Happy weekend, people!
I hope you are all well!
It is time for another weekend trailer post and it has come after a somewhat productive week film-wise. I watched a couple of Japanese films from the 1960s and continued my role as social media/writer guy for a film festival and I managed to write three reviews. I’ve set aside time to watch three classic Japanese films tomorrow after exercise and Japanese practice. I published an article about Kiki Kirin who passed away last month and a review for Still Walking (2008) this week. At least I’m not overworking myself in my day job.
I hope all of you are managing to be productive.
What is released this weekend?
It’s Boring Here, Pick Me Up 
ここは退屈迎えに来て 「Koko wa Taikutsu Mukae ni Kite」
Running Time: 97 mins.
Release Date: October 19th, 2018
Director: Ryuichi Hiroki
Writer: Mariko Yamauchi (Screenplay), Tomonari Sakurai (Manga)
Starring: Ai Hashimoto, Mugi Kadowaki, Ryo Narita, Daichi Watanabem Yurina Yanagi, Yukino Kishii, Jun Murakami, Rio Uchida,
Synopsis: Two women, one man.
I (Ai Hashimoto) has returned to her home town after 10 years in Tokyo and has moved back in with her parents. She works as a freelance writer and spends her days meeting ol high school friends. She also contacts Shiina (Ryo Narita), her high school crush, There is also Me (Mugi Kadowaki) who stayed in her home town and dated Shiina. They broke up but she finds him hard to forget. A love triangle develops.
Workers Arise in Disaster Areas 
Workers 被災地に起つ 「Workers hisai-chi ni tatsu」
Running Time: 89 mins.
Release Date: October 20th, 2018
Director: Yasuyuki Mori
Writer: N/A
Starring: N/A
Synopsis: This documentary shows of a workers cooperative in an area affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake such as Iwate and Miyage Prefectures. It has a flat structure so everyone is equal and they help create environments safe for children, people with disabilities, and the elderly.
Hanalei Bay
ハナレイ・ベイ 「Hanarei Bei」
Running Time: 97 mins.
Release Date: October 19th, 2018
Director: Daishi Matsunaga
Writer: Daishi Matsunaga (Screenplay), Haruki Murakami (Original Short Story),
Starring: Yo Yoshida, Reo Sano, Nijiro Murakami, Louis Kurihara, Gai Sato
Synopsis:Sachi (Yo Yoshida) has to leave her bar in Japan behind and head to Hanalei Bay, Hawaii when she receives a phone call telling her that her son Takashi (Reo Sano) died as a result of a shark attack when he was surfing. For the next 10 years she heads to the same beach to mourn his passing but on the tenth she meets two Japanese surfers who tell her of a Japanese surfer who is missing his right leg who is named Takahashi (Nijiro Murakami).
Million Dollar Man
億男 「Oku Otoko」
Running Time: 116 mins.
Release Date: October 19th, 2018
Director: Keishi Ohtomo
Writer: Keishi Ohtomo (Screenplay), Genki Kawamura (Original Novel),
Starring: Takeru Satoh, Issey Takahashi, Erika Sawajiri, Tatsuya Fujiwara, Haru Kuroki, Kazuki Kitamura, Elaiza Ikeda,
Synopsis: When Kazuo’s (Takeru Satoh) brother goes missing he is left with a massive debt which has has to pay off by working two jobs. Pretty soon his wife takes off with their daughter after getting fed up with their predicament but she may regret doing that because he wins 300 million yen in a lottery. Without a wife to tell him what to do, he is not sure how to use his newfound riches and so he asks his well-off friend Tsukumo (Issey Takahashi) for advice which turns out to be a bad idea because his so-called friend takes off with the cash leaving Kazuo with only one option left: find Tsukumo and get his cash back! Cue epic globe-trotting adventure meeting fabulous people who knew Tsukumo so that Kazuo can learn that a wife and kid are worth more than 300 million yen. And also that having money is great.
Love’s Water Drop 
恋のしずく 「Koi no Shizuku」
Running Time: 117 mins.
Release Date: October 20th, 2018
Director: Naoki Segi
Writer: Yoshinobu Kamo (Screenplay),
Starring: Rina Kawaei, Hayato Onozuka, Mao Miyaji, Yuichi Nakamura, Tsunenori Aoki, Tomoya Warabino, Atsushi Nishida, Kanji Tsuda, Ren Osugi,
Synopsis: Shiori Tachibana (Rina Kawaei) is an agriculture student at university who wants to receive training at a winery. She gets training but it’s with Japanese rice wine at a sake brewery in Hiroshima where the work is tough. The owner of the brewery is ill and his son (Hayato Onozuka) isn’t interested in taking over the place. When his father dies, he faces a crisis and it is at this time that Shiori begins to fall in love with the son…
Gokko 
恋のしずく 「Gokko」
Running Time: 116 mins.
Release Date: October 20th, 2018
Director: Naoto Kumazawa
Writer: Izumi Takahashi, Naoto Kumazawa, (Screenplay), Hiroyuki Shoji (Original Manga),
Starring: Junior Chihara, Yuka, Nanaka Hirao, Chisun, Fumika Shimizu, Taisaku Akino, Hideo Nakano, Renji Ishibashi,
Synopsis:Shiromiya (Junior Chihara) is a 40-year-old jobless layabout with a daughter named Yoyoko (Nanaka Hirao) who is five. He’s an emotionally volatile presence in her life but loves her. When his childhood friend Machi (Yuka) shows up in the neighbourhood, things change…
Usuke Boys 
ウスケボーイズ 「Usuke Bo-izu」
Running Time: 102 mins.
Release Date: October 20th, 2018
Director: Yuji Kakizaki
Writer: Masaru Nakamura, (Screenplay), Kaori Kawai (Original Essay),
Starring: Dai Watanabe, Masayuki Deai, Yuka Takeshima, Kenta Uchino, Satoshi Judai, Shogo Shimizu, Reiko Tajima, Yurei Yanagi, Yumi Adachi,
Synopsis: Okamura (Dai Watanabe), Shiroyama (Masayuki Deai), Kamimura (Yuka Takeshima), and many others are part of a wine club where they enjoy tasting and learning about wines from around the world. They are of the opinion that French wine is the best but when they taste Kikyogahara Merlot, made by Usuke Asai (Isao Hashizume), they are inspired to try their own hand at winemaking.
Their Nuclear Power plant / Karera no Genpatsu 
彼らの原発 「Karera no Genpatsu」
Running Time: 119 mins.
Release Date: October 20th, 2018
Director: Tsutomu Kawaguchi
Writer: N/A
Starring: N/A
Synopsis: The problem of nuclear power plants in Japan is examined by looking at dissenting views of residents of Ooi town in Fukui Prefecture.
Idol SKE48 
アイドル 「Aidoru」
Running Time: 120 mins.
Release Date: October 20th, 2018
Director: Yusuke Takenaka, Masahiko Suzuki,
Writer: Masaru Nakamura, (Screenplay), Kaori Kawai (Original Essay),
Starring: The Girls of SKE48 – there are 48 members, that’s too many to write
Synopsis: This documentary is dedicated to the popular idol group “SKE 48” based in Nagoya. It was born in 2008 as the first sister group of “AKB 48” and this year it celebrates its 10th anniversary. Recordings of the concert held at Nagoya Dome and some of the trials and tribulations to get there.
Obo no Koe 
オボの声 「Obo no Koe」
Running Time: 99 mins.
Release Date: October 20th, 2018
Director: Takashi Saito
Writer: Takashi Saito (Screenplay),
Starring: Takashi Yuki, Shun Sugata, Miki Mizuno, Saburo Ishikura, Kazuki Namioka, Setsuko Karasuma,
Synopsis: In this human drama a former prizefighter works a dead-end part-time job delivering gas cylinders with no plans of making something of himself and he meets others who are on the fringes of society.
Haikara-san ga Tooru Movie 2: Hana no Tokyo Dai Roman 
劇場版 はいからさんが通る 後編 花の東京大ロマン 「Haikara-san ga Tooru Movie 2: Hana no Tokyo Dai Roman」
Release Date: October 19th, 2018
Running Time: 105 mins.
Director: Toshiaki Kidokoro
Writer: Kazuhiro Furuhashi (Screenplay), Waki Yamato (Original Creator)
Starring: Saori Hayami (Benio Hanamura), Mamoru Miyano (Shinobu Ijuin), Asami Seto (Tamaki Kitakoji), Maaya Sakamoto (Larisa), Shizuka Itou (Kichiji),
Animation Production: Nippon Animation
Synopsis: The story follows Benio “Haikara-san” Hanamura, who lost her mother when she was very young and has been raised by her father, a high-ranking official in the Japanese army. As a result, she has grown into a tomboy. Contrary to traditional Japanese notions of femininity, she studies kendo, drinks sake, dresses in often outlandish-looking Western fashions instead of the traditional kimono, and is not as interested in housework as she is in literature. She also rejects the idea of arranged marriages and believes in a woman’s right to a career and to marry for love.
Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Detonation 
魔法少女リリカルなのは Detonation 「Mahou Shoujou Ririkaru Nanoha Detonation」
Release Date: October 19th, 2018
Running Time: N/A
Director: Takayuki Hamana
Writer: Masaki Tsuzuki (Script/Original Creator)
Starring: Yukari Tamura (Nanoha Takamachi), Nana Mizuki (Fate T. Harlaown/Levi), Asami Sanada (Vita), Yoko Hikasa (Iris), Kaori Shimizu (Signum),
Animation Production: Seven Arcs Pictures
Synopsis from ANN: In the story, a pair of researchers stay behind on their dying planet of Eltoria with their two daughters, Amitie and Kyrie, in hopes of finding a way to revive the planet. But when the husband Grants falls ill it seems their dream of reviving the planet will die. Against her older sister’s wishes, Kyrie sets off with her childhood friend Iris to seek help from a distant alternate world. They arrive in Japan on Earth to search for the key to their planet’s regeneration. There, they meet Nanoha Takamachi, Fate T. Harlaown, and Hayate Yagami.
Bunbuku chagama 
文福茶釜 「Bunbuku chagama」
Running Time: 87 mins.
Release Date: October 20th, 2018
Director: Takuya Ohata
Writer: Makoto Sano (Screenplay), Hiroyuki Kurokawa (Original Work)
Starring: Taro Suruga, Fuuka Koshiba, Hidekazu Akai, Midori Wakai, Joji Murakami, Katsunori Uchiba, Shizuyo Yamasaki,
Synopsis from the Okinawa Film Festival: Bunbuku Chagama roughly translates to “happiness bubbling over like a tea pot”. It also refers to a story where a poor old man rescues a Tanuki which decides to repay the favour by turning into a teapot through magical means. Find out more on Wikipedia. This is a based on the work of Hiroyuki Kurokawa, an art uni graduate and a former art teacher who used his experience to become the Naoki prize winning writer of mystery novels that use antiques and art as a theme. These novels are going to become films starting with this one.
The film follows antique dealer Tetsuya Saho and his partner Suzuka Kawashima who want to start an antique shop. A certain storehouse in the mountains aims to become the first Osaka Citizens Study Group. An old woman finds herself alone, and takes a tea pot that was cherished by the deceased chef. The old tea pot is known as Ashiyakama, said to have been brought from heaven around the time of Genroku Kyoho, and if genuine is worth at least 5 million yen. Anxious to start their shop, Suzuka and Saho decide to take back the tea pot. along with Kikuchi. But the tea pot has already been sold, making it impossible to take back. They then think of creating counterfeits to sell for their shop, to get money exceeding the value of the tea pot. Who will deceive and who will be deceived? Will Saho win? money exceeding the value of the tea pot. Who will deceive and who will be deceived? Will Saho win?
Director Shinichiro Ueda may be familiar to regular readers thanks to his film One Cut of the Dead (2017) storming the international film festival circuit and scooping up lots of awards. Well, there’s a cinema playing a lot of his early films as well as one by his partner.
Mimikaki Randebu 
耳かきランデブー 「Mimikaki Randebu」
Running Time: N/A
Release Date: October 20th, 2017
Director: Miyuki Fukuda
Writer: Miyuki Fukuda (Screenplay),
Starring: Pikari Shunbutei, Daisuke Kawashima, Jun Etoh, Makoto Kagawa, Megumi Hirosawa, Jun Murakami, Teppei Tomidokoro, Hiroshi Yamamoto,
Synopsis: A lady who loves to pick her boyfriend’s ears finds a new person in a work colleague…
Tamae no supa harawata 
たまえのスーパーはらわた 「Tamae no supa harawata」
Running Time: 45 mins.
Release Date: October 20th, 2018
Director: Shinichiro Ueda
Writer: Shinichiro Ueda (Screenplay),
Starring: Seigo Agatsuma, Momona Harukawa, Otake Hirohisa, Kazuma Ikeda, Ayano Kudo, Aya Murata, Yua Shiraishi,
Synopsis: Girls high school student Tamae Urano wants to be a horror movie director. She lives in Saitama city which is made up from the old cities Urawa, Omiya, Yono, and Iwatsuki. When she gets the chance to direct a promotional video for Saitama City she plans to make a video in the form of a horror film and begins production, but faces a tough time because of disputes between the Urawa, Omiya and Iwatsuki districts of the city. Will Saitama unite as one team? Since I lived in Urawa, I want that area to win!
Confession Ranking of Girlfriend
彼女の告白ランキング 「Kanojo no kokuhaku rankingu」
Running Time: 21 mins.
Release Date: September 14th, 2014
Director: Shinichiro Ueda
Writer: Shinichiro Ueda (Screenplay),
Starring: Yusuke Nakayama, Yuuki Enami, Akihiro Hashimoto, Kenji Kanezaki, Tomokazu Yamaguchi, Manabu Hosoi, Tomoyuki Ishiwake, Ryo Sakagawa,
Synopsis: A man proposes to his girlfriend but before she can accept she must confess 17 things.
Take 8
テイク8 「Teiku8」
Running Time: 19 mins.
Release Date: October 10th, 2016
Director: Shinichiro Ueda
Writer: Shinichiro Ueda (Screenplay),
Starring: Tateto Serizawa, Mayumi Yamamoto, Koji Muta, Tomokazu Yamaguchi, Yoshio Hosokawa, Ryuichi Fukushima,
Synopsis: A film director working on a movie with the theme of marriage finds shooting one scene difficult when the actor portraying the bride, Akane, is unable to show up but the real father of Akane who was watching the scene enters as a substitute…
Neapolitan
ナポリタン 「Naporitan」
Running Time: 19 mins.
Release Date: September 18th, 2016
Director: Shinichiro Ueda
Writer: Shinichiro Ueda (Screenplay),
Starring: Ryuichi Fukushima, Yuzuki Akiyama, Koji Muta, Ryo Sakagawa, Manabu Hosoi, Emi Mori,
Synopsis: Kawakami, an office worker who does not listen to people’s story, suddenly develops a strange affliction one day: the only word he can hear people saying when they speak is ‘Neapolitan’…
Last Wedding Dress
Running Time: 24 mins.
Release Date: 2014
Director: Shinichiro Ueda
Writer: Shinichiro Ueda (Screenplay),
Starring: Ryuichi Fukushima, Yuzuki Akiyama, Koji Muta, Ryo Sakagawa, Manabu Hosoi, Emi Mori,
Synopsis: 71-year-old Sadao Ueda has been married to his wife, 70-year-old Kotomi, for a long time but they feel they are nearing then end. He asks her if there is something she wants to do and she says, “I want to wear a wedding dress.” This was something she was unable to do during their wedding ceremony because they did not have money but now Sadao is willing to give Kotomi a wedding dress…