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Posted: 09 Sep 2011 03:48 AM PDT

Second Chance (2011, drama)

ONCE upon a time there was a Japanese woman who fell in love with a married Japanese man. Although it seemed impossible that they would ever be together, they were finally reunited ... in Malaysia.

Yes, I nearly choked on my popcorn too. The natural landscape was like nothing in Japan but very much like what's outside my window. It was really, really cool.

Unfortunately, past the novelty of seeing a Japanese film set in Malaysia, there is not much more to recommend. The story is very soap opera-ish, complete with Romeo and Juliet obstacles, much angst and even (I kid you not) a case of amnesia.

And though it is cool to see some things that look familiar, the writers and directors should have read up a little more on this little country of ours. To find her lover, the star seems to have not only travelled in space but in time. He is seriously injured in a shoot-out (you know, the kind that are so common here) and cannot be moved from his hospital bed in a town whose name has been diplomatically left out. The clinic has no running water, primarily because it is so pretty and quaint to see the Japanese woman walking miles to fetch water (also in short supply in our country) wearing very expensive-looking songket (woven with gold thread for everyday use).

Do I recommend this film? Absolutely. If you can ignore the characters' histrionics, it's actually pretty amusing.

Double Trouble (2008, comedy)

Now that's what I'm talking about! Double Trouble is the stuff that film festivals are – or should be – made of. Tadashi Iizuka (Kaoru Kobayashi) is the director of his town's cultural centre and worst kind of government bureaucrat. He exerts the little power he has with a flourish and other than that makes no effort for anything except making excuses and passing the buck.

For the special night of Dec 30, the hall was pre-booked months ago for a women's choral group. Well, not one, but two. The names of the two groups are so similar that Iizuka has made a double booking, a mistake he realises (and desperately tries to blame on someone else) days before the event.

Like a ping-pong ball, Iizuka bounces between the two angry groups. The one that booked earlier is made up of seamstresses, supermarket staff and other working women. The second group is wealthier and connected to the town's mayor. But the first group has only this small pleasure in their lives. But among the audience of the second group is a couple whose little girl died. But ...

Iizuka is frankly a pathetic human being, a weak, self-absorbed chronic complainer. That's what makes the change so wonderful. As he travels back and forth, he sees for the first time that a concert is something into which people pour their souls and eventually, this man who once would never dream of lifting a finger for someone else, does the impossible.

If you need something that leaves you feeling wonderful and singing a happy tune at the end, don't miss this one.

Laughter and tears

Posted: 09 Sep 2011 03:47 AM PDT

This year's Japanese Film Festival 2011 features dramas and comedies.

IT took several attempts before I could start this article without using the word "YAY!".

Not that I have to work too hard to sell the wonderful thing that is coming to our screens. Of the many international film festivals that come here, the Japanese Film Festival is among the best attended.

This marks its eighth year and while some of the other international film festivals may be short on selection, the Japan Foundation Kuala Lumpur (JFKL) is being as generous as always.

There are a total of 10 films, all in Japanese with English subtitles. Most of them take place in Japan but one more is filmed in a very familiar country (for the spoiler, check out the attached review). As has become the fashion for film festivals, it includes one film for kids and all of the films are recent; none released earlier than 2008. I welcome the first trend, I always applaud anything that lets parents and children do something fun together and all ages will enjoy the anime feature Mai Mai Miracle.

The second trend I understand but regret. It is felt that audiences will respond better to contemporary films but I still miss the days in which there was at least one classic or one film that might not have broken box office records but received raves from critics.

A little variety would have been nice. Except for the animation and the novelty of a film in a familiar country, this year's selection of Japanese films is limited to dramas and comedies. What, no action? No suspense? No period films? No horror? Oh, the horror.

Klang valley residents have six days in which to watch as many of the films as they like, but Penangites will have to watch up to three films a day if they want to take in everything in their four short days. I say go for it. Again very generously, tickets are a mere RM5.

Besides, I can vouch that after watching 10 films in four days, you will come out with a decent vocabulary in a new language.

Besides the two reviewed films on the left, on this year's menu we have:

About Her Brother (2010, drama)

Having spent the last 10 years sweeping up Japanese and international awards for his Samurai Trilogy (The Twilight Samurai, The Hidden Blade and Love And Honour), director Yamada Yoji sets his newest film in the present. Ginko is a professional woman, a mother and a widow. On her daughter's wedding day, Ginko's long-lost and socially inept brother shows up suddenly and drunk, straining family ties to their limit.

Happy Flight (2008, comedy)

Exams are tough and a lot of things can go wrong, but almost never a matter of, literally, life and death. Unless, like Kazuhiro Suzuki, the exam is in mid-air, checking whether you can safely qualify for the rank of airline pilot. When things go horribly wrong, made worse by difficult passengers and a stressed rookie flight attendant, we are supposed to wonder whether anyone will get back to the ground in one piece. Relax folks, it is a comedy.

I Just Didn't Do It (2007, drama)

High on my list of films to watch is this film, directed by Suo Masayuki and based on a true story. The sad and common story is that even when women report sexual misconduct or abuse, they are not believed. In this film, tables are turned when Kaneko Teppei, having just boarded a train, finds a woman accusing him of groping her. Bewildered, the young man finds himself caught in a legal drama, presumed guilty for something he just didn't do.

Mai Mai Miracle (2009, family)

Scriptwriter and assistant director to one of Japan's most beloved children's film directors, Hayao Miyazaki, the influence shows in Katabuchi Sunao's popular anime film, Mai Mai Miracle.

Tomboy Shinko loves the outdoors and her small town. Imaginative and exuberant, she could not be more different from her new classmate, pale, shy and withdrawn nine-year-old Kiiko. And yet, a bond forms. Take your kids.

Railways (2010, drama)

Aimed at the Hallmark Channel type of viewer, here is a familiar plot. Hajime is an ambitious workaholic who spends so much time at the office that he would hardly recognise his wife and kids if he saw them. Which he rarely does. A tragedy (or, in this case, two) shakes the corporate zombie awake, forcing him to acknowledge we only have one life to live and encouraging him to adjust his life accordingly. A nice film for anyone who has or wants to spread his or her wings and fly off the silly corporate ladder.

Sawako Decides (2009, comedy)

Young director Ishii Yuya's sixth film puts to test a young woman's lack of drive, direction or ambition. Sawako has gone through life taking a half-hearted approach to her career and her love life.

One day, she unexpectedly inherits her father's clam factory. Not only is she pushed around by the employees and her boyfriend, but the factory is also on the verge of bankruptcy. It is time for Sawako to decide how mediocre she wants her life to be.

Your Friends (2008, drama)

This one sounds like the tear-jerker of the festival. Nakahara, a writer, visits a free school in a small city for his research on children who have problems. At the school, he meets Emi, a volunteering college student who has a lame leg. Interested in this girl, Nakahara asks her to be interviewed, but in vain.

However, Emi gradually changes her mind towards Nakahara as he seems to genuinely care about the children and they seem to like him back. Just in case I'm right (it's been known to happen), bring plenty of tissues with you.

The Dark Harbour (2008, romantic comedy)

Another film I'm very keen to see because of the subtle element of fantasy. Directed by Naito Takasugu, it is the story of Manzo, a lonely fisherman who longs for the companionship of a wife. When he decides to be proactive about finding a mate he discovers something that would shock any of us: he is already living with a woman. She's been living in one of Manzo's closets with her son. Need I say more?

This is the kind of plot that encourages you not only to put The Dark Harbour on this year's must watch list, but to underline it three times to make certain you don't miss it.

The Japanese Film Festival will be held at the International Screens of GSC Mid Valley, GSC 1 Utama and GSC Pavillion in the Klang Valley, from Sept 15 to 20. The films will then be screened in Penang at GSC Gurney Plaza from Sept 22 to 25. Tickets are RM5 each. For more information, visit gsc.com.my.

At the source

Posted: 09 Sep 2011 03:44 AM PDT

Steven Soderbergh talks about his latest movie and retirement.

ACADEMY Award-winning director Steven Soderbergh explores how a lethal virus is transmitted from one person to another, until the entire world is affected in Contagion.

Soderbergh, known for directing such movies as Erin Brockovich and Traffic, sat down with Reuters to talk about the film, what he learned about viruses and why he's decided to "retire" from moviemaking.

Contagion is about a virus that kills people with no cure in sight. With real-life scares like SARS, N1H1 and the bird flu, this is a fear anyone can relate to.

Yes (the virus) doesn't speak and it doesn't have a brain, but it is alive and it wants to stay alive and propagate itself. I really felt like this was great movie material because you cannot construct a life for yourself in which you're not around germs.

Once someone gets the virus, death is imminent so it's like a zombie movie without the zombies.

Matt (Damon) wanted a zombie. He kept asking for one. He kept saying we'd make a lot more money if we had zombies. I said: 'Call Gwyneth! Let's see if she's up for it.'

This is your sixth film with Matt Damon. What is it about him that made you want him for Contagion?

He's one of the few people that can play both ends of the spectrum – he can be everyman, and he can be Jason Bourne. In Contagion his character needed to be resolutely middle class. Matt's great at that because he's not one of those actors that comes in like, 'I wanna win this scene.'

He's so completely lacking in vanity. He'll submit to the larger story and not worry about how he is coming across moment to moment.

You worked with a lot of consultants to get the scientific aspect of film correct. Most audiences wouldn't know the difference. Why was that important to you?

As a moviegoer, the more detailed and convincing the world of the film is, the happier I am. You go to the movies to be transported, to go on a ride, and this happens to be a ride you can't just forget the minute the lights come up because you have to touch the armrest in order to stand.

You've talked about retiring, but you still have three more movies to do. That could take a few more years, right?

Nah. 18 months. In a few weeks, I start shooting a male stripper movie with Channing Tatum. We worked together on (the upcoming) Haywire. Then I'm going to do Man From U.N.C.L.E in February and Liberace in June.

So after that you're truly retiring from filmmaking?

Call it whatever you want – hiatus, sabbatical. I'm just gonna disappear for a while.

Why do you want to disappear?

It's not that I want to. I need to. I've been running really fast for quite a while. It's been non-stop since Out Of Sight. That's a lot of work.

If you choose to come back to movies in the future, could there be another Ocean's still in you somewhere?

Not without Bernie Mac. It was a really unique group and we can't do it without him. We really hit the jackpot with those movies. (The cast) all liked each other, they enjoyed being together. Losing Bernie was a horrible tragedy. It was upsetting. He was such a doll and so much fun to be around. – Reuters

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

Jumaat, 9 September 2011

The Star Online: Entertainment: Movies

The Star Online: Entertainment: Movies

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