Welcome to the first of two trailer posts for this week.
What’s happening?
Well, in video game terms, I’m playing Bravely Default on the 3DS. This is like 30 to 40 minutes a day during my commute to and from work. The grindy nature of the game means I can go on autopilot as I collect experience and job points.
In films terms, I’m watching 90s movies like Manhattan Murder Mystery, Double Team and Showgirls while I do research on other films. They are on in the background and I’m absorbing them but not focussing too much. When I do look, I find them fun.
What are the first batch of films released?
Golden Kamuy 
ゴールデンカムイ 「Go-ruden Kamui」
Release Date: January 19th, 2024
Duration: 128 mins.
Director: Shigeaki Kubo
Writer: Tsutomu Kuroiwa (Screenplay), Satoru Noda (Original Manga),
Starring: Kento Yamazaki, Anna Yamada, Gordon Maeda, Asuka Kudo, Mitsuki Takahata, Makita Sports, Hiroshi Tamaki, Yuma Yamoto,
Website Twitter: @kamuy_movie IMDB
This is a live-action film adaptation of Satoru Noda’s hit manga, which already has a hit anime adaptation.
Synopsis: It is the late Meiji period and Saichi Sugimoto (Kento Yamazaki), a hero of the Russo-Japanese War, wants to start life anew in Japan by moving to Hokkaido. All he needs for that is money and when he hears tales of gold that was stolen from the indigenous Ainu people, he scents his chance. The person who stole it was Noppera-bou. He ended up in the slammer which is where he made a map to the loot. The thing is, that map was tattooed on the bodies of 24 different prisoners and everyone involved has escaped jail. Each prisoner had a piece that would collectively reveal the location of the gold nuggets. Noppera-bou then escaped prison with those 24 prisoners.
Saichi sets off on his journey and is joined by an Ainu girl named Asirpa (Anna Yamada) after she saves him from a wild bear. Her reason for joining? Her father was killed by the man who stole the gold and she wants revenge. They aren’t the only ones on the hunt for the gold as other army men and even former members of the Shinsengumi are on the trail.
FUKUYAMA MASAHARU LIVE FILM Kotodama no Sakiwau Natsu ＠NIPPON BUDOUKAN 2023 
FUKUYAMA MASAHARU LIVE FILM 言霊の幸（さき）わう夏 ＠NIPPON BUDOUKAN 2023 「FUKUYAMA MASAHARU LIVE FILM Kotodama no Sakiwau Natsu ＠NIPPON BUDOUKAN 2023」
Release Date: January 19th, 2024
Duration: 136 mins.
Director: Masaharu Fukuyama
Writer: N/A
Starring: Masaharu Fukuyama, Hinata Hiiragi, Akira Inoue, Hideo Yamaki, Kenji Takamizu,
Synopsis: Masaharu Fukuyama is an actor and musician who has been a major name in Japanese entertainment for over 30 years. In 2023, he performed at NIPPON BUDOKAN and directed all aspects of the live performance and viewers get to see it in this film, captured via 360-degree omni-directional using more than 40 cameras and drone filming. There’s also a bit about showing his boyhood self and his yearning to be a musician.
FINAL FANTASY VII ADVENT CHILDREN COMPLETE 
傷物語 こよみヴァンプ 「 Kizumonogatari Koyomi Banpu」
Release Date: January 19th, 2024
Duration: 126 mins
Director: Isao Nakajima, Tetsuya Nomura
Writer: Kazushige Nojima (Screenplay),
Starring: Takahiro Sakurai (Cloud Strife), Ayumi Ito (Tifa Lockhart), Toshiyuki Morikawa (Sephiroth), Shoutaro Morikubo (Kadaj), Maaya Sakamoto (Aerith Gainsborough),
Animation Production: Square Enix Visual Works
FINAL FANTASY VII ADVENT CHILDREN COMPLETE is a 4K HDR remastered version of a director’s cut of the 2005 film. Said director’s cut was released in 2009 on Blu-ray to coincide with the released of a demo for Final Fantasy XIII. This release is probably timed to build up the hype for FINAL FANTASY VII Rebirth.
This film takes place two years after the story in Final Fantasy VII.
Synopsis: Two years have elapsed since the climatic battle to save the world rom a cataclysm and the rebels of Avalanche have dispersed. Cloud works as a motorcycle courier and deals with remorse over what happened while living as part of a patchwork family with Tife. They are brought back into action with the emergence of a plague and the appearance of silver-haired assassins who resemble Cloud’s bitter rival, Sephiroth. It seems he can’t resist trying to cause chaos again…
Best Wishes to All 
みなに幸あれ 「Mina Ni Sachi Are」
Release Date: January 19th, 2024
Duration: 89 mins.
Director: Yuta Shimotsu
Writer: Rumi Kakuta (Screenplay), Yuta Shimotsu (Original Story)
Starring: Kotone Furukawa, Koya Matsudai, Yoshiko Inuyama, Masafumi Nishida, Shiho Yoshimura,
Website Twitter: @Minasachi_movie IMDB
This was at Japan Cuts 2023. It has a good pedigree.
The film is based on a short film of the same title, also made by director Yuta Shimotsu. Said short won the Grand Prize at the 1st Japan Horror Film Awards. It was produced by Takashi Shimizu of Ju-on fame. It stars Kotone Furukawa, a rising star.
Synopsis: A young woman visits her grandparents’ home in a quaint village and feels a disturbing aura and senses something off about her grandparents and neighbours. She soon discovers what brought them happiness—a revelation that will lead her to question her choices, sanity, her trust in humans and her conception of reality itself in a disturbing ending. The film is based on the theme of “someone’s happiness is built on someone else’s misfortune.”