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Even before the success of “Shoplifters” the family drama has been one of the most popular genre within Japanese cinema. As a mirror of social, political and economic issues the family portrait can be quite powerful as many artists, also from other media, have found out which is perhaps why these images have become so frequent. However, it takes a certain kind of director, among other things, to make a family stand out, but in the case of Nobuhiko Obayashi's “Seven Weeks” we luckily have one of those features. Described by the director as “Guernica in moving images”, the story Obayashi tells in one of his last movies touches upon a death in a family, and the kind of conflicts and memories it brings for the relatives left behind, while at the same time presenting a uniquely maverick portrayal of post-war Japan.

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Even before the success of “Shoplifters” the family drama has been one of the most popular genre within Japanese cinema. As a mirror of social, political and economic issues the family portrait can be quite powerful as many artists, also from other media, have found out which is perhaps why these images have become so frequent. However, it takes a certain kind of director, among other things, to make a family stand out, but in the case of Nobuhiko Obayashi’s “Seven Weeks” we luckily have one of those features. Described by the director as “Guernica in moving images”, the story Obayashi tells in one of his last movies touches upon a death in a family, and the kind of conflicts and memories it brings for the relatives left behind, while at the same time presenting a uniquely maverick portrayal of post-war Japan.

“Seven Weeks” Opens Japan Society, NY and Nationwide Virtual Cinemas and Theaters,...

When he is not dealing with samurais in various approaches (from realistic dramas to comedies), Katsuhide Motoki seems to focus on various aspects of corruption and the people dealing with it, as he did in the excellent “Recall”. This time his work deals with a series of actual incidents that took place in a Toyama fishing village 103 years ago, in 1918. A number of “ordinary” women raised their voices against the unreasonable government policies, with their actions getting picked up the press, and eventually evolving to “Rice Riots”, a nation-wide movement.

“Angry Rice Wives” is screening at Toronto Japanese Film Festival

The protagonist, Ito, a farmer’s daughter who was married in the village and is one of the few literate women there, lives in the aforementioned area with her husband, three children and mother-in-law. During July and August, the men in the village find work in big boats away from the area,...

Stars: Dankan, Takeshi Kitano, Moeko Ezawa, Hakuryu, Tokie Hidari, Yojin Hino | Written and Directed by Takeshi Kitano

From the acclaimed director Takeshi Kitano (Fireworks, Kikujiro) comes a bizarre, over the top and absurd comedy full of slapstick silliness and never ending gags. A great satire of Japanese society and popular cinema, Getting Any?, embraces the spirit of Kitano s early stand-up and television work and as such it offers a genuine inside look into his true personality.

The story follows the nerdy middle age Asao, a professional daydreamer, whose one and only goal in life is – as the title suggests – to get laid. Asao embarks on a series of slapstick adventures in search of fulfilling his ultimate fantasy – making wild passionate sex with a woman. His holy quest for sex lands Asao in a series of absurd situations, involving robbery schemes, big movie productions, yakuza gang rivalry wars and scientific experiments.

Panorama

BERLIN -- In a movie involving samurai and a tale of betrayal and revenge, the expectation is of clashing swords and carnage, but Yoji Yamada's "Love and Honor" (Bushi No Ichibun) turns out to be a tender love story.

Unlikely to satisfy an audience with bloodlust, the picture should do well on the festival circuit and in international art houses for its pensive examination of loyalty.

In an unspecified period in history where the local shogun rules and is served by tremulous servants and guarded by ferocious warriors, a young samurai named Shinnojo (Takuya Kimura) has a noble but unheralded job as one of the ruler's food tasters.

With four other handsomely uniformed and disciplined men, he participates in the ritual of taking one bite and one swallow of everything his lordship is about to eat.

Unhappy with his lot despite the privileges his minor rank affords him and the devotion of his loving wife, Kayo (Rei Dan), Shinnojo dreams of quitting to teach children to become swordsmen.

The likable but serious young man sees the ritual of tasting for poison as foolish tradition until one day he swallows a piece of sashimi from a fish as potentially lethal as the fugu pufferfish. He becomes ill immediately, so the shogun is saved. But after emerging from a coma, the loyal samurai discovers he is blind.

He descends into depression, though Kayo nurses and feeds him devotedly. She not only keeps him from suicide, but when his disability means he can no longer function as a samurai and their income is threatened, she goes to see the head of the castle guard for help.

He is willing to help but only at a price -- and when Shinnojo discovers what price Kayo has been willing to pay, he not only sends her away but also decides that honor must be served by challenging the leader to a duel.

Yamada takes his time with the story, showing husband and wife in their loving relationship and detailing the niceties of the shogun's dining rituals. The pace of the proceedings is never dull, however, thanks to expert performances -- especially by leads Kimura and Dan -- Matuso Naganuma's fine cinematography and the suitably graceful editing of Iwao Ishii.

When the final clash occurs, it has elements of a classic Western gunfight, full of stealth and steel, but Yamada has much more on his mind than simple bloodletting.

LOVE AND HONOR (BUSHI NO ICHIBUN)

Shochiku Co. Ltd.

Credits:

Director: Yoji Yamada

Screenwriters: Yoji Yamada, Emiko Hiramatsu, Ichiro Yamamoto

Based on "Moumokuken Kodamagaeshi" by: Shuhei Fujisawa

Producer: Takeo Hisamatsu

Cinematographer: Matuso Naganuma

Art director: Naomi Koike

Music: Isao Tomita

Costume designer: Kazuko Korosawa

Editor: Iwao Ishii

Cast:

Shinnojo: Takuya Kimura

Kayo: Rei Dan

Also: Takashi Sasano, Nenji Kobayashi, Makoto Akatsuka, Toshiki Ayata, Koen Kondo, Nobuto Okamoto, Tokie Hidari, Yasuo Daichi, Ken Ogata, Kaori Momoi, Mitsugoro Bando

Running time -- 121 minutes

No MPAA rating...

Panorama

BERLIN -- In a movie involving samurai and a tale of betrayal and revenge, the expectation is of clashing swords and carnage, but Yoji Yamada's "Love and Honor" (Bushi No Ichibun) turns out to be a tender love story.

Unlikely to satisfy an audience with bloodlust, the picture should do well on the festival circuit and in international art houses for its pensive examination of loyalty.

In an unspecified period in history where the local shogun rules and is served by tremulous servants and guarded by ferocious warriors, a young samurai named Shinnojo (Takuya Kimura) has a noble but unheralded job as one of the ruler's food tasters.

With four other handsomely uniformed and disciplined men, he participates in the ritual of taking one bite and one swallow of everything his lordship is about to eat.

Unhappy with his lot despite the privileges his minor rank affords him and the devotion of his loving wife, Kayo (Rei Dan), Shinnojo dreams of quitting to teach children to become swordsmen.

The likable but serious young man sees the ritual of tasting for poison as foolish tradition until one day he swallows a piece of sashimi from a fish as potentially lethal as the fugu pufferfish. He becomes ill immediately, so the shogun is saved. But after emerging from a coma, the loyal samurai discovers he is blind.

He descends into depression, though Kayo nurses and feeds him devotedly. She not only keeps him from suicide, but when his disability means he can no longer function as a samurai and their income is threatened, she goes to see the head of the castle guard for help.

He is willing to help but only at a price -- and when Shinnojo discovers what price Kayo has been willing to pay, he not only sends her away but also decides that honor must be served by challenging the leader to a duel.

Yamada takes his time with the story, showing husband and wife in their loving relationship and detailing the niceties of the shogun's dining rituals. The pace of the proceedings is never dull, however, thanks to expert performances -- especially by leads Kimura and Dan -- Matuso Naganuma's fine cinematography and the suitably graceful editing of Iwao Ishii.

When the final clash occurs, it has elements of a classic Western gunfight, full of stealth and steel, but Yamada has much more on his mind than simple bloodletting.

LOVE AND HONOR (BUSHI NO ICHIBUN)

Shochiku Co. Ltd.

Credits:

Director: Yoji Yamada

Screenwriters: Yoji Yamada, Emiko Hiramatsu, Ichiro Yamamoto

Based on "Moumokuken Kodamagaeshi" by: Shuhei Fujisawa

Producer: Takeo Hisamatsu

Cinematographer: Matuso Naganuma

Art director: Naomi Koike

Music: Isao Tomita

Costume designer: Kazuko Korosawa

Editor: Iwao Ishii

Cast:

Shinnojo: Takuya Kimura

Kayo: Rei Dan

Also: Takashi Sasano, Nenji Kobayashi, Makoto Akatsuka, Toshiki Ayata, Koen Kondo, Nobuto Okamoto, Tokie Hidari, Yasuo Daichi, Ken Ogata, Kaori Momoi, Mitsugoro Bando

Running time -- 121 minutes

No MPAA rating...