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The UK’s biggest festival of Japanese cinema, the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme (JFTFP25), is back for its latest entertaining and thought-provoking instalment, presenting a packed programme on the theme of ‘Justice, Justification and Judgement in Japanese Cinema’.

In a world where injustice runs rampant, cinematic expressions of justice seem inexhaustible: time and time again, heroic protagonists fend off malicious antagonists or enact their revenge, with the constant injustices they face mirroring those of audiences. Japanese film is no exception to this, and the JFTFP25 promises to showcase how Japanese filmmakers use the language of cinema to explore the concepts of criminal, social and moral justice, along with the ways people respond to external judgement. Featuring everything from thought-provoking hidden gems, powerful true-life tales, women-led stories, anarchic comedies, and unearthed retrospective titles, UK audiences are invited to join the festival in questioning the very concepts of justice, justification and...

“Black Ox,” a powerful rural drama from Japan’s Tsuta Tetsuichiro, has been picked up for world sales by Hong Kong and Beijing-based agency Asian Shadows. The film has its world premiere on Friday in the Asian Future section of the Tokyo International Film Festival and will go on commercial release in Taiwan the following week.

Set in the 19th century, “Black Ox” follows the life of a man, transitioning from a hunter-gatherer existence in the mountains to a life in the farm. One day, he comes across an ox, which somehow, he succeeds in leading back to his home. He lives with the animal, which becomes his companion in a life of changing seasons.

The Japan-set film is inspired by the “Ten Ox-Herding Pictures” a series of short poems and illustrations from the Zen Buddhist tradition that depict the path to enlightenment and spiritual awakening.

The cast includes the Taiwanese actor Lee Kang-sheng,...

The martial arts subgenre has been around for quite some time, with the 2000s being a particularly significant year that produced many memorable films. Martial arts films found early success during the '70s and '80s, with Hong Kong producing the most notable films. Thanks to the work of martial artists like Jackie Chan, Jet Li, and Donnie Yen, martial arts films had a sort of revival from the late '90s into the 2000s.

Many of the best martial arts films of the decade have left an indelible mark on the action genre, inspiring other parts of the world to try their hand at creating neatly choreographed sequences on par with Eastern films. The best martial arts films are not only influential in the film industry, but they also balance electrifying fight scenes with striking visuals and a compelling story.

Related 10 Best Martial Arts Movie Performances Of All...

Movies based on animated series have a 50-50 chance of succeeding. The added pressure of a pre-established fanbase can either make or break the project. Genndy Tartakovsky is a legend in the animated world, with gems like Hotel Transylvania, Primal, Dexter’s Laboratory, and many more.

The Samurai Jack animated series which was released in 2001 became exponentially famous. However, most fans aren’t aware that there was once a live-action movie planned for the beloved series. One of the most famous faces in Hollywood, J.J. Abrams was approached to take on the task, but it unfortunately didn’t work out. Given the chance of the movie being planned again, action star Hiroyuki Sanada would be the best choice for the role.

Huge plans for the animated series: An unfortunate end

Genndy Tartakovsky‘s Samurai Jack series had over the years established its niche fanbase. The animated show became so popular that...

Shguns cast brings James Clavells bestselling novel of the same name to life. While Shgun was originally intended to be a 10-part limited series based on the celebrated novel of the same name by James Clavell, the overwhelming success and popularity of the series inspired FX, Hulu, and creators Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo to expand the story in further seasons. Shgun earned a near-perfect 99% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes and is poised to have a big night at the Emmys, which will take place on September 15, 2024. Shgun was previously adapted into a limited series back in 1980 and earned 3 Emmys, including Outstanding Limited Series.

Like the 2024 critically acclaimed series, 1980's Shgun received outstanding reviews and was widely considered one of the best series of the year in which it was released. The 1980 Shgun cast saw Richard Chamberlain as Anjin-san and Toshiro Mifune as Toranaga, characters that are now being played...

The victory lap for Japanese screen legend and FX hit Shogun star Hiroyuki Sanada continues. Poland’s pioneering EnergaCamerimage International Film Festival, which focuses foremost on excellence in cinematography, said Thursday that Sanada will receive an award for best TV series performance at the event’s upcoming 32nd edition in Toruń.

Sanada’s honor will be the first time the festival awards an actor for a performance on the small screen, another expansion of the prestigious festival’s ambit.

Rather like the regal Lord Toranaga he plays on FX’s hit show, Sanda is currently in active campaign mode as Shogun prepares to compete at the upcoming 2024 Emmys in more categories than any other drama. Sanada is personally nominated both for the best actor in a drama category and as a producer for the show as it competes in the outstanding drama series race.

But while Shogun‘s huge success...

Poland’s Camerimage Film Festival has launched a new award to honor performances on the small screen and will hand the inaugural gong to Shōgun actor Hiroyuki Sanada.

Hiroyuki will receive the award at the festival’s 32nd edition, which runs November 16 to 23.

Hiroyuki is one of Japan’s most successful international exports with over fifty film credits. Beyond Shōgun, he is perhaps best known for his leading role in The Twilight Samurai, which was nominated for an Academy Award.

Alongside acting in Shōgun, Hiroyuki also produces the FX show. He earned two Emmy nominations for the series, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama and Outstanding Drama Series. The show also clocked several Television Critics Association Award nominations, including Program of the Year.

Hiroyuki was last seen on the big screen in John Wick: Chapter 4 opposite Keanu Reeves and Donnie Yen. Before that, he appeared in the Sony Pictures’ action feature,...

Announced nearly nine years ago, the production of the live-action Naruto movie is finally underway. While some fans are skeptical about it, most are overjoyed with the development. It is only appropriate to be excited since the renowned director of Shang-Chi is working on the project.

Yes, you read that right, Daniel Cretton is the director of the upcoming Naruto-live action movie, and fans are extremely satisfied with the selection. Since details on the film are scarce, otakus have already begun fan-casting the characters of Naruto.

Fans Suggest an Ambitious Casting for Madara Uchiha Hiroyuki Sanada in Shogun

Madara Uchiha is one of the biggest antagonists in Naruto as well as the founder of the Uchiha clan. Above everything else, Madara loves battling and even describes the brutal sights, sounds, and taste of his blood as dancing. As a shinobi, he held a lot of power and intellect, which...

Hiroyuki Sanada has been honing his acting skills for over fifty years, having started when he was six years old. He landed his first role opposite the celebrated Japanese actor and martial artist Sonny Chiba in Game of Chance. Since then, the Tokyo-born actor, 63, has barely decelerated.

Hiroyuki Sanada in Shōgun (Credit: FX)

That being said, we cannot overlook the brilliant performance he gave in Rachel Kondo & Justin Marks’ Shōgun. As Lord Yoshii Toranaga, he practically steals every scene of the FX series. Unfortunately, the 10-episode series is over, but he has starred in a number of similar flicks that are well worth your time.

Nevertheless, Sanada’s résumé includes a number of stellar but lesser-known roles. Rest assured, if you enjoy his portrayal of Lord Toranaga, here are three must-see films starring the talented actor that will satisfy your craving for more of his compelling performances.

1. The Twilight Samurai...

While multiple Korean TV series have connected with global audiences, Japan’s production committees, terrestrial broadcasters and talent agencies have kept their TV industry tightly focused on a local market.

Anime and variety have long remained the Japanese TV industry’s best-known exports, while the premium end of the spectrum has largely escaped Japanese producers. That is despite multinational shows like Hulu’s “Shogun,” HBO’s “Tokyo Vice” and Netflix’s “House of Ninjas” underscoring the potentially substantial overseas interest in Japan-set live-action drama.

“House of the Owl,” set to begin airing on Disney+ and Hulu from next week, is both an outlier and a potential mold breaker.

A crime thriller about a behind-the-scenes political fixer and his chafing rivalry with his son, “House of the Owl” was conceived as a five-season ride along the lines of “House of Cards” or “Succession.” But overcoming the obstacles on the way to...

With the FX limited series Shogun, Disney might just have its biggest worldwide streaming hit to date. The first episode of the lavish period epic racked up 9 million streaming views globally, topping the latest season premieres of The Bear and Fargo, and the buzz around the show has only grown since. Shogun has been especially praised — in Japan as well as the U.S. — for the cultural accuracy and ravishing detail of its world-building, taking viewers into an alluring and reasonably convincing version of 17th century feudal Japan.

It’s a big win for a pricey project that took nearly 10 years to bring to fruition and often looked like a very uncertain bet. After Shogun went through years of abortive efforts to get into production at FX, husband and wife Justin Marks (Top Gun: Maverick) and Rachel Kondo (previously a fiction writer) boarded the project in 2018 as the new co-creators and executive producers,...

Acclaimed Japanese actor Hiroyuki Sanada has built an impressive $10 million net worth over his prolific decades-long career in Hollywood and Asia. With his latest high-profile role in the TV series Shōgun, Sanada continues demonstrating why he’s one of the most reliable actors working today. But how did the martial artist-turned-thespian accumulate his fortune before this new samurai epic?

What Were Hiroyuki Sanada’s Breakout Hits in Japan and Asia? Hiroyuki Sanada in Mortal Kombat

Hiroyuki Sanada first gained fame in the 1980s by starring in Japanese and Hong Kong martial arts films, including The Ninja Dragon and Shogun’s Shadow. His athleticism and discipline from years of combat training allowed him to perform dangerous stunts that cemented his action-hero status.

This extreme dedication and discipline came from his upbringing. Sanada started training in martial arts when he was very young. He gained a black belt when he was 15 years old.

It was all the way back in 2018 when FX first announced that they would be adapting "Shōgun," the smash-hit novel from James Clavell that was previously adapted into a 1980 television miniseries. To put it into perspective how long the production has been, the miniseries was announced at the same time as the series adaptation of "What We Do in the Shadows," which is now in its fifth season. Described by the network as "an epic saga of war, passion, and power set in Feudal Japan," it seems wise to start prepping for "Shōgun" to be one of the first big hits of next year. "It's really told from multiple points of view, not just the singularly Western white male point of view," FX CEO John Landgraf said during the announcement. "I agree if you exoticize or fetishize Japanese culture from the Western and male gaze it would not fly. I...

Recently-released titles by – very different – Japanese film icons Yamada Yoji and Shimizu Takashi adorn the Tiffcom sales slate of Shochiku, one of Japan’s oldest and most powerful film studios.

The 91-year-old Yamada, known for classics including “The Yellow Handkerchief” and “The Twilight Samurai,” is behind “Mom, Is That You?,” a heartwarming drama that marks the third picture in his recent “Mother” series, following “Kabei, Our Mother” and “Nagasaki: Memories of My Son.” Starring Yoshinaga Sayuri and Oizumi Yo, the film tells how a dissatisfied salaryman pays a rare visit home and discovers his mother’s previously hidden fashionable and outgoing sides. It released in Japanese theaters on Sept. 1.

Shimizu, who played a large part in bringing Japanese horror to Hollywood’s attention with titles such as “Tomie: Rebirth” and “Ju-on: The Grudge,” has returned to his horror roots with “Sana.” It depicts a musical curse that is delivered in...

Key Asian territories have picked up the drama.

Japan’s Free Stone Productions has secured a brace of deals on Yuya Ishii’s The Moon, following its world premiere in competition at Busan International Film Festival this week.

The film has been acquired for distribution in Taiwan (SkyDigi) and Korea (Media Castle) during the Asian Contents & Film Market (Acfm), which runs parallel to the festival. It is set to be released in Japan by Star Sands on October 13.

The story follows a writer named Yoko who takes a job at a nursing home, where she witnesses elderly and disabled residents...

Japan has selected Perfect Days, the Tokyo-based fiction feature from German filmmaker Wim Wenders, as its entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 2024 Oscars.

The pic, which debuted in competition at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, was picked by the Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan. The decision marks the first time a non-Japanese filmmaker has been chosen to lead the country’s Oscars push. Wenders’ Perfect Days is likely to have beat out Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy And The Heron for the spot.

The film’s official synopsis reads: Hirayama seems utterly content with his simple life as a cleaner of toilets in Tokyo. Outside of his very structured everyday routine, he enjoys his passion for music and books. He loves trees and takes photos of them. A series of unexpected encounters gradually reveals more of his past.

Starring are Koji Yakusho (Babel), newcomer Arisa Nakano,...

Wim Wenders’ Tokyo-based Cannes Competition title Perfect Days has clocked a series of international deals for The Match Factory.

Deals reported include UK/Ireland/Latam/Turkey (Mubi), Australia/New Zealand (Madman), Benelux (Paradiso), China (DDDream), Italy (Lucky Red), Spain (A Contracorriente), Switzerland (Dcm), Baltics (A-One Baltics), Bulgaria (Art Fest), Cis (A-One), Czech Republic and Slovakia (Aerofilms), Former Yugoslavia (McF), Greece (Feelgood Entertainment), Hong Kong (Edko Films), Hungary (Cirko), Israel (Lev Cinemas), Poland (Gutek), Portugal (Alambique), Romania (Bad Unicorn), Scandinavia (Future Film) and Taiwan (Applause).

North American rights were previously sold to Neon, while France went to Haut et Court.

The official synopsis for the movie reads: Hirayama seems utterly content with his simple life as a cleaner of toilets in Tokyo. Outside of his very structured everyday routine he enjoys his passion for music and for books. And he loves trees and takes photos of them. A series of unexpected...

A project that’s reportedly been in gestation for 30 years, so long that Akira Kurosawa once expressed huge hopes for its success before he died, Kubi is a labor of love.

Billed in its press materials as “the latest film by Takeshi Kitano” but hopefully not the veteran director’s last, it marks Kitano’s return to the samurai genre for the first time since 2003’s Zatoichi (a.k.a. The Blind Swordsman). The latter did modestly solid business in its day for an international film, and it will be interesting to see if Kitano, practically a national treasure in Japan, still has the same pull across Asian territories as he used to, let alone across the Pacific and beyond.

But regardless of any box-office performance, this challenging, extremely violent, ravishing-looking, intricately plotted adaptation by Kitano of his novel is of interest for its fresh take on a musty genre.

Exclusive: Neon is nearing a deal for North American rights to Cannes competition entry Perfect Days from The Match Factory in a deal pegged in the mid-to-high six figures.

The parties declined to comment.

Wim Wenders’ well-received Japan-set movie debuted today on the Croisette. The official synopsis for the movie reads: Hirayama seems utterly content with his simple life as a cleaner of toilets in Tokyo. Outside of his very structured everyday routine he enjoys his passion for music and for books. And he loves trees and takes photos of them. A series of unexpected encounters gradually reveal more of his past.

Starring are Koji Yakusho (Babel), newcomer Arisa Nakano, Tokio Emoto (Norwegian Wood), Yumi Aso (Carnation), Sayuri Ishikawa, Tomokazu Miura (Adrift in Tokyo), Aoi Yamada (Netflix series First Love) and veteran actor and dancer Min Tanaka (The Twilight Samurai).

Related: Cannes Film Festival 2023: All...

Exclusive: The Match Factory will be handling world sales on Wim Wenders’ Japan-set Cannes Competition entry Perfect Days.

The film reunites three-time Oscar nominee Wenders with Cannes, where he has debuted 12 movies and previously won the Palme d’Or for Paris, Texas.

The official synopsis reads: “Hirayama seems utterly content with his simple life as a cleaner of toilets in Tokyo. Outside of his very structured everyday routine he enjoys his passion for music and for books. And he loves trees and takes photos of them. A series of unexpected encounters gradually reveal more of his past.” Above is a first look image of the film.

Starring are Koji Yakusho (Babel), newcomer Arisa Nakano, Tokio Emoto (Norwegian Wood), Yumi Aso (Carnation), Sayuri Ishikawa, Tomokazu Miura (Adrift in Tokyo), Aoi Yamada (Netflix series First Love) and veteran actor and dancer...

Hiroyuki Sanada will star in an undisclosed role in Lionsgate’s John Wick: Chapter 4 opposite Keanu Reeves, Donnie Yen, Rina Sawayama, and Shamier Anderson. Cameras roll this summer shooting on location in France, Germany and Japan.

The Japanese-born actor has starred in over 55 movies, most recently Netflix’s Army of the Dead and New Line’s Mortal Kombat. He is also known for playing Musashi on HBO’s Westworld. Sanada will next star in Sony’s Bullet Train opposite Brad Pitt. In Japan, Sanada is renowned for his star-making role in The Twilight Samurai. He is repped by CAA, Lighthouse Entertainment, Axon Entertainment, and Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton.

The Chad Stahelski directed fourthquel is set for theatrical release on May 27, 2022. Shay Hatten and Michael Finch wrote the screenplay. Pic is produced by Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee, and Stahelski and executive produced by Reeves and Louise Rosner.

Stahelski said, “Having long...

Exclusive: Hiroyuki Sanada (The Twilight Samurai) and Cosmo Jarvis (Lady Macbeth) have been tapped as two of the three leads in Shōgun, FX’s limited series based on James Clavell’s bestselling novel. Sanada and Jarvis will play the male leads, Yoshii Toranaga and John Blackthorne, respectively, in the project, which tells the story from both a Western and Japanese perspective.

Written by Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo, Shōgun is set in feudal Japan. It charts the collision of two ambitious men from different worlds and a mysterious female samurai: John Blackthorne (Jarvis), a risk-taking English sailor who ends up shipwrecked in Japan, a land whose unfamiliar culture will ultimately redefine him; Lord Toranaga (Sanada), a shrewd, powerful daimyo, at odds with his own dangerous, political rivals; and Lady Mariko, a woman with invaluable skills but dishonorable family ties who must prove her value and allegiance.

The series’ third lead,...

“Respect is the word I just kept using over and over,” says Simon McQuoid about his directorial debut, the Mortal Kombat movie reboot. “Elevate and respect the material. So it was all just born out of respect for the characters.”

For McQuoid, it’s a challenging beginning to take on such a long-running and venerated franchise. Since 1992, there have been 14 editions of the video game, two animated films, two live action films, an animated series, live actions series for TV and the web, a novelization, and even a live stage show. McQuoid and 30+ year industry veteran, producer Todd Garner, sat down with Den of Geek and other members of the press for a virtual roundtable to discuss making a movie based on one of the most successful fighting games ever.

Cole Young’s Place in Mortal Kombat Lore

This version of Mortal Kombat is completely new, not beholden to stories told in the previous films.

Throughout the history of the genre, from literature to film, the samurai has always been a representative of a strict hierarchical social order but also a code, the bushido, which defines him, and he has to obey. While also repeatedly seen as a victim of both of these concepts, it has often been the case the samurai was regarded a hero-like figure, at times precisely because he obeyed the bushido or would not let his master down. In many ways the samurai is a reflection of Japanese society and its virtues, and also how these have changed in each decade. One of the most interesting entries because of its portrayal of this particular warrior and fighter has to be Yoji Yamada’s 2002 feature “The Twilight Samurai”, a movie which has been repeatedly praised by critics and received a plethora of awards, such as 12 Japanese Academy Awards. With its story taking...

Monday, Nov. 30 Hiroyuki Sanada Rounds Out ‘Bullet Train’ Cast

Japanese actor Hiroyuki Sanada will join Brad Pitt in Sony Pictures’ “Bullet Train,” based on the Japanese novel “Maria Beetle” in which a train in Tokyo is the setting for battles between criminals.

David Leitch is directing, with Kelly McCormick producing through 87North alongside Antoine Fuqua through Fuqua Films. Zak Olkewitz wrote the script. Michael Shannon, Mas Oka, Joey King, Aaron Taylor Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry and Zazie Beetz are also starring. Brittany Morrissey is the executive overseeing the project for Sony Pictures.

Sanada recently starred in Zack Snyder’s “Army of the Dead” for Netflix and just wrapped shooting the fantasy action film “Mortal Kombat.” He will next appear in Andrew Levitas’ “Minamata,” opposite Johnny Depp. His other credits include HBO’s “Westworld,” “Avengers: Endgame” and “The Twilight Samurai.” The news was first reported by Deadline Hollywood.

Israel Film Festival...

Exclusive: Veteran actor Hiroyuki Sanada is set to join the A-list ensemble of the Sony action pic Bullet Train starring Brad Pitt. Joey King, Aaron Taylor Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Zazie Beetz, Michael Shannon, Logan Lerman, Masi Oka and Andrew Koji are also on board.

Hobbs & Shaw helmer David Leitch will direct and also supervise the script, which will be written by Zak Olkewicz.

The film is based on the Japanese novel Maria Beetle by bestselling author Kotaro Isaka. Ryosuke Saegusa and Yuma Terada of Ctb Inc., who represent Isaka and the IP, are executive producers on the project.

Kelly McCormick will produce Bullet Train through 87North along with Antoine Fuqua. Kat Samick is exec producing and Brittany Morrissey is the executive overseeing the project for Sony Pictures. Plot details are vague, and it is unknown who Sanada will be playing.

Sanada recently starred in Zack Snyder’s Army of the Dead...

The closing movie of this year’s Tokyo International Film Festival, Hashimoto Hajime’s “Hokusai” is a biopic of the eponymous artist, whose most famous picture “The Great Wave Off Kanagawa,” has been endlessly reproduced around the world.

Rejecting the plodding literalism and smarmy sentimentalism of the usual Japanese film about local greats, “Hokusai” focuses on its subject’s rebellious youth and eccentric old age, played respectively by Yagira Yuya, winner of a Venice best actor prize, and Tanaka Min, an internationally renowned dancer who made his acting debut in Yamada Yoji ’s 2002 “The Twilight Samurai.”

“The selection as closing film has had a great impact on our sales,” says Takamatsu Miyuki, CEO of Free Stone Productions, which is repping the film at Tiffcom. “International buyers have less information than before about the value of films since many film festivals now compete online and we have a harder time getting word-of-mouth going.

Jidai-geki, chanbara or simply samurai films are probably those that gave Japanese cinema the place it occupies even now in world cinema, with the entries of Akira Kurosawa, Kihachi Okamoto, Masaki Kobayashi and many others being included among the best films of all time. However, and with few exceptions, the majority of international audience are not particularly aware of the entries in the genre that were produced after 2000. This list aims to fill this gap with 25 five great movies presented in chronological order, that cover the whole spectrum of the category, from cult and splatter to arthouse and anime and everything between.

1. Versus

Ryuhei Kitamura directs a film where action is frantic and unrelenting, blending samurai, zombies and Yakuza elements, all of which are connected through extreme gore. “Versus” is evidently low budget; however, the choreography of the swordplay, the martial arts and the gun battles are intricate and the...

The cast for the Mortal Kombat reboot continues to grow, as two new cast members have boarded the project in key roles. It's been revealed that Hiroyuki Sanada is set to portray Scorpion in the reboot, with Chin Han on board as the villainous Shang Tsung. They join an increasingly full cast that will bring the characters of the beloved video game franchise to life on the big screen in the modern, R-rated take on this immensely popular property.

According to a new report, both Chin Han and Hiroyuki Sanada have signed on for the movie. Mortal Kombat is currently in pre-production. Filming is expected to take place in Australia later this year, with horror master and blockbuster maestro James Wan on board to produce. Simon McQuoid, who is known mostly for his commercial work, is set to make his feature directorial debut. Greg Russo, who is also attached to the Resident Evil reboot,...

“Welcome Back, Tora-san,” by veteran director Yoji Yamada, has been set as the opening title of this year’s Tokyo International Film Festival. The title is a 50th anniversary instalment in the long-running “It’s Tough Being a Man” film franchise.

The “It’s Tough Being a Man” (aka “Otoko wa Tsurai yo”) films follow the travels of a kind-hearted vagabond, Torajiro Kuruma (aka Tora-san) who is always unlucky in love. Each film features a different leading lady, called a Madonna, and a different region of Japan.

There were 49 previous “Tora-san” movies, with the last appearing in 1995. “It was always very exciting to anticipate the latest work in this series every summer and New Year holiday. The ‘Tora-san’ series was a nationwide favorite, and looking back, it also captures the history of popular actresses in Japan,” said Tokyo festival director Takeo Hisamatsu.

The new film focuses on Tora-san’s nephew Mitsuo,...

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Ring (aka Ringu), Hideo Nakata's film has been fully restored and will have a limited run in over 100 theaters in the UK. Continue reading for a full list of theaters. Also in today's Horror Highlights: details on The Final Girls' short film showcase We Are the Weirdos, Dee Wallace and Courtney Gains join the cast of Await the Dawn, and Blu-ray and DVD release details for Piercing.

Ring (aka Ringu) 20th Anniversary UK Screenings: "To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Ring, a special restoration of the film will be showing at 100+ cinemas across the UK including the Prince Charles Cinema (21st Feb), and Vue, Odeon, Cineworld and Showcase Cinemas from 1st March 2019.

For a full list of showtimes, check out the official Ring website: http://ringfilm.co.uk/showtimes

Synopsis: A group of teenage friends is found dead, their bodies grotesquely contorted,...

Principal Photography has begun on Minamata, directed by filmmaker, writer, and acclaimed artist Andrew Levitas and starring three-time Academy Award® nominee and Golden Globe winner Johnny Depp as celebrated war photographer W. Eugene Smith.

Bill Nighy has joined the cast of Minamata which will co-star Minami (Vision), acclaimed actor Hiroyuki Sanada, Tadanobu Asano, Ryo Kase, and Jun Kunimura. The famed Yôko Narahashi is the casting director on the film which is currently underway in locations in Japan, Serbia, and Montenegro.

Developed by Depp’s production entity Infinitum Nihil, Depp will also produce along with Infinitum Nihil’s Sam Sarkar, Levitas under his Metalwork Pictures banner and Academy Award® nominee Gabrielle Tana. Jason Forman, Stephen Deuters, Peter Watson, Phil Hunt, Compton Ross, Gabrielle Stewart, Stephen Spence, Peter Touche, Norman Merry and Peter Hampden will executive produce. Heads of department include César Award nominated cinematographer Benoit Delhomme, production designer Tom Foden and...

Principal Photography has begun on Minamata, directed by filmmaker, writer, and acclaimed artist Andrew Levitas and starring three-time Academy Award&#174 nominee and Golden Globe winner Johnny Depp as celebrated war photographer W. Eugene Smith.

Bill Nighy has joined the cast of Minamata which will co-star Minami (Vision), acclaimed actor Hiroyuki Sanada, Tadanobu Asano, Ryo Kase, and Jun Kunimura. The famed Y&#244ko Narahashi is the casting director on the film which is currently underway in locations in Japan, Serbia, and Montenegro.

Developed by the Johnny Depp production entity Infinitum Nihil, Depp will also produce along with Infinitum Nihil's Sam Sarkar, Levitas under his Metalwork Pictures banner and Academy Award nominee Gabrielle Tana. Jason Forman, Stephen Deuters, Peter Watson, Phil Hunt, Compton Ross, Gabrielle Stewart, Stephen Spence, Peter Touche, Norman Merry and Peter Hampden will executive produce. Heads of department include C&#233sar Award nominated cinematographer Benoit Delhomme, production designer Tom Foden...

No matter how much you loved “Crazy Rich Asians” — that glittering Singapore-set spin on the princess movie, which charmed audiences to the tune of nearly a quarter of a billion dollars earlier this year — don’t be surprised when the Academy fails to give it a single above-the-line Oscar nomination. When that happens, it will no doubt inspire a dozen or more outraged editorials, as #OscarsSoWhite critics bemoan the lack of Asian talent among this year’s nominees.

Why wait? The time for such think pieces is now, especially since Hollywood’s tendency to snub Asian talent is hardly limited to studio projects. Just compare the history of Oscar’s foreign-language category to that of world cinema overall, where the influence of such Asian masters as John Woo, Wong Kar-wai, Jia Zhangke and Edward Yang has been ignored over the years. And if the organization doesn’t wake up and realize the bias,...

Director Yoji Yamada has finished production on the third film in his series “What a Wonderful Family”. The third film features returning cast from the previous productions focusing on the tribulations of the married couple in Fumie, played by Yui Natsukawa (“Zatochi” ‘Shikoku”), and Konosuke, played by Masahiko Nishimura (“Zen” “Space Brothers”).

The film was released in Japan on May 25th, 2018 and is awaiting an international release, a trailer for the film has been released.

Synopsis

At the Hirata home, three generations of their family live together. A crisis ensues when one afternoon, housewife Fumie (Yui Natsukawa) falls asleep and wakes up to find a thief has stolen her secret money she kept hidden in the refrigerator. She saved the money steadily over time. Her husband Konosuke (Masahiko Nishimura) incredulously asks “You saved up money from my earnings?” Fumie becomes upset and leaves the house. The whole family soon falls...

Hereditary is the new horror film from first time director Ari Aster that is being touted as the scariest film of 2018 and an instant horror classic. The Casual Cinecast is here let you know just how true that is without all the hype including a Spoiler Free section at the beginning for those who haven't seen the film yet!

Before we dive into Hereditary, we talk about what films and TV we've been watching recently. Chris watched the new Action/Sci-Fi film Upgrade while Justin fell down a YouTube rabbit hole of Penn & Teller's Fool Us segments! Mike revisits a modern samurai classic, The Twilight Samurai! 

Then we jump into our deep dive review of Ari Aster's Hereditary. The film stars Toni Collette, Alex Wolff, Milly Shapiro and Gabriel Byrne. It tells the story of a family who begins to have odd occurrences and events happen around them after the death of the matriarchal grandmother.

Every week, IndieWire asks a select handful of film critics two questions and publishes the results on Monday (The answer to the second, “What is the best film in theaters right now?”, can be found at the end of this post).

This past weekend saw the release of Wes Anderson’s “Isle of Dogs,” a movie that was inspired by classic Japanese cinema (even if some feel that it may ultimately have been more informed by its director’s personal worldview).

The film is littered with references to revered old masters like Akira Kurosawa, Seijun Suzuki, etc., but movie-lovers the world over may be much less familiar with the more recent history of Japanese cinema.

This week’s question: What is the best Japanese film of the 21st century?

Joshua Rothkopf (@joshrothkopf), Time Out New York

The life-long, nourishing adventure of making one’s way through Ozu, Mizoguchi, Imamura and...

Ready for some full- on Japanese sentimentality? Superlative tough guy Ken Takakura takes us deep into heartbreak territory in search of a happy ending. Yoji Yamada’s Hokkaido road epic throws together a trio of ‘drifters of the heart’ to see if they can solve each other’s romantic dilemmas.

The Yellow Handkerchief

Blu-ray

Twilight Time

1978 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / Street Date November 14, 2017 / Shiawase no kiiroi hankachi / Available from the Twilight Time Movies Store / 24.95

Starring: Ken Takakura, Chieko Baisho, Kaori Momoi, Tetsuya Takeda, Hisao Dazai, Makoto Akatsuka, Mari Okamato.

Cinematography: Tetsuo Takaha

Film Editor: Iwao Ishii

Original Music: Masaru Sato

Written by Yoji Yamada, Yoshitaka Asama

Produced by Toru Najima

Directed by Yoji Yamada

Americans can experience difficulty navigating the sometimes- confusing sphere of Japanese humor. Cartoons, children’s films, action movies often seem crude or cruel, but can also be unexpectedly delicate. And some cultural barriers are still there — nobody...

One of the very few Japanese actors to make a successful transition to Hollywood, Hiroyuki Sanada has been in the movie business for more than half a century. Sanada, 56, came to the attention of international audiences for his role as a warrior and devoted family man in Yoji Yamada’s Oscar-nominated The Twilight Samurai (2002), before appearing alongside Tom Cruise and Ken Watanabe in The Last Samurai the following year.

Despite his early martial arts training and graduating from Sonny Chiba’s Japan Action Club, his range is far wider than portrayals of Japan’s legendary swordsmen. He has appeared in films as...

By: Carson Blackwelder

Managing Editor

The greatest thing about the best foreign-language film category is the recognition of works from all around the world. Throughout the years, movies made outside the United States of America have gotten the recognition they deserve thanks to the implementation of this specific award. With the 2017 Oscars right around the corner, let’s take a look back at the distribution of nominations and wins across the seven continents that make up this big world we inhabit.

This year’s best foreign-language film contenders are: Toni Erdmann (Germany), The Salesman (Iran), Land of Mine (Denmark), A Man Called Ove (Sweden), Paradise (Russia), The King’s Choice (Norway), My Life as a Zucchini (Switzerland), It’s Only the End of the World (Canada), and Tanna (Australia). This site’s namesake, The Hollywood’s Scott Feinberg, lists the first five of those as frontrunners and the other four as major threats.

The submitted motion pictures must be first released theatrically in their respective countries between 1 October 2015 and 30 September 2016. The deadline for submissions is 3 October 2016.

During the latest years and after 2008, when Yojiro Takita’s “Departures” won the award, there has not been much success for Se Asian films. The only film from the region that made the final five nominations was the Cambodian “The Missing Picture”, by Rithy Path. It did not won though, and its primary language was French.

However, it is always interesting to find out which film each country considers its most worthy to win an Oscar, so here is the list of this year’s Se Asian nominations.

S. Korea chooses Warner Bros.

The Korean Film Council selected Age of Shadows. You can read all about it here.

Japan sends a Yojiro Takita’s film, once more.

The Motion Pictures Producers Association of Japan submitted Living with My Mother by Yojiro Takita.

Yôji Yamada’s fantasy drama selected as Japan’s nominee for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

Japan has selected Yôji Yamada’s Nagasaki: Memories Of My Son as its Best Foreign Language Film submission for this year’s Academy Awards.

The film, produced by the Asahi Broadcasting Corporation and distributed worldwide by Shochiku International, is set in 1948, in post-World War II Japan.

The drama charts the story of midwife Nobuko (Sayuri Yoshinaga) who is resolved to move on as she stands at the grave of her son Koji (Kazunari Ninomiya) who died when the Americans bombed Nagasaki. However, upon returning home, she is visited by an apparition of her son, who continues to return in order to reminisce with his mother about the past, family, affection and war.

Nagasaki, also known as Living With My Mother, which is a literal translation of its Japanese title, Haha To Kuraseba, was released...

Writer-director-actor Kudo Kankuro is an enormous favorite here at Twitch, the prodigious talent delivering a seemingly non stop string of high end oddity throughout his career. As a writer he's delivered the screenplays for cult hits Go, Ping Pong, Zebraman and others. As a performer he's worked with acclaimed directors such as Yukisada Isao and Nakashima Tetsuya. And as a director he's responsible for offbeat favorites Maruyama The Middle Schooler, Brass Knuckle Boys and Yaji & Kita: The Midnight Pilgrims. And now, after one of his frequent forays into television, Kudo returns to the big screen with musical comedy Too Young To Die.Nagase Tomoya - one of Kudo's Yaji & Kita stars - leads a cast that also includes Miyazawa Rie (The Twilight Samurai) and...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...

The 28th edition of the Tokyo International Film Festival took place from the 22th until the 31th of October in the great city of Tokyo. This ten day event is the only Japanese film festival accredited by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (Fiapf). It started in 1985 and since then it became one of the most important festival in the world. The festival offers the audience a great chance to see the very best film from around the world and bring them the best national productions.

Competition Section

Tokyo Grand Prix

Nise – O Coração da Loucura (Nise – The Heart of Madness) by Roberto Berliner – Brazil | 2015 – 109 min.

Special Jury Prize

Nous Trois ou Rien (All Three of Us) by Kheiron – France | 2015 – 102 min.

Award for Best Director

Mustafa Kara for his film Kalandar Soğuğu (Cold of Kalandar) Turkey, Hungary | 2015 – 139 min.

Award for Best Actress

Gloria Pires for the film Nise – O...

Forget English soap operas about upstairs and downstairs upheavals, Yoji Yamada's chronicle of a life in the little Tokyo house with the little red roof is an emotional grabber. It's the war years of patriotic acquiescence and home-front selfishness -- and a secret, forbidden romance. The Little House (Chiisai ouchi) Twilight Time Savant Blu-ray Review Limited Edition 2014 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 136 min. / Chiisai ouchi / Ship Date August 11, 2015 / available through Twilight Time Movies / 29.95  Starring Takaku Matsu, Haru Kuroki, Takataro Kataoka, Hidetaka Yoshioka, Satoshi Tsumabuki, Chieko Baisho Cinematography Masashi Chikamori Art Direction Mitsuo Degawa, Daisuke Sue Film Editor Iwao Ishii Original Music Joe Hisashi Written by Yoji Yamada, Emiko Hiramatsu, Kyoko Nakajima Produced by Tadashi Ohsumi Directed by Yoji Yamada

Reviewed by Glenn Erickson

When Twilight Time brings out a disc not licensed from a major studio, I pay special attention. Last year they released a good Yoji Yamada film called The Twilight Samurai,...

Twilight Time is celebrating its 4th anniversary with a major promotion that sees some of their limited edition titles reduced in price through April 3. These are the titles on sale.

Group 1

Retail price point: $24.95

Picnic

Pal Joey

Bite The Bullet

Bell, Book, And Candle

Bye Bye Birdie

In Like Flint

Major Dundee

The Blue Max

Crimes And Misdemeanors

Used Cars

Thunderbirds Are Go / Thunderbird 6

Group 2

Retail price point: $19.95

Rapture

Roots Of Heaven

Swamp Water

Demetrius And The Gladiators

Desiree

The Wayward Bus

Cover Girl

High Time

The Sound And The Fury

The Rains Of Ranchipur

Bonjour Tristesse

Beloved Infidel

Lost Horizon

The Blue Lagoon

Experiment In Terror

Nicholas And Alexandra

Pony Soldier

The Song Of Bernadette

Philadelphia

The Only Game In Town

Love Is A Many Splendored Thing

Sleepless In Seattle

The Disappearance

Sexy Beast

Drums Along The Mohawk

Alamo Bay

The Other

Mindwarp

Jane Eyre

Oliver

The Way We Were...

By Anjelica Oswald

Managing Editor

The nine foreign-language films shortlisted by the Academy hail from three continents: South America, Europe and Africa. From South America, Argentina’s Wild Tales and Venezuela’s The Liberator made the list. From Africa, Mauritania’s Timbuktu did as well. From Europe, Estonia’s Tangerines, Georgia’s Corn Island, the Netherlands’ Accused, Poland’s Ida, Russia’s Leviathan and Sweden’s Force Majeure all made the top nine.

This year could mark the first Oscar nomination for Estonia, Georgia, Mauritania (whose film was the country’s first Oscar-submitted film) and Venezuela. Argentina, the Netherlands, Poland and Sweden have each received two Oscar nominations in the past 14 years. Of those four countries, Argentina is the only one to win an Oscar, which it did in 2010 for The Secret in Their Eyes. If Russia lands a nomination, it will be the country’s second in the 21st century.

Blu-ray Release Date: Nov. 11, 2014

Price: Blu-ray $29.95

Studio: Twilight Time

Hiroyuki Sanada is The Twilight Samurai

The 2002 drama-romance The Twilight Samurai—that’s right, there’s not a whole lot of action in this one—was written and directed by veteran Japanese filmmaker Yoji Yamada.

Set in mid-19th Century Japan a few years before the Meiji Restoration, the movie follows the life of Seibei Iguchi (Hiroyuki Sanada), a low-ranking samurai widower employed as a bureaucrat. Poor, but not destitute, he still manages to lead a content and happy life with his daughters and senile mother. But through an unfortunate turn of events, the turbulent times conspire against him…

Nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film at the 76th Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, The Twilight Samurai fared better in its homeland, where it won an unprecedented 12 Japanese Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor,...

There are few films as revered and respected as Ozu Yasujiro’s 1953 “Tokyo Story”, regularly selected by critics the world over as one of the very best, a masterful and quietly searching examination of post-war Japanese family values and anxieties. Remaking such a classic isn’t something to have been taken lightly, and “Tokyo Family” is itself somewhat of a special occasion, having been made to mark the 50th anniversary of Ozu’s death, and the 60th anniversary of the film’s release, as well as the 50th anniversary of acclaimed director Yamada Yoji (“The Twilight Samurai”), who here takes up the reins of what has been described as an homage or update. The film stays close to the structure and basic narrative of the original, though with a few alterations, beginning with retired teacher Shukichi (Hashizume Isao, “I Wish”) and his wife Tomiko (Yoshiyuki Kazuko, “Departures”) arriving in Tokyo...

Tons of new casting additions were revealed today for the two sequels to 2012's Rurouni Kenshin. As the two sequel films will deal with the Oniwabanshū, most of the announced roles are for the undercover agents of the Tokugawa era. Min Tanaka (The Twilight Samurai) will portray Okina. Musician Kazufumi Miyazawa will play Toshimichi Ōkubo. Yukiyoshi Ozawa (The Hidden Blade) will portray Hirobumi Itō. Kaito Ōyagi will replace Taketo Tanaka as Yahiko Myōjin in the sequels. Japanese model Maryjun Takahashi will portray the femme-fatale and Shishio love interest, Yumi Komagata. Ryōsuke Miura(Kamen Rider Ooo) will portray Sawagejō Chō. Filming on the two sequels, which will both be released next summer, is already underway. Previously, it was announced that Tatsuya Fujiwara (Light Yagami in Death Note) would portray Kenshin's chief rival, Shishio Makoto. Ryunosuke Kamiki (Big Man Japan, Summer Wars) will play...