Showing posts with label japan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label japan. Show all posts
6 March 2016
4 March 2016
19 November 2015
8 October 2015
6 October 2015
22 May 2015
6 March 2015
GFF 2015 - Man From Reno (2014)
Genre:
Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Screened:
Glagow Film Festival
Rating: 15
Director:
Dave Boyle
Cast:
Ayako Fujitani, Pepe Serna, Kazuki Kitamura,
One night, after hitting an unidentified Japanese man with his car, Sherriff Del Moral (Pepe Serna) stumbles on a mysterious case that leads him to San Francisco. There, author Aki Akahori (Ayako Fujitani) has fled Tokyo and after enjoying a brief fling with a mysterious stranger, is thrust into the very same case. Dave Boyle’s Man from Reno keeps threatening to be a dark (at least consistently serious) film pulling on film noir inspirations and pulp paperback detective stories, but it never quite gets there.
The humour is off, sometimes far too dry, others far too silly, considering the story, but then, there’s another issue. The story, in attempts to achieve the kind of ludicrous twisting narrative of the noir thriller, loses itself too many times. It delves in deeper and deeper but doesn’t manage to drag us with any great zeal. Though, one of the most interesting things about Man from Reno is its array of zany multinational characters who, though sometimes jarring, are often enjoyable. Unfortunately its array of strange characters are left in a pile somewhere out of sight, its story hopelessly convoluted and confused by too many characters and not enough intrigue. There is some success in Kazuki Kitamura’s portrayal of a handsome stranger and Serna’s wily old cop, but even when those two characters eventually meet, it’s unfortunately underwhelming.
The humour along with the mix of genre templates is surprisingly uninvolving. The darker streaks work best when married with a significant amount of mystery, but the humour inevitably sinks the boat. Del Moral’s investigation really pulls you in, but is thrown overboard by a middling and distracted story of author melodrama. This is a mixed pot that’s trying far too hard to achieve a type of story usually marked by shameless nonchalance.
Moments of gorgeous noir cinematography are few and far between in the glorified melodrama of Man from Reno. Viewers will be split by which side of the plot they enjoy more, but as a whole this isnt quite there.
★★★
Scott Clark
27 October 2014
28 September 2014
29 August 2014
Seijun Suzuki's cult-following film Youth Of The Beast To Join Eureka's Master Of Cinema Family
Eureka! Entertainment have announced the release of YOUTH OF THE BEAST [Yajû no seishun], the breakthrough film from Suzuki, the director of such '60s New Wave Japanese classics as Tokyo Drifter and Branded to Kill. Starring Jô Shishido, the iconic star of countless Suzuki and Nikkatsu Films pictures throughout the 1960s, this is the first release of the cult film, and will be released on Blu-ray in a Dual Format (Blu-ray & DVD) edition on 27 October 2014.
And so Youth of the Beast is a yakuza tale with a premise like Akira Kurosawa's Yôjinbô, but denuded of an easy definition of which side is which. It stars Suzuki's iconic '60s regular Jô Shishido, with his dare-you-to-call-them-out artificial cheek implants like new acting blasphemy. There are drug-addled whores, gunfights in a new colour apocalypse, and at least one alien landscape: the sudden mind-searing eruption of a sulphur yellow desert like an action-figure playset with overspill of unbridled lust...
Suzuki's infectious go-for-broke energy is assisted by a telephoto lens that serves at once as phallus and yoni in the masterful, Minnelli-worthy 'Scope framing. His film would go on to inspire John Woo's forthcoming remake titled Day of the Beast; Nikkatsu have in recent times deemed this movie one of their treasures. The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present Youth of the Beast in a Dual Format (Blu-ray + DVD) edition based on their new HD master.
Youth Of The Beast will arrive in glorious 1080HD on blu-ray with improved optional English subtitles,as the release is in dual format so even the DVD has had an upgrade too. The whole package comes with a 36 page booklet featuring a new essay by Frederick Veith, and rare archival imagery making this release an essential release for fans of Japanese crime genre get your copy from 27th October 2014.
Pre-0rder/Order Youth Of The Beast [Masters of Cinema] Dual Format (Blu-ray & DVD) (1963)
20 August 2014
10 May 2014
4 May 2014
3 May 2014
7 February 2014
Hayao Miyazaki's The Wind Rises Gets A UK Cinema Release Date
After months of speculation on when Hayao Miyazaki's The Wind Rises will finally arrive in the UK.Today via their Twitter account StudioCanal put British anime fans minds at rest , the anime maestro's Swansong will arrive in UK cinemas on 9th May.
Here's the the tweet which also gives you a chance to win a steelbook edition of one of the many classic Studio Ghibli blurays they have on offer...
Hayao Miyazaki’s new masterpiece THE WIND RISES to hit UK cinemas on May 9! RT to #win one of these in preparation.. pic.twitter.com/AfL8cgIi5K
— STUDIOCANAL UK (@StudioCanalUK) February 7, 2014It's been a long frustrating year for fans even critics here in UK since it's release in Japan Summer 2013 it's made it's way slowly around the world's film festival circuit surprisingly not London Film Festival. Now the date has been set for the arrival of the film we can finally look forward to some vintage Studio Ghibli most of all
The Wind Rises is inspired by Miyazaki's own personal dreams, the film centres around Jiro a young man inspired to become a aeronautical engineer. The Wind Rises is the epic tale of love, perseverance, and the challenges of living and making choices in a turbulent world.The film is set in the first half of the 20th Century and will chronicle major events of his life from falling in love right upto Japan entering World War 2 a pivotal event in Jiro's career.
If you missed the trailer here's another chance to watch it...
Post by The Wind Rises.
The Wind Rises will more likely be released in UK dubbed with Joseph Gordon-Levitt lending his voice to play adult Jiro along with Emily Blunt, Elijah Wood, Many Patinkin, Stanley Tucci, Martin Short, William H Macy even Werner Herzog all lend their voices to the film. Anime fans mark 9th May in your diaries however if you can't wait that long, This Sunday 9th February you can catch the UK premier at Glasgow Youth Film Festival (click on link to book/more info).
source: Yahoo UK
4 January 2014
Watch New Trailer For Japanese Drama Otona Drop
Starring Sosuke Ikematsu, Ai Hashimoto, Tomoya Maeno, and Ryoko Kobayashi about 4 school students sharing a summer holidays in their final year at school. Hajime (Maeno)has a longtime crush on classmate Anne (Hashimoto)who seems to be offended by his his love for her, but during the holiday Hajime hears Anne has moved away and struggles to cope with the news.At the same time his friend Haru (Kobayashi), wants to grow up quickly which sees Hajime decide to take that drastic step to go confront Anne to see why she has left school.
Otona Drop (Adult Drop)will be released in Japan 4th April co-starring Daichi Watanabe, Minami, and Erika Mabuchi.
29 December 2013
Watch New Promo Trailer For School Anime Seitokai Yakuindomo Season 2
Based on Tozen Ujiie's manga Seitokai Yakuindomo centres around Ōsai Academy, a former all girls private high school which has recently been integrated with the local boys school. The student council body is split between 524 girls and 28 boys,Takatoshi Tsuda is pushed into becoming the vice president of the student council, a council made up of only girls.
Seitokai Yakuindomo will premier on Tokyo MX TV on 4th January.
source: Animenewsnetwork
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