Went to see:
Manatsu no Houteishiki - the second Galileo movie. If you liked the series, you will like this. The mystery is not exciting but the setting in a small sea town is!
Best quote from Galileo in the movie: It's not that I'm bad with children, I just hate them. :rofl:
Also, I went to see finally Ghibli's latest output. The Wind is raising, I believe is the English title. To be honest I am not a massive Ghibli fan to begin with. I like most movies and think they are alright but I can't get super excited.
I loved the imagery but the story was too soapy and drama-like for my taste, in fact all the girls in the audience were shedding their "yasashii namida". I also disliked the voice for the main character, I was told afterwards it was not done by a professional voice actor but the creator of Evangelion. Not sure if that's the reason why it irritated me. Must watch for fans though!
I had a feeling the film would win. :victory: I love Fukuyama! <3
gaijinmark wrote:Cannes' Jury prize goes to Koreeda's 'Like Father, Like Son'
The Japanese film gLike Father, Like Son (Soshite Chichi ni Naru)h directed by Hirokazu Koreeda, received the Prix du Jury at the 2013 Cannes International Film Festival on Sunday.
It is the first Japanese film to receive an award in the competition division since Naomi Kawasefs gThe Mourning Forest,h which won the Grand Prix in 2007. Kawase served as a member of this yearfs jury, which was headed by U.S. director Steven Spielberg, becoming the first Japanese in 17 years to join the jury.
gI would like to share my joy in receiving the award with the cast and crew of the film, including (lead actor Masaharu) Fukuyama,h Koreeda said in his acceptance speech at the ceremonyfs closing.
gLike Father, Like Sonh is a family drama depicting a middle-class couple who learn the child they have brought up for six years is not their biological son, who was switched at birth with the child from a family of modest means.
Last year's "I have to buy new shoes" written and directed by Kitagawa Eriko, starring Nakayama Miho premiered on cable TV today. It was a pleasant watch and reminded me very much of the Before Sunrise/Sunset/Midnight series. Here Mukai Osamu and Nakayama Miho meet by accident in Paris and spend a few days together.
It's a one of the better romantic movies out as it avoids most, though not all, cliches and has a realistic/art house feel to it. Nothing groundbreaking though.
Then I watched the Dinner no Ato movie, baseed on the drama about a rich heiress and her butler solving murders, here on a cruise ship - the worst movie I have spent money on. Avoid at all costs and stick to Murder in the Orient Express.
The Cannes Jury prize winner Soshite Chichi ni Naru - Like Father, Like Son is finally out in Japan. It's quite lovely, no surprise there, the cast is great, the story touching and I am grateful that my childhood was more like the one of the children of the modest family ... I will say this though: it uses a tiny bit of stereotyping. Weathly successful but emotionally cold and sad family versus working class but warm and kindhearted family.
Nice touch: they showed clips from Cannes before the screening, and the standing ovations were amazing.
More cast announced for Tsumabuki/Kitagawa movie 'Judge'
As announced previously, Tsumabuki Satoshi and Kitagawa Keiko are co-starring in upcoming movie "Judge!", and recently, 16 more cast members were introduced.
"Judge!" is set around the CM industry. The protagonist "Ota Kiichiro" (Tsumaguki), who works at a major advertising agency, is forced to participate in the world's biggest advertising festival as a judge. As he needs an accompanying person to attend the party, his colleague "Ota Hikari" (Kitagawa), who has the same last name as him, happens to go with him as part of a "fake couple" against her will.
The script is written by Sawamoto Yoshimitsu, a CM planner, who makes SoftBank's "White Family" series and Toyota's "Doraemon" series, and it is directed by CM director Nagai Akira, who has received an award at the 'ACC CM FESTIVAL' in 2012.
The 16 cast members that recently revealed include Arakawa Yoshiyoshi, Ito Ayumi, Tamayama Tetsuji, Kase Ryo, Kazama Morio, Hyunri, Tanaka Yoji, Denden, Hamano Kenta, Kimura Yuichi, Agata Morio, Matsumoto Iyo, Shiga Kotaro, Emoto Tokio, Fukumoto Seizo, Takenaka Naoto, Toyokawa Etsushi, Lily Franky, and Suzuki Kyoka.
"Judge!" is slated for release on January 11th in 2014.
Source: Cinematoday
The guy that does the 'White Family' CM's is involved and they couldn't get Tommy Lee Jones?!!? :shakehead:
This looks like it would be the perfect vehicle for Sadao Abe's frantic, over-the-top style. :fingerscrossed:
Went to see this, mainly because Kankuro Kudo wrote the script. At times funny, like the Sawajiri Erika joke in the beginning, at times a little less, wasn't too keen on the exotic country story line. But then again an average Kankuro is still very entertaining. If you liked Maiko Haaaaaan, you might like this.
DVD Beaver review of Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman from Criterion: http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film4/blu-ray_reviews_60/zatoichi_the_blind_swordsman_blu-ray.htm
bmwracer wrote:DVD Beaver review of Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman from Criterion: http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film4/blu-ray_reviews_60/zatoichi_the_blind_swordsman_blu-ray.htm
Hmm, maybe it's time for me to invest in a blu-ray player.
The most interesting thing about this collection (which has 25 out of the 26 Zatoichi films) is that it includes the 1978 documentary about Katsushin made by John Nathan. I've been trying to find a copy of that since I became aware of its existence. I read Nathan's autobiography a few years ago, and in it he recounts the problems he had making his documentary about Katsu; he ended up not liking Katsu at all, which is not unusual; apparently a lot of people who had to deal with him had negative experiences as well.
shin2 wrote:Hmm, maybe it's time for me to invest in a blu-ray player.
The most interesting thing about this collection (which has 25 out of the 26 Zatoichi films) is that it includes the 1978 documentary about Katsushin made by John Nathan. I've been trying to find a copy of that since I became aware of its existence. I read Nathan's autobiography a few years ago, and in it he recounts the problems he had making his documentary about Katsu; he ended up not liking Katsu at all, which is not unusual; apparently a lot of people who had to deal with him had negative experiences as well.
It looks to be a great box set, but $200 (sale price at Amazon) is rather hard to swallow... I haven't figured out why they have both Blu-Ray and DVD discs in the set rather than just Blu-Ray... Seems like an excuse to jack up the price... :(
bmwracer wrote:
It looks to be a great box set, but $200 (sale price at Amazon) is rather hard to swallow... I haven't figured out why they have both Blu-Ray and DVD discs in the set rather than just Blu-Ray... Seems like an excuse to jack up the price... :(
With 25 films in the collection, it comes out to just eight dollars per movie. Add in the extras--the Nathan documentary and interview, trailers, another interview, a book, regular DVD versions of all 25 movies, and the fact that this is a Criterion box set--and $200.00 seems awfully reasonable.
I think it's a plus that Criterion is giving the consumer both blu-ray and regular DVD versions. I'm sure there are plenty of people out there (like me) who don't own blu-ray players that are Zatoichi fans.
I have to say though, that seeing the contrast in images between blu-ray and regular DVD has convinced me it's about time I invest in a blu-ray player.
shin2 wrote:With 25 films in the collection, it comes out to just eight dollars per movie. Add in the extras--the Nathan documentary and interview, trailers, another interview, a book, regular DVD versions of all 25 movies, and the fact that this is a Criterion box set--and $200.00 seems awfully reasonable.
I think it's a plus that Criterion is giving the consumer both blu-ray and regular DVD versions. I'm sure there are plenty of people out there (like me) who don't own blu-ray players that are Zatoichi fans.
I have to say though, that seeing the contrast in images between blu-ray and regular DVD has convinced me it's about time I invest in a blu-ray player.
Do it. :victory:
That said, they should offer two sets: One with Blu-ray discs, the other with DVDs... I've got other Blu-ray films that also include the DVD and those discs just sit in the case like an abandoned baby. :bleh:
bmwracer wrote:DVD Beaver review of Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman from Criterion: http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film4/blu-ray_reviews_60/zatoichi_the_blind_swordsman_blu-ray.htm
bmwracer wrote:DVD Beaver review of Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman from Criterion: http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film4/blu-ray_reviews_60/zatoichi_the_blind_swordsman_blu-ray.htm
bmwracer wrote:DVD Beaver review of Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman from Criterion: http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film4/blu-ray_reviews_60/zatoichi_the_blind_swordsman_blu-ray.htm
Updated my home entertainment system, including buying my first blu ray player. And for my first blu ray purchase, I got the Zatoichi collectiion.
It has surpassed my expectation. I first saw a Zatoichi movie in a theater when I was a kid in Hawaii; in the ensuing decades I got both VHS and DVD versions of the movies. In all that time, I never imagined I would be sitting at home watching a Zatoichi film looking so clean and crisp . . . but with this Criterion set, I have.
There is so much to praise about this box set, but I will just say it's well worth getting if you're a fan of jidaigeki.
Replying needs an account. Registration opens soon.
![[image]](http://img706.imageshack.us/img706/2051/21lt.png){kind=link}
![[image]](http://img203.imageshack.us/img203/1697/hz81.jpg){kind=link}
![[image]](http://img708.imageshack.us/img708/1989/2idr.jpg){kind=link}
![[image]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v162/bmwracer/throneofblood.jpg){kind=link}