#matsushige yutaka

[idleminds]

[redsamuraiii]

Unnatural (2018) Behind the Scenes

This underrated crime drama deserves a second season. Intriguing plot, good writing, great characters and chemistry, addictive song and more. It’s so good that the Koreans are remaking it. 

[stuff-diary]

18x2 Beyond Youthful Days

Movies watched in 2024

18x2 Beyond Youthful Days (2024, Taiwan/Japan)

Director: Michihito Fujii

Writers: Michihito Fujii & Hirokawa Hayashida (based on the travelogue by Jimmy Lai)

Mini-review:

This is the third Michihito Fujii movie I've watched this year, and at this point it's become clear that I really, really connect with his filmmaking voice and style. There's something about his work that feels nostalgic and melancholic in a very personal way. And in this particular case, the main character is played by one of my favorite actors in the world, Greg Hsu, who does as great as I've come to expect of him. The story itself is nothing groundbreaking, but it's very well-told and is further elevated by the stunning cinematography, which turns the film into a gorgeous scenic showcase for both Taiwan and Japan. So yeah, 18x2 Beyond Youthful Days is a beautifully filmed and acted movie that will satisfy anyone looking for a solid tearjerker.

[may8chan]

らせん 1998

[adamwatchesmovies]

Ring (1998)

I enjoy comparing original films to their remakes. 90% of the time, the original proves itself the superior film but seeing the same story done by a different set of hands is exciting. In theory, the remake is an opportunity to polish away the blemishes, set up the sequel(s) no one knew was coming, give the standout character more time to shine, etc. I saw 2002’s The Ring by Gore Verbinski before Ring (also known as Ringu), so this was an interesting experiment. This horror film starts with a great premise. This 1998 film is scary and takes some unexpected turns, culminating in a terrific ending. You can immediately see why it was remade by Hollywood four years later - but is it the superior movie?   After her niece’s mysterious death, journalist Reiko Askawa (Nanako Matsushima) investigates an urban legend about a videotape that supposedly kills anyone who watches it. First, you get a phone call, then, one week later, you die. Thinking nothing of it, Reiko watches the tape. After receiving the ominous phone call, she reaches out to her ex-husband, Ryūji (Hiroyuki Sanada). They search for the video's origins, hoping it can save Reiko from the vengeful spirit it unleashes.   One of the film’s big strengths is the killer recording. Before the tape, you see the curse's end results: the victims and their twisted faces. You're curious, so you watch along with Reiko. At that point, your heart sinks. It’s a series of black-and-white, disjointed scenes that concludes with a shot of a well and a screeching sound. "Weird" is an understatement. Where do you even start? Keep in mind, Reiko had to track down the tape in some cabin where its victims stayed a week ago and everyone who’s already seen it is dead. Making things even more dire is that she catches her young son (Rikiya Ōtaka) watching the video one night. Now, if she fails to decrypt this mystery, he'll die too.   The thing with horror films like this is that you want to see what happens, but your instinct tells you to run away. The "danger" is engaging, which makes Ringu a fun enigma. You could ever solve where it came from yourself but you're eager to find answers. Like Reiko and Ryūji, you’re scrutinizing every frame of that tape. Are the contents metaphorical? Is it real footage? Could the people we see be real, but the images be fake? The unique thing about Ringu is that while each clue might bring us closer to the finish line, it doesn’t feel like it’s getting any easier. The more clues we gather, the spookier things become. You know what’s happening is fiction, but there’s a small part of you that can’t help thinking you shouldn’t be watching. If you suddenly received a phone call midway, you'd jump out of your skin.

The biggest difference between Ringu and The Ring is the curse's rules. In some ways, it’s clever. In other ways, it feels like a bit of a cheat. Without revealing too much, the key to solving the mystery in Ringu depends heavily on Ryūji’s psychic visions. With no supernatural abilities, it would be impossible to figure everything out so Reiko’s niece and her friends never had a chance. In a way, that explains why the thing is an urban legend. You only get the phone call under certain circumstances and receiving the phone call doesn't mean you get those much-needed visions - only psychics get those. This means most people would watch the video, go “Well, that was weird” and then die a week later for reasons no one could figure out. The tape is so obscure it would take a long time to make the connection. That makes it feel like a "real" urban legend. The downside is that it makes the scenario feel a tad convoluted. We're asked to believe in 1) cursed videotapes, 2) ghosts and 3) psychic powers. While these do come together during the conclusion, it’s still removed from reality by one more level than the Gore Verbinski film. It also feels much more Japanese than the American version, which is neither a good nor a bad thing, but worth mentioning. This might be controversial, but I like the simplified horror of the American remake better.

I say 2002’s The Ring is an improvement over the original for several reasons, the biggest of which being that the story feels much more universal and its mechanics are less complicated. Don't let that discourage you from viewing Ringu. It’s a more subdued, stranger-feeling horror movie that’s steeped in Japanese culture. It’s also scary and memorable, with a great premise and scares that will stick with you. (Original Japanese version with English subtitles, June 7, 2023)

[abs0luteb4stard]

W A T C H I N G

映 画 を 見 て

[sox-rok68]

On the Inu Oh imdb, Kenjiro Tsuda and Yutaka Matsushige are listed as Inu-ô and Tomona "no chichi". I can't find a translation online that makes sense. Could someone explain to me what "No chichi" means?

Thank you in advance😊

[japanesedoramaandanimelover91]

In the week of 15th to 21st January, birthdays are being celebrated:

Jan. 15:

Actress Yoshioka Riho turns 31.

January 16:

"Bishounen" member Nasu Yuto turns 22.

17 January:

Actress Ryo turns 51 years.

Singer Hirai Ken turns 52.

18 January:

Actor and director Takeshi Kitano turns 77.

Actor Yamazaki Ikusaburo turns 38.

Actor Arakawa Yoshiyoshi turns 50.

Actress Hairi Katagiri turns 61.

19 January:

Singer Hikaru Utada turns 41.

Actor Yutaka Matsushige turns 61.

20 January:

IKKO Tarento turns 62.

21 January:

Seiyu and singer Mizuki Nana turns 44.

[dare-g]

Drive Into Night (2022)

[rookie-critic]

Inu-Oh (2022, dir. Masaaki Yuasa) - review by Rookie-Critic

Inu-Oh is the newest (and possibly last) project from acclaimed anime director Masaaki Yuasa. The story revolves around two cursed children (one blind, one incredibly disfigured) who meet and decide to start recanting the stories of the lost souls of soldiers that one of them (the titular Inu-Oh) can see. Since the blind child can play the biwa (a traditional Japanese string instrument) and the other can dance, and they both can sing, they decide to do this through song... in a crazy mix of traditional Japanese biwa music and rock & roll! That's right, this is a rock opera.

We see them grow up and become more popular as they fight pushback from the oppressive regime of the time. Oh yeah, the wildest part? It's all taking place in 14th Century Feudal-Era Japan, and is (very loosely) based on the lives of 2 (I think) real Japanese historical figures. In true Yuasa fashion, this is an absolutely buckwild cinematic experience: with jaw-droppingly wonderful animation and kick-ass 10-minute-long musical numbers, as well as stellar performances from both real-life Japanese dancer Mirai Moriyama and real-life Japanese rockstar Avu-chan as the dual leads (fun fact: the dancer voices the biwa player and the rockstar voices the dancer). The beginning had me wondering where it would go, but somewhere around the 2nd big concert scene something clicked in my brain and I became fully bought in. I feel this is a movie that will heavily benefit from a rewatch. I can't say much more without giving too much away, so just go see it for yourself. This movie is a marvel of modern anime filmmaking and I think anyone who is a fan of the artform owes it to themselves to seek this one out.

Score: 9/10

Currently available to rent or purchase on digital (iTunes, Amazon, Vudu, etc.) and on DVD & Blu-ray through GKIDS.

[idleminds]

[redsamuraiii]

What burnout and mid life crisis looks like. The sudden realizatdion that you’re not as young as you used to be.

Hero S2E5

[stuff-diary]

The Last 10 Years

Movies watched in 2024

The Last 10 Years (2022, Japan)

Director: Michihito Fujii

Writers: Yoshikazu Okada & Mako Watanabe (based on the novel by Ruka Kosaka)

Mini-review:

I looked up Michihito Fujii's filmography right after watching The Parades, and I realized one of his movies had been in my to-watch list for a while. So here we are. Man, no one makes sad, tragic romances better than Japan. In this particular case you can tell from the beginning how it's going to end, but perhaps that makes the whole thing even more painful and heartrending. Nana Komatsu and Kentaro Sakaguchi give two of the best performances of their careers, and the rest of the star-studded cast supports them with equal grace. The cinematography is also beautiful, or maybe haunting is the appropiate word for it. In fact, I think The Last 10 Years might be one of the best films I've seen within this genre.

[takmiblog]

誰目線で描くか（想像力を喚起する）

　「想像力を喚起するには、誰目線で描くかも大事です。以前、NHKの番組『映像の世紀　バタフライエフェクト』でノルマンディー上陸作戦を扱っていたのですが、連合軍がドイツ軍に勝利したその陰で、地元住民ら民間人が何万人も巻き添えで死んでいた、と。僕らは為政者や、勇ましいことを言う人のドラマに心を動かされがちですが、地元住民の視線は、正義と悪というわかりやすい二項対立ではなく、この世界の『ゆがみ』を捉えているはずです」

2024/06/08　朝日新聞　聞き手　編集委員・高橋純子

オピニオン＆フォーラム　Voice声ｘインタビュー

ロックじゃねえ！

松重 豊さん

僕の生き方の基準

ブレぬ強い「腹」

ゼロで無で空だよ

[genkinahito]

The Guard From Underground 地獄の警備員 (1992) Remaster Dir: Kiyoshi Kurosawa

[jpopstreaming]

A Musical Ode to Farewells: TUBE and GACKT Unite for "Sayonara no Kawari ni"

🎶 TUBE & GACKT's touching new collaboration "Sayonara no Kawari ni" dives into the heart of farewells. Available for streaming since Feb 7, with a music video featuring Matsushige Yutaka & Endo Kenichi. Don't miss the Limited & Regular Editions, including a special cover of "Remember Me". 🌟

https://www.jpopstreaming.com/article/2024/02/a-musical-ode-to-farewells-tube-and-gackt-unite-for-sayonara-no-kawari-ni