Volume 04, Number 13
Movies
Movie News
By Bill Hersey
It's the summer holidays and the movie scene has been super busy. Warner Brothers did a monumental premiere for 300 in Meiji Park, 20th Century Fox brought in the cast of Die Hard 4.0, and Sony Pictures Entertainment had Director Quentin Tarantino here to promote Sukiyaki Western.
One of the big happenings on the local film scene recently was a press conference hosted by Toho-Towa at Tokyo FM to introduce their 2007–2008 Universal Pictures lineup. Toho-Towa recently signed with Universal to be their exclusive distributor in Japan.
In addition to short speeches by the two companies, there was a video presentation of congratulatory messages from celebrities that included producer Frank Marshall and actors Tom Hanks and Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean). This was followed by trailers of the really exciting line up. These included The Bourne Ultimatum with Matt Damon, Atonement with Keira Knightley, Elizabeth: The Golden Age with Cate Blanchett, Charlie Wilson's War with Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts, and Mr. Bean's Holiday with Rowan Atkinson. Also included were Leatherheads with Renée Zellweger, Wanted with Angelina Jolie, The Mummy: Curse of the Dragon with Brandon Fraser and Jet Li, and the ABBA Musical, Mamma Mia!
Looking even further ahead, 2009 releases include The Wolfman with Anthony Hopkins, State of Play with Brad Pitt, The Changeling with Clint Eastwood, and a remake of the Hitchcock classic The Birds with Naomi Watts.
DVDs To Watch - Heart-Warming Animal Flicks for the Family
by M. Halliday
For those rainy-season days when the spirits crave a lift, settle down with Koreyoshi Kurahara's incredible true story of canine survival Nankyoku Monogatari (US: Antarctica). Made in 1983, it tells the true story of a Japanese scientific expedition to Antarctica in 1958 and, more specifically, the 15 sled dogs that were their main form of transport. Bad weather forces the scientists to return to Japan by helicopter, the plan being to return in a week. The dogs are left behind, chained up, with enough food for seven days. Unfortunately, the expedition is cancelled, leaving the dogs to fend for themselves and two of the scientists, now back in Japan, fretting over the dog's fate. Spectacular scenery, good human performances— Ken Takakura, solid as ever, and Tsunehiko Watase play the scientists who can't forget their four legged friends—and a story-line that will pluck up a symphony on even the stiffest heart strings. If the plot seems familiar, the recent Disney release 8 Below is ‘inspired by' Nankyoku Monogatari.
As an equally uplifting (and true) companion piece, try the British film Champions. Directed by John Irvin, Champions tells the amazing story of top jockey Bob Champion and the racehorse Aldaniti. Champion heroically battled lung cancer while Aldaniti suffered several severe injuries that would normally leave a horse contemplating a future as sustenance for the likes of the heros of Nankyoku Monogatari. In one of the great moments in sports history, both man and horse not only survived, but went on to compete in the toughest steeplechase race in the world, the Grand National at Aintree (half the field usually falls at the massive fences and fatalities are commonplace). An interest in horse racing is not required to be touched by this beautifully made film. Excellent performances by all—a possible career high, in a career containing many highs, by John Hurt, ably supported by Edward Woodward, Ben Johnson, and Jan Francis. A heart-warming triumph of the will, sure to capture the joy of being alive on even the wettest Wednesday morning.
Tokyo Screens Refugee Films
by Danielle Tate-Stratton
The rainy season, now finally upon us, is a perfect excuse to head to the cinema and take in the latest flick. Instead of heading straight for the current must-see blockbuster, take in the International Refugee Film Festival, taking place around Tokyo July 18–26. The festival is the perfect way to increase your cultural consciousness while viewing several films about the world of the refugee.
Now in its second year, the Refugee Film Festival features award-winning documentaries and films about the lives, trials, and triumphs of people forced to leave their homes as a result of persecution and war. The UN High Commission on Refugees (UNHCR) in Japan organizes the festival, in conjunction with partners such as the Goethe Institute and sponsors such as Canon. The films will be screened, for free, at four locations in Tokyo and discussions with question and answer sessions will follow each movie.
The list of over 20 films (check the website for full details—coming soon) includes stories about citizens living through the Iraq War (Iraq in Fragments), the Tsunami Generation created when 200,000 died in the 2004 disaster, a mother who travels to Germany to try and find the child she thought she'd lost in the Bosnian war (Warchild), and a family of Somali subsistence farmers fleeing to America (Rain in a Dry Land). Also watch for Shooting Dogs, the closing-night selection, which is a true story about a Catholic priest and an idealistic young English teacher who find themselves caught in the 2004 genocide in Rwanda.
For more information about this event, sure to be thought-provoking, heartrending, and occasionally uplifting (try The Refugee All-Stars or Sugihara: Conspiracy of Kindness for a more hopeful viewing experience) visit www.refugeefilm.org/en.