I started this week by returning home from London where I attended the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme. Out of the six films I saw, my top three were Shindo, Parade and Otaku in Love. The best film that I saw within the space of this week wasn’t Japanese but a western title. The best film I saw was 12 Years a Slave, directed by Steve McQueen. It was an emotionally stunning and gruelling experience and I was in tears at the end much like the case of McQueen’s last film, Shame. That written, it was the most rewarding film I have watched in recent months and I figure it will be my number one film by the end of the year, much like Steve McQueen’s last film, Shame, was back in 2012. I hope that 12 Years a Slave sweeps the Oscars and BAFTA’s.
This week was catching up on reviews like The Ravine of Goodbye and Our Sunhi. I also posted some trailers yesterday which had a bit about the Mai Mai Miracle Kickstarter.
Kokkuri-san Gekijoban Shin Toshi Densetsu 
Japanese: こっくりさん 劇場版 新都市伝説
Romaji: Kokkuri-san Gekijoban Shin Toshi Densetsu
Running Time: 85 mins.
Release Date: February o8th, 2014
Director: Masaaki Nidou
Writer: Masaaki Nidou (Screenplay),
Starring: Mariya Suzuki, Momoko Kaechi, Mao Kanjo. Masa, Yukari Torikai, Mao Kanjo, Seiya Konishi
The first idol horror film of the year if my memory serves me correct and it has some girls from AKB48 and SNH48 (Shanghai 48). Mari (Suzuki) and Saki (Kaechi) are high school students who love fortune-telling. Their particular favourite type is Angel Sama but it soo becomes deadly when people who participate in it start to die!
Earth Defense Widow 
Japanese: 地球防衛未亡人
Romaji: Chikyuu Bouei Miboujin
Running Time: 84 mins.
Release Date: February o8th, 2014
Director: Minoru Kawasaki
Writer: Minoru Kawasaki (Screenplay),
Starring: Mitsu Dan, Yusuke Fukuda, Hide Fukumoto, Nocchi, Shunichi Okita, Fuyuki Moto, Masami Horiuchi, Koji Moritsugu
Dan (Mitsu) is a former geisha turned pilot for the Earth Defense Troops. The space monster Bemurasu kills her husband and so Dan wants vengeance but whenever she attacks Bemurasu she feels ecstasy. What’s going on with this lady?
Low-budget kaiju silliness. If you want to shoot giant monsters, robots and insects then go and play the newest Earth Defense Force video game.
These games are addictive especially when played with others! All together now, EDF! EDF! EDF!
Basujack 
Japanese: バスジャック
Romaji: Basu Jakku
Running Time: 77 mins.
Release Date: February o8th, 2014
Director: Yoshifumi Fukazawa
Writer: Yoshifumi Fukazawa, Hidekatsu Takei (Screenplay),
Starring: Anna Ishibashi, Masaki Akagaki, Maaya Aso, Shozo Endo, Mitsuhiro Fujiwara, Honkon, Mayumi Hori, Yuki Ishii
What happens when a recently made redundant man with toothache is mistaken for bus hijacker and finds himself on a bus full of yakuza, Yankees, lunatics and angry people with a mad driver at the wheel? Hilarity! There’s a pretty good actress in the cast here with Anna Ishibashi (Pet Peeves, Your Friends) and the director was editor on a wide vriety of films like Infection, Ju-On: White/Black Ghost and the Madam Marmalade Films.
Undressed Minako R – 18 
Japanese: ハダカの美奈子 R-18
Romaji: Hadaka no Minako R – 18
Running Time: 102 mins.
Release Date: February o8th, 2014
Director: Toshiyuki Morioka
Writer: Toshiyuki Morioka (Screenplay), Minako Hayashita (Original Book)
Starring: Tomoko Nakajima, Takashi Shigematsu, Minako Hayashita, Natsumi Hirajima, Natsumi Kurisu
This is the R-18 version of a film released last November with eight extra minutes. The two films stem from “Tsuukai! Big Daddy” which is a documentary television series about the life of Kiyoshi Hayashishita and his family. His ex-wife, Minako Hayashishita, is the focus of the film and claims to reveal the secrets about their divorce and her past with her abusive father and the fact that Minako had a baby at the age of 15…
7 Days Report 
Japanese: セブンデイズ リポート
Romaji: Sebundeizu Ripo-to
Running Time: 82 mins.
Release Date: February o8th, 2014
Director: Masahiro Kondo
Writer: Ohkura (Screenplay),
Starring: Yuichi Haba, Itsuji Itao, Rio Yamashita, Nobuyuki Suzuki, Kazuki Namioka, Alan Shirahama, Suzunosuke
This is the story of clones in a school which stars some male idols from the groups EXILE and Generations from Exile Tribe.
Neo Ultra Q Special Screening Part IV 
Japanese: ネオ ウルトラQ 特別上映 part IV
Romaji: Neo Urutorakyū Tokubetsu Jōei part III
Running Time: N/A
Release Date: January 09th, 2014
Director: Gakuryu Ishii, Yu Nakai, Yu Irie, Kiyotaka Taguchi
Writer: Kiyotaka Inagaki, Akari Yamamoto, Ayako Kato (Screenplay)
Starring: Rin Takanashi, Seiichi Tanabe, Hiroyuki Onoe, Akemi Fuji
Neo Ultra Q is the latest series of adaptations of a sci-fi project created by Eiji Tsuburaya, special effects director on Godzilla, about three characters who investigated supernatural and alien phenomena. Apparently the show ran for 28 episodes from January to July in 1966, received a radio drama and movie edition. This latest one is a collection of 12 episodes from the TV sequel and features excellent actors like Rin Takanashi (Goth: Love of Death) and Shota Sometani (Himizu) and has the director Gakuryu Ishii (Isn’t Anyone Alive?). Yesterday was the 09th of January and on the 09th of every month is now known as “Q Day” which means that the latest three episodes of the TV show Visitor Q are rolled into one movie and screened for an appreciative audience. There are also additional treats for said audience at each screening such as a Q&A and old episodes. Sounds and looks fun. This screening comes with an old episode of Ultra Q called Challenge of 2020.
Three people: a psychologist doing research on the supernatural, a young beautiful journalist with an inquisitive mind and a bartender who has sympathy towards other forms of life. Together the trio set out to look into the paranormal and futuristic phenomena that confront our life and society.
