When it comes to Japanese animated films, many Westerners are familiar with the heavy-hitting box office titles of Studio Ghibli or the latest companion film to their favorite anime. However, not everyone is as familiar with the name Satoshi Kon, who directed some of the most critically acclaimed Japanese animated movies of the last few decades.
Like several of Satoshi Kon's other feature films, Millennium Actress seeks to blur the lines between reality, time, and even memory to craft a mesmerizing love story that transcends all three. The story follows retired actress Chiyoko Fujiwara, who agrees to do an interview after the famous studio she once worked for shuts down.
Throughout the course of the interview, Fujiwara describes the details of her own tragic love story through the lens of numerous protagonists she's played who, like her, are also trying to find their long-lost lovers. From the beginning, the viewer...
Like several of Satoshi Kon's other feature films, Millennium Actress seeks to blur the lines between reality, time, and even memory to craft a mesmerizing love story that transcends all three. The story follows retired actress Chiyoko Fujiwara, who agrees to do an interview after the famous studio she once worked for shuts down.
Throughout the course of the interview, Fujiwara describes the details of her own tragic love story through the lens of numerous protagonists she's played who, like her, are also trying to find their long-lost lovers. From the beginning, the viewer...
- 4/21/2024
- by Nubia Jade Brice
- AsianMoviePulse
13 April 2024 (Saturday) @ Louis Koo Cinema, Hong Kong Arts Centre Individual tickets and ticket packages are available on Popticket
The Hong Kong Arts Centre (Hkac)'s signature programme, Late Night Series – Art X, with the theme of Japanese yokai this year, presents a journey with diverse arts and culture on 13 April, 2024 (Saturday). To complement the exhibition, Yokai Parade: Supernatural Monsters from Japan, at the Pao Galleries of the Hong Kong Arts Centre, moving image programme, Wicked Cities: Hong Kong x Tokyo, presents a double bill of the Japanese classic Ova (original video animation), Wicked City (1987), directed by animation master Kawajiri Yoshiaki; and another live-action adaptation of the titular novel, The Wicked City (1992), produced by legendary Hong Kong director, Tsui Hark, and directed by Hong Kong's multi-talented Peter Mak Tai-kit, who just passed away last year in 2023.
Following the screening of The Wicked City (1992), there will be an after-screening talk, Yokai in Urban Sci-fi,...
The Hong Kong Arts Centre (Hkac)'s signature programme, Late Night Series – Art X, with the theme of Japanese yokai this year, presents a journey with diverse arts and culture on 13 April, 2024 (Saturday). To complement the exhibition, Yokai Parade: Supernatural Monsters from Japan, at the Pao Galleries of the Hong Kong Arts Centre, moving image programme, Wicked Cities: Hong Kong x Tokyo, presents a double bill of the Japanese classic Ova (original video animation), Wicked City (1987), directed by animation master Kawajiri Yoshiaki; and another live-action adaptation of the titular novel, The Wicked City (1992), produced by legendary Hong Kong director, Tsui Hark, and directed by Hong Kong's multi-talented Peter Mak Tai-kit, who just passed away last year in 2023.
Following the screening of The Wicked City (1992), there will be an after-screening talk, Yokai in Urban Sci-fi,...
- 3/15/2024
- by Adam Symchuk
- AsianMoviePulse
Pupil Slicer has been pushing the boundaries of what heavy music is for quite a while now and received critical and fan acclaim for their 2023 album Blossom . Blending elements of numerous genres, the album (which made its way to many a Top 10 End of Year list last year) is a microcosm of the types of anime vocalist Kate Davies and drummer Josh Andrews like to watch. Read all about how anime weaved its way into the writing process, how their anime journey started, and Shinji-core in the conversation below! You received a ton of acclaim for your most recent album, Blossom . How exciting was it to get that album out into the world? Kate : It’s been sick. We sat on the first album for way too long before it came out and we were sort of bored of it by the time it was released. Whereas with this album,...
- 3/2/2024
- by Alex Lebl
- Crunchyroll
Mermaid fairy tales have enjoyed lasting popularity since Andersen's “The Little Sea Maid” and La Motte-Fouqué's “Undine”. Recent (unequal) reboots can further attest to this enduring appeal. Nothing surprising when considering the universality of these legendary creatures across civilizations and times. As for Japanese folklore, the Ningyo has gained a significant prominence not long ago through Miyazaki's “Ponyo” (2008). Just a decade later, the director of the celebrated “Mind Game” (2004), Masaaki Yuasa, developed his own rendition, this time in the form of a coming-of-age narrative.
on Amazon by clicking on the image below
Kai Ashimoto, a taciturn and disillusioned middle school student, is raised in a small coastal town by a single father in the handcrafted umbrella shop of his grandfather, a retired fisherman. After being exposed for posting music demos online, he agrees to join his classmates, the wannabe Yuho and the carefree Kunio, in a rock band named Seiren,...
on Amazon by clicking on the image below
Kai Ashimoto, a taciturn and disillusioned middle school student, is raised in a small coastal town by a single father in the handcrafted umbrella shop of his grandfather, a retired fisherman. After being exposed for posting music demos online, he agrees to join his classmates, the wannabe Yuho and the carefree Kunio, in a rock band named Seiren,...
- 3/2/2024
- by Jean Claude
- AsianMoviePulse
(Welcome to Ani-time Ani-where, a regular column dedicated to helping the uninitiated understand and appreciate the world of anime.)
Fantasy is not a common genre in anime. Though most of the shows premiering each season have fantasy elements, they are mostly isekai that borrow more from JRPGs than literary fantasy and focus more on a power fantasy than an adventure. There are exceptions, of course, like "Ranking of Kings" and the Dungeons & Dragons campaign-turned-anime "Record of Lodoss War."
Now, we have a new anime that fully understands what makes fantasy unique and effective for storytelling. This is the anime fans of "Lord of the Rings" have been waiting for, a fantasy epic unlike any other — "Frieren: Beyond Journey's End."
The premise is simple: the Demon King has been slayed and the party of heroes who defeated him return home. Their 10-year-long adventure meant a significant journey that eternally...
Fantasy is not a common genre in anime. Though most of the shows premiering each season have fantasy elements, they are mostly isekai that borrow more from JRPGs than literary fantasy and focus more on a power fantasy than an adventure. There are exceptions, of course, like "Ranking of Kings" and the Dungeons & Dragons campaign-turned-anime "Record of Lodoss War."
Now, we have a new anime that fully understands what makes fantasy unique and effective for storytelling. This is the anime fans of "Lord of the Rings" have been waiting for, a fantasy epic unlike any other — "Frieren: Beyond Journey's End."
The premise is simple: the Demon King has been slayed and the party of heroes who defeated him return home. Their 10-year-long adventure meant a significant journey that eternally...
- 2/29/2024
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
The late Satoshi Kon was amongst the most prominent Japanese animators, with his works transcending the world of anime and manga, thus creating a modern division of the genre, which chiefly addressed a more mature audience. However, he did not accomplish that via sex and violence, but through the profundity of his themes and a complex style of presentation. The former becomes evident in his nightmarish worlds of terror that are based on concepts like fixation, publicity and the perspective of reality and personal identity, while the latter is clear through the mixture of fantasy and reality in the surrealistic environments of his movies. Additionally, he was equally elaborative as a designer and animator; hence, his works amount to masterpieces, both visually and in content.
Satoshi Kon was born on October 12, 1963 in Kushiro, Hokkaido. Early on, he became a fan of anime and manga, chiefly “Mobile Suit Gundam” and “Space Battleship Yamato...
Satoshi Kon was born on October 12, 1963 in Kushiro, Hokkaido. Early on, he became a fan of anime and manga, chiefly “Mobile Suit Gundam” and “Space Battleship Yamato...
- 1/30/2024
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Iconic Events Releasing, a company specializing in distributing special engagement theatrical events to theatres, brings the action and bold visual storytelling of anime to the big screen as it announces a slate of upcoming nationwide theatrical events for the latest installment of Ax Cinema Nights. A different acclaimed anime feature will be screened at over 300 theatre locations across the country beginning in September 2023 and continuing through February 2024.
Celebrated films will include a Satoshi Kon Film Festival that will screen the legendary Director's most renowned anime feature films as well as a special presentation of Cowboy Bebop: The Movie. Subtitled and dubbed screenings are scheduled.
Ax Cinema Nights is a year-round movie event series celebrating the best new and classic anime films by bringing them to theaters across North America. It provides the passionate fan community with immersive and unforgettable experiences beyond the annual Anime Expo.
Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (Sony Pictures)
Screens Jan.
Celebrated films will include a Satoshi Kon Film Festival that will screen the legendary Director's most renowned anime feature films as well as a special presentation of Cowboy Bebop: The Movie. Subtitled and dubbed screenings are scheduled.
Ax Cinema Nights is a year-round movie event series celebrating the best new and classic anime films by bringing them to theaters across North America. It provides the passionate fan community with immersive and unforgettable experiences beyond the annual Anime Expo.
Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (Sony Pictures)
Screens Jan.
- 1/4/2024
- by Suzie Cho
- AsianMoviePulse
(Clockwise from bottom left) Elf (Courtesy New Line Cinema), It’s A Wonderful Life (Rko Radio Picture/Getty Images), A Christmas Story (Courtesy of MGM), Miracle On 34th Street (Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images)Graphic: The A.V. Club
After a long day of braving frigid temps and long queues—online or...
After a long day of braving frigid temps and long queues—online or...
- 12/9/2023
- by Jen Lennon, Phil Pirrello, Cindy White, Mary Kate Carr, Jack Smart, Saloni Gajjar, and William Hughes
- avclub.com
Los Angeles, CA – Iconic Events Releasing, a company specializing in distributing special engagement theatrical events to theatres, highlights one of anime's most poignant and critically acclaimed films as it invites fans to theatrical screenings of Tokyo Godfathers at special theatrical events across North America from December 11-13 in the latest installment of Anime Expo Cinema Nights.
Anime Expo Cinema Nights invites you to celebrate Tokyo Godfathers, the acclaimed holiday classic from master director Satoshi Kon, as it returns to theaters to celebrate its 20th anniversary with a 4K restoration under the supervision of the original art director and producers.
Ax Cinema Nights is a year-round movie event series celebrating the best new and classic anime films by bringing them to theaters across North America. It provides the passionate fan community with immersive and unforgettable experiences beyond the annual Anime Expo.
Tokyo Godfathers 20th Anniversary (Sony Pictures)
Screens Dec. 11th (sub), Dec.
Anime Expo Cinema Nights invites you to celebrate Tokyo Godfathers, the acclaimed holiday classic from master director Satoshi Kon, as it returns to theaters to celebrate its 20th anniversary with a 4K restoration under the supervision of the original art director and producers.
Ax Cinema Nights is a year-round movie event series celebrating the best new and classic anime films by bringing them to theaters across North America. It provides the passionate fan community with immersive and unforgettable experiences beyond the annual Anime Expo.
Tokyo Godfathers 20th Anniversary (Sony Pictures)
Screens Dec. 11th (sub), Dec.
- 11/21/2023
- by Adam Symchuk
- AsianMoviePulse
Having recently shifted away from their one-film-a-day approach, Mubi has now unveiled their October lineup, which is headlined by Ira Sachs’ stellar drama Passages following its theatrical run this summer. The slate also features handpicked selections by Sachs, with work by Maurice Pialat, Luchino Visconti, Jack Hazan, Shirley Clarke, and Tsai Ming-liang.
Also arriving in October is “Watch If You Dare: Horror Halloween,” a series featuring a trio of giallo classics, with The Fifth Cord, The Possessed, and Forbidden Photos of a Lady Above Suspicion, alongside Guillermo del Toro’s The Devil’s Backbone and more. The service will also spotlight the work of underseen Japanese director Yasuzô Masumura, including his aching melodrama Red Angel, his biting workplace satire Giants and Toys, his thrilling noir Black Test Car, and more.
Check out the lineup below and get 30 days free here.
October 1
The Infiltrators, directed by Alex Rivera, Cristina Ibarra | National Hispanic Heritage Month
The Vanished Elephant,...
Also arriving in October is “Watch If You Dare: Horror Halloween,” a series featuring a trio of giallo classics, with The Fifth Cord, The Possessed, and Forbidden Photos of a Lady Above Suspicion, alongside Guillermo del Toro’s The Devil’s Backbone and more. The service will also spotlight the work of underseen Japanese director Yasuzô Masumura, including his aching melodrama Red Angel, his biting workplace satire Giants and Toys, his thrilling noir Black Test Car, and more.
Check out the lineup below and get 30 days free here.
October 1
The Infiltrators, directed by Alex Rivera, Cristina Ibarra | National Hispanic Heritage Month
The Vanished Elephant,...
- 9/28/2023
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
These last few years the Criterion Channel have made October viewing much easier to prioritize, and in the spirit of their ’70s and ’80s horror series we’ve graduated to––you guessed it––”’90s Horror.” A couple of obvious classics stand with cult favorites and more unknown entities (When a Stranger Calls Back and Def By Temptation are new to me). Three more series continue the trend: “Technothrillers” does what it says on the tin, courtesy the likes of eXistenZ and Demonlover; “Art-House Horror” is precisely the kind of place to host Cure, Suspiria, Onibaba; and “Pre-Code Horror” is a black-and-white dream. Phantom of the Paradise, Unfriended, and John Brahm’s The Lodger are added elsewhere.
James Gray is the latest with an “Adventures in Moviegoing” series populated by deep cuts and straight classics. Stonewalling and restorations of Trouble Every Day and The Devil, Probably make streaming debuts, while Flesh for Frankenstein,...
James Gray is the latest with an “Adventures in Moviegoing” series populated by deep cuts and straight classics. Stonewalling and restorations of Trouble Every Day and The Devil, Probably make streaming debuts, while Flesh for Frankenstein,...
- 9/28/2023
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
Iconic Events Releasing, a company specializing in distributing special engagement theatrical events to theatres, brings the action and bold visual storytelling of anime to the big screen as it announces a slate of upcoming nationwide theatrical events for the latest installment of Ax Cinema Nights.
A different acclaimed anime feature will be screened at over 300 theatre locations across the country beginning in September and continuing through February 2024.
Celebrated films will include a Satoshi Kon Film Festival that will screen 3 of the legendary Director's most renowned anime feature films – Perfect Blue 25th Anniversary, Tokyo Godfathers 20th Anniversary, and Paprika, as well as special presentations of Ghost In The Shell and Cowboy Bebop: The Movie. Both subtitled and dubbed screenings are scheduled.
Ax Cinema Nights is a year-round movie event series celebrating the best new and classic anime films by bringing them to theaters across North America. It provides the passionate fan...
A different acclaimed anime feature will be screened at over 300 theatre locations across the country beginning in September and continuing through February 2024.
Celebrated films will include a Satoshi Kon Film Festival that will screen 3 of the legendary Director's most renowned anime feature films – Perfect Blue 25th Anniversary, Tokyo Godfathers 20th Anniversary, and Paprika, as well as special presentations of Ghost In The Shell and Cowboy Bebop: The Movie. Both subtitled and dubbed screenings are scheduled.
Ax Cinema Nights is a year-round movie event series celebrating the best new and classic anime films by bringing them to theaters across North America. It provides the passionate fan...
- 8/25/2023
- by Adam Symchuk
- AsianMoviePulse
NYC Weekend Watch is our weekly round-up of repertory offerings.
Roxy Cinema
Because the people of New York can’t get enough, the 35mm print of Rio Bravo we programmed has yet another screening on Sunday; Swingers, Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure, Body of Evidence, and James Toback’s Black and White also play on film, while Madonna: Truth or Dare has a screening.
Museum of Modern Art
Films by Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Kelly Reichardt, Harvard’s Sel, Maren Ade, and more play in a new series.
Film at Lincoln Center
A new 70mm print of Boogie Nights has begun daily showings.
Anthology Film Archives
Documentaries by the great Kazuo Hara are subject of a new retrospective, while work by the crew of How to with John Wilson is highlighted this Saturday.
Bam
A restoration of the recently rediscovered Tokyo Pop continues, while a new animation series includes Satoshi Kon’s Tokyo Godfathers.
Roxy Cinema
Because the people of New York can’t get enough, the 35mm print of Rio Bravo we programmed has yet another screening on Sunday; Swingers, Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure, Body of Evidence, and James Toback’s Black and White also play on film, while Madonna: Truth or Dare has a screening.
Museum of Modern Art
Films by Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Kelly Reichardt, Harvard’s Sel, Maren Ade, and more play in a new series.
Film at Lincoln Center
A new 70mm print of Boogie Nights has begun daily showings.
Anthology Film Archives
Documentaries by the great Kazuo Hara are subject of a new retrospective, while work by the crew of How to with John Wilson is highlighted this Saturday.
Bam
A restoration of the recently rediscovered Tokyo Pop continues, while a new animation series includes Satoshi Kon’s Tokyo Godfathers.
- 8/17/2023
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
Satoshi Kon is an artist most commonly known for his limited, yet striking output of feature films, including “Perfect Blue”, “Millennium Actress”, “Tokyo Godfathers”, and “Paprika”. However, prior to his film debut, Kon had actually gotten his start as a manga artist, or mangaka. The work he produced in this field, though equally limited as his film output, was similarly impressive. The most notable,and the most famous of these works is “Opus,” a mind-bending dreamlike piece of metafiction, which foreshadows the themes and style of Kon's future projects.
on Amazon by clicking on the image below
The manga begins in the midst of a climactic scene featuring a confrontation between the main protagonist Satoko and her nemesis. This is the first example of “Opus”‘s many illusions, as the scene is revealed to simply be a draft for an in-universe manga titled “Resonance” currently being drafted by its author.
on Amazon by clicking on the image below
The manga begins in the midst of a climactic scene featuring a confrontation between the main protagonist Satoko and her nemesis. This is the first example of “Opus”‘s many illusions, as the scene is revealed to simply be a draft for an in-universe manga titled “Resonance” currently being drafted by its author.
- 7/6/2023
- by Palomo Linares
- AsianMoviePulse
Genre filmmaker Guillermo del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth, Crimson Peak) made headlines last week when he announced via THR that he plans to soon focus exclusively on animated films.
“Animation to me is the purest form of art, and it’s been kidnapped by a bunch of hoodlums. We have to rescue it. [And] I think that we can Trojan-horse a lot of good shit into the animation world,” del Toro candidly told the outlet. He’s not wrong; a rich world of stunning animation exists beyond films targeting young audiences. That includes horror, of course.
This week’s streaming picks highlight the storytelling that animation can achieve and the various techniques and styles employed to capture them. These five animated horror movies vary in tone and style, from stop-motion to 2D traditional and beyond, finding haunting beauty in grim realities.
Here’s where you can stream them this week.
For more Stay Home,...
“Animation to me is the purest form of art, and it’s been kidnapped by a bunch of hoodlums. We have to rescue it. [And] I think that we can Trojan-horse a lot of good shit into the animation world,” del Toro candidly told the outlet. He’s not wrong; a rich world of stunning animation exists beyond films targeting young audiences. That includes horror, of course.
This week’s streaming picks highlight the storytelling that animation can achieve and the various techniques and styles employed to capture them. These five animated horror movies vary in tone and style, from stop-motion to 2D traditional and beyond, finding haunting beauty in grim realities.
Here’s where you can stream them this week.
For more Stay Home,...
- 6/19/2023
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
Playing in competition in Annecy after premiering in Cannes, Jérémie Périn’s sci-fi thriller “Mars Express” offers an uncommon spin on modern anxieties — particularly when it comes to AI.
“We so often imagine that if robots became sentient, they’ll kill us,” Périn tells Variety. “Or we see many sci-fi films where robots want to become human. In short, humans are always the point of reference – so mysterious and strange and interesting, such an amazing species. We’re a bit pretentious, and I didn’t want to play on that.”
Written by Périn and Laurent Sarfati, “Mars Express” serves a heady pop-culture cocktail, mixing hard-boiled fiction with science-fantasy comix, riffing on Philip Marlow and Philip K. Dick (with winks to “Watchmen” and “Robocop” and oh so many more) with a mystery yarn that places humans and cyborgs on equal footing.
“The film says robots and human are different, so we have to accept those differences.
“We so often imagine that if robots became sentient, they’ll kill us,” Périn tells Variety. “Or we see many sci-fi films where robots want to become human. In short, humans are always the point of reference – so mysterious and strange and interesting, such an amazing species. We’re a bit pretentious, and I didn’t want to play on that.”
Written by Périn and Laurent Sarfati, “Mars Express” serves a heady pop-culture cocktail, mixing hard-boiled fiction with science-fantasy comix, riffing on Philip Marlow and Philip K. Dick (with winks to “Watchmen” and “Robocop” and oh so many more) with a mystery yarn that places humans and cyborgs on equal footing.
“The film says robots and human are different, so we have to accept those differences.
- 6/12/2023
- by Ben Croll
- Variety Film + TV
The influence of “The Simpsons” on adult animation is undeniable in terms of tone, format, and look. Today, shows like “Family Guy,” “Rick and Morty,” “BoJack Horseman,” and more carry on the traditions of Matt Groening’s magnum opus, pushing the medium of animation forward while looking back at what came before. In recent years, anime too has planted a foot in the Western animation industry, influencing a bigger focus on serialized storytelling, fluid action, and a cinematic approach to visuals. But when it comes to Max’s new animated series “Fired on Mars,” its influences harken back to a different time, when Mike Judge was making cartoons and grounded realism was key.
“Fired on Mars” is based on a 2016 short of the same name about Jeff Cooper, a graphic designer working for a brazen start-up situated on Mars. Things get complicated when he is unceremoniously fired after relocating to the Red Planet.
“Fired on Mars” is based on a 2016 short of the same name about Jeff Cooper, a graphic designer working for a brazen start-up situated on Mars. Things get complicated when he is unceremoniously fired after relocating to the Red Planet.
- 5/31/2023
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Indiewire
Norwegian animation “Pesta,” directed by Hanne Berkaak, will head to the Frontières Platform in May. Directed at genre film professionals, the event is organized by the Fantasia International Film Festival with the Cannes’ Marché du Film.
The film, set in 1349 during the outbreak of the Black Plague, will see two teenagers, Astrid and Eilev, fighting for their forbidden love among the apocalypse as Astrid, a nobleman’s daughter, struggles with her growing desire for “the outcast heathen.”
Granted development funding from the Norwegian Film Institute, “Pesta” is produced by Mikrofilm’s Tonje Skar Reiersen and Lise Fearnley. It’s also named after a shadowy figure from Norwegian folklore, a personification of the plague itself.
“She was depicted as an old woman travelling from farm to farm, carrying a rake and a broom. Where she used her rake, some would survive. Where she swept her broom, everyone would die. Dark stuff,...
The film, set in 1349 during the outbreak of the Black Plague, will see two teenagers, Astrid and Eilev, fighting for their forbidden love among the apocalypse as Astrid, a nobleman’s daughter, struggles with her growing desire for “the outcast heathen.”
Granted development funding from the Norwegian Film Institute, “Pesta” is produced by Mikrofilm’s Tonje Skar Reiersen and Lise Fearnley. It’s also named after a shadowy figure from Norwegian folklore, a personification of the plague itself.
“She was depicted as an old woman travelling from farm to farm, carrying a rake and a broom. Where she used her rake, some would survive. Where she swept her broom, everyone would die. Dark stuff,...
- 4/5/2023
- by Marta Balaga
- Variety Film + TV
Mubi is adding over 50 features from the Sony Pictures’ library to its U.S. streaming service. The mix of studio and arthouse fare includes Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Martin Scorsese’s The Age of Innocence, The Last Picture Show by Peter Bogdanovich and films from Wes Anderson, Pedro Almodovar and Guillermo Del Toro.
The company’s growing and global streaming service currently offers over 900 titles in the U.S., where it adds one new film to the platform daily. The Sony deal is a significant haul, especially since studios have become more aggressive in retaining content for their own services. Sony, uniquely, doesn’t have a streaming platform in-house.
Each Sony film has its own window, with some available already and all cycling onto the service at some point through the end of 2024. Others titles in the deal include 2046 by Wong Kar-wai; Volver by...
The company’s growing and global streaming service currently offers over 900 titles in the U.S., where it adds one new film to the platform daily. The Sony deal is a significant haul, especially since studios have become more aggressive in retaining content for their own services. Sony, uniquely, doesn’t have a streaming platform in-house.
Each Sony film has its own window, with some available already and all cycling onto the service at some point through the end of 2024. Others titles in the deal include 2046 by Wong Kar-wai; Volver by...
- 3/30/2023
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
The idea for Hypnotic conceptualized around the time director Robert Rodriguez was filming Spy Kids 2, which is what he told the audience at Sunday night’s premiere screening. His love of Austin and SXSW is what brought him back 30 years after El Mariachi. This was a full-circle moment for him, and he revealed that this film is a work in progress. After watching it, Hypnotic still needs work in order to progress because this is all over the place. Written by Rodriguez (who also provided the score) and Matt Borenstein, the pic stars Ben Affleck, Alice Braga, William Fichtner, Jeff Fahey and Dayo Okeniyi.
Related Story ‘Dungeons And Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’ Review: Chris Pine Leads Group Of Unsung Heroes In Adaptation Of Famed Table-Top Game – SXSW Related Story Ben Affleck's Nike Pic 'Air' Set To Close SXSW Related Story The Washington Post To Distribute Tom Hanks-Narrated Short...
Related Story ‘Dungeons And Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’ Review: Chris Pine Leads Group Of Unsung Heroes In Adaptation Of Famed Table-Top Game – SXSW Related Story Ben Affleck's Nike Pic 'Air' Set To Close SXSW Related Story The Washington Post To Distribute Tom Hanks-Narrated Short...
- 3/13/2023
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
After scoring a Tko with audiences for his directorial debut on Creed III, Michael B. Jordan could get back into the ring to develop a Creed-Verse with Amazon. According to Deadline, Jordan is dancing around a universe-spanning deal for Creed-related film and television projects. While there have been multiple meetings and attempts to build a Rocky universe, the latest dealings could yield hard-hitting results for the franchise’s future. The seriousness of the deal is the result of Creed III‘s success, which has earned $110M+ worldwide at the time of this posting.
Details about the deal remain shrouded in mystery, though Deadline says an anime series connected to the Rocky IP is possible in addition to a live-action spinoff series. The idea of building a project around Adonis Creed’s daughter, Amara, is also being discussed. The anime project sounds likely, as Jordan is an out-and-proud anime fan.
Details about the deal remain shrouded in mystery, though Deadline says an anime series connected to the Rocky IP is possible in addition to a live-action spinoff series. The idea of building a project around Adonis Creed’s daughter, Amara, is also being discussed. The anime project sounds likely, as Jordan is an out-and-proud anime fan.
- 3/9/2023
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
The early years of the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature promised a future that never came to pass. Its current state as a depressingly predictable category dominated by whatever Disney released that year is one that feels limited through intention rather than ignorance, and it was 2003’s awarding of Spirited Away that sparked a sequence of events that spawned the show we know today.
Five different studios took home the first six awards. With CG, traditional and stop-motion animation all represented, it seemed like the diversity of animated cinema...
Five different studios took home the first six awards. With CG, traditional and stop-motion animation all represented, it seemed like the diversity of animated cinema...
- 3/9/2023
- by Ryan Gaur
- Rollingstone.com
This is my fourth time covering the Berlinale Shorts for Directors Notes. Each year I’ve always been struck by the diversity of films on offer – ranging from animation to video art to self-reflexive documentary forms – as well as the wide-ranging filmmaking perspectives the programme brings. Being able to express a self-contained idea in just under 30 minutes, they represent cinema in its purest, most unfiltered form. This year might be the best collection yet, featuring a dazzling array of shorts that seemingly exist in the porous border between dreams and reality, seamlessly moving between different modes of filmmaking expression. Avoiding standard representations and simplistic three-act structures, the Berlinale Shorts show how the short format is unbound by financial expectations or narrative conventionality – allowing the viewer kaleidoscopic insight into the very best of international cinema. Here are our selections for ten films definitely worth putting on your radar.
// Animation & Video Art...
// Animation & Video Art...
- 2/23/2023
- by Redmond Bacon
- Directors Notes
(Welcome to Ani-time Ani-where, a regular column dedicated to helping the uninitiated understand and appreciate the world of anime.)
Anime has its fair share of dark fantasy stories -- think "Fullmetal Alchemist," "Attack on Titan," "Demon Slayer," and so on. More recently, we've seen more and more dark fantasy-action anime with horror influences making it big within the mainstream shonen anime landscape.
But before all of these, before Eren looked up at a terrifying titan, before the Elric brothers tampered with the law of equivalent exchange, and even before "Vinland Saga" and "Castlevania," there was "Berserk." One of the most influential and legendary dark fantasy manga and anime, this is a story with a legacy that has influenced multiple titles, from other anime and manga to video games like "Dark Souls," "Devil May Cry" and "Final Fantasy VII."
It's also a manga that has suffered from never having the complete adaptation it deserves.
Anime has its fair share of dark fantasy stories -- think "Fullmetal Alchemist," "Attack on Titan," "Demon Slayer," and so on. More recently, we've seen more and more dark fantasy-action anime with horror influences making it big within the mainstream shonen anime landscape.
But before all of these, before Eren looked up at a terrifying titan, before the Elric brothers tampered with the law of equivalent exchange, and even before "Vinland Saga" and "Castlevania," there was "Berserk." One of the most influential and legendary dark fantasy manga and anime, this is a story with a legacy that has influenced multiple titles, from other anime and manga to video games like "Dark Souls," "Devil May Cry" and "Final Fantasy VII."
It's also a manga that has suffered from never having the complete adaptation it deserves.
- 12/30/2022
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
Click here to read the full article.
Everyone loves the Hollywood holiday classics — from It’s a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Story to Home Alone and Die Hard (yes, it is a classic, too – don’t get us started).
But after the 100th rerun, one’s holiday spirit can start to sag, and nostalgia for those festive evergreens can turn toxic.
So The Hollywood Reporter‘s international team has come up with this alternative list of holiday favorites from outside the U.S.
Our eclectic dirty dozen, including a French murder mystery, a Canadian horror classic and an anime retelling of the Christmas story, are the perfect counterprogramming for anyone looking for new ideas this festive season.
Merry Christmas
2005
‘Merry Christmas’
Christian Carion’s World War I drama, about the real-life Christmas truce that broke out on the Western Front in 1914 — amid the horrors of the war, a true holiday miracle — features Diane Kruger,...
Everyone loves the Hollywood holiday classics — from It’s a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Story to Home Alone and Die Hard (yes, it is a classic, too – don’t get us started).
But after the 100th rerun, one’s holiday spirit can start to sag, and nostalgia for those festive evergreens can turn toxic.
So The Hollywood Reporter‘s international team has come up with this alternative list of holiday favorites from outside the U.S.
Our eclectic dirty dozen, including a French murder mystery, a Canadian horror classic and an anime retelling of the Christmas story, are the perfect counterprogramming for anyone looking for new ideas this festive season.
Merry Christmas
2005
‘Merry Christmas’
Christian Carion’s World War I drama, about the real-life Christmas truce that broke out on the Western Front in 1914 — amid the horrors of the war, a true holiday miracle — features Diane Kruger,...
- 12/22/2022
- by Scott Roxborough, Alex Ritman and Patrick Brzeski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Horror movies that feature an intense and probing study of its characters’ minds can often be the most terrifying. An external dilemma is scary all on its own, but learning what makes dangerous people tick is something else entirely. The protagonist of Screambox‘s latest release, The Anchor, has her own encounter with an unpredictable person when she receives a disturbing phone call at work. TV newscaster Se-ra (Chun Woo-hee) gets a “tip” from a mother claiming a man has broken into her house. She insists the intruder will kill her after having murdered her daughter. Se-ra, believing this is a sick prank, then doesn’t help the caller. Later, she realizes the grave mistake she’s made.
Jung Ji-yeon‘s first movie isn’t as straightforward as the plot makes it sound. In fact, The Anchor is a twisty thriller full of genuine jolts and pleasant surprises. It’s also confidently made,...
Jung Ji-yeon‘s first movie isn’t as straightforward as the plot makes it sound. In fact, The Anchor is a twisty thriller full of genuine jolts and pleasant surprises. It’s also confidently made,...
- 12/21/2022
- by Paul Lê
- bloody-disgusting.com
(Welcome to Animation Celebration, a recurring feature where we explore the limitless possibilities of animation as a medium. In this edition: "Tokyo Godfathers.")
In Satoshi Kon's fantastic holiday fable, an unruly alcoholic named Gin, an angry and rebellious runaway teen named Miyuki, and a stoic albeit lonely trans woman named Hana are all surviving their Christmas Eve on the streets of Tokyo as a makeshift, houseless family. As the three dumpster dive to try and find something good to eat, they come across an abandoned newborn baby in the trash. With little to no information on the baby's identity, this ragtag trio spends their night desperately trying to find the parents of the infant and return the baby to safety.
If the premise of "Tokyo Godfathers" sounds vaguely familiar, it's because Kon was inspired by the John Ford western, "3 Godfathers," which starred John Wayne and was based on Peter B. Kyne...
In Satoshi Kon's fantastic holiday fable, an unruly alcoholic named Gin, an angry and rebellious runaway teen named Miyuki, and a stoic albeit lonely trans woman named Hana are all surviving their Christmas Eve on the streets of Tokyo as a makeshift, houseless family. As the three dumpster dive to try and find something good to eat, they come across an abandoned newborn baby in the trash. With little to no information on the baby's identity, this ragtag trio spends their night desperately trying to find the parents of the infant and return the baby to safety.
If the premise of "Tokyo Godfathers" sounds vaguely familiar, it's because Kon was inspired by the John Ford western, "3 Godfathers," which starred John Wayne and was based on Peter B. Kyne...
- 12/21/2022
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
Darren Aronofsky succeeded in capturing an artist's dark, dizzying descent into madness in his brilliant, dynamic "Black Swan," which can be considered among the director's finest works. Intensely atmospheric, moody, and anchored by a bravura performance by Natalie Portman, "Black Swan" shines best when it unravels its narrative complexity via unnerving visuals. Have you ever wondered how the film's subject matter would translate into an intense, charged Broadway performance? Well, it seems like Aronofsky is actually working on a "Black Swan" musical at the moment, and chances are that a musical rendition of 2010 psychological horror will be equally (if not more) haunting on stage.
During an interview with The A.V. Club for the promotion of his latest drama, "The Whale" (read our review here), Aronofsky confirmed that he's working on adapting "Black Swan" into a Broadway musical. The director said:
"We're trying to do the Black Swan musical. We'll see what happens.
During an interview with The A.V. Club for the promotion of his latest drama, "The Whale" (read our review here), Aronofsky confirmed that he's working on adapting "Black Swan" into a Broadway musical. The director said:
"We're trying to do the Black Swan musical. We'll see what happens.
- 12/15/2022
- by Debopriyaa Dutta
- Slash Film
Prolific animator and manga-ka Satoshi Kon had a sustained interest in exploring the nature of reality, particularly the way in which humans interact with their perception of what's real. This thematic fascination encapsulates Kon's body of work, which deal with characters oscillating between objective reality and constructed ones, with the line between the two getting increasingly blurred as the narrative progresses.
Kon's most famous work, "Perfect Blue," which is considered his magnum opus, exclusively revolves around a J-pop star-turned-actor losing their grip on reality while crumbling under the weight of worldly perception, voyeurism, and fractured identity. Similar themes are also peppered throughout "Paprika" and "Millennium Actress" — films that further hone Kon's vision of crafting realistic worlds that harbor something sinister beneath a pretty facade. However, Kon first forayed into these themes as early as 1995, when he collaborated with "Akira" animator Kōji Morimoto on "Magnetic Rose."
Kon's "Magnetic Rose" still...
Kon's most famous work, "Perfect Blue," which is considered his magnum opus, exclusively revolves around a J-pop star-turned-actor losing their grip on reality while crumbling under the weight of worldly perception, voyeurism, and fractured identity. Similar themes are also peppered throughout "Paprika" and "Millennium Actress" — films that further hone Kon's vision of crafting realistic worlds that harbor something sinister beneath a pretty facade. However, Kon first forayed into these themes as early as 1995, when he collaborated with "Akira" animator Kōji Morimoto on "Magnetic Rose."
Kon's "Magnetic Rose" still...
- 12/12/2022
- by Debopriyaa Dutta
- Slash Film
Crunchyroll continues its curation of cinema to its growing catalog this December with a robust schedule of newer and classic films just in time to enjoy during the holiday season, which include Millennium Actress, Liz and the Blue Bird, Penguin Highway, As the Gods Will, and more.
From critically acclaimed director Satoshi Kon, known also for Perfect Blue, Paprika, Tokyo Godfathers, and Paranoia Agent, experience the gorgeous new restoration of one of his greatest works, Millennium Actress. Boasting countless awards, including the Grand Prize in the Japan Agency of Cultural Affairs Media Arts Festival, which it shared with Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away, the film produced by Madhouse is a must-see for anime fans of all ages.
Based on the Sound! Euphonium novel series written by Ayano Takeda, which also was adapted into an anime series and available on Crunchyroll, Liz and the Blue Bird is a spin-off anime...
From critically acclaimed director Satoshi Kon, known also for Perfect Blue, Paprika, Tokyo Godfathers, and Paranoia Agent, experience the gorgeous new restoration of one of his greatest works, Millennium Actress. Boasting countless awards, including the Grand Prize in the Japan Agency of Cultural Affairs Media Arts Festival, which it shared with Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away, the film produced by Madhouse is a must-see for anime fans of all ages.
Based on the Sound! Euphonium novel series written by Ayano Takeda, which also was adapted into an anime series and available on Crunchyroll, Liz and the Blue Bird is a spin-off anime...
- 12/11/2022
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
The films of Darren Aronofsky are not subtle. They are films that you have to confront head on, whether you love them, hate them, or waffle between those two extremes.
Throughout his nearly 25 years of directing features, Aronofsky has crafted celebrated character dramas, bizarre biblical epics and trippy horror films, and somehow almost every single one of those seemingly disparate pictures is unified in its dramatic and thematic bombast. He may be the only Oscar-nominated filmmaker whose most conventional work can be found in a violent full-motion video Windows 95 game.
Here are the feature films of Darren Aronofsky, ranked from worst to best:
8. “The Whale” (2022)
Brendan Fraser plays a creative-writing professor who, after the tragic death of his boyfriend, gains so much weight that his health deteriorates, and his death is now imminent. Surrounded by people who view him as a project, a burden, a tragedy or a monster, his innate decency always shines through.
Throughout his nearly 25 years of directing features, Aronofsky has crafted celebrated character dramas, bizarre biblical epics and trippy horror films, and somehow almost every single one of those seemingly disparate pictures is unified in its dramatic and thematic bombast. He may be the only Oscar-nominated filmmaker whose most conventional work can be found in a violent full-motion video Windows 95 game.
Here are the feature films of Darren Aronofsky, ranked from worst to best:
8. “The Whale” (2022)
Brendan Fraser plays a creative-writing professor who, after the tragic death of his boyfriend, gains so much weight that his health deteriorates, and his death is now imminent. Surrounded by people who view him as a project, a burden, a tragedy or a monster, his innate decency always shines through.
- 12/10/2022
- by William Bibbiani
- The Wrap
In the early days of the Academy’s animated feature Oscar, there were questions as to whether enough films would qualify each year for the award to be given. Not anymore! This year sees a record number of contenders across a wide variety of genres, styles and audiences, from serious, adult-targeted films (like “Charlotte” and “Eternal Spring”) to boffo offerings from Hollywood’s top toon studios — and that doesn’t even count such anime franchise sensations as “One Piece Film: Red” and “Jujutsu Kaisen 0,” which didn’t submit but further illustrate the vitality of the form.
Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood
Director: Richard Linklater
Voices: Glen Powell, Zachary Levi, Jack Black
Studios: Minnow Mountain, Submarine, Detour Filmproduction
Distributor: Netflix
A time capsule made possible through a sophisticated blend of 2D, 3D and rotoscope techniques, allows the “Boyhood” director to revive the style of “Waking Life” and his own 1960s Texas boyhood.
Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood
Director: Richard Linklater
Voices: Glen Powell, Zachary Levi, Jack Black
Studios: Minnow Mountain, Submarine, Detour Filmproduction
Distributor: Netflix
A time capsule made possible through a sophisticated blend of 2D, 3D and rotoscope techniques, allows the “Boyhood” director to revive the style of “Waking Life” and his own 1960s Texas boyhood.
- 12/6/2022
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
Get Fucked Oliver
It was a busy November as Trace and I bounced from Jennifer Reeder’s female-centric text Knives and Skin to Paul Verhoeven’s anti-war satire Starship Troopers. Then we dipped over to Japan for Satoshi Kon’s gorgeously animated Perfect Blue before tackling Thanksgiving queerness in Addams Family Values, which proved, yet again, that straight folks get really upset when we explore Lgbtqia issues in popular texts!
In celebration of the final week of Noirvember, now we’re covering Val Lewton‘s 1942 Film Noir-informed psychosexual thriller Cat People. In the Jacques Tourneur-directed film, Irena (Simone Simon) is a Serbian immigrant living in New York with no friends or family. She is wooed by All-American Oliver (Kent Smith), but can’t consummate their marriage for fear of activating a killer curse that she believes will transform her into a panther and kill. Challenged by terrible therapist Dr.
It was a busy November as Trace and I bounced from Jennifer Reeder’s female-centric text Knives and Skin to Paul Verhoeven’s anti-war satire Starship Troopers. Then we dipped over to Japan for Satoshi Kon’s gorgeously animated Perfect Blue before tackling Thanksgiving queerness in Addams Family Values, which proved, yet again, that straight folks get really upset when we explore Lgbtqia issues in popular texts!
In celebration of the final week of Noirvember, now we’re covering Val Lewton‘s 1942 Film Noir-informed psychosexual thriller Cat People. In the Jacques Tourneur-directed film, Irena (Simone Simon) is a Serbian immigrant living in New York with no friends or family. She is wooed by All-American Oliver (Kent Smith), but can’t consummate their marriage for fear of activating a killer curse that she believes will transform her into a panther and kill. Challenged by terrible therapist Dr.
- 12/5/2022
- by Joe Lipsett
- bloody-disgusting.com
Ma-li-bu Bar-bie!
It’s already the end of November, but we had a wild ride this month discussing the dream-like pastel world of Jennifer Reeder’s women-centric Knives and Skin and the 25th-anniversary fascist machismo world of Paul Verhoeven’s Starship Troopers. Then last week we made our second foray into animated fare (after ParaNorman) with Satoshi Kon‘s stunning first film, Perfect Blue. This week, in celebration of Thanksgiving and Netflix’s release of Wednesday (review), we’re visiting the Addamses in Barry Sonnenfeld‘s better-than-the-original sequel Addams Family Values (1993)!
In the film, Gomez (Raul Julia) and Morticia (Anjelica Huston) celebrate the birth of their child Pubert (Kaitlyn and Kristen Hooper), while black widow serial killer Debbie Jellinsky (Joan Cusack) marries Fester Addams (Christopher Lloyd) with the intent to murder him for his inheritance. Plus, teenagers Wednesday (Christina Ricci) and Pugsley (Jimmy Workman) are sent to a summer camp...
It’s already the end of November, but we had a wild ride this month discussing the dream-like pastel world of Jennifer Reeder’s women-centric Knives and Skin and the 25th-anniversary fascist machismo world of Paul Verhoeven’s Starship Troopers. Then last week we made our second foray into animated fare (after ParaNorman) with Satoshi Kon‘s stunning first film, Perfect Blue. This week, in celebration of Thanksgiving and Netflix’s release of Wednesday (review), we’re visiting the Addamses in Barry Sonnenfeld‘s better-than-the-original sequel Addams Family Values (1993)!
In the film, Gomez (Raul Julia) and Morticia (Anjelica Huston) celebrate the birth of their child Pubert (Kaitlyn and Kristen Hooper), while black widow serial killer Debbie Jellinsky (Joan Cusack) marries Fester Addams (Christopher Lloyd) with the intent to murder him for his inheritance. Plus, teenagers Wednesday (Christina Ricci) and Pugsley (Jimmy Workman) are sent to a summer camp...
- 11/28/2022
- by Trace Thurman
- bloody-disgusting.com
Otaku and Kawaii
It feels like November has barely begun, and yet here we are three weeks in. Like most months on Horror Queers, we’ve been all over the place, including the dream-like pastel world of Jennifer Reeder’s women-centric Knives and Skin and the 25th-anniversary fascist machismo world of Paul Verhoeven’s Starship Troopers. Now we’re pivoting for a return trip to Japan with our second foray into animated fare (after ParaNorman) with Satoshi Kon‘s stunning first film, Perfect Blue.
In the film, Mima (voiced by Junko Iwao) is an Idol being groomed for a career jump from singing to acting. Despite the protests of her manager Rumi (voiced by Rica Matsumoto), Mima agrees to a controversial and confronting storyline on the derivative police procedural ‘Double Bind.’ But her shift into increasingly adult fare doesn’t sit well with all of Mima’s controlling fans, including...
It feels like November has barely begun, and yet here we are three weeks in. Like most months on Horror Queers, we’ve been all over the place, including the dream-like pastel world of Jennifer Reeder’s women-centric Knives and Skin and the 25th-anniversary fascist machismo world of Paul Verhoeven’s Starship Troopers. Now we’re pivoting for a return trip to Japan with our second foray into animated fare (after ParaNorman) with Satoshi Kon‘s stunning first film, Perfect Blue.
In the film, Mima (voiced by Junko Iwao) is an Idol being groomed for a career jump from singing to acting. Despite the protests of her manager Rumi (voiced by Rica Matsumoto), Mima agrees to a controversial and confronting storyline on the derivative police procedural ‘Double Bind.’ But her shift into increasingly adult fare doesn’t sit well with all of Mima’s controlling fans, including...
- 11/21/2022
- by Joe Lipsett
- bloody-disgusting.com
Seemingly every site on the internet has written a "Top Anime Betrayals" article. It has its own meme and everything. Obviously, we're no better, but it makes sense that people keep coming back to the subject. "Betrayal" covers a lot of ground. Depending on the writer's frame of reference and what hits them, personally, in the guts, there are a huge number of ways to approach the subject. Which characters are you the most emotionally invested in? Which show did you see at a formative age? Have you watched much anime beyond big-budget Shonen Jump adaptations?
So, let's give up on finding the one true list; in the end, this sort of thing is subjective anyway. Instead, we present you with 13 gut-punching betrayals that changed the way we looked at these stories, reshaped the courses of their respective narratives, or affected other titles for years to come. Just prepare yourself for spoilers,...
So, let's give up on finding the one true list; in the end, this sort of thing is subjective anyway. Instead, we present you with 13 gut-punching betrayals that changed the way we looked at these stories, reshaped the courses of their respective narratives, or affected other titles for years to come. Just prepare yourself for spoilers,...
- 11/20/2022
- by Vrai Kaiser
- Slash Film
The validity of animation as a medium is one that's repeatedly been called into question for all the wrong reasons. From recent comments by Disney CEO Bob Chapek, it's clear that some high-level authorities in the industry have an archaic way of looking at animation. The beautiful medium of animation has led to plenty of powerful and moving stories for all ages, and the ability artists and storytellers have to push the limits of storytelling that conventional live-action stories cannot make animated projects that much more potent.
From the works of acclaimed filmmaker Satoshi Kon to stop-motion animated projects like Adam Elliot's Mary and Max and Guillermo del Toro's upcoming adaptation of "Pinocchio," it's clear that animation should not be overlooked. However, Andrew Stanton, director of Pixar films like "Finding Nemo" and "Wall-e," believes that the medium is sorely underestimated in its potential to tell stories that resonate with viewers of all ages.
From the works of acclaimed filmmaker Satoshi Kon to stop-motion animated projects like Adam Elliot's Mary and Max and Guillermo del Toro's upcoming adaptation of "Pinocchio," it's clear that animation should not be overlooked. However, Andrew Stanton, director of Pixar films like "Finding Nemo" and "Wall-e," believes that the medium is sorely underestimated in its potential to tell stories that resonate with viewers of all ages.
- 11/8/2022
- by Ernesto Valenzuela
- Slash Film
I will be the first to admit that streaming debates are not my thing. The vast amount of streaming services that are out there right now makes it extremely hard to navigate the media landscape, and the market seems to be inching closer to reinventing cable. All I want to do is watch my silly little programs -- I don't want to spend minutes combing through different libraries and searching "[Insert Movie Here] streaming" on Google to do so! Unfortunately, this is the climate that I and many others must navigate, and because I'm not smart enough to think of a better solution, I must do the best with what I have.
If you're a horror fan like I am, then navigating the streaming world is even harder. There are just so many movies that either aren't available, are only available on the most niche service possible, or have some sort of limitation to the version that's streaming.
If you're a horror fan like I am, then navigating the streaming world is even harder. There are just so many movies that either aren't available, are only available on the most niche service possible, or have some sort of limitation to the version that's streaming.
- 11/3/2022
- by Erin Brady
- Slash Film
It’s hard to not get overcome with morbid joy every October when streaming services transition over to horror-centric programming to celebrate Halloween in all of its gory glory. It’s becoming more and more common for content providers to curate a full 31 days of scary sights so that audiences don’t have to go a single hour without horror options at their hedonistic disposal. Halloween traditions tend to highlight the live-action mayhem that’s marked this holiday for years, which remain fun, but often have audiences searching for new ways to get scared. Everyone has seen the perennial holiday classics and the endless slew of slasher sequels, but there’s also a rich catalogue of alarming anime that are just as likely to creep out crowds.
There are more options than ever before when it comes to anime streaming services. Multiple channels offer thousands of hours of content that...
There are more options than ever before when it comes to anime streaming services. Multiple channels offer thousands of hours of content that...
- 10/29/2022
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
Satoshi Kon's Perfect Blue Is The Kind Of Anime Masterpiece That Reminds Us Of What Animation Can Be
(Welcome to Animation Celebration, a recurring feature where we explore the limitless possibilities of animation as a medium. In this first edition: "Perfect Blue.")
2022 has been an insulting year for animation. In March, the Academy Awards loudly declared that animation is something for children to enjoy and adults to tolerate before giving out the award for Best Animated Feature, a disrespectful comment that perpetuates the stigma that animated works are "lesser than" because the medium is often enjoyed by younger audiences. HBO Max absolutely obliterated their catalog of animated content as a money-saving measure following the Warner Bros. and Discovery merger, and Netflix has canceled multiple planned animated projects this year, including Mike Judge's "Bad Crimes," which was already in the middle of production. Today, Disney CEO Bob Chapek put his foot in his mouth yet again this year, during Wall Street Journal's Tech Live presentation.
"I always say...
2022 has been an insulting year for animation. In March, the Academy Awards loudly declared that animation is something for children to enjoy and adults to tolerate before giving out the award for Best Animated Feature, a disrespectful comment that perpetuates the stigma that animated works are "lesser than" because the medium is often enjoyed by younger audiences. HBO Max absolutely obliterated their catalog of animated content as a money-saving measure following the Warner Bros. and Discovery merger, and Netflix has canceled multiple planned animated projects this year, including Mike Judge's "Bad Crimes," which was already in the middle of production. Today, Disney CEO Bob Chapek put his foot in his mouth yet again this year, during Wall Street Journal's Tech Live presentation.
"I always say...
- 10/27/2022
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
It is fair to assume Criterion could plunder the world of licensed film to build an ultimate noir playlist; credit, then, for focusing sharp and nabbing deep cuts. The Criterion Channel’s November / Noirvember program will be headlined by “Fox Noir,” an eight-title program with Otto Preminger deep cut Fallen Angel, three by Henry Hathaway, Siodmak, Dassin, Kazan, and Robert Wise, and while retrospectives of Veronica Lake and John Garfield will bring some canon into the fold, I’m mostly thinking about that potential for discovery.
Following “Free Jazz,” Bob Hoskins, and Joyce Chopra programs, the other big series is a 30-year survey of Sony Pictures Classics: Sally Potter, Satoshi Kon, Panahi, Errol Morris, Almodóvar, Haneke, Mike Leigh, just a murderer’s row. Streaming premieres include 499 and A Night of Knowing Nothing, two recent epitomes of I Wish I Had Seen That; Criterion Editions comprise Cure, Brazil, Sullivan’s Travels,...
Following “Free Jazz,” Bob Hoskins, and Joyce Chopra programs, the other big series is a 30-year survey of Sony Pictures Classics: Sally Potter, Satoshi Kon, Panahi, Errol Morris, Almodóvar, Haneke, Mike Leigh, just a murderer’s row. Streaming premieres include 499 and A Night of Knowing Nothing, two recent epitomes of I Wish I Had Seen That; Criterion Editions comprise Cure, Brazil, Sullivan’s Travels,...
- 10/26/2022
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
The leaves are withering, the air is turning crisp, and film festival season is well underway — which means even more foreign-language movies to receive raves on the fall awards circuit before getting promptly buried on a streamer. But don't let that happen to "Athena," a staggering French drama that is in danger of falling into the Netflix abyss, crowded out by your "Gray Men" or "Kissing Booth's." Or check out one of last year's forgotten festival darlings in Céline Sciamma's "Petite Maman." And because spooky season is now here, we have a horror anime classic making their streaming debuts, alongside a cyberpunk anime classic. Plus, "Little Women," but make it crime?
Let's fire up those subtitles and get streaming.
Athena – Netflix
Country: France
Genre: Action drama
Director: Romain Gavras
Cast: Dali Benssalah, Sami Slimane, Anthony Bajon, Ouassini Embarek, Alexis Manenti.
"Athena" is a Molotov cocktail of a movie: incendiary,...
Let's fire up those subtitles and get streaming.
Athena – Netflix
Country: France
Genre: Action drama
Director: Romain Gavras
Cast: Dali Benssalah, Sami Slimane, Anthony Bajon, Ouassini Embarek, Alexis Manenti.
"Athena" is a Molotov cocktail of a movie: incendiary,...
- 9/27/2022
- by Hoai-Tran Bui
- Slash Film
Some stories seem impossible to translate from the written page to the moving image, but a few brave creatives have taken on the task and created masterpieces. Japanese author Yasutaka Tsutsui's acclaimed 1993 novel "Paprika" is one such story, about a brilliant young psychologist named Chiba who begins experimenting with dream therapy. Chiba and her research partner, Tokita, develop a machine that allows them to not only view the dreams of others but experience them firsthand. When their dream-walking machine is stolen, the two have to figure out how to track him down in the real world while dealing with the repercussions in their dreams. It's mind-bending science fiction that works in part because of the limitless potential of the imagination.
Now, Prime Studios has announced that they will be producing and releasing a live-action series based on the novel, helmed by "Birds of Prey" director Cathy Yan. It's going...
Now, Prime Studios has announced that they will be producing and releasing a live-action series based on the novel, helmed by "Birds of Prey" director Cathy Yan. It's going...
- 8/22/2022
- by Danielle Ryan
- Slash Film
What if there was a device that allowed the user to enter other people's dreams? What if one of the devices was stolen by someone who could implant ideas in people's minds to control them? What kind of story could come out of this concept?
If your first thought is Christopher Nolan's "Inception," then congratulations, you played yourself. That film became the rare example of a movie that becomes a shorthand term for its premise — entering people's dreams. Still, it pales in comparison to the film it so blatantly rips off, Satoshi Kon's "Paprika," an anime movie adapted from Yasutaka Tsutsui's 1993 novel of the same name.
That novel was almost adapted to live-action over a decade ago by the late, great Wolfgang Petersen, but now Deadline reports that Tsutsui's "Paprika" is getting a second chance at becoming a live-action project, on the small screen. Cathy Yan has...
If your first thought is Christopher Nolan's "Inception," then congratulations, you played yourself. That film became the rare example of a movie that becomes a shorthand term for its premise — entering people's dreams. Still, it pales in comparison to the film it so blatantly rips off, Satoshi Kon's "Paprika," an anime movie adapted from Yasutaka Tsutsui's 1993 novel of the same name.
That novel was almost adapted to live-action over a decade ago by the late, great Wolfgang Petersen, but now Deadline reports that Tsutsui's "Paprika" is getting a second chance at becoming a live-action project, on the small screen. Cathy Yan has...
- 8/22/2022
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
If this is a dream, please, don’t wake me up. Deadline reports that Cathy Yan is developing a live-action series inspired by Yasutaka Tsutsui’s mind-bending novel Paprika. The project is happening at Amazon Studios and Hivemind, with Yan directing and executive producing.
According to the novel’s official description, Paprika presents an imaginative narrative about a psychiatric institute that develops technology to invade people’s dreams.
“When prototype models of a dream-invading device go missing at the Institute for Psychiatric Research, it transpires that someone is using them to drive people insane. Threatened personally and professionally, brilliant psychotherapist Atsuko Chiba has to journey into the world of fantasy to fight her mysterious opponents. As she delves deeper into the imagination, the borderline between dream and reality becomes increasingly blurred, and nightmares begin to leak into the everyday realm. The scene is set for a final showdown between the dream detective and her enemies,...
According to the novel’s official description, Paprika presents an imaginative narrative about a psychiatric institute that develops technology to invade people’s dreams.
“When prototype models of a dream-invading device go missing at the Institute for Psychiatric Research, it transpires that someone is using them to drive people insane. Threatened personally and professionally, brilliant psychotherapist Atsuko Chiba has to journey into the world of fantasy to fight her mysterious opponents. As she delves deeper into the imagination, the borderline between dream and reality becomes increasingly blurred, and nightmares begin to leak into the everyday realm. The scene is set for a final showdown between the dream detective and her enemies,...
- 8/22/2022
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
Satoshi Kon's "Perfect Blue" has a bit of a reputation for not being the most accessible movie of the legendary animator. While it has gotten easier to obtain over the years thanks to GKIDs' Blu-ray release, it is still once in a blue moon that you can watch it anywhere else. It's a shame, as well, as the story of Mima Kirigoe and her psychological torment is a powerful one that has inspired many storytellers.
In fact, most of Kon's work is a bit difficult to watch on streaming platforms. In July 2021, his movies "Millennium Actress" and...
The post Here's When You Can Finally Stream Perfect Blue, One of the Greatest Anime Films Ever Made appeared first on /Film.
In fact, most of Kon's work is a bit difficult to watch on streaming platforms. In July 2021, his movies "Millennium Actress" and...
The post Here's When You Can Finally Stream Perfect Blue, One of the Greatest Anime Films Ever Made appeared first on /Film.
- 8/11/2022
- by Erin Brady
- Slash Film
Marcel The Shell With Shoes On director/co-writer/co-editor Dean Fleischer-Camp discusses some of his favorite movies with hosts Josh Olson and Joe Dante.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Marcel The Shell With Shoes On (2022)
Marcel The Shell With Shoes On (2010)
The Gods Must Be Crazy (1980)
San Andreas (2015)
Airplane! (1980) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Ghost (1990)
Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure (1985)
Beetlejuice (1988) – Alex Kirschenbaum’s review
Batman (1989)
Edward Scissorhands (1990)
Batman Returns (1992) – Alex Kirschenbaum’s review
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Ed Wood (1994)
Mars Attacks (1996)
Sleepy Hollow (1999)
Planet of the Apes (2001)
The Witches of Eastwick (1987)
8 ½ (1963) – Allan Arkush’s trailer commentary
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Westworld (1973) – Ed Neumeier’s trailer commentary
Robocop (1987) – Dan Ireland’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray reviews
Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)
Alien (1979) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairings
Aliens (1986) – Glenn Erickson’s...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Marcel The Shell With Shoes On (2022)
Marcel The Shell With Shoes On (2010)
The Gods Must Be Crazy (1980)
San Andreas (2015)
Airplane! (1980) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Ghost (1990)
Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure (1985)
Beetlejuice (1988) – Alex Kirschenbaum’s review
Batman (1989)
Edward Scissorhands (1990)
Batman Returns (1992) – Alex Kirschenbaum’s review
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Ed Wood (1994)
Mars Attacks (1996)
Sleepy Hollow (1999)
Planet of the Apes (2001)
The Witches of Eastwick (1987)
8 ½ (1963) – Allan Arkush’s trailer commentary
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Westworld (1973) – Ed Neumeier’s trailer commentary
Robocop (1987) – Dan Ireland’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray reviews
Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)
Alien (1979) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairings
Aliens (1986) – Glenn Erickson’s...
- 7/19/2022
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
Masashi Ando has worked with some of the foremost filmmakers in the anime industry — Hayao Miyazaki, Satoshi Kon, Makoto Shinkai. He's worked on the animation for some of the greatest anime films of all time — "Spirited Away," "Princess Mononoke," and "Your Name," to name a few. Now after more than three decades in the industry, Ando is stepping out from beneath the shadows of the great anime titans to direct a feature film of his own. But with the visually dazzling, emotionally inert, and narratively confusing "The Deer King," it seems Ando still can't escape that shadow.
Ando co-directs "The Deer King" with Masayuki Miyaji,...
The post The Deer King Review: In the Shadow of Ghibli appeared first on /Film.
Ando co-directs "The Deer King" with Masayuki Miyaji,...
The post The Deer King Review: In the Shadow of Ghibli appeared first on /Film.
- 7/15/2022
- by Hoai-Tran Bui
- Slash Film
Photo: ‘Inception’ and ‘Paprika’ What is so fascinating about dreams? Is it the fact we can explore our subconscious mind? Or is it because it is a reflection of our innermost desires? These are questions that are examined in both Satoshi Kon’s 2006 anime film ‘Paprika’ and Christopher Nolan’s 2010 ‘Inception.’ Before analyzing the two, it is important to first address the controversy between the films. Some claim that ‘Inception’ is loosely based on ‘Paprika’ as the concepts are similar (with the use of dream hacking technology). Some even say that Nolan was inspired by Kon’s work, but there is no exact quote of him saying that. From a personal perspective, criticizing the two is a disservice to both Kon and Nolan’s work. Whether one was the original or not, the point I am trying to get across in this analysis is to stray away from criticism and...
- 7/1/2022
- by Anica Muñoz
- Hollywood Insider - Substance & Meaningful Entertainment
With a proud reputation of raising the profile of the greatest auteurs in Japanese animation, Anime Limited are delighted to announce that they are bringing to the big screen the directorial debut of a man who has made his name doing the same. Masashi Ando worked as Chief Animation Director on landmark films from Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki’s legendary Princess Mononoke to the modern day sensation Your Name, and now his fantasy epic The Deer King will carve its own legend in selected cinemas nationwide from 27th July 2022.
A film that’s been years in the making but is all the more resonant today, The Deer King is the story of an ancient people caught in the midst of a pandemic. When the dreaded Black Wolf Fever returns to ravage the land, old political scars draw new blood when two opposing nations have different plans for the man...
A film that’s been years in the making but is all the more resonant today, The Deer King is the story of an ancient people caught in the midst of a pandemic. When the dreaded Black Wolf Fever returns to ravage the land, old political scars draw new blood when two opposing nations have different plans for the man...
- 6/7/2022
- by Suzie Cho
- AsianMoviePulse
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