The New York Times has an interesting article on a controversial casting practice in Indonesia. Apparently Japanese porn stars, such as Sora Aoi, are being cast in Indonesian films to draw larger audiences. The public is paying top dollar to see these clothed actresses in hooror flicks.
Indonesia has one of the largest Muslim populations in Asia, and the government often takes a conservative stance on film industry issues. Obviously not all directors follow the practice.
Read the full story via the link below.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/29/world/asia/29indonesia.html?_r=1.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
This Just in ... 3.29.11
This week’s DVDs. If we can’t watch ‘em in the theater, we’ll watch ‘em at home. Look for them at Amazon, Netlfix, RedBox, Blockbuster.
The Vanquished (I Vinti) (1953)
Anna-Maria Ferrero (Actor), Franco Interlenghi (Actor), Michelangelo Antonioni (Director) | Rated: Unrated | Format: DVD
Product DescriptionDirector Michelangelo Antonioni's unique triptych film features three murders, one taking place in Paris, another in Rome, and another in London. All of the perpetrators are affluent youths, each killing for his own dubious motive. In the France segment, a group of adolescents kill for money, even though they don't need it. In the London segment, a poet uncovers a woman's body and tries to profit from the discovery. And in the Italian segment, a student becomes caught up in a smuggling ring, with deadly results. Though each crime is investigated, the guilty are rarely singled out for their actions.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B004H0M2WI/comingsoon
Silent Naruse
A five-film collection from Japanese director Mikio Naruse released by Criterion Collection. The collection includes “Flunky, Work Hard” (1931); “No Blood Relation” (1932); “Apart From You” (1933); “Every-Night Dreams” (1933); and “Street Without End” (1934).
Product DescriptionMikio Naruse is one of the most popular directors in the history of Japanese cinema, a crafter of heartrending melodramas often compared with the work of Yasujiro Ozu and Kenji Mizoguchi. From the outset of his career, with his silent films of the early thirties, Naruse focused on characters, mostly women—geisha, housewives, waitresses—carrying on despite the compromises and disappointments of confined daily lives, a subject that would continue to fascinate him for the next three decades. Though he made two dozen silent films, only five are known to exist today; these works—poignant, brilliantly photographed and edited dramas all—are collected here, on DVD for the first time and featuring new scores by noted musicians Robin Holcomb and Wayne Horvitz.
http://www.criterion.com/boxsets/789-eclipse-series-26-silent-naruse
Sgt. Frog: Season One
Directed by Jamie Marchi
Product DescriptionKeroro is Sergeant Frog - the leader of a platoon of warriors sent to conquer planet Earth. But when the amphibious invaders discovered how much humans enjoy dissecting their comrades, the troops were scattered, the mission was aborted, and Keroro was abandoned. Now, this once proud soldier spends more time wielding a vacuum than he does the weapons of war. It's a far cry from the glory of battle, but hey, at least he's got his own room. And though the invasion may have slowed to a hop, Sergeant Frog still occasionally yearns to overcome his karaoke addiction and reassemble his troops. Watch out world, the frogs are taking over. 26 episodes on 4 dvds.
http://astore.amazon.com/funreleaseschedule-20/detail/B0049TC8DA
Linebarrels of Iron: The Complete Series (Seasons 1, 2 and OVA) Directed by Caitlin Glass
Product DescriptionKouichi dreams of being a hero, but in reality, he’s a punching bag for every bully on the block. His life flatlines when the mysteriously naked Emi crash lands on his pitiful existence, thrusting Kouichi into the middle of an intergalactic showdown between rival races of self-regenerating Machinas. Through his death-bed partnership with the Linebarrel mecha, Kouichi gains the strength to stand up to his tormentors and crush the alien invasion force that’s determined to conquer Earth. There’s just one problem. All this newfound power and special attention from nearly-naked babes is turning Kouichi into a jerk. His friends can’t stand him, he makes his dream girl sick, and those aliens want to kill him extra dead! Kouichi may have the mechanized muscle to save the world, but he has much to learn about being a true “Hero of Justice”.
http://astore.amazon.com/funreleaseschedule-20/detail/B004GZZH8K
Evangelion: 1.11 You Are Not Alone
Directed by Hideaki Anno
Product DescriptionThe stunning rebuild of the anime masterpiece is now extended and enhanced with never before seen new animation and 266 visual and audio improvements. Tokyo-3 still stands after most of civilization was decimated in the Second Impact. Now the city endures the ceaseless onslaught of the deadly Angels, bizarre creatures bent on eradicating the human race. To combat this strange and ruthless enemy, the government agency NERV constructs a fleet of towering humanoid machines – the Evas – and Shinji Ikari is called into action, reluctantly taking his place at the controls of Eva Unit 01. Living a life of loneliness and questioning his existence, Shinji struggles to accept responsibility for mankind’s battle for survival in this visually striking rebuild of one of the most important anime of all time. Shinji will fight the Angels alongside the only person who might understand his plight – Rei Ayanami, the elusive and frail pilot of Eva Unit 00. In this film experience not to be missed, Shinji and Rei will struggle to learn a simple truth: when carrying the burden of humanity’s survival on your shoulders, you are not alone.
http://astore.amazon.com/funreleaseschedule-20/detail/B0030ZOYJ0
Evangelion: 2.22 You Can [Not] Advance
Directed by Mike McFarland, Hideaki Anno Product DescriptionThe landmark anime Evangelion evolves, reaching new heights of intensity in the feature film: Evangelion 2.22. In this explosive new story, brutal action and primal emotion clash as a group of young pilots maneuver their towering cyborg Eva Units into combat against a deadly and disturbing enemy. In the battle to prevent the apocalyptic Third Impact, Shinji and Rei were forced to carry humanity's hopes on their shoulders. Now, as the onslaught of the bizarre, monstrous Angels escalates, they find their burden shared by two new Eva pilots, the fiery Asuka and the mysterious Mari. In this thrilling experience for fans of giant robot destruction, the young pilots fight desperately to save mankind - and struggle to save themselves.
http://astore.amazon.com/funreleaseschedule-20/detail/B004EC5I
Anna-Maria Ferrero (Actor), Franco Interlenghi (Actor), Michelangelo Antonioni (Director) | Rated: Unrated | Format: DVD
Product DescriptionDirector Michelangelo Antonioni's unique triptych film features three murders, one taking place in Paris, another in Rome, and another in London. All of the perpetrators are affluent youths, each killing for his own dubious motive. In the France segment, a group of adolescents kill for money, even though they don't need it. In the London segment, a poet uncovers a woman's body and tries to profit from the discovery. And in the Italian segment, a student becomes caught up in a smuggling ring, with deadly results. Though each crime is investigated, the guilty are rarely singled out for their actions.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B004H0M2WI/comingsoon
A five-film collection from Japanese director Mikio Naruse released by Criterion Collection. The collection includes “Flunky, Work Hard” (1931); “No Blood Relation” (1932); “Apart From You” (1933); “Every-Night Dreams” (1933); and “Street Without End” (1934).
Product DescriptionMikio Naruse is one of the most popular directors in the history of Japanese cinema, a crafter of heartrending melodramas often compared with the work of Yasujiro Ozu and Kenji Mizoguchi. From the outset of his career, with his silent films of the early thirties, Naruse focused on characters, mostly women—geisha, housewives, waitresses—carrying on despite the compromises and disappointments of confined daily lives, a subject that would continue to fascinate him for the next three decades. Though he made two dozen silent films, only five are known to exist today; these works—poignant, brilliantly photographed and edited dramas all—are collected here, on DVD for the first time and featuring new scores by noted musicians Robin Holcomb and Wayne Horvitz.
http://www.criterion.com/boxsets/789-eclipse-series-26-silent-naruse
Directed by Jamie Marchi
Product DescriptionKeroro is Sergeant Frog - the leader of a platoon of warriors sent to conquer planet Earth. But when the amphibious invaders discovered how much humans enjoy dissecting their comrades, the troops were scattered, the mission was aborted, and Keroro was abandoned. Now, this once proud soldier spends more time wielding a vacuum than he does the weapons of war. It's a far cry from the glory of battle, but hey, at least he's got his own room. And though the invasion may have slowed to a hop, Sergeant Frog still occasionally yearns to overcome his karaoke addiction and reassemble his troops. Watch out world, the frogs are taking over. 26 episodes on 4 dvds.
http://astore.amazon.com/funreleaseschedule-20/detail/B0049TC8DA
Product DescriptionKouichi dreams of being a hero, but in reality, he’s a punching bag for every bully on the block. His life flatlines when the mysteriously naked Emi crash lands on his pitiful existence, thrusting Kouichi into the middle of an intergalactic showdown between rival races of self-regenerating Machinas. Through his death-bed partnership with the Linebarrel mecha, Kouichi gains the strength to stand up to his tormentors and crush the alien invasion force that’s determined to conquer Earth. There’s just one problem. All this newfound power and special attention from nearly-naked babes is turning Kouichi into a jerk. His friends can’t stand him, he makes his dream girl sick, and those aliens want to kill him extra dead! Kouichi may have the mechanized muscle to save the world, but he has much to learn about being a true “Hero of Justice”.
http://astore.amazon.com/funreleaseschedule-20/detail/B004GZZH8K
Directed by Hideaki Anno
Product DescriptionThe stunning rebuild of the anime masterpiece is now extended and enhanced with never before seen new animation and 266 visual and audio improvements. Tokyo-3 still stands after most of civilization was decimated in the Second Impact. Now the city endures the ceaseless onslaught of the deadly Angels, bizarre creatures bent on eradicating the human race. To combat this strange and ruthless enemy, the government agency NERV constructs a fleet of towering humanoid machines – the Evas – and Shinji Ikari is called into action, reluctantly taking his place at the controls of Eva Unit 01. Living a life of loneliness and questioning his existence, Shinji struggles to accept responsibility for mankind’s battle for survival in this visually striking rebuild of one of the most important anime of all time. Shinji will fight the Angels alongside the only person who might understand his plight – Rei Ayanami, the elusive and frail pilot of Eva Unit 00. In this film experience not to be missed, Shinji and Rei will struggle to learn a simple truth: when carrying the burden of humanity’s survival on your shoulders, you are not alone.
http://astore.amazon.com/funreleaseschedule-20/detail/B0030ZOYJ0
Directed by Mike McFarland, Hideaki Anno Product DescriptionThe landmark anime Evangelion evolves, reaching new heights of intensity in the feature film: Evangelion 2.22. In this explosive new story, brutal action and primal emotion clash as a group of young pilots maneuver their towering cyborg Eva Units into combat against a deadly and disturbing enemy. In the battle to prevent the apocalyptic Third Impact, Shinji and Rei were forced to carry humanity's hopes on their shoulders. Now, as the onslaught of the bizarre, monstrous Angels escalates, they find their burden shared by two new Eva pilots, the fiery Asuka and the mysterious Mari. In this thrilling experience for fans of giant robot destruction, the young pilots fight desperately to save mankind - and struggle to save themselves.
http://astore.amazon.com/funreleaseschedule-20/detail/B004EC5I
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Mexican Ariel Award nominees announced
The award ceremony will be May 7 at the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City.
Best Director
Felipe Cazals, Chicogrande
Luis Estrada, El infierno (Hell)
Diego Luna, Abel
Best Actress
Karina Gidi, Abel
Mónica del Carmen, Año bisiesto (Leap Year)
Maricel Álvarez, Biutiful
Úrsula Pruneda, Las buenas hierbas (The Good Herbs)
Best Actor
Javier Bardem, Biutiful
Damián Alcázar, El infierno (Hell)
Demián Bichir, Hidalgo, la historia jamás contada (Hidalgo, the Untold Story)
Hansel Ramírez, La mitad del mundo (Half the World)
Best Supporting Actress
María Rojo, El infierno (Hell)
Carolina Politti, Hidalgo, la historia jamás contada (Hidalgo, the Untold Story)
Luisa Huertas, La mitad del mundo (Half the World)
Ofelia Medina, Las buenas hierbas (The Good Herbs)
Best Supporting Actor
Daniel Martínez, Chicogrande
Ernesto Gómez Cruz, El infierno (Hell)
Joaquín Cosio, El infierno (Hell)
Juan Ignacio Aranda, Hidalgo, la historia jamás contada (Hidalgo, the Untold Story)
Best Newcomer
Cristopher Ruiz-Esparza, Abel
Gerardo Ruiz-Esparza, Abel
Natan Machado Palombini, Alamar (To the Sea)Iván Rafael González, Chicogrande
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
'Carried Away' screening in Fort Worth
The semiautobiographical film tells the story of a Fort Worth man who returns from Hollywood to find his grandmother has been placed in a nursing home against her will. The young man decides to spring his granny and take her back to Los Angeles. Soon his family begins a cross-country chase to stop the two.
The film has a couple film festival awards to its credit and is a great local film.
If you’re interested in attending the “donations requested” showing, contact Hucakbee on Facebook. A director’s Q&A will follow.
Plus Tom’s a nice guy. Check it out.
Fifth Annual Asian Film Awards
The Thai film bested “Aftershock” (Mainland China/Hong Kong), “Confessions” (Japan), “Let the Bullets Fly” (Mainland China/Hong Kong), “Peepli Live” (India) and “Poetry” (South Korea) in the annual competition.
Korea won Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress and Best Editing
The winners were
BEST FILM – UNCLE BOONMEE WHO CAN RECALL HIS PAST LIVES (Thailand)
BEST DIRECTOR — LEE Chang-dong / POETRY (South Korea)
BEST ACTOR — HA Jung-woo / THE YELLOW SEA (South Korea)
BEST ACTRESS – XU Fan / AFTERSHOCK (Mainland China / Hong Kong)
BEST NEWCOMER – Mark CHAO You-Ting / MONGA (Taiwan)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR – Sammo HUNG Kam-po / IP MAN 2 (Hong Kong)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS – YOON Yeo-jeong / THE HOUSEMAID (South Korea)
BEST SCREENPLAY – LEE Chang-dong / POETRY (South Korea)
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER – Mark LEE Ping-Bin / NORWEGIAN WOOD (Japan)
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGNER – HAYASHIDA Yuji / 13 ASSASSINS (Japan)
BEST MUSIC SCORE – Indian Ocean / PEEPLI LIVE (India)
BEST EDITING – NAM Na-young / I SAW THE DEVIL (South Korea)
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS – Phil JONES, ZHANG Yan-ming / AFTERSHOCK (Mainland China/ Hong Kong)
BEST COSTUME DESIGNER – William CHANG Suk-ping / LET THE BULLETS FLY (Mainland China / Hong Kong)
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
This Just In ... New DVDs
This week’s DVDs. If we can’t watch ‘em in the theater, we’ll watch ‘em at home. Look for them at Amazon, Netlfix, RedBox, Blockbuster.
The Perfume of the Lady in Black (Il Profumo della Signora in Nero) – 1974
Directed by Francesco Barilli
Starring: Mimsy Farmer, Maurizio Bonuglia
Italian
Promotional Notes: Mimsy Farmer portrays Sylvia, a chemist who begins to suffer from strange visions. She sees a mysterious woman in black applying perfume in a mirror, strangers following her everywhere she goes, and a ghostly little girl reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland, who may be Sylvia herself as a child. It turns out that Sylvia stabbed her mother's sexually abusive boyfriend to death long ago, and now her visions are driving her to madness and cleaver-murders. The other possibility, however, is that literally all of Sylvia's friends are Satanists conspiring to cause her suicide. This is a remarkable film, weaving reality, fantasy and memory into an almost seamless fabric to dizzying and poetic effect.
Buy or rent it: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B004H0M34A
Filmies says: “Who doesn’t love a good cleaver-weilding chemist movie?”
Rin: Daughters of Mnemosyne: The Complete Series (Classic)
Directed by Christopher Bevins
Funimation: Anime
Promotional Notes: Rin Asogi is an immortal private detective with a thirst for vodka and a talent for attracting things that go bump in the night. In a series of nightmarish vignettes spanning sixty-five years, Rin’s lush body is sadistically pierced, blown up, and mulched to a bloody pulp. The fiend behind her tortured existence is Apos, an eternal being obsessed with sacrificing Rin to Yggdrasil, the tree of all life. While Rin struggles to unravel the secrets of her endless agony, Apos lurks in the shadows, eager to tear into her ripe body and devour the memories of her countless lives. Rin’s no stranger to the realm of the dead, but her next visit could last forever.
Buy or rent it: http://blog.funimation.com/release-schedule/
Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple - Season Two
Directed by Monica Rial
Funimation: Anime
Promotional Notes: Kenichi’s a lot tougher than he used to be – living in a dojo with six martial arts masters will do that to you. But thanks to his reputation as a skilled fighter, the guy’s got more problems than ever.
The goons in Ragnarok are gunning for him in a big way, especially the gang’s leaders: the Eight Fists, a dangerously unpredictable crew known to play dirty. Luckily, Kenichi’s got allies like Miu by his side. She’s as tough as she is hot, and even if he still hasn’t scored with the blonde brawler, her very presence makes Kenichi train harder to be the best. Yeah, he’s come a long way – but Kenichi’s fight to be the mightiest disciple isn’t over yet.
Buy or rent it: http://blog.funimation.com/release-schedule/
The Perfume of the Lady in Black (Il Profumo della Signora in Nero) – 1974
Directed by Francesco Barilli
Starring: Mimsy Farmer, Maurizio Bonuglia
Italian
Promotional Notes: Mimsy Farmer portrays Sylvia, a chemist who begins to suffer from strange visions. She sees a mysterious woman in black applying perfume in a mirror, strangers following her everywhere she goes, and a ghostly little girl reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland, who may be Sylvia herself as a child. It turns out that Sylvia stabbed her mother's sexually abusive boyfriend to death long ago, and now her visions are driving her to madness and cleaver-murders. The other possibility, however, is that literally all of Sylvia's friends are Satanists conspiring to cause her suicide. This is a remarkable film, weaving reality, fantasy and memory into an almost seamless fabric to dizzying and poetic effect.
Buy or rent it: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B004H0M34A
Filmies says: “Who doesn’t love a good cleaver-weilding chemist movie?”
Rin: Daughters of Mnemosyne: The Complete Series (Classic)
Directed by Christopher Bevins
Funimation: Anime
Promotional Notes: Rin Asogi is an immortal private detective with a thirst for vodka and a talent for attracting things that go bump in the night. In a series of nightmarish vignettes spanning sixty-five years, Rin’s lush body is sadistically pierced, blown up, and mulched to a bloody pulp. The fiend behind her tortured existence is Apos, an eternal being obsessed with sacrificing Rin to Yggdrasil, the tree of all life. While Rin struggles to unravel the secrets of her endless agony, Apos lurks in the shadows, eager to tear into her ripe body and devour the memories of her countless lives. Rin’s no stranger to the realm of the dead, but her next visit could last forever.
Buy or rent it: http://blog.funimation.com/release-schedule/
Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple - Season Two
Directed by Monica Rial
Funimation: Anime
Promotional Notes: Kenichi’s a lot tougher than he used to be – living in a dojo with six martial arts masters will do that to you. But thanks to his reputation as a skilled fighter, the guy’s got more problems than ever.
The goons in Ragnarok are gunning for him in a big way, especially the gang’s leaders: the Eight Fists, a dangerously unpredictable crew known to play dirty. Luckily, Kenichi’s got allies like Miu by his side. She’s as tough as she is hot, and even if he still hasn’t scored with the blonde brawler, her very presence makes Kenichi train harder to be the best. Yeah, he’s come a long way – but Kenichi’s fight to be the mightiest disciple isn’t over yet.
Buy or rent it: http://blog.funimation.com/release-schedule/
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Dubai Festival Focuses on German Film & Financing
In addition to showcasing contemporary German cinema and talent, the In Focus: Germany presentation will also introduce German producers, distributors, sales agents, studios, scouts, festivals and development agencies to their counterparts in Dubai and the wider Arab world.
“German organizations, producers and investors from The World Cinema Fund to ZDF/Arte have long supported filmmakers from around the Arab world through co-productions, funding, broadcast and knowledge sharing, and this year’s DIFF focus is both a recognition of their valuable support and an effort to boost these collaborations,” said DIFF Managing Director Shivani Pandya said in a release.
Read the full release here.
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