Takeshi Kitano is back with a yakuza film, an announcement that is sure to send shivers of excitement among the many fans of the Japanese director across the world. Yet the 62-minute feature turns out, after a seemingly straightforward beginning, to be a farcical parody of gangster films. This allows Kitano, who wrote, directed and edited “Broken Rage“, to give free reins to his zany comical leanings.
“Broken Rage” is screening at Venice International Film Festival
Kitano plays Mr. Mouse, a phlegmatic assassin for hire who is seen coolly dispatching various victims. One day he is arrested by the police, who force him to work for them and infiltrate a Tokyo drugs gang. This rather conventional story soon ends, however, as the plot resets and starts over from the beginning, retelling the same events, sometimes scene-for-scene, but in comical, delirious form.
Describing “Broken Rage” as a send-up of Kitano’s...
“Broken Rage” is screening at Venice International Film Festival
Kitano plays Mr. Mouse, a phlegmatic assassin for hire who is seen coolly dispatching various victims. One day he is arrested by the police, who force him to work for them and infiltrate a Tokyo drugs gang. This rather conventional story soon ends, however, as the plot resets and starts over from the beginning, retelling the same events, sometimes scene-for-scene, but in comical, delirious form.
Describing “Broken Rage” as a send-up of Kitano’s...
- 9/11/2024
- by Mehdi Achouche
- AsianMoviePulse
The first details of Takeshi Kitano’s secretive project Broken Rage have been revealed ahead of its world premiere at the 81st Venice Film Festival.
It has emerged that the latest feature by the veteran Japanese actor and filmmaker is the project that Amazon MGM Studios announced it was producing in June. It means that Broken Rage is the first first Japanese film produced for streaming to be officially selected for Venice and will premiere at the festival on September 6. The feature will stream exclusively on Prime Video in 2025.
When first announced as part of the Venice line-up, no plot details or cast were revealed,...
It has emerged that the latest feature by the veteran Japanese actor and filmmaker is the project that Amazon MGM Studios announced it was producing in June. It means that Broken Rage is the first first Japanese film produced for streaming to be officially selected for Venice and will premiere at the festival on September 6. The feature will stream exclusively on Prime Video in 2025.
When first announced as part of the Venice line-up, no plot details or cast were revealed,...
- 8/26/2024
- ScreenDaily
Within the vast landscape of Asian cinema, the works by Takeshi Kitano, as director and actor, have always been highly anticipated by many. However, when news spread he would retire from filmmaking after making one more feature, fans already thought this one might be the samurai epic he had been developing ever since “Sonatine”. Based on the infamous Honno-ji incident, the story portrays a time of political and social upheaval in Japan and is following the footsteps of directors such as Akira Kurosawa who made countless classics and established the historical samurai movie. “Kubi”, which translates to “neck”, also features a cast of many renowned actors, for example, Ryo Kase, Tadanobu Asano, Susumu Terajima and Kitano himself in one of the leading roles.
Kubi is screening at Nippon Connection
The story begins in 1582 after the uprising by lord Araki Murashige (Kenichi Endo) has been brutally beaten down by the forces...
Kubi is screening at Nippon Connection
The story begins in 1582 after the uprising by lord Araki Murashige (Kenichi Endo) has been brutally beaten down by the forces...
- 5/29/2024
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
While there’s plenty to be said and appreciated about cozy, comforting horror that offers catharsis, the genre’s ultimate aim is to terrify, shock, and even repulse. Of course, there is no shortage of ways that filmmakers accomplish this, frequently through gore, violence, and potent scare tactics, but transgressive horror is in a league of its own.
More than just gore, transgressive horror films revel in the taboo. Transgressive horror shatters cultural norms and seeks to explore beyond the boundaries of taste and social sensibilities, challenging viewers with shocking and sacrilegious imagery and themes. And yet, it’s not solely for shock value; transgressive horror has more on its mind than simply gore and depictions of depravity. There’s a purpose behind the pain. This week’s streaming picks are for the seekers of extreme cinema, unafraid to test their limits.
Here’s where you can stream them this week.
More than just gore, transgressive horror films revel in the taboo. Transgressive horror shatters cultural norms and seeks to explore beyond the boundaries of taste and social sensibilities, challenging viewers with shocking and sacrilegious imagery and themes. And yet, it’s not solely for shock value; transgressive horror has more on its mind than simply gore and depictions of depravity. There’s a purpose behind the pain. This week’s streaming picks are for the seekers of extreme cinema, unafraid to test their limits.
Here’s where you can stream them this week.
- 11/13/2023
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
A project that’s reportedly been in gestation for 30 years, so long that Akira Kurosawa once expressed huge hopes for its success before he died, Kubi is a labor of love.
Billed in its press materials as “the latest film by Takeshi Kitano” but hopefully not the veteran director’s last, it marks Kitano’s return to the samurai genre for the first time since 2003’s Zatoichi (a.k.a. The Blind Swordsman). The latter did modestly solid business in its day for an international film, and it will be interesting to see if Kitano, practically a national treasure in Japan, still has the same pull across Asian territories as he used to, let alone across the Pacific and beyond.
But regardless of any box-office performance, this challenging, extremely violent, ravishing-looking, intricately plotted adaptation by Kitano of his novel is of interest for its fresh take on a musty genre.
Billed in its press materials as “the latest film by Takeshi Kitano” but hopefully not the veteran director’s last, it marks Kitano’s return to the samurai genre for the first time since 2003’s Zatoichi (a.k.a. The Blind Swordsman). The latter did modestly solid business in its day for an international film, and it will be interesting to see if Kitano, practically a national treasure in Japan, still has the same pull across Asian territories as he used to, let alone across the Pacific and beyond.
But regardless of any box-office performance, this challenging, extremely violent, ravishing-looking, intricately plotted adaptation by Kitano of his novel is of interest for its fresh take on a musty genre.
- 5/25/2023
- by Leslie Felperin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
In the early ’90s, Japan’s Takeshi “Beat” Kitano was on a roll, with a superb string of nuanced crime movies that stood in stark contrast to the good-vs.-evil bullet operas that were coming out of Hong Kong at the time. Kitano’s darkly funny cynicism (who else could have made Violent Cop?) made him stand out by miles, but it soon became his weakness, as became evident in the lean period after the success of Zatoichi in 2013. The experimental, semi-autobiographical trilogy that followed — Takeshis’, Glory to the Filmmaker and Achilles and the Tortoise — seemed to offer little more than self-sabotage, the work of a frustrated artist trying to take a blowtorch to his populist image without much thought for the future.
The collateral damage was his international reputation, which took a hit to the extent that his next trilogy, the Outrage series, generally was received as the half-hearted work of a bored auteur.
The collateral damage was his international reputation, which took a hit to the extent that his next trilogy, the Outrage series, generally was received as the half-hearted work of a bored auteur.
- 5/24/2023
- by Damon Wise
- Deadline Film + TV
Kadokawa has revealed the first look teaser for a movie called Kubi, a historical epic from iconic Japanese actor Beat Takeshi. This will be premiering at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival later this month in the Cannes Premiere section. This film was conceived by director Takeshi Kitano around the same time as Sonatine, one of his early masterpieces, and has been in the works for 30 years. It depicts the "Honnoji Incident" along with the ambitions, betrayals, and fates of various characters, including warlords, ninja, comedians, and peasants. The ambitious new film has assembled a splendid and unique cast! Takeshi plays Hideyoshi Hashiba, who plots the "Honnoji Incident," and Hidetoshi Nishijima plays Mitsuhide Akechi. Ryo Kase gives a dubious performance as the mad genius Nobunaga Oda, while Tadanobu Asano and Nao Omori play the military strategist Kanpei Kuroda, who supports Hideyoshi, and his brother Hidenaga Hashiba with a great sense of humor.
- 5/3/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Whoa!! This looks awesome. Toei Studios in Japan recently released another live-action take on a classic tokusatsu franchise - an update on Kamen Rider. The great Hideaki Anno (also of Shin Godzilla) directed Shin Kamen Rider, which is now playing in cinemas in Japan. We still don't know when it will play in the US, hopefully later this year. A man who was given unwanted power & became a non-human. A woman who questions the theory of happiness she was given. Takeru Hongo, transformed into an Augment with killing power by the hands of the Shocker, escapes under the guidance of Ruriko Midorikawa, who was born to the organization but rebelled against it. He is drawn into an epic battle with the assassins who are closing in. What is justice? What is evil? Is there an end to the exchange of violence? Starring Sôsuke Ikematsu as Hongo, with Minami Hamabe, Masami Nagasawa,...
- 3/23/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Tatsushi Ohmori made an impressive transition from arthouse filmmaker to cineplex crowd pleaser. Known for violent disruptions of conventions both cinematic and social, he created his own style, starting in 2005 with the debut film “The Whispering of Gods”. His latest production, “Goodbye Cruel World”, is a heist movie about a group of people who rob a Yakuza gang. Betrayal, love, and revenge are mixed together and crowned with an A-List cast.
Goodbye Cruel World is screening at Hawai’i International Film Festival
Nao Ohmori (“Outrage Coda” 2017) steals the show as a detective hired by the yakuza to find the culprits. On the other side, “Drive my Car” actor Hidetoshi Nishijima leads the robbers, consisting of Takumi Saitoh (“Shin Godzilla” 2016), Hio Miyazawa (“his” 2020), Tina Tamashiro (“Diner” 2019), Tomokazu Miura (“Adrift in Tokyo” 2007), and Daisuke Miyagawa (“Drop” 2009). All the characters are portrayed in a passive way, and their story is told with many omissions,...
Goodbye Cruel World is screening at Hawai’i International Film Festival
Nao Ohmori (“Outrage Coda” 2017) steals the show as a detective hired by the yakuza to find the culprits. On the other side, “Drive my Car” actor Hidetoshi Nishijima leads the robbers, consisting of Takumi Saitoh (“Shin Godzilla” 2016), Hio Miyazawa (“his” 2020), Tina Tamashiro (“Diner” 2019), Tomokazu Miura (“Adrift in Tokyo” 2007), and Daisuke Miyagawa (“Drop” 2009). All the characters are portrayed in a passive way, and their story is told with many omissions,...
- 11/7/2022
- by Alexander Knoth
- AsianMoviePulse
Hybrid is probably the word to best suit Michael Arias’ “Tekkonkinkreet”. Based on Taito Matsumoto’s manga “Black & White”, it is the story of Yin and Yang brothers Kuro (“Black”) and Shiro (“White”) as they battle to save their home from adults, greedy bad guys and inner demons.
Tekkonkinkreet is screening at Japan Society
Treasure Town is an island in the middle of the city – a lawless neighborhood that nobody runs, but everybody claims. Children run the streets, to the annoyance of the yakuza; while the police holds little real power. But this is the chaotic order in place. That is until Hebi and his evil empire want to raze Treasure Town to the ground and build an amusement park in the name of profit. This evil force unites the inhabitants against this outsider as they gradually realize the plans in place, and it’s up to out two young heroes to fight back.
Tekkonkinkreet is screening at Japan Society
Treasure Town is an island in the middle of the city – a lawless neighborhood that nobody runs, but everybody claims. Children run the streets, to the annoyance of the yakuza; while the police holds little real power. But this is the chaotic order in place. That is until Hebi and his evil empire want to raze Treasure Town to the ground and build an amusement park in the name of profit. This evil force unites the inhabitants against this outsider as they gradually realize the plans in place, and it’s up to out two young heroes to fight back.
- 8/28/2022
- by Andrew Thayne
- AsianMoviePulse
Films about the sex clubs in Tokyo and the “underworld” that usually surrounds them come out pretty frequently from the Japanese movie industry. Yosuke Okuda tries to make a difference in the genre by introducing some additional elements while stripping his movie completely from sex and nudity, in a effort, though, that ends up particularly faulty.
on Amazon by clicking on the image below
As the movie begins, a failing student who tries to study English attacks a construction crew due to the noise they make. When he grabs a hammer all the workers are completely scared, with the exception of Katsutoshi, who ends up killing the young man. A bit later, he finds refuge in the sex club of an old acquaintance, Seikichi, while gradually revealing himself as a genuine ‘mad dog” despite his appearance suggesting otherwise. The club, however, has its own story arc, revolving around Takahiro,...
on Amazon by clicking on the image below
As the movie begins, a failing student who tries to study English attacks a construction crew due to the noise they make. When he grabs a hammer all the workers are completely scared, with the exception of Katsutoshi, who ends up killing the young man. A bit later, he finds refuge in the sex club of an old acquaintance, Seikichi, while gradually revealing himself as a genuine ‘mad dog” despite his appearance suggesting otherwise. The club, however, has its own story arc, revolving around Takahiro,...
- 8/28/2022
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
In tearjerker “And So The Baton Is Passed”, an adaptation of the eponymous hit novel by Meiko Seo, director Tetsu Maeda follows the stories of two girls and their stepparents. Yuko (bubbly and very likable Mei Nagano) is a girl who smiles regardless of what the world throws at her. Her doting stepfather Morimiya (Kei Tanaka in a performance that manages to make every scene feel like a J-drama) is an easy-going man who raises the girl after her mother disappeared one day. Miitan (Kurumi Inagaki) is a girl who cries easily, who is told by her new stepmother Rika (Satomi Ishihara in an equally exuberant and ominous performance) to smile whatever happens. One day, the girl’s chocolate-obsessed father Mito (Nao Omori) tells Miitan and Rika that he is moving to Brazil to make the best chocolate in the world. He leaves his daughter and wife to fend for themselves.
- 6/25/2022
- by Martin Lukanov
- AsianMoviePulse
A cavalcade of creatures from Japanese folklore come alive in “The Great Yokai War: Guardian,” a hugely enjoyable fantasy-adventure directed by the famously prolific and supremely versatile Takashi Miike. Starring amazingly talented child actors Kokoro Terada and Rei Inomata as brothers summonsed by peace-loving spirits to stop an angry demon from engaging in the time-honored Japanese monster movie tradition of destroying Tokyo, this smashing piece of young-adult entertainment should be a big hit in Japan, where it’s sure to get plenty of love from older adults as well. With its standout visuals and uplifting messages about trust, friendship and acceptance, “Guardians” should attract the interest of specialized overseas distributors following its international premiere as the closing-night attraction of Fantasia 2021.
Miike is most closely associated with extremely violent crime stories such as “Audition” and blood-soaked costume action-thrillers like “Blade of the Immortal.” Less well known outside Japan are his family-friendly hits such as “Ninja Kids!
Miike is most closely associated with extremely violent crime stories such as “Audition” and blood-soaked costume action-thrillers like “Blade of the Immortal.” Less well known outside Japan are his family-friendly hits such as “Ninja Kids!
- 8/26/2021
- by Richard Kuipers
- Variety Film + TV
Another Decade with Takashi Miike is a series of essays on the 2010 films of the Japanese maverick, following Notebook's earlier survey of Miike's first decade of the 21st century.At once propulsive and ruminative, First Love finds Takashi Miike looking back on his career while generating a steadily escalating sense of suspense. The film’s streamlined quality confirms what a focused filmmaker Miike has become over the 2010s: though it contains about a dozen major characters and several important conflicts, the director moves between them fluidly. He also exudes such intense energy while doing so that First Love generally recalls the freewheeling films Miike made in his late 90s/early 00s heyday. The director underscores this link with the past with plenty of gleefully outré content, such as multiple beheadings (all of them presented comically) and a progression of events that culminates with a harried sex worker frenziedly snorting heroin off a Yakuza’s crotch.
- 8/31/2020
- MUBI
I have not seen the two films Ninagawa directed in 2019 but her first two, “Sakuran” and “Helter Skelter” are among my favorite Japanese films of all time, both due to their concept and their intense visual style. Thus, I was quite curious to see how her style would be implemented in a TV series and Netflix’s “Followers” provided the opportunity.
The story revolves around four women. Limi Nara is a very successful photographer, who now feels the need to become a mother, despite the fact that she is single. Natsume Hyakuta has come to Tokyo in order to become an actress, but has not managed to do so at all, and she just does whatever job comes her way waiting for her big break. However, her life changes when she meets Hiraku, a YouTuber who used to be in the movie industry when he was younger, and when Limi...
The story revolves around four women. Limi Nara is a very successful photographer, who now feels the need to become a mother, despite the fact that she is single. Natsume Hyakuta has come to Tokyo in order to become an actress, but has not managed to do so at all, and she just does whatever job comes her way waiting for her big break. However, her life changes when she meets Hiraku, a YouTuber who used to be in the movie industry when he was younger, and when Limi...
- 3/11/2020
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Miike’s energy and playfulness seems to know no end. His latest effort “First Love” has nothing that might betray its ordinal number (103!), on the contrary, it feels rather fresh as a “feel good” plot – yes, you’ve heard right – emerges under the familiar Yakuza antics.
“First Love” is screening at the BFI London Film Festival 2019
Before throwing them in complete chaos, the main characters are introduced in their separate microcosms. Leo (Masataka Kubota) is a talented boxer who cannot do much else than boxing. “I am just a boxer” he likes to say but his skills are as good as his enthusiasm is low. Abandoned near a rubbish skip as a baby, Leo has a clear lack of drive; as a fortune-teller warns him, he should find a purpose for his fights, something or someone to fight for. But he will not have much time for it as he...
“First Love” is screening at the BFI London Film Festival 2019
Before throwing them in complete chaos, the main characters are introduced in their separate microcosms. Leo (Masataka Kubota) is a talented boxer who cannot do much else than boxing. “I am just a boxer” he likes to say but his skills are as good as his enthusiasm is low. Abandoned near a rubbish skip as a baby, Leo has a clear lack of drive; as a fortune-teller warns him, he should find a purpose for his fights, something or someone to fight for. But he will not have much time for it as he...
- 10/16/2019
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
March 20th’s horror and sci-fi home media releases are an eclectic bunch, Shout Select’s Collector’s Edition of The ’Burbs and the new Blu-ray of Michele Soavi's The Church leading the pack. Arrow Video has put together a stunning release of Robert Altman’s Images that fans will definitely want to pick up, and for those of you who enjoy the work of Takashi Miike, Well Go USA has put together a remastered edition of Ichi the Killer that you’ll want to nab as well.
Kino Lorber has resurrected Offerings on Blu-ray, and Scream Factory has a pair of cult classics—Rockula and Nightmare at Noon—that are also enjoying a brand new HD overhaul as well. Other notable releases for March 20th include Delirium, Caged, Still/Born and Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (which I’d call something of a family fantasy/adventure hybrid, so...
Kino Lorber has resurrected Offerings on Blu-ray, and Scream Factory has a pair of cult classics—Rockula and Nightmare at Noon—that are also enjoying a brand new HD overhaul as well. Other notable releases for March 20th include Delirium, Caged, Still/Born and Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (which I’d call something of a family fantasy/adventure hybrid, so...
- 3/20/2018
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
Takashi Miike’s Ichi The Killer has endured as one of the most influential pieces of genre filmmaking of the last two decades, and now it returns in a stunning all-new digitally restored special edition debuting on Blu-ray™ March 20 from Well Go USA Entertainment. Based on Hideo Yamamoto’s manga series of the same name, the controversial and graphic tale of feuding yakuza gangs is seen primarily through the actions of a scarred and psychologically damaged man, who is manipulated into killing rival faction members. Digitally remastered in 4k and approved by director Takashi Miike (13 Assassins), Ichi The Killer stars Tadanobu Asano, Nao Omori, Shinya Tsukamoto, Alien Sun and Sabu. Bonus content includes Audio Commentary with Director Takashi Miike & Manga Artist/Writer Hideo Yamamoto and a still gallery.
Ichi The Killer will also be on big screens in select cities across the country. Visit http://wellgousa.com/theatrical/ichi-the-killer for...
Ichi The Killer will also be on big screens in select cities across the country. Visit http://wellgousa.com/theatrical/ichi-the-killer for...
- 1/20/2018
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Takashi Miike’s Ichi The Killer has endured as one of the most influential pieces of genre filmmaking of the last two decades, and now it returns in a stunning all-new digitally restored special edition debuting on Blu-ray™ March 20 from Well Go USA Entertainment. Based on Hideo Yamamoto’s manga series of the same name, the controversial and graphic tale of feuding yakuza gangs is seen primarily through the actions of a scarred and psychologically damaged man, who is manipulated into killing rival faction members. Digitally remastered in 4k and approved by director Takashi Miike (13 Assassins), Ichi The Killer stars Tadanobu Asano, Nao Omori, Shinya Tsukamoto, Alien Sun and Sabu. Bonus content includes Audio Commentary with Director Takashi Miike & Manga Artist/Writer Hideo Yamamoto and a still gallery.
Ichi The Killer will also be on big screens in select cities across the country. Visit http://wellgousa.com/theatrical/ichi-the-killer for...
Ichi The Killer will also be on big screens in select cities across the country. Visit http://wellgousa.com/theatrical/ichi-the-killer for...
- 1/20/2018
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Exclusive: Watch first teaser for final film in Kitano’s Outrage Trilogy.
Screen can reveal the first full-length English language trailer for Outrage Coda, written, directed, and starring Takeshi Kitano.
Watch the trailer for the Yakuza thriller below or on YouTube Here.
Outrage Coda is the third and final instalment in Kitano’s Outrage trilogy. Starring alongside Beat Takeshi are Toshiyuki Nishida, Nao Ohmori, and Pierre Taki.
The plot sees veteran gangster Otomo attempting to rebuild his old gang having returned from exile in Korea, and settling old scores once and for all.
Warner Bros Japan and Office Kitano are releasing the film in Japan on October 7, with the film set to premiere internationally in an Autumn festival.
It is a Bandai Visual, TV Tokyo, Warner Bros Pictures Japan, Tohokushinsha Film Corporation and Office Kitano Production. Co-producers are Masayuki Mori and Takio Yoshida.
Celluloid Dreams handles world sales.
The film crew includes composer Keiichi Suzuki, cinematographer [link=nm...
Screen can reveal the first full-length English language trailer for Outrage Coda, written, directed, and starring Takeshi Kitano.
Watch the trailer for the Yakuza thriller below or on YouTube Here.
Outrage Coda is the third and final instalment in Kitano’s Outrage trilogy. Starring alongside Beat Takeshi are Toshiyuki Nishida, Nao Ohmori, and Pierre Taki.
The plot sees veteran gangster Otomo attempting to rebuild his old gang having returned from exile in Korea, and settling old scores once and for all.
Warner Bros Japan and Office Kitano are releasing the film in Japan on October 7, with the film set to premiere internationally in an Autumn festival.
It is a Bandai Visual, TV Tokyo, Warner Bros Pictures Japan, Tohokushinsha Film Corporation and Office Kitano Production. Co-producers are Masayuki Mori and Takio Yoshida.
Celluloid Dreams handles world sales.
The film crew includes composer Keiichi Suzuki, cinematographer [link=nm...
- 7/13/2017
- ScreenDaily
Stars: Nao Ômori, Lindsay Hayward, Mao Daichi, Hairi Katagiri, Gin Maeda, Suzuki Matsuo, Hitoshi Matsumoto, Eriko Satô, Shinobu Terajima, Ai Tominaga | Written by Hitoshi Matsumoto, Mitsuyoshi Takasu, Tomoji Hasegawa, Kôji Ema, Mitsuru Kuramoto | Directed by Hitoshi Matsumoto
Hitoshi Matsumoto is a director who, though I can’t say I know a great deal about, only that he is a comedian known for his surreal and crazy style, I have enjoyed greatly in the past with his films Symbol (2009) and Big Man Japan (2007) so I was intrigued and excited to see that R100, Matsumoto’s latest, was going to be a part of Frightfest in 2014.
A stiff bodied and reticent office worker, Takafumi, joins a strange club which has one rule, the rule being that, under no circumstances can you cancel your membership within the year in which the membership runs for. Simple. No. What this results in is hard to quite explain,...
Hitoshi Matsumoto is a director who, though I can’t say I know a great deal about, only that he is a comedian known for his surreal and crazy style, I have enjoyed greatly in the past with his films Symbol (2009) and Big Man Japan (2007) so I was intrigued and excited to see that R100, Matsumoto’s latest, was going to be a part of Frightfest in 2014.
A stiff bodied and reticent office worker, Takafumi, joins a strange club which has one rule, the rule being that, under no circumstances can you cancel your membership within the year in which the membership runs for. Simple. No. What this results in is hard to quite explain,...
- 8/22/2014
- by Chris Cummings
- Nerdly
The line-up for this year's Film4 FrightFest in London has just been announced – and boy, is it a doozy! Sporting a record-breaking 38 UK/European premieres and 11 world premieres, this August is going to be an exciting time in the genre calendar.
Check it all out right here, including lots of new images!
This year Film4 FrightFest will be moving from its previous home at Leicester Square's Empire Cinema to the nearby Vue Cinema (also on Leicester Square), prompting an ingenious reshuffle of the screening arrangements.
All main screen films will be presented at different times across three different screens, with two extra screens reserved for single-slot screenings of the various films hitting this year's Discovery Screens.
Here's the full list of goodies:
Main Screens (5, 6, 7)
Thursday Aug 21
Opening Night Film - The Guest (UK Premiere)
Director: Adam Wingard. Cast: Dan Stevens, Maika Monroe, Brendan Meyer, Sheila Kelley, Leland Orser. USA 2014. 99 mins.
Check it all out right here, including lots of new images!
This year Film4 FrightFest will be moving from its previous home at Leicester Square's Empire Cinema to the nearby Vue Cinema (also on Leicester Square), prompting an ingenious reshuffle of the screening arrangements.
All main screen films will be presented at different times across three different screens, with two extra screens reserved for single-slot screenings of the various films hitting this year's Discovery Screens.
Here's the full list of goodies:
Main Screens (5, 6, 7)
Thursday Aug 21
Opening Night Film - The Guest (UK Premiere)
Director: Adam Wingard. Cast: Dan Stevens, Maika Monroe, Brendan Meyer, Sheila Kelley, Leland Orser. USA 2014. 99 mins.
- 6/27/2014
- by Gareth Jones
- DreadCentral.com
Film4 FrightFest 2014, returning for its 15th year, unveils its biggest line-up ever. From Thurs 21 August to Monday 25 August, the UK’s leading event for genre fans will be at the Vue West End, Leicester Square, to present sixty-four films plus twenty shorts across five screens. There are sixteen countries representing five continents with a record-breaking thirty-eight UK or European premieres and eleven world premieres.
Are you ready for a monstrous and memorable mayhem of killer claws, cannibalism, cult classics, murderous musicals, chiller thrillers, graphic novel action and sick celluloid masterpieces? Then prepare yourself for the biggest, strongest and most eclectic must-see programme in Film4 FrightFest’s history.
From the opening night turbo-driven thrill-ride The Guest to the UK premiere of the closing night mesmeric sci-fi fantasy The Signal, FrightFest has netted the latest works from genre big-hitters such as Eli Roth (The Green Inferno), Alan Moore and Mitch Jenkins (Show...
Are you ready for a monstrous and memorable mayhem of killer claws, cannibalism, cult classics, murderous musicals, chiller thrillers, graphic novel action and sick celluloid masterpieces? Then prepare yourself for the biggest, strongest and most eclectic must-see programme in Film4 FrightFest’s history.
From the opening night turbo-driven thrill-ride The Guest to the UK premiere of the closing night mesmeric sci-fi fantasy The Signal, FrightFest has netted the latest works from genre big-hitters such as Eli Roth (The Green Inferno), Alan Moore and Mitch Jenkins (Show...
- 6/27/2014
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
R100 (2013) Review Plot76% Acting76% Directing77%Surprisingly boldA certain craziness you don't see everydayDefinitely not for everyoneSome shocking scenes can disgust76%Overall ScoreReader Rating: (0 Votes)0%
Oh boy, where to start with this one. Just when you think movies can’t get any crazier; this one comes along. The film’s opening immediately sets the tone with the following message: “This movie is fiction! It is made with respect to all of God’s creatures. (Including animals and children)“. Well ok, that’s noted. Director Hitoshi Matsumoto, a famous and very popular comedian in Japan, is known for his weird and absurd humor. Moviegoers already knew he could make a film or two with his previous outings as a director: Big Man Japan (2007), Symbol (2009) and Scabbard Samurai (2010). But if you have seen those films, trust me, you ain’t ready for what R100 is about to bring you.
Let me start by...
Oh boy, where to start with this one. Just when you think movies can’t get any crazier; this one comes along. The film’s opening immediately sets the tone with the following message: “This movie is fiction! It is made with respect to all of God’s creatures. (Including animals and children)“. Well ok, that’s noted. Director Hitoshi Matsumoto, a famous and very popular comedian in Japan, is known for his weird and absurd humor. Moviegoers already knew he could make a film or two with his previous outings as a director: Big Man Japan (2007), Symbol (2009) and Scabbard Samurai (2010). But if you have seen those films, trust me, you ain’t ready for what R100 is about to bring you.
Let me start by...
- 6/8/2014
- by Thor
- AsianMoviePulse
A VOD/digital and theatrical release for the Midnight Madness title is planned for 2014.
Drafthouse Films has acquired North American rights to Hitoshi Matsumoto’s R100.
The film centres on a lonely everyman (played by Nao Ohmori) who hires a boutique S&M agency that specialises in random acts of extreme public degradation. When he finds he is unable to end his relationship with the club, he is pursued by a gang of ruthless dominatrices, each with a very unique talent.
R100 received its world premiere as part of Toronto’s Midnight Madness section and made its Us premiere at Fantastic Fest last weekend.
The deal was negotiated by Drafthouse Films founder Tim League and James Emanuel Shapiro on behalf of Drafthouse Films and Miyuki Takamatsu of Free Stone Productions on behalf of the producers.
League commented: “There’s probably no bigger fan of Hitoshi Matsumoto’s comedy in North America than me. Without Matsumoto...
Drafthouse Films has acquired North American rights to Hitoshi Matsumoto’s R100.
The film centres on a lonely everyman (played by Nao Ohmori) who hires a boutique S&M agency that specialises in random acts of extreme public degradation. When he finds he is unable to end his relationship with the club, he is pursued by a gang of ruthless dominatrices, each with a very unique talent.
R100 received its world premiere as part of Toronto’s Midnight Madness section and made its Us premiere at Fantastic Fest last weekend.
The deal was negotiated by Drafthouse Films founder Tim League and James Emanuel Shapiro on behalf of Drafthouse Films and Miyuki Takamatsu of Free Stone Productions on behalf of the producers.
League commented: “There’s probably no bigger fan of Hitoshi Matsumoto’s comedy in North America than me. Without Matsumoto...
- 9/26/2013
- by ian.sandwell@screendaily.com (Ian Sandwell)
- ScreenDaily
There is a moment in Hitoshi Matsumoto’s R100 that is easily one of the funniest things to grace a screen in years. It is such an amazingly bonkers setup and payoff that to deny its charm is to admit to owning one of the worst senses of humor around. The very concept of the gag is such a layered screamer that it takes a few minutes to fully digest. That it happens about two thirds of the way into the film makes it all the more special. It completely alters the tone of the film, a film that already changes its colors like a drugged out chameleon. But that’s moving ahead to fast, in order to properly review the film we have to start at the beginning. The focus is Takafumi (Nao Ohmori), a monotone man who fills his lonely days selling furniture . When he’s not doing that he’s at home taking care...
- 9/26/2013
- by Michael Treveloni
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
At this point, whenever I watch any Japanese cinema, I’m expecting something “out there.” I won’t say weird or strange, because those terms are all relative, but I will say I’m used to Japanese directors taking me somewhere I never could have predicted. I really had to prepare myself for R100 though, because not only is it directed by Big Man Japan creator Hitoshi Matsumoto, but it’s also a part of this year’s Midnight Maddness program at the Toronto International Film Festival. So did it deliver the absurdly incomprehensible goods? Honestly, my head is still spinning from all the bondage and grenade throwing, so you can take that as a yes – with an asterisk.
Takafumi Katayama is a seemingly normal man, caring for his both his only son and comatose wife, but makes a questionable choice to involve himself in a world of sadism and unhealthy pleasures.
Takafumi Katayama is a seemingly normal man, caring for his both his only son and comatose wife, but makes a questionable choice to involve himself in a world of sadism and unhealthy pleasures.
- 9/12/2013
- by Matt Donato
- We Got This Covered
Rabitto horâ 3D aka Rabbit Horror 3D and Tormented is directed by Takashi Shimizu (The Grudge, Ju-On) and stars Hikari Mitsushima (Death Note), Teruyuki Kagawa (Devils on the Doorstep) and Nao Ohmori (Ichi the Killer). It’s official Rabbit Horror 3D aka Rabitto horâ 3D will now be called Tormented in the United States. Well Go USA has purchased the title for Us distribution and apparently changed the name, we don’t know when it will be released but the good news is it will be released in the Us. Personally I like the Rabbit Horror 3D better, oh well. Rabbit Horror 3D is inspired by Alice in Wonderland >...
- 9/8/2011
- Best-Horror-Movies.com
Rabbit Horror 3D is a Japanese horror film that will premiere in Japan September 17, 2011. The film is about Mitsushima’s brother who receives a stuffed rabbit and is sent to a different world. In order to get her brother back Mitsushima must figure out the secret behind the rabbit. The film was influenced by the story of Alice in Wonderland Rabbit Horror 3D is directed by Takashi Shimizu (The Grudge, Ju-On) and stars Hikari Mitsushima )Death Note), Teruyuki Kagawa (Devils on the Doorstep) and Nao Ohmori (Ichi the Killer). Christopher Dolye (Hero, Lady in the Water) is the cinematographer >>...
- 7/20/2011
- Best-Horror-Movies.com
Earlier this week, it was announced that the last full-length work of Akutagawa Prize-winning author Kenji Nakagami, Keibetsu (literally “scorn”), is being turned into a film starring Kengo Kora and Anne Suzuki. Ryuichi Hiroki (April Bride, The Lightning Tree) will direct.
Kora plays Kazu, the only son of a prominent family. In spite of his distinguished upbringing, he spends most of his time gambling all his money away in Tokyo. In a fairly drastic shift from her usually image, Suzuki plays Machiko, the number one pole dancer at a club in Kabukicho, Shinjuku. The two start a fling based on mutual attraction and attempt to begin a life together in Kazu’s home town. However, his family is unwilling to recognize the relationship.
Machiko soon returns to Tokyo and Kazu comes to the realization that he has no way to pay off the massive debt he’s racked up with...
Kora plays Kazu, the only son of a prominent family. In spite of his distinguished upbringing, he spends most of his time gambling all his money away in Tokyo. In a fairly drastic shift from her usually image, Suzuki plays Machiko, the number one pole dancer at a club in Kabukicho, Shinjuku. The two start a fling based on mutual attraction and attempt to begin a life together in Kazu’s home town. However, his family is unwilling to recognize the relationship.
Machiko soon returns to Tokyo and Kazu comes to the realization that he has no way to pay off the massive debt he’s racked up with...
- 11/3/2010
- Nippon Cinema
Another week in October, another bounty crop of horror DVDs and Blu-rays. This week we have home entertainment from recent theatrical releases of nightmares of the mind as well as re-releases of classic and campy horror, all with boatloads of extras.
Then there are other horror titles that are being re-released on Blu-ray or in packs for double dipping. On top of that, horror offerings from Asia, past seasons of TV shows, manga, novels, and even video games are all vying for our pocketbooks. And we still have four more weeks of October to go.
Next year October needs to begin in August.
Human Centipede: First Sequence
Directed by Tom Six
Human Centipede: First Sequence (review) was a sensation ever since its first mention. Stephen Colbert even talked about it at the 2010 Emmys Awards broadcast! The premise cannot be simpler. Two pretty American girls are on a road trip through Europe.
Then there are other horror titles that are being re-released on Blu-ray or in packs for double dipping. On top of that, horror offerings from Asia, past seasons of TV shows, manga, novels, and even video games are all vying for our pocketbooks. And we still have four more weeks of October to go.
Next year October needs to begin in August.
Human Centipede: First Sequence
Directed by Tom Six
Human Centipede: First Sequence (review) was a sensation ever since its first mention. Stephen Colbert even talked about it at the 2010 Emmys Awards broadcast! The premise cannot be simpler. Two pretty American girls are on a road trip through Europe.
- 10/5/2010
- by kwlow
- DreadCentral.com
Time to call your cable or satellite provider and add the Sundance Channel to your lineup as the network is launching a new season of its late-night destination Asia Extreme™ on August 7, showcasing the sharpest of cutting-edge Asian genre fare every Saturday night at midnight.
You'll note that a few of the offerings aren't strictly horror fare, but we're including everything since just about all of them offer gore and violence, even if the supernatural/horror elements aren't quite there.
From the Press Release:
The 2010 season of Asia Extreme includes the U.S. television premieres of five films from South Korea: The Restless, Shadows in the Palace, Tazza: The High Rollers, Voice, and The Wig. The new season of Asia Extreme premieres on August 7 at 12:00 midnight Et/Pt.
In addition to their on-air presentations, the five premieres will be among the thirteen Asia Extreme titles available free from August...
You'll note that a few of the offerings aren't strictly horror fare, but we're including everything since just about all of them offer gore and violence, even if the supernatural/horror elements aren't quite there.
From the Press Release:
The 2010 season of Asia Extreme includes the U.S. television premieres of five films from South Korea: The Restless, Shadows in the Palace, Tazza: The High Rollers, Voice, and The Wig. The new season of Asia Extreme premieres on August 7 at 12:00 midnight Et/Pt.
In addition to their on-air presentations, the five premieres will be among the thirteen Asia Extreme titles available free from August...
- 8/4/2010
- by The Woman In Black
- DreadCentral.com
[Our thanks to Chris Bourne for this review.]
"Whether you're together or alone, it's lonely." This line delivered by an elderly woman (Akiko Kazami) could also have been spoken by any of the other characters of Hitoshi Yazaki's Sweet Little Lies, as ruthless a dissection of marriage as Ingmar Bergman's Scenes from a Marriage. The film's title expresses the deceptions necessary to keep up appearances for the outside world, especially when it comes to intimate relationships. The title also refers to the deceptions within these relationships, avoiding the painful truths that, if spoken aloud, can destroy cherished illusions.
To all outside observers, Ruriko (Miki Nakatani), a teddy bear designer/gallery artist, and Satoshi (Nao Omori), an It professional, is a happy, serenely blissful couple. But peer a little closer, and that illusion quickly shatters. They live basically separate lives, only meeting for breakfast in the morning and dinner in the evening. When they are home, Satoshi...
"Whether you're together or alone, it's lonely." This line delivered by an elderly woman (Akiko Kazami) could also have been spoken by any of the other characters of Hitoshi Yazaki's Sweet Little Lies, as ruthless a dissection of marriage as Ingmar Bergman's Scenes from a Marriage. The film's title expresses the deceptions necessary to keep up appearances for the outside world, especially when it comes to intimate relationships. The title also refers to the deceptions within these relationships, avoiding the painful truths that, if spoken aloud, can destroy cherished illusions.
To all outside observers, Ruriko (Miki Nakatani), a teddy bear designer/gallery artist, and Satoshi (Nao Omori), an It professional, is a happy, serenely blissful couple. But peer a little closer, and that illusion quickly shatters. They live basically separate lives, only meeting for breakfast in the morning and dinner in the evening. When they are home, Satoshi...
- 7/17/2010
- Screen Anarchy
A sequel has been announced for “All About My Dog” (Inu no Eiga), a 2005 compilation of short films about people’s relationships with dogs. It was first released in mini theaters and grew to become vastly popular among dog lovers. The sequel is titled Inu to Anata no Monogatari: Inu no Eiga and will reportedly consist of six segments. The cast will include Nao Omori, Nanako Matsushima, Masaaki Uchino, Kie Kitano, Akira Nakao, and Atsuko Takahata.
The original featured actors like Misaki Ito, Manami Konishi, and Aoi Miyazaki—so the sequel had a lot to live up to in terms of casting.
Nao Omori, who recently gained some added fame for starring in the financial thriller Hagetaka, and TV drama mainstay Nanako Matsushima will play a couple in their segment. This marks the pair’s first time acting together, but Omori claims portraying a couple felt completely natural and being...
The original featured actors like Misaki Ito, Manami Konishi, and Aoi Miyazaki—so the sequel had a lot to live up to in terms of casting.
Nao Omori, who recently gained some added fame for starring in the financial thriller Hagetaka, and TV drama mainstay Nanako Matsushima will play a couple in their segment. This marks the pair’s first time acting together, but Omori claims portraying a couple felt completely natural and being...
- 6/18/2010
- Nippon Cinema
Rating: 8/10 Writers: Tamio Hayashi Director: Yoshihiro Nakamura Cast: Gaku Hamada, Atsushi Itô, Kengo Kora, Mirai Moriyama, Nao Omori, Mikako Tabe Studio: Amuse Soft Entertainment/Dub Can one song change the world? Music and, moreover, art in general, is a powerful tool that has influenced and encouraged people to achieve amazing feats. But did The Beatles ever stop a comet from [...]...
- 9/26/2009
- by James Wallace
- GordonandtheWhale
Curious to know what frightful films and devilish discs will be available to view in the privacy of your own digital dungeon this week? Fango's got you covered.
Below the jump you'll find the full list of titles arriving in-stores this Tuesday, August 11, 2009 in our weekly version of the famous Fangoria Chopping List - updated with all the last-minute additions and deletions.
Note: Clickable links lead to Amazon.com
Alien Tresspass - Image DVD & Bd
A flying saucer, ray guns, body snatching and a one-eyed monster from outer space! It’s all here in this action-packed sci-fi adventure! Eric McCormack stars as an astronomer who gets possessed by a friendly alien bent on saving our humble planet. But even with the help of a lovely diner waitress, is he any match for the Ghota, a one-eyed evil alien on a murderous rampage?
Bad Boy Bubby (Bd)
L.A. Weekly called it "disturbing and compelling,...
Below the jump you'll find the full list of titles arriving in-stores this Tuesday, August 11, 2009 in our weekly version of the famous Fangoria Chopping List - updated with all the last-minute additions and deletions.
Note: Clickable links lead to Amazon.com
Alien Tresspass - Image DVD & Bd
A flying saucer, ray guns, body snatching and a one-eyed monster from outer space! It’s all here in this action-packed sci-fi adventure! Eric McCormack stars as an astronomer who gets possessed by a friendly alien bent on saving our humble planet. But even with the help of a lovely diner waitress, is he any match for the Ghota, a one-eyed evil alien on a murderous rampage?
Bad Boy Bubby (Bd)
L.A. Weekly called it "disturbing and compelling,...
- 8/9/2009
- by no-reply@fangoria.com (James Zahn)
- Fangoria
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