I recently purchased a DVD collection of three films written and directed by Masayuki Suo: Fancy Dance (1989), Shiko Funjatta (Sumo Do, Sumo Don't [1992]), and Shall We Dance? (1996). The latter two I have seen a number of times and are excellent movies, among my all-time favorites--both were big hits in Japan and each won the Japan Academy Award for Best Movie, Best Director, and Best Screenplay. I hadn't heard of Fancy Dance until I came across this collection, and watching it for the first time was a thoroughly enjoyable experience. It's about four young guys who become Buddhist novitiates. The main character (played by Masahiro Motoki) is a punk rocker who enters the monastery to the dismay of his chic girlfriend (Honami Suzuki) in order to inherit his father's temple which he sees as an easy and lucrative way of life. The movie focuses on the year these four spend training to be monks. Along the way it reveals that monks can be as greedy, horny, and devious as anyone else. This movie has all of the characteristics of the other two Suo films: it's very much character-driven and full of humor and compassion, with a wonderful ensemble cast. Suo is a major talent in Japanese cinema, but he hasn't written or directed a movie in ten years. I wonder why.
Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Posts: 46182 Location: Los Skandolous, California Country:
Posted: Sun Nov 19, 2006 8:22 am Post subject:
Just came back from watching Hannari ~ Geisha Modern....a superb documentary with exquisite photography. A rare treat for those interested in Japanese traditional culture.
Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Posts: 46182 Location: Los Skandolous, California Country:
Posted: Tue Nov 21, 2006 12:34 pm Post subject:
Finished watching Linda Linda Linda....it was pleasant but it suffered from uneven pacing....lots of dead time on screen, i felt....the characters needed to be fleshed out a bit more as well.
Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Posts: 46182 Location: Los Skandolous, California Country:
Posted: Tue Nov 21, 2006 12:57 pm Post subject:
from Variety
Japan to release over 400 films in 2006
1973 was last time it released so many pics
By MARK SCHILLING
TOKYO -- Some 360 Japanese films have been released since Jan. 1, beating last year's 356 and on course to reach over 400 releases. The last time this happened was in 1973, which saw 405 releases.
According to figures compiled by the Bunka Tsushin industry newsletter, local releases hit 360 on Nov. 4 and, given current trends, are likely to finish north of 400 for the year.
Also, six Japanese films have passed the \5 billion ($42 million) mark that's considered a megahit at the local B.O. Among them are Studio Ghilbli toon "Tales of Earthsea" ($66 million), sea actioner "Umizaru 2" ($61 million) and disaster pic "The Sinking of Japan" ($44 million).
Meanwhile, the two "Death Note" pics -- the first released June 17, the second Nov. 4 -- are building a combined gross that could top the Japanese side of the chart for the year or even hit the \10 billion mark. The first pic finished with $24 million and the second nearly doubled its opening take.
Another contender for the 2006 B.O. crown is "Nana 2," the sequel to the smash hit 2005 pic about two 20-year-old women with the same first name but radically different personalities -- one a cheery good girl, the other a sneering punk rocker -- who become roomies and friends. The first pic grossed $34 million, and "Nana 2," if the trend holds of local sequels surpassing the take of the hit originals, is likely to do even better following its December bow.
Joined: 27 Oct 2005 Posts: 5016 Location: Hong Kong Country:
Posted: Tue Nov 21, 2006 3:05 pm Post subject:
Tu_triky wrote:
Finished watching Linda Linda Linda....it was pleasant but it suffered from uneven pacing....lots of dead time on screen, i felt....the characters needed to be fleshed out a bit more as well.
I think Swing Girls was better to be honest.
You'll get no argument from me - "Swing Girls" is definitely more entertaining.
Having said that though I think the two movies are of entirely different moods, and appeal to different groups of audience. I have enjoyed "Linda Linda Linda" as well, just not as much or in the same way as SG.
Incidentally I also downloaded from the above site, kindly provided by Tu. However when I played the files on WMP I am hearing comments throughout the movie from a couple of guys, probably the director and producer. I can't find a way to get rid of this extra chatter. Is this normal, or have I missed a step somewhere?
Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Posts: 46182 Location: Los Skandolous, California Country:
Posted: Wed Nov 22, 2006 12:44 am Post subject:
thtl wrote:
You'll get no argument from me - "Swing Girls" is definitely more entertaining.
i agree...i just felt the film had more vitality to do it.
Quote:
Having said that though I think the two movies are of entirely different moods, and appeal to different groups of audience. I have enjoyed "Linda Linda Linda" as well, just not as much or in the same way as SG.
i see the point of your critique.....i guess they're only similar in superficial terms....i only made the comparison given some of the obvious elements that both films share. i felt the film makers could have done more with the characters in Linda Linda Linda....but yeah thematically the portrayal of the characters aims at something different altoghether when compared to Swing Girls.
i thought the inclusion of a korean exchange student was great though...an unexpected twist....her character was my favorite i think.
Incidentally I also downloaded from the above site, kindly provided by Tu. However when I played the files on WMP I am hearing comments throughout the movie from a couple of guys, probably the director and producer. I can't find a way to get rid of this extra chatter. Is this normal, or have I missed a step somewhere?
really...sorry about that....someone else complained about that as well! hmm...i'm stumped because i didn't have that problem....but i assumed after double-checking the file names i had the same file that was provided at that link.....i am at a loss now...because either i'm deaf and didn't hear all that chatter or i really do have a different "copy" that doesn't have that chatter? weird.....
Just came back from watching Hannari ~ Geisha Modern....a superb documentary with exquisite photography. A rare treat for those interested in Japanese traditional culture.
This documentary received a lot of praise and publicity at Japan Expo. I hope it comes out on DVD One of the geisha featured in the movie, Makoto, appeared at the Expo. A petite woman, she is exquisitely beautiful, wonderfully graceful, and utterly charming. A line from her bio in the event program made me chuckle: "Having demonstrated her dedication to the geisha profession, she has been granted special permission to pursue a career as an R&B singer and radio personality."
Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Posts: 46182 Location: Los Skandolous, California Country:
Posted: Wed Nov 22, 2006 5:49 am Post subject:
shin2 wrote:
This documentary received a lot of praise and publicity at Japan Expo. I hope it comes out on DVD One of the geisha featured in the movie, Makoto, appeared at the Expo. A petite woman, she is exquisitely beautiful, wonderfully graceful, and utterly charming. A line from her bio in the event program made me chuckle: "Having demonstrated her dedication to the geisha profession, she has been granted special permission to pursue a career as an R&B singer and radio personality."
yeah it's true, shin...she is a jazz singer....she even has a minor recording contract as shown in the documentary...they even have a scene with her singing at a jazz cafe in New York City. she fields numerous questions throughout the documentary about being a geiko (geisha).
yeah it's true, shin...she is a jazz singer....she even has a minor recording contract as shown in the documentary...they even have a scene with her singing at a jazz cafe in New York City. she fields numerous questions throughout the documentary about being a geiko (geisha).
Now I'm hoping even more that this documentary will be released on DVD. She was such a captivating presence at the Expo; I wonder if that came through in the film as well.
Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Posts: 46182 Location: Los Skandolous, California Country:
Posted: Wed Nov 22, 2006 6:34 am Post subject:
shin2 wrote:
Now I'm hoping even more that this documentary will be released on DVD. She was such a captivating presence at the Expo; I wonder if that came through in the film as well.
yeah she has charisma - she exudes a sense of charm and refinement that comes across palpably. i would imagine she is an exceptional geiko.
Joined: 27 Oct 2005 Posts: 5016 Location: Hong Kong Country:
Posted: Wed Nov 22, 2006 6:54 am Post subject:
Tu_triky wrote:
i thought the inclusion of a korean exchange student was great though...an unexpected twist....her character was my favorite i think.
Bae Doo-na is also one of my favourite Korean actresses. You should see her in "Saving My Hubby" as a ex-volleyball player trying to rescue her husband from the clutches of a cheating club owner while carrying a baby on her back - touching and hilarious.
Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Posts: 46182 Location: Los Skandolous, California Country:
Posted: Wed Nov 22, 2006 7:01 am Post subject:
thtl wrote:
Bae Doo-na is also one of my favourite Korean actresses. You should see her in "Saving My Hubby" as a ex-volleyball player trying to rescue her husband from the clutches of a cheating club owner while carrying a baby on her back - touching and hilarious.
Thanks for the recommendation. I'll make a note of it.
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