago with her family and has been receiving treatment for leukemia for the past 6 months. Every year, the town hosts “Katakai Matsuri” which is known for being the largest fireworks display in the world. Hana’s older bother Taro (Kora) is a hikikomori, and spends most of his time alone in his room. However, to make his sister happy, he decides to make more of an effort to get out and participate in the festival with her.
Go! Cinema will be...
- 7/29/2010
- Nippon Cinema
The teaser of the upcoming Japanese film Norwegian Wood has finally been released online. While the North American release date and distributor haven't been confirmed, this film helmed by Vietnamese director Anh Hung Tran will come out in Japan on December 11, 2010.
The film Norwegian Wood is an adaptation of a hit novel by Japanese writer Haruki Murakami. The story takes place in the 1960s in Japan. Watanabe (Ken'ichi Matsuyama) is a literature student (with an interest in American literature) in an university of Tokyo. During a day, he randomly comes across Naoko, a childhood friend with whom Watanabe commonly shares a painful memory.
In fact, when they both were in high school, Kizuki (Kengo Kora), Naoko's boyfriend and Watanabe's friend, committed a suicide. Since then, Naoko has been psychologically fragile. Moreover, Watanabe is in love with her, but their relation can't be taken to the next level. At the same time,...
The film Norwegian Wood is an adaptation of a hit novel by Japanese writer Haruki Murakami. The story takes place in the 1960s in Japan. Watanabe (Ken'ichi Matsuyama) is a literature student (with an interest in American literature) in an university of Tokyo. During a day, he randomly comes across Naoko, a childhood friend with whom Watanabe commonly shares a painful memory.
In fact, when they both were in high school, Kizuki (Kengo Kora), Naoko's boyfriend and Watanabe's friend, committed a suicide. Since then, Naoko has been psychologically fragile. Moreover, Watanabe is in love with her, but their relation can't be taken to the next level. At the same time,...
- 7/20/2010
- by anhkhoido@hotmail.com (Anh Khoi Do)
- The Cultural Post
Two weeks ago, it was announced that Maki Horikita would star as the villainous Yukiho Karasawa in the upcoming film adaptation of Keigo Higashino’s serialized crime story Byakuyako. At the time, it wasn’t known who would direct or who her co-star would be, but both were revealed earlier today. Kengo Kora (Box!, Solanin) will play Yukiho’s childhood friend and partner in crime, Ryoji. The character was previously portrayed by Takayuki Yamada in the 11-episode TV drama which aired on TBS in 2006.
As children, Yukiho and Ryoji each murder one of their parents to protect the other. Now young adults, they go to extreme measures to protect their mutual secret, even if it means bringing misery to those around them. Eiichiro Funakoshi will play a detective who was involved in the original case and has been closely monitoring the pair as they’ve grown up.
The film’s...
As children, Yukiho and Ryoji each murder one of their parents to protect the other. Now young adults, they go to extreme measures to protect their mutual secret, even if it means bringing misery to those around them. Eiichiro Funakoshi will play a detective who was involved in the original case and has been closely monitoring the pair as they’ve grown up.
The film’s...
- 5/8/2010
- Nippon Cinema
I suppose I shouldn't be surprised by the serious tone of Toshio Lee's Box! You see, despite the very silly nature of his previous feature Detroit Metal City and his history with 'Beat' Takeshi Kitano's television comedy efforts, the feature that really elevated Dmc above a horde of silly Japanese comedy peers was Lee's ability to get the characters just right. People that should have been outrageous caricatures throughout the film somehow weren't. So clearly Lee has got a little something going on when it comes to understanding his young protagonists and that something is all over the upcoming teen athletic drama Box!
Yes, the exclamation mark is part of the title.
Hayato Ichihara and Kengo Kora star as high school friends and rivals who take up boxing and, apparently, the young stars trained hard for months ahead of time so that they could perform all the boxing sequences themselves.
Yes, the exclamation mark is part of the title.
Hayato Ichihara and Kengo Kora star as high school friends and rivals who take up boxing and, apparently, the young stars trained hard for months ahead of time so that they could perform all the boxing sequences themselves.
- 4/14/2010
- Screen Anarchy
The official website for Toshio Lee‘s Box! has been updated with a new full-length trailer.
Based on a 2008 novel by Naoki Hyakuta, the film stars Hayato Ichihara as a teenager in Osaka named Yoshihei Kaburaya. Although he’s never been much of a student, he’s always had a natural talent for boxing. His childhood friend Kitaru (Kengo Kora) is a genius student well on his way toward moving on to a prestigious university. However, he’s been a weakling and lacked physical confidence since he was a child. Wanting to become strong like his friend Kaburaya, Kitaru joins him in their school’s boxing club and the pair become both partners and rivals in training.
“Box!” will be released by Toho in Japan on May 22, 2010.
Thanks logboy for the heads up.
Based on a 2008 novel by Naoki Hyakuta, the film stars Hayato Ichihara as a teenager in Osaka named Yoshihei Kaburaya. Although he’s never been much of a student, he’s always had a natural talent for boxing. His childhood friend Kitaru (Kengo Kora) is a genius student well on his way toward moving on to a prestigious university. However, he’s been a weakling and lacked physical confidence since he was a child. Wanting to become strong like his friend Kaburaya, Kitaru joins him in their school’s boxing club and the pair become both partners and rivals in training.
“Box!” will be released by Toho in Japan on May 22, 2010.
Thanks logboy for the heads up.
- 4/14/2010
- Nippon Cinema
In the few short years since making her film debut with an impressively precocious performance in Akihiko Shiota's Canary, 19-year-old Mitsuki Tanimura has established herself as one of the most interesting actresses in her age bracket. While it would be easy for a young idol signed to a major talent agency to just coast by on her looks with modeling gigs and appearances in schmaltzy TV dramas (as most girls of her stature do quite happily), Tanimura keeps jumping clean off the radar, signing on to act in some seriously oddball projects with little potential for press coverage, let alone financial success. And it's not as if her career has stalled -- far from it. In addition to several small films by unestablished directors, she's also slated to appear in Toshio Lee's Box!, Takashi Miike's remake of Thirteen Assassins, and Junji Sakamoto's Yukizuri no Machi, among others.
- 3/25/2010
- Nippon Cinema
I suppose I shouldn't be surprised by the serious tone of Toshio Lee's Box! You see, despite the very silly nature of his previous feature Detroit Metal City and his history with 'Beat' Takeshi Kitano's television comedy efforts, the feature that really elevated Dmc above a horde of silly Japanese comedy peers was Lee's ability to get the characters just right. People that should have been outrageous caricatures throughout the film somehow weren't. So clearly Lee has got a little something going on when it comes to understanding his young protagonists and that something is all over the upcoming teen athletic drama Box!
Yes, the exclamation mark is part of the title.
Hayato Ichihara and Kengo Kora star as high school friends and rivals who take up boxing and, apparently, the young stars trained hard for months ahead of time so that they could perform all the boxing sequences themselves.
Yes, the exclamation mark is part of the title.
Hayato Ichihara and Kengo Kora star as high school friends and rivals who take up boxing and, apparently, the young stars trained hard for months ahead of time so that they could perform all the boxing sequences themselves.
- 3/9/2010
- Screen Anarchy
Rating: 8/10 Writers: Tamio Hayashi Director: Yoshihiro Nakamura Cast: Gaku Hamada, Atsushi Itô, Kengo Kora, Mirai Moriyama, Nao Omori, Mikako Tabe Studio: Amuse Soft Entertainment/Dub Can one song change the world? Music and, moreover, art in general, is a powerful tool that has influenced and encouraged people to achieve amazing feats. But did The Beatles ever stop a comet from [...]...
- 9/26/2009
- by James Wallace
- GordonandtheWhale
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