Hello, dear readers.
I have been terribly lazy about writing films this week. I have spent more time working and more time practicing Japanese and less time watching films. I did see the latest James Bond movie, Spectre, in a cinema and it was BLOODY FANTASTIC. I walked out of it feeling utterly satisfied, striding out of the cinema with a gleeful smile on my face. I might write a review of it (and Sicario). If I do it won’t be until the week after next. I may not write a review and may get back to watching Japanese films.
The last film I watched/reviewed was Charisma (1999), a thoroughly brilliant existential horror movie from my favourite director Kiyoshi Kurosawa.
What’s released this weekend in Japan?
Sakura hana ohka: saigo no tokko
サクラ花 桜花最期の特攻「Sakura hana ohka: saigo no tokko」
Release Date: November 05th, 2015
Running Time: 88 mins.
Director: Katsuya Matsumura
Writer: Katsuya Matsumura, Hiroshi Kanno, Kazuo Kame (Screenplay)
Starring: Hiroyuki Watanabe, Kensuke Owada, Sayaka Isoyama, Naoto Ogata, Mayu Kitaki, Hiroshi Miyama,
Synopsis: It’s June, 1945. The Americans are coming for Japan. Young men drawn from all walks of life are recruited into suicide squads who will pilot planes and bombs to keep their loved ones safe. This film is drawn from the memoirs of the men who fought.
Cinema Angel
シネマの天使「Shinema no Tenshi」
Release Date: November 07th, 2015
Running Time: 94 mins.
Director: Hideyuki Tokigawa
Writer: Hideyuki Tokigawa (Screenplay)
Starring: Reiko Fujiwara, Kanata Hongo, Mickey Curtis, Eri Ishida, Junpei Yasui, Nao Oikawa,
According to Asian Wiki, this movie is based on a real cinema in Fukuyama, Hiroshima Prefecture. The “Cinefuku Daikokuza” first opened in 1892 and existed for 122 years and was the location of the film. Filming took place between August 31, 2014, the day the cinema closed down, and finished September 14, 2014. The cinema was demolished a day later on September 15, 2014.
The film stars an interesting bunch including Reiko Fujiwara (About the Pink Sky) and Kanata Hongo (Goth).
Synopsis: Asuka (Reiko Fujiwara) is an employee at the cinema Daikokuza which is scheduled to be closed down. Asuka’s childhood friend Akira (Kanata Hongo) loves watching movies at Daikokuza and it has inspired him to make a film one day. Their lives change when they meet a mysterious old man (Mickey Curtis) who tells them all sorts of things about the place.
Grasshopper
グラスホッパー「Gurasuhoppa」
Release Date: November 07th, 2015
Running Time: 119 mins.
Director: Tomoyuki Tokimoto
Writer: Takeshi Aoshima (Screenplay), Kotaro Isaka (Original Novel),
Starring: Tadanobu Asano, Kumiko Aso, Jun Murakami, Haru, Toma Ikuta, Nanao, Renji Ishibashi,
The film features a star-studded cast, all the best playing villains, with Tadanobu Asano (Vital), Nanao (Snow White Murder Case). and Ryosuke Yamada (Assassination Classroom) looking devilishly cool. I might pick up the manga and look for the novel to see how it looks on the page.
Synopsis: Suzuki (Toma Ikuta) lost his wife in a brutal murder and quit his job as a school teacher so he could track down the murderer. He enters a world of crime and finds merciless killers like the Kujira (Tadanobu Asano), and psychotic knifeman Semi (Ryosuke Yamada), and merciless lady Hiyoko (Nanao).
Gekijouban Mozu
劇場版MOZU「Gekijouban Mozu」
Release Date: November 07th, 2015
Running Time: 116 mins.
Director: Eiichiro Hasumi
Writer: Kosuke Nishi (Screenplay), Go Osaka (Original Novel)
Starring: Hidetoshi Nishijima, Teruyuki Kagawa, Yoko Maki, Sosuke Ikematsu, Takeshi Kitano, Hana Sugisaki, Yusuke Iseya,
I’m determined to pick up the dorama after watching the trailer for this because it looks like a lot of fun with cool action scenes and it stars awesome actors like Teruyuki Kagawa (Key of Life, Tokyo Sonata), Takeshi Kitano (Hanabi, Battle Royale), Hidetoshi Nishijima (License to Live), and many more.
Synopsis: Following on from the drama, police officer Naotake (Hidetoshi Nishijima) is disillusioned with life and his job while Ryota (Teruyuki Kagawa) quit the force and works as a private detective. They find themselves thrown back together into another massive plot when an embassy is attacked by a fearsome criminal named Takayanagi (Yusuke Iseya) who is operating for a mysterious crime boss named Daruma (Takeshi Kitano).
Terminal
起終点駅 ターミナル「Kishuten Eki Taminaru」
Release Date: November 07th, 2015
Running Time: 111 mins.
Director: Tetsuo Shinohara
Writer: Yasuo Hasegawa (Screenplay), Shino Sakuragi (Original Short Story)
Starring: Koichi Sato, Tsubasa Honda, Machiko Ono, Shido Nakamura,
On paper this sounds rather dull but I cannot help but think this might be a solid drama. It stars Koichi Sato (Starfish Hotel, Infection) and Michiko Ono (Like Father, Like Son) who are great actors. Not sure about Tsubsa Honda but fans of doramas like her.
Synopsis: Kanji Washida (Koichi Sato) was once a married man and worked as judge but when a woman named Saeko (Machiko Ono) appeared as a defendant in a drug possession case and he had an affair with her. Why? Saeko was his former lover. After the affair she disappeared and he was destroyed so he decided to leave his family and his job, travel to Hokkaido and live a solitary life as a lawyer helping people. When a woman named Atsuko (Tsubasa Honda) enters his life he is reminded of Saeko and the two develop feelings for each other.
Tsugaku Densha
通学シリーズ 通学電車「Tsugaku shiri-zu Tsugaku Densha」
Release Date: November 07th, 2015
Running Time: 80 mins.
Director: Koji Kawano
Writer: Jun Takeda (Screenplay), Miyu (Original Novel)
Starring: Yudai Chiba, Airi Matsui, Izumi Fujimoto, Ryo Yoshizawa, Tomomi Nishimura, Airi Kido, Nanami Abe,
Synopsis: Yuna (Airi Matsui) is a high school girl who takes a train to school every morning. On her train is another high schooler named Haru (Yudai Chiba) only he goes to a different school. She has a crush on him but hasn’t talked to him and knows nothing about the guy so imagine her surprise when, one morning, she wakes up and finds Haru sleeping next to her.
The Five Star Tour Guides: The Movie Ultimate Kyoto Journey We Will Guide You
五つ星ツーリスト THE MOVIE 究極の京都旅、ご案内します!!「Itsutsu-boshi tsu-risuto THE MOVIE kyuukyoku no Kyoto tabi, go annai shimasu! !」
Release Date: November 07th, 2015
Running Time: 55 mins.
Director: Toshiki Shimazaki
Writer: Hayashi Mori (Screenplay),
Starring: Naomi Watanabe, Yusuke Yamamoto, Susumu Terajima, Narimi Arimori, Toshiki Ayata, Hidetoshi Hoshida,
The popular television series gets a movie adaptation with many of the cast returning. The director is Toshiki Shimazaki and he was responsible for two horror movies that I have reviewed here: Fuan no Tane (2013) and Paranormal Activity 2: Tokyo Night (2011).
Synopsis: Kyoka (Naomi Watanabe) works at Sunset Tours in Kyoto with a bunch of oddballs. Together, they aim to make the best travel company going.
Iroasete Colorful
色あせてカラフル「Iroasete karafuru」
Release Date: November 07th, 2015
Running Time: 65 mins.
Director: Kumiko Yokoyama
Writer: Kumiko Yokoyama (Screenplay),
Starring: Masami Araki, Karen Asami, Ran Fukuda, Runa Isogawa, Yusuke Ito, Nanase Iwai, Naomasa Iwashita, Naoko Ken,
Synopsis: Kanami (Masami Araki) is a girl who hates looking at herself in the mirror because she had grown up with a bruise on her face. Even though it has healed she still feels bad but her life changes when she begins working in a beauty salon and meets a variety of people.
7’s
セブンス 「Sebunsu」
Release Date: November 07th, 2015
Running Time: 96 mins.
Director: Michihito Fujii
Writer: Michihito Fujii, Saki Kawarada, Hidenobu Abera (Screenplay),
Starring: Motoki Fukami, Yasushi Fuchikami, Rin Amikawa, Takuma Suga, Takuma Sasaki, Natsuko Kobayashi, Maari, Kaori Ikeda,
Synopsis: A group of creative young people meet at a tavern and make friends. They pour their energy into making a movie but disagreements between them and a dwindling budget fractures their friendship. Will they get back together and make the movie?
Duel
果し合い「Hatashiai」
Release Date: November 07th, 2015
Running Time: 95 mins.
Director: Shigemichi Sugita
Writer: Masahiro Kobayashi (Screenplay), Shuhei Fujisawa (Original Work)
Starring: Tatsuya Nakadai, Nanami Sakuraba, Eri Tokunaga, Mieko Harada, Toru Masuoka,
Based on a story by writer Shuhei Fujisawa, writer of period tales such as The Hidden Blade, The Twilight Samurai, and Love and Honor, this one is another samurai movie that follows in their footsteps by having a samurai facing troubled times when love, duty and society clash.
Synopsis: In this tale Tatsuya Nakadai plays Shoji an old samurai who merely lives with his brother’s family, sitting in the corner of a room. He is considered little more than a nuisance. When his niece Yoshinari (Nanami Sakuraba) turns down a marriage proposal the guy doing the proposing is furious and calls on a male to fight in a duel. The old samurai in Shoji comes back to life to defend Yoshinari and as he begins dusting off his old skills he relives old memories.
Wasure yuki
忘れ雪「Wasure yuki」
Release Date: November 07th, 2015
Running Time: 100 mins.
Director: Sang-hee Han,
Writer: Sang-hee Han, Hidehiro Ito (Screenplay), Fuyuki Shindo (Original Manga)
Starring: Hwang Chan-sung, Ito Ono, Yuki Kubota, Aoi Yoshikura, Noboru Takachi, Masahiro Usui,
Wasure yuki is based on a manga that has sold over 200 million copies. It stars Hwang Chan-sung, a member of the Korean idol group 2PM member and it marks his first leading role in a Japanese.
Synopsis: It is winter and the last snowfall of the season is descending upon the land. A young woman named Miyuki (Ito Ono) is out at night and sees a puppy abandoned in a park. She heads on over to it and discovers that it is dying so she makes a wish that it will live. Yoon Tae-oh (Hwang Chan-sung) is a young man who wants to study in Korea to become a veterinarian and Miyuki’s old friend. He just happens to be walking by the park and sees Miyuki and the puppy so he takes the creature in and treats it. While this happens the two fall in love…
Vomit Love from Rancid Town
乱死怒町より愛を吐いて「Ranshi ika machi yori ai o haite」
Release Date: November 07th, 2015
Running Time: 112 mins.
Director: Kakuei Shimada
Writer: Kakuei Shimada (Screenplay),
Starring: Mariko Goto, KONTA, Akio Otsuka, Miyoshi Kawamoto, Miyuki Torii, Chiho Iwakiri,
Synopsis: A bunch of actors and rock musicians play characters in a town where everybody is battling each other and causing chaos.
Japanese Movie Box Office Results for this Week:
Galaxy Turnpike (2015/10/24)
Pan (2015/10/31)
Ore Monogatari!! (2015/10/31)
Eiga Go! Princess Precure Go! Go!! Gōka 3-bon Date!!! (2015/10/31)
The Intern (2015/10/10)
Library Wars – The Last Mission (2015/10/10)
Bakuman (Release: 2015/10/03)
Transporter Ignition (2015/10/24)
Maze Runner 2 The Scorch Trials (2015/10/23)
Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin ‘Artesia’s Sorrow’ (2015/10/31)
