Oscar season is a marathon whether you win or lose. Ryuske Hamaguchi was lucky enough to be on the winning end when “Drive My Car” won the International Film Oscar two years ago. In so doing, the filmmaker became just the fifth Japanese director to win the honor and the first since Yōjirō Takita triumphed in 2009 for “Departures.” It also became the first Japanese film nominated for Best Picture, a landmark achievement for a nation with a legacy of auteur filmmakers.
Continue reading Ryusuke Hamaguchi Takes An Unexpected Turn With ‘Evil Does Not Exit’ [Interview] at The Playlist.
Continue reading Ryusuke Hamaguchi Takes An Unexpected Turn With ‘Evil Does Not Exit’ [Interview] at The Playlist.
- 5/6/2024
- by Gregory Ellwood
- The Playlist
The 44th edition of genre film festival Fantasporto, which runs in Portugal’s second city Porto from March 1-10, has bestowed its best film award on Japanese sci-fi fantasy pic “From the End of the World,” directed by Kaz I Kiriya.
The movie follows 10-year-old Hana, whose dreams transport her across various eras in Japanese history, and have the ability to save humanity.
The jury’s special award went to “The Complex Forms,” Italian director Fabio D’Orta’s debut feature. The sci-fi horror centers on a man who has sold his body so it can be possessed by a creature of unknown nature.
The prize for best direction was nabbed by Spanish filmmaker Gonzalo López-Gallego for horror movie “The Shadow of the Shark” (La Sombra del Tiburon). In the film, a young woman, Alma, is undergoing therapy as she is unable to sleep. With the help of surveillance cameras, she...
The movie follows 10-year-old Hana, whose dreams transport her across various eras in Japanese history, and have the ability to save humanity.
The jury’s special award went to “The Complex Forms,” Italian director Fabio D’Orta’s debut feature. The sci-fi horror centers on a man who has sold his body so it can be possessed by a creature of unknown nature.
The prize for best direction was nabbed by Spanish filmmaker Gonzalo López-Gallego for horror movie “The Shadow of the Shark” (La Sombra del Tiburon). In the film, a young woman, Alma, is undergoing therapy as she is unable to sleep. With the help of surveillance cameras, she...
- 3/9/2024
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
If you want to catch up with Oscar Visual Effects nominee “Godzilla Minus One” before the awards Sunday night, you’ve got exactly one option: Find an Academy member who will invite you to view it on the voters’ portal. For everyone else in the world, you’re out of luck.
Why? Although never confirmed by Toho, it relates to an apparent contractual agreement between Toho, the Japanese studio that created (and still owns rights to) “Godzilla,” and Legendary Entertainment, which licensed the monster character for a series of films released by Warner Bros. Legendary’s latest with Warners, “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” fifth in the MonsterVerse franchise, opens wide in the U.S./Canada March 29.
Toho retains the ability to make its own “Godzilla” movies, but with the reported limitation of not releasing them in the same year as a Legendary production. Under that arrangement, “Godzilla Minus One...
Why? Although never confirmed by Toho, it relates to an apparent contractual agreement between Toho, the Japanese studio that created (and still owns rights to) “Godzilla,” and Legendary Entertainment, which licensed the monster character for a series of films released by Warner Bros. Legendary’s latest with Warners, “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” fifth in the MonsterVerse franchise, opens wide in the U.S./Canada March 29.
Toho retains the ability to make its own “Godzilla” movies, but with the reported limitation of not releasing them in the same year as a Legendary production. Under that arrangement, “Godzilla Minus One...
- 3/6/2024
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
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
Recently-released titles by – very different – Japanese film icons Yamada Yoji and Shimizu Takashi adorn the Tiffcom sales slate of Shochiku, one of Japan’s oldest and most powerful film studios.
The 91-year-old Yamada, known for classics including “The Yellow Handkerchief” and “The Twilight Samurai,” is behind “Mom, Is That You?,” a heartwarming drama that marks the third picture in his recent “Mother” series, following “Kabei, Our Mother” and “Nagasaki: Memories of My Son.” Starring Yoshinaga Sayuri and Oizumi Yo, the film tells how a dissatisfied salaryman pays a rare visit home and discovers his mother’s previously hidden fashionable and outgoing sides. It released in Japanese theaters on Sept. 1.
Shimizu, who played a large part in bringing Japanese horror to Hollywood’s attention with titles such as “Tomie: Rebirth” and “Ju-on: The Grudge,” has returned to his horror roots with “Sana.” It depicts a musical curse that is delivered in...
The 91-year-old Yamada, known for classics including “The Yellow Handkerchief” and “The Twilight Samurai,” is behind “Mom, Is That You?,” a heartwarming drama that marks the third picture in his recent “Mother” series, following “Kabei, Our Mother” and “Nagasaki: Memories of My Son.” Starring Yoshinaga Sayuri and Oizumi Yo, the film tells how a dissatisfied salaryman pays a rare visit home and discovers his mother’s previously hidden fashionable and outgoing sides. It released in Japanese theaters on Sept. 1.
Shimizu, who played a large part in bringing Japanese horror to Hollywood’s attention with titles such as “Tomie: Rebirth” and “Ju-on: The Grudge,” has returned to his horror roots with “Sana.” It depicts a musical curse that is delivered in...
- 10/22/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
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
The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television has named its batch of 2023 film and TV winners ahead of Sunday night’s broadcast of the Canadian Screen Awards on CBC and CBC Gem. During the weeklong celebration, which was broken up over four days, “The Porter” and “Brother” emerged with the most victories in their respective TV and film categories.
“Brother” had 13 nominations heading into Thursday night’s film celebrations and triumphed in 12 categories — including best motion picture. Clement Virgo also picked up wins for directing and adapted screenplay, while Lamar Johnson won for performance in a leading role and Aaron Pierre won for performance in a supporting role.
The film is based on David Chariandy’s prize-winning novel of the same name and made its world debut this past September at the Toronto International Film Festival. “Brother” revolves around the sons of Caribbean immigrants as they come of age during Toronto’s 1990s hip-hop scene.
“Brother” had 13 nominations heading into Thursday night’s film celebrations and triumphed in 12 categories — including best motion picture. Clement Virgo also picked up wins for directing and adapted screenplay, while Lamar Johnson won for performance in a leading role and Aaron Pierre won for performance in a supporting role.
The film is based on David Chariandy’s prize-winning novel of the same name and made its world debut this past September at the Toronto International Film Festival. “Brother” revolves around the sons of Caribbean immigrants as they come of age during Toronto’s 1990s hip-hop scene.
- 4/15/2023
- by Amber Dowling
- Variety Film + TV
Netflix will give a May launch to “Sanctuary,” a sports drama series set in the specialized world of Japanese sumo wrestling.
Produced by the Slowtide company for the streamer, the show follows a juvenile delinquent who becomes a sumo apprentice. He soon finds himself on a collision course with a voiceless wrestler carrying a secret.
Netflix pitches it as “a gritty look into the underbelly of professional sumo, a world full of young men with ambitions for money, women, fame, and power […] where some may find sanctuary with a history of more than 1,500 years in Japan’s traditional culture and as a religious ceremony.”
The show is directed by Eguchi Kan from a screenplay by Kanazawa Tomoki. The producer is Fujita Daisuke and the executive producer for Netflix Sakamoto Kaata. The show will upload from May 4.
The diverse cast includes Ichinose Wataru, Sometani Shota (“Themis”), Kutsuna Shioli (“Deadpool 2”), Taguchi Tomorowo,...
Produced by the Slowtide company for the streamer, the show follows a juvenile delinquent who becomes a sumo apprentice. He soon finds himself on a collision course with a voiceless wrestler carrying a secret.
Netflix pitches it as “a gritty look into the underbelly of professional sumo, a world full of young men with ambitions for money, women, fame, and power […] where some may find sanctuary with a history of more than 1,500 years in Japan’s traditional culture and as a religious ceremony.”
The show is directed by Eguchi Kan from a screenplay by Kanazawa Tomoki. The producer is Fujita Daisuke and the executive producer for Netflix Sakamoto Kaata. The show will upload from May 4.
The diverse cast includes Ichinose Wataru, Sometani Shota (“Themis”), Kutsuna Shioli (“Deadpool 2”), Taguchi Tomorowo,...
- 3/29/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Mandy Walker has won the American Society of Cinematographers feature-film award for “Elvis,” making her the first woman ever to win that award. She is only the third female nominee in the category, after Rachel Morrison for “Mudbound” in 2018 and Ari Wegner for “The Power of the Dog” last year.
Walker now has the chance to become the first woman to win the Oscar for cinematography, where she is also the third female nominee in the gender-neutral Oscars category that took the longest to nominate a woman. Her competitors at the Oscars include two who were also nominated by the ASC, Roger Deakins for “Empire of Light” and Darius Khondji for “Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truth,” along with James Friend for “All Quiet on the Western Front” and Florian Hoffmeister for “Tar.”
“This is for all the women who will win the award after me, and for...
Walker now has the chance to become the first woman to win the Oscar for cinematography, where she is also the third female nominee in the gender-neutral Oscars category that took the longest to nominate a woman. Her competitors at the Oscars include two who were also nominated by the ASC, Roger Deakins for “Empire of Light” and Darius Khondji for “Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truth,” along with James Friend for “All Quiet on the Western Front” and Florian Hoffmeister for “Tar.”
“This is for all the women who will win the award after me, and for...
- 3/6/2023
- by Steve Pond and Jason Clark
- The Wrap
A Japanese-language remake of British drama “Still Life” could be the first film to flow from a fund created to support Chinese-Japanese joint productions.
The fund is operated by WeF Cultural Investment Media, a company founded earlier this year with the backing of government bodies in Beijing and Qingdao — the Chinese coastal city which boasts vast studios built by Wanda and now owned by Sunac.
Unveiled on the first day of the Tiffcom rights market, an adjunct to next week’s Tokyo International Film Festival, the WeFmedia fund is looking to back two films from long-standing production company Sedic International, according to WeFmedia executive Watanabe Masashiro.
The fund is intended to take advantage of and facilitate use of the China-Japan film co-production treaty that was signed last year. Masahiro listed factors including significant differences in production system, scale of market, and size of budget as obstacles that hinder...
The fund is operated by WeF Cultural Investment Media, a company founded earlier this year with the backing of government bodies in Beijing and Qingdao — the Chinese coastal city which boasts vast studios built by Wanda and now owned by Sunac.
Unveiled on the first day of the Tiffcom rights market, an adjunct to next week’s Tokyo International Film Festival, the WeFmedia fund is looking to back two films from long-standing production company Sedic International, according to WeFmedia executive Watanabe Masashiro.
The fund is intended to take advantage of and facilitate use of the China-Japan film co-production treaty that was signed last year. Masahiro listed factors including significant differences in production system, scale of market, and size of budget as obstacles that hinder...
- 10/22/2019
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Japan has officially named Makoto Shinkai’s “Weathering With You” its 2020 Oscar entry in the Best International Film category, which is the new name being given to the Best Foreign Language Film prize. The selection makes “Weathering With You” the first anime movie to represent Japan in the category at the Oscars in over 20 years. The country’s last anime Oscar submission was Hayao Miyazaki’s “Princess Mononoke” in 1997, but it failed to land a nomination the following year at the 70th Academy Awards.
“Weathering With You” is Shinkai’s first directorial effort since earning newfound international acclaim and recognition after the release of the 2016 anime blockbuster “Your Name.” Shinkai’s latest centers around the romance between a high school runaway from Tokyo and a young orphan girl who appears to be able to manipulate the weather.
“Weathering With You” has already opened in Japan and has grossed over $100 million,...
“Weathering With You” is Shinkai’s first directorial effort since earning newfound international acclaim and recognition after the release of the 2016 anime blockbuster “Your Name.” Shinkai’s latest centers around the romance between a high school runaway from Tokyo and a young orphan girl who appears to be able to manipulate the weather.
“Weathering With You” has already opened in Japan and has grossed over $100 million,...
- 8/26/2019
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
Oscar-winning Japanese director Yōjirō Takita believes the vast movie-going audience in China deserve more mature entertainment.
“The film industry in China today is skewed toward the young audience,” Takita tells The Hollywood Reporter. “But I think through life, there are many inevitable experiences, and I think the audience deserves the chance to watch films about them.”
Ever since Takita took home the Academy Awards for best-foreign-language film award with Departures in 2009, he has been bombarded by offers from Hollywood, China and Hong Kong. He has been in talks with Hollywood studios as well as Netflix, but no ...
“The film industry in China today is skewed toward the young audience,” Takita tells The Hollywood Reporter. “But I think through life, there are many inevitable experiences, and I think the audience deserves the chance to watch films about them.”
Ever since Takita took home the Academy Awards for best-foreign-language film award with Departures in 2009, he has been bombarded by offers from Hollywood, China and Hong Kong. He has been in talks with Hollywood studios as well as Netflix, but no ...
- 3/20/2019
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Oscar-winning Japanese director Yōjirō Takita believes the vast movie-going audience in China deserve more mature entertainment.
“The film industry in China today is skewed toward the young audience,” Takita tells The Hollywood Reporter. “But I think through life, there are many inevitable experiences, and I think the audience deserves the chance to watch films about them.”
Ever since Takita took home the Academy Awards for best-foreign-language film award with Departures in 2009, he has been bombarded by offers from Hollywood, China and Hong Kong. He has been in talks with Hollywood studios as well as Netflix, but no ...
“The film industry in China today is skewed toward the young audience,” Takita tells The Hollywood Reporter. “But I think through life, there are many inevitable experiences, and I think the audience deserves the chance to watch films about them.”
Ever since Takita took home the Academy Awards for best-foreign-language film award with Departures in 2009, he has been bombarded by offers from Hollywood, China and Hong Kong. He has been in talks with Hollywood studios as well as Netflix, but no ...
- 3/20/2019
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Hong Kong’s leading studio Media Asia returned to FilMart on Monday with a slate of productions in the pipeline, ranging from pics with international names to daring projects helmed by homegrown talent addressing local social issues.
Headlining the line-up is “Bodies at Rest,” pictured above, the latest Chinese-language action thriller directed by Renny Harlin. Starring the award-winning Nick Cheung, Taiwanese singer-actor Richie Jen and mainland actress Yang Zi, the latest offering from the “Die Hard 2” helmer opened the 43rd Hong Kong Intl. Film Festival on Monday night.
Media Asia also recruited Japanese director Yojiro Kakita to work with a stellar Chinese cast for the first time on family drama “Silence of Smoke.” The film’s lead actors Han Geng, Zhang Guoli and actress Xu Qing said at the Media Asia event that they were thrilled to work with the famed helmer whose “Departures” (2008) won an Oscar for best foreign-language film.
Headlining the line-up is “Bodies at Rest,” pictured above, the latest Chinese-language action thriller directed by Renny Harlin. Starring the award-winning Nick Cheung, Taiwanese singer-actor Richie Jen and mainland actress Yang Zi, the latest offering from the “Die Hard 2” helmer opened the 43rd Hong Kong Intl. Film Festival on Monday night.
Media Asia also recruited Japanese director Yojiro Kakita to work with a stellar Chinese cast for the first time on family drama “Silence of Smoke.” The film’s lead actors Han Geng, Zhang Guoli and actress Xu Qing said at the Media Asia event that they were thrilled to work with the famed helmer whose “Departures” (2008) won an Oscar for best foreign-language film.
- 3/18/2019
- by Vivienne Chow
- Variety Film + TV
Once considered as a Japanese industry outsider, Hirokazu Kore-eda has thoroughly conquered that insider bastion, the Japan Academy Prizes, scooping eight trophies for his dark family drama “Shoplifters” at the 42nd annual award ceremony on March 1. Among them were best picture and best director honors – with the latter Kore-eda’s second in a row.
Administered by the Japan Academy Film Prize Association, the Japan Academy Prizes have been called Japan’s Oscars, but they have struggled to attain a similar clout and prestige. One reason is the perception that they are mostly parceled out by the local majors for the local majors. Celebrated auteur Takeshi Kitano told an audience at the 2014 Tokyo International Film Festival that “Toho, Toei, Shochiku and sometimes Nikkatsu…pass (the awards) around.”
“Shoplifters” was released in Japan by Gaga, not considered a major distributor of Japanese films but still a potent industry force with a long...
Administered by the Japan Academy Film Prize Association, the Japan Academy Prizes have been called Japan’s Oscars, but they have struggled to attain a similar clout and prestige. One reason is the perception that they are mostly parceled out by the local majors for the local majors. Celebrated auteur Takeshi Kitano told an audience at the 2014 Tokyo International Film Festival that “Toho, Toei, Shochiku and sometimes Nikkatsu…pass (the awards) around.”
“Shoplifters” was released in Japan by Gaga, not considered a major distributor of Japanese films but still a potent industry force with a long...
- 3/5/2019
- by Mark Schilling
- Variety Film + TV
“Candyman” director Bernard Rose has helmed a new Japanese film, “Samurai Marathon,” which HanWay Films will introduce to buyers in Berlin. The picture has an original score by Philip Glass and is produced by HanWay’s Jeremy Thomas.
Thomas has a pedigree in Japanese cinema, making films including “13 Assassins” and “Hara-Kiri.” He has again teamed with Toshiaki Nakazawa, who produced the Academy Award-winning “Departures,” on “Samurai Marathon.”
Having an English director on the Japanese-language project is an unusual twist for a samurai movie. Thomas told Variety that Rose gives a subtly adjusted take on the genre but remains true to the form.
“I suggested why don’t we try and make a samurai film with an English director, or one not so entrenched in the tradition of samurai, which is a very traditional form of Japanese cinema,” Thomas said, adding that Rose “was fascinated by the challenge.”
The story...
Thomas has a pedigree in Japanese cinema, making films including “13 Assassins” and “Hara-Kiri.” He has again teamed with Toshiaki Nakazawa, who produced the Academy Award-winning “Departures,” on “Samurai Marathon.”
Having an English director on the Japanese-language project is an unusual twist for a samurai movie. Thomas told Variety that Rose gives a subtly adjusted take on the genre but remains true to the form.
“I suggested why don’t we try and make a samurai film with an English director, or one not so entrenched in the tradition of samurai, which is a very traditional form of Japanese cinema,” Thomas said, adding that Rose “was fascinated by the challenge.”
The story...
- 2/6/2019
- by Stewart Clarke
- Variety Film + TV
A version of this story first appeared in the Foreign Language issue of TheWrap magazine.
South Korea has never received an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language film and never even been shortlisted in the category, despite 29 previous entries and an abundance of world-class filmmakers. The country, which is in the race this year with Lee Chang-dong’s acclaimed “Burning,” is one of the more striking examples of a country whose filmmakers have been unable to land an Oscar nomination despite sustained critical praise.
But it is far from the only country in that boat. And the further east you go, the more the Academy’s foreign-language voters seem to have difficulty with foreign cinema.
Over the last 20 years, more than half the nominations that have gone to countries in Asia have been for Middle Eastern countries like Iran, Israel and Palestine. If you focus on East Asia, South Asia and Southeast Asia,...
South Korea has never received an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language film and never even been shortlisted in the category, despite 29 previous entries and an abundance of world-class filmmakers. The country, which is in the race this year with Lee Chang-dong’s acclaimed “Burning,” is one of the more striking examples of a country whose filmmakers have been unable to land an Oscar nomination despite sustained critical praise.
But it is far from the only country in that boat. And the further east you go, the more the Academy’s foreign-language voters seem to have difficulty with foreign cinema.
Over the last 20 years, more than half the nominations that have gone to countries in Asia have been for Middle Eastern countries like Iran, Israel and Palestine. If you focus on East Asia, South Asia and Southeast Asia,...
- 12/11/2018
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
No matter how much you loved “Crazy Rich Asians” — that glittering Singapore-set spin on the princess movie, which charmed audiences to the tune of nearly a quarter of a billion dollars earlier this year — don’t be surprised when the Academy fails to give it a single above-the-line Oscar nomination. When that happens, it will no doubt inspire a dozen or more outraged editorials, as #OscarsSoWhite critics bemoan the lack of Asian talent among this year’s nominees.
Why wait? The time for such think pieces is now, especially since Hollywood’s tendency to snub Asian talent is hardly limited to studio projects. Just compare the history of Oscar’s foreign-language category to that of world cinema overall, where the influence of such Asian masters as John Woo, Wong Kar-wai, Jia Zhangke and Edward Yang has been ignored over the years. And if the organization doesn’t wake up and realize the bias,...
Why wait? The time for such think pieces is now, especially since Hollywood’s tendency to snub Asian talent is hardly limited to studio projects. Just compare the history of Oscar’s foreign-language category to that of world cinema overall, where the influence of such Asian masters as John Woo, Wong Kar-wai, Jia Zhangke and Edward Yang has been ignored over the years. And if the organization doesn’t wake up and realize the bias,...
- 12/6/2018
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
Takita is known for directing the Oscar-winning ‘Departures’.
Japanese filmmaker Yojiro Takita, best known as director of Oscar-winning drama Departures, is making his Chinese-language debut in Media Asia’s Silence Of Smoke.
Han Geng (So Young), Zhang Guoli (Back To 1942) and Summer Xu (Looper) head the cast of the film about a young cakemaker who takes over the family business but finds he can’t replicate his father’s success. When his daughter is diagnosed with leukemia, and his father dies after coming out of retirement to help him, the cakemaker starts to understand his father and appreciate everything he has done for him.
Japanese filmmaker Yojiro Takita, best known as director of Oscar-winning drama Departures, is making his Chinese-language debut in Media Asia’s Silence Of Smoke.
Han Geng (So Young), Zhang Guoli (Back To 1942) and Summer Xu (Looper) head the cast of the film about a young cakemaker who takes over the family business but finds he can’t replicate his father’s success. When his daughter is diagnosed with leukemia, and his father dies after coming out of retirement to help him, the cakemaker starts to understand his father and appreciate everything he has done for him.
- 10/31/2018
- by Liz Shackleton
- ScreenDaily
Long low on the priority list for Japan’s notoriously insular film industry, co-productions between the second-largest film market in Asia and its overseas partners are now in the spotlight. That was the view of a industry executives, speaking at a seminar at Tiffcom, on the margins of the Tokyo International Film Festival.
A bilateral film co-production agreement between Japan and China was signed in May. That marked a thawing of political relations and may open the door to a new film-making era. Not surprisingly, co-productions between Japan, Europe and Asia was the subject of a seminar held at Tiffcom on Wednesday.
Sedic International producer Toshiaki Nakazawa, whose credits include the Oscar-winning drama “Departures” and the Takashi Miike samurai swashbuckler “13 Assassins,” which he made with veteran British counterpart Jeremy Thomas, noted that Japan needs to “expand the pie” of its film market. Given that Japan’s population of 130 million...
A bilateral film co-production agreement between Japan and China was signed in May. That marked a thawing of political relations and may open the door to a new film-making era. Not surprisingly, co-productions between Japan, Europe and Asia was the subject of a seminar held at Tiffcom on Wednesday.
Sedic International producer Toshiaki Nakazawa, whose credits include the Oscar-winning drama “Departures” and the Takashi Miike samurai swashbuckler “13 Assassins,” which he made with veteran British counterpart Jeremy Thomas, noted that Japan needs to “expand the pie” of its film market. Given that Japan’s population of 130 million...
- 10/25/2018
- by Mark Schilling
- Variety Film + TV
A consortium of Japanese media companies is partnering with U.S. animation studio Tonko House to make an animation series starring Kumamon. The hugely popular character is the mascot of Kumamoto, a province in southern Japan.
The project was announced by Kumamon creator Kundo Koyama and provincial governor Ikuo Kabashima. Koyama is a TV producer who also wrote the Oscar-winning drama “Departures.”
Tonko House is best known for Oscar-nominated short “The Dam Keeper.” It was launched by former Pixar art directors Robert Kondo and Dice Tsutsumi. The studio is handling development and production of the project. The number of episodes and the start of broadcast have yet to be announced.
The Japanese partners are talent agency Yoshimoto Kogyo, ad agency Asatsu-dk, Ireton Entertainment, a production and distribution company headed by former Warner Japan president Bill Ireton, and Thefool.
Introduced in 2010 to commemorate the start of the Kumamoto “shinkansen” express train,...
The project was announced by Kumamon creator Kundo Koyama and provincial governor Ikuo Kabashima. Koyama is a TV producer who also wrote the Oscar-winning drama “Departures.”
Tonko House is best known for Oscar-nominated short “The Dam Keeper.” It was launched by former Pixar art directors Robert Kondo and Dice Tsutsumi. The studio is handling development and production of the project. The number of episodes and the start of broadcast have yet to be announced.
The Japanese partners are talent agency Yoshimoto Kogyo, ad agency Asatsu-dk, Ireton Entertainment, a production and distribution company headed by former Warner Japan president Bill Ireton, and Thefool.
Introduced in 2010 to commemorate the start of the Kumamoto “shinkansen” express train,...
- 10/18/2018
- by Mark Schilling
- Variety Film + TV
Despite its critical acclaim, Robin Campillo’s “Bpm (Beats per Minute),” was left out of the Best Foreign Language Film line-up at this year’s Golden Globes. While that snub was shocking, a Golden Globes bid is not essential for an Oscar win. Indeed, since the Golden Globes introduced this category in 1965, 19 of the 51 Academy Awards winners for Best Foreign Language Film were snubbed for this precursor prize:
1965: “The Shop on Main Street” (Czechoslovakia)
1971: “The Garden of the Finzi Continis (Italy)
1975: “Dersu Uzala” (Soviet Union)
1976: “Black and White in Color” (Ivory Coast)
1979: “The Tin Drum” (West Germany)
1980: “Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears” (Soviet Union)
1981: “Mephisto” (Hungary)
1982: “To Begin Again” (Spain)
1987: “Babette’s Feast” (Denmark)
1990: “Journey of Hope” (Switzerland)
1991: “Mediterraneo” (Italy)
1993: “Belle Époque” (Spain)
1994: “Burnt by the Sun” (Russia)
1995: “Antonia’s Line” (The Netherlands)
1997: “Character” (The Netherlands...
1965: “The Shop on Main Street” (Czechoslovakia)
1971: “The Garden of the Finzi Continis (Italy)
1975: “Dersu Uzala” (Soviet Union)
1976: “Black and White in Color” (Ivory Coast)
1979: “The Tin Drum” (West Germany)
1980: “Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears” (Soviet Union)
1981: “Mephisto” (Hungary)
1982: “To Begin Again” (Spain)
1987: “Babette’s Feast” (Denmark)
1990: “Journey of Hope” (Switzerland)
1991: “Mediterraneo” (Italy)
1993: “Belle Époque” (Spain)
1994: “Burnt by the Sun” (Russia)
1995: “Antonia’s Line” (The Netherlands)
1997: “Character” (The Netherlands...
- 12/13/2017
- by Charles Bright
- Gold Derby
Exclusive: Fifth film from Hirokazu Koreeda protégé stars Masahiro Motoki.
Paris-based Elle Driver has snapped up international sales on Japanese director Miwa Nishikawa’s heart-warming drama The Long Excuse ahead of its world premiere in Toronto’s Special Presentations strand.
Popular Japanese actor Masahiro Matoki - best known internationally for his performance in the 2008 Oscar-winning film Departures - plays Sachio Kinugasa, a popular writer coming to terms with the death of his wife in a bus crash alongside a friend.
Sachio had long checked out of his loveless marriage and was with another woman at the moment of his wife’s death so he has to fake his grief to keep up appearances.
The true implications of his loss are brought into sharp relief, however, when Sachio meets the devastated husband of his wife’s friend and offers to look after their children so the latter - a truck-driver - can go back to work.
It is the...
Paris-based Elle Driver has snapped up international sales on Japanese director Miwa Nishikawa’s heart-warming drama The Long Excuse ahead of its world premiere in Toronto’s Special Presentations strand.
Popular Japanese actor Masahiro Matoki - best known internationally for his performance in the 2008 Oscar-winning film Departures - plays Sachio Kinugasa, a popular writer coming to terms with the death of his wife in a bus crash alongside a friend.
Sachio had long checked out of his loveless marriage and was with another woman at the moment of his wife’s death so he has to fake his grief to keep up appearances.
The true implications of his loss are brought into sharp relief, however, when Sachio meets the devastated husband of his wife’s friend and offers to look after their children so the latter - a truck-driver - can go back to work.
It is the...
- 9/6/2016
- ScreenDaily
Miwa Nishikawa is no stranger to the Toronto International Film Festival, as her last film, “Dream for Sale,” was screened at Tiff in 2012. Now, the Japanese director and screenwriter is back with her latest film “The Long Excuse,” based on her novel of the same name.
The drama stars Masahiro Motoki as Sachio Kinugasa, a popular writer who is widowed after his wife (Eri Fukatsu) dies in a bus accident. Coming to terms with his grief, or lack of it, he offers to take care of another man’s children who also lost their mother in the same incident.
The film will be screened at Tiff on Saturday, September 17 and 18 and IndieWire has an exclusive new trailer that you can check out below.
Read More: ‘These Days’ Exclusive Trailer: Giuseppe Piccioni’s Venice Drama Follows The Complicated Bonds of Friendship
“The Long Excuse” is executive produced by Kazumi Kawashiro, Yasuhito Nakae,...
The drama stars Masahiro Motoki as Sachio Kinugasa, a popular writer who is widowed after his wife (Eri Fukatsu) dies in a bus accident. Coming to terms with his grief, or lack of it, he offers to take care of another man’s children who also lost their mother in the same incident.
The film will be screened at Tiff on Saturday, September 17 and 18 and IndieWire has an exclusive new trailer that you can check out below.
Read More: ‘These Days’ Exclusive Trailer: Giuseppe Piccioni’s Venice Drama Follows The Complicated Bonds of Friendship
“The Long Excuse” is executive produced by Kazumi Kawashiro, Yasuhito Nakae,...
- 9/5/2016
- by Liz Calvario
- Indiewire
Exclusive: Japanese studio Shochiku is launching sales on two new projects from leading director Yoji Yamada – a drama based on a Hisashi Inoue story and the director’s first comedy since the end of the Tora-san series in 1995.
The drama, Haha To Kuraseba (literal translation: Living With My Mother) is currently in production with Sayuri Yoshinaga (Kabei: Our Mother) and Kazunari Ninomiya (Letters From Iwo Jima) heading the cast.
The story follows a midwife in Nagasaki who is stunned when she is visited by her son who she thought had died three years earlier when an atomic bomb fell on the city. Japanese release is tentatively scheduled for Winter 2015.
Currently in post-production, the comedy Kazoku Wa Tsuraiyo! stars most of the cast from Yamada’s Tokyo Family, including Isao Hashizume, Kazuko Yoshiyuki, Masahiko Nishimura and Yui Natsukawa.
The story follows an older couple who decide to divorce after 50 years of marriage, and the efforts...
The drama, Haha To Kuraseba (literal translation: Living With My Mother) is currently in production with Sayuri Yoshinaga (Kabei: Our Mother) and Kazunari Ninomiya (Letters From Iwo Jima) heading the cast.
The story follows a midwife in Nagasaki who is stunned when she is visited by her son who she thought had died three years earlier when an atomic bomb fell on the city. Japanese release is tentatively scheduled for Winter 2015.
Currently in post-production, the comedy Kazoku Wa Tsuraiyo! stars most of the cast from Yamada’s Tokyo Family, including Isao Hashizume, Kazuko Yoshiyuki, Masahiko Nishimura and Yui Natsukawa.
The story follows an older couple who decide to divorce after 50 years of marriage, and the efforts...
- 5/18/2015
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
Welcome back to Cannes Check, In Contention's annual preview of the films in Competition at this year's Cannes Film Festival, which kicks off on May 14. Taking on different selections every day, we'll be examining what they're about, who's involved and what their chances are of snagging an award from Jane Campion's jury. Next up, the first of two female directors in the lineup: Naomi Kawase's "Still the Water." The director: Naomi Kawase (Japanese, 44 years old). It's possible for certain filmmakers to become prominent, celebrated figures within the festival circuit without making much of a dent in the real world, even in the art-house sphere. Naomi Kawase is a good example. Favored by selectors and juries alike, even her most generously awarded films have secured minimal international distribution -- making her at once a familiar and unfamiliar presence in the lineup. Born and raised in Japan's rural Nara district,...
- 5/9/2014
- by Guy Lodge
- Hitfix
Back for its third year (see the 2010 edition) and bigger than ever, today kicks off the first in a fifteen-part look at the various cinematic releases hitting the U.S. in 2011. Each 'part' contains brief descriptions and editorial opinion/analysis of varying length covering twenty films. Expect the remaining ones to go up between now and the first major releases in mid-January.
Like all cinematic lists set within a timeframe, there's some overlap. Some films here have already opened worldwide but have yet to hit the U.S., some upcoming films you'd expect to be here aren't because they're either still in development or have already announced 2012 release dates, some were on last year's list but got delayed so have been included again (but with all new analysis).
I confined my list to films that have either set 2011 release dates or had begun/completed production, and only films that have...
Like all cinematic lists set within a timeframe, there's some overlap. Some films here have already opened worldwide but have yet to hit the U.S., some upcoming films you'd expect to be here aren't because they're either still in development or have already announced 2012 release dates, some were on last year's list but got delayed so have been included again (but with all new analysis).
I confined my list to films that have either set 2011 release dates or had begun/completed production, and only films that have...
- 12/13/2010
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Back for its third year (see the 2010 edition) and bigger than ever, today kicks off the first in a fifteen-part look at the various cinematic releases hitting the U.S. in 2011. Each 'part' contains brief descriptions and editorial opinion/analysis of varying length covering twenty films. Expect the remaining ones to go up between now and the first major releases in mid-January.
Like all cinematic lists set within a timeframe, there's some overlap. Some films here have already opened worldwide but have yet to hit the U.S., some upcoming films you'd expect to be here aren't because they're either still in development or have already announced 2012 release dates, some were on last year's list but got delayed so have been included again (but with all new analysis).
I confined my list to films that have either set 2011 release dates or had begun/completed production, and only films that have...
Like all cinematic lists set within a timeframe, there's some overlap. Some films here have already opened worldwide but have yet to hit the U.S., some upcoming films you'd expect to be here aren't because they're either still in development or have already announced 2012 release dates, some were on last year's list but got delayed so have been included again (but with all new analysis).
I confined my list to films that have either set 2011 release dates or had begun/completed production, and only films that have...
- 12/13/2010
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Controversial Japanese director Takashi Miike is a very busy man these days.
13 Assassins
Two new projects for him this year, Zebraman 2 and something that’s already being described as “an epic samurai bloodbath” and the reason why we’re here today movie titled 13 Assassins.
When you’re that busy, then you definitely deserve to have a movie playing In Competition at the Venice Film Festival 2010.
The film is a remake of Eiichi Kudo’s 1963 black-and-white Japanese movie of the same name, and the story follows:
“Esteemed samurai Shinzaemon Shimada is secretly commissioned to terminate the evil Lord Naritsugu after his bloody rise to power. Assembling an elite group of samurai, Shinzaemon plots to ambush the Lord on his annual journey home from Edo.
The courageous samurai know it’s a suicide mission because the Lord is closely protected by a deadly entourage led by Shinzaemon’s nemesis, the ruthless Hanbei.
13 Assassins
Two new projects for him this year, Zebraman 2 and something that’s already being described as “an epic samurai bloodbath” and the reason why we’re here today movie titled 13 Assassins.
When you’re that busy, then you definitely deserve to have a movie playing In Competition at the Venice Film Festival 2010.
The film is a remake of Eiichi Kudo’s 1963 black-and-white Japanese movie of the same name, and the story follows:
“Esteemed samurai Shinzaemon Shimada is secretly commissioned to terminate the evil Lord Naritsugu after his bloody rise to power. Assembling an elite group of samurai, Shinzaemon plots to ambush the Lord on his annual journey home from Edo.
The courageous samurai know it’s a suicide mission because the Lord is closely protected by a deadly entourage led by Shinzaemon’s nemesis, the ruthless Hanbei.
- 8/4/2010
- by Fiona
- Filmofilia
I remember watching the 1961 black and white version of Zero Focus a long time ago thinking, 'this needs an update.' The Hitchcockian premise was very intriguing: a man disappears during his business trip leaving his young wife distressed and confused. She travels to the snow country up north to find the missing husband and digs up some ugly past while dead bodies turning up around her. But it was visually bland and lacked any kind of suspense. So it was a nice surprise to see the remake on this year's Japan Cuts line-up.
The film is an epic. It begins with stock footage of the destroyed post-war Japan, then seamlessly moves into the economic-boom era of the 50s with impeccable periodic detail. Director Isshin Inudo here crafted a sumptuous picture of the bygone era Japan seldom seen in contemporary films.
The year is 1957. A naïve, young wife Teiko (Ryoko Hirosue...
The film is an epic. It begins with stock footage of the destroyed post-war Japan, then seamlessly moves into the economic-boom era of the 50s with impeccable periodic detail. Director Isshin Inudo here crafted a sumptuous picture of the bygone era Japan seldom seen in contemporary films.
The year is 1957. A naïve, young wife Teiko (Ryoko Hirosue...
- 7/11/2010
- Screen Anarchy
Alan Parker’s Pink Floyd The Wall (top); Dziga Vertov’s Man with a Movie Camera (middle); Masahiro Motoki in Yojiro Takita’s Oscar-winning Departures (bottom) The 2010 edition of Ebertfest, Roger Ebert’s film festival of overlooked (and not-so-overlooked) movies, kicked off at 7 p.m. this evening with a screening of Alan Parker’s (not-at-all) overlooked Pink Floyd The Wall. (I’m no fan of the film; I was told that to you need to be on acid to appreciate its artistry. I have no intention of ever taking up that suggestion.) Ebertfest 2010 highlights include Roy Andersson’s totally overlooked (in the United States, at least) You, the Living, which consists of dozens of vignettes featuring average people and their oftentimes comic/bizarre problems; Lee Isaac Chung’s Rwanda-set [...]...
- 4/22/2010
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Departures
Many viewers would be touched by the tale of an aspiring cellist, who accidentally becomes a mortician (an undertaker or a funeral director, to some) when he loses his dream job with a symphony orchestra. Many would even be stupefied by the ingenuity of the filmmakers to pick up a seemingly unique subject such as “encoffinment” as a subject for a feature film. Many others would be in awe of the Asian traditions that respect the dead, the elderly, and the institution of marriage until (and beyond!) “death do us part”. Many others would be equally intrigued by the Asian traditions that consider associating any profession relating to the dead as being somewhat demeaning and not worthy of public stature.
Director Yojiro Takita’s film is loosely based on Aoki Shinmon’s autobiographical book The Coffin Man, which was subsequently adapted for the screen by the scriptwriter Kundo Koyama.
Many viewers would be touched by the tale of an aspiring cellist, who accidentally becomes a mortician (an undertaker or a funeral director, to some) when he loses his dream job with a symphony orchestra. Many would even be stupefied by the ingenuity of the filmmakers to pick up a seemingly unique subject such as “encoffinment” as a subject for a feature film. Many others would be in awe of the Asian traditions that respect the dead, the elderly, and the institution of marriage until (and beyond!) “death do us part”. Many others would be equally intrigued by the Asian traditions that consider associating any profession relating to the dead as being somewhat demeaning and not worthy of public stature.
Director Yojiro Takita’s film is loosely based on Aoki Shinmon’s autobiographical book The Coffin Man, which was subsequently adapted for the screen by the scriptwriter Kundo Koyama.
- 4/17/2010
- by Jugu Abraham
- DearCinema.com
[Our thanks go out to Chris MaGee and Marc Saint-Cyr at the Toronto J-Film Pow-Wow for sharing their coverage of the 2010 Nippon Connection Film Festival.]
Osamu Ino (Tsurube Shôfukutei), a small town doctor in rural Japan, has gone missing. Except for a white lab coat found in a nearby field there is no sign of the much loved physician. Police begin to investigate his disappearance, but very quickly they discover that the details of Dr. Ino's life just doesn't add up. First off the locals, mostly senior citizens, people who normally know everyone's business in town, can't agree on what exactly Dr. Ino's background is. Some are certain that his father was a factory owner from Osaka, others say Ino comes from a family of woodworkers in Kyoto. There's also the sense that his colleagues at the local medical clinic, nurse Akemi Otake (Kimiko Yo), young medical intern Keiskue Soma (Eita), as well as phramaceutical rep Saimon (Teruyuki Kagawa), weren't entirely convinced of Dr Ino's skills despite their deep admiration of him. They aren't the...
Osamu Ino (Tsurube Shôfukutei), a small town doctor in rural Japan, has gone missing. Except for a white lab coat found in a nearby field there is no sign of the much loved physician. Police begin to investigate his disappearance, but very quickly they discover that the details of Dr. Ino's life just doesn't add up. First off the locals, mostly senior citizens, people who normally know everyone's business in town, can't agree on what exactly Dr. Ino's background is. Some are certain that his father was a factory owner from Osaka, others say Ino comes from a family of woodworkers in Kyoto. There's also the sense that his colleagues at the local medical clinic, nurse Akemi Otake (Kimiko Yo), young medical intern Keiskue Soma (Eita), as well as phramaceutical rep Saimon (Teruyuki Kagawa), weren't entirely convinced of Dr Ino's skills despite their deep admiration of him. They aren't the...
- 4/15/2010
- Screen Anarchy
By Christopher Stipp
The Archives, Right Here
I was able to sit down for a couple of years and pump out a book. It’s got little to do with movies. Download and read “Thank You, Goodnight” right Here for free.
Check out my new column, This Week In Trailers, at SlashFilm.com and follow me on Twitter under the name: Stipp
Departures DVD - Review
The fact that this film beat out Waltz with Bashir and The Class at last year’s Academy Awards should be an indication of how good Departures really is. Not saying it should be a sticker on its box cover but it is a compelling fact on top of the one that this is really that good.
For those who need the CliffsNotes version of the story it is thus: A talented musician/father, Daigo (Masahiro Motoki), takes solace in his music as a professional cellist.
The Archives, Right Here
I was able to sit down for a couple of years and pump out a book. It’s got little to do with movies. Download and read “Thank You, Goodnight” right Here for free.
Check out my new column, This Week In Trailers, at SlashFilm.com and follow me on Twitter under the name: Stipp
Departures DVD - Review
The fact that this film beat out Waltz with Bashir and The Class at last year’s Academy Awards should be an indication of how good Departures really is. Not saying it should be a sticker on its box cover but it is a compelling fact on top of the one that this is really that good.
For those who need the CliffsNotes version of the story it is thus: A talented musician/father, Daigo (Masahiro Motoki), takes solace in his music as a professional cellist.
- 1/15/2010
- by Christopher Stipp
Winner of the Best Foreign Language Film at last year's Oscars this off-shore indie sleeper is an achingly beautiful portrait of tender reconciliation from a culture where openly venting one's emotions is just not something that you do. Ten years in the making this gentle, drifting drama - the brainchild of it's leading man Masahiro Motoki - dares to question the value of its nation's ultra-conservative social approach and the chokehold people are expected to maintain on their feelings for the sake of appearance. Simply put, life's too short.
Crushed by the disbanding of his Tokyo opera and indebted over his expensive new instrument, disillusioned cellist Diago (Motoki) returns to his provincial home town with his adoring wife Mika (Hirosue) to live in the house his mother left him. Besieged by bad memories Diago finds himself haunted by gradually dissolving memories of the father who skipped out when he was still an infant.
Crushed by the disbanding of his Tokyo opera and indebted over his expensive new instrument, disillusioned cellist Diago (Motoki) returns to his provincial home town with his adoring wife Mika (Hirosue) to live in the house his mother left him. Besieged by bad memories Diago finds himself haunted by gradually dissolving memories of the father who skipped out when he was still an infant.
- 1/14/2010
- by Neil Pedley
- JustPressPlay.net
2010 is in full swing and some really great movies are hitting store shelves this week for the first time and for the first time on Blu-ray. This week’s releases include Moon, Halloween II, Cliffhanger, Kathy Griffin: She’ll Cut a Bitch, I Can Do Bad All By Myself and the Blu-ray release of The Hurt Locker (pictured above).
Check out this week’s releases:
Movies
Amreeka ~ Yussuf Abu-Warda, Hiam Abbass, Alia Shawkat (DVD)
Big Fan ~ Patton Oswalt, Michael Rapaport, Matt Servitto (DVD and Blu-ray)
Cliffhanger ~ Sylvester Stallone (Blu-ray)
Departures ~ Masahiro Motoki, Ryoko Hirosue (DVD)
8 1/2 (The Criterion Collection) ~ Marcello Mastroianni, Anouk Aimée, Claudia Cardinale (Blu-ray)
Halloween II (Unrated Director’s Cut) ~ Scout Taylor-Compton, Malcolm McDowell, Sheri Moon Zombie (DVD and Blu-ray)
I Can Do Bad All By Myself ~ Tyler Perry, Taraji P. Henson (DVD and Blu-ray)
In the Loop ~ James Gandolfini (DVD and Blu-ray)
The Hurt Locker ~ Ralph Fiennes,...
Check out this week’s releases:
Movies
Amreeka ~ Yussuf Abu-Warda, Hiam Abbass, Alia Shawkat (DVD)
Big Fan ~ Patton Oswalt, Michael Rapaport, Matt Servitto (DVD and Blu-ray)
Cliffhanger ~ Sylvester Stallone (Blu-ray)
Departures ~ Masahiro Motoki, Ryoko Hirosue (DVD)
8 1/2 (The Criterion Collection) ~ Marcello Mastroianni, Anouk Aimée, Claudia Cardinale (Blu-ray)
Halloween II (Unrated Director’s Cut) ~ Scout Taylor-Compton, Malcolm McDowell, Sheri Moon Zombie (DVD and Blu-ray)
I Can Do Bad All By Myself ~ Tyler Perry, Taraji P. Henson (DVD and Blu-ray)
In the Loop ~ James Gandolfini (DVD and Blu-ray)
The Hurt Locker ~ Ralph Fiennes,...
- 1/12/2010
- by Joe Gillis
- The Flickcast
Hong Kong -- Foreign-language Oscar winner "Departures" is a perfect example of how Asian cinema quickly is becoming more local and more successful at the same time.
The region's film institutions still fret about overseas perception of their industries and hold endless think-tanks about how to break into the U.S. market. But in many ways, the film world is turning to Asia anyway, as those economies have emerged from recession faster than the West and Hollywood studios and indies from the rest of the world have scrambled to join in.
With a few days left of 2009 and final numbers still to crystallize, boxoffice in East Asia looks strong. China in particular appears to have delivered a growth number -- 25% to 30% -- typical of a developing economy, but on a scale that now puts it in the global top 10 territories. South Korea...
The region's film institutions still fret about overseas perception of their industries and hold endless think-tanks about how to break into the U.S. market. But in many ways, the film world is turning to Asia anyway, as those economies have emerged from recession faster than the West and Hollywood studios and indies from the rest of the world have scrambled to join in.
With a few days left of 2009 and final numbers still to crystallize, boxoffice in East Asia looks strong. China in particular appears to have delivered a growth number -- 25% to 30% -- typical of a developing economy, but on a scale that now puts it in the global top 10 territories. South Korea...
- 12/22/2009
- by By Patrick Frater
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A stray Chabrol, the next Juno and more Toni Servillo brilliance are among this year's hidden gems on the festival circuit. Hunt them down now before they're buried for ever
Home festivaling is one of the few perks of losing mobility through a back injury. What better way to cover 300+ screen events across the UK for Empire Online's Festivals & Seasons page than letting them come to you? Much festival fare falls squarely into the three-star category. But, every now and then, a disc arrives in the post containing a gem that leaves you wondering how the distributors missed it. So here's a personal selection of the festival favourites that have either failed to secure a UK release in 2009 or are not currently on the schedule for next year.
10) Let's Dance (dir. Noémie Lvovsky, France)
Festivals are invariably stuffed with quirky ensemble pieces, with Laís Bodanzky's superbly choreographed The Ballroom...
Home festivaling is one of the few perks of losing mobility through a back injury. What better way to cover 300+ screen events across the UK for Empire Online's Festivals & Seasons page than letting them come to you? Much festival fare falls squarely into the three-star category. But, every now and then, a disc arrives in the post containing a gem that leaves you wondering how the distributors missed it. So here's a personal selection of the festival favourites that have either failed to secure a UK release in 2009 or are not currently on the schedule for next year.
10) Let's Dance (dir. Noémie Lvovsky, France)
Festivals are invariably stuffed with quirky ensemble pieces, with Laís Bodanzky's superbly choreographed The Ballroom...
- 12/21/2009
- by David Parkinson
- The Guardian - Film News
The Box (12A)
(Richard Kelly, 2009, Us) Cameron Diaz, James Marsden, Frank Langella. 116 mins
Will Kelly ever make another movie as good as Donnie Darko? There are signs here that he might, but he hasn't this time. The Twilight Zone plot – press the button on this box and you'll get $1m, but someone will die – opens up more moral/conspiracy/sci-fi elements than the film can handle. Still, too much is better than not enough, especially when it's as smoothly sinister, visually sophisticated and borderline bonkers as this.
Me And Orson Welles (12A)
(Richard Linklater, 2008, Us/UK) Zac Efron, Claire Danes. 114 mins
Efron graduates from High School backstage to Welles's 1930s theatre troupe in this sweet coming-of-age flick, holding his own against Christian McKay's rakish, bombastic Welles – even when they fall for the same girl.
Cracks (15)
(Jordan Scott, 2009, UK) Eva Green, Juno Temple. 104 mins
Set within the confines of a posh girls' boarding school,...
(Richard Kelly, 2009, Us) Cameron Diaz, James Marsden, Frank Langella. 116 mins
Will Kelly ever make another movie as good as Donnie Darko? There are signs here that he might, but he hasn't this time. The Twilight Zone plot – press the button on this box and you'll get $1m, but someone will die – opens up more moral/conspiracy/sci-fi elements than the film can handle. Still, too much is better than not enough, especially when it's as smoothly sinister, visually sophisticated and borderline bonkers as this.
Me And Orson Welles (12A)
(Richard Linklater, 2008, Us/UK) Zac Efron, Claire Danes. 114 mins
Efron graduates from High School backstage to Welles's 1930s theatre troupe in this sweet coming-of-age flick, holding his own against Christian McKay's rakish, bombastic Welles – even when they fall for the same girl.
Cracks (15)
(Jordan Scott, 2009, UK) Eva Green, Juno Temple. 104 mins
Set within the confines of a posh girls' boarding school,...
- 12/5/2009
- by Steve Rose
- The Guardian - Film News
Here’s the new poster (click to enlarge) & trailer for the movie which won the Best Foreign Language film at the 2009 Academy Awards. It’s called Depeartures (Okuribito), stars Masahiro Motoki, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Ryoko Hirosue, Kazuko Yoshiyuki and is directed by Yôjirô Takita.
It’s being released in UK cinemas 4th December and you can check out the synopsis and trailer below.
A delightful and sensitive journey into the heartland of Japan and an astonishingly beautiful look at a sacred part of Japan’s cultural heritage, Departures tells the story of Daigo Kobayashi (Masahiro Matoki), a devoted cellist in an orchestra that has just been dissolved who now finds himself without a job. Daigo decides to move back to his old hometown with his wife to look for work and start over. He answers a classified ad entitled “Departures” thinking it is an advertisement for a travel agency only to...
It’s being released in UK cinemas 4th December and you can check out the synopsis and trailer below.
A delightful and sensitive journey into the heartland of Japan and an astonishingly beautiful look at a sacred part of Japan’s cultural heritage, Departures tells the story of Daigo Kobayashi (Masahiro Matoki), a devoted cellist in an orchestra that has just been dissolved who now finds himself without a job. Daigo decides to move back to his old hometown with his wife to look for work and start over. He answers a classified ad entitled “Departures” thinking it is an advertisement for a travel agency only to...
- 12/1/2009
- by David Sztypuljak
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
A Japanese film about a Buddhist mortician is set to be an unlikely commercial success
There aren't many films about the Japanese art of corpse beautification. Still fewer made by a director who previously specialised in soft-core porn and starring an ex-boy band heart-throb. But Departures (Okuribito), which opens in Britain on Friday, is all these things. It won this year's best foreign language Oscar, beating two critically feted films, Waltz with Bashir and The Class.
But why? The film, after all, is hardly a Saturday night no-brainer. Loosely adapted from Aoki Simmons's autobiography Coffinman: The Journal of a Buddhist Mortician, it's about a redundant cellist who finds meaning in his life when he gets a job ceremonially washing bodies, preparing them for entry into the next life. Even in Japan, where films about death and funerals are not uncommon (see Akira Kurosawa's masterpiece Ikiru), the role of the...
There aren't many films about the Japanese art of corpse beautification. Still fewer made by a director who previously specialised in soft-core porn and starring an ex-boy band heart-throb. But Departures (Okuribito), which opens in Britain on Friday, is all these things. It won this year's best foreign language Oscar, beating two critically feted films, Waltz with Bashir and The Class.
But why? The film, after all, is hardly a Saturday night no-brainer. Loosely adapted from Aoki Simmons's autobiography Coffinman: The Journal of a Buddhist Mortician, it's about a redundant cellist who finds meaning in his life when he gets a job ceremonially washing bodies, preparing them for entry into the next life. Even in Japan, where films about death and funerals are not uncommon (see Akira Kurosawa's masterpiece Ikiru), the role of the...
- 11/30/2009
- by Stuart Jeffries
- The Guardian - Film News
(And another film with no Twitch review. Allow me to put that right.)
The Longest Night in Shanghai could have been a disaster. It's a formula rom-com at heart, yet another riff on Pygmalion where a glossy pan-Asian cast is headed up by two lonely beautiful people who only need one fleeting meet-cute to establish they're meant for each other. It's helmed by an arthouse director, Zhang Yibai, coming off a shaky second picture (Curiosity Kills the Cat) in which the more predictable genre elements he tried to introduce killed a great deal of the atmosphere stone dead almost before it even got started.
But it's not a disaster. It's far from a perfect film; it's too long, and its multiple plot threads vary wildly in quality, but the sumptuous production values, stellar cast and gorgeous soundtrack paper over the (very) rough spots to leave the viewer with one of the quietest,...
The Longest Night in Shanghai could have been a disaster. It's a formula rom-com at heart, yet another riff on Pygmalion where a glossy pan-Asian cast is headed up by two lonely beautiful people who only need one fleeting meet-cute to establish they're meant for each other. It's helmed by an arthouse director, Zhang Yibai, coming off a shaky second picture (Curiosity Kills the Cat) in which the more predictable genre elements he tried to introduce killed a great deal of the atmosphere stone dead almost before it even got started.
But it's not a disaster. It's far from a perfect film; it's too long, and its multiple plot threads vary wildly in quality, but the sumptuous production values, stellar cast and gorgeous soundtrack paper over the (very) rough spots to leave the viewer with one of the quietest,...
- 11/25/2009
- Screen Anarchy
(Screened as part of the 23rd Leeds International Film Festival which ran from 4th-22nd November 2009. Didn't see a Twitch review for this at all, so here we are.)
The biggest problem with Yōjirō Takita's Departures is probably how utterly predictable it is. After all, this is a film where the main character jumping (wrongly) to conclusions leads him to a life-changing epiphany he never expected, yet it's so ruthlessly put together nothing ever surprises. Nearly every pivotal moment is exactly what it seems.
Masahiro Motoki (The Bird People In China) plays Daigo Kobayashi, a cellist for a small orchestra who's just moved back to his home town after being made redundant. Struggling to find a job outside the big city, Daigo comes across a tiny classified ad for help wanted - the wording's a little ambiguous, but it seems to be something to do with travelling. Holiday bookings, perhaps?...
The biggest problem with Yōjirō Takita's Departures is probably how utterly predictable it is. After all, this is a film where the main character jumping (wrongly) to conclusions leads him to a life-changing epiphany he never expected, yet it's so ruthlessly put together nothing ever surprises. Nearly every pivotal moment is exactly what it seems.
Masahiro Motoki (The Bird People In China) plays Daigo Kobayashi, a cellist for a small orchestra who's just moved back to his home town after being made redundant. Struggling to find a job outside the big city, Daigo comes across a tiny classified ad for help wanted - the wording's a little ambiguous, but it seems to be something to do with travelling. Holiday bookings, perhaps?...
- 11/25/2009
- Screen Anarchy
By Austin Lugar
for MovieSet.com
{Ed Note: ‘Departures‘ is also known by the Japanese title ‘Okuribito’}
Like most film nerds, I watched the Oscars with a lot of anticipation and predictions. So when the Best Foreign Film category came along, I was hoping The Class was going to beat out Waltz With Bashir because, as I mentioned, I’m a nerd. Yet Departures went home with the golden statue, which left all of America saying, “What in the world is Departures?” It only played at the Hawaii Film Festival in 2008, which qualified it for the Oscars and is only now starting to trickle to theatres across the country.
Daigo Kobayashi (Masahiro Motoki) and Shokichi Hirata (Takashi Sasano) in 'Departures.'
So now that I’ve seen it, I can safely say: Yes, it deserves the prize. There are a lot of movies about death, but there aren’t many...
for MovieSet.com
{Ed Note: ‘Departures‘ is also known by the Japanese title ‘Okuribito’}
Like most film nerds, I watched the Oscars with a lot of anticipation and predictions. So when the Best Foreign Film category came along, I was hoping The Class was going to beat out Waltz With Bashir because, as I mentioned, I’m a nerd. Yet Departures went home with the golden statue, which left all of America saying, “What in the world is Departures?” It only played at the Hawaii Film Festival in 2008, which qualified it for the Oscars and is only now starting to trickle to theatres across the country.
Daigo Kobayashi (Masahiro Motoki) and Shokichi Hirata (Takashi Sasano) in 'Departures.'
So now that I’ve seen it, I can safely say: Yes, it deserves the prize. There are a lot of movies about death, but there aren’t many...
- 9/1/2009
- by Austin Lugar
- MovieSet.com
Departures (Okuribito)
Directed by: Yojiro Takita
Cast: Masahiro Motoki, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Ryoko Hirosue
Running Time: 2 hrs 10 mins
Rating: PG-13
Release Date: July 3, 2009
Plot: Daigo Kobayashi (Motoki) loses his job as a professional cellist. In debt and disappointed, he moves with his wife, Mika (Hirosue), to the home that his deceased mother left him. There he takes a job as an “encoffineer,” ritually preparing bodies for burial. But his work is looked down upon by his family and friends.
Who’s It For? Fans of well-crafted films. Especially if they don’t mind subtitles.
Expectations: Departures won the Best Foreign Film Oscar back in February, so I was hoping for a really great film.
Scorecard (0-10)
Actors:
Masahiro Motoki as Daigo Kobayashi: Daigo’s in the middle of a crisis. The orchestra he worked so hard to join is being disbanded due to lack of funds and he is in debt after purchasing a professional cello.
Directed by: Yojiro Takita
Cast: Masahiro Motoki, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Ryoko Hirosue
Running Time: 2 hrs 10 mins
Rating: PG-13
Release Date: July 3, 2009
Plot: Daigo Kobayashi (Motoki) loses his job as a professional cellist. In debt and disappointed, he moves with his wife, Mika (Hirosue), to the home that his deceased mother left him. There he takes a job as an “encoffineer,” ritually preparing bodies for burial. But his work is looked down upon by his family and friends.
Who’s It For? Fans of well-crafted films. Especially if they don’t mind subtitles.
Expectations: Departures won the Best Foreign Film Oscar back in February, so I was hoping for a really great film.
Scorecard (0-10)
Actors:
Masahiro Motoki as Daigo Kobayashi: Daigo’s in the middle of a crisis. The orchestra he worked so hard to join is being disbanded due to lack of funds and he is in debt after purchasing a professional cello.
- 7/5/2009
- by Megan Lehar
- The Scorecard Review
Grade: Four Stars Heartwarming 'Departures' may be set in Japanese funeral parlor but its tale of unemployment syncs perfectly with American audiences. Perfect timing for specialty film buffs is a 2008 Japanese drama featuring an out-of-work cellist finding his calling via an unexpected funeral parlor job. Layoffs, furloughs and downsizing are driving themes in America today and "Departures" ("Okuribito"), a critical and box office smash in its native Japan and recent winner of the 2009 Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, tackles the topic of unemployment via life-affirming storytelling, warm performances and subtle comedy. Veteran Japanese director Yôjirô Takita may set his drama around the Asian tradition of "encoffination," the little- known ritual of washing, dressing and preparing the deceased in front of the family as a way to say goodbye to a loved one, but the movie is very much a global celebration of life, family and new beginnings.
- 6/3/2009
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Grade: Four Stars Heartwarming 'Departures' may be set in Japanese funeral parlor but its tale of unemployment syncs perfectly with American audiences. Perfect timing for specialty film buffs is a 2008 Japanese drama featuring an out-of-work cellist finding his calling via an unexpected funeral parlor job. Layoffs, furloughs and downsizing are driving themes in America today and "Departures" ("Okuribito"), a critical and box office smash in its native Japan and recent winner of the 2009 Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, tackles the topic of unemployment via life-affirming storytelling, warm performances and subtle comedy. Veteran Japanese director Yôjirô Takita may set his drama around the Asian tradition of "encoffination," the little- known ritual of washing, dressing and preparing the deceased in front of the family as a way to say goodbye to a loved one, but the movie is very much a global celebration of life, family and new beginnings.
- 6/3/2009
- Upcoming-Movies.com
eath begets beauty in Departures, a moving new film that teaches us, and its reluctant hero Daigo Kobayashi (Masahiro Motoki), all about the fine art of encoffination: the delicate ritual preparation of a corpse for cremation, a last rite performed with the utmost discretion and quiet showmanship in front of the assembled family and funeral guests, before the coffin is plunged into the flames.
- 5/29/2009
- Movie City News
I've been doing some Q&A and panel coverage for Tribeca so if you're interested, read and click on.
Last night I caught Okuribito (Departures) [Q & A] which you'll undoubtedly remember won the Foreign Film Oscar in February. Though it's hard to believe, this marked Japan's first competitive win in the category (though they had a few honoraries early on). Had I seen this film prior to Oscar night, I would have known that Japan's wait would be over. It's more traditional and accessible than The Class (my silver medalist for 2008) and the Academy loves traditional and accessible especially when they're paired with tears. Departures plucks the heartstrings practically as well as its leading man Masahiro Motoki pretends he's plucking his beloved cello strings. [previous post feat. Motoki]
I also caught Englishman in New York [Q & A] which is a non-sequel/sequel to The Naked Civil Servant in that it also stars John Hurt as Quentin Crisp. This...
Last night I caught Okuribito (Departures) [Q & A] which you'll undoubtedly remember won the Foreign Film Oscar in February. Though it's hard to believe, this marked Japan's first competitive win in the category (though they had a few honoraries early on). Had I seen this film prior to Oscar night, I would have known that Japan's wait would be over. It's more traditional and accessible than The Class (my silver medalist for 2008) and the Academy loves traditional and accessible especially when they're paired with tears. Departures plucks the heartstrings practically as well as its leading man Masahiro Motoki pretends he's plucking his beloved cello strings. [previous post feat. Motoki]
I also caught Englishman in New York [Q & A] which is a non-sequel/sequel to The Naked Civil Servant in that it also stars John Hurt as Quentin Crisp. This...
- 4/30/2009
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
Tribeca provided a flashback to Oscar night on Tuesday as director Yôjirô Takita (fun fact: he started his career in 'pink films,' i.e., porn) and star Masahiro Motoki both approached the microphone to speak to an appreciative crowd. This time they weren't accepting Departures' Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film but, as Takita noted, thrilled to be holding their first stateside Q and A. The award-winning movie, opening in limited release on May 29, is about a cello player who loses his orchestra job and leaves the city for his hometown. After a comical misunderstanding during a job search, he discovers an affinity for an unusual line of work, preparing dead bodies for 'departure.' The film's unique topic sparked curiosity in the audience. Why the cello, for example? It could have been any instrument given the plot. 'It was the screenwriters idea to make him a cello player...
- 4/29/2009
- TribecaFilm.com
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