Happy weekend, everyone!
I hope you are all feeling good and staying safe.
I’ve done a heck of a lot of procrastinating between writing reviews and not much in terms of film viewing outside of 70s and 80s American films. At least I am healthy. I hope you guys are all healthy too! Let’s keep it that way.
This week was used to post about my interview with the cinematographer-turned director Keisuke Imamura about his film Yan. I then posted about the Kickstarter for Make-believers, a musical set in Tokyo.
What was released in Japan on March 20th? At the time, I was in Tokyo.
Not Quite Dead Yet 
一度死んでみた 「Ichido Shinde Mita」
Release Date: March 20th, 2020
Duration: 93 mins.
Directors: Shinji Hamasaki
Writers: Yoshimitsu Sawamoto (Script),
Starring: Suzu Hirose, Shinichi Tsutsumi, Tae Kimura, Naoko Takenaka, Ryo Yoshizawa, Lily Franky, Satoshi Tsumabuki, Takeru Satoh, Elaiza Ikeda, Tokio Emoto,
Synopsis: Rebellious university student Nanase Nobata (Suzu Hirose) and her father Kei (Shinichi Tsutsumi) have a terrible relationship but he has things on his mind. There have been some thefts at the pharmaceutical company he runs so, in order to gt to the bottom of things, he drinks a drug that is supposed to make temporarily make him “die” and come back to life two days later. However, you guessed it, something goes wrong and Kei appears again as a ghost. Nanase tries to restore his life with help of Taku Matsuoka (Ryo Yoshizawa) who is one of Kei’s subordinates.
I Have Loved you for 30 Years, Yayoi 
弥生、三月 君を愛した30年 「Yayoi, Sangatsu: Kimi o Ai Shita 30nen」
Release Date: March 20th, 2020
Duration: 110 mins.
Directors: Kazuhiko Yukawa
Writers: Kazuhiko Yukawa (Script),
Starring: Haru, Ryo Narita, Hana Sugisaki, Kenshi Okada, Yukiyoshi Ozawa, Hitomi Kuroki,
Synopsis: Kazuhiko Yukawa is a hit maker when it comes to dramas and now writes his second original film with this story that spans 30 years. It begins with Yayoi Yuki (Haru) and Taro Yamada (Ryo Narita) meeting in 1986 as high school students. They fall in love but when their friend Sakura Watanabe (Hana Sugisaki) passes away from an illness, Yayoi and Taro put aside their feelings and move on with their lives. They get married, have children, experience disaster but never forget the love they feel for each other.
Momi’s House 
もみの家 「Momi no Ie」
Release Date: March 20th, 2020
Duration: 105 mins.
Directors: Yoshihiro Sakamoto
Writers: Ayako Kitagawa (Script),
Starring: Sara Minami, Naoto Ogata, Misato Tanaka, Aoi Nakamura, Makiko Watanabe, Satoshi Nikaido, Seina Nakata, Miho Kanazawa,
Synopsis: Ayaka (Sara Minami) is a 16-year-old girl who has trouble at school. Things get so bad that she refuses to go. Her mother decides to send her to Momi’s House, a free school that teaches kids how to be self-reliant. The place is run by Yasutoshi (Naoto Ogata) and his wife Megumi (Misato Tanaka) and it is while staying there that Ayaka begins to change.
Mishima: The Last Debate 
三島由紀夫vs東大全共闘 50年目の真実 「Mishima Yukio vs Tôdai zenkyôtô: 50 nenme no shinjitsu」
Release Date: March 20th, 2020
Duration: 108 mins.
Directors: Keisuke Toyoshima
Writers: N/A
Starring: Yukio Mishima, Osamu Kimura, Masahiko Akuta, Masahiro Higashide (Narrator)
Synopsis from JFDB: During the time of mass movement rising in late 60’s all over the world, an internationally acclaimed author, poet, playwright, actor, film director and critic Yukio Mishima, took part in a heated discussion with 1,000 members of the student movement at the University of Tokyo in 1969, just a year before Mishima’s ritual suicide. The original master footage of his last debate with students has been found after 50 years from the filming.
Though they have different opinions to each other, Mishima addressed to and influenced the young audience with respect. Through the restored 4K footage and interviews of the people involved in the discussion, the people who knew Mishima at that time, journalists and authors of our times, the film pursues timeless thoughts of Mishima which appeals to the people even today.