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Author Topic: General Japanese Movie Thread  (Read 62530 times)

Offline muppet

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Re: General Japanese Movie Thread
« Reply #80 on: November 28, 2011, 02:47:27 PM »
Akira Emoto  柄本明, who appears in the above 2010 film "Villian" (悪人 / Akunin) as the grieving father, is one of the busiest character actors around. Besides appearing in Villian, he was cast in  11 other films in 2010, and nine films in 2011. Guess when he tells his wife he will be working late tonight, he isn't kidding.
I just saw one of his 2011 films, 神様のカルテ / Kamisama no Karute (God's Chart), aka "In His Chart". He plays a doctor who is mentor to the character played by the lead actor Sho Sakurai (he of Arashi fame).
Sakurai san certainly can hold his own as an actor, and does not need to lean on his pop fame, but it doesn't hurt the box office when he is cast in a role. Also, lovely Aoi Miyazaki  turns in a great supporting role as the wife of Sakurai's character, a young doctor who struggles with the overload of patients he must take care of.
Big shout outs for a wonderful supporting cast (as is common in Japanese cinema) including Jun Kaname, Yoshinori Okada, and special mention to Taizo Harada, who continually steps up to the plate when he leaves his comedian job to take a role in a dramatic film.
But BIG BIG applause for veteran actress Mariko Kaga, who plays a terminal cancer patient who plays a huge influence on the Sakurai's character as he tries to treat her. Kaga is an inspiration in this film, and next year will be 50 years since she appeared in her first film, Tears on the Lion's Mane | Namida o shishi no tategami ni (1962).

Anyway, although a sad film, there is great representation of the human spirit as defined with courage and love, and I can recommend the film wholeheartedly.


Offline Yoshino

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Re: General Japanese Movie Thread
« Reply #81 on: December 05, 2011, 09:31:54 PM »


Latest Kobayashi watch ^^, can never, ever get tired of his films and he did so many back in the 60's, too many to count, only problem is most are too hard to find. :sweatdrop: Above was sort of a spoof on the Bond movies, Kobayashi didn't play a tough guy but a photographer who suddenly is drawn in the middle of a kidnap case and also to find the whereabouts of a lost cache of gold, the modern female ninja team that he fought with was also a solid touch. 8)



Offline Yoshino

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Re: General Japanese Movie Thread
« Reply #82 on: December 07, 2011, 02:54:45 AM »
One of my all time faves celebrated his 78th B-day today, along with Akira above ^^ really defined the Nikkatsu action films from the late 50's to the early 70's. Way, way too many films to list of his, has done over 200 of them but Branded to Kill, A Colt is My Passport, Gate of Flesh and Youth of Beast are among his films that need to be watched. :yep: Few pics of his, first one is with a few of the other Nikkatsu stars of the 60's..... if you don't know by now we're talking about Jo Shishido. :thumbsup



Offline Yoshino

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Re: General Japanese Movie Thread
« Reply #83 on: December 08, 2011, 04:36:25 AM »
Latest view was this classic Naruse/Takamine collaboration from 1960. :thumbsup


Classic is right though thought their 1957 film Untamed Woman/Arakure was even better. :twothumbs This is going to be a Hideko Takamine month, last December she passed away at the age of 86, sometimes forgotten compared to other older Japanese actresses but she was #1 in my book, no one possessed as much talent, beauty and brains as she did. 8) Not sure how many films she did with Naruse but there were quite a few, problem with it is that if you watch one you're hookked, hmmmmm, actually that's a nice problem. :yep:
Some pics from the above movie.




Offline Yoshino

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Re: General Japanese Movie Thread
« Reply #84 on: December 10, 2011, 09:09:09 AM »
Latest Hideko watch, from 1949 Ginza Kankan Musume. Good movie but had to watch with no subs, :sweatdrop: it was actually fairly easy to follow at least, sort of a drama/comedy/musical all wrapped up into one. :?


Offline Yoshino

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Re: General Japanese Movie Thread
« Reply #85 on: December 15, 2011, 08:06:27 AM »
No one else watches movies anymore? :sweatdrop:

Latest view....


Second film in the Maiku Hama trilogy, just as wacky as the first film though this time the budget was big enough where it was a color film(!), stars Masatoshi Nagase, when he's in a movie you know it has to be watched. 8)



Offline muppet

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Re: General Japanese Movie Thread
« Reply #86 on: December 15, 2011, 04:42:05 PM »
I have a film that I bought a while ago, and will try to view this weekend and then post review here....

Offline Yoshino

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Re: General Japanese Movie Thread
« Reply #87 on: December 15, 2011, 08:54:11 PM »
^^ What is it, what is it? :panic:
Got a big backlog to watch, that's a good thing, think this will be the next view though, 3rd highest grossing movie of 1964 plus this quote sealed the deal:
"Red Handkerchief is the best Nikkatsu Action film"
-- Joe Shishido, Nikkatsu Studio actor



Offline Yoshino

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Re: General Japanese Movie Thread
« Reply #88 on: December 18, 2011, 03:07:51 AM »
Went way, way back in time for this watch, 1937 film by Mikio Naruse Nadare/Avalanche. :O Never saw a film of his until a year ago but think he's turned into my fave director, :? even over Ozu, have watched 14 of his movies this year and they're all winners. :thumbsup
Some shots from the film, Noburo Kiritachi who played Fukiko was sure a Ryoko Hirosue look-a-like, maybe her grandmother? :smhid


Offline clear1985

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Re: General Japanese Movie Thread
« Reply #89 on: December 18, 2011, 04:29:21 AM »
13 assassins
9/10

much better than i expected

pretty cool movie
1. Risa Yoshiki
2. Ai Takahashi
3. Rina Akiyama
4. Emi Kobayashi
5. Nozomi Kawasaki

Offline Yoshino

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Re: General Japanese Movie Thread
« Reply #90 on: December 18, 2011, 04:57:28 AM »
Last view, Red Handkerchief, not the best action film ever as Shishido said above but still it was a really, really good film, :thumbsup not as much action as others but a better story and plot. Lead actor and also a big star back then, Yujiro Ishihara, was quite a Jo Shishido look-a-like, he sadly died at an early age in 1987.


Offline muppet

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Re: General Japanese Movie Thread
« Reply #91 on: December 18, 2011, 09:07:21 AM »
The late  石原 裕次郎 Yujiro Ishihara was the younger brother of Author and current Governor of Tokyo 石原 慎太郎, Shintaro Ishihara.
Shintaro's first novel, 太陽の季節 Taiyo no kisetsu (Season of the Sun) won the 芥川龍之介賞 Akutagawa Ryunosuke Shou (The Akutagawa Prize), which is considered one of Japan's highest literary awards. The book was made into a film in 1956, and, in a supporting role, Yujiro made his debut. Director was  Takumi Furukawa.

Yujiro appears in this clip at 1:44

Season of the Sun (Taiyou no kisetsu)- 太陽の季節 (1956) {with thanks to seibun0816 }


Offline muppet

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Re: General Japanese Movie Thread
« Reply #92 on: December 19, 2011, 03:22:02 PM »
Just finished watching ちょんまげぷりん / Chonmage Purin / aka "A Boy and His Samurai", the 2010 film directed by Yoshihiro Nakamura. Stars are former NEWS member Ryo Nishikido as a Samurai warrior, and Rie Tomosaka as a young single mother raising a young son (played by Fuku Suzuki). Shiori Kutsuna (the English subtitlist of the move gave her credit as "Shioli Kutsuna", but I am still pretty sure the correct English spelling of her first name is Shiori) has a small part as well as  a few other veteran actors.

A light film, comedic with just a touch of sad, it was an entertaining film with good pace. Some predictableness, but definitely a film that adults and kids would enjoy. A great ending theme song, by the late Kiyoshiro Imawano, "Remember You" (2005)

Chonmage is the name of the topknot worn by Samurai and by modern day Sumo wrestlers, and "purin" is the Japanese way of saying Pudding, or Custard.

The version I bought has English subtitles, so this helps make the film very easy to understand. Here is a short clip:

« Last Edit: December 19, 2011, 03:38:42 PM by muppet »

Offline Yoshino

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Re: General Japanese Movie Thread
« Reply #93 on: December 23, 2011, 04:36:50 AM »
More Hideko here :? and another real oldie, think this may have been her first starring role, from 1941 Hideko the Bus Conductress, she was just 17 at the time. It's also another Nause directed film, he also wrote it, mostly a comedy but he slipped some serious subject matter in there such as anti-authority and anti-business angles, tough to do then as censorship was quite high, also a look at quite a bit of poverty during that time, luckily Hideko and her cheerful manner made it a sunny watch. :)


Offline Yoshino

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Re: General Japanese Movie Thread
« Reply #94 on: December 23, 2011, 08:43:54 AM »


^^ Latest watch from 1981 Hear the Wind Sing, based on the novel written by Haruki Murakami 2 years prior. Not an easy film to explain, sort of an 'arty' film, no plot to speak about just followed one guy during his life, which was a boring one. :sweatdrop: Very slow film but kind of enjoyable, these kind of change of pace ones usually are. :?


Offline Yoshino

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Re: General Japanese Movie Thread
« Reply #95 on: December 24, 2011, 08:41:47 AM »


Just viewed another Hideko film, :? from 1964 Yearning/Midareu, another film directed by Mikio Naruse. :shocked Bit of a slow, somber film, Hideko plays a widow who still stays at her husbands house running their mini store which is slowly going under due to a new supermarket that opened. :sweatdrop: Also making things complicated is her husband's younger brother has a crush on her which started a turn of events that had her leave the shop and head back to her hometown with the brother following her. Bit of a sad ending as the brother dies, they left that up in the air and if he did was it an accident or was it self inflicted? :(



Offline muppet

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Re: General Japanese Movie Thread
« Reply #96 on: December 25, 2011, 04:42:57 AM »
Just finished watching "Beck" (2010) directed by Yukihiko Tsutsumi (SPEC, Trick the Movie, Twentieth Century Boys, etc.) - The hopes and dreams of a recently formed rock band, with little sister role well played by Shiori Kutsuna.
The cast was a bit of a reunion for the cast of the TV drama "Mei chan no Shitsuji" (2009), the television series with Nana Eikura in the title role. Four of the six main actors in Beck worked together in "Mei chan no Shitsuji"- Hiro Mizushima, Takeru Sato, Osamu Mukai, and Shiori. Sure wish Hiro Mizushima would continue to act, as he says he is retired for good to be a full time writer. Wish he would consider that he could do both.....
The other two main actors were a very good Kenta Kiritani, and in a somewhat smaller role, Aoi Nakamura (who has had a lot of good roles lately, including co-starring with J-pop goddess, Ai Takahashi in the television series Q.E.D- I think this was a favorite of Yoshino san if I recall correctly?? :twisted:.)
Standout in supporting roles were comedian Takanori Takeyama, and extremely cute Sari Kurauchi.
Generally a well done film, with some excellent music scenes, and some great guitar work.
Plot was interesting, but film was a bit stretched out in length, and there was one side plot that was a little bit preposterous and completely unnecessary (involving a stolen guitar and the bad boys from New York who come to Japan to claim it)
A couple of interesting director choices-
1) Shiori Kutsuna and Hiro Mizukushi play siblings, apparently who had spent time in New York, so their characters have lots of lines in English. Shiori, having grown up in Australia, had a very native Australian English. Hiro, who lived in Switerland from the age of six until he was 12 years old, spoke English with a "Atlantic" English  (mix of British and North American)....this was not distracting, as it was a lot of fun to see English being used, and the use of English  actually was important in the romantic development between Shiori's character and Takeru's character; so the disparity of regional accents was no big thang.
2) Takeru's character is probably second in importance to Hiro's character to the story, and the director decided not to try and use his singing voice, nor did he use a dubbed singer......When the character sang, the viewer would hear background music, but simply could only see him mouthing the words, but no sounds. The viewer only knew that he had an unbelievably unique and magnificeent voice by watching the reactions of the audience or the characters surrounding him while he sang. It was an interesting way to handle a character who is supposed to be some kind of genius at singing, by not using any voice to convey the idea. Did it work? It was okay, but I do not think it will used again in the future.
Also, the DVD that I bought has no subtitles other than Japanese (for the hard of hearing, I suppose), so I was not able fully to pick up the plot details without the help of some reviews written in English. A film with great rock and roll  music, it is worth a watch. Is it a great film that happens to have a musical theme (think "Swing Girls")? No, I would say it doesn't quite reach that magical pinnacle.  But.....worth a watch indeed.

« Last Edit: December 25, 2011, 10:14:12 AM by muppet »

Offline Yoshino

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Re: General Japanese Movie Thread
« Reply #97 on: December 25, 2011, 09:24:19 AM »
^^ Nice post and review Muppet, :thumbsup but yes did think Aoi PoNakamura was so bad, boring would be a better word, :( him and the drama had so much potential and flopped so bad though have to admit it's the only thing I've seen him in so don't know if he's always like that.



Talking about music based movies, Swing Girls was quite good but has faded a bit for me over the years but you've got me interested in Beck, but the above movie in my humble opinion is the best music movie ever(!!), Iden tity, it's got Kumiko Aso :wub: which makes it a must watch but it's a movie which is 110 minutes long and it seems like 20 minutes it's that good!! :yep:


Offline muppet

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Re: General Japanese Movie Thread
« Reply #98 on: December 25, 2011, 10:47:35 AM »
Trailer looks good, and I have a liking of movies based on musicians, so I will check it out. And yes, Kumiko is all that and a bag of chips. I have seen her in one of the Jam Films short films, as well as the Uchouten Hotel and the Seaside Motel, and not a moment of screen time with her is regrettable. All I can say, is she has a very long list of appearances and I have seen too few of them.

With regards to "Iden tity", another good actor from that film is Shido Nakamura- who really has a remarkable background....a Kabuki actor since age 8 (which is a family activity, passed on from generation to generation) he got into films at age 30 in "Ping Pong", the role which won him best newcomer (ha ha) in 2003. I have also seen him in Yamato, Letters from Iwo Jima, GeGeGe no Kitaro, Ichi, plus he had a role in Beck. The man can do 'intense' like very few actors can, but he has the full range as well.

He barely is in this trailer from "Ichi", but he plays the bad ass. He was also in the  Jet Li movie "Fearless" (in Chinese the film is "Huo Yuanjia")    where he plays the Japanse swordsman who goes up against Jet Li's character in the climatic fight.


Offline muppet

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Re: General Japanese Movie Thread
« Reply #99 on: December 25, 2011, 11:16:01 AM »
A big loss to the film world this week came with this passing of director Yoshimitsu Morita / 森田芳光.

This article in Variety is written by Mark Schilling, who has covered Japanese cinema for years with The Japan Times. Full story here:  http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118047819

Director Yoshimitsu Morita dies

Won acclaim at film festivals over three decades

Japanese helmer Yoshimitsu Morita, whose films depicted the absurdity and vulnerability of everyday life in conformist Japan, died of acute liver failure in Tokyo on Wednesday. He was 61.
Morita won international acclaim over his prolific 30-year career for movies that were distinctly Japanese, depicting the fragile beauty of the nation's human psyche and visual landscape while daringly poking fun at its ridiculous tendency for rigid bureaucracy and ritualistic hierarchy.

After starting as an indie filmmaker working in 8 mm, Morita made his 35 mm feature debut in 1981 with "Something Like It." His international breakthrough, however, came with 1983 black comedy "The Family Game," starring Yusaku Matsuda as a sardonic home tutor who takes over a dysfunctional middle-class family.

Its striking cinematography, focusing on rows and rows of identical apartments and people dining solemnly sitting side by side, was an exhilarating parody of Japanese family values.

He later reunited with Matsuda for "And Then," a 1985 drama based on a novel by Soseki Natsume. The pic won five Japanese Academy Awards and scored a director nomination for Morita
.......(see rest of the story in the link)

Here is a trailer for "The Family Game" 家族ゲーム (Kazoku Gemu)


JPHiP Radio (18/200 @ 128 kbs)     Now playing: Angela Aki - On & On