Araki Mataemon: Ketto Kagiyanotsuji (Vendetta of Samurai)--I thought this 1952 film, directed by Mori Kazuo with a screenplay by Kurosawa Akira, was pretty interesting. The movie starts with a tongue-in-cheek depiction of a famous vendetta; this revision of an historical event plays fast and loose with the actual facts. The rest of the movie then sets the record straight (at least from Kurosawa's perspective). It delves into the psychological effects carrying out a vendetta has on both the targeted and the avengers. It also shows how physically tough it is to carry out a vendetta from trying to find the subject of the vendetta, to setting up a plan, to actually carrying it out.
I also found the cast interesting. Four of the actors (including Mifune Toshiro and Shimura Takashi) who would go on to play the hired samurai in Shichinin no Samurai (Seven Samurai) two years later are in this movie. In addition, three other actors who would play significant roles as peasants in Seven Samurai are also in this film.
Now available at ADC for download: Drifting Avenger.
The Drifting Avenger (Koya no toseinin, 1968) was clearly intended to give the biggest star of the decade, Ken Takakura, a chance to dress & act like a western gunslinger, whose father (Takashi Shimura) raised Ken's character in the American west.
A Japanese family in the old west is slaughtered by bandits. Ken Takakura's parents were murdered when he was standing up fighting the killers, and he heads out on the trail of vengeance, aided long the way by an odd character called Marvin.
"The story is actually more complex than most spaghetti Westerns, because it goes beyond the "revenge for a slaughtered family" story, to explore how taking revenge doesn't really assauge the anger of having your loved ones die.
This isn't a great movie, but it's interesting to see how a Japanese film studio imitates a spaghetti Western, and I recommend it in that regard." (scannon)
Joined: 14 Feb 2009 Posts: 6884 Location: Syracuse, NY Country:
Posted: Thu May 05, 2011 4:37 am Post subject:
Cafe Isobe, was an entertaining film though not as funny or quirky as I had expected it to be, actually the last 1/3 of it was a bit sad and depressing but it was still a film worth viewing, Kumiko alone was worth the admission price. _________________
Joined: 14 Feb 2009 Posts: 6884 Location: Syracuse, NY Country:
Posted: Sun May 08, 2011 5:11 am Post subject:
Finally viewed this, been wanting to for years, watched the 140 minute version. Hard to give it a thumbs up, mildly disappointed, just didn't make a lot sense to me and not as much action as I expected. _________________
Jaji no Futari (The Two in Tracksuits): This 2008 film directed by Nakamura Yoshihiro is another one of those wry Japanese movies where nothing much happens plot-wise, but there are subtle inferences lurking about. Two guys--a father (Ayukawa Makoto) and son (Sakai Masato)--escape the heat of a Tokyo summer to spend several days in a family mountain cabin. There they wrestle with issues like tomatoes, cell phone reception, and what is written on the tracksuits they wear. A year later they do it again. There are only a few other characters who pop up. Among them Mizuno Miki plays Sakai's wife and Okuso Michiyo is a friendly but quirky neighbor.
This is the fourth or fifth movie I've seen with Sakai Masato, and he's become an actor I like--his facial expressions are both funny and telling.
I suspect that people who enjoyed movies like Megane (Glasses), Kamome Shokudo (Seagull Diner), Nankyoku Ryorinin (Chef of the South Pole), and Keimusho no Naka (Doing Time)--movies that also have very little plots, would also tend to like this one. While it's definitely not as good as the last three movies I just mentioned, it is a pleasant enough watch.
Joined: 13 Apr 2007 Posts: 12123 Location: It was fun while it lasted. Country:
Posted: Mon May 09, 2011 7:33 pm Post subject:
Watanabe Ken stars in big-budget film about Hayabusa space probe
May 8, 2011
Some details have been released regarding Toei�fs movie about the Hayabusa space probe, tentatively titled �gShouwakusei Tansaki Hayabusa: Harukanaru Kikan.�h The big-budget film will star actor Watanabe Ken as a character modeled after Kawaguchi Junichiro, the project manager behind the Hayabusa probe. In addition, Watanabe will be serving as project manager for the movie itself, working with director Takimoto Tomoyuki (�gHannin ni Tsugu,�h �gIkigami�h).
Toei is pouring in 1.5 billion yen for the movie�fs production, which includes building 3 life-sized models of the Hayabusa probe (about 6 meters long) under the guidance of JAXA. The studio Toei Animation will be doing CG work for the film.
The script for �gShouwakusei Tansaki Hayabusa�h is originally based off a work by journalist Yamane Kazuma, but it also includes information from exclusive interviews with more than 50 people associated with the project. The story covers the challenges faced by the mission�fs team over Hayabusa�fs 7-year flight to the asteroid 25143 Itokawa and back, becoming the first mission to bring back an asteroid sample to Earth.
The probe, which successfully returned to Earth last year, is the subject of at least two other feature films, including one by 20th Century Fox starring actress Takeuchi Yuko.
The rest of the cast for �gShouwakusei Tansaki Hayabusa�h will be announced in the near future. In order to learn the technical knowledge necessary for the film, the cast is conducting technical rehearsals until May 20, when the film begins shooting. In mid-July, they plan to shoot part of the movie overseas, and filming will wrap up at the end of that month.
Toei is aiming to complete post-production in December of this year, making the film ready for release in 2012.
Joined: 13 Feb 2010 Posts: 189 Location: Ontario Country:
Posted: Thu May 12, 2011 10:44 am Post subject:
Swing Girls: Kicking myself for not seeing this sooner. I remember reading about it when it was first released, but after becoming big fans of Juri and Kanjiya Shihori I finally decided to watch it.
Can't say anything bad about the film, was smiling from start to finish. Kinda weird seeing the girls who joined the band late get so good since they were too busy hanging out with boys, but I didn't really care afterwards.
Have to wonder if Takenaka Naoto ever grew out his hair?
Swing Girls: Kicking myself for not seeing this sooner. I remember reading about it when it was first released, but after becoming big fans of Juri and Kanjiya Shihori I finally decided to watch it.
Can't say anything bad about the film, was smiling from start to finish. Kinda weird seeing the girls who joined the band late get so good since they were too busy hanging out with boys, but I didn't really care afterwards.
Not a deep film by any means, but thoroughly entertaining and fun.
Quote:
Have to wonder if Takenaka Naoto ever grew out his hair?
Himitsu no Hanazono (My Secret Cache)--This 1997 movie is about a slacker (Nishida Naomi) who has been obsessed with money her entire life. She lands a job working in a bank when, during her interview when asked what her hobbies are, she truthfully replies, "counting money." Eventually this lazy, aimless not-too-smart young woman stumbles upon her holy grail--to retrieve 500 million yen from a bank heist in which she was kidnapped and the only one to have a vague idea of its whereabouts. The problem is the money is somewhere in a largely inaccessible wilderness. With singular determination, she goes about learning the necessary skills to achieve her goal: driving, swimming, scuba diving, mountain climbing, geological surveying.
This is a low budget comedy which embraces its cheapness and deliberately and gleefully projects an almost amateurish approach to the story. The result is an often hilarious, surprisingly entertaining film. It's not great moviemaking, but it was fun to watch.
Safe to say Kitano's done better. I was kind of disappointed in it. If you like a lot of violence (and I mean a LOT of violence!!) then you might like it. The only positive for me was Shiina Kippei as Kitano's #2 , Mizuno. I was surprised he did so well as a yakuza!
The other thing I can't figure out is, at the end of the credits they say there's going to be an "Outrage 2" this Fall, but
Click on button to reveal/hide spoiler:
How can you have an "Outage 2" when everybody gets killed in the first "Outrage"??
This movie should have been called the "Art of the Triple Cross." I agree it wasn't a heady drama but I found it amusing and quite funny at times, perhaps because it's so over the top.
In any event, I agree with your comment about the sequel.
This movie should have been called the "Art of the Triple Cross." I agree it wasn't a heady drama but I found it amusing and quite funny at times, perhaps because it's so over the top.
Joined: 13 Feb 2010 Posts: 189 Location: Ontario Country:
Posted: Tue May 17, 2011 11:42 am Post subject:
The Incite Mill: Film reminded me a bit of CUBE, but instead of unknown actors trapped you get the Hori-Pro All-Stars. Wasn't expecting much, but came away enjoying myself despite seeing a few twists coming a mile away. One thing I really liked is that there is a robot watching over the characters, and the robot looks like it came from a 50's sci-fi/Doctor Who episode, very cool.
Performances were good, at least Fujiwara didn't get as annoying as he did in a few scenes from Battle-Royale, but was fine for most of the film. Oh, and the first close-up shot of Ayase? Total
Swing Girls: [...]
Kinda weird seeing the girls who joined the band late get so good since they were too busy hanging out with boys, but I didn't really care afterwards.
Had the same feeling too, I then started considering the end of the "concert" outside the mall as some sort of fast forward a couple of months since it abruptly starts snowing although the weather wasn't that cold...
Had the same feeling too, I then started considering the end of the "concert" outside the mall as some sort of fast forward a couple of months since it abruptly starts snowing although the weather wasn't that cold...
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but it was still a film worth viewing, Kumiko alone was worth the admission price. 
Hard to give it a thumbs up, mildly disappointed, just didn't make a lot sense to me and not as much action as I expected. 
