Happy Sunday!
I’m almost at the end of a big writing project. One last push today!
What are the final films released this weekend?
A Long Journey 
かくも長き道のり 「Kaku mo nagaki michinori」
Release Date: February 13th, 2021
Duration: 71 mins.
Director: Tomotake Yara
Writer: Tomotake Yara (Script),
Starring: Yui Kitamura, David Ito, Juri Manase, Atsuhiro Sakamoto,
A film adaptation of the scenario that won the Jury Encouragement Award at the 2017 Isama Studio Cinema Festival Scenario Awards. Against the backdrop of the beautiful nature of Nakanojo Town, Gunma Prefecture, classic jazz songs from the past colour the story.
Synopsis: Ryoko, a fledgling actress, returns to her home-town in Gunma Prefecture for the first time in four months because she was selected to appear in a serial drama Her agency force her to part with her lover, Muraki, who has stayed in Tokyo. He is a former professional gambler who is 25 years older than Ryoko, and her agency view him as a liability. However, it is difficult to break up the pair…
The Guard From Underground 
地獄の警備員 「Jigoku no Keibin」
Release Date: June 13th, 1992
Duration: 97 mins.
Director: Kiyoshi Kurosawa
Writer: Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Kunihiko Tomioka (Screenplay),
Starring: Makiko Kuno, Yutaka Matsushige, Hatsunori Hasegawa, Ren Osugi, Taro Suwa
Website IMDB
This is a digital remaster of the Kiyoshi Kurosawa horror movie. His riff on Halloween. Here’s my review from seven years ago. This was the film debut of Yutaka Matsushige and also the final film produced by Director’s Company, a business set up to be an outlet for collective of directors like Sogo Ishii and Shinji Somai, who made some of their best films there.
Synopsis: Akebono Corporation is a major business and Akiko Narushima (Kuno) is on her way to a new job. She used to be a curator at a gallery and is now the new adviser for the purchases of paintings for the corporation. Akebono are also hiring a new security guard in the rather tall and solidly built shape of former sumo wrestler Fujimaru (Matsushige), a man who is wanted by the police investigating the case of the murder of his lover and her lover, another sumo wrestler… He was released due to being insane but the police are looking to prosecute again. Akiko starts her first day brightly and meets her new colleagues, the flighty Hanae Takeda, the rather useless Ken Nomura, and anonymous bald dude Minoru Yoshioka (Suwa). Her workmates are great… apart from her lecherous manager Kurume (Osugi), a carefree head of human resources named Hyodo (Hasegawa) and the mighty Fujimaru who takes a liking to her.
A Neat Town Doctor 
けったいな町医者 「Kettaina Machi Isha」
Release Date: February 13th, 2021
Duration: 116 mins.
Director: Yasutaka Mohri
Writer: N/A
Starring: Ryo Kanzaki, Tasuku Emoto (Narrator)
Synopsis: A documentary that records a scene in the life of Kazuhiro Nagao, a doctor in Amagasaki City, Hyogo Prefecture. Nagao, quit work as a hospital doctor when a patient of his who said he wanted to go home committed suicide. Nagao, once he quit, opened a business in the Amagasaki shopping district and became a town doctor. Having taken care of 1,000 people when he was a hospital doctor and 1,500 after becoming a home doctor, he disagrees with multidrug prescriptions and excessive life-prolonging treatment for end-of-life patients. He, instead, offers more personal treatment at any time of day and the year. In effect, he has the appearance of running around the city day and night, “What is a happy end?” “What is modern medical care lost?” These are the question asked. Tasuku Emoto, who starred in a movie adaptation of Nagao’s bestselling book, is in charge of the narration.
The New Prince of Tennis: Hyotei vs Rikkai Game of Future 
新テニスの王子様 氷帝vs立海 Game of Future 前篇 「Atarashii Tenisu no Ōjisama Hyotei vs Rikkai Game of Future」
Release Date: February 13th, 2021
Running Time: 50 mins.
Director: Keiichiro Kawaguchi
Writer: Mitsutaka Hirota (Series Composition)
Starring: Junya Enoki (Yoshio Tamagawa), Junichi Suwabe (Keigo Atobe), Ryotaro Okiayu (Tezuka Kunimitsu).
Animation Production: M.S.C., Studio KAI,
Synopsis from Crunchyroll: The New Prince of Tennis will be celebrating its 20th anniversary this coming spring with a brand new two-part original anime where Hyotei Academy and Rikkaidai Junior High go head-to-head.