News

Takashi Miike is a prolific Japanese filmmaker with over 100 films and television production credits. Now in his 60s, he is still making movies just as vibrant and outlandish as ever, often filled with grotesque violence. In 2017, he made the feature-length adaptation of Hiroaki Samura’s popular manga series, “Blade of the Immortal” (Original title: Mugen no jûninc). Miike’s samurai action film follows the immortal samurai Manji, who decides to help orphaned Rin Asano seek revenge against those who brutally killed her parents. Takuya Kimura stars in the central role of Manji whereas Hana Sugisaki plays vengeful Rin Asano. The film is available to stream on Netflix in select countries.

Spoilers Ahead

Blade of the Immortal (2017) Plot Summary & Movie Synopsis:

Takashi Miike’s “Blade of the Immortal” follows immortal fighter Manji helping Rin Asano seek vengeance for the sudden, unfortunate death of her parents. It’s a Samurai action thriller...

Based on the novel “Jimenshitachi” by Ko Shinjo, “Tokyo Swindlers” implements one of the current “TV” favorite tropes, focusing on a group of swindlers, impressing, though, particularly with its outstanding cast.

Click the image below to follow our Tribute to Netflix

In the first of the seven episodes, we are mostly introduced to the group of swindlers the story focuses on. Harrison Yamanaka is the leader of the group, a notorious land swindler, who has some dealings with the authorities in the past, as veteran investigator Tatsu narrates to his junior Kuramochi, but has managed to remain unscathed for the most part. Takumi Tsujimoto is Yamanaka’s prodigy and right hand, a man who was convinced to join him after hitting rock bottom due to the actions of another land swindler in the past. Tsujimoto has his own assistant in hacker Nagai, and seems to be intensely loyal to his benefactor.

Tokyo Swindlers is a Japanese crime drama series written and directed by Hitoshi One. The Netflix series follows the story of a group of real estate scammers as they attempt an impossible scam of 10 billion yen while being constantly pursued by the police. Tokyo Swindlers stars Go Ayano, Etsushi Toyokawa, Kazuki Kitamura, Eiko Koike, Pierre Taki, Shota Sometani, Izumi Matsuoka, Kaito Yoshimura, Anthony, and Satoru Matsuo. Tokyo Swindlers is a fast-paced thrill ride with great characters and an interesting story, so if you loved the series on Netflix here are some similar shows you could watch next.

Sneaky Pete (Prime Video) Credit – Amazon Prime Video

Sneaky Pete is a crime drama series created by David Shore and Bryan Cranston. The Prime Video series follows the story of Marius Josipović, a con artist as he finds himself being pursued by some very dangerous people after getting out of prison. Soon, he...

For all the live-action manga/anime adaptations of popular properties, it is nice to see filmmakers give lesser-known works the cinematic treatment. Yama Wayama's manga series “Let's Go Karaoke!” while not on the same level of popularity as other comedic illustrated works, has garnered a positive reception in Japan and internationally. Surely, the strange yet humorous concept of the head of a high school choir giving singing lessons to a pitiful yakuza lieutenant could be solidly translated to film, especially in the hands of a talented filmmaker like Nobuhiro Yamashita, best known for his critically acclaimed feature “Linda Linda Linda.” Sadly, “Let's Go Karaoke!” is a movie that accomplishes the unfortunate feat of being both a lackluster comedy and a poorly conceived drama.

Let's Go Karaoke! is screening at Nippon Connection

One day, yakuza member Kyoji Narita is strolling through the rainy streets when he is drawn to the...

As unrealistic as zombie apocalypses are, the main character in Netflix’s movie 100 Zom: Bucket List of the Dead is easy to relate to. At the start of this live-action adaptation of Haro Asō’s manga, Akira Tendō (Eiji Akaso) is annoyingly chipper as he starts his new job. Soon enough, though, reality hits Akira like a bullet train, and he becomes yet another exploited employee at his workplace. While his misery appears to be eternal, Akira is eventually given a second chance at life as a zombie virus overwhelms the world.

Upon learning of mankind’s fate, one caused by a mysterious and contagious virus, Akira is ecstatic. He doesn’t have to go to work anymore now that most everyone is either dead or zombified. As inappropriate as his first reaction seems, the story prefaces the chaos with enough evidence of why someone like Akira would rejoice in such a dire situation.

A live-action film based on the Japanese manga Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead is set to be released through the Netflix streaming service on August 3rd, and with that date swiftly approaching a trailer for the film has arrived online. You can check it out in the embed above.

Directed by Yûsuke Ishida from a screenplay by Tatsuro Mishima, based on the manga written by Haro Aso and illustrated by Kotaro Takata, Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead has the following synopsis: Akira Tendo works at an exploitative company where he suffers endless hours and harassment from his boss. Spending more days feeling dead than alive, he awakes to discover his town has been devastated and overtaken by zombies and suddenly feels excited at the prospect of not needing to go to the office anymore. After witnessing an older co-worker he looked up to become a zombie,...

Nowadays, crime movies are often very action-oriented, aiming more for spectacular thrills than necessarily a compelling mystery, sometimes even as competition against special effects-heavy blockbusters. Not that there is anything wrong with that. Yet, it seems today, many of these features are a far cry from the good old days of mystery films. Pictures that keep viewers guessing what is going to happen next while maintaining overwhelming suspense with a slow yet effective pace. Yet, occasionally, some films harken back to the classic noir atmosphere and with grounded realism. After all, everyone loves a good mystery. A good example is Dave Boyle's “Man from Reno,” which weaves a unique cross-cultural communication story while also being a superb neo-noir.

on Amazon by clicking on the image below

Filmmaker and writer Dave Boyle is generally known for directing comedies and dramas. Just look at “The Surrogate Valentine Trilogy,...

Adapted from the ongoing manga novel series published in 2020 written by Akio Fukamachi and illustrated by Iizuka Keita, this live-action version stars former member of the Japanese boy band,V6, Junichi Okada. Known for his support acting role as Omura in “The Last Samurai” (2003), Harada also directed Okada in two historical films “Sekigahara” (2017) and “Baragak: Broken Samurai” (2021). Furthermore, Okada was in “The Fable” (2019) and its sequel “The Fable: the Killer Who Doesn't Kill” (2021).

The plot of “Hell Dogs” centers around Goro Idejuki (Junichi Okada), a young rookie cop. Devastated and traumatized after the brutal killing of the supermarket girl he loves during a robbery, he turns rogue and with only vengeance planted on his mind, he seeks the murderers out one by one and kills them. A killing spree which took him over ten years to complete. After turning himself in to the police, Chief Anai of the Metropolitan Criminal...

Hell Dogs is a Japanese action movie adaptation of the 2017 manga novel of same title by Akio Fukamachi. The film is written and directed by Masato Harada, starring Junichi Okada, Kentaro Sakaguchi and Mayu Matsuoka.

Premise

The police officer Shogo Kanetaka, suffers from trauma when his loved one was murdered. All Shogo has on his his mind now is revenge. He then receives an order to go undercover as a yakuza member. The police instructs Shogo to pick a fight with yakuza member Hideki Murooka as a stepping stone to gain entrance into the organization. The police have data that shows Shogo is matched with Hideki 98. Meanwhile, Hideki is the son of a death-row convict. He has a physical condition, where is he always hungry and constantly eating. Also, neither her nor the yakuza can control his emotions.

Director

Masato Harada

Cast

Junichi Okada / Shogo Kanetaka

Kentaro Sakaguchi / Hideki Murooka...

It must be great fun to use one own’s family name to create the legend of a famous samurai who fought demons 1000 years ago, with power-bearing descendants to carry on with his heroic deeds in present times. It is equally conspicuous that Yusuke Watanabe had a blast re-creating the world of Yokai which aged well due to Takashi Miike’s previous take on creatures from the Japanese folklore and mythology: “The Great Yokai War (2005)” is still as exciting to watch as it was 15 years ago, and it stands out as one of the best fantasy films ever made.

“The Great Yokai War: Guardians” is screening at Toronto Japanese Film Festival

If there could be any talk of change in quality between the original movie and its sequel, it can be frankly attributed to one technical aspect only (although the great job was also done back in 2005). The special effects...

Movies that stem from series are actually quite a normal phenomenon in the Japanese entertainment industry, with both anime and TV series franchises frequently indulging in the practice. “Signal The Movie” comes as a continuation of the Fuji TV series “Signal” itself a remake of the South Korean drama of the same name, written by Kim Eun-hee

Buy

Movies that stem from series are actually quite a normal phenomenon in the Japanese entertainment industry, with both anime and TV series franchises frequently indulging in the practice. “Signal The Movie” comes as a continuation of the three seasons of “Cold Case”, which is actually a remake of the homonymous US title.

This last part allows Hajime Hashimoto to make a comment about corruption, which actually takes place in both arcs, adding more contextual depth but also analyzing further the protagonists, with their will to fight against authority highlighting their character but...

Movies that stem from series are actually quite a normal phenomenon in the Japanese entertainment industry, with both anime and TV series franchises frequently indulging in the practice. “Signal The Movie” comes as a continuation of the three seasons of “Cold Case”, which is actually a remake of the homonymous US title.

Buy

The title’s basis and the one that sets it apart (to a point at least), is that two present-day detectives, Kento Saegusa and his superior, Misaki Sakurai, are in communication with a policeman from 2009, Takeshi Oyama, via walkie-talkies that actually work without batteries. In the movie, the case Saegusa and Sakurai get involved in, concerns the death of a high-ranking government official who is killed when his chauffeur loses control on an expressway. Saegusa suspects it was far from accidental, while it is soon revealed that a neurotoxin and the remaining members of a cult that...

American Cinema Editors announced the new date and venue for the 72nd annual Ace Eddie Awards, which will now take place on March 5 at 4 p.m. at the Theater at the Ace Hotel, with nominations being announced on Jan. 27.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with the Theater at the Ace Hotel for the 72nd annual Ace Eddie Awards,” said Ace executive director Jenni McCormick. “With added precautions due to the spike of Covid numbers, we are planning for a 50 percent capacity in-person event, as the safety of all attendees is of the utmost importance to us…”

A full list of categories for the Ace Eddie Awards include best edited feature film (dramatic), best edited feature film (comedy), best edited animated feature film, best edited animated series, best edited documentary (feature), best edited documentary (non-theatrical), best editing of a variety talk/sketch show or special, best edited multi-camera comedy series,...

The long-awaited feature film adaptation of the popular Japanese crime series and based on the acclaimed South Korean masterpiece drama, Signal The Movie Cold Case Investigation Unit, will be released on Blu-ray+DVD combo pack and digital download on March 15, 2022 from Eleven Arts and Shout! Factory. Directed by renowned filmmaker Hajime Hashimoto, Signal is a masterfully crafted suspense thriller that combines stylish visuals, captivating narrative, and edge-of-your-seat action in equal measures. The film features the movie theme song “Film Out” by international K-Pop sensation BTS. The song was written by BTS member Jungkook, in collaboration with the lead vocalist of Japanese rock band back number, Iyori Shimizu, and produced by back number and UTA for Tiny Voice Production.

Available for the first time in North America, the highly collectible Signal The Movie Cold Case Investigation Unit Blu-ray+DVD combo pack boasts an exciting, action-packed movie presentation. A must-own for BTS fans,...

A cavalcade of creatures from Japanese folklore come alive in “The Great Yokai War: Guardian,” a hugely enjoyable fantasy-adventure directed by the famously prolific and supremely versatile Takashi Miike. Starring amazingly talented child actors Kokoro Terada and Rei Inomata as brothers summonsed by peace-loving spirits to stop an angry demon from engaging in the time-honored Japanese monster movie tradition of destroying Tokyo, this smashing piece of young-adult entertainment should be a big hit in Japan, where it’s sure to get plenty of love from older adults as well. With its standout visuals and uplifting messages about trust, friendship and acceptance, “Guardians” should attract the interest of specialized overseas distributors following its international premiere as the closing-night attraction of Fantasia 2021.

Miike is most closely associated with extremely violent crime stories such as “Audition” and blood-soaked costume action-thrillers like “Blade of the Immortal.” Less well known outside Japan are his family-friendly hits such as “Ninja Kids!

It must be great fun to use one own’s family name to create the legend of a famous samurai who fought demons 1000 years ago, with power-bearing descendants to carry on with his heroic deeds in present times. It is equally conspicuous that Yusuke Watanabe had a blast re-creating the world of Yokai which aged well due to Takashi Miike’s previous take on creatures from the Japanese folklore and mythology: “The Great Yokai War (2005)” is still as exciting to watch as it was 15 years ago, and it stands out as one of the best fantasy films ever made.

The Great Yokai War: Guardians is screening at Japan Cuts

If there could be any talk of change in quality between the original movie and its sequel, it can be frankly attributed to one technical aspect only (although the great job was also done back in 2005). The special effects of today are simply more advanced,...

Relying on the field of history within a film can be a double-edged sword, for the success of such an endeavor may shed some much needed or new light into a country’s past and present, but can also fall flat when the focus is too much on pathos and the understanding of events on a superficial level. In his home country of South Korea, director Won Shin-yeon’s film “The Battle: Roar to Victory” has already been one of the commercially most successful films of his career. Given his previous films, such as “The Suspect”, the director has proven his predilection for the genre film while also exploring interesting topics within Korean society, for example, the troubled relationship with North Korea.

“The Battle: Roar to Victory” will screen at Florence Korea Film Fest 2020

At the core of “The Battle: Roar to Victory”, we have one of the most important...

With the number of adaptations Miike has dealt with in his filmography, it would be a surprise if he did not deal with a video game one. “Yakuza”, a 2005 Playstation 2 game provided a great opportunity considering its theme and aesthetics, and Miike did the most of it, coming up with one of the best video game adaptations I have ever seen on screen, even managing to tame his own absurdness, to a degree at least.

The story unfolds during a single, very hot night in Kamurocho (the video game’s version of Kabukicho) and revolves around five different axes that eventually collide. Imanichi and Nakanishi try to rob a bank but their ways are more of a comedy duo than of robbers and thus they end up taking the clerks and the customers of the bank as hostages despite their initial plan. In a building next door,...

It’s sometime in the 90’s (according to Miike – year 199X), and the Osaka’s shabby neighborhood is impatiently waiting for the live transmission of the match of the year from the Tokyo dome – a mixed martial vent featuring the Bantam-weight boxing champion Kazuyoshi Tamai (Kyosuke Yabe) and the wrestling champion Takeshi Hamada. It is announced that it will be a dirty game with no rules, with all tricks allowed, a reason more for the crowd to get frantic about it. As men start placing bets on the winner, the fighters are preparing for their first clash ever, making sure their hidden trumps will cause the painful damage to the opponent.

Based on Seijun Ninomiya’s novel of the same name (adapted by Masa Nakamura) which was inspired by the true Japanese fighting legends Hidekazu Akai and Akira Maeda, Miike Takashi’s “The Way to Fight” is...

In the perhaps golden period of Miike at the beginning of the second millennium, where he already consolidated his cult following, comes “Man in White”, divided into two parts: “Bloody Battle of Lions” and “Requiem for the Lion”. There is a single international cut condensed in 150 minutes, but make sure to watch the first and second parts separately to delve deeper into the film and the characters that are presented to us.

The protagonist, Asuza, is a yakuza – always dressed in white – raised in the streets in a setting of tragedy marked by the death of his parents. The father is killed by his stepbrother, and the mother subsequently commits suicide. The feeling of guilt tortures Azusa while leaning on the father figure of his boss. Sadly, fate will play tricks again, when his superior dies suddenly murdered in his presence. The man in white will search the killer obsessively,...

Now entering its 13th year, Japan Cuts: Festival of New Japanese Film returns to present the best new movies made in and around Japan and the filmmakers and performers who made them, all appearing in New York for the first time, with many North American and International Premieres. Set for July 19 to 28, the 2019 edition will feature nearly 30 feature films, ranging from box-office smashes to breakout indie debuts, and includes spotlights on documentary cinema, experimental animation, short films and recent restorations and rediscoveries of classic Japanese favorites.

The full schedule will be released on June 11, when tickets go on sale to Japan Society members. Tickets will go on sale to the public on June 18.

This year, the festival’s Centerpiece Presentation on Wednesday, July 24 is the East Coast Premiere of Killing, a subversive samurai drama from influential cult director Shinya Tsukamoto that the filmmaker has described as a “scream” in response...

Now entering its 13th year, Japan Cuts: Festival of New Japanese Film returns to present the best new movies made in and around Japan and the filmmakers and performers who made them, all appearing in New York for the first time, with many North American and International Premieres. Set for July 19 to 28, the 2019 edition will feature nearly 30 feature films, ranging from box-office smashes to breakout indie debuts, and includes spotlights on documentary cinema, experimental animation, short films and recent restorations and rediscoveries of classic Japanese favorites.

The full schedule will be released on June 11, when tickets go on sale to Japan Society members. Tickets will go on sale to the public on June 18.

This year, the festival’s Centerpiece Presentation on Wednesday, July 24 is the East Coast Premiere of Killing, a subversive samurai drama from influential cult director Shinya Tsukamoto that the filmmaker has described as a “scream” in response...

HBO Asia’s “Folklore” is a six-episode, hour-long series that takes place across six Asian countries – Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. Each episode is based on a country’s deeply-rooted myths and folklore, featuring supernatural beings and occult beliefs. The respective episodes are helmed by a director from that country and filmed locally in the country’s primary language. In the particular segment, Takumi Saitoh deals with the myth of the tatami ghost, one of the most famous Japanese “legends”.

Folklore is available to Us subscribers on HBO Now®, HBO Go®, HBO On Demand and partners’ streaming platforms

Makoto Kishi, a mute murder scene writer whose mentality is unstable to say the least, return to his home for his father’s funeral, and the past hits him quite hard with a number of shocking memories emerging in his head. At the same time, he discovers a secret door...

Hideki Takeuchi seems to be making a career out of people jumping into the real world from another “dimension”, and after the two “Thermae Romae” and the Roman in contemporary Japan, he directs a story of a movie character coming to life in Japan in the 60’s. Let us take things from the beginning, though.

Tonight, at the Movies is part of the 2019 Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme

Kenji is a struggling assistant director during the 60’s, when the industry in Japan experienced a significant decline due to popularity of TV, who tries to make it happen but is, in essence, just an errand boy. Furthermore, he is a workaholic, whose long-hours occasionally lead him into making blunders, just like when he spills paint all over the costume of the company’s star, Ryonosuke Shundo. In his quite hard life, the only source of true enjoyment comes from a theatre...

“Ley Lines” (1999) is the final part in Takashi Miike’s thematically connected “Black Society Trilogy” of crime dramas that began with “Shinjuku Triad Society” (1995) and continued with “Rainy Dog” (1997). As with those films, Miike’s eyes are once again fixed firmly on the underclass of immigrants, prostitutes and criminals who are struggling to survive in the hostile environment they find themselves in.

Buy This Title

The film follows three young men of Chinese descent living in a rural part in Japan. Ryuichi (Kazuki Kitamura) is struggling to get his immigration papers due to being on probation. He decides to leave his small hometown and travel to Tokyo to seek his fortune. He is joined by his friend Chan (Tomorowo Taguchi), a fellow gang member, and his younger brother Shun (Michisuke Kashiwaya), a keen student and less inclined to violence.

After their arrival the three men run into a prostitute, Anita...

The popular Summer Explorers free film season returns! From puppetoon animation to Samurai comedy, and a film version of Japan’s mega hit TV drama, there is something to suit all ages and tastes. Sunday, 12 August 2018: Courthouse Hotel Cinema, London

“His Master’s Voice” by Hiroyuki Itaya

Set in the Edo Period, Sadakichi (Nayuta Fukuzaki) returns home to take a holiday from his work after being bullied there. In order to cheer up their little son, his parents ask their gloomy looking neighbour, Taihei (Taihei Hayashiya), a former Rakugo storyteller, to give a performance for him. Sadakichi is deeply moved by his performance and hopes to become Taihei’s apprentice.

“Giovanni’s Island” by Mizuho Nishikubo th of the most devastating conflict mankind had ever experienced, the tiny island of Shikotan became part of the Sakhalin Oblast. On the unhealed border in this remote corner of the world, friendship...

Integration and second opportunities are only two of the ideas that director Daihachi Yoshida has included in his multifaceted latest movie. Based on Tatsuhiko Yamagami and Mikio Igarashi’s manga Hitsuji no Ki (羊の木), “The Scythian Lamb“ won the Kim Ji Seok award at the 2017 Busan International Film Festival and subsequently has been well received in many important Festivals.

Scythian Lamb is screening at the 17th New York Asian Film Festival

The title itself is cryptic and opened to many interpretations; the Vegetable Lamb of Tartary (Agnus Scythicus) is a legendary zoophyte of Central Asia, believed to grow sheep as fruit. The sheep were connected to the plant by an umbilical cord and grazed the grass around the plant. When the food was gone or – in other versions of the legend – when the cord was severed, both the plant and sheep died. An intriguing and slightly disturbing myth, just like the tone of the movie.

Horror anthology series will consist of six one-hour episodes.

Japanese actor Kazuki Kitamura and Malaysia’s Bront Palarae are starring in HBO Asia’s new horror anthology Folklore, which is in production.

Six leading Asian directors are each shooting one hour-long episode of the original series, including Joko Anwar (Indonesia), Takumi Saitoh (Japan), Lee Sang-Woo (Korea), Ho Yuhang (Malaysia), Eric Khoo (Singapore) and Pen-Ek Ratanaruang (Thailand).

Kitamura, whose credits include Godzilla: Final Wars and Kill Bill: Volumes 1 & 2, will star in the episode directed by Saitoh, a well-known Japanese actor who recently starred in Khoo’s Ramen Teh.

Palarae (Halfwords, Satan...

Japanese actor Kazuki Kitamura is set to star in HBO Asia's forthcoming original horror anthology <em>Folklore</em>. 

A six-part hourlong series set in various locations across Asia, <em>Folklore</em> has already begun principle photography and is targeting a premiere later this year on HBO Asia's TV and digital platforms.

Joining Kitamura in the cast is Malaysian actor Bront Palarae, co-star of the earlier HBO Asia original <em>Halfworlds</em>.

<em>Folklore</em> was created by leading Singaporean filmmaker Eric Khoo. Each episode of the anthology will explore a different ghost story or horror tradition from a different Asian country, "exploring societal dysfunctions in a manner that ...

On February 13th, an immortal samurai's vengeance can be yours to own. Takashi Miike's centennial film Blade of the Immortal is coming to Blu-ray and DVD courtesy of Magnolia Home Entertainment, and it comes with five special features. Continue reading for specs and a look at the red band trailer in case you missed it.

Blu-ray.com reports that Blade of the Immortal, Takashi Miike's 100th film, will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on February 13th from Magnolia Home Entertainment. The Blu-ray release will include the following special features:

Manji vs. 300 - Featurette Takuya Kimura Interview Cast Interviews Poster Gallery Original Trailers

Synopsis: "Cursed with immortality, a highly skilled samurai in feudal Japan promises to help a young woman avenge the death of her parents. Their mission leads them into a bloody battle with a ruthless warrior and his band of master swordsmen."

Directed by Takashi Miike and...

Over the better part of three decades, filmmaker Takashi Miike has dazzled viewers with bold cinematic visions like 13 Assassins, Audition, and Ichi the Killer. Now, for his 100th film, Miike shows us the high body count that comes from a warrior who can't die in Blade of the Immortal, and we've been provided with an exclusive look at the alternative poster for the film.

You can check out the stylish slashes on the exclusive alternative poster below, and keep an eye out for Blade of the Immortal in theaters this November from Magnet Releasing.

Synopsis: "Manji, a highly skilled samurai, becomes cursed with immortality after a legendary battle. Haunted by the brutal murder of his sister, Manji knows that only fighting evil will regain his soul. He promises to help a young girl named Rin avenge her parents, who were killed by a group of master swordsmen led by ruthless warrior Anotsu.

Based on the manga series of the same name by Hiroaki Samura, Takashi Miike’s Blade Of The Immortal follows “an immortal swordsman who will not be able to lift his curse of everlasting life until 1000 evildoers feel the cut of his steel.”

Samurai Manji has taken a lot of lives, both innocent and guilty, and now lives life in feudal Japan as a criminal. After being cursed with immortality until he kills enough evil men, Manji meets a young girl who enlists him to be her body-guard. Swearing loyalty, protection and vengeance against the group of sword fighters who slaughtered her family, the unlikely duo set on a remarkable quest to make right against those who did them wrong.

Starring Hana Sugisaki, Ebizô Ichikawa, Sôta Fukushi, Hayato Ichihara, Erika Toda, Kazuki Kitamura, Min Tanaka, Takuya Kimura and Tsutomu Yamazaki, Blade Of The Immortal hits Us cinemas on 3rd November...

Based on the manga series of the same name by Hiroaki Samura, Takashi Miike’s Blade Of The Immortal follows “an immortal swordsman who will not be able to lift his curse of everlasting life until 1000 evildoers feel the cut of his steel.”

Samurai Manji has taken a lot of lives, both innocent and guilty, and now lives life in feudal Japan as a criminal. After being cursed with immortality until he kills enough evil men, Manji meets a young girl who enlists him to be her body-guard. Swearing loyalty, protection and vengeance against the group of sword fighters who slaughtered her family, the unlikely duo set on a remarkable quest to make right against those who did them wrong.

Starring Hana Sugisaki, Ebizô Ichikawa, Sôta Fukushi, Hayato Ichihara, Erika Toda, Kazuki Kitamura, Min Tanaka, Takuya Kimura and Tsutomu Yamazaki, Blade Of The Immortal hits Us cinemas on 3rd November...

From RedBand.Ca, Sneak Peek the restricted 'red band' trailer supporting director Takashi Miike's live-action "Blade Of The Immortal" Japanese 'jidaigeki' action feature, starring Takuya Kimura, Hana Sugisaki, Sōta Fukushi, Hayato Ichihara,Erika Toda,Kazuki Kitamura, Chiaki Kuriyama, Shinnosuke Mitsushima, Ichikawa Ebizō XI, Min Tanaka and Tsutomu Yamazaki, adapting the 'manga' comics series by Hiroaki Samura:

"....'Manji' is a samurai who apparently cannot be killed by any injury.

"He crosses paths with 'Rin Asano', whose parents were killed by a group of master swordsmen...

"...and promises to avenge their deaths..."

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Blade Of The Immortal"....

"There is a man somewhere in edo who will never die." Magnet Releasing has debuted a badass, bloody new red band trailer for Takashi Miike's Blade of the Immortal, being billed as the "100th film" from the Japanese filmmaker. Adapted from a manga of the same name, it's about an immortal samurai who has to kill 1000 evil men in order to regain his mortality after being hired to protect a young girl. Starring Hana Sugisaki, Ebizô Ichikawa, Sôta Fukushi, Hayato Ichihara, Erika Toda, Kazuki Kitamura, Min Tanaka, Takuya Kimura and Tsutomu Yamazaki. The film first premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and is also playing at Fantastic Fest this fall. I interviewed Takashi Miike at Cannes, talking about violence and more. This has some seriously awesome action, and a totally weird, wild story. As expected from Miike. Here's the newest red band trailer for Takashi Miike's Blade of the Immortal,...

"We are here to remove you." Feast your eyes on this! HanWay Films has debuted a new official trailer for Takashi Miike's Blade of the Immortal, which is premiering at the Cannes Film Festival this week. This is technically Miike's 100th film (!!) and it's another samurai, sword fighting epic. Adapted from a manga of the same name, it's about an immortal samurai who has to kill 1000 evil men in order to regain his mortality after being hired to protect a girl. Starring Hana Sugisaki, Ebizô Ichikawa, Sôta Fukushi, Hayato Ichihara, Erika Toda, Kazuki Kitamura, Min Tanaka, Takuya Kimura and Tsutomu Yamazaki. I actually just saw this film a few hours ago and it's badass, with some truly epic fights involving hundreds of samurais. It's violent, and bloody, and funny at times, with gorgeous sets and costumes. Take a look below. Here's the new official trailer for Takashi Miike's Blade of the Immortal,...

Sari's kittens in Ceyda Torun's KEDi, her sharp-eyed documentary on what it means to be a cat in present day Istanbul.

Cat people Michael Haneke, Haruki Murakami, Isabelle Huppert in Paul Verhoeven's Elle and Mia Hansen-Løve's Things To Come, and Emmanuel Bourdieu's Bébert in Louis-Ferdinand Céline, Kazuki Kitamura and Tamanojo in Takeshi Watanabe and Yoshitaka Yamaguchi's Samurai Cat (Neko zamurai), Robert De Niro favourite Lil Bub of Lil Bub & Friendz, and Sebastián Lelio when he spoke on Gloria, are the supporting cast in my conversation with Ceyda Torun at the Bowery Hotel in New York.

On following Sari - on her level: "It's all the nimble handiwork of Charlie Wuppermann, my cinematographer, and Alp Korfalı, who is a local, great cinematographer himself."

KEDi is a carefully and joyfully assembled collage of our interspecies interactions. Istanbul is cat city. They arrived thousands of years ago and...

To celebrate the release of Takashi Miike’s Black Society Trilogy - out on DVD & Blu-Ray from 16th January – we are giving away a Blu-ray copy courtesy of Arrow Video!

After several years spent working almost exclusively in the direct-to-video world of “V-cinema” in Japan, Takashi Miike announced himself as a world-class filmmaking talent with this trio of thematically-connected, character-centric crime stories about violence, the underworld of Japanese society, families both real and surrogate, and the possibly hopeless task of finding one’s place in the world. His first films made specifically for theatrical release, and his first for a major studio, the Black Society Trilogy was the beginning of Miike’s mature career as a filmmaker and they remain among the prolific director’s finest works.

Set in the bustling Kabuki-cho nightlife neighborhood of Tokyo, Shinjuku Triad Society follows a mixed-race cop (Kippei Shiina, Outrage) struggling with private issues...

For over two decades, director Takashi Miike has garnered equal parts acclaim and controversy for his films due to their violent, often disturbing content. In recent years, Miike has become especially prolific, often directing one or two films per year. Next year, he will release his new action film “Blade of the Immortal,” about a warrior cursed with immortality who cannot free himself unless he kills 1,000 evil men. Based on the manga by the same name, the film stars Hana Sugisaki, Ebizô Ichikawa, Sôta Fukushi, Hayato Ichihara, Erika Toda, Kazuki Kitamura, Min Tanaka, Takuya Kimura and Tsutomu Yamazaki. Watch a very brief teaser trailer below.

Read More: Cannes Review: Takashi Miike Buys License For Next Five Duds With Transcendently Batsh*t ‘Yakuza Apocalypse’

Miike first garnered international fame with his 1999 romantic horror film “Audition,” about a widower who auditions women to become his next wife only for one to turn the tables on him.

More Miike! A very, very brief teaser trailer has debuted for the latest Takashi Miike film, an adaptation of a manga about an immortal samurai. Blade of the Immortal, originally Mugen no jûnin in Japanese, is about a samurai who has to kill 1000 evil men in order to regain his mortality. Starring Hana Sugisaki, Ebizô Ichikawa, Sôta Fukushi, Hayato Ichihara, Erika Toda, Kazuki Kitamura, Min Tanaka, Takuya Kimura and Tsutomu Yamazaki. Based on the concept (and final shot in this) alone, it reminds me of 13 Assassins, which is one of Miike's best action movies. I wish there was more to see, but I'm sure we'll get more trailers before April. No Us release is set yet, but hopefully it'll be out in 2017 in the Us, too. Here's the first brief teaser trailer (+ poster) for Takashi Miike's Blade of the Immortal, from YouTube: Blade of the Immortal is about "an...

Mo Brothers' KillersSTORY60%DIRECTION70%ACTING70%VISUALS70%POSITIVESGreat protagonistsImpressive visualsAccomplished directionNEGATIVESThe main concept could be presented betterA bit too lengthyLagging at times2016-08-1568%Overall ScoreReader Rating: (0 Votes)0%

Mo Brothers took a radical turn in their career after their first film, “Macabre,” which was a low-budget slasher, with “Killers,” an Indonesian-Japanese co-production with a big budget that resulted in a stylized thriller.

The story takes place at two places at the same time. In Japan, Nomura Shohei is a seemingly charming executive with a very dark side. His “hobby” is to capture, torture, and record women in his house, on videos he later uploads on the Internet. As he roams the streets in his car one night, he witnesses a young woman, Hisae, trying to kill her autistic brother by throwing him in front of a passing car, regretting the last moment. Feeling strangely connected to this woman, Nomura visits...

Suspect X (Galileo) Movie ReviewStory66%Acting73%2016-01-2970%Overall ScoreReader Rating: (1 Vote)79%

Suspect X is a mystery/drama from Japan, the movie follows police officer Kaoru Utsumi (Kou Shibasaki) as she tries to solve the mystery of who strangled and mangled a man. However, as the mystery spirals out of control, she is forced to enlist the aid of the brilliant physicist Manabu Yukawa (Masaharu Fukuyama).

Although he is able to figure out that the actual crime was committed by the brilliant mathematician Tetsuya Ishgami (Shinichi Tsutsumi), figuring out how and why he did it, as well as proving it, becomes the battleground between two men who were once colleagues.

As the plot around the murder deepens, romance blooms very quietly between Kaoru Utsumi and Manabu Yukawa, culminating in a climax that requires all characters to apply their logic and intelligence in order to win the day.

However, this movie...

Kazuki Kitamura with Tamanojo in Takeshi Watanabe and Yoshitaka Yamaguchi's Samurai Cat

Two recently opened exhibitions in New York, Andrew Bolton and Wong Kar Wai's China: Through the Looking Glass at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Yoko Ono: One Woman Show, 1960-1971 at The Museum of Modern Art, curated by Christophe Cherix and Klaus Biesenbach, have richly integrated film to magnify the experience, giving broader context to the work.

A sold-out special screening of Takeshi Watanabe and Yoshitaka Yamaguchi's Samurai Cat (Neko zamurai), which was shown in 2014 at the Japan Cuts Film Festival, was held last night in celebration of the second half of Japan Society's must-see Life Of Cats: Selections From The Hiraki Ukiyo-e Collection, closing this week.

Tamanojo, Samurai Cat, knows how to use what Paddington calls, "the hard stare."

Samurai Cat is a wildly entertaining warrior story about two clans at battle...

The first week of April is pretty solid when it comes to all the different genre home entertainment release choices coming your way on Tuesday. Scream Factory is set to debut Tobe Hooper’s cult classic Invaders from Mars in high-definition, the festival favorite horror comedy The Voices, starring Ryan Reynolds, is arriving on both Blu-ray and DVD courtesy of Lionsgate, and we have the releases of both Killers and [Rec] 4: Apocalypse to look forward to as well.

Invaders from Mars (Scream Factory, Blu-ray)

From the director of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and Lifeforce comes this space-age creature feature is crawling with horrifying hordes of Martians hell-bent on stealing your soul: as well as your planet! Little David Gardner’s starry-eyed dreams turn into an out-of-this-world nightmare when invaders from the red planet land in his backyard and unleash their hostilities on unsuspecting earthlings! Paralyzed with fear as the...

Aki Akahori (Ayako Fujitani) is a successful mystery author from Japan who has decided to call it quits on her current book tour. She tells no one and instead simply absconds to San Francisco to hide out and catch her breath, but it’s a handsome stranger named Akira (Kazuki Kitamura) who catches her eye instead. They spend the night together, and he disappears the next day. His abrupt exit combined with the suitcase he left behind triggers her nose for mystery, but as a trio of curious strangers begins circling she realizes too late that this is one mystery with an ending out of her hands. Running parallel to Aki’s amateur sleuthing is a slightly more official investigation by nearby Sheriff Paul Del Moral (Pepe Serna) that begins when he accidentally hits a man with his car after the Bay area’s infamous fog rolls inland. The victim survives but disappears from the hospital without...

Visually, Man From Reno looks like the year’s best mystery thriller. Much of it is set in San Francisco, that twisty, foggy city by the sea that has housed the works of Raymond Chandler and Alfred Hitchcock. Several sequences within Dave Boyle’s film have the olive green tinted lighting of a David Fincher flick, and that director’s fascination with laying out the details of a dense investigation is also replicated here.

Boyle’s screenplay, which he co-wrote with Joel Clark and Michael Lerman, pays tribute to the wit and panache of classic sleuths. Both of the film’s detective protagonists are conventional in the classical way: one is a sly, intelligent woman trying to flee her past, the other an old time sheriff of a small town with a creased face and fatigued voice.

Unfortunately, Boyle’s beautifully lensed pastiche is less the sum of its parts,...

While everyone knows the ingredients of film noir, putting them together and adding just the right twist on top, is an art few can achieve. It seems Dave Boyle’s “Man From Reno” manages the feat. Our critic called the neo-noir "stellar pulp storytelling," and today we have an exclusive clip from the picture. Starring Ayako Fujitani, Pepe Serna and Kazuki Kitamura, the story is set just outside of San Francisco, and follows the colliding fates of a Sheriff, the Japanese pedestrian he accidentally hits with his car, a Japanese mystery writer, and her lover who suddenly disappears. As you'll see in this moody scene, nothing is quite as it seems, with an eeriness that hangs over an otherwise passionate moment. "Man From Reno" is now playing in limited release. Watch below.

Reno 911: Boyle’s Indie Neo-Noir an Enjoyable Pulpy Exercise

For his fifth feature, indie filmmaker Dave Boyle pays homage to film noir tropes with his twisty, engaging Man From Reno. Along the lines of the light, comically inclined indie sleuthing of Aaron Katz’s Portland set Cold Weather (2010), Boyle gives noir a fresh face in the culturally ambiguous city of San Francisco. Though not all of its tangential elements feel quite successful, Boyle’s screenplay, co-written with his regular collaborators Michael Lerman and Joel Clark, features an unpredictably dark third act that more resolutely recalls the films it’s inspired by than most of its modern counterparts.

Recently escaping from a book tour back home in Japan, famed pulpy mystery author Aki (Ayako Fujitano) finds herself alone in San Francisco while her disappearance causes a dramatic furor. She runs into a sexy stranger who calls himself Akira (Kazuki Kitamura...

In this exclusive clip from Dave Boyle’s Man From Reno, (Eleven Arts, March 27th) Pepe Serna’s character of Sheriff Paul Del Moral is to say the least, implicated and deeply submerged in a swerving tale of romance and mystery. Nominated for the Indie Spirits’ John Cassavetes Award, Boyle’s fifth feature also stars Ayako Fujitani and Kazuki Kitamura. Here are the screening dates, and clip below.

  Man From Reno (2014) Film Review, a movie directed by Dave Boyle, and starring Ayako Fujitani, Pepe Serna, Kazuki Kitamura,Yasuyo Shiba, Hiroshi Watanabe, Tetsuo Kuramochi, Yuki Matsuzaki, Shiori Ideta, Elisha Skorman, Masami Kosaka, Rome Kanda, Ross Turner, Thomas Cokenias, Geo Epsilanty and Ron Eliot The dim light of a [...]

Continue reading: Film Review: Man From Reno (2014): A Unique Take On Neo-Noir...