Hiroyuki Nishiyama offers his second narrative short film, “Blue and White,” capturing themes close to the concerns of his first film “20 db” (2021) but focusing on the effects of loss and what comes after it. Its brief runtime is a delight to see, from the intimacy of its design to the intricacy of the performances.
Blue and White is screening at Short Shorts Film Festival and Asia
The film opens with Ryusuke (Jun Kunimura) starting his day gathering firewood, then cuts to his workshop where he steams seawater to harvest salt. His granddaughter, Midori (Momoko Fukuchi) eventually enters the frame, mumbling to herself why her grandfather is working that morning of her grandmother's funeral. An attendee of the funeral (Toshio Kakei) asks Midori the same question she was mumbling earlier, hinting that it is disrespectful to the dead for her grandfather to not show his face in the funeral.
What is...
Blue and White is screening at Short Shorts Film Festival and Asia
The film opens with Ryusuke (Jun Kunimura) starting his day gathering firewood, then cuts to his workshop where he steams seawater to harvest salt. His granddaughter, Midori (Momoko Fukuchi) eventually enters the frame, mumbling to herself why her grandfather is working that morning of her grandmother's funeral. An attendee of the funeral (Toshio Kakei) asks Midori the same question she was mumbling earlier, hinting that it is disrespectful to the dead for her grandfather to not show his face in the funeral.
What is...
- 6/6/2024
- by Epoy Deyto
- AsianMoviePulse
Two years (and a month) since its Season 1 finale dropped on Apple TV+, we at long last have a premiere date for Pachinko Season 2.
Apple TV+ also released a flurry of photos, seen above and below, plus the new, still-danceable opening credits for the acclaimed drama’s sophomore run (press play above).
More from TVLineJimmy Kimmel Weighs In on Trump Conviction, Reveals He Had to 'Rewrite Whole Monologue' - Watch VideoTVLine Items: John Stamos Joins UnPrisoned, Netflix's Minecraft Series and MoreThe Chosen Season 4 Gets Streaming Release Date - Fate on The CW Still Tbd Yuh-Jung Youn with Jun Kunimura...
Apple TV+ also released a flurry of photos, seen above and below, plus the new, still-danceable opening credits for the acclaimed drama’s sophomore run (press play above).
More from TVLineJimmy Kimmel Weighs In on Trump Conviction, Reveals He Had to 'Rewrite Whole Monologue' - Watch VideoTVLine Items: John Stamos Joins UnPrisoned, Netflix's Minecraft Series and MoreThe Chosen Season 4 Gets Streaming Release Date - Fate on The CW Still Tbd Yuh-Jung Youn with Jun Kunimura...
- 5/30/2024
- by Matt Webb Mitovich
- TVLine.com
Civil War is a fictional war drama film written and directed by Alex Garland. The A24 film is set in the near future in a dystopian future suffering from a civil war. We follow the story of a group of journalists racing against time to get to Washington D.C. so that they can interview the President before the rebel factions take over the White House and kill the President. Civil War stars Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Cailee Spaeny, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Nick Offernman, Sonoya Mizuno, Jefferson White, Nelson Lee, Evan Lai, Jesse Plemmons, Karl Glusman, Jin Ha, and Juani Feliz starring in supporting roles. So, if you loved the war drama and a story about journalists in Civil War here are some similar movies you could watch next.
Madras Cafe (Netflix & Rent on Prime Video) Credit – Viacom 18 Motion Pictures
Madras Cafe is a political action thriller film directed by Shoojit Sircar.
Madras Cafe (Netflix & Rent on Prime Video) Credit – Viacom 18 Motion Pictures
Madras Cafe is a political action thriller film directed by Shoojit Sircar.
- 5/28/2024
- by Kulwant Singh
- Cinema Blind
Sunny is coming to Apple TV+ this summer. The streaming service has announced the premiere date for the series starring and executive produced by Rashida Jones. The series was ordered in February 2022, and 10 episodes have been made for the comedy-thriller.
The Sunny series, based on Colin O'Sullivan's Dark Manual novel, stars Jones, Joanna Sotomura, You, Annie, Judy Ongg, and Jun Kunimura. It tells the story of a woman (Jones) living in Japan who is gifted a robot after her husband and son disappear in a plane crash.
Read More…...
The Sunny series, based on Colin O'Sullivan's Dark Manual novel, stars Jones, Joanna Sotomura, You, Annie, Judy Ongg, and Jun Kunimura. It tells the story of a woman (Jones) living in Japan who is gifted a robot after her husband and son disappear in a plane crash.
Read More…...
- 4/19/2024
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
Today, Apple TV+ announced that Sunny, its 10-episode mystery thriller with a darkly comic bent, is set to premiere globally with the first two episodes on Wednesday, July 10, 2024, followed by new episodes every Wednesday through September 4.
Created by Katie Robbins, who also serves as showrunner, and executive producer and director Lucy Tcherniak, Sunny stars Emmy Award nominee multi-hyphenate Rashida Jones.
Jones also serves as executive producer, along with stars Hidetoshi Nishijima, Joanna Sotomura, Judy Ongg, You, Annie the Clumsy, and Jun Kunimura.
Sunny stars Jones as Suzie, an American woman living in Kyoto, Japan, whose life is upended when her husband and son disappear in a mysterious plane crash. As “consolation,” she’s given Sunny, which is one of a new class of domestic robots made by her husband’s electronics company.
Though Suzie initially resents Sunny’s attempts to fill the void in her life, they gradually develop an unexpected friendship.
Created by Katie Robbins, who also serves as showrunner, and executive producer and director Lucy Tcherniak, Sunny stars Emmy Award nominee multi-hyphenate Rashida Jones.
Jones also serves as executive producer, along with stars Hidetoshi Nishijima, Joanna Sotomura, Judy Ongg, You, Annie the Clumsy, and Jun Kunimura.
Sunny stars Jones as Suzie, an American woman living in Kyoto, Japan, whose life is upended when her husband and son disappear in a mysterious plane crash. As “consolation,” she’s given Sunny, which is one of a new class of domestic robots made by her husband’s electronics company.
Though Suzie initially resents Sunny’s attempts to fill the void in her life, they gradually develop an unexpected friendship.
- 4/18/2024
- by Mirko Parlevliet
- Vital Thrills
Apple TV+ has debuted a set of first-look images alongside announcing that ‘Sunny,’ its ten-episode mystery thriller with a darkly comic bent, is set to premiere globally with the first two episodes on Wednesday, July 10, 2024, followed by new episodes every Wednesday through September 4.
The show stars Rashida Jones as Suzie, an American woman living in Kyoto, Japan, whose life is upended when her husband and son disappear in a mysterious plane crash. As “consolation” she’s given Sunny, one of a new class of domestic robots made by her husband’s electronics company. Though at first, Suzie resents Sunny’s attempts to fill the void in her life, gradually they develop an unexpected friendship, as together they uncover the dark truth of what really happened to Suzie’s family, becoming dangerously enmeshed in a world Suzie never knew existed.
Also in news – Zachary Levi set for action-thriller ‘Free Fall’
Created by Katie Robbins,...
The show stars Rashida Jones as Suzie, an American woman living in Kyoto, Japan, whose life is upended when her husband and son disappear in a mysterious plane crash. As “consolation” she’s given Sunny, one of a new class of domestic robots made by her husband’s electronics company. Though at first, Suzie resents Sunny’s attempts to fill the void in her life, gradually they develop an unexpected friendship, as together they uncover the dark truth of what really happened to Suzie’s family, becoming dangerously enmeshed in a world Suzie never knew existed.
Also in news – Zachary Levi set for action-thriller ‘Free Fall’
Created by Katie Robbins,...
- 4/18/2024
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Apple TV+ has slotted a summer premiere date for Sunny, a half-hour darkly comedic drama, starring and executive produced by Rashida Jones. The 10-episode mystery thriller will launch with the first two episodes Wednesday July 10, followed by new episodes every Wednesday through September 4.
Created by Katie Robbins, Sunny is based on the book Dark Manual by Japan-based award-winning Irish writer Colin O’Sullivan. Jones stars as Suzie, an American woman living in Kyoto, Japan, whose life is upended when her husband and son disappear in a mysterious plane crash. As “consolation” she’s given Sunny, one of a new class of domestic robots made by her husband’s electronics company. Though at first Suzie resents Sunny’s attempts to fill the void in her life, gradually they develop an unexpected friendship, as together they uncover the dark truth of what really happened to Suzie’s family,...
Created by Katie Robbins, Sunny is based on the book Dark Manual by Japan-based award-winning Irish writer Colin O’Sullivan. Jones stars as Suzie, an American woman living in Kyoto, Japan, whose life is upended when her husband and son disappear in a mysterious plane crash. As “consolation” she’s given Sunny, one of a new class of domestic robots made by her husband’s electronics company. Though at first Suzie resents Sunny’s attempts to fill the void in her life, gradually they develop an unexpected friendship, as together they uncover the dark truth of what really happened to Suzie’s family,...
- 4/18/2024
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
“Hacks” is back, and Max has revealed the official trailer and key art for the show’s long-awaited Season 3. The new installment of “Hacks,” which Variety chronicled in this recent feature, returns on Thursday, May 2, with two episodes on Max. The nine-episode season will continue with two episodes each week, up until the season finale on May 30.
Here’s this season’s logline: “A year after parting, Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) is riding high off the success of her standup special while Ava (Hannah Einbinder) pursues new opportunities back in Los Angeles.”
Smart and Einbinder star along with Paul W. Downs, Megan Stalter, Carl Clemons-Hopkins, Kaitlin Olson, Christopher McDonald, Mark Indelicato, Rose Abdoo and Lorenza Izzo. Guest stars this season include J. Smith-Cameron, Helen Hunt, Christina Hendricks, Christopher Lloyd, Dan Bucatinsky, George Wallace, Tony Goldwyn, and Aristotle Athari.
Paul W. Downs, Lucia Aniello and Jen Statsky are the show’s exec producers.
Here’s this season’s logline: “A year after parting, Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) is riding high off the success of her standup special while Ava (Hannah Einbinder) pursues new opportunities back in Los Angeles.”
Smart and Einbinder star along with Paul W. Downs, Megan Stalter, Carl Clemons-Hopkins, Kaitlin Olson, Christopher McDonald, Mark Indelicato, Rose Abdoo and Lorenza Izzo. Guest stars this season include J. Smith-Cameron, Helen Hunt, Christina Hendricks, Christopher Lloyd, Dan Bucatinsky, George Wallace, Tony Goldwyn, and Aristotle Athari.
Paul W. Downs, Lucia Aniello and Jen Statsky are the show’s exec producers.
- 4/16/2024
- by Selena Kuznikov, Lexi Carson and Jack Dunn
- Variety Film + TV
Supersex is here to tell the story behind one of the biggest male pornstars this world has ever seen. The Netflix series follows the life story of popular pornstar Rocco Siffredi, from his childhood in Ortona, Italy to becoming a sexual sensation. Alessandro Borghi stars in the leading role of Siffredi, and he puts everything into his performance to portray a complex and damaged character. If you loved the character-based drama, themes of deep-seated psychological issues, and sex in Supersex then you should check out these similar shows next.
The Naked Director (Netflix) Credit – Netflix
It’s Supersex but Japanese and much more comedic and raunchy. Yes, we are talking about The Naked Director. Based on a novel titled Zenra Kantoku Muranishi Toru Den by Nobuhiro Motohashi, the semi-biographical Netflix series follows the life of Toru Muranishi, a very important figure in the Japanese porn industry. The series delves into...
The Naked Director (Netflix) Credit – Netflix
It’s Supersex but Japanese and much more comedic and raunchy. Yes, we are talking about The Naked Director. Based on a novel titled Zenra Kantoku Muranishi Toru Den by Nobuhiro Motohashi, the semi-biographical Netflix series follows the life of Toru Muranishi, a very important figure in the Japanese porn industry. The series delves into...
- 3/8/2024
- by Kulwant Singh
- Cinema Blind
Killer Collectibles highlights five of the most exciting new horror products announced each and every week, from toys and apparel to artwork, records, and much more.
Here are the coolest horror collectibles unveiled this week!
Cutting Class 4K Uhd from Mvd
Cutting Class will be released on 4K Ultra HD on January 16 via Mvd as part of its 4K LaserVision Collection. The 1989 slasher is presented in 4K from Vinegar Syndrome’s 2018 4K restoration with Lpcm 2.0 Mono and Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo sound.
Excalibur writer Rospo Pallenberg makes his directorial debut from a script by Steve Slavkin (Salute your Shorts). Donovan Leitch, Jill Schoelen, Brad Pitt, Roddy McDowall, and Martin Mull star.
Special features include: the R-rated edit (in standard definition), interviews with Leitch and Schoelen, Kill Comparisons featurette, VHS video store retailer promo, and the trailer.
Chucky Board Game from Trick or Treat Studios
Just in time for his 35th anniversary,...
Here are the coolest horror collectibles unveiled this week!
Cutting Class 4K Uhd from Mvd
Cutting Class will be released on 4K Ultra HD on January 16 via Mvd as part of its 4K LaserVision Collection. The 1989 slasher is presented in 4K from Vinegar Syndrome’s 2018 4K restoration with Lpcm 2.0 Mono and Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo sound.
Excalibur writer Rospo Pallenberg makes his directorial debut from a script by Steve Slavkin (Salute your Shorts). Donovan Leitch, Jill Schoelen, Brad Pitt, Roddy McDowall, and Martin Mull star.
Special features include: the R-rated edit (in standard definition), interviews with Leitch and Schoelen, Kill Comparisons featurette, VHS video store retailer promo, and the trailer.
Chucky Board Game from Trick or Treat Studios
Just in time for his 35th anniversary,...
- 11/17/2023
- by Alex DiVincenzo
- bloody-disgusting.com
In the closing days of the Tokyo International Film Festival, The Hollywood Reporter Japan sprinkled some old-school glamour on proceedings with a lavish party at The Peninsula Hotel in Ginza.
On Oct. 30, THR Japan took over Peter Restaurant for an event that saw some of the biggest names in Japan’s movie industry mingle, enjoy exquisite canapés and unique drinks from Sake Hundred surrounded on three sides by the spectacular nighttime views of Tokyo from the 24th floor of The Peninsula.
The opening ceremony saw speeches from Tokyo Film Festival chairman Hiroyasu Ando; Tsukasa Shiga, chairman of Hersey Shiga Global the digital media giant that licenses THR Japan in collaboration with Penske Media Corporation; Japan’s Environment Minister, and noted film buff, Shintaro Ito; and THR‘s Asia Bureau Chief Patrick Brzeski.
THR Asia Bureau Chief Patrick Brzeski
Among the local entertainment industry guests were Cannes Palme d’Or-winning and Oscar-nominated filmmaker Hirokazu Koreeda,...
On Oct. 30, THR Japan took over Peter Restaurant for an event that saw some of the biggest names in Japan’s movie industry mingle, enjoy exquisite canapés and unique drinks from Sake Hundred surrounded on three sides by the spectacular nighttime views of Tokyo from the 24th floor of The Peninsula.
The opening ceremony saw speeches from Tokyo Film Festival chairman Hiroyasu Ando; Tsukasa Shiga, chairman of Hersey Shiga Global the digital media giant that licenses THR Japan in collaboration with Penske Media Corporation; Japan’s Environment Minister, and noted film buff, Shintaro Ito; and THR‘s Asia Bureau Chief Patrick Brzeski.
THR Asia Bureau Chief Patrick Brzeski
Among the local entertainment industry guests were Cannes Palme d’Or-winning and Oscar-nominated filmmaker Hirokazu Koreeda,...
- 11/7/2023
- by Abid Rahman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The 2016 South Korean horror film "The Wailing" is a roller coaster ride with enough twists and turns to keep even the most experienced movie watcher guessing. Set in the small mountain village of Gokseong, the movie follows bumbling police officer Jong-goo (Kwak Do-won) as he tries to solve the mystery of an infection that causes people to become mentally unwell and kill their loved ones. The infection and its effects are horrifying enough, but then Jong-goo's daughter Hyo-jin (Kim Hwan-hee) becomes stricken with the same infection. Desperate to save his daughter, Jong-goo will do just about anything, delving into solutions both spiritual and mundane. He recruits the help of his friends, co-workers, and a local shaman named Il-gwang (Hwang Jung-min), but it seems like the evil descending on Gokseong is too much for anyone to stop.
The ending of "The Wailing" is a horrific tragedy that offers possible explanations for...
The ending of "The Wailing" is a horrific tragedy that offers possible explanations for...
- 11/1/2023
- by Danielle Ryan
- Slash Film
Marc Marriot directs his first feature film, “Tokyo Cowboy,” a superb movie with a lot of heart that tells an uplifting fish-out-of-water story driven by cross-cultural interaction. The screenplay is a co-written effort by filmmaker Dave Boyle, and actress Ayako Fujitani, who also appears in the picture in a prominent role. Starring in what is his first international project is Arata Iura. “Tokyo Cowboy” would win “Best Narrative Feature” at the Tallgrass Film Festival.
Concerning the plot, businessman Hideki balances many priorities, from work-related practices to plans to settle down with his longtime girlfriend, Keiko, whom he also works with. For his latest project, he proposes to his bosses a trip to a profitless cattle ranch in Montana to try and turn the locale into a business asset. Upon approval, he flies there with spokesperson Wada to assist him on the work excursion. Yet, when his partner gets into an accident and is hospitalized,...
Concerning the plot, businessman Hideki balances many priorities, from work-related practices to plans to settle down with his longtime girlfriend, Keiko, whom he also works with. For his latest project, he proposes to his bosses a trip to a profitless cattle ranch in Montana to try and turn the locale into a business asset. Upon approval, he flies there with spokesperson Wada to assist him on the work excursion. Yet, when his partner gets into an accident and is hospitalized,...
- 10/26/2023
- by Sean Barry
- AsianMoviePulse
Japan’s Visual Industry Promotion Organization (Vipo) and Japan Film Commission have announced details of a new incentives program for offshore film and TV productions shooting in the country.
The new scheme, which is under the jurisdiction of Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (Meti), will fund up to one half of the qualifying Japanese spend of international productions, with a JPY1BN ($6.8M) cap.
Eligible productions include “large-scale overseas TV and film projects shot on location in Japan”. The amount of funding per production will be decided by a committee after “consideration of the application content and number of applicants”.
Qualifying spend includes direct expenses related to film production in Japan, including payments to Japanese corporations, individuals, local governments and public organizations. However, some costs are not included in qualifying spend, such as the cost of location scouting in Japan.
Applications, which open this month, need to...
The new scheme, which is under the jurisdiction of Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (Meti), will fund up to one half of the qualifying Japanese spend of international productions, with a JPY1BN ($6.8M) cap.
Eligible productions include “large-scale overseas TV and film projects shot on location in Japan”. The amount of funding per production will be decided by a committee after “consideration of the application content and number of applicants”.
Qualifying spend includes direct expenses related to film production in Japan, including payments to Japanese corporations, individuals, local governments and public organizations. However, some costs are not included in qualifying spend, such as the cost of location scouting in Japan.
Applications, which open this month, need to...
- 9/11/2023
- by Liz Shackleton
- Deadline Film + TV
Studio Ghibli has pulled back the curtain on Hayao Miyazaki’s animated fantasy epic “The Boy and the Heron,” the director’s first feature since his 2013 drama “The Wind Rises.” The movie will get a U.S. theatrical release on Dec. 8.
After playing in Japan, the film is now set to open the Toronto International Film Festival — the first animated or Japanese film to do so. It will also screen at the New York Film Festival. “The Boy and the Heron’s” release in Japan came with conspicuously little promotional material, an effort to maintain an air of secrecy around the enigmatic film. The only image of the movie before its Japanese release was of a mysterious heron, and the new trailer marks the first official footage released publicly to audiences.
The film has grossed $52.5 million to date in Japan, eight weeks into its theatrical run. That makes it Studio...
After playing in Japan, the film is now set to open the Toronto International Film Festival — the first animated or Japanese film to do so. It will also screen at the New York Film Festival. “The Boy and the Heron’s” release in Japan came with conspicuously little promotional material, an effort to maintain an air of secrecy around the enigmatic film. The only image of the movie before its Japanese release was of a mysterious heron, and the new trailer marks the first official footage released publicly to audiences.
The film has grossed $52.5 million to date in Japan, eight weeks into its theatrical run. That makes it Studio...
- 9/6/2023
- by Jaden Thompson
- Variety Film + TV
Netflix has got a lot of movies and shows in its library, but if you want to watch some sexual shows or movies, you might have to look a bit deeper into the streamer. So, to make things easy for you we have created a list of the most sexual TV shows and movies on Netflix you can binge right now.
The Naked Director (Series) Credit – Netflix
Synopsis: As the new Japanese Heisei era began in 1989, Muranishi (Takayuki Yamada) stood at the summit of the adult video world, putting out a large number of videos in his themed series. However, none of them reached the legendary status of “I Like It S&m Style,” the masterpiece he produced with Kuroki (Misato Morita). Kuroki yearns to produce another work with Muranishi, but this desire is left unfulfilled as a gap slowly forms between them. During this time, Muranishi is urged to expand into satellite broadcasting.
The Naked Director (Series) Credit – Netflix
Synopsis: As the new Japanese Heisei era began in 1989, Muranishi (Takayuki Yamada) stood at the summit of the adult video world, putting out a large number of videos in his themed series. However, none of them reached the legendary status of “I Like It S&m Style,” the masterpiece he produced with Kuroki (Misato Morita). Kuroki yearns to produce another work with Muranishi, but this desire is left unfulfilled as a gap slowly forms between them. During this time, Muranishi is urged to expand into satellite broadcasting.
- 8/8/2023
- by Kulwant Singh
- Cinema Blind
It all started back in 2017 with “The Outlaws” (known as “Crime City” locally), the South Korean crime film starring Ma Dong-seok (Don Lee) as detective Ma Seok-do. It took five years before its sequel, “The Roundup” (“Crime City 2”) came out and it went on to become the highest grossing film of 2022 in South Korea, taking in over US$101million. A third installment, another smash hit, “The Roundup: No Way Out” (“Crime City 3”) quickly followed a year later with Ma returning as the beast detective leading a new team fighting more crime again.
It has been seven years since the events of the previous film, and detective Ma, after his promotion, now works for the Metropolitan Investigation Unit. While investigating the death of a woman believed to be a suicide case, he learns from her autopsy that she has in fact died from an overdose and a new drug known as Hiper is the cause.
It has been seven years since the events of the previous film, and detective Ma, after his promotion, now works for the Metropolitan Investigation Unit. While investigating the death of a woman believed to be a suicide case, he learns from her autopsy that she has in fact died from an overdose and a new drug known as Hiper is the cause.
- 7/9/2023
- by David Chew
- AsianMoviePulse
On Friday nights, IndieWire After Dark takes a feature-length beat to honor fringe cinema in the streaming age.
First, the spoiler-free pitch for one editor’s midnight movie pick — something weird and wonderful from any age of film that deserves our memorializing.
Then, the spoiler-filled aftermath as experienced by the unwitting editor attacked by this week’s recommendation.
The Pitch: Is This Gift from the Fuck Bombers the Greatest Movie Ever Made?
One dramatic question plays out twice in Sion Sono’s gleeful, blood-soaked, meta-masterpiece “Why Don’t You Play in Hell?” As a ragtag group of amateur filmmakers known as the Fuck Bombers pursues their earnest quest — to achieve all-time cinematic superiority by capturing the real violence of a yakuza war — every slice of skin and splice of footage demands to know: Is this the greatest movie ever made?
In short, not quite.
As a matter of craft, Sono’s...
First, the spoiler-free pitch for one editor’s midnight movie pick — something weird and wonderful from any age of film that deserves our memorializing.
Then, the spoiler-filled aftermath as experienced by the unwitting editor attacked by this week’s recommendation.
The Pitch: Is This Gift from the Fuck Bombers the Greatest Movie Ever Made?
One dramatic question plays out twice in Sion Sono’s gleeful, blood-soaked, meta-masterpiece “Why Don’t You Play in Hell?” As a ragtag group of amateur filmmakers known as the Fuck Bombers pursues their earnest quest — to achieve all-time cinematic superiority by capturing the real violence of a yakuza war — every slice of skin and splice of footage demands to know: Is this the greatest movie ever made?
In short, not quite.
As a matter of craft, Sono’s...
- 7/8/2023
- by Christian Zilko and Alison Foreman
- Indiewire
Korean director Na Hong-Jin (The Wailing) is teaming up with two of Hollywood’s most intriguing stars, Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander, for his new thriller, Hope. According to Deadline, the mostly Korean-language film follows the residents of Hopo Port, where a mysterious discovery upsets the outskirts of the remote harbor town. Before long, the residents find themselves desperately fighting for survival against something they have never encountered before.
Hope is selecting additional cast members now while the project is in pre-production. Cameras will roll in Korea in late 2023, with Fassbender and Vikander eagerly anticipating the chance to work with Na Hong-Jin. The couple will speak English in the film, despite most of the cast speaking in Korean.
Plus M Entertainment is producing Hope. The Korean producer-distributor recently entered a deal with Na, hoping for a smooth production as they build their relationship. Hong Kyung-pyo, who worked with Na on The Wailing,...
Hope is selecting additional cast members now while the project is in pre-production. Cameras will roll in Korea in late 2023, with Fassbender and Vikander eagerly anticipating the chance to work with Na Hong-Jin. The couple will speak English in the film, despite most of the cast speaking in Korean.
Plus M Entertainment is producing Hope. The Korean producer-distributor recently entered a deal with Na, hoping for a smooth production as they build their relationship. Hong Kyung-pyo, who worked with Na on The Wailing,...
- 3/29/2023
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
Stars: Go Ayano, Koen Kondo, Masahiro Higashide, Jun Kunimura, Etsushi Toyokawa, Masatoshi Nagase | Written by Kankurô Kudô | Directed by Gakuryû Ishii
”It was a somewhat gloomy day”. Thus begins Punk Samurai, director Gakuryû, formerly Sogo, Ishii and writer Kankurô Kudô’s adaptation of Kou Machida’s supposedly unfilmable novel.
Junoshin Kake wanders into the domain of the Kurokaze clan and promptly kills a beggar who approaches him. He tells Shume Nagaoka a low-level official in the clan, that the man was a member of a dangerous religious cult that only he can save them from. That’s enough to create the opening he needs to find a permanent position in Lord Kuroae’s employ.
Kake plans to exploit the rivalry between two of the clan’s top retainers Shuzen Oura and Tatewaki Naito to rise through the ranks. The only problem is, the cult, The Bellyshaker Party no longer exists and Naito knows it.
”It was a somewhat gloomy day”. Thus begins Punk Samurai, director Gakuryû, formerly Sogo, Ishii and writer Kankurô Kudô’s adaptation of Kou Machida’s supposedly unfilmable novel.
Junoshin Kake wanders into the domain of the Kurokaze clan and promptly kills a beggar who approaches him. He tells Shume Nagaoka a low-level official in the clan, that the man was a member of a dangerous religious cult that only he can save them from. That’s enough to create the opening he needs to find a permanent position in Lord Kuroae’s employ.
Kake plans to exploit the rivalry between two of the clan’s top retainers Shuzen Oura and Tatewaki Naito to rise through the ranks. The only problem is, the cult, The Bellyshaker Party no longer exists and Naito knows it.
- 3/22/2023
- by Jim Morazzini
- Nerdly
Apple TV+‘s upcoming dark comedy Sunny, starring and executive produced by Rashida Jones, has rounded out its cast with five more additions, including Barry star Joanna Sotomura. According to Deadline, Sotomura will be joined by Judy Ongg (Doctor-x), Jun Kunimura (Kill Bill), You (Nobody Knows), and singer-songwriter annie the clumsy (Miss Osaka). The series, written by Katie Robbins (The Affair), is based on the book Dark Manual by Japan-based Irish author Colin O’Sullivan. Sotomura will play the titular Sunny, an emotionally sophisticated domestic robot given to Jones’ Suzie after her husband, Masa (Hidetoshi Nishijima), and their son disappear in a mysterious plane crash. While Suzie initially resents Sunny’s attempts to fill the void in her life, they gradually develop an unexpected friendship and together uncover the dark truth of what really happened to Suzie’s family. Ongg will play Masa’s mother, Noriko Sakamoto, a wealthy housewife from an old Kyoto family,...
- 10/27/2022
- TV Insider
Exclusive: Apple TV+ has rounded out the ensemble cast for Sunny (fka Dark Manual), a half-hour darkly comedic drama, starring and executive produced by Rashida Jones. Joanna Sotomura (Barry) stars in the titular role, along with annie the clumsy (Miss Osaka), You (Nobody Knows), Judy Ongg and Jun Kunimura (Kill Bill) join Jones in the series from Katie Robbins (The Affair, The Last Tycoon) and A24. Lucy Tcherniak (Station Eleven, The End of the F***ing World) is attached to direct.
Written by Robbins, Sunny is based on the book Dark Manual by Japan-based award-winning Irish writer Colin O’Sullivan.
Jones stars as Suzie, an American woman living in Kyoto, Japan, whose life is upended when her husband and son disappear in a mysterious plane crash. As “consolation” she’s given Sunny (Sotomura), one of a new class of domestic robots made by her husband’s (Hidetoshi Nishijima) electronics company. Though...
Written by Robbins, Sunny is based on the book Dark Manual by Japan-based award-winning Irish writer Colin O’Sullivan.
Jones stars as Suzie, an American woman living in Kyoto, Japan, whose life is upended when her husband and son disappear in a mysterious plane crash. As “consolation” she’s given Sunny (Sotomura), one of a new class of domestic robots made by her husband’s (Hidetoshi Nishijima) electronics company. Though...
- 10/26/2022
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
After three features which focused on Japanese media, society and the cult surrounding his own persona, director Takeshi Kitano decided to return to the yakuza-genre with “Outrage”, which was the start of a trilogy of movies about the inner turmoil of a criminal syndicate. Given the commercial failure of works such as “Takeshis’” and “Achilles and the Tortoise”, this decision was perhaps also fueled by the idea of winning back the kind of audience that got to know the filmmaker through “Sonatine”, “Brother” or “Hana-Bi”. While this premise does not actually sound like “Outrage” might be Kitano’s passion project, the movie itself, along with its successors, is easily one of the best works of the director and, at the very least, another look at the connections of organized crime and society.
on Amazon by clicking on the image below
After a meeting at the headquarters of the Sanno-kai,...
on Amazon by clicking on the image below
After a meeting at the headquarters of the Sanno-kai,...
- 9/4/2022
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
“I can’t put my finger on it but there’s something wrong with her.”
When writer Tony Rayns met Japanese director for one of the first times in the 1990s, he spoke to him about his incredible output per year, which sometimes ranged somewhere between six to seven movies. According to Miike, the answer was obvious for he liked to keep himself busy with his films through the year. Additionally, rejecting a producer’s proposal, especially for an interesting idea, was something Miike could (and probably still can) not do, and in the end the people involved would find the right time and right place in his busy schedule to work everything out.
“Audition” is screening at Udine Far East Film Festival
Interestingly, the year this encounter took place marks a significant milestone in Miike’s career. The Rotterdam Film Festival not only showed three of his movies – “Audition...
When writer Tony Rayns met Japanese director for one of the first times in the 1990s, he spoke to him about his incredible output per year, which sometimes ranged somewhere between six to seven movies. According to Miike, the answer was obvious for he liked to keep himself busy with his films through the year. Additionally, rejecting a producer’s proposal, especially for an interesting idea, was something Miike could (and probably still can) not do, and in the end the people involved would find the right time and right place in his busy schedule to work everything out.
“Audition” is screening at Udine Far East Film Festival
Interestingly, the year this encounter took place marks a significant milestone in Miike’s career. The Rotterdam Film Festival not only showed three of his movies – “Audition...
- 4/25/2022
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
A lot of things helped make this past Oscars ceremony an infamous affair—the most innocuous being the addition of two online popularity contests seemingly devoid of any real checks and balances to prevent them from becoming a ballot-stuffing battle royale between fandoms. The Zack Snyder contingent (unsurprisingly) proved victorious with both, but there was an intriguing dark horse by way of the Johnny Depp-starring and -produced Minamata. Was it genuine? Who knows? Its third-place finish could have been as much about Depp stans seeking redemption for their beloved yet problematic celebrity post-Grindelwald firing as trolls looking to force the Academy into putting his name back onto their lips despite the film having an almost non-existent release. Either way, it’s become a circus attraction.
Director Andrew Levitas’ biopic had its festival premiere at Berlinale 2020 just as Covid was ramping up to shut down the world. From there came theatrical delays,...
Director Andrew Levitas’ biopic had its festival premiere at Berlinale 2020 just as Covid was ramping up to shut down the world. From there came theatrical delays,...
- 4/6/2022
- by Jared Mobarak
- The Film Stage
Exclusive: Cinedigm has acquired all North American rights to Suicide Forest Village, Takashi Shimizu’s supernatural horror inspired by a real forest in Japan known for its frequent suicides and disappearances.
Shimizu previously helmed the Ju-On (The Grudge) franchise, directing the 2004 originals and three sequels. His latest stars Jun Kunimura (Kill Bill: Vol. 1), Yumi Adachi (Tokyo Vampire Hotel) and Asuka Kurosawa (Silence) in a story following a group who come across a mysterious box with a deadly secret: the item holds a curse that quickly spreads to those around them. The source of the box is the ‘Jukai Village,’ a rumored location deep within the Jukai Forest.
Shimizu co-wrote the film with Daisuke Hosaka, who previously worked together on Howling Village and The Shock Labyrinth 3D. The film is produced by Muneyuki Kii, Harue Miyake, Chikako Nakabayashi and Daisuke Takahashi.
The deal was negotiated by Brandon Hill, Manager of Acquisitions,...
Shimizu previously helmed the Ju-On (The Grudge) franchise, directing the 2004 originals and three sequels. His latest stars Jun Kunimura (Kill Bill: Vol. 1), Yumi Adachi (Tokyo Vampire Hotel) and Asuka Kurosawa (Silence) in a story following a group who come across a mysterious box with a deadly secret: the item holds a curse that quickly spreads to those around them. The source of the box is the ‘Jukai Village,’ a rumored location deep within the Jukai Forest.
Shimizu co-wrote the film with Daisuke Hosaka, who previously worked together on Howling Village and The Shock Labyrinth 3D. The film is produced by Muneyuki Kii, Harue Miyake, Chikako Nakabayashi and Daisuke Takahashi.
The deal was negotiated by Brandon Hill, Manager of Acquisitions,...
- 12/13/2021
- by Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
Minamata Trailer — Andrew Levitas‘ Minamata (2020) movie trailer has been released by Samuel Goldwyn Films. The Minamata trailer stars Johnny Depp, Bill Nighy, Hiroyuki Sanada, Jun Kunimura, Ryo Kase, Minami, Tadanobu Asano, Katherine Jenkins, and Akiko Iwase. Crew David Kessler, Stephen Deuters, Andrew Levitas, and Jason Forman wrote the screenplay for Minamata. Ryuichi Sakamoto [...]
Continue reading: Minamata (2020) U.S. Movie Trailer: War Photographer Johnny Depp documents the Mercury Poisoning of a Japanese Town...
Continue reading: Minamata (2020) U.S. Movie Trailer: War Photographer Johnny Depp documents the Mercury Poisoning of a Japanese Town...
- 12/12/2021
- by Rollo Tomasi
- Film-Book
"We need global attention." "With you, we have a better chance." Goldwyn Films has released an official US trailer for the film Minamata, made by filmmaker / artist Andrew Levitas. This originally premiered at the 2020 Berlin Film Festival last year, and has taken all this time to get released. The film tells the story of the final days and final work of famed war photographer W. Eugene Smith, played by Johnny Depp. Smith travels to Japan in the 70s where he embeds himself in a small town and documents the devastating effects of mercury poisoning in communities due to a greedy corporation dumping toxic chemicals and denying it. A powerful story about the impact of photojournalism. Also with Hiroyuki Sanada, Tadanobu Asano, Katherine Jenkins, Jun Kunimura, Lily Robinson, Ryo Kase, Akiko Iwase, Minami, plus Bill Nighy. I watched this at Berlinale and loved it, writing in my review: "there's something wondrous and yet compellingly authentic.
- 12/10/2021
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Exclusive: Johnny Depp movie Minamata is finally getting a U.S. release, we can reveal, but not from MGM which had previously acquired the film.
Iervolino and Lady Bacardi Entertainment (Ilbe) are now teaming up with Samuel Goldwyn Films to give the movie a North American release in theaters beginning December 15. The platformed release is due to extend across U.S. and Canada into 2022 and the team are looking to position it for awards consideration.
This update comes after the film’s director, Andrew Levitas, complained earlier this year that MGM was “burying” Minamata due to Depp’s well publicized off-screen issues. You can read the filmmaker’s impassioned letter to the studio here. Depp also decried the non-release in an interview in August in which he said the film deserved to be seen but was shelved because he was being “boycotted” by Hollywood.
Minamata charts the true story of...
Iervolino and Lady Bacardi Entertainment (Ilbe) are now teaming up with Samuel Goldwyn Films to give the movie a North American release in theaters beginning December 15. The platformed release is due to extend across U.S. and Canada into 2022 and the team are looking to position it for awards consideration.
This update comes after the film’s director, Andrew Levitas, complained earlier this year that MGM was “burying” Minamata due to Depp’s well publicized off-screen issues. You can read the filmmaker’s impassioned letter to the studio here. Depp also decried the non-release in an interview in August in which he said the film deserved to be seen but was shelved because he was being “boycotted” by Hollywood.
Minamata charts the true story of...
- 12/1/2021
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
After the end of the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1945, a large number of Japanese orphans were adopted by families in Northeast China. When diplomatic relations between the two countries were normalised in the 1970s and 1980s, many orphans returned to Japan to find their roots, including Chen Lihua, the adopted daughter of Grandma Chen Huiming (Wu Yanshu). In 2005, Grandma Chen seems to have lost touch with her adopted daughter and decides to travel to Nara, Japan to search for her. With limited knowledge and facing language barriers, she embarks on a unique journey with the help of Xiao Ze (Ying Ze), who is half-Chinese and herself the child of a war orphan, as well as a retired police officer (Jun Kunimura).
Tracing Her Shadow is an original film, the third feature written and directed by Peng Fei. It is produced by Naomi Kawase and Jia Zhangke. Director Peng Fei’s...
Tracing Her Shadow is an original film, the third feature written and directed by Peng Fei. It is produced by Naomi Kawase and Jia Zhangke. Director Peng Fei’s...
- 11/28/2021
- by Suzie Cho
- AsianMoviePulse
Mary Elizabeth Winstead’s original Netflix movie Kate shot its way to the top of Nielsen’s movie streaming chart in its mid-September launch.
The action drama is directed by Cedric Nicolas-Troyan and co-stars Tadanobu Asano, Miyavi, Michiel Huisman, Miku Martineau, Jun Kunimura and Woody Harrelson.
The movie revolves around an elite assassin who’s left with one day to live after being poisoned, and decides to spend her final hours hunting down the person who wants her dead.
Kate racked up 413 million minutes of viewing in the United States for the full week of Sept. 13 following its premiere Sept. 10, making it ...
The action drama is directed by Cedric Nicolas-Troyan and co-stars Tadanobu Asano, Miyavi, Michiel Huisman, Miku Martineau, Jun Kunimura and Woody Harrelson.
The movie revolves around an elite assassin who’s left with one day to live after being poisoned, and decides to spend her final hours hunting down the person who wants her dead.
Kate racked up 413 million minutes of viewing in the United States for the full week of Sept. 13 following its premiere Sept. 10, making it ...
- 10/14/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Mary Elizabeth Winstead’s original Netflix movie Kate shot its way to the top of Nielsen’s movie streaming chart in its mid-September launch.
The action drama is directed by Cedric Nicolas-Troyan and co-stars Tadanobu Asano, Miyavi, Michiel Huisman, Miku Martineau, Jun Kunimura and Woody Harrelson.
The movie revolves around an elite assassin who’s left with one day to live after being poisoned, and decides to spend her final hours hunting down the person who wants her dead.
Kate racked up 413 million minutes of viewing in the United States for the full week of Sept. 13 following its premiere Sept. 10, making it ...
The action drama is directed by Cedric Nicolas-Troyan and co-stars Tadanobu Asano, Miyavi, Michiel Huisman, Miku Martineau, Jun Kunimura and Woody Harrelson.
The movie revolves around an elite assassin who’s left with one day to live after being poisoned, and decides to spend her final hours hunting down the person who wants her dead.
Kate racked up 413 million minutes of viewing in the United States for the full week of Sept. 13 following its premiere Sept. 10, making it ...
- 10/14/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Beijing-born director Peng Fei is back with a film that explores once again the intricate tangle of generations, cultural identity, family ties, sense of belonging. A co-production with Japan, “Tracing Her Shadow” shows in the credits directors Jia Zhangke and Naomi Kawase as executive producers and was co-financed and co-produced by Nara’s biennial film festival, which Kawase helped found in 2010.
“Tracing Her Shadow“ is screening at CineCina Film Festival
After a brief introduction to the main character Xiao Ze a young woman working in a bar in Nara, Japan, the film utilises a short animation to explain the preconditions for its plot and its historical context. At the end of WW2, the Japanese settlers fled northeast China in a frenzy and lots of their children were left behind. Some were sent back to their homeland, but many were abandoned, and Chinese families took them in and raised them as their own children.
“Tracing Her Shadow“ is screening at CineCina Film Festival
After a brief introduction to the main character Xiao Ze a young woman working in a bar in Nara, Japan, the film utilises a short animation to explain the preconditions for its plot and its historical context. At the end of WW2, the Japanese settlers fled northeast China in a frenzy and lots of their children were left behind. Some were sent back to their homeland, but many were abandoned, and Chinese families took them in and raised them as their own children.
- 9/13/2021
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
“You’re a Terminator,” Tokyo teen Ani (Miku Patricia Martineau) gapes to Kate (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) after witnessing the bloodshed her kidnapper has brought down on two dozen yakuza now lying shot, stabbed, sizzled on a yakitori grill and very, very dead. Kate, the titular antihero of director Cedric Nicolas-Troyan’s vicious vengeance flick, is a grown-up child assassin trained by her mentor (Woody Harrelson) in the art of death, a fate so common among on-screen orphans that their support group could fill a church basement. Yes, she can rack up quite the Schwarzenegger-esque kill count. But Kate’s Terminator resemblance also includes her left eye’s red and distended pupil, evidence of the polonium poisoning that will kill her in 24 hours. Other symptoms of this gimmick include blistered skin, pounding eardrums, wobbly knees and an urgency to take an entire gangster clan along with her to the grave. There is no cure.
- 9/3/2021
- by Amy Nicholson
- Variety Film + TV
Japanese humor is rather unique, occasionally moving towards intelligent, quirky and deadpan paths, occasionally towards absurd, slapstick or even appalling and “blasphemous” ones. “Zokki”, the collective effort of Naoto Takenaka, Takayuki Yamada and Takumi Saitoh, thankfully lingers mostly towards the first two categories, in five intermingling episodes written by Yutaka Kuramochi, based on short stories by manga artist Hiroyuki Ohashi.
“Zokki” is screening at New York Asian Film Festival
The omnibus begins with a story of a kidnapping that ends up with a grandfather talking about secrets with his granddaughter, who eventually throws out of her mouth the milk she was drinking, which sets up the tone, to a point at least, for the rest of the movie. Another story focuses on Fujimura, a loner who decides to go for a road trip with his bike, eventually arriving at a seaside town, where he is taken in by a friendly...
“Zokki” is screening at New York Asian Film Festival
The omnibus begins with a story of a kidnapping that ends up with a grandfather talking about secrets with his granddaughter, who eventually throws out of her mouth the milk she was drinking, which sets up the tone, to a point at least, for the rest of the movie. Another story focuses on Fujimura, a loner who decides to go for a road trip with his bike, eventually arriving at a seaside town, where he is taken in by a friendly...
- 8/25/2021
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Today we’re pleased to bring you interviews with Johnny Depp, director Andrew Levitas and Hiroyuki Sanada and living legend Bill Nighy for Minamata. The film stars Johnny Depp as celebrated war photographer W. Eugene Smith, alongside Minami, Hiroyuki Sanada, Ryo Kase, Jun Kunimura, Bill Nighy and Katherine Jenkins.
Plot: New York, 1971. Following his celebrated days as one of the most revered photojournalists of World War II, W. Eugene Smith (Johnny Depp) has become a recluse, disconnected from society and his career. But a secret commission from Life magazine editor Robert Hayes (Bill Nighy) sends him to the Japanese coastal city of Minamata, which has been ravaged by mercury poisoning; the result of decades of gross industrial negligence by the country’s Chisso Corporation.
There, Smith immerses himself in the community, documenting their efforts to live with Minamata Disease and their passionate campaign to achieve recognition from Chisso and the Japanese government.
Plot: New York, 1971. Following his celebrated days as one of the most revered photojournalists of World War II, W. Eugene Smith (Johnny Depp) has become a recluse, disconnected from society and his career. But a secret commission from Life magazine editor Robert Hayes (Bill Nighy) sends him to the Japanese coastal city of Minamata, which has been ravaged by mercury poisoning; the result of decades of gross industrial negligence by the country’s Chisso Corporation.
There, Smith immerses himself in the community, documenting their efforts to live with Minamata Disease and their passionate campaign to achieve recognition from Chisso and the Japanese government.
- 8/19/2021
- by Jon Lyus
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Mary Elizabeth Winstead, star of the upcoming action film Kate, joined Rolling Stone‘s Twitch channel this week to discuss her experience working on the film. The trailer, which premiered exclusively on Rolling Stone, shows Winstead as Kate – an assassin tasked with 24 hours to exact revenge on the enemies who poisoned her. Shot on location across Bangkok and Tokyo, Kate is a high-intensity action film that sees Winstead executing stunts and engaging in hand-to-hand combat over the course of the movie. The cast also includes Tadanobu Asano, Miyavi, Michiel Huisman,...
- 8/6/2021
- by Christopher Cruz and Tia Hill
- Rollingstone.com
Kate Trailer — Cedric Nicolas-Troyan‘s Kate (2021) movie trailer has been released by Netflix. The Kate trailer stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Woody Harrelson, Miku Martineau, Tadanobu Asano, Jun Kunimura, Miyavi, Kazuya Tanabe, and Michiel Huisman. Crew Umair Aleem wrote the screenplay for Kate. Nathan Barr created the music for the film. Lyle Vincent crafted [...]
Continue reading: Kate (2021) Movie Trailer: Poisoned Assassin Mary Elizabeth Winstead searches for Revenge in her Last 24 Hours...
Continue reading: Kate (2021) Movie Trailer: Poisoned Assassin Mary Elizabeth Winstead searches for Revenge in her Last 24 Hours...
- 8/5/2021
- by Rollo Tomasi
- Film-Book
Mary Elizabeth Winstead is the latest star to go all John Wick on everyone in the room for her new film “Kate,” and even her partner in crime can see she’s a “total killer babe.”
Winstead in “Kate” plays an assassin in Tokyo on what is to be her last job to take down the Yakuza kingpin. She finds that she’s been poisoned and now has less than 24 hours to live. In that time she locates a young Japanese girl who can help her track down her mark and figure out who set her up to die.
“Kate, you’re like that person in a nightmare, take no s— from no dudes, you’re scary,” the girl played by newcomer Miku Martineau says in the trailer. She even at one point threatens some mobsters by saying that even with 20 of them, they’re all about to die, and “you’re outnumbered.
Winstead in “Kate” plays an assassin in Tokyo on what is to be her last job to take down the Yakuza kingpin. She finds that she’s been poisoned and now has less than 24 hours to live. In that time she locates a young Japanese girl who can help her track down her mark and figure out who set her up to die.
“Kate, you’re like that person in a nightmare, take no s— from no dudes, you’re scary,” the girl played by newcomer Miku Martineau says in the trailer. She even at one point threatens some mobsters by saying that even with 20 of them, they’re all about to die, and “you’re outnumbered.
- 8/4/2021
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Mary Elizabeth Winstead has already showed that she’s more than capable of leading an action movie, thanks to her supporting role as Huntress in the DC Comics tentpole “Birds of Prey,” and now she’s getting the star vehicle she deserves with Netflix’s ticking-clock assassin thriller “Kate.” Winstead stars in the eponymous role opposite Woody Harrelson. The movie was helmed by French director Cedric Nicolas-Troyan, perhaps best known to U.S. audiences for directing the “Snow White and the Hunstman” sequel “The Huntsman: Winter’s War.”
The official synopsis for “Kate” from Netflix reads: “Meticulous and preternaturally skilled, Kate is the perfect specimen of a finely tuned assassin at the height of her game. But when she uncharacteristically blows an assignment targeting a member of the yakuza in Tokyo, she quickly discovers she’s been poisoned, a brutally slow execution that gives her less than 24 hours to exact revenge on her killers.
The official synopsis for “Kate” from Netflix reads: “Meticulous and preternaturally skilled, Kate is the perfect specimen of a finely tuned assassin at the height of her game. But when she uncharacteristically blows an assignment targeting a member of the yakuza in Tokyo, she quickly discovers she’s been poisoned, a brutally slow execution that gives her less than 24 hours to exact revenge on her killers.
- 8/4/2021
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
"Kate, you're like that person in that nightmare - take no sh*t from no dudes." Netflix has unveiled the first official trailer for a new action movie called Kate, the latest feature made by the VFX supervisor-turned-director Cedric Nicolas-Troyan, who last directed the sequel The Huntsman: Winter's War. There’s no time for mercy. After she's poisoned, a ruthless criminal operative has less than 24 hours to exact revenge on her enemies and in the process forms an unexpected bond with the daughter of one of her past victims. This seems like a killer action concept mashing up Kill Bill and Jolt with Gunpowder Milkshake, but with Mary Elizabeth Winstead starring as the action badass Kate in this one. In addition to Mew, the impressive full cast also includes Tadanobu Asano, Miyavi, Michiel Huisman, plus Jun Kunimura and Woody Harrelson, and introducing Miku Martineau. The best thing about this is that it's set in Japan.
- 8/4/2021
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
In Birds of Prey, Mary Elizabeth Winstead played Huntress (a.k.a. the crossbow killer), wilding out alongside Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn, and now she’s back with some extreme John Wick-ish fight choreography in Kate. Check out the first trailer that we’re debuting exclusively here.
Directed by Cedric Nicolas-Troyan, the movie follows an assassin named Kate who blows an assignment in Tokyo, and then discovers she’s been poisoned by a Yakuza organization. She realizes she has less than 24 hours to exact revenge on her killers as her body swiftly deteriorates,...
Directed by Cedric Nicolas-Troyan, the movie follows an assassin named Kate who blows an assignment in Tokyo, and then discovers she’s been poisoned by a Yakuza organization. She realizes she has less than 24 hours to exact revenge on her killers as her body swiftly deteriorates,...
- 8/4/2021
- by Rolling Stone
- Rollingstone.com
Exclusive: Director Andrew Levitas has sent a letter of complaint to MGM and others to protest what he claims is a decision to “bury” the film Minamata because of the personal baggage of its star, Johnny Depp. The film lays bare the scandalous neglect that the Chisso Corporation displayed in the Japanese coastal city where locals were ravaged by mercury poisoning from chemicals dumped into the waters by a factory, which spread to local population through the ingestion of fish. It was exposed in the 1950s.
In the film, Depp plays Eugene Smith, a famed photojournalist who has disconnected from the world but takes a final assignment from his Life magazine editor (Bill Nighy). He is accompanied by a Japanese translator (Minami) and encouraged by a local villager (Hiroyuki Sanada) as he helps expose decades of gross negligence by the Chisso Corporation. Minamata also stars Jun Kunimura, Ryo Kase, Tadanobu Asano and Akiko Iwase.
In the film, Depp plays Eugene Smith, a famed photojournalist who has disconnected from the world but takes a final assignment from his Life magazine editor (Bill Nighy). He is accompanied by a Japanese translator (Minami) and encouraged by a local villager (Hiroyuki Sanada) as he helps expose decades of gross negligence by the Chisso Corporation. Minamata also stars Jun Kunimura, Ryo Kase, Tadanobu Asano and Akiko Iwase.
- 7/26/2021
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
As the film begins with an action scene filled with visual effects, explosions and war in all its cinematic glory, one would think that this was going to be another war drama about the loss the Japanese suffered in WWII, much like one of Takashi Yamazaki’s previous works, the multi-awarded “The Fighter Pilot”. However, as soon as the second scene depicts a heated argument among the people in charge of the Japanese navy in 1933, regarding the type of the vessel they should build, it becomes evident that the based on Norifusa Mita’s manga film is a whole different kind of movie.
On the one hand, Shigetaro Shizuma and mechanic Tadamichi Hirayama insist on building a huge battleship that will boast the glory of Nippon and elevate morale among the troops and the population. On the other, Isoroku Yamamoto and Osami Nagano insist that a fighter...
On the one hand, Shigetaro Shizuma and mechanic Tadamichi Hirayama insist on building a huge battleship that will boast the glory of Nippon and elevate morale among the troops and the population. On the other, Isoroku Yamamoto and Osami Nagano insist that a fighter...
- 6/2/2021
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
“I can’t put my finger on it but there’s something wrong with her.”
When writer Tony Rayns met Japanese director for one of the first times in the 1990s, he spoke to him about his incredible output per year, which sometimes ranged somewhere between six to seven movies. According to Miike, the answer was obvious for he liked to keep himself busy with his films through the year. Additionally, rejecting a producer’s proposal, especially for an interesting idea, was something Miike could (and probably still can) not do, and in the end the people involved would find the right time and right place in his busy schedule to work everything out.
“Audition” is streaming on Mubi
Interestingly, the year this encounter took place marks a significant milestone in Miike’s career. The Rotterdam Film Festival not only showed three of his movies – “Audition”, “Dead or Alive” and...
When writer Tony Rayns met Japanese director for one of the first times in the 1990s, he spoke to him about his incredible output per year, which sometimes ranged somewhere between six to seven movies. According to Miike, the answer was obvious for he liked to keep himself busy with his films through the year. Additionally, rejecting a producer’s proposal, especially for an interesting idea, was something Miike could (and probably still can) not do, and in the end the people involved would find the right time and right place in his busy schedule to work everything out.
“Audition” is streaming on Mubi
Interestingly, the year this encounter took place marks a significant milestone in Miike’s career. The Rotterdam Film Festival not only showed three of his movies – “Audition”, “Dead or Alive” and...
- 2/21/2021
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
MGM has bought the Johnny Depp drama “Minamata” and has set an awards-season release of Feb. 5, 2021, through its revived American International Pictures label.
MGM also acquired all rights to “Minamata” in Canada, Germany and Switzerland. The film premiered at the Berlin Film Festival in February.
Set in 1971, Depp portrays photojournalist Eugene Smith, who’s become a recluse and disconnected from the world he once shot. After receiving one final assignment from Life Magazine editor Robert Hayes (played by Bill Nighy), he must travel to the Japanese coastal city of Minamata, which has been ravaged by mercury poisoning. Assisted by an impassioned Japanese translator and encouraged by local villagers, his powerful images expose decades of gross negligence by the country’s Chisso Corporation.
“Minamata” also stars Jun Kunimura, Ryo Kase, Tadanobu Asano and Akiko Iwase. Andrew Levitas directed the film from a screenplay by Levitas, David K. Kessler, Stephen Deuters and Jason Forman.
MGM also acquired all rights to “Minamata” in Canada, Germany and Switzerland. The film premiered at the Berlin Film Festival in February.
Set in 1971, Depp portrays photojournalist Eugene Smith, who’s become a recluse and disconnected from the world he once shot. After receiving one final assignment from Life Magazine editor Robert Hayes (played by Bill Nighy), he must travel to the Japanese coastal city of Minamata, which has been ravaged by mercury poisoning. Assisted by an impassioned Japanese translator and encouraged by local villagers, his powerful images expose decades of gross negligence by the country’s Chisso Corporation.
“Minamata” also stars Jun Kunimura, Ryo Kase, Tadanobu Asano and Akiko Iwase. Andrew Levitas directed the film from a screenplay by Levitas, David K. Kessler, Stephen Deuters and Jason Forman.
- 10/30/2020
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
MGM has acquired “Minamata” starring Johnny Depp that will be released by MGM’s American International Pictures (Aip) label on Feb. 5, 2021, according to an individual with knowledge of the project. Additionally, MGM also acquired all rights to “Minamata” in Canada, Germany and Switzerland
The film received its World Premiere as a Berlinale Special Gala as part of the Berlin International Film Festival 2020. Depp received some of the best reviews of his career for portraying photojournalist Eugene Smith.
Per the film’s description, inspired by a true story, Depp plays W. Eugene Smith, a war photographer from World War II, who in 1971, goes up against a powerful corporation responsible for poisoning the people of Minamata, Japan. With the glory days of World War II far behind him, Smith has become a recluse, disconnected from society and his career. But an old friend and a commission from “Life Magazine” editor Ralph Graves...
The film received its World Premiere as a Berlinale Special Gala as part of the Berlin International Film Festival 2020. Depp received some of the best reviews of his career for portraying photojournalist Eugene Smith.
Per the film’s description, inspired by a true story, Depp plays W. Eugene Smith, a war photographer from World War II, who in 1971, goes up against a powerful corporation responsible for poisoning the people of Minamata, Japan. With the glory days of World War II far behind him, Smith has become a recluse, disconnected from society and his career. But an old friend and a commission from “Life Magazine” editor Ralph Graves...
- 10/30/2020
- by Umberto Gonzalez
- The Wrap
Exclusive: MGM has acquired the Johnny Depp-starrer Minamata, through its American International Pictures label. The Andrew Levitas-directed drama has been set for a February 5 release, dropping into the extended awards season as a theatrical and day and date PVOD release. The film made its world premiere during the Berlin International Film Festival last February. In addition to U.S. rights, MGM acquired Canada, Germany and Switzerland.
While the recent focus on Depp has come for all the wrong reasons in a libel case he pressed against the Rupert Murdoch British tabloid The Sun for calling him a “wife beater” (a court ruling is expected Monday), this is a chance for the focus to swing back to his chameleonic screen work.
In a drama inspired by a true story, Depp plays Eugene Smith, a famed photojournalist who has disconnected from the world but takes a final assignment from his...
While the recent focus on Depp has come for all the wrong reasons in a libel case he pressed against the Rupert Murdoch British tabloid The Sun for calling him a “wife beater” (a court ruling is expected Monday), this is a chance for the focus to swing back to his chameleonic screen work.
In a drama inspired by a true story, Depp plays Eugene Smith, a famed photojournalist who has disconnected from the world but takes a final assignment from his...
- 10/30/2020
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
Vertigo Releasing has acquired the UK and Irish distribution rights and launched a trailer for ‘Minamata’ featuring Johnny Depp.
New York, 1971. Following his celebrated days as one of the most revered photojournalists of World War II, W. Eugene Smith (Johnny Depp) has become a recluse, disconnected from society and his career. But a secret commission from Life magazine editor Robert Hayes (Bill Nighy) sends him to the Japanese coastal city of Minamata, which has been ravaged by mercury poisoning; the result of decades of gross industrial negligence by the country’s Chisso Corporation.
There, Smith immerses himself in the community, documenting their efforts to live with Minamata Disease and their passionate campaign to achieve recognition from Chisso and the Japanese government. Armed with only his trusted camera, Smith’s images from the toxic village give the disaster a heartbreaking human dimension, and his initial assignment turns into a life-changing experience.
New York, 1971. Following his celebrated days as one of the most revered photojournalists of World War II, W. Eugene Smith (Johnny Depp) has become a recluse, disconnected from society and his career. But a secret commission from Life magazine editor Robert Hayes (Bill Nighy) sends him to the Japanese coastal city of Minamata, which has been ravaged by mercury poisoning; the result of decades of gross industrial negligence by the country’s Chisso Corporation.
There, Smith immerses himself in the community, documenting their efforts to live with Minamata Disease and their passionate campaign to achieve recognition from Chisso and the Japanese government. Armed with only his trusted camera, Smith’s images from the toxic village give the disaster a heartbreaking human dimension, and his initial assignment turns into a life-changing experience.
- 10/8/2020
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
"You cannot let your emotions run the show." An official international trailer has debuted for the true story drama Minamata, made by American filmmaker / artist Andrew Levitas. This originally premiered at the Berlin Film Festival earlier this year, and still doesn't have a US release set yet. The film tells the story of the final days and final work of famed war photographer W. Eugene Smith, played by Johnny Depp. Smith travels back to Japan in the 70s where he embeds himself in a small town and documents the devastating effect of mercury poisoning in coastal communities due to a greedy corporation dumping toxic chemicals and denying it. A powerful story about the impact of photojournalism. Also starring Hiroyuki Sanada, Tadanobu Asano, Katherine Jenkins, Jun Kunimura, Lily Robinson, Ryo Kase, Akiko Iwase, Minami, plus Bill Nighy. I watched this at Berlinale and loved it, writing in my review: "there's something...
- 10/7/2020
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
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