“Single mother Miyabi relies on her child idol daughter Kasumi as her only source of income and ticket to future financial stability. When Kasumi is replaced in the group by a more popular girl, Miyabi must ensure she gets her daughter back in the lineup.”
The idol system in Japan, while giving great success to a select few (Wonderfully explored in the documentary “Tokyo Idols“), is far from being a perfect system. However, this concept is not unique to Japan, as any competitions that offer money and validation based on the talents of a child is bound to create toxicity between parents, kids and observers. In approaching the inherent issues in the system, director Ryushi Lindsay crafts an unnerving story on ow the drive for success can corrupt morality.
Putting the weight of poverty on the shoulders of a mother, who is reliant on her daughter’s talent to put food on the table,...
The idol system in Japan, while giving great success to a select few (Wonderfully explored in the documentary “Tokyo Idols“), is far from being a perfect system. However, this concept is not unique to Japan, as any competitions that offer money and validation based on the talents of a child is bound to create toxicity between parents, kids and observers. In approaching the inherent issues in the system, director Ryushi Lindsay crafts an unnerving story on ow the drive for success can corrupt morality.
Putting the weight of poverty on the shoulders of a mother, who is reliant on her daughter’s talent to put food on the table,...
- 10/4/2020
- by Adam Symchuk
- AsianMoviePulse
It’s that time of the year and here at Asian Film Vault, we decided to have our first ever poll regarding the best films of the year. The votes were cast and counted and we came up with 18 films from 2017, that we consider the best of the year. And although Japan has the lion’s share in the list, we feel that we covered a large portion of Asia with our picks, since the titles include films from India, Thailand, Hong Kong, S. Korea, and Indonesia
Without further ado, here is the countdown.
(By clicking on the title of each movie, you can read the whole article)
Jagga Jasoos
As a musical with younger target audiences in mind, “Jagga Jasoos” lives up to the expectations and ends up as a visual treat through a brilliant performance of the protagonist. (Sankha Ray)
Kodoku Meatball Machine (Yoshihiro Nishimura,...
Without further ado, here is the countdown.
(By clicking on the title of each movie, you can read the whole article)
Jagga Jasoos
As a musical with younger target audiences in mind, “Jagga Jasoos” lives up to the expectations and ends up as a visual treat through a brilliant performance of the protagonist. (Sankha Ray)
Kodoku Meatball Machine (Yoshihiro Nishimura,...
- 12/8/2018
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Sometimes you chase a dream and sometimes you chase an obsession. The dream can be an illusion and the obsession can disappear in the breeze of reality. “Tokyo Idols” portrays the dream of nearly 10000 teenage girls in Japan who consider themselves as “idols” and perform to entertain their fans. The majority of those “fan-base” are formed by middle aged people (mostly between 40 – 50 years) and their obsessions for these teen aged idols. The docu-drama tries to bring out the life and career of these idol girls through a completely different and complex sexual perspective, touching the socio-economic life in Japan in an introspective manner.
Buy This Title
Rio is a teenage idol with number of fans and followers. She is 19 and approaching towards the fag end of her career as an idol which ends as the girls become “strong women” or mature. She wants to pursue a career as recording artist.
Buy This Title
Rio is a teenage idol with number of fans and followers. She is 19 and approaching towards the fag end of her career as an idol which ends as the girls become “strong women” or mature. She wants to pursue a career as recording artist.
- 12/6/2018
- by Sankha Ray
- AsianMoviePulse
Netflix has released a list of all of the movies and TV shows that are coming to Netflix in the month of October along with the release dates of them. They've got some good stuff coming including some Netflix originals that I'm excited about seeing including Stranger Things Season 2, Mindhunters, 1922 and more.
Look over al the titles and let us know which titles you're looking forward to seeing. I also provided a lit of everything that's leaving Netflix next month.
Available October 1
88 Minutes
A Cinderella Story: Once Upon a Song
Before Midnight
Blood Diamond
Boogie Nights
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Cleverman: Season 2
Death Sentence
Don’t Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood
Eagle vs. Shark
Eyes Wide Shut
Generation Iron 2
Ghost Patrol
I Love You, Man
Ice Guardians
Lockup: Disturbing the Peace: Collection 1
Made of Honor
Miss Congeniality
Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous...
Look over al the titles and let us know which titles you're looking forward to seeing. I also provided a lit of everything that's leaving Netflix next month.
Available October 1
88 Minutes
A Cinderella Story: Once Upon a Song
Before Midnight
Blood Diamond
Boogie Nights
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Cleverman: Season 2
Death Sentence
Don’t Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood
Eagle vs. Shark
Eyes Wide Shut
Generation Iron 2
Ghost Patrol
I Love You, Man
Ice Guardians
Lockup: Disturbing the Peace: Collection 1
Made of Honor
Miss Congeniality
Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous...
- 9/23/2017
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
While October usually signals the arrival of all sorts of spooky, creepy, scary, and otherwise appropriately Halloween-themed films to both theaters and streaming services, this month’s batch of new titles on Netflix offers up a delightfully wide variety of choices that aren’t all tied to the year’s primary celebration of fear. Sure, those titles are there — from more mainstream chillers like “Cult of Chucky” and the new original “The Babysitter,” to more offbeat picks like the cannibal coming-of-age tale “Raw” and the seminal “Donnie Darko” — but this month’s incoming list has more than enough for movie fans who don’t want to shriek at their televisions.
Read More:’30 Rock’: The 25 Episodes You Need to Watch Before Tina Fey’s Iconic Comedy Leaves Netflix
Oh, and it’s also a month we’re going to deem Official Unofficial Noah Baumbach Month on Netflix, as the filmmaker...
Read More:’30 Rock’: The 25 Episodes You Need to Watch Before Tina Fey’s Iconic Comedy Leaves Netflix
Oh, and it’s also a month we’re going to deem Official Unofficial Noah Baumbach Month on Netflix, as the filmmaker...
- 9/20/2017
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
As Madonna once opined, music makes the people come together! There's literally centuries of the stuff to cover so it's little surprise we get a lot of documentaries on the subject - and we didn't even get to cover the four-hour Grateful Dead doc from earlier in the year, and who knows if we'll get to cover Chavela, Tokyo Idols, Give Me Future: Major Lazor in Cuba, G-Funk, The Go-Betweens: Right Here, Revolution of Sound: Tangerine Dream or any of the others that are fluttering around the festival and VOD circuit.
So this week rather than just covering one, I'm looking at three!
Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked The World
The history and influence of Native Americans in music is explored by director Catherine Bainbridge and co-director Alfonso Maiorana in Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World. Taking its name in part from Link Wray’s famed 1958 instrumental (the...
So this week rather than just covering one, I'm looking at three!
Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked The World
The history and influence of Native Americans in music is explored by director Catherine Bainbridge and co-director Alfonso Maiorana in Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World. Taking its name in part from Link Wray’s famed 1958 instrumental (the...
- 8/1/2017
- by Glenn Dunks
- FilmExperience
Teenage girl or young women solo music acts or bands (or boys, for that matter) exist in most countries in the world; some only famous in their own nation (such as the dozens of J-pop and K-pop bands), and others worldwide (Spice Girls, Backstreet Boys). Japanese filmmaker Miyake Kyoko's documentary Tokyo Idols examines one such sector of pop music: the young women who are the namesake of the film, whose particular brand of pop, and their age and the image they project, are the object of obsession for mainly middle-aged men in Japan. Following one particular singer, Rio, and her legion of fans (and their leader and her most devoted fan, Koji), Miyake takes a keen eye to the pros and cons of the music, its...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 7/28/2017
- Screen Anarchy
Photo by Elena LazicA few tranquil days spent at IndieLisboa back in May were for this writer a powerful reminder of cinema’s ability to be truly unsettling, and of the value in encountering a film that places you completely outside of your comfort zone. That watching strange movies alone in a foreign country where I did not speak the language wound up being the opposite of a traumatizing experience is in large part due to the hospitality, lovely weather and great beauty of Lisbon, which the festival seemed to take into real consideration in the structure of its program.As morning screenings at the festival were all but exclusively dedicated to short films for kids, I started almost every day exploring the city, basking in the sun and admiring the vistas. Most likely a rather common experience for those who regularly attend smaller festivals such as this, the experience was entirely new for me.
- 7/25/2017
- MUBI
The 11th edition of North America's preeminent festival for contemporary Japanese Cinema slices into frame July 13 - 23 at Japan Society in New York City. Today, we have the full lineup of films and guests, including this years Cut Above Award recipient, Joe Odagiri. The beloved actor will be on hand for the U.S. premire of Kohei Oguri's Foujita, on the titular notorious 20th century painter. Also on tap is the latest from the prolific Sion Sono, Anti-Porno, Seijun Seizuji's forgotten gem Zigeunerweisen, as well as the Sundance and HotDocs selected Tokyo Idols. You can find the full lineup, the schedule and attending filmmakers at Japan Society's website....
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 6/7/2017
- Screen Anarchy
Highlights include the UK premiere of Cars 3 and 17 world premieres.Scroll Down For Competition Titles
The line-up for the 71st Edinburgh International Film Festival (Eiff) has been unveiled this morning by artistic director Mark Adams.
This year’s Eiff (June 21-2 July) will comprise a total 151 features from 46 countries including 17 world premieres, 12 international premieres, 9 European premieres and 69 UK premieres.
Highlights include the UK Premiere of Disney-Pixar’s animation Cars 3, appearances from Stanley Tucci, Oliver Stone and Kevin Bacon and the Opening and Closing Gala premieres of the previously announced God’s Own Country and England Is Mine.
There will also be a special screening of Raiders Of The Lost Ark accompanied by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra performing the score live.
Best of British
The Best of British strand includes Bryn Higgins’ Access All Areas featuring Rizzle Kicks’ Jordan Stephens; Simon Hunter’s Edie starring Sheila Hancock; the Donmar Warehouse’s all-female adaptation of [link...
The line-up for the 71st Edinburgh International Film Festival (Eiff) has been unveiled this morning by artistic director Mark Adams.
This year’s Eiff (June 21-2 July) will comprise a total 151 features from 46 countries including 17 world premieres, 12 international premieres, 9 European premieres and 69 UK premieres.
Highlights include the UK Premiere of Disney-Pixar’s animation Cars 3, appearances from Stanley Tucci, Oliver Stone and Kevin Bacon and the Opening and Closing Gala premieres of the previously announced God’s Own Country and England Is Mine.
There will also be a special screening of Raiders Of The Lost Ark accompanied by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra performing the score live.
Best of British
The Best of British strand includes Bryn Higgins’ Access All Areas featuring Rizzle Kicks’ Jordan Stephens; Simon Hunter’s Edie starring Sheila Hancock; the Donmar Warehouse’s all-female adaptation of [link...
- 5/31/2017
- by orlando.parfitt@screendaily.com (Orlando Parfitt)
- ScreenDaily
Relationships between documentary filmmakers and their subjects must balance access and editorial control, which leaves them walking a line between establishing trust and respecting boundaries. It’s a tricky business.
IndieWire recently asked nonfiction filmmakers behind this year’s Sundance documentary features about the understandings they established with their subjects before they started shooting, and if they considered their stars to be collaborators.
Read More: Fox Searchlight Buys Documentary ‘Step’ For More Than $4 Million — Sundance 2017
Amanda Lipitz “Step” The process started with discussing the idea with the families, especially the mothers of the young women on the step team. We set up a meeting after school one day and all the parents/guardians were invited to attend. I explained my vision of the story, with the emphasis on wanting to tell a positive story about Baltimore, these young women, and what they were trying to accomplish. I absolutely consider them collaborators.
IndieWire recently asked nonfiction filmmakers behind this year’s Sundance documentary features about the understandings they established with their subjects before they started shooting, and if they considered their stars to be collaborators.
Read More: Fox Searchlight Buys Documentary ‘Step’ For More Than $4 Million — Sundance 2017
Amanda Lipitz “Step” The process started with discussing the idea with the families, especially the mothers of the young women on the step team. We set up a meeting after school one day and all the parents/guardians were invited to attend. I explained my vision of the story, with the emphasis on wanting to tell a positive story about Baltimore, these young women, and what they were trying to accomplish. I absolutely consider them collaborators.
- 1/28/2017
- by Chris O'Falt
- Indiewire
Kyoko Miyake explores issues of gender and power dynamics in Japanese pop culture with her new documentary Tokyo Idols. Her film focuses on Ri Ri, an aspiring pop singer, and the adult male super-fans who surround her. Miyake hired doc editor Anna Price to help shape her hours of footage into a coherent statement on a unique (and, to many, unsavory) cultural phenomenon. Price spoke with Filmmaker about the project prior to its premiere in the doc competition at Sundance 2017. Filmmaker: How and why did you wind up being the editor of your film? What were the factors and attributes that led to your being hired […]...
- 1/27/2017
- by Filmmaker Staff
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
IndieWire reached out to the filmmakers behind the feature-length narrative and documentary films premiering this week to find out what cameras they used and why they chose them. Here are their responses.
Read More: The 2017 IndieWire Sundance Bible – Every Review, Interview and News Item Posted During the Festival
Dramatic Competition & Next
Cory Finley, “Thoroughbred”
Arri Alexa Mini. Panavision G-Series lenses.
The Dp, Lyle Vincent, was very particular about getting a hold of both. They gave us flexibility in shooting and helped create the very precise, high-contrast, and slightly dreamy look we were going for.
Gillian Robespierre, “Landline”
Arri Alexa with some vintage lenses
“Landline” takes place in 1990’s Manhattan. My Dp Chris Teague and I talked a lot about what shooting a period movie from a recent period would look and feel like. Unfortunately, we were not able to shoot on film, and added a texture of LiveGrain during color...
Read More: The 2017 IndieWire Sundance Bible – Every Review, Interview and News Item Posted During the Festival
Dramatic Competition & Next
Cory Finley, “Thoroughbred”
Arri Alexa Mini. Panavision G-Series lenses.
The Dp, Lyle Vincent, was very particular about getting a hold of both. They gave us flexibility in shooting and helped create the very precise, high-contrast, and slightly dreamy look we were going for.
Gillian Robespierre, “Landline”
Arri Alexa with some vintage lenses
“Landline” takes place in 1990’s Manhattan. My Dp Chris Teague and I talked a lot about what shooting a period movie from a recent period would look and feel like. Unfortunately, we were not able to shoot on film, and added a texture of LiveGrain during color...
- 1/25/2017
- by Annakeara Stinson and Chris O'Falt
- Indiewire
Author: Ty Cooper
From video games and anime, to instant noodles and possibly even karaoke, the influence Japan has had on world culture and entertainment is almost unrivaled. However, like any entertainment powerhouse, there is always a seedier more taboo side to the mix, and in Japan that comes in the form of the Japanese Idol. To the western mind, Japanese Idol culture can be confusing and even disturbing at times. But in Japan, the line between the taboo and socially acceptable is consistently being blurred, and Tokyo Idols is a film documenting what happens when the lines disappear, and when taboo becomes mainstream.
For those unfamiliar with Idol culture, a simple google search of the words “Japan” and “Idol” would serve as the ultimate spark notes. Just make sure to have the family filter turned on if you’d decide to click over to the images tab. Essentially what the Japanese have done,...
From video games and anime, to instant noodles and possibly even karaoke, the influence Japan has had on world culture and entertainment is almost unrivaled. However, like any entertainment powerhouse, there is always a seedier more taboo side to the mix, and in Japan that comes in the form of the Japanese Idol. To the western mind, Japanese Idol culture can be confusing and even disturbing at times. But in Japan, the line between the taboo and socially acceptable is consistently being blurred, and Tokyo Idols is a film documenting what happens when the lines disappear, and when taboo becomes mainstream.
For those unfamiliar with Idol culture, a simple google search of the words “Japan” and “Idol” would serve as the ultimate spark notes. Just make sure to have the family filter turned on if you’d decide to click over to the images tab. Essentially what the Japanese have done,...
- 1/23/2017
- by Ty Cooper
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
The loose-knit collection of films that fall under the category “documentary” can take on nearly any form they want to, but too many take a standard form as read without considering the meaning of the images they lay down. You know the type – a camera crew follows a few people around as they go about their business, occasionally stopping them for interview segments, and possibly interspersing archival footage where appropriate. Kyoko Miyake’s Tokyo Idols operates in this form, but quickly transcends it. Every image requires the viewer to look a little bit deeper, to second guess its presentation and what’s being directly stated, and quite often to look even a little beyond whatever they might find from there.
The “idols” the title refers to are teenage female pop singers who don’t yet have a proper recording career, but who perform for legions of loyal fans almost nightly.
The “idols” the title refers to are teenage female pop singers who don’t yet have a proper recording career, but who perform for legions of loyal fans almost nightly.
- 1/22/2017
- by Scott Nye
- CriterionCast
The journey to Sundance is an all-consuming endeavor and most filmmakers don’t lift their heads until they land in Park City with their Dcp in hand.
For some filmmakers, this year was different. The election of Donald Trump, which snapped so many into a new reality they hadn’t imagined, came just two weeks before most Sundance directors received their golden ticket to the festival. So we asked this year’s directors: Did the election change how you thought about your film, and your career as a filmmaker?
Read More: The 2017 IndieWire Sundance Bible – Every Review, Interview and News Item Posted During the Festival
John Trengove, “The Wound:” The Us election was a big reason why we chose to premiere in Sundance. With race and Lgbt rights being such heated issues in the Us, we thought it would be meaningful to bring a queer film from South Africa, together...
For some filmmakers, this year was different. The election of Donald Trump, which snapped so many into a new reality they hadn’t imagined, came just two weeks before most Sundance directors received their golden ticket to the festival. So we asked this year’s directors: Did the election change how you thought about your film, and your career as a filmmaker?
Read More: The 2017 IndieWire Sundance Bible – Every Review, Interview and News Item Posted During the Festival
John Trengove, “The Wound:” The Us election was a big reason why we chose to premiere in Sundance. With race and Lgbt rights being such heated issues in the Us, we thought it would be meaningful to bring a queer film from South Africa, together...
- 1/20/2017
- by Annakeara Stinson and Chris O'Falt
- Indiewire
We're not one hundred percent sure if you've heard, but there are some pretty weird subcultures in Japan. Undoubtedly one of the weirdest is the phenomenon of "idols" awesomely described on Wikipedia as "young manufactured stars/starlets marketed to be admired for their cuteness." But what's suuuper weird about the idols isn't the teens themselves, but the single adult men who devote their lives to following these girls to their concerts, showcases, meet and greets, and whathaveyou. If your interest is piqued, then you absolutely must check out Kyoko Miyake's Tokyo Idols, a documentary on the subject that takes a human look at people on both sides of the equation. The film will make its world premiere in the World Documentary section at Sundance this month,...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 1/12/2017
- Screen Anarchy
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