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The Japanese selection of Skip City International D-Cinema 2023, despite the fact that the diversity in terms of selection was significant, proved, essentially, the obvious. When Japanese filmmakers try to follow the recipes of the festival-favorite local directors the result is films that are either repetitive, or dull, or both, and most of the times much worse than the works of the aforementioned, with the lack of tension in particular bordering on the rather annoying. However, when they let their imagination free, both in terms of context and cinematic techniques, the result is surprisingly good, definitely in terms of the former, but frequently also of the latter. In that fashion, and considering the fact that I did not manage to watch every film, the ones that stood out where “My Mother's Eyes”, “Alien's Daydream”, and “Don't Go”

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1. Film Review: My Mother's Eyes (2023) by...

Kazuaki Nagaya has established his talent as an actor with a unique resume, appearing in movies like “One Cut of the Dead” and “Mio on the Shore.” Now, he makes his directorial debut with his feature film, “Mending Cracks,” which he also stars in. It is a movie that is experimental and directed in the fashion of classic mise-en-scène staging. The filmmaking passion is ever so present, though the final product is particularly underwhelming.

Mending Cracks is screening at Skip City International D-Cinema Festival

Mamoru works as a kintsugi craftsman, following in the footsteps of his late father. His younger brother, Miki, pays a visit to partake in the family's year-end house cleaning. In stark contrast to his older sibling, he is completely unmotivated, lazily wasting his time while drowning in despair and envying the success of Mamoru. They harbor ill feelings for each other, and neither can be honest...

The festival will open with ‘Confetti’, produced to commemorate two key anniversaries.

Japan’s Skip City International D-Cinema Festival has revealed a raft of world premieres for its 20th edition, including opening film Confetti and a live-action adaptation of manga A Tail’s Tail.

The festival will open on July 15 with the world premiere of Confetti, which was produced to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Skip City as well as the 90th anniversary of Kawaguchi City, where the event is held. The coming-of-age drama marks the feature debut of director Naoya Fujita, whose film Stay won best Japanese short at...

There has been a flourishing of quarantine-produced short films lately, and a profusion of zoom-call ensembles of musicians, stunts, dancers and jugglers has invaded the social media, all free to be watched and enjoyed. Suppressed creativity pushing to burst out? A way to process this upsetting time? Nostalgia for a human connections? Boredom? All the above, probably. One sure thing is that the public has been gifted with lots of gems, where tech points are replaced with sympathy and smart planning. Few of these quarantine works are in our Amp Cinema for Free section.

One of the latest additions to this rich and imaginative lineup is Shinichiro Ueda’s “One Cut of the Dead Mission: Remote”. An introduction to Ueda and his 2018, low budget, incredibly successful and incredibly clever debut film “One Cut of the Dead” is almost unnecessary. Suffice to say that it made box office history by earning...

A film shoot can be grueling enough, but add real zombies to the mix, and it will turn into one’s worst nightmare. The acclaimed Japanese horror-comedy One Cut of the Dead follows a film crew making their own zombie horror film when real zombies turn up and the director keeps rolling. Written, directed, and edited by Shinichiro Ueda with a budget of just $25,000, it went on to gross over $30 million worldwide and will now arrive in the United States this month.

Set for a release by Shudder and Variance Films, the Fantasia and Fantastic Fest winner opens in NY and La on September 13 and will have over 60 one-night screenings across the country on September 17. Starring Takayuki Hamatsu, Mao, Harumi Shuhama, Yuzuki Akiyama, Kazuaki Nagaya, and Manabu Hosoi, see the inventive trailer below, which smartly warns of spoilers as it dishes up Shaun of the Dead-esque fun.

While shooting...

"Keep on shooting! Keep it rolling!" Shudder has unveiled a brand new Us trailer for the Japanese zombie comedy One Cut of the Dead. This film has already earned legendary status (seriously) as one of the best zombie comedies ever made, after playing at numerous film festivals all througohut the world throughout 2018. From director Shinichirô Ueda, this Japanese horror comedy is about a father who tries to make a low-budget zombie film in an abandoned warehouse. At first you see the version of the film they're making, then it flips and you see what's really going on when they make it and it's absolutely amazing zombie bliss. The film stars Takayuki Hamatsu, Mao, Harumi Shuhama, Yuzuki Akiyama, Kazuaki Nagaya, and Manabu Hosoi. Our own Jeremy Kirk flipped for the film at Fantastic Fest, and wrote in his glowing review that it's "a sweet, funny, little magic trick of a movie...

Horror fans from around the world have been raving about One Cut of the Dead and we now know when those in the Us can see it on the big screen. Shudder, in association with Variance Films, will be bringing One Cut of the Dead to theaters in NY and La, starting on September 13th, with a one-night national screening planned for September 17th. The movie will also be heading to Shudder "soon," and we'll let Daily Dead readers know when an official date is announced.

Until then, check out the new trailer below and you can pick up tickets at www.onecut-movie.com

One of the most critically-acclaimed genre films of the past decade and a record-shattering blockbuster in its native Japan, One Cut Of The Dead first appears to be a one-take indie zombie film... but something magical happens 37 minutes in: the film's director yells cut and -...

Daily Dead was proud to once again sponsor and experience this year's Overlook Film Festival, which took place in the historic (and quite possibly haunted) confines of New Orleans. And with another year of immersive events, essential screenings, and live performances in the books, the Overlook Film Festival's 2019 audience and juried awards have been announced, and we've been provided with the full list to share with Daily Dead readers.

Press Release: - The Overlook Film Festival 2019 has come to an end on Sunday, June 2nd after bringing four days of horror films, immersive games, Vr exhibitions, panels and workshops in New Orleans. The festival reached an audience of over 3000 people and hosted over 60 filmmakers, actors, and producers including Elijah Wood, Robert Rodriguez, Mick Garris, Chelsea Stardust, and Paul Scheer over the weekend.

The Overlook Features Jury; Rolling Stone’s Film/TV editor David Fear; writer, director and fashion photographer Carter Smith...

A film crew shooting a zombie movie encounters a genuine onslaught of the living dead in the acclaimed horror comedy One Cut of the Dead, which has been acquired by Shudder and will be released on the streaming service in the Us and Canada later this year.

Below, we have the full press release with additional details on the acquisition, and in case you missed it, read Nathan Smith's 5-star Fantastic Fest review of One Cut of the Dead.

Press Release: The little, $27,000 indie zombie comedy that became a box office smash in Japan and around the world is finally coming to North America when One Cut of the Dead debuts on Shudder later this year. AMC Networks’ streaming service for horror, thrillers and the supernatural picked up all rights in the U.S. and Canada to the international hit, which currently holds a 100% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and...

Stars: Mao, Shuhama Harumi, Takayuki Hamatsu , Yuzuki Akiyama, Kazuaki Nagaya, Hiroshi Ichihara, Manabu Hosoi, Syuntaro Yamazaki, Shinichiro Osawa, Yoshiko Takehara, Miki Yoshida, Sakina Asamori, Ayana Goda, Yuzuki Akiyama | Written and Directed by Shinichiro Ueda

One Cut of the Dead opens in a run-down, abandoned warehouse where a film crew are making a zombie film…Yet, this is no ordinary warehouse. It’s been said that it’s the site of where military experiments took place… Out of nowhere, real zombies arrive and terrorize the crew!

A low-budget zombie movie shot in one take, about a film crew shooting a low budget zombie movie in one take, sounds bad. Add the fact that the indie film crew stumbles across real-life zombies, and One Cut of the Dead sounds worse. But this isn’t just a zombie movie, or even a one-take stunt. Instead, it’s Japan’s smartest comedy of the year,...

[Note: To talk about either of the films below too much would spoil the wonderful delights within, so the following reviews are as vague as possible whilst touching on some salient points in both films]

Pledge

Stars: Phillip Andre Botello, Erica Boozer, Zachery Byrd, Cameron Cowperthwaite, Aaron Dalla Villa, Jean-Louis Droulers, Joe Gallagher, Jesse Pimentel, Melanie Rothman, Zachary Weiner | Written by Zachary Weiner | Directed by Daniel Robbins

Pledge follows three freshmen pursuing what they think is the ideal college experience. But despite their best efforts, the goofy and likeable David (screenwriter Zack Weiner), Ethan (Phillip Andre Botello) and Justin (Zachary Byrd) get the cold shoulder from the campus frats. They’re ready to throw in the social towel when they meet the gorgeous Rachel (Erica Boozer), who invites them to a party at a mansion in the country. What could possibly go wrong?

Films about fraternities never end well… Well, those that Aren’T comedies that is! If it’s a comedy then you can usual guarantee some kind of new status quo, a nice wrap up that sees everyone “get along” for the greater good.

Viewers get three films for the price of one in “One Cut for the Dead,” a terrific Japanese horror-comedy that proves there’s somewhere the zombie apocalypse movie hasn’t yet gone. Writer-director-editor Shinichiro Ueda’s cleverly conceived and executed debut feature opens with an unbroken 37-minute shot of monster mayhem before hitting the reset button and turning into a funny satire of low-budget genre filmmaking — and eventually becoming a charming family comedy-drama. Packed with witty nods to classic horror movies, “One Cut” is a natural for genre fests and has such a warm and winning heart it could also fit into mainstream festival programs. A limited local release is planned for June 23.

Going virtually unnoticed in Japan since its late 2017 completion, “One Cut” announced itself in fine style as runner-up in the audience vote at Udine, one of Europe’s key gateway events for Asian popular cinema. The film...