Happy weekend!
I hope everyone is well!
I’ve had a decent week what with work at the day job and getting film reviews done. I also managed to finish a book my sister bought for me which is cool. To be honest it was the first fiction book that I’ve finished in quite a while and so I feel good. Inspired. I posted reviews for After the Storm (2016) and Sweet Bean (2015) to highlight two great performances from Kirin Kiki. Halloween next week so stay tuned for a spooky film I’m going to review!
What is released this weekend?
The Travelling Cat Chronicles 
旅猫リポート 「Tabineko Ripo-to」
Running Time: 118 mins.
Release Date: October 26th, 2018
Director: Koichiro Miki
Writer: Hiro Arikawa (Novel and Screenplay), Emiko Hiramatsu (Screenplay)
Starring: Sota Fukushi, Mitsuki Takahata, Yuko Takeuchi, Alice Hirose
Synopsis: Satoru (Sota Fukushi) is a kind-hearted man who has adopted a stray cat named Nana (voiced by Mitsuki Takahata) but since he cannot keep it he has a mission: to find a new owner for Nana. The two travel around and meet various people such as his childhood friends and his first love and Nana begins to understand his owner more.
Black Dahlia 
黒蝶の秘密 「Kokuchou no Himitsu」
Running Time: 87 mins.
Release Date: October 26th, 2018
Director: Masaaki Jindo
Writer: Naoko Takatsu (Screenplay),
Starring: Toshiyuki Someya, Erena Mizusawa, Mariya Nagao, Yuichi Nakamura, Ryo Iwamatsu, Jun Miho, Yuriko Hirooka, Nao Sakaki,
Synopsis: Ryohei Toyama (Toshiyuki Someya) is a shy guy but gets promoted at work and moves to Tokyo where he rents a room in an apartment block introduced after getting advice from a man named Okazaki (Yuichi Nakamura), a real estate agent. Paintings of “Black Dahlia” are displayed in the building and there is a mysterious, beautiful woman named Maiko Saeki (Erena Mizusawa) who catches the eye of Toyama but he better be careful because some of the other residents are suspicious and the apartment he rents has an unexpected secret hidden.
Oz Land 
オズランド 笑顔の魔法おしえます。 「Ozu rando Egao no maho oshiemasu」
Running Time: 105 mins.
Release Date: October 26th, 2018
Director: Takafumi Hatano
Writer: Erika Yoshida (Screenplay), Yoichi Komori (Original Novel),
Starring: Haru, Hidetoshi Nishijima, Ai Hashimoto, Amane Okayama, Motoki Fukami, Erika Asakura, Mari Hamada, Akira Emoto,
Synopsis: Kurumi Namihiro (Haru) has landed a job with a big hotel chain and she thinks she’s going to be working for a fancy hotel but gets a big shock when she is transferred out into the sticks to Amusement Park Greenland. It is part of the hotel’s portfolio of businesses and a pretty place with lots of country and smiley, happy employees including Yoshiko Ozuka (Hidetoshi Nishijima), AKA the “Wizard”, a man with much success when it comes to running projects and some secrets. Kurumi is determined to make a good impression and be a success herself so she can move on but her curiosity over Ozuka may make her reconsider.
Bookmark 
栞 「Shiori」
Running Time: 105 mins.
Release Date: October 26th, 2018
Director: Yusuke Sakakibara
Writer: Yusuke Sakakibara, Yasunori Matake (Screenplay),
Starring: Takahiro Miura, Shinnosuke Abe, Sei Shiraishi, Reina Ikehata, Kaori Ikeda, Shingo Tsurumi,
Synopsis: Masaya Takano (Takahiro Miura) is a physical therapist at a hospital. One day his father Minoru (Shingo Tsurumi) is brought in with an injury and the road to recovery is tough on both father and son but Masaya gets inspiration from a new patient who was injured during a rugby game and Masaya finds himself regaining his sense of purpose.
It stars Shinnosuke Abe who was in Ordinary Everyday (2017), a fantastic supernatural thriller.
Under One Umbrella 
あいあい傘 「Ai Ai Gasa」
Running Time: 116 mins.
Release Date: October 26th, 2018
Director: Takayuki Takuma
Writer: Takayuki Takuma (Screenplay),
Starring: Kana Kurashina, Tomoyo Harada, Hayato Ichihara, Anna Iriyama, Akio Kaneda, Masaru Nagai,
Synopsis: Satsuki Takashima’s (Kana Kurashina) father Rokuro (Danshun Tatekawa) disappeared 25 years ago but she has tracked him down to a small village and she intends to take him home… only, he has changed his name and started a new life with a new family. Satsuki decides to meet these people…
Dreaming Novelist
恋する小説家 「Koisuru shousetsuka」
Running Time: 40 mins.
Release Date: 2011
Director: Shinichiro Ueda
Writer: Shinichiro Ueda (Screenplay),
Starring: Norio Horiuchi, Yuzuki Akayama, Yuuki Okamoto, Shogo Kuzakami,
Synopsis: An aspiring mystery writer named Tatsuo is suffering from writer’s block but when he gets a visit from a strange school girl claiming to be the main character of a novel and on a mission to save him, Tatsuo finds his inspiration also comes back…
A Cherry Boy’s Love 
サクらんぽの恋 「Sakuranbo no koi」
Running Time: 117 mins.
Release Date: October 27th, 2018
Director: Tomoyuki Furumaya
Writer: Yosuke Masaike, Tomoyuki Furumaya (Screenplay),
Starring: Daisuke Miyagawa, Yuki Sakurai, Takuya Kusakawa, Goki Maeda, Hinako Sano, Tokio Emoto, Mayumi Myosei, Daikichi Sugawara,
Synopsis: Norio Yamakawa (Daisuke Miyagawa) is a singleton who works at a family restaurant and is, at the age of 45, a virgin. He prefers his own company and to relax he watches the works of AV actress Rio Onda (Yuki Sakurai). Watching her on screen is one thing but being in her physical presence is even better and so when she dashes into his apartment wearing nothing but a bathrobe, Norio finds his life changing…
Yaru Onna: She’s a Killer 
殺る女 「Yaru Onna」
Running Time: 84 mins.
Release Date: October 27th, 2018
Director: Keiji Miyano
Writer: Keiji Miyano (Screenplay),
Starring: Kang Ji-Young, Rina Takeda, Taro Suruga, Jake Zyrus,
Synopsis: Aiko (Kang Ji-Young) is a hitwoman who is good at her job. She is driven by the memory of the murder of her family and seeks revenge on the man who committed it. Her only clue is a scorpion tattoo.
Eiga HUGtto! Pretty Cure Futari wa Pretty Cure: All Stars Memories 
映画HUGっと！プリキュア・ふたりはプリキュア オールスターズメモリーズ 「Eiga HUGtto! Purikyua Futari Purikyua O-rusuta-zu Memori-zu」
Release Date: October 27th, 2018
Running Time: 73 mins.
Director: Hiroshi Miyamoto
Writer: Junko Komura (Script)
Starring: Rie Hikisaki (Hana Nono), Youko Honna (Nagisa Misumi), Yukana (Honoka Yukishiro), Nao Tamura (Emiru Aisaki), Yui Ogura (Homare Kagayaki),
Animation Production: Toei Animation
Synopsis from the Pretty Cure Wiki:
We refuse to hand over everyone’s precious memories!!
Wh・wh・what! Pretty Cure All Stars has suddenly gotten a lot smaller! And the reason for this is because Miden is aiming to steal the “Pretty Cure’s Memories”! Once their memories are stolen, it seems they’ll forget everything they’ve ever been through!? And all that remains is “HUGtto! Pretty Cure” and “Futari wa Pretty Cure” who are…in trouble!? I just can’t wrap my head around all this! So with our power combined, let’s go take back those shining precious memories!!
Exorcism of Mary Lamb 
心魔師 「Shinmashi」
Running Time: 95 mins.
Release Date: October 27th, 2018
Director: Yasumasa Konno
Writer: Yasumasa Konno, Hiroshi Gokan (Screenplay),
Starring: Toru Kizu, Karen Masaki, Yurei Yanagi, Shohei Abe, Naoto Takenaka, Megumi Kobashi, Riki Hanai,
Synopsis: Yasumasa Konno has been mentioned on this blog before since he directed the Valentine Nightmare and Halloween Nightmare films. He’s back with a serial-killer thriller film where a cop named Imamura, is given a murder case involving a body was just found inside a plastic bag filled with blood. The clues lead to a small sanatorium where there are six patients.
No Mark Bakuhaito 
ノーマーク爆牌党 「No-ma-ku Bakuhaito」
Running Time: N/A
Release Date: October 27th, 2018
Director: Akifumi Tomizawa
Writer: Akifumi Tomizawa (Screenplay), Masayuki Katayama (Original Work)
Starring: Akira Ishida, Yuuma Yamoto, Marina Nagasawa, Shota Takasaki, Akira Nagata, Ryo Mukuta,
Synopsis: No Mark Bakuhaitou is based on a manga by Masayuki Katayama that was published from 1989 to 1997. The follows a mahjong player named Tanjuro Bakuoka who is one of the best in the game because he has mastered “bakutai” – reading the opponent’s hand and searching for the remaining pieces. He faces a new challenge from a player named Tomotsu.
Stay with Me Till the Dawn 
夜明けまで離さない 「Yoake made hanasanai」
Running Time: 95 mins.
Release Date: October 27th, 2018
Director: Toshiyuki Morioka
Writer: Hideki Shishido (Screenplay),
Starring: Yurika Akane, Kazuyuki Arai, Taketo Arai, Mayumi Asaka, Akio Hirose, Masahiko Koto, Mao Miyaji, Aki Morita,
Synopsis: A love story between a hostess and a hitman who meet after an accidental encounter.