Japanese Movies/Discussion/Recommendations

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Moteki movie is now scheduled to come out on Sept. 23rd, still starring Moriyama but now with 4 new female leads. :mrgreen:

Trailer- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QU-TGngj6ks

New Hikari movie coming out real soon. :dancing:
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Today, actress Mitsushima Hikari and director Shimizu Takashi attended the preview screening of their upcoming horror movie, gRabbit Horror 3Dg.

Itfs the first horror movie for Mitsushima, whofs received many eBest New Actressf awards in film festivals worldwide. At the event, she confessed that she is actually quite a timid person. She said, gI donft like horror movies. I watched one once during junior high school and I couldnft sleep for a whole week.h

So how did she come to accept the role? Mitsushima explained, gWhen I read the script, something in my mind told me that I should participate in this movie and thatfs why I accepted the offer.h

She then went to describe the movie in her own words, saying, gWhen watching the movie you donft go like eA ghost! Ahh!f; instead, it feels more like a daydream. I really love this movie. I hope many people will watch it and love it just as much as I do.h

During the second half of the stage greeting, a child with white make-up (similar to Shimizufs horror masterpiece gJu-on: The Grudgeg) went up on stage and handed some flowers to the rabbit mascot standing next to the actors, as if it were passing the torch to its successor. This odd little moment was supposed to show that Shimizu tried to create a new masterpiece that could follow in the footsteps of gJu-onh.

When Mitsushima was asked whether she watched gJu-onh, she immediately replied, gI could never watch such a movie! Itfs too scarych Director Shimizu couldnft help but show a bitter smile on his face.

gRabbit Horror 3Dh will open in Japan on September 17th.
Tokyohive

Rabbit Horror 3D - Trailer

^ Speaking of Mitsushima, I watched two movies with her some time ago, Kakera and Sawako decides, both indies I reckon and Kakera even a tad more low cost. Both are nice little social portraits, although I must admit the characters she played were very similar, the indecisive plain girl unable to take her destiny in her own hands.

Kakera was interesting as it dares to look a little at the world of lesbians in Japan without any silly homo hysteria that one finds sadly in so many dramas.

^^ Hikari is one of the top actresses around these days, :applaud: really like how she does a lot of those more low budget indie films. :victory: She was great in the Moteki drama plus she has one that just started that also stars Eita. Sawako was a really good film I thought, she won a couple of awards for it.
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Watched Yamada Yoji's THE HIDDEN BLADE (2004) last night. Brilliant gem of a film, two thumbs up. I realized I like slice-of-life samurai films if they're this meaty. THE HIDDEN BLADE has a broader and richer narrative than in LOVE AND HONOR, and is deeply involving on so many levels. Found another keeper! :thumbsup:

Ender's Girl wrote:Watched Yamada Yoji's THE HIDDEN BLADE (2004) last night. Brilliant gem of a film, two thumbs up. I realized I like slice-of-life samurai films if they're this meaty. THE HIDDEN BLADE has a broader and richer narrative than in LOVE AND HONOR, and is deeply involving on so many levels. Found another keeper! :thumbsup:

Have you seen Yamada's multi-award winning Twilight Samurai?

It's even better than The Hidden Blade. :victory:

bmwracer wrote:
Have you seen Yamada's multi-award winning Twilight Samurai?

It's even better than The Hidden Blade. :victory:

So I heard. ;) I watched L&H for Kimura and THB for Matsu, but TWILIGHT SAMURAI is something I'll be seeing just for the director. :beaten:

Ender's Girl wrote:So I heard. ;) I watched L&H for Kimura and THB for Matsu, but TWILIGHT SAMURAI is something I'll be seeing just for the director. :beaten:

Twilight Samurai stars Sanada Hiroyuki and Miyazawa Rie. :victory:

Ender's Girl wrote:

So I heard. ;) I watched L&H for Kimura and THB for Matsu, but TWILIGHT SAMURAI is something I'll be seeing just for the director. :beaten:

Yeah, ironically Twilight Samurai was the first movie in the trilogy by Yamada. First came Twilight Samurai, then Hidden Blade, and finally Love and Honor.

bmwracer wrote:
Twilight Samurai stars Sanada Hiroyuki and Miyazawa Rie. :victory:

Hmmm I haven't seen enough of either's work to consider myself a fan. :)

Tu_triky wrote:

Yeah, ironically Twilight Samurai was the first movie in the trilogy by Yamada. First came Twilight Samurai, then Hidden Blade, and finally Love and Honor.

Yes, I know, thanks. :mrgreen: But seeing as the three story lines aren't interconnected (besides the late-Edo setting), I suppose one doesn't have to watch the trilogy in order. :victory:

Ender's Girl wrote:

Yes, I know, thanks. :mrgreen: But seeing as the three story lines aren't interconnected (besides the late-Edo setting), I suppose one doesn't have to watch the trilogy in order. :victory:

Quite true.

bmwracer wrote:
Twilight Samurai stars Sanada Hiroyuki and Miyazawa Rie. :victory:

sanada san in particular is why i bought the dvd.

Recently watched the movie Onibaba, directed by Kaneto Shindõ.

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The movie was great. I want to see more movies of Kaneto Shindõ in the future.

For some unknown reason I decided to watch Oniichan no Hanabi:http://asianmediawiki.com/Oniichan_no_Hanabi

All you need to know is that MItsuki Tanimura is undergoing cancer treatment and really likes fireworks. And if you can't figure out where this one goes from that, it means you've probably never watched a Japanese movie in your life. But it does have some nice fireworks!

DVDBeaver comparison of Harakiri: http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDReview3/harakiri.htm

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Watched SPACE BATTLESHIP YAMATO (2010). Impressive VFX, but as far as story and treatment go........ :drooling: Let's just say that the movie felt every bit as original as the theme song by Steven Tyler. :hehe:

Ender's Girl wrote:Watched SPACE BATTLESHIP YAMATO (2010). Impressive VFX, but as far as story and treatment go........ :drooling: Let's just say that the movie felt every bit as original as the theme song by Steven Tyler. :hehe:

I downloaded it from ADC and watched it only because I liked the anime... What a disappointment, though I'm not surprised: The producers made it a star-driven (Kimutaku, Kuroki Meisa) vehicle, rather than a story/plot-driven one. :shakehead:

bmwracer wrote:
The producers made it a star-driven (Kimutaku, Kuroki Meisa) vehicle

Mediocre actors = mediocre results

shin2 wrote:Mediocre actors = mediocre results

LOL.

I was trying to be diplomatic. :beaten:

bmwracer wrote:
LOL.

I was trying to be diplomatic. :beaten:

"You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din."