Welcome to the second trailer post of this week
You can find the first trailer post here
So I’ve continued my coverage of the Chicago International Film Festival 2023 with a review of the horror film Raging Grace. This followed my review of Before Anyone Else and an interview with its director Tetsuya Mariko.
I’ve got two more reviews to come for December and some Japanese indies to cap the year. I’ve already planned some reviews for January 2024.
In terms of films that I have watched over the last few weeks:
Zombie Holocaust, Rosemary’s Baby, Driller Killer, Last House on the Left, The Entity, The Caddy, Mother’s Day, Curse of the Demon.
I’ve also taken to listening to the Cane and Rinse podcast dedicated to video games. That’s another podcast recommendation.
What are the other Japanese films released this weekend.
The Night Before 
ホゾを咬む 「Hozo wo Kamu」
Release Date: December 15th, 2023
Duration: 60 mins.
Director: Ayaka Horii
Writer: Ayaka Horii (Screenplay),
Starring: Momoko Fukuchi, Yuzu Aoki, Mizuki Maehara, Yusuke Takahashi, Amon Hirai, Aina Yamada, Nari Saito,
Synopsis: The Night Before is a coming-of-age film consisting of two stories connected by the theme of change. “Prologue,” a short, is about three people confronting their weaknesses after failing to start a revolution. “The Flightless Angel,” a medium-length story, is about a young woman in a rural town who encounters a man running through the shopping district while scattering feathers from a pillow. She asks him to take her somewhere special.
Ami wa Obake 
あみはおばけ 「Hozo wo Kamu」
Release Date: December 15th, 2023
Duration: 72 mins.
Director: Yasumasa Konno
Writer: Yasumasa Konno (Screenplay),
Starring: Megumi Kobashi, Haro Asada. Jun Murakami, Nonoka Terui, Takuya Gomei, Saori Watanabe,
Synopsis: Ami’s mother Mikako passed away but she still has her by her side onl6 in the form of a digital representation on a tablet. Thus, Mikako attends the dinner table with Ami and even goes to school with her. Ami dreams of becoming a scientist and building a body for Mikako in the future but that plan gets put on hold when Ami’s father’s new girlfriend comes to live with them…
99% Cloudy… Always 
99％、いつも曇り 「99%, Itsumo Kumori」
Release Date: December 15th, 2023
Duration: 72 mins.
Director: Midori Sangomi
Writer: Midori Sangomi (Screenplay),
Starring: Midori Sangomi, Satoshi Nikaido, Ayumi Ena, Ami Ide, KOTA,
Actor Midori Sangomi is making her directorial debut with this film that was programmed for the Tokyo International Film Festival 2023.
Synopsis: Kazuha is a 45-year-old woman who has Asperger Syndrome. After meeting her uncle on the first anniversary of her mother’s death, his questions about her not having children seem to presage a change with her husband Daichi who wants to have kids. Kazuha is not confident since she has Asperger and, 15 years ago, she suffered a miscarriage.
Kokoro no Ari ka 
心のありか 「Kokoro no Ari ka」
Release Date: December 15th, 2023
Duration: 60 mins.
Director: Miyuki Uehara
Writer: Miyuki Uehara (Screenplay),
Starring: Nao Oikawa, Hiroyuki Toritani, Emiko Kawamura, Masumi Nomura, Takara Sakumo,
Miyuki Uehara, writer of Soul Flower Train (2013), Neko ni Mikan (2014), and Pumpkin Girl (2018) has directed this film.
Synopsis: Ikuko is an accountant in her 40s and is single. There is an shadowy presence only she can see that she labels “husband” for emotional support. After Taeko, a colleague, and someone Ikuko considered a trusted friend, dies, Ikuko is shaken to discover Taeko embezzled money and takes action in order to settle her emotions.
Starting Over 
スターテイング オーバー 「Suta-teingu O-ba-」
Release Date: December 15th, 2023
Duration: 89 mins.
Director: Kei Morikawa
Writer: Fumihisa Sato (Screenplay/Original Story),
Starring: Yuhi, Rio Yamashita, Rui Yanagawa, Masayasu Yagi, Tomona Morioka, Yosuke Ochi, Miyuki Tori,
Synopsis: Shigeki lives life as a freelancer so that means he doesn’t have much money. He cannot even afford to pay the security deposit and key money for a rickety old apartment on the outskirts of Tokyo. Fortunately for him, the place is a cursed property as ghosts hang out there. The ghost is Yoji, a guy who Shigeki wants to show to the real estate agent to get some 0s knocked off the cheque he has to hand over but Yoji as one condition: Shigeki must help him take revenge on his ex-girlfriend Tsuyako.
Good Luck My Road 
」
Release Date: December 15th, 2023
Duration: 115 mins.
Director: Eiji Nakamura
Writer: Yuzo Fukuma (Screenplay), Kunihiko Nagasaki (Original Story)
Starring: Kiichi Shumputei, Hajime Tomine, Yuga Ando, Shima Izutu,
Synopsis: A coming-of-age romantic fantasy set and shot in different parts of Nara Prefecture, involving a young man who left his family’s traditional style restaurant to live a self-indulgent life but finds himself reappraising his life after he encounters a mysterious young woman who takes him to places like Yoshino.