Sean’s Suggestions: New York Asian Film Festival
Editor’s Note: My long time friend and fellow Asian cinema fanboy Sean sent me this wonderful email giving his critique on the upcoming New York Asian Film Festival:
Films I’d Like to See
Accuracy of Death: All I have to say is “death and his telepathic dog” – Sold!
Dainipponjin, aka Big Man Japan: Okay, as someone who grew up watching Godzilla movies this fake documentary about a bumbling super guy who fights Tokyo’s giant monsters appeals to me.
Dead Time: Kala: Okay, more than one person has compared this film to Dark City a film which I think had such great unrealized potential! I will go see it just for that fact.
L: Change the World: I’ll admit it, I saw both Death-note films and thought they were okay made for TV movies (but they weren’t made for TV), and a result I am interested in seeing this film which is part of the Death-note Phenomena…
Love On Sunday: So this one looks like a chick-flick but it’s directed by former soft-porn director Ryuichi Hiroki. I saw his first “commercial” film Vibrator (named for the fact that the protagonist leaves her cell phone on vibrate, but also a reference to her depressed feelings of no one being able to ‘hear’ her – so get you minds out of the gutter!) and very VERY impressed, plus the reviewer compares it to a John Hughes film. For those reasons I am willing to face what appears to be a chick-flick.
Mad Detective: Sounds like TV show House meets a HK gangster film!
Sukiyaki Western Django: I know it’s not going to be good, but there has been so much hype over Miike’s Japanese Western costarring… Quentin Tarantino in his first Japanese acting roll, my curiosity has gotten the best of me.
This World Of Ours: The review of this film really piques my interest. A manifesto written by a hikikomori (literally an anti-social individual who locks themselves in their room and won’t come out) ! How can I pass it up?
Films I’ve Already Seen
Arch Angels: Pretty bad!
Dororo: Boring! Don’t remember if I made it all the way to the end…
Strawberry Shortcakes: Hear really great things about this film. Downloaded it a few years ago but never go around to watchin it. Now that I am reminded I will find it and watch it on my big screen at home.
Films I Don’t Want to See
Chanbara Beauty (OneChanbara): I know, take a cute Japanese girl in a bikini and cowboy hat, give her samurai swords and let her loose on an army of zombies… sounds like the recipe for a can’t miss movie, unfortunately I have seen the trailer and it looks like the whole budget on the movie was spent on the bikini model and her costume.
Tokyo Gore Police : Okay, stars that actress from the excellent film Audition, after seeing that film the very sound of her voice gives me nightmares! It I was like 30 years younger the cheesy effects and blood an gore might appeal to me, but I’m not.
You can find tickets for the festival here, and the schedule here.