ACF 403: ANA presents North American premiere of GOEMON in New York

© “GOEMON” FILM PARTNERS

PRESENTS
NIPPON EIGA SERIES: PART #21

NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE OF
GOEMON

Japan 2009 128 min. 35mm film Japanese with English Subtitles

Wednesday, November 4th – Doors open 6:15pm – Film starts 7:00pm
The ImaginAsian, 239 East 59th Street (Bet. 2nd & 3rd Ave.), NYC
For RSVP: http://www.newyork-tokyo.com/wp/goemon

SYNOPSIS:

In 1582, the mighty warlord Nobunaga was betrayed by his retainer, Mitsuhide. The cruel Hideyoshi subjugated Mitsuhide’s warriors and took over as Ruler of the Kingdom of Japan.

Master thief Goemon – the Japanese Robin Hood – steals a wooden box once owned by Mitsuhide. Hideyoshi’s men, including Lord Mitsunari and his legendary ninja Saizo, are after the box and Goemon finds himself fighting for his life. He discovers evidence inside the box of the secret pact between Mitsuhide and Hideyoshi to assassinate Nobunaga. This revelation would tear Japan apart. Moreover Nobunaga was like a father to Goemon – the betrayal could not be more personal.

Goemon enters Osaka Castle, intent on killing Hideyoshi, and finds the beautiful Princess Chacha. Hideyoshi’s guards attack, and it is only through the surprise intervention of Saizo that Goemon is saved.

As youths, Saizo and Goemon trained together under Nobunaga. Goemon was assigned as Princess Chacha’s bodyguard and fell in love. After their master’s death, Saizo chose duty and went to work for Mitsunari. Goemon chose freedom.

When Hideyoshi announces his plans to invade Korea and China, making clear his intention to drag Japan into decades of brutal warfare, Lord Ieyasu convinces Princess Chacha to become Hideyoshi’s concubine so that she can betray him – a painful decision as her heart belongs to Goemon. Hungry for power, Mitsunari orders Saizo to kill Hideyoshi.

Goemon and Saizo mount an incendiary attack on Hideyoshi’s ships, but Saizo is captured and later put to death. Goemon storms Osaka Castle, single-handedly killing most of Hideyoshi’s men in a breathtaking display of martial prowess, before slaying Hideyoshi and escaping with Chacha. But with Hideyoshi dead, the armies of Mitsunari and Ieyasu face off to determine the new ruler of Japan by force. Goemon must return to the battlefield one last time if he is to bring peace to his country…

Warning: This film contains graphic content and may not be suitable for minors

DIRECTOR: KAZUAKI KIRIYA
Born in Kumamoto, Japan in 1968. Kiriya is a visionary director with works in photography, screen play and directing films and music videos. Kiriya’s highly stylized debut film Casshern is well regarded with it’s impressive execution. He has also directed Utada Hikaru music videos as well. Kiriya has taken a diverse role in GOEMON as the Director, Screenplay, DP, Editor, Producer, and Production credit.

CAST:
Goemon Ishikawa: Yosuke Eguchi (Children of the Dark, Shaolin Girl)
Saizo Kirigakure: Takao Osawa (Halfway, Ichi)
Chacha Asai: Ryoko Hirosue (Zero Focus, Departures)
Mitsunari Ishida: Jun Kaname (Blood, K-20: Legend of the Mask)
Sasuke Sarutobi: Gori (Furimun in Okinawa, Utatama)
Rikyu Sen: Mikijiro Hira (Azumi 2, Pistol Opera)
Ieyasu Tokugawa: Masatô Ibu (Rookies the Movie: Graduation, Achilles and the Tortoise)
Matahachi: Tetsuji Tamayama (Hagetaka, Waiting for Happiness)
Nobunaga Oda: Hashinosuké Nakamura (Downtown Heroes)
Hideyoshi Hideyoshi: Eiji Okuda (Be Sure to Share, Out of the Wind)

ACF 402: Two hours of Naruto Shippuden episodes on Disney XD tonight!!!

Attention all Naruto Shippuden fans:

There will be 2 hours of back-to-back episodes TONIGHT on DISNEY XD !!!

8:30 PM E/P
7:30 PM Central
9:30 PM Mountain

http://www.disneyxd.com/

ACF 401: "Death Note: L, change the WorLd" novel available from VIZ

L CHANGE THE WORLD (C) 2007 M / 2008 "L" PLOT PRODUCE

PLUNGE INTO THE FATAL LAST CASE OF LEGENDARY
CRIME DETECTIVE IN NEW NOVEL

DEATH NOTE: L, change the WorLd

L Has Twenty-Three Days To Live, And Twenty-Two Days to Save The World

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media) expands the thrilling psychological suspense of DEATH NOTE with the release of DEATH NOTE: L, change the WorLd, a new novel featuring the master detective from the hit animated and manga series. DEATH NOTE: L, change the WorLd is available now from SHONEN JUMP Fiction and carries an MSRP of $17.99 U.S. / $24.00 CAN.

In an alternative continuity in the DEATH NOTE setting, ace detective L's name has been placed in a Death Note. He has twenty-three days to bring a terrorist group to justice, or they will use a deadly new virus to change the world...by killing off most of humanity.

“DEATH NOTE: L, change the WorLd offers a fitting finale to the DEATH NOTE saga and contains many events that did not take place in the film,” says Gonzalo Ferreyra, Vice President, Sales & marketing, VIZ Media. “The author, who adopts the nom de plume ‘M’ in tribute to the eccentric detective, creates an intriguing alternate continuity that will intrigue fans of the anime and manga series as well as new readers. Any thoughts of a quiet hospice vanish as L sacrifices his life to save humanity. Edge of your seat suspense awaits readers in this gripping new novel!”

DEATH NOTE: L, change the WorLd features the same format as the original Japanese printing with a hardcover and clear acetate jacket with metallic ink. The cover art is by Takeshi Obata, the artists fo the DEATH NOTE manga series. DEATH NOTE is one of VIZ Media’s top 5 bestselling properties, with over 1 million copies of the manga sold in the U.S. The character of L is extremely popular with fans and has inspired various products such as apparel and stationery as well as spinoff novels and three live action DEATH NOTE films (available from VIZ Pictures).
For more information on DEATH NOTE, please visit Deathnote.viz.com.

ACF 400: VIZ December 2009 DVD releases

Honey and Clover © 2005 CHICA UMINO/SHUEISHA
Honey and Clover committee

VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES
NEW DVD RELEASES FOR DECEMBER 2009

Start making your wish list, anime fans, because VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media) has announced their list of DVD titles scheduled for release in December 2009.

This includes the first box set of NAOKI URASAWA’S MONSTER, the next box set installments of HUNTER X HUNTER and HONEY AND CLOVER, as well as the latest episodic releases of the popular BLEACH and NARUTO Shippuden series. Also releasing is the live action feature film – 20^th CENTURY BOYS: BEGINNING OF THE END from VIZ Pictures. VIZ Media DVD titles are distributed (in English) in the U.S and Mexico by Warner Home Video and in Canada by Allegro.

NAOKI URASAWA’S MONSTER Box Set 1 · Rated 'M' for Mature · MSRP: $59.90 US / $85.99 CAN · Available December 8

What would you do if a child you saved grew up to be a monster? An ice-cold killer is on the loose, and Dr. Kenzo Tenma is the only one who can stop him! Tenma, a brilliant neurosurgeon with a promising future, risks his career to save the life of a critically wounded young boy named Johan. When the boy, now a coldhearted and charismatic young man, reappears nine years later in the midst of a string of unusual serial murders, Tenma must go on the run to uncover the story of Johan and stop the monster he set loose upon the world. Conspiracies, serial murders, and secret government experiments set against the grim backdrop of the former East Germany are masterfully woven together in this compelling psychological thriller. (Episodes 1-15)

HONEY AND CLOVER Box Set 2 · Rated 'T+' for Older Teens · MSRP: $59.90 US / $85.99 CAN · Available December 15

Can life's answers be found where the road ends? Shinobu has disappeared to America, leaving both Yuta and Hagumi with very mixed feelings. But talk about mixed up! If Takumi's feelings are so tied up with Rika, why is he tied up in knots over his coworker Nomiya's romantic pursuit of Ayumi? Plus, senior projects are getting everyone down, but none more than Yuta, who in a sudden burst of reckless abandon takes off on his bicycle on an epic journey of self-discovery...Ah, the enthusiasm of youth! (Episodes 13-24 – includes Bonus Episode F)

SHONEN JUMP releases include:

NARUTO Shippuden Volume 4 · Rated 'T+' for Older Teens · MSRP: $24.92 US / $35.99 CAN · Available December 8

Two powerful jonin of the Leaf, Kakashi and Guy, have taken on their Akatsuki rivals Itachi and Kisame. While Guy battles to save his team from a water prison, Kakashi exhibits his genius ninja prowess by seeing through Itachi's most subtle tactics. Turns out the battle wasn't quite what it seemed, and Kakashi and Granny Chiyo are fearful of the implications. Naruto and the team are forced to face the bitter truth--they might already be too late! (Episodes 14-17)

BLEACH Volume 23 · Rated ‘T’ for Teens · MSRP: $24.92 US / $35.99 CAN · Available December 15

Kariya and the Bounts arrive in the Soul Society and find themselves battling two Soul Reaper lieutenants, but the abundance of reishi in the Soul Society gives the Bounts a ready source of power, rendering them formidable opponents. Ichigo and friends arrive in the Soul Society, and when Rukia is injured in a fight, Ichigo follows her to the Kuchiki house, where he asks Byakuya to fight alongside him against the Bounts. Byakuya refuses and insists they leave it up to the 13 Court Guard Squads, but soon enough Byakuya finds himself in a one-on-one battle with Kariya. (Episodes 92-95)

HUNTER X HUNTER Box Set 4 · Rated 'T+' for Older Teens · MSRP: $49.95 US / $71.99 CAN · Available December 1

Mito gives Gon an iron box that Gon's father, Ging, left to him. But instead of providing clues to his father's whereabouts, what's inside only leads to more mysteries. While Gon and Killua head to Yorknew City, Kurapika gets a job with the mafia that soon brings him into conflict with the powerful Phantom Troupe at the underground auction. When Gon and Killua witness the members' overwhelming strength, they decide to shadow them to find out more, but the Phantom Troupe is one step ahead. (Episodes 47-62)

From VIZ Pictures: (Live Action Feature Films)

20^TH CENTURY BOYS 1: BEGINNING OF THE END · MSRP: $24.92 US / $35.99 CAN · Available December 15

It all begins in 1969 when a young boy named Kenji and his friends write "The Book of Prophecy" in which they write about a future where they fight against an evil organization trying to takeover the world and bring about doomsday. Years later in 1997, a mysterious cult being lead by a man only known as "Friend" emerges and begins to gain strong influence over society. A series of catastrophic events begin to occur mirroring the prophecies made up by the young Kenji and the greatest fear is the climax of "The Book" becoming a reality; December 31st, 2000, a terrifying giant virus-spreading robot will attack the entire city of Tokyo leading to the end of mankind. The only people who know about "The Book" are Kenji and his childhood friends. Who is "Friend"? Will Kenji and his friends be able to save mankind and live to see the 21st Century?

ACF 399: NIGHT AND DAY reviewed

NIGHT AND DAY / BAM GUA NAT
Directed by Hong Sang-soo
South Korea, 2008, 144 minutes, 35mm.
In Korean and French with English subtitles.
Distributed by IFC Films

NEW YORK THEATRICAL PREMIERE RUN!
October 23 – 29

NIGHT AND DAY, the latest film from gifted Korean director Hong Sang-soo, begins its one-week NY premiere screening today, Friday, October 23rd, 2009 at New York's Anthology Film Archives. This review is based on a screener DVD provided by AFA.

The film, the first I have seen by Hong, begins with inter-titles that inform us that it's the summer of 2007. Kim Sung-nam, a painter in his forties played by Kim Yeong-ho, has smoked pot with some U.S. exchange students. One who was arrested gave Kim's name to the police. Warned by a friend that the police may soon be coming for him, Kim left his wife and his work, and took the next flight to Paris.

We first see him outside the airline terminal, where he's having a cigarette. A young man approaches him and asks for a light. The strange and awkward scene is played out with both characters speaking in English. I have no idea why. (The movie is primarily in Korean, with subtitles.)

Kim soon sets himself up in a crowded guest house with other South Korean expatriates. Through one of them he meets Hyen-ju (actress Seo Min-jung), who shows him around a bit and clearly has feelings for him . But it's really her roommate, Lee Yoo-jung (Park Eun-hye) for whom Kim has romantic/lustful feelings. On the street, Kim also encounters a woman he had a relationship with ten years earlier.

In the midst of trying to adjust to his self-imposed exile of indeterminate length, Kim's pursuit of Ms. Lee is played off against his long-distance calls to his wife. An interesting twist brings about a resolution of sorts to his situation.

This is definitely an art house flick, and a decent enough one at that, though it has its faults. At 143 minutes, there's a bit too much running time for the somewhat thin material. Judicious pruning in the editing process would have firmed things up.

Also be advised that the camera work is minimal. The shots are overwhelmingly done with a static camera locked on a tripod. There's an occasional pan, a few tilts, and one or two zooms. This is most definitely not a film that employs cinematic pyrotechnics.

Still, director Hong knows how to tell an interesting story. Night and Day may not destined to be a classic of international cinema, but it's definitely well worth seeing.

Showtimes: Friday, October 23 through Thursday, October 29 at 6:30 & 9:15 nightly. Additional screenings on Saturday and Sunday at 3:30.

Anthology Film Archives homepage here. Or go directly to their online calendar by clicking here.

ACF 398: ONG BAK 2 opens in theaters nationwide starting Friday, October 23rd

Tony Jaa (Tiang) in ONG BAK 2, directed by Tony Jaa.
A Magnet Release, all photos courtesy of Magnet Releasing.

Martial arts superstar Tony Jaa stars in and directs this much-anticipated epic tale of revenge set hundreds of years in the past. Featuring a huge cast and hordes of elephants, this prequel takes Jaa’s skills to the next level, showcasing him as a master of a wide range of martial arts styles - while proving him to be a promising director as well.

Primorata Dejudom (Pim) in ONG BAK 2

Here's the roll-out schedule:
Opening: 10/23/2009
Berkeley, CA: Shattuck Cinemas 10
Pasadena, CA: Playhouse 7 Cinemas
San Francisco, CA: Lumiere Theatre 3
West Hollywood, CA: Sunset 5
Washington, DC: E Street Cinema
Aiea, HI: Pearlridge West 16
Honolulu, HI: Kahala Theatres 8
New York, NY: Village East Cinemas
Philadelphia, PA: Ritz 5 Movies
Seattle, WA: Varsity Theatre

10/30/2009
San Diego, CA: Hillcrest Cinemas
New Haven, CT: Criterion Cinemas 7
Cary, NC: Galaxy Theatre - Cary
Durham, NC: Carolina Theatre - Durham

11/13/2009
Albuquerque, NM: Guild
Portland, OR: Cinema 21 Theatre

11/27/2009
Pittsburgh, PA: Harris Theatre

12/11/2009
Iowa City, IA: University of Iowa, Bijou Theater

Tony Jaa (Tiang) in ONG BAK 2

Get ready for the return of Thai-style high-flyin' action!

Ong Bak 2 website here.

ACF 397: MONSTER available at iTunes

VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES
ANIMATED PSYCHOLOGICAL SUSPENSE DRAMA
Naoki Urasawa’s MONSTER
NOW AVAILABLE ON iTUNES

Right on the heels of their announcement that MONSTER would be available on Monday nights on the SyFy Ani-Monday block and on SyFy's sister channel, Chiller, the following week, VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media) has announced the availability of Naoki Urasawa’s MONSTER on the iTunes Store in the US and Canada (www.iTunes.com).

The first two episodes of Naoki Urasawa’s MONSTER (English dubbed) are now available on iTunes, with each new episode becoming available on iTunes the day after it airs on SyFy in the US.

“We’re excited to make Naoki Urasawa’s MONSTER available on iTunes,” says Ken Sasaki, Vice President of Strategy & Business Development, VIZ Media. “Tension and suspense reach new heights and nothing is as it seems as Dr. Tenma plays a dangerous game of cat and mouse with a vicious serial killer. Audiences won’t want to miss even a single episode of this thrilling new series.”

What would you do if a child you saved grew up to be a monster? An ice-cold killer is on the loose, and Dr. Kenzo Tenma is the only one who can stop him! Tenma, a brilliant neurosurgeon with a promising future, risks his career to save the life of a critically wounded young boy named Johan.

When the boy, now a coldhearted and charismatic young man, reappears nine years later in the midst of a string of unusual serial murders, Tenma must go on the run from the police who suspect him to be the killer to find Johan and stop the monster he set loose upon the world.

Conspiracies, serial murders, and secret government experiments set against the grim backdrop of the formerly communist Eastern Europe are masterfully woven together in this compelling work of suspense.

For more information on Naoki Urasawa’s MONSTER anime series (rated ‘M’ for Mature) please visit Monster.viz.com.

ACF 396: VIZ to publish RIN-NE

RIN-NE IS THE NEWEST MANGA SERIES FROM
CELEBRATED MANGA CREATOR – RUMIKO TAKAHASHI

Volume One Of This New Series To Hit Store Shelves

In the Same Month As The Japanese Release

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media) will launch RIN-NE, the brand new manga (graphic novel) series from famed creator Rumiko Takahashi with the publication of the debut volume under VIZ Media’s Shonen Sunday imprint on October 20th. RIN-NE is rated ‘T+’ for older teens and will carry an MSRP of $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN.

RIN-NE is the first manga series that will be available in stores at the same time as the Japanese release of the same volume. Through an unprecedented collaboration, RIN-NE is also the first manga series to appear simultaneously in Shogakukan’s popular WEEKLY SHONEN SUNDAY manga magazine in Japan and online on www.TheRumicWorld.com for North American fans. A new chapter is released each week for domestic fans to enjoy at the same time as their Japanese peers.

As a child Sakura Mamiya mysteriously disappeared in the woods behind her grandma’s home. She returned whole and healthy, but since then she has had the power to see ghosts. Now a teenager, she just wishes the ghosts would leave her alone! At school, the desk next to Sakura’s has been empty since the start of the school year. One day her always-absent classmate shows up, and he’s far more than what he seems!

RIN-NE is the first new manga from Takahashi since her epic INUYASHA (published domestically by VIZ Media) ended in 2008 in Japan. Shogakukan’s popular WEEKLY SHONEN SUNDAY manga magazine has featured Takahashi’s work since the early 1980’s. With over 170 million copies sold in Japan alone, Takahashi’s substantial catalog of work continues to be loved by legions of devoted readers.

The spotlight on Rumiko Takahashi's career began in 1978 when she won an honorable mention in Shogakukan’s annual New Comic Artist Contest for Those Selfish Aliens. Later that same year, her boy-meets-alien comedy series, Urusei Yatsura, was serialized in Weekly Shonen Sunday. This phenomenally successful manga series was adapted into anime format and spawned a TV series and half a dozen theatrical-release movies, all incredibly popular in their own right. Takahashi followed up the success of her debut series with one blockbuster hit after another—Maison Ikkoku ran from 1980 to 1987, Ranma 1/2 from 1987 to 1996, and Inuyasha from 1996 to 2008. Other notable works include Mermaid Saga, Rumic Theater, and One-Pound Gospel.

Takahashi won the prestigious Shogakukan Manga Award twice in her career, once for Urusei Yatsura in 1981 and the second time for Inuyasha in 2002. A majority of the Takahashi canon has been adapted into other media such as anime, live-action TV series, and film. Takahashi’s manga, as well as the other formats her work has been adapted into, have continued to delight generations of fans around the world. Distinguished by her wonderfully endearing characters, Takahashi’s work adeptly incorporates a wide variety of elements such as comedy, romance, fantasy, and martial arts. While her series are difficult to pin down into one simple genre, the signature style she has created has come to be known as the “Rumic World.” Rumiko Takahashi is an artist who truly represents the very best from the world of manga.

“Rumiko Takahashi is one of the most successful and celebrated manga creators of all time having produced multiple series that are massively popular and widely considered to be classics,” says Elizabeth Kawasaki, Sr. Editorial Director for VIZ Media. “RIN-NE again shows Takahashi’s talent for blending endearing characters with an imaginative plot that can be equally funny, dramatic and exciting. Takahashi’s skill as both an artist and storyteller has won over millions of fans around the world. With the promise of new plot twists and characters still yet to emerge, we look forward to RIN-NE becoming a new fan favorite.”

RIN-NE is also featured online on www.TheRumicWorld.com, the official North American web site for all Rumiko Takahashi-related news and information. Through an unprecedented collaboration with Shogakukan’s popular WEEKLY SHONEN SUNDAY manga magazine, which publishes RIN-NE in Japan, a new chapter is released each week for domestic fans to enjoy at the same time as their Japanese peers.

For more information on RIN-NE and other titles by Rumiko Takahashi please visit www.TheRumicWorld.com.

ACF 395: Naoki Urasawa's Monster

Animated psychological suspense thriller
NAOKI URASAWA’S MONSTER

now on on Manga Entertainment’s SyFy Ani-Mondays block

Episodes of Naoki Urasawa’s MONSTER began airing this past Monday, October 12th, 2009. New episodes will air each Monday night on the Syfy Ani-Monday block and will be re-broadcast on SyFy’s sister channel, Chiller the week thereafter. Chiller airs a variety of horror and suspense-themed programs. Check local listings for specific airtimes.

MONSTER is based on the critically acclaimed manga series by Naoki Urasawa, published in North America by VIZ Media.

What would you do if a child you saved grew up to be a monster? An ice-cold killer is on the loose, and Dr. Kenzo Tenma is the only one who can stop him! Tenma, a brilliant neurosurgeon with a promising future, risks his career to save the life of a critically wounded young boy named Johan.

When the boy, now a coldhearted and charismatic young man, reappears nine years later in the midst of a string of unusual serial murders, Tenma must go on the run from the police who suspect him to be the killer to find Johan and stop the monster he set loose upon the world.

Conspiracies, serial murders, and secret government experiments set against the grim backdrop of the formerly communist Eastern Europe are masterfully woven together in this compelling work of suspense.

For more information on Naoki Urasawa’s MONSTER animated series please visit Monster.viz.com.

ACF 394: BOYS OVER FLOWERS

VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES THE CAPTIVATING EPILOGUE TO
BOYS OVER FLOWERS MANGA

Acclaimed Series That Helped Define The Shojo Manga Genre Concludes With A New Release That Contains Two Short Stories

Fans of shojo manga should be delighted with the announcement by VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media) of the upcoming release of BOYS OVER FLOWERS: JEWELRY BOX today, October 13th. The new volume is rated ‘T’ for Teens and will carry an MSRP of $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN.

BOYS OVER FLOWERS: JEWELRY BOX is a collection of two new short stories by Yoko Kamio, the creator of the acclaimed BOYS OVER FLOWERS series. The new epilogue takes place one year after the end of the original BOYS OVER FLOWERS story, which concluded with Volume 36. It also contains a section with some of the important events in the series that show the characters maturing, plus a special bonus strip!

“Yoko Kamio, one of the most beloved shojo manga creators of all time, just couldn't stay away from some of her favorite characters and we’re proud to announce the publication of BOYS OVER FLOWERS: JEWELRY BOX,” says Candice Uyloan, Product Marketing Director, VIZ Media “This volume serves as a fitting conclusion to a series that helped to establish the shojo manga genre in the U.S. and fans won’t want to miss this chance to get reacquainted with main character Tsukushi.”

Creator Yoko Kamio made her manga debut in 1986 with WAITING UNTIL 20 and her other notable manga series includes I REALLY REALLY LIKE YOU and MARY’S LAMB. Her seminal title BOYS OVER FLOWERS (published in the US by VIZ Media), followed the romantic and social dramas of a girl in high school, broke sales records selling over 35 million copies and went on to become the best-selling shojo manga in Japan. The series went on to win the 1996 Shogakukan Comic Award in the shojo category. BOYS OVER FLOWERS was also adapted into a successful animated series and live action film.

For more information on this title as well as other shojo titles from VIZ Media, please visit http://www.viz.com/.

ACF 393: 25 film Kurosawa box set from Criterion due out in December 8, 2009

I recently received notification of this incredible DVD box set of 25 of Akira Kurosawa's films that is due out December 8, 2009. Four of the films have never before been available on DVD (at least not here in the U.S.):

- Sanshiro Sugata (1943) - Kurosawa's directorial debut
- The Most Beautiful (1944)
- Sanshiro Sugata Part II ((1945)
- The Men Who Tread On The Tiger's Tail (1945)

Madadayo (1993), Kuroswa's final film, has been available but not from Criterion.

I'm pretty sure that Criterion already has more of Kurosawa's films on DVD than any other director. And I have all of the ones issued so far. So I'm hoping that these five films will be issued individually, or perhaps the four from the WWII years will be another Kurosawa Eclipse box set and Madadayo will be available as a separate DVD.

The 25 film box set will carry a hefty Suggested Retail Price of $399.00, but will be available from the Criterion Store for $319.00.

For full info from Criterion or to pre-order, click here.

ACF 392: What A Wonderful World!

VIZ MEDIA TO PUBLISH THE POIGNANT NEW MANGA SERIES

WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD!

Series Offers A Powerful Collection Of Realistic Vignettes That Explore

The Angst-Ridden Lives Of Young People On The Brink Of Adulthood

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media) is expanding its notable VIZ Signature manga imprint with the publication of Inio Asano’s WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD! on October 20th. The 2-volume series (each sold separately but launch simultaneously) is rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens and will carry an MSRP of $12.99 U.S. / $16.99 CAN.

A poignant collection of intersecting vignettes depicting twenty-something angst, WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD! explores the various ways that modern life can be at once ridiculous and sublime, terrible and precious, wasted and celebrated. In Volume 1, what begins with a college dropout bored of her mediocre routine soon becomes a fantastic series of stories about the unexpected ways that different lives intersect. Filled with magical realism in the face of the cold reality of daily modern life, at their core these stories are about young people discovering something precious amidst the chaos of existence. Volume 2 explores similar themes including the cruelty of childhood, the delusion of adulthood, the permanence of death, and how people find a way to remain resolute and laugh in the face of reality.

“Inio Asano masterfully captures the essence of youth, and WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD! depicts both the exhilaration and frustration felt by a diverse group of twenty-somethings trying to find their place amidst the impersonal urban sprawl of Tokyo,” says Candice Uyloan, Director, Brand Management for VIZ Media. “Fans of everything from Catcher in the Rye to Reality Bites will find this series an impressive and heartfelt read. Asano’s realistic story is ultimately a commentary on how modern life and the choices one makes impact the struggle to grow up and fit in and we look forward to readers discovering this thought-provoking new title.”

Creator Inio Asano drew initial attention for his short story HELLO FROM OUTER SPACE, which won the 1st Sunday GX rookie prize in 2001. WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD also appeared in the pages of Sunday GX. Asano’s other works include CITY OF LIGHT, OYASUMI PUN PUN and the acclaimed SOLANIN (which is published in North America by VIZ Media and was nominated for a Will Eisner Comic Industry Award).

For more information on this titles, and others from VIZ Media, please visit http://www.viz.com/.

ACF 391: The Vampire's Assistant coming to theaters on October 23rd, 2009

Vampires here, vampires there. Them damn vampires seem to be everywhere. Asian film fans had a couple of our own recently with the live-action version of Blood: The Last Vampire and with Thirst.

The Vampire's Assistant - which will be opening October 23rd - ain't Asian but it sure does look promising. (Actually there is one Asian connection: the terrific Japanese actor Ken Watanbe has a major role as Mr. Tall, the circus's barker.)

I'm excited about it for several reasons. Among them is the fact that it stars John C. Reilly as the vampire. I find him a very personable actor to watch. Also, Selma Hayek stars as Madame Truska, a character who sprouts a beard when she gets passionate!

Don't miss the link to the film's sweepstakes at the end of this post.

Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant, based on the popular series of books by Darren Shan, is a fantasy-adventure about a teenager who unknowingly breaks a 200-year-old truce between two warring factions of vampires. Pulled into a fantastic life of misunderstood sideshow freaks and grotesque creatures of the night, one teen will vanish from the safety of a boring existence and fulfill his destiny in a place drawn from nightmares.

16-year-old Darren (Chris Massoglia) was like most kids in his suburban neighborhood. He hung out with his best friend Steve (Josh Hutcherson), got decent grades and usually stayed out of trouble. But when he and his buddy stumble upon a traveling freak show, things begin to change inside Darren. That’s the exact moment when a vampire named Larten Crepsley (John C. Reilly) turns him into something, well, bloodthirsty.

Newly undead, he joins the Cirque Du Freak, a touring sideshow filled with monstrous creatures from a snakeboy and a wolfman to a bearded lady (Salma Hayek) and a gigantic barker (Ken Watanabe). As Darren flexes his newfound powers in this dark world, he becomes a treasured pawn between the vampires and their deadlier counterparts. And while trying to survive, one boy will struggle to keep their brewing war from devouring what’s left of his humanity.

Cast: John C. Reilly, Ken Watanabe, Josh Hutcherson, Chris Massoglia, Ray Stevenson, Patrick Fugit, Orlando Jones, with Willem Dafoe and Salma Hayek

Directed by: Paul Weitz

Screenplay by: Paul Weitz and Brian Helgeland

Based on the Cirque du Freak Series of Books by: Darren Shan

Website: www.thevampiresassistant.net.

NEW film clips are now available on http://www.epk.tv!

New iPhone/iTouch App for Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant now available at http://www.itunes.com/apps/iFreak.

Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant Sweepstakes: Enter now at http://www.thevampiresassistant.net/sweeps for a chance to win a sneak preview screening for you and your school (or 200 of your closest friends), including a special appearance by one of the stars of the film! Visit the sweeps website to enter to win and see what other great prizes are being given away.

ACF 390: DVD doc on artist Yayoi Kusama to street on October 27th, 2009

VIZ PICTURES TO RELEASE A NEW DOCUMENTARY ON ACCLAIMED MODERN ARTIST YAYOI KUSAMA

YAYOI KUSAMA: I LOVE ME Is The Latest DVD Release
In The NEW PEOPLE ARTIST SERIES

Spotlights The Unique Style & Creative Process Of This World Class Artist

VIZ Pictures, an affiliate of VIZ Media, LLC that focuses on Japanese live-action film distribution, will release the second volume of its newly-launched NEW PEOPLE ARTIST SERIES – Yayoi Kusama: I Love ME – on DVD on October 27th. The documentary, which was directed by Takako Matsumoto, will carry an MSRP of $24.92 U.S. / $35.99 CAN and will be distributed exclusively by VIZ Media.

Artist Yayoi Kusama is an avant-garde sculptor, painter, and novelist and her visual style is often characterized by a liberal use of polka dots and nets to achieve a so-called “infinity effect.” The film documents Kusama’s creative process over the course of a year-and-a-half as she completes a series of 50 large monochrome drawings. As her work comes to life, one witnesses the essence of her artistic voice as builds on themes about the conflicts between life, death, and love – sometimes quietly and sometimes not. Her self-confidence and dignified spirit is evident throughout the insightful film.

Yayoi Kusama has been widely acclaimed by the international art world for more than 50 years. In 2006, she received the Japanese National Lifetime Achievement Award, one of Japan’s most prestigious prizes for internationally recognized artists. In November 2008, her No.2 (created in 1959) was auctioned by Christie’s New York for over $5.7 million, the second highest price ever paid for a work by a living female artist. Her work has been exhibited with the likes of Andy Warhol and Jasper Johns and also shown at preeminent venues like the Museum of Modern Art in New York City and the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C.

“Yayoi Kusama: I Love ME is the newest release in our ongoing NEW PEOPLE Artist Series which highlights notable modern Japanese pop artists who possess unique views and creative inspirations,” says Seiji Horibuchi, President and CEO of VIZ Pictures and the founder of NEW PEOPLE. “Yayoi Kusama is a truly gifted world class artist who blends elements of minimalism, surrealism, pop art and abstract expressionism. To celebrate this release, VIZ Pictures will have a special event at their brand-new VIZ Cinema in San Francisco on October 27th. Tickets ($25) include a pass to the screening, a brand-new DVD ($25 value), a postcard and NEW PEOPLE original buttons.

For more information, visit www.viz-pictures.com or www.newpeopleartistseries.com.

And, for movie schedule at VIZ Cinema, please visit www.vizcinema.com.

ACF 389: November DVDs frrom VIZ Media

DVD RELEASES FOR NOVEMBER 2009
FROM VIZ MEDIA

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media) has announced their list of DVD titles scheduled for release in November 2009. This includes the first NARUTO Shippuden Movie as well as the latest episodic releases of the popular BLEACH, NARUTO Shippuden and POKÉMON series. November DVD releases also include the newest NANA, BLEACH and NARUTO Box Sets. VIZ Media DVD titles are distributed (in English) in the U.S and Mexico by Warner Home Video and in Canada by Allegro.

New NARUTO Releases Include:

NARUTO Shippuden The Movie · Rated 'T+' for Older Teens ·
MSRP: $24.92 US / $35.99 CAN · Available November 10

A powerful spirit that once threatened to destroy the world is back! Naruto's mission is to protect a priestess named Shion, who is the only one with the power to seal away the monster. She also has the uncanny ability to predict someone's fate. her latest prediction: Naruto will soon die. Naruto's only hope is to abandon Shion, but that's not Naruto's style. He decides to face her fatal prediction head-on--and die!

NARUTO Shippuden, Volume 3 · Rated 'T+' for Older Teens ·
MSRP: $24.92 US / $35.99 CAN · Available November 24

Gaara of the Sand has been kidnapped, and Team Kakashi are on their way! Sakura uses her skills as a medic ninja to treat the wounded Kankuro, impressing everyone with her sure and steady hands. Granny Chiyo of the Sand decides to accompany Team Kakashi, but before they can get to Gaara and the Akatsuki lair, the team is confronted by a familiar enemy--Itachi Uchiha.

Episodes: 9 – 13

NARUTO UNCUT Season 1, Volume 2 DVD Box Set · Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens ·
MSRP: $39.97 US / $57.99 CAN · Available November 24

Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura face deadly enemies and dark powers as the Chunin Exam continues in the Forest of Death. While they search for the Heaven and Earth scrolls, something evil is afoot, and it's after Sasuke! Then the genin must take on each other in one-on-one battles. Does Naruto have what it takes to stand up to his peers--and win?

Episodes: 26 – 52

New BLEACH Releases Include:

BLEACH UNCUT Box Set 4, Part 1 · Rated ‘T’ for Teens ·
MSRP: $49.95 US / $71.99 CAN · Available November 3

Ichigo and his friends return from the Soul Society to the World of the Living and try to resume their normal lives. But when strange abductions start happening, it's up to them to solve the riddle. More Soul Reapers arrive to help uncover the truth behind a mysterious clan known as Bounts. Will these allies be strong enough to stop the Bount leader from stealing human souls and feeding his dangerous ambition?

Episodes: 64 – 79 (Original and Uncut)

BLEACH Volume 22 · Rated ‘T’ for Teens ·
MSRP: $24.92 US / $35.99 CAN · Available November 17

Rangiku Matsumoto and several other Soul Reapers arrive to help in the battle against the evil Bounts. Entering the cave hideout, they soon discover they've stumbled into a trap! Just in time to back up their comrades, Ichigo faces the Bount leader Kariya and must summon his bankai if he is to survive, while Uryû must rediscover his lost powers as well.

Episodes: 88 – 91

New POKÉMON Releases Include:

(C) 2009 Pokémon
(C) 1997-2009 Nintendo, Creatures, GAME FREAK, TV Tokyo, Shopro, JR Kikaku.
Pokémon properties are trademarks of Nintendo.)

POKÉMON: ELEMENTS, Volume 5: Ice · Rated 'A' for All Ages ·
MSRP: $9.98 US / $14.99 CAN · Available November 24

POKÉMON: ELEMENTS, Volume 6: Dark · Rated 'A' for All Ages ·
MSRP: $9.98 US / $14.99 CAN · Available November 24

Following the POKÉMON All Star series set, the POKÉMON: ELEMENTS collection consists of the most important episodes commemorating the different types of Pokémon characters. Each disc showcases a Pokémon type with three all-time favorite episodes. Collect them all!

Volume 5 Includes 3 Ice–type episodes:
1. Freeze Frame
2. Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let it Snorunt!
3. Spring Fever

Volume 6 Includes 3 Dark–type episodes:
1. Absol-ute Disaster
2. Pop Goes The Sneasel
3. A Bite to Remember

New Shojo Releases Include:

NANA BOX SET, Volume 2 · Rated ‘M’ for Mature ·
MSRP: $59.90 US / $85.99 CAN · Available November 24

Careers, friendship, love--can two bright young women named Nana manage to have it all?

Nana K.'s Tokyo experiment is in jeopardy when she finds herself strapped for cash and her relationship with Shoji on uncertain ground. Nana O.'s love life takes an unexpected turn when she's reunited with her old flame, Ren from Trapnest. With such a close connection to her favorite band, will Nana K. get to meet the man of her dreams--Takumi? Sometimes dreams do come true... Episodes: 12 – 22

ACF 388: Inu Yasha - the Final Act

Just to remind you, since last Saturday, October 3rd, 2009, INUYASHA THE FINAL ACT (subtitled) has been streaming on ShonenSunday.com/anime and Hulu.com mere hours after it airs in Japan. A new episode will air every Saturday thereafter.

INUYASHA is a hit TV anime series based on the manga by famed creator Rumiko Takahashi, who won the prestigious Shogakukan Manga Award for INUYASHA in 2002. Many of the Takahashi titles have been adapted into other media such as anime, live-action TV series, and film. Takahashi’s manga, as well as the other formats her work has been adapted into, have continued to delight generations of fans around the world.

Distinguished by her wonderfully endearing characters, Takahashi’s work adeptly incorporates a wide variety of elements such as comedy, romance, fantasy, and martial arts. Rumiko Takahashi is an artist who truly represents the very best from the world of manga. Please visit the new official North American web site for all Rumiko Takahashi-related news and information located at www.TheRumicWorld.com.

When an enchanted well draws her into the past, Kagome, an ordinary modern schoolgirl, finds her destiny tied to the doglike half-demon Inuyasha and a mythical gem called the Shikon Jewel, or "Jewel of Four Souls," of which the smallest shard can grant the user unimaginable power.

Throughout their quest to restore the shattered Shikon Jewel, Inuyasha and Kagome have never faced an enemy more deadly or more cunning than the demon mastermind Naraku. With the Shikon Jewel nearly whole and in Naraku’s hands, the race to collect the remaining shards intensifies and a battle of epic proportions is brewing on the horizon..

ACF 387: Vampire Knight

VIZ MEDIA BECOMES MASTER LICENSOR FOR

GOTHIC ANIMATED SERIES VAMPIRE KNIGHT

Broadcast, Home Entertainment, Streaming, DTO, & Merchandising Rights To Hit Anime Series Based On Popular Manga Title Licensed For North America

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media) has acquired the domestic TV, Home Entertainment, Streaming, DTO, and Merchandising rights to the hit VAMPIRE KNIGHT animated series.

With this license VIZ Media will hold the rights to VAMPIRE KNIGHT for TV (including IPTV and VOD) and Home Video (all platforms including Blu-ray), Streaming, DTO and Merchandising (including digital Merchandise and mobile).

VAMPIRE KNIGHT is based on the best-selling gothic-romance manga series created by Matsuri Hino. Cross Academy is attended by two groups of students: the Day Class and the Night Class. At twilight, when the students of the Day Class return to their dorm, they cross paths with the Night Class on their way to school. Yuki Cross and Zero Kiryu are the Guardians of the school, protecting the Day Class from the Academy's dark secret: the Night Class is full of vampires!

Matsuri Hino burst onto the manga scene with her title Kono Yume ga Sametara (When This Dream Is Over), which was published in LaLa DX magazine. Hino was a manga artist a mere nine months after she decided to become one. With the success of her popular series CAPTIVE HEARTS and MERU PURI, Hino has established herself as a major player in the world of shojo manga.

VAMPIRE KNIGHT is currently serialized in LaLa magazine in Japan and was also serialized in Shojo Beat magazine in North America. The VAMPIRE KNIGHT manga series is currently published in the US by VIZ Media and continues to keep its place in the Top Ten on The New York Times Best Selling Manga List.

For more information on VAMPIRE KNIGHT please visit www.shojobeat.com/manga/vk.

ACF 386: Sushi Catalogue Application now avialable at iTunes Application Store

The Sushi Catalogue App Now Available on App Store

A delicious and useful application for the iPhone and iPod touch

Shogakukan, Inc., one of the largest publishing houses in Japan, recently announced The Sushi Catalogue App is now available on the App Store. The Sushi Catalogue App is a unique culinary companion for the Japanese cuisine and sushi lover, which depicts 80 different kinds of traditional Japanese sushi that are fully explained, cross-referenced and illustrated.

Whether going on an overseas trip to Japan or just down the street to the local sushi bar, The Sushi Catalogue is a useful companion for iPhone and iPod touch users,” says Mr. Yamamoto, Producer of The Sushi Catalogue, Shogakukan “The Sushi Catalogue has it all and presents information in an easy-to-reference way giving people informative and fun ways to understand and interact with these unique traditions.”

The fun app makes it easy for iPhone and iPod touch users to access a variety of sushi dishes and sub-categories like different types of toppings and seasonal availabilities, as well as variations on traditional preparation and presentations. Viewing a particular sushi dish in landscape mode enlarges the image; sliding the screen to the left or right switches the view to other entries.

Through October 15th, Shogakukan will give iPhone and iPod touch users a special 50% discount for this fun sushi guide application.

The Sushi Catalogue complements other handy Shogakukan apps for the iPhone and iPod touch, including the Daijisen Japanese-Japanese Dictionary, which contains 230,000 entries, derived terms, phrases and The Pocket Progressive English-Japanese Japanese-English Dictionary. The Daijisen Dictionary App is a useful tool for studying the Japanese language and makes it possible to search for many terms, including the latest buzzwords and recently added vernacular, quickly and effortlessly. The app also has an entertaining 8x8 crossword puzzle game with hints given in Japanese.

The Sushi Catalogue App is available for $4.99 from the App Store on iPhone and iPod touch or at www.itunes.com/appstore/.

ACF 385: NIGHT AND DAY - NY Theatrical Premiere at Anthology Film Archives

NIGHT AND DAY / BAM GUA NAT

Directed by Hong Sang-soo

South Korea, 2008, 144 minutes, 35mm.

In Korean and French with English subtitles.

Distributed by IFC Films

Later this month (see showtime info and links at bottom of this post), Anthology Film Archives will present the New York Theatrical Premiere Run of NIGHT AND DAY by gifted Korean auteur Hong Sang-soo, who has established himself as world cinema’s poet of male narcissism, desire, and neurosis. For more than a decade now he has been quietly but consistently turning out a series of films that are somehow both self-effacing and bold, behavioral and formally experimental, including masterpieces such as VIRGIN STRIPPED BARE BY HER BACHELORS, TURNING GATE, and TALE OF CINEMA.

His most recent film to hit North American shores (the feverishly prolific Hong has already lapped us, with an even newer film – LIKE YOU KNOW IT ALL – premiering at Cannes last May) finds him experimenting with a change of location. Set in Paris rather than Korea, NIGHT AND DAY adds the element of cultural confusion to his usual thematic arsenal.

After getting busted for smoking pot with some students, 40-year-old artist Seong-nam impulsively flees to Paris, leaving his wife behind, and finds himself living in a kind of limbo. Staying in a run-down hotel inhabited mostly by fellow Korean ex-pats, Seong-nam wanders aimlessly around the city, becoming ensnared by temptation in the form of both an ex-flame, and a couple of young art students. Leisurely, episodic, sharp, and deeply funny, NIGHT AND DAY finds Hong working at the height of his powers.

“Expanding and enriching his themes with layered motifs and images, filming in a straightforward style that makes the simplest pan or zoom an exclamation mark, Hong Sang-soo has never more disarmingly realized his bleak, sardonic view of male desire than in NIGHT AND DAY.” –Michael Joshua Rowin, REVERSE SHOT

“Eric Rohmer’s name has been bandied about as a point of reference, but this is actually pure Hong Sang-soo: a very amusing deconstruction of male pride, male inadequacy and the male capacity for projecting hapless fantasies onto more or less innocent women. Not a reinvention, then, but a thoroughgoing refreshment of Hong’s characteristic themes.” –Tony Rayns, THE TIMES BFI LONDON FILM FESTIVAL

Showtimes:
Friday, October 23 through Thursday, October 29 at 6:30 & 9:15 nightly.
Additional screenings on Saturday and Sunday at 3:30.

Anthology Film Archives homepage here. Or go directly to their online calendar by clicking here.

ACF 384: Kelly Hu to Star in "ALMOST PERFECT" for Slew Pictures

Kelly Hu has been one of my favorite actresses since her terrific starring role as Chen Pei Pei in Sammo Hung's Martial Law TV series. I also thought she was great and showed real chops as a comedienne in the short-lived series In Case of Emergency. So it's with great joy that I share the following info about her starring in a rom com set to start shooting here in New York this month. Really hope that I'll be able to do an interview. But even if not, I'm very excited about this news. Hope you are too.

NEW YORK, NY, October 1, 2009 – Slew Pictures announced today that Kelly Hu (“The Scorpion King,” “X-Men 2”) will star in writer/director Bertha Bay-Sa Pan’s romantic comedy “Almost Perfect.” Pan will produce with Derrick Tseng (“Life During Wartime,” “Choke,” “The Ten,” “Snow Angels”) and Riva Marker (“The Winning Season,” “Grace is Gone,” “Trucker”). Production is set for October 2009 in New York City.

“Almost Perfect” is the story of Vanessa, a 30-something New York career woman. After too many years of being everybody's go-to girl, she finally gets a chance at love when she meets a man who's almost perfect for her. But, just as she starts to consider the possibility of romance, her family suddenly comes undone. As she juggles a high-maintenance “fashionista” sister on the brink, a surf-bum brother hiding out, an overly-intellectual mother who knows it all, a retired father on a quest for meaning -- and the nearly perfect boyfriend who gets fed up with it all -- Vanessa discovers that the person she really needs to save is herself.

Pan said, “I am so excited to work with Kelly, who not only kicks butt as an action hero, but is also an incredibly thoughtful and nuanced actor, with a killer sense of humor. I can't wait to watch her experience this emotional journey on screen. It's going to be a lot of fun.”

Other featured cast members include Ivan Shaw, Roger Rees, Tina Chen, Edison Chen, and Christina Chang.

Founded by award-winning filmmaker Bertha Bay-Sa Pan, Slew Pictures is a New York based production company that develops and produces universal stories that entertain and inspire. Current projects include Annette Apitz’s “Fighting Fish,” starring Val Emmich and Halley Feiffer.