Recent and not so recent Japanese dramas

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HungFist
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Re: Recent and not so recent Japanese dramas

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Our Brief Eternity (アワ・ブリーフ・エタニティ) (2009)

“This film opened the Japanese Eyes section of the 22nd Tokyo International Film Festival, was formally entered in foreign film festivals such as the 12th Barcelona Asian Film Festival in Spain, and has set late show attendance records for live-action films at theaters in Tokyo, where it was released. A rare disease called "emanon" which causes people to lose their most precious memories is spreading in Tokyo. Mio (Romi) is called out to by a man she doesn't recognize, Teru (Kusano Kota). She thinks he's trying to pick her up, but he says he used to be her boy friend.”

director: Takuya Fukushima
site jp: http://ourbriefeternity.com/
site eng: http://ourbriefeternity.com/english/
info eng: http://jfdb.jp/en/title/2308
trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SGDuAhF-F0

No dvd announced yet. It was still playing in cinema’s this spring.

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Here’s a double feature trailer for some piece of trash (1st) and Fukushima’s semi-interesting earlier film 自由 (jiyuu). Running time: 37 min.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8qNJ_chskE

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Great cover art! Looking at some of the directors other films I’m not fully convinced about his skills yet, though.

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Ponnichi fufu (ぱんいち夫婦) (2010)

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director: Yasutaro Terauchi
trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SApRk10FFA8
interview (jp): http://www.cinematopics.com/cinema/topi ... umber=1288

This was released in the Dogma 96 series of Hyper Minimal Movies, with Kyuya Nakagawa’s Coming Future. The trailer has a couple of terrible bits (the kiss, and a few others) but also some interesting shots. Could be good, could be bad, could be both.
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Re: Recent and not so recent Japanese dramas

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Sketches of Kaitan City (海炭市叙景) (2010)

The young Kazuyoshi Kumakiri broke into worldwide fame with his ultra-violent political splatter Kichiku: Banquet of the Beasts (1997). The dull cult favorite was positively receiced and toured festival around the world, despite its 1970’s student radicalism roots and commentary that probably went unnoticed by many. The director’s festival success has continued ever since, but audiences have changed and Kumakiri has grown up. In his latest film Sketches of Kaitan City he doesn’t have anyone brutally killed.

Sketches of Kaitan City is based on an unfinished novel by Yasushi Sato. The author committed suicide in 1990, but his novel was released posthumously to the extent material could be found. From the 18 stories featured in the book, 5 were used in the film adaptation – and to great success: Kumakiri’s 2½ hour movie became a regular choice on Japan based critics’ top 10 lists last year. Notable financial success seems unlikely, though.

Kumakiri’s approach to the material is admirably brave, but risky: he distances the film from easy entertainment and quick digesting. Storylines begin from the middle, and often end before the conclusion. All characters share the fear of losing something, be it job, family, or house. Melodrama is kept strictly out: Kumakiri’s directorial touch is passive and coldish, if slightly hopeful, supported by steady tech credits and excellent performances.

The slow pacing and the amount of storylines can make Kaitan City’s first episodes feel as if they ended before they’ve reached their full potential (or, perhaps it was just the broken air conditioning that made concentration in the specific over-sold-out screening more challenging than usual…). A more thorough inspection of characters and storylines might have been preferable. But then again, criticism on such issues would feel somewhat off considering the film’s title.

It’s after the first two storylines when Kaitan City really finds its level. Episodes become longer, the characters also perhaps also interesting, and there’s even additional bite to Kumakiri’s filmmaking. Former US-rocker Jim O’Rourke’s (United Red Army, 2007) restrained but impressive soundtrack is used to great effect, as are the cold images Kaitan City. Shot in Hokkaido’s famous port town Hakodate (here playing the fictive Kaitan City), the chilly views are often magnificent, if scarcely used.

Sketches of Kaitan City is an episode film, but it doesn’t clearly separate its stories from each other. There are no visible transformation parts between episodes. The storylines follow each other on the fly, take place at the same time in the same city, and share similar themes. Some of the questions presented early on won’t be answered until near the end. Due to its style and structure Sketches of Kaitan City is very much a slow burner, but gains more power episode by episode. It is, for a chance, a movie with characters that can’t be interpreted in 10 minutes. While not most innovative Japanese cinema of today, Kaitan City is, no doubt, one of the strong films of 2010.

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- trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2ZTXP_HQ7g
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Re: Recent and not so recent Japanese dramas

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Two short film collections coming to R2J 2011/08/30

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「恋々風情」
「グラウンド」
「夏の疫病神」
「Broken Heart」
「Mother Earth / Short Movie」
- http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_dvd. ... sid=798708

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「いつかなくなる」
「ふたりだけの同窓会」
「シアワセのカケラ」
「恋が壊れる」
- http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_dvd. ... sid=798707

Here's a couple of trailers:
恋々風情: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5cLhIUWHxk
いつかなくなる: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMqWzD0da0Q
夏の疫病神: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRhrJ7FjkxY

They don't look that interesting but it's nevertheless good to see this kind of stuff getting released on dvd.
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Re: Recent and not so recent Japanese dramas

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Ryo Nakajima (This World of Ours) has done a new film: When I Kill Myself
- http://dontesview.blogspot.com/2011/06/ ... yself.html
- via http://twitter.com/#!/yobgol

His debut feature This World of Ours is available on R2J. It's oop, but still very cheap. I wasn't quite that impressed with it (it's a very bleak and dark youth film, but doesn't get as "close" to its characters as the best Japanese indie films) but it was interesting, and this new one sounds very interesting, too.

This World of Ours
Image
trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Q3dxoI-D6g
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Re: Recent and not so recent Japanese dramas

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Hiroki's Keibetsu announced for 2011/11/04.
- 2 Disc Director's Cut Blu-Ray
- 2 Disc Director's Cut DVD

The director's cut will be 10 minutes longer (145 min) than the theatrical version.
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Re: Recent and not so recent Japanese dramas

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HungFist wrote:Hiroki's Keibetsu announced for 2011/11/04.
- 2 Disc Director's Cut Blu-Ray
- 2 Disc Director's Cut DVD

The director's cut will be 10 minutes longer (145 min) than the theatrical version.
Image Image
- http://www.amazon.co.jp/s/ref=nb_sb_nos ... CC&x=0&y=0

I'm so pre-ordering the BD. Wish they had used black case, though.
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Re: Recent and not so recent Japanese dramas

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guessing hiroki's 'keibetsu' has no english subtitles. i know most don't - just never found efficient techniques for checking each potential film of interest out.

btw, it's international title is 'egoists'.
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Re: Recent and not so recent Japanese dramas

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Only Japanese subs listed. English subs are so rare that I only bother mentioning about them when they are included :lol:
(that is, once a year :mad: )
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Re: Recent and not so recent Japanese dramas

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problem is that retailers don't always seem to check the specs themselves -
I've forwarded corrections to cdjapan in the past, when, for some odd reason, I've gone out of my way to make sure their listings correct & happen to find it isn't...
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Re: Recent and not so recent Japanese dramas

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That's a good point. I think there was a Sabu film that had such surprise subs. I'm not sure if it was advertised on websites but Sion Sono's The Room R2J has burnt in English subs, too. There's no mention of it in the dvd back-cover. And March Comes in Like a Lion (三月のライオン)... in the back-cover it says "without subtitles" (字幕なし) but there's actually English subs on the disc.
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Re: Recent and not so recent Japanese dramas

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here's kadokawa's official spec on the keibetsu (egoists) discs

http://www.kadokawa-pictures.co.jp/offi ... ideo.shtml

no english subs, as expected.
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Re: Recent and not so recent Japanese dramas

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Re: Recent and not so recent Japanese dramas

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HungFist wrote:Ryo Nakajima (This World of Ours) has done a new film: When I Kill Myself
- http://dontesview.blogspot.com/2011/06/ ... yself.html
- via http://twitter.com/#!/yobgol
Trailer and website:
http://www.switch-film.com/
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Re: Recent and not so recent Japanese dramas

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Sketches of Kaitan City R2J and BD annouced for 2011/11/03

Standard Edition
http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_dvd. ... sid=802909
http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_dvd. ... sid=802911

Special Edition (with bonus disc including making of, press Conference, stage greeting, and trailer)
http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_dvd. ... sid=802910
http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_dvd. ... sid=802912

Both edition also come with a post card
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Re: Recent and not so recent Japanese dramas

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HungFist wrote:Sketches of Kaitan City R2J and BD annouced for 2011/11/03

Standard Edition
http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_dvd. ... sid=802909
http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_dvd. ... sid=802911

Special Edition (with bonus disc including making of, press Conference, stage greeting, and trailer)
http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_dvd. ... sid=802910
http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_dvd. ... sid=802912

Both edition also come with a post card
Update:
ryuganji Don Brown wrote: DVD & Blu-ray for Kumakiri Kazuyoshi's SKETCHES OF KAITAN CITY, on sale Nov 3rd in Japan, will have English subs. If you can afford it.
Might also be mentied, although I don't much care for Koreeda (only like Distance and Air Doll) that Kiseki will also be subbed, as Don Brown states. DVD & BD Nov 9th.
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Re: Recent and not so recent Japanese dramas

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There will be two Yuu Katsumata DVD releases 2011/10/26. A feature film, and a short film collection.

はい!もしもし、大塚薬局ですが (Hai! Moshi moshi, Ōtsuka yakkyoku desu ga) (2010)
- 64 min
- trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9t3xgCGr-Cw

勝又悠監督短編集 「小田急足柄線」 (Katsumata Yuu katnoku tanpenshyu) (Director Katsumata Yuu Short Stories Collection)
- キミ/ハミング/コーヒー (trailer)
- 「39ra☆愛キュン (trailer)
- 東京豚女 (trailer)
- 青空夜空に星空
- 繋ぐ、四月、
- 愛すvs無 (trailer)
- 小田急内山線 (trailer at the website)

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To be honest I only think キミ/ハミング/コーヒー looks interesting to me...

There's more trailers for the director's works at his youtube channel. Some of them look a little bit interesting, such as つまさき and オードリー. - http://www.youtube.com/user/stroborush

Website with more trailers available here:
- http://www.stroborush.com/
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Re: Recent and not so recent Japanese dramas

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Trailer for the latest Yuya Ishii
yobgol wrote: trailer for yuya ishii's second of the year, 'hara ga kore nan de' /「ハラがコレなんで」is now online at http://harakore.com/ released november '11.
Not that Ishii has managed to convince me so far. Which reminds me of... who wants to buy my Girl Sparks DVD?
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Re: Recent and not so recent Japanese dramas

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Re: Recent and not so recent Japanese dramas

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HungFist wrote:Never Ending Blue (終わらない青) looks somewhat interesting. Love the stills and the visual style of the trailer, but may drown in tragic drama. Nevertheless, worth keeping an eye on.

Site:
http://paranoidkitchen.com/movie/nevere ... index.html

Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P02N2wGuXAI
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2011年11月2日
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Re: Recent and not so recent Japanese dramas

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Some of the more interesting looking Tokyo Int. Film Fest movies

About the Pink Sky (ももいろそらを) (2011)

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Director: Keiichi Kobayashi

"A high school girl finds a money-laden wallet and tracks down its owner, with unexpected consequences. Its monochrome images create a naturalistic portrait of her emotional state."

The trailer sounds awful but looks absolutely gorgeous.
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5Aj1Nc6_TA
- http://2011.tiff-jp.net/en/lineup/works.php?id=156

*************************************************************************************************************************

No Reply (返事はいらない) (2011)

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Director: Satoru Hirohara

"The latest from Satoru Hirohara, director of the award-winning Good Morning to the World!!. A young couple's ordinary life transforms into an extraordinary journey of escape."

Motherfucker, I still haven't seen Good Morning to the World!!!

TIFF: http://2011.tiff-jp.net/en/lineup/works.php?id=154

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Tokyo Drifter (トーキョードリフター) (2011)

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Director: Tetsuaki Matsue

"In May 2011, the director of Live Tape (2009 Japanese Eyes winner) shot his latest work on the neon-less streets of post-quake Tokyo. Musician Maeno sings and yells as he wanders on a rainswept night."

TIFF: http://2011.tiff-jp.net/en/lineup/works.php?id=146
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Re: Recent and not so recent Japanese dramas

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Seishun H second series films coming to dvd:

絵のない夢 (E no nai yume) (Hasebe Daisuke)
http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_dvd. ... sid=807204

ソーローなんてくだらない (Solo nante kudaranai) (Yoshida Kota)
http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_dvd. ... sid=807205

超・悪人 (Cho akunin) (Shiraishi Koji)
http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_dvd. ... sid=807202

花つみ (Hana tsumi) (Sato Toshiki)
http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_dvd. ... sid=807206

若きロッテちゃんの悩み (Imaoka Shinji)
http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_dvd. ... sid=807203

Really interested in Cho akunin and the new Yoshida film...
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Re: Recent and not so recent Japanese dramas

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Tokyo Filmex is having a retrospective for Shinji Somai, the greatest Japanese director of the 1980's. He directed, among others, Sailor Suit and Machine Gun (the greatest idol film ever made), Love Hotel (the greatest Roman Porno film ever made) and Taifu Club (the greatest film ever made). The website features several rare stills for the above mentioned films, as well as other fantastic movies like Lost Chapter of Snow: Passion and Moving.
- http://filmex.net/2011/en/sp2.html

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Somai was famous for, aside making bloody great film, several incredible long takes that appeared in his films. Sailor Suit and Machine Gun features a 5 minute tracking shot featuring dialogue, walking, and eventually riding motorcycles to the other side of the town. At the end of Love Hotel there's a continous 10 minute take, and Lost Chapter of Snow: Passion begins with a stunning 14 minute tracking shot... the scene actually cover a long period of the storyline, with Somai creating transitions and building sets "on the fly", taking the camera out in the riverside, then into houses, and then back out in the snow... all without a single cut. One of the most amazing pieces of cinema you'll ever see.

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(still from the opening scene of Lost Chapter of Snow: Passion)
(the theme song, by idol and Sukeban Deka star Yuki Saito, is also very popular)
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5D65nfKXO7o)
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Re: Recent and not so recent Japanese dramas

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Also at Tokyo Filmex, Ryuichi Hiroki's new film River

[Introduction]
A young girl walks alone in Akihabara. Ever since her boyfriend died in a crime that occured in this city, the real world has lost all meaning for her. Before long, she meets a young man living in an underground passage.... A film that delicately depicts the rebirth of the heartbroken heroine. The superbly framed scenic photography is also magnificent.

- http://filmex.net/2011/en/ss08.html

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edit: oh, right, Kumakiri has something new coming up, too:
- http://jfilmpowwow.blogspot.com/2011/10 ... akiri.html
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Re: Recent and not so recent Japanese dramas

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Finally. Live Tape R2J on 2011/12/07. Been waiting for this for two years!
- http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=DQB-37

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"One guitar, one camera, one tape and one take in this awe-inspiring live music film which follows Kenta Maeno as he performs in Tokyo’s suburb of Kichijouji."

Reviews:
- http://pageofmadness.wordpress.com/2010 ... live-tape/
- http://www.midnighteye.com/reviews/live-tape.shtml

Trailer:
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdZ50BfKVh4
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Re: Recent and not so recent Japanese dramas

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HungFist wrote: About the Pink Sky (ももいろそらを) (2011)

Image

Director: Keiichi Kobayashi

"A high school girl finds a money-laden wallet and tracks down its owner, with unexpected consequences. Its monochrome images create a naturalistic portrait of her emotional state."

The trailer sounds awful but looks absolutely gorgeous.
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5Aj1Nc6_TA
- http://2011.tiff-jp.net/en/lineup/works.php?id=156
"The 24th Tokyo IFF wraps with two Japanese films picking up awards

...In the Japanese Eyes program Keiichi Kobayashi's teen drama "About the Pink Sky" (above) picked up the top prize. In a plot that sounds a little like a variation on Satoru Hirohara's indie drama "Good Morning to the World!!", "About the Pink Sky" follows a high school girl who is trying to find the owner of a wallet full of money that she has found. Unlike Hirohara's film "About the Pink Sky" goes for a subtle art house feel by being shot entirely in black-and-white..."

- http://jfilmpowwow.blogspot.com/2011/11 ... anese.html
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