Japanese Star Masahiro Nakai Announced His Retirement from the Entertainment Industry

©Courtesy of Angora Masahiro Nakai, who is best known for being a TV personality and a former member of the boy band, SMAP, announced his retirement from the entertainment industry on Jan 23. He made a document available on his paid membership site, “I, Masahiro Nakai, will retire from entertainment activities starting today. As for…

The Colors Within Demonstrates the Advantages Offered by Animation to Depict Keenly Humanist Dramas

©Courtesy of GKIDS Honestly, in recent years, Japanese anime has delivered some of the smartest and most realistic on-screen depictions of teenagers. Amongst filmmakers of any variety, few represent teen life with as much sensitivity as Naoko Yamada. She addressed school bullying in A Silent Voice : The Movie and young love in Tamako Love…

Kakao Entertainment Is Developing Live-Action Version of the ‘Solo Leveling’ Anime

©Courtesy of Crunchyroll Kakao Entertainment is developing a live-action film based on the recent Crunchyroll anime Solo Leveling. The production, based on the South Korean novel by Chugong, had earlier been adapted into a webtoon and an anime television series, also spawning video games. The project is still in the early development stage, so no further…

Japanese Star Masahiro Nakai Announced His Retirement from the Entertainment Industry

©Courtesy of Angora Masahiro Nakai, who is best known for being a TV personality and a former member of the boy band, SMAP, announced his retirement from the entertainment industry on Jan 23. He made a document available on his paid membership site, “I, Masahiro Nakai, will retire from entertainment activities starting today. As for…

Kakao Entertainment Is Developing Live-Action Version of the ‘Solo Leveling’ Anime

©Courtesy of Crunchyroll Kakao Entertainment is developing a live-action film based on the recent Crunchyroll anime Solo Leveling. The production, based on the South Korean novel by Chugong, had earlier been adapted into a webtoon and an anime television series, also spawning video games. The project is still in the early development stage, so no further…

Director Chris Columbus Endorses HBO Adaptation of Harry Potter Series

©Courtesy of Warner Brothers Chris Columbus, who directed two of the Harry Potter films, thinks that HBO’s upcoming plans to adapt the movies for a televised series would be a “spectacular idea.”In a recent interview with People magazine, Columbus was quoted as saying “I think it’s a spectacular idea, because there’s a certain restriction when…

‘I’m Still Here’ Stars Fernanda Torres, Selton Mello on Walter Salles’ Brazilian Drama (Video Interviews)

Walter Salles’ I’m Still Here has been making waves both in his home country of Brazil, where it’s been a massive box office hit, and across the world, where it’s already been shortlisted for the Oscars’ International Feature category. The film’s star, Fernanda Torres, even won a Golden Globe for her performance a few weeks…

‘Wicked’ : Q &A with Cynthia Erivo Moderated by Jessica Chastain

@Courtesy of Universal Pictures Wicked : Wicked, the untold story of the witches of Oz, stars Emmy, Grammy and Tony winning powerhouse Cynthia Erivo (Harriet, Broadway’s The Color Purple) as Elphaba, a young woman, misunderstood because of her unusual green skin, who has yet to discover her true power, and Grammy-winning, multi-platinum recording artist and…

‘Wolf Man’ : Exclusive Interview with Director Leigh Whannell

After co-creating hugely popular horror franchises, “Saw” and “Insidious,” Australian-born Leigh Whannell eventually started directing himself, first with Insidious: Chapter 3 in 2005, then his original sci-fi thriller Upgrade. In 2020, Whannell’s The Invisible Man, starring Elisabeth Moss, a very different take on the classic Universal monster. Now, Whannell is back with Wolf Man, a…

The Colors Within Demonstrates the Advantages Offered by Animation to Depict Keenly Humanist Dramas

©Courtesy of GKIDS Honestly, in recent years, Japanese anime has delivered some of the smartest and most realistic on-screen depictions of teenagers. Amongst filmmakers of any variety, few represent teen life with as much sensitivity as Naoko Yamada. She addressed school bullying in A Silent Voice : The Movie and young love in Tamako Love…

”Back in Action” is Family-Friendly & Easy-Going Entertainment

©Courtesy of Netflix  Don’t call Emily and Matt “Boomers.” They insist they are Gen X. That makes sense, considering Gen X’ers’ reputation for adaptability and (unlike other blabbermouth generational cohorts) an inclination to keep their secrets just that—secret. Those are all good traits for successful spies, which, in fact, Emily and Matt once were. Now…

Wish You Were Here is a Melancholic Rom-Com From First-Time Director Julia Stiles

©Courtesy of Lionsgate Abandoning the disappointments of mundane life to instead pursue the excitement of true love can be an equally exhilarating and disheartening journey. Actress Isabelle Fuhrman’s protagonist of Charlotte in the relatable new romantic comedy, Wish You Were Here, effortlessly highlights that rite of passage. After the character’s seemingly perfect first date ends…

Mickey 17 | Official Trailer 2 : Starring Robert Pattinson, Directed By Bong Joon Ho

©Courtesy of Warner Brothers Warner brothers has dropped a new trailer for a highly anticipated film, “Mickey 17” which is from the Academy Award-winning writer/director of “Parasite,” Bong Joon Ho, comes his next groundbreaking cinematic experience, “Mickey 17.” The unlikely hero, Mickey Barnes (Robert Pattinson) has found himself in the extraordinary circumstance of working for…

THE MONKEY – Official Redband Trailer – In Theaters February 21

©Courtesy of Neon Neon has released a new red-band trailer for Osgood ‘Oz’ Perkins’ ‘The Monkey‘, which is based on Stephen King’s 1980 short story of the same name. The film is based on Stephen King’s short story, and will feature Theo James as the twin brothers Hal and Bill, who find their father’s old…

The Alto Knights | Official Trailer : Starring Robert De Niro

©Courtesy of Warner Brothers Warner Brothers has dropped a new trailer for Barry Levinson‘s upcoming gangster film “The Alto Knights” has an Oscar-winning star in Robert De Niro. De Niro plays both Vito Genovese and Frank Costello, the real-life mafia leaders of New York’s Genovese crime family in a double role. Alongside De Niro, the…

Japan Society Announces Obayashi ’80s: The Onomichi Trilogy & Kadokawa Years

Japan Society announce Obayashi ’80s: The Onomichi Trilogy & Kadokawa Years, running February 7-14, 2025. The teenage symphonies of Nobuhiko Obayashi (1938-2020) are wound in a melancholy nostalgia for a period indelibly lost to time, neatly occupying the inexpressible gap between adolescence and adulthood. Woven through visually expressive fantasias with striking formal experimentation and pop-art boldness, Obayashi’s idiosyncratic…

2025 Sundance Film Festival Full Program Lineup Announcement!

©Courtesy of Sundance Institute  Today the nonprofit Sundance Institute announced the 87 feature films and six episodic projects selected for the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, revealing a lineup full of bold independent storytelling. The Festival will take place from January 23–February 2, 2025, in person in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah, with all of the…

Chicago Japan Film Collective : Check Out the Line Up and Get Discounts For Online Streaming!

Chicago Japan Film Collective Website: https://cjfc.us Inquiries: contact@cjfc.us Discount code: CJFC2024GST Available: Until November 24th, 19:00 Chicago time Discounts:: $2 off (can be used multiple times) Applicable to: 9 individual films and/or festival pass 99% Cloudy… Always/99%、いつも曇り [SANGOUMI Midori | Drama, Family | Japan | 2023 | 110 min. | International Premiere | (c)35 Films Parks] *Tanabe…

Sakamoto Days Has a Knack for Warming Hearts While Kicking Backsides

©Courtesy of Netflix  Trying to rob Taro Sakamoto’s convenience store would be a very bad idea. He is older and pudgier than he was in his prime, but the retired assassin’s skills and reflexes remain lethally sharp. Sakamoto went legit to marry the love of his life, but he can still administer a heck of…

‘Asura,’ Kore-eda’s Series Portrays The Variegation Of Sisterhood

©Courtesy of Netflix If in the Western hemisphere Louisa May Alcott described sisterhood through her 19th century novel Little Women — and its sequels Good Wives, Little Men and Jo’s Boys — in the Eastern part of the world, a compelling TV series delves into the intricacies of female siblings. Asura is the new Netflix…

Squid Game S2 : An Addictive K-Drama Takes You on a Wide Ride

©Courtesy of Netflix  Repeat championships are rare in most legitimate sports, but that is especially true for this secret life-and-death game. As fans of the 2021 Korean streaming phenomenon well remember, Seong Gi-hun was the only survivor from a field of 456 contestants when he first played. Seong had no desire for a rematch, but…