Hoga News

"DEATH NOTE" spin-off with L as the main character

The big hit two-part  "DEATH NOTE" is still going strong in theaters, with its second part "the Last name" keeps the top box office position for the 4th week.  So, of course the studio wants to milk more money out of it while it is still hot.  They just announced the spin-off movie, and this time the eccentric detective "L" played by Kenichi Matsuyama is going to be the leading role.

"L" is the world famous genius detective, but his real name is hidden and his appearance is quite eccentric, and Matsuyama's act as "L" has won big enthusiastic support.  Matsuyama says, "I thought I did everything I could by the second part, but after 3 months, I started to feel that maybe I could do something more."

Any other details, including the plot and relationships with the original leading character Light Yagami is not decided.  They are planning the release in 2008.

Source:  SANSPO, Cinema Topic Online

"DEATH NOTE the Last name" heading to surpass 5 bil.

Last weekend box office result did not change much from the previous weekend, and "DEATH NOTE the Last name" kept the top position for the 4th week in a row.  Its cummulative gross is approaching 4 billion yen, and it is expected to go past 5 billion.  Adding the first part "DEATH NOTE" together, the total revenue is expected to be around 8 billion yen.

Among other hogas, "The Letter", another tear-jerker drama about the two brothers, starring Takayuki Yamada, climbed up from 7th position to 4th this weekend.  The new entrant is "Arigato", based on a real story about a pro-golfer, at 8th position.  It is supposed to be "cry-able" according to its Website, and I am a bit tired of hearing this phrase these days.

Among Hollywood films, "Flags of our Fathers" also climbed up from 4th to 3rd, and Eiga.com thinks it is because the heavy media promotion of the companion piece "Letters from Iwo Jima" just started, for its release on Dec. 9. 

Next weekend, Yoji Yamada's 3rd samurai flix "Love and Honor", starring the king of J-drama Takuya Kimura, will crash against "007 Casino Royale".  Let's see how a samurai fare against a spy.　　Oh, and by the way, we can finally see Kimura's photos on the movie's official site.  Yay!

Source:  Eiga.com

Hochi Movie Awards announced

It feels a bit too early for the movie award season, but it is here.  As the first among numerous Japanese movie awards, Hochi Movie Awards were announced today.  Here is the quick report:

• Best Movie:  "Hula Girls"
• Best Director:  Kichitaro Negishi ("What the Snow Brings")
• Best Actress:  Miki Nakatani ("Memories of Matsuko")
• Best Actor:  Ken Watanabe ("Memories of Tomorrow")
• Best Supporting Actress:  Yu Aoi ("Hula Girls")
• Best Supporting Actor:  Teruyuki Kagawa ("Sway")
• Best New Face:  Kenichi Matsuyama ("Yamato", "DEATH NOTE")
• Special awards:  "The Girl who Leapt through Time", "Kamiya Etsuko no Seishun"
• Foreign movie award:  "Letters from Iwo Jima"

Source:  Sports Hochi

Status of J-movies, "DEATH NOTE" and "Hula Girls"

My article on the recent state of so-called "Hoga Bubble" (J-movie boom) in Japan is on DMC Online by Keio University.  I was able to watch a lot of recent J-movies at AFM earlier this month, and I also was able to speak to the industry people there, so lots of them are mentioned.  Unfortunately, I had enough energy to introduce only two movies, "DEATH NOTE" and "Hula Girls", but I liked many other movies, too.

Please see Keio DMC Online November issue.

"DEATH NOTE" was particularly impressive to me.  I only watched the first part at AFM, but the international distributor NTV was kind enough to send me the screener of the second part as well, which is at the top of box office again this weekend, and all in all, it was such a new kind of movie entertainment.  It is not a kind of film that gets acclaims at festival circuit, but I certainly understand why Asian people love it.  Despite of its title, it is not a horror movie.  Rather, it is about the fierce battle of two brains and psychological drama surrounding it.  It reminded me of "The Departed" and/or "Infernal Affairs" a little bit.　　Anyway, please read the article for more details.

Other films that I liked among the ones that I watched are Tetsuya Nakashima's "Memories of Matsuko" starring Miki Nakatani, and Masayuki Suo's "I Just Didn't Do It" starring Ryo Kase.  I liked "Suite Dreams" as well, but I am not sure how much international audience can enjoy it, without knowing any of the stars that appear on the movie.  And I missed "Sinking of Japan" and "Dororo", both of which I really wanted to see.

The hottest couple appear on "Dororo" premiere

Arguably the highest profile couple in J-movie world, Kou Shibasaki ("Sinking of Japan") and Satoshi Tsumabuki ("Nada Soso") (see more photo here), who are also the co-stars of a VFX period drama "Dororo", appeared on the stage for the film's Japan premiere on Nov. 27 in Tokyo.  The film is based on a classic manga (comic) by "the father of manga" Osamu Tezuka, and directed by Akihiko Shiota.

Tsumabuki plays the hero Hyakkimaru, and Shibasaki his partner Dororo.  In late Muromachi period (16th century), Hyakkimaru's father dedicates his unborn son to 48 yokais (Japanese traditional monsters) for his ambition to conquer Japan, and as a result, Hyakkimaru is born without 48 parts of his body.  Hyakkimaru goes out traveling to find his lost body parts.  On the course, he meets a daughter of a thief named Dororo, who tries to steal Hyakkimaru's sword, and they eventually become partners.  Each time they kill a moster, a part of Hyakkimaru's body is regained.

Shibasaki and Tsumabuki have been reported to be the real-life partners since they both played in a TV drama two years ago, and even though nothing has been officially announced, tabloid press has been speculating that they will tie the knot pretty soon.

Tsumabuki said about Shibasaki, "she has so much power of concentration.  She did much more than Dororo that I imagined.  I really enjoyed doing the film together."  and Shibasaki said about the film shooting in New Zealand, "it was my first time to film overseas for such a long time and was a bit concerned, but it turned out to be easier to concentrate."

"Dororo" is schedule to open in Japan on January 27, 2007.

Source:  SANSPO, Cinema Today, Wikipedia Japanese

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More photos on Cinema Topic Online

"Paprika" opens in Japan

Satoshi Kon 's animation feature "Paprika", shown in Venice this year, opened in Japan on Nov. 25.  On the opening day stage, Director Kon appeared along with the original novelist Yasutaka Tsutsui, voice actors Megumi Hayashibara and Toru Furuya.

Tsutsui stated, "visuals and music are great, and it was never possible in the novel.  The story is complidated, so please enjoy the uncomprehensive fun."  Kon was impressed at the standing-room-only theater and said, "there are lots of images that I could not incorporate in the movie because it is rather short 90 minutes.  So I think you can enjoy the film more if you watch it rather absent-mindedly."

Source:  Cinema Topic Online

Ken Watanabe and Ichiro in Nissan CM

Nissan's new Skyline model will have Ken Watanabe and Ichiro as its spokesmen.  Watanabe appeared in the release event in Tokyo.  See photos here.  (Click small photos to see larger images.)

"Always" sequel and Takashi Miike's Sukiyaki Western

Ryuganji just reports that Takashi Yamazaki's nostalgic hit and 2006 Japan Academy sweep "Always - Sunset on Third Street" is coming back with the same cast members and same directors next year.  Main cast include Hidetaka Yoshioka, Koyuki, Shinichiro Tsutsumi, Hiroko Yakushimaru, Maki Horikita and others.

Please see Hoga Central Takashi Yamazaki interview for your reference.

Ryuganji's report about Takashi Miike's "Django", dubbed "Sukiyaki Western" - all-English J-movie, is also quite interesting.  "Umizaru" series hero Hideaki Ito is playing the leading role, while Koichi Sato ("When the Last Sword is Drawn"), Kaori Momoi ("Memoirs of a Geisha) and Quentin Tarantino (!) will also be in it.  It is reported as "anything goes" mix of Western and Samurai films.

Please see Hoga Central "Umizaru 2" interview for your reference.

Source:  Ryuganji

"Retribution" stage report by Ryuganji

Kiyoshi Kurosawa 's "Retribution" was screened in Tokyo FILMeX, and Ryuganji has made a hand-made video report on his site.  The event features Director Kurosawa along with the leading actor Koji Yakusho.

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A few more photos have come up online for this stage appearance.

Cinema Topic Online

Zakzak

Tokyo FILMeX opens

Jason Gray is actually there and writes the real time report.  See Jason Gray.