Happy weekend (again)!
I hope you are all still well and you had a nice Halloween.
The only change between Friday and now is that I posted a review of Shinya Tsukamoto’s 1999 film Gemini and I will record an episode of the Heroic Purgatory podcast which was dedicated to Ang Lee’s 1994 film Eat Drink Man Woman.
Oh, and yesterday, I watched Phenomena and The Horse Thieves. Roads of Time.
What is released this weekend?
Futsuu ni shinu inochi no jiritsu 
普通に死ぬ いのちの自立 「Futsuu ni shinu inochi no jiritsu」
Release Date: October 30th, 2020
Duration: 119 mins.
Director: Mayako Sadasue
Writer: N/A
Starring: Kimiko Yo (Narration)
Synopsis: A sequel to the documentary “Living normally” that records the efforts of “Dera-to” and “Lapot”, which are life-care facilities, in Fuji City and Fujinomiya City, Shizuoka Prefecture, set up by parents to live normally in the community with their children who have severe disabilities. These aging people and their families were recorded over eight years during which there were gradually changing management policies and the construction of a third office in the 10th anniversary of the establishment. It reflects the harsh reality of the difficulty of community life after a central carer in the home life of a person in need of medical care falls ill. In the latter half of the movie, the story is centred around the conflicts and awareness of family members, supporters, and medical professionals. Follow their efforts to “live together” and find hope.
MISSION IN B.A.C. THE MOVIE 
MISSION IN B.A.C. THE MOVIE 幻想と現実の an interval 「Misshon IN B. A. C. THE mūbī gensō to genjitsu no an intābaru」
Release Date: October 30th, 2020
Duration: 82 mins.
Director: Hiroki Yamaguchi
Writer: N/A
Starring: Miyuki Torii, Kanji Tsuda, Yuki Izawa, Wataru Shiokawa, Seiya Inagaki, Kandai Ueda,
This is the movie adaptation of Mission in B.A.C., a LINE LIVE program and is directed by Hiroki Yamaguchi, who worked on the Messiah series and Bloody Sukeban Chainsaw.
Synopsis: Aoyagi, a college student, suffers from strangely real and mysterious dreams of fighting and injuring a mysterious enemy on the battlefield almost every night. Then one morning, it becomes all too real when he is about to be abducted by mysterious men in black but he is sucked up by the huge aerial fortress that appears in the sky. Seven young people, including Aoyagi, are gathered there, and they are tasked with a mission to save the future of the Earth.
Musical `Touken Ranbu’ Uta Awase Ranbu Kyouran 2019 4 DX 
ミュージカル「刀剣乱舞」 歌合 乱舞狂乱 2019 4DX 「Myūjikaru `Touken Ranbu’ Uta Awase Ranbu Kyouran 2019 4 DX」
Release Date: October 30th, 2020
Duration: 82 mins.
Director: Isamu Kayano
Writer: Chuujii Mikasano (Script), DMM Games, Nitroplus (Original Manga)
Starring: Ryo Kitazono, Tsubasa Sakiyama, Shunya Ohira, Yuuki Torigoe, Shoutaro Arisawa, Shougo Sakamoto, Kensuke Takahashi,
Synopsis: This is a recording of a stage musical based on the Touken Ranbu franchise that has been given the 4DX treatment.
Eiga Precure Miracle Leap: Minna to Fushigi na 1-nichi 
映画プリキュアミラクルリープ みんなとの不思議な1日 「Eiga Precure Miracle Leap: Minna to Fushigi na 1-nichi」
Release Date: October 31st, 2020
Duration: 71 mins.
Director: Toshinori Fukazawa
Writer: Isao Murayama (Script), Izumi Todo (Original Creator)
Starring: Aoi Yuuki (Cure Grace/Nodoka Hanadera), Hiyori Kono (Cure Sparkle/Hinata Hiramitsu), Natsu Yorita (Cure Fontaine/Chiyu Sawaizumi),
Animation Production: Toei Animation
Synopsis: One night, Hikaru meets aliens Lala, Prunce, and Fuwa while watching the sky. She learns of the “Star Palace,” where the 12 Star Princesses of the constellations kept the balance of the universe until they were attacked. Lala is searching for the legendary Precure warriors to help find the 12 scattered “Princess Star Color Pens” which are needed to revive the princesses. When Fuwa is captured by an enemy, Hikaru wishes to save Fuwa, and a Star Color Pendent and a Star Color Pen appear to allow her to transform into Cure Star. From then on she works to collect the pens and raise Fuwa, who is the key to reviving the princesses.
Planet of the Red 
赤い惑星（ほし） 「Akai Wakusei (Hoshi)」
Release Date: October 31st, 2020
Duration: 40 mins.
Director: Daichi Murase
Writer: N/A
Starring: Shingo Nakayama, Irori Miyamoto, Ami Sugihara,
This work was directed by Daichi Murase, a graduate of the film department of Kyoto University of Art and Design in 2019.
Synopsis: Set on a planet where an unknown virus named “Chappy” has spread, a grave keeper named Hitoshi maintains a cemetery where red flags indicate graves. It is a lonely existence but a “man in a red shirt” suddenly appears and settles in Hitoshi’s house. He is followed by “Akari, a woman who draws pictures”. A strange time flows between the three.
Howl from Beyond the Fog 
狭霧の國 「Sagiri no Kuni」
Release Date: October 31st, 2020
Duration: 35 mins.
Director: Daisuke Sato
Writer: Daisuke Sato (Script),
Starring: Suguru Inoue, Michiyo Ishimoto, Akane Kanamori, Nana Nagao,
This is short animation that pays homage to monster movies from the 1990s. It incorporates traditional special effects techniques such as having miniature sets.
Synopsis: During the Meiji era, a young man named Eiji ventures to a town in a mountainous region of Kyushu and witnesses a blind girl named Takiri and a monster called Nebula who lives in a mountain lake. The girl keeps the monster a secret, but soon everyone will know as he is called upon to fight against greedy developers who threaten to take over her family’s land.
Hakuchi: The Innocent 
白痴 「Hakuchi」
Release Date: October 31st, 2020
Duration: 146 mins.
Director: Macoto Tezuka
Writer: Macoto Tezuka (Script), Ango Sakaguchi (Original Novel)
Starring: Tadanobu Asano, Miyako Koda, Reika Hashimoto, Masao Kusakari, Masumi Okada, Kaori Kawamura, Miyuki Ono,
Macoto Tezuka of Barbara and Legend of the Stardust Brothers fame made this in the 90s and it was shown at the Venice International Film Festival 1999. It reworks a wartime novel by Ango Sakaguchi and utilised the latest in media and video technology to tell a sci-fi tale. Tezuka built a huge open set, and spent 10 years filming on it, before exploding it and burning it in the climatic scene.
Synopsis: Izawa (Tadanobu Asano) is works in the TV industry making popular patriotic programmes with an idol for a nation constantly at war. Despite this glamour, he lives in the slums. The wife of one of his neighbours, a mysterious, mute women, leaves her husband and secretly moves into Izawa’s home. The man soon becomes caught between the idol and the mute woman whilst struggling with his career.
Muchi no Sekai 
ムチノセカイ 「Muchi no Sekai」
Release Date: October 31st, 2020
Duration: 57 mins.
Director: Kohei Tadano
Writer: N/A
Starring: Shingo Nakayama, Akira Matsui, Daichi Murase,
This work was produced by director Kohei Tadano, a graduate of the film department of Kyoto University of Art and Design in 2020, when he was in the second year, and it is his theatrical debut.
Synopsis: Shingo works a dead-end part-time job which pays the rent for the place he shares with another freeter, Akira. Their relationship goes through a series of changes when a third man stays with them and then Akira suddenly gets a job at a company and brings his boss Suzuki home…