Filmmaker Quentin Tarantino is one of the most acclaimed directors of the generation. He is known for his gory action dramas that have sprinkles of dark humor and act as tributes to all the films he has loved. He is known for films such as Pulp Fiction, Django Unchained, Kill Bill, and more. He has also written books about cinema.
Tarantino has always appreciated brilliant pieces of art and has also criticized films that he felt did not meet the mark. He reportedly loved Takashi Miike’s cult horror film Audition. He especially commented on the much-talked-about final scenes in the Japanese horror film and spoke about how Miike took the audience on a ride.
Quentin Tarantino Loved The Ending Of Takashi Miike’s Audition A still from Audition | Credits: Omega Project/Creators Company Connection/Film Face/Afdf Korea/Bodysonic
Japanese filmmaker Takashi Miike has been one of the most...
Tarantino has always appreciated brilliant pieces of art and has also criticized films that he felt did not meet the mark. He reportedly loved Takashi Miike’s cult horror film Audition. He especially commented on the much-talked-about final scenes in the Japanese horror film and spoke about how Miike took the audience on a ride.
Quentin Tarantino Loved The Ending Of Takashi Miike’s Audition A still from Audition | Credits: Omega Project/Creators Company Connection/Film Face/Afdf Korea/Bodysonic
Japanese filmmaker Takashi Miike has been one of the most...
- 6/3/2024
- by Nishanth A
- FandomWire
Sometimes we can’t help but start binging the movies of a single genre one by one, having some sort of a marathon. And while I can relate to those who binge rom-coms because they’re sweet and innocent, it seems that horror nights are getting more popular among others.
For example, redditors quite often get together online to happily share their favorite horrors and discuss them. So here are three horror movies that are considered their all-time favorites.
1. Audition (1999)
Audition is a psychological horror film directed by Takashi Miike featuring Ryo Ishibashi and Eihi Shiina. The movie revolves around a hopeless widower who is trying to come back in the dating game again. With the help of his friend, he stages a phony audition to find a perfect girl for him. And so he thinks he does.
His chosen one is Asami, a girl with a dark past who...
For example, redditors quite often get together online to happily share their favorite horrors and discuss them. So here are three horror movies that are considered their all-time favorites.
1. Audition (1999)
Audition is a psychological horror film directed by Takashi Miike featuring Ryo Ishibashi and Eihi Shiina. The movie revolves around a hopeless widower who is trying to come back in the dating game again. With the help of his friend, he stages a phony audition to find a perfect girl for him. And so he thinks he does.
His chosen one is Asami, a girl with a dark past who...
- 5/4/2024
- by info@startefacts.com (Rachel Bailey)
- STartefacts.com
The histories of the four nations have been well explored in the world of Avatar, but there seems to be more to discover. Bryan Konietzko and Micahel Dante Dimartino, creators of the story, had a lot more to explore in the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender. This was especially true when it came to the confirmation of the relationship between Korra and Asami Sato, which was not only cemented by a Tumblr post by Konietzko but was also explored in the 2018 comic book continuation of The Legend of Korra, Turf Wars.
Korra and Asami holding hands at the end of The Legend of Korra
As the relationship between Korra and Asami Sato is explored in the pages of the follow-up comic book, Avatar has cemented other aspects of its world using the relationship that the comic books chose to depict. Characters talking about Korra and Asami’s relationship allowed...
Korra and Asami holding hands at the end of The Legend of Korra
As the relationship between Korra and Asami Sato is explored in the pages of the follow-up comic book, Avatar has cemented other aspects of its world using the relationship that the comic books chose to depict. Characters talking about Korra and Asami’s relationship allowed...
- 4/17/2024
- by Anuraag Chatterjee
- FandomWire
Out this week in theaters is Radio Silence’s Abigail, a heist-turned-bloodbath when kidnappers realize the child ballerina they’ve snatched isn’t quite human. That the petite vampire is a ballerina feels apt. After all, the deceptive art form has a reputation for dainty elegance that belies the sheer grueling dedication of its performers, both physically and mentally.
Ballet requires a high level of dedication to practice and performance and frequently spills over into body horror through broken toenails, stress fractures, and overuse injuries. In other words, ballet is often a mix of pain and beauty, which means it pairs well with horror.
This week’s streaming picks are dedicated to ballerinas in horror.
These horror movies feature at least one ballerina tormented by her art form, highlighting the stark, beguiling contrast between beauty and horror. Here’s where you can stream them now.
For more Stay Home, Watch Horror picks,...
Ballet requires a high level of dedication to practice and performance and frequently spills over into body horror through broken toenails, stress fractures, and overuse injuries. In other words, ballet is often a mix of pain and beauty, which means it pairs well with horror.
This week’s streaming picks are dedicated to ballerinas in horror.
These horror movies feature at least one ballerina tormented by her art form, highlighting the stark, beguiling contrast between beauty and horror. Here’s where you can stream them now.
For more Stay Home, Watch Horror picks,...
- 4/15/2024
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
The Legend of Korra Sequel Series Confirmed: Theory Reveals How the Next Earth Avatar Will Look Like
Avatar: The Last Airbender has a great number of projects outside of the original animated series that fans either find themselves loving or utterly despising, including The Legend of Korra. Among these also include the two live-action adaptations.
While Korra’s story was one that the audiences approached with great caution, it was understandable considering how it is regarded as a project with lost potential.
Avatar: The Legends of Korra
So far, beginning from Aang’s story, Avatars have been coming and going accordingly. From fire to air and then water. So to see that the next Avatar would be an earthbender is not an aspect of surprise. The next project for the franchise would follow a similar route in bringing about an earthbender.
SUGGESTEDAvatar: The Legend of Korra Live Action Most Likely Will Never Happen for a Simple Reason
Unlike The Legend of Korra, which was based 70 years after...
While Korra’s story was one that the audiences approached with great caution, it was understandable considering how it is regarded as a project with lost potential.
Avatar: The Legends of Korra
So far, beginning from Aang’s story, Avatars have been coming and going accordingly. From fire to air and then water. So to see that the next Avatar would be an earthbender is not an aspect of surprise. The next project for the franchise would follow a similar route in bringing about an earthbender.
SUGGESTEDAvatar: The Legend of Korra Live Action Most Likely Will Never Happen for a Simple Reason
Unlike The Legend of Korra, which was based 70 years after...
- 4/8/2024
- by Adya Godboley
- FandomWire
Much like Nickelodeon’s animated hit Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005), its follow-up show The Legend of Korra showcased similar elements, where the protagonist triumphs over evil and ends the show by venturing on a happy journey with their loved one. Only this time the show creators set a milestone with Korra at a great risk, to avoid future regrets.
Nickelodeon’s The Legend of Korra (2012)
For those who have watched, you all know what it’s about, but for the ones unaware, the milestone is about creating a female-dominated show that featured a uniquely intimate scene between a same-sex couple, Korra and Asami. Although The Legend of Korra has always been a progressive show for kids, tackling the not-so-subtle pairing was truly risky.
Creators Confirmed How Progressive Legend of Korra is
From tackling topics like equality, social class, and political agendas to starring a racially diverse cast, Avatar: The Last Airbender...
Nickelodeon’s The Legend of Korra (2012)
For those who have watched, you all know what it’s about, but for the ones unaware, the milestone is about creating a female-dominated show that featured a uniquely intimate scene between a same-sex couple, Korra and Asami. Although The Legend of Korra has always been a progressive show for kids, tackling the not-so-subtle pairing was truly risky.
Creators Confirmed How Progressive Legend of Korra is
From tackling topics like equality, social class, and political agendas to starring a racially diverse cast, Avatar: The Last Airbender...
- 4/7/2024
- by Krittika Mukherjee
- FandomWire
Although Avatar: The Last Airbender has become a world-renowned franchise for all demographics of people, its target audience has always been children. It advertises itself as a children’s television series, and even though it has some very intricate and complex stories, its themes never cross the line into the PG category. Perhaps, because of this, the series had been hesitant to show certain aspects of human life.
Avatar: The Legend of Korra
Times were a lot different when the original series came out and such hesitance is not surprising. However, when the spin-off was coming out, a lot had changed.
SUGGESTEDWhat Does Aang Have an Arrow on His Head? Avatar: The Last Airbender Showrunners on Why Aang Got His Tattoos “At a very early age”
It has become a well-known fact that a percentage of parents do not like specific storylines in their children’s media; be it graphic violence,...
Avatar: The Legend of Korra
Times were a lot different when the original series came out and such hesitance is not surprising. However, when the spin-off was coming out, a lot had changed.
SUGGESTEDWhat Does Aang Have an Arrow on His Head? Avatar: The Last Airbender Showrunners on Why Aang Got His Tattoos “At a very early age”
It has become a well-known fact that a percentage of parents do not like specific storylines in their children’s media; be it graphic violence,...
- 4/6/2024
- by Ananya Godboley
- FandomWire
Netflix’s Live-Action adaptation of the American animated fantasy action television series by Michael Dante Dimartino and Bryan Konietzko, Avatar: The Last Airbender has successfully taken over the fans. It has managed to reignite the love fans had for the original series and is making waves on the internet.
Avatar: The Last Airbender
The series premiered a successful first season which showed the epic battle between the Northern Water Tribe and The Fire Nation and now fans are waiting for the second season. Although the original series had a lot of successors that portrayed the story of other Avatars too, Netflix’s adaptation might only focus on the battle between Aang and the fire nation.
However, the series has also brought back some sad memories from the original show that proved to be quite a difficult moment for fans. The worst one among them was the death of Aang and his ally/friend Sokka.
Avatar: The Last Airbender
The series premiered a successful first season which showed the epic battle between the Northern Water Tribe and The Fire Nation and now fans are waiting for the second season. Although the original series had a lot of successors that portrayed the story of other Avatars too, Netflix’s adaptation might only focus on the battle between Aang and the fire nation.
However, the series has also brought back some sad memories from the original show that proved to be quite a difficult moment for fans. The worst one among them was the death of Aang and his ally/friend Sokka.
- 3/6/2024
- by Tarun Kohli
- FandomWire
“Words create lies. Pain can be trusted.”
Few things in this world are more frightening than dating. In addition to the fear of getting stood up or rejected, women have the added bonus of worrying that the person they’ve matched with might turn out to be a serial killer. It’s just smart to text your location and the photo of your blind date to a friend while asking for advice on which earrings best complement your impossibly sexy First Date Dress. Women talk about our hopes for a romantic adventure in the same breadth that we relay justifiable fears that we might end the evening as a collection of dismembered body parts in a trash bag at the bottom of a ravine.
Shigeharu Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi) learns about this terrifying dichotomy the hard way in Takashi Miike’s insightful masterpiece Audition. Tired of the single life but terrified of women,...
Few things in this world are more frightening than dating. In addition to the fear of getting stood up or rejected, women have the added bonus of worrying that the person they’ve matched with might turn out to be a serial killer. It’s just smart to text your location and the photo of your blind date to a friend while asking for advice on which earrings best complement your impossibly sexy First Date Dress. Women talk about our hopes for a romantic adventure in the same breadth that we relay justifiable fears that we might end the evening as a collection of dismembered body parts in a trash bag at the bottom of a ravine.
Shigeharu Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi) learns about this terrifying dichotomy the hard way in Takashi Miike’s insightful masterpiece Audition. Tired of the single life but terrified of women,...
- 2/22/2024
- by Jenn Adams
- bloody-disgusting.com
Winner of the Tiger Award in this year's IFFR, and in one of the most touching moments of the whole festival, with the whole cast and crew on stage, “Rei” is a typical Japanese family drama, which stands out due to its cinematography but also fosters a number of the inherent issues of the local movie industry.
Rei is screening at International Film Festival Rotterdam
The kanji character “Rei” has no direct meaning by itself, but can find a number of meanings when combined with other characters, with the protagonists of the movie actually sharing a hypostasis quite similar to that of the kanji. 30-something company employee Hikari, eventually finds meaning when, after attending a stage play with her best friend, Asami, she is impressed by the quality of the poster, and begins searching for the particular landscape photographer. The man in question is a deaf landscape photographer, Mato, who has alienated his family,...
Rei is screening at International Film Festival Rotterdam
The kanji character “Rei” has no direct meaning by itself, but can find a number of meanings when combined with other characters, with the protagonists of the movie actually sharing a hypostasis quite similar to that of the kanji. 30-something company employee Hikari, eventually finds meaning when, after attending a stage play with her best friend, Asami, she is impressed by the quality of the poster, and begins searching for the particular landscape photographer. The man in question is a deaf landscape photographer, Mato, who has alienated his family,...
- 2/4/2024
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
What would you change if you had a second shot at life? Now, this question may raise a lot of retrospection on what we could have done to have made our lives better. However, Asami, having gotten multiple chances to reboot her life, goes on to take steps that would avoid her previous mistakes. Rebooting has been directed under the able guidance of Rie Sawaoka and stars faces like that of Sakura Ando and Asami Mizukawa. Netflix has currently been streaming the comedy-drama in collaboration with Nippon TV to acquire a wider audience base globally. Will Asami be able to make her new life cycle count? Will she be able to gain good karma over the years to be born as a human again? Let’s find out!
Spoilers Ahead
What Happens To Asami?
Asami was leading quite a stable life as a government employee in the pension department. All...
Spoilers Ahead
What Happens To Asami?
Asami was leading quite a stable life as a government employee in the pension department. All...
- 1/21/2024
- by Debjyoti Dey
- Film Fugitives
“Audition” is quite a historic production (at least for its cult following), since it was the film that established Takashi Miike as a prominent member of the horror category and Eihi Shiina as a “priestess” of the grotesque.
on Amazon by clicking on the image below
Based on the homonymous novel by Ryu Murakami, who actually wrote it as a reaction to a failed love affair, “Audition” tells the story of Shigeharu Aoyama, a middle aged entrepreneur who has recently lost his wife and has been living a disinterested life ever since. His 17-year-old son, Shigehiko, who worries about the turn his father's life seem to have taken, prompts him to meet new women. Yoshikawa, a friend of Shigeharu and a film producer, proposes that he take part in a sham in order to meet women, an idea he agrees to. According to the plan, actresses would...
on Amazon by clicking on the image below
Based on the homonymous novel by Ryu Murakami, who actually wrote it as a reaction to a failed love affair, “Audition” tells the story of Shigeharu Aoyama, a middle aged entrepreneur who has recently lost his wife and has been living a disinterested life ever since. His 17-year-old son, Shigehiko, who worries about the turn his father's life seem to have taken, prompts him to meet new women. Yoshikawa, a friend of Shigeharu and a film producer, proposes that he take part in a sham in order to meet women, an idea he agrees to. According to the plan, actresses would...
- 1/19/2024
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
It took a long time, but mainstream cartoons are finally coming out of the closet. Now, we can only hope they stay that way.
When live-action television began making inroads for gay representation during the turn of the century, animation remained a frustratingly straight (if frequently queer-coded) affair. The reasons behind the medium’s slowness were obvious and, predictably, homophobic. Animation is too often seen as content made for kids, and same-sex attraction is regarded as an “adult” topic. So, pearl-clutching TV critics would argue, children shouldn’t be exposed to “adult” (read: gay) characters through raunchy cartoons.
That’s not to say that there weren’t LGBTQ people in cartoons before the 2010s; Japanese anime, in particular, was slightly ahead of the curve on this front, with ’90s classics like “Sailor Moon” and “Neon Genesis Evangelion” featuring explicitly queer themes and love stories. But that content was often mercilessly...
When live-action television began making inroads for gay representation during the turn of the century, animation remained a frustratingly straight (if frequently queer-coded) affair. The reasons behind the medium’s slowness were obvious and, predictably, homophobic. Animation is too often seen as content made for kids, and same-sex attraction is regarded as an “adult” topic. So, pearl-clutching TV critics would argue, children shouldn’t be exposed to “adult” (read: gay) characters through raunchy cartoons.
That’s not to say that there weren’t LGBTQ people in cartoons before the 2010s; Japanese anime, in particular, was slightly ahead of the curve on this front, with ’90s classics like “Sailor Moon” and “Neon Genesis Evangelion” featuring explicitly queer themes and love stories. But that content was often mercilessly...
- 6/23/2023
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
Tongue-in-cheek but never campy, “Shin Ultraman” is an object lesson in how to reboot a superhero franchise for modern times. Cannily making its CGI resemble the aesthetic of Japanese monster movies from yesteryear, this all-new Ultraman adventure has been lovingly assembled to enthrall viewers with no prior knowledge and satisfy fans who’ve been cheering for the giant red-and-silver humanoid since he first saved Japan and the world in a 1966-67 children’s television series. The sixth-highest grossing Japanese feature of 2022, “Shin Ultraman” will fly into U.S. cinemas for an initial two-days-only release on January 11 and 12.
Reuniting after their hit 2016 reboot “Shin Godzilla” (shin translates as “new”), director Shinji Higuchi (“Attack on Titan” Parts 1 and 2) and writer-producer-editor Hideaki Anno (the “Evangelion” anime series) have again woven smart political commentary and meaningful ruminations on human existence into a screenplay otherwise dedicated to delivering marvelously entertaining silliness with an immaculately straight face.
Reuniting after their hit 2016 reboot “Shin Godzilla” (shin translates as “new”), director Shinji Higuchi (“Attack on Titan” Parts 1 and 2) and writer-producer-editor Hideaki Anno (the “Evangelion” anime series) have again woven smart political commentary and meaningful ruminations on human existence into a screenplay otherwise dedicated to delivering marvelously entertaining silliness with an immaculately straight face.
- 1/3/2023
- by Richard Kuipers
- Variety Film + TV
Ti West’s X introduced Pearl (Mia Goth), a woman driven mad by her lust and yearning for youth that her husband attempts to hide from his unexpected boarding guests. She finds them anyway and satiates her desire with unhinged violence. Just how unhinged this killer is gets fleshed out further in the prequel Pearl, now available on Digital and out on Blu-ray on November 15, solidifying her ranks as one of horror’s most memorable female killers.
Female killers compensate for their scarcity in horror with unpredictability, cruelty, and infectiously deranged personality. It’s often obsession that drives them, providing fascinating motivations that can make them uncomfortably relatable. Like Pearl, these ten female killers aren’t afraid to unleash pain and have racked up impressive body counts along the way.
Annie Wilkes – Misery
There’s always something inherently terrifying about the plucky next-door neighbor types who deftly hides a depth...
Female killers compensate for their scarcity in horror with unpredictability, cruelty, and infectiously deranged personality. It’s often obsession that drives them, providing fascinating motivations that can make them uncomfortably relatable. Like Pearl, these ten female killers aren’t afraid to unleash pain and have racked up impressive body counts along the way.
Annie Wilkes – Misery
There’s always something inherently terrifying about the plucky next-door neighbor types who deftly hides a depth...
- 11/9/2022
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
Takashi Miike's 1999 Japanese horror film "Audition" recently earned the title of the scariest foreign horror movie of all time. The film tells the story of a faux audition held to find a new bride for a widower, and stars Eihi Shiina as the mysterious potential wife. Speaking with Asian Movie Pulse (Amp), Shiina credits "Audition" as "an extremely" important role for me." Indeed it was — prior to, Shiina's sole film credit was Isao Yukisada's 1998 drama "Open House," but the role of the psychotic Asami earned her international recognition. Amp reveals that the former Benetton model's road to "Audition" was similar to Asami's, sans the torture. What she thought was a simple meeting and deep conversation turned out to be a tryout for the lead role, much to her surprise. She tells Amp:
"I heard that Miike wanted to see me, so I thought to myself that I want to meet him.
"I heard that Miike wanted to see me, so I thought to myself that I want to meet him.
- 9/22/2022
- by Anya Stanley
- Slash Film
Dates can go very wrong in horror movies. Carrie White's prom date with Tommy Ross goes up in flames before the last dance, in both Stephen King's novel "Carrie" and Brian De Palma's film adaptation. In Sean Byrne's Aussie horror movie "The Loved Ones," poor Brett doesn't even make it to his school dance after rejecting Lola, who hosts a macabre dance of her own. All grotesqueries of romantic relationships find screen time in the genre.
So when Takashi Miike signed on to adapt Ryū Murakami's 1997 novel "Audition," he picked up on its themes of voyeurism, sexism, and exploitation in the entertainment industry -- its leading man Shigeharu Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi) holds a shady "audition" for his next wife, launching the story's events into motion -- but left its nastiest moments for the finale, long after audience is embedded into the mysterious allure of Aoyama's chosen bride,...
So when Takashi Miike signed on to adapt Ryū Murakami's 1997 novel "Audition," he picked up on its themes of voyeurism, sexism, and exploitation in the entertainment industry -- its leading man Shigeharu Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi) holds a shady "audition" for his next wife, launching the story's events into motion -- but left its nastiest moments for the finale, long after audience is embedded into the mysterious allure of Aoyama's chosen bride,...
- 9/19/2022
- by Anya Stanley
- Slash Film
37th film in the Ultraman franchise and the second reboot of a tokusatsu series to be adapted by script writer Hideaki Anno and director Shinji Higuchi after “Shin Godzilla”, “Shin Ultraman” proves that the team behind the two movies (including Toho and Cine Bazar) have found the perfect recipe (and the money) for these relaunches.
Shin Ultraman is screening at Neuchatel International Fantastic Film Festival
In a style very similar to “Shin Godzilla”, the movie jumps right into the action, as a number of giant creatures, classified as “S-Class Species” have appeared throughout Japan, with the government establishing the S-Class Species Suppression Protocol to eliminate further threats. Shortly thereafter, the Sssp addresses Neronga’s attack, when a silver extraterrestrial giant dubbed “Ultraman” appears to defeat the monster and save humanity. However, he inadvertently kills Sssp member Shinji Kaminaga during his battle with the monster. He subsequently takes Shinji’s appearance and place,...
Shin Ultraman is screening at Neuchatel International Fantastic Film Festival
In a style very similar to “Shin Godzilla”, the movie jumps right into the action, as a number of giant creatures, classified as “S-Class Species” have appeared throughout Japan, with the government establishing the S-Class Species Suppression Protocol to eliminate further threats. Shortly thereafter, the Sssp addresses Neronga’s attack, when a silver extraterrestrial giant dubbed “Ultraman” appears to defeat the monster and save humanity. However, he inadvertently kills Sssp member Shinji Kaminaga during his battle with the monster. He subsequently takes Shinji’s appearance and place,...
- 7/3/2022
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
“I can’t put my finger on it but there’s something wrong with her.”
When writer Tony Rayns met Japanese director for one of the first times in the 1990s, he spoke to him about his incredible output per year, which sometimes ranged somewhere between six to seven movies. According to Miike, the answer was obvious for he liked to keep himself busy with his films through the year. Additionally, rejecting a producer’s proposal, especially for an interesting idea, was something Miike could (and probably still can) not do, and in the end the people involved would find the right time and right place in his busy schedule to work everything out.
“Audition” is screening at Udine Far East Film Festival
Interestingly, the year this encounter took place marks a significant milestone in Miike’s career. The Rotterdam Film Festival not only showed three of his movies – “Audition...
When writer Tony Rayns met Japanese director for one of the first times in the 1990s, he spoke to him about his incredible output per year, which sometimes ranged somewhere between six to seven movies. According to Miike, the answer was obvious for he liked to keep himself busy with his films through the year. Additionally, rejecting a producer’s proposal, especially for an interesting idea, was something Miike could (and probably still can) not do, and in the end the people involved would find the right time and right place in his busy schedule to work everything out.
“Audition” is screening at Udine Far East Film Festival
Interestingly, the year this encounter took place marks a significant milestone in Miike’s career. The Rotterdam Film Festival not only showed three of his movies – “Audition...
- 4/25/2022
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
After four seasons and a battle that finally put an end to Kuvira’s reign of terror, team Avatar managed to save the day in The Legend of Korra. Varrick and Zhu Li were happily married. Bolin is now a successful movie star and a part-time pastor? Mako is a broken man whose heart has been shattered into pieces by two women. And Korra and Asami are officially a couple! The revelation of the same-sex relationship was praised by most; however, why you look back at what led to the women getting together, was their ending earned? Here’s the thing, I’m
Was The Korra And Asami Love Ending Earned?...
Was The Korra And Asami Love Ending Earned?...
- 3/12/2022
- by Jeffrey Bowie Jr.
- TVovermind.com
When The Legend of Korra first debuted on Nickelodeon in 2012 it was hotly anticipated. A sequel to the popular Avatar: The Last Airbender, fans had waited four years for the show and with that came expectations. How would Korra tie into Atla? Would any of the old characters show up? Could it live up to the high level of storytelling Atla maintained? Would they reveal what happened to Zuko’s mom?!
While the show instantly won over a large group of fans there were still some detractors who blasted the show for “controversial” choices in relation to those questions and more. Adult Aang, seen in flashbacks, was much more serious than his goofy younger self. Certain characters weren’t as instantly beloved as the previous cast. Korra getting her bending back at the end of season one was seen as a huge waste of story potential. They made fun of...
While the show instantly won over a large group of fans there were still some detractors who blasted the show for “controversial” choices in relation to those questions and more. Adult Aang, seen in flashbacks, was much more serious than his goofy younger self. Certain characters weren’t as instantly beloved as the previous cast. Korra getting her bending back at the end of season one was seen as a huge waste of story potential. They made fun of...
- 6/22/2021
- by Shamus Kelley
- Den of Geek
One Shot is a series that seeks to find an essence of cinema history in one single image of a movie.It’s one of those scenes whose pronouns get italics; that scene, the one at the end of Takashi Miike’s Audition in which the vengeful Asami (Eihi Shiina), wooed by Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi) after an ersatz audition, pierces her lover’s skin with needles and slices off his left foot. She describes what she is about to do to him in calm, sweet tones (“This is a very painful spot”), and her coos are warnings to us too; this is what I’m about to do, are you going to watch? At the climax of the unflinching scene, Asami winds a wire saw around his ankle then swipes happily until, with a flourish, it’s off. For a moment, the camera shifts, and we are outside looking in...
- 4/23/2021
- MUBI
Earth. Fire. Air. Water.
The Legend of Korra, the sequel series to the acclaimed Avatar: The Last Airbender, is getting the SteelBook® treatment! This means all four seasons are available with awe-inspiring artwork by Caleb Thomas. And Den of Geek is hosting a giveaway to celebrate!
On each season (book) cover, is a stunning work of art highlighting a different element in the Avatar universe. Following the footsteps of the previous Avatar, Aang, Korra must master the four elements of earth, fire, air, and water. Only by mastering all four will she be able to bring balance to the world. The four pieces cover this “physical” journey, saving the most difficult element for last, to Korra’s chagrin.
That art alone would be a great item in anyone’s collection, but Thomas takes it a step further by illustrating Korra’s spiritual journey on the back covers. While Avatar Aang...
The Legend of Korra, the sequel series to the acclaimed Avatar: The Last Airbender, is getting the SteelBook® treatment! This means all four seasons are available with awe-inspiring artwork by Caleb Thomas. And Den of Geek is hosting a giveaway to celebrate!
On each season (book) cover, is a stunning work of art highlighting a different element in the Avatar universe. Following the footsteps of the previous Avatar, Aang, Korra must master the four elements of earth, fire, air, and water. Only by mastering all four will she be able to bring balance to the world. The four pieces cover this “physical” journey, saving the most difficult element for last, to Korra’s chagrin.
That art alone would be a great item in anyone’s collection, but Thomas takes it a step further by illustrating Korra’s spiritual journey on the back covers. While Avatar Aang...
- 3/24/2021
- by Andrew Halley
- Den of Geek
If you’re an Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra fan, the long wait is over. Ever since Korra went off the air in 2014 there hasn’t been a new Avatar series on our screens. We’ve gotten comics and books (which have been fantastic) but a return to the screen was always hoped for. The live-action Netflix series is still in the works but after the departure of original Atla creators Michael Dimartino and Bryan Konietzko fans haven’t been as excited for it.
Now that excitement has somewhere to go. It has been announced that the newly formed Avatar Studios will “create original content spanning animated series and movies based on the beloved world of Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra.” Not only that, but we may also be getting short-form content and spin-offs!
The first project set to go into production...
Now that excitement has somewhere to go. It has been announced that the newly formed Avatar Studios will “create original content spanning animated series and movies based on the beloved world of Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra.” Not only that, but we may also be getting short-form content and spin-offs!
The first project set to go into production...
- 2/25/2021
- by Shamus Kelley
- Den of Geek
“I can’t put my finger on it but there’s something wrong with her.”
When writer Tony Rayns met Japanese director for one of the first times in the 1990s, he spoke to him about his incredible output per year, which sometimes ranged somewhere between six to seven movies. According to Miike, the answer was obvious for he liked to keep himself busy with his films through the year. Additionally, rejecting a producer’s proposal, especially for an interesting idea, was something Miike could (and probably still can) not do, and in the end the people involved would find the right time and right place in his busy schedule to work everything out.
“Audition” is streaming on Mubi
Interestingly, the year this encounter took place marks a significant milestone in Miike’s career. The Rotterdam Film Festival not only showed three of his movies – “Audition”, “Dead or Alive” and...
When writer Tony Rayns met Japanese director for one of the first times in the 1990s, he spoke to him about his incredible output per year, which sometimes ranged somewhere between six to seven movies. According to Miike, the answer was obvious for he liked to keep himself busy with his films through the year. Additionally, rejecting a producer’s proposal, especially for an interesting idea, was something Miike could (and probably still can) not do, and in the end the people involved would find the right time and right place in his busy schedule to work everything out.
“Audition” is streaming on Mubi
Interestingly, the year this encounter took place marks a significant milestone in Miike’s career. The Rotterdam Film Festival not only showed three of his movies – “Audition”, “Dead or Alive” and...
- 2/21/2021
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
Most probably, Ryu Murakami’s most famous book due to Takashi Miike‘s masterful transfer on the big screen, “Audition” proved that exploitation and rich sociophilosophical context could go hand in hand.
In case you have not seen the movie (you should do so immediately), the story revolves around a widower, Aoyama, who owns a small production company. After dealing with his grief for some time, Aoyama decides to spend as much time as he can with his adolescent son, Shige and also to bring an acclaimed East German pipe organist to Japan to hold a free concert, which in reality is a ploy so that he may record the rare concert and sell it on VHS.
He accomplishes both goals, but a sense of incompleteness remains, which both his son and his close friend, Yoshikawa notice, and eventually start urging him to date again. Yoshikawa, who...
In case you have not seen the movie (you should do so immediately), the story revolves around a widower, Aoyama, who owns a small production company. After dealing with his grief for some time, Aoyama decides to spend as much time as he can with his adolescent son, Shige and also to bring an acclaimed East German pipe organist to Japan to hold a free concert, which in reality is a ploy so that he may record the rare concert and sell it on VHS.
He accomplishes both goals, but a sense of incompleteness remains, which both his son and his close friend, Yoshikawa notice, and eventually start urging him to date again. Yoshikawa, who...
- 11/19/2020
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Western animation has never been more beautifully queer.
Six years ago, the creators of Legend of Korra (the successor of the beloved series Avatar: The Last Airbender) had a revolutionary idea: to end the series with Korra walking into the sunset holding hands Asami, her woman love interest. Due to Nickelodeon's resistance, they were only able to offer subtle hints at the women's relationship status, but even the final moments filled with longing looks and handholding were revolutionary for 2014.
In the years that have passed, a lot has changed in the world of animation. In the beloved Cartoon Network show Steven Universe, one of the main events of season five is the wedding of two female crystal gems, Ruby and Sapphire. In the series finale of She-Ra and The Princesses of Power, not only did the two female leads finally become a couple, but their queer love is what saves the universe from destruction.
Six years ago, the creators of Legend of Korra (the successor of the beloved series Avatar: The Last Airbender) had a revolutionary idea: to end the series with Korra walking into the sunset holding hands Asami, her woman love interest. Due to Nickelodeon's resistance, they were only able to offer subtle hints at the women's relationship status, but even the final moments filled with longing looks and handholding were revolutionary for 2014.
In the years that have passed, a lot has changed in the world of animation. In the beloved Cartoon Network show Steven Universe, one of the main events of season five is the wedding of two female crystal gems, Ruby and Sapphire. In the series finale of She-Ra and The Princesses of Power, not only did the two female leads finally become a couple, but their queer love is what saves the universe from destruction.
- 9/23/2020
- by Deniz Sahinturk
- Popsugar.com
Stars: Barbara Nedeljakova, Eva Habermann, Thomas Morris, Tony Todd, Dave Sheridan, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Amanda Bearse, Naomi Grossman, Robert Lasardo, Mick Garris, Lar Park-Lincoln, Noush Skaugen, Lynn Lowry, Asami, J. Larose, Nick Principe | Written by Marc Fehse, Carsten Fehse, A.D. Morel | Directed by Marc Fehse
Deep in the ice of the antarctic, a team of geologists uncover an old nazi laboratory still intact where dark experiments had occured. In order to conquer the world, the Nazis created modified sharks who were able to fly and whose riders are genetically mutated, undead super-humans. A miltary task force called “Project: Dead Flesh” – reanimated US soldiers who fell in Vietnam – is put together to prevent world downfall.
Part Sharknado, part Iron Sky, Marc Fehse’s Sky Sharks is, technically, one of those so-bad-its-good film – only this one, unlike others of its ilk, has been made to be that way, created to be as cheesy,...
Deep in the ice of the antarctic, a team of geologists uncover an old nazi laboratory still intact where dark experiments had occured. In order to conquer the world, the Nazis created modified sharks who were able to fly and whose riders are genetically mutated, undead super-humans. A miltary task force called “Project: Dead Flesh” – reanimated US soldiers who fell in Vietnam – is put together to prevent world downfall.
Part Sharknado, part Iron Sky, Marc Fehse’s Sky Sharks is, technically, one of those so-bad-its-good film – only this one, unlike others of its ilk, has been made to be that way, created to be as cheesy,...
- 8/31/2020
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
It would be hard to understate the effects on the animation fandom when the eponymous heroine of The Legend of Korra was revealed to be bisexual in the series’ 2014 finale. Some saw Korra’s now-famous kiss with the character Asami as a cathartic step forward for the characters and LGBTQ representation as a result. But others saw it as an inorganic plot twist that received scarcely any buildup and felt more like a bid for audience attention than a satisfying bookend to the characters’ journey.
The arguments over this plot point still rage to this day, but Netflix seems to be planning on satisfying both halves of the audience with its planned live-action adaptation of the 2012 sequel to Avatar: The Last Airbender. And that’s because sources close to Wgtc – the same ones who told us the streaming site is developing a Witcher prequel series and that Hopper will return...
The arguments over this plot point still rage to this day, but Netflix seems to be planning on satisfying both halves of the audience with its planned live-action adaptation of the 2012 sequel to Avatar: The Last Airbender. And that’s because sources close to Wgtc – the same ones who told us the streaming site is developing a Witcher prequel series and that Hopper will return...
- 7/30/2020
- by Will Bertazzo Lambert
- We Got This Covered
“The Legend of Korra” is coming to Netflix on August 14 and you’ve gotta deal with it.
The four-season series originally aired from 2012-2014 and centered on Korra, a hotheaded woman who resides in a fictional world where select people can utilize one of four elemental powers: Waterbending, Airbending, Firebending, and Earthbending. As the Avatar, the only being who can wield all four elements, Korra squares off with various villains throughout the series. Though much of the show is action-oriented and lighthearted in nature, Season 4 boasts a slower pace and focuses on Korra’s psyche as she works to recover from Ptsd after a near-death experience.
Although unsurprising, the news should delight Netflix subscribers who are fans of the “Avatar” franchise. Netflix subscribers will be getting access to the acclaimed Nickelodeon series several months after the original “Avatar: The Last Airbender” show made its long-awaited debut on the streaming service.
The four-season series originally aired from 2012-2014 and centered on Korra, a hotheaded woman who resides in a fictional world where select people can utilize one of four elemental powers: Waterbending, Airbending, Firebending, and Earthbending. As the Avatar, the only being who can wield all four elements, Korra squares off with various villains throughout the series. Though much of the show is action-oriented and lighthearted in nature, Season 4 boasts a slower pace and focuses on Korra’s psyche as she works to recover from Ptsd after a near-death experience.
Although unsurprising, the news should delight Netflix subscribers who are fans of the “Avatar” franchise. Netflix subscribers will be getting access to the acclaimed Nickelodeon series several months after the original “Avatar: The Last Airbender” show made its long-awaited debut on the streaming service.
- 7/21/2020
- by Tyler Hersko
- Indiewire
Shortly after the quarantine started, Netflix added Avatar: The Last Airbender to its online library. The animated series amassed a large and loyal following when it first aired during the mid-2000s and now, interest in this modern classic has been rekindled, as the show is being watched by more people than ever before.
Ever keen to cash in on viewing habits, Netflix is now planning on bringing us the sequel series to Avatar. Titled The Legend of Korra, this show began airing on Nickelodeon in 2012. Because it radically differed from the original Avatar, however, it failed to attract high ratings. As a result, it sank into oblivion, where it remains to this day.
Unsurprisingly, fans of The Legend of Korra are excited to see the show coming to Netflix so that it can now be viewed by a wider audience and below, you can see just some of their reactions.
Ever keen to cash in on viewing habits, Netflix is now planning on bringing us the sequel series to Avatar. Titled The Legend of Korra, this show began airing on Nickelodeon in 2012. Because it radically differed from the original Avatar, however, it failed to attract high ratings. As a result, it sank into oblivion, where it remains to this day.
Unsurprisingly, fans of The Legend of Korra are excited to see the show coming to Netflix so that it can now be viewed by a wider audience and below, you can see just some of their reactions.
- 7/21/2020
- by Tim Brinkhof
- We Got This Covered
Synopsis
Based on a novel by Kotaro Isaka, “Fish Story” weaves together several seemingly separate storylines taking place at different points in time over a 37-year span to explain how a little-known punk rock song can save the world.
In 1975, an unpopular Japanese punk band called Gekirin (Wrath) break up soon after recording their final song: Fish Story. In 1982 a timid college student named Masashi (Gaku Hamada) becomes fascinated by strange rumors surrounding the song. In 2009 a teenager named Asami (Mikako Tabe) falls asleep during a school field trip and gets left behind on a boat which is taken over by terrorists. In 2012 a huge comet can be seen in the sky on a path to destroy Earth. How does a little punk song connect all these events?
Special Features
Making Of
‘Gekirin’ various Live Performances
‘Gekirin’ Talk Show
Director & Cast Q&a
Deleted Scenes...
Based on a novel by Kotaro Isaka, “Fish Story” weaves together several seemingly separate storylines taking place at different points in time over a 37-year span to explain how a little-known punk rock song can save the world.
In 1975, an unpopular Japanese punk band called Gekirin (Wrath) break up soon after recording their final song: Fish Story. In 1982 a timid college student named Masashi (Gaku Hamada) becomes fascinated by strange rumors surrounding the song. In 2009 a teenager named Asami (Mikako Tabe) falls asleep during a school field trip and gets left behind on a boat which is taken over by terrorists. In 2012 a huge comet can be seen in the sky on a path to destroy Earth. How does a little punk song connect all these events?
Special Features
Making Of
‘Gekirin’ various Live Performances
‘Gekirin’ Talk Show
Director & Cast Q&a
Deleted Scenes...
- 7/11/2020
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
Summer Sale
1-21 July
It’s that time of the year for the Third Window Films/Arrow Video Summer Sale!
DVDs from £4 and blurays from £7! Worldwide Shipping!
From July 1-21st
Shop now at: https://bit.ly/2BVEd9l
Upcoming Releases
3 great Japanese films available to pre-order Hanagatami
Out July 6th
In 2016, Nobuhiko Obayashi, the director of the cult Japanese film House (Hausu) was diagnosed with lung cancer and given only a few months to live. Despite not much time left, for what was supposed to be his final film he adapted Kazuo Dan’s 1937 novella Hanagatami, his passion project 40 years in the making.
In 1941, as Japan prepares its attack on Pearl Harbor, 16 year-old Toshihiko (Shunsuke Kubozuka) leaves his parents in Amsterdam and moves to the seaside town of Karatsu where his aunt Keiko (Takako Tokiwa) cares for his ailing cousin Mina (Honoka Yahagi). Immersed in the exquisite nature and phenomenal culture of Karatsu,...
1-21 July
It’s that time of the year for the Third Window Films/Arrow Video Summer Sale!
DVDs from £4 and blurays from £7! Worldwide Shipping!
From July 1-21st
Shop now at: https://bit.ly/2BVEd9l
Upcoming Releases
3 great Japanese films available to pre-order Hanagatami
Out July 6th
In 2016, Nobuhiko Obayashi, the director of the cult Japanese film House (Hausu) was diagnosed with lung cancer and given only a few months to live. Despite not much time left, for what was supposed to be his final film he adapted Kazuo Dan’s 1937 novella Hanagatami, his passion project 40 years in the making.
In 1941, as Japan prepares its attack on Pearl Harbor, 16 year-old Toshihiko (Shunsuke Kubozuka) leaves his parents in Amsterdam and moves to the seaside town of Karatsu where his aunt Keiko (Takako Tokiwa) cares for his ailing cousin Mina (Honoka Yahagi). Immersed in the exquisite nature and phenomenal culture of Karatsu,...
- 7/3/2020
- by Rhythm Zaveri
- AsianMoviePulse
*The interview took place on December 2017
Norman England started his career in show business as a guitar and keyboard player for the New York based band Proper iD. In 1993 he moved permanently to Japan, where he began working as a journalist. In 1998 he spent a week on the set of George A. Romero’s TV commercial for the video game Resident Evil 2 and in 1999 became the Japan correspondent for Fangoria, a U.S magazine devoted to horror, splatter and exploitation movies. As a journalist he has worked for a number of magazines such as Hobby Japan, Japanzine, Flix, Japanese Giants, the Japan Times, Eiga Hiho, e.t.c.
Since 1999, he has visited over 35 film sets in Japan, including The Grudge, Gamera 3 and the entire Godzilla Millennium series, with an extended stay for Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah, where he visited the set almost continuously from April to October of...
Norman England started his career in show business as a guitar and keyboard player for the New York based band Proper iD. In 1993 he moved permanently to Japan, where he began working as a journalist. In 1998 he spent a week on the set of George A. Romero’s TV commercial for the video game Resident Evil 2 and in 1999 became the Japan correspondent for Fangoria, a U.S magazine devoted to horror, splatter and exploitation movies. As a journalist he has worked for a number of magazines such as Hobby Japan, Japanzine, Flix, Japanese Giants, the Japan Times, Eiga Hiho, e.t.c.
Since 1999, he has visited over 35 film sets in Japan, including The Grudge, Gamera 3 and the entire Godzilla Millennium series, with an extended stay for Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah, where he visited the set almost continuously from April to October of...
- 6/27/2020
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Three upcoming Japanese films from Third Window Films are now available for preorder.
Hanagatami
Out July 6th
In 2016, Nobuhiko Obayashi, the director of the cult Japanese film House (Hausu) was diagnosed with lung cancer and given only a few months to live. Despite not much time left, for what was supposed to be his final film he adapted Kazuo Dan’s 1937 novella Hanagatami, his passion project 40 years in the making.
In 1941, as Japan prepares its attack on Pearl Harbor, 16 year-old Toshihiko (Shunsuke Kubozuka) leaves his parents in Amsterdam and moves to the seaside town of Karatsu where his aunt Keiko (Takako Tokiwa) cares for his ailing cousin Mina (Honoka Yahagi). Immersed in the exquisite nature and phenomenal culture of Karatsu, Toshihiko befriends the beautiful, Apollo-like Ukai (Shinnosuke Mitsushima), the contemplative Kira (Keishi Nagatsuka), the ingenuous Akine (Hirona Yamazaki) and the brooding Chitose (Mugi Kadowaki) as they all contend with the war’s inescapable gravitational pull.
Hanagatami
Out July 6th
In 2016, Nobuhiko Obayashi, the director of the cult Japanese film House (Hausu) was diagnosed with lung cancer and given only a few months to live. Despite not much time left, for what was supposed to be his final film he adapted Kazuo Dan’s 1937 novella Hanagatami, his passion project 40 years in the making.
In 1941, as Japan prepares its attack on Pearl Harbor, 16 year-old Toshihiko (Shunsuke Kubozuka) leaves his parents in Amsterdam and moves to the seaside town of Karatsu where his aunt Keiko (Takako Tokiwa) cares for his ailing cousin Mina (Honoka Yahagi). Immersed in the exquisite nature and phenomenal culture of Karatsu, Toshihiko befriends the beautiful, Apollo-like Ukai (Shinnosuke Mitsushima), the contemplative Kira (Keishi Nagatsuka), the ingenuous Akine (Hirona Yamazaki) and the brooding Chitose (Mugi Kadowaki) as they all contend with the war’s inescapable gravitational pull.
- 6/16/2020
- by Rhythm Zaveri
- AsianMoviePulse
In this semi-feature film, Ayano plays a nameless secretary in her mid-twenties. Sexually repressed, she finds the world of men to be of constant concern, as she creates a sense of dread, which is highlighted by various nude magazines and sexual interactions she sees happening among her peers. Ayano, feeling pressure from her mom to be more sexually promiscuous, withdraws from the world, choosing a quite introverted lifestyle. However, with a new neighbor moving in next door, taking in suitors at all hours, our protagonist becomes confronted with her reservations towards sex.
At first, our lead is upset by her new neighbor, another nameless character played by Asami. The constant banging coming from the apartment next door starts as a frustrating distraction, which, additionally, leads to curiosity. One night, while the neighbor is walking one of her guests to grab a taxi, our protagonist sneaks into her...
At first, our lead is upset by her new neighbor, another nameless character played by Asami. The constant banging coming from the apartment next door starts as a frustrating distraction, which, additionally, leads to curiosity. One night, while the neighbor is walking one of her guests to grab a taxi, our protagonist sneaks into her...
- 5/28/2020
- by Adam Symchuk
- AsianMoviePulse
The seventh and final entry in the “Office Lady Journal” series pairs the talent of director Masaru Konuma with the emerging talent of actress Asami Ogawa.
At 24 years of age, Asami is an office assistant who spends most of her time taking care of her aging father, who is struggling with alcoholism. Her one escape from this mundane life lies in her boss, with whom she is having an affair. Asami does little to stick out at the office, instead keeping her interactions with co-workers to kind formalities. It is also apparent in the relationship with her boss that he is more reliant on her affection than she is, making Asami stand out as an independent woman, early in the film. Consequently, this independent outlook on life allows Asami to wander around in her own world, having interactions outside of the constraints of the relationship. We see her throw a...
At 24 years of age, Asami is an office assistant who spends most of her time taking care of her aging father, who is struggling with alcoholism. Her one escape from this mundane life lies in her boss, with whom she is having an affair. Asami does little to stick out at the office, instead keeping her interactions with co-workers to kind formalities. It is also apparent in the relationship with her boss that he is more reliant on her affection than she is, making Asami stand out as an independent woman, early in the film. Consequently, this independent outlook on life allows Asami to wander around in her own world, having interactions outside of the constraints of the relationship. We see her throw a...
- 5/21/2020
- by Adam Symchuk
- AsianMoviePulse
Fans of the Nickelodeon animated series “Avatar: The Last Airbender” rejoiced this month when all three seasons of the show made their Netflix debut May 15, but it didn’t take long for backlash to stir on social media. The Netflix debut of “Avatar” has reignited a heated debate among fans over the sequel series, “The Legend of Korra.” Backlash against “Korra” became so widespread on Twitter that Netflix got involved and defended the show through its @NXOnNetflix account, which is the streamer’s official “home of all things geek.”
The original “Avatar” series ran for three seasons between 2005 and 2008 and garnered widespread critical acclaim. The show won various industry prizes each season, including the Annie Award for Best Animated Television Production for Children with its third and final run of episodes. Four years after the series finale, creators Michael Dimartino and Bryan Konietzko revisited the franchise with the “Korra” sequel series.
The original “Avatar” series ran for three seasons between 2005 and 2008 and garnered widespread critical acclaim. The show won various industry prizes each season, including the Annie Award for Best Animated Television Production for Children with its third and final run of episodes. Four years after the series finale, creators Michael Dimartino and Bryan Konietzko revisited the franchise with the “Korra” sequel series.
- 5/19/2020
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
Warning! This article has spoilers for the entire final season of She-ra And The Princesses Of Power. Turn away if you haven’t seen it already!
When Den of Geek called She-Ra and the Princesses of Power the next step in queer representation back in 2018, just before it premiered, we had no idea how fully the show would live up to that designation. The answer? So much more than we even hoped. The series is helmed by Noelle Stevenson, a queer woman, and has two supporting queer characters (Spinerella and Netossa) that are clearly a couple. This alone was already a win for queer fans, as queer representation in media aimed at children has proven to be minimal to non-existent.
Over the course of the first four seasons of the series, more representation was introduced, including two gay dads for Bow, one of the main characters. It wasn’t as...
When Den of Geek called She-Ra and the Princesses of Power the next step in queer representation back in 2018, just before it premiered, we had no idea how fully the show would live up to that designation. The answer? So much more than we even hoped. The series is helmed by Noelle Stevenson, a queer woman, and has two supporting queer characters (Spinerella and Netossa) that are clearly a couple. This alone was already a win for queer fans, as queer representation in media aimed at children has proven to be minimal to non-existent.
Over the course of the first four seasons of the series, more representation was introduced, including two gay dads for Bow, one of the main characters. It wasn’t as...
- 5/15/2020
- by Shamus Kelley
- Den of Geek
Building a film when almost nothing happens until the finale comes to blow every kind of audience away has been a trait (even if a rare one) of Japanese cinema for many years, probably finding its apogee when Asami stretched that piano wire in Takashi Miike’s “Audition“. Mitsuo Yanagimachi does not go that far in terms of extremity, but the shocking element is not toned down at all, while, furthermore, the presentation of the rest of the film is equally exquisite, although in completely different terms. “Fire Festival” is the most acclaimed film of Mitsuo Yanagimachi, being the first of his works to be released in the Us, having screened in Cannes and netting a Silver Leopard in Locarno.
The story is based on a real-life case and takes place in the town of Nigishima, a seaside setting that also includes thick forests, situated in the Kumano area, which...
The story is based on a real-life case and takes place in the town of Nigishima, a seaside setting that also includes thick forests, situated in the Kumano area, which...
- 4/27/2020
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
In Japanese culture, it’s certainly no secret that there’s plenty of open taboos and cultural norms that give the country plenty of oddball practices and strange behaviors. The marketing of any series of films with adult content, as ‘Pink’ films, extends back decades into Japan’s filmmaking history and serves as a precursor to the fringe exploitation movement that spread throughout the country in the late 80s and early 90s. It exists to this day in the form of a small but dedicated group of individuals, including director Naoyuki Tomomatsu, who launched the ‘Rape Zombie’ franchise with this 2012 effort, Reipu Zonbi: Lust of the Dead.
The women of Tokyo are experiencing a very bad day. A nuclear accident has released a deadly toxin into the air that turns any male around them into sex-craved zombies intent on raping any woman they find nearby. Office worker...
The women of Tokyo are experiencing a very bad day. A nuclear accident has released a deadly toxin into the air that turns any male around them into sex-craved zombies intent on raping any woman they find nearby. Office worker...
- 4/15/2020
- by Don Anelli
- AsianMoviePulse
One of the most prominent names in the Japanese underground splatter scene, Noboru Iguchi has made a living being involved with films featuring plenty of extreme gore and wild exploitation elements. Working well within his means on this latest project, he surrounds himself with familiar faces as well as popular exploitation-friendly names to craft a fun and wild offering.
Trying to appease her grandfather, aspiring sushi chef Keiko (Rina Takeda) bows under the pressure and eventually leaves her training and takes a job from Yumi (Asami) at a high-class hotel. Finding no more respect from her peers or the customers there either, her attitude about how the preparation differs from her training gets her in trouble with the rest of her employees. While attempting to figure out what to do with her life, a curse uttered on the food by a distempered ex-employee suddenly turns the fish into voracious flesh-eating beings,...
Trying to appease her grandfather, aspiring sushi chef Keiko (Rina Takeda) bows under the pressure and eventually leaves her training and takes a job from Yumi (Asami) at a high-class hotel. Finding no more respect from her peers or the customers there either, her attitude about how the preparation differs from her training gets her in trouble with the rest of her employees. While attempting to figure out what to do with her life, a curse uttered on the food by a distempered ex-employee suddenly turns the fish into voracious flesh-eating beings,...
- 4/13/2020
- by Don Anelli
- AsianMoviePulse
Having served her time in prison for the murder of her partner, Saki (Asami) finds that, despite her attempt at redemption, that society is not ready to accept that she has served her time and deserves of a new life. After Saki loses her latest job due to getting in a fight with co-workers, she spots a young girl trying to steal food at a grocery store. Saki saves the young girl from getting caught on a few occasions and the daily trials they face push the two into a friendship, and Saki becomes determined to save the young girl from a turbulent home life, reminiscent of her own.
Tunguska Butterfly is screening at Japan Film Fest Hamburg
With Saki unable to get a job and Mari’s mother being neglectful of her child, Saki is forced into her criminal past when offered a large sum of money to steal...
Tunguska Butterfly is screening at Japan Film Fest Hamburg
With Saki unable to get a job and Mari’s mother being neglectful of her child, Saki is forced into her criminal past when offered a large sum of money to steal...
- 5/22/2019
- by Adam Symchuk
- AsianMoviePulse
” This wire can cut through meat and bone easily. “
Takashi Miike’s Audition (1999) plays this weekend (April 12th and 13th) at the Tivoli (6350 Delmar Boulevard)as part of their Reel Late at the Tivoli Midnight series.
One of the most shocking J-horror films ever made, Audition exploded onto the festival circuit 20 uears ago to a chorus of awards and praise. The film would catapult Miike to the international scene and pave the way for such other genre delights as Ichii the Killer and The Happiness of the Katakuris.
Recent widower Shigeharu Aoyama is advised by his son to find a new wife, so he seeks the advice of a colleague having been out of the dating scene for many years. They take advantage of their position in a film company by staging an audition to find the perfect woman. Interviewing a series of women, Shigeharu becomes enchanted by Asami, a quiet,...
Takashi Miike’s Audition (1999) plays this weekend (April 12th and 13th) at the Tivoli (6350 Delmar Boulevard)as part of their Reel Late at the Tivoli Midnight series.
One of the most shocking J-horror films ever made, Audition exploded onto the festival circuit 20 uears ago to a chorus of awards and praise. The film would catapult Miike to the international scene and pave the way for such other genre delights as Ichii the Killer and The Happiness of the Katakuris.
Recent widower Shigeharu Aoyama is advised by his son to find a new wife, so he seeks the advice of a colleague having been out of the dating scene for many years. They take advantage of their position in a film company by staging an audition to find the perfect woman. Interviewing a series of women, Shigeharu becomes enchanted by Asami, a quiet,...
- 4/8/2019
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Audition
Blu ray
Arrow Video
1999 / 1:85:1 / 115 Min. / Street Date – February 12, 2019
Starring Ryo Ishibashi, Eihi Shiina
Cinematography by Hideo Yamamoto
Directed by Takashi Miike
It could be described as lyrically sadistic but de Sade himself might flinch at Audition – like its fragile leading lady, Takashi Miike’s film treads ever so softly before lowering the boom on its stupefied audience.
Ryo Ishibashi plays Shigeharu Aoyama, a middle-aged widower tired of sleeping in a single bed but ill-equipped for the dating game. Like the desperate anti-heroes of so many noirs, Aoyama makes just one mistake but it’s a doozy – he stages a sham audition as his personal matchmaking service. Into that not-so-tender trap steps Asami, a supernaturally shy ballerina with secrets all her own.
Miike spins their gauzy-lensed courtship with kid gloves and compassion and by the time the happy couple set sail for a seaside rendezvous we’re aching...
Blu ray
Arrow Video
1999 / 1:85:1 / 115 Min. / Street Date – February 12, 2019
Starring Ryo Ishibashi, Eihi Shiina
Cinematography by Hideo Yamamoto
Directed by Takashi Miike
It could be described as lyrically sadistic but de Sade himself might flinch at Audition – like its fragile leading lady, Takashi Miike’s film treads ever so softly before lowering the boom on its stupefied audience.
Ryo Ishibashi plays Shigeharu Aoyama, a middle-aged widower tired of sleeping in a single bed but ill-equipped for the dating game. Like the desperate anti-heroes of so many noirs, Aoyama makes just one mistake but it’s a doozy – he stages a sham audition as his personal matchmaking service. Into that not-so-tender trap steps Asami, a supernaturally shy ballerina with secrets all her own.
Miike spins their gauzy-lensed courtship with kid gloves and compassion and by the time the happy couple set sail for a seaside rendezvous we’re aching...
- 2/23/2019
- by Charlie Largent
- Trailers from Hell
Love is certainly in the air this week, especially with our horror and sci-fi home releases, as we have plenty of tainted love on tap for those of you who tend to enjoy the darker side of romance. Scream Factory is ready to put you in the mood with both the Collector’s Edition of Valentine and their Poison Ivy box set, and Arrow Video has assembled an impressive Special Edition of Audition that fans are definitely going to want to pick up on Tuesday.
For those of you looking for some less romantically-inclined entertainment, Popcorn is getting the SteelBook treatment, and you can take a ride aboard the Horror Express as well. Other notable releases for February 12th include Possum, Killer Campout, Doom Room, Haunted Hospital: Heilstätten, Purgatory Road, and Nightflyers: Season One.
Audition: Special Edition
One of the most shocking J-horror films ever made, Audition exploded onto the...
For those of you looking for some less romantically-inclined entertainment, Popcorn is getting the SteelBook treatment, and you can take a ride aboard the Horror Express as well. Other notable releases for February 12th include Possum, Killer Campout, Doom Room, Haunted Hospital: Heilstätten, Purgatory Road, and Nightflyers: Season One.
Audition: Special Edition
One of the most shocking J-horror films ever made, Audition exploded onto the...
- 2/12/2019
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
Takashi Miike’s Audition will be available on Blu-ray From Arrow Video February 12th
One of the most shocking J-horror films ever made, Audition exploded onto the festival circuit at the turn of the century to a chorus of awards and praise. The film would catapult Miike to the international scene and pave the way for such other genre delights as Ichii the Killer and The Happiness of the Katakuris.
Recent widower Shigeharu Aoyama is advised by his son to find a new wife, so he seeks the advice of a colleague having been out of the dating scene for many years. They take advantage of their position in a film company by staging an audition to find the perfect woman. Interviewing a series of women, Shigeharu becomes enchanted by Asami, a quiet, 24-year-old woman, who is immediately responsive to his charms. But soon things take a very dark and...
One of the most shocking J-horror films ever made, Audition exploded onto the festival circuit at the turn of the century to a chorus of awards and praise. The film would catapult Miike to the international scene and pave the way for such other genre delights as Ichii the Killer and The Happiness of the Katakuris.
Recent widower Shigeharu Aoyama is advised by his son to find a new wife, so he seeks the advice of a colleague having been out of the dating scene for many years. They take advantage of their position in a film company by staging an audition to find the perfect woman. Interviewing a series of women, Shigeharu becomes enchanted by Asami, a quiet, 24-year-old woman, who is immediately responsive to his charms. But soon things take a very dark and...
- 1/25/2019
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
“I had a dream that I’m in jail.”
Even though “pink” films are usually frowned upon or not seen as “serious” cinema, the industry for those features is booming and sometimes more lucrative. First and foremost, “pink eiga” has provided a platform and foundation for many movie directors who have made their first movies in that industry developing their style and voice. At times directors, for example Naoyuki Tomomatsu, have balanced their career between the “pink” industry but also directed features in the thriller, horror or action genre. For others, such as Kiyoshi Kurosawa features like “Kandagawa Wars” or “The Excitement of the Do-Re-Mi-Fa Girl” served as experiments in form and within the genre as both titles already showed some of the trademarks of his later features such as “Pulse” or “Cure”.
In the end, the loose premise of “an art movie which has to include sex scenes” may...
Even though “pink” films are usually frowned upon or not seen as “serious” cinema, the industry for those features is booming and sometimes more lucrative. First and foremost, “pink eiga” has provided a platform and foundation for many movie directors who have made their first movies in that industry developing their style and voice. At times directors, for example Naoyuki Tomomatsu, have balanced their career between the “pink” industry but also directed features in the thriller, horror or action genre. For others, such as Kiyoshi Kurosawa features like “Kandagawa Wars” or “The Excitement of the Do-Re-Mi-Fa Girl” served as experiments in form and within the genre as both titles already showed some of the trademarks of his later features such as “Pulse” or “Cure”.
In the end, the loose premise of “an art movie which has to include sex scenes” may...
- 8/5/2018
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
Review Pa Ranjith is surefooted in 'Kaala' and the joy of watching Rajinikanth the performer, minus the swish-swash music, is inexplicable.Sowmya RajendranThere is a reason why epics are timeless. The human emotions they locate within the theatre of life are eternal. The struggles they speak of have always existed. But there is yet another reason why epics endure - they are open to interpretation. The stories within the story have the power to change its meaning, depending on which episodes the storyteller wants to emphasise. And from whose point of view. The storyteller here is Pa Ranjith, his voice more assured than ever before. The point of view is that of Ravana's, the symbol of evil for caste Hindus. The idea isn't new, of course. Epic re-tellings have made their way to Tamil cinema before (Mani Ratnam's disappointing Ravanan, for one). It's the defiant way in which Ranjith situates it which makes Kaala such an immediate, thrilling experience. Rajinikanth plays Kaala, a don under whose protection the people of Dharavi live. Their fight is for the land - and as the film tells us in the beginning, war began with private property and it continues to be fought for it. Ranjith's films have been discussed a great deal for their subtext. In Kaala, however, the subtext isn't hiding in the margins. It's out in the light, for everyone to see. It's in the clothes Kaala wears - either blue or black. It's in the name of the builder who wants to destroy the slum - Manu realty. It's in the name of the political party the spotlessly white clothed Hari dada (Nana Patekar) belongs to - Navbharath Nationalist Party. Even in the breed of the dogs the two men own. Kaala has a mongrel named Asami. Hari dada has an almost white Labrador we spot briefly in a shot. But the film isn't just a did-you-catch-that game. It's not just about hoardings of Swacch Bharat that leer down upon Dharavi or the Buddha at Kaala's home. It's not merely the glimpses of Ambedkar in the background. Kaala is surefooted in going beyond that. It weaves a compelling story around characters we cannot easily predict. There's Zarina (Huma Qureshi), Kaala's long lost love. But she's not just that. There is Lenin (who is suitably dressed in red for a good part), Kaala's son who disapproves of his father's ways and yet lives under the same roof as him. There's Charumathy/Puyal (Anjali Patil) who overturns Tamil cinema's favourite ideas of honour in one terrific scene that brought tears to my eyes. There is Selvi (Easwari Rao), who orders Kaala around (reminding us a little of Kumudhavalli) and shares a deliciously crafted romance with him. And of course, there's Valliappan (Samuthirakani) who is something of a semi-awake Kumbhakarna, always by Kaala's side. All of these people matter to the story, a story whose age suits the style of an epic. They are not there to make Kaala look good against the army of Ram. Nana Patekar is effortless in his portrayal of Hari dada. His dubbing in the trailer had some of us worried but in the film, the mix of Hindi-Tamil-Marathi that he slips into crawls under our skin in the way it is meant to. His face-offs with Rajini work so well because both stars are at the peak of their game. Is it a Rajinikanth film? Well, there's that stunningly shot superman rain fight which will have fans go crazy. There's that scene at the police station where Rajini mocks a minister with a punchline (hint: if you've followed the Thoothukudi protests, the irony hits you in the face). Or the one where he actually seems to transform into a Ravana, waging battle through the flames. However, the joy of watching Rajinikanth the performer, minus the swish-swash music that has accompanied every on screen move of his, is inexplicable. He is still a demi-god but not one whose feet you need to touch. Ranjith is much more confident in handling Rajinikanth's star power and harnessing it than he was in Kabali - the 'young' Rajini in Kabali was to pander to the audience. In Kaala, young Rajini's story is an animation strip - to tell us what happened, not to get us clapping. Vengayin mavan is standing by himself, all right. Murali G's cinematography and Santosh Narayanan's background score up the ante in nearly every scene. But, all of it is melded into a framework that has Pa Ranjith's signature all over it. The ending, which explodes in a riot of colours, mimicking Holi (celebrated to mark the death of a demon...you know, the kind who is associated with Ravana) is brilliant. As black, blue, and red triumph and overturn our ideas of Good and Bad, Black and White, Pa Ranjith's achievement is unmistakable. He has made Rajinikanth meaningful, not a mere prop. Disclaimer: This review was not paid for or commissioned by anyone associated with the film. Neither Tnm nor any of its reviewers have any sort of business relationship with the film's producers or any other members of its cast and crew. ...
- 6/7/2018
- by Monalisa
- The News Minute
Stars: Hayate, Asami, Kirk Geiger, Mana Sakura, Noriaki Kamata, Katrina Leigh Waters, David Sakurai | Written and Directed by Kurando Mitsutake
Kurando Mitsutake is not a name that will spring to mind of many an action movie fan, yet he has helmed a number of films that not only push the envelope of action but of exploitation. His most famous movie, until now, was undoubtedly Gun Woman, a crazy tale of a woman turned into an assassin against her will- complete with gun parts sew Inside her body (to evade a pat down obviously). Now Mitsutake gives us his take on that most old-school of action movie themes… revenge!
When Karate master Kenji’s (Hayate) young sister (Mana Sakura) is kidnapped by a dangerous cult, and taken to the U.S. he will stop at nothing to find her. Partnered with a mysterious shot-gun toting partner, Kenji must use his mastery...
Kurando Mitsutake is not a name that will spring to mind of many an action movie fan, yet he has helmed a number of films that not only push the envelope of action but of exploitation. His most famous movie, until now, was undoubtedly Gun Woman, a crazy tale of a woman turned into an assassin against her will- complete with gun parts sew Inside her body (to evade a pat down obviously). Now Mitsutake gives us his take on that most old-school of action movie themes… revenge!
When Karate master Kenji’s (Hayate) young sister (Mana Sakura) is kidnapped by a dangerous cult, and taken to the U.S. he will stop at nothing to find her. Partnered with a mysterious shot-gun toting partner, Kenji must use his mastery...
- 7/26/2017
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
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