Production has begun in Japan on Searchlight Pictures’ comedy drama Rental Family starring Brendan Fraser.
Takehiro Hira from Shogun and Akira Emoto have joined the cast.
Beef and Tokyo Vice director Hikari helms the film which also stars previously announced Mari Yamamoto.
Principal photography is scheduled to continue in Japan through May on the story of a lonely US actor in Tokyo who forges unexpected connections after he gets a job playing stand-in roles in people’s lives at a Japanese “rental family” company.
Eddie Vaisman and Julia Lebedev of Sight Unseen are producing with Hikari, and Shin Yamaguchi. Hikari...
Takehiro Hira from Shogun and Akira Emoto have joined the cast.
Beef and Tokyo Vice director Hikari helms the film which also stars previously announced Mari Yamamoto.
Principal photography is scheduled to continue in Japan through May on the story of a lonely US actor in Tokyo who forges unexpected connections after he gets a job playing stand-in roles in people’s lives at a Japanese “rental family” company.
Eddie Vaisman and Julia Lebedev of Sight Unseen are producing with Hikari, and Shin Yamaguchi. Hikari...
- 3/18/2024
- ScreenDaily
Production has begun in Japan on Searchlight Pictures’ Rental Family starring Brendan Fraser as the company announced new cast members Takehiro Hira from Shogun and Oscar winner Akira Emoto.
Beef and Tokyo Vice director Hikari helms the comedic drama, which also stars previously announced Mari Yamamoto.
Principal photography is scheduled to continue in Japan through May on the story of a lonely American actor (Fraser) in Tokyo who forges unexpected connections after he gets a job playing stand-in roles in people’s lives at a Japanese “rental family” company.
Eddie Vaisman and Julia Lebedev of Sight Unseen are producing with Hikari,...
Beef and Tokyo Vice director Hikari helms the comedic drama, which also stars previously announced Mari Yamamoto.
Principal photography is scheduled to continue in Japan through May on the story of a lonely American actor (Fraser) in Tokyo who forges unexpected connections after he gets a job playing stand-in roles in people’s lives at a Japanese “rental family” company.
Eddie Vaisman and Julia Lebedev of Sight Unseen are producing with Hikari,...
- 3/18/2024
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: BAFTA Award nominee Takehiro Hira (Shōgun, Gran Turismo) and Japanese Academy Award winner Akira Emoto have rounded out the cast of Searchlight’s Rental Family directed by Hikari (Beef) and starring The Whale Best Actor Oscar winner Brendan Fraser and Mari Yamamoto (Pachinko).
Cameras are now rolling in Japan, with production to wrap around May. A release date has not been set.
Deadline first told you about the project, which follows a lonely, down-and-out American actor (Fraser) living in Tokyo. He starts working for a Japanese “rental family” company to play various stand-in roles in other people’s lives. Along the way, he forges some surprising human connections and discovers unexpected joys within his built-in family.
“It’s an absolute dream to bring Rental Family to the world,” said Hikari. “I am truly so thankful for my collaboration with my partners at Searchlight and Sight Unseen and for their never-ending support,...
Cameras are now rolling in Japan, with production to wrap around May. A release date has not been set.
Deadline first told you about the project, which follows a lonely, down-and-out American actor (Fraser) living in Tokyo. He starts working for a Japanese “rental family” company to play various stand-in roles in other people’s lives. Along the way, he forges some surprising human connections and discovers unexpected joys within his built-in family.
“It’s an absolute dream to bring Rental Family to the world,” said Hikari. “I am truly so thankful for my collaboration with my partners at Searchlight and Sight Unseen and for their never-ending support,...
- 3/18/2024
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Based on the novel “Lost Care” by Aki Hamamaka, which won the 16th Japan Mystery Literature Award for Best Newcomer. “Do Unto Others” is a crime movie with a very interesting premise, which eventually becomes a pondering on the concept of euthanasia.
Do Unto Others is screening at Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme
Munenori Shiba works for a caretaking company and seems to be the most diligent employee, always going out of his way to help the elderly, and never actually complaining, in an overall attitude that has earned him respect from his colleagues, and even something more from a newcomer in the company, Yuki. The latter is also the one who discovers one day two dead bodies in a house the company is working at, one being the head of the company, Haru and the other the elderly man living there. Prosecutor Hidemi Otomo starts investigating the case with the help of her assistant,...
Do Unto Others is screening at Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme
Munenori Shiba works for a caretaking company and seems to be the most diligent employee, always going out of his way to help the elderly, and never actually complaining, in an overall attitude that has earned him respect from his colleagues, and even something more from a newcomer in the company, Yuki. The latter is also the one who discovers one day two dead bodies in a house the company is working at, one being the head of the company, Haru and the other the elderly man living there. Prosecutor Hidemi Otomo starts investigating the case with the help of her assistant,...
- 2/11/2024
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
A great respect to traditions and rituals, makes possible that in Japan there is a “do” (way) for almost everything. Therefore, a few years ago scriptwriter Kundo Koyama of Oscar-winning “Departures” fame, came out with the idea that a “yu-do” (the way of the hot water/bath) would be not only possible but also very believable. From this reflection, the original script of “Yudo: The Way of the Bath” stemmed and developed to the 2023 film directed by Masayuki Suzuki.
Yudo: The Way of the Bath is screening at Five Flavours
After shining briefly as a rising star of the Tokyo scene, architect Shiro Miura (Toma Ikuta) struggles to find his way as a solo professional, and – after his father's passing – decides to go back to his provincial hometown and take hold of the dying family business, the Marukin Hot Springs, a small-town bathhouse (sento) that his father had run until the end of his days.
Yudo: The Way of the Bath is screening at Five Flavours
After shining briefly as a rising star of the Tokyo scene, architect Shiro Miura (Toma Ikuta) struggles to find his way as a solo professional, and – after his father's passing – decides to go back to his provincial hometown and take hold of the dying family business, the Marukin Hot Springs, a small-town bathhouse (sento) that his father had run until the end of his days.
- 11/17/2023
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
“Maborosi” is based on the novel “Maboroshi no Hikari” “by Teru Miyamoto. The title of the book and movie adaptation translates to “phantom light.” Writing the screenplay is Yoshihisa Ogita. Hirokazu Koreeda's first fictional feature would be a critical and financial success. It would be a major hit at the 1995 Venice Film Festival, winning a Golden Osella Award for Best Cinematography. Many viewers have described the feature as having the calm stillness of a Yasujiro Ozu picture with the emotional tone of a work by Mikio Naruse.
on Amazon by clicking on the image below
The story begins in Osaka. Yumiko is a happy young woman who embraces life and dearly loves her husband, Ikuo, and child, Yuichi. She is frequently troubled by dreams regarding the passing of her grandmother. Despite this, she finds happiness in her new life. Unfortunately, tragedy strikes when her husband dies...
on Amazon by clicking on the image below
The story begins in Osaka. Yumiko is a happy young woman who embraces life and dearly loves her husband, Ikuo, and child, Yuichi. She is frequently troubled by dreams regarding the passing of her grandmother. Despite this, she finds happiness in her new life. Unfortunately, tragedy strikes when her husband dies...
- 6/19/2023
- by Sean Barry
- AsianMoviePulse
A great respect to traditions and rituals, makes possible that in Japan there is a “do” (way) for almost everything. Therefore, a few years ago scriptwriter Kundo Koyama of Oscar-winning “Departures” fame, came out with the idea that a “yu-do” (the way of the hot water/bath) would be not only possible but also very believable. From this reflection, the original script of “Yudo: The Way of the Bath” stemmed and developed to the 2023 film directed by Masayuki Suzuki.
“Yudo: The Way of the Bath” is screening at Udine Far East Film Festival
After shining briefly as a rising star of the Tokyo scene, architect Shiro Miura (Toma Ikuta) struggles to find his way as a solo professional, and – after his father's passing – decides to go back to his provincial hometown and take hold of the dying family business, the Marukin Hot Springs, a small-town bathhouse (sento) that his father...
“Yudo: The Way of the Bath” is screening at Udine Far East Film Festival
After shining briefly as a rising star of the Tokyo scene, architect Shiro Miura (Toma Ikuta) struggles to find his way as a solo professional, and – after his father's passing – decides to go back to his provincial hometown and take hold of the dying family business, the Marukin Hot Springs, a small-town bathhouse (sento) that his father...
- 4/30/2023
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
Paris-based sales house completes string of deals on both films.
Slony Sow’s Franco-Japanese culinary comedy Umami starring Gérard Depardieu has racked up a slew of international sales through Paris-based MPM Premium.
The film has sold across Europe to Jerome Hilal’s brand new distribution label Zinc in France, Neue Visionen in Germany and Austria, Praesens in Switzerland, Vernice in Spain and J&j in the Netherlands.
Rialto has also snapped up the rights in Australia in New Zealand, New Cinema will distribute in Israel and Otaku in the Baltics. In Asia, the film will head to China via Age of Smart Screen Co.
Slony Sow’s Franco-Japanese culinary comedy Umami starring Gérard Depardieu has racked up a slew of international sales through Paris-based MPM Premium.
The film has sold across Europe to Jerome Hilal’s brand new distribution label Zinc in France, Neue Visionen in Germany and Austria, Praesens in Switzerland, Vernice in Spain and J&j in the Netherlands.
Rialto has also snapped up the rights in Australia in New Zealand, New Cinema will distribute in Israel and Otaku in the Baltics. In Asia, the film will head to China via Age of Smart Screen Co.
- 10/11/2022
- by Rebecca Leffler
- ScreenDaily
Fresh from his Netflix success with “Ride or Die”, a film that everyone seems to have seen for different reasons, Ryuichi Hiroki continues his exploration of the concept of crime and punishment in a completely different setting, the closed community of a small fictional island.
Noise is screening at Asian Pop Up Cinema
The story is adapted from the homonymous manga by Tetsuya Tsutsui and begins with a middle-aged local driving a stranger around the island, before the latter strangles him for no apparent reason. A bit later, the stranger ends up in the property of Keita Izumi, the “star of the island”, since his black figs are about to feature on a TV program that also comes with a big government grant that will help the declining economy of the area. The first interaction ends up without any happenings, but soon Keita’s daughter disappears. The aggravated father seeks...
Noise is screening at Asian Pop Up Cinema
The story is adapted from the homonymous manga by Tetsuya Tsutsui and begins with a middle-aged local driving a stranger around the island, before the latter strangles him for no apparent reason. A bit later, the stranger ends up in the property of Keita Izumi, the “star of the island”, since his black figs are about to feature on a TV program that also comes with a big government grant that will help the declining economy of the area. The first interaction ends up without any happenings, but soon Keita’s daughter disappears. The aggravated father seeks...
- 9/10/2022
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Shuichi Okita, with a very personal style, delicate but assertive at the same time, has been able to make himself known and appreciated in the circuits of festivals and in less mainstream circles with films that are difficult to label, often defined as “dramedy” that is a mixture of drama and comedy. Like in “The Woodsman and The Rain”, “The Chef of South Polar” and “Mori: The Artist’s Habitat”, the backdrop of “The Mohican Comes Home” is also a small community on an imaginary island in the Soto Inland Sea, off the coast of Hiroshima, where Okita places one of his typical characters, always dazed and looking out of place.
on YesAsia
This time it is Eichiki (Ryuhei Matsuda), the titular “Mohican” (because of his haircut), who 7 years earlier had left his hometown for Tokyo, in search of work and fame in a death metal band.
on YesAsia
This time it is Eichiki (Ryuhei Matsuda), the titular “Mohican” (because of his haircut), who 7 years earlier had left his hometown for Tokyo, in search of work and fame in a death metal band.
- 8/2/2022
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
The Paris-based company is planning a special physical market screening in Tokyo on June 1 for Japanese buyers.
Paris-based sales company MPM Premium has signed a fresh raft of deals on French-Japanese culinary comedy Umami, following its physical market premiere in Cannes.
The film stars Gérard Depardieu as a chef on a mission to create a dish encapsulating the taste of umami, the so-called fifth taste after salty, sweet, sour and bitter that is common in Japanese cuisine.
It has now sold to Switzerland (Praesens), Baltics (Otaku) and airlines (Encore). Previously announced sales include to Germany and Austria (Neue Visionen), Israel...
Paris-based sales company MPM Premium has signed a fresh raft of deals on French-Japanese culinary comedy Umami, following its physical market premiere in Cannes.
The film stars Gérard Depardieu as a chef on a mission to create a dish encapsulating the taste of umami, the so-called fifth taste after salty, sweet, sour and bitter that is common in Japanese cuisine.
It has now sold to Switzerland (Praesens), Baltics (Otaku) and airlines (Encore). Previously announced sales include to Germany and Austria (Neue Visionen), Israel...
- 5/25/2022
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
Fresh from his Netflix success with “Ride or Die”, a film that everyone seems to have seen for different reasons, Ryuichi Hiroki continues his exploration of the concept of crime and punishment in a completely different setting, the closed community of a small fictional island.
“Noise” is screening at Udine Far East Film Festival
The story is adapted from the homonymous manga by Tetsuya Tsutsui and begins with a middle-aged local driving a stranger around the island, before the latter strangles him for no apparent reason. A bit later, the stranger ends up in the property of Keita Izumi, the “star of the island”, since his black figs are about to feature on a TV program that also comes with a big government grant that will help the declining economy of the area. The first interaction ends up without any happenings, but soon Keita’s daughter disappears. The aggravated father...
“Noise” is screening at Udine Far East Film Festival
The story is adapted from the homonymous manga by Tetsuya Tsutsui and begins with a middle-aged local driving a stranger around the island, before the latter strangles him for no apparent reason. A bit later, the stranger ends up in the property of Keita Izumi, the “star of the island”, since his black figs are about to feature on a TV program that also comes with a big government grant that will help the declining economy of the area. The first interaction ends up without any happenings, but soon Keita’s daughter disappears. The aggravated father...
- 4/25/2022
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
The feature stars Gérard Depardieu as a top chef in search of the ultimate dish encapsulating the taste of umami.
Paris-based sales company MPM Premium has posted a quartet of first deals on French-Japanese comedy Umami, starring Gérard Depardieu as a top chef on a culinary mission.
The film has sold to Germany and Austria (Neue Visionen), Israel (New Cinema), Dutch-speaking Benelux (J&j Films) and Spain (Vercine). France is currently under discussion.
Depardieu plays a renowned chef in search of the ultimate dish encapsulating the taste of umami, the so-called fifth taste after salty, sweet, sour and bitter. The challenge...
Paris-based sales company MPM Premium has posted a quartet of first deals on French-Japanese comedy Umami, starring Gérard Depardieu as a top chef on a culinary mission.
The film has sold to Germany and Austria (Neue Visionen), Israel (New Cinema), Dutch-speaking Benelux (J&j Films) and Spain (Vercine). France is currently under discussion.
Depardieu plays a renowned chef in search of the ultimate dish encapsulating the taste of umami, the so-called fifth taste after salty, sweet, sour and bitter. The challenge...
- 2/18/2022
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
"It makes me happy to help folks out a little." Film Movement has debuted the US trailer for an acclaimed Japanese indie drama titled They Say Nothing Stays the Same, which initially premiered back in 2019. The film is the latest directed by Japanese actor / filmmaker Joe Odagiri, and features cinematography by the award-winning Dp Christopher Doyle. "Why does one need a ferryman? One needs a ferryman where there is a body of water and a bridge does not exist. The village high in the hills has a ferryman, but a bridge is in the works. The poor peasant is about to become even more poor. The people, livestock, and goods won't need his services much longer... He meets a young girl on a day when everything was supposed to go like any other day." The film stars Akira Emoto, Ririka Kawashima, Nijiro Murakami, Tsuyoshi Ihara, ...
- 10/20/2021
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Japanese actor Joe Odagiri has made his directorial debut with They Say Nothing Stays the Same, a drama that premiered at the Venice Film Festival back in 2019 followed by a subsequent release in its native country. Now finally receiving a U.S. release courtesy of Film Movement on November 12, we’re pleased to debut the exclusive new trailer for the film shot by the great Christopher Doyle, longtime collaborator of Wong Kar-wai.
The drama follows an old ferryman in a remote Meiji-era community. His life is a peaceful, cyclical existence, given meaning by the essential role he plays in transporting people, livestock, and goods across the water, connecting villages and lives. When news arrives that a bridge is being built, it’s clear that his services will no longer be needed. Meanwhile, his life will be equally transformed by the appearance of a mysterious young woman whom he saves from drowning.
The drama follows an old ferryman in a remote Meiji-era community. His life is a peaceful, cyclical existence, given meaning by the essential role he plays in transporting people, livestock, and goods across the water, connecting villages and lives. When news arrives that a bridge is being built, it’s clear that his services will no longer be needed. Meanwhile, his life will be equally transformed by the appearance of a mysterious young woman whom he saves from drowning.
- 10/18/2021
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Salor Suit and Machine Gun
A perky high-schooler takes on the mob in “Sailor Suit and Machine Gun”, a one-of-a-kind genre-bender that riffs on the yakuza film, coming-of-age drama and ‘idol movie’, inventively adapted from Jiro Akagawa’s popular novel by director Shinji Somai, a massively influential figure in Japanese cinema whose work has been little seen outside his homeland.
Hoshi Izumi is a young innocent forced to grow up quickly when her father dies and she finds herself next in line as the boss of a moribund yakuza clan. Wrenched from the security of her classroom and thrust into the heart of the criminal underworld, she must come to terms with the fact that her actions hold the key to the life or death of the men under her command as they come under fire from rival gangs.
Presented in both its Original Theatrical and longer Complete versions, and...
A perky high-schooler takes on the mob in “Sailor Suit and Machine Gun”, a one-of-a-kind genre-bender that riffs on the yakuza film, coming-of-age drama and ‘idol movie’, inventively adapted from Jiro Akagawa’s popular novel by director Shinji Somai, a massively influential figure in Japanese cinema whose work has been little seen outside his homeland.
Hoshi Izumi is a young innocent forced to grow up quickly when her father dies and she finds herself next in line as the boss of a moribund yakuza clan. Wrenched from the security of her classroom and thrust into the heart of the criminal underworld, she must come to terms with the fact that her actions hold the key to the life or death of the men under her command as they come under fire from rival gangs.
Presented in both its Original Theatrical and longer Complete versions, and...
- 8/29/2021
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
Immigrating into another country or simply moving from one place to the other is mostly connected with the idea of starting new, of finding a new home and eventually even becoming the person you always wanted to be. While some of these ideals may sound far-fetched and a bit corny, the concept of another country representing the “promised land”, which is a phrase usually associated with the USA, becomes more universal, especially perhaps in a globalized world where every move may be considered an opportunity. The fact these promises can be fatal is one of the themes Japanese director and writer Takahisa Zeze has explored in many of his features, such as “Moon Child”, “Raigyo” and “Heaven’s Story”. In his feature “The Promised Land”, which was already finished in 2019, Zeze, who write the script based on a novel by Shuichi Yoshida, deals with the concept of the “promised land” and its darker undertones,...
- 6/4/2021
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
Film Movement has acquired North American rights to “They Say Nothing Stays The Same,” the feature film debut of Joe Odagiri, a popular Japanese actor and musician.
The lushly lensed Japanese drama premiered at Venice and went on to play at Busan. Among its many accolades, the pic won best feature film at Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival in Turkey and was nominated for the Golden Star at El Gouana. It also played at the New York Asian Film Festival.
“They Say Nothing Stays The Same” will have a theatrical release in 2021, followed by a roll-out on digital and home entertainment platforms. The announcement was made by Michael Rosenberg, the president of Film Movement and Maki Shimizu of the Kinoshita Group.
Headlined by Akira Emoto, the film boasts a strong crew including Christopher Doyle, the cinematographer of “Paranoid Park”; Emi Wada, the costume designer of “Ran”; as well as Armenian jazz pianist Tigran Hamasyan.
The lushly lensed Japanese drama premiered at Venice and went on to play at Busan. Among its many accolades, the pic won best feature film at Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival in Turkey and was nominated for the Golden Star at El Gouana. It also played at the New York Asian Film Festival.
“They Say Nothing Stays The Same” will have a theatrical release in 2021, followed by a roll-out on digital and home entertainment platforms. The announcement was made by Michael Rosenberg, the president of Film Movement and Maki Shimizu of the Kinoshita Group.
Headlined by Akira Emoto, the film boasts a strong crew including Christopher Doyle, the cinematographer of “Paranoid Park”; Emi Wada, the costume designer of “Ran”; as well as Armenian jazz pianist Tigran Hamasyan.
- 4/15/2021
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
In the spotlight since his starring role in Kurosawa Kiyoshi’s Bright Future in 2003, Joe Odagiri has amassed an extraordinary filmography, working primarily with indie auteurs rather than big-studio directors, and creating a range of unforgettable characters, each one distinct from the last. Active overseas since 2006, he has also gamely performed in English, French, Korean and Spanish. Among many other awards, he has received Best Supporting Actor at the Japanese Academy prizes for Blood and Bones in 2004, and Best Actor for Sway in 2006.
On the occasion of his feature debut, “They Say Nothing Stays the Same”, screened at New York Asian Film Festival, we speak with him about his experience as director, working with an international crew and particularly Christopher Doyle, shooting in Niigata, and many other topics
What was the motivation your first feature film as a director?
Meeting cinematographer Christopher Doyle started this project. I was invited to...
On the occasion of his feature debut, “They Say Nothing Stays the Same”, screened at New York Asian Film Festival, we speak with him about his experience as director, working with an international crew and particularly Christopher Doyle, shooting in Niigata, and many other topics
What was the motivation your first feature film as a director?
Meeting cinematographer Christopher Doyle started this project. I was invited to...
- 9/27/2020
- by Alexander Knoth
- AsianMoviePulse
Masayuki Suo is a director not afraid to touch on cultural taboos in his work, most notably with 1996’s breakthrough “Shall We Dance?”. There, he tackled a foreign influence in ballroom dancing, and its lack of acceptance as a respectable activity for a middle-aged salaryman. His earlier “Sumo Do, Sumo Don’t”, however, looks at a more traditional Japanese activity, but how a younger generation embrace the foreign and see the past as taboo.
“Youth” is screening at Japan Society
Shuhei (Masahiro Motoki) is a slacker student, confident that he has no need to go to class or make any efforts, as his family connections have already landed him a job on graduation. There’s just one problem with this: he actually has to graduate. As such, he feels it’s about time he met with his professor, Anayama (Akira Emoto).
Anayama is something of a sumo wrestling buff; a lean man,...
“Youth” is screening at Japan Society
Shuhei (Masahiro Motoki) is a slacker student, confident that he has no need to go to class or make any efforts, as his family connections have already landed him a job on graduation. There’s just one problem with this: he actually has to graduate. As such, he feels it’s about time he met with his professor, Anayama (Akira Emoto).
Anayama is something of a sumo wrestling buff; a lean man,...
- 4/5/2020
- by Andrew Thayne
- AsianMoviePulse
Based on a true story, where the male members of the swimming team at Kawagoe High School, inspired by the popular Olympic synchronized swimming exhibitions on TV, choreographed and successfully performed their own synchronized swimming event, “Waterboys” was a huge success in Japan, nominated for eight prizes at from the Japan Academy (winning two), and spawning a TV series that lasted for three seasons.
“Waterboys” is screening at Japan Society
Suzuki is a high-school student who wants to become a great swimmer, but continuously fails, not to mention the fact that he is the sole member of the all-boys Tadano High School’s swimming team. The fate of the team changes when a rather sexy new coach arrives at the school, who seems to have big plans for the team. Scores of students rush to join her class, but when it is revealed that she actually meant to train a synchronizing swimming team,...
“Waterboys” is screening at Japan Society
Suzuki is a high-school student who wants to become a great swimmer, but continuously fails, not to mention the fact that he is the sole member of the all-boys Tadano High School’s swimming team. The fate of the team changes when a rather sexy new coach arrives at the school, who seems to have big plans for the team. Scores of students rush to join her class, but when it is revealed that she actually meant to train a synchronizing swimming team,...
- 3/22/2020
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
IFFKThe audience poll was won by the Malayalam film 'Jallikattu', which also got special mention in Competition section. Tnm Staff Asserting that dissenting voices would not be silenced, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan gave away the awards to winners at the 24th International Film Festival of Kerala (Iffk), on December 13, the concluding day. Without mentioning the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act, he said that India would not remain silent before anti-democratic forces. The winner of this year's Suvarna Chakoram -- the biggest award at the fest -- went to the Japanese film They Say Nothing Stays The Same. The film tells the story of Toichi (Akira Emoto), an old boatman who has ferried people across the river for decades. One day he fishes out a girl from the river, and slowly a bond develops between them. The second biggest award, Rajatha Chakoram for Best Director, went to Allan Deberton,...
- 12/14/2019
- by Haritha
- The News Minute
After experiencing the permeating machismo of the Yakuza Papers Pentalogy, the opportunity to watch a film that actually parodied the yakuza ways, and even more, which had a girl for a protagonist, was more than welcome. “Sailor Suit and Machine Gun” is based on the homonymous, 1978 novel by Jiro Akagawa and stars pop idol Hiroko Yakushimaru, with her presence helping immensely in the appeal the film had in Japan, winning popularity awards for both the title and the protagonist from the Japanese Academy. Furthermore, the distribution income it generated was the biggest in the domestic market for 1982, while the theme song of the film, which was also sung by Yakushimaru, stayed at the 1st place of the weekly Oricon Singles Chart for five consecutive weeks.
Izumi Hoshi is a normal high school girl, until one day, and after a number of yakuza appear in the school she attends,...
Izumi Hoshi is a normal high school girl, until one day, and after a number of yakuza appear in the school she attends,...
- 12/8/2019
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
After dealing with the samurai genre in comedic style with the two “Samurai Hustle” movies, (and after the excellent “Recall” of last year) Katsuhide Motoki decided to tackle the category with a more serious approach, in a film based on the novel series “Inemuri Iwane Edo Zoshi” by Yasuhide Saeki.
Iwane: Sword of Serenity is screening at the Toronto Japanese Film Festival
The story is split in two parts. In the first one, and as the story begins, the titular character is studying swordsmanship in a dojo in Edo with his two childhood friends, Kinpei and Shinnosuke. Kinpei has two sisters; Mao, who is married to Shinnosuke, and Nao who will marry Iwane. When they return to their home county though, tragedy strikes immediately. Shinnosuke’s uncle shares a rumor with him that Mao is having an affair, and an enraged Shinnosuke ends up killing her the same night. Kinpei...
Iwane: Sword of Serenity is screening at the Toronto Japanese Film Festival
The story is split in two parts. In the first one, and as the story begins, the titular character is studying swordsmanship in a dojo in Edo with his two childhood friends, Kinpei and Shinnosuke. Kinpei has two sisters; Mao, who is married to Shinnosuke, and Nao who will marry Iwane. When they return to their home county though, tragedy strikes immediately. Shinnosuke’s uncle shares a rumor with him that Mao is having an affair, and an enraged Shinnosuke ends up killing her the same night. Kinpei...
- 6/8/2019
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
From time to time, one always has the need to watch one of those strange stories that end up impressing the viewer with his personality. Japan is a country that knows well how to tell this kind of stories thanks to well-known talents such as Takashi Miike and Sion Sono, of whom you can see a lot of similarity in this film. Ikki Katashima narrates The Dog Bridegroom, a 4 hour runtime epic tale about a woman who decides to leave everything behind in search of a new destination that knocked at her door.
“The Dog Bridegroom” is screening at Japan Film Fest Hamburg
Azusa is a primary school teacher who does not know what to do with her life. She feels lost and most importantly, she does not feel fulfilled, but one day she hears a voice from the sky that says: “If you go to Imore Island, you will get what you want.
“The Dog Bridegroom” is screening at Japan Film Fest Hamburg
Azusa is a primary school teacher who does not know what to do with her life. She feels lost and most importantly, she does not feel fulfilled, but one day she hears a voice from the sky that says: “If you go to Imore Island, you will get what you want.
- 5/24/2019
- by Pedro Morata
- 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
"Sometimes, it's better to choose your own family." Magnolia Pictures has released the official Us trailer for the Palme d'Or winning film Shoplifters, the latest film from beloved Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda. Shoplifters is about a family of small-time crooks, but the story is really about what happens when they take in a young girl they find living on the street one day. The film's cast includes Lily Franky, Sakura Ando, Kirin Kiki , Kengo Kora, Sosuke Ikematsu, Chizuru Ikewaki, Yuki Yamada, Yoko Moriguchi, and Akira Emoto. This mostly understated, beautiful Japanese drama won big at Cannes, but also won the hearts of cinephiles, earning effusive reviews from some of the toughest critics out there. If you're looking to discover some of the finest filmmaking this year, this should for sure be at the top of your list. It's a must watch film from Japan. Here's the official Us ...
- 10/5/2018
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
The Cannes Film Festival, cinema’s most esteemed yearly event, begins in just a few days. While we’ll soon be on the ground providing coverage, today brings a preview of what we’re most looking forward to among the eclectic line-up, ranging from films in competition to select titles on the various sidebars. Check out our most-anticipated features below and follow our complete coverage here throughout the month. Make sure to also follow our contributors on Twitter: Giovanni Marchini Camia and Rory O’Connor.
20. The Man Who Killed Don Quixote (Terry Gilliam)
Hopefully a genuinely worthwhile film rather than a curio as it relates to its long-plagued production history, it’s still not precisely confirmed that Terry Gilliam’s The Man Who Killed Don Quixote will actually be legally approved to premiere at the festival. Let’s hope those issues get ironed out in the next few days,...
20. The Man Who Killed Don Quixote (Terry Gilliam)
Hopefully a genuinely worthwhile film rather than a curio as it relates to its long-plagued production history, it’s still not precisely confirmed that Terry Gilliam’s The Man Who Killed Don Quixote will actually be legally approved to premiere at the festival. Let’s hope those issues get ironed out in the next few days,...
- 5/5/2018
- by The Film Stage
- The Film Stage
Acclaimed Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda’s movie, Shoplifters, has a newly-released international trailer for those wanting a deeper glimpse of the film. As there are no subtitles available yet, below is a synopsis of the story.
Shoplifters, Kore-eda’s latest project, and one that’s highly anticipated at this year’s upcoming Cannes Film Festival, is the story of a poor family that scrapes by through stealing for a living. They take in a girl who was living on the streets and who quickly becomes like family to them. They then come to find that she’s at the center of a nationwide missing person’s case, and have to make the choice of their lives.
The film’s cast includes Lily Franky, Sakura Ando, Kirin Kiki , Kengo Kora, Sosuke Ikematsu, Chizuru Ikewaki, Yuki Yamada, Yoko Moriguchi, and Akira Emoto.
Although there is no U.S. distribution set for the film as of yet,...
Shoplifters, Kore-eda’s latest project, and one that’s highly anticipated at this year’s upcoming Cannes Film Festival, is the story of a poor family that scrapes by through stealing for a living. They take in a girl who was living on the streets and who quickly becomes like family to them. They then come to find that she’s at the center of a nationwide missing person’s case, and have to make the choice of their lives.
The film’s cast includes Lily Franky, Sakura Ando, Kirin Kiki , Kengo Kora, Sosuke Ikematsu, Chizuru Ikewaki, Yuki Yamada, Yoko Moriguchi, and Akira Emoto.
Although there is no U.S. distribution set for the film as of yet,...
- 4/22/2018
- by Kristen Barrett
- AsianMoviePulse
Another first look at another highly anticipated Cannes film this year. A full official trailer for the new film from beloved Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda, titled Shoplifters, has debuted online. The film is premiering in-competition at the Cannes Film Festival next month, and looks like it will get some big buzz at the festival. Shoplifters is about a family of small-time crooks, but the story is really about what happens when they take in a young girl they find living on the street one day. The film's cast includes Lily Franky, Sakura Ando, Kirin Kiki , Kengo Kora, Sosuke Ikematsu, Chizuru Ikewaki, Yuki Yamada, Yoko Moriguchi, and Akira Emoto. This looks really wonderful, it has such a charming, heartwarming feel to it. The trailer has been updated with English subtitles - you can watch below. Definitely worth a quick look. Here's the international trailer (+ poster) for Hirokazu Kore-eda's Shoplifters, from YouTube...
- 4/18/2018
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
As he preps for his newest film starring Juliette Binoche and Catherine Deneuve, Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda is returning to Cannes with another feature. Shoplifters, Lily Franky, Sakura Ando, Kengo Kora, Sosuke Ikematsu, Chizuru Ikewaki, Yuki Yamada, Yoko Moriguchi and Akira Emoto, will premiere in competition at Cannes, and now the full international trailer has arrived. With the story following a family of shoplifters who take in an orphan, check out the synopsis below, followed by the trailer, and return for our review.
After one of their shoplifting sessions, Osamu and his son come across a little girl in the freezing cold. At first reluctant to shelter the girl, Osamu’s wife agrees to take care of her after learning of the hardships she faces. Although the family is poor, barely making enough money to survive through petty crime, they seem to live happily together until an unforeseen incident reveals hidden secrets,...
After one of their shoplifting sessions, Osamu and his son come across a little girl in the freezing cold. At first reluctant to shelter the girl, Osamu’s wife agrees to take care of her after learning of the hardships she faces. Although the family is poor, barely making enough money to survive through petty crime, they seem to live happily together until an unforeseen incident reveals hidden secrets,...
- 4/18/2018
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
The third reboot of one of Japan’s most famous and successful franchises, and the 31st installment in the series was meant to be one of the greatest. Allocating a rather large budget (Us$15 million) and tasking Hideaki Ano, director of “Evangelion” and Shinji Higuchi, director of “Sinking in Japan, and special effects director of “Gamera”, and one of the top special effects supervisors in Japan, with the film’s direction, it was evident that Toho was not about to leave anything on chance. The result was hugely successful, since “Shin Godzilla” was the highest-grossing live-action Japanese film of 2016 and is the highest-grossing Japanese-produced Godzilla film. Furthermore, it received 11 Japan Academy Prize nominations and won seven, including Picture of the Year and Director of the Year.
The film follows the regular script of the franchise, as an unknown, gigantic creature appears in Japan from the sea, wreaking...
The film follows the regular script of the franchise, as an unknown, gigantic creature appears in Japan from the sea, wreaking...
- 4/1/2018
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
"Everyone, friends! Everyone, friends!" GKids has released the Us trailer for the extremely cute, Japanese anime musical Lu Over the Wall, which won Grand Prize at the prestigious Annecy Animation Festival, and played at the London Film Festival last year. From Japanese anime filmmaker Masaaki Yuasa (Mind Game, "Devilman: Crybaby"), this "joyously hallucinogenic" film is about a lonely, awkward musician boy in a small Japanese town on the water. One day he meets and befriends a mermaid who loves to dance to the music he creates with his band. This sets off all kinds of problems in the village, where they're afraid that mermaids bring disaster. The voice cast includes Kanon Tani, Shôta Shimoda, Shin'ichi Shinohara, and Akira Emoto. However, the Us release is an English dubbed version, for those thinking of seeing this. I caught this film in London and did not like it at all, very messy and incoherent and way too long.
- 3/29/2018
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Just months after premiering “The Third Murder” in Venice, Hirokazu Kore-eda is back with a new film. The Japanese auteur has been a mainstay of the festival circuit for years, making frequent trips to Cannes with acclaimed dramas like “Nobody Knows,” “Our Little Sister,” and “After the Storm.” “Shoplifters” is set for theatrical release in Japan on June 8, notes the Film Stage, making another Croisette debut entirely possible. Watch the film’s first teaser below.
Here’s the synopsis: “After one of their shoplifting sessions, Osamu and his son come across a little girl in the freezing cold. At first reluctant to shelter the girl, Osamu’s wife agrees to take care of her after learning of the hardships she faces. Although the family is poor, barely making enough money to survive through petty crime, they seem to live happily together until an unforeseen incident reveals hidden secrets, testing the bonds that unite them…...
Here’s the synopsis: “After one of their shoplifting sessions, Osamu and his son come across a little girl in the freezing cold. At first reluctant to shelter the girl, Osamu’s wife agrees to take care of her after learning of the hardships she faces. Although the family is poor, barely making enough money to survive through petty crime, they seem to live happily together until an unforeseen incident reveals hidden secrets, testing the bonds that unite them…...
- 3/17/2018
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
With his stellar drama After the Storm getting a U.S. release last year, Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda will likely return to Cannes this year with a new feature. Only recently completing production, Shoplifters stars Lily Franky, Sakura Ando, Kengo Kora, Sosuke Ikematsu, Chizuru Ikewaki, Yuki Yamada, Yoko Moriguchi and Akira Emoto.
The story follows a family of shoplifters who take in an orphan, and today the first teaser has arrived. While U.S. distribution hasn’t been announced yet, it will hit theaters in Japan in early June, which makes it prime for a debut at Cannes in less than two months. As we await confirmation, see the first preview and poster below.
After one of their shoplifting sessions, Osamu and his son come across a little girl in the freezing cold. At first reluctant to shelter the girl, Osamu’s wife agrees to take care of her after...
The story follows a family of shoplifters who take in an orphan, and today the first teaser has arrived. While U.S. distribution hasn’t been announced yet, it will hit theaters in Japan in early June, which makes it prime for a debut at Cannes in less than two months. As we await confirmation, see the first preview and poster below.
After one of their shoplifting sessions, Osamu and his son come across a little girl in the freezing cold. At first reluctant to shelter the girl, Osamu’s wife agrees to take care of her after...
- 3/16/2018
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Following up his best film this decade, After the Storm, Hirokazu Kore-eda is continuing his usually prolific streak with a pair of dramas. Last fall saw the premiere of his murder mystery/courtroom drama The Third Murder and he’s now finishing up his next film, Shoplifters, in time for a summer release in Japan and likely Cannes premiere. Today brings the first look at the latter and a new trailer for the former.
First up, Shoplifters stars Lily Franky, Sakura Ando, Kengo Kora, Sosuke Ikematsu, Chizuru Ikewaki, Yuki Yamada, Yoko Moriguchi and Akira Emoto, the film follows a family of shoplifters who take in an orphan. Then we have a new U.K. trailer for The Third Murder, which follows a defense attorney (Masaharu Fukuyama) who has different ideas about the case than his client (Kôji Yakusho), who confessed. Check out both the first look and trailer (hat tip to First Showing) below,...
First up, Shoplifters stars Lily Franky, Sakura Ando, Kengo Kora, Sosuke Ikematsu, Chizuru Ikewaki, Yuki Yamada, Yoko Moriguchi and Akira Emoto, the film follows a family of shoplifters who take in an orphan. Then we have a new U.K. trailer for The Third Murder, which follows a defense attorney (Masaharu Fukuyama) who has different ideas about the case than his client (Kôji Yakusho), who confessed. Check out both the first look and trailer (hat tip to First Showing) below,...
- 2/19/2018
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
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
The 31st film in the franchise is scheduled to be released on July 29, 2016. Hideaki Anno (Neon Genesis Evangelion) and Shinji Huguchi (Attack on Titan) will co-direct, with the former also penning the script.
When the Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line mysteriously floods and collapses, Japan’s Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Rando Yaguchi is convinced that the incident was caused by a living creature. His claims are shrugged off by the Prime Minister who assumes the accident was caused by a natural disaster. However when a long massive tail surfaces from the Bay, the possibility of a giant monster becomes a reality
Hiroki Hasegawa (Why Don’t You Play in Hell?), Satomi Ishihara (Attack on Titan) and Yutaka Takenouchi(Best Wishes for Tomorrow) will star, while 328 well known actors will appear in supporting and cameo appearances including Kengo Kora, Ren Osugi, Akira Emoto, Kimiko Yo, Jun Kunimura, Mikako Ichikawa, Pierre Taki, Takumi Saito,...
When the Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line mysteriously floods and collapses, Japan’s Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Rando Yaguchi is convinced that the incident was caused by a living creature. His claims are shrugged off by the Prime Minister who assumes the accident was caused by a natural disaster. However when a long massive tail surfaces from the Bay, the possibility of a giant monster becomes a reality
Hiroki Hasegawa (Why Don’t You Play in Hell?), Satomi Ishihara (Attack on Titan) and Yutaka Takenouchi(Best Wishes for Tomorrow) will star, while 328 well known actors will appear in supporting and cameo appearances including Kengo Kora, Ren Osugi, Akira Emoto, Kimiko Yo, Jun Kunimura, Mikako Ichikawa, Pierre Taki, Takumi Saito,...
- 7/20/2016
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
The 31st film in the franchise is scheduled to be released on July 29, 2016. Hideaki Anno (Neon Genesis Evangelion) and Shinji Huguchi (Attack on Titan) will co-direct, with the former also penning the script.
Hiroki Hasegawa (Why Don’t You Play in Hell?), Satomi Ishihara (Attack on Titan) and Yutaka Takenouchi(Best Wishes for Tomorrow) will star, while 328 well known actors will appear in supporting and cameo appearances including Kengo Kora, Ren Osugi, Akira Emoto, Kimiko Yo, Jun Kunimura, Mikako Ichikawa, Pierre Taki, Takumi Saito, Keisuke Koide, Arata Furuta, and Atsuko Maeda.
Hiroki Hasegawa (Why Don’t You Play in Hell?), Satomi Ishihara (Attack on Titan) and Yutaka Takenouchi(Best Wishes for Tomorrow) will star, while 328 well known actors will appear in supporting and cameo appearances including Kengo Kora, Ren Osugi, Akira Emoto, Kimiko Yo, Jun Kunimura, Mikako Ichikawa, Pierre Taki, Takumi Saito, Keisuke Koide, Arata Furuta, and Atsuko Maeda.
- 4/15/2016
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
We Are What We Are | The Book Thief | Non-Stop | Ride Along | As The Palaces Burn | Unforgiven | Funny Face
We Are What We Are (18)
(Jim Mickle, 2013, Us) Bill Sage, Ambyr Childers, Julia Garner. 103 mins
The story of an archaic backwoods family with very good reasons for their insularity, this spends such a long time laying out its twisted domestic set-up, it's almost as if it's in denial about being a horror movie (remade from a Mexican original). It's a wise decision. If you don't know the family's Big Secret already, it would be a shame to spoil it; let's just say it pulls the story into real shock and gore territory.
The Book Thief (12A)
(Brian Percival, 2013, Us/Ger) Sophie Nélisse, Geoffrey Rush, Emily Watson. 131 mins
A smart but syrupy wartime tale that traverses well-trodden territory – from The Reader to Life Is Beautiful – as a young girl is adopted by goodly Germans,...
We Are What We Are (18)
(Jim Mickle, 2013, Us) Bill Sage, Ambyr Childers, Julia Garner. 103 mins
The story of an archaic backwoods family with very good reasons for their insularity, this spends such a long time laying out its twisted domestic set-up, it's almost as if it's in denial about being a horror movie (remade from a Mexican original). It's a wise decision. If you don't know the family's Big Secret already, it would be a shame to spoil it; let's just say it pulls the story into real shock and gore territory.
The Book Thief (12A)
(Brian Percival, 2013, Us/Ger) Sophie Nélisse, Geoffrey Rush, Emily Watson. 131 mins
A smart but syrupy wartime tale that traverses well-trodden territory – from The Reader to Life Is Beautiful – as a young girl is adopted by goodly Germans,...
- 3/1/2014
- by Steve Rose
- The Guardian - Film News
The Toronto International Film Festival® has announced the addition of 3 Galas and 19 Special Presentations to the 2013 Festival programme, including a further 12 World Premieres. Representing countries from around the world, the Gala and Special Presentations programmes offer a lineup of diverse titles and genres.
Toronto audiences will be among the first to screen films by directors Fred Schepisi, Alberto Arvelo, Reha Erdem, Dexter Fletcher, Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland, Megan Griffiths, Arnaud Larrieu and Jean-Marie Larrieu, Kevin Macdonald, Arie Posin, Charlie Stratton, Nils Tavernier and John Turturro.
The 38th Toronto International Film Festival runs September 5 to 15, 2013.
Galas Blood Ties
Guillaume Canet, France/USA North American Premiere
New York, 1974. 50-year-old Chris has just been released on good behavior after spending several years in prison. Waiting for him reluctantly outside the prison gates is his younger brother, Frank, a cop with a bright future. Chris and Frank have always been different, yet blood...
Toronto audiences will be among the first to screen films by directors Fred Schepisi, Alberto Arvelo, Reha Erdem, Dexter Fletcher, Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland, Megan Griffiths, Arnaud Larrieu and Jean-Marie Larrieu, Kevin Macdonald, Arie Posin, Charlie Stratton, Nils Tavernier and John Turturro.
The 38th Toronto International Film Festival runs September 5 to 15, 2013.
Galas Blood Ties
Guillaume Canet, France/USA North American Premiere
New York, 1974. 50-year-old Chris has just been released on good behavior after spending several years in prison. Waiting for him reluctantly outside the prison gates is his younger brother, Frank, a cop with a bright future. Chris and Frank have always been different, yet blood...
- 8/17/2013
- by John
- SoundOnSight
Up until now I haven't posted any of the trailer for Lee Sang-il's Unforgiven (Yurusarezarumono), remake of Clint Eastwood's Oscar-winning film of the same name. Primarily because the trailers didn't include subtitles and I knew sooner or later we'd get a look that would actually give you something to consider rather than the visuals and action beats. Well, that day is today. Unforgiven is set to play the 2013 Toronto Film Festival and I have for you a subtitled trailer along with three clips from the film which stars Ken Watanabe (Inception), Koichi Sato (Sukiyaki Western Django) and Akira Emoto (The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi) that takes the classic Western to Meiji-period Japan. The Tokugawa shogunate has just collapsed and the Ainu aborigines strive to settle the land alongside the newly established government. Jubei Kamata (Watanabe) is a relic of the Tokugawa shogunate, and during that time his name alone terrorized...
- 8/14/2013
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
Over the past month or so, we've seen some intriguing trailers land online for the Japanese language remake of "Unforgiven" and Hayao Miyazaki's "The Wind Rises," but without the benefit of English subtitles. But with both movies now headed to Tiff, they have been refreshed with English subtitles to give you a better sense of how both of them play out. First up, Ken Watanabe leads the Clint Eastwood do-over, with the story of a bounty hunter on one last gig relocated to 1880s Japan. Koichi Sato and Akira Emoto take on the roles originated by Gene Hackman and Morgan Freeman, respectively, with Jun Kunimura, Yuya Yagira and Shiori Kutsuna rounding out the Lee Sang-il-directed film. Here's the official synopsis: Ken Watanabe (Inception) stars in director Lee Sang-il’s visionary remake of Clint Eastwood’s iconic Academy Award winner. Continuing a rich tradition of cross-cultural adaptations, Lee swaps six-shooters for.
- 8/14/2013
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
"Unforgiven," the 1992 Oscar-winning film by Clint Eastwood is getting a Japanese counterpart! This one is called "Yurusarezaru Mono" which means "A Thing That Can.t Be Forgiven" and stars Ken Watanabe ("The Last Samurai," "Memoirs of a Geisha," "Batman Begins") in the Eastwood role. Lee Sang-Il wrote and directed the samurai re-imagination of the western classic. The film is set to open in Japan on Sept. 13 and has been submitted to the Venice Film Festival according to the Hollywood Reporter.
Check out the trailer and see its heartfelt homage to the 1992 American original.
Here's more info on "Yurusarezaru Mono" from Wiki:
The story is set in Hokkaido around 1880, the start of the Meiji period following the collapse of the Edo shogunate, at a time when the Japanese government is attempting to open the land (then named Ezo) populated by the indigenous Ainu people.
In the shogunate's waning days, Jubei Kamata...
Check out the trailer and see its heartfelt homage to the 1992 American original.
Here's more info on "Yurusarezaru Mono" from Wiki:
The story is set in Hokkaido around 1880, the start of the Meiji period following the collapse of the Edo shogunate, at a time when the Japanese government is attempting to open the land (then named Ezo) populated by the indigenous Ainu people.
In the shogunate's waning days, Jubei Kamata...
- 7/16/2013
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
Japan and America have had an interesting cinematic exchange going on ever since the 1950s. Akira Kurosawa’s samurai films – themselves informed by the aesthetics of westerns – were in turn transformed into American westerns. More recently, directors like Quentin Tarantino have helped produce Japanese films that mimic American westerns (check out the crazy Sukiyaki Western Django, if you don’t believe me). That exchange now continues with the Japanese remake of Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven, now titled Yurusarezaru mono and starring Ken Watanabe.
We already had a teaser for the film awhile back; now we have the full Japanese language trailer. Watanabe plays the lone gunman, now living a peaceful life at home, who takes on bounty hunting work. The film is written and directed by Sang-il Lee, based on David Webb’s original Unforgiven script. It also stars Akira Emoto, Jun Kunimura, Yuya Yagira, Eiko Koike, Shiori Kutsuna and Koichi Sato.
We already had a teaser for the film awhile back; now we have the full Japanese language trailer. Watanabe plays the lone gunman, now living a peaceful life at home, who takes on bounty hunting work. The film is written and directed by Sang-il Lee, based on David Webb’s original Unforgiven script. It also stars Akira Emoto, Jun Kunimura, Yuya Yagira, Eiko Koike, Shiori Kutsuna and Koichi Sato.
- 7/15/2013
- by Lauren Humphries-Brooks
- We Got This Covered
For every rule, there is an exception, and while we generally approach remakes with severe caution, in this case, we have to admit that we're pretty curious. Granted, topping Clint Eastwood's excellent 1992 western “Unforgiven”—winner of four Oscars including Best Picture and Best Director—is not really going to happen, but presenting a fresh spin on the story, with a new setting and few different flavors? Sure, we'd be up for that, particularly if it's going to star Ken Watanabe. The Japanese actor is leading the foreign language remake of "Unforgiven," from director Sang-il Lee, and a new trailer is here to show off a bit more of what's been done. The story has been relocated to 1880s Japan, on the island of Hokkaido, with Watanabe as poverty stricken samurai, in an era when those traditions are fading, who takes on one last job for a big payday. Koichi...
- 7/15/2013
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
About a year ago, it was announced that Warner Bros signed Ken Watanabe (Inception) to star in a Japanese remake of "Unforgiven," playing the role that Clint Eastwood played in the original film. And today, we have a trailer for the new movie. Check it out below. Set in 1880, Watanabe plays a samurai with a violent past, who lives on Japan's northern island of Hokkaido with his Ainu (the aboriginal people of the island) wife, but is brought out of retirement for one last job. Koichi Sato (The Magic Hour) will play the Gene Hackman role, while veteran Akira Emoto (Villain) will take the part played by Morgan Freeman in the Oscar-winning original. The remake is set to be released in Japan on September 13th. Trailer:...
- 7/15/2013
- WorstPreviews.com
Unforgiven Trailer, Poster. Sang-il Lee‘s Unforgiven / Yurusarezaru mono (2013) movie trailer, movie poster stars Ken Watanabe, Jun Kunimura, Yûya Yagira, Akira Emoto, and Kôichi Satô. Unforgiven‘s plot synopsis: “The action is now set in late 1800′s Hokkaido with the lead actor Ken Watanabe playing a long retired samurai drawn back into action by [...]
Continue reading: Unforgiven (2013) Movie Trailer: Ken Watanabe in Eastwood Remake Film...
Continue reading: Unforgiven (2013) Movie Trailer: Ken Watanabe in Eastwood Remake Film...
- 7/14/2013
- by Rollo Tomasi
- Film-Book
Am I crazy or do we have a couple of remakes looming on the horizon that don’t look absolutely terrible? Hot on the heels of “Oldboy” remake trailer comes the first full clip for Sang-il Lee’s take on the gritty Clint Eastwood western “Unforgiven.” Judging from the trailer embedded below, this reimagining doesn’t look half bad. Ken Watanabe stars as a samurai who decides to hang up his sword in order to enjoy the remaining years of his life. However, he is soon called out of retirement to perform one final job. Koichi Sato has been tapped to portray Gene Hackman’s character while Akira Emoto will tackle Morgan Freeman’s role. Jun Kunimura, Yuya Yagira, and Shiori Kutsuna also star in the upcoming remake. As a fan of Clint Eastwood’s “Unforgiven,” I was a little anxious about Sang-il Lee’s version of the story. While...
- 7/14/2013
- by Todd Rigney
- Beyond Hollywood
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