Gekijouban Yasashii Supittzu a secret session in Obihiro, Spice Yori Ai wo Komete, Tomo ni Ikiru Shoka Kanazawa Shouko, Binan Pekopan to Akuma, Covid vs Devotion, 7WAYS, Tatazuma Monster Japanese Film Trailers

Happy Weekend

This is the second part of a two-part trailer post. You can find the first part here.

This week, I posted reviews of A Little Girl’s Dream (2014) and Somebody’s Flowers (2022), both of which are playing as part of the Japan Film Festival+ free screenings. There are six films in total, also including On the Edge of their Seats, Shiver, What Can You Do About It.

In other film-related happenings, season four of Heroic Purgatory has started with an episode on the Jackie Chan x Michelle Yeoh film Police Story 3: Supercop. I also watched quite a few titles like the Ghibli films Ocean Waves, My Neighbors the Yamadas, From Up On Poppy Hill, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Princess Mononoke, and Whisper of the Heart the Hong Kong films Yes, Madam! and Royal Warriors, and the Krzysztof Kieślowski film The Double Life of Veronique. I also marathoned the Netflix series, Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre – a lot of fun.

What else was released this weekend?

Monster, Hikari o Mitsukeru Bairinisuto Anazawa Yuusuke Kara no Messeji, Akogare o Koeta Samurai-tachi Sekai Ichi e no Kiroku, The Dry Spell, Aki wa Haru to Gohan wo Tabetai, Ensemble Stars! THE STAGE Party Live, Japanese Film Trailers

Happy Weekend

Making use of Netflix, I spent time watching the few Ghibli I had never seen before: Ocean Waves, From Up on Poppy Hill, and My Neighbors the Yamadas. The former is a well-crafted coming-of-age drama while the latter was a fun family comedy that reminded me of a yon-koma with wonderful music by Akiko Yano. I preferred the former because it was beautiful to look at and reminded me of my time in Tokyo. Poppy Hill? Better than the critics suggested it was. Once you get into the time period it is set in, it is quite affecting.

Anyway, this is the first of a two-part trailer post. It features Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Monster, a film that picked up an award at the 2023 edition of the Cannes Film Festival. Also at the fest, Koji Yakusho won the Best Actor award, becoming the fast Japanese actor to win it since Yuya Yagira for Nobody Knows.

This is the first set of films released this weekend.

26-ji 13-bu, Spring in Between, Boku no Machi wa Ofuro ga Atsukute Maizokin ga Dete Ramen ga Umai., Ikuharu Kakete Oi Yukan Kajin Baba Akiko no Hibi, Itan no Jun’ai, Shugendo Renaissance, Takumi-kun Shiri-zu Nagai Nagai Monogatari Hajimari no Asa, Japanese Film Trailers

Happy Weekend

This is the second part of this week’s trailer post. The first part is here.

The Cannes Film Festival is still in effect and it has been interesting collecting views on the films playing. Monster by Hirokazu Kore-eda came out of the gate strong with solid reviews but it was soon eclipsed by Jonathan Glazer’s Zone of Interest. The other big Japanese film, Kubi, has also received mixed reviews and while Western critics have fallen over themselves to praise Wim Wenders’ Perfect Days, I’ve seen one notable Japanese critic point out that it indulges in exoticisation. It’ll be interesting to watch them all and decide for myself!

As for my other film activities, I took part in the recording of Season 4 of Heroic Purgatory earlier this week so stay tuned for that!

In terms of films reviewed, two Hong Kong titles:

Detective vs Sleuths (2022) and Police Story 3: Supercop (1992)

The former is a Wai Ka-Fai title that is a high-octane re-tread of Mad Detective while the latter is a Jackie Chan action-adventure, only with less comedy and higher production values than you might expect. Also, in that film, Michelle Yeoh steals the show.

In terms of films watched, Breaking News (2004) by Johnnie To, Doppelganger by Kiyoshi Kurosawa, and Our House By Yui Kiyoharal

In terms of games played, The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky.

What else was released this weekend?

Hamon, Kishibe Rohan Louvre e Iku, Kowareru Koto Ikiru Koto, The Feast of Amrita, Aragne: Sign of Vermillion (Refined Version), Gekijouban CollarxMalice Deep Cover, Gunbuster, Japanese Film Trailers

Happy Weekend

This is the first of a two-part trailer post. Second part tomorrow.

Between getting a severe hankering to play Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin and Advance Wars (the original on GBA), I’ve maintained my film watching with some major titles and quickly-written reviews. I’ve also been watching Cannes (via the internet) with interest.

For coverage of the Cannes Film Festival from the Western trades, check out this Twitter thread.

Back to films released in Japan.

What are the first wave of films released this weekend?

Idolish7 the Movie Live 4Bit Beyond the Period, The River Breathes, Aru Hi Aru Onna, Storage Man., Sekai de Tatakau Film-tachi, Old Narcissus, 100 Faces of HUAWEI, Beyond the Mountain, The Yangtze River, Long Time No See Wuhan, Japanese Film Trailers

Happy Weekend

This is the second part of a two-part trailer post. The first part is here.

This week I started with a review of the short film Kidofuji and an interview with its composer/writer/director Atsuru Shimoyashiro. A short set in a real-life standing bar in Koenji, Tokyo. I lived a stop away in Asagaya when I lived in Japan and rarely stopped at Koenji. Thus, this might be a place to visit if I get a chance to go to Japan again!

I followed that up with a review of Drive into Night, one of the free films currently streaming at the Japan Film Festival Plus website. It has a great performance from Tomomitsu Adachi as a man with pent-up emotions uncoiling violently in a small town.

I’ve been watching the Cannes Film Festival coverage and waiting for news on Takeshi Kitano!

I’m still playing Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky and I’m at the end of the second chapter!

In terms of films watched, I finished the Suit Yourself or Shoot Yourself series and loved the first five entries but prefer to forget the sad sixth entry ;_:

I watched Detective vs Sleuths and Police Story 3: Super Cop!

What are the other films released this weekend?

A Hard Day, Uchuu-jin no Aitsu, 「Amuse Presents SUPER HANDSOME LIVE 2022 “ROCK YOU! ROCK ME!!”」3 Live Screens, Eikyuu Shounen Eternal Boys Tokubetsu Henshuu-ban, Synapusyu The Movie, Shizukananaru Don – Part 2, Magome, Japanese Film Trailers

Happy Weekend

This is the first part of a two-part trailer post!

The Cannes Film Festival has kicked off and I placed on the Heroic Purgatory Twitter account a tweet thread of film coverage from the trade papers like Variety and Hollywood Reporter. Kore-eda’s Monster got a lot of reviews from day two but I’ve been skim reading to avoid major spoilers for many of the reviews since it’s a Rashomon-like story. Anyway, check that thread since it will be updated with more reviews and news!

Also Heroic Purgatory related, we released an episode dedicated to John Carpenter’s Big Trouble in Little China! Check it out!

What are the first batch of Japanese films released this weekend?

Izure Anata ga Shiru Hanashi, Origin of Lies “Drawing Song / White Lie”, Alone Together, Tokyo Kumikyoku 2020, Mita mono no Kiroku, Rohen Kasou, Japanese Film Trailers

Happy Weekend

This is the second part of the two-part trailer post. You can find the first part here.

So, as stated, in that aforementioned post, I’m playing The Legend  of Heroes: Trails in the Sky on the PSP after completing Persona 3. I’ve got the rest of the Legend of Heroes series for the same console but they are in Japanese. Indeed, with the exception of Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness, the remaining PSP games that I have yet to complete are all Japanese-language – Valkyria Chronicles 3, Umineko no Naku Koro ni 1 & 2, Star Ocean 2: The Second Departure, Grand Knights History, Summon Knight 3, La Pucelle Tactics. My Japanese is terrible, though, since I haven’t practised seriously over the last two years due to illness and so I may not get around to ever playing them.

That written, I’ve made more of an effort over the last month and do kanji for two hour’s a day!

In film terms, I watched four John Carpenter films – Prince of Darkness, The Fog, In the Mouth of Madness, and Big Trouble in Little China – and finished watching the Japan Film Festival Plus line-up of free films. This week I reviewed What Can You Do About It and Shiver. I’m also watching V-Cinema films from the 90s.

What are the other films released this weekend?

Adulthood Friends, Gekijouban Oshi ga Budoukan itte Kuretara Shinu, Shizukananaru Don – Part 1, Go! Go! Sakura Club, Nagisa, Life is Climbing!, Let It Be: Fear Never Ends (Into the Dreams…and Horror Experiences 2), Japanese Film Trailers

Happy Weekend

This is the first of a two-part trailer post so the second part comes tomorrow.

I’ve upped my film watching again and I’m writing reviews more consistently. I really want to cover another video game. I’m playing The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky and it hasn’t been super-inspirational or original but the detail dialogue and character interactions are entertaining.

Anyway, back to films.

What are the first batch of films released this weekend?

Father of the Milky Way Road, Ginga Tetsudo no Chichi, PascaLs Shiawase no Youna Mono, Avataro Sentai Donbrothers VS Zenkaiger, the Donbrothers, Hamada Shogo “A Place in the Sun at Nagisa-en Summer of 1988”, Hama no Don, Be Here Now, Saihate, Japanese Film Trailers

Happy Weekend

Well, this week I started things off with a review of the Yoichi Sai 1985 noir Let Him Rest in Peace. Not necessarily the most exciting film but its old-school heroes and themes of masculinity meshed well with the atmosphere of corruption in an economically broken Okinawa.

I then posted about the Japanese and Korean films at the Cannes Film Festival 2023, which starts the week after next. Excited to hear about the latest Takeshi Kitano. It’s a jidaigeki and it’s reportedly his last film. There are a LOT of interesting Korean films, too.

I’ve had to get my skates on and start watching the latest round of films at the Japan Film Festival + website (all legal and free). I’ve watched What Can You Do About It?, In the Distance, Shiver. I’ve already reviewed On the Edge of Their Seats and interviewed its director. You can read my write-up of the season of films here.

In terms of books, still trying to get through Madame Bovary. Not really enjoying it. I’m still playing The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky – slowly getting into it. I’m reading two-decade-old art and Japan-related magazines. That’s my week. I hope you’re doing something culturally enriching!

What are the films released this weekend? And one on May 01st!

Esper X Tantei-sha Sayonara no Sagashimono, YIELD Final Version, Daichiyo Aino to Shite Ikiru, Houkago Angler Life, Life work of Akira Kurosawa, Japanese Film Trailers

Happy Weekend

This is the second part of the two-part trailer post for this week. The first part is here.

Well, this week saw me swerve around in terms of films I wrote about as I was taken by the Jack Nicholson picture The Passenger (1975) and wanted to write something about it. Usually, I write about Japanese films – like, this week I wrote about Love and Murder of Sheep and Wolf – but I’ll be broadening out what I write about when the fancy takes me. I’ll return to video games soon!

What are the other films released this weekend?