Japanese Cinema


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orofena-chan

-dono
Retired
There's a whole world of amazing cinema outside the usual circuit of Hollywood movies, and the Oscars. I'm inasmuch an anime junkie as I am a film junkie!
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So I thought it would be nice to start a new thread, and see if there are others out there who are into Japanese films like I am!

You know if names such as
Akira Kurosawa, Shohei Imamura (who is famous for saying, and I quote:
"I am interested in the relationship of the lower part of the human body and the lower part of the social structure on which the reality of daily Japanese life obstinately supports itself."), or Yasujiro Ozu amongst others, strike a chord, this is a good place to exchange news, opinions, etc... Or if you would like to find out who these people are, this is a good place to ask!

General discussion on Anime movies would also be great... In general, just a bit of anything goes, as long as the topic relates to Japanese cinema either high, middle or low brow!
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This is not a place, however, to make a listing of movies you like as there is already a thread for that here.

I would like to start with the Gamera series of monster movies...Imagine downtown Tokyo being blasted away by the fiery bad breath of an incredibly oversized turtle with a somewhat godzilla looking head... and those cars...do they look like toy cars! Yeah! You have entered the world of a Japanese monster movie! I love them! And the best place to watch them, the movie theatre! (if you are lucky enough) if not rent one! Like Godzilla (ignore American version), there's a whole series of them! Check out this Gamera trailertrailer!

Hopefully there will be others willing to join the general (irreverent) discussion...in any case I thought it was worth a shot in the dark! XXXD
 
I like some Japanese horror and action which I have like Versus, Azumi, One Missed Call, etc., but there are also Korean films that are good out there that I really enjoyed like A Tale of Two Sisters (they are actually discussing an american remake with supposedly the Olsen Twins playing the sisters, yuck!) and Take Care Of My Cat. When I looked at the other thread it seemed more whatever movies from any area and since this thread at least is more asian based I posted here.
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The only Akira Kurosawa film I saw was Seven Samurai which became an anime and before that was created as an american western called Magnificent Seven. The original was good though.
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u guys need to watch samurai fiction. lol u prolly seen it already. but its so hilarious. i usually watch korean/taiwanese/japanese drama or movie which of course after ive watched animes. lol. then theres red shadow which is funny also. the sea is watching is sad but good one. i have more but ill lists it later. lol too lazy today
 
I watched the movie Ju-On in the dark... at 11 pm... all alone.... XD
most ppl know it as the english version - The Grudge, but I think that version just sucks ^^ The whole horror-vibe in this movie was great
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I loved it.
 
The Ring (Ringu) was a brilliant psychological horror film, really weird... there’s a video cassette in circulation and if you watch it you get a phone call and 3 days later you die.... the video in question is really bizarre and spooky, like random noise with vague images forming.

Battle Royale: a class full of recalcitrant teenagers is marooned on an island and ordered to kill each other... only the last survivor will be allowed off the island, this is the nearest thing in live action I’ve seen to an anime film I think, talk about killer lolis... very stylish and action packed.

Almost anything by Kurosawa is good, except for his very last film which was self-indulgent rubbish with really corny SFX provided by Industrial Light & Magic for some reason, I forget the title of it though. Anyhow, his Shakespeare remakes are great. I liked Ran (King Lear) for the wonderful cinematography, rolling landscapes etc. One of his films, Yojimbo, was famously remade as a spaghetti western Fistful of Dollars by Sergio Leone, and Clint Eastwood jumped at the part of the "man with no name" because he recognised it at once as a Kurosawa remake, being a fan of the director. (Ironically Leone himself didn’t even credit Kurosawa, who had to sue him to get a cut of the royalties!)

The Godzilla movies are good too, very silly but great cult films.
 
Japanese movies...i think the only true Japanese movie(s) i've seen so far are the two Battle Royal movies.
In my opinion very good movies, although the second one lacked something, but that can't be helped since there were lots of critics going on in Japan at that time...
Also a movie that probably won't be appreciated here where I live, but i like it ^^

It's not Japanese, but i like most Chinese (languaged) movies like 'Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon' and the movie 'Hero'.
 
Wow...I am a fan of Japanese movies. I rent them from Netflix, as they hava a huge variety/genre of the stuff. 'In The Realm of the Senses" is a classic Japanese movie, erotica style. Another one is titled "Water"...I think I Oro woulld like this one.
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I watched all the Godzilla movies and Gamera and The giant monster twins...what where their names? One was green and evil, the other was brown and kind....What about the flying turtle who would shoot lightening rays from his mouth?
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Okay...so I forgot the turtle's name....thanks Orofena-sama for reminding me.
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U guys should the live-action movie called "Lovely Complex" aka "LoveCom", a brillant and one of the funniest japanese films I've seen in my life. U can know about it in the LoveCom anime thread, which I created...hehehe....today!


CYA
 
QUOTE (ImTakes @ Mar 02 2007, 03:54 PM)..What about the flying turtle who would shoot lightening rays from his mouth? That WAS Gamera! Guardian of the Universe! and winner of the GREAT CHEESE (Japanese Style) AWARD!
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YAH! I was lucky to watch it in a movie theatre and man was it fun! I really miss going to the movies and making lots an' lots of noise an' being rowdy and stuff! XXXD My favourite part of the movie, Gamera III, was when the 'hero' pronounces to the 'heroine' after they both watch an utterly destroyed city, with a very straight face: "Tokyo shall not be the same anymore..." Aaaah! A classic moment of "B"ness in a very B-movie!
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QUOTE (Yanosuke @ Mar 02 2007, 02:07 PM)It's not Japanese, but i like most Chinese (languaged) movies like 'Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon' and the movie 'Hero'. Have you ever watched the movie "Chinese Ghost Story"? I think it ran three series... it has everything! Buddhist monks, flying sword scenes, fights on air using longish silk sleeves as some sort of *whip* and the best part of all cuz I find it very amusing, female demonesses trying to seduce this monk while he desperately clings to his -ahem- virginity! XXXD Aaah, it was too much fun!...


QUOTE (Hiroyuki @ Mar 02 2007, 01:37 PM)The Ring (Ringu) was a brilliant psychological horror film, really weird... there’s a video cassette in circulation and if you watch it you get a phone call and 3 days later you die.... I see, so can I assume your ghost is posting this?
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I know which Kurosawa movie you're referring to, is it the one with the old woman who survived Hiroshima? and lives to tell about it to her grandchildren? Now, Hiro-kun, let's be more tolerant, we should allow the great master a moment (ok, so it was over 300 mins!) of self-indulgence... I do agree, the whole movie was a bit too much to bear, but some of the sequences where wonderfully Kurosawa, the one of the woman struggling with the elements with an extremely ineffective umbrella! It could also be sheer sentimentality, as it made me think about my grandma and her anacronistic ways...!
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I can't remember the names but i watched a piece of japanese cinema a couple of months back. It was like at least a 5 part series. Had to do with these girls who looked similar one of them was supposedly dead. It was interesting but odd to say the least it was of the horror variety. Only made it through the first 2 parts because some people don't return videos anymore. They don't seem to be worried about late fees wonder why that is. Probably because you are only charged like 10 bucks if you keep a movie for over a month. Not much incentive to return. Also have seen ringu and some others I think one was called the Eye or something like that.

Yano I'm aboard with you when it comes to Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and Hero, throw in House of the Flying Daggers too
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Asian Films: -

Volcano High - weird but crazy fighting action Korean film.

Arahan: - really funny Korean film.

Shiri: - Femme Fatale assasin Korean film.

My Wife is a Ganster 1, 2, 3 --------> Seriously funny and crazy action...Korean film.

No Blood No Tears --------> cool, action thriller, gangster-isque film


Have any of u guys seen these films ????????
 
Hmn... the Shiri one sounds like a remake or retake of a similar French film called Femme Nikita, which is the same thing. Convicted girl becomes assassin for some undercover govt. agency. In exchange for her -ahem- special services (she's a crack sniper) she gets out of jail...

btw, could you guys post the name of the directors? it will make these movies easier to find for those people who might be interested in getting them.
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and of course, watching the movie they will come and comment here about it!
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QUOTE (orofena-chan @ Mar 02 2007, 10:41 PM) Have you ever watched the movie "Chinese Ghost Story"? I think it ran three series... it has everything! Buddhist monks, flying sword scenes, fights on air using longish silk sleeves as some sort of *whip* and the best part of all cuz I find it very amusing, female demonesses trying to seduce this monk while he desperately clings to his -ahem- virginity! XXXD Aaah, it was too much fun!...
@Senpai : Yeah, i heard of 'house of the flying daggers'. Wasn't it from the same director of 'Hero'? At least i know they have some kind of connection.

@Orofena: No, I have not... But it sounds rather interesting.
I'll see if i can get my hands on the three series, I'm curious ^^

I really like how the Chinese direct their martial arts. Walking on air, being even lighter than a feather. It's all nice and in a good movie it won't look exaggerated.

But what about Japanese movies/series. Orofena, Imtakes, JCD and Senpai, can you tell me your favorite Japanese movie? I can try them as well, I'm sure they'll be to my liking as well ^^
 
QUOTE (Yanosuke @ Mar 03 2007, 06:09 PM) @Senpai : Yeah, i heard of 'house of the flying daggers'. Wasn't it from the same director of 'Hero'? At least i know they have some kind of connection.

@Orofena: No, I have not... But it sounds rather interesting.
I'll see if i can get my hands on the three series, I'm curious ^^

I really like how the Chinese direct their martial arts. Walking on air, being even lighter than a feather. It's all nice and in a good movie it won't look exaggerated.

But what about Japanese movies/series. Orofena, Imtakes, JCD and Senpai, can you tell me your favorite Japanese movie? I can try them as well, I'm sure they'll be to my liking as well ^^
My favourite Japanese movies as of now are: -

1.) Train Man: Densha Otoko - directed by Masanori Murakami a.k.a. Shosuke Murakami.

This movie was a box-office hit in Japan.

Similar to Genshiken in a way about being shy............funny, romance comedy and has an anime that was being played in the Densha Otoko mangas, novels, Live-action TV drama and the live-action movie - this new anime series is called "Getsumen To Heiki Mina"....its set to have 11 episodes, I made a thread for this and its on the 2nd page of the anime section in this forum. 2 episodes have been subbed currently. You guys should watch this...its brillant....I'm telling u and the main woman is Miki Nakatani and she's good-looking.

Okay, let me say this one more time................its really good.........please watch it.

As well as that.............I think this story will become an anime series in the future........I'm getting those feelings............its extremely popular in Japan.


2.)

Movie : Love Com / Lovely Complex / ラブ★コン
Year : 2006
Country : Japan
Director : Kitaji Ishikawa
Starring: Ema Fujisawa (Risa), Teppei Koike (Otani)
Runtime : 99 Minutes

Great movie.........super funny...........really "cute"............"does height really matter when it comes to love ????".

The movie is based on a best-selling shojo manga of the same name and this movie was a hit in japan. There's also an upcoming anime series which starts in April 2007 and I've made an anime thread for it...................which contains pictures, links to the trailer and stuff.....check out the thread....its the same name.



Cya
 
You wanna watch "Fly Daddy Fly" ITs Koren but it had Jun Ki in the people, thats a good enough reason to watch anything.

mmm Jun Ki ~ <3333333
 
Japanese movies... hmm... I always love Azumi, I've also seen The ring, Honogurai mizu no soko kara, Ju-on~ really scary, I don't want to watch them again. Japanese really does great on the horror genre, most if not all of the horror films they do are really really really scary... kowai desu...
 
Bad Guy (2001) is a South Korean film by director Kim Ki-duk.......really a good film........u guys should watch it.

Also the Infernal Affairs Triology with Tony Leung, Edison Chan, Anthony Wong, etc. Its a hong-kong movie of duel lives...a spy from the mob side in the police headquarters and a spy from the police in the mob-crime gang. It got a hollywood remake last year, that was crapper called "Departed" starring Leonardo Di Caprio and Jack Nicholson (I think............can't remember). The triology is amazing and really depressing.

You should also watch the Initial D live action movie, its good, starring Jay Chou (Taiwanese guy who's an amazing singer in Hong Kong), Anthony Wong and Edison Chan (or Chen.can't remember...same guy in Infernal Affairs).

Cya
 
I`ve just noticed this thread and I`m really thrilled about it!
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With a friend of mine , we search for the most ridiculous Japanese movies and guess what? we get them in dozens....

Well my most recent ones are:

Tokyo Zombie and people you have to watch this!
It`s about two of the stupidest persons alive that have to face a Tokyo full of zombies.... Go figure...

HAna yori mo naho
It`s historical but the comedy is absolutely great!

Uchoten hotel
A hotel on Christmass eve with the wackiest clients and personnel...

NinXNin Ninja Hattori-kun
This is about a stupid but cute ninja that has to go to Tokyo to complete his trainning. Nin, nin?


JCDRANZER, you`re right Infernal affairs were great movies but I recently watched the American version and I wasn`t apalled by it as I feared I would be! For a remake, it was actually decent...
 
QUOTE (orofena-chan @ Mar 02 2007, 09:41 PM)Have you ever watched the movie "Chinese Ghost Story"? I think it ran three series... it has everything! Buddhist monks, flying sword scenes, fights on air using longish silk sleeves as some sort of *whip* and the best part of all cuz I find it very amusing, female demonesses trying to seduce this monk while he desperately clings to his -ahem- virginity! XXXD Aaah, it was too much fun!...
I think I saw that, or something like it, I recall a buddhist(?) monk with a high pitch voice mesmerising the heroes with some incantation, turns out he's really a demon, very weird action packed film.

QUOTE I know which Kurosawa movie you're referring to, is it the one with the old woman who survived Hiroshima? and lives to tell about it to her grandchildren? Now, Hiro-kun, let's be more tolerant, we should allow the great master a moment (ok, so it was over 300 mins!) of self-indulgence...
I remember now it was called Dreams (Yume), I guess it could have been worse but I think I like Ran best (more beautiful than his older b&w films).
 
QUOTE (Hiroyuki @ Mar 04 2007, 01:51 PM)
I remember now it was called Dreams (Yume), I guess it could have been worse but I think I like Ran best (more beautiful than his older b&w films). I do agree that Ran is one sacred monster of an epic movie, the breath and the scale of which I have yet seen to be surpassed (IMO LOTR is a very weak and overly blown imitation of the master's); however, I find always find myself going back to Throne of Blood (Kumonosu-jō), which for me is the best film rendition of Macbeth that I have ever watched! (and, yes, I've seen the one made by Polanski). What Kurosawas did was transpose the settings of the play into medieval Japan with all it's fanfare and ceremonial rituals. The opening scene with the sound of taiko drums as the camera pans over the solemn figures of the seated samurai, was just visually amazing!
 
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