dTv, Japan’s biggest streaming service released a preview for “Terraformars:A New Hope” series, a three-episode prequel of Takashi Miike’s adaptation, that will premiere on April 24, with the actual film scheduled for April 29.
The prequel will center on the research institute responsible for screening candidates for the Mars mission. The candidates will cheat and betray each other in a mental battle to be chosen as part of the crew, and it will reveal why the 15 crew members in the film were the ones chosen.
Hideaki Ito, Emi Takei, Mariko Shinoda, Rina Ota, Rinko Kikuchi, and Masaya Kato are reprising their roles from the film. Kiyohiko Shibukawa, Kōji Matoba, Ken Aoki, Takahiro Kuroishi, Kento Hayashi, Tetsuya Sugaya, Takemi Fujii, and Saki Takaoka are playing other characters who are unique to the prequel.
Takashi Miike supervises the production, with Yoshitaka Yamaguchi directing. Yamaguchi has worked before with Miike as assistant...
The prequel will center on the research institute responsible for screening candidates for the Mars mission. The candidates will cheat and betray each other in a mental battle to be chosen as part of the crew, and it will reveal why the 15 crew members in the film were the ones chosen.
Hideaki Ito, Emi Takei, Mariko Shinoda, Rina Ota, Rinko Kikuchi, and Masaya Kato are reprising their roles from the film. Kiyohiko Shibukawa, Kōji Matoba, Ken Aoki, Takahiro Kuroishi, Kento Hayashi, Tetsuya Sugaya, Takemi Fujii, and Saki Takaoka are playing other characters who are unique to the prequel.
Takashi Miike supervises the production, with Yoshitaka Yamaguchi directing. Yamaguchi has worked before with Miike as assistant...
- 4/10/2016
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Yakuza Apocalypse: The Great War of the Underworld (Gokudo Dai Senso)
Directed by Takashi Miike
Screenplay by Yoshitaka Yamaguchi
2015, Japan
Prolific Japanese genre auteur Takashi Miike returns to his gonzo roots with Yakuza Apocalypse, a genre mashup about a yakuza boss named Kamiura (Lily Franky) who’s assassinated by a coffin-toting English-speaking, Japanese, Django-wannabe gunslinger and his trusty sidekick (played by Indonesian action star Yayan Ruhian from The Raid). Just before his death, Kamiura’s decapitated head takes a bite out of his young protegé Kagayama (played by ruggedly handsome Hayato Ichihara), turning him into a bloodsucking vampire. Kagayama then takes to the streets turning regular citizens into the undead while rounding up an army of night-walkers before seeking revenge on his mentor’s killers.
Restraint is not a concept in the cinematic vocabulary of Miike Takashi and boy does he go wild here. If you were bored with...
Directed by Takashi Miike
Screenplay by Yoshitaka Yamaguchi
2015, Japan
Prolific Japanese genre auteur Takashi Miike returns to his gonzo roots with Yakuza Apocalypse, a genre mashup about a yakuza boss named Kamiura (Lily Franky) who’s assassinated by a coffin-toting English-speaking, Japanese, Django-wannabe gunslinger and his trusty sidekick (played by Indonesian action star Yayan Ruhian from The Raid). Just before his death, Kamiura’s decapitated head takes a bite out of his young protegé Kagayama (played by ruggedly handsome Hayato Ichihara), turning him into a bloodsucking vampire. Kagayama then takes to the streets turning regular citizens into the undead while rounding up an army of night-walkers before seeking revenge on his mentor’s killers.
Restraint is not a concept in the cinematic vocabulary of Miike Takashi and boy does he go wild here. If you were bored with...
- 9/26/2015
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
Hong Kong’s Soi Cheang, Japan’s Takashi Miike, Australia’s Sean Byrne and American filmmaker Jeremy Saulnier are among the returning names to populate Tiff’s Midnight Madness programme. In what is an American indie horror film dominated section featuring the likes of some of the V/H/S alumni (Roxanne Benjamin, David Bruckner, and Radio Silence quartet) presenting Southbound, Cold Comes the Night scribe Nick Simon presenting his sophomore film, The Girl in the Photographs and before being released theatrically in October via Stage 6 Films, Todd Strauss-Schulson‘s The Final Girls will receive its international premiere. Colin Geddes’ baby will be host to six world premieres with Saulnier’s Green Room making it much anticipated North American debut after replicating the big bang he made in Cannes with Blue Ruin. Here are the ten titles & fest synopses:
Baskin – Can Evrenol, Turkey
World Premiere
A squad of unsuspecting cops...
Baskin – Can Evrenol, Turkey
World Premiere
A squad of unsuspecting cops...
- 8/12/2015
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
Kicking off September 10th, Toronto International Film Festival and its Midnight Madness screenings are right around the corner. This year, Midnight Madness selections include The Final Girls, Green Room, and the world premiere of The Devil's Candy from The Loved Ones director Sean Byrne.
Press Release: "Toronto — Midnight Madness returns to the Toronto International Film Festival® to satiate late night audiences’ appetites for wild sensory stimulation. The programme will present the best in action, horror, shock and fantasy films from the rabble-rousers of cinema, opening with Jeremy Saulnier’s tense siege shocker Green Room.
“Midnight Madness winds up Festival audiences as the days are winding down and they are hungry for more,” says Colin Geddes, International Programmer for the Festival. “From adrenaline-filled action and untamed horror to twisted comedy and darkly blurred lines of reality, this year’s lineup welcomes back celebrated masters and fresh visionaries of renegade genre cinema.
Press Release: "Toronto — Midnight Madness returns to the Toronto International Film Festival® to satiate late night audiences’ appetites for wild sensory stimulation. The programme will present the best in action, horror, shock and fantasy films from the rabble-rousers of cinema, opening with Jeremy Saulnier’s tense siege shocker Green Room.
“Midnight Madness winds up Festival audiences as the days are winding down and they are hungry for more,” says Colin Geddes, International Programmer for the Festival. “From adrenaline-filled action and untamed horror to twisted comedy and darkly blurred lines of reality, this year’s lineup welcomes back celebrated masters and fresh visionaries of renegade genre cinema.
- 8/11/2015
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Tiff’s Midnight Madness program turned 25 this year, and for two and half decades, the hardworking programers have gathered some of the strangest, most terrifying, wild, intriguing and downright entertaining films from around the world. From dark comedies to Japanese gore-fests and indie horror gems, the Midnight Madness program hasn’t lost its edge as one the leading showcases of genre cinema. In its 25-year history, Midnight Madness has introduced adventurous late-night moviegoers to such cult faves as Richard Linklater’s Dazed and Confused and Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs. But what separates Midnight Madness from, say, Montreal’s three and half week long genre festival Fantasia, is that Tiff selects only ten films to make the cut. In other words, these programmers don’t mess around. Last week I decided that I would post reviews of my personal favourite films that screened in past years. And just like the Tiff programmers,...
- 9/18/2013
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
Here's the full trailer for the live-action adaptation of the 1960s anime and manga classic, Tiger Mask. The character was created by Ikki Kajiwara, and the story centers on a wrestling hero who fights evil to protect the children of an orphanage.
The film stars Eiji Wentz (Brave Story) as the hero, Natsuna Watanabe (Gantz, Kimi ni Todoke) as the heroine, Ruriko and Show Aikawa (Zebraman) as Mister X. Here's a little more information on the film and its story, thanks to Anime News Network:
"Tiger Mask" is the alter ego of the character Naoto Date, a pro wrestler who goes against an evil wrestling organization and fights for children in an orphanage. In the new setup for the film, Date dons a special suit and "transforms" into Tiger Mask with enhanced mobility and muscle strength. His mask has also been redesigned with a nod to American comic action heroes such as Spider-Man and Batman.
The film stars Eiji Wentz (Brave Story) as the hero, Natsuna Watanabe (Gantz, Kimi ni Todoke) as the heroine, Ruriko and Show Aikawa (Zebraman) as Mister X. Here's a little more information on the film and its story, thanks to Anime News Network:
"Tiger Mask" is the alter ego of the character Naoto Date, a pro wrestler who goes against an evil wrestling organization and fights for children in an orphanage. In the new setup for the film, Date dons a special suit and "transforms" into Tiger Mask with enhanced mobility and muscle strength. His mask has also been redesigned with a nod to American comic action heroes such as Spider-Man and Batman.
- 9/16/2013
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
Related Content: Teaser Trailer For Live-Action Tiger Mask Second Teaser Trailer For Live-Action 'Tiger Mask' "Tiger Mask" is the alter ego of the character Naoto Date (Eiji Wentz), a pro wrestler who goes against an evil wrestling organization and fights for children in an orphanage. In the new setup for the film, Date dons a special suit and "transforms" into Tiger Mask with enhanced mobility and muscle strength. His mask has also been redesigned with a nod to American comic action heroes such as Spider-Man and Batman. The film also stars Natsuna Watanabe (Gantz, Kimi ni Todoke) as heroine and love interest, Ruriko and Show Aikawa (Zebraman) as Mister X. Tiger Mask was the basis for the popular character King from the video game Tekken. The original manga from Kajiwara and Tsuji ran from 1968 to 1971 and received an anime adaptation in 1969. The redesigned look for the wrestler is reportedly based...
- 9/13/2013
- ComicBookMovie.com
As previously reported, Tiger Mask (タイガーマスク) follows lead Eiji Wentz (Brave Story) as Naoto Date, a character that gets mixed up in a shading wrestling operation and then breaks rank to oppose their forced acquisition of an orphanage. The film also stars Natsuna Watanabe (Gantz, Kimi ni Todoke) as heroine and love interest, Ruriko and Show Aikawa (Zebraman) as Mister X. Tiger Mask was the basis for the popular character King from the video game Tekken. The original manga from Kajiwara and Tsuji ran from 1968 to 1971 and received an anime adaptation in 1969. The redesigned look for the wrestler is reportedly based on American superheroes Batman and Spider-Man. Expect a full trailer to be released in the coming days. Related Content: Ghost In The Shell: Arise - First Full Trailer Debuts First Look At Live-Action Kuroshitsuji Anime Cowboy Bebop Director Says Live-Action Film Is...
- 7/24/2013
- ComicBookMovie.com
The full Fantasia 2013 lineup has now been revealed, and we have here the third and final wave of titles to share. Prepare to drool!
From the Press Release:
The Fantasia International Film Festival is proud to announce the rest of our 120-feature lineup that comprises our 2013 event, along with a string of additional details that mark our 17th edition as a standout. Fantasia will engulf the city of Montreal from July 18-August 6, 2013. Be sure to visit the Fantasia Film Festival website for detailed essays on every title announced here, as well as all films previously disclosed over the last weeks.
Before we get started on titles... Meet Our 2013 Juries
Main Competition For The Cheval Noir Award For Best Film
Jury President: Laura Kern (Critic, Curator, managing editor, Film Comment)
Jean-Pierre Bergeron (Actor, Director, Screenwriter)
Samuel Jamier (Co-Director of the New York Asian Film Festival, Programmer at Japan Society)
Jarod Neece (Senior Programmer and Operations Manager,...
From the Press Release:
The Fantasia International Film Festival is proud to announce the rest of our 120-feature lineup that comprises our 2013 event, along with a string of additional details that mark our 17th edition as a standout. Fantasia will engulf the city of Montreal from July 18-August 6, 2013. Be sure to visit the Fantasia Film Festival website for detailed essays on every title announced here, as well as all films previously disclosed over the last weeks.
Before we get started on titles... Meet Our 2013 Juries
Main Competition For The Cheval Noir Award For Best Film
Jury President: Laura Kern (Critic, Curator, managing editor, Film Comment)
Jean-Pierre Bergeron (Actor, Director, Screenwriter)
Samuel Jamier (Co-Director of the New York Asian Film Festival, Programmer at Japan Society)
Jarod Neece (Senior Programmer and Operations Manager,...
- 7/9/2013
- by The Woman In Black
- DreadCentral.com
The Fantasia Film Festival is taking place from July 18th to August 6th in Montreal and will feature over 100 films from around the world. We gave you a look at the initial lineup last month and now have an additional list of Fantasia 2013 films that will be screening, including Curse of Chucky, You’re Next, and Frankenstein’s Army:
Horror Is Child’S Play – Don Mancini’S Curse Of Chucky (World Premiere)
A rarity among genre franchises, the Child’S Play series (begun in 1988) has retained the sure-handed guidance of original screenwriter/creator Don Mancini throughout killer doll Chucky’s decades’-long reign of horror. Mancini, who will be hosting our “scar-studded” world premiere, graduated to the director’s chair with 2004’s Seed Of Chucky, after having co-written or written every entry in the series. His longevity with the project is, of course, matched by the fiendish voiceover work by...
Horror Is Child’S Play – Don Mancini’S Curse Of Chucky (World Premiere)
A rarity among genre franchises, the Child’S Play series (begun in 1988) has retained the sure-handed guidance of original screenwriter/creator Don Mancini throughout killer doll Chucky’s decades’-long reign of horror. Mancini, who will be hosting our “scar-studded” world premiere, graduated to the director’s chair with 2004’s Seed Of Chucky, after having co-written or written every entry in the series. His longevity with the project is, of course, matched by the fiendish voiceover work by...
- 7/9/2013
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
The Tiger Mask is a classic 1960s anime and manga created by Ikki Kajiwara. The story centers on a wrestling hero who fights evil to protect the children of an orphanage. The original manga ran from 1968 to 1971 in several magazines. In 1969, it was adapted into an anime TV series.
The film stars Eiji Wentz (Brave Story) as the titular hero, Natsuna Watanabe (Gantz, Kimi ni Todoke) as the heroine, Ruriko and Show Aikawa (Zebraman) as Mister X. Here's a little more information on the film and its story thanks to Anime News Network:
"Tiger Mask" is the alter ego of the character Naoto Date, a pro wrestler who goes against an evil wrestling organization and fights for children in an orphanage. In the new setup for the film, Date dons a special suit and "transforms" into Tiger Mask with enhanced mobility and muscle strength. His mask has also been redesigned...
The film stars Eiji Wentz (Brave Story) as the titular hero, Natsuna Watanabe (Gantz, Kimi ni Todoke) as the heroine, Ruriko and Show Aikawa (Zebraman) as Mister X. Here's a little more information on the film and its story thanks to Anime News Network:
"Tiger Mask" is the alter ego of the character Naoto Date, a pro wrestler who goes against an evil wrestling organization and fights for children in an orphanage. In the new setup for the film, Date dons a special suit and "transforms" into Tiger Mask with enhanced mobility and muscle strength. His mask has also been redesigned...
- 6/21/2013
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
The film stars Eiji Wentz (Brave Story) as the titular hero, Natsuna Watanabe (Gantz, Kimi ni Todoke) as the heroine, Ruriko and Show Aikawa (Zebraman) as Mister X. This new interpretation focuses on lead hero Naota Date, who fights in opposition to an evil wrestling organization and to save a children's orphanage. Date was actually at one time a member of the evil organization, Tora no Ana, before setting down the path to become a hero. The original manga ran from 1968 to 1971 in such publications as Weekly Shōnen Magazine while the anime aired in 1969. Many real-life Japanese wrestlers have donned the 'Tiger Mask' persona over the years. The manga recently became popular again in Japan after a mysterious donation was made a few years back to a children's organization which sparked others to contribute in what became known as "The Tiger Mask" movement.
- 6/19/2013
- ComicBookMovie.com
It’s hard to believe that it’s been roughly eight years since the release of Takashi Miike’s superhero spoof “Zebraman”. Apparently time does fly when you’re having fun. The boys and girls over at Tokyo Shock are preparing to re-release the enormously entertaining action/comedy on DVD here in the States this June under their “Tokyo Shock Classic” label. Strange that we’ve reached the point where the term “classic” can be applied to some of the films that stoked the fires of my fascination with Asian cinema. I’m old! And, chances are, so are you. If you haven’t heard of the flick, then you need to read this: A down-and-out schoolteacher is called to become the real-life personification of an old television superhero, Zebraman but he gets more then he bargained for when his black-and-white alter ego seems to be the only thing standing...
- 4/29/2012
- by Todd Rigney
- Beyond Hollywood
Last week I reviewed Takashi Miike (Sun Scarred, Crows Zero, Crows Zero II, Zebraman 2)'s most impressive arthouse venture 46 Okunen no Koi, this week I'll be tackling Miike's biggest anti-arthouse middle finger: Visitor Q. Visitor Q is without a doubt Miike's most infamous film. It's a sick and depraved piece of cinema, but it manages to be pretty hilarious in the process. If you ever wondered where Miike got his reputation from, look no further.Visitor Q is not just any piece of shock shlock though. Some people consider Visitor Q to be a continuation of Pasolini's Teorema (and while I haven't seen Teorema yet, based on the premise alone it sounds more like the antithesis of that film), others think of it as an...
- 2/3/2012
- Screen Anarchy
Director Takashi Miike gets that a well-coiffed attorney is an Ace Attorney in the Japanese adaptation of the Capcom series.
Japanese film site Eiga.com released a batch of exclusive cast photos from the live action Ace Attorney film over the weekend, providing our first detailed look at the characters before the movie hits in February. Directed by Takashi Miike (Audition, 13 Assassins), the director is in full-on Yatterman/Zebraman-mode, letting loose with the wild colors and exaggerated performances because hey, who's going to see a Phoenix Wright movie done as an understated chamber drama? No, we want him to make objections and we want weird murders and maybe some ghosts (Phoenix Wright games can get exceedingly bizarre).
Hiroki Narimiya as Phoenix Wright
The story sees luck-challenged defense attorney Phoenix Wright (Hiroki Narimiya) coming to the aid of his nemesis, corrupt-ish prosecutor Miles Edgeworth (Takumi Saitou). There will certainly be the collecting of evidence,...
Japanese film site Eiga.com released a batch of exclusive cast photos from the live action Ace Attorney film over the weekend, providing our first detailed look at the characters before the movie hits in February. Directed by Takashi Miike (Audition, 13 Assassins), the director is in full-on Yatterman/Zebraman-mode, letting loose with the wild colors and exaggerated performances because hey, who's going to see a Phoenix Wright movie done as an understated chamber drama? No, we want him to make objections and we want weird murders and maybe some ghosts (Phoenix Wright games can get exceedingly bizarre).
Hiroki Narimiya as Phoenix Wright
The story sees luck-challenged defense attorney Phoenix Wright (Hiroki Narimiya) coming to the aid of his nemesis, corrupt-ish prosecutor Miles Edgeworth (Takumi Saitou). There will certainly be the collecting of evidence,...
- 1/2/2012
- by Charles Webb
- MTV Multiplayer
Just to prove that he's versatile, in case you hadn't been paying attention, Takashi Miike turns in a sequel to his beloved Zebraman that outstrips the craziness of the first film by a country mile. Zebraman 2: Attack on Zebra City is a blast! It's a film that blows the doors off and proves that creativity is not dead. I never cease to be amazed with what Takashi Miike can do as his cache and budgets rise. FUNimation's Blu-ray/DVD combo of Zebraman is a treat. The disc features some excellent in-depth special features along with great image and sound quality. If you love Takashi Miike, you want this set.Schoolteacher-turned-superhero Zebraman faces his greatest challenge yet when the evil pop-music-loving Zebra Queen and her sexy Zebra...
- 11/28/2011
- Screen Anarchy
The fine folks over at FUNimation have partnered with your favorite film news site to bring you a really cool Zebraman 2 giveaway this Thanksgiving! With Zebraman 2: Attack on Zebra City ready to hit store shelves next Tuesday, we are going to be giving away 5 prize packs consisting of one copy of the film on Blu-ray/DVD combo and one Zebraman 2 T-shirt! All you have to do to enter is send me an email with "Zebraman Giveaway" in the subject line and your mailing address in the body. Next Tuesday I'll pick five winners at random, it could be you! Straight from the delightfully-bent psyche of Takashi Miike (Ichi the Killer, Audition) comes a scandalous tale of good vs. evil! The year is...
- 11/25/2011
- Screen Anarchy
[Tonight's midnight (actually 11:15) selection for Affd is Takashi Miike's Zebraman 2. Here we reprint Niels Matthijs' review from the archive.]Takashi Miike is back for another round of black and white Zebra fun. The first Zebraman was released in 2004 and marked Miike's first venture into the superhero genre, six years later he returns to build upon that legacy, more experienced and better armed. The result is enjoyable indeed, but not really a direct continuation of the Zebraman universe. Beware, this is a Miike sequel. Zebraman 2 isn't Miike's first sequel and it will definitely not be his last. It's always somewhat of a gamble how these sequels will turn out though. Sometimes they're simple and straight (Crows Zero), at other times there is hardly...
- 7/16/2011
- Screen Anarchy
Us distributor FUNimation has announced that they've acquired the rights to Takashi Miike's Zebraman 2: Attack On Zebra City, the sequel to crazy (and awesome) 2004 film. We don't have any details about the release, or even a firm release date, but the news is exciting nonetheless. FUNimation, who are mostly known for distributing anime, have done a pretty good so far with their live action releases like RoboGeisha and Shibobi. This is the first time they've released a Miike film, but hopefully it won't be the last. We'll let you know when there are more details to know.
- 6/16/2011
- 24framespersecond.net
Takashi Miike may be one of the hardest working directors working in cinema today. In the past ten years, the director has made more than fifty movies and T.V. movies. What is even more bizarre about the Japanese auteur is his choice of films. Eccentric, weird, gross, and unpredictable are just a few words that come to mind when thinking about Miike’s films. Audition, a story about an obsessive relationship gone painfully wrong, was the film that catapulted the director to notoriety in the States. Since then, the director has tackled straight-up “yakuza” films with the Dead or Alive trilogy, the power and danger of the media with Visitor Q, the wacky hijinks of a family in the zombie -musical The Happiness of the Katakuris, the day to day life of a superhero in Zebraman, and what many consider one of the goriest movies ever made … Ichi The Killer.
- 5/27/2011
- by Michael Haffner
- Destroy the Brain
The eccentric Japanese director who is notorious for his bizarre and ultra violent work which consists of both Ichi The Killer and Audition is working on the family friendly big screen version of a Nintendo DS videogame. “It is a very light comedy that I am filming now, a court drama, based on a video game, the Nintendo game DS," said Takashi Miike. The filmmaker doesn't name Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney specifically but there are no other Nintendo DS titles about a lawyer with gameplay limited to the courtroom. Miike may seem like an odd choice to adapt this title, but it's a strange game and he's strange enough to tackle the adaptation. Miike may be great at making very adult oriented films but he's helmed family movies in the past too like Zebraman. Miike did mention that his...
- 5/24/2011
- by Keven Skinner
- The Daily BLAM!
Takashi Miike is an interesting filmmaker for many, many reasons, one of which being his tendency to bounce from genre to genre. The same guy who could make something extremely graphic like Audition is also capable of turning out a family-friendly movie such as Zebraman. How he’s capable of this is a mystery to me (just like his ability to make projects at an astoundingly quick rate), but it’s something that he seems fond of doing. While his last movie, Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai, didn’t impress us at Cannes, he doesn’t seem affected by this, as he’s already at work on his next film.
That next project, however, is something I couldn’t have ever imagined him taking on. While speaking to The Huffington Post (via /Film), the Japanese filmmaker said that he’s currently filming a movie version of the popular video game series Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney.
That next project, however, is something I couldn’t have ever imagined him taking on. While speaking to The Huffington Post (via /Film), the Japanese filmmaker said that he’s currently filming a movie version of the popular video game series Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney.
- 5/24/2011
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
Japanese production house Sushi Typhoon returns with more blood soaked insanity in “Helldriver”, directed by “Tokyo Gore Police” and “Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl” helmer Yoshihiro Nishimura. Given Nishimura’s past works and his background as a special effects wizard, it should come as no surprise to learn that the film is a gibbering gore-fest which basically plays out like one crazed set piece and sees him constantly trying to one-up himself. The film reunites the director with striking “Tokyo Gore Police” actress Eihi Shiina (who made a lasting impression on audiences in Takashi Miike’s “Audition”), with Yumiko Hara in the lead and support from the likes of Yurei Yanagi (“Gothic & Lolita Psycho”), Kazuki Namioka (“Zebraman 2”) and Kentaro Kishi (“RoboGeisha”), plus the usual cameos from several of the Sushi Typhoon gang. The film doesn’t have a plot, so much as a setup, taking place in a Japan which...
- 5/8/2011
- by James Mudge
- Beyond Hollywood
No one does bloodletting better than Takashi Miike, the man behind bloody stunners like “Audition” and “Ichi the Killer”, family fare like the “Zebraman” movies, and horror offerings like “One Missed Call”. The eclectic and prolific Japanese director’s latest film to reach Stateside theaters is the period Samurai action flick “13 Assassins”. If you’re a fan of Miike and his brand of mayhem, or just insanely cool Samurai action in general, then you’ve probably already seen the film in various festivals around the country. If not, Magnet Releasing is putting the film out on April 29, 2011. I suspect limited release, which probably means you’ll be able to also catch this on VOD. Check out the U.S. trailer for the film below. Cult director Takeshi Miike (Ichi the Killer, Audition) delivers a bravado period action film set at the end of Japan’s feudal era in which a...
- 3/27/2011
- by Nix
- Beyond Hollywood
[Our thanks to Joshua Chaplinsky for the following review.]13 Assassins will be available on VOD in North America starting today, March 25th and opens in select U.S. cities starting on April 29th. To quote another review of mine, "it's been ten years since Japanese maverick Takashi Miike took America by quiet storm with a vicious little gut-punch called Audition." That film made me a Miike fan for life, no matter how many One Missed Call's or V-cinema duds he's cranked out since. So when the opportunity arose to interview the prolific director on his upcoming press tour, I pounced like a cornered Zebraman. Unfortunately, due to the current crisis in Japan, Miike has understandably canceled his trip to the Us, and my interview has been...
- 3/25/2011
- Screen Anarchy
Takashi Miike is back for another round of black and white Zebra fun. The first Zebraman was released in 2004 and marked Miike's first venture into the superhero genre, six years later he returns to build upon that legacy, more experienced and better armed. The result is enjoyable indeed, but not really a direct continuation of the Zebraman universe. Beware, this is a Miike sequel. Zebraman 2 isn't Miike's first sequel and it will definitely not be his last. It's always somewhat of a gamble how these sequels will turn out though. Sometimes they're simple and straight (Crows Zero), at other times there is hardly a connection between the films (think the Dead or Alive trilogy). Others are just 2-part films that should be watched...
- 3/10/2011
- Screen Anarchy
I suppose I should start by saying that “Zebraman” was one of my first post-”Audition” Takashi Miike experiences, and to this day remains one of my absolute favorites. In addition to the all lunacy, the outrageousness, and the admittedly low-budget thrills, the film carries with it a certain amount of charm and heart, two elements that are rarely present in the director’s body of work. It’s a very simple, very childlike motion picture, and the sense of nostalgia that it evokes is impressive given the somewhat garish nature of the material. That having been said, I honestly didn’t think the movie needed a sequel. The idea of another installment was certainly enticing, but I remained extremely skeptical of which direction Miike and company would ultimately take their characters. “Zebraman 2: Attack on Zebra City” is a different beast altogether. The set pieces are bigger, the villains are meaner,...
- 3/4/2011
- by Todd Rigney
- Beyond Hollywood
Sometimes Takashi Miike's freewheeling imagination spits out something glorious; profane, demented, moving or profound. Sometimes it grinds to a halt, jammed up with abortive experiments like his Masters of Horror entry Imprint and unfortunately, Zebraman 2 is another one of these. It could only have come from Miike - it's shot through with the kind of inspired, childlike madness only he could deliver - but it's also a bloated, directionless mess of a movie, fun while you're forcing it down but liable to leave you wondering why you bothered afterwards.
It starts not long after the first film, where everyman schoolteacher Ichikawa (Shou Aikawa) transformed into the titular superhero to save the world from destructive, body-snatching little green men. He's world famous, but it's taken its toll, with his wife and friends shunning him now he's pursued by fans and news crews round the clock. Then abruptly he wakes up...
It starts not long after the first film, where everyman schoolteacher Ichikawa (Shou Aikawa) transformed into the titular superhero to save the world from destructive, body-snatching little green men. He's world famous, but it's taken its toll, with his wife and friends shunning him now he's pursued by fans and news crews round the clock. Then abruptly he wakes up...
- 11/24/2010
- Screen Anarchy
Mark Schilling at Variety is reporting the news that following Zebraman 2 (the trailer of which can be found here) and 13 Assassins (a remake of Eiichi Kudo’s 1963 film of the same name) Takashi Miike’s is working on another remake, this time of Masaki Kobayashi’s 1962 film, Harakiri (Aka Seppuku).
Kobayashi’s film tells the story of Hanshiro Tsugumo (Tatsuya Nakadai) and is a tale told in part through flashbacks, as the fate of Tsugumo’s son-in-law is revealed and the common theme of revenge rises to the surface. Although Harakiri is an Edo period jidai-geki, Kobayashi infuses the film with contemporary (to the sixties) allegory.
There is sparse information about Miike’s remake apart from the casting news that Kabuki actor Ebizo Ichikawa will play the Tsugumo part and that the film will be in 3D. The film begins shooting in October and will be released next year.
You...
Kobayashi’s film tells the story of Hanshiro Tsugumo (Tatsuya Nakadai) and is a tale told in part through flashbacks, as the fate of Tsugumo’s son-in-law is revealed and the common theme of revenge rises to the surface. Although Harakiri is an Edo period jidai-geki, Kobayashi infuses the film with contemporary (to the sixties) allegory.
There is sparse information about Miike’s remake apart from the casting news that Kabuki actor Ebizo Ichikawa will play the Tsugumo part and that the film will be in 3D. The film begins shooting in October and will be released next year.
You...
- 9/20/2010
- by Craig Skinner
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Ladies and gentlemen, say hello to Sitges 2010:
Exorcisms, Vampires, Zombies, Martial Arts And Liters Of Blood At Sitges 2010
The 43rd Sitges - International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia, that will take place from 7 to 17 October, presents its lineup, with some films still to be confirmed, for the following sections:
Sitges 43 Official FANTÀSTIC Selection - In Competition
The official selection par excellence will be offering a lineup emphasizing a variety of nationalities (Bulgaria, Japan, France, Swede, Uruguay,...), the impact of new South American cinema, the rebirth of oriental cinema and the mixture of supernatural horror movies with exorcisms, vampires and mutants and everyday horror with real extreme violence.
13 Assassins (Takashi Miike, Japan)
14 Days With Victor (Román Parrado, Spain)
A Woman, A Gun And A Noodle Shop (Zhang Yimou, China, Hong Kong)
Bedevilled (Jang Cheol-soo, South Korea)
Black Death (Christopher Smith, Germany)
La Casa Muda (Gustavo Hernández, Uruguay)
Confessions (Tetsuya Nakashima,...
Exorcisms, Vampires, Zombies, Martial Arts And Liters Of Blood At Sitges 2010
The 43rd Sitges - International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia, that will take place from 7 to 17 October, presents its lineup, with some films still to be confirmed, for the following sections:
Sitges 43 Official FANTÀSTIC Selection - In Competition
The official selection par excellence will be offering a lineup emphasizing a variety of nationalities (Bulgaria, Japan, France, Swede, Uruguay,...), the impact of new South American cinema, the rebirth of oriental cinema and the mixture of supernatural horror movies with exorcisms, vampires and mutants and everyday horror with real extreme violence.
13 Assassins (Takashi Miike, Japan)
14 Days With Victor (Román Parrado, Spain)
A Woman, A Gun And A Noodle Shop (Zhang Yimou, China, Hong Kong)
Bedevilled (Jang Cheol-soo, South Korea)
Black Death (Christopher Smith, Germany)
La Casa Muda (Gustavo Hernández, Uruguay)
Confessions (Tetsuya Nakashima,...
- 9/17/2010
- Screen Anarchy
If I had the holiday time left, I’d be booking a trip to España right about now. The 43rd annual Sitges kicks off on October 7th and their line up so far is impressive. Damned impressive.
In competition are Gregg Araki’s Kaboom (teaser, stills), Christopher Smith’s Black Death (review), Jalmari Helander’s Rare Exports (trailer), Quentin Dupieux’s Rubber (clip) and Takashi Miike’s 13 Assassins among many others. In competition in the Panorama section are another great set of films including Shion Sono’s Cold Fish (trailer), Takeshi Kitano’s Outrage (trailer), Jim Mickle’s Stake Land (trailer) and Srdjan Spasojevic’s A Serbian Film (review).
If those titles aren’t enough, there’s loads more including Rob Stefaniuk’s vampire musical road trip film Suck (review, trailer), James Wan’s Insidious (clip), Adam Green’s Frozen (trailer), Black Lightning (trailer), Super (clip), The Vanishing on 7th...
In competition are Gregg Araki’s Kaboom (teaser, stills), Christopher Smith’s Black Death (review), Jalmari Helander’s Rare Exports (trailer), Quentin Dupieux’s Rubber (clip) and Takashi Miike’s 13 Assassins among many others. In competition in the Panorama section are another great set of films including Shion Sono’s Cold Fish (trailer), Takeshi Kitano’s Outrage (trailer), Jim Mickle’s Stake Land (trailer) and Srdjan Spasojevic’s A Serbian Film (review).
If those titles aren’t enough, there’s loads more including Rob Stefaniuk’s vampire musical road trip film Suck (review, trailer), James Wan’s Insidious (clip), Adam Green’s Frozen (trailer), Black Lightning (trailer), Super (clip), The Vanishing on 7th...
- 9/17/2010
- QuietEarth.us
Controversial Japanese director Takashi Miike is a very busy man these days.
13 Assassins
Two new projects for him this year, Zebraman 2 and something that’s already being described as “an epic samurai bloodbath” and the reason why we’re here today movie titled 13 Assassins.
When you’re that busy, then you definitely deserve to have a movie playing In Competition at the Venice Film Festival 2010.
The film is a remake of Eiichi Kudo’s 1963 black-and-white Japanese movie of the same name, and the story follows:
“Esteemed samurai Shinzaemon Shimada is secretly commissioned to terminate the evil Lord Naritsugu after his bloody rise to power. Assembling an elite group of samurai, Shinzaemon plots to ambush the Lord on his annual journey home from Edo.
The courageous samurai know it’s a suicide mission because the Lord is closely protected by a deadly entourage led by Shinzaemon’s nemesis, the ruthless Hanbei.
13 Assassins
Two new projects for him this year, Zebraman 2 and something that’s already being described as “an epic samurai bloodbath” and the reason why we’re here today movie titled 13 Assassins.
When you’re that busy, then you definitely deserve to have a movie playing In Competition at the Venice Film Festival 2010.
The film is a remake of Eiichi Kudo’s 1963 black-and-white Japanese movie of the same name, and the story follows:
“Esteemed samurai Shinzaemon Shimada is secretly commissioned to terminate the evil Lord Naritsugu after his bloody rise to power. Assembling an elite group of samurai, Shinzaemon plots to ambush the Lord on his annual journey home from Edo.
The courageous samurai know it’s a suicide mission because the Lord is closely protected by a deadly entourage led by Shinzaemon’s nemesis, the ruthless Hanbei.
- 8/4/2010
- by Fiona
- Filmofilia
The full lineup for this year's Venice film festival has been announced – but there's a no show for the new Terrence Malick
The full programme for this year's Venice film festival has been announced and, as predicted, many film-makers whose films weren't quite ready for Cannes will debut on the Lido. Somewhere, a Hollywood-set drama from Sofia Coppola, is amongst the premieres, likewise Vincent Gallo's Brown Bunny sequel, Promises Written in Water, apparently a black-and-white tale of a girl with a terminal illness.
Julian Schnabel's Miral, which follows Hind Husseini's efforts to set up an orphanage in Jerusalem after the 1948 partition of Palestine, also finds a home. However, Terrence Malick's The Tree of Life, which many had predicted would screen at the festival, is not on the list; nor that for the Toronto film festival, which directly follows Venice.
Other hotly tipped titles include Meek's Cutoff, Kelly Reichardt...
The full programme for this year's Venice film festival has been announced and, as predicted, many film-makers whose films weren't quite ready for Cannes will debut on the Lido. Somewhere, a Hollywood-set drama from Sofia Coppola, is amongst the premieres, likewise Vincent Gallo's Brown Bunny sequel, Promises Written in Water, apparently a black-and-white tale of a girl with a terminal illness.
Julian Schnabel's Miral, which follows Hind Husseini's efforts to set up an orphanage in Jerusalem after the 1948 partition of Palestine, also finds a home. However, Terrence Malick's The Tree of Life, which many had predicted would screen at the festival, is not on the list; nor that for the Toronto film festival, which directly follows Venice.
Other hotly tipped titles include Meek's Cutoff, Kelly Reichardt...
- 7/30/2010
- by Catherine Shoard
- The Guardian - Film News
And the film I'm most looking forward to seeing (like I'm going to be there) is Vincent Gallo's Promises Written in Water. Someone send me a screener, asap! What else?
Black Swan by Darren Aronofsky.
Somewhere by Sofia Coppola.
13 Assassins by Takashi Miike.
Full list after the break.
In Competition
"Black Swan," Darren Aronofsky, U.S. (Opening Film)
"La Pecora Nera," Ascanio Celestini, Italy
"Somewhere," Sofia Coppola, U.S.
"Happy Few," Antony Cordier, France
"The Solitude of Prime Numbers," Saverio Costanzo, Italy, Germany, France
"Silent Souls," Aleksei Fedorchenko, Russia
"Promises Written in Water," Vincent Gallo, U.S.
"Road To Nowhere," Monte Hellman, U.S.
"Balada Triste de Trompeta," Alex de la Iglesia, Spain, France
"Venus Noir," Abdellatif Kechiche, France
"Post Mortem," Pablo Larrain, Chile, Mexico, Germany
"Barney's Version," Richard J. Lewis, Canada, Italy
"We Believed," Mario Martone, Italy, France
"La Passione," Carlo Mazzacurati, Italy
"13 Assassins," Takashi Miike, Japan, U.
Black Swan by Darren Aronofsky.
Somewhere by Sofia Coppola.
13 Assassins by Takashi Miike.
Full list after the break.
In Competition
"Black Swan," Darren Aronofsky, U.S. (Opening Film)
"La Pecora Nera," Ascanio Celestini, Italy
"Somewhere," Sofia Coppola, U.S.
"Happy Few," Antony Cordier, France
"The Solitude of Prime Numbers," Saverio Costanzo, Italy, Germany, France
"Silent Souls," Aleksei Fedorchenko, Russia
"Promises Written in Water," Vincent Gallo, U.S.
"Road To Nowhere," Monte Hellman, U.S.
"Balada Triste de Trompeta," Alex de la Iglesia, Spain, France
"Venus Noir," Abdellatif Kechiche, France
"Post Mortem," Pablo Larrain, Chile, Mexico, Germany
"Barney's Version," Richard J. Lewis, Canada, Italy
"We Believed," Mario Martone, Italy, France
"La Passione," Carlo Mazzacurati, Italy
"13 Assassins," Takashi Miike, Japan, U.
- 7/29/2010
- QuietEarth.us
The Afflecks will celebrate on the Lido together - both actor-turned-directors are featured in the Out of Competition line-up (see below) and will surely jet back to Tiff together with The Town and the Phoenix doc - though those chances are indeed slim. Speaking of Toronto, the Ooc also features Anurag Kashyap's That Girl in Yellow Boots and Andrucha Waddington's Lope (Tiff claims they have the World Premiere, but I think we might see a correction on that later on). Takashi Miike gets celebrated, so does Asian 3D films, and John Turturro feels at home with his first Italian language docu feature. Finally, the Golden Lion for his career will go to John Woo - who is presenting Reign of Assassin. Opening Night Tribute to Bruce Lee "The Return of Chen Zhen," Andrew Lau (China, Hong Kong) Opening Night Midnight Movie "Machete," Robert Rodriguez (U.S.)Closing Night: "The Tempest,...
- 7/29/2010
- IONCINEMA.com
The stars at night are big and bright, deep in the heart of... festival season. Two days ago Toronto announced a big chunk of its line-up, and now the Venice Film Festival has unveiled its own. Joining Darren Aronofsky ballerina drama "Black Swan," announced earlier as the opening night film, are Sofia Coppola's Hollywood saga "Somewhere" (trailer); Takashi Miike's samurai tale "13 Assassins" (trailer); "Meek's Cutoff," Kelly Reichardt's new film, once again starring Michelle Williams; Vincent Gallo's long-awaited follow-up to "The Brown Bunny" "Promises Made In Water," reportedly a 16-millimeter black-and-white tale of a girl with a terminal illness; "Road to Nowhere," a thriller from Monte Hellman (!); and "Three," the latest from "Run, Lola, Run"'s Tom Tykwer, about how the two halves of a middle-aged couple fall in love with the same man.
Out of competition, the Affleck brothers will screen Ben's "The Town" and Casey's Joaquin Phoenix mockumentary,...
Out of competition, the Affleck brothers will screen Ben's "The Town" and Casey's Joaquin Phoenix mockumentary,...
- 7/29/2010
- by Alison Willmore
- ifc.com
This morning the Venice Film Festival announced the line-up for their 2010 Festival which will run from September 1-11, and a lot of hot titles and directors are set to be on hand including the already announced festival opener Black Swan from Darren Aronofsky and closer, The Tempest from Julie Taymor. In competition, Aronofsky's feature is joined by titles from Sofia Coppola, Vincent Gallo, Julian Schnabel, Francois Ozon, Abdellatif Kechiche, Takashi Miike and Tom Tykwer. Also, making a midnight Lido appearance will be Robert Rodriguez with his grindhouse thriller Machete. One other notable title is the inclusion of the Casey Affleck-directed Joaquin Phoenix mockumentary I'm Still Here, which will be screening out of competition.
Unfortunately I won't be able to cover this one, but one of these years I would like to find a way to pull a triple play and cover Cannes, Venice and Toronto in the same year...
Unfortunately I won't be able to cover this one, but one of these years I would like to find a way to pull a triple play and cover Cannes, Venice and Toronto in the same year...
- 7/29/2010
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
The Venice Film Festival has gone genre crazy. The complete 2010 festival lineup has been announced and it includes a host of familiar names, including Sion Sono's Cold Fish, Tsui Hark's Detective Dee, Andrew Lau's Legend of Chen Zhen, John Woo's Reign of Assassins, Robert Rodriguez' Machete, Takashi Miike's Zebraman, Zebraman 2 and 13 Assassins, the Pang Brother's Child's Eye 3D and a host of others. In other fare both of the Brothers Affleck are present as directors - Ben with The Town, Casey with I'm Still Here - and Vincent Gallo chips in with both a new feature and a new short starring Sylvester Stallone's son Sage.
It's a big list and a pretty fascinating one, so get ready to do some digging.
It's a big list and a pretty fascinating one, so get ready to do some digging.
- 7/29/2010
- Screen Anarchy
Rome -- Sofia Coppola's comedic drama "Somewhere" and "Road to Nowhere," a romantic thriller from veteran director Monte Hellman, were among the highlights of the main competition lineup for the 67th Venice Film Festival, which was released Thursday.
Other in-competition films include Vincent Gallo's "Promises Written in Water"; "Meek's Cutoff," a western from Kelly Reichardt; and Athina Racehel Tsangari's drama "Attenberg."
Artistic director Marco Mueller said that -- notwithstanding the presence of the 78-year-old Hellman -- the competition lineup was the youngest ever in the storied history of the festival, with the average age among the directors of the 22 in-competition films just 47.
"I think this is evidence of a new and dynamic kind of cinema that is being produced," Mueller told a standing-room-only crowd of reporters and industry players at Rome's Excelsior Hotel Thursday.
All told, the festival will include 79 world premieres, including the entire in-competition lineup for...
Other in-competition films include Vincent Gallo's "Promises Written in Water"; "Meek's Cutoff," a western from Kelly Reichardt; and Athina Racehel Tsangari's drama "Attenberg."
Artistic director Marco Mueller said that -- notwithstanding the presence of the 78-year-old Hellman -- the competition lineup was the youngest ever in the storied history of the festival, with the average age among the directors of the 22 in-competition films just 47.
"I think this is evidence of a new and dynamic kind of cinema that is being produced," Mueller told a standing-room-only crowd of reporters and industry players at Rome's Excelsior Hotel Thursday.
All told, the festival will include 79 world premieres, including the entire in-competition lineup for...
- 7/29/2010
- by By Eric J. Lyman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Director: Takashi Miike. Review: Adam Wing. One of Japan’s most prolific directors returns to family friendly territory with his take on Yatterman, the globally popular TV animation from the 70s. It’s nothing new for the so-called Oriental Tarantino; he’s swum in these waters before. The Great Yokai War was a mischievous romp for the whole family to enjoy, far removed from celebrated classics Ichi the Killer and Audition. Miike’s no stranger to superhero movies either, if you haven’t all ready checked out cult oddity Zebraman there’s never been a better time; a sequel has just been released in Japan. Which brings us to Yatterman, a film destined to redefine the robot action adventure genre.
- 6/19/2010
- 24framespersecond.net
Cannes 2010 Coverage
David Cairns
The Forgotten: Trigger Happy Punks
The Forgotten: Mood Swings
The Forgotten: Seduced and Abandoned
Adrian Curry
Movie Poster of the Week: "Guns"
Movie Poster of the Week: "Tentacles"
Movie Poster of the Week: "Tropical Malady"
Movie Poster of the Week: "La religieuse"
Daniel Kasman
Image of the Day. Records of Material Objects in the Cinema #1
R.I.P. William Lubtchansky
Images of the Day. Ideal Couples
Cannes 2010. Favorite Moments: Days 1 & 2
Cannes 2010. An Actor-Director and His Women: "Tournée" (Mathieu Amalric, France)
Cannes 2010. 3-Wall Realism: "Tuesday, After Christmas" (Radu Muntean, Romania)
Cannes 2010: Sincere Love: "The Strange Case of Angelica" (Manoel de Oliveira, Portugal)
Cannes 2010. Favorite Moments: Day 3
Cannes 2010: A Devil without the Details: "Aurora" (Cristi Puiu, Romania)
Cannes 2010. Love-Hate Relationships: "Au petite bonheur" (Marcel L’Herbier, France, 1946)
Cannes 2010. Playful Protest: "Hands Up" (Romain Goupil, France)
Cannes 2010. Favorite Moments: Day 4
Cannes 2010. Today's Quiet City: "I Wish I Knew" (Jia Zhangke,...
David Cairns
The Forgotten: Trigger Happy Punks
The Forgotten: Mood Swings
The Forgotten: Seduced and Abandoned
Adrian Curry
Movie Poster of the Week: "Guns"
Movie Poster of the Week: "Tentacles"
Movie Poster of the Week: "Tropical Malady"
Movie Poster of the Week: "La religieuse"
Daniel Kasman
Image of the Day. Records of Material Objects in the Cinema #1
R.I.P. William Lubtchansky
Images of the Day. Ideal Couples
Cannes 2010. Favorite Moments: Days 1 & 2
Cannes 2010. An Actor-Director and His Women: "Tournée" (Mathieu Amalric, France)
Cannes 2010. 3-Wall Realism: "Tuesday, After Christmas" (Radu Muntean, Romania)
Cannes 2010: Sincere Love: "The Strange Case of Angelica" (Manoel de Oliveira, Portugal)
Cannes 2010. Favorite Moments: Day 3
Cannes 2010: A Devil without the Details: "Aurora" (Cristi Puiu, Romania)
Cannes 2010. Love-Hate Relationships: "Au petite bonheur" (Marcel L’Herbier, France, 1946)
Cannes 2010. Playful Protest: "Hands Up" (Romain Goupil, France)
Cannes 2010. Favorite Moments: Day 4
Cannes 2010. Today's Quiet City: "I Wish I Knew" (Jia Zhangke,...
- 6/2/2010
- MUBI
Takashi Miike, one of the most prolific directors in the world, has two new films for 2010. One has already been released in Japan: Zebraman 2, which provides a sequel to Miike's charmingly oddball 'superhero' movie from 2004. The other is 13 Assassins, a dead-serious samurai movie which seems to be a bit like The Dirty Dozen by way of Seven Samurai. Now there's a full-length trailer to remind you of how capable Miike can be when he works on a grand scale. 13 Assassins is a remake of Eiichi Kudo's 1963 film of the same name, which at the time drew some fire for being a bit too much like Seven Samurai, despite the fact that 13 Assassins is a solid picture in its own right. So with this Miike is going totally straight-faced, which is a nice turn from 2007's Sukiyaki Western Django, which was a lot more playful and kooky. ...
- 6/1/2010
- by Russ Fischer
- Slash Film
Zebraman is a love letter to genre entertainment that's not at all generic in its sentiment. It's a superhero movie, as the title suggests, but it has to grow into one: It starts out, more or less, as a tale of quotidian melancholy. Shin’ichi Ichikawa, the middle-aged schoolteacher who will become Zebraman, isn’t hyperbolically “mild-mannered” in the way we associate with superhero back-stories. He’s the sort of friendly-but-reticent person many of us have known: Not a conformist by nature but inclined to take institutional roles because they’re the easiest way to an honest life where you can get by on being nice. This man may lack the respect of his family and co-workers, but he doesn’t let that get to him: He has his self-worth, and he has a hobby that lets him escape from his troubles.
The hobby? Running a one-man fan-club for “Zebraman,...
The hobby? Running a one-man fan-club for “Zebraman,...
- 5/31/2010
- MUBI
There’s nothing better than waking up early in the morning with a fresh trailer for Takashi Miike’s “Zebraman 2″ resting peacefully in your Inbox. The wonderful individuals toiling away at Twitch have posted the latest preview for this highly-anticipated follow-up to Miike’s own 2004 superhero epic “Zebraman”, a film I simply cannot recommend enough. The trailer below promises plenty of superhero-related action, though the filmmaker’s warped tongue appears to have been inserted deep into his cheek. Which is a good thing, especially considering self-important superhero movies are as enjoyable as a liver biopsy. Have fun!
- 3/9/2010
- by Todd
- Beyond Hollywood
Embedded below is the new trailer for Zebraman 2, the sequel to the 2004 Takashi Miike film Zebraman. The first film is very enjoyable and blended the idea of an ordinary guy turned superhero with elements of fantasy and references to Japanese television. It also featured a fantastic catchy rock soundtrack by Koji Endo.
The sequel reunites the original director, writer and main star and looks to be even more firmly placed in the sci-fi/fantasy genre than the first. The premise is as follows
Set in 2025, Shinichi Ichikawa/Zebraman is suffering from amnesia and the film sees him battling against an evil organisation that is trying to take over the world.
Miike is a fantastic visual director and this trailer really shows off his imaginative style with a great use of the black and white striped motif.
Zebraman 2 is slated for release in Japan by Toei on May 1st 2010 and has...
The sequel reunites the original director, writer and main star and looks to be even more firmly placed in the sci-fi/fantasy genre than the first. The premise is as follows
Set in 2025, Shinichi Ichikawa/Zebraman is suffering from amnesia and the film sees him battling against an evil organisation that is trying to take over the world.
Miike is a fantastic visual director and this trailer really shows off his imaginative style with a great use of the black and white striped motif.
Zebraman 2 is slated for release in Japan by Toei on May 1st 2010 and has...
- 3/8/2010
- by Craig Skinner
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Here comes stripey fury! It's a second trailer for Takashi Miike's Zebraman 2, the sequel to his 2004 hit that reunites the director with writer Kankuro Kudo and star Sho Aikawa in another very silly ode to Japanese hero culture.
Synopsis via Nippon Cinema:
In the year 2025, Tokyo has been transformed into "Zebra City". In the Zebraman's absense, a woman calling herself Zebra Queen (Riisa Naka) has formed a zebra army and instituted "Zebra Time" throughout the city by force. Shinichi Ichikawa (Show Aikawa) suddenly wakes up with no recollection of his past, but instinctively returns to his super hero ways.
Synopsis via Nippon Cinema:
In the year 2025, Tokyo has been transformed into "Zebra City". In the Zebraman's absense, a woman calling herself Zebra Queen (Riisa Naka) has formed a zebra army and instituted "Zebra Time" throughout the city by force. Shinichi Ichikawa (Show Aikawa) suddenly wakes up with no recollection of his past, but instinctively returns to his super hero ways.
- 3/8/2010
- Screen Anarchy
In case you were wondering, I’m extremely excited about “Zebraman 2″, with a heavy accent on extremely. After recently soaking in the cinematic outrageousness of Takashi Miike’s colorful action epic “Yatterman”, I’ve been aching for more of the prolific Japanese director’s work, especially the kind that features attractive individuals in various stages of superhero-inspired undress. And while “Revenge of the Zebra Miniskirt Police” isn’t directed by Miike himself, it’s still close enough to get the job done. “Revenge”, of course, is the direct-to-video spin-off of “Zebraman 2″, and is more or less a promotional tool designed to generate lots of interest in the highly-anticipated sequel. Now, thanks to the good ladies and gentlemen at Twitch, you too can bask in the action-packed glory of Nishiumi Kenichiro’s upcoming release. The clip below also features some behind-the-scenes footage, so don’t let the first few seconds throw you off.
- 3/3/2010
- by Todd
- Beyond Hollywood
With a title like Revenge of the Zebra Miniskirt Police, how can you not be curious? Coming as a spinoff project to Takashi Miike's Zebraman 2, well, that pretty much makes it a must.
Helmed by Nishiumi Kenichiro - Miike's assistant director on Zebraman 2 - Revenge of the Zebra Miniskirt Police is a straight to video spinoff featuring a trio of miniskirted support players from the main feature. Designed to whet the appetite for Zebraman 2 this one is likely to draw a good amount of attention on its own thanks to that outrageous title.
And for those who want a sample of what they're getting, the first trailer has just arrived online. The trailer video actually begins with a bit of behind the scenes footage - including a girl dancing in a bikini for no particular reason beyond the fact that this is a good thing to see on any...
Helmed by Nishiumi Kenichiro - Miike's assistant director on Zebraman 2 - Revenge of the Zebra Miniskirt Police is a straight to video spinoff featuring a trio of miniskirted support players from the main feature. Designed to whet the appetite for Zebraman 2 this one is likely to draw a good amount of attention on its own thanks to that outrageous title.
And for those who want a sample of what they're getting, the first trailer has just arrived online. The trailer video actually begins with a bit of behind the scenes footage - including a girl dancing in a bikini for no particular reason beyond the fact that this is a good thing to see on any...
- 3/3/2010
- Screen Anarchy
Fans of cult icon Takashi Miike take heart! He's about to have a very good year. Miike has two significant films releasing in 2010 - Zebraman 2 and 13 Assassins - and both are looking very good indeed.
Zebraman 2 we've been feeling good about for quite a while thanks to the very solid trailer and now that sales agents Hanway Films have rolled out the first promo for 13 Assassins at the Efm it's looking - if anything - even better.
One of Miike's most polished looking films to date, there is not a trace of irony to be found in the promo. Unlike Sukiyaki Western Django, the director appears to be playing it straight here as he tells the story of a band of samurai assassins hired to take out a corrupt feudal lord. The cast - anchored by Koji Yakusho - is probably the best he's ever had to work with while...
Zebraman 2 we've been feeling good about for quite a while thanks to the very solid trailer and now that sales agents Hanway Films have rolled out the first promo for 13 Assassins at the Efm it's looking - if anything - even better.
One of Miike's most polished looking films to date, there is not a trace of irony to be found in the promo. Unlike Sukiyaki Western Django, the director appears to be playing it straight here as he tells the story of a band of samurai assassins hired to take out a corrupt feudal lord. The cast - anchored by Koji Yakusho - is probably the best he's ever had to work with while...
- 2/15/2010
- Screen Anarchy
Overcome by unbridled mirth upon learning of the direct-to-video prequel “Revenge of the Zebra Miniskirt Police,” I failed to post the teaser trailer and the new TV spot for Takashi Miike’s highly-anticipated action extravangaza “Zebraman 2.” How impossibly silly I can be. Both clips are fairly short, but you can easily tell that the scope of the film is much larger than the original. Is this good or bad? I honestly don’t care. If you find yourself bumming around Japan on May 1st, 2010, do yourself a favor and check it out. Oh, and be sure to take me with you.
- 1/28/2010
- by Todd
- Beyond Hollywood
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