Animation film director Satoshi Kon , who passed away in August 2010 at the age of 46, was born on October 12, 1963 in Hokkaido, Japan. Ikebukuro Humax Cinemas, operated by Humax Entertainment, will hold a special screening event of the director's works as “Satoshi Kon Birthday Celebration" from October 11, 2024. In conjunction with the screening, there will be special bonus gifts for visitors, original drinks, and merchandise for sale that can only be available there. Ticket prices and sales dates will be announced shortly. Screening Schedule: October 11 (Fri) - 17 (Thu) “Tokyo Godfathers” (2003), “Paprika” (2006) October 12 (Sat / Satoshi Kon's Birthday) “Perfect Blue" (1997) October 18 (Fri) - 24(Thu) “Millennium Actress" (2002) October 18 (Fri) “Paranoia Agents” (2004) - all-night screening on Blu-ray Tokyo Godfathers and Paprika will receive their first Dcp (Digital Cinema Package) screenings in Japan, and the system will allow for very high resolution images to be displayed and high quality, clear sound to be enjoyed. Additionally, the two main...
- 9/12/2024
- by Mikikazu Komatsu
- Crunchyroll
Animator Toshiyuki Inoue recently shared insights into the unique production process and director Kiyotaka Oshiyama’s dedication behind Look Back anime film during a stage greeting held on July 5, 2024.
Inoue explained that Look Back‘s animation process was not done in the typical manner where rough sketches by key animators are cleaned up by in-between animators.
“Key animation involves drawing the main points of movement, and in-between animation fills in the gaps. Usually, the lines drawn by key animators are rough and cleaned up by in-between animators. Normally, key animator lines don’t appear on screen as is,” Inoue said.
However, Look Back preserved these rough sketches by directly coloring and reflecting them on the screen. This approach maintained the hand-drawn feel, contributing to the film’s distinctive visual experience.
Highlighting the dedication of director Oshiyama, Inoue noted that in the last week of May, Oshiyama drew 1,000 frames.
He noted...
Inoue explained that Look Back‘s animation process was not done in the typical manner where rough sketches by key animators are cleaned up by in-between animators.
“Key animation involves drawing the main points of movement, and in-between animation fills in the gaps. Usually, the lines drawn by key animators are rough and cleaned up by in-between animators. Normally, key animator lines don’t appear on screen as is,” Inoue said.
However, Look Back preserved these rough sketches by directly coloring and reflecting them on the screen. This approach maintained the hand-drawn feel, contributing to the film’s distinctive visual experience.
Highlighting the dedication of director Oshiyama, Inoue noted that in the last week of May, Oshiyama drew 1,000 frames.
He noted...
- 7/5/2024
- by Ami Nazru
- AnimeHunch
After Hayao Miyazaki took three years to finish the initial storyboard for “The Boy and the Heron”, it became obvious that he needed help. With diminished stamina and failing eyesight, the legendary anime auteur was no longer able to control everything. So he invited Takeshi Honda (“Neon Genesis Evangelion”), the supervising animator on his hybrid CG/2D short “Boro the Caterpillar,” to join his upcoming feature.
Honda was flattered and told Miyazaki that he would think about it because he was already committed to “Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time,” the franchise film finale. “But at that time, Miyazaki san said, ‘I don’t have time — there is no one in the Miyazaki family who is over 80 years old.’ I thought it was a big deal,” Honda told IndieWire over Zoom through an interpreter.
Honda couldn’t refuse Miyazaki (now 82) and proceeded to spend the next seven years on a journey of a lifetime,...
Honda was flattered and told Miyazaki that he would think about it because he was already committed to “Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time,” the franchise film finale. “But at that time, Miyazaki san said, ‘I don’t have time — there is no one in the Miyazaki family who is over 80 years old.’ I thought it was a big deal,” Honda told IndieWire over Zoom through an interpreter.
Honda couldn’t refuse Miyazaki (now 82) and proceeded to spend the next seven years on a journey of a lifetime,...
- 12/28/2023
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
Satoshi Kon is an artist most commonly known for his limited, yet striking output of feature films, including “Perfect Blue”, “Millennium Actress”, “Tokyo Godfathers”, and “Paprika”. However, prior to his film debut, Kon had actually gotten his start as a manga artist, or mangaka. The work he produced in this field, though equally limited as his film output, was similarly impressive. The most notable,and the most famous of these works is “Opus,” a mind-bending dreamlike piece of metafiction, which foreshadows the themes and style of Kon's future projects.
on Amazon by clicking on the image below
The manga begins in the midst of a climactic scene featuring a confrontation between the main protagonist Satoko and her nemesis. This is the first example of “Opus”‘s many illusions, as the scene is revealed to simply be a draft for an in-universe manga titled “Resonance” currently being drafted by its author.
on Amazon by clicking on the image below
The manga begins in the midst of a climactic scene featuring a confrontation between the main protagonist Satoko and her nemesis. This is the first example of “Opus”‘s many illusions, as the scene is revealed to simply be a draft for an in-universe manga titled “Resonance” currently being drafted by its author.
- 7/6/2023
- by Palomo Linares
- AsianMoviePulse
For our latest dive into recent books on or related to cinema, we’re spending time with some icons––fictional (James Bond) and non. Let’s start with 50 color palettes and one beautifully unique new text.
Colors of Film: The Story of Cinema in 50 Palettes by Charles Bramesco (Frances Lincoln)
Colors of Film is an engrossing study of how filmmakers utilize color in complex, ingenious, emotionally impactful ways. Some of these examples (e.g. the red jacket in Schindler’s List) have inspired much discourse. What makes this book––by the always-entertaining and -intelligent critic Charles Bramesco––so special is its focus on less-obvious films. A noteworthy case: Hype Williams’ Belly and its “flights of stylistic fancy.” During its hyper-stylized opening, as gangsters Buns and Sin “prowl through the dance floor, ceiling-mounted blacklights make the men look extraterrestrial, their eyeballs glowstick-turquoise against deeper blue skin.” Other entries focus on everything...
Colors of Film: The Story of Cinema in 50 Palettes by Charles Bramesco (Frances Lincoln)
Colors of Film is an engrossing study of how filmmakers utilize color in complex, ingenious, emotionally impactful ways. Some of these examples (e.g. the red jacket in Schindler’s List) have inspired much discourse. What makes this book––by the always-entertaining and -intelligent critic Charles Bramesco––so special is its focus on less-obvious films. A noteworthy case: Hype Williams’ Belly and its “flights of stylistic fancy.” During its hyper-stylized opening, as gangsters Buns and Sin “prowl through the dance floor, ceiling-mounted blacklights make the men look extraterrestrial, their eyeballs glowstick-turquoise against deeper blue skin.” Other entries focus on everything...
- 3/14/2023
- by Christopher Schobert
- The Film Stage
What if there was a device that allowed the user to enter other people's dreams? What if one of the devices was stolen by someone who could implant ideas in people's minds to control them? What kind of story could come out of this concept?
If your first thought is Christopher Nolan's "Inception," then congratulations, you played yourself. That film became the rare example of a movie that becomes a shorthand term for its premise — entering people's dreams. Still, it pales in comparison to the film it so blatantly rips off, Satoshi Kon's "Paprika," an anime movie adapted from Yasutaka Tsutsui's 1993 novel of the same name.
That novel was almost adapted to live-action over a decade ago by the late, great Wolfgang Petersen, but now Deadline reports that Tsutsui's "Paprika" is getting a second chance at becoming a live-action project, on the small screen. Cathy Yan has...
If your first thought is Christopher Nolan's "Inception," then congratulations, you played yourself. That film became the rare example of a movie that becomes a shorthand term for its premise — entering people's dreams. Still, it pales in comparison to the film it so blatantly rips off, Satoshi Kon's "Paprika," an anime movie adapted from Yasutaka Tsutsui's 1993 novel of the same name.
That novel was almost adapted to live-action over a decade ago by the late, great Wolfgang Petersen, but now Deadline reports that Tsutsui's "Paprika" is getting a second chance at becoming a live-action project, on the small screen. Cathy Yan has...
- 8/22/2022
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
There’s more warmth than wisdom in the animated Japanese coming-of-age drama “Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko,” an exceptionally well-realized variation on a by-now familiar anime story: a young girl learns how to love herself and her life in a picturesque seaside town.
The typically impressive craftsmen at the Japanese animation studio Studio 4°C have successfully highlighted the most endearing parts of this mother-daughter dramedy, which is as much about going through puberty as it is about accepting a parent or guardian for who they are.
Director Ayumu Watanabe and supervising animation director–character designer Kenichi Konishi (“Children of the Sea”) capture the halting rhythms and awkward splendor of daily life in a small port town. That makes all the difference in this story about a shy pre-teen who learns not only to look forward to her adolescence, but also how to empathize with her embarrassing single mother.
Also Read:
Crunchyroll...
The typically impressive craftsmen at the Japanese animation studio Studio 4°C have successfully highlighted the most endearing parts of this mother-daughter dramedy, which is as much about going through puberty as it is about accepting a parent or guardian for who they are.
Director Ayumu Watanabe and supervising animation director–character designer Kenichi Konishi (“Children of the Sea”) capture the halting rhythms and awkward splendor of daily life in a small port town. That makes all the difference in this story about a shy pre-teen who learns not only to look forward to her adolescence, but also how to empathize with her embarrassing single mother.
Also Read:
Crunchyroll...
- 6/2/2022
- by Simon Abrams
- The Wrap
“A star is born” is one of those common phrases we often use or read confirming the status of certain individuals considered to be beyond our reach. There is an interesting parallel between the worshiping of stars, musicians, actors or artists, and the status of gods or icons in ancient myths and world religion. Given the status of the cinema screen or the stage of a concert being slightly above the crowd seems to confirm the concept of a group of individuals whose performances, creations and overall persona gives them god-like qualities, a form of being untouched by time or culture, which is more than obvious given the worldwide admiration for people like Marilyn Monroe or Elvis Presley. This so-called “star-phenomenon” is the foundation of acclaimed director Satoshi Kon’s 2001 feature “Millennium Actress”, which tells the story of a Japanese actress whose quest to search for her lost love, has...
- 5/24/2022
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
The BFI today announce full details of a hotly anticipated two-month season dedicated to Anime, running at BFI Southbank and BFI IMAX from 28 March – 31 May. Originally planned for summer 2020 as part of the BFI’s major survey of Japanese cinema BFI Japan, the season arrives, at long last, to entertain and delight anime fans and novices alike.
The programme will include:
· A broad mixture of classic films such as Akira, Ghost In The Shell, Belladonna Of Sadness, Cowboy Bebop: The Movie and Tekkonkinkreet, as well as an early shorts programme spotlighting work from 1917-1946· Previews of new releases including the thrillingly original Inu-oh, high-octane urban fairy tale Bubble and the powerful and thought-provoking short Summer Ghost (2021) followed by a Q&a with director loundraw· Much-loved recent work by major auteurs Mamoru Hosoda, Makoto Shinkai (Your Name) and the late great Satoshi Kon· A spotlight on emerging female talent Naoko Yamada...
The programme will include:
· A broad mixture of classic films such as Akira, Ghost In The Shell, Belladonna Of Sadness, Cowboy Bebop: The Movie and Tekkonkinkreet, as well as an early shorts programme spotlighting work from 1917-1946· Previews of new releases including the thrillingly original Inu-oh, high-octane urban fairy tale Bubble and the powerful and thought-provoking short Summer Ghost (2021) followed by a Q&a with director loundraw· Much-loved recent work by major auteurs Mamoru Hosoda, Makoto Shinkai (Your Name) and the late great Satoshi Kon· A spotlight on emerging female talent Naoko Yamada...
- 3/15/2022
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
When we think of the term “auteur” or “auteur theory” we usually include directors such as Alfred Hitchcock or Stanley Kubrick given the diversity in their work, the amount of creative control they had and the recurring themes in their features. Especially the latter is interesting because Kubrick has managed to leave his footprint in the world of film, even though he has only produced a small number of films, in comparison to Hitchcock that is. Given this definition, director Satoshi Kon, although he helmed even a smaller number of features, should deserve the title as well, especially since features like “Paprika” or “Perfect Blue” are considered masterpieces of the genre and remain influential sources for filmmakers all over the world. In his documentary “Satoshi Kon, The Illusionist” French director Pascal-Alex Vincent, who previously made “Miwa, A Japanese Icon” about actor Akihiro Miwa, tells the story of arguably one of...
- 8/14/2021
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
"He couldn't forgive the slightest error or failure." Carlotta Films has released the first official trailer for a documentary film titled Satoshi Kon: The Illusionist, a profile of the acclaimed Japanese filmmaker and artist and manga creator Satoshi Kon. This doc is premiering at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival this month premiering in the Cannes Classics retrospective section, partially because it's by a French filmmaker named Pascal-Alex Vincent who has a deep love and appreciation for Japanese culture. Satoshi Kon passed away suddenly in 2010 at the rather young age of 46. He is best known for his acclaimed anime films: Perfect Blue (1997), Millennium Actress (2001), Tokyo Godfathers (2003), and Paprika (2006). This documentary is a "fascinating tribute to the man who changed the face of animated cinema, with exclusive interviews [with] Mamoru Hosoda, Darren Aronofsky, Jérémy Clapin, and Mamoru Oshii." This looks like it's going to be an excellent look at his life, examining his flaws...
- 7/6/2021
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit streaming platforms in the United States. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.
Art-House Animation
If your eyes are tired of the latest cookie-cutter animation from the Hollywood mill, Criterion is featuring quite a line-up of inventive arthouse offerings in the field. With works by Marcell Jankovics, Satoshi Kon, Ari Folman, Don Hertzfeldt, Karel Zeman, and more, the series includes The Fabulous Baron Munchausen (1962), Belladonna of Sadness (1973), Fantastic Planet (1973), Watership Down (1978), Son of the White Mare (1981), Alice (1988), Millennium Actress (2001), Mind Game (2004), Paprika (2006), Persepolis (2007), Waltz with Bashir (2008), Mary and Max (2009), It’s Such a Beautiful Day (2012), Tower (2016), The Wolf House (2018), No. 7 Cherry Lane (2019), and more.
Where to Stream: The Criterion Channel
Neo-Noir
One of the greatest series to arrive on the Criterion Channel thus far is this selection of neo-noir offerings, including Brian De Palma’s masterpieces Blow Out and Body Double,...
Art-House Animation
If your eyes are tired of the latest cookie-cutter animation from the Hollywood mill, Criterion is featuring quite a line-up of inventive arthouse offerings in the field. With works by Marcell Jankovics, Satoshi Kon, Ari Folman, Don Hertzfeldt, Karel Zeman, and more, the series includes The Fabulous Baron Munchausen (1962), Belladonna of Sadness (1973), Fantastic Planet (1973), Watership Down (1978), Son of the White Mare (1981), Alice (1988), Millennium Actress (2001), Mind Game (2004), Paprika (2006), Persepolis (2007), Waltz with Bashir (2008), Mary and Max (2009), It’s Such a Beautiful Day (2012), Tower (2016), The Wolf House (2018), No. 7 Cherry Lane (2019), and more.
Where to Stream: The Criterion Channel
Neo-Noir
One of the greatest series to arrive on the Criterion Channel thus far is this selection of neo-noir offerings, including Brian De Palma’s masterpieces Blow Out and Body Double,...
- 7/2/2021
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
The Criterion Channel’s July 2021 Lineup Includes Wong Kar Wai, Neo-Noir, Art-House Animation & More
The July lineup at The Criterion Channel has been revealed, most notably featuring the new Wong Kar Wai restorations from the recent box set release, including As Tears Go By, Days of Being Wild, Chungking Express, Fallen Angels, Happy Together, In the Mood for Love, 2046, and his shorts Hua yang de nian hua and The Hand.
Also among the lineup is a series on neo-noir with Body Double, Manhunter, Thief, The Last Seduction, Cutter’s Way, Brick, Night Moves, The Long Goodbye, Chinatown, and more. The channel will also feature a spotlight on art-house animation with work by Marcell Jankovics, Satoshi Kon, Ari Folman, Don Hertzfeldt, Karel Zeman, and more.
With Jodie Mack’s delightful The Grand Bizarre, the landmark doc Hoop Dreams, Orson Welles’ take on Othello, the recent Oscar entries Preparations to Be Together for an Unknown Period of Time and You Will Die at Twenty, and much more,...
Also among the lineup is a series on neo-noir with Body Double, Manhunter, Thief, The Last Seduction, Cutter’s Way, Brick, Night Moves, The Long Goodbye, Chinatown, and more. The channel will also feature a spotlight on art-house animation with work by Marcell Jankovics, Satoshi Kon, Ari Folman, Don Hertzfeldt, Karel Zeman, and more.
With Jodie Mack’s delightful The Grand Bizarre, the landmark doc Hoop Dreams, Orson Welles’ take on Othello, the recent Oscar entries Preparations to Be Together for an Unknown Period of Time and You Will Die at Twenty, and much more,...
- 6/24/2021
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
“A star is born” is one of those common phrases we often use or read confirming the status of certain individuals considered to be beyond our reach. There is an interesting parallel between the worshiping of stars, musicians, actors or artists, and the status of gods or icons in ancient myths and world religion. Given the status of the cinema screen or the stage of a concert being slightly above the crowd seems to confirm the concept of a group of individuals whose performances, creations and overall persona gives them god-like qualities, a form of being untouched by time or culture, which is more than obvious given the worldwide admiration for people like Marilyn Monroe or Elvis Presley. This so-called “star-phenomenon” is the foundation of acclaimed director Satoshi Kon’s 2001 feature “Millennium Actress”, which tells the story of a Japanese actress whose quest to search for her lost love, has...
- 2/16/2021
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
Although his career as feature director only consists of four movies, the legacy of Satoshi Kon and his works, such as “Perfect Blue”, “Tokyo Godfathers” and “Millennium Actress” lives on to this day and continue to define what animation can do. Kon’s last feature work “Paprika” continues his blend of science-fiction, thriller and psychological drama, and has been widely hailed by critics as probably his best work. Animated by production company Madhouse while produced and distributed by Sony Pictures Classics, “Paprika” was widely released in many states and further cemented Kon’s reputation as one of the great masters of his craft with regard to storytelling and expanding the possibilities of filmmaking, most specifically animation. Interestingly, exploration and the existence of borders are at the core of what defines “Paprika”, which, like Kon’s other works, deals with the limits of our perception and what we consider reality.
Buy...
Buy...
- 1/3/2021
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
Mixing genres through a barely coherent narrative and a visual presentation that borders on the epileptic through its use of intense coloring and frequency of cuts has been one of the traits of contemporary Japanese cinema for many years. This kind of productions usually end up in seemingly silly, but also quite rich in context and entertaining films, that also seem to “loan” from other, older movies. Probably the main representative of the style is Tetsuya Nakashima, but other directors, like Mika Ninagawa, have also adopted the approach, while Obayashi’s last works also moved towards the same direction. Yoshimasha Ishibashi tries his hand in the style.
“Milocrorze: A Love Story” is screening at Fantasia Festival
The story unfolds in four different axes. The first one is set like a children’s movie and revolves around a rather colorful boy (literally) named Ovreneli Vreneligare who eventually meets Milocrorze in a...
“Milocrorze: A Love Story” is screening at Fantasia Festival
The story unfolds in four different axes. The first one is set like a children’s movie and revolves around a rather colorful boy (literally) named Ovreneli Vreneligare who eventually meets Milocrorze in a...
- 8/21/2020
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
According to Wikipedia, A mockumentary (a portmanteau of mock and documentary) or docucomedy is a type of movie or television show depicting fictional events but presented as a documentary. The genre gained recognition (notoriety if you prefer) with “Borat“, although some may remember the 1984 “This is Spinal Tap” or the excellent Belgian “Man Bites Dog“. In Asian cinema, the mockumentary occasionally has a different form, with Shohei Imamura blending documentary with theater and fourth-wall-breaking surrealism in “A Man Vanishes” for example, although recently, a number of productions seem to follow the international “rules” of the subcategory. Without further ado, here are 10 of the most intriguing samples one can find in Asian cinema, in chronological order.
*We took some liberties with the films in the list, essentially mocking the term (film nerd humor)
1. A Man Vanishes
The film starts as a documentary of sorts, regarding the disappearance of plastic salesman Oshima that occurred two years previously.
*We took some liberties with the films in the list, essentially mocking the term (film nerd humor)
1. A Man Vanishes
The film starts as a documentary of sorts, regarding the disappearance of plastic salesman Oshima that occurred two years previously.
- 8/12/2020
- by AMP Group
- AsianMoviePulse
Since any New York City cinephile has a nearly suffocating wealth of theatrical options, we figured it’d be best to compile some of the more worthwhile repertory showings into one handy list. Displayed below are a few of the city’s most reliable theaters and links to screenings of their weekend offerings — films you’re not likely to see in a theater again anytime soon, and many of which are, also, on 35mm. If you have a chance to attend any of these, we’re of the mind that it’s time extremely well-spent.
Museum of Modern Art
MoMA has reopened, and it is–I do not say this lightly–almost too much in one weekend. See for yourself.
If you can get a standby ticket, Michael Mann presents a print of The Insider on Friday.
Film Forum
“Shitamachi: Tales of Downtown Tokyo” begins with both canon and lesser-known Japanese cinema.
Museum of Modern Art
MoMA has reopened, and it is–I do not say this lightly–almost too much in one weekend. See for yourself.
If you can get a standby ticket, Michael Mann presents a print of The Insider on Friday.
Film Forum
“Shitamachi: Tales of Downtown Tokyo” begins with both canon and lesser-known Japanese cinema.
- 11/1/2019
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
The London East Asia Film Festival (Leaff) 2017 is set to celebrate 100 years of Japanese animation with the special screening of three landmark films. Curated by author and specialist in Japanese cinema, Jasper Sharp, it includes Santoshi Kon’s award-winning Millennium Actress (2001) along with the premieres of two overlooked classics that have rarely been screened in the UK: Maasaki Yuasa’s hallucinatory cult fantasy Mind Game (2004), and Osamu Tezuka and Eiichi Yamamoto’s provocative Cleopatra: Queen of Sex (1970).
All these films reflect Leaff’s overarching theme this year of Time and the perception of time. In addition, there are two panel discussions in London and Bristol looking at the history and impact of anime.
Building on the success of last year’s first edition, London East Asia Film Festival (Leaff) 2017 is showcasing enchanting stories, insightful discussions, and diverse filmic voices from South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, China, and Southeast Asia.
All these films reflect Leaff’s overarching theme this year of Time and the perception of time. In addition, there are two panel discussions in London and Bristol looking at the history and impact of anime.
Building on the success of last year’s first edition, London East Asia Film Festival (Leaff) 2017 is showcasing enchanting stories, insightful discussions, and diverse filmic voices from South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, China, and Southeast Asia.
- 10/6/2017
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
Author: Zehra Phelan
At a time when the world is at war with itself the message of love is all you need rings crystal clear and we witness exactly that in the “heartbreakingly beautiful” trailer for the award-winning Manga production of In This Corner of the World.
It is a powerfully compelling story which has taken the Japanese film market by story with a staggering 22 awards including Best Animation, Best Japanese Film, Best Director and the Hiroshima Peace Film Award. Centering on a small town in Hiroshima thrown into turmoil and chaos amidst the bombing from World War II, it’s the tenacity of the townspeople and Suzu Urano who provide the inspiration to come together to rebuild love. A message that hits home hard in the hate filled world we find ourselves living in today.
Along with making its debuts at the Annecy International Animation Festival as well as...
At a time when the world is at war with itself the message of love is all you need rings crystal clear and we witness exactly that in the “heartbreakingly beautiful” trailer for the award-winning Manga production of In This Corner of the World.
It is a powerfully compelling story which has taken the Japanese film market by story with a staggering 22 awards including Best Animation, Best Japanese Film, Best Director and the Hiroshima Peace Film Award. Centering on a small town in Hiroshima thrown into turmoil and chaos amidst the bombing from World War II, it’s the tenacity of the townspeople and Suzu Urano who provide the inspiration to come together to rebuild love. A message that hits home hard in the hate filled world we find ourselves living in today.
Along with making its debuts at the Annecy International Animation Festival as well as...
- 6/15/2017
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
It was always only a matter of time until modern Hollywood resigned itself to remaking anime. Which isn’t to suggest that the uniquely Japanese medium is somehow unworthy of being used as fodder for Western blockbusters — on the contrary, anime has provided some of the most progressive, adventurous, and visionary filmmaking of the last 30 years — but rather to acknowledge the palpable whiff of inevitability with which Paramount is releasing “Ghost in the Shell.”
It’s not like studio executives are obsessive fans of the franchise, it’s not like former Paramount CEO Brad Grey bought every new DVD of “Stand Alone Complex” as it was released in the United States and can walk you through every detail of the Laughing Man case, it’s not like the people in power were just patiently waiting for the entertainment climate to warm up to the idea of a star-studded Major Kusanagi...
It’s not like studio executives are obsessive fans of the franchise, it’s not like former Paramount CEO Brad Grey bought every new DVD of “Stand Alone Complex” as it was released in the United States and can walk you through every detail of the Laughing Man case, it’s not like the people in power were just patiently waiting for the entertainment climate to warm up to the idea of a star-studded Major Kusanagi...
- 3/31/2017
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
With a seemingly endless amount of streaming options — not only the titles at our disposal, but services themselves — we’ve taken it upon ourselves to highlight the titles that have recently hit the interwebs. Every week, one will be able to see the cream of the crop (or perhaps some simply interesting picks) of streaming titles (new and old) across platforms such as Netflix, iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, and more (note: U.S. only). Check out our rundown for this week’s selections below.
45 Years (Andrew Haigh)
Andrew Haigh’s third feature as a director, 45 Years, is an excellent companion piece to its 2011 predecessor, Weekend. The latter examined the inception of a potential relationship between two men over the course of a weekend, whereas its successor considers the opposite extreme. Again sticking to a tight timeframe, the film chronicles the six days leading up to a couple’s 45th wedding anniversary.
45 Years (Andrew Haigh)
Andrew Haigh’s third feature as a director, 45 Years, is an excellent companion piece to its 2011 predecessor, Weekend. The latter examined the inception of a potential relationship between two men over the course of a weekend, whereas its successor considers the opposite extreme. Again sticking to a tight timeframe, the film chronicles the six days leading up to a couple’s 45th wedding anniversary.
- 6/17/2016
- by The Film Stage
- The Film Stage
Odd List Ryan Lambie Simon Brew 19 Dec 2013 - 06:30
Our journey through the lesser-known films of the 2000s continues. This week, it's 2003...
It was the year that Arnold Schwarzenegger went from Terminator actor to Governor of California, and when The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King dominated the global box office with a gross of more than $1bn. 2003 was also the year the Wachowskis' Matrix trilogy thundered to a close, the year Freddy Krueger clashed with Jason Voorhees in, er, Freddy Vs Jason, and the year Pixar scored another hit with Finding Nemo.
But as you've probably gathered by now, 2003 was also a year of quite brilliant, less lucrative films. The movies we've included in this week's list were chosen for a variety of reasons - some were ignored in cinemas, while others were harshly treated by critics. Some were modestly popular or given awards on release,...
Our journey through the lesser-known films of the 2000s continues. This week, it's 2003...
It was the year that Arnold Schwarzenegger went from Terminator actor to Governor of California, and when The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King dominated the global box office with a gross of more than $1bn. 2003 was also the year the Wachowskis' Matrix trilogy thundered to a close, the year Freddy Krueger clashed with Jason Voorhees in, er, Freddy Vs Jason, and the year Pixar scored another hit with Finding Nemo.
But as you've probably gathered by now, 2003 was also a year of quite brilliant, less lucrative films. The movies we've included in this week's list were chosen for a variety of reasons - some were ignored in cinemas, while others were harshly treated by critics. Some were modestly popular or given awards on release,...
- 12/18/2013
- by ryanlambie
- Den of Geek
Andrew Stanton with the first of his Animated Feature OscarsTim here. This November, we’ve been reflecting on the films of 2003, in preparation for the newest edition of the Supporting Actress Smackdown, and I’d like to use this as the opportunity to return us all to a simpler time. An easier time. A saner time. A time when the Best Animated Feature category at the Academy Awards wasn’t routinely filled up with five nominees because some much-too-small arbitrary threshold had been reached.
There were three nominees in the category that year, out of a field of eleven. And even that was not quite a small enough number to keep away from something a bit like a filler nomination (looking at the list, the fact that Satoshi Kon could have two eligible titles in Millennium Actress and Tokyo Godfathers, and swing a nomination for neither of them, depresses me...
There were three nominees in the category that year, out of a field of eleven. And even that was not quite a small enough number to keep away from something a bit like a filler nomination (looking at the list, the fact that Satoshi Kon could have two eligible titles in Millennium Actress and Tokyo Godfathers, and swing a nomination for neither of them, depresses me...
- 11/11/2013
- by Tim Brayton
- FilmExperience
The cult 1988 anime taught western film-makers new ideas in storytelling, and helped cartoons grow up
Internet lore has it that Steven Spielberg and George Lucas turned down the chance to pick up the rights to the exalted 1988 anime Akira, believing it to be unmarketable in America. Twenty years later, something had changed: Spielberg and DreamWorks were in production on a live-action remake of Ghost in the Shell, perhaps the next-biggest crossover anime title, with the beard buttering it up in the press as "one of my favourite stories". But he missed the chance to be there at the beginning for artist-director Katsuhiro Otomo's earlier masterpiece – 25 this year – when its enervating hyper-realism left retina burn in the eyes of action fans and film-makers worldwide.
Akira swiftly became midnight-movie fodder in the Us, on a small release through Streamline Entertainment. Its dynamism and attention to detail – honed by Otomo in the...
Internet lore has it that Steven Spielberg and George Lucas turned down the chance to pick up the rights to the exalted 1988 anime Akira, believing it to be unmarketable in America. Twenty years later, something had changed: Spielberg and DreamWorks were in production on a live-action remake of Ghost in the Shell, perhaps the next-biggest crossover anime title, with the beard buttering it up in the press as "one of my favourite stories". But he missed the chance to be there at the beginning for artist-director Katsuhiro Otomo's earlier masterpiece – 25 this year – when its enervating hyper-realism left retina burn in the eyes of action fans and film-makers worldwide.
Akira swiftly became midnight-movie fodder in the Us, on a small release through Streamline Entertainment. Its dynamism and attention to detail – honed by Otomo in the...
- 7/10/2013
- by Phil Hoad
- The Guardian - Film News
We’re on the eve of a brand new Batman blockbuster, next month’s “The Dark Knight Rises,” which will feature Anne Hathaway as the semi-villainous cat burglar Selina Kyle who prowls the streets at night as Catwoman. While Christopher Nolan and co. have given some real-world explanations for her eccentricities (her night vision goggles prop up on her head like cat’s ears), the hardest task in defining Catwoman for a new generation will be getting out from under the shadow of Michelle Pfeiffer, whose portrayal in Tim Burton’s “Batman Returns” remains one of the towering performances in all of comic book moviedom.
Today marks 20 years since the release of “Batman Returns” on June 19th, 1992, so we thought we’d celebrate by taking some more skeletons out of Bruce Wayne’s very crowded closet, with five things you might not know about the bat-sequel.
1. Robin Was Almost In This One.
Today marks 20 years since the release of “Batman Returns” on June 19th, 1992, so we thought we’d celebrate by taking some more skeletons out of Bruce Wayne’s very crowded closet, with five things you might not know about the bat-sequel.
1. Robin Was Almost In This One.
- 6/19/2012
- by Drew Taylor
- The Playlist
From the anime series to the video games, Japanese electropop artist Susumu Hirasawa has been the definitive music composer for Berserk and he continues to lend his musical artistry in the animated film trilogy. On his official site, a short version of the opening theme "Aria" from Berserk Golden Age Arc I: Egg of the Supreme Ruler soundtrack is available for a listen in a video player. His other animated film/series soundtracks include Paprika, Millennium Actress and Paranoia Agent.You can listen to the track below....
- 2/4/2012
- Screen Anarchy
The already tumultuous production history of Satoshi Kon's final film, The Dreaming Machine (Yume-Miru Kikai) has just become even rockier with word that animation studio Madhouse have very quietly put the production on hold due to financial issues.The final work by the brilliant director of Perfect Blue and Millennium Actress, production on The Dreaming Machine began with Kon already aware that he was terminally ill and very likely would not survive to see the project through to completion. His one request was that the studio would see the work through until the end. And it appeared that was the case with character designer Yoshimi Itazu taking over the directing role - based on the detailed instructions left behind by Kon - in November of...
- 8/9/2011
- Screen Anarchy
Most of us can agree that music plays a large part in cinema; it creates an atmosphere, emphasizes emotions to the audience, and, most importantly, invests the audience into the story.
The same holds true for anime; in fact, music probably plays a larger role in this medium, since only so much can be portrayed by animated visuals as far as atmosphere and emotions go. With such an increased expectation for music in anime, the competition must be fierce, and it must surely be a lot harder for the average composer to get noticed.
Likewise, considering Japan’s reputation of traditional gender roles and scanty attempts at gender equality— Japan ranked 54th of 93 countries in 2008 according to the Gender Empowerment Measure, and 106th of 189 countries for the proportion of women in the House of Representatives, according to a 2009 survey— it would be especially hard for women to become successful in a competitive work force.
The same holds true for anime; in fact, music probably plays a larger role in this medium, since only so much can be portrayed by animated visuals as far as atmosphere and emotions go. With such an increased expectation for music in anime, the competition must be fierce, and it must surely be a lot harder for the average composer to get noticed.
Likewise, considering Japan’s reputation of traditional gender roles and scanty attempts at gender equality— Japan ranked 54th of 93 countries in 2008 according to the Gender Empowerment Measure, and 106th of 189 countries for the proportion of women in the House of Representatives, according to a 2009 survey— it would be especially hard for women to become successful in a competitive work force.
- 12/17/2010
- by Geek With Taste
- Planet Fury
It’s not been a great week for cinema’s elites as two influential filmmakers sadly pass away. French Director Alain Corneau (67) and Japanese animator Satoshi Kon (46), the latter being described as the “Animator who inspired Inception.”
Alain Corneau
Originally a musician, Alain Corneau started his film career in France in 1976 and has had a very successful career as an international director. His catalogue of seven films was popular among lovers of world cinema but in France he was considered quite the legend. 1991′s “Tous les matins du monde” won seven Cesar awards, the French equivalent of the Academy Awards.
After a long battle with cancer Alain sadly departed but managed to hold on long enough to finish his final film, Love Crimes which hit French Cinemas two weeks ago. Starring Kristin Scott Thomas and Ludivine Sagnier, it is scheduled to be screened at the Toronto International Film Festival next week.
Alain Corneau
Originally a musician, Alain Corneau started his film career in France in 1976 and has had a very successful career as an international director. His catalogue of seven films was popular among lovers of world cinema but in France he was considered quite the legend. 1991′s “Tous les matins du monde” won seven Cesar awards, the French equivalent of the Academy Awards.
After a long battle with cancer Alain sadly departed but managed to hold on long enough to finish his final film, Love Crimes which hit French Cinemas two weeks ago. Starring Kristin Scott Thomas and Ludivine Sagnier, it is scheduled to be screened at the Toronto International Film Festival next week.
- 9/1/2010
- by Michael Brooks
- FilmShaft.com
When I went to the Fantasia Film Festival in 2001, it was one of the first few film festivals I ever attended, and I was a little overwhelmed by the number of choices available and by the number of filmmakers I'd never heard of. One of the few titles that jumped off the schedule immediately for me was "Millennium Actress," the latest movie from Satoshi Kon. I knew his work already from the film "Perfect Blue," and I thought he was one of the more promising names in anime, so I wanted to attend the premiere and possibly meet the filmmaker. Instead, I ended...
- 8/29/2010
- Hitfix
Today’s question comes from reader Left_Wing_Fox, who wants to talk about Japanese anime director Satoshi Kon, who died this week from pancreatic cancer at the too-young age of 46. Hew few films include the wonderful Millennium Actress, the charming Tokyo Godfathers, and Paprika, his most recent film, which Christopher Nolan has cited as one of the inspirations for Inception, according to Empire Online. The New York Times, in its obituary for Kon, quotes Susan J. Napier, anime expert and a professor of Japanese studies at Tufts University:...
- 8/27/2010
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
Japanese director of playful animation combining realistic drama with fantasy
Satoshi Kon, who has died of pancreatic cancer aged 46, was one of the boldest and most distinctive film-makers to specialise in animation. His main body of work – four completed feature films and an acclaimed television mini-series – was playful, sophisticated and adult. Tired of the cliches of mass-produced Japanese animation – "robots and beautiful little girls," as he once put it – Kon sought to make animation that used ambitious and often disorientating editing, intercutting and scene-shifting.
"In animation, only what is intended to be communicated is there," he once said. "If I had a chance to edit live-action, it would be too fast for audiences to follow." Kon made only sparing use of CGI in his mostly drawn films, relying on such superb animators as Shinji Otsuka and Toshiyuki Inoue.
Much of Kon's animation combines realistic drama (usually set in present-day Tokyo) with dreams and fantasy.
Satoshi Kon, who has died of pancreatic cancer aged 46, was one of the boldest and most distinctive film-makers to specialise in animation. His main body of work – four completed feature films and an acclaimed television mini-series – was playful, sophisticated and adult. Tired of the cliches of mass-produced Japanese animation – "robots and beautiful little girls," as he once put it – Kon sought to make animation that used ambitious and often disorientating editing, intercutting and scene-shifting.
"In animation, only what is intended to be communicated is there," he once said. "If I had a chance to edit live-action, it would be too fast for audiences to follow." Kon made only sparing use of CGI in his mostly drawn films, relying on such superb animators as Shinji Otsuka and Toshiyuki Inoue.
Much of Kon's animation combines realistic drama (usually set in present-day Tokyo) with dreams and fantasy.
- 8/26/2010
- by Andrew Osmond
- The Guardian - Film News
Auteur-illustrator who proved more than anyone that cartoons are not just for kids has died aged 46 from pancreatic cancer
Director Satoshi Kon sadly passed away on Tuesday, succumbing to pancreatic cancer. He was only 46, and his legacy of work is a mere four completed feature films and one television series. So, it's likely many of you have not heard of the man – doubly likely since his films were all animated.
There has long been an argument regarding the validity of animation as a medium for adults. It's easy for many to dismiss animated film as being automatically for kids or, worse, for teenagers. But for myself and others, animation is just another way of telling a story or getting a message across to an audience. This is why I referred to Satoshi Kon as a "director" in the opening paragraph: his films are so involving and cinematic it's easy to...
Director Satoshi Kon sadly passed away on Tuesday, succumbing to pancreatic cancer. He was only 46, and his legacy of work is a mere four completed feature films and one television series. So, it's likely many of you have not heard of the man – doubly likely since his films were all animated.
There has long been an argument regarding the validity of animation as a medium for adults. It's easy for many to dismiss animated film as being automatically for kids or, worse, for teenagers. But for myself and others, animation is just another way of telling a story or getting a message across to an audience. This is why I referred to Satoshi Kon as a "director" in the opening paragraph: his films are so involving and cinematic it's easy to...
- 8/26/2010
- by Phelim O'Neill
- The Guardian - Film News
Satoshi Kon, one of the true visionaries of Japanese animation, died on Aug. 24 of pancreatic cancer at 46. Kon’s first film, 1999′s psychological thriller Perfect Blue, established what became a hallmark of his all-too-short career, and helped earn him a dedicated cult following in the U.S.: Mature, grounded storytelling spiced with a distinctive and substantial magical surrealism. His 2002 follow-up, Millennium Actress, blurred the lines between an enigmatic Japanese movie star’s real life and film career; it won Kon two Annie award nominations for directing and writing, and further established him as a filmmaker eager to use animation...
- 8/26/2010
- by Adam B. Vary
- EW.com - PopWatch
Satoshi Kon, the Japanese animator responsible for Perfect Blue and Millennium Actress passed away yesterday at the too-young-age of 47. He died of cancer. I'm not familiar with Kon's work, but the estimable Twig -- who reviewed Perfect Blue -- writes that he was "a true visionary in every possible sense of the word," and that "Millennium Actress is, without a doubt, one of the best movies ever made, in any format, in any country, ever." On behalf of Twig, the man's family, friends, and fans, we're sincerely sorry about his passing.
I am red-faced with embarrassment. But you good folks broke the Movie Quotes quiz. They're modifying the server to better handle the traffic. It should be back up momentarily, and from what I'm told, for good. And it should increase with speed over night. Thanks for your patience. (Update: It's back up.
Back in February we announced that Warner...
I am red-faced with embarrassment. But you good folks broke the Movie Quotes quiz. They're modifying the server to better handle the traffic. It should be back up momentarily, and from what I'm told, for good. And it should increase with speed over night. Thanks for your patience. (Update: It's back up.
Back in February we announced that Warner...
- 8/25/2010
- by Dustin Rowles
Yesterday afternoon, I heard the news that filmmaker Satoshi Kon had passed away. This information came hard, hitting me on the head like a mischievous little boy's baseball bat. The shocking news spread, at first, through Twitter. Hoped by fans to be nothing but a rumor, it was then confirmed by Kon’s co-workers at his Madhouse animation studio.
After the initial surprise of this news coming out of nowhere (the man was only 47 and was in the middle of completing yet another highly anticipated film), I had to come to terms with what about this news made me so angry: Kon was an amazing talent, not just in his field but in cinema in general, and the sadness of his passing comes not just from the fact that a man’s life has been cut so short—important as that must be to his personal friends and family—but...
After the initial surprise of this news coming out of nowhere (the man was only 47 and was in the middle of completing yet another highly anticipated film), I had to come to terms with what about this news made me so angry: Kon was an amazing talent, not just in his field but in cinema in general, and the sadness of his passing comes not just from the fact that a man’s life has been cut so short—important as that must be to his personal friends and family—but...
- 8/25/2010
- by Arya Ponto
- JustPressPlay.net
This is shocking news indeed: mere hours ago people at the Madhouse anime studio confirmed that legendary director Satoshi Kon has died, aged 46.
Satoshi Kon worked on several anime classics under Katsuhiro Otomo and Mamoru Oshii, but is most well-known for his own films released by Madhouse: "Perfect Blue", "Millennium Actress", "Tokyo Godfathers" and of course "Paprika". He also made the brilliant 13-episode series "Paranoia Agent". Currently he was working on his new film "The Dreaming Machine" which was scheduled for release next year.
To say he will be missed is an understatement. I think I will revisit "Paprika" tonight, with the commentary track on...
(Thanks go to the Otakon Web Board for spreading the news, and to Peter van der Lugt for alerting me)...
Satoshi Kon worked on several anime classics under Katsuhiro Otomo and Mamoru Oshii, but is most well-known for his own films released by Madhouse: "Perfect Blue", "Millennium Actress", "Tokyo Godfathers" and of course "Paprika". He also made the brilliant 13-episode series "Paranoia Agent". Currently he was working on his new film "The Dreaming Machine" which was scheduled for release next year.
To say he will be missed is an understatement. I think I will revisit "Paprika" tonight, with the commentary track on...
(Thanks go to the Otakon Web Board for spreading the news, and to Peter van der Lugt for alerting me)...
- 8/24/2010
- Screen Anarchy
Satoshi Kon, the Japanese director of animated films such as Tokyo Godfathers, Millennium Actress and the Inception-influencing Paprika, has died at the young age of 47. The director reportedly lost a battle with cancer. News of the director's passing originally came via a tweet from Takeda Yasuhiro, then seems to have been confirmed by other sources, such as the UK Anime Network. I'm by no means an authority on anime as a form. But the artistry of Kon's films is impossible to ignore, and his best work had the ability to bring anime to new audiences. In many ways, he was second only to Hayao Miyazaki as an anime director who could command a global audience. News of his passing comes as a great shock. A writer and animator working since the early '90s, Kon's directorial career began with the 1998 release of Perfect Blue, and he really began to come...
- 8/24/2010
- by Russ Fischer
- Slash Film
Downer for anime fans: acclaimed filmmaker Satoshi Kon has reportedly passed away from cancer at age 47. Kon started as a manga artist and graduated to anime features with the drama Perfect Blue, which he followed with the comedy Tokyo Godfathers, the time-spanning memoir Millennium Actress and the TV series "Paranoia Agent". The influential filmmaker had been working on his lastest project The Dream Machine with his regular collaborators at animation company Studio Madhouse. His last completed film was the trippy dream adventure Paprika:...
- 8/24/2010
- by Dave Davis
- JoBlo.com
This is a sad bit of news, I've just learned about the passing of Satoshi Kon - an important Japanese anime filmmaker who gave us Millennium Actress, Tokyo Godfathers, and Paprika (from which was the last time we met with the filmmmaker). In honor of the filmmaker and his fans, we are republishing this sit down with Kon originally published May 24th in 2007. ---- Paprika is the latest feature length work from Japanese anime auteur Satoshi Kon (Tokyo Godfathers, Paranoia Agent, Millennium Actress), and adapted from a novel by Japan’s most renowned science fiction author Yasutaka Tsutsui. The plot centers around an experimental invention called the DC Mini, that allows its users to enter another person’s dreams. 29 year old Dr. Atsuko Chiba is a brilliant but conservative research psychotherapist working on the DC Mini project, and also uses the device to moonlight as super heroine Paprika, entering into...
- 8/24/2010
- IONCINEMA.com
It’s being reported tonight that director Satoshi Kon has passed away at the age of 47. Official confirmation is expected to follow but various sources are confirming the sad news.
In his short life he wrote, animated and directed some of the most magical, thought provoking and emotionally engaging anime films, which thankfully made their way across the world.
As a staff director at the prolific Madhouse Studio he created works such as Perfect Blue, Millennium Actress, the TV series Paranoia Agent, the sublime Tokyo Godfathers and my personal favourite, Paprika.
To be honest there’s nothing more to say other than this is really terrible news. I was late to the Satoshi Kon show, seeing an early trailer for Paprika and falling in love with what I saw, I then devoured every second of his work I could get my hands on.
Like the very best art his work...
In his short life he wrote, animated and directed some of the most magical, thought provoking and emotionally engaging anime films, which thankfully made their way across the world.
As a staff director at the prolific Madhouse Studio he created works such as Perfect Blue, Millennium Actress, the TV series Paranoia Agent, the sublime Tokyo Godfathers and my personal favourite, Paprika.
To be honest there’s nothing more to say other than this is really terrible news. I was late to the Satoshi Kon show, seeing an early trailer for Paprika and falling in love with what I saw, I then devoured every second of his work I could get my hands on.
Like the very best art his work...
- 8/24/2010
- by Jon Lyus
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Rumors started to circulate around Twitter today that anime luminary Satoshi Kon, director of such truly brilliant films as Millennium Actress and Paprika, has died at the age of 47. One of the first reports came in from Takeda Yasuhiro, a founding member of Gainax, the animation studio most famous for producing Neon Genesis Evangelion. Now both Ani-Gamers and Anime Reel is reporting that the above tweet is most likely true and while confirmation will have to wait until it's daytime in Japan, Anime Reel writes that other sources have confirmed Yasuhiro's claim, including Masao Maruyama, president of Madhouse Studios (Note: Maruyama didn't say Kon died explicitly, just that a major filmmaker had passed away). According to Anime-Gamers' source, Kon died of cancer.
There's still a chance that this could just be a nasty and rather inexplicable rumor but it looks less and less likely. We will update you if the...
There's still a chance that this could just be a nasty and rather inexplicable rumor but it looks less and less likely. We will update you if the...
- 8/24/2010
- by Simon Abrams
- Cinematical
British site UK Anime Network is reporting that director Satoshi Kon passed away yesterday at age 47, apparently due to cancer. This marks the untimely death of the filmmaker second only to Hayao Miyazaki in making inroads for anime films both internationally and as weighty works of cinema worthy of serious critical consideration.
From the 1998 Hitchcockian tale of a menaced pop idol "Perfect Blue" to 2001's look into the life of a aging performer "Millennium Actress" to 2006's saga of shared dreams (out-"Inception"ing "Inception") "Paprika," Kon was fond of exploring and blurring the lines between reality, memory and dreams. These are themes animation is particularly suited to, and ones that can be seen early in his career, in the "Magnetic Rose" segment of omnibus film "Memories," for which he wrote the screenplay, and later in "Paranoia Agent," the series he created.
2003's "Tokyo Godfathers" was his lone linear narrative,...
From the 1998 Hitchcockian tale of a menaced pop idol "Perfect Blue" to 2001's look into the life of a aging performer "Millennium Actress" to 2006's saga of shared dreams (out-"Inception"ing "Inception") "Paprika," Kon was fond of exploring and blurring the lines between reality, memory and dreams. These are themes animation is particularly suited to, and ones that can be seen early in his career, in the "Magnetic Rose" segment of omnibus film "Memories," for which he wrote the screenplay, and later in "Paranoia Agent," the series he created.
2003's "Tokyo Godfathers" was his lone linear narrative,...
- 8/24/2010
- by Alison Willmore
- ifc.com
Satoshi Kon director of such Anime classics as Perfect Blue, Tokyo Godfathers, Paranoia Agent and Paprika has died at the age of 47.
Kon started his career as a manga artist and editor in Young Magazine, and then made his screenwriting debut with 'Magnetic Rose, a section of the anthology film Memories. Kon made his directorial debut film, Perfect Blue, in 1997, followed by Millennium Actress, Tokyo Godfathers, Paprika and the television series Paranoia Agent. He had been at work on his fifth film, The Dream Machine since 2008.
Kon started his career as a manga artist and editor in Young Magazine, and then made his screenwriting debut with 'Magnetic Rose, a section of the anthology film Memories. Kon made his directorial debut film, Perfect Blue, in 1997, followed by Millennium Actress, Tokyo Godfathers, Paprika and the television series Paranoia Agent. He had been at work on his fifth film, The Dream Machine since 2008.
- 8/24/2010
- by noreply@blogger.com (Flicks News)
- FlicksNews.net
Where were the gutsy pink-haired heroines of Japanese anime when I was growing up? I had to make do with Lady Penelope
Last week I watched films in which chicks snog each other before being hacked to pieces (Lesbian Vampire Killers), women are kidnapped (Punisher: War Zone) or relegated to naked non-speaking extras (Valhalla Rising), and Oscar-winning actresses are reduced to the slutty denizens of one man's harem (Nine). I've also watched or rewatched a lot of anime, in which girls pilot giant robots, hunt down vampires or learn ninja skills. I think you can see what I'm getting at here.
For years I avoided anime because I was put off by the big saucer eyes. Then it dawned on me the faces and figures were no more stylised than in the prints of, say, Utamaro or Hokusai. It's just a way of looking at the world. The film that truly converted me,...
Last week I watched films in which chicks snog each other before being hacked to pieces (Lesbian Vampire Killers), women are kidnapped (Punisher: War Zone) or relegated to naked non-speaking extras (Valhalla Rising), and Oscar-winning actresses are reduced to the slutty denizens of one man's harem (Nine). I've also watched or rewatched a lot of anime, in which girls pilot giant robots, hunt down vampires or learn ninja skills. I think you can see what I'm getting at here.
For years I avoided anime because I was put off by the big saucer eyes. Then it dawned on me the faces and figures were no more stylised than in the prints of, say, Utamaro or Hokusai. It's just a way of looking at the world. The film that truly converted me,...
- 3/25/2010
- by Anne Billson
- The Guardian - Film News
Happy Valentine's Day, kids. Hope you've all got loved ones to squeeze today, and have better things planned than to see schmaltzy, unchallenging romance flicks like, er, Valentine's Day. Submitted for your approval is a list of movies in the spirit of love that aren't your typical rom-coms or melodramas—the unusual suspects with something a little strange accompanying the couplings.
Rather than just list movies with romance between quirky characters, though, since many people would be quick to name unconventional couples like Harold and Maude or Bonnie and Clyde, how about we seek the more trying scenarios? Here are some movies that attain sweet, robust romance even in situations that are normally hard to swallow. But you don't need to make sense of love to get it.
• • •
Oasis (2002)
Why it's weird? It begins with rape.
In most relationships, when the man rapes the woman, what follows is usually the end.
Rather than just list movies with romance between quirky characters, though, since many people would be quick to name unconventional couples like Harold and Maude or Bonnie and Clyde, how about we seek the more trying scenarios? Here are some movies that attain sweet, robust romance even in situations that are normally hard to swallow. But you don't need to make sense of love to get it.
• • •
Oasis (2002)
Why it's weird? It begins with rape.
In most relationships, when the man rapes the woman, what follows is usually the end.
- 2/14/2010
- by Arya Ponto
- JustPressPlay.net
At the age of 26, graphic novelist Dash Shaw has already delivered a genuine masterpiece. And not just any masterpiece: Bottomless Belly Button (EW's #5 book of 2008) is the kind of delicately observed, funny-sad multi-generational family saga that you expect from a maestro in the full flowering of their late-life artistic powers. Ingmar Bergman's Fanny & Alexander, say, or Anton Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard. Shaw's nimble skill for storytelling and characterization is more than matched by his eclectic drawing style, which is simultaneously cartoonish, realistic, and impressionistic. Every page, every panel of his work combines the composed photographic detail of an...
- 12/24/2009
- by Darren Franich
- EW.com - PopWatch
I'm not much of an anime fan. Actually, I actively dislike the bulk of the anime I've seen. Movies by Hayao Miyazaki get my attention (there's an argument to be made that, thanks to different sensibilities when building story and character, Miyazaki's movies are not anime at all) and so do features by Satoshi Kon. His films are always interesting, even when they don't work, and since the combo of Millennium Actress and Tokyo Godfathers I've perked up every time he gets a new project going. He's been working on The Dream Machine (or The Dreaming Machine, as I've seen it translated occasionally) for some time, and now we've got the first images from the kid-friendly movie. Check 'em out, after the break. Twitch points to the official site, from which these pics hail. We don't know much about the story at this point, and the site currently features only Japanese text.
- 11/19/2009
- by Russ Fischer
- Slash Film
[The trailer has just been added below the break. It’s looking cheeeeeeap.]
One of the best known manga artists in the world today, Japan’s Go Nagai has won a horde of fans around the globe thanks to Cutie Honey and he’s about to make waves with another cult title hitting the big screen.
“The Abashiri Family” are one of the most notorious mafia family members in the world. Even though their family consists of only five members, just the words “Abashiri Family” strikes fear in other gang members. The head of the mafia clan then decides to send to his cherished only daughter Kikunosuke (Erica Tonooka) to a boarding school. What the father doesn’t know is that the boarding school are run by enemies of the Abashiri Family and they have no intentions of graduating their students ...
A live action adaptation of Go’s manga has just been completed with Ultraman veteran Teruyoshi Ishii directing from a script by Sadayuki Murai (Perfect Blue,...
One of the best known manga artists in the world today, Japan’s Go Nagai has won a horde of fans around the globe thanks to Cutie Honey and he’s about to make waves with another cult title hitting the big screen.
“The Abashiri Family” are one of the most notorious mafia family members in the world. Even though their family consists of only five members, just the words “Abashiri Family” strikes fear in other gang members. The head of the mafia clan then decides to send to his cherished only daughter Kikunosuke (Erica Tonooka) to a boarding school. What the father doesn’t know is that the boarding school are run by enemies of the Abashiri Family and they have no intentions of graduating their students ...
A live action adaptation of Go’s manga has just been completed with Ultraman veteran Teruyoshi Ishii directing from a script by Sadayuki Murai (Perfect Blue,...
- 8/30/2009
- by Todd Brown
- Screen Anarchy
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