Japanese Movies/Discussion/Recommendations

bmwracer wrote:
Supposedly, the result was an accident: Nakadai Tatsuya had problems controlling the pressure in the hose and it got away from him... But they kept the scene. :rofl:

Wow, I thought it was a hose used from the beer bong they utilized in between takes. The Netflix stream was from the Criterion Collection no less.

Tu_triky wrote:Wow, I thought it was a hose used from the beer bong they utilized in between takes.

Must've been a dark beer, like Guinness. :mrgreen:

The Netflix stream was from the Criterion Collection no less.

Cool. :victory:

bmwracer wrote:
Cool. :victory:

Guinness. :hehe: Yeah the film quality is quite good for instant streaming. I'm sure the DVD version has its advantages to be sure, but I can't complain with access to numerous quality films for a mere 9 bucks a month....many of said films, which are available instantly. ^_^

Tu_triky wrote:Guinness. :hehe: Yeah the film quality is quite good for instant streaming. I'm sure the DVD version has its advantages to be sure, but I can't complain with access to numerous quality films for a mere 9 bucks a month....many of said films, which are available instantly. ^_^

$9 is a great deal...

You can't even get into a theater nowadays for $9... Much less get a quality movie like Sanjuro for that price... :victory:

bmwracer wrote:
$9 is a great deal...

You can't even get into a theater nowadays for $9... Much less get a quality movie like Sanjuro for that price... :victory:

That's my thinking. :) Films are so much more expensive these days than even 5 years ago. Short of collecting these films as a serious fan/enthusiast being able to access a library of classic films by Kurosawa (and others) for the cost of a bowl of good ramen is quite the bargain.

Manami Konishi, Yoko Maki, Chizuru Ikewaki join Takayuki Yamada in "Yubiwa wo Hametai"
Fri, February 11, 2011
The main cast of director Yuki Iwata's movie "Yubiwa wo Hametai" has been unveiled. In addition to starring actor Takayuki Yamada, the three female leads will be played by Manami Konishi, Yoko Maki, and Chizuru Ikewaki.

Announced last month, the film is an adaptation of Takami Ito's novel of the same name. Yamada plays a salesman at a pharmaceutical company who loses part of his memory when he hits his head at a skating rink. After regaining his senses, he discovers an engagement ring in his briefcase. Later, he comes across three different women who all claim to be his girlfriend, though he doesn't remember going out with any of them. Putting the pieces together, he figures that he had been planning to propose to one of the three women. In order to remember which girl it was, he sets up dates with each of them.

The three women are: his senior at the pharmaceutical company, a strong-willed perfectionist who is part of a research and development team (Konishi); a sex worker at one of the shops that Yamada delivers products to (Maki); and a part-timer who also performs one-woman puppet shows at the park, described as fitting the traditional "Yamato nadeshiko" ideal of a good wife (Ikewaki).

The plot will have the three women fighting over the one man, including an intense fistfight scene between Konishi and Maki.

Filming already finished last December. The movie is expected to open in theaters later this year.


Konitan AND Maki :hot:

bmwracer wrote:
Supposedly, the result was an accident: Nakadai Tatsuya had problems controlling the pressure in the hose and it got away from him... But they kept the scene. :rofl:

Here's a quote from the Galbraith book The Emperor and the Wolf describing that scene: "In mid-December came Mifune's duel with Nakadai. The assistant who operated the pressure cooker-like controls that sprayed fake blood from Nakadai's chest was extremely nervous about getting it right on the first take. He continued building up pressure so that, when the cameras rolled, the blood burst out like cannon fire, delighting Kurosawa."

shin2 wrote:Here's a quote from the Galbraith book The Emperor and the Wolf describing that scene: "In mid-December came Mifune's duel with Nakadai. The assistant who operated the pressure cooker-like controls that sprayed fake blood from Nakadai's chest was extremely nervous about getting it right on the first take. He continued building up pressure so that, when the cameras rolled, the blood burst out like cannon fire, delighting Kurosawa."

Ah, I think that's where I saw the reference... Or maybe a variation of that in the "Making of" portion of the DVD...

On Thursday, an official website for Yoshishige Miyakefs upcoming film Hankyu Densha was launched with a teaser and full trailer.

Based on a novel by Hiro Arikawa which sold over 240,000 copies, the film uses the 15-minute, one-way Hankyu Imazu Line as the backdrop for several characters dealing with various issues in their lives. Miki Nakatani stars as an office worker in her 30s whose fiance is stolen away by a younger co-worker while Erika Toda plays a young college student with a good-for-nothing boyfriend. Other cast members include Nobuko Miyamoto, Mana Ashida, Rie Muranishi, and Sakiko Moriwaka.

Toho will be releasing gHankyu Denshah in Japan on April 23, 2011.

Here's the Trailer

Just added at asiandvdclub.....

[image]

Confessions ”’ (2010) NTSC DVD5 - Eng/Chn Subs

Synopsis:

On her last day as the teacher of her middle school class, Moriguchi (Takako Matsu) makes a startling confession in front of her class: Her daughter has been murdered, and that she plans to take vengeance against the two students that did it. The confession itself becomes part of the plan, as the two young killers become victims of the students' constant bullying. From the inner confessions of the two young killers, a sympathetic classmate, and the overprotective mother of one of the killers (Kimura Yoshino), the turmoil and personal torment of each character are slowly revealed. Meanwhile, Moriguchi slowly watches the disintegration of her class as she plans the final stage of her revenge.

niknik wrote:Just added at asiandvdclub.....

Ahh... An ADC convert. :victory:

bmwracer wrote:
Ahh... An ADC convert. :victory:

For about a year......... :victory:

niknik wrote:For about a year......... :victory:

Great site. :victory: :applaud:

bmwracer wrote:
Great site. :victory: :applaud:

That it is.... :victory: :applaud:

"RAILWAYS 2" movie planned for 2012
Sun, February 13, 2011
The 2010 film "RAILWAYS" is getting a sequel, it has been announced. The tentatively titled "RAILWAYS 2" will have a different cast and setting from the original, but it will naturally continue with the same railroad theme.

The first movie starred Kiichi Nakai as an elite salaryman who quits his job and moves to the Shimane prefecture to pursue his childhood dream of becoming a train driver. Since the film received high marks from audiences and critics, a second one was approved for production.

"RAILWAYS 2" will take place in the Toyama prefecture. The story will revolve around a railroad worker who is one month away from retirement after 42 years of service, and his wife, who must think about how they want to live their lives from now on.

Filming is scheduled to take place between the middle of March and late April. The cast and director have not yet been announced.

I liked the first Railways, but I dunno, if it doesn't have the same cast and setting, can it really be called a sequel? :headscratch:

gaijinmark wrote:"RAILWAYS 2" movie planned for 2012
I liked the first Railways, but I dunno, if it doesn't have the same cast and setting, can it really be called a sequel? :headscratch:

When a sequel follows a successful film, it's usually a disappointment when it has different cast members. A while back, I remember watching NANA 2 without Miyazaki Aoi who was replaced by another actress. Not good.

Tu_triky wrote:[image]

Oh yeah I recently watched Yamazakura...a cool film based on a short story written by Shuhei Fujisawa (who also wrote Twilight Samurai, The Hidden Blade, Love and Honor) which were the basis of the Yoji Yamada film trilogy of the same names.

It was a good film with a very calm, restful, and serene cinematography...along with the themes explored it was very Japanese in that sense. Rena Tanaka and Noriyuki Higashiyama did a good job performing their respective roles. While not quite up to the caliber of Rie Miyazawa and Hiroyuki Sanada's performances, if you enjoyed the aforementioned Yoji Yamada films you might want to give this film a chance.

^ Downloading this now. :victory:

bmwracer wrote:
^ Downloading this now. :victory:

Cool, man. I hope you enjoy it. :victory:

^ I might be interested too!

I just happened to finish "About Her Brother" (Ototo) by Yamada. This bittersweet family story is set in modern day Japan and I enjoyed it very much! So my appetite for more is growing.

EstherM wrote:^ I might be interested too!

Cool.

I just happened to finish "About Her Brother" (Ototo) by Yamada. This bittersweet family story is set in modern day Japan and I enjoyed it very much! So my appetite for more is growing.

Thanks for mentioning this film. I'm downloading it now. :woot: