Written by Amy on Saturday, March 13th, 2010 ( Start discussion ) | 
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The film is based on an award-winning novel written by rookie author and housewife Kanae Minato. Actress Takako Matsu (K-20, Villon’s Wife) plays a dedicated teacher at a junior high school who’s young daughter is found brutally murdered. Believing two of her own students are responsible, she decides to leave the school, but not before a final chilling confession to her class in which she informs them that she’s already enacted her plan for vengeance.
Watch the trailer via Nippon Cinema.
Filed under: Books, English, Films, Japanese, Sharing, Stills, Trailers
Tags: japanese film, kokuhaku, masaki okada, nippon cinema, tetsuya nakashima
Written by Amy on Saturday, February 27th, 2010 ( 2 responses ) | (6) | Share This!
It is a mixed review, but it has a nice comment on Yu and Ryo’s storyline.
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Filed under: English, Films, Japanese, Reviews, Sharing
Tags: japanese film, otouto, ryo kase, yu aoi
Written by Amy on Wednesday, February 24th, 2010 ( 2 responses ) | (6) | Share This!
I had recently bought a whole bunch of Haruki Murakami novels because I have fallen in love with his style. His narrative holds this air of melancholy… missing the past, but also a terrible sense of unhappiness. It’s utterly depressing, but this is why it’s so good.
Norwegian Wood (or Tokio Blues, in Spanish) is already being adapted into a film with a possible release for Dec’10, so it wasn’t a stretch to think about actual people playing the characters in the book.
It tells the non-chronological story of Watanabe Toru, who all of a sudden remembers Naoko, the girlfriend of his best friend in high school, who ended up killing himself. It deals with the aftermath of the suicide, Naoko’s life pre and post-suicide, and Watanabe’s life pre and post-suicide as well.
Just as the other Murakami novels, the story has that vibe of quiet sadness, great soundtrack and a sense of great cinematography. The characters are often quiet, and internalize everything. They are so real, that you can’t help getting into someone else’s shoes and call someone a jerk or a bitch.
I had problems starting the novel, I read the first two chapters fine, but lost something during the middle part that made it almost tedious to continue with it. However, I was over it once I read about Midori, and how her developing relationship with Watanabe clashed with Watanabe’s feelings for Naoko… and then Reiko. As much as I wonder why these three end up sucked into the gravitational forces of Watanabe, and how I think that is somewhat sexist… I can’t help but want the best for him. And, in my opinion, that was with Hatsumi…
I can’t wait to see this on screen!
3.5/5
Filed under: Books, English, Japanese, Reviews, Sharing, Spanish
Tags: haruki murakami, japanese film, kenichi matsuyama, rinko kikuchi
Written by Amy on Friday, February 19th, 2010 ( Start discussion ) | (3) | Share This!
I would have liked to find out about this a bit sooner to report, but oh well.
The resurgence of Japanese cinema in the 1990s dramatically reconfigured the aspirations, practices and reception of one of the largest and most continuous film cultures outside of the United States. This three-day event features films by three contemporary Japanese filmmakers whose work has crossed national borders and been viewed outside of Japan, elsewhere, in the world: Shinji Aoyama, Shunji Iwai and Ryuhei Kitamura.
According to a forward by the USC Biological Sciences Blog, The School of Cinematic Arts and Visions and Voices will be holding a 3-day event showcasing 6 samples of Contemporary Japanese Cinema. The films are:
- Baton
- Hana & Alice
- Air Doll
- Azumi
- Eureka
- Sad Vacation
The event starts today Friday 19th, until Sunday 21st [more info on that website]. According to the information provided, there will be panels discussion. Today’s panel for Baton and H&A apparently includes Shunji Iwai. We would love to have a report on anyone attending the event. It would be awesome.
Filed under: English, Films, Japanese, Sharing
Tags: hana to alice, japanese film, kore-eda, shunji iwai
Written by Amy on Tuesday, February 16th, 2010 ( 2 responses ) | (5) | Share This!
I found a review of Yoji Yamada’s Otouto, which will be closing the Berlinale this 21st – hopefully Yoji Yamada and the cast can be there. The review has possible spoilers~~~
So you’ve been warned!
–
From the The Mainichi Daily News
by Tomomi Katsuta
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Filed under: English, Films, Japanese, Reviews, Sharing
Tags: japanese film, otouto, ryo kase, yu aoi
