Happy Weekend
Making use of Netflix, I spent time watching the few Ghibli I had never seen before: Ocean Waves, From Up on Poppy Hill, and My Neighbors the Yamadas. The former is a well-crafted coming-of-age drama while the latter was a fun family comedy that reminded me of a yon-koma with wonderful music by Akiko Yano. I preferred the former because it was beautiful to look at and reminded me of my time in Tokyo. Poppy Hill? Better than the critics suggested it was. Once you get into the time period it is set in, it is quite affecting.
Anyway, this is the first of a two-part trailer post. It features Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Monster, a film that picked up an award at the 2023 edition of the Cannes Film Festival. Also at the fest, Koji Yakusho won the Best Actor award, becoming the fast Japanese actor to win it since Yuya Yagira for Nobody Knows.
This is the first set of films released this weekend.
Monster 
怪物 「Kaibutsu」
Release Date: June 02nd, 2023
Duration: 125 mins.
Director: Hirokazu Kore-eda
Writer: Yuji Sakamoto (Screenplay),
Music: Ryuichi Sakamoto
Starring: Sakura Ando, Eita Nagayama, Yuko Tanaka, Mitsuki Takahata, Soya Kurokawa, Akihiro Kakuta, Shido Nakamura,
In recent years, Cannes film fest favourite Kore-eda won the Palme d’Or for Shoplifters back in 2018 and returned last year with his Korean-set drama Broker. Those were based on original scripts written by himself.
With Monster, he has gravitated to working with more mainstream names making big moves in the Japanese movie industry. The film is based on a screenplay by Yuji Sakamoto (We Made a Beautiful Bouquet, Crying Out Love, in the Center of the World) and the film is produced by powerhouse screenwriter, producer and director Genki Kawamura (A Hundred Flowers, If Cats Disappeared From the World, Villain). Music was composed by the legendary Ryuichi Sakamoto (Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence, Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honneamise) who sadly passed away last month.
The film ultimately took the Award for the Best Screenplay. It won another award but I consider revealing its name a bit of a spoiler.
Synopsis: The community of a small town with a large lake becomes the focus of the media as two children get into a fight at school and the conflicting claims draw attention from wider society. The people involved include a single mother and her son, a teacher, and others. None could guess how things would escalate as, during a stormy morning, the children disappear…
Hikari o Mitsukeru Bairinisuto Anazawa Yuusuke Kara no Messeji 
光をみつける ヴァイオリニスト穴澤雄介からのメッセージ 「Hikari o Mitsukeru Bairinisuto Anazawa Yuusuke Kara no Messeji」
Release Date: May 30th, 2023
Duration: 80 mins.
Director: Yosuke Nagata
Writer: N/A
Starring: Yusuke Anazawa, Mainoumi Shuuhei, Masazumi Noda, Yasuhito Kiso, Masashi Matsui,
Synopsis: This documentary is about Yusuke Anazawa, a blind violinist. He survived three heart surgeries as a child and lost his sight over time. After graduating from a school for the blind, he studied music at a school for the disabled. Soon enough, he began performing live at elderly care facilities, hospitals, and schools. At the age of 24, he released his first album, “Sincerely Yours”, since then, he has released an album a year and become active on YouTube and NHK programmes. The documentary looks at his life and features talks with notable public figures and musicians.
Akogare o Koeta Samurai-tachi Sekai Ichi e no Kiroku 
憧れを超えた侍たち 世界一への記録 「Akogare o Koeta Samurai-tachi Sekai Ichi e no Kiroku」
Release Date: June 02nd, 2023
Duration: 130 mins.
Director: Shintaro Miki
Writer: N/A
Starring: Yusuke Anazawa, Mainoumi Shuuhei, Masazumi Noda, Yasuhito Kiso, Masashi Matsui,
Synopsis: This documentary is about Japan’s national baseball team, Samurai Japan. In March of this year, they won the World Baseball Classic. The film features the players and management, the selection of players, the training camp held in Miyazaki just before the tournament, scenes from the dugout and locker room.
The Dry Spell 
渇水 「Kassui」
Release Date: June 02nd, 2023
Duration: 100 mins.
Director: Masaya Takhashi
Writer: Shotaro Oikawa (Screenplay), Mitsuru Kawabayashi (Original Novel),
Starring: Toma Ikuta, Mugi Kadowaki, Hayato Isomura, Machiko Ono, Yoji Tanaka, Atsushi Shinohara, Kankuro Kudo,
Apparently, this was produced by Kazuya Shiraishi (The Blood of Wolves) and was directed by Masaya Takahashi who has worked as an assistant AD to Kankuro Kudo. Toma Ikuta (Close-Knit) and Mugi Kadowaki (Double Life) star.
Synopsis: Shunsaku Iwakiri (Toma Ikuta) works for city hall as an engineer who shuts off the water of people who are behind on their water bills. It doesn’t sit right with him, especially as he is treated with disdain. In his personal life, he has been separated from his wife Kazumi (Machiko Ono) and their child. During a particularly hot summer day, Shunsaku meets two sisters who have been abandoned he decides to help them out.
Aki wa Haru to Gohan wo Tabetai 
アキはハルとごはんを食べたい 「Aki wa Haru to Gohan wo Tabetai」
Release Date: June 02nd, 2023
Duration: 100 mins.
Director: Koji Kawano
Writer: Koji Kawano (Screenplay), Makoto Taji (Original Manga),
Starring: Ryotari Akazawa, Kensuke Takahashi, Hikaru Aoyama, Yuka Taanaka, Yuki Sakurai, Rie Shibata, Ryuga Akahane,
Synopsis: Akiyoshi Junta (Aki) and Fujishiro Harutsugu (Haru) were high school classmates who graduated and then went to different universities. Despite this, they live in the same house and enjoy sharing food together. Friends and family join in. Meanwhile, they are trying to find their way in life as Haru pursues photography and Aki is still undecided.
Ensemble Stars! THE STAGE Party Live
「あんさんぶるスターズ！THE STAGE」Party Live 「「Ansanburu Suta-zu！THE STAGE」Party Live」
Release Date: June 02nd, 2023
Duration: 100 mins.
Director: Yo Hosaka
Writer: Yo Hosaka (Screenplay),
Starring: Ikkei Yamamoto, Ryohei Takenaka, Matsumura Riki Tanimizu, Shohei Hashimoto, Ryo Kitamura, Yoshihiko Aramaki, Naoya Kitagawa,
Ensemble Stars!! is a multimedia project that began life as a mobile idol training game, then a rhythm game, before branching out into manga, anime etc.
Trailer is Region-locked
Synopsis: This is a recording of a live event where the cast take on their roles for a performance.