Giovanni Fazio - The Japan Times

November 24, 2024

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Giovanni Fazio

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Giovanni Fazio

Giovanni Fazio has been The Japan Times' resident film crank since 1993. When not at the movies, he is busy recording and playing live with his band Makyo and running the independent electronica label Dakini Records.

CULTURE / Film

Dec 26, 2001

What stressed directors want

Mortel Transfert Rating: * * * * Japanese title: Aoi Yume no Onna Director: Jean-Jacques Beineix Running time: 122 minutes Language: French Now showing

CULTURE / Film

Dec 19, 2001

Breaking an uneasy silence

Kippur Rating: * * * 1/2 Director: Amos Gitai Running time: 118 minutes Language: Hebrew Now showing

CULTURE / Film

Dec 19, 2001

A familiar face in the mirror

Vanilla SkyRating: * * * Director: Cameron Crowe Running time: 135 minutes Language: English Now showing

Japan Times

CULTURE / Music / HIGH NOTES

Dec 12, 2001

The Warm Inventions: 'Bavarian Fruit Bread'

The late, lamented Mazzy Star was -- like all quiet rock bands -- a classic case of "love 'em or hate 'em." They never seemed to be having a good time on stage or on record (a song called "happy" being particularly ironic), they loathed stardom and media attention, and it seemed all they could do was...

CULTURE / Film

Dec 12, 2001

Walking a fine line between silly and smart

Monkeybone Rating: * * * Director: Henry Selick Running time: 93 minutes Language: English Now showing

CULTURE / Film

Dec 5, 2001

In the footsteps of a master of deception

Following Rating: * * * * Director: Christopher Nolan Running time: 69 minutes Language: English Now showing

CULTURE / Film

Nov 28, 2001

Yo, what's with this Dostoevski?

Crime + Punishment in Suburbia Rating: * * * Director: Rob Schmidt Running time: 128 minutes Language: English Now showing

Japan Times

CULTURE / Music / HIGH NOTES

Nov 28, 2001

Trying to describe the sound of Gocoo, the 13-member taiko ensemble led by Kaoly Asano, I am driven to geological comparisons: the rumble of tectonic plates shifting; the rhythmic pulse of surf on rock; and pure, primal eruptions of magma. This is music you feel more than listen to.

CULTURE / Film

Nov 21, 2001

Whatever Luhrmann wants, I don't get

Moulin Rouge Rating: * * Director: Baz Luhrmann Running time: 128 minutes Language: English Now showing

CULTURE / Film

Nov 14, 2001

FILMeX kicks off Sunday

Tokyo's alternative film festival, Tokyo FILMeX, returns for its sophomore year with a lineup of Asian cinema as solid as that shown at its debut. With six special screenings, 10 films in competition and two hefty retrospectives, FILMeX has a lot to offer Asian film buffs, and -- as many readers will...

CULTURE / Film

Nov 14, 2001

What's wrong with a little joie de vivre ?

Le Fabuleux destin d'Amelie Poulain Rating: * * * * Director: Jean-Pierre Jeunet Running time: 122 minutes Language: French Now showing

CULTURE / Film

Nov 7, 2001

Just how low can they go?

Swordfish Rating: * Director: Dominic Sena Running time: 99 minutes Language: English Now showing

CULTURE / Film

Nov 7, 2001

Hosoya serves up some excellent cheese

OK, let's play Guess The Filmmaker. Here's the flick: it's called "Home Sweet Hoboken," it's set in a New Jersey neighborhood, and it features two jobless young slackers who live with their grandmother while subsisting on pizza and beer. Their foul-mouthed dialogue is along the lines of "S***, I gotta...

CULTURE / Film

Oct 31, 2001

No remembrance of things past

Memento Rating: * * * * * Director: Christopher Nolan Running time: 113 minutes Language: English Now showing

CULTURE / Film

Oct 31, 2001

Backward and forward

Director Christopher Nolan's "Memento" has turned out to be the runaway indie hit of 2001, so the local press were out in force for his press conference. It's not every day that a talent blindsides viewers with such an accomplished and innovative work. In person, Nolan seemed a bit dry for someone who...

CULTURE / Books / THE ASIAN BOOKSHELF

Oct 28, 2001

Provocative as she wants to be

SHANGHAI BABY, by Wei Hui, translated by Bruce Humes. Simon and Schuster, 2001, 259 pp., $10 (paper) Sometimes context is everything. A sexually frank novel that reeks of thinly disguised autobiography told in a confessional style would hardly cause a ripple in the West these days. In China, however,...

CULTURE / Film

Oct 24, 2001

Japan has one of the largest film markets in the world. Accordingly, every year the Tokyo International Film Festival serves up world cinema on a grand scale, screening more than 140 films over the course of a week.

CULTURE / Film

Oct 24, 2001

Tales from the dark side of Soderbergh

Schizopolis / Gray's Anatomy Rating: * * * / * * * * Director: Steven Soderbergh Running time: 93 minutes / 79 minutes Language: English Now showing

CULTURE / Film

Oct 17, 2001

O, brothers how art thou?

Joel and Ethan Coen

CULTURE / Film

Oct 17, 2001

And, now, a return to the classics

O Brother, Where Art Thou? Rating: * * * * 1/2 Director: Joel Coen Running time: 107 minutes Language: English Now showing

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.

Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Construction takes place on the Takanawa Gateway Convention Center in Tokyo, slated to open in 2025.

A boom for business tourism in Japan?

By Kathryn Wortley

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

mission sustainability vol.12 : Kose Corp.Kose takes pride in creating beauty in the world

mission sustainability vol.12 : Kose Corp.Kose takes pride in creating beauty in the world

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