Alice Hirsch/ @h.irsch Jesus Piece combines heavy metal with a love of all things anime and it really shows their work. Aaron Heard spoke with Crunchyroll News about his tattoos, love of the Samurai Champloo sword, and which anime he's been keeping up with. This interview has been edited for clarity. You put out one of the albums of the year last year with “...So Unknown.” Congrats on that and I love seeing how it’s taken the band to new heights! Aaron Heard: Oh, man, it's been awesome. Really just breathed new life into everything. You know, once you've been playing the same songs for a long time, it gets a little redundant, you know? Now that we have some new tracks to play, it’s just like a new fire. Seeing the “Gates of Horn” video is actually what inspired me to reach out. I saw it...
- 5/6/2024
- by Alex Lebl
- Crunchyroll
Launched in 2012, Kontravoid is the solo project of Cameron Findlay. Born in Canada and based now in LA, Findlay has perfected his own brand of dark pop that cruises freely through electronic music genres. With the release of the video for his latest single “Reckoning,” Findlay also showcased his love for anime. Tapping into his love of the works of Yoshiaki Kawajiri, the video provides a window into this overall influence anime has on his artistic endeavors. When an artist is so clear about their love of anime, naturally we have to talk to them! Keep reading to learn more about Findlay’s influences and see his top 10 favorite anime. Can you tell me a little about your anime journey? How it started and where you are now? Are there genres you gravitate toward? Findlay : I grew up in Toronto, and in the late ’90s/early 2000s there used...
- 4/13/2024
- by Alex Lebl
- Crunchyroll
“You just couldn’t die, could you?”
There are certain anime evergreen customs that are omnipresent in the medium, with ninja and samurai right at the top of the list. Audiences have their share of options when it comes to such content, whether it’s established classics like Rurouni Kenshin, Jubei-chan: The Ninja Girl, and Ninja Scroll, or newer modern hits like Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku, Yasuke, and Blue Eye Samurai. It’s harder to stand out in a genre that’s done it all before, but this only makes Ninja Kamui’s success even more significant. Adult Swim is not one to chase trends, but they’ve tapped into an electric energy here and produced a powerful series that confidently slices its way through the competition.
The danger of a show like Ninja Kamui that prides itself in vicious violence is that characters can feel more like caricatures and...
There are certain anime evergreen customs that are omnipresent in the medium, with ninja and samurai right at the top of the list. Audiences have their share of options when it comes to such content, whether it’s established classics like Rurouni Kenshin, Jubei-chan: The Ninja Girl, and Ninja Scroll, or newer modern hits like Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku, Yasuke, and Blue Eye Samurai. It’s harder to stand out in a genre that’s done it all before, but this only makes Ninja Kamui’s success even more significant. Adult Swim is not one to chase trends, but they’ve tapped into an electric energy here and produced a powerful series that confidently slices its way through the competition.
The danger of a show like Ninja Kamui that prides itself in vicious violence is that characters can feel more like caricatures and...
- 2/9/2024
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
Blue Eye Samurai is an adult action anime created by Michael Green and Amber Noizumi. The Netflix animated series is set in Japan’s Edo period (17th century), and it revolves around a mixed-race swordmaster Mizu in her quest for revenge. So, if you loved the animated series, here are some similar shows you could watch next.
Samurai Champloo (Hulu & Prime Video Add-On)
Synopsis: Gintama is a story of a handyman named Gintoki, a samurai with no respect for rules set by the invaders, who’s ready to take any job to survive. He and his gang, however, are also among the very few who have not forgotten the morale of a swordsman. Wherever they go, all they do is to create troubles. Troubles that they of course try to solve, but in reality…
Dororo (Rent on Prime Video)
Synopsis: In Japan’s Warring States period, Lord Daigo Kagemitsu makes a pact with 12 demons,...
Samurai Champloo (Hulu & Prime Video Add-On)
Synopsis: Gintama is a story of a handyman named Gintoki, a samurai with no respect for rules set by the invaders, who’s ready to take any job to survive. He and his gang, however, are also among the very few who have not forgotten the morale of a swordsman. Wherever they go, all they do is to create troubles. Troubles that they of course try to solve, but in reality…
Dororo (Rent on Prime Video)
Synopsis: In Japan’s Warring States period, Lord Daigo Kagemitsu makes a pact with 12 demons,...
- 11/5/2023
- by Kulwant Singh
- Cinema Blind
Japan Society is pleased to announce the launch of Monthly Anime
The rarely-screened Matrixanthology film The Animatrix—featuring works by Cowboy Bebop’s Shinichiro Watanabe, Vampire Hunter D’s Yoshiaki Kawajiri, and Akira animator Koji Morimoto—screens in 35mm on May 27, 2022. Masaaki Yuasa’s The Night is Short, Walk on Girl, a Japan Cuts 2018 selection and Tomihiko Morimi adaptation, screens on June 17, 2022. Finally, to commemorate 25 years since its 1997 release, Hayao Miyazaki’s mystical epic Princess Mononoke screens in 35mm on July 22, 2022.
Tickets: 15/12 students and seniors /5 Japan Society members. Lineup and other details are subject to change.For complete information visit japansociety.org.
Screening Schedule
The Animatrix – Friday, May 27, 2022 at 7:00 Pm
Dir. Peter Chung, Andy Jones, Yoshiaki Kawajiri, Takeshi Koike, Mahiro Maeda, Koji Morimoto, Shinichiro Watanabe; 2003, 102 min., 35mm, color, in English. With Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Clayton Watson.
A straight-to-dvd classic, the anime companion to The Matrix series received a...
The rarely-screened Matrixanthology film The Animatrix—featuring works by Cowboy Bebop’s Shinichiro Watanabe, Vampire Hunter D’s Yoshiaki Kawajiri, and Akira animator Koji Morimoto—screens in 35mm on May 27, 2022. Masaaki Yuasa’s The Night is Short, Walk on Girl, a Japan Cuts 2018 selection and Tomihiko Morimi adaptation, screens on June 17, 2022. Finally, to commemorate 25 years since its 1997 release, Hayao Miyazaki’s mystical epic Princess Mononoke screens in 35mm on July 22, 2022.
Tickets: 15/12 students and seniors /5 Japan Society members. Lineup and other details are subject to change.For complete information visit japansociety.org.
Screening Schedule
The Animatrix – Friday, May 27, 2022 at 7:00 Pm
Dir. Peter Chung, Andy Jones, Yoshiaki Kawajiri, Takeshi Koike, Mahiro Maeda, Koji Morimoto, Shinichiro Watanabe; 2003, 102 min., 35mm, color, in English. With Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Clayton Watson.
A straight-to-dvd classic, the anime companion to The Matrix series received a...
- 5/22/2022
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
Japan Society is pleased to announce the launch of Monthly Anime on April 15, 2022, which will kick-off with a screening of Mamoru Oshii’s seminal cyberpunk classic, Ghost in the Shell. Offering an eclectic range of classic, underseen, and contemporary visions from Japanese animation, Monthly Anime explores the widely influential legacy of anime. Tracing the lineage of anime from modern-day digital animation back to the days of hand-drawn cel animation, this program aims to uncover the multifaceted and remarkable variety of stylistic, technological, and generic possibilities that have kept the medium at the forefront of popularity not just in Japan, but worldwide.
Following Ghost in the Shell in April, the rarely-screened Matrix anthology film The Animatrix – featuring works by Cowboy Bebop’s Shinichiro Watanabe, Vampire Hunter D’s Yoshiaki Kawajiri, and Akira animator Koji Morimoto – screens in 35mm on May 27, 2022. Masaaki Yuasa’s The Night is Short, Walk on Girl, a...
Following Ghost in the Shell in April, the rarely-screened Matrix anthology film The Animatrix – featuring works by Cowboy Bebop’s Shinichiro Watanabe, Vampire Hunter D’s Yoshiaki Kawajiri, and Akira animator Koji Morimoto – screens in 35mm on May 27, 2022. Masaaki Yuasa’s The Night is Short, Walk on Girl, a...
- 4/1/2022
- by Suzie Cho
- AsianMoviePulse
by Fred Barrett
Yoshiaki Kawajiri is well known for his ultra-violent and hyper-sexual anime like “Ninja Scroll” or “Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust” and his solo directorial debut, “Wicked City”, is the animator’s sleazy take on the well-worn humans versus demons subgenre, which offers more than enough problematic thrills to be entertaining, although its penchant for sexually degrading its female characters might prove too much for some.
After a period of fierce battles and conflict, humans and the demonic inhabitants of the so-called “Black World”, managed to reach a peace agreement which has brought centuries-long stability to the two worlds. This peace is protected by the Black Guard, an organization of secret agents recruited from both dimensions. Renzaburo Taki (Yusaku Yara) is an elite human member of the Black Guard, working as a salaryman by day. When the hard-won harmony between humans and demons is threatened by...
Yoshiaki Kawajiri is well known for his ultra-violent and hyper-sexual anime like “Ninja Scroll” or “Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust” and his solo directorial debut, “Wicked City”, is the animator’s sleazy take on the well-worn humans versus demons subgenre, which offers more than enough problematic thrills to be entertaining, although its penchant for sexually degrading its female characters might prove too much for some.
After a period of fierce battles and conflict, humans and the demonic inhabitants of the so-called “Black World”, managed to reach a peace agreement which has brought centuries-long stability to the two worlds. This peace is protected by the Black Guard, an organization of secret agents recruited from both dimensions. Renzaburo Taki (Yusaku Yara) is an elite human member of the Black Guard, working as a salaryman by day. When the hard-won harmony between humans and demons is threatened by...
- 3/25/2022
- by Guest Writer
- AsianMoviePulse
Based on a manga written and illustrated by Masaki Segawa, which was also adapted, by the 1958 novel “The Kouga Ninja Scrolls” by Futaro Yamada, “Basilisk” seems to follow closely the aesthetics of “Ninja Scroll”, expanding them significantly, however, by presenting the ninjas as fodder for a fight that is taking place on a much higher level than their own.
In the late 16th century, two rival ninja clans, the Iga Tsubagakure and Kouga Manjidani have been involved in a fight that has been going on for ages, with a number of them not even being sure what started it. The fighting finally ends when Hattori Hanzo the 1st succeeds in forging a cease fire between the two clans by conscripting both into the service of Tokugawa Ieyasu. The bad blood of centuries remain, but the pact actually allows for some peace, and even more remarkably, for the...
In the late 16th century, two rival ninja clans, the Iga Tsubagakure and Kouga Manjidani have been involved in a fight that has been going on for ages, with a number of them not even being sure what started it. The fighting finally ends when Hattori Hanzo the 1st succeeds in forging a cease fire between the two clans by conscripting both into the service of Tokugawa Ieyasu. The bad blood of centuries remain, but the pact actually allows for some peace, and even more remarkably, for the...
- 9/12/2021
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Alongside “Ghost in the Shell” and “Akira”, “Ninja Scroll” is considered one of the most influential anime movies of all time, particularly for highlighting that the category is not only addressed to children, as was the popular opinion before, especially outside of Japan.
A team of ninjas arrives at a village to investigate an epidemic that killed all of its inhabitants. However, they find themselves ambushed by a monster and end up dead except for a female kunoichi, Kagero, that the monster takes captive. Jubei, a masterless samurai, saves her but ends up in the middle of a larger case, which results in him having to fight the Eight Demons of Kimon, a team of ninjas with supernatural powers who are intent on overthrowing the Tokugawa shogunate. During his quest, he is aided by Dakuan, an elderly but crafty government spy, and Kagero, whose body is soon...
A team of ninjas arrives at a village to investigate an epidemic that killed all of its inhabitants. However, they find themselves ambushed by a monster and end up dead except for a female kunoichi, Kagero, that the monster takes captive. Jubei, a masterless samurai, saves her but ends up in the middle of a larger case, which results in him having to fight the Eight Demons of Kimon, a team of ninjas with supernatural powers who are intent on overthrowing the Tokugawa shogunate. During his quest, he is aided by Dakuan, an elderly but crafty government spy, and Kagero, whose body is soon...
- 9/8/2021
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Long before What If…? or Star Wars: Visions, there was The Animatrix, a collection of nine animated short films set in the world of The Matrix. Released in 2003, between The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, The Animatrix told nine (mostly) distinct stories only tangentially related to the ongoing plot of the Matrix series proper, and Lana and Lilly Wachowski did it by collaborating with some of the best directors working in Japanese animation at the time. I would say that The Animatrix walked so What If…? and Star Wars: Visions could run… except for the fact that The Animatrix fucking soared.
What is The Animatrix?
The Animatrix is comprised of nine short films, with stories ranging from a “historical file” of how the Matrix was created out of the war between humanity and machines in two-parter “The Second Renaissance” to the minimalist black-and-white noir of “A Detective Story” to...
What is The Animatrix?
The Animatrix is comprised of nine short films, with stories ranging from a “historical file” of how the Matrix was created out of the war between humanity and machines in two-parter “The Second Renaissance” to the minimalist black-and-white noir of “A Detective Story” to...
- 8/17/2021
- by Kayti Burt
- Den of Geek
As the Covid-19 pandemic, Oval Office hysteria and racial tumult raged outside his studio walls, Flying Lotus spent 2020 with a laser focus on, of all things, anime. The acclaimed musician/producer, whose real name is Steven Ellison, created more than 200 tracks for the score of Netflix’s new anime series “Yasuke,” which premiered April 30 on the streamer; an accompanying soundtrack is out now via Warp Records. Beyond its stellar animation, “Yasuke” has drawn attention for its title character, a real-life 16th century samurai of African descent — a truly rare showing in anime. In much the same way, Flying Lotus has spent his career breaking down barriers between genres, from his jazz-influenced work with Kendrick Lamar to strategically dropping the “Twin Peaks” theme song into his psychedelic DJ sets. Variety spoke to the artist about his creative process for “Yasuke,” his recent Grammy win as co-producer of his friend Thundercat’s...
- 5/4/2021
- by Jonathan Cohen
- Variety Film + TV
Out hthis week from Lionsgate is the 4K edition of the celebrated anime classic Ghost in the Shell. Celebrate the 25th Anniversary of one of the most critically acclaimed anime films of all time when Ghost in the Shell arrives on 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack (plus Blu-ray and Digital 4K Ultra HD) and Digital 4K Ultra HD on September 8th from Lionsgate. Based on the beloved manga from Japanese writer and illustrator Shirow Masamune, the film’s voice cast includes Atsuko Tanaka, Akio Ôtsuka, and Kôichi Yamadera. Remastered in Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, and featuring fan-favorite commemorative artwork from pop illustrator Martin Ansin – along with brand new bonus material – this will be the most definitive Ghost in the Shell package to date.
2029: A female cybernetic government agent, Major Motoko Kusanagi, and the Internal Bureau of Investigations are hot on the trail of “The Puppet Master,” a mysterious...
2029: A female cybernetic government agent, Major Motoko Kusanagi, and the Internal Bureau of Investigations are hot on the trail of “The Puppet Master,” a mysterious...
- 9/11/2020
- by ComicMix Staff
- Comicmix.com
Santa Monica, CA – Celebrate the 25th Anniversary of one of the most critically acclaimed anime films of all time when Ghost in the Shell arrives on 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack (plus Blu-ray and Digital 4K Ultra HD) and Digital 4K Ultra HD on September 8th from Lionsgate. Based on the beloved manga from Japanese writer and illustrator Shirow Masamune, the film’s voice cast includes Atsuko Tanaka, Akio Ôtsuka, and Kôichi Yamadera. Remastered in Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, and featuring fan-favorite commemorative artwork from pop illustrator Martin Ansin – along with brand new bonus material – this will be the most definitive Ghost in the Shell package to date.
2029: A female cybernetic government agent, Major Motoko Kusanagi, and the Internal Bureau of Investigations are hot on the trail of “The Puppet Master,” a mysterious and threatening computer virus capable of infiltrating human hosts. Together with her fellow agents from...
2029: A female cybernetic government agent, Major Motoko Kusanagi, and the Internal Bureau of Investigations are hot on the trail of “The Puppet Master,” a mysterious and threatening computer virus capable of infiltrating human hosts. Together with her fellow agents from...
- 7/30/2020
- by ComicMix Staff
- Comicmix.com
Lionsgate has announced that the groundbreaking Ghost in the Shell will arrive on 4K Ultra HD this September in celebration of its 25th anniversary! Here's the official press release, cover art, and trailer:
Santa Monica, CA – Celebrate the 25th Anniversary of one of the most critically acclaimed anime films of all time when Ghost in the Shell arrives on 4K Ultra HD™ Combo Pack (plus Blu-ray™ and Digital 4K Ultra HD) and Digital 4K Ultra HD on September 8th from Lionsgate. Based on the beloved manga from Japanese writer and illustrator Shirow Masamune, the film’s voice cast includes Atsuko Tanaka, Akio Ôtsuka, and Kôichi Yamadera. Remastered in Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, and featuring fan-favorite commemorative artwork from pop illustrator Martin Ansin – along with brand new bonus material – this will be the most definitive Ghost in the Shell package to date.
2029: A female cybernetic government agent, Major Motoko Kusanagi,...
Santa Monica, CA – Celebrate the 25th Anniversary of one of the most critically acclaimed anime films of all time when Ghost in the Shell arrives on 4K Ultra HD™ Combo Pack (plus Blu-ray™ and Digital 4K Ultra HD) and Digital 4K Ultra HD on September 8th from Lionsgate. Based on the beloved manga from Japanese writer and illustrator Shirow Masamune, the film’s voice cast includes Atsuko Tanaka, Akio Ôtsuka, and Kôichi Yamadera. Remastered in Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, and featuring fan-favorite commemorative artwork from pop illustrator Martin Ansin – along with brand new bonus material – this will be the most definitive Ghost in the Shell package to date.
2029: A female cybernetic government agent, Major Motoko Kusanagi,...
- 7/29/2020
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
” It’s not murder, it’s ketchup!”
Simon Pegg in Hot Fuzz (2007) plays midnights this weekend (August 9th and 10th) at the Tivoli as part of their Reel Late at the Tivoli Midnight series. A Facebook invite for the event can be found Here
Hot Fuzz tells the story of London supercop Constable Nicholas Angel (played by Simon Pegg). Angel is one baaaad man! He has a ridiculously high arrest rate and is in top physical and mental shape. But his cronies in the London police are jealous of his success b/c he is as the London Chief Inspector says ‘making them all look bad’. So Angel is transferred to the small, quiet English burg of Sandford. The head of Sandford’s police force, Inspector Frank Butterman assures Angel that nothing ever goes on in Sandford and that there hasn’t been a murder or major case in 20 years!
Simon Pegg in Hot Fuzz (2007) plays midnights this weekend (August 9th and 10th) at the Tivoli as part of their Reel Late at the Tivoli Midnight series. A Facebook invite for the event can be found Here
Hot Fuzz tells the story of London supercop Constable Nicholas Angel (played by Simon Pegg). Angel is one baaaad man! He has a ridiculously high arrest rate and is in top physical and mental shape. But his cronies in the London police are jealous of his success b/c he is as the London Chief Inspector says ‘making them all look bad’. So Angel is transferred to the small, quiet English burg of Sandford. The head of Sandford’s police force, Inspector Frank Butterman assures Angel that nothing ever goes on in Sandford and that there hasn’t been a murder or major case in 20 years!
- 8/5/2019
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
” Things sure have changed since we got kicked out of high school. “
Another brilliant lineup of midnight movies for the ‘Reel Late at The Tivoli’ to end the summer of 2019 season. It’s an especially good variety of titles that will draw the late night movie buff crowd with several retro surprises. The Midnight Movie experience has always catered to a college-age crowd and that’s the way it should be. The oldest film this time is Rock And Roll High School from ’79 and the most recent is
Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World from 2010. There’s a Anime this schedule called Ninja Scroll I’m unfamiliar with. A couple of standards including
Labyrinth and Fight Club are on the schedule. I’ve been hosting the midnight show at The Tivoli for ten years now This is a great line-up.
Here’s the line-up:
July 19-20 Fight Club
July 26-27 Scott Pilgrim Vs.
Another brilliant lineup of midnight movies for the ‘Reel Late at The Tivoli’ to end the summer of 2019 season. It’s an especially good variety of titles that will draw the late night movie buff crowd with several retro surprises. The Midnight Movie experience has always catered to a college-age crowd and that’s the way it should be. The oldest film this time is Rock And Roll High School from ’79 and the most recent is
Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World from 2010. There’s a Anime this schedule called Ninja Scroll I’m unfamiliar with. A couple of standards including
Labyrinth and Fight Club are on the schedule. I’ve been hosting the midnight show at The Tivoli for ten years now This is a great line-up.
Here’s the line-up:
July 19-20 Fight Club
July 26-27 Scott Pilgrim Vs.
- 7/2/2019
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Above all else, Kitarô Kôsaka’s “Okko’s Inn” is a warm and adorable new addition to the growing subgenre of animated children’s films about grief. The film is so colorful and kid-friendly that it’s hard to believe it’s from the same production studio responsible for the hyper-violent likes of “Ninja Scroll” and “Perfect Blue,” but this bucolic story about a little girl who moves into her grandmother’s ryokan isn’t quite as gentle as it looks.
Based on a series of Hiroko Reijo novels called “Waka Okami wa Shōgakusei!” (literally “The Young Innkeeper Is a Grade Schooler!”) — and unfolding like a Kidz Bop cover of “Spirited Away” — “Okko’s Inn” might be too shrill and erratic for most adults to enjoy all the way through, but it deals with death in a way that’s direct enough for even young children to understand. For small kids coping with big losses,...
Based on a series of Hiroko Reijo novels called “Waka Okami wa Shōgakusei!” (literally “The Young Innkeeper Is a Grade Schooler!”) — and unfolding like a Kidz Bop cover of “Spirited Away” — “Okko’s Inn” might be too shrill and erratic for most adults to enjoy all the way through, but it deals with death in a way that’s direct enough for even young children to understand. For small kids coping with big losses,...
- 4/19/2019
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
Every year, we here at PopOptiq celebrate the month of October with a series of articles we like to call 31 Days of Horror; and every year, I update the list of my favourite horror films ever made. Last year, I released a list that included 150 picks. This year, I’ll be upgrading the list to 200 movies, making minor alterations, changing the rankings, adding new entries, and possibly removing a few titles.
Note: Since there are so many great horror films and so much to choose from, I am not including documentaries such as Haxan — short films such as Outer Space – a mini-series such as Stephen King’s It — nor animated films such as Perfect Blue, Ninja Scroll and Coraline. I am, however, including some films as special mentions along with a few movies that some people consider horror films, but I don’t.
****
Special Mention: King Kong
Directed by Merian C. Cooper...
Note: Since there are so many great horror films and so much to choose from, I am not including documentaries such as Haxan — short films such as Outer Space – a mini-series such as Stephen King’s It — nor animated films such as Perfect Blue, Ninja Scroll and Coraline. I am, however, including some films as special mentions along with a few movies that some people consider horror films, but I don’t.
****
Special Mention: King Kong
Directed by Merian C. Cooper...
- 6/26/2018
- by Ricky D
- SoundOnSight
Ryan Lambie Mar 15, 2019
Released in 1985, the anime Megazone 23 makes for an ideal companion piece to the Wachowskis’ 1999 hit, The Matrix...
When the Wachowskis were laying out their vision for what would become The Matrix in the late '90s, they sat down producer Joel Silver and showed him a VHS tape of Ghost in the Shell - Mamoru Oshii’s classic anime adaptation of Masamune Shirow’s manga.
With The Matrix, the Wachowskis wanted to mix up a heady cocktail of Hong Kong action, cyberpunk, philosophy, eastern and western myth, as well as the bold stylings of Japanese and American comic books. But they also wanted to draw on the cool design, camera angles, and sense of dynamism seen in the best Japanese anime. Ghost in the Shell has certain story elements in common with The Matrix - most obviously the cyberpunk idea of physically jacking into a virtual space...
Released in 1985, the anime Megazone 23 makes for an ideal companion piece to the Wachowskis’ 1999 hit, The Matrix...
When the Wachowskis were laying out their vision for what would become The Matrix in the late '90s, they sat down producer Joel Silver and showed him a VHS tape of Ghost in the Shell - Mamoru Oshii’s classic anime adaptation of Masamune Shirow’s manga.
With The Matrix, the Wachowskis wanted to mix up a heady cocktail of Hong Kong action, cyberpunk, philosophy, eastern and western myth, as well as the bold stylings of Japanese and American comic books. But they also wanted to draw on the cool design, camera angles, and sense of dynamism seen in the best Japanese anime. Ghost in the Shell has certain story elements in common with The Matrix - most obviously the cyberpunk idea of physically jacking into a virtual space...
- 4/27/2018
- Den of Geek
You may or may not remember this, but in 1997 Murphy's Irish Stout released an anime cyberpunk commercial. You don't really see anime advertisements for alcoholic beverages. Why would you!? The fact that this commercial exists seems crazy, but it turned out extremely cool!
It was in the late 90s when I was first introduced to hardcore anime films like Akira, Ninja Scroll, and Ghost in the Shell. Those films hooked me on anime and I've enjoyed watching and discovering new anime ever since.
What are some of your favorite 90s anime films and do you know of any other cool anime ads like this?...
It was in the late 90s when I was first introduced to hardcore anime films like Akira, Ninja Scroll, and Ghost in the Shell. Those films hooked me on anime and I've enjoyed watching and discovering new anime ever since.
What are some of your favorite 90s anime films and do you know of any other cool anime ads like this?...
- 2/1/2018
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
This past summer was a memorable one for fans of Konami's video game franchise Castlevania. In addition to the release of a new four-episode animated series adaptation of the video games on Netflix, the streaming service also renewed the series for an eight-episode second season, and viewers of the show were treated to a story that took an R-rated approach to violence and a bold path with its storytelling. One of the creative forces behind the new series is Adi Shankar (executive producer of films such as Dredd and The Grey) and I had the opportunity to talk with the filmmaker about collaborating with Sam Deats and Warren Ellis, the freedom of working with Netflix, and much more.
Thanks so much for taking some time to talk with me and congratulations on Castlevania. I wrapped up watching the first season and I absolutely loved it.
Adi Shankar: Amazing, amazing.
Thanks so much for taking some time to talk with me and congratulations on Castlevania. I wrapped up watching the first season and I absolutely loved it.
Adi Shankar: Amazing, amazing.
- 9/14/2017
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
It was always only a matter of time until modern Hollywood resigned itself to remaking anime. Which isn’t to suggest that the uniquely Japanese medium is somehow unworthy of being used as fodder for Western blockbusters — on the contrary, anime has provided some of the most progressive, adventurous, and visionary filmmaking of the last 30 years — but rather to acknowledge the palpable whiff of inevitability with which Paramount is releasing “Ghost in the Shell.”
It’s not like studio executives are obsessive fans of the franchise, it’s not like former Paramount CEO Brad Grey bought every new DVD of “Stand Alone Complex” as it was released in the United States and can walk you through every detail of the Laughing Man case, it’s not like the people in power were just patiently waiting for the entertainment climate to warm up to the idea of a star-studded Major Kusanagi...
It’s not like studio executives are obsessive fans of the franchise, it’s not like former Paramount CEO Brad Grey bought every new DVD of “Stand Alone Complex” as it was released in the United States and can walk you through every detail of the Laughing Man case, it’s not like the people in power were just patiently waiting for the entertainment climate to warm up to the idea of a star-studded Major Kusanagi...
- 3/31/2017
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
Stars: Tomisaburo Wakayama, Akihiro Tomikawa, Yunosuke Ito, Go Kato | Written by Kazuo Koike, Tsutomu Nakamura | Directed by Kenji Misumi, Buichi Saito, Yoshiyuki Kuroda
Producing six films across two years (1972-1974) is no mean feat, especially when you consider that they mostly retain their quality throughout. Based on the 28-volume manga series by Kazuo Koike (writer, who adapts for screen) and Goseki Kojima (illustrator), Lone Wolf and Cub is a set of brisk, ultraviolent action-adventure movies, packed with clever ideas, beautiful scenery, and weird characters, set in the Edo period (17th to 19th centuries) of Japan.
Martial arts star Tomisaburo Wakayama plays Itto Ogami (meaning “wolf”), an ex-Shogunate Executioner whose wife is murdered by the fearful Yagyu clan, led by the cruel Retsudo (Yunosuke Ito). Framed and shamed into exile, Ogami takes his son, Daigoro (Akihiro Tomikawa), and hits the road. Not just any road, but the “Demon Way in Hell...
Producing six films across two years (1972-1974) is no mean feat, especially when you consider that they mostly retain their quality throughout. Based on the 28-volume manga series by Kazuo Koike (writer, who adapts for screen) and Goseki Kojima (illustrator), Lone Wolf and Cub is a set of brisk, ultraviolent action-adventure movies, packed with clever ideas, beautiful scenery, and weird characters, set in the Edo period (17th to 19th centuries) of Japan.
Martial arts star Tomisaburo Wakayama plays Itto Ogami (meaning “wolf”), an ex-Shogunate Executioner whose wife is murdered by the fearful Yagyu clan, led by the cruel Retsudo (Yunosuke Ito). Framed and shamed into exile, Ogami takes his son, Daigoro (Akihiro Tomikawa), and hits the road. Not just any road, but the “Demon Way in Hell...
- 3/29/2017
- by Rupert Harvey
- Nerdly
IFC Midnight recently released one of the more unforgettable foreign horror films of the year, Baskin, a nightmarish shocker that follows a group of Turkish police officers who encounter a hellish cult with some gruesomely abhorrent plans for the unsuspecting lawkeepers.
Daily Dead recently had the opportunity to ask Baskin co-writer/director Can Evrenol about the project. Here’s what he had to say about the inspirations behind the story and much more:
What inspired the story of Baskin?
Can Evrenol: Dreams and whispers from the beyond.
Your approach to this film is grotesquely beautiful and I loved the use of color in many of the scenes (the red/blue imagery was very striking)—can you discuss your approach to the look of Baskin?
Can Evrenol: Thank you. I am mesmerized by the visual style of such masters as Fulci, Argento, Kubrick, P.T. Anderson, Spielberg, Ozu, Haneke, and Zemeckis.
Daily Dead recently had the opportunity to ask Baskin co-writer/director Can Evrenol about the project. Here’s what he had to say about the inspirations behind the story and much more:
What inspired the story of Baskin?
Can Evrenol: Dreams and whispers from the beyond.
Your approach to this film is grotesquely beautiful and I loved the use of color in many of the scenes (the red/blue imagery was very striking)—can you discuss your approach to the look of Baskin?
Can Evrenol: Thank you. I am mesmerized by the visual style of such masters as Fulci, Argento, Kubrick, P.T. Anderson, Spielberg, Ozu, Haneke, and Zemeckis.
- 4/7/2016
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
Japanese animation or “anime” as it is commonly known, has been a major part of the mainstream entertainment since the 80s, when they experienced a boom in production. In the following decades, anime became a global phenomenon, and currently over 430 production companies are involved in an industry that has a total market value of $13.5 billion.
Almost exclusively based on manga, their print equivalent, anime stretch in a plethora of genres, address audiences of all age, sex, and preferences, and entail elaborate animation, despite being in their majority, at least partially hand-drawn. Here is a list with some of the best series in the category.
Just a few notes though. Each title represents the whole franchise, for example, the Monogatari title, includes Bakemonogatari, Nisemonogatari, the Evangelion one the remake etc. The descriptions and videos of those titles will be paradigms of the whole franchise. The list does not include films, just series.
Almost exclusively based on manga, their print equivalent, anime stretch in a plethora of genres, address audiences of all age, sex, and preferences, and entail elaborate animation, despite being in their majority, at least partially hand-drawn. Here is a list with some of the best series in the category.
Just a few notes though. Each title represents the whole franchise, for example, the Monogatari title, includes Bakemonogatari, Nisemonogatari, the Evangelion one the remake etc. The descriptions and videos of those titles will be paradigms of the whole franchise. The list does not include films, just series.
- 2/19/2016
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
There are great places to start for anyone unfamiliar with Japanese animation. You need a basis for visuals like Akira and Ghost in the Shell, for action like Ninja Scroll or Redline, but I wouldn’t know where to send someone for heart and humor. I’m sure most people would say Hayao Miyazaki films are the way to go, right? See, I’m not a big anime fan. I’ve got favorite films like those above, and there are series I adore like Cowboy Bebop, but I’m not anxious or often hunting new items. Mamoru Hosoda is a director I’m not familiar with, but after seeing the trailer for The Boy and the Beast a while back and hearing nothing but raves, I was ecstatic when it was added to the Fantastic Fest roster. It didn’t disappoint.
A nine year old boy has run away from...
A nine year old boy has run away from...
- 10/4/2015
- by Mike Hassler
- Destroy the Brain
Since any New York City cinephile has a nearly suffocating wealth of theatrical options, we figured it’d be best to compile some of the more worthwhile repertory showings into one handy list. Displayed below are a few of the city’s most reliable theaters and links to screenings of their weekend offerings — films you’re not likely to see in a theater again anytime soon, and many of which are, also, on 35mm. If you have a chance to attend any of these, we’re of the mind that it’s time extremely well-spent.
The Film Society at Lincoln Center
A new 35mm print of Claire Denis‘ debut, Chocolat, screens throughout the week.
Film Forum
For a Vittorio de Sica retrospective, see The Bicycle Thief on Friday, Miracle in Milan on Saturday and Sunday, and Mister Max & Marriage Italian Style on Sunday.
A new restoration of Otto Preminger‘s...
The Film Society at Lincoln Center
A new 35mm print of Claire Denis‘ debut, Chocolat, screens throughout the week.
Film Forum
For a Vittorio de Sica retrospective, see The Bicycle Thief on Friday, Miracle in Milan on Saturday and Sunday, and Mister Max & Marriage Italian Style on Sunday.
A new restoration of Otto Preminger‘s...
- 9/18/2015
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
"Dredd" producer Adi Shankar, whose work includes the online shorts like "The Punisher: Dirty Laundry" and the much publicised "Power/Rangers," is planning to bring his dark and gritty approach to a new 'hard-hitting anime' mini-series based on the "Castlevania" video game franchise.
Speaking with Collider, Shankar revealed that independent animation studio Frederator ("Adventure Time," "The Fairly OddParents") is involved in the production which has acquired the adaptation rights to the Konami game series - or more specfically the game "Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse" which was released in 1989.
That game followed Trevor Belmont who was assisted by the young sorceress Sypha Belnades, the agile pirate Grant Danasty, and the dhampir Alucard. Asked about the violence level, Shankar says: "There will be a lot. The goal is to bring hard hitting anime to the America and be America's first animated series for adults."
Asked about the animated series that would influence the look of the show,...
Speaking with Collider, Shankar revealed that independent animation studio Frederator ("Adventure Time," "The Fairly OddParents") is involved in the production which has acquired the adaptation rights to the Konami game series - or more specfically the game "Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse" which was released in 1989.
That game followed Trevor Belmont who was assisted by the young sorceress Sypha Belnades, the agile pirate Grant Danasty, and the dhampir Alucard. Asked about the violence level, Shankar says: "There will be a lot. The goal is to bring hard hitting anime to the America and be America's first animated series for adults."
Asked about the animated series that would influence the look of the show,...
- 8/26/2015
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Iconic video game series Castlevania is finally getting an animated TV show, helmed by Dredd exec producer Adi Shankar...
There've been rumours of an animated Castlevania series for a while, and now they've been confirmed - Dredd, The Grey and A Walk Among The Tombstones producer Adi Shankar will helm the project.
Shankar - also acclaimed for his work on high profile fan films such The Punisher: Dirty Laundry, Power/Rangers and Venom: Truth In Journalism - has promised that his Castlevania show will be typically 'ultraviolent.'
"There will be a lot [of gore]" he told Collider. "The goal is to bring hard hitting anime to America and be America’s first animated series for adults," he added, before listing Akira, Ghost in a Shell, Ninja Scroll and Young Justice as inspirations.
The series will be based on Castlevania III, which first reached the Nes in 1989. Shankar answered in the affirmative...
There've been rumours of an animated Castlevania series for a while, and now they've been confirmed - Dredd, The Grey and A Walk Among The Tombstones producer Adi Shankar will helm the project.
Shankar - also acclaimed for his work on high profile fan films such The Punisher: Dirty Laundry, Power/Rangers and Venom: Truth In Journalism - has promised that his Castlevania show will be typically 'ultraviolent.'
"There will be a lot [of gore]" he told Collider. "The goal is to bring hard hitting anime to America and be America’s first animated series for adults," he added, before listing Akira, Ghost in a Shell, Ninja Scroll and Young Justice as inspirations.
The series will be based on Castlevania III, which first reached the Nes in 1989. Shankar answered in the affirmative...
- 8/26/2015
- by rleane
- Den of Geek
Every since Akira, Fist of the North Star and Ninja Scroll, I’ve been dreaming of a live-action anime/manga adaptation on the scale of a Godzilla film. With Japan’s Attack On Titans, in theaters internationally September 19th, it looks like I’m finally getting my wish. The new Attack On Titan trailer has been released and it’s […]...
- 6/24/2015
- by MrDisgusting
- bloody-disgusting.com
From anime to pitch-black thrillers, here's our pick of the underappreciated movies of 1987...
Sometimes, the challenge with these lists isn't just what to put in, but what to leave out. We loved Princess Bride, but with a decent showing at the box office and a huge cult following, isn't it a bit too popular to be described as underappreciated? Likewise Joe Dante's Innerspace, a fabulously geeky, comic reworking of the 60s sci-fi flick, Fantastic Voyage.
What we've gone for instead is a mix of genre fare, dramas and animated films that may have garnered a cult following since, but didn't do well either critically or financially at the time of release. Some of the movies on our list just about made their money back, but none made anything close to the sort of returns enjoyed by the likes of 1987's biggest films - Three Men And A Baby, Fatal Attraction...
Sometimes, the challenge with these lists isn't just what to put in, but what to leave out. We loved Princess Bride, but with a decent showing at the box office and a huge cult following, isn't it a bit too popular to be described as underappreciated? Likewise Joe Dante's Innerspace, a fabulously geeky, comic reworking of the 60s sci-fi flick, Fantastic Voyage.
What we've gone for instead is a mix of genre fare, dramas and animated films that may have garnered a cult following since, but didn't do well either critically or financially at the time of release. Some of the movies on our list just about made their money back, but none made anything close to the sort of returns enjoyed by the likes of 1987's biggest films - Three Men And A Baby, Fatal Attraction...
- 5/13/2015
- by ryanlambie
- Den of Geek
Austin Film Society continues their "Art Horror" series this month at the Marchesa with a 35mm print of Masaki Kobayashi's 1964 ghost story anthology, Kwaidan. Tonight's screening is actually a Free Member Friday event, so if you're an Afs member you won't have to pay a dime for this horror classic. It will also screen again on Sunday at noon. Also on Sunday, you can check out the 2013 documentary The Sarnos: A Life In Dirty Movies, which examines the life and career of sexploitation director Joe Sarno and his wife Peggy. It will be paired with Joe's 1966 feature Moonlighting Wives on Sunday evening.
There is a lot of rep activity at Alamo Drafthouse theaters this week and we'll start off by looking at what is going down at the Ritz. You can catch Guys And Dolls in 35mm for "Broadway Brunch" on Saturday and Sunday, and Kubrick's big-screen classic 2001:...
- 10/10/2014
- by Matt Shiverdecker
- Slackerwood
The hardest part about choosing my favourite horror films of all time, is deciding what stays and what goes. I started with a list that featured over 200 titles, and I think it took me more time to pick and choose between them, than it did to actually sit down and write each capsule review. In order to hold on to my sanity, I decided to not include short films, documentaries, television mini-series and animated films. I also had to draw the line at some point in deciding if certain movies should be considered horror or not. In such cases where I was split down the middle in deciding, I let IMDb be the judge for me. And in some cases, I’ve included these titles as special mentions. Long story short, I can’t include every movie I like, and I have to draw the line somewhere. With that said,...
- 10/31/2013
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
Breaking Bad is over and what a finale it was, although it may have been predictable based on what we knew from the flash forward at the start of the season, it still didn’t disappoint and was full of stirring and thrilling moments. More importantly, now that this is over, Netflix crucially need to up their game.
Hansel and Gretel and Texas Chainsaw, two pretty dire entries from earlier this year, just are not going to cut it against Argo and The Perks of Being a Wallflower regardless of who did what at the box office. Netflix seem to have the monopoly on quality catalogue titles this week with some little seen gems with Permanent Midnight and Orange County but this means nothing to the public and mostly registers with nerds like me.
This isn’t a suggestion that the company is in trouble at all but consider what...
Hansel and Gretel and Texas Chainsaw, two pretty dire entries from earlier this year, just are not going to cut it against Argo and The Perks of Being a Wallflower regardless of who did what at the box office. Netflix seem to have the monopoly on quality catalogue titles this week with some little seen gems with Permanent Midnight and Orange County but this means nothing to the public and mostly registers with nerds like me.
This isn’t a suggestion that the company is in trouble at all but consider what...
- 10/7/2013
- by Chris Holt
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
The cult 1988 anime taught western film-makers new ideas in storytelling, and helped cartoons grow up
Internet lore has it that Steven Spielberg and George Lucas turned down the chance to pick up the rights to the exalted 1988 anime Akira, believing it to be unmarketable in America. Twenty years later, something had changed: Spielberg and DreamWorks were in production on a live-action remake of Ghost in the Shell, perhaps the next-biggest crossover anime title, with the beard buttering it up in the press as "one of my favourite stories". But he missed the chance to be there at the beginning for artist-director Katsuhiro Otomo's earlier masterpiece – 25 this year – when its enervating hyper-realism left retina burn in the eyes of action fans and film-makers worldwide.
Akira swiftly became midnight-movie fodder in the Us, on a small release through Streamline Entertainment. Its dynamism and attention to detail – honed by Otomo in the...
Internet lore has it that Steven Spielberg and George Lucas turned down the chance to pick up the rights to the exalted 1988 anime Akira, believing it to be unmarketable in America. Twenty years later, something had changed: Spielberg and DreamWorks were in production on a live-action remake of Ghost in the Shell, perhaps the next-biggest crossover anime title, with the beard buttering it up in the press as "one of my favourite stories". But he missed the chance to be there at the beginning for artist-director Katsuhiro Otomo's earlier masterpiece – 25 this year – when its enervating hyper-realism left retina burn in the eyes of action fans and film-makers worldwide.
Akira swiftly became midnight-movie fodder in the Us, on a small release through Streamline Entertainment. Its dynamism and attention to detail – honed by Otomo in the...
- 7/10/2013
- by Phil Hoad
- The Guardian - Film News
Fan of the anime show High School of the Dead? Of course you are! It rules! Now if you have yourself an XBox Live account or a PlayStation Network account, you can catch the show anytime that you want!
From the Press Release
Viz Media, LLC (Viz Media), the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, partners with Sentai Filmworks to unleash a frightening new world of the living dead as it premieres the zombie action of High School Of The Dead on Neon Alley this Friday, April 19th. Episode 1 (English dubbed) of the high-octane anime action series will debut in High Definition at 10Pm Est / 7Pm Pst, replaying at 2Am Est / 11Pm Pst, and will air again throughout the week. New episodes will premiere every Friday. Check the Neon Alley program guide or NeonAlley.com for more information and additional airtimes.
Based on the...
From the Press Release
Viz Media, LLC (Viz Media), the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, partners with Sentai Filmworks to unleash a frightening new world of the living dead as it premieres the zombie action of High School Of The Dead on Neon Alley this Friday, April 19th. Episode 1 (English dubbed) of the high-octane anime action series will debut in High Definition at 10Pm Est / 7Pm Pst, replaying at 2Am Est / 11Pm Pst, and will air again throughout the week. New episodes will premiere every Friday. Check the Neon Alley program guide or NeonAlley.com for more information and additional airtimes.
Based on the...
- 4/18/2013
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
Iron Man: Rise of Technovore opens with a bang: Iron Man and his buddy War Machine protecting a revolutionary new satellite from some mysterious armored menace. The two heroes zip through the sky, blowing things up with aplomb, and sniping at each other with childish tough-guy dialogue. It’s not high art, but it works... until it doesn’t. Nothing that follows captures that dopey energy of a good Saturday morning cartoon, making the rest of the movie a chore to sit through. This animated film (from Madhouse, most famous for its seminal anime classic Ninja Scroll) seems to fit right in with Marvel Studios continuity, pitting Stark against Ezekiel Stane, the son of Obadiah Stane, the villain in the first Iron Man film. The younger Stane is using a techno-organic...
Read More...
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- 4/9/2013
- by John Gholson
- Movies.com
Some people debate that casting an underwear model (who also played Aquaman in Smallville) isn’t going to make fanboys any happier about the Michael Bay‘s remake of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, but I say, hey, as long as they’re cute and with sixpacks, bring ‘em on! I mean… it’s high time for some chick-eye-candy flicks – not only rom-coms, wouldn’t you say? Even if they end up being CGI-ed to reminisce turtles (that did not sound weird right now, not at all). So far, casting has already brought Megan Fox in as April O’Neil, which was met by a lot of “nerd rage” (but I...
Click to continue reading Michael Bay Casts His First Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle on | FilmoFilia
Related posts: Michael Bay And Jonathan Liebesman’s Ninja Turtles Gets A New Release Date Megan Fox Joins Michael Bay’s Ninja Turtles Ninja Turtles...
Click to continue reading Michael Bay Casts His First Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle on | FilmoFilia
Related posts: Michael Bay And Jonathan Liebesman’s Ninja Turtles Gets A New Release Date Megan Fox Joins Michael Bay’s Ninja Turtles Ninja Turtles...
- 3/25/2013
- by Vesna Sunrider
- Filmofilia
Check out this really cool trailer for Marvel's great looking Iron Man anime film called Iron Man: Rise of Technovore. The direct-to-dvd movie comes from director Hiroshi Hamazaki who's worked on legendary manga titles like Ninja Scroll and Blue Submarine #6.
The film features Matthew Mercer as the voice of Tony Stark and Norman Reedus (The Walking Dead) providing the voice of the The Punisher. There's a lot of great characters that have been included in the story of this movie, and it looks like a lot of fun.
Billionaire Tony Stark, in his Iron Man armor, prevents an attack from a mysterious new foe, but innocent bystanders are killed, including his best friend War Machine, Lt. Colonel James Rhodes. Detained for questioning by S.H.I.E.L.D., Iron Man escapes, determined to find the mastermind behind the attack. Pursued by Black Widow and Hawkeye, Iron Man enlists the...
The film features Matthew Mercer as the voice of Tony Stark and Norman Reedus (The Walking Dead) providing the voice of the The Punisher. There's a lot of great characters that have been included in the story of this movie, and it looks like a lot of fun.
Billionaire Tony Stark, in his Iron Man armor, prevents an attack from a mysterious new foe, but innocent bystanders are killed, including his best friend War Machine, Lt. Colonel James Rhodes. Detained for questioning by S.H.I.E.L.D., Iron Man escapes, determined to find the mastermind behind the attack. Pursued by Black Widow and Hawkeye, Iron Man enlists the...
- 3/15/2013
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
The racing movie has been a staple of Hollywood filmmaking for years. From classics such as Le Mans to the modern-day Fast & Furious franchise, there have always been racing movies and there have always been racing movie fans… The latest entry into the racing film genre is Death Race 3: Inferno, which continues the fight to the death Car-nage that the series is famous for. In honour of that films release of, we decided to take a look at the Top 10 Best Racing Films.
10) Initial D: Drift Racer
18-year-old Takumi (Jay Chou) delivers tofu for his hard-drinking dad, and works part time at his best friend’s garage. When he is unexpectedly asked to drive in an upcoming race, Takumi’s shock victory opens up a whole new world of possibilities, and his overnight fame is soon leading him to even more hellraising and dangerous races. But as Takumi pushes...
10) Initial D: Drift Racer
18-year-old Takumi (Jay Chou) delivers tofu for his hard-drinking dad, and works part time at his best friend’s garage. When he is unexpectedly asked to drive in an upcoming race, Takumi’s shock victory opens up a whole new world of possibilities, and his overnight fame is soon leading him to even more hellraising and dangerous races. But as Takumi pushes...
- 2/13/2013
- by Phil
- Nerdly
Mamoru Oshii’s 1995 movie “Ghost in the Shell” was one of the earliest Japanese anime I had ever seen, and I was struck by how good and mature it was. That film convinced me to try out other anime titles that were on the market and to keep an eye out for new ones. It led to some pretty nice discoveries, let me tell you, including flicks like “Akira”, “Ninja Scroll”, and the like. The “Ghost in the Shell” franchise has spawn plenty of spin-off films over the years, and 2013 will see another iteration, “Ghost in the Shell: Arise”. The film will essentially be a 4-part mini-series (each part running around 50 minutes), with the first one (titled “Ghost Pain”) set to arrive in Japanese theaters in June with a Blu-ray release the following month. “Ghost in the Shell: Arise” is a prequel to 1995′s “Ghost in the Shell...
- 2/12/2013
- by Nix
- Beyond Hollywood
Much like Lon Chaney, Sr. can be called “The Man with a Thousand Faces,” Samuel L. Jackson can be labeled as “The Man with a Thousand Roles.” He has become one of the biggest box office draws in the industry complete with his own set of memorable characters such as Nick Fury, Mace Windu, and Jules Winnfield.
Now he speaks of his latest endeavors into the cinematic world.
Jackson says:
“After [RoboCop], I’m going to do this live-action version of ‘Kite,’ the Japanese anime. I’ll be doing a live-action version of that in Johannesburg.”
Jackson will be no stranger to such material, having voice-acted in both “Afro Samurai” movies. He is also known to be an avid fan of comic books and anime citing two of his favorites in the latter category as “Ninja Scroll and “Black Lagoon.”
“Kite” will be reteaming Jackson with director David R Ellis, both...
Now he speaks of his latest endeavors into the cinematic world.
Jackson says:
“After [RoboCop], I’m going to do this live-action version of ‘Kite,’ the Japanese anime. I’ll be doing a live-action version of that in Johannesburg.”
Jackson will be no stranger to such material, having voice-acted in both “Afro Samurai” movies. He is also known to be an avid fan of comic books and anime citing two of his favorites in the latter category as “Ninja Scroll and “Black Lagoon.”
“Kite” will be reteaming Jackson with director David R Ellis, both...
- 12/18/2012
- by Ruben Gonzalez
- LRMonline.com
Moviefone's New Release Pick of the Week "The Dark Knight Rises" What's It About? Batman vs. Bane See it Because: Christopher Nolan and Christian Bale deliver an epic end to their gritty, realistic interpretation of the Dark Knight. Rather than attempt to top Heath Ledger's Joker, they smartly tell a broader, globe-spanning story that brings it all back to "Batman Begins." The action is sprawling, the villains are menacing, the cast is awesome and once the dust settles in a few years, we'll be looking at Nolan's "Batman" trilogy as an amazing piece of American crime cinema. (Not to mention, Anne Hathaway delivers a surprisingly fun performance as Catwoman that gets the character out of the shadow of Michelle Pfeiffer.) (Also Available on Amazon Instant Video | Netflix) Moviefone's Blu-ray Pick of the Week "Finding Nemo 3D" Ultimate Collector's Edition What's It About? Pixar's modern classic about a father and...
- 12/4/2012
- by Eric Larnick
- Moviefone
Welcome to December and the official start of holiday shopping madness. Last week’s featured Blu-Ray, Men In Black 3, is still making a showing on the Blu-Ray sales charts. If the promise of Josh Brolin impersonating Tommy Lee Jones didn’t make you run out to buy it, then check out our Blu-Ray review of the film. Brave is still going strong too, and I predict it’ll have enough salespower to stay at the top of the charts until after the holidays.
This week, all Blu-Rays everywhere will cower as The Dark Knight Rises, Finding Nemo will change the way you look at your goldfish and Star Trek: The Next Generation‘s second season boldly goes on every nerd’s holiday wish list.
Ready for this week’s top releases? Then engage.
The Dark Knight Rises
Release Date: December 4th, 2012
Starring: Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman,...
This week, all Blu-Rays everywhere will cower as The Dark Knight Rises, Finding Nemo will change the way you look at your goldfish and Star Trek: The Next Generation‘s second season boldly goes on every nerd’s holiday wish list.
Ready for this week’s top releases? Then engage.
The Dark Knight Rises
Release Date: December 4th, 2012
Starring: Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman,...
- 12/3/2012
- by C.P. Howells
- We Got This Covered
Ninja Scroll
Stars: Kôichi Yamadera, Emi Shinohara, Takeshi Aono, Daisuke Gôri, Toshihiko Seki, Shûichirô Moriyama | Written and Directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri
I’m not a typical anime fan, I’ve not seen that many films and series but what I have seen I love. From Akira to Death Note, when I watch them they make me want to watch more, and to have time to put into what I know could easily become an obsession. This is why when I have the chance to review some I snap it up as quickly as I can. Ninja Scroll turns out to be one of these chances and I was lucky with this one. Written and directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri, Ninja Scroll is seen (along with Akira and Ghost in the Shell) as being one of the big titles that opened up western eyes to the world of anime, and how lucky...
Stars: Kôichi Yamadera, Emi Shinohara, Takeshi Aono, Daisuke Gôri, Toshihiko Seki, Shûichirô Moriyama | Written and Directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri
I’m not a typical anime fan, I’ve not seen that many films and series but what I have seen I love. From Akira to Death Note, when I watch them they make me want to watch more, and to have time to put into what I know could easily become an obsession. This is why when I have the chance to review some I snap it up as quickly as I can. Ninja Scroll turns out to be one of these chances and I was lucky with this one. Written and directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri, Ninja Scroll is seen (along with Akira and Ghost in the Shell) as being one of the big titles that opened up western eyes to the world of anime, and how lucky...
- 11/29/2012
- by Pzomb
- Nerdly
The followup to 2009's surprise hit Nativity! enjoys a straightforward delivery, holding off competition from Silver Linings Playbook, Gambit and End of Watch
The winner
It may not have been a hit with the nation's critics, but Nativity 2: Danger in the Manger! proved comfortably the top new release at the UK weekend box-office, beating bigger-budget offerings starring Hollywood A-listers Cameron Diaz, Bradley Cooper and Jake Gyllenhaal. With an impressive opening of £1.61m, that's more than double the debut of the original Nativity! (£794,000) three years ago. Nativity! went on to accumulate £5.2m during its 2009 run, 6.5 times its opening, thanks to positive word-of-mouth among its target audience of families, and the natural tendency of Christmas-themed movies to sustain and build as the holiday approaches. A similar multiple would deliver a total above £10m for Nativity 2.
Debbie Isitt's original Nativity! flew relatively under the radar – the big festive movie...
The winner
It may not have been a hit with the nation's critics, but Nativity 2: Danger in the Manger! proved comfortably the top new release at the UK weekend box-office, beating bigger-budget offerings starring Hollywood A-listers Cameron Diaz, Bradley Cooper and Jake Gyllenhaal. With an impressive opening of £1.61m, that's more than double the debut of the original Nativity! (£794,000) three years ago. Nativity! went on to accumulate £5.2m during its 2009 run, 6.5 times its opening, thanks to positive word-of-mouth among its target audience of families, and the natural tendency of Christmas-themed movies to sustain and build as the holiday approaches. A similar multiple would deliver a total above £10m for Nativity 2.
Debbie Isitt's original Nativity! flew relatively under the radar – the big festive movie...
- 11/27/2012
- by Charles Gant
- The Guardian - Film News
It’s Monday, so we all know what that means! Yes, it’s time for another rundown of DVDs and Blu-ray’s hitting stores online and offline this week. It’s a jam-packed week, with plenty of movies waiting to take you money, so let us breakdown the new releases and highlight what you should – and shouldn’t – be buying from today, November 26th 2012.
Pick Of The Week
Ted (DVD/Blu-ray)
Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane brings his boundary-pushing brand of humour to the big screen for the first time as writer, director and voice star of Ted. In the live action/CG-animated comedy, he tells the story of John Bennett (Mark Wahlberg), a grown man who must deal with the cherished teddy bear who came to life as the result of a childhood wish… and has refused to leave his side ever since. Ted Review
And the rest…
The Amazing Spider-Man...
Pick Of The Week
Ted (DVD/Blu-ray)
Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane brings his boundary-pushing brand of humour to the big screen for the first time as writer, director and voice star of Ted. In the live action/CG-animated comedy, he tells the story of John Bennett (Mark Wahlberg), a grown man who must deal with the cherished teddy bear who came to life as the result of a childhood wish… and has refused to leave his side ever since. Ted Review
And the rest…
The Amazing Spider-Man...
- 11/26/2012
- by Phil
- Nerdly
Director: Yoshiaki Kawajiri. Review: Adam Wing. Along with animated classics Ghost in the Shell and Akira, Ninja Scroll is one of the most influential works of anime action cinema. Written and directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri (Wicked City, Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust) Ninja Scroll was made by the same animation house that gave us Paprika, Perfect Blue and the celebrated series Death Note. The success of the movie spawned a 13 episode TV series back in 2003 and its influence on our shores has been felt ever since its 90’s debut. Ninja Scroll has not only stood the test of time, it still stands head and shoulders above most of the movies made today, in terms of animation, style and sheer brutality. Combining everything that is popular about Japanese filmmaking, Ninja Scroll takes shocking violence, sex, death, action and intrigue and positively drowns the screen in anarchic entertainment. Not to mention fountains of blood,...
- 11/24/2012
- 24framespersecond.net
Magic Mike | Brave | Southern Comfort | The Amazing Spider-Man | Ninja Scroll
Magic Mike
It'd be a foolish bet to put money on where Steven Soderbergh's career is going next. Soderbergh's "problem" is that he seems to be good: Magic Mike, a tale of male strippers, comes after a star-studded disease thriller (Contagion) and a female-fronted action movie (Haywire). His next is, obviously, a TV movie about Liberace (seriously, it is).
Magic Mike also rounds off a critically and financially successful year for Channing Tatum, after the ultra-manipualtive tear-fest The Vow and the excellent comedy 21 Jump Street. This movie is loosely based on Tatum's time in dance revue shows in Tampa, so the routines are authentic; but it's not quite Hen Night: The Movie, although it could serve as such.
It's closer to The Wrestler than it is to Showgirls, although thankfully not anywhere near as grim as either. Soderbergh takes...
Magic Mike
It'd be a foolish bet to put money on where Steven Soderbergh's career is going next. Soderbergh's "problem" is that he seems to be good: Magic Mike, a tale of male strippers, comes after a star-studded disease thriller (Contagion) and a female-fronted action movie (Haywire). His next is, obviously, a TV movie about Liberace (seriously, it is).
Magic Mike also rounds off a critically and financially successful year for Channing Tatum, after the ultra-manipualtive tear-fest The Vow and the excellent comedy 21 Jump Street. This movie is loosely based on Tatum's time in dance revue shows in Tampa, so the routines are authentic; but it's not quite Hen Night: The Movie, although it could serve as such.
It's closer to The Wrestler than it is to Showgirls, although thankfully not anywhere near as grim as either. Soderbergh takes...
- 11/24/2012
- by Phelim O'Neill
- The Guardian - Film News
End of Watch | Silver Linings Playbook | The House I Live In | Gambit | Cinema Komunisto | Starbuck | Nativity 2: Danger In The Manger! | First | Lawrence Of Arabia | Ninja Scroll
End of Watch (15)
(David Ayer, 2012, Us) Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Peña, Anna Kendrick. 109 mins.
If there was anything left to do with buddy cop movies then this does it, adding a raw authenticity and almost Tarantino-esque banter to the proceedings. We're on patrol with an Lapd duo whose partnership verges on the homoerotic, and whose sense of duty knows no bounds – a big mistake when they come up against a Mexican cartel. It's exciting, fluent and heavy on the shaky-cam, but ultimately paints a simplistic world of heroic lawmen and caricatured bad guys.
Silver Linings Playbook (15)
(David O Russell, 2012, Us) Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro. 122 mins.
Against-type casting and unbalanced characters do much to disguise the conventional bones of this satisfying romantic drama.
End of Watch (15)
(David Ayer, 2012, Us) Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Peña, Anna Kendrick. 109 mins.
If there was anything left to do with buddy cop movies then this does it, adding a raw authenticity and almost Tarantino-esque banter to the proceedings. We're on patrol with an Lapd duo whose partnership verges on the homoerotic, and whose sense of duty knows no bounds – a big mistake when they come up against a Mexican cartel. It's exciting, fluent and heavy on the shaky-cam, but ultimately paints a simplistic world of heroic lawmen and caricatured bad guys.
Silver Linings Playbook (15)
(David O Russell, 2012, Us) Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro. 122 mins.
Against-type casting and unbalanced characters do much to disguise the conventional bones of this satisfying romantic drama.
- 11/24/2012
- by Steve Rose
- The Guardian - Film News
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