After a movie drought lasting a few weeks, I watched two films: Rent-a-Neko and The Quiet Ones. Tonight I’ll watch Museum Hours and Cold Eyes. I still have about eight film reviews to write and now I have three from this list to add on (although Rent-a-Neko is practically finished)!!! It’s a good thing that I’ve got a day off coming up after my trip down to London. I’ve already completed some posts for the next fortnight although there will only be two per week – anime/film reviews and trailers.
This week I posted about the Japanese films at this year’s Cannes Film Festival (that feature from Naomi Kawase looks so good!) and I also posted my first impression of Knights of Sidonia.
Here’s a bunch of trailers for the Japanese films released this week and there are some interesting looking titles!
The Light Shines Only There 
Japanese: そこのみにて光輝く
Romaji: Soko nomi nite Hikari Kagayaku
Running Time: 120 mins.
Release Date: April 19th, 2014 (Japan)
Director: Mipo O
Writer: Yasushi Sato (Screenplay), Ryo Takada (Original Novel)
Starring: Gou Ayano, Chizuru Ikewaki, Masaki Suda, Kazuya Takahashi, Shohei Hinom Hiroko Isayama
Based on a novel published in 1989, this is winning all sorts of acclaim at festivals. It is directed by Mipo O and she was last reviewed here with her effort on Quirky Guys and Gals and the screenplay was written by Ryo Takada who worked on The Ravine of Goodbye. It stars Gou Ayano (Rurouni Kenshin, The Story of Yonosuke).
Tatsuo Sato (Ayano) quits his job and does little with his days until he meets Takuji Oshiro (Suda) at a pachinko parlour and strikes up a friendship. Takuji invites Tatsuo back to his home where he lives with is sick father, mother and older sister Chinatsu (Ikewaki). Tatsuo becomes attracted to Chinatsu, who shines even in their difficult situation.
Nihon’ichi Shiawasena Jūgyōin o Tsukuru! Hoteruasoshia Nagoya Tāminaru no Chōsen 
Japanese: 日本一幸せな従業員をつくる！ ホテルアソシア名古屋ターミナルの挑戦
Romaji: Nihon’ichi Shiawasena Jūgyōin o Tsukuru! Hoteruasoshia Nagoya Tāminaru no Chōsen
Running Time: 92 mins.
Release Date: April 19th, 2014 (Japan)
Director: Yasuko Iwasaki
Writer: N/A
Starring: Akio Shibata
Akio Shibata was brought into a well-established hotel on the brink of bankruptcy and transformed its fortunes by transforming the way that the management and employees interact with each other. His special management philosophies brought change by making sure everyone felt special and happy and so the hotel transformed into a more successful establishment.
Negative Happy Marriage Part 2 
Japanese: ハッピーネガティブマリッジ Part2
Romaji: Happī Negatibu Marijji Part 2
Running Time: N/A
Release Date: April 19th, 2014 (Japan)
Director: Kenji Yokoi
Writer: Ryuta Amazume (Original Manga)
Starring: Takashi Nagayama, Saki Seto, Shota Minami, Taro Suwa, Nana Nanaumi
The first Happy Negative Marriage was released at the end of last month and now part 2 gets a release. The story is about the virginal salaryman Keitaro Sato. He is about to hit 31 which means that he’ll miss out on getting company housing due to being unmarried so he turns to an omiai to use their matchmaking skills to secure him a bride. The lucky guy gets a gorgeous babe named Shimako (Seto) but his lack of experience with women leads to confusion…
Detective Conan: Sniper From Another Dimension (Movie 18) 
Japanese: 名探偵コナン 異次元の狙撃手（スナイパー）
Romaji: Meitantei Conan Ijiigen no Sniper
Running Time: 110 mins.
Release Date: April 19th, 2014 (Japan)
Director: Kobun Shizuno
Writer: Kazunari Kouchi (Screenplay), Gosho Aoyama (Original Creator)
Starring: Minami Takayama (Conan Edogawa), Miyuki IChijou (Jodie Starling), Shuuichi Ikeda (Shuuichi Akai), Wakana Yamazaki (Ran Mori), Rikiya Koyama (Kogoro Mori), Noriko Hidaka (Masumi Sera), Ryotaro Okiayu (Subaru Okiya),
FBI agent Shuichi Akai is targeted by a sniper and Masumi Sera is also shot. The people in Tokyo are in panic. Why were Sera and Akai targeted? Will Akai be targeted again? Detective Conan and Jodie Starling are on the case!
Crayon Shin-Chan: Serious Battle! Robot Dad Strikes Back 
Japanese: 映画クレヨンしんちゃん ガチンコ！逆襲のロボとーちゃん
Romaji: Kureyon Shin-chan: Gachinko! Gyakushu no Robo To-chan
Running Time: 97 minutes
Release Date: April 19th, 2014 (Japan)
Director: Wataru Takahashi
Writer: Kazuki Nakashima (Screenplay),Yoshito Usui (Original Manga)
Starring: Akiko Yajima (Shinnosuke Nohara), Miki Narahashi (Misae Nohara), Keiji Fujiwara (Hiroshi Nohara), Satomi Korogi (Himawari Nohara), Emi Takei (Dandanbara Teruyo)
When Shin-chan’s father Hiroshi goes to the Este salon after an injury, he finds a mysterious beautiful girl who gives him a free trial of beauty treatment as well as a massage only this turns him into a robot. Shin-chan is overjoyed, whereas Misae isn’t so thrilled. The robot version of Hiroshi turns out to be convenient, not least because Hiroshi can be controlled by a remote control and does stuff like the cooking and cleaning. This weirdness is part of a dark conspiracy hatched by “Chichi Yure Doumei (The Association of Fathers)” to create a strong father figure for all the fathers in Japan and soon, chaos ensues… Can Hiroshi and Shin-chan save the day?
Aru Himori no Naka 
Japanese: あるひもりのなか
Romaji: Aru Himori no Naka
Running Time: 7o minutes
Release Date: April 19th, 2014 (Japan)
Director: Kenj Araki
Writer: Kenji Araki (Screenplay),
Starring: Ai Ishihara, Tatsuo Wakabayashi, Hideki Yokobori
Whenever I see Art Port are connected to a film I smile for the simple fact that the film will be strange and boy does that word fit this trailer. Shikashi. The film is about a school girl who goes into the woods and meets an alien bear who has come to conquer the Earth. She gets involved with strange things, of course. The film mixes sci-fi, fantasy and fairy tales. F*ck it, that was so delightful, it’s my trailer of the week. Trailer of the century, maybe.
Death’s Live Coverage Movie Version 
Japanese: 死の実況中継 劇場版
Romaji: Shi no Jikkyo Chukei Gekijouban
Running Time: 80 minutes
Release Date: April 19th, 2014 (Japan)
Director: Masaaki Jindo
Writer: Yoshikazu Sugiyama (Screenplay),
Starring: Saki Funaoka, Yusuke Arai, Seiya Eto, Shohei Nanba Misato Kawauchi, Ami Nojo
If nothing else, this film will prove that the only thing people should use the internet for is to watch JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. In this J-horror ttle, a college student is sent a URL to an unfamiliar website and witnesses “the live coverage of someone dying.” After seeing this film, a woman in red with a large pair of scissors dashes into the scene and chases a bunch of girls, some of whom are in the idol unit Nogizaka 46. The film is reminiscent of Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s J-horror classic Pulse but with none of the atmosphere…
