Happy Weekend
This is the first of a two-part trailer post. Come back tomorrow for more.
This weekend features anime, indie films, and a horror movie/historical actioner. It’s a diverse mix that would draw me to repeat visits to cinemas. How about you?
Well, I’m still playing and enjoying Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and now that I am on Blue Sky (@filmnohito.bsky.social) and starting tabula rasa, I’ve posted a few times about it. I’ll be indulging in more video games.
What are the first batch of films released this weekend?
The Seven Deadly Sins: Grudge of Edinburgh Part 2 
七つの大罪 怨嗟のエジンバラ 後編 「Nanatsu no Taizai: Ensa no Ejinbara Kouhen」
Release Date: August 08th, 2023
Running Time: 54 mins.
Chief Director: Noriyuki Abe, Director: Bob Shirohata
Writer: Rintaro Ikeda (Screenplay), Nakaba Suzuki (Original Creator)
Starring: Yuuki Kaji (Meliodas), Ayumu Murase (Tristan – teenager), Mikako Komatsu (Tristan – boy), Kouki Uchiyama (Fairy),
Animation Production: Alfred Imageworks, Marvy Jack
The second of a two-part movie based on the Seven Deadly Sins series will air on Netflix.
Synopsis: 14 years have elapsed since the defeat of the Demon Clan and Prince Tristan of the Kingdom of Liones struggles to control the Demon Power inherited from his father, Meliodas, and the Goddess Power he received from his mother, Elizabeth. When Elizabeth’s life is threatened, Tristan heads to Edinburgh Castle, where Deathpierce, a former Holy Knight, has his castle. But what are Deathpierce’s intentions? Tristan will find out after being reunited with Lancelot…
Revolver Lily 
リボルバー・リリー 「Riboruba- Riri-」
Release Date: August 11th, 2023
Duration: 139 mins.
Director: Isao Yukisada
Writer: Isao Yukisada, Tatsuo Kobayashi (Screenplay), Kyo Nagaura (Original Short Story)
Starring: Haruka Ayase, Hiroki Hasegawa, Jinsei Hamura, Jiro Sato, Sadao Abe, Renji Ishibashi, Mitsuru Fukikoshi, Itsuji Itao, Etsushi Toyokawa,
Isao Yukisada of Parade (2010) and Crying Out Love, in the Centre of the World (2004) fame has taken on Kyo Nagaura’s hardboiled action suspense story set in the Taisho era. The film has a fine cast led by Haruka Ayase (Our Little Sister – 2015) and Hiroki Hasegawa (Love & Peace – 2015).
Synopsis: It is 1924 and the Taisho era is drawing to a close. In a small bar in Tokyo’s Hanamachi district is the owner, Yuri, a former spy who was involved in the deaths of 57 people over a period of three years, mostly in East Asia. One day, Yuri meets a boy named Shinta. His family was murdered and he is on the run because he holds a key to missing money drawn from the Imperial Japanese Army. Shinta asks Yuri for help and the two find themselves hunted by the army’s elite troops.
Sana 
ミンナのウタ 「Mina no Uta」
Release Date: August 11th, 2023
Duration: 102 mins.
Director: Takashi Shimizu
Writer: Rumi Kakuta, Takashi Shimizu (Screenplay),
Starring: Tomoko Hoshi, Alan Shirahama, Ryota Katayose, Akari Hayami, Mandy Sekiguchi, Hana Amano, Makita Sports,
Takashi Shimizu of the Ju-On franchise is the latest director to work with the GENERATIONS from EXILE TRIBE group to bring their talents to the screen in a genre picture. This time it is J-Horror and it combines the real-world work of the idols with the chills and scares of a horror movie powered by an eerie “hook song” that causes disaster for those who hear it.
Synopsis: When a radio station employee finds a forgotten cassette tape in a storage room with the words “Minna no Uta” scrawled on it, little do they realise that the haunting melody contained within spell disaster for those who hear it. First is Komori, a popular personality/pop idol who disappears. Manager Rin asks a detective to investigate and other idols say they saw the spirit of a girl during a rehearsal. These same idols also become victims of the curse while the detective tries to work out the identity of the person recorded on the cassette tape…
Good-bye, Erymanthus 
さよならエリュマントス 「Sayonara Eryumantosu」
Release Date: August 11th, 2023
Duration: 102 mins.
Director: Daisuke Ono
Writer: Daisuke Ono (Screenplay), Kyo Nagaura (Original Short Story)
Starring: Suzu Sannomiua, Ayumu Nakajima, Runa Toyoda, Amon Hirai, Yota Kawase,
This film stars the six winners of Miss Magazine 2022.
Synopsis: Coco, Yuna, Mizuki, Rina, Suzu, and Sara were once cheerleaders for a baseball team but their dodgy manager has turned them into a rather shambolic idol unit forced to tour the underground idol scene. Starting at the bottom and remaining there, the group constantly fight with their manager and it gets really bad at an onsen Yamanashi…
30S 
サーティーズ 「Sa-ti-zu」
Release Date: August 11th, 2023
Duration: 135 mins.
Director: Katsunori Sato
Writer: Katsunori Sato (Screenplay), Yuma Sanada (Original Short Story)
Starring: Sho Ono, Arisa Takarada, Momoko Arata, Yuma Sanada, Sora Nomoto,
This ensemble drama comes from the idol unit 7ORDER and depicts men and women approaching the age of 30 and the gap between reality and the ideals they once held.
Synopsis: A few days before his 30th birthday, Takeru receives a message from former university classmate Kou. The message is, “Sorry I couldn’t keep my promise. This presages Kou’s disappearance and the resurfacing of memories from their adolescence. Takeru senses that their lives are about to change.
Ninchisho to Ikiru Kibo no Shohosen 
認知症と生きる希望の処方箋 「Ninchisho to Ikiru Kibo no Shohosen」
Release Date: August 11th, 2023
Duration: 110 mins.
Director: Kazuyuki Nozawa
Writer: N/A
Starring: N/A
Synopsis: This documentary from director Kazuyuki Nozawa looks at the effects of music on dementia patients. Music therapy could be a big help for societies with large elderly populations since there is currently no cure for dementia. Two music therapists are interviewed in Nagoya about their work and viewers will also see the effects on various people with various medical conditions.