Three years before his career-defining role as Itto Ogami in the six Lone Wolf and Cub films, Wakayama Tomisaburô starred in a trio of films about doctor, bounty hunter, and sometimes shogun assassin Ichibei Shikoro. Where the Lone Wolf and Cub series leaned much harder into the strategies associated with the exploitation filmmaking movement that was booming in Japan during the early 1970s, the “Bounty Hunter” trilogy has both feet firmly planted in the 1960s, drawing influence from James Bond films and spaghetti westerns as well more violent contemporaneous samurai films such as Okamoto Kihachi’s Sword of Doom and Kill!
The influence of the 007 films on Killer’s Mission, from 1969, alone is evident right out of the gate, both in Yagi Masao’s score and our first glimpse of Ichibei preparing his gadgets, including a cane sword and a miniature crossbow, as he readies himself for his mission to prevent an enemy,...
The influence of the 007 films on Killer’s Mission, from 1969, alone is evident right out of the gate, both in Yagi Masao’s score and our first glimpse of Ichibei preparing his gadgets, including a cane sword and a miniature crossbow, as he readies himself for his mission to prevent an enemy,...
- 4/22/2024
- by Derek Smith
- Slant Magazine
We're a month away from the release of "The Creator," the latest sci-fi film from writer and director Gareth Edwards ("Rogue One: A Star Wars Story"). It's the story of a future in which A.I. and humans are at war after the robots set off a nuclear bomb in Los Angeles. Ex-special forces agent Joshua (John David Washington), who is dealing with the disappearance of his wife, is sent off to find the architect of advanced A.I. He's created a new weapon that could destroy humans completely. However, when Joshua goes to take out the weapon, he finds that it's in the body of a little child. How do you destroy a weapon that you find yourself beginning to care for?
Recently /Film's own Vanessa Armstrong attended a press screening of 30 minutes of footage from "The Creator," as well as a Q&a with Edwards, where the filmmaker...
Recently /Film's own Vanessa Armstrong attended a press screening of 30 minutes of footage from "The Creator," as well as a Q&a with Edwards, where the filmmaker...
- 9/1/2023
- by Jenna Busch
- Slash Film
In the lead-up to the premiere of "The Mandalorian" in 2019, nobody really knew what to expect from the first-ever live-action "Star Wars" series. It wasn't until the appearance of a certain small, pointy-eared, green-skinned individual at the end of the first episode that season 1's "Lone Wolf and Cub"-styled plot came into focus. When the series returned for season 2, however, it quickly became apparent that showrunner Jon Favreau and executive producer Dave Filoni had much bigger plans than a story about a violent loner turned bumbling father (Din Djarin) trying to care for his mischievous adopted son (Din Grogu).
In fact, it's since become clear the tale of Din Djarin was but a stepping stool for a much larger saga about the New Republic's struggles to secure a foothold following the defeat of the Galactic Empire. The show's first spinoff, "The Book of Boba Fett," saw the titular bounty...
In fact, it's since become clear the tale of Din Djarin was but a stepping stool for a much larger saga about the New Republic's struggles to secure a foothold following the defeat of the Galactic Empire. The show's first spinoff, "The Book of Boba Fett," saw the titular bounty...
- 8/17/2023
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
Since its inception in George Lucas' original trilogy, the "Star Wars" franchise has boasted some of the greatest and most detailed worldbuilding in sci-fi history. Nowhere is this more obvious than its massive array of species, droids, and creatures, all brought to life by talented teams of puppeteers and visual and special effects artists. It can all be a little overwhelming, as "Peter Pan & Wendy" star Jude Law discovered while working on the forthcoming series, "Star Wars: Skeleton Crew."
The Disney+ show sees a set of adventurous children lost in the galaxy, and Law plays a Jedi trying to help them find their way home, a storyline that appears to pull inspiration from Amblin films in a way akin to how "The Mandalorian" was influenced by the Japanese samurai film, "Lone Wolf and Cub."
No matter what inspirations lie behind different projects, however, almost every addition to "Star Wars" pays...
The Disney+ show sees a set of adventurous children lost in the galaxy, and Law plays a Jedi trying to help them find their way home, a storyline that appears to pull inspiration from Amblin films in a way akin to how "The Mandalorian" was influenced by the Japanese samurai film, "Lone Wolf and Cub."
No matter what inspirations lie behind different projects, however, almost every addition to "Star Wars" pays...
- 5/5/2023
- by Jeff Ewing
- Slash Film
This post contains spoilers for the season 3 finale of "The Mandalorian," "The Return."
After the penultimate episode of "The Mandalorian" season 3 aired, there was visible anxiety about the concluding episode, especially in relation to Din Djarin's (Pedro Pascal) fate on Mandalore. Would Mando be able to make it out unscathed, and would Grogu be okay in such a dangerous, high-stakes situation? Director Rick Famuyiwa, who helmed the final two episodes of this season, cranked up things to 100 after a string of middling-to-good episodes in a largely uneven third season. On the bright side, we got a ton of lore progression and "Star Wars Rebels" tie-ins, setting up the events to come in "Ahsoka."
Thankfully, Famuyiwa found a way to end season 3 on a rather lovely, wholesome note. The Mandalorians fight against the beskar-armored Imperial Super Commandos valiantly, Din is able to escape his captivity (with the aid of Ig-Grogu), and...
After the penultimate episode of "The Mandalorian" season 3 aired, there was visible anxiety about the concluding episode, especially in relation to Din Djarin's (Pedro Pascal) fate on Mandalore. Would Mando be able to make it out unscathed, and would Grogu be okay in such a dangerous, high-stakes situation? Director Rick Famuyiwa, who helmed the final two episodes of this season, cranked up things to 100 after a string of middling-to-good episodes in a largely uneven third season. On the bright side, we got a ton of lore progression and "Star Wars Rebels" tie-ins, setting up the events to come in "Ahsoka."
Thankfully, Famuyiwa found a way to end season 3 on a rather lovely, wholesome note. The Mandalorians fight against the beskar-armored Imperial Super Commandos valiantly, Din is able to escape his captivity (with the aid of Ig-Grogu), and...
- 4/19/2023
- by Debopriyaa Dutta
- Slash Film
Nothing lasts forever, except maybe impermanence itself. Then again, if impermanence lasts forever, then it's not really impermanence. It's that kind of brain teaser that exhausts our noggins so much that we just want to sit back, konk out, and watch something on streaming. But just when you thought you were free from the stress of pondering the nature of impermanence, it turns out that some of the movies and TV shows you loved are suddenly not on Netflix anymore.
The good news is, you can avoid these kinds of catastrophes by preparing yourself accordingly. Instead of being taken off guard because your favorite sitcom or horror movie aren't available anymore, you can read article like this one — yes, the one you're reading right now! — and find out which films and series are leaving Netflix, so you can watch them now while you have the chance.
Because sadly, there's no...
The good news is, you can avoid these kinds of catastrophes by preparing yourself accordingly. Instead of being taken off guard because your favorite sitcom or horror movie aren't available anymore, you can read article like this one — yes, the one you're reading right now! — and find out which films and series are leaving Netflix, so you can watch them now while you have the chance.
Because sadly, there's no...
- 3/22/2023
- by William Bibbiani
- Slash Film
Sweet Tooth Season 2 Trailer: Hybrids And Humans Still Can't Get Along In Netflix's DC Comics Series
If there's anything that the recent premiere of "The Last of Us" showed us, it's that there's still plenty of juice to wring out of the post-apocalyptic genre. The HBO show took its cues from the acclaimed video game series to give us another "Lone Wolf and Cub" story about a grizzled old man and the young ward he'll stop at nothing to protect. "Sweet Tooth," on the other hand, resides at the other end of the spectrum. Focusing on a group of kids who just happen to be, well, mutant hybrids, the Netflix series is adapted from the DC Comics series written and drawn by Jeff Lemire. Season 1 bowed in 2021 to exceptionally strong reviews and even a bevy of Emmy nominations, of which it won two: for Outstanding Supporting Performance and Outstanding Sound Mixing and Sound Editing.
It took no time at all for Netflix to officially greenlight season...
It took no time at all for Netflix to officially greenlight season...
- 3/21/2023
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
Somewhere in between his Oscar-winning portrayal of a gay lawyer dying of AIDS in "Philadelphia" and his performance as the mild-mannered captain of an Army detachment ordered to rescue the sole surviving son of a family that lost three of their children to the Normandy Invasion in "Saving Private Ryan," Tom Hanks was declared the James Stewart of his generation. The evidence was compelling. As Forrest Gump, astronaut Jim Lovell, and Sheriff Woody, Hanks had come to exemplify all that is right and decent about America. We saw the best of ourselves in his characters, while, off-screen, he exuded good, clean charm whenever he turned up on a talk show or a red carpet. He seemed affable, erudite, and kind. But to call him the Baby Boomer James Stewart was to ignore Stewart's willingness to play hard against type.
It is 2023, and Hanks has just delivered his first truly...
It is 2023, and Hanks has just delivered his first truly...
- 3/17/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
(Welcome to The Movies That Made "Star Wars," a series where we explore the films and television properties that inspired George Lucas' iconic universe. In this edition: Peter Bogdonavich's masterpiece "Paper Moon.")
When you think of "The Mandalorian," the primary cinematic influence that comes to mind might be the Japanese classic series "Lone Wolf and Cub." The relationship between Din Djarin and Grogu is very reminiscent — at least in early seasons — of Itto Ogami and his toddler son Daigoro. The choice given to Grogu by Luke Skywalker, where he must choose between the way of the Jedi and the way of the Mandalorians, is a shot-for-shot recreation of the choice Ogami gives Daigoro in the films. He's to choose between a ball or the sword in "Lone Wolf and Cub," rather than a beskar shirt or a lightsaber. We talked about the influences of "Lone Wolf and Club" in a previous installment,...
When you think of "The Mandalorian," the primary cinematic influence that comes to mind might be the Japanese classic series "Lone Wolf and Cub." The relationship between Din Djarin and Grogu is very reminiscent — at least in early seasons — of Itto Ogami and his toddler son Daigoro. The choice given to Grogu by Luke Skywalker, where he must choose between the way of the Jedi and the way of the Mandalorians, is a shot-for-shot recreation of the choice Ogami gives Daigoro in the films. He's to choose between a ball or the sword in "Lone Wolf and Cub," rather than a beskar shirt or a lightsaber. We talked about the influences of "Lone Wolf and Club" in a previous installment,...
- 3/11/2023
- by Bryan Young
- Slash Film
This post contains spoilers for "The Mandalorian" season 3.
It was always going to take some adjusting, returning to "The Mandalorian" after "Andor." Whereas Tony Gilroy's "Rogue One" prequel is a visually muddy, tonally adult war drama that wears its anti-fascism message proudly on its sleeve, Jon Favreau's "Lone Wolf and Cub"-inspired live-action series is an overall lighter mix of samurai adventure and Spaghetti Western homages that unfolds during an era of relative peace in a galaxy far, far away. There's nothing inherently wrong with that, either. I've said it before and I'll say it again: "Star Wars" can be (and should be allowed to be) many things.
In terms of its world-building and style, "The Mandalorian" has always existed somewhere near the nexus between the live-action and animated sides of the "Star Wars" universe, not least of all compared to "Andor." Perhaps it's just the juxtaposition of...
It was always going to take some adjusting, returning to "The Mandalorian" after "Andor." Whereas Tony Gilroy's "Rogue One" prequel is a visually muddy, tonally adult war drama that wears its anti-fascism message proudly on its sleeve, Jon Favreau's "Lone Wolf and Cub"-inspired live-action series is an overall lighter mix of samurai adventure and Spaghetti Western homages that unfolds during an era of relative peace in a galaxy far, far away. There's nothing inherently wrong with that, either. I've said it before and I'll say it again: "Star Wars" can be (and should be allowed to be) many things.
In terms of its world-building and style, "The Mandalorian" has always existed somewhere near the nexus between the live-action and animated sides of the "Star Wars" universe, not least of all compared to "Andor." Perhaps it's just the juxtaposition of...
- 3/1/2023
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
This post contains spoilers for "The Mandalorian" season 3 premiere.
"The Mandalorian" star Pedro Pascal spends the vast majority of his screen time underneath an impenetrable beskar steel helmet, so it's fitting that some of the show's most interesting guest stars are also hidden underneath helmets, prosthetics, or CGI. The season 3 premiere (sort of) brings back Ig-11, the bounty hunter turned nanny droid voiced by Taika Waititi. Mando's ugnaught ally, Kuiil, was voiced by Nick Nolte. And season 2's hidden guest stars included John Leguizamo as the cyclopean gangster Gor Koresh.
"Sweet Tooth" lead Nonso Anozie is a particularly apt addition to the "Mandalorian" season 3 cast, however, for reasons I'll get into in a moment. Also known for playing Xaro Xhoan Daxos in "Game of Thrones," Anozie is present in the premiere as the voice of space pirate king Gorian Shard. As you can see above, Gorian Shard bears...
"The Mandalorian" star Pedro Pascal spends the vast majority of his screen time underneath an impenetrable beskar steel helmet, so it's fitting that some of the show's most interesting guest stars are also hidden underneath helmets, prosthetics, or CGI. The season 3 premiere (sort of) brings back Ig-11, the bounty hunter turned nanny droid voiced by Taika Waititi. Mando's ugnaught ally, Kuiil, was voiced by Nick Nolte. And season 2's hidden guest stars included John Leguizamo as the cyclopean gangster Gor Koresh.
"Sweet Tooth" lead Nonso Anozie is a particularly apt addition to the "Mandalorian" season 3 cast, however, for reasons I'll get into in a moment. Also known for playing Xaro Xhoan Daxos in "Game of Thrones," Anozie is present in the premiere as the voice of space pirate king Gorian Shard. As you can see above, Gorian Shard bears...
- 3/1/2023
- by Hannah Shaw-Williams
- Slash Film
(Welcome to The Daily Stream, an ongoing series in which the /Film team shares what they've been watching, why it's worth checking out, and where you can stream it.)
The Movie: "Sword of the Stranger"
Where You Can Stream It: Crunchyroll, Funimation
The Pitch: It's the Sengoku period in Japan. Samurai clans are warring with each other and the Chinese Ming dynasty maintains influence over their island neighbors. The era sets the stage for this beautifully animated adventure, which plays out like "Lone Wolf and Cub" meets "Rurouni Kenshin."
An anonymous samurai is haunted by the violence he inflicted and the innocent people he killed during the Feudal wars. So, he's become a ronin, wandering Japan alone. That is until he meets young Kotaro, an orphan being pursued by Ming warriors. Kotaro's dog Tobimaru (the most adorable badass in the movie) is wounded saving Nanashi from attackers. So, the man...
The Movie: "Sword of the Stranger"
Where You Can Stream It: Crunchyroll, Funimation
The Pitch: It's the Sengoku period in Japan. Samurai clans are warring with each other and the Chinese Ming dynasty maintains influence over their island neighbors. The era sets the stage for this beautifully animated adventure, which plays out like "Lone Wolf and Cub" meets "Rurouni Kenshin."
An anonymous samurai is haunted by the violence he inflicted and the innocent people he killed during the Feudal wars. So, he's become a ronin, wandering Japan alone. That is until he meets young Kotaro, an orphan being pursued by Ming warriors. Kotaro's dog Tobimaru (the most adorable badass in the movie) is wounded saving Nanashi from attackers. So, the man...
- 2/27/2023
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
Over the course of 45 years and counting, "Star Wars" has evolved and branched into various shades of storytelling, from the gritty, grounded feel of "Andor" to the lore-heavy, adventure-of-the-week style narrative of "The Bad Batch." At its core, the franchise has always been heavily influenced by samurai films and space westerns, with George Lucas paying homage to the genres that shaped his artistic sensibilities. Although Lucas might not be directly involved with the acclaimed Disney+ series "The Mandalorian" — created and executive produced by Jon Favreau — the series proudly wears its samurai and spaghetti western influences on its sleeve. Playing out as a modern sci-fi with futuristic fantasy worldbuilding, "The Mandalorian" embraces its genre influences and subverts them to good measure, where bounty hunter Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) plays the dual roles of a lone ranger and doting father figure, which situates him in the crossroads of questioning "the way."
The...
The...
- 2/27/2023
- by Debopriyaa Dutta
- Slash Film
Tales of hardened, violent loners picking up lively, younger traveling companions are certainly having a moment. Whether it's "The Last of Us," "The Mandalorian," "The Witcher," or a movie like "The Gray Man," they seem to be every which way you turn in the world of streaming these days. It's nothing new, of course. Writer Kazuo Koike and artist Goseki Kojima helped shape the mold for these types of stories when they launched "Lone Wolf and Cub" in 1970. Even people who've never read their incredibly influential manga series (nor seen any of its adaptations in other media) know exactly what you mean when you describe something as having "Lone Wolf" vibes.
Speaking on the official podcast for "The Last of Us" season 1, episode 6, "Kin," co-creator Neil Druckmann talked a little about his own inspirations while directing the original Naughty Dog video game franchise that inspired HBO's widely acclaimed (and relentlessly feel-bad) post-apocalyptic prestige series.
Speaking on the official podcast for "The Last of Us" season 1, episode 6, "Kin," co-creator Neil Druckmann talked a little about his own inspirations while directing the original Naughty Dog video game franchise that inspired HBO's widely acclaimed (and relentlessly feel-bad) post-apocalyptic prestige series.
- 2/21/2023
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
Following “Ajji” and “Bhonsle”, Devashish Makhija’s latest film, “Joram” also finds its way to Rotterdam, proving once more, that the Indian director is rather proficient in using genre in order to make psychological and sociopolitical comments. This time, quite interestingly, he comes up with a survival thriller that will remind many of “Lone Wolf and Cub”.
Joram is screening at International Film Festival Rotterdam
The film starts in an idyllic setting in Jharkhand, Eastern India where a man is pushing a woman on a swing under a tree. Next scene, and we are in Mumbai where the same couple, Dasru and Vaano, are doing backbreaking jobs in construction, while living in a decrepit room inside the building they are working on, with their infant baby. Vaano still seems happy, but there is an intense shadow hanging over Dasru’s eyes, which becomes even more intense when a political leader from their region,...
Joram is screening at International Film Festival Rotterdam
The film starts in an idyllic setting in Jharkhand, Eastern India where a man is pushing a woman on a swing under a tree. Next scene, and we are in Mumbai where the same couple, Dasru and Vaano, are doing backbreaking jobs in construction, while living in a decrepit room inside the building they are working on, with their infant baby. Vaano still seems happy, but there is an intense shadow hanging over Dasru’s eyes, which becomes even more intense when a political leader from their region,...
- 2/1/2023
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
While recently talking about the movies which would make up his retrospective, Tom Hanks, the star of Big, Splash, Philadelphia, and Saving Private Ryan, told CinemaBlend’s ReelBlend Podcast: “For one reason or another, no one references Road to Perdition.” It’s a curiosity he can’t really explain, but he makes a strong argument for the 2002 film, emphasizing how it features “two guys who turned out to be two of the biggest motion picture presences in the history of the industry with Jude Law and [Daniel] Craig.”
Hanks is only saying what mob movie aficionados have been whispering because of omerta laws for years. Road to Perdition is a gangster film classic even if it is based on a graphic novel.
Cinema legend Paul Newman was nominated for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar in his final feature film performance, here as crime family boss John Rooney. It was also director...
Hanks is only saying what mob movie aficionados have been whispering because of omerta laws for years. Road to Perdition is a gangster film classic even if it is based on a graphic novel.
Cinema legend Paul Newman was nominated for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar in his final feature film performance, here as crime family boss John Rooney. It was also director...
- 1/31/2023
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
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