Japanese Movies/Discussion/Recommendations

vibius wrote:

I love this movie, hard to say why. It's a road-trip movie about a little boy in search of his mother he's never seen, and his unorthodox chaperone for the trip is a foul-mouthed, lunkhead of an ex-yakuza played by Takeshi.

It's very funny in parts, but not a laugh-a-minute comedy. It's a melodrama, and a little sappy in parts, but it has some nice touching moments. There is a little violence, but it is always shown indirectly, either as aftereffects or from a great distance (as when Kikujiro fights the trucker), so the movie would be ok for kids. The comedy is typical Takeshi burlesque, delivered in his deadpan style, but it works. And the score by Joe Hisaishi, as always, is great.

I recommend it.

You've explained it all in detail and I'm agreeing with your thought on that.


I've just seen CURE (Koji Yakusho, Masato Hagiwara)..this is what I called chilling psychological thriller. I just love it. So, anybody out there has not seen it this movie..just go watch it.

ahochaude wrote:

Who are those guys? :crazy:

Akira Kurosawa is one of the best directors who ever lived (in my opinon, the best)... even Spielberg confessed he copied many elements of Kurosawas films for his Star Wars movies...
Kurosawa was truly a legend... wish i could have met him.

I recommend Seven Samurai and Yojimbo. They're in B&W and some ppl nowadays mite find the pace slow... but, they are truly classics and masterpieces....

I dont know the other guy :(

jondy78 wrote:

... even Spielberg confessed he copied many elements of Kurosawas films for his Star Wars movies...

Um...you mean George Lucas?

Skullknight wrote:


Um...you mean George Lucas?

It's george lucas..I think spielberg got nothing to do with Star Wars. :crazy: Abt taking some element..well, George did admit that he took some element from a lot of kurasawa's movie especially "The Hidden Fortress".

Akakage wrote:

It's george lucas..I think spielberg got nothing to do with Star Wars. :crazy: Abt taking some element..well, George did admit that he took some element from a lot of kurasawa's movie especially "The Hidden Fortress".

Yeah, Spielberg might have cited Kurosawa as an influence. Lucas did Star Wars.

You can probably look it up online, but, one of Lucas's earlier ideas for the Skywalker character was to give him an Asian flair. Imagine that . . . with a few language lessons (if even THAT was the case), somebody like, prrffft, and I'm just speculating here, Kimura Takuya coulda' taken the place of Hamill. Maybe Kaneshiro Takeshi? No?

The Man wrote:

Yeah, Spielberg might have cited Kurosawa as an influence. Lucas did Star Wars.

You can probably look it up online, but, one of Lucas's earlier ideas for the Skywalker character was to give him an Asian flair. Imagine that . . . with a few language lessons (if even THAT was the case), somebody like, prrffft, and I'm just speculating here, Kimura Takuya coulda' taken the place of Hamill. Maybe Kaneshiro Takeshi? No?

I think Kaneshiro Takeshi would be perfect as Luke Skywalker, besides he doesn't really need English lesson anymore, since he's fluent in it. Obi Wan Kenobi Mentor's name Qui Gon Jin has sort of chinese name and look at the way the Jedi warrior dresses..it's more like chinese martial arts' fighters to me..

More good films...C'mon guys..haven't you watch "KAKUTO" directed and starred by Iseya Yusuke. It's a good film..?

ahochaude wrote:Who are those guys? :crazy:

Yow! You kiddin' me, Aho??

Kurosawa Akira (Shichinin no Samurai, Ikiru, Rashomon, Yojimbo, Sanjuro) and Ozu Yazujiro (Tokyo Monogatari, Ukigusa, Ohayo) are two of the most famous directors in Japan, if not the world...

Time for you to visit the video rental store and check out some of these flicks, bud... :)

bmwracer wrote:
Yow! You kiddin' me, Aho??

Kurosawa Akira (Shichinin no Samurai, Ikiru, Rashomon, Yojimbo, Sanjuro) and Ozu Yazujiro (Tokyo Monogatari, Ukigusa, Ohayo) are two of the most famous directors in Japan, if not the world...

Time for you to visit the video rental store and check out some of these flicks, bud... :)

Damn! Shows how much I really pay attention to movies and stuff! :beaten:

Maybe I should go check them out at the Japanese video store I always go to?!

ahochaude wrote:Damn! Shows how much I really pay attention to movies and stuff! :beaten:

Maybe I should go check them out at the Japanese video store I always go to?!

Those movies should be available at any decent video store, not just Japanese ones...

They have them at Blockbusters.

bmwracer wrote:
Those movies should be available at any decent video store, not just Japanese ones...

Oh, like Blockbuster and stuff?! Cool! Learning something new everyday! :D

Skullknight wrote:


Um...you mean George Lucas?

Woops! hehehe... u guys are right.. i believe it WAS George Lucas who did Star Wars... hehe.. but yall get the point :D

More jpn films I liked::
"GO" : this was really well done.. the story, the plot... social commentary on the japanese and korean societies.. excellent.

"Samurai Fiction" : really just a fun, goofy samurai movie which doesnt take itself too seriously... but, I like how it was artistically done... plus, Ogawa Tamaki was soooo cute in this movie.

Films I didnt like:
"VERSUS" : there was sooo much hype about this movie, that I wanted to see it.. but, man, the plot was confusing, bad acting, just a complete waste of time I thought... like a bad B-movie from the 80s.... what a disappointment.

"Returner" : ditto this one.

Not limiting choices to just real actors, the following anime movies I thought were excellent:

"Millennium Actress" : Great story!!! I wonder if Nanako Matsushima's jdorma "A Tale of One Century" is similar to this???

The Ruroni Kenshin OVAs (not the movie! the movie was totally subpar quality to the Kenshin franchies). I wish they could make a real movie about Kenshin. If I had the money, I would sooo do it... i wonder who I would cast.... hmmmm..

jondy78 wrote:


"Returner" : ditto this one.

hmm.. sorry :sweat: what is ditto? :sweat:

zaza_tk87 wrote:hmm.. sorry :sweat: what is ditto? :sweat:

ditto means "same as the previous", so jondy78 likes Returner the same as Versus.

As for me, I thought they were both amusing, but definately not great. Versus could have been a really good short film, but it just took one thing and did it too long. Returner was fun, I liked both lead actors a lot, but the science fiction part wasn't really much new, but I thought it was about as good as most Hollywood SF movies.

Woo..hooo..my limited edition "Zatoichi" has arrived yesterday from Japan. So, I'm going to watch Kitano Takeshi's version being blonde Zatoichi..hehehehe.. :hehe: And..of course, the cool Tadanobu Asano.


Hm..Samurai Fiction is quite artistic odd ball samurai flick. It's in black and white as if I were watching Kurosawa's samurai film but the story is light and fun plus with a little bit of MTV style still..well it's the same director who made Akakage/Red Shadow.

Akakage wrote:Woo..hooo..my limited edition "Zatoichi" has arrived yesterday from Japan. So, I'm going to watch Kitano Takeshi's version being blonde Zatoichi..hehehehe.. :hehe: And..of course, the cool Tadanobu Asano.

Great movie!

Although I think I still prefer Katsu playing Zatoichi, he's a little more animated, goofy, sad, playful ...

But Kitano's direction is really really awesome.

vibius wrote:

ditto means "same as the previous", so jondy78 likes Returner the same as Versus.

As for me, I thought they were both amusing, but definately not great. Versus could have been a really good short film, but it just took one thing and did it too long. Returner was fun, I liked both lead actors a lot, but the science fiction part wasn't really much new, but I thought it was about as good as most Hollywood SF movies.

thanks pal! for the explanation..

returner.. I like it a lot since my man is in it :beaten: as long as he act in the movie... good or bad, I'll guarantee watching

Akakage wrote:..well it's the same director who made Akakage/Red Shadow.

Ah, so, u liked Akakage?? Been meaning to rent/dl it someday... havent seen it yet... actually, been meaning to see Zaitochi also, both old and new versions... since u guys are hyping it up :D

zaza_tk87 wrote:
hello jondy
welcome

thx zaza_tk87 :)

jondy78 wrote:Ah, so, u liked Akakage?? Been meaning to rent/dl it someday... havent seen it yet... actually, been meaning to see Zaitochi also, both old and new versions... since u guys are hyping it up

Basically, don't compare Red Shadow (don't want to use Akakage, it'll mix with my id name :hehe: ) with Zatoichi because both have different style. Red Shadow is more hype and mtv style like a film that you cannot take it too seriously. It's goofy :hehe: But Zatoichi..well..Kitano has been a good director for years and I've took a sneak peak on that new Zatoichi movie, for 15 mins, it's awesome.

jondy78 wrote:

thx zaza_tk87 :)

:D