Dive into the surreal world of Takashi Miike’s Lumberjack the Monster, blending horror, drama, and surrealism in a captivating story. The film, now available on Netflix, combines psychological horror with dark humor to explore themes of identity, fear, and the human condition. Miike captivates audiences with his signature style, delivering a unique blend of horror, drama, and surrealism. The movie tells the tale of a quiet lumberjack who possesses a dark and terrifying secret. As the narrative unfolds, viewers are drawn into a world where the ordinary becomes extraordinary. The film is marked by Miike’s distinctive approach, combining intense psychological...
- 6/6/2024
- by Steve Delikson
- TVovermind.com
Netflix keeps unveiling huge surprises for its viewers by unexpectedly dropping big hits on its platform, and sometimes such surprises aren’t perceived in a very positive way.
Last weekend, the streaming had two major releases at the same time adding Takashi Yamazaki’s last year bombshell Godzilla Minus One and Takashi Miike’s high-rated horror movie Lumberjack the Monster.
Neither of them had previously received some kind of promotion from Netflix’s part, though Godzilla Minus One had no questions about this from the audience. Ironically, the same can’t be said about Lumberjack the Monster.
Upon its arrival at Netflix several days ago, the film made no real noise and just quietly landed on the platform unnoticed until someone posted a comment in the social media saying they’d discovered Lumberjack the Monster in the streaming’s collection by pure accident.
Other users were quick to get involved...
Last weekend, the streaming had two major releases at the same time adding Takashi Yamazaki’s last year bombshell Godzilla Minus One and Takashi Miike’s high-rated horror movie Lumberjack the Monster.
Neither of them had previously received some kind of promotion from Netflix’s part, though Godzilla Minus One had no questions about this from the audience. Ironically, the same can’t be said about Lumberjack the Monster.
Upon its arrival at Netflix several days ago, the film made no real noise and just quietly landed on the platform unnoticed until someone posted a comment in the social media saying they’d discovered Lumberjack the Monster in the streaming’s collection by pure accident.
Other users were quick to get involved...
- 6/6/2024
- by benjamin-patel@startefacts.com (Benjamin Patel)
- STartefacts.com
Takashi Miike’s operatically over-the-top new film concerns a serial killer but who needs a plot with all this trademark violence, alienation and nihilism?
The vintage year of 1999 has been back in the critical conversation recently for its quarter-centenary; it was the year of The Sixth Sense, The Matrix, Fight Club, American Beauty – and there can hardly have been more brilliant and more disturbing film of that time than Takashi Miike’s demonically inspired horror-satire Audition, a nightmarishly violent parable of sexual politics and national malaise which launched his reputation in the west as a master of the macabre and the extreme.
Perhaps Miike has never quite equalled that hideous display of cruelty and fear, or perhaps it is truer to say he never again brought these things into such a sharp dramatic focus. But he certainly has kept up an extraordinary productivity and his latest movie – unveiled at last...
The vintage year of 1999 has been back in the critical conversation recently for its quarter-centenary; it was the year of The Sixth Sense, The Matrix, Fight Club, American Beauty – and there can hardly have been more brilliant and more disturbing film of that time than Takashi Miike’s demonically inspired horror-satire Audition, a nightmarishly violent parable of sexual politics and national malaise which launched his reputation in the west as a master of the macabre and the extreme.
Perhaps Miike has never quite equalled that hideous display of cruelty and fear, or perhaps it is truer to say he never again brought these things into such a sharp dramatic focus. But he certainly has kept up an extraordinary productivity and his latest movie – unveiled at last...
- 6/6/2024
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
In order to get an adrenaline rush we often choose to watch something dark and mysterious. Horrors and thrillers are the two of the most popular genres out there and we get why. The gripping stories that are told from the screens are so captivating it’s hard to let go of the obsession.
If you are a thriller fan though, you may also enjoy the dark stories about serial killers and probably have watched everything out there. In this case, there’s something new on Netflix that will definitely catch your attention.
The movie that hit the platform at the beginning of the month is called Lumberjack the Monster. Created in 2023, the Japanese movie centers on a ruthless lawyer Akira Ninomiya. The thing is, some bizarre serial murders started to take place around, and it seems that Ninomiya is the next target…
All the murders before the attack on...
If you are a thriller fan though, you may also enjoy the dark stories about serial killers and probably have watched everything out there. In this case, there’s something new on Netflix that will definitely catch your attention.
The movie that hit the platform at the beginning of the month is called Lumberjack the Monster. Created in 2023, the Japanese movie centers on a ruthless lawyer Akira Ninomiya. The thing is, some bizarre serial murders started to take place around, and it seems that Ninomiya is the next target…
All the murders before the attack on...
- 6/5/2024
- by info@startefacts.com (Rachel Bailey)
- STartefacts.com
Prepare to Be Spoiled: Megan Tremethick Teases Debut Feature Asmr Horror ‘Spoiling You’
Taking inspiration from the cultural phenomenon of anime cosplay and Asmr YouTube performers, Megan Tremethick (The Slave and the Sorcerer) is producing a startling psychological horror that follows the clandestine activities of a lonely girl who discovers a liberating second life through her invention of ‘Miss Mutter’, an alluring anime cosplay character she uses to perform Asmr on YouTube. She soon acquires a legion of devoted fans, but as her popularity grows so too do the lines between fantasy and reality begin to blur. As the world begins to learn more and more about Miss Mutter, we soon realise that the woman underneath all the makeup and costume remains a mysterious figure… one with a spine-tingling secret.
A secret that is revealed when Miss Mutter invites her number one fan to spend the night with her for an intimate in-person session.
Taking inspiration from the cultural phenomenon of anime cosplay and Asmr YouTube performers, Megan Tremethick (The Slave and the Sorcerer) is producing a startling psychological horror that follows the clandestine activities of a lonely girl who discovers a liberating second life through her invention of ‘Miss Mutter’, an alluring anime cosplay character she uses to perform Asmr on YouTube. She soon acquires a legion of devoted fans, but as her popularity grows so too do the lines between fantasy and reality begin to blur. As the world begins to learn more and more about Miss Mutter, we soon realise that the woman underneath all the makeup and costume remains a mysterious figure… one with a spine-tingling secret.
A secret that is revealed when Miss Mutter invites her number one fan to spend the night with her for an intimate in-person session.
- 6/4/2024
- by Peter 'Witchfinder' Hopkins
- Horror Asylum
Lumberjack the Monster, the Japanese director’s long-awaited return to out-and-out horror, is a huge event. So why has it been noiselessly launched into oblivion?
Last weekend, something fairly momentous happened. Lumberjack the Monster, the new film by Takashi Miike, arrived on Netflix. Lumberjack the Monster is a significant release, because it represents the first out-and-out horror movie that Miike has made in a decade, having spent the intervening years dabbling in other genres. For a certain type of fan, it’s like Scorsese coming back from the wilderness of the 1980s with Goodfellas. Even if his films are too violent and perverse for you, you still have to admit that a new Takashi Miike horror movie is a big deal.
Unless you’re Netflix, of course. Because Netflix released Lumberjack the Monster with minimal – perhaps even non-existent – promotion. I only knew about it because I saw a tweet from...
Last weekend, something fairly momentous happened. Lumberjack the Monster, the new film by Takashi Miike, arrived on Netflix. Lumberjack the Monster is a significant release, because it represents the first out-and-out horror movie that Miike has made in a decade, having spent the intervening years dabbling in other genres. For a certain type of fan, it’s like Scorsese coming back from the wilderness of the 1980s with Goodfellas. Even if his films are too violent and perverse for you, you still have to admit that a new Takashi Miike horror movie is a big deal.
Unless you’re Netflix, of course. Because Netflix released Lumberjack the Monster with minimal – perhaps even non-existent – promotion. I only knew about it because I saw a tweet from...
- 6/4/2024
- by Stuart Heritage
- The Guardian - Film News
113rd directorial credit for Takashi Miike (he actually already has two more after this), “Lumberjack the Monster” is based on the homonymous 2019 Mayusuke Kurai novel, was released widely in Japan December 1, and is now available on Netflix.
Click the image below to follow our Tribute to Netflix
The rather labyrinthic story unfolds as such. The initial scene shows a raid inside the house of a woman, who turns out she was doing experiments on children she had abducted. Before she is arrested, she kills herself in front of her latest ‘specimen'. The next scene introduce us to lawyer Akira Ninomiya, who is soon revealed to be a psychopath killer, a capacity that grows more intense as the movie unfolds. His only friend, if someone can deem him so, is Dr Kuro Sugitani, another psychopath who acknowledges both himself as one and Ninomiya, and is actually a champion of the complete...
Click the image below to follow our Tribute to Netflix
The rather labyrinthic story unfolds as such. The initial scene shows a raid inside the house of a woman, who turns out she was doing experiments on children she had abducted. Before she is arrested, she kills herself in front of her latest ‘specimen'. The next scene introduce us to lawyer Akira Ninomiya, who is soon revealed to be a psychopath killer, a capacity that grows more intense as the movie unfolds. His only friend, if someone can deem him so, is Dr Kuro Sugitani, another psychopath who acknowledges both himself as one and Ninomiya, and is actually a champion of the complete...
- 6/4/2024
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Based on Sega’s hit action RPG franchise, Like A Dragon: Yakuza is a live-action crime thriller series coming to Prime Video in October.
The Like A Dragon franchise of action RPGs, which has been going under various names since 2005, is getting a new TV adaptation courtesy of Prime Video. The six-part series will stream from October and will star Takeuchi Ryoma.
Called Like A Dragon: Yakuza, the crime series will, like the videogames, be about organised crime in Japan, and will follow protagonist Kiryu Kazuma as he navigates his way around the mean streets of Kabukicho, Tokyo.
According to Variety, Like A Dragon: Yakuza, is directed by Take Masaharu and Takimoto Kengo, and its events will be split between two eras – 1995 and 2005 – and “follows the life, childhood friends and repercussions of […] a fearsome and peerless Yakuza warrior with a strong sense of justice, duty and humanity.”
Read more: 8 classic...
The Like A Dragon franchise of action RPGs, which has been going under various names since 2005, is getting a new TV adaptation courtesy of Prime Video. The six-part series will stream from October and will star Takeuchi Ryoma.
Called Like A Dragon: Yakuza, the crime series will, like the videogames, be about organised crime in Japan, and will follow protagonist Kiryu Kazuma as he navigates his way around the mean streets of Kabukicho, Tokyo.
According to Variety, Like A Dragon: Yakuza, is directed by Take Masaharu and Takimoto Kengo, and its events will be split between two eras – 1995 and 2005 – and “follows the life, childhood friends and repercussions of […] a fearsome and peerless Yakuza warrior with a strong sense of justice, duty and humanity.”
Read more: 8 classic...
- 6/4/2024
- by Ryan Lambie
- Film Stories
Filmmaker Quentin Tarantino is one of the most acclaimed directors of the generation. He is known for his gory action dramas that have sprinkles of dark humor and act as tributes to all the films he has loved. He is known for films such as Pulp Fiction, Django Unchained, Kill Bill, and more. He has also written books about cinema.
Tarantino has always appreciated brilliant pieces of art and has also criticized films that he felt did not meet the mark. He reportedly loved Takashi Miike’s cult horror film Audition. He especially commented on the much-talked-about final scenes in the Japanese horror film and spoke about how Miike took the audience on a ride.
Quentin Tarantino Loved The Ending Of Takashi Miike’s Audition A still from Audition | Credits: Omega Project/Creators Company Connection/Film Face/Afdf Korea/Bodysonic
Japanese filmmaker Takashi Miike has been one of the most...
Tarantino has always appreciated brilliant pieces of art and has also criticized films that he felt did not meet the mark. He reportedly loved Takashi Miike’s cult horror film Audition. He especially commented on the much-talked-about final scenes in the Japanese horror film and spoke about how Miike took the audience on a ride.
Quentin Tarantino Loved The Ending Of Takashi Miike’s Audition A still from Audition | Credits: Omega Project/Creators Company Connection/Film Face/Afdf Korea/Bodysonic
Japanese filmmaker Takashi Miike has been one of the most...
- 6/3/2024
- by Nishanth A
- FandomWire
Celebrated and controversial Japanese filmmaker Takashi Miike’s latest film, Lumberjack the Monster, is a horror thriller with a dash of the usual Miike gore. The film revolves around a crude experiment carried out by a couple on abducted children. While many died, some survived. When the police arrived at Midori Toma’s house, she slit her throat, and her husband, Kazuo Toma, was apprehended. He died in prison. The mystery behind the sudden disappearance of children was finally solved, but that was not the end of the case. After over thirty years, the case once again caught the attention of the police when a mysterious serial killer started targeting orphans. It was soon discovered that the victims were once the subject of Toma’s experimentation. But why was the serial killer after them?
Spoiler Alert
Why Did The Serial Killer Target Akira Ninomiya?
Akira Ninomiya was a psychopathic killer and a lawyer.
Spoiler Alert
Why Did The Serial Killer Target Akira Ninomiya?
Akira Ninomiya was a psychopathic killer and a lawyer.
- 6/1/2024
- by Srijoni Rudra
- DMT
It’s a big week for horror, with two recent theatrical releases coming home, one of the best slashers of the modern era hitting theaters, and a new Takashi Miike film coming to Netflix.
Here’s all the new horror releasing May 27, 2024 – June 2, 2024!
For daily reminders about new horror releases, be sure to follow @HorrorCalendar.
After scaring up $53 million at the worldwide box office, director Arkasha Stevenson’s prequel The First Omen is now available for Digital purchase ($19.99) at home.
The First Omen is available to own at digital retailers such as Apple TV, Prime Video and Fandango at Home. It also arrives on Hulu May 30 and comes to Blu-ray and DVD July 30.
The First Omen is an exceptional expansion on a classic, earning rave reviews across the board and impressing all of us here at Bloody Disgusting. Meagan Navarro wrote in her review, “Thanks to the exquisite craftsmanship on display,...
Here’s all the new horror releasing May 27, 2024 – June 2, 2024!
For daily reminders about new horror releases, be sure to follow @HorrorCalendar.
After scaring up $53 million at the worldwide box office, director Arkasha Stevenson’s prequel The First Omen is now available for Digital purchase ($19.99) at home.
The First Omen is available to own at digital retailers such as Apple TV, Prime Video and Fandango at Home. It also arrives on Hulu May 30 and comes to Blu-ray and DVD July 30.
The First Omen is an exceptional expansion on a classic, earning rave reviews across the board and impressing all of us here at Bloody Disgusting. Meagan Navarro wrote in her review, “Thanks to the exquisite craftsmanship on display,...
- 5/29/2024
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Considering the success of the homonymous, multi-awarded manga by Satoru Noda and the quality of the anime, one of the best series of the last few years, a live-action adaptation was bound to happen. The recent release on Netflix follows the first season of the manga and stays quite close to it.
As I wrote in the anime review, “Golden Kamuy” is a rather different shonen title, which stands out by focusing on an Ainu character, while highlighting the language, culture, and customs of the indigenous people, supervised by Hiroshi Nakagawa, an Ainu language linguist from Chiba University.
Click the image below to follow our Tribute to Netflix
Saichi Sugimoto (nicknamed “Immortal Sugimoto” for escaping death multiple times but also for his savage fighting style), a veteran of the Battle of 203 Hill in the Russo-Japanese War hears a dubious story about a hidden trove of Ainu gold, the location of...
As I wrote in the anime review, “Golden Kamuy” is a rather different shonen title, which stands out by focusing on an Ainu character, while highlighting the language, culture, and customs of the indigenous people, supervised by Hiroshi Nakagawa, an Ainu language linguist from Chiba University.
Click the image below to follow our Tribute to Netflix
Saichi Sugimoto (nicknamed “Immortal Sugimoto” for escaping death multiple times but also for his savage fighting style), a veteran of the Battle of 203 Hill in the Russo-Japanese War hears a dubious story about a hidden trove of Ainu gold, the location of...
- 5/21/2024
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Japanese distributor and producer Gaga Corporation is boosting its investment in lucrative anime features and eyeing a move into video games, following its majority stake acquisition by entertainment firm Genda.
Gaga president and CEO Tom Yoda is at the Cannes market with an “aggressive” growth strategy and a diverse slate that includes an upcoming martial arts drama from acclaimed filmmaker Takashi Miike and two Dead Dead Demons Dededede Destruction anime films, based on the popular manga by Inio Asano.
Yoda notes that the Japanese box office has been dominated by anime titles in recent years and such success would help...
Gaga president and CEO Tom Yoda is at the Cannes market with an “aggressive” growth strategy and a diverse slate that includes an upcoming martial arts drama from acclaimed filmmaker Takashi Miike and two Dead Dead Demons Dededede Destruction anime films, based on the popular manga by Inio Asano.
Yoda notes that the Japanese box office has been dominated by anime titles in recent years and such success would help...
- 5/16/2024
- ScreenDaily
Japanese director Miike Takashi, who is known for slasher film “Ichi the Killer” and stomach-churning “Audition,” has signed with CAA for representation.
Miike is one of Japan’s most prolific and bold directors, with more than 100 feature film credits, spanning genres, including horror, comedy and action. “Ichi The Killer” and “Audition” enjoy cult followings globally.
The auteur has also received acclaim at the Cannes Film Festival for “Shield of Straw,” “Gozu” and “Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai.”
His film “Crows Zero” is immensely popular in Asia, especially among Gen Z.
In March, Miike was selected to represent Japan in Apple’s “shot on iPhone” project, directing a short film based on Osamu Tezuka’s iconic 1986 manga “Midnight,” now streaming worldwide.
In 2022, he directed drama series “Connect,” produced by South Korea’s Studio Dragon and distributed by Disney+, which is available to stream on Hulu in the U.S. “I’m...
Miike is one of Japan’s most prolific and bold directors, with more than 100 feature film credits, spanning genres, including horror, comedy and action. “Ichi The Killer” and “Audition” enjoy cult followings globally.
The auteur has also received acclaim at the Cannes Film Festival for “Shield of Straw,” “Gozu” and “Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai.”
His film “Crows Zero” is immensely popular in Asia, especially among Gen Z.
In March, Miike was selected to represent Japan in Apple’s “shot on iPhone” project, directing a short film based on Osamu Tezuka’s iconic 1986 manga “Midnight,” now streaming worldwide.
In 2022, he directed drama series “Connect,” produced by South Korea’s Studio Dragon and distributed by Disney+, which is available to stream on Hulu in the U.S. “I’m...
- 5/14/2024
- by Naman Ramachandran and Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
A new feature from acclaimed Japanese filmmaker Takashi Miike is to be launched by Gaga Corporation at the Cannes market this week.
The untitled project will centre on two young men in a juvenile reformatory who become inspired to participate in a martial arts tournament called Breaking Down and both go into training. Casting has not yet been announced.
Now in production, the script is written by Shin Kibayashi, best known as the co-creator of popular manga Drops of God, which was adapted by Legendary Entertainment and launched on Apple TV+ last year.
Miike is known as the director of Audition,...
The untitled project will centre on two young men in a juvenile reformatory who become inspired to participate in a martial arts tournament called Breaking Down and both go into training. Casting has not yet been announced.
Now in production, the script is written by Shin Kibayashi, best known as the co-creator of popular manga Drops of God, which was adapted by Legendary Entertainment and launched on Apple TV+ last year.
Miike is known as the director of Audition,...
- 5/14/2024
- ScreenDaily
Quentin Tarantino is undoubtedly one of the finest filmmakers of our time. But as much as he is a passionate filmmaker, he is also a passionate cinephile: having absorbed the best that contemporary cinema has to offer since childhood, Tarantino bases his work on the most recognizable tropes and directorial styles, creating a refined pop culture mishmash. And as a huge film buff, Tarantino shared a list of the 20 films he 'admires the most' in a conversation with Sky Movies in 2009.
20 Must-Watch Movies According to Tarantino
Before we get to the list itself, it's important to note that it's not in order of importance, but in alphabetical order. Except for the number one, because for Tarantino it is 'favorite movie that has come out in the last 17 years.' Besides, as he pointed out, this is one of the few movies he would personally dream of directing.
But without further ado,...
20 Must-Watch Movies According to Tarantino
Before we get to the list itself, it's important to note that it's not in order of importance, but in alphabetical order. Except for the number one, because for Tarantino it is 'favorite movie that has come out in the last 17 years.' Besides, as he pointed out, this is one of the few movies he would personally dream of directing.
But without further ado,...
- 5/13/2024
- by louise.everitt@startefacts.com (Louise Everitt)
- STartefacts.com
Animation studio Mappa has partnered with K2 Pictures, a newly launched film company, to produce films for the global market. This was announced on the official website of K2 Pictures.
In addition to Mappa, K2 Pictures is also partnering with renowned filmmakers, including Shunji Iwai, Hirokazu Kore-eda, Kazuya Shiraishi, Miwa Nishikawa, and Takashi Miike.
This partnership signals a significant shift for Mappa, which is the only animation studio on the list of partners. the studio has expressed its eagerness to contribute to the filmmaking process as a partner.
“We have joined this project with the desire to support K2 Pictures’ challenge. We want to contribute as much as we can as a partner in movie production while considering what an animation studio can offer.“
K2 Pictures was established by Japanese producer Muneyuki Kii, a former Head Producer at Toei, with the goal of creating a new ecosystem for Japanese films.
In addition to Mappa, K2 Pictures is also partnering with renowned filmmakers, including Shunji Iwai, Hirokazu Kore-eda, Kazuya Shiraishi, Miwa Nishikawa, and Takashi Miike.
This partnership signals a significant shift for Mappa, which is the only animation studio on the list of partners. the studio has expressed its eagerness to contribute to the filmmaking process as a partner.
“We have joined this project with the desire to support K2 Pictures’ challenge. We want to contribute as much as we can as a partner in movie production while considering what an animation studio can offer.“
K2 Pictures was established by Japanese producer Muneyuki Kii, a former Head Producer at Toei, with the goal of creating a new ecosystem for Japanese films.
- 5/13/2024
- by Ami Nazru
- AnimeHunch
Among the countless anime in the streaming service's library, there aren't many shows that have managed to leave a lasting impression on viewers.
Let's take a look at six great anime series on Netflix that have been highly praised by critics.
6. Avatar: The Last Airbender
Number of seasons: 3
Premiere date: February 21, 2005
Genre: Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Comedy
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%
We start our list with an absolute classic that should be seen by anyone interested in both animation and fantasy worlds inspired by cultures other than the European Middle Ages.
The story will tell of the nations divided by the four elements — water, earth, fire, and air — whose peace has been trampled by the imperial ambitions of the Fire Nation. As a result, the only one who can restore peace is the master of all four elements, the Avatar.
5. Dorohedoro
Number of seasons: 1 (+ 6 specials)
Premiere date: January 12, 2020
Genre: Dark Fantasy, Sci-Fi,...
Let's take a look at six great anime series on Netflix that have been highly praised by critics.
6. Avatar: The Last Airbender
Number of seasons: 3
Premiere date: February 21, 2005
Genre: Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Comedy
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%
We start our list with an absolute classic that should be seen by anyone interested in both animation and fantasy worlds inspired by cultures other than the European Middle Ages.
The story will tell of the nations divided by the four elements — water, earth, fire, and air — whose peace has been trampled by the imperial ambitions of the Fire Nation. As a result, the only one who can restore peace is the master of all four elements, the Avatar.
5. Dorohedoro
Number of seasons: 1 (+ 6 specials)
Premiere date: January 12, 2020
Genre: Dark Fantasy, Sci-Fi,...
- 5/10/2024
- by louise.everitt@startefacts.com (Louise Everitt)
- STartefacts.com
NYC Weekend Watch is our weekly round-up of repertory offerings.
Museum of Modern Art
A massive overview of Bulle Ogier continues, this weekend bringing Out 1.
Roxy Cinema
Jane Campion’s An Angel at My Table plays on Saturday, as does Time to Die and the latest “City Dudes“; a print of Night Tide shows Friday; The Last of the Mohicans and The Outsiders play on 35mm this Sunday.
Paris Theater
13 Assassins, Collateral, and Bullitt all play on 35mm in a hitman retrospective.
Museum of the Moving Image
America’s largest-ever Hiroshi Shimizu retrospective continues (watch our exclusive trailer debut).
Bam
Horace Ove’s Pressure plays in a new restoration.
Metrograph
A Kelly Reichardt retrospective has begun (watch our exclusive trailer debut) while ’90s Noir, Euro-Heists, Dream with Your Eyes Open, Ethics of Care, and Animal Farm continue.
Film at Lincoln Center
Peter Kass’ restored Time of the Heathen opens.
Film Forum...
Museum of Modern Art
A massive overview of Bulle Ogier continues, this weekend bringing Out 1.
Roxy Cinema
Jane Campion’s An Angel at My Table plays on Saturday, as does Time to Die and the latest “City Dudes“; a print of Night Tide shows Friday; The Last of the Mohicans and The Outsiders play on 35mm this Sunday.
Paris Theater
13 Assassins, Collateral, and Bullitt all play on 35mm in a hitman retrospective.
Museum of the Moving Image
America’s largest-ever Hiroshi Shimizu retrospective continues (watch our exclusive trailer debut).
Bam
Horace Ove’s Pressure plays in a new restoration.
Metrograph
A Kelly Reichardt retrospective has begun (watch our exclusive trailer debut) while ’90s Noir, Euro-Heists, Dream with Your Eyes Open, Ethics of Care, and Animal Farm continue.
Film at Lincoln Center
Peter Kass’ restored Time of the Heathen opens.
Film Forum...
- 5/10/2024
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
Dubai-based sales outfit Mad World has acquired worldwide sales rights to Nadim Tabet’s upcoming ghost story In This Darkness I See You ahead of the Cannes market
The Lebanese thriller will join the inaugural slate of Mad World, a new sales and distribution company for Arab-language feature films that was launched yesterday by Mad Solutions.
The supernatural story follows strange events that occur at a construction site in a Lebanese village, where tensions between Syrian workers and local villagers come to a head after one labourer becomes convinced that the site is haunted. The screenplay was co-written by Tabet,...
The Lebanese thriller will join the inaugural slate of Mad World, a new sales and distribution company for Arab-language feature films that was launched yesterday by Mad Solutions.
The supernatural story follows strange events that occur at a construction site in a Lebanese village, where tensions between Syrian workers and local villagers come to a head after one labourer becomes convinced that the site is haunted. The screenplay was co-written by Tabet,...
- 5/10/2024
- ScreenDaily
Former WME Independent agent Nelson Mok is launching new investment and sales company Mokster Films with a focus on international sales of Asian titles as well as on project development and financing in Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Through the new Singapore-based company, Mok will continue to work with WME Independent as a partner on a slate of titles that he has been handling, including The Cursed Land, which is set to open in Thailand in July, upcoming horror films Red Thread from Vietnam and Dominion Of Darkness from Indonesia, as well as this year’s biggest box office hit in Thailand,...
Through the new Singapore-based company, Mok will continue to work with WME Independent as a partner on a slate of titles that he has been handling, including The Cursed Land, which is set to open in Thailand in July, upcoming horror films Red Thread from Vietnam and Dominion Of Darkness from Indonesia, as well as this year’s biggest box office hit in Thailand,...
- 5/10/2024
- ScreenDaily
Kii Muneyuki, a former head of production at Japan’s Toei, is launching K2 Pictures, a company that aims to upend Japanese filmmaking practices. Its debut slate, with films by Kore-eda Hirokazu, Iwai Shunji and Nishikawa Miwa, will be unveiled in Cannes next week.
A key part of the new company’s strategy is the establishment of a film fund, K2P Film Fund I, that will invest in live action and animations productions. It aims to attract investors from Japan, other parts of Asia and the U.S.
The company explains that “most Japanese films today are made under a system found only in this country of ‘production committees’ formed by such organizations as film companies, TV stations, and publishers. Funding under this system comes only from sources with film-related know-how, making entry difficult and limiting returns to both producers and creators.”
Production committees are notorious for their risk-averse...
A key part of the new company’s strategy is the establishment of a film fund, K2P Film Fund I, that will invest in live action and animations productions. It aims to attract investors from Japan, other parts of Asia and the U.S.
The company explains that “most Japanese films today are made under a system found only in this country of ‘production committees’ formed by such organizations as film companies, TV stations, and publishers. Funding under this system comes only from sources with film-related know-how, making entry difficult and limiting returns to both producers and creators.”
Production committees are notorious for their risk-averse...
- 5/10/2024
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Animation studio Mappa will begin a partnership with K2 Pictures , a newly-launched film company based in Tokyo, to produce films for the global market, following an announcement on the company's official website . K2 Pictures was established by Japanese producer Muneyuki Kii , a former head producer at Toei. The company's official website describes its purpose as follows: The company aims to create a new funding ecosystem for Japanese films to enrich local productions by returning profits traditionally accruing to film companies to both investors and creators, and it will also produce projects with emerging and established creators. Additionally, as part of the initiative, K2 Pictures is launching a new content fund – K2P Film Fund I – which will provide support for Japanese features across both animation and live-action and will enable investors, creators and crew members to profit from the Japanese film industry. The Fund is aiming to collaborate with from investors in Japan,...
- 5/10/2024
- by Mikikazu Komatsu
- Crunchyroll
K2 Pictures, a Japanese production company launched by former Toei producer Muneyuki Kii, is to introduce a new film fund at Cannes and a slate that includes upcoming projects from Palme d’Or winner Hirokazu Kore-eda, acclaimed genre director Takashi Miike and top animation studio Mappa.
The K2P Film Fund I aims to support live-action and animated Japanese features, collaborating with local and international investors from the US, Asia and beyond. Profits from productions will be funnelled back to investors, creators and crew.
Announcing the fund, K2 Pictures revealed it will collaborate with leading Japanese directors and creators on...
The K2P Film Fund I aims to support live-action and animated Japanese features, collaborating with local and international investors from the US, Asia and beyond. Profits from productions will be funnelled back to investors, creators and crew.
Announcing the fund, K2 Pictures revealed it will collaborate with leading Japanese directors and creators on...
- 5/9/2024
- ScreenDaily
Prepare to Be Spoiled: Megan Tremethick Teases Debut Feature Asmr Horror 'Spoiling You': "Taking inspiration from the cultural phenomenon of anime cosplay and Asmr YouTube performers, Megan Tremethick (The Slave and the Sorcerer) is producing a startling psychological horror that follows the clandestine activities of a lonely girl who discovers a liberating second life through her invention of 'Miss Mutter', an alluring anime cosplay character she uses to perform Asmr on YouTube. She soon acquires a legion of devoted fans, but as her popularity grows so too do the lines between fantasy and reality begin to blur. As the world begins to learn more and more about Miss Mutter, we soon realise that the woman underneath all the makeup and costume remains a mysterious figure... one with a spine-tingling secret.
A secret that is revealed when Miss Mutter invites her number one fan to spend the night with her for an intimate in-person session.
A secret that is revealed when Miss Mutter invites her number one fan to spend the night with her for an intimate in-person session.
- 5/9/2024
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
Sometimes we can’t help but start binging the movies of a single genre one by one, having some sort of a marathon. And while I can relate to those who binge rom-coms because they’re sweet and innocent, it seems that horror nights are getting more popular among others.
For example, redditors quite often get together online to happily share their favorite horrors and discuss them. So here are three horror movies that are considered their all-time favorites.
1. Audition (1999)
Audition is a psychological horror film directed by Takashi Miike featuring Ryo Ishibashi and Eihi Shiina. The movie revolves around a hopeless widower who is trying to come back in the dating game again. With the help of his friend, he stages a phony audition to find a perfect girl for him. And so he thinks he does.
His chosen one is Asami, a girl with a dark past who...
For example, redditors quite often get together online to happily share their favorite horrors and discuss them. So here are three horror movies that are considered their all-time favorites.
1. Audition (1999)
Audition is a psychological horror film directed by Takashi Miike featuring Ryo Ishibashi and Eihi Shiina. The movie revolves around a hopeless widower who is trying to come back in the dating game again. With the help of his friend, he stages a phony audition to find a perfect girl for him. And so he thinks he does.
His chosen one is Asami, a girl with a dark past who...
- 5/4/2024
- by info@startefacts.com (Rachel Bailey)
- STartefacts.com
By the time you’ve inched toward the halfway point of the first episode of Shōgun, the epic new limited series that revisits James Clavell’s 1975 doorstopper of a historical novel about early 1600s Japan, you’ve already seen an eyeful: massive schooners, flashing swords, military processions, political power plays, a father and his infant son sentenced to death, a half-dozen English prisoners awaiting their fate in a pit. And then, out of nowhere, a character rides in on horseback. He’s shot from behind, but there’s something about the way he holds himself,...
- 4/27/2024
- by David Fear
- Rollingstone.com
"If he's trying to murder me, I'll kill him first." Another official trailer is available to watch for this kooky and crazy Japanese horror film called Lumberjack the Monster, based on the novel of the same name. A suspenseful thriller directed by Takashi Miike and starring Kazuya Kamenashi. The brutal film is about a series of bizarre murders by someone wearing a strange monster mask found in the picture book 'Monster Woodcutter' who then steals their brains. Akira heads out to get revenge on this Lumberjack killer. The plot follows this Patrick Bateman-like psychopath lawyer (who also kills) going up against this vicious masked murderer - pitting a psychopath against a serial killer in a totally bonkers new Takashi Miike creation. Only someone like Miike could make something so absurd! Lumberjack the Monster stars Kazuya Kamenashi as Akira Ninomiya, Nanao, Riho Yoshioka, Shota Sometani, and Shido Nakamura. The film already opened in Japan last December,...
- 4/19/2024
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Out this week in theaters is Radio Silence’s Abigail, a heist-turned-bloodbath when kidnappers realize the child ballerina they’ve snatched isn’t quite human. That the petite vampire is a ballerina feels apt. After all, the deceptive art form has a reputation for dainty elegance that belies the sheer grueling dedication of its performers, both physically and mentally.
Ballet requires a high level of dedication to practice and performance and frequently spills over into body horror through broken toenails, stress fractures, and overuse injuries. In other words, ballet is often a mix of pain and beauty, which means it pairs well with horror.
This week’s streaming picks are dedicated to ballerinas in horror.
These horror movies feature at least one ballerina tormented by her art form, highlighting the stark, beguiling contrast between beauty and horror. Here’s where you can stream them now.
For more Stay Home, Watch Horror picks,...
Ballet requires a high level of dedication to practice and performance and frequently spills over into body horror through broken toenails, stress fractures, and overuse injuries. In other words, ballet is often a mix of pain and beauty, which means it pairs well with horror.
This week’s streaming picks are dedicated to ballerinas in horror.
These horror movies feature at least one ballerina tormented by her art form, highlighting the stark, beguiling contrast between beauty and horror. Here’s where you can stream them now.
For more Stay Home, Watch Horror picks,...
- 4/15/2024
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
Japanese filmmaker Takashi Miike has over 115 directing credits to his name, and it has only taken him 33 years to reach that impressive number. One of his latest credits came on a blood-soaked horror thriller called Lumberjack the Monster, and the folks at Rue Morgue have confirmed that Lumberjack the Monster is going to be available to watch on the Netflix streaming service as of June 1st.
Before the film reaches Netflix, New York City’s Japan Society (located at 333 East 47th Street) will be hosting its the North American premiere screening on Monday, May 6 at 8pm. Rue Morgue notes, “There will also be a pre-screening reception at 7pm with beverages donated by Sapporo-Stone Brewing and Brooklyn Kura. The screening is being presented in conjunction with the Tribeca Film Festival, as part of its Escape from Tribeca program.”
Lumberjack the Monster is based on a novel by Mayusuke Kurai and stars Kazuya Kamenashi,...
Before the film reaches Netflix, New York City’s Japan Society (located at 333 East 47th Street) will be hosting its the North American premiere screening on Monday, May 6 at 8pm. Rue Morgue notes, “There will also be a pre-screening reception at 7pm with beverages donated by Sapporo-Stone Brewing and Brooklyn Kura. The screening is being presented in conjunction with the Tribeca Film Festival, as part of its Escape from Tribeca program.”
Lumberjack the Monster is based on a novel by Mayusuke Kurai and stars Kazuya Kamenashi,...
- 4/12/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
As we have mentioned many times before, Takashi Miike is a director that can shoot anything, as his career and his ‘director-for-hire' style have proven repeatedly. As such, it comes as no surprise that Apple commissioned him to shoot a short film using only an iPhone 15 Pro, in order to highlight the capabilities of the model. The result was “Midnight” a film based on the homonymous manga by Osamu Tezuka.
Check the full movie
In intensely bright and colorful fashion, with the neon lights of Tokyo setting the tone, we are introduced to the protagonist of the 19-minute short, a late-night taxi driver named Midnight. As the movie begins, he is hosting a very noisy and in general annoying couple, who do get their punishment, however, almost immediately, in the most scary but also funny fashion. The film then starts moving in neo-noir paths, with a meeting of rather shady characters taking place,...
Check the full movie
In intensely bright and colorful fashion, with the neon lights of Tokyo setting the tone, we are introduced to the protagonist of the 19-minute short, a late-night taxi driver named Midnight. As the movie begins, he is hosting a very noisy and in general annoying couple, who do get their punishment, however, almost immediately, in the most scary but also funny fashion. The film then starts moving in neo-noir paths, with a meeting of rather shady characters taking place,...
- 4/11/2024
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Prolific genre filmmaker Takashi Miike (Audition, Ichi the Killer) is back with Lumberjack the Monster, an adaptation of Kaibutsu no Kikori by Mayusuke Kurai. And it’s heading to Netflix this summer.
It’s going to be battle to the death between a serial killer and a psychopath.
Lumberjack the Monster will make its North American premiere on May 6 at the Japan Society, in partnership with Tribeca Festival’s Escape from Tribeca, ahead of its Netflix debut on June 1, 2024.
In the film, “Akira Ninomiya (Kamenashi) is a remorseless lawyer who doesn’t hesitate to eliminate anyone who stands in his way. One night he is brutally attacked by an unknown assailant wearing a monster mask. Although he miraculously survives the assault, Ninomiya becomes fixated on finding the attacker and getting revenge. Meanwhile, a series of gruesome murders occur where the victims are found with their brains removed from their bodies.
It’s going to be battle to the death between a serial killer and a psychopath.
Lumberjack the Monster will make its North American premiere on May 6 at the Japan Society, in partnership with Tribeca Festival’s Escape from Tribeca, ahead of its Netflix debut on June 1, 2024.
In the film, “Akira Ninomiya (Kamenashi) is a remorseless lawyer who doesn’t hesitate to eliminate anyone who stands in his way. One night he is brutally attacked by an unknown assailant wearing a monster mask. Although he miraculously survives the assault, Ninomiya becomes fixated on finding the attacker and getting revenge. Meanwhile, a series of gruesome murders occur where the victims are found with their brains removed from their bodies.
- 4/11/2024
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
Veteran Japanese character actor Tadanobu Asano is having a very overdue breakthrough moment. The chameleonic film star has been a mainstay of Japanese cinema for nearly three decades, while also regularly appearing in prominent supporting parts in big Hollywood productions. But his irresistible performance in FX’s period series Shōgun is giving him an all-new level of global recognition.
Asano co-stars in Shōgun as Kashigi Yabushige, the scheming lord of Izu, a rugged region of feudal Japan where much of the series takes place. Playing the character with lived-in swagger and a fatalistic sense of humor, Asano has become one of the show’s clear fan favorites, with Reddit and Twitter threads popping up to revel in his character’s antics. Asano announced himself early in Shōgun‘s run: As many have marveled, Yabushige makes his entrance to the show by boiling a man alive but then wins the audience...
Asano co-stars in Shōgun as Kashigi Yabushige, the scheming lord of Izu, a rugged region of feudal Japan where much of the series takes place. Playing the character with lived-in swagger and a fatalistic sense of humor, Asano has become one of the show’s clear fan favorites, with Reddit and Twitter threads popping up to revel in his character’s antics. Asano announced himself early in Shōgun‘s run: As many have marveled, Yabushige makes his entrance to the show by boiling a man alive but then wins the audience...
- 4/10/2024
- by Patrick Brzeski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Starting today, U-Treasure is teaming up with Tezuka Productions to release a trio of Black Jack -inspired wedding and engagement rings, with Black Jack and Pinoko motifs. The new offerings join a long line of character wedding rings from the jewelry maker, including collections inspired by Pokémon , Evangelion and Moomin . The engagement ring features the traditional single central diamond, flanked with a pair of black diamonds. The setting features a design reminiscent of Black Jack's bow tie and Pinoko's hair bows. Related: Osamu Tezuka's Shinsengumi Manga Inspires Live-Action TV Drama Two styles of wedding ring are available as well. The Pinoko model is the slimmer of the two, with a single small diamond and an image of one of her red bows. The Black Jack model has a flattened circle design, with both a white diamond and a black diamond set into the band. Related: Takashi Miike's New...
- 4/10/2024
- by Kara Dennison
- Crunchyroll
Each new episode of Shōgun raises the stakes, deepens the political intrigue, and brings us closer to the brink of war. It’s a description that, years ago, would have applied to Game of Thrones, a show to which Shōgun has been compared ad nauseam. It’s not an inappropriate comparison. Both tout sprawling casts, sweeping locations, political intrigue, backstabbing, and characters residing in moral gray areas, ready to surprise and disappoint. Though, it may be more apt to compare the show to Japan’s Chanbara or samurai films.
Given Shōgun’s intensity and cliffhangers, waiting a week between episodes is excruciating. Digging back into Game of Thrones or even House of the Dragon might not scratch that Shōgun itch in the long days between installments.
Instead, let’s dive into samurai epics in and around the Edo period when Ieyasu Tokugawa unified Japan and built a shogunate that ruled for more than two centuries,...
Given Shōgun’s intensity and cliffhangers, waiting a week between episodes is excruciating. Digging back into Game of Thrones or even House of the Dragon might not scratch that Shōgun itch in the long days between installments.
Instead, let’s dive into samurai epics in and around the Edo period when Ieyasu Tokugawa unified Japan and built a shogunate that ruled for more than two centuries,...
- 3/26/2024
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
Exclusive: BAFTA Award nominee Takehiro Hira (Shōgun, Gran Turismo) and Japanese Academy Award winner Akira Emoto have rounded out the cast of Searchlight’s Rental Family directed by Hikari (Beef) and starring The Whale Best Actor Oscar winner Brendan Fraser and Mari Yamamoto (Pachinko).
Cameras are now rolling in Japan, with production to wrap around May. A release date has not been set.
Deadline first told you about the project, which follows a lonely, down-and-out American actor (Fraser) living in Tokyo. He starts working for a Japanese “rental family” company to play various stand-in roles in other people’s lives. Along the way, he forges some surprising human connections and discovers unexpected joys within his built-in family.
“It’s an absolute dream to bring Rental Family to the world,” said Hikari. “I am truly so thankful for my collaboration with my partners at Searchlight and Sight Unseen and for their never-ending support,...
Cameras are now rolling in Japan, with production to wrap around May. A release date has not been set.
Deadline first told you about the project, which follows a lonely, down-and-out American actor (Fraser) living in Tokyo. He starts working for a Japanese “rental family” company to play various stand-in roles in other people’s lives. Along the way, he forges some surprising human connections and discovers unexpected joys within his built-in family.
“It’s an absolute dream to bring Rental Family to the world,” said Hikari. “I am truly so thankful for my collaboration with my partners at Searchlight and Sight Unseen and for their never-ending support,...
- 3/18/2024
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
“Everyone has a dream. For Moe, it is to be a stripper, much to her father's objections as he resents her unknowingly living up to the legacy of her absent mother. Is there something that can change his mind? Perhaps seeing the art of stripping for himself…” (Official Synopsis)
Ririka of the Star is screening at Osaka Asian Film Festival
Actor Tokitoshi Shiota's directorial debut is difficult to approach without some familiarity with him as a person or, more importantly, his work with director Takashi Miike as an actor in several projects. “Ririka of the Star” even dons the production moniker of “Gozu Productions,” featuring the image of the bullheaded monstrosity that appears in the Miike film of the same name. To those in the know, this will be an indicator to take the following lightly, with the movie showing its influence early on, an important factor but one...
Ririka of the Star is screening at Osaka Asian Film Festival
Actor Tokitoshi Shiota's directorial debut is difficult to approach without some familiarity with him as a person or, more importantly, his work with director Takashi Miike as an actor in several projects. “Ririka of the Star” even dons the production moniker of “Gozu Productions,” featuring the image of the bullheaded monstrosity that appears in the Miike film of the same name. To those in the know, this will be an indicator to take the following lightly, with the movie showing its influence early on, an important factor but one...
- 3/8/2024
- by Adam Symchuk
- AsianMoviePulse
If someone wanted a gateway introduction to Takashi Miike, a seasoned fan would likely direct that person's attention toward ‘Audition,' or ‘Ichi the Killer.' The caveat here is that these are full-length films: Neither of them get their point across instantly, and traces of that characteristic Miike calamity come and go.
The beginning of Miike's ‘Dead or Alive' is such an effective taste test because it showcases the sheer zaniness of the prolific director's mind, all within a mere few minutes. The opening shot features the dynamic duo of protagonists, Detective Jojima and Yakuza member Ryuuichi as they pop a squat, crane their necks to look backwards towards the camera and count to four in English.
It is like the two are theme park conductors about to lead their viewers on a rollercoaster ride: Once they reach four, the iconic ‘Doa' logo pops up against a black backdrop,...
The beginning of Miike's ‘Dead or Alive' is such an effective taste test because it showcases the sheer zaniness of the prolific director's mind, all within a mere few minutes. The opening shot features the dynamic duo of protagonists, Detective Jojima and Yakuza member Ryuuichi as they pop a squat, crane their necks to look backwards towards the camera and count to four in English.
It is like the two are theme park conductors about to lead their viewers on a rollercoaster ride: Once they reach four, the iconic ‘Doa' logo pops up against a black backdrop,...
- 3/8/2024
- by Spencer Nafekh-Blanchette
- AsianMoviePulse
Prolific genre filmmaker Takashi Miike (Audition, Ichi the Killer) quietly released short film “Midnight,” based on a manga by Osamu Tezuka, on Apple’s YouTube channel yesterday. And that’s not even the most impressive part: per THR, the filmmaker shot the thrilling short on an Apple iPhone 15 Pro.
Watch “Midnight” below.
The short film “centers on a late-night taxi driver named Midnight, played by popular Japanese actor Kento Kaku, who roams the streets of Tokyo offering help to those in need. The film follows Midnight as he comes to the aid of a young woman, played by Konatsu Kato, who is struggling to take over her recently deceased father’s truck-driving business while fighting off a nefarious local gang, led by an evil boss played by the acclaimed character actor Yukiyoshi Ozawa.”
The 19-minute comedic action short looks incredible for being shot on an iPhone, and mixes live-action with manga illustrations.
Watch “Midnight” below.
The short film “centers on a late-night taxi driver named Midnight, played by popular Japanese actor Kento Kaku, who roams the streets of Tokyo offering help to those in need. The film follows Midnight as he comes to the aid of a young woman, played by Konatsu Kato, who is struggling to take over her recently deceased father’s truck-driving business while fighting off a nefarious local gang, led by an evil boss played by the acclaimed character actor Yukiyoshi Ozawa.”
The 19-minute comedic action short looks incredible for being shot on an iPhone, and mixes live-action with manga illustrations.
- 3/6/2024
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
In what is a refreshing — at least for us at Filmmaker — changeup from the usual sorts of films that get the iPhone demo treatment, Apple has released a new 19-minute short, Midnight, directed by Takashi Miike. It’s no Audition or Ichi the Killer, naturally, but his adaptation of Osamu Tezuka’s manga is a lot of fun. There’s also an accompanying short behind-the-scenes video, below, that demonstrates the use of iPhone modes like Action and Cinematic — the former’s handheld stabilization and the latter’s rack focus — as well as, most impressively, the use of the phone’s Lidar scanner […]
The post Watch: Apple-Produced Takashi Miike Film Shot on iPhone 15 Pro first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post Watch: Apple-Produced Takashi Miike Film Shot on iPhone 15 Pro first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 3/6/2024
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
In what is a refreshing — at least for us at Filmmaker — changeup from the usual sorts of films that get the iPhone demo treatment, Apple has released a new 19-minute short, Midnight, directed by Takashi Miike. It’s no Audition or Ichi the Killer, naturally, but his adaptation of Osamu Tezuka’s manga is a lot of fun. There’s also an accompanying short behind-the-scenes video, below, that demonstrates the use of iPhone modes like Action and Cinematic — the former’s handheld stabilization and the latter’s rack focus — as well as, most impressively, the use of the phone’s Lidar scanner […]
The post Watch: Apple-Produced Takashi Miike Film Shot on iPhone 15 Pro first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post Watch: Apple-Produced Takashi Miike Film Shot on iPhone 15 Pro first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 3/6/2024
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Takashi Miike works, still, at such a tireless pace that it was just a matter of time until he shot an entire project with the camera in his pocket. Strange though it is seeing the man behind Audition and Ichi the Killer make sponsored content for the world’s biggest tech company, Miike took an opportunity (and what I can only assume is a rather healthy payday) to shoot a characteristically manic, action-heavy short, Midnight, on the iPhone 15 Pro.
Obviously a director of Miike’s stature can access superb post-production studios––evidenced most clearly by the animation, VFX, and black-and-white images, but running all throughout 19 minutes colored and graded a bit more lavishly than what even the newest iPhone might capture. Nobody has ever asked Takashi Miike for naturalism, though, and it’s nice knowing his manic, metal sensibility isn’t dulled too much by a camera downgrade.
Watch it...
Obviously a director of Miike’s stature can access superb post-production studios––evidenced most clearly by the animation, VFX, and black-and-white images, but running all throughout 19 minutes colored and graded a bit more lavishly than what even the newest iPhone might capture. Nobody has ever asked Takashi Miike for naturalism, though, and it’s nice knowing his manic, metal sensibility isn’t dulled too much by a camera downgrade.
Watch it...
- 3/6/2024
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
Here’s a nice surprise to get you over Hump Day: Japanese filmmaker Takashi Miike secretly shot a 19-minute short film, titled “Midnight,” on an Apple iPhone 15 Pro. Apple quietly released the film on YouTube.
“Midnight,” originally a manga by Osamu Tezuka and directed for film by Miike, follows a mysterious taxi driver, Midnight, who lends a hand to Kaede, a young girl chased by assassins. This dude is a hell of a lot better than that “Cash Cab” guy, and “Midnight” is a hell of a lot better than your home iPhone videos.
Midnight can see the near future, which makes him one of the only people outside of Miike himself who saw this film coming. But when you do see it, you’ll probably want to trade in your Samsung device.
The short film is visually stunning, especially when you consider its camera — Miike’s iPhone has no...
“Midnight,” originally a manga by Osamu Tezuka and directed for film by Miike, follows a mysterious taxi driver, Midnight, who lends a hand to Kaede, a young girl chased by assassins. This dude is a hell of a lot better than that “Cash Cab” guy, and “Midnight” is a hell of a lot better than your home iPhone videos.
Midnight can see the near future, which makes him one of the only people outside of Miike himself who saw this film coming. But when you do see it, you’ll probably want to trade in your Samsung device.
The short film is visually stunning, especially when you consider its camera — Miike’s iPhone has no...
- 3/6/2024
- by Tony Maglio
- Indiewire
Midnight is one of manga master Osamu Tezuka's lesser-known works. Published in two parts just two years before his passing, it tells the story of Midnight, a mysterious taxi driver who encounters strange passengers during his late-night drives. Today, a new short film has dropped, inspired by the classic manga—and it was filmed entirely on the iPhone 15 Pro. The 19-minute film was directed by Takashi Miike, known for everything from gritty films like Audition and Ichi the Killer to his adaptations of Ace Attorney and JoJo's Bizarre Adventure . Film and TV actor Kento Kaku plays Midnight, who roams the streets of Tokyo in his specially modified taxi. Konatsu Kato plays Kaede, a young trucker on the run from her father's killer (played by Yukiyoshi Ozawa). Miike himself has a cameo as Kaede's late father in a flashback. Watch the entire short here. Don't forget to turn on...
- 3/6/2024
- by Kara Dennison
- Crunchyroll
With films like “Destruction Babies” and “Miyamoto”, Tetsuya Mariko has really left an impact in the Japanese movie industry during the latest years, as one of the few remaining directors of ‘tense cinema', as established by directors such as Takashi Miike, Sion Sono, Toshiaki Toyoda and Shinya Tsukamoto. Now, with “Before Anyone Else”, he attempts to take his talents outside Japan, to the US specifically, hopefully in a new endeavor and not because he cannot find space in his home country anymore.
Before Anyone Else is screening at Osaka Asian Film Festival
In black-and-white and low definition, the movie begins with a young woman driving a car, getting out of it, and then the camera turning to the backseat, showing a baby sitting there. The next cut shows a completely different scene, in color this time, where a group of four Americans and Asian Americans break into a pawn shop.
Before Anyone Else is screening at Osaka Asian Film Festival
In black-and-white and low definition, the movie begins with a young woman driving a car, getting out of it, and then the camera turning to the backseat, showing a baby sitting there. The next cut shows a completely different scene, in color this time, where a group of four Americans and Asian Americans break into a pawn shop.
- 3/3/2024
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
For this month’s installment of “TV Terrors” we revisit Showtime’s “Masters of Horror,” which was created by Mick Garris and aired for two seasons between 2005 and 2007.
It seemed like a horror fan’s wet dream: a horror anthology series with some of the greatest horror filmmakers of all time lensing short format horror films for premium cable. Although horror icons had teamed in the past to bring us series like “Tales from the Darkside” and “Tales from the Crypt,” there wasn’t a modern series that brought them all together to have a chance to tell their stories in the anthology format. “Masters of Horror” seemed like a prime opportunity to re-invent the waning anthology horror format, and while it didn’t quite re-invent the wheel as planned, it brought with it a lot of great content from some bonafide horror icons.
“Masters of Horror” was originally envisioned...
It seemed like a horror fan’s wet dream: a horror anthology series with some of the greatest horror filmmakers of all time lensing short format horror films for premium cable. Although horror icons had teamed in the past to bring us series like “Tales from the Darkside” and “Tales from the Crypt,” there wasn’t a modern series that brought them all together to have a chance to tell their stories in the anthology format. “Masters of Horror” seemed like a prime opportunity to re-invent the waning anthology horror format, and while it didn’t quite re-invent the wheel as planned, it brought with it a lot of great content from some bonafide horror icons.
“Masters of Horror” was originally envisioned...
- 3/1/2024
- by Felix Vasquez Jr
- bloody-disgusting.com
“Words create lies. Pain can be trusted.”
Few things in this world are more frightening than dating. In addition to the fear of getting stood up or rejected, women have the added bonus of worrying that the person they’ve matched with might turn out to be a serial killer. It’s just smart to text your location and the photo of your blind date to a friend while asking for advice on which earrings best complement your impossibly sexy First Date Dress. Women talk about our hopes for a romantic adventure in the same breadth that we relay justifiable fears that we might end the evening as a collection of dismembered body parts in a trash bag at the bottom of a ravine.
Shigeharu Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi) learns about this terrifying dichotomy the hard way in Takashi Miike’s insightful masterpiece Audition. Tired of the single life but terrified of women,...
Few things in this world are more frightening than dating. In addition to the fear of getting stood up or rejected, women have the added bonus of worrying that the person they’ve matched with might turn out to be a serial killer. It’s just smart to text your location and the photo of your blind date to a friend while asking for advice on which earrings best complement your impossibly sexy First Date Dress. Women talk about our hopes for a romantic adventure in the same breadth that we relay justifiable fears that we might end the evening as a collection of dismembered body parts in a trash bag at the bottom of a ravine.
Shigeharu Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi) learns about this terrifying dichotomy the hard way in Takashi Miike’s insightful masterpiece Audition. Tired of the single life but terrified of women,...
- 2/22/2024
- by Jenn Adams
- bloody-disgusting.com
“You just couldn’t die, could you?”
There are certain anime evergreen customs that are omnipresent in the medium, with ninja and samurai right at the top of the list. Audiences have their share of options when it comes to such content, whether it’s established classics like Rurouni Kenshin, Jubei-chan: The Ninja Girl, and Ninja Scroll, or newer modern hits like Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku, Yasuke, and Blue Eye Samurai. It’s harder to stand out in a genre that’s done it all before, but this only makes Ninja Kamui’s success even more significant. Adult Swim is not one to chase trends, but they’ve tapped into an electric energy here and produced a powerful series that confidently slices its way through the competition.
The danger of a show like Ninja Kamui that prides itself in vicious violence is that characters can feel more like caricatures and...
There are certain anime evergreen customs that are omnipresent in the medium, with ninja and samurai right at the top of the list. Audiences have their share of options when it comes to such content, whether it’s established classics like Rurouni Kenshin, Jubei-chan: The Ninja Girl, and Ninja Scroll, or newer modern hits like Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku, Yasuke, and Blue Eye Samurai. It’s harder to stand out in a genre that’s done it all before, but this only makes Ninja Kamui’s success even more significant. Adult Swim is not one to chase trends, but they’ve tapped into an electric energy here and produced a powerful series that confidently slices its way through the competition.
The danger of a show like Ninja Kamui that prides itself in vicious violence is that characters can feel more like caricatures and...
- 2/9/2024
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
The Skip City International D-Cinema Festival 2024 will celebrate its 21st edition from July 13th (Sat) to 21st (Sun), 2024 for 9 days at Skip City, which is an integrated institution for digital cinema production.
(See: https://www.skipcity-dcf.jp/en/)
Submission period: January 31st, 2024 (Wed) – March 1st, 2024 (Fri)
Skip City International D-Cinema Festival remains committed to discovering and nurturing new talent, with the aim of helping these filmmakers seize new business opportunities that have arisen in the changing landscape of the film industry. Now calling for works (60 min. or longer) that have been shot digitally and must be the director's 1st, 2nd, or 3rd feature film from all over the world for the International Competition section.
Call for entries for the International Competition!!
Entry Deadline: Must be received by March 1st, 2024 (Fri)
Submit via FilmFreeway
https://filmfreeway.com/Skipcityinternationald-CinemaFESTIVAL (Online registration / Free)
All nominated films in competition categories are eligible for the Festival Organizers awards.
(See: https://www.skipcity-dcf.jp/en/)
Submission period: January 31st, 2024 (Wed) – March 1st, 2024 (Fri)
Skip City International D-Cinema Festival remains committed to discovering and nurturing new talent, with the aim of helping these filmmakers seize new business opportunities that have arisen in the changing landscape of the film industry. Now calling for works (60 min. or longer) that have been shot digitally and must be the director's 1st, 2nd, or 3rd feature film from all over the world for the International Competition section.
Call for entries for the International Competition!!
Entry Deadline: Must be received by March 1st, 2024 (Fri)
Submit via FilmFreeway
https://filmfreeway.com/Skipcityinternationald-CinemaFESTIVAL (Online registration / Free)
All nominated films in competition categories are eligible for the Festival Organizers awards.
- 2/2/2024
- by Suzie Cho
- AsianMoviePulse
“Audition” is quite a historic production (at least for its cult following), since it was the film that established Takashi Miike as a prominent member of the horror category and Eihi Shiina as a “priestess” of the grotesque.
on Amazon by clicking on the image below
Based on the homonymous novel by Ryu Murakami, who actually wrote it as a reaction to a failed love affair, “Audition” tells the story of Shigeharu Aoyama, a middle aged entrepreneur who has recently lost his wife and has been living a disinterested life ever since. His 17-year-old son, Shigehiko, who worries about the turn his father's life seem to have taken, prompts him to meet new women. Yoshikawa, a friend of Shigeharu and a film producer, proposes that he take part in a sham in order to meet women, an idea he agrees to. According to the plan, actresses would...
on Amazon by clicking on the image below
Based on the homonymous novel by Ryu Murakami, who actually wrote it as a reaction to a failed love affair, “Audition” tells the story of Shigeharu Aoyama, a middle aged entrepreneur who has recently lost his wife and has been living a disinterested life ever since. His 17-year-old son, Shigehiko, who worries about the turn his father's life seem to have taken, prompts him to meet new women. Yoshikawa, a friend of Shigeharu and a film producer, proposes that he take part in a sham in order to meet women, an idea he agrees to. According to the plan, actresses would...
- 1/19/2024
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
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