Sakai Masato!
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Watching the TV premiere of:
Yajima Biyoshitsu THE MOVIE ~Yume wo Tsukama Nevada~
Not sure if I'll be laughing about Margret's, Naomi's and Strawberry's adventures during a whole movie but more about how I liked this nonsense tomorrow.

Abe Hiroshi stars as swindler in �gKarasu no Oyayubi�h

October 16, 2011

Abe Hiroshi has been cast as the star of a new film called �gKarasu no Oyayubi,�h based on a novel by award-winning author Michio Shusuke. Ishihara Satomi, Nounen Rena, Koyanagi Yu, and Murakami Shoji also play major roles.

The story revolves around two middle-aged men Take (Abe) and Tetsu (Murakami), who have been unsuccessful in life and decided to try the art of swindling. They begin living in an old house together, and one day they get visited by two sisters Yahiru (Ishihara) and Mahiru (Nounen) and Yahiru�fs boyfriend (Koyanagi). With everyone�fs poor luck continuing, they being putting together a big plan that will help them all break away from their pasts.

�gKarasu no Oyayubi�h was nominated for the Naoki Prize in 2009. Although it did not win, Michio�fs later novel �gTsuki to Kani�h won the prize earlier this year.

This is the second feature film directed by Ito Tadafumi. The project is produced by 20th Century Fox and already finished shooting this summer. Theatrical release is slated for fall 2012.

Sources:
Eiga.com
Sports Hochi

EstherM wrote:

Watching the TV premiere of: Yajima Biyoshitsu THE MOVIE ~Yume wo Tsukama Nevada~ Not sure if I'll be laughing about Margret's, Naomi's and Strawberry's adventures during a whole movie but more about how I liked this nonsense tomorrow.

Not my humor, I can tolerate a videoclip but a whole movie, nope! I wouldn't recommend this to anybody, three Japanese men cross-dressing as an American RnB group (think Destiny's Child) is borderline offensive.

Hiroki Ryuichi�fs new film touches on Akihabara massacre

October 18, 2011

Acclaimed filmmaker Hiroki Ryuichi (�gKeibetsu,�h �gYomei Ikkagetsu no Hanayome�h) is taking on a challenging subject for his next movie, �gRIVER.�h It will be the first theatrical film to deal with the 2008 incident known as the �gAkihabara massacre,�h in which a man drove a truck into a pedestrian crowd and proceeded to stab several people, leaving a total of 7 dead and 10 injured.

The movie stars actress Renbutsu Misako as a young woman named Hikari whose boyfriend Kenji, an electronics otaku, was killed in the incident. Suffering from the shock of the loss and unable to accept reality, she begins to shut herself off from the rest of the world. Eventually, she pulls herself together and decides to visit Akihabara, where she encounters various individuals who are also trying to focus on �gliving in the present�h despite their circumstances.

The supporting cast includes a female photographer (Nakamura Mami), a scout for a maid cafe (Taguchi Tomorowo), and a maid cafe employee (Nahana). Negishi Toshie, Emoto Tokio, and Kobayashi Yukichi will also appear.

The film�fs theme song will be �gMoon River,�h originally used in the classic film �gBreakfast at Tiffany�fs.�h

�gRIVER�h will open in theaters nationwide in March 2012. Before that, it will get a special premiere screening next month at the 12th Tokyo Filmex (November 19-27).

Sources:
Eiga.com
Sponichi Annex

Anybody in Tokyo, the Tokyo International Film Festival is going on until the 30th:http://2011.tiff-jp.net/en/

I saw this movie mentioned on another forum. I'd never heard of it. Anybody here seen it? Is it any good ? I mean in comparison to other Kurosawa movies:http://www.criterion.com/films/788-stray-dog

gaijinmark wrote:

I saw this movie mentioned on another forum. I'd never heard of it. Anybody here seen it? Is it any good ? I mean in comparison to other Kurosawa movies:http://www.criterion.com/films/788-stray-dog

I've seen it... It's probably the first present day (postwar, actually) Kurosawa film I ever saw... And quite good, I thought.

gaijinmark wrote:

I saw this movie mentioned on another forum. I'd never heard of it. Anybody here seen it? Is it any good ? I mean in comparison to other Kurosawa movies:http://www.criterion.com/films/788-stray-dog

Very good, definitely one I'd recommend. I think it's rather underrated among Kurosawa's works, most people just go on about Seven Samurai or Ran, but Stray Dog is actually quite a fascinating watch. Slow to start, but it gets progressively more interesting.
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玉木宏、藤木直人、佐藤健

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junny wrote:

Slow to start, but it gets progressively more interesting.

Good point.

Thanks for the recommendations! Guess I'll put it on my "to watch" list.

Parakiss is my favorite manga in the lighter girly range and I had been looking forward to the movie.

Wow, all I can say they totally butchered it by changing the end, which is crucial to the whole story. Now it's just a fluffy fashion romantic comedy for 14 to 18 year old girls with the cheesiest ending possible. The great thing about the manga was that it had kind of a realistic end in a fairytale setting.

Funny, I thought they kind of got it right until 2/3 into the movie. I was unsure of the casting from the beginning - not so much for their acting skills but for their physical limitations but I could kind of live with it but ripping a story from it's main message is a terrible crime.

EstherM wrote:

Parakiss is my favorite manga in the lighter girly range and I had been looking forward to the movie. Wow, all I can say they totally butchered it by changing the end, which is crucial to the whole story. Now it's just a fluffy fashion romantic comedy for 14 to 18 year old girls with the cheesiest ending possible. The great thing about the manga was that it had kind of a realistic end in a fairytale setting. Funny, I thought they kind of got it right until 2/3 into the movie. I was unsure of the casting from the beginning - not so much for their acting skills but for their physical limitations but I could kind of live with it but ripping a story from it's main message is a terrible crime.

I've only seen the anime, which I enjoyed because I thought it was funny.

Just watched Boku no Hatsukoi wo kimi ni sasagu. I enjoyed it. Had read the first part of the manga and some how ended up dropping it. So glad that the ending was not as terrible as it could have been.

�gGaiji Keisatsu�h drama series gets movie in 2012

October 27, 2011

NHK�fs 2009 action/suspense drama series �gGaiji Keisatsu�h is returning with a theatrical film, to be released next year. Watabe Atsuro reprises the starring role. The supporting cast also includes Korean actor Kim Kang-woo in his first Japanese movie.

The �gGaiji Keisatsu�h drama series revolved around a secret police division tasked with combating international terrorism and espionage. The movie is partly based on Aso Iku�fs novel of the same name, produced by the same main staff that worked on NHK�fs hit series �gHagetaka.�h About a year and a half was spent on research and putting together an original script.

Filming started in Chiba on August 21, but three weeks were also spent shooting overseas in Seoul and Busan from September 20. It is said that Watabe spent about a month taking lessons on Hangul and Korean before filming overseas.

Other cast members include Maki Yoko, Ono Machiko, Tanaka Min, Im Hyeon-jun, Endo Kenichi, Yo Kimiko, Ishibashi Ryo, Kitami Toshiyuki, Takito Kenichi, and Shibukawa Kiyohiko.

�gGaiji Keisatsu�h is scheduled for release on June 2, 2012.

Sources:
Eiga.com
Cinema Today

gaijinmark wrote:

�gGaiji Keisatsu�h drama series gets movie in 2012 October 27, 2011 NHK�fs 2009 action/suspense drama series �gGaiji Keisatsu�h is returning with a theatrical film, to be released next year. Watabe Atsuro reprises the starring role. The supporting cast also includes Korean actor Kim Kang-woo in his first Japanese movie. The �gGaiji Keisatsu�h drama series revolved around a secret police division tasked with combating international terrorism and espionage. The movie is partly based on Aso Iku�fs novel of the same name, produced by the same main staff that worked on NHK�fs hit series �gHagetaka.�h About a year and a half was spent on research and putting together an original script. Filming started in Chiba on August 21, but three weeks were also spent shooting overseas in Seoul and Busan from September 20. It is said that Watabe spent about a month taking lessons on Hangul and Korean before filming overseas. Other cast members include Maki Yoko, Ono Machiko, Tanaka Min, Im Hyeon-jun, Endo Kenichi, Yo Kimiko, Ishibashi Ryo, Kitami Toshiyuki, Takito Kenichi, and Shibukawa Kiyohiko. �gGaiji Keisatsu�h is scheduled for release on June 2, 2012. Sources: Eiga.com Cinema Today

I'm excited about this! Kim Kang-woo is a wonderful actor and Gaiji Keisatsu is an awesome drama. So glad they're bringing back the whole cast, it wouldn't be the same without Watabe Atsuro, who really blew me away with his performance.
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玉木宏、藤木直人、佐藤健

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Tu_triky wrote:

I've only seen the anime, which I enjoyed because I thought it was funny.

Manga and anime are very much the same - the live action not so much.

On the bright side, had a brilliant afternoon lazing around watching a relaxing movie with Ryo Kase and Satomi Kobayashi, called Pool. It's one of these movies where nothing really happens, a few people hang out at a pool for a few days. They eat, have some family talks and that's it. I kept on thinking how much it reminded me of Megane and guess what, they followed Pool with Megane (also starring Kase and Kobayashi and the strict looking lady with the glasses), so I am rewatching that now. I do think though they are not by the same director.

shin2 wrote:

I hope the cast is up to the level of the script Just kidding. I posted before how I was disappointed with Mitani's last movie (Magic Hour), not because it was bad (it was actually decent), but because I just have such high expectations for his work. Let's hope he regains his form with this upcoming movie. I thought it was interesting how Shinohara and Sato are reprising their characters (from different movies no less). Many of the actors mentioned have appeared in one or more of Mitani's previous films whether as cameos or principal/supporting characters. I wonder who's going to be playing the ghost?

Well, a lot of people went to see it. Hopefully that's a good sign

Mitani Koki�fs latest earns 533 million yen in opening weekend

November 1, 2011

�gSuteki na Kanashibari,�h the newest film from acclaimed director Mitani Koki, opened this past weekend on 427 screens across the country. Over Saturday and Sunday, approximately 390,000 people went to see the movie in theaters, grossing about 533.4 million yen.

The movie outperformed even �gThe Three Musketeers,�h which opened on 721 screens on Friday. Over the two weekend days, that movie had an audience of about 200,000 people, grossing 322.0 million yen to rank #2 at the box office.

�gSuteki na Kanashibari�h is the 5th feature-length film directed by Mitani, starring Fukatsu Eri and Nishida Toshiyuki along with a star-heavy supporting cast.

Source:
Mantan Web

Just got done watching Taiheiyo no kiseki:http://asianmediawiki.com/Oba:_The_Last_Samurai

It was pretty good. Kind of like Tora Tora Tora it shows things from both the American and Japanese side and luckily they used REAL American actors!!

Yutaka was good as Oba but I really liked Mao Inoue and Tomoko Nakajima. My only complaint and it might be a minor one depending on your point of view:

Click on button to reveal/hide spoiler:

When Oba finally decides to surrender after 200 days on that mountain with no water or food, how did his men come up with such nice, clean uniforms?

Speaking of Mao Inoue:

Inoue Mao stars in tug-of-war comedy by director Mizuta Nobuo

November 3, 2011

Popular actress Inoue Mao is starring in a new comedy by movie director Mizuta Nobuo (�gNakumonka,�h �gMaiko Haaaan!!!�h). The film, titled �gTsunahiichatta!,�h is inspired by an actual women�fs tug-of-war team.

Inoue plays a beautiful but serious woman named Nishikawa Chiaki, who works in the public relations department of the government office in the city of Oita. In the past, the city was the home of the Oita Cosmo Ladies, who won the world tug-of-war championships three times. With that in mind, the city�fs mayor orders the creation of a new women�fs tug-of-war team.

The women of the office�fs meal center, which is on the verge of being shut down, are chosen for the team, including Chiaki�fs own mother (Matsuzaka Keiko). However, due to the lack of enough members, Chiaki herself is pulled into the team, even winding up as the team�fs captain.

Habara Daisuke, the screenwriter behind movies such as �gPacchigi!�h and �hHula Girls,�h is providing the screenplay. Besides Matsuzaka, Inoue�fs supporting cast features Tamayama Tetsuji, Nishida Naomi, Watanabe Naomi, Sonim, Asaji Yoko, Sasano Takashi, and Kazama Morio.

The movie will be filmed entirely in Oita, with the cooperation of the city. Shooting began on November 3 and is planned to finish on December 6. Toho will distribute the film in 2012.

Source:
Eiga.com
Official website