REVIEW: The Borrower Arrietty

借りぐらしのアリエッティ (Karigurashi no Arietti)

Released: 2010

Director:
Hiromasa Yonebayashi

Starring (voice talent):
Mirai Shida
Ryunosuke Kamiki
Tatsuya Fujiwara
Shinobu Ootake
Keiko Takeshita

Running time: 94 mins.


Reviewed by Chris MaGee

Arrietty lives at home with her father Pod and her mother Homily. Like most teenagers Arriety if full of energy. She feels like she just can't grow up fast enough; but like most families this trio has more to worry about than Arrietty's dreams of adventure. Pod and Homily are having trouble making ends meet and they're considering moving from their home. Maybe simplifying their lives will ease the situation. One day, though, the family's life is upset when Arrietty meets a boy. Oh, and did I mention that Arrietty and her parents are only about six inches tall and that their home is located underneath the floorboards of a large country house, and it's from this house that the family "borrows" everything they need to survive - food, materials for clothing and odds and ends to furnish their home. They only take just what they need, though, so as to never draw attention to themselves. That's exactly what happens when Arrietty's young admirer, Sho, catches sight of her one night when she and Pod come venture into the house for some sugar and tissue. This young man, who has come to convalesce in his aunt's home before he goes for heart surgery, means Arrietty's family no harm, but the friendship he forges with this tiny girl, and the attention it brings, is exactly what her family has been trying to avoid. Soon their lives are turned upside down by the servant woman who cares for Sho.

This is, more or less, the basic story of Mary Norton's 1952 children's novel "The Borrowers", a book that has captured the imaginations of film-makers for nearly 40 years. Norton's fantasy been adapted into two made-for-TV movies, one in the U.S. and one on the U.K., and into a feature film directed by Peter Hewitt. Now Norton's tale has been adapted into a script by none other than Hayao Miyazaki. That script forms the basis of "The Borrower Arrietty", the latest animated feature film from Miyazaki's Studio Ghibli. Instead of the venerable creator of such films as "My Neighbor Totoro" and "Spirited Away" helming the project he has handed the reigns to first time director Hiromasa Yonebayashi. Yonebayashi worked behind the scenes and Ghibli for years, working as an in-between animator and key animator on such films as "Princess Mononoke", "My Neighbors the Yamadas", "Spirited Away" and "Howl's Moving Castle". Having apprenticed on such contemporary classics he seems to be the perfect person to take Studio Ghibli into the future. But what does "The Borrower Arrietty" represent? A move forward or a move back for the revered 26-year-old animation house?

Hayao Miyazaki has always been a fan of children's literature from around the world. One just has to look at his 2004 film "Howl's Moving Castle" which was based on a novel by British author Diana Wynne Jones. With that in mind it's easy to see why "The Borrowers" drew his attention. Not only is it set in the kind of idyllic European landscape that Miyazaki used for "Kiki's Delivery Service" and "Porco Rosso", but it also features all the components for a classic Miyazaki feature. First there is the plucky female heroine, Arrietty, who like her cinematic sisters Nausicca, Kiki, Princess Mononoke and Chihiro, possesses determination and pioneering spirit. Like all Miyazaki leading ladies Arrietty is less concerned with the decisions of the grown-ups around her. She's not impudent or disrespectful of her parents, but at her core she takes council from one person... herself. "The Borrower Arrietty" also holds it's won kind of environmental message. Arrietty's family belong to a people who are in danger of extinction. We learn that once there were thousands of miniature Borrowers like Pod, Homily and Arrietty. Some even used to share the nooks and crannies of the country house with the family; but slowly the number of Borrowers have dwindled. Human beings, the true villains in the Miyazaki mythos, have rooted out and marginalized the Borrowers so that now Arrietty can't recall the last time she saw another of her kind. And while "The Borrower Arrietty" doesn't feature the fantastical flying machines that careen through so many Miyazaki films it does feature some of the most ingenious miniature designs created by Arrietty's father Pod. A scene early in the film in which he and Arrietty head up into the house via a maze of tiny passages and ladders constructed from nails, staples, thumb tacks and string can easily stand with the best moments in Miyazaki's, or his Ghibli partner Isao Takahata's, ouevre.

So why, if "The Borrower Arrietty" represents such a perfect installment in the Miyazaki continuum, did he just not direct the film himself? Well, fans of the 70-year-old animator know, that despite his famously workaholic tendencies, that he has been threatening to retire since the completion of "Princess Mononoke" back in 1997. We will probably never see a fully retired Miyazaki, but even he knows that in this new century he needs to begin to foster the talents of Ghibli's many animators, and push some of them to the fore. Miyazaki grumbled at the idea of his own son Goro helming the studio's "Tales of Earthsea", but Hiromasa Yonebayashi has been so steeped in all things Ghibli that it makes sense for him to take a stab at the animation style that made his sensei so loved around the world. That's the one problem with "The Borrower Arrietty".

Yonebayashi takes the task of directing Miyazaki's script seriously, very seriously, so that instead of forwarding the creative legacy of Studio Ghibli he ends up simply aping its founder. The sun dappled landscapes sometimes go beyond beautiful to being kitschy, the usual tuneful Joe Hisaishi score has been replaced with the saccharine sweet songs of French harpist Cécile Corbel. Everything on screen seems to scream "Tradition". This of course is in no way a deal breaker for Studio Ghibli fans, including me. It's hard to be objective about Miyazaki and Studio Bhibli as it has come to represent the cinematic equivalent of a macaroni and cheese or a warm blanket for people like me. There is definitely a comfort in a Miyazaki/ Ghibli film. Still with the landscape of anime continuing to evolve, especially in the films of Ghibli rival Studio 4°C, it's getting more and more difficult to adhere to the idea that Studio Ghibli represents the apex of Japanese animation. We're never going to see a Ghibli director produce a film as wild as say Masaaki Yuasa's "Mind Game", but I think Yonebayashi should have approached Miyazaki's charming script with the spirit of experimentation exhibited in the work of Ghibli's Isao Takahata, a man who isn't afraid to mix up styles and moods in a single film. Maybe with that approach "The Borrower Arrietty" could have gone from being a very nice variation of the Miyazaki formula to being a project that would signal the future of the studio.

Tetsuaki Matsue and Kenta Maeno team up again for a "New Morning"

by Chris MaGee

One of the biggest sensations in Japan's indie film-making world in recent years is 33-year-old director Tetsuaki Matsue. Matsue made a name for himself directing such quirky documentaries as "Every Japanese Woman Knows How to Make Curry" and "Annyong Kimchi", but he really shot to international notoriety when his documentary "Live Tape" won the Best Film prize in the Japanese Eyes programme at the 2009 Tokyo International Film Festival. That film was shot in a single unbroken 74-minute take and followed folk musician Kenta Maeno as he wandered the streets of Tokyo's Kichijoji district on the morning of New Year's Day 2009. Since the win at Tokyo IFF Matsue and Maeno have toured festivals worldwide with "Live Tape", but their collaboration hasn't stopped there.

In February of this year Kenta Maeno released his new CD "Fakkumi". Yes, that title is written in katakana and thus translates to "Fuck Me", but before you think that Maeno has gone hardcore punk consider the single "Atarashii Asa (New Morning)". It's a cathartic song of renewal and one released just when Japan needs a bit of catharsis. To direct the video for the song Maeno called on Matsue and the touching and subtle result can be seen over at the excellent Japanese-language film blog Hoga-Holic. Just click here to check it out. Our thanks go to J-Film Pow-Wow friend and Hoga-Holic writer Emi Ueyama for the heads up.

Mamoru Oshii's "Cyborg 009" short shows up online... but is it a trailer for a future project?

by Chris MaGee

It was way back in October that we told you about how Mamoru Oshii was directing a new animated short film based around Shotaro Ishinomori's classic manga "Cyborg 009". That manga tells the story of an organization called The Black Ghost Society that transforms people into cybernetic agents. Perfect material for Oshii, who brought us "Ghost in the Shell", right?

At that point word was that Oshii's take on "Cyborg 009" would only be a 5-minute short film that would screen at the Panasonic booth at the CEATEC Japan 2010 trade show. Now the film has popped up online, but the big surprise is that this 5-minute short looks more like a 5-minute trailer. Could it be as we'd predicted last year? That Oshii, who has a habit of revisiting his fantastical "Ghost in the Shell" and "Assault Girls" worlds, may be doing the same with "Cyborg 009"? Can we expect a full length feature in the near future?

You be the judge. Head over to Wildgrounds to watch the full film/ trailer and see if you think we can expect more cyborg goodness in the near future.

REVIEW: My Back Pages

マイ・バック・ページ (Mai bakku peji)

Released: 2011

Director:
Nobuhiro Yamashita

Starring:
Ken'ichi Matsuyama
Satoshi Tsumabuki
Hanae Kan
Tomokazu Miura
Aoi Nakamura

Ruinning time: 141 mins.


Reviewed by Nicholas Vroman

“My Back Page,” Nobuhiro Yamashita’s part thriller and part paean to the radical student movement of the late 60s/early70s in Japan, is a smart and heartfelt study of the failures, broken dreams and the not-so-noble motivations of a generation prone to reification. A certain zeitgeist seems to be hitting the Japanese screens over the least few years where exploration of this turning point in 20th century history is open game for re-examination. Koji Wakamatsu, who lived through the time, broke through the wall with his incisive and unsentimental portrayal of radicals in “United Red Army.” Last year’s “Norwegian Wood” used images of billy club-bearing, helmeted student radicals as a backdrop for an otherwise sentimental love story that could have happened at any time in history.

“Norwegian Wood” featured rising star Kenichi Matsuyama as the hapless and non-committal main character, Toru. Though he gave the role all his might, the decidedly flat character had no room to move, dramatically or emotionally. In “My Back Page,” Matsuken (as he’s known to his fans) gets a chance to dig deep into the heart and mind of Umeyama, a radical wannabe. Playing off Satoshi Tsumabaki’s naïve young reporter, Sawada, the parrying and thrusting of their relationship drives the otherwise downbeat tale with a certain energy and complexity that makes “My Back Page” an enthralling film.

Base on a memoir of by critic Saburo Kawamoto, “My Back Page,” chronicles the heady events that began around the fall of Yasuda Auditorium in January 1969. Referenced, though never seen in the film, the police ouster of students occupying the Tokyo University building is generally recognized as the beginning of the end of the radical student movement in Japan. It’s from this turning point in the radical movement that the energy began to dissipate or become calcified, inspiring hard-line leftist groups to become direct action cults.

“My Back Page” opens with young Sawada and a couple of buddies as inept hippy entrepreneurs, trying to sell pet bunnies. Sawada makes a mistake of storing a box of rabbits behind a building where they accidently expire. The head of this trio, Tamotsu gets beaten up by his yakuza suppliers and bids goodbye to Sawada and the aptly named Kuristo (Christ). This simple and seemingly throwaway beginning sets the themes that will be explored throughout the move. Actions – or inactions – that cause harm and death are given a simple metaphor with the dead rabbits. Sawada is spared from the results of his actions and embarks on his career of being a reporter. Responsibility evades him throughout the film.

Cut to sometime in the future, Sawada lands a job at the Touto media empire, working for the weekly gossip rag, rather than the primo job with the news team. He has just written a sentimental and sloppy story about the homeless and is rightfully taken down several pegs by his bosses. Grabbing onto the coattails of a more savvy and seasoned reporter, Nakahira (Kanji Furutachi) he gets an object lesson in creating a news story - delivering a wanted radical organizer to a demonstration where an attempted arrest and escape make the headlines. Nakahira, though, gets the byline.

Meeting young radical, Umeyama, gives Sawada the idea that Umeyama may be the man that will give him the story that will make him noticed. Umeyama also see a similar end in the naïve reporter that he can use for his own ends.

Umeyama is introduced at a leftist student meeting where he shouts down his main rival and creates a new radical cell. Though only having a handful of people he sets an unformed radical agenda with an idea of armed insurrection. Through a mix of manipulation, charisma and pure bull-headedness he manages to get his immediate peers and most importantly, Sawada, to believe in him. He moves his agenda toward a senseless murder that ultimately leads to his arrest. Deluded to the end, Umeyama gets his moment in the spotlight, but to a misused and wasted end.

Both Sawada and Umeyama are portrayed as being idealists. Sawada identifies with the student movement and with his position in the media thinks he can help the cause. Umeyama believes in a new and better future, though the boy’s got some other problems. Sawada wants his scoop, his moment of fame being an important reporter. It’s noteworthy that Sawada is never shown writing, ever. Umeyama thinks he can have his moment in the spotlight, not only to salve his own ego, but to build his twisted idea of revolution. They work each other for their own ends. The idealism of whatever they may have believed in gets lost in their personal delusions.

Umeyama winds up in jail, an aberration in the history of radical struggle. Sawada, years later, has become a film critic. He never was a good reporter. Ducking into an izakaya, he accidently meets up with his old hippy pal, Tamotsu, now a bar owner and family man. His failures, lack of commitment and losses catch up with him in a flood of tears as he downs a beer. The screen cuts to white.

Even though flawed (Sawada) or manipulative and evil (Umeyama), under Yamashita’s assured direction makes them both ultimately empathetic. The cast of hardboiled newspapermen, career-smart cover girls and abused revolutionary enablers are also illuminated in a positive light. Details of 6 mat hideouts festooned with revolutionary banners and the pre-computer age newsroom (think “All the President’s Men”) are carefully detailed and evocative of times, not too long ago, past. And most importantly, the showing the desires and failures of the 60s and 70s, warts and all, may be a more fitting legacy to a mixed up and fascinating time.

Read more by Nicholas Vroman at his blog

AKB48 member goes from "kawaii" to "kowai" in upcoming 3D horror film

by Chris MaGee

Who said J-Horror was dead? Okay, maybe the formulaic "dead wet girls" type of moody, bloodless films that took the world by storm in the 00's ended up outstaying their welcome, but Japanese studios still know that movie fans love to be scared. It's their job to figure out knew and ingenious ways to give people chills and goosebumps. The latest case in point a new 3D horror film with a famous pop star in the lead role.

Tokyograph is reporting that Reina Fujie, a 17-year-old member of pop sensation AKB48, will be starring in a new film directed by Koichi Tsubaki titled “Enkiri-mura: Dead End Survival”. The film revolves around a TV crew who head out to a village outside of Tokyo to shoot a program on the local cuisine. The village isn't just famous for its cooking though. It is also known to be a place where pilgrims can pray for evil to be lifted. Evil also dwells in the village in the form of an evil spirit named Enkiri-sama. That's where AKB48's Fujie comes in. She portrays the spirit (that's her in the promo still above).

Joining Fujie in "Enkiri-mura: Dead End Survival” are Shiferu Saiki, who plays the head of the village, and Mayuka Okada, who portrays the producer in charge of the TV crew. Unlike so many Japanese horror films "Enkiri-mura" won't be hitting theatres in August (the height of summer when people need to be "chilled" by a scary movie), but in October, just in time for Halloween.

Takashi Miike goes from jidaigeki remakes to video game adaptation with "Ace Attorney"

by Chris MaGee

Takashi Miike may not be shocking audiences with transgressive visions like "Audition", "Ichi the Killer" and "Gozu", but he certainly hasn't lost his ability to confound movie lovers. There have been more than a few of us who think that Miike is drifting from cult film-maker to A-list director with his recent films "13 Assassins" and "Ichimei", but for each of these big budget jidaigeki remakes there are manga/ anime adaptions like "Nintama Rantaro" and "Yatterman". It's like Akira Kurosawa going from directing "Seven Samurai" and then following it up with a goofy live-action "Sazae-san" movie.

It looks like Miike will continue to screw with audiences' expectations with next project. After remaking Masaki Kobayashi's 1962 classic "Harakiri" Miike will go on to directing a live-action film of Capcom's video game "Gyakuten Saiban (Ace Attorney)". The game takes place in a near future Japan in which criminal trials take place in only three days. It's up to the players of the game to investigate the charges and prove the guilt or innocence of the defendant before the three day deadline hits. Toei, the studio behind this adaptation, has cast Hiroki Narimiya as lead attorney Phoenix Wright, Mirei Kiritani as Maya Fey, the head of Wright's law firm, and Reiji Mitsurugi as councillor Miles Edgeworth. The film will hearken back to its gaming roots with plenty of CGI effects and a functional courtroom built on Toei's Kyoto back lot.

Expect to see Miike's "Gyakuten Saiban (Ace Attorney)" in Japanese theatres at the start of 2012. Thanks to Tokyograph for this story.

REVIEW: The Woman In The Rumour

噂の女 (Uwasa no onna)

Released: 1954

Director:
Kenji Mizoguchi

Starring:
Kinuyo Tanaka
Tomoemon Otani
Yoshiko Kuga
Eitaro Shindo
Bontaro Miake

Running time: 83 mins.




Reviewed by Bob Turnbull

If you ever wondered where the term "It's a man's world" came from, you could do worse than start looking in Japan circa 1954 - assuming that Kenji Mizoguchi's "The Woman In The Rumour" is any indication. The men in the movie (both the ones seen and those only spoken of) are mostly buffoons and drunks (who rarely have any major consequence befall them) or they are men of power who have no one to answer to for their misdeeds. That leaves few opportunities for the women. In the case of Hatsuko (she of the title of the film), you can still end up reasonably successful as the owner and operator (ie. mistress) of a respectable geisha establishment called the Izutsu House, but you are still relatively dependent on your customer base - men. Given the time frame of the film, the business of geisha houses is transitioning to prostitution and, in fact, Hatsuko's house is actually a brothel. Business is good though - there's a large set of repeat customers and new businessmen continue to stream through the doors - and Hatsuko has been able to live well, provide a full university education for her daughter Yukiko and provide reasonable livings for the 15 girls she supervises. "I heard the rumours that people were spreading about me, but I didn't care. I never thought I was doing anything shameful" says Hatsuko. The men certainly don't care - it doesn't seem to affect their respected standings to go to a brothel - but it's not as easy for the women involved. Or even the ones guilty by association.

For example, Hatsuko's daughter Yukiko. Even though she has a university education, as soon as her fiancee's family heard that her mother ran the Izutsu House, they forced a break-up. Despondent over her situation, Yukiko attempts suicide and the film opens with her being brought back to Izutsu to recuperate. Yukiko is very uncomfortable with the situation as she feels contempt for the profession and pity for the girls in the house. They aren't exactly brimming with joy at her presence either since the majority opinion is that she lives off the backs of their hard work. Considering the disparity of their rooms within the house, you can understand why this is the prevailing thought. One of the few stylish attributes of the film is the way Mizoguchi plays with space within the house and uses straight lines and sharp angles to determine boundaries (as evidenced in the lovely title screens showing several geometric shapes and patterns). Yukiko is separated from the geisha - living on another floor, eating in her own space, etc. - but after a conversation with the young house doctor Matoba, she breaks that separation by moving into their breakfast space to ask about an ailing geisha and then actually going to her room to check up on her and provide some care. The rest of the geisha are instantly turned around in their opinion: "We always thought you detested us" they reveal. Yukiko answers: "I detest what you do, but I can't do anything about that".

But there's further conflict to come. Matoba is Hatsuko's love interest and she is attempting to get him to settle in Kyoto and not move away to a bigger practice in Tokyo. He begins to be attracted to the closer in age Yukiko after seeing her sweetness exposed with the geisha. As they make plans to move to Tokyo and Hatsuko overhears them, the plot is set to match any of the best melodramas. Though the acting is never as high-pitched as a Hollywood melodrama and music is less of an integral part of denoting a character's feelings or intentions, the emotional weight of the situations is still brought fully to bear. Though the film is said to be one of Mizoguchi's lesser attempts (indeed it was pushed down on him by the studio), he still manages to create the tension necessary for the scenes to work. A performance of Noh theatre is a springboard for the confrontation - not only does Hatsuko overhear the young couple's plans there, but the plays themselves echo and even embellish the sentiments of the characters. "It's all the fault of love" is an early line in one of the plays before Hatsuko hears the plans that break her heart. As the performance winds down, a comedy makes fun of an "old woman in the throws of madness" because she dares to fall in love. While the audience laughs, Hatsuko feels like it's a direct attack on her.

"Life is all about suffering and you just have to deal with it". Not exactly words you want to live by, but as one of the characters expresses this in the film, you realize it may be the best way for these women to cope. While early in the story characters try to avoid being beholden to each other, by the end one of their main goals is to avoid having to depend on any of the men in their lives. Of course, that's not an easy task in the brothel business. One of the geisha states at one point: "I ask myself when will there be no more need for girls like us? But they just keep coming one after another". Though she is speaking about the number of women looking for jobs in their profession, "they just keep coming" could just as easily refer to the many male customers. There seems to be no end to their pleasure seeking and need for power. They don't seem to mind that it's at the expense of the women.

Read more from Bob Turnbull at his blog.

Hollywood remake of "Akira" goes back into development hell with departure of director

by Chris MaGee

Here's a bit of good news from this past week. For the longest time we have been dreading Warner Brothers remake of Katsuhiro Otomo's classic anime "Akira". We've been bombarded with reports that the film would star anyone and everyone from James Franco, Keanu Reeves, Robert Pattison and Andrew Garfield, and that to add insult to injury Warner would be transplanting the story from the post-apocalyptic New Tokyo to the post-apocalyptic New Manhattan. Ugh! All of this would be helmed by director Albert Hughes (above left), the man who brought us "From Hell" and "The Book of Eli". Well, now it appears that's no longer the case.

Twitch is reporting that Hughes has left "Akira" to find another Warner Brothers project that he can direct. The rumour is that "Akira" was getting to complex, and to far from the original source material, for Hughes' liking. Now before you start celebrating consider that Warner isn't seeing the departure of Hughes as being the death of the project. Apparently "Akira" is still on the "fast track" and a new director will be chosen soon. Like we said... a bit of good news. Maybe the longer this project gets delayed the greater the chance will be that someone (anyone!) will realize what a huge mistake it is.

Weekly Trailers

Tantei wa Bar ni Iru - Hajima Hashimoto (2011)

Yo Oizumi and Ryuhei Matsuda co-star in Hajima Hashimoto 's screen adaptation of mystery author Naomi Azuma’s novel “Bar ni Kakatte Kita Denwa”. Oizumi is a Sapporo-based private detective drawn into a risky new case and Matsuda plays his sidekick. "Tantei wa Bar ni Iru" is set for release in Japanese theatres on September 10th.




The X from Outer Space - Kazui Nihonmatsu (1967)

Toho kicked off the kaiju movie genre with "Gojira" in 1954 and followed him up with such giant baddies as King Ghidorah and Mothra. The folks at Daiei had to jump on the bandwagon and brought us "Gamera" and "Daimajin". Shochiku felt left out so in 1967 they brought us the their own giant monster, Guilala, in "The X from Outer Space".

REVIEW: Café Lumière

珈琲時光 (Kōhī Jikō)

Released: 2003

Director:
Hou Hsiao-Hsien

Starring:
Hitoto Yo
Tadanobu Asano
Masato Hagiwara
Kimiko Yo
Nenji Kobayashi

Running time: 103 mins.



Reviewed by David Lam

Hou Hsiao-Hsien’s "Café Lumière" opens with a static shot of twenty-something year old Yôko (Yo Hitoto) on a busy commuter train. Though she’s surrounded by passengers, she doesn’t interact with any of them. Instead, she’s staring off into space, thinking about the dream she had the other night and how it relates to the child she’s carrying. From there on, the camera slyly observes as Yôko wanders the city picking up clues on Jiang Wen-Ye (江文也, 1910–1983) a Taiwanese composer who apparently spent a brief amount of time in Japan. Aside from researching Jiang, Yôko periodically visits her friend (Tadanobu Asano) who works in a used bookstore and her parents who live in a rural part of Tokyo. The story may seem mundane but Hou has never been a filmmaker overly attached to narrative. Like all of Hou’s films, what is at stake in "Café Lumière" is the interior life of his characters and how it relates to their exterior world.

Commissioned as a film to commemorate Yasujiro Ozu (1903-1963), "Café Lumiere" is burdened with having to honour the work of a master filmmaker while still being its own film. Thankfully the film doesn’t come off as a carbon copy of Ozu’s works but rather a heartfelt tribute that manages to stand on its own as a film. Although Hou peppers the film with scenes that utilize Ozu’s famous tatami shot, what really connects the two filmmakers are their similar sensibilities towards cinema. Their films comprise of quietly observed moments that serve to illuminate the human condition. "Café Lumiere" is filled with these little moments that when added up gives us a broader sense of Yôko’s life. Very few words are spoken in Hou’s film; rather, we come to understand Yôko’s character little by little through watching her daily interactions. You can feel her sense of isolation when she’s holed up in her tiny flat or confined to a train filled with strangers. Even when she ventures to the outskirts of Tokyo to visit her parents you get the sense that she’s lost no matter where she is.

Hou does a masterful job in allowing his film to unfold in a naturalistic way. He isn’t afraid to let scenes linger on a little longer in order to capture a certain mood or emotion. There’s an elusiveness to the film that’s enhanced by the use of Jiang Wen-Ye’s delicate piano compositions in the soundtrack. Yo Hitoto and Tadanobu Asano work well with Hou’s sparse script. They’re both wonderfully understated and add to the subtly of the film. Whenever Hitoto and Asano are onscreen together there’s a quiet intimacy between them that transcends words or action.

Like all of Hou’s films, "Café Lumiere" looks breathtaking thanks to his go-to cinematographer Mark Lee Ping Bin. Whether it’s shots of the busy city or the tranquil countryside, Lee allows pools of sunlight to flood each frame, giving the film a soft dreamlike glow.

"Café Lumiere" is a touching film about finding one’s own place in the world. It doesn’t inundate the viewer with a broad message or art house pretension. It simply unfolds at its own deliberate pace and allows its characters to just exist in the moment. Hou pays homage to the cinema of Ozu by having his film be a work of tremendous beauty and grace.

Read more by David Lam at his blog

Actor Hiroyuki Nagato, 1934 - 2011

by Chris MaGee

It was in April of 2009 that actor Hiroyuki Nagato made the announcement that his wife of 33 years, actress Yoko Minamida, had been suffering from Alzheimer's Disease. It was only six months later that Minamida succumbed to the illness. It was a very sad ending to what seemed like a truly loving relationship. Now, less than two years later the story of Nagato and Minamida becomes that much more sad. On Saturday, May 21st Hiroyuki Nagato passed away at a Tokyo hospital. The cause of death was given as complications from heart surgery that Nagato had in 2010. He was 77.

Nagato was born Teruo Kato in Kyoto in 1934. Right from the beginning he was destined to have some kind of life in Japan's motion picture industry. Nagato's grandfather was Shozo Makino, often cited as being the first proper director in Japanese film history, his mother was actress, and Makino's daughter, Tomoko, and his father was actor Sadako Sawamura, star of such films as "Gate of Hell" and "The Burmese Harp". Nagato's younger brother is actor Masahiko Tsugawa.

Nagato joined Shochiku in the early 1940's as a child star. In 1945 he made his screen debut in 1945 in Masahiro Makino's "Hisshoka". On that film Nagato was billed as Akio Sawamura, a name he would perform under for the next six years. Nagato would eventually enroll in Kyoto's Ritsumeikan University, but dropped out to star alongside Yujiro Ishihara and his future wife Minamida in Takumi Furukawa's adaptation of Shintaro Ishihara's novel "Season of the Sun". It was this film that launched Nagato into super stardom. He would follow up this role with appearances in such classic films as Shohei Imamura's "Pigs and Battleships" and "The Insect Woman", Yoshishige Yoshida's "Akitsu Springs" and Takashi Miike's "Gozu" and "Izo". Nagato had struggled with ill health since the passing of his wife Yoko Minamida, who he married in 1976. His last screen appearance was in Norihiro Koizumi's 2010 film "Flowers".

Our deepest condolences go out to Nagato-san'sfamily, friends and colleagues, and our thanks go to Tokyo Hive for the details on his life. We leave you with the trailer for "Season of the Sun", the film that introduced Nagato to Japan's movie fans.

"Kaiji" returns with a sequel and Yuskue Iseya running the gambling joint

by Chris MaGee

Okay, everyone knows that I am the world's biggest party pooper when it comes to remakes, especially Hollywood remakes of Japanese films, and the recent spate of Japanese remakes of classic films. I guess that would mean nearly all remakes. Wow, I really am a party pooper! I will say one thing though, that might surprise quite a few readers out there... I'd rather watch a decent remake of a classic film any day than watch a sequel to a really terrible movie. Case in point: the recently announced sequel to Toho's 2009 live-action adaptation of Nobuyuki Fukumoto's gambling manga "Kaiji". If any of you checked out my best and worst picks over at Midnight Eye for 2010 you'll know that I voted the Toya Sato thriller as the worst of the year... and I meant it. How you can construct a film around various game scenarios from what seems like free downloads for Windows and performances that basically involve screaming and weeping is beyond me, but then again, who am I to pass judgment? The first "Kaiji" raked in $24,248,943.00 US at the Japanese box office, so of course there will be a sequel, right?

According to Tokyograph the sequel to "Kaiji" will reunite Tatsuya Fujiwara, as the titular lead, Yuriko Yoshitaka and Teruyuki Kagawa. With this film Kaiji finds himself in debt again and back gambling for his life in another underground casino, one managed by actor Yusuke Iseya and one frequented by a master pachinko player named Numa. Now, you'd think that after all the trauma and screaming in the last film that Kaiji would have kicked his gambling habit, but it seems like he hasn't. Maybe this new film would have been a bit more interesting had it revolved around Kaiji sitting through x-amount of Gambling Anonymous meetings. I'm just sayin'.

Well, I'll let the hate messages fly in the comments, right up until "Kaiji 2" lands in Japanese theatres on November 5th. Thanks to Comic Natalie for the above promo still.

"Flower and Snake" author Oniroku Dan, 1931 - 2011

by Chris MaGee

It wasn't just a classic actor that we lost recently. On May 6th Oniroku Dan, the author of some 120 erotic and sadomasochistic novels and short stories including the popular "Flower and Snake" series, lost his battle with esophageal cancer. He was 79.

Dan was born Yukihiko Kuroiwa in Hikone, Shiga Prefecture. He would attend Kwansei Gakuin University, graduating with a degree in law, but Dan wouldn't spend much time in a court room. Instead he took a pen name based around the family name of actress Reiko Dan and "oni-roku", or "demon-sixth" as Dan felt he was possessed when he wrote, and the "sixth" because he was born in Showa 6 (1931).

Dan's first work appeared in the S&M-themed journal "Kitan Club" in 1961. Shortly thereafter he published "Flower and Snake, the novel that would cement not only his literary legacy, but his cinematic legacy as well. "Flower and Snake" would spawn a total of eight feature film adaptions and sequels directed by the likes of Masaru Konuma, Takashi Ishii and Yusuke Narita. Dan's work also formed the basis of such films as Kinji Fukasaku's "House on Fire" and Ryuichi Hiroki's "I Am an S&M Writer", to name only a few. Dan would also come to form close friendships with the actresses who portrayed the heroine's of these films. These included Naomi Tani and Aya Sugimoto who described the author as "a true gentleman, who brimmed over with love and eroticism and humor and genius."

A great loss indeed, and our deepest condolences go out to Dan-san's family and friends during this time. Thanks to The Tokyo Reporter for the details on Dan's life; and we leave you know with the trailer for the most recent sequel to "Flower and Snake" directed by Yusuke Narita.

Japanese Weekend Box Office, May 21st to May 22nd

1. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (Disney)
2. Black Swan (Fox)
3. Peak: The Rescuers* (Toho)
4. Detective Conan: Quarter Of Silence* (Toho)
5. Gantz: Perfect Answer* (Toho)
6. Rebirth* (Shochiku)
7. Hankyu Railway: A 15-Minute Miracle* (Toho)
8. Crayon Shin Chan 2011* (Toho)
9. The King's Speech (Gaga)
10. Hayabusa: Back To The Earth* (Kadokawa)

* Japanese film
Courtesy of Box Office Japan.

Our Top Ten Favorite So-Bad-They're-Good Films

Sure, we at the J-Film Pow-Wow get a little high brow at times. We love our classic films and we are suckers for art house fare. That doesn't mean we're entirely boring cinephiles. We like to grab a six-pack, order some pizza and all land on the couch for a goofy film every once and a awhile too. Who doesn't? And when we're in that kind of mood what's better than a film that's so bad... it's good? You know the films we're talking about -- the ones that are so astoundingly bad that they end up on heavy rotation in your DVD player any time you need a laugh. Now, that's not to say that this month's Top Ten List is just made up of films that we love to laugh at. No. These are films that we actually enjoy and laugh with. They're films we're in awe of for their bad acting, razor thin plots, less than zero budgets and just plain bad taste. So next time you find yourself getting tried of marvelling at the lofty heights of masterpiece film-making here is our list of some of it's most breathtaking (and brilliant) lows. Enjoy!


10. Dump Truck Woman vs. King of Hormones (dir. Sho Fujiwara, 2010)

This top ten list has had to be one of our most contentious. As the old adage goes, one man's trash is another man's treasure. There's no film on this list that comes closest to that than Sho Fujiwara's ultra-trash movie "Dump Truck Woman vs. King of Hormones". This is a film that both Marc saint Cyr and Chris MaGee caught in Frankfurt at the 2010 Nippon Connection Japanese Film Festival. The screening was sold out, but by the half way mark 50% of the audience had left. Why? Maybe it had something to do with the bargain basement camera work that looked as if it had been shot on an old VHS recorder. It could have been the special effects that consisted of Halloween make-up and plasticine. It could have been that the acting was about on the level of community theatre. Most likely it was because of just how offensive the content was. You see the title character, Dump Trunk Woman (played by Hiromi Miyagawa) didn't come by her nickname from driving a dump truck. It's because she never bathes and smells like a dump truck! She also swears like a yakuza thug and ends up first in a romantic relationship with cannibal serial killer King of Hormones (Demo Tanaka), but the love turns to hate and soon Dump Truck Woman has to battle it out in a martial arts match with her former beau in which she utilizes her body odour as a weapon, continually farts and throws off her male opponents by getting her period mid-brawl. See what we mean? So why isn't this trash masterpiece sitting at #1? That's because the other members of the Pow-Wow think Marc and Chris suffered some kind of head injury to think this is so-bad-it's-good. They think it's so-bad-it's-terrible. This isn't an easy film to find in North America, but "Dump Trunk Woman" is available in japan on DVD. If you have a region free player we say to pass your own verdict on this one of a kind film. CM


9. Full Metal Yakuza (dir. Takashi Miike, 1997)

Now before you you throw us in a sack, stick us full of acupuncture needles and cut our feet off let us explain why we've included a Takashi Miike film on our list. Lord knows, Miike has given us some truly zany films through the years. You just need to look at scenes from "City of Lost Souls", "Gozu" and "The Happiness of the Katakuris" to see that. For the most part, though, Miike's unique brand of weirdness has been inspired, and sometimes brilliant, rather than just being outrageously bad. We say "for the most part" because when you've churned out as many films as Miike has throughout his career you'll probably squeeze out a few turds. One of these has to be 1997's "Full Metal Yakuza". This film is Miike's answer to Paul Verhoeven's splatter sci-fi classic "RoboCop". Instead of Peter Weller playing a cop who is transformed into a cybernetic crime fighter Miike has actor Tsuyoshi Ujiki play a low level thug who is transformed into a robotic yakuza who seeks vengeance against the gangsters who killed him. "Full Metal Yakuza" was one of Miike's mid-90's V-cinema films, so this is far from his art house attempts like "Izo" or "Big Bang Love Juvenile A". This story of a man coming back from the grave with the help of technology has its tongue planted firmly in cheek and its budget sitting somewhere around what a fast food worker makes in a year. Yes, there are moments near the end of the film that indulge in some pretty abysmal violence towards women, but there is more silly than serious in this Miike offering. Character actor Tomorowo Taguchi shows up as the mad scientist who brings our fallen yakuza back to life chews every piece of scenery put in his path, including the moment when he trains Ujiki to fight off gunfire by doing a crazy little tip-toe dance. This moment alone ensures the place of this film on our list. CM


8. S&M Hunter (dir. Shuji Kataoka, 1986)

The Brits have had a long tradition of ridiculously funny naughty films and TV. All you need to do is look at a series like "The Benny Hill Show" or the nudging/ winning "Up" series of movies to get a dose of T&A and laughs at the same time. While the British have a talent for this kind of fare the Japanese have an astounding flare. One of the best examples of a low budget, tongue-in-cheek and wildly creative sex film has to be Shuji Kataoka's "S&M Hunter". The whole film centers around the quest by the famed S&M Hunter, played by pink film veteran Shiro Shimomoto, to free a kidnapped man from a group of switchblade wielding and often topless female gang, The Bombers. S&M Hunter isn't afraid of switchblades (or boobs) though. His area of expertise is tying up women and sending them into spasms of ecstasy. It's sounds insane, and trust us, it is insane, but what makes its bawdiness brilliant is the films goofy sense of humour. The tour of the S&M brothel that kicks off the picture is worth the rental alone, but the spider web sequence and the puzzling inclusion of a fork lift in the closing scene just adds to the madness. Viewer beware though! "S&M Hunter" isn't just bad, but it's in bad taste. It features repeated Nazi outfits and paraphernalia. As long as you're not easily offended then you'll be ready for a good/ bad movie with a loads of naughtiness to boot. CM


7. Junk (dir. Atsushi Muroga, 1999)

Zombie films are perfect fodder for the so-bad-it's-good genre, and Japan has produced quite a few of those. One that stands out in our mind is Atsushi Muroga's "Junk". The set-up is simple: a group of yakuza have pulled of a jewel robbery and end up at an abandoned warehouse to go over their haul. The only problem is that thios warehouse is far from abandoned. It turns out that it was once a front for a secret U.S. military lab whose doctors where attempting to synthesize a chemical that would ressurect dead soldiers on the battefield. Haven't these guys watched any zombie movies?! Don't they know how bad that whole idea is?! Apparently not, so soon after their research started the test subjects feasted on the doctors and the military men and now the yakuza have woken them from their undead slumber. Atsushi Muroga would go on to direct the less-than-stellar "Gun Crazy" duo of V-cinema action films, but with "Junk" you have the perfect beer and popcorn so-bad-its-good film. There are a few scares throughout "Junk", but only a few. For the most part the zombies are fumbling, bumbling eating machines. The yakuza on the menu are annoying... all exceot for actress Miwa who is turned into the cannibalistic Zombie Queen. She provides the eye candy by being the only zombie who looks pretty good naked. What more can you ask for? CM


6. The Calamari Wrestler (dir. Minoru Kawasaki, 2004)

For many people pro-wrestling is already so-bad-its-good, but when you're director Minoru Kawasaki then men in tights slapping each other around isn't nearly bad enough. Kawasaki, who also brought us the absolutely absurd "Executive Koala" goes for more zoological source material for his 2004 film "The Calamari Wrestler". No, the wrestler of the title is not just a guy who eats a heaping plate of calamari before fights for a bit of a protein fix. No, he actually is a squid! Well, at least a a guy in a fabric and rubber squid costume. You see the Calamari Wrestler used to be the champ Iwata, but everyone had thought he had died years before after a serious illness... but he didn't die! He was transformed into a giant squid by a Buddhist monk and is now back in the ring. He's also back trying to win the heart of his old girlfriend Miyako (Kana Ishida). Sure, Kawasaki's wrestling epic shoots for high camp, so we had to debate amongst ourselves as to whether "The Calamari Wrestler" should be included on our list of so-bad-they're good films. If the director intentionally aims for badness the film may just feel a little too deliberate. Then again, there are few films as bad as "The Calamari Wrestler", and even fewer that are as fun. The montage sequence in which the Calamari Wrestler and Miyako reignite their romance by shopping, eating ice cream and walking along the beach will have you doubled over with laughter. We can't think of a better reason to include this film at #6. CM


5. Battle Royale 2 (dir. Kinji Fukasaku/ Kenta Fukasaku, 2003)

Even before it went into production, “Battle Royale II: Requiem” had the odds stacked against it. As a sequel, it would be attempting to match, if not exceed, what many now call a modern classic of Japanese cinema. Pushing aside its main draw factors (being its controversial subject matter and blood-spattered mayhem), Kinji Fukasaku’s “Battle Royale” is compelling, confrontational and laden with fascinating ideas and solid performances that make it easy to see why it is so greatly admired. And then we have “Battle Royale II,” the weaknesses of which could be partially attributed to Fukasaku’s tragic death in early 2003 during production, requiring his son Kenta to complete the film. But even considering that unfortunate circumstance, it is still pretty apparent that the sequel’s reach for its predecessor’s greatness is severely hampered by some obvious and in some cases downright entertaining flaws. One is the return of the previous film’s young protagonist Shuya (Tatsuya Fujiwara), who has re-envisioned himself as a brooding prophet-warrior complete with a cave of flickering candles where he frequently sits in a corner wrapped in his robes. Every now and then, he gives a speech in the name of freedom against the totalitarian regime of the grown-ups, the biggest of which accompanied by swelling strings and triumphant rays of sunshine. But the real treat to behold in “Battle Royale II” is Riki Takeuchi as this outing’s BR program commander. His performance is virtually Shakespearian in its over-the-top quality, enhanced by a wide number of props (a knife, pills that are consumed at an astonishing rate, a beloved rugby ball) and utterly ridiculous gestures and facial expressions. He bounces all over the Ludicrous Scale throughout the film, but his final scene is so gloriously bonkers that it really needs to be seen to be believed. MSC


4. Kekko Kamen Returns (dir. Takafumi Nagamine, 2004)

Manga artist Go Nagai is probably best known for his characters Manzinger Z, Devilman and Cutie Honey, but Nagai also brought us one of the most absurd (and titillating) female superheroes of all time with Kekko Kamen, or "Splendid Mask". What makes this heroine, whose adventures ran in the pages of Monthly Shōnen Jump between 1974 and 1978, so "splendid"? Well, she wears a mask, gloves and boots... but not much else. That's right, Kekko Kamen is a naked superhero. What exactly is her superpower? Ummm... Well, her battle cry is "Open! Thighs! Jump!" That's right, Kekko Kamen uses her vagina as her weapon, leaping into the air and literally flashing her genitals at unsuspecting (and usually male) criminals and then proceeds to smother them between her thighs. In keeping with Japanese censorship laws Kekko Kamen's girl parts are obscured by a blinding flash of light. This nether beacon was carried through when Kekko Kamen leapt from the pages of her manga to an animated video series, and it also made an appearance once she went live action in Hikari Hayakawa's 1991 live-action V-cinema adaption. That film was all high camp and low brow naughtiness, but our favorite in the live-action "Kekko Kamen" series is Takafumi Nagamine's 2004 film "Kekko Kamen Returns". In this incarnation Kekko Kamen is portrayed by actress Misaki Mori. Our nude heroine must come to the aid of Mayumi (Aki Hoshino) and the other girls on the high school swim team who are under the grip of an evil super genius swim coach, a torture specialist and a guy in a frog costume. The evil swim coach attempts to turn the girls into super divers like those air-pump frog toys you'd get in supermarket vending machines as a kid. It's up to Kekko Kamen, her boobs and her vagina to stop this despicable plot. We're not making this up, folks... CM


3. Jigoku (dir. Teruo Ishii, 1999)

Now before you say, "'Jigoku'?! That might not have been Ozu, but that was a good film!" hold on for a second. Our #3 film is not Nobuo Nakagawa's visionary trip to hell "Jigoku". That film did bankrupt Shintoho Studios after its release in 1960, but that's not the film we're talking about here. The "Jigoku" that we have in our #3 slot is the one directed by exploitation master Teruo Ishii, and it definitely qualifies for being so-bad-it's-good. On paper the concept of Ishii's "Jigoku" sounds pretty darn compelling and quite grim. The film dramatizes some of the most infamous criminal cases in late-20th century Japanese history. Shoko Asahara, the leader of the Aum Shinrikyo doomsday cult who released sarin gas in the Tokyo subway in March 1995 is here, as is Tsutomu Miyazaki, the "Otaku Killer" who murdered four young girls in Tokyo and Saitama in the late 80's. We see them being punished for their horrendous sins by a cast of demons and devils. Before you think "Jigoku" was a hard-hitting comment on these criminals you might want to watch the entire film. Ishii, who brought us such films as "Horrors of Malformed Men" and "Bohachi Bushido Porno Jidaigeki", steeps his entire film in "Roadrunner" and "Bugs Bunny" cartoon-like violence and plenty of gratuitous nudity. Our tour guides to the perils of hell is Rika (played by pink film actress Kinako Sato) a member of an Aum Shinrikyo-type cult and the Queen of Hell herself, played by 1950's pin-up star Michiko Maeda. Seeing Miyazaki getting his tongue yanked out and sliced into pieces would be gruesome and disturbing if it weren't for the fact that it looks like the special effects were designed by geeky high school boys using their $10/ week allowances. The over the top demon costumes just add to the badness and hilarity. If gallons of fake blood don't put you off then Teruo Ishii's "Jigoku" definitely fits the so-bad-its-good bill. CM


2. Attack Girls' Swim Team vs. The Undead (dir. Koji Kawano, 2007)

With Matt being a competitive swimmer in a past life, he has pointed out to us that it seems to be the one sports genre that’s never been able to churn out a solid film. In that case "Attack Girls' Swim Team vs. The Undead" should be no exception. You’ve got the swimming sports sub genre, combined with pinku eiga, zombies, and high school melodrama, with a twinge of covert trained assassins, but all with absolutely zero budget. That's a sure sign of trouble right there, but with so much sheer insanity and creativity is on display (not to mention the amount of bare flesh on display) that what should be a train wreck turned out not to be. You'll definitely have more that a few "what the f**k?!" moments watching "Attack Girls' Swim Team vs. The Undead", including the sex-inducing flute playing and the vagina laser, but what more could you ask for from a good/ bad movie? Koji Kawano's follow-ups to "Attack Girls", including the splatter horror "Cruel Restaurant", don’t have a tenth of the same madcap energy that this film contains. Who says you need a budget and respectability to make a damn entertaining film? MH


1. Iron King (dir. Noriaki Yuasa, Tokyo Broadcasting Systems, 1972-1973)

Is our #1 choice a bit of a cheat? Yes and no. It's true that we normally restrict ourselves to choosing our top ten entries strictly from feature films, but when you have something as utterly absurd and fabulously bad as "Iron King" we just had to bend the rules. You see "Iron King" was a TV series that ran on the Tokyo Broadcasting System between 1972 and 1973. Like the iconic "Ultraman" the series "Iron King" revolves around a normal man who can magically transform himself into a giant robotic warrior. We can hear you now... ""Ultraman" wasn't exactly Shakespeare." You're right, it wasn't, but when you compare him to Iron King our favorite silver giant starts to look like Laurence Olivier. You see when Iron King is not fighting the evil monsters of the Shiranui Clan he is a dopey fellow named Goro Kirishima who wears horn-rimmed glasses and a red Tyrolean hat. He travels around Japan with Gentaro Shizuka (Shoji Ishibashi), a singing cowboy who also happens to be a secret agent and his girlfriend, a Native American... who's actually Japanese. If that isn't weird enough Kirishima can only transform into his Iron King alter ego by being properly hydrated. Once he turns into our towering hero he can only fight for about a minute and a half before he gets dehydrated. This means he normally gets his ass handed to him by his monster rivals and then Kirishima runs around frantically chugging down any and all drinkable water he can find. And then Gentaro sings a song. Riiiight.... Diredctor Noriaki Yuasa, the same man who brought us Daiei's "Gamera", helmed "Iron King", but even hardcore (and very forgiving) kaiju fans will be able to see the connection between the giant turtle and this bumbling and thirsty version of Ultraman. Even for tokusatsu series "Iron King" was moronic... and so much fun! That's why he tops our list of the absolute worst of the so-bad-they're-good films. CM

Great programme of films slated for 14th annual Japanese Film Fest Hamburg

by Chris MaGee

Things have been busy here at the Pow-Wow since Marc and I returned from Frankfurt and the Nippon Connection Japanese Film Festival. That explains our spotty posts as of late. Now it seems that Germany is getting a second dose of Japanese film, one that we will sadly not be able to attend, but if you're in Germany (or close by in the E.U.) here's an event you won't want to miss!

Starting this Wednesday, May 25th and running until the 29th four theatres will be playing host to the 12th annual Japanese Film Fest Hamburg. This is a festival that has brought some great Japanese films to Germany in the past and this year is no different. Some of the highlights of this 14th offering are the wonderfully zany "Milocrorze: A Love Story" directed by "Vermilion Pleasure Night" creator Yoshimasa Ishibashi, Hisayasu Sato's pink film expose "Love and Loathing and Lulu and Ayano", Takahisa Zeze's 4-hour improvised drama "Heaven's Story", Kazuya Hiraishi's indie drama "Lost Paradise in Tokyo" (above) and Go Ohara's splatterfest "Gothic and Lolita Psycho".

These few films only scratch the surface of what programmers of this year's JFFH have in store for audiences, so make sure to head to their official website here to get all the details. Meanwhile check out the trailer for "Gothic and Lolita Psycho" below.

NYC Japanese film fans get a taste of what to expect at the 10th New York Asian Film Festival

by Chris MaGee

The Japanese Film Fest Hamburg isn't the only news of the festival front recently. In our struggle to catch up on our post-Nippon Connection updates we thought it was about time to spread the news about the titles announced for the 10th annual New York Asian Film Festival. Yes, we're a little late to the party on this announcement, so our apologies.

So what do Grady Hendrix and the gang in NYC have prepared for Japanese film fans? Well how about Tak Sakaguchi and Yudai Yamaguchi's co-directed action film "Yakuza Weapon"? Or for the art house crowd Takahisa Zeze's "Heaven's Story"? On the musical end of things people will get to rock out (and feel good) watching Yuji Sadai’s Buddhist punk drama "Abraxas". Last but not least New York audiences will get a chance to see one of my favorite films recently, Yoshimasa Ishibashi's "Milocrorze: A Love Story" (above).

This is only the tip of the proverbial iceberg for fans of Asian film though, so to check out the full 14 film titles that have been announce4d for NYAFF '11 head to the Subway Cinema website here.

INTERVIEW: "Azemichi Road" director Fumie Nishikawa

Interviewed by Nicholas Vroman

Fumie Nishikawa’s "The Azemichi Road" has been making the rounds of North American children’s film festivals to generally good reviews. It opens in Japan this summer. The story is about a young hearing-impaired girl, Yuki (Haruka Ooba), living in a sort of interior isolation compounded by her largely absent working mother (Makiko Watanabe) in the village of Uonuma. She crosses paths with the Jumping Girls, a crew of young teens working on their pop/hip hop dance routine. Invited to join the group by Rena (Misaki Futenma), she faces a classic array of demons to slay - her own physical disabilities, peer pressures, jealousies, insecurity, mother-daughter issues. Of course, she manages to overcome them by the final scenes of the big dance competition.

The positivist message is a standard trope of kids’ films, but what makes "The Azemichi Road" stand out is not only the novel situation of a deaf dancer – she’s quite good in that youthful I-can-and-will-do-anything way – but Nishikawa’s feel for place and character. The townscape of Uonuma - from the emerald green rice fields to the crumbling concrete schools and non-descript public halls and domestic architecture - is deftly illustrated. The world of girls - their peeves and insults, their trust and friendships, their comradery - has a naturalism and connectedness that belie the occasional clichéd conventions that drive the plot. All in all, Yuki and the Jumping Girls rock – in a sort of juvenile and silly way.

I met with Fumie Nishikawa in an old fashioned kissaten in Shibuya. In the crowded room grabbed a corner of a large oak table with a gigantic flower arrangement in the middle. Sheltered behind a several large sprays of forsythia, in broken English and Japanese, we had an informal chat.

NV: You showed this film to the townspeople. What did they think?

FN: They didn't say much. They felt that the place where they live isn’t beautiful. I told them that they should be proud. When I was making this film I was looking for someplace like this. They see this place every day, so they don't find it beautiful. But I did. So after I showed the film to them I think they realized that this place is very beautiful.

NV: Is the town kind of dying?

FN: I don't think the town is dying. Uonuma is close to Tokyo. Only 2 hours. Compared to other parts of the country, it's good for families. But I saw many graves in the middle of rice fields. Older people are there and they like that place. For me it’s super-sabishii (lonely).


NV: In film, who are your influences? Who has inspired you?

FN:I have many. But I think, Tarkovsky… because when I see his films I feel that... how to say it.. that nature... that he shot the atmosphere... that maybe he took the time to do it. I feel that I want to be a film director like him. I want to make my audience think about how beautiful it is where we live.

NV: Azemichi Road. How did this project begin?

FN: I am interested in working with sound. Maybe you saw this film on DVD, so you probably didn't feel the vibration of the sound. But in a theatre you feel the vibration from the system. People who can’t and can hear - I want both of them in the same place to watch the same film. In the theatre the hearing impaired can feel the sound. That's what I intended. I knew the girls before I started making the film. They were trying very hard, learning to dance, so I wanted to make the film about dance. Then I tried to find something far from dance and thought about the hearing impaired. Dance and hearing impairment is good. I wanted to have two very different things. I wanted to bring them together. Yeah, that's the idea.

NV: Did you know about this landscape and area?

FN: No. But I wanted to have a rice field in the film. Because these are young girls… they are developing the same as rice… growing… living. A Japanese rice field in summer is a very particular landscape. And the azemichi (paths between rice fields) reminds me of my summer vacations in my childhood. It rings a bell to me.

NV: In the film, the character Yuki, she sees the Rip Girls. She gets excited. Can you tell me about the competition? Does this sort of thing happen in Japan in smaller towns?

FN: I think at that point it’s a fantasy. In Japan we have dance groups… too many dance groups. Before I made this film, I didn't know hip-hop culture and dance, but I found that in many Japanese country towns there are dance teams, so many. And sometimes they do competitions in the countryside, but there no big stars come. The Rip Girls are famous for Double Dutch. They've won many competitions around the world.


NV: Let's talk about the actors. Yuki. How did you find her?

FN: She's not deaf.

N - But she has big ears.

FN: Yes (laughing). And that's how we can easily see... how do you say… something in her eyes. When I first saw Haruka Ooba, I thought girls at this age generally look happy but Haruka always looked sad. I don't know why, but she looks like she's thinking of something all the time so that's why I liked her for the part.

NV: And so, how was it working with the girls?

FN: I wanted to have a lot of kids with the film. I did it wrong. I couldn't control so many kids. And these girls were... because girls in shishunki (puberty), sometimes they don't like teachers, they don't like parents...
NV: Or directors?

FN: Directors, yeah. So, it was difficult, but Yuki and Misaki, they felt nervous, so I think they worked well. It made work them very very hard.

NV: Azemichi Road has been compared to "Linda Linda Linda"?

FN: Many people have connected it with "Linda Linda Linda" and "Swing Girls". At first I thought my film was like those films, but I made a different kind of film. The theme of the film was not about winning or getting something. The theme is about different cultures coming together. I think American people like this kind of story. It's like a Hollywood-style theme... because in Japan we have more complicated stories. And this one is easy for children to understand.

NV: Were you thinking Hollywood-style when you were writing?
FN: I thought that I had to make a positive story.

NV: What's next?

FN: I'm writing all the time. I want to see the film "Le Quattro Volte". I have a story that has a similar title. It's called Kuadropeto. I don't know if it's a good title in English. What do you call people who walk with both their hands and feet. Human hand-walkers?

N – Quadruped.

FN: Ah yes, that's it. In Japan we call them yotsuashi. Maybe my next film will be about people who walk on hands and feet.

Read more by Nicholas Vroman at his blog

Koji Yakusho takes on the role of WW2 Naval Admiral in upcoming historical epic

by Chris MaGee

To say that Koji Yakusho is one of Japan's most talented actors is a bit of an undertsatement. From his career defining roles in the moody horror films of Kiyoshi Kurosawa through his comedic roles in films like Mamoru Hoshi's "University of Laughs" to his own amazing work in his own directorial debut "Toad's Oil" Yakusho now follows in the tradition of such great talents as Takashi Shimura, Toshiro Mifune and Yusaku Matsuda as one of the greats of the Japanese screen. Now news has come out that 55-year-old Yakusho will be stretching his formidable talents even further by playing the role of a key player in the Pacific War.

Tokyograph is reporting that Yakusho has just begun shooting on a new film titled "Rengo Kantai Shirei Chokan: Yamamoto Isoroku" which tells the story of AdmiralIsoroku Yamamoto (above right), the commander-in-chief of Japan's Imperial Navy from 1940 to 1943. It was Yamamoto who was in charge when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in December of 194i, and Yamamoto subsequently led the Imperial Navy throughout the Pacific campaign until his death in Solomon Islands two years later.

Izuru Narushima, the director of "A Lone Scalpel" and "Love Fight" will helm this ¥1 billion war epic, and producers had something very interesting to say about Narushima's and Yakusho's work on the film. The Tokyograph post quotes the film's producers as saying that they believe their depiction of Yamamoto will be of "what a Japanese leader should be." Interesting... given that Japan has cycled through five prime ministers in as many years, and current PM Naoto Kan has come under ferocious criticism for his handling, or mishandling, of the ongoing crisis at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant.

Japanese audiences can expect to see "Rengo Kantai Shirei Chokan: Yamamoto Isoroku" hit theatres on December 23rd of this year.

REVIEW: A Liar and a Broken Girl

嘘つきみーくんと壊れたまーちゃん (Usotsuki Mii-kun to Kowareta Maa-chan)

Released: 2011

Director:
Natsuki Seta

Starring:
Aya Omasa
Shota Sometani
Tomoko Tabata
Kyoka Suzuki

Running time: 110 mins.


Reviewed by Chris MaGee

The first and last paragraph of this film review will be entirely true. The two middle paragraphs will be made up of lies, or at least half truths. I'm not trying to be difficult. I simply think that this contrary format will be perfectly in line with the subject of this review, Natsuki Seta's film "A Liar and Broken Girl". Based on a "light novel" by author Hitomi Iruma, the film takes us into the complex relationship between two teenagers, Ma-chan (Aya Omasa ) and Mi-kun (Shota Sometani). Both lead isolated lives, but for a good reason. A decade before the two were held captive my a psychopath and now, so many years later, they both bear the emotional and mental scars of the ordeal. The two finally reunite, somewhat as a promise that they made to each other when they had been kidnapped. Mi-kun had sworn he would always protect Ma-chan, and now with police searching for a serial murderer and child abductor Mi-kun's re-entry into Ma-chan's life seems to be a case of perfect timing. The only thing is that as the two young people meet again and Mi-kun renews his vow to Ma-chan to always be there for her he has a nasty habit of turning to the camera and addressing the audience of "A Liar and a Broken Girl": "That's a lie though," he repeatedly tells us... and that brings us to the body of my review. May the reader beware.

Both Mi-kun and Ma-chan seem to have gotten over their abduction as children quite well. Both are remarkably well adjusted, especially Ma-chan who is now herself the caretaker of two young children. Mi-kun quickly joins the fold and begins to care for Ma-chan's young wards, and soon the four form a unique little family (Some of this is true, but it's also a lie.) Mi-kun turns to Dr. Sakashita (Kyoka Suzuki) to help him clean up the last residual memories of his and Ma-chan's kidnapping, but Dr. Sakashita feels that the two already have a good handle on the psychological work that needed to be done. Besides Dr. Sakashita there is a police detective, Det. Kamiyashi (Tomoko Tabata) who seeks the help of Mi-kun to track down the killer at large (She in fact does... in a way.) Mi-kun agrees totally to helping in the investigation and he never ever suspects that the serial killer may be connected to his and Ma-chan's time in captivity (This is a lie though.) Det. Kamiyashi is appreciative of Mi-kun's help because she never, ever has suspected that he in fact might be the killer she is seeking (This is the biggest lie I've told yet.) Now it's up to these four individuals to join forces and bring their man to justice.

Natsuki Seta, along with screenwriter Sachiko Tanaka, have crafted a story that is one of the easiest and languid that has graced the Japanese screen this year. With so many films using intentionally elliptical logic and intentional quirkiness it's refreshing to see one that eschews all those narrative pyrotechnics to tell such a thoughtful and earnest film. And never doubt, this is one of the most thoughtful and the most earnest films that has been released in a long time. (This is a lie though.) How could a director address the issues of child abduction, abuse and trauma any other way? Then again, it's not like the kidnappers of little Mi-kun and Ma-chan were really that bad. They're revealed to have treated the two young children quite well during their time in the locked shed. (Another big lie.) Dare we say that there are truly feel good moments waiting to surprise audiences of this film (Half truth alert!)

Now back to the hard truth (honestly). It's very difficult to tell a story from the perspective of a a compulsive liar, and even more difficult to tell it from the perspective of a "broken girl" like Ma-chan. You only have to navigate the above two paragraphs to see what I mean. With two protagonists who have had to live by the lies they tell themselves and each other, a coping mechanism used to cling to the last shreds of their sanity, an audience is left to guess and second guess their motivations. Still, I have to hand it to director Seta for expertly melding the lives of Mi-kun and Ma-chan as they are and how they'd like to see them. Then again this complex film wouldn't work at all if it wasn't for Aya Omasa and Shota Sometani giving the spot on, and often eccentric, performances they do. Yes, there will be those out there who cringe a little at their winking self-consciousness, especially that of Sometani 's Mi-kun, but if they hang in with the characters until the end of the film they'll be rewarded with a dose of pathos that added a whole new facet to "A Liar and a Broken Girl", one that takes the film from clever to insightful. For fans of a film like "The Foreign Duck, The Native Duck and God in a Coin Locker", a film that took a special joy in playing with its audience's expectations, "A Liar and a Broken Girl" is a film you will want to seek out. If, though, you take offense at being lied to you may want to proceed with caution.

From short films to iPad illustrations: Support for earthquake/ tsunami victims continues

by Chris MaGee

I and my friends have been talking again and again about how aide initiatives will need to continue for post-earthquake and tsunami ravaged japan for months and years to come. It's more than a bit disturbing that news of this national crisis has already begun to slip from the front page of international newspapers, but that isn't stopping Japanese artists and film-makers from showing their support for their suffering countrymen and women. This week two stories came out about how both relief funds and people's consciousness will continue to be raised by two new initiatives.

First up is a series of short films being organized by award-winning director Naomi Kawase (above left). Titled "3.11 Sense of Home" the films, all of which will be 3-minutes and 11-seconds in length, will focus on concepts of "home" and its importance in the lives of those dealing with the aftermath of the March 11th earthquake and tsunami in and around the Tohoku region. Kawase, who spoke to reporters about "3.11 Sense of Home" at a press conference in Cannes this week, stated that there will be 20 shorts produced and thus far directors such as Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Victor Erice and Kaori Momoi have all pledged to direct segments. Thanks to Tokyograph for this news.

From the big screen to the iScreen... Sci-Fi Japan is reporting that Viz Media will be making a series of limited edition illustrations by manga artist Takehiko Inoue available for download and purchase for iPhones, iPod Touch and iPad. The illustrations all go under the name of "Smile: Pray for Japan" (above right) and were drawn by Inoue as inspiration for the Japanese during the very difficult moment in history. The illustrations will be going for between $9.99 and $1.99 with all proceeds raised going to the Japan Red Cross. For details on how you can purchase sets of your won head to Viz Media's Apps website here.

REVIEW: Flowing

流れる (Nagareru)

Released: 1956

Director:
Mikio Naruse

Starring:
Hideko Takamine
Kinuyo Tanaka
Isuzu Yamada
Mariko Okada
Haruko Sugimura

Running time: 117 mins.



Reviewed by Bob Turnbull

Mikio Naruse's 1956 film "Flowing" may very well be the definition of a "women's" picture. Naruse is, of course, known for his films that dealt with women's issues of the times and that contained strong and sympathetic female leads, but "Flowing" tackles a broader set of problems faced by women in the post war environment. While focusing on the lives of several women who live and work in a geisha house, the film examines each of its characters in greater and greater detail while shunting any male presence to the side (there are several male characters in the film, but each is relatively minor). But can these women survive without men as companions and providers? The geisha business is starting to dry up (the story is set right around the time that prostitution was being made illegal in Japan), each woman is without a man for different reasons and their options seem few and far between. If the film posits that there existence will be far more difficult without a man in their lives, it certainly isn't happy about that state of affairs.

Otsuta is the caretaker of Tsuta, a well-known and respectable geisha house that is falling on hard times. She owes a large sum of money to her elder sister, is being pursued by a former geisha's father for additional money he believes she owes his daughter and business is slowing. The story begins as a new maid named Oharu (renamed from Rika by Otsuta since her real name was too hard to pronounce) arrives at the house and, even though she may be somewhat older than typical candidates, immediately ingratiates herself and brings a sweetness and humanity to the premises. She's recently lost her husband and son and is simply trying to find her own life outside of her husband's relatives. Otsuta's daughter Katsuyo (played by the radiant Hideko Takamine) also lives in the house, but even though she was initially trained as a geisha, she never quite made it into the business - her personality refuses to allow her to pretend to like someone she can't stand (a necessary evil in their line of business). She's protective of her mother and seeks to figure out a way to help out with money (money is a major source of conflict throughout the film). Otsuta's younger sister Yoneko also lives there (after a failed relationship) and her young daughter is slowly being trained in the ways of a geisha. The other geishas have their troubles too (Someka owes money to Otsuta's older sister as well and is in a difficult relationship with a younger man while Nanako is being taken advantage of by an old boyfriend) and all seem quite self-centered and searching for some pity.

Except for Oharu and Katsuyo that is. Much of the story is told through their eyes as they glance at and watch the other women. They both help out when Yoneko's daughter is sick with a fever - more than Yoneko does herself (she seems completely disengaged with her and life in general) - and don't offer up their problems to others. The main plot is centered around Otsuta's need to pay back her sister and the eventual help she receives from a former employer and member of the geisha guild, but in between those scenes is an assortment of other moments in all their lives - visits from former lovers, requests for their geisha services (though never anything showing them performing their duties for their customers), moments with their cat, etc. Life seems to go on whether or not these women have their issues and the frequent shots of the river nearby emphasize that theme. Katsuyo knows that she can't simply remain a guest in the house without contributing some money to the cause and has begun looking for work. While she worries about her mother's capacity to keep the business afloat, her mother worries about her working a menial job. No one seems to be concerned with Oharu working as a maid though.

What makes the film work is the interactions between these characters - more information about their lives comes across and each has additional bits added to their personalities as the individual stories progress. As well, each actress is wonderful with a special nod going to Isuzu Yamada as Otsuta. She has the greatest range of emotions (concerned mother, calm business woman, younger sister showing deference, etc.) and plays each in a very subtle manner. To play the geishas, the actresses actually spent time with some of the real women on which writer Aya Koda based her novel and gathered up particular mannerisms for use during the typical geisha activities they would practice in the house (dancing, singing or shamisen playing). Naruse seems to deftly handle the mix of characters and scenes to pull together a picture of the opportunities that women faced a decade after the war had ended. With the art of the geisha receding as a high volume service, these women faced few opportunities going forward and it's a genuinely moving moment when they wonder if they can actually make it on their own or whether they must become dependent on a man. The flow of life continues onward, though, and it seems fairly oblivious to their personal problems.

Read more from Bob Turnbull at his blog.