Welcome to the third and final trailer post for this week.
The first post is here and the second post is here.
This week I have watched Puppet Master (1989), Puppet Master 2 (1990), and Dead of Night (1945).
I reviewed a special little film named Sumiko 22 and interviewed the film’s director, Sawako Fukuoka as part of Osaka Asian Film Festival coverage. My thanks to all involved, and my thanks to Aya, always.
What are the other films released this weekend?
Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence (4K Remaster) 
戦場のメリークリスマス 「Sensou no Meri- Kurisumasu」
Release Date: May 10th, 1983 (Cannes)
Running Time: 123 mins.
Director: Nagisa Oshima
Writer: Nagisa Oshima, Paul Mayersberg (Screenplay), Laurens van der Post (Original Story)
Starring: David Bowie, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Takeshi Kitano, Tom Conti, Jack Thompson, Yuya Uchida,
Originally released in 1983, this UK/Japanese co-production is a war movie cum relationship drama played out between four men, two Japanese and two British, each one of them portrayed by great actors or musicians. One is the film’s composer Ryuichi Sakamoto, an elite officer at a POW camp, another is Takeshi Kitano (Hana-bi, Kikujiro, Battle Royale) who plays a brutal and jovial camp guard. On the British side is Tom Conti and David Bowie who proves he can be a great actor as well as a great musician. It’s one of Oshima’s more famous films and more readily available.
This 4K remaster was given a theatrical release back in 2021 at the same time as In the Realm of the Senses.
Synopsis: Major Jack Celliers (Bowie) was captured on a Chindit raid and is now a POW in a camp in Java. Captain Yonoi (Sakamoto) is the camp commandant. The two feel drawn to each other as kindred spirits because they both carry guilt from past incidents they were/weren’t involved in. Lieutenant Colonel John Lawrence (Conti) and Sergeant Hara (Kitano) both witness and question the bond of the two men. All four find themselves caught up in the vagaries of a cruel war.
Yurushi 
ゆるし 「Yurushi」
Release Date: March 22nd, 2024
Duration: 60 mins.
Director: Urara Hirata
Writer: Urara Hirata (Screenplay),
Starring: Urara Hirata, Nanako Ando, Hiromi Nakamura, Nobuaki Otsuki, Hiroki Yamamoto,
Director Urara Hirata has adapted her experience with new religions to make this story of religious abuse between three generations of women in the same family.
Synopsis: Suzu’s mother is an adherent of a new religion and has grown up being physically abused as punishment for straying from the religion’s Teachings. Fortunately, Suzu’s grandparents learn of the abuse and take her into their custody. Free from the teachings of the religion, Suzu begins to live freely and also learns of her mother’s life before the new religion brainwashed her.
Usagi no Oyako 
うさぎのおやこ 「Usagi no Oyako」
Release Date: March 22nd, 2024
Duration: 87 mins.
Director: Yudai Uenishi
Writer: Yudai Uenishi (Screenplay),
Starring: Mika Tokutake, Yume Shimizu, Ai Furukawa, Asuka Hanamura, Takashi Hagino,
Synopsis: Rei is 22 years old, has a mild mental disability, and is small for her age soe she is often mistaken for a child. Her mother, Rika, has been trying to raise her alone after her husband’s passing, but the stress is giving her a mental illness. The two live with their troubles with nobody to talk to but meeting new people changes that.
Hona Mata Ashita 
ほなまた明日 「Hona Mata Ashita」
Release Date: March 23rd, 2024
Duration: 99 mins.
Director: Saki Michimoto
Writer: Saki Michimoto, Ryusei Goda (Screenplay),
Starring: Makoto Tanaka, Ryota Matsuda,Risa Shigematsu, Anna Tsuihiji, Takuro Akiyama,
Synopsis: Nao is about to graduate from an art college in Osaka and become a photographer. Nao’s passion makes her push around her friends Saya, Yamada, and Tada, who are also in the photography department, but they support her. Four years later, Nao, Saya, and Tada meet up again and learn that Yamada has disappeared.