Teruaki Shoji's debut feature is a likeable enough idea of slow-paced, small-town life on a remote island to the north of Japan. But much like its lead characters, in many ways it suffers from its own naivety and could have done with some pointers from a guiding hand.
Hoyaman is screening at Japan Society as part of the Family Portrait program
Akira) and his younger brother Shigeru (Kurosaki Kodai) live on a remote island off the coast of Ishinomaki, heavily hit by the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. Orphaned in the disaster, they have lived a simple life in the family home; Akira working as a fisherman, and Shigeru – with learning difficulties – happily bumbling along. Into their life steps Miharu (Kumi Kureshiro), a shamed mangaka who inexplicably arrives on the island with literal bags of money and a deadline to meet. Exploiting the brothers' naivety and lack of funds, she demands to buy their house,...
Hoyaman is screening at Japan Society as part of the Family Portrait program
Akira) and his younger brother Shigeru (Kurosaki Kodai) live on a remote island off the coast of Ishinomaki, heavily hit by the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. Orphaned in the disaster, they have lived a simple life in the family home; Akira working as a fisherman, and Shigeru – with learning difficulties – happily bumbling along. Into their life steps Miharu (Kumi Kureshiro), a shamed mangaka who inexplicably arrives on the island with literal bags of money and a deadline to meet. Exploiting the brothers' naivety and lack of funds, she demands to buy their house,...
- 2/23/2024
- by Andrew Thayne
- AsianMoviePulse
Masahiko Sato, Yutaro Seki and Kentaro Hirase met at Tokyo University Of The Arts and have been working together since 2012. Their first short film “Happoen” (2014) was invited to the Cannes Film Festival short film competition. Since 2020, they have been active as the directors' collective gogatsu. After several more internationally successful short films, they made their first feature film “Roleless” in 2022, which was screened in competition at the 2022 San Sebastian Film Festival.
Roleless is screening at Nippon Connection
The film begins showing Miyamatsu, the protagonist of the movie, as a samurai who almost immediately gets killed. It is soon revealed though, that his death was part of a jidaigeki movie, with him, seconds later, getting up, running to an assistant on the set who redresses him, only to die once more a bit later. Miyamatsu is actually a movie extra, which is probably the only interesting aspect of his life that...
Roleless is screening at Nippon Connection
The film begins showing Miyamatsu, the protagonist of the movie, as a samurai who almost immediately gets killed. It is soon revealed though, that his death was part of a jidaigeki movie, with him, seconds later, getting up, running to an assistant on the set who redresses him, only to die once more a bit later. Miyamatsu is actually a movie extra, which is probably the only interesting aspect of his life that...
- 6/7/2023
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
"Your body is the Fatherland. Don't let it fall into enemy hands." Dark Star Pictures has revealed the new official US trailer for the film Onoda: 10,000 Nights in the Jungle, a French drama about a Japanese solider that originally premiered at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival last year. Based on a true story!! Which is especially crazy when you think about it. Shot in Japanese, this international co-production tells the story of the soldier Hiroo Onoda (played by Endô Yûya) who was sent to an island in the Philippines in 1944, to fight against the American offensive. When "Japan surrenders, Onoda ignores it, trained to survive at all costs in the jungle, he keeps his war going. He will take 10,000 days to capitulate, refusing to believe the end of the Second World War." He ends up spending nearly 30 years there. The film also stars Tsuda Kanji, Matsuura Yūya, Chiba Tetsuya, Katō Shinsuke,...
- 10/5/2022
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
In the plethora of “weird” movies coming out of Japan, Tadashi Nagayama has managed to stand out since his debut, “Journey of the Tortoise”, which won the Grand Prix at the 2017 Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival. “Being Natural” continues in roughly the same style.
Being Natural is screening at Camera Japan
Taka is kind of a simpleton. He is unemployed, loves to play the bongos, and his only occupation seems to be to take care of his demented uncle, an obnoxious man everybody seems to have abandoned, who actually allows his nephew to share his roof. Taka’s life however takes a change for the much worse after his uncle dies, and the house passes to his brother, who does not seem to like our protagonist very much. Eventually though, he allows Taka to continue living in the house, and even employs him as he decides to reopen the fishing...
Being Natural is screening at Camera Japan
Taka is kind of a simpleton. He is unemployed, loves to play the bongos, and his only occupation seems to be to take care of his demented uncle, an obnoxious man everybody seems to have abandoned, who actually allows his nephew to share his roof. Taka’s life however takes a change for the much worse after his uncle dies, and the house passes to his brother, who does not seem to like our protagonist very much. Eventually though, he allows Taka to continue living in the house, and even employs him as he decides to reopen the fishing...
- 9/29/2018
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Time loop films have been a recurring theme in international cinema, with “Groundhog Day” probably being the most famous. In Japan, a prominent sample of this subgenre is the anime “Higurashi: When They Cry” which was also adapted as a live action movie. And I am mentioning this, since Yoshio Kato seems to have been influenced by anime, as “3ft Ball and Souls” also bears some resemblance to “Gantz”, although the essence of the movie is quite different from the aforementioned titles. Let us take things from the beginning, though.
The story begins in a secluded cabin, where Happa, a middle-aged man is sitting along a 3-feet firework ball. Soon, two other people arrive, a young man nicknamed Baby Doll and a middle-aged woman named Tsubasa. It is soon revealed that all three are members of an internet suicide chat room named “Life Club” and are here to commit suicide,...
The story begins in a secluded cabin, where Happa, a middle-aged man is sitting along a 3-feet firework ball. Soon, two other people arrive, a young man nicknamed Baby Doll and a middle-aged woman named Tsubasa. It is soon revealed that all three are members of an internet suicide chat room named “Life Club” and are here to commit suicide,...
- 9/13/2018
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Tadashi Nagayama was born in Kanagawa in 1983. After graduating from the Faculty of Arts at Tokyo Polytechnic University, he experienced various works as an assistant cameraman.
The first movie directed by him, “Tobihi”, won a prize at Pia Film Festival in 2012. “Journey of the Tortoise” was a big success in the international festival circuit and won the Grand-Prix at Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival. “Being Natural” is his latest project
On the occasion of the film screening at Fantasia International Film Festival, we speak with him about the path that led him to the film, his inspirations, the characters in the film, the locations it was shot it, his cast, and other topics
Your first feature, “Journey of the Tortoise” was a big success in the international festival circuit. How did this success help you?
“Journey of the Tortoise” won the Grand-Prix at Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival and I...
The first movie directed by him, “Tobihi”, won a prize at Pia Film Festival in 2012. “Journey of the Tortoise” was a big success in the international festival circuit and won the Grand-Prix at Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival. “Being Natural” is his latest project
On the occasion of the film screening at Fantasia International Film Festival, we speak with him about the path that led him to the film, his inspirations, the characters in the film, the locations it was shot it, his cast, and other topics
Your first feature, “Journey of the Tortoise” was a big success in the international festival circuit. How did this success help you?
“Journey of the Tortoise” won the Grand-Prix at Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival and I...
- 8/7/2018
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
In the plethora of “weird” movies coming out of Japan, Tadashi Nagayama has managed to stand out since his debut, “Journey of the Tortoise”, which won the Grand Prix at the 2017 Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival. “Being Natural” continues in roughly the same style.
“Being Natural” is part of the Asian selection at Fantasia International Film Festival
Taka is kind of a simpleton. He is unemployed, loves to play the bongos, and his only occupation seems to be to take care of his demented uncle, an obnoxious man everybody seems to have abandoned, who actually allows his nephew to share his roof. Taka’s life however takes a change for the much worse after his uncle dies, and the house passes to his brother, who does not seem to like our protagonist very much. Eventually though, he allows Taka to continue living in the house, and even employs him as...
“Being Natural” is part of the Asian selection at Fantasia International Film Festival
Taka is kind of a simpleton. He is unemployed, loves to play the bongos, and his only occupation seems to be to take care of his demented uncle, an obnoxious man everybody seems to have abandoned, who actually allows his nephew to share his roof. Taka’s life however takes a change for the much worse after his uncle dies, and the house passes to his brother, who does not seem to like our protagonist very much. Eventually though, he allows Taka to continue living in the house, and even employs him as...
- 7/15/2018
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Akihiro Toda’s “The Name” is quite a strange film, as it combines two favorite Japanese genres, the school drama and the quirky comedy in a way that allows the two not to intermingle, almost at all.
The Name is screening at Nippon Connection
Masao is a 45-year-old and an utter failure. He has failed in his business and gone completely penniless, in his wedding, being divorced and with no current romantic relationships whatsoever, and his general social life, having almost no friends. Furthermore, he lies constantly to everyone he knows, including his boss in the factory he works and his colleagues, occasionally even using fake names. One day, a mysterious high school girl named Emiko, who seems to know all about his secrets and lies, enters his life in the most unexpected fashion. The girl persists on hanging out with him, and Masao eventually starts warming up to her,...
The Name is screening at Nippon Connection
Masao is a 45-year-old and an utter failure. He has failed in his business and gone completely penniless, in his wedding, being divorced and with no current romantic relationships whatsoever, and his general social life, having almost no friends. Furthermore, he lies constantly to everyone he knows, including his boss in the factory he works and his colleagues, occasionally even using fake names. One day, a mysterious high school girl named Emiko, who seems to know all about his secrets and lies, enters his life in the most unexpected fashion. The girl persists on hanging out with him, and Masao eventually starts warming up to her,...
- 6/2/2018
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Yoshio Kato’s 3ft Ball & Souls won the audience award at Skip City film festival.
Japan’s Gaga Corporation is launching international sales on Yoshio Kato’s 3ft Ball & Souls at Filmart. The film made its world premiere last year at Skip City International D-Cinema Festival, where it won the audience award, and its international premiere at Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas.
It is the sophomore feature of TV series and commercials director Kato, whose directorial debut Plastic Crime also competed at Skip City in 2014. Kato wrote, directed, produced and fully financed 3ft Ball & Souls.
The film follows a depressed...
Japan’s Gaga Corporation is launching international sales on Yoshio Kato’s 3ft Ball & Souls at Filmart. The film made its world premiere last year at Skip City International D-Cinema Festival, where it won the audience award, and its international premiere at Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas.
It is the sophomore feature of TV series and commercials director Kato, whose directorial debut Plastic Crime also competed at Skip City in 2014. Kato wrote, directed, produced and fully financed 3ft Ball & Souls.
The film follows a depressed...
- 3/18/2018
- by Jean Noh
- ScreenDaily
“Guilty of Romance” was the film that established Sion Sono as the foremost representative of the genre, surpassing the previous master, Takashi Miike.
Two axes
The film unfolds in two axes, although without the usual use of flashbacks. The first one, which is loosely based on the 1997 murder of Yasuko Watanabe, takes place in the present. Detective Yoshida investigates a murder incident in Maruyama-cho, a love district in Tokyo, where a dismembered body has been found in an abandoned building. The missing parts have been replaced with the matching ones from a plastic doll.
The second axis, which takes place before the first, focuses on Izumi, a dedicated spouse and housewife, who is married to a famous erotic novelist, Yukio Kikuchi. He spends most of his day outside his home, trying to find inspiration for his books, while she tries to brew the perfect tea for him and to place his slippers the appropriate way.
Two axes
The film unfolds in two axes, although without the usual use of flashbacks. The first one, which is loosely based on the 1997 murder of Yasuko Watanabe, takes place in the present. Detective Yoshida investigates a murder incident in Maruyama-cho, a love district in Tokyo, where a dismembered body has been found in an abandoned building. The missing parts have been replaced with the matching ones from a plastic doll.
The second axis, which takes place before the first, focuses on Izumi, a dedicated spouse and housewife, who is married to a famous erotic novelist, Yukio Kikuchi. He spends most of his day outside his home, trying to find inspiration for his books, while she tries to brew the perfect tea for him and to place his slippers the appropriate way.
- 10/30/2016
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
If you find yourself sitting through any of three loosely connected films referred to as a "Hate Trilogy," you should adjust your philosophical expectations accordingly.
Guilty of Romance, the third and final entry in Sion Sono's expectedly disagreeable triptych, is difficult to sit through for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the torment suffered by our protagonist, the lovely Izumi (Megumi Kagurazaka).
Izumi's marriage to a successful romance novelist (Kanji Tsuda) is a clinical and loveless arrangement (irony!). As a result, she reluctantly seeks distraction in a manner the Internet has taught us is common to more people than we would have guessed: nude modeling. This is quickly followed by casual sexual encounters in public restrooms and, final...
Guilty of Romance, the third and final entry in Sion Sono's expectedly disagreeable triptych, is difficult to sit through for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the torment suffered by our protagonist, the lovely Izumi (Megumi Kagurazaka).
Izumi's marriage to a successful romance novelist (Kanji Tsuda) is a clinical and loveless arrangement (irony!). As a result, she reluctantly seeks distraction in a manner the Internet has taught us is common to more people than we would have guessed: nude modeling. This is quickly followed by casual sexual encounters in public restrooms and, final...
- 3/12/2014
- Village Voice
Present at the festival with her fun, flashy and energetic film The Pinkie, was Japanese director Lisa Takeba. After making some short films, The Pinkie is her first feature film. Next to filmmaking, Takeba wrote the scenario of a Nintendo DS videogame and also writes novels for mobile phones. I met up with Takeba-san in the press room of the festival to ask her some questions about her new film and what the process of making a motion picture is like to her.
How is the festival up to now?
It is fun! This year, last year as well, it is a lot of fun.
If you compare it to your last visit here, is it a different experience?
Last year I was here with a short film (Wandering Alien Detective Robin, which you can view here). Also different from last year is that my film has more screenings this time,...
How is the festival up to now?
It is fun! This year, last year as well, it is a lot of fun.
If you compare it to your last visit here, is it a different experience?
Last year I was here with a short film (Wandering Alien Detective Robin, which you can view here). Also different from last year is that my film has more screenings this time,...
- 3/10/2014
- by Thor
- AsianMoviePulse
Iffr: The Pinkie (2014) Review Plot74% Acting73% Directing75% Style75%Crazy fun entertainmentFast-paced, filled with enjoyable momentsCould have been longer than 65 minutesHumor and style isn't for everyone75%Overall ScoreReader Rating: (0 Votes)0%
After visiting the festival in 2013 with the short film Wandering Alien Detective Robin (which you can view here), beginning director Lisa Takeba returned to this year’s edition with her first feature film The Pinkie; an energetic, over the top and fun debut that has something for everyone. Bringing the audience a mix of comedy, sci-fi, drama, a twist of craziness and even some bloody action, The Pinkie surely is an enjoyable 65 minute ride.
The story follows Ryosuke (Ryota Ozawa), a guy who since the age of 5 has to deal with stalker Momoko (Miwako Wagatsuma), a girl that just can’t leave him alone. She adores him and even had plastic surgery to be Ryosuke’s type, but he wants nothing to do with her.
After visiting the festival in 2013 with the short film Wandering Alien Detective Robin (which you can view here), beginning director Lisa Takeba returned to this year’s edition with her first feature film The Pinkie; an energetic, over the top and fun debut that has something for everyone. Bringing the audience a mix of comedy, sci-fi, drama, a twist of craziness and even some bloody action, The Pinkie surely is an enjoyable 65 minute ride.
The story follows Ryosuke (Ryota Ozawa), a guy who since the age of 5 has to deal with stalker Momoko (Miwako Wagatsuma), a girl that just can’t leave him alone. She adores him and even had plastic surgery to be Ryosuke’s type, but he wants nothing to do with her.
- 3/8/2014
- by Thor
- AsianMoviePulse
It's been awhile since J-horror has been at the forefront of the genre, but it still has a lot of fans so when word of the worldwide release of Alter Ego, an "undiscovered" film from 2002 that Takashi Shimizu was involved with, we figured you'd want to hear about it.
From the Press Release:
Eagle One Media is proud to announce it will distribute Takashi Shimizu’s undiscovered Japanese film Alter Ego to worldwide audiences for the first time.
Shimizu, the famed director behind The Grudge and Ju-on horror franchises, was intimately involved as a supervising director on Alter Ego, and the feature film has never before been released outside of Japan. A North American DVD is set for February 18 with the film immediately available on digital platforms iTunes and Amazon Instant.
Produced by King Records, Alter Ego features the involvement of some of the masters of today’s Japanese horror...
From the Press Release:
Eagle One Media is proud to announce it will distribute Takashi Shimizu’s undiscovered Japanese film Alter Ego to worldwide audiences for the first time.
Shimizu, the famed director behind The Grudge and Ju-on horror franchises, was intimately involved as a supervising director on Alter Ego, and the feature film has never before been released outside of Japan. A North American DVD is set for February 18 with the film immediately available on digital platforms iTunes and Amazon Instant.
Produced by King Records, Alter Ego features the involvement of some of the masters of today’s Japanese horror...
- 2/10/2014
- by Debi Moore
- DreadCentral.com
We return with another edition of the Indie Spotlight, highlighting recent independent horror news sent our way. Today’s feature includes DVD release details for Chastity Bites, trailers for Alter Ego and Founders Day, The Walking Dead Hawaii poster, reviews for The Halloween Experience: Volume One, Open Grave, and Still: The Web Series, and much more:
Chastity Bites DVD Release Details: “Grand Entertainment Group (Geg) wants You to celebrate “Women in Horror” month this February with the DVD release of Chastity Bites on February 11. The horror-comedy, which has been slaying festival audiences and has been praised by media, is created by a team of strong and vibrant women including writer/producer Lotti Pharriss Knowles, co-producer Wendi Mirabella and executive producer/lead actress Allison Scagliotti (Syfy’s “Warehouse 13″).
Directed by John V. Knowles (Shadow.Net), the film stars Francia Raisa (ABC Family’s “Secret Life of the American Teenager”); Louise Griffiths...
Chastity Bites DVD Release Details: “Grand Entertainment Group (Geg) wants You to celebrate “Women in Horror” month this February with the DVD release of Chastity Bites on February 11. The horror-comedy, which has been slaying festival audiences and has been praised by media, is created by a team of strong and vibrant women including writer/producer Lotti Pharriss Knowles, co-producer Wendi Mirabella and executive producer/lead actress Allison Scagliotti (Syfy’s “Warehouse 13″).
Directed by John V. Knowles (Shadow.Net), the film stars Francia Raisa (ABC Family’s “Secret Life of the American Teenager”); Louise Griffiths...
- 2/9/2014
- by Tamika Jones
- DailyDead
I’m going to go out on a limb here and make the following assumption – either you’re reading this review because you love Japanese extremist “horror” and have had this little doozy on your radar for a little while now, or you saw the title Dead Sushi and were so utterly perplexed and curious you clicked my review with no knowledge of what you’re about to hear described. In either case, Konichiwa bitches, and welcome to the review of yet another absurd Noboru Iguchi (Machine Girl/RoboGeisha) masterpiece. About a hour and four minutes into the film a character makes this proclamation: “Things have reached the point where they no longer make any sense.” This is completely wrong – things don’t make sense from square one – but that’s why you watch these types of movies!
So what the hell is Dead Sushi? Can such a delectably delicious...
So what the hell is Dead Sushi? Can such a delectably delicious...
- 2/12/2013
- by Matt Donato
- We Got This Covered
We've updated our Film4 Fright Fest line-up story with tons of images. Read on to see what you may have missed and what's brand spanking new! Dig it!
Programme - Screen 1
Thursday Aug 23
Opening Film - The Seasoning House (World Premiere)
Special make-up prosthetics and splatter genius Paul Hyett makes his directorial debut with a harrowing exploration into tense claustrophobia, hard-hitting action and rollercoaster suspense. In a Balkan brothel, where girls kidnapped by soldiers in war-torn zones are prostituted to the military and civilians alike, Angel (Robin Day) is the deaf mute orphan enslaved to care for the inmates. But unbeknownst to her captors, she moves between the walls and crawlspaces of the seasoning house planning her escape. Psychological horror in the nerve-shredding Alfred Hitchcock and Roman Polanski style but with an ultra-modern twist.
89 mins Director: Paul Hyett UK 2012
Rosie Day – Angel
Sean Pertwee – Goran
Kevin Howarth – Viktor
David Lemberg...
Programme - Screen 1
Thursday Aug 23
Opening Film - The Seasoning House (World Premiere)
Special make-up prosthetics and splatter genius Paul Hyett makes his directorial debut with a harrowing exploration into tense claustrophobia, hard-hitting action and rollercoaster suspense. In a Balkan brothel, where girls kidnapped by soldiers in war-torn zones are prostituted to the military and civilians alike, Angel (Robin Day) is the deaf mute orphan enslaved to care for the inmates. But unbeknownst to her captors, she moves between the walls and crawlspaces of the seasoning house planning her escape. Psychological horror in the nerve-shredding Alfred Hitchcock and Roman Polanski style but with an ultra-modern twist.
89 mins Director: Paul Hyett UK 2012
Rosie Day – Angel
Sean Pertwee – Goran
Kevin Howarth – Viktor
David Lemberg...
- 7/3/2012
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
The official website for Kenichi Fujiwara’s Graffreeter Toki has been updated with an embed of its new 2+ minute trailer.
The movie is an adaptation of a comedic stage play performed by the theater troupe Feeld Stage in March 2011 which was heavily inspired by Keisuke Itagaki’s popular manga series “Baki the Grappler”.
The story is set in a downtown shopping district where there happen to be many fans of the Baki the Grappler manga. Chief among them is a woman named Shizue (Yuki Saito), an obsessive Baki fan who runs her missing husband’s chiropractic clinic.
Their neighborhood is at risk of a major overhaul from a company called “Happy Lucky Group”, or Happy-Lucky for short. Happy-Lucky wants to level the district and replace it with a giant onsen/amusement park combo. Shizue is a fierce opponent of the renovations, and hires a part-time qigong therapist named Ando (Kanji Tsuda...
The movie is an adaptation of a comedic stage play performed by the theater troupe Feeld Stage in March 2011 which was heavily inspired by Keisuke Itagaki’s popular manga series “Baki the Grappler”.
The story is set in a downtown shopping district where there happen to be many fans of the Baki the Grappler manga. Chief among them is a woman named Shizue (Yuki Saito), an obsessive Baki fan who runs her missing husband’s chiropractic clinic.
Their neighborhood is at risk of a major overhaul from a company called “Happy Lucky Group”, or Happy-Lucky for short. Happy-Lucky wants to level the district and replace it with a giant onsen/amusement park combo. Shizue is a fierce opponent of the renovations, and hires a part-time qigong therapist named Ando (Kanji Tsuda...
- 3/22/2012
- Nippon Cinema
By MoreHorror.com
Hailed by the creators as the splatter-ific, kick-tastic, raunchy riff on the X-Men Movies, Mutant Girls Squad debuts on Blu-ray™ + DVD Combo Pack and DVD May 22nd. Bonus materials include featurettes, interviews with the filmmakers and the short film Yoshi Zero. Check out all the details below as well as the trailer.
Three leaders in the Japanese splatter movement -- Noboru Iguchi (The Machine Girl), Yoshihiro Nishimura (Tokyo Gore Police) and Tak Sakaguchi (Yoroi: Samurai Zombie) -- join forces to bring three times the heart-pounding action, three times the jaw-dropping comedy and three times the head-exploding splatter of your average action/horror/comedy with Mutant Girls Squad, debuting on Blu-ray™ + DVD Combo Pack and DVD May 22nd from Well Go USA Entertainment.
A soon-to-be cult film from the prolific Japanese cult film label Sushi Typhoon, Mutant Girls Squad is touted as a warped version of X-men, adapted into the violent,...
Hailed by the creators as the splatter-ific, kick-tastic, raunchy riff on the X-Men Movies, Mutant Girls Squad debuts on Blu-ray™ + DVD Combo Pack and DVD May 22nd. Bonus materials include featurettes, interviews with the filmmakers and the short film Yoshi Zero. Check out all the details below as well as the trailer.
Three leaders in the Japanese splatter movement -- Noboru Iguchi (The Machine Girl), Yoshihiro Nishimura (Tokyo Gore Police) and Tak Sakaguchi (Yoroi: Samurai Zombie) -- join forces to bring three times the heart-pounding action, three times the jaw-dropping comedy and three times the head-exploding splatter of your average action/horror/comedy with Mutant Girls Squad, debuting on Blu-ray™ + DVD Combo Pack and DVD May 22nd from Well Go USA Entertainment.
A soon-to-be cult film from the prolific Japanese cult film label Sushi Typhoon, Mutant Girls Squad is touted as a warped version of X-men, adapted into the violent,...
- 3/20/2012
- by admin
- MoreHorror
Fans of high flying spurts of arterial spray will be jazzed to learn that thanks to Well Go USA they'll soon be able to enjoy every splattery good drop of red in glorious 1080p!
From the Press Release
Three leaders in the Japanese splatter movement -- Noboru Iguchi (The Machine Girl), Yoshihiro Nishimura (Tokyo Gore Police) and Tak Sakaguchi (Yoroi: Samurai Zombie) -- join forces to bring three times the heart-pounding action, three times the jaw-dropping comedy and three times the head-exploding splatter of your average action/horror/comedy with Mutant Girls Squad, debuting on Blu-ray™ + DVD Combo Pack and DVD May 22nd from Well Go USA Entertainment.
A soon-to-be cult film from the prolific Japanese cult film label Sushi Typhoon, Mutant Girls Squad is touted as a warped version of X-men, adapted into the violent, body-horror-filled universe of the three directors. Mutant Girls Squad focuses on Rin, a beautiful...
From the Press Release
Three leaders in the Japanese splatter movement -- Noboru Iguchi (The Machine Girl), Yoshihiro Nishimura (Tokyo Gore Police) and Tak Sakaguchi (Yoroi: Samurai Zombie) -- join forces to bring three times the heart-pounding action, three times the jaw-dropping comedy and three times the head-exploding splatter of your average action/horror/comedy with Mutant Girls Squad, debuting on Blu-ray™ + DVD Combo Pack and DVD May 22nd from Well Go USA Entertainment.
A soon-to-be cult film from the prolific Japanese cult film label Sushi Typhoon, Mutant Girls Squad is touted as a warped version of X-men, adapted into the violent, body-horror-filled universe of the three directors. Mutant Girls Squad focuses on Rin, a beautiful...
- 3/19/2012
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
Director: Sono Sion. Review: Adam Wing. Completing Sono Sion’s famed ‘Hate Trilogy’, Guilty of Romance walks the same path as serial killer shocker Cold Fish and Love Exposure. Megumi Kagurazaka’s outstanding talents team up with the famed director once again, along with Makoto Togashi (Memories of Matsuko), Miki Mizuno (Hard Revenge Milly) and Kanji Tsuda (Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl). The story revolves around a bored housewife who awakens her sexual identity by thrusting herself into a world of prostitution. This being a Sono Sion film, there’s also time for a little degradation and murder. This being a Sono Sion film, a significantly longer cut played out to a packed house at Cannes, but the UK version comes in at just under 112 minutes, with less emphasis on the crime investigation and more time put aside for boobies. Guilty of Romance is available on DVD and Blu-ray now.
- 12/12/2011
- 24framespersecond.net
Japanese auteur and explorer of the darker recesses of human behaviour Sono Sion follows up his off the wall serial killer shocker “Cold Fish” with more true crime psycho drama in “Guilty of Romance”. The film again reunites the director with gravure idol turned actress Megumi Kagurazaka, with whom he worked with on “Cold Fish”, and who also features in his upcoming “Himizu”, starring here alongside Makoto Togashi (“Memories of Matsuko”), Miki Mizuno (“Hard Revenge, Milly”) and Kanji Tsuda (“Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl”) in a tale of a bored housewife falling into depravity as she explores her sexual identity. Having played in a significantly longer 144 minute form to a packed house at Cannes, the film has now been released in a director approved international version, edited to 112 minutes, presumably to more specifically focus on its themes and main protagonists. The film is framed by a murder investigation carried out...
- 10/4/2011
- by James Mudge
- Beyond Hollywood
A look at what's new on DVD today:
"Meskada" (2010)
Directed by Josh Sternfeld
Released by Anchor Bay Entertainment
When this thriller premiered at Tribeca this past spring, Alison Willmore wrote, "the second film from writer/director Josh Sternfeld ("Winter Solstice") has ambitions reaching beyond being a straightforward police procedural," though critics, including her, were mixed about the end result. Nick Stahl and Rachel Nichols star as small-town sleuths who investigate a botched home invasion case that claims the life of a young child in an affluent community and enflames class divisions when the main suspects are from the poorer community nearby. Grace Gummer, Meryl Streep's second daughter to go into the family profession, makes her film debut.
"Anywhere USA" (2008)
Directed by Chusy Haney-Jardine
Released by Cinevolve Studios
Winner of a Spirit of Independence prize at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival, Chusy Haney-Jardine's collection of three comic vignettes involves a...
"Meskada" (2010)
Directed by Josh Sternfeld
Released by Anchor Bay Entertainment
When this thriller premiered at Tribeca this past spring, Alison Willmore wrote, "the second film from writer/director Josh Sternfeld ("Winter Solstice") has ambitions reaching beyond being a straightforward police procedural," though critics, including her, were mixed about the end result. Nick Stahl and Rachel Nichols star as small-town sleuths who investigate a botched home invasion case that claims the life of a young child in an affluent community and enflames class divisions when the main suspects are from the poorer community nearby. Grace Gummer, Meryl Streep's second daughter to go into the family profession, makes her film debut.
"Anywhere USA" (2008)
Directed by Chusy Haney-Jardine
Released by Cinevolve Studios
Winner of a Spirit of Independence prize at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival, Chusy Haney-Jardine's collection of three comic vignettes involves a...
- 3/22/2011
- by Stephen Saito
- ifc.com
It's a very mixed bag this week for horror title releases. We're not sure how Dread-worthy the supernatural drama Hereafter (directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Matt Damon, Bryce Dallas Howard and Jay Mohr) is but have included it because of its afterlife aspects.
On the list you'll also find a couple of schlocky monster movies, one a double-feature of classic Gamera entries and the other from the Syfy channel featuring Sharktopus (a sea creature that is both a shark and an octopus) with an over-acting Eric Roberts. In addition Syfy is releasing its mockbuster Battle of Los Angeles to take advantage of the current Aliens-Invading-Los-Angeles craze.
Hereafter
Directed by Clint Eastwood
Starring Matt Damon, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jay Mohr, Cécile de France, Frankie McLaren, George McLaren
George is a blue-collar American with a special connection to the afterlife dating from his childhood. French journalist Marie has a near-death experience that shakes her reality.
On the list you'll also find a couple of schlocky monster movies, one a double-feature of classic Gamera entries and the other from the Syfy channel featuring Sharktopus (a sea creature that is both a shark and an octopus) with an over-acting Eric Roberts. In addition Syfy is releasing its mockbuster Battle of Los Angeles to take advantage of the current Aliens-Invading-Los-Angeles craze.
Hereafter
Directed by Clint Eastwood
Starring Matt Damon, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jay Mohr, Cécile de France, Frankie McLaren, George McLaren
George is a blue-collar American with a special connection to the afterlife dating from his childhood. French journalist Marie has a near-death experience that shakes her reality.
- 3/15/2011
- by kwlow
- DreadCentral.com
It’s Monday! That means it’s time for us to give you the new DVD & Blu-Ray releases for this week. We got some hi-def Brian Trenchard-Smith plus some kaiju, an Asylum release and Sharktopus! Read on fiends to see the full list.
All Descriptions of the following titles are provided by Amazon.com unless otherwise noted. If you plan on buying a flick from this list, please click on the links provided or click on the cover as it helps us pay the bills around here.
Also, unlike most sites, we provide the Netflix widget which we think is pretty convenient to add these films to your queue. If you don’t have Netflix, feel free to click on “Free Trial” and try it out!
The Absent
Format: DVD
———————
When twin brothers Oscar and Vincent discover their parents are plotting to kill them for insurance money, they beat them to the punch.
All Descriptions of the following titles are provided by Amazon.com unless otherwise noted. If you plan on buying a flick from this list, please click on the links provided or click on the cover as it helps us pay the bills around here.
Also, unlike most sites, we provide the Netflix widget which we think is pretty convenient to add these films to your queue. If you don’t have Netflix, feel free to click on “Free Trial” and try it out!
The Absent
Format: DVD
———————
When twin brothers Oscar and Vincent discover their parents are plotting to kill them for insurance money, they beat them to the punch.
- 3/14/2011
- by Andy Triefenbach
- Destroy the Brain
Blood-lusters everywhere rejoice, for Ten Shimoyama's Japanese vampire flick 'Blood' will be hitting North American DVD and Blu-ray shelves on 15 March 2011 thanks to the rights being acquired by Go USA. Aya Sugimoto (below) and Guts Ishimatsu star alongside Jun Kaname, Satoshi Matsuda, Hidejiro Mizumoto, Yuri Morishita, Atsushi Narasaka, Rin Sakuragi, Harumi Sone, Masahiro Sudo, Kanji Tsuda and Sayo Yamaguchi. Check out the synopsis and the bloody trailer below....
- 1/13/2011
- Horror Asylum
Well Go USA have just announced that it has acquired North American rights to Japanese “erotic” Vampire action/horror flick Blood, helmed by Ten Shimoyama, director of the international hit (and all-round superb kick ass, Ninja, action flick) ‘Shinobi.’ Blood stars Aya Sugimoto (Flower & Snake) and Guts Ishimatsu (Black Rain) and will be released on DVD and Blu-ray on March 15th. You can catch our review of the movie, at the link. Synopsis: Police Detective Hoshino (Kanji Tsuda) investigates the murder of a maid at a mansion belonging to Miyako Rozmberk, a seductive vampire mistress. Ukyo Kuronuma, an Edo-era swordsman who was turned into a vampire by Miyako, is blamed for the crime, but before anything can be done about it Hoshino ends up under Miyako’s spell as well. This leads Hoshino and Ukyo to battle one another for the privilege of staying with Miyako for eternity. Read our...
- 1/12/2011
- 24framespersecond.net
Well Go USA have just announced that it has acquired North American rights to Japanese “erotic” Vampire action/horror flick Blood, helmed by Ten Shimoyama, director of the international hit (and all-round superb kick ass, Ninja, action flick) ‘Shinobi.’ Blood stars Aya Sugimoto (Flower & Snake) and Guts Ishimatsu (Black Rain) and will be released on DVD and Blu-ray on March 15th. You can catch our review of the movie, at the link. Synopsis: Police Detective Hoshino (Kanji Tsuda) investigates the murder of a maid at a mansion belonging to Miyako Rozmberk, a seductive vampire mistress. Ukyo Kuronuma, an Edo-era swordsman who was turned into a vampire by Miyako, is blamed for the crime, but before anything can be done about it Hoshino ends up under Miyako’s spell as well. This leads Hoshino and Ukyo to battle one another for the privilege of staying with Miyako for eternity. Read our...
- 1/12/2011
- 24framespersecond.net
Yep, we don't need much more in a movie to get us to watch it than what is contained in the above headline, and thankfully that's exactly what we're gonna get when Blood hits home video courtesy of Well Go USA!
From the Press Release
Well Go USA announced today that it has acquired North American DVD and Blu-ray rights to the new horror flick Blood, starring Aya Sugimoto (Flower & Snake, Flower & Snake II) and Guts Ishimatsu (Black Rain, Empire of the Sun) and directed by Ten Shimoyama, director of the international hit “Shinobi”. Blood is one of the most highly anticipated horror movies to come out of Japan this year. Shimoyama mixes “erotic” vampires with ancient Samurai warriors, making Blood the next evergreen horror classic from Japan. Blood will be released on DVD and Blu-ray on March 15, 2011.
“Blood is a great addition to our growing DVD and Blu-ray library...
From the Press Release
Well Go USA announced today that it has acquired North American DVD and Blu-ray rights to the new horror flick Blood, starring Aya Sugimoto (Flower & Snake, Flower & Snake II) and Guts Ishimatsu (Black Rain, Empire of the Sun) and directed by Ten Shimoyama, director of the international hit “Shinobi”. Blood is one of the most highly anticipated horror movies to come out of Japan this year. Shimoyama mixes “erotic” vampires with ancient Samurai warriors, making Blood the next evergreen horror classic from Japan. Blood will be released on DVD and Blu-ray on March 15, 2011.
“Blood is a great addition to our growing DVD and Blu-ray library...
- 1/8/2011
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
I love this poster! Get ready for another cool foreign horror film import coming March 15th called Blood.
From the Press Release:
Well Go USA announced today that it has acquired North American DVD and Blu-ray rights to the new horror flick Blood, starring Aya Sugimoto (Flower & Snake, Flower & Snake II) and Guts Ishimatsu (Black Rain, Empire of the Sun) and directed by Ten Shimoyama, director of the international hit “Shinobi”. Blood is one of the most highly anticipated horror movies to come out of Japan this year. Shimoyama mixes “erotic” vampires with ancient Samurai warriors, making Blood the next evergreen horror classic from Japan. Blood will be released on DVD and Blu-ray on March 15, 2011.
“Blood is a great addition to our growing DVD and Blu-ray library and an important release for us in early 2011,” said Tony Vandeveerdonk, Executive Vice President for Well Go USA. “Ten Shimoyama’s directing expertise...
From the Press Release:
Well Go USA announced today that it has acquired North American DVD and Blu-ray rights to the new horror flick Blood, starring Aya Sugimoto (Flower & Snake, Flower & Snake II) and Guts Ishimatsu (Black Rain, Empire of the Sun) and directed by Ten Shimoyama, director of the international hit “Shinobi”. Blood is one of the most highly anticipated horror movies to come out of Japan this year. Shimoyama mixes “erotic” vampires with ancient Samurai warriors, making Blood the next evergreen horror classic from Japan. Blood will be released on DVD and Blu-ray on March 15, 2011.
“Blood is a great addition to our growing DVD and Blu-ray library and an important release for us in early 2011,” said Tony Vandeveerdonk, Executive Vice President for Well Go USA. “Ten Shimoyama’s directing expertise...
- 1/8/2011
- by brians
- GeekTyrant
Well Go USA announced today that it has acquired North American DVD and Blu-ray rights to the new horror flick Blood , starring Aya Sugimoto ( Flower & Snake, Flower & Snake II ) and Guts Ishimatsu ( Black Rain , Empire of the Sun ) and directed by Ten Shimoyama, director of the international hit Shinobi . Not to be confused with this Blood , the film mixes .erotic. vampires with ancient Samurai warriors and will be released on DVD and Blu-ray on March 15, 2011. Synopsis: Police Detective Hoshino (Kanji Tsuda) investigates the murder of a maid at a mansion belonging to Miyako Rozmberk (Aya Sugimoto), a seductive vampire mistress and .cougar. all in one. Ukyo Kuronuma (Jun Kaname), an Edo-era swordsman who was turned into a vampire by Miyako, is blamed for the...
- 1/7/2011
- shocktillyoudrop.com
Not to be confused with Chris Nahon's Blood: The Last Vampire, as this writer may have done at some point [ahem], Ten Shimoyama's Blood is a different animal altogether and to celebrate its release on DVD we have 4 rather tasty clips for you below. The plot goes something like this...
"Recently demoted within the ranks of the police force for exposing several highly respected officials involved in a political scandal, Detective Hoshino (Kanji Tsuda) is reduced to investigating long-shelved, unsolved cases just before their respective statutes of limitations expire. His latest assignment leads him to the mansion of a voluptuous, reclusive heiress, Miyako Rozmberk (Aya Sugimoto), to investigate the 14-year-old murder of one of her former maids. After claiming she has already told the police everything she knows concerning the case, Miyako announces to Hoshino that she knows the identity of the man responsible for the killing, identifying him...
"Recently demoted within the ranks of the police force for exposing several highly respected officials involved in a political scandal, Detective Hoshino (Kanji Tsuda) is reduced to investigating long-shelved, unsolved cases just before their respective statutes of limitations expire. His latest assignment leads him to the mansion of a voluptuous, reclusive heiress, Miyako Rozmberk (Aya Sugimoto), to investigate the 14-year-old murder of one of her former maids. After claiming she has already told the police everything she knows concerning the case, Miyako announces to Hoshino that she knows the identity of the man responsible for the killing, identifying him...
- 5/11/2010
- Screen Anarchy
Director: Yoshihiro Nishimura & Naoyuki Tomomatsu. Review: Adam Wing. From the makers of Tokyo Gore Police, The Machine Girl and Samurai Princess comes the most romantic movie of the year. Probably. Tokyo Gore Police director Yoshihiro Nishimura teams up with Zombie Self-Defence Force director Naoyuki Tomomatsu for cult hit Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl. Based on Uchida Shungiku's manga, Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl stars Yukie Kawamura (Carved 2) and Eri Otoguro (OneChanbara: The Movie), with support from Takumi Saitoh, Eihi Shiina and J-horror director Takashi Shimizu. choolgirl Monami (Yukie Kawamura), complete with fetching school uniform, is in love with classmate Mizushima (Takumi Saitoh), unfortunately he already has a hot Japanese girlfriend called Keiko (Eri Otoguro). It’s Japanese tradition for girls to give boys chocolate on Valentines Day and Monami is no exception, apart from the whole sexy vampire schoolgirl thing of course. She laces her chocolate in order to infect Mizushima with vampire blood,...
- 2/20/2010
- 24framespersecond.net
Fango recently put in a day on the set of Vampire Girl Vs. Frankenstein Girl, an upcoming co-directorial feature from Japanese filmmakers Yoshihiro Nishimura of Tokyo Gore Police and Stacy’s Naoyuki Tomomatsu. The shoot, taking place in the coastal city of Kisarazu in Chiba prefecture, is one of those nonstop, sunrise-to-sunset, high-energy filmmaking marathons typical of Nishimura, whose over-the-top FX work can also be seen in last year's Machine Girl.
The scene Fango witnesses features Vampire Girl Monami as she squares off against three weapon-wielding, zombielike Frankenstein cuties. With Nishimura handling the FX sequences, it’s a good bet that the blood will fly—and sure enough, just before noon, a large trash bin of stage blood is wheeled on set. By the time the last filmable amount of daylight has drained from the sky, the bin is empty, and there is nothing in sight spared from the crimson dye.
The scene Fango witnesses features Vampire Girl Monami as she squares off against three weapon-wielding, zombielike Frankenstein cuties. With Nishimura handling the FX sequences, it’s a good bet that the blood will fly—and sure enough, just before noon, a large trash bin of stage blood is wheeled on set. By the time the last filmable amount of daylight has drained from the sky, the bin is empty, and there is nothing in sight spared from the crimson dye.
- 4/22/2009
- Fangoria
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