Welcome to the final trailer post of the year.
Thanks for reading.
Cinema releases are still strong but there are only two Japanese films hitting cinemas so only one post this week.
We start off this post with the tragic news that actor Lee Sun-kyun has passed away. He was one of the most distinctive actors to have emerged from the Korean New Wave and had a real presence he developed from offbeat romances like Petty Romance (2010) and Our Sun-hi (2013) to more grotesque/funny and memorable characters in Parasite (2019) and Killing Romance (2023). In his performances he brought a vividness that made him a figure to watch and so it is a shame that his life has been cut short.
It’s a reminder to cherish life and the people around you.
In terms of this blog, I posted my review of Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Monster. I have more Chicago film fest reviews to come. Next, there’ll be a wrap-up post that will show appreciation for this best/most memorable films of the year. I’ve already got some posts lined up for the coming weeks so I hope you keep coming back especially as the spring festival season is gearing up again.
In terms of what I’ve watched… Christian Petzold movies. What a discovery. Absolutely stunning. What have I played? Project X Zone 2 close to completion. Only a few missions left.
What are the final Japanese films of the year?
MARINES DOCUMENTARY 2023 Kyou o Chansu ni Kaeru. 
MARINES DOCUMENTARY 2023 今日をチャンスに変える。「MARINES DOCUMENTARY 2023 Kyou o Chansu ni Kaeru.」
Release Date: December 29th, 2023
Duration: 106 mins.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
Starring: N/A
Synopsis: The Chiba Lotte Marines are a baseball team and this documentary covers their 2023 season. There is a long-term goal called “Vision 2025: A New Winning Team” which is being orchestrated by manager Masato Yoshii. He used to be a player for the team and later moved into the role of pitching coach. Now he is trying to get the Marines to become champions through training camps and upbeat slogans like “turn today into an opportunity.” There are setbacks but the players, manager, coaches, and fans keep the faith and this doc follows the drama.
Why Space Boku ga Uchuu e Itta Riyuu 
僕が宇宙に行った理由 「Boku ga Uchuu e Itta Riyuu」
Release Date: December 29th, 2023
Duration: 89 mins.
Director: Yozo Hirano
Writer: N/A
Starring: Yusaku Maezawa, Alexander Misurkin, Yozo Hirano, Shun Ogiso, Naoko Yamazaki,
Synopsis: This is a documentary about the millionaire businessman Yusaku Maezawa. He became the first Japanese private citizen to travel into space and was accompanied director Yozo Maezawa through several months of training in Kazakhstan and the launch of the Soyuz rocket in 2021, his 12-day stint on the International Space Station (ISS), and his return to Earth and the time afterwards.