Happy weekend, everyone!
I hope everyone is doing great.
This week was marked by periods of procrastination. I worked on a couple of interviews (the final ones from Osaka) and one for an animation project but I only finished one review and watched three films. Being in work every day is not an excuse so I aim to do better. The reviews I completed last week went live over at VCinema: Okaasan (Mom) and Bed & Breakfast as did an interview with Momoko Fukuda and Jumpei Inoue of the film Slowly. I posted a review for the film Melancholic (2018) and a preview of the Cannes Film Festival.
What is released this weekend?
Cheer Boys 
チア男子!! 「Chia Danshi!!」
Running Time: 118 mins.
Release Date: May 10th, 2019
Director: Hiroki Kazama
Writer: Yuichi Toyone (Screenplay), Ryo Asai (Novel)
Starring: Ryusei Yokohama, Masaki Nakao, Toshiki Seto, Shogo Iwaya, Chihiro Yamamoto, Ayumi Ito, Erika Karata, Daichi Kodaira,
Synopsis: A group of friends at university form cheerleading group called “Breakers”.
Leaving the Scene 
轢き逃げ 最高の最悪な日 「Hikinige Saiko no Saiakuna Hi」
Running Time: 127 mins.
Release Date: May 10th, 2019
Director: Yutaka Mizutani
Writer: Yutaka Mizutani (Screenplay),
Starring: Masei Nakayama, Hoshi Ishida, Ryoko Kobayashi, Yutaka Mizutani, Fumi Dan, Katsuya Maiguma, Ittoku Kishibe,
Synopsis: Veteran detective Kozaburo Yanagi (Ittoku Kishibe) and his rookie partner Shun Maeda (Katsuya Maiguma) investigate a hit-and-run case where is groom-to-be named Shuichi (Masei Nakayama) knocks over a woman while on his way for a meeting about his wedding. Can the police bring closure and justice to the woman’s devastated parents Hikaru Tokiyama (Yutaka Mizutani) and Chizuko Tokiyama (Fumi Dan)?
Toshimaen Haunted Park 
映画 としまえん 「Eiga Toshimaen」
Running Time: 81 mins.
Release Date: May 10th, 2019
Director: Hiroshi Takahashi
Writer: Hiroshi Takahashi (Screenplay),
Starring: Rie Kitahara, Fujiko Kojima, Nana Asakawa, Ruka Matsuda, Nari Saito, Arisa Komiya, Naoto Takenaka,
Synopsis: Saki (Rie Kitahara) loves to Toshimaen Amusement Park and has spent a lot of time there so it’s only natural that she share her favourite thing with her friends. What she doesn’t know is that there is a curse centred on an old Now, Saki is a university student. She decides to visit Toshimaen Amusement house at the amusement park and that she and her friends will be haunted by an evil spirit…
Only the Cat Knows 
初恋～お父さん、チビがいなくなりました 「Hatsukoi Otoosan, Chibi ga inakunarimashita」
Running Time: 104 mins.
Release Date: May 10th, 2019
Director: Syoutaro Kobayashi
Writer: Yuka Honcho (Screenplay), Eiko Nishiki (Original Novel)
Starring: Chieko Baisho, Tatsuya Fuji, Mikako Ichikawa, Ryuji Sato, Katsuya Kobayashi, Mio Yuuki,
Synopsis: Masaru (Tatsuya Fuji) and he and his wife Yukiko (Chieko Basho) are an elderly couple living with their cat, Chibi. Yukiko feels he has been a cold husband who has not returned her love and dedication and when Chibi dies and Masaru doesn’t express any feelings at all, it seems that that is the final straw as she demands a divorce. This demand triggers Masaru to confess a secret he has kept for years.
CNBLUE: FILM LIVE IN JAPAN 2011-2017 “OUR VOICES” 
Running Time: 165 mins.
Release Date: May 11th, 2019
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
Starring: Jung Yong-hwa, Lee Jong-hyun, Kang Min-hyuk, Lee Jung-shin
Synopsis: A collection of live performances by the Korean band CNBLUE.
19 Nov 
11月19日 「11 Tsuki 19 Nichi」
Running Time: 84 mins.
Release Date: May 11th, 2019
Director: Seichi Kamiya, Seirin (?) Kamiya
Writer: Seichi Kamiya (Screenplay),
Starring: Yuri Nakamura, Daichi Hyodo, Akihiro Kawai, Mai Sasaki, Rina Koyama,
Synopsis: Yoko and Yuta go to the same high school in a rural town in Yamagata but only interact for the first time when Yoko’s bicycle gets a puncture and Yuta, the son of a bicycle shop owner, helps repair her bicycle. Their relationship plays out with the seasonal scenery of Yamagata providing a background.
Blue Cat Blues 
ブルー・キャット・ブルース 「Buru- Kyatto Buru-su」
Running Time: 18 mins.
Release Date: May 11th, 2019
Director: Riho Fujiwara
Writer: Riho Fujiwara (Screenplay),
Starring: Mihiro, Ryusaburo Hattori, Takeo Kozu,
Director Riho Fujiwara worked as staff on the 2017 feature film Parks. That film was made to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the opening of Inokashira Park in the Kichijoji area of Tokyo. This film, Blue Cat Blues takes place in the same area and has been made to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the founding of Kichijoji Koen-dori (Kichijojo Park Street) Shopping District. It is screened in May 1919 at Uplink Kichijoji with the film Parks.
Synopsis: This short film takes place in Kichijoji in a ruined building where handful of people meet, Taichi, who encounters a mysterious man and a girl named Tsubaki who is following the cry of a cat.
Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress: The Battle of Unato 
甲鉄城のカバネリ 海門決戦 「Koutetsujou no Kabaneri: Unato Kessen」
Release Date: May 10th, 2019
Running Time: 68 mins.
Director: Tetsuro Araki
Writer: Tetsuro Araki (Screenplay),
Starring: Sayaka Senbongi (Mumei), Tasuku Hatanaka (Ikoma), Kanae Oki (Kajika), Kensuke Satou (Kibito), Maaya Uchida (Ayame), Mariya Ise (Yukina)
Animation Production: Wit Studio
Synopsis: The setting of the story is an island country called Hinomoto, where humans hide themselves in fortresses called stations from the threat of zombie-like beings with steel hearts known as “Kabane.” Since they are surrounded, travel between stations is done via locomotives known as “Hayajiro”. The film takes place at Haiko Station on the coast of the Sea of Japan and focuses on the character Mumei. The film takes place half a year after the story of the original television anime series.
Geki × cine “Seven people of the skull castle” Season wind 
ゲキ×シネ「髑髏城の七人」Season風 「GekixShine Dokuroshou no Shichinin-Season Kaze」
Running Time: 138 mins.
Release Date: May 10th, 2019
Director: Hidenori Inoue
Writer: Kazuki Nakashima (Screenplay),
Starring: Ken’ichi Matsuyama, Osamu Mukai, Rena Tanaka, Jun Hashimoto, Takaya Yamauchi, Yukino Kishii, Katsuhisa Namase,
Synopsis: It is early 1590 and Toyotomi Hideyoshi rules the land but, far away from the capital in the Eastern Plain, a mysterious rebel by the name of Tenmao is gathering momentum for a civil war by preparing his Skull Corps. Some troops from this group chase a girl named Sagiri but she is saved by a passing vagabond named Sutenosuke and taken to a nearby brothel town called Mukai village. This place serves as a post town between the capital and the eastern plain and it is where all sorts of people with different schemes and histories bump into each other as is seen in this stage-play.
Cat’s Tail’s Tales 
Running Time: 83 mins.
Release Date: May 10th, 2019
An omnibus film that consists of three segments, the first two animated, and the last one, photographs and live-action film.
Dayan to Jitan
Director: Hazumu Sakuta
Writer: Aki Mizuki (Screenplay), Akiko Ikeda (Original Creator)
Starring: Sumi Shimamoto (Dayan), Emi Hirayama (Jitan), Niko (the Three Witches), Toshimitsu Oda (Iwan), Emi Nitta (Roku), Ai Furihata (Marthy)
Animation Production: Kachidoki Studio
Tama to Fushigi na Sekizo (Tama and the Mysterious Statue)
Director: Jun Kanzaki
Writer: Hiroshi Izawa (Screenplay), Akiko Ikeda (Original Creator)
Starring: Hiroko Kasahara (Tama), Hekiru Shiina (Momo), Chika Sakamoto (Tora), Masako Watanabe (Pochi), Yuko Tsuga (Nora), Junji Kitajima (Gon), Mari Maruta (Be), Tetsuya Iwanaga (Kuro), Fukushi Ochiai (Buru), Kae Araki (Koma),
Animation Production: Kachidoki Studio
Tabi Suru Tobi Neko (The Jumping Cat Travels)
Photographer: Kenta Igarashi
Narrator: Yukina Tsutsumi
Synopsis: The fictional world of Wachifield, as created by Akiko Ikeda, is the setting for a bunch of adventures for Dayan, a whimsical cat who goes on adventures.
Baaba ha, daijoubu 
ばあばは、だいじょうぶ 「Baaba ha, daijoubu」
Running Time: 98 mins.
Release Date: May 10th, 2019
Director: Jackie Woo
Writer: Yuka Nisei (Screenplay), Akiko Hata (Original Story)
Starring: Manami Fuji, Kokoro Terada, Sai Hiraizumi, Yoko Matsuda, Yuya Uchida, Takako Tsuchiya,
Synopsis: The tale of an elementary schoolboy who lives with his mother and grandparents. His beloved grandmother gets dementia and this causes a lot of drama as she begins to forget and wander out alone…
Futari Ecchi Double Love 
映画版 ふたりエッチ ダブル・ラブ 「Eigaban Futari Ecchi Daburu Rabu」
Running Time: 67 mins.
Release Date: May 10th, 2019
Director: Toshiaki Kondo
Writer: Toshiaki Kondo (Screenplay), Katsu Aki (Original Story)
Starring: Hikaru Aoyama, Shoka Oshima, Saki Yoshida, Michinari Sasaki, Akane Sagara,
Synopsis: Based on a popular romance manga, the story follows Yura and Makoto Onoda who are married and still experimenting in sex and love. The guy can’t perform, then, when he can perform, he gets bombarded with girls, and just when that ordeal is over, his first love appears.
Boku ni aitakatta 
僕に、会いたかった 「Boku ni aitakatta」
Running Time: 96 mins.
Release Date: May 10th, 2019
Director: Ryoshinari Nishiko
Writer: Ryoshinari Nishiko, Shintaro Akiyama (Screenplay),
Starring: TAKAHIRO, Mayu Yamaguchi, Kyouka Shibata, Mizuki Itagaki, Saya Kawamura, Mei Kurokawa, Karin Ono,
Synopsis: Toru Ikeda (TAKAHIRO) is a fisherman who has lost his memory in an accident. The people in his community show kindness to him as he tries to discover who he is and rebuild his bonds with his family.