Happy Weekend
This is the second part of this week’s trailer post. The first part is here.
The Cannes Film Festival is still in effect and it has been interesting collecting views on the films playing. Monster by Hirokazu Kore-eda came out of the gate strong with solid reviews but it was soon eclipsed by Jonathan Glazer’s Zone of Interest. The other big Japanese film, Kubi, has also received mixed reviews and while Western critics have fallen over themselves to praise Wim Wenders’ Perfect Days, I’ve seen one notable Japanese critic point out that it indulges in exoticisation. It’ll be interesting to watch them all and decide for myself!
As for my other film activities, I took part in the recording of Season 4 of Heroic Purgatory earlier this week so stay tuned for that!
In terms of films reviewed, two Hong Kong titles:
Detective vs Sleuths (2022) and Police Story 3: Supercop (1992)
The former is a Wai Ka-Fai title that is a high-octane re-tread of Mad Detective while the latter is a Jackie Chan action-adventure, only with less comedy and higher production values than you might expect. Also, in that film, Michelle Yeoh steals the show.
In terms of films watched, Breaking News (2004) by Johnnie To, Doppelganger by Kiyoshi Kurosawa, and Our House By Yui Kiyoharal
In terms of games played, The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky.
What else was released this weekend?
26-ji 13-bu 
26時13分 「26-ji 13-bu」
Release Date: May 26th, 2023
Duration: N/A
Director: Michihei Yamaguchi
Writer: Michihei Yamaguchi, Toyoji Hiramatsu (Screenplay),
Starring: Yui Okada, Yuichi Kimura, Mami Nomura, Manato Sekiguchi, Makoto Akatsuka,
This is a fantasy drama.
No Trailer
Synopsis: A group of eight people travelling on an overnight bus find themselves at a location where time has stopped at 2:13 AM. It turns out that they were in a bus accident and that only seven people died. One is in a coma. Who is the one that can come back to life?
Spring in Between 
はざまに生きる、春 「Hazama ni Ikiru, Haru」
Release Date: May 26th, 2023
Duration: 103 mins.
Director: Rika Katsu
Writer: Rika Katsu (Screenplay),
Starring: Hio Miyazawa, Sakurako Konishi, Yoshihiko Hosoda, Sumire Ashina aka BOMI, Amon Hirai, Shinsuke Takahashi,
Rika Katsu makes her feature film debut after working on indie films and as a manga editor. It stars Hio Miyazawa, an actor on the rise with his appearances in Egoist and The Legend and the Butterfly, and Sakurako Konishi, seen in Takashi Miike’s First Love.
Synopsis: Haru Komukai (Sakurako Konishi) is a magazine editor but she is jaded and work holds declining interest for her. That changes when she meets a painter named Toru (Hio Miyazawa). He has a developmental disability and is a straight speaker who cannot tell a lie. As the two grow closer, much to Haru’s boyfriends distress, they find that his personality can be frustrating as Haru wants him to understand her emotions better while he finds that it creates distance between them…
Boku no Machi wa Ofuro ga Atsukute Maizokin ga Dete Ramen ga Umai. 
僕の町はお風呂が熱くて埋蔵金が出てラーメンが美味い。 「Boku no Machi wa Ofuro ga Atsukute Maizokin ga Dete Ramen ga Umai.」
Release Date: May 26th, 2023
Duration: 110 mins.
Director: Shigekatsu Honda
Writer: Takafumi Nishinaga (Screenplay),
Starring: Taichi Sakai, Shigeru Izumiya, Mitsuko Oka, Aine Hara, Shigeru Izumiya, Mitsuko Oka, Norihito Kane,
Synopsis: Three high school boys living in Imizu city, Toayama Prefecture, like hanging out with their classmate Karin. Together, the enjoy eating ramen, going to onsen, and talking through their various difficulties and ideas. Their lives get more complicated when one of their number learns that his family is deep in debt and the city quakes with news of difficulties about the development of a resort. The gang thus decide to look for buried treasure after finding a map in a warehouse.
Ikuharu Kakete Oi Yukan Kajin Baba Akiko no Hibi 
幾春かけて老いゆかん 歌人 馬場あき子の日々 「Ikuharu Kakete Oi Yukan Kajin Baba Akiko no Hibi」
Release Date: May 27th, 2023
Duration: 113 mins.
Director: Hiroshi Tashiro
Writer: N/A
Starring: Akiko Baba, Jun Kunimura (Narrator)
Synopsis: This documentary covers a year in the life of the poet Akiko Baba. During this period, when she aged from 93 to 94, we get her thoughts on ageing and what it is to be a poet. She came to the career as a teacher in the post-war period and has composed more than 10,000 poems. Beyond poetry are her thoughts on Noh, which she worked on.
Itan no Jun’ai 
異端の純愛 「Itan no Jun’ai」
Release Date: May 27th, 2023
Duration: 98 mins.
Director: Noboru Iguchi
Writer: Noboru Iguchi (Screenplay),
Starring: Minase Yashiro, Arisa Nakamura, Airi Yamamoto, Keita Okada, Mao,
Noboru Iguchi reunites with actors from his previous films like The Machine Girl to bring to life an omnibus film about people struggling with different types of love.
Synopsis: A series of “love” stories that includes one of a high school boy and a woman with one arm; a boy with difficulty eating and going to toilet due to a childhood trauma, and more. Each of the stories features characters with secrets and twisted relationships defined by submission and domination.
Shugendo Renaissance 
修験ルネッサンス 「Shugendo Runessansu」
Release Date: May 27th, 2023
Duration: 84 mins.
Director: Chiseko Tanaka
Writer: N/A
Starring: Ryouei Takagi, Sunshi Tatekawa,
Synopsis: A documentary about Shugendo in Kumano Prefecture, the practices of which the director participated.
Takumi-kun Shiri-zu Nagai Nagai Monogatari Hajimari no Asa 
タクミくんシリーズ 長い長い物語の始まりの朝。 「Takumi-kun Shiri-zu Nagai Nagai Monogatari Hajimari no Asa」
Release Date: May 27th, 2023
Duration: 77 mins.
Director: Takeshi Yokoi
Writer: Hiroko Kanasugi (Screenplay), Shinobu Goto (Original Manga)
Starring: Shion Morishita, Daigo Kato, Satsuki Nakayama, Souta Uemura, Rio Takahashi,
Synopsis: This BL story is set in a boarding school called Shido Academy. Hayama Takumi, a lonely and shy boy, meets his new roommate Saki “Gui” Giichi, the school idol due to his looks and brains, and the two fall in love…