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November 25, 2024
 

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Kaori Shoji
Kaori Shoji writes about movies and movie-makers for the Film Page, plus takes a turn at the Bilingual Column. Biggest mistake of her career: taking the very dignified Nagisa Oshima to McDonald's for an iced coffee.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Nov 5, 2014
The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared: 'old dynamite expert gets involved with the mob'
The years are short, but the days are long. The title of this film is even longer. Not that it necessarily explains itself; what matters in "The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared" is what happens to the old coot before and after his escape.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Nov 5, 2014
Blue Jasmine
Director: Woody Allen Language: English
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 29, 2014
Dracula Untold: 'Never before has Dracula wielded power on such a grand scale'
Here's the thing about vampires: They're not only cool to begin with but they are also afforded endless opportunities to further their coolness. This is where they differ significantly from werewolves and Frankenstein's monster. I mean, if proms and singles' parties were held in the realm of paranormal...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 29, 2014
The Equalizer: 'Like an argument between a couple who have been married too long'
When "Eastern Promises" came out in 2007, I felt like it signaled the end of an era for a certain kind of cinema gangster. The Italians were finished. The Chinese didn't cut it anymore. The new kids on the block were the Russian Mafia and they were the meanest of the lot — neck deep in abduction and...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 29, 2014
Divergent
Director: Neil Burger Language: English
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Oct 27, 2014
In the long shadow of an aged and enraged population
Here's an astonishing fact: the crime rate among Japan's elderly is on the rise. And among an rapidly aging population with long life expectancy, that's a problem.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 22, 2014
TIFF Critic's Picks: Films from countries famed for unrest and oppression
According to TIFF's visual programming director Yoshihiko Yatabe, the semiofficial theme for this year's festival is "People on the Edge." They may be pursued, stuck in a rut, in dire trouble or just plain confused, but their stories are some of the most compelling at this years festival. These films...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 22, 2014
Tom at the Farm: 'a horror story about surviving the aftermath of a lover's death'
Is Xavier Dolan a genius? Maybe so. The Quebecois actor/filmmaker — with a beautiful, impish face and brooding eyes — is only 25 and has already made six films and appeared in 17. With his model looks and quirky sense of aesthetics, Dolan could switch careers to become a designer for Gucci any time...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 22, 2014
Cuban Fury: 'the meanest salsa moves that ever clicked heels across an English dance floor'
The British and the Japanese both have a terrible self-image and a huge capacity for self-deprecation. Which probably explains why my Japanese friends are already marking the date to go see "Cuban Fury," starring English comedy actor Nick Frost.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 22, 2014
Winter's Tale (New York Fuyu Monogatari)
Director: Akiva Goldsman Language: English
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 16, 2014
Tokyo International Film Festival contender 'Pale Moon' gets to the root of all evil
The bad news? Japan has only one entry in the Competition section at this year's Tokyo International Film Festival. The good news? The submission, Daihachi Yoshida's "Pale Moon," is a major contender for the $50,000 Tokyo Grand Prix.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 15, 2014
Tale of panic and pain strikes an operatic chord
At a time when Japan is being rapped over the knuckles by the U.N. for hate-speech rallies against ethnic Koreans, a movie like "The Tenor: Lirico Spinto" takes on special significance. Directed by Kim Sang-man, "The Tenor" (released here as "The Tenor: Shinjitsuno Monogatari") is a collaborative project...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 15, 2014
Tonnerre: 'Being nice is one way to get a girl, but it's not enough to keep her'
What do you do when you're a has-been musician with thinning hair, staring at middle age and years of loneliness ahead? The good news — at least for Maxime (Vincent Macaigne) in "Tonnerre" — is that you've got a kind old dad (Bernard Menez), a dog and a rambling house in the titular French city,...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 15, 2014
Grace of Monaco: 'Decked with as much glittering artifice as the budget allows'
One of the best moments in "Grace of Monaco" comes when Alfred Hitchcock (Roger Ashton-Griffiths) visits Princess Grace (Grace Kelly, played by Nicole Kidman) in Monaco, hoping to lure her back to Hollywood via a starring role in his new movie "Marnie." Ashton-Griffiths is intentionally grotesque and...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 15, 2014
Hummingbird
Director: Steven Knight Language: English
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 8, 2014
Me, Myself and Mum: 'Not only is this guy a total control freak, he looks splendid in drag'
Guillaume Gallienne is little known outside his native France, but pundits inside the Japanese movie industry are predicting that in a year or two, Gallienne will be huge. In 2015, you could be saying to your friends: "Ah yes, Gallienne. Of course, I've followed his work for ages."
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 8, 2014
iNumber Number: 'Reeks of blood, mud and sweat'
"iNumber Number" is the final film in the World Extreme Cinema (WEC) event at the Human Trust Cinema Shibuya, in Tokyo, and suffice to say, it takes the "hit me on a gut level" statement to a new dimension. WEC was designed to showcase raw talent from the world's indie scene — prepare to be shocked....
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 8, 2014
Angel Heart
Director: Alan Parker Language: English
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 1, 2014
Conjuring the strange brutality of Agota Kristof
Those who loved poring through Agota Kristof's 1986 novel, "Le Grand Cahier," have been waiting for a film adaptation for almost two decades.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 1, 2014
Million Dollar Arm: 'Even Disney can't completely botch a baseball tale'
There's something about baseball that truly gels with movies. My secret conviction is that it's impossible to make a really terrible baseball movie. Even Disney can't botch it up completely, which is why their new true-to-life baseball tale "Million Dollar Arm" will wind up making you cry and glad to...
Taiwan stuns Samurai Japan to capture Premier12 title
Japan starter Shosei Togo reacts after allowing a three-run home run against Taiwan in the fifth inning of the Premier12 final on Sunday.
Woman dies after train collides with car in Tochigi
A Moka Railway train car
Japan beats Taiwan ahead of rematch in Premier12 final
Keita Sano celebrates with his teammates after scoring on Kotaro Kiyomiya's two-run triple against Taiwan during their Premier12 game at Tokyo Dome on Saturday.
Tokyo’s newest three-star chef wants ‘harmony across every detail’
British-born Daniel Calvert earned his third Michelin star last month — a stunning achievement considering his restaurant, Sezanne, has only been open for just over three years.
'Kohaku' still matters for J-pop bragging rights
Emerging Gen Z J-pop group ME:I will perform on this year's "Kohaku Uta Gassen," national broadcaster NHK’s New Year's Eve spectacle.
An iconic 32-foot doughnut might give Randy’s an edge in Japan
Randy's Donuts in Inglewood, California. Replicas of the giant doughnut sculpture will be installed, where possible, at shops in Japan.
Tokyo’s newest three-star chef wants ‘harmony across every detail’
British-born Daniel Calvert earned his third Michelin star last month — a stunning achievement considering his restaurant, Sezanne, has only been open for just over three years.
133-year-old Kyushu railway station remains to be partially preserved
The remains of the original Moji Station in Kitakyushu
After Shohei Ohtani bump, Iwate ironware maker sees brighter future
Kaito Kikuchi's decision to send superstar Shohei Ohtani one of his company's traditional ironware tea kettles has paid off with a surge of interest from general consumers.
Shohei Ohtani wins National League MVP award
Shohei Ohtani celebrates after hitting a three-run home run against the Padres during the National League Division Series at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles last month.

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