The Tokyo International Film Festival kicks off next week, and a number of pre-screenings for press are being held this week, and Brighton Rock was the first film of the festival I got to see. I have never seen the famed 1947 British noir that gave a boost to Richard Attenborough’s early career, and have [...]
Desperate to see a film in a theater on New Year’s Day, I resorted to seeing this popcorn flick, as it was at the only theater I knew of that was open today. I have never seen any of the Mission: Impossible films, although I was somewhat interested in the first one, as I happened [...]
This is only the second film I have seen so far in the Tokyo International Film Festival, which started the day before yesterday, having completely missed the first day. But I am going to try to make up for it by seeing more in the coming days. One of the great joys of going to [...]
Day four of the Tokyo International Film Festival. One of the most talked about entries is not one of the blockbusters that have chosen the festival as their Japan premieres, such as The Social Network, Despicable Me, or Tron: Legacy, but a little Japanese anti-war film called Postcard. Part of the awed reverence is due [...]
Even though I live in Tokyo, I don’t see new Japanese films as often as I probably should, and when I do, I am sometimes disappointed. The Tokyo International Film Festival is a good chance to remedy this every year, and I try to see as many Japanese films as I can, but I have [...]
I went to see this knowing I wouldn’t like it all that much, but I wanted to see Christopher Plummer, still acting in his 80s, as the rich elderly man still heartbroken over the loss of his niece 40 years earlier. That was the only reason I wanted to see this, and really about the [...]
If Sean Penn took the lead role in This Must Be the Place to prove that even after acclaim and an Oscar he is not afraid to take risks with his role choices, then it worked. This is an odd film, and Penn plays an odd character, a burnt out retired goth star. But the [...]
I’m almost embarrassed to admit it, but I actually enjoyed Tower Heist. I have never understood why Ben Stiller is considered a film star, and I think Eddie Murphy ceased to be funny decades ago. My sole motivation to see big-budget Oceans parody was the promise of Alan Alda playing a Bernie Madoff-inspired Ponzi scheme [...]
Year in Film: 2011
Brighton Rock
The Tokyo International Film Festival kicks off next week, and a number of pre-screenings for press are being held this week, and Brighton Rock was the first film of the festival I got to see. I have never seen the famed 1947 British noir that gave a boost to Richard Attenborough’s early career, and have [...]
Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol
Desperate to see a film in a theater on New Year’s Day, I resorted to seeing this popcorn flick, as it was at the only theater I knew of that was open today. I have never seen any of the Mission: Impossible films, although I was somewhat interested in the first one, as I happened [...]
On The Sly
This is only the second film I have seen so far in the Tokyo International Film Festival, which started the day before yesterday, having completely missed the first day. But I am going to try to make up for it by seeing more in the coming days. One of the great joys of going to [...]
Postcard
Day four of the Tokyo International Film Festival. One of the most talked about entries is not one of the blockbusters that have chosen the festival as their Japan premieres, such as The Social Network, Despicable Me, or Tron: Legacy, but a little Japanese anti-war film called Postcard. Part of the awed reverence is due [...]
Quartet!
Even though I live in Tokyo, I don’t see new Japanese films as often as I probably should, and when I do, I am sometimes disappointed. The Tokyo International Film Festival is a good chance to remedy this every year, and I try to see as many Japanese films as I can, but I have [...]
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
I went to see this knowing I wouldn’t like it all that much, but I wanted to see Christopher Plummer, still acting in his 80s, as the rich elderly man still heartbroken over the loss of his niece 40 years earlier. That was the only reason I wanted to see this, and really about the [...]
This Must Be the Place
If Sean Penn took the lead role in This Must Be the Place to prove that even after acclaim and an Oscar he is not afraid to take risks with his role choices, then it worked. This is an odd film, and Penn plays an odd character, a burnt out retired goth star. But the [...]
Tower Heist
I’m almost embarrassed to admit it, but I actually enjoyed Tower Heist. I have never understood why Ben Stiller is considered a film star, and I think Eddie Murphy ceased to be funny decades ago. My sole motivation to see big-budget Oceans parody was the promise of Alan Alda playing a Bernie Madoff-inspired Ponzi scheme [...]