RASHOMON at Japan Society NY this Wednesday, February 1st, 2023

Japan Society
Presents

Toshiro Mifune and, behind his shoulder, Machiko Kyo

Rashomon

Directed by Akira Kurosawa

With Toshiro Mifune, Machiko Kyo, Masayuki Mori

Japan, 1950, 88 minutes
35mm, b&w, in Japanese with English subtitles
 

When: Wednesday, February 1st 2023 at 7:00 pm

Where: Japan Society NY
333 East 47th Street
New York, NY 10017
Map

Tickets

 
A riveting psychological thriller that investigates the nature of truth and the meaning of justice, Rashomon is widely considered one of the greatest films ever made. Based on a story by Ryunosuke Akutagawa, father of the modern Japanese short novel, Rashomon follows four people who give different accounts of a samurai's murder—brilliantly presented by director Akira Kurosawa with striking imagery and an ingenious use of flashbacks.

 

Rashomon is generally recognized that as the film that brought Japanese filmmaking into the ranks of World Cinema when it won the Golden Lion at the 1951 Venice Film Festival. (In Something Like An Autobiography, Kurosawa wrote that his next film, 1951s The Idiot, did so poorly that Daiei "rescinded its offer for me to do another film with them." Rashomon's success at Venice -- where he didn't even know it had been submitted --  spared him "from having to eat cold rice" and allowed him to continue on the incredible filmmaking bath that followed.)

 

Rashomon also  received an Honorary Award from the Board of Governors at the 1952 Academy Awards as the most outstanding foreign language film released in the United States during 1951. (It was not until 1956, at the 29th Academy Awards, that a competitive Academy Award of Merit, known as the Best Foreign Language Film Award, was created for non-English speaking films.)

 

This screening of Rashomon is part of Japan Society's MONTHLY CLASSICS film series. It is also part of a series of programs celebrating the life and work of the prolific Japanese author Ryunosuke Akutagawa. Upcoming: AKUTAGAWA—an amalgam of his best-known stories told through traditional Japanese puppetry (Feb. 23–25).

Please review japan Society's Visitor Policies and Safety Protocols.

ALL ABOUT LILY CHOU-CHOU reviewed; screening at Japan Society on December 10, 2022

Japan Society
Presents

All About Lily Chou-Chou
Written and directed by Shunji Iwai
With Hayato Ichihara, Shugo Oshinari, Ayumi Ito, Yu Aoi.
Japan, 2001, 146 minutes
35 mm, color, in Japanese with English subtitles

When: Saturday, December 10th, 2022 at 7:15 p.m

Where: Japan Society NY
333 East 47th Street
New York, NY 10017
Map
Tickets

All About Lily Chou Chou began as an interactive novel Iwai wrote and posted on the Internet. The film captures the absurdities of growing up in Japan’s pervasive pop/cyber culture, in which Internet chat rooms, pop-idol worship, and harrowing school bullying are just part of a teenager’s daily life. Iwai’s poetic, gorgeously shot coming-of-age tale provides a disturbing look at the violence, terror, and isolation that characterized growing up in Japan at the turn of the century.

AsianCineFest Rating: 3.5 out of 4 stars; very highly recommended

Be sure you have read and can follow Japan Society's health and safety policies before purchasing tickets to on-site events.  Review the Visitor Policies and Safety Protocols here.

Sunday's screening of All About Lily Chou Chou is part of Japan Society's film series Love Letters: Four Films by Shunji Iwai.

LOVE LETTERS: Four Films by Shunji Iwai at Japan Society starting tomorrow, Friday, December 9th

Japan Society NY
Presents

LOVE LETTERS: Four Films by Shunji Iwai
When: December 9-23, 2022
Where: Japan Society NY
333 East 47th Street

One of the most original talents to emerge from Japan in the ’90s, director Shunji Iwai tapped into the dreams and lives of Japan’s youth with his lyrical meditations on the hardships of young adulthood, capturing pivotal and unforgettable moments of life. Balancing popular entertainment with arthouse predilection, Iwai’s exhilarating takes on the youth film provided a much-needed voice for the younger generation, offering delicate portraits of adolescence, ripe with poetic yearnings of grief, friendship and young love. Iwai’s sumptuous visual style coupled with his affecting and underground appeal opened a world of new possibilities in the ’90s cinescape—marking him as one of the most accomplished and unique filmmakers of his generation.

Full info about the series can be viewed here.

IN-PERSON SCREENINGS (December 9th and 10th)
Tickets: $15 / 10 members
- Love Letter on Friday, December 9th at 7 pm
- Fireworks, Should We See It from the Side or the Bottom? and April Story on Saturday, December 10th at 5 pm
- All About Lily Chou-Chou on Saturday, December 10th at 7:15 pm

Series Pass: Purchase Tickets for all films in the same transaction and receive $2 off each ticket.

ONLINE SCREENINGS (December 9th—23rd)
Rentals: $10
- April Story

Members: 20% off via promo code
Not a member? Join today.

Be sure you have read and can follow Japan Society's health and safety policies before purchasing tickets to on-site events.  Review the Visitor Policies and Safety Protocols here.

CONFLAGRATION reviewed; screening at Japan Society tomorrow

Japan Society NY
and
The Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan

present

Conflagration © Kadokawa Corporation.

Conflagration / Enjô

Directed by Kon Ichikawa

Starring Raizo Ichikawa, Tatsuya Nakadai, Ganjiro Nakamura

Japan, 1958, 99 minutes, 35mm, b/w

When: Monday, November 14, 2015 at 7:00 om

Where: Japan Society

333 East 47th Street, NYC

Map

Tickets

Synopsis (courtesy Japan Society):

Known as Ichikawa's favorite of his own films, Conflagration is the pinnacle of the many acclaimed literary adaptations he and his wife Natto Wada worked on together. Loosely based on true events that also inspired Yukio Mishima's novel The Temple of the Golden Pavilion, the story involves the spiritual and psychological breakdown of an introverted, troubled youth named Goichi (Raizo Ichikawa), whose desire for pure beauty leads him to Kyoto's Shukaku temple, where he becomes an apprentice to the priest. 

Haunted by the trauma of his father's death, Goichi is unable to reconcile the sacred beauty of the temple with postwar reality, and his absolutist ideals become increasingly distorted until they lead to destruction. Ichikawa's stark, poignant film is unforgettably rendered in stunning black and white by cinematographer Kazuo Miyagawa (Akira Kurosawa's Rashomon and numerous other highly regarded films).

Review:

It's not difficult to understand why Ichikawa was so pleased with this film, as it's a superb piece of story-telling. And, as previously mentioned, Miyagawa's cinematography is outstanding.

Raizo Ichikawa, perhaps best known to Westerners for his portrayal of Nemuri Kyoshiro in the Sleepy Eyes of Death swordplay series, gives a superb performance as Goichi. So too does Tatsuya Nakadai as Togari, Goichi's lame and dissolute fellow student. It's a revelation seeing the two of them so early in their careers.

AsianCineFest Rating: 4 out of 4 stars, most highly recommended. In other words, it's a "must-see" if at all possible.

This screening of Conflagration is presented as part of the film series The Female Gaze: Women Filmmakers from JAPAN CUTS and Beyond. The films in the series were selected and are co-presented by the Japan Society and the Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan. Conflagration is In collaboration with the National Film Archive of Japan

DREAMING OF THE MERIDIAN ARC reviewed; will screen at Japan Society tomorrow at 1:00 pm

 

 Japan Society NY
and
The Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan
Presents

Dreaming of the Meridian Arc

Directed by Kenji Nakanishi

With Kiichi Nakai, Keiko Kitagawa, and Kenichi Matsuyama.
Japan, 2022, 111 minutes

DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles

 

When: November 12, 2022 at 1:00 pm
Where: Japan Society NY
333 East 47th Street

Buy Tickets

 

Kenichi Matsuyama's contemporary/historical comedy/drama will be shown tomorrow afternoon at Japan Society NY as part of The Female Gaze: Women Filmmakers from JAPAN CUTS and Beyond.

 

Synopsis (courtesy of Japan Society):

 

A locally funded TV dramatization of cartographer Tadataka Ino, the first person to map Japan in 1821, runs into trouble when it’s discovered mid-production that Ino died three years prior to the completion of his map. Weaving between modern day and Edo-era Japan, Dreaming of the Meridian Arc reveals the surprising story of Tadataka's disciples who hid news of their beloved master’s death and risked their lives to clandestinely complete the map in his honor. Adapted for the screen by Yoshiko Morishita (Flower and Sword) from Shinosuke Tatekawa’s rakugo story, Dreaming of the Meridian Arc offers a humorous and entertaining account of the exploits that led to the completion of Ino’s revolutionary map.

 

Review:

 

Considering that it has what I would term one of the lesser time slots in the series' schedule, I was more than pleasantly surprised to find that this film -- although not a masterpiece -- is nonetheless eminently enjoyable. The movie's conceit, if you will, is its use of the same actors playing characters in  the two contemporary sections of the film which bookend the central bloc in which they play historical counterparts to their modern day characters. On the other hand, perhaps the "historical" mid-section can most appropriately be considered the speculative musings of the main character Yasuharu Ikemoto, played by Kiichi Nakai. His subtle double takes when he recognizes a resemblance between present day characters and those in the historical drama are deftly done. Both he and the entire supporting class put in super fine performances and the dialogue and characterizations merit well-deserved credit to screenwriter Yoshiko Morishits, who adapted Shinosuke Tatekawa's rakugo story.

 

AsianCineFest Rating: 3.5 out of 4 stars; very good; a highly entertaining and enjoyable film.

 

Explore the complete series lineup and buy tickets here. All films were selected by the Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan and Japan Society and will screen in person at Japan Society.

The Female Gaze: Women Filmmakers from JAPAN CUTS and Beyond coming to Japan Society NY

 Japan Society NY
and
The Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan
Present

The Female Gaze: Women Filmmakers from JAPAN CUTS and Beyond
When: November 11-20, 2022
Where: Japan Society NY
333 East 47th Street

A survey of the growing prominence and visibility of women in film, the latest ACA Cinema Project series The Female Gaze: Women Filmmakers from JAPAN CUTS and Beyond focuses on the essential roles that female artists play from behind the camera in Japanese cinema—ranging from directing and screenwriting to production and cinematography.

All films were selected by the Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan and Japan Society and will screen in person at Japan Society.

Explore the lineup and buy tickets here.

RINGU screening at Japan Society NY Friday, Octobee 7th, 2022

Japan Society NY
Presents 

Ringu
Directed by Hideo Nakata

With Nanako Matsushima, Hiroyuki Sanada, Miki Nakatani
Japan, 1998, 96 minutes

DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles

When: Friday, October 7th at 7:00 pm
Where: Japan Society NY
333 East 47th Street 

Buy Tickets

 

A dirgelike procession of contorted corpses, grainy video footage and disturbing imagery, Ringu became the highest-grossing horror film in Japanese history upon its 1998 release. 

Investigating an urban myth of a cursed videotape that kills its watchers within seven days of viewing, journalist Reiko Asakawa (Nanako Matsushima) discovers a series of unnatural teenage deaths tied to a tangible, real-life tape when her niece falls victim to the curse. While tracking it down, Reiko unwittingly exposes her son to the tape, pitting her in a race against the clock to discover the secrets behind its origin. A dirgelike procession of contorted corpses, grainy video footage and disturbing imagery, Nakata’s brooding J-horror classic unleashes a barrage of nightmare fuel that feeds off of the technological anxieties of our modern era.

This screening of Ringu is part of Japan Society's Monthly Classics Series.
 

Please review Japan Society's Visitor Policies and Safety Protocols.

KAGEMUSHA screening at Japan Society tomorrow evening

Japan Society NY
Presents 

Kagemusha
Directed by Akira Kurosawa
Japan, 1980) on 35mm

When: Friday, June 10th at 7:00 pm
Where: Japan Society NY
333 East 47th Street
Buy Tickets

When a petty thief is given another chance at life to serve as a double for an aging warlord, Akira Kurosawa’s late-period masterpiece erupts into a tragedy of Shakespearean proportions set against a backdrop of feudal Japan. In Japanese with English subtitles.

Watch the trailer here.

This screening of Kagemusha is part of Japan Society's Monthly Classics Series.

Japan Society's Visitor Policies and Safety Protocols.

BEYOND OZU: HIDDEN GEMS OF SHOCHIKU STUDIOS coming to The Museum of Modern Art

The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
Presents

Yoru no henrin (The Shape of Night). 1964. Japan. Directed by Noboru Nakamura. Courtesy Shochiku

Beyond Ozu: Hidden Gems of Shochiku Studios
When: June 10 - July 9, 2022
Where: The Museum of Modern Art
11 West 53 Street, NYC

Founded in 1920 by a pair of peanut vendors who hoped to achieve the commercial success of Hollywood, the Shochiku film studio adopted Western methods of filmmaking (a training institute, a star system, a studio campus) and made Western techniques of storytelling (closeups, flashbacks, panning shots, dissolves, montage editing) into something distinctively Japanese.

 

Thanks to the generosity of Shochiku, together with the National Film Archive of Japan and Japan Foundation, New York, MoMA will present a centennial selection of hidden treasures, most of them in archival 35mm prints, from the studio that produced such masterpieces as Yasujirō Ozu’s Tokyo Story, Keisuke Kinoshita’s Ballad of Narayama, Nagisa Oshima’s Cruel Story of Youth, and Masaki Kobayashi’s Harakiri.

 

This exhibition goes beyond these perennial favorites to deepen appreciation of the history of Japanese cinema, featuring newfound discoveries like Hiroshi Shimizu’s Eternal Heart (1929), Kôzaburô Yoshimura’s Temptation (1948), Tai Kato’s The Ondekoza (1981), and Kôhei Oguri’s The Sting of Death (1990).

 

The exhibition opens on June 10th with the North American premiere 4K restoration of Masahiro Shinoda’s Demon Pond (1979).

Complete series information and screening schedule is available here.

THE CHERRY BUSHIDO coming to theaters Friday, March 11th

HS Productions
presents

The Cherry Bushido
Directed by Hiroshi Akabane
Japan, 2022, 125 minutes
Japanese with English Voiceover

 

The Japanese live action feature The Cherry Bushido will release theatrically in North American theaters on Friday, March 11th. Look for a review here at AsianCineFest the week of March 7th.

Synopsis:
Shizuka is a college student with a strong sense of justice and a patriotic spirit. She is looking for a job, but she is secretly wishing to take over the dojo owned by her father, Shingen. One day, Shizuka is scouted by an entertainment agency, but in fact, it was a non-profit organization which was run by a group called the "Japan Salvation Conference (JSC)." The head of JSC, Satoshi tells her about the divine revelation that Japan may face its extinction in the 21st century. Shizuka joins the JSC and after undergoing rigorous spiritual training under the guidance of Satoshi, Shizuka decides to go on a special mission to save Japan from its crisis. Shizuka and her pals leave their astral bodies and head for the spirit world to defeat the Great Demon of Hades, a demon with an aim to destroy Japan. Will they be able to save Japan?

Watch the official trailer here.

In-person screening of FEMALE PRISONER SCORPION: JAILHOUSE 41 at Japan Society NY on March 4th

Japan Society NY
presents

Female Prisoner Scorpion: Jailhouse 41
Directed by Shunja Ito
Starring: Meiko Kaji, Fumio Watanabe, Kayoko Shiraishi
Japan, 1972, 90 minutes

When: Friday, March 4, 2022 at 7:00pm
Where: Japan Society NY
333 East 47th Street, NYC
Map
Tickets: $15 / $5 members

To mark the 50th Anniversary of this landmark Japanese film, Japan Society NY will be offering a rare 35mm presentation of it at an in-person screening this coming Friday, March 4th at 7:00pm.

 

Best recognized outside of Japan for her role as the mesmerizing, katana-wielding Lady Snowblood, Meiko Kaji’s equally definitive portrayal of the fearless convict Sasori (Scorpion) initially cemented her status as an icon of 70s exploitation.

 

Synopsis:

After a year in solitary confinement in a vicious women’s prison, Sasori has taken on a mythic stature among the prisoners. Escaping with an uncouth band of inmates, she leads the group while the prison’s sadistic guards follow in hot pursuit. The second film in Toei’s Female Prisoner Scorpion series, Shunya Ito’s fever dream sequel is recognized as the series’ best entry, bolstered by avant-garde tinged visuals, delirious violence, a fuzzy guitar score and, of course, Meiko Kaji’s fierce, steely-eyed performance of rage and vengeance.

Please review Japan Society's safety protocols at the bottom of this page.

Flash Forward: Debut Works and Recent Films by Notable Japanese Directors to be presented by Japan Society NY from December 3-23

Moonlight Whispers (Directed by Akihiko Shiota, 1999. 97 minutes)

Flash Forward: Debut Works and Recent Films by Notable Japanese Directors kicks off this Friday, Dec. 3rd. With 18 films available for nationwide streaming, plus two exclusive in-person screenings in Japan Society NY's auditorium, the series compiles must-see works from six of Japan's best-known directors: Naomi Kawase, Miwa Nishikawa, Shuichi Okita, Junji Sakamoto, Akihiko Shiota and Masayuki Suo.

Running from Dec. 3 to Dec. 23, Flash Forward presents two distinct facets of each filmmaker’s career, pairing their respective debuts with more recent works.

In addition to online screenings available for nationwide streaming, Japan Society present two new 4K restorations of films by master filmmaker Sadao Yamanaka in its auditorium. Plus: Free to stream—six films from filmmakers on the rise.

In-Person Screenings:
- Tickets: $15 / $10 members
- Tickets for In-Person Screenings are on sale now.

Online Screenings:
- Rentals: $10 for 3-day rental
- On-Sale Date: December 3

All-Access Pass: $55 for all online films (Available for purchase now through December 2nd only)

Members receive 20% off online rentals and the all-access pass. Not a member? Join today to receive exclusive benefits for the whole family.

Learn more about the films here.

CHICAGO JAPAN FILM COLLECTIVE festival is coming May 25th - 31st

Japanese Film Festival Comes to the Midwest
Chicago Japan Film Collective | May 25th – 31st, 2021

Coyote Sun Productions and Mar Creation announced the inaugural Chicago Japanese Film Collective, the first ever Japanese film festival to be held in the Midwest. The virtual festival will feature nine films (seven narrative features and two documentaries), including two North American premieres.

Organized by SAKAMOTO Yuki (President of Coyote Sun Productions) and KONO Hiroshi (President of Mar Creation), the Chicago Japanese Film Collective will take place from May 25th – 31st, 2021.

“We’re excited to bring the best of contemporary Japanese cinema to the Midwest,” said Sakamoto, adding that “Our festival is designed to bring the American Midwest into conversation with Japanese culture.”

Supported by CATCH US Performing Arts (CUPA) and the Japan Foundation New York, the festival will use the Eventive platform for ticketing and screenings and is intended to spark conversations about culture and to facilitate understanding between Japan and the Midwest region.

According to Kono Hiroshi, “With the ongoing pandemic, we hope the Chicago Japanese Film Collective can provide a space where people from diverse backgrounds come together to appreciate art and to focus on our shared humanity.”

Among the festival's highlights is Hayashi Kaizo’s BOLT, a drama about the immediate aftermath of the earthquake that rocked Japan and resulted in the Fukushima nuclear disaster starring Nagade Masatoshi. Also, All About Chiaki Mayumura (provisional), a genre-bending drama about a musical celebrity who is much more than meets the eye. Other films include VIDEOPHOBIA, a black and white cyber thriller; Yan, shot on location in Japan and in Taiwan; The House of Seasons, a family drama about a teenager who overcomes her mental health challenges; and The Manga Master, a film about the life of manga artist pioneer Kitazawa Rakuten. In documentaries, the festival will feature Alone Again in Fukushima, a deeply human story about a man who stayed in the evacuation zone in order to care for animals left behind following the Fukushima nuclear disaster, and Prison Circle, which provides an intimate look into one of Japan’s most notorious prisons.

The Chicago Japan Film Collective introduces the best in contemporary Japanese films—that would otherwise be inaccessible—to Midwestern audiences. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the inaugural edition will be held virtually, however plans are in motion to hold future festivals in person.

Details:
- Tuesday, May 25, 2021 - Monday, May 31, 2021, 23:59 (Central Time, USA)
- Virtual screening U.S. nationwide
- Watchsite Registration Fee: May 5th, 2021 on sale
- Early Bird: US $13 for all access, US$8 for one film (May 5th - 15th)
- Regular: US $15 for all access, US$10 for one film (May 16th - 31st)
- Student discount codes and promotional discount code are available
- Film Festival Platform: EVENTIVE
- Official Website: https://www.cjfc.us
- Audience Award: Votes for the Audience Award will be cast through Eventive and the award will be announced at the conclusion of the festival.

IRON GIRL: FINAL WARS reviewed; streets April 6th

Iron Girl:Final Wars / Aian gâru Final Wars
Directed by Ken'ichi Fujiwara
Japan, 2019, 90 minutes
Language: Japanese with English Subtitles
Format: BD
SRP: $19.98

Iron Girl: Final Wars is the third, and apparently final, film in the post-apocalyptic action series that began with Iron Girl (2012) and its sequel Iron Girl: Ultimate Weapon (2015). All three films star Kirara Asuka as a lovely and well-endowed young woman named Chris who transforms into the titular role of sexy-suited kick-ass babe.

This time round, Chris is again involved with the resistance against the evil organizaton that seeks to totally dominate the post-apocalyptic world. One of the resistance leaders is Joe, whose former girlfriend Diana has left the resistance and become an enhanced altered soldier whose main target is Iron Girl. Further complicating matters is the fact that a mysterious young girl named Sara has been having dreams calling to Chris for help… even though the two of them have never met!

The action is decent enough, as was the case in the first two films in the trilogy. Sadly there isn't as much tittilating nudity as in the previous two films. Still, it's a worthwhile watch that brings Iron Girl's tale to a satisfying conclusion. Or maybe not, as the film's coda suggests that the series might carry on.

AsianCineFest Rating: 2.5 out of 4 stars

Iron Girl: Final Wars is published by Switchblade Pictures and distributed by Section23 Films.

SECTION23 FILMS announces its April 2021 slate of releases

Home video distributor Section23 Films has announced its April slate of releases, which includes Sentai Filmworks action packed series, HERO MASK!, available on Blu-ray April 27th.

Product details in order of release:

Title: ELFEN LIED
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 350 min.
Street Date: 4/6/2021
Format: BD
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $49.98

SYNOPSIS: Critics have described Elfen Lied as "weird," (Anime Planet), "surprisingly sadistic," (Gamers Edge), and "addictive"(Animesou). No wonder, when you consider what makes this series hum! Lucy, a beautiful young mutant, is bred by the military to be the ultimate weapon. Now, with government killers on her trail, the disposition of a five year old, and a hair trigger for ultraviolence, Lucy and her young friends must unravel the dark secret of her legacy before it's too late.


Title: IRON GIRL: FINAL WARS
Published by: Switchblade Pictures
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 90 min.
Street Date: 4/6/2021
Format: BD
Language: Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $19.98

SYNOPSIS: Chris may have survived the Apocalypse, but there are still plenty of threats from the past lurking in the ruins of civilization… and now one of them is actively looking for her! At least, that's how it seems when she encounters Joe, a member of the resistance who is trying to discover why the artificial intelligence known as JUDA has been sending out murderous cyborgs with a certain heroine as their target! Even more unnerving is the fact that a mysterious young girl Sara has been having dreams calling to Chris for help… even though the two of them have never met! And if killer cyborgs alone aren't terrifying enough, JUDA has doubled their lethality by equipping their resurrected warriors with the latest in sword technology in IRON GIRL: FINAL WARS!


Title: SUNDAY WITHOUT GOD
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 325 min.
Street Date: 4/6/2021
Format: BD
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $59.98

SYNOPSIS: In a world abandoned by God, the bodies of the dead will continue to walk unless they are buried by one of the mysterious Gravekeepers. Ai, one of the last children in a world where no more can be born, becomes her small village's Gravekeeper when her mother, the previous Gravekeeper, passes on… but the arrival of a pale gun-wielding stranger destroys her village and what little remained of Ai's old existence. Is this seemingly immortal man possibly an important figure from Ai's past? Uncertain of what else to do, Ai finds herself compelled to set forth on a mission to learn the secrets of this strange world without proper death, unravel the mysteries of her own past, and, hopefully, find a way to put the dead permanently to rest in SUNDAY WITHOUT GOD!


Title: KIDS ON THE SLOPE
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 300 min.
Street Date: 4/13/2021
Format: BD
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $59.98

SYNOPSIS: Kaoru Nishimi has spent his life on the move, always struggling to fit in to new schools and having to push on just when he'd started to set down roots. But when he comes to stay with his extended family in seaside Kyushu, things will be different. Kaoru wanders through high school, meeting friends who change his life forever, and discovers a new kind of music that affects him like nothing ever has before.Ritsuko, the girl whose family owns the music store, and Sentaro, the high school delinquent, both set in motion Kaoru's fascination with this amazing thing called Jazz. Fashions may change and fads come and go, but when you put a couple of musically obsessed teens together and let them follow their muse, magic is sure to happen in THE KIDS ON THE SLOPE!


Title: LAIDBACKERS
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 60 min.
Street Date: 4/13/2021
Format: BD
Language: Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $29.98

SYNOPSIS: A funny thing happened to Kumi when she moved to Kyoto to take over her grandmother's sweet shop. While she does find a store that sells cheap snacks, the supposedly empty adjoining residence is instead inhabited by three other girls: Harami, Mai, and K, plus a dog, who claim to be legendary heroes reincarnated into our world! However, that's not as exciting as it sounds, as the Demon Lord they were seeking never showed up, so they've just been hanging out, waiting for something interesting to happen. That's when ANOTHER cute young girl, Ran, shows up, and it seems that she WAS the Demon Lord, but botched up her own resurrection and now wants to make amends for the things that she did in the past. But in order to do that, she's going to need a little demon-hunting help from the LAIDBACKERS!


Title: KAIJI
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 1250 min.
Street Date: 4/20/2021
Format: BD
Language: Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $99.98

SYNOPSIS: Unemployed degenerate Kaiji Ito spent his time drinking, gambling, and racking up bills, and was sure that his life had hit rock bottom. Then that bottom fell out when Endo the Loan Shark arrived to inform him of a friend's default on a loan that Kaiji foolishly co-signed, making Kaiji responsible for a soul crushing 3,000,000 yen! But there is one possible way out; if Kaiji goes to a secret gambling ship and plays successfully for one night, his debt could be absolved. It's a trick, of course, but what choice does Kaiji have? Trapped into playing a series of increasingly ruthless contests that are hopelessly rigged against the players, Kaiji finds himself a pawn in a competition where the game pieces aren't expected to survive… and the real players are all actively betting against KAIJI!


Title: ASSASSINS PRIDE STEELBOOK
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 300 min.
Street Date: 4/27/2021
Format: BD
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $99.98

SYNOPSIS: Against the savage monsters that lurk outside the glass walls of Flandore, the last remnants of humanity have only one defense: the mana magic wielded only by members of the Noble class. When Melida, heiress to House of Angel, fails to manifest her magic upon reaching majority, the half-vampire Kufa is sent with orders from her own Grandfather to resolve the issue… and if Melida cannot manifest mana, Kufa is to execute her for the crime of impure blood. But when Melida fails the test, Kufa can't bring himself to kill the spirited young woman whose only fault was to have an adulterous mother. And so, instead, he commits the crime of giving Melida some of his own mana. Now, bound by magic and a deadly secret, the two must work together in order to stay alive in ASSASSINS PRIDE!


Title: HERO MASK
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 600 min.
Street Date: 4/27/2021
Format: BD
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $89.98

SYNOPSIS: Are a series of bombings and the murder of a high-ranking government official linked to the actions of the huge international pharmaceutical company LIVE? Ordered to investigate, Detective James Blood of the Special Service of Crime quickly discovers far more than just a conspiracy. There's a new technology on the street: masks as thin as paper that completely alter the appearance of the wearer's face while also granting amazing strength and agility… at the cost of years off their users' lives! Together with assistant attorney/murder witness Sarah Sinclair, Blood must unearth the secrets behind the masks and their connection to LIVE's mysterious founder. But the clock is ticking down and James and Sarah may already be living on borrowed time. Because when the ultimate disguise powers the ultimate human killing machines, death can be lurking anywhere in HERO=MASK!

More information about the 9th annual New York Japan CineFest

The 9th New York Japan CineFest
held online for the first time
Festival dates: November 20 – November 22, 2020

New York Japan CineFest (NYJCF), an independent Japanese short film festival now in its 9th year, will be held online for the first time from November 20th to November 22nd. This year, fourteen short films in the categories of documentary, narrative and animation have been selected. NYJCF 2020 will be presented by Mar Creation, Inc., sponsored CYBER-NY, (platform provider), partnered with Japan Information and Culture Center, Embassy of Japan, and supported by Sapporo International Short Film Festival and Market, Aichi International Women’s Film Festival and Kadoma International Film Festival.

As most film festivals around the world have been forced to go online due to the Coronavirus pandemic, NYJCF is also going to hold the film festival online after the 5-month delay from the regular festival month, June. The festival has implemented a digital platform called, “LOGIC” which is a business cloud solution, provided by CYBER-NY.

This year’s theme is “LIGHT” which is the festival committee found after struggling and discussing what the best way is to continue the annual festival during the pandemic.

NYJCF was founded by three Japanese producers based in New York in 2012; Yasu Suzuki (Actor, dancer and filmmaker), Kosuke Furukawa (Film director) and Hiroshi Kono (CEO of Mar Creation, Inc.) Since 2015, the film festival has been invited to screen its programs and films in multiple cities; Boston, Washington D.C. Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco in the U.S. and also at film festivals in Japan; Aichi International Film Festival Sapporo International Short Film Festival and Market, Kadoma International Film Festival and New Director Film Festival. In the nineth year, due to the Coronavirus pandemic, they are planning to continue the tour online are scheduled to host in Akita City, Japan in November and Boston, MA in December, 2020.

Dates: Friday, November 20, 2020 – Sunday, November 22, 2020
Place: on-demand online
Registration: $1 service fee plus suggested donation
Official Festival site: http://watch.nyjcf.com
Official Website: http://nyjcf.com

Program
1. Coming Back Sunny (Noriko Yuasa | drama | Japan | 2020 | 15’02”)
2. Ice Farmers {Tatsuya Ino | documentary| Japan | 2020 | 3’22”)
3. RAY (Tekkoku Nogami | drama | Japan | 2019 | 28’19”)
4. BOZE (Fuyuko Mochizuki | documentary | Japan | 2019 | 14’26”)
5. The Walking Fish (Thessa Meijer | drama | Japan | Netherlands | 2018 | 18’59”)
6. RAMETOKKOR YAN (Yuichiro Yamada | documentary | Japan | 2019 | 10’3”)
7. Makhaliss (Koji Yamamoto | drama | Japan | 2019 | 34’25” )
8. The Buttefly (Shiho Fukada | documentary| Japan | 2019 | 11’20”)
9. 20dB (Hiroyuki Nishiyama |drama | Japan | 2020 | 14’43”)
10. Takoyaki Story (Sawako Kabuki | animation | Japan | 2018 | 1’35”)
11. Miyamoto and the Machine: The Story of KenKen (Dan Sullivan | documentary | 

      USA | 2019 | 39’22”)
12. Samurai in the Oregon Sky (Ilana Sol | documentary | USA | 2019 | 48’16”)
13. Hello! Brand New World (Ryo Takebayashi drama/YouTube short | Japan | 2019 | 18’52”)
14. Nourishing Japan (Alexis Aligana Sanborn | documentary | USA | 2019 | 23’59”)

Experience Japan Society's Virtual Cinema Online

Japan Society NY's online streaming platform offers a carefully hand-selected collection of popular picks, auteur masterpieces and exclusive opportunities to view widely unavailable gems. Bonus Content includes special introductions and Q&As. Immerse yourself in the world of Japanese film, and share your recommendations with friends—many of the titles are available to stream across North America and beyond. From documentaries to narratives and features to shorts, Japan Society's Virtual Cinema has plenty of options for you to enjoy remotely.

Tickets: $2-10 / Japan Society Members 20% off.

Enter Japan Society NY's Virtual Cinema here.

New York Japan CineFest is available online this weekend, Nov 20th-22nd

New York Japan CineFest, a jewel of a festival that's been around since 2012, is returning this weekend with a program of fourteen short films. This year marks the first time that the festival has been online, a result of the COVID situation (as was the case with 2020's New York Asian Film Festival and Japan Society NY's JAPAN CUTS film festival).

For all the information you need about the films that will be available and how to register to watch them, click here.

SAMURAI MARATHON reviewed

Well Go USA
Entertainment
Presents

Samurai Marathon / Samurai marason
Directed by Bernard Rose
Japan/UK, 2019, 103 minutes

Samurai Marathon, an unusual samurai jidaigeki film, recently became available as Digital On Demand, DVD and Blu-ray from Well Go USA. My review is based on watching the Blu-ray version.

The film is set in the 1850s. when the arrival of U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry (played here by Danny Huston) and his infamous "black ships" brought about the end of roughly 260 years of Japan's relative isolation from the rest of the world. Itakura Katsuakira, lord of the Annaka Domain, foresees problems for the the feudal system of Japan, the Tokugawa Shogunate and the samurai. Fearing that the long period of peace has made the samurai soft and vulnerable, he decides to test the mettle of all of his samurai and foot shoulders with a thirty-six mile footrace on steep hills and rough terrain, the winner to be granted a wish.

Unfortunately, a shogunate spy in Itakura's fiefdom, misinterprets his call for his men to assemble the next day -- when he plans to announce the race -- as a signal for rebellion and reports this to the shogunate, who of course send assassins. When the spy learns of his mistake, he tries to stop his messenger but is too late.

The tale is further complicated by Princess Yuki (Komatsu Nana), the 5th daughter of Kiakura. She is more open-minded then her father and is interested in the ships that have come to her land. She adopts male garb and the name Kumanosuke, and enters the race, hoping to sneak out of her father's fiefdom and get a look at the ships firsthand.

 

Also thrown into the mix is Tsujimura, a would-be suitor of Yuki, who will stop at nothing to win the race and use the wish his lord would then grant him to marry her. Then too, there is the elderly Mataemon Kurita, who's been forced to retire and who teaches the boy Isuke Fukumoto how to run.

There's amply skullduggery and traitorous action to keep things interesting during the film's running time. 

 

In addition to the fine cast, director Bernard Rose (known best perhaps for 1992s Candyman) deserves significant credit. He managed to produce a very Japanese feeling film, unlike, say, Edward Zick in his Tom Cruise starring vehicle The Last Samurai (2003), which has Hollywood written all over it. Rose's efforts perhaps were assisted by the multitude of Japanese producers, co-producers, executive producers, and associate producers, twenty-six in all according to IMDb!

Credit also must be shared with Ishizaka Takuro for cinematography, Kamitsuna Mako for film editing, and Philip Glass for yet another wonderful film score.

The film is based on a historical event. The Annaka clan's first race was in 1855. Twelve years later the era of the samaurai ended with the Meiji Restoration.

Disc Specs:
-- Audio
  -- Japanese DTS-HDMA 5.1
  -- Japanese Stereo
-- Subtitles
  -- English
  -- Off
-- Trailer
-- Previews
  -- Cut Throat City
  -- Ip Man 4: The Finale
  -- First Love

 

Before getting to my rating of the film, I must mention these three facts about Samurai Marathon and the 2019 New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF):

- The film had its North American Premiere as the Festival's Opening Film on June 28, 2019 

- An image from the film was used on the cover of the Festival brochure

- Komatsu Nana, who portrayed Princess Yuki, received the Festival's Screen International Rising Star award for an actress. (Ryu Jun-yeol, seen in the film Money, received this award for male actor.)

 

AsianCineFest Rating: 3.5 out of 4 stars; very highly recommended; well-worth owning.

JAPAN CUTS 2020 launches today, Friday, July 17th, 2020

Japan Society New York

Presents

JAPAN CUTS

When: July 17 - 30, 2020

Where: Online

All Films Available for Immediate Streaming

JAPAN CUTS Festival of New Japanese Film, North America’s largest festival of contemporary cinema, kicks off today! From now through July 30, a diverse slate of 30 features and 12 short films can be streamed on demand across the United States. Join fans of Japanese cinema for the Opening Film selection Special Actors and a live virtual Q&A tonight at 9 pm EDT with director Shinichiro Ueda.

Festival highlights also include a series of panel discussions, live virtual Q&As, and a special tribute to the late filmmaker Nobuhiko Obayashi, free and accessible to all worldwide.

Individual films and discounted bundles are available including a limited number of All-Access passes for the low price of $99!

Tickets are on-sale now and quantities are limited, so please be sure to purchase early before titles sell out!

Note: a number of my colleagues at VCinema have already posted reviews of several films and there are more to come. Find them here. (Look for [JAPAN CUTS 2020] at the end of the title of the review.)

BUY JAPAN CUTS 2020 TICKETS