The Boy and the Heron Movie Review Rating:
Star Cast: Soma Santoki, Masaki Suda, Ko Shibasaki, Aimyon, and Yoshino Kimura
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
The Boy and the Heron Movie Review ( Photo Credit – IMDb )
What’s Good: The film’s animation is breathtaking, proving that classic 2D animation still has space on the big screen.
What’s Bad: The film’s story can get confusing sometimes, and many audience members will only know what is happening if they pay full attention.
Loo Break: No loo breaks for this one. The film asks for your full attention as you need to decipher its symbolism to give meaning to the film.
Watch or Not?: Yes, this could be Miyazaki’s last film and needs to be watched on the big screen.
Language: Japanese (with subtitles)
Available On: Theaters
Runtime: 124 Minutes
User Rating:
Hayao Miyazaki’s career has been one of the most...
Star Cast: Soma Santoki, Masaki Suda, Ko Shibasaki, Aimyon, and Yoshino Kimura
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
The Boy and the Heron Movie Review ( Photo Credit – IMDb )
What’s Good: The film’s animation is breathtaking, proving that classic 2D animation still has space on the big screen.
What’s Bad: The film’s story can get confusing sometimes, and many audience members will only know what is happening if they pay full attention.
Loo Break: No loo breaks for this one. The film asks for your full attention as you need to decipher its symbolism to give meaning to the film.
Watch or Not?: Yes, this could be Miyazaki’s last film and needs to be watched on the big screen.
Language: Japanese (with subtitles)
Available On: Theaters
Runtime: 124 Minutes
User Rating:
Hayao Miyazaki’s career has been one of the most...
- 5/10/2024
- by Nelson Acosta
- KoiMoi
Safe to say few movies this year engender more excitement than Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s Serpent’s Path, a remake of his superb, bad-vibes 1998 thriller. Though an expected Cannes debut didn’t come to pass, the film releases in France on June 14; we now have a trailer that shows the known cast members with the pleasant surprise of Drive My Car‘s Hidetoshi Nishijima, and though enthusiasts of the original will spot bare bones of its revenge plot, quick shots imply scenes and scenarios not in Kurosawa’s original. News of U.S. acquisition already feels overdue.
Here’s the synopsis: “An intense desire for revenge fills Albert Bacheret: his daughter Marie. This father, exalted by violence, joins forces with Sayoko, to find and kill the culprits one by one. But at the same time, Sayoko leads her own mission of revenge which risks turning against Albert at any moment… Sayoko Mijima,...
Here’s the synopsis: “An intense desire for revenge fills Albert Bacheret: his daughter Marie. This father, exalted by violence, joins forces with Sayoko, to find and kill the culprits one by one. But at the same time, Sayoko leads her own mission of revenge which risks turning against Albert at any moment… Sayoko Mijima,...
- 4/19/2024
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
Update: the first poster for and a new image from Serpent’s Path are below, courtesy Cinefil, which lists the French release date as June 14. Sounds like a Cannes premiere to us!
Few directors loom over 2024 like Kiyoshi Kurosawa, who’s expected to debut two films these next twelve months. We just learned of Chime, a genre-bending Japanese feature, and for some time have anticipated Serpent’s Path, a remake of his (fantastic) 1998 horror thriller that’s set to star Damien Bonnard and Ko Shibasaki (The Boy and the Heron). Today brings a major update courtesy the financier Tax Shelter, who’ve shared three stills featuring Mathieu Amalric (previously of Kurosawa’s Daguerrotype) and Claire Denis regular Grégoire Colin, while further digging has revealed the involvement of Michaël Vander-Meiren.
Though it had been reported this new Serpent’s Path (perhaps officially subtitled La vengeance du serpent) would be female-led, Tax Shelter’s synopsis...
Few directors loom over 2024 like Kiyoshi Kurosawa, who’s expected to debut two films these next twelve months. We just learned of Chime, a genre-bending Japanese feature, and for some time have anticipated Serpent’s Path, a remake of his (fantastic) 1998 horror thriller that’s set to star Damien Bonnard and Ko Shibasaki (The Boy and the Heron). Today brings a major update courtesy the financier Tax Shelter, who’ve shared three stills featuring Mathieu Amalric (previously of Kurosawa’s Daguerrotype) and Claire Denis regular Grégoire Colin, while further digging has revealed the involvement of Michaël Vander-Meiren.
Though it had been reported this new Serpent’s Path (perhaps officially subtitled La vengeance du serpent) would be female-led, Tax Shelter’s synopsis...
- 3/20/2024
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
Look out, Hong Sangsoo. Your distinction as the most prolific director working today is being challenged. It’s been nearly four years since Kiyoshi Kurosawa last released a film with 2020’s Wife of a Spy, but in 2024, the Japanese director will make up for lost time, premiering a trio of new films.
As featured in our 2024 preview, he remade his own film with Serpent’s Path, starring Damien Bonnard, Mathieu Amalric, Grégoire Colin, and Ko Shibasaki. Before that feature sets its premiere, his 45-minute thriller Chime will debut at Berlinale this month. Now, a third 2024 film has been unveiled with Cloud.
Screen Daily reports he’s already finished shooting the project, with the first still featured above, and is in the editing process with a Japanese release planned for this September. Backed by Nikkatsu Corporation and Tokyo Theatres Company Inc., the Kurosawa-scripted project stars The Boy and the Heron‘s Masaki Suda as Ryosuke Yoshii,...
As featured in our 2024 preview, he remade his own film with Serpent’s Path, starring Damien Bonnard, Mathieu Amalric, Grégoire Colin, and Ko Shibasaki. Before that feature sets its premiere, his 45-minute thriller Chime will debut at Berlinale this month. Now, a third 2024 film has been unveiled with Cloud.
Screen Daily reports he’s already finished shooting the project, with the first still featured above, and is in the editing process with a Japanese release planned for this September. Backed by Nikkatsu Corporation and Tokyo Theatres Company Inc., the Kurosawa-scripted project stars The Boy and the Heron‘s Masaki Suda as Ryosuke Yoshii,...
- 2/13/2024
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Japanese auteur Kiyoshi Kurosawa, who won best director at Venice in 2020 with Wife Of A Spy, is working on a new suspense thriller titled Cloud, which will be introduced to buyers at the EFM by Japanese studio Nikkatsu Corporation.
The feature is in post-production with a Japanese release set for September 2024. A first look at the film can be seen above.
Written by Kurosawa, the story centres on Ryosuke Yoshii, an enigmatic young man who tries to make money by reselling shrewdly obtained goods on the internet under the pseudonym ‘Ratel’.
The film stars Masaki Suda, who won best actor...
The feature is in post-production with a Japanese release set for September 2024. A first look at the film can be seen above.
Written by Kurosawa, the story centres on Ryosuke Yoshii, an enigmatic young man who tries to make money by reselling shrewdly obtained goods on the internet under the pseudonym ‘Ratel’.
The film stars Masaki Suda, who won best actor...
- 2/12/2024
- ScreenDaily
The film marks the first original feature produced by the Japanese media platform.
Chime, the upcoming film from Japanese auteur Kiyoshi Kurosawa, has been set as the first original production of media platform Roadstead and will be released exclusively on the platform in 2024.
Kurosawa, who won best director at Venice in 2020 with Wife Of A Spy, shot the film in September in Tokyo. It stars Mutsuo Yoshioka as a schoolteacher whose life is disrupted by a chime that brings with it an increasing sense of dread.
It marks the first film produced by Roadstead, a media platform that was launched in December 2022 by Nekojarashi,...
Chime, the upcoming film from Japanese auteur Kiyoshi Kurosawa, has been set as the first original production of media platform Roadstead and will be released exclusively on the platform in 2024.
Kurosawa, who won best director at Venice in 2020 with Wife Of A Spy, shot the film in September in Tokyo. It stars Mutsuo Yoshioka as a schoolteacher whose life is disrupted by a chime that brings with it an increasing sense of dread.
It marks the first film produced by Roadstead, a media platform that was launched in December 2022 by Nekojarashi,...
- 12/18/2023
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
Acclaimed filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki’s Japanese film The Boy and the Heron flew to a record-breaking $12.8 million opening, making it the first original anime title in history to top the North American box office chart.
The whimsical movie — which earned Miyazaki his first Golden Globe nomination on Monday — wisely chose to open on a weekend when there were no new wide releases from the major Hollywood studios. The first and second weekends of December are generally quiet as the studios prepare to unwrap their big Christmas films.
This year, the holiday action gets underway in earnest next weekend when Warner Bros. opens Wonka, although it debuted in select markets overseas this weekend to a very promising $43.2 million from 37 markets, enough to rank No. 1 on the weekend global weekend chart.
The Boy and the Heron shattered other records as well, including already becoming Miyazaki’s top-grossing film domestically after earning $5.6 million on Friday from 2,205 theaters,...
The whimsical movie — which earned Miyazaki his first Golden Globe nomination on Monday — wisely chose to open on a weekend when there were no new wide releases from the major Hollywood studios. The first and second weekends of December are generally quiet as the studios prepare to unwrap their big Christmas films.
This year, the holiday action gets underway in earnest next weekend when Warner Bros. opens Wonka, although it debuted in select markets overseas this weekend to a very promising $43.2 million from 37 markets, enough to rank No. 1 on the weekend global weekend chart.
The Boy and the Heron shattered other records as well, including already becoming Miyazaki’s top-grossing film domestically after earning $5.6 million on Friday from 2,205 theaters,...
- 12/10/2023
- by Pamela McClintock
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Plot: After his mother dies during WW2, a young Japanese boy, Mahito Maki (Soma Santoki), is sent to live with his Aunt, Natsuko (Yoshino Kimura), with whom his munitions factory owner father is trying to start a new family. Traumatized by the death of his mother and struggling to accept his circumstances, Mahito finds himself lured into a fantasy world out of time and space by an antagonistic grey Heron (Masaki Suda). As Mahito struggles to make sense of the new macrocosm, he ends a vicious cycle of generational trauma, ultimately making peace with his new surroundings by accepting the winds of change.
Review: As an animation enthusiast, few cinematic pleasures are more anticipated than experiencing another potential masterpiece from the “Godfather of Anime,” Hayao Miyazaki. The co-founder of Studio Ghibli is responsible for some of animation’s greatest treasures, including Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, My Neighbor Totoro, Howl’s Moving Castle,...
Review: As an animation enthusiast, few cinematic pleasures are more anticipated than experiencing another potential masterpiece from the “Godfather of Anime,” Hayao Miyazaki. The co-founder of Studio Ghibli is responsible for some of animation’s greatest treasures, including Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, My Neighbor Totoro, Howl’s Moving Castle,...
- 12/9/2023
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
Clockwise from bottom left: The Color Purple (Warner Bros.), Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom (Warner Bros.), Ferrari (Neon), and Wonka (Warner Bros.)Graphic: The A.V. Club
December has always been one of the most important moviegoing months of the year; you’ve got all the prestige pics competing for Oscar nominations,...
December has always been one of the most important moviegoing months of the year; you’ve got all the prestige pics competing for Oscar nominations,...
- 11/27/2023
- by Jen Lennon, Matt Schimkowitz, Ian Spelling, Luke Y. Thompson, and Phil Pirrello
- avclub.com
Late in the freewheeling action of The Boy and the Heron (Kimitachi wa Do Ikiruka), the director’s young stand-in returns to the realm of the living after encountering an ancestor who gives him a handful of stones, instructing him to build a tower with them every three days to create a world of beauty and balance, free from malice. That’s as apt a summation as any of what 82-year-old anime master Hayao Miyazaki has been doing throughout his celebrated six-decade career as a consummate artist and a storyteller of unfettered imagination.
Miyazaki’s first feature in 10 years follows 2013’s The Wind Rises, a project that was announced at the time as the legendary animator’s farewell. That film’s elegiac tone and inspiring themes of molding dreams into reality and choosing creation over violence and destruction made it a fitting swan song.
But Miyazaki clearly was not done weaving his phantasmagorical worlds.
Miyazaki’s first feature in 10 years follows 2013’s The Wind Rises, a project that was announced at the time as the legendary animator’s farewell. That film’s elegiac tone and inspiring themes of molding dreams into reality and choosing creation over violence and destruction made it a fitting swan song.
But Miyazaki clearly was not done weaving his phantasmagorical worlds.
- 9/8/2023
- by David Rooney
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The great Miyazaki is back!! GKids has revealed a short teaser trailer for The Boy and the Heron, the new feature film from the iconic filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki. This is his 12th feature film, and his latest since The Wind Rises in 2013. After opening in Japan in July, the film is premiering at the 2023 Toronto Film Festival this week with a big theatrical release planned this fall. "A young boy named Mahito yearning for his mother ventures into a world shared by the living and the dead. There, death comes to an end, and life finds a new beginning. A semi-autobiographical fantasy about life, death, and creation, in tribute to friendship, from the mind of Hayao Miyazaki." With an original score by Joe Hisaishi. Described as a "big fantastical film", it follows a boy who discovers an abandoned tower in his new town and enters a fantastical world with a talking grey heron.
- 9/6/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Studio Ghibli has pulled back the curtain on Hayao Miyazaki’s animated fantasy epic “The Boy and the Heron,” the director’s first feature since his 2013 drama “The Wind Rises.” The movie will get a U.S. theatrical release on Dec. 8.
After playing in Japan, the film is now set to open the Toronto International Film Festival — the first animated or Japanese film to do so. It will also screen at the New York Film Festival. “The Boy and the Heron’s” release in Japan came with conspicuously little promotional material, an effort to maintain an air of secrecy around the enigmatic film. The only image of the movie before its Japanese release was of a mysterious heron, and the new trailer marks the first official footage released publicly to audiences.
The film has grossed $52.5 million to date in Japan, eight weeks into its theatrical run. That makes it Studio...
After playing in Japan, the film is now set to open the Toronto International Film Festival — the first animated or Japanese film to do so. It will also screen at the New York Film Festival. “The Boy and the Heron’s” release in Japan came with conspicuously little promotional material, an effort to maintain an air of secrecy around the enigmatic film. The only image of the movie before its Japanese release was of a mysterious heron, and the new trailer marks the first official footage released publicly to audiences.
The film has grossed $52.5 million to date in Japan, eight weeks into its theatrical run. That makes it Studio...
- 9/6/2023
- by Jaden Thompson
- Variety Film + TV
Garrel denies all of the accusations that were published in Mediapart.
French New Wave filmmaker and 2023 Berlin Silver Bear-winning director Philippe Garrel has been accused of sexual assault by several women with whom he has worked in his films.
In an investigation conducted by France’s Mediapart, Anna Mouglalis and Clotilde Hesme are among five actresses who allege the 75 year-old director made unwanted advances or offered roles in exchange for sexual favours, all in a professional context.
Garrel maintains his innocence and no official charges have been filed in French courts
The director told Mediapart he has “never kissed a...
French New Wave filmmaker and 2023 Berlin Silver Bear-winning director Philippe Garrel has been accused of sexual assault by several women with whom he has worked in his films.
In an investigation conducted by France’s Mediapart, Anna Mouglalis and Clotilde Hesme are among five actresses who allege the 75 year-old director made unwanted advances or offered roles in exchange for sexual favours, all in a professional context.
Garrel maintains his innocence and no official charges have been filed in French courts
The director told Mediapart he has “never kissed a...
- 8/30/2023
- by Rebecca Leffler
- ScreenDaily
There is, really, just one absence that slightly dampens the stellar fall festivals. This April it was announced that Kiyoshi Kurosawa would remake his great 1998 feature Serpent’s Path in Paris, with Damien Bonnard in a leading role, and excitement for which I think explains itself. Despite the director’s typically fast production time, it became evident we’d have to wait until 2024––now confirmed by Screen Daily in a story offering our first (and above) look at the film.
Contained therein is revelation that this new Serpent’s Path, despite featuring Bonnard, is instead carried by a female protagonist––played by Ko Shibasaki, soon to be heard in Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron––though no word on whether this much changes the basic plot structure. (Original writer Hiroshi Takahashi is credited with script.)
Any waiting and changes notwithstanding, there’s solid precedent for what the film might offer.
Contained therein is revelation that this new Serpent’s Path, despite featuring Bonnard, is instead carried by a female protagonist––played by Ko Shibasaki, soon to be heard in Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron––though no word on whether this much changes the basic plot structure. (Original writer Hiroshi Takahashi is credited with script.)
Any waiting and changes notwithstanding, there’s solid precedent for what the film might offer.
- 8/30/2023
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
Art House Films has taken distribution rights for France.
Japanese filmmaker Kiyoshi Kurosawa, who won best director at Venice in 2020 with Wife Of A Spy, has wrapped shooting French thriller Serpent’s Path starring Ko Shibasaki and Damien Bonnard.
The film, now in post-production, is an adaptation of Kurosawa’s 1998 Japanese feature of the same name, in which a man enlists a friend to help him exact revenge upon his daughter’s murderer. The original was written by Hiroshi Takahashi, co-writer of iconic horror Ring, and starred Teruyuki Kagawa and Show Aikawa.
In the French-language remake, the main character is...
Japanese filmmaker Kiyoshi Kurosawa, who won best director at Venice in 2020 with Wife Of A Spy, has wrapped shooting French thriller Serpent’s Path starring Ko Shibasaki and Damien Bonnard.
The film, now in post-production, is an adaptation of Kurosawa’s 1998 Japanese feature of the same name, in which a man enlists a friend to help him exact revenge upon his daughter’s murderer. The original was written by Hiroshi Takahashi, co-writer of iconic horror Ring, and starred Teruyuki Kagawa and Show Aikawa.
In the French-language remake, the main character is...
- 8/30/2023
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
Ryuhei Kitamura has had a rather interesting career. Starting with some of the cult titles of the 00s, including “Versus”, “Azumi” and “LoveDeath”, he then shot a Godzilla and a “Lupin The Third” film, then he moved to Hollywood to shoot films with Ruby Rose and Jean Reno among others, and now he is back with “Three Sisters of Tenmasou”, a manga adaptation that shows his most sensitive side as of now.
Three Sisters of Tenmasou is screening at Japan Cuts
The particular manga is “Tenmasou no Sanshimai: Sky High” by Tsutomu Takahashi (published from 2013 to 2014 by Young Jump Comics) and revolves around the said inn, a quaint out-of-time place in the small port town of Mitsuse. The establishment functions as a stopping point for people on the verge of death to decide if they want to return to the world of the living, where they are in a coma from an accident or illness,...
Three Sisters of Tenmasou is screening at Japan Cuts
The particular manga is “Tenmasou no Sanshimai: Sky High” by Tsutomu Takahashi (published from 2013 to 2014 by Young Jump Comics) and revolves around the said inn, a quaint out-of-time place in the small port town of Mitsuse. The establishment functions as a stopping point for people on the verge of death to decide if they want to return to the world of the living, where they are in a coma from an accident or illness,...
- 7/31/2023
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Reincarnation is the central topic o Ryuchi Hiroki's drama “Phases of The Moon” that has just had its European premiere at far East Film Festival in Udine. Based on the bestselling novel by Shogo Sato, the script follows the aftermath of a big family tragedy, and one man's attempt to come to terms with it.
“Phases of the Moon” is screening at Udine Far East Film Festival
What happens when someone dies has been one of the most explored questions since the birth of religions. Some believe in heavens and hells, others in reincarnation, and an increasingly large number of people, in plain unison of decomposing bodies in nature. Which one of many presumption's is true is left to each one of us to fathom once we meet our end. If Hiroki was asked, he would chose both reincarnation and John Lenon's music to prove his point.
Kei (Yo Oizumi...
“Phases of the Moon” is screening at Udine Far East Film Festival
What happens when someone dies has been one of the most explored questions since the birth of religions. Some believe in heavens and hells, others in reincarnation, and an increasingly large number of people, in plain unison of decomposing bodies in nature. Which one of many presumption's is true is left to each one of us to fathom once we meet our end. If Hiroki was asked, he would chose both reincarnation and John Lenon's music to prove his point.
Kei (Yo Oizumi...
- 4/29/2023
- by Marina D. Richter
- AsianMoviePulse
Similar to other cultures, the Japanese one has its fair share of coming-of-age-stories, as they make up a majority of the books and movies coming out each year. However, with this high number, it is impossible to have some kind of oversight and thus discover those which truly stand out, especially since the themes, characters and aesthetics are very similar, with many Japanese productions also trying to mimic European arthouse-cinema as we have discussed here on Amp. In 2001, director Isao Yukisada successfully diverted from this formula with “Go”, which tells the story of a teenager trying to find his way in life, but also his identity within Japan and its trends towards conformity and obedience. The feature, which became Japan's entry for the Oscars the same year, may be a true (re-) discovery for many cinephiles and critics as its observations and treatment of the aforementioned topics is still quite...
- 4/6/2023
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
Probably the most “serious” film Miike has shot lately among the raving madness of productions like “The Mole Song” and “Yakuza Apocalypse”, “Over Your Dead Body” stands apart for two other reasons. The protagonist is the famous kabuki actor Ichikawa Ebizo XI, and the script is based on the quintessential Japanese horror tale of “The Ghost Story of Yotsuya” (Yotsuya Kaidan), although Miike’s style had a definite say in the final outcome.
The film follows a theatre troupe as they rehearse a play where a samurai seduces a woman and then murders her disapproving father, in order to inherit his estate. However, when he is offered the granddaughter of another wealthy man, his true colors are disclosed to his wife, who eventually returns as a ghost to hunt him. In actual life within the movie, the female star of the film named Miyuki Goto has pulled...
The film follows a theatre troupe as they rehearse a play where a samurai seduces a woman and then murders her disapproving father, in order to inherit his estate. However, when he is offered the granddaughter of another wealthy man, his true colors are disclosed to his wife, who eventually returns as a ghost to hunt him. In actual life within the movie, the female star of the film named Miyuki Goto has pulled...
- 7/29/2021
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Exclusive: Lucifer actress Aimee Garcia and New York Times bestselling author Aj Mendez have been brought on to pen the upcoming untitled 47 Ronin sequel for Universal 1440 Entertainment. The action-fantasy pic, which is being directed by Mulan‘s Ron Yuan as we first told you, is the follow to the 2013 Universal Keanu Reeves movie which grossed over $151M WW.
The original film was directed by Carl Rinsch and written by Chris Morgan and Hossein Amini from a story conceived by Morgan and Walter Hamada. Also starring in that pic were Hiroyuki Sanada, Tadanobu Asano, Rinko Kikuchi and Ko Shibasaki. Based on Chūshingura, 47 Ronin tells a fictionalized account of the titular 47 rōnin, a real-life group of samurai in the 18th century who set out to avenge the death of their master who was killed by a merciless shogun.
“Aj and I are excited to write a diverse and inclusive action film,...
The original film was directed by Carl Rinsch and written by Chris Morgan and Hossein Amini from a story conceived by Morgan and Walter Hamada. Also starring in that pic were Hiroyuki Sanada, Tadanobu Asano, Rinko Kikuchi and Ko Shibasaki. Based on Chūshingura, 47 Ronin tells a fictionalized account of the titular 47 rōnin, a real-life group of samurai in the 18th century who set out to avenge the death of their master who was killed by a merciless shogun.
“Aj and I are excited to write a diverse and inclusive action film,...
- 4/20/2021
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Mulan actor Ron Yuan will sit in the director’s chair for the upcoming untitled 47 Ronin sequel. The action-fantasy pic will be produced by Universal 1440 Entertainment, a production entity of Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.
“I’m incredibly excited to be working with Universal and the producing team on this genre-blending, martial arts, action, horror and cyber-punk film,” said Yuan. “This will be a fun, intense, supercharged thrill ride for viewers globally.”
The original film was directed by Carl Rinsch and written by Chris Morgan and Hossein Amini from a story conceived by Morgan and Walter Hamada. Keanu Reeves, Hiroyuki Sanada, Tadanobu Asano, Rinko Kikuchi and Ko Shibasaki starred in 47 Ronin, which was based on Chūshingura. The pic tells a fictionalized account of the titular 47 rōnin, a real-life group of samurai in the 18th century who set out to avenge the death of their master who was killed by a merciless shogun.
“I’m incredibly excited to be working with Universal and the producing team on this genre-blending, martial arts, action, horror and cyber-punk film,” said Yuan. “This will be a fun, intense, supercharged thrill ride for viewers globally.”
The original film was directed by Carl Rinsch and written by Chris Morgan and Hossein Amini from a story conceived by Morgan and Walter Hamada. Keanu Reeves, Hiroyuki Sanada, Tadanobu Asano, Rinko Kikuchi and Ko Shibasaki starred in 47 Ronin, which was based on Chūshingura. The pic tells a fictionalized account of the titular 47 rōnin, a real-life group of samurai in the 18th century who set out to avenge the death of their master who was killed by a merciless shogun.
- 8/12/2020
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
“Those Damned Robocalls!”
By Raymond Benson
The J-Horror phenomenon (the modern Japanese horror films that erupted in the late 1990s and continue to this day) enjoyed serious success and critical acclaim in its early period for bringing some originality to the horror genre in general. Motion pictures of the ilk are usually derived from ghost stories, Japanese folklore, and revenge tales, mixed with a modern sensibility, a dash of gruesomeness, and often a creepy dripping-wet ghost-girl (a yūrei) with long black hair covering her face coming to get you in your dreams or out of, say, a television set, in your waking hours.
In this case, the yūrei is Mimiko (played by Karen Oshima), a young girl who is probably between the age of ten and fifteen (it’s hard to tell). She is a spirit with the ability to manipulate your cell phone service and kill you with a voice message.
By Raymond Benson
The J-Horror phenomenon (the modern Japanese horror films that erupted in the late 1990s and continue to this day) enjoyed serious success and critical acclaim in its early period for bringing some originality to the horror genre in general. Motion pictures of the ilk are usually derived from ghost stories, Japanese folklore, and revenge tales, mixed with a modern sensibility, a dash of gruesomeness, and often a creepy dripping-wet ghost-girl (a yūrei) with long black hair covering her face coming to get you in your dreams or out of, say, a television set, in your waking hours.
In this case, the yūrei is Mimiko (played by Karen Oshima), a young girl who is probably between the age of ten and fifteen (it’s hard to tell). She is a spirit with the ability to manipulate your cell phone service and kill you with a voice message.
- 2/24/2020
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
The sequel to one of the most well-known J-horror franchises saw some major changes. Takashi Miike gave his stead to Renpei Tsukamoto, while the Taiwanese “flavour” of the new story also brought a change in the cast, with Ko Shibasaki, Shinichi Tsutsumi and Goro Kishitani giving their place to Rie Mimura, Asaka Seto and Peter Ho, with the only one retaining his place being Renji Ishibashi as officer Motomiya. Let us see how the new group fared.
Kindergarten teacher Kyoko and her friend Madoka visit the former’s boyfriend, Naoto, in the Chinese restaurant he works at. At the same time, Mr Wang, the owner, picks up his daughter’s phone and the “missed call curse” begins once again, ending up almost immediately to his death. Journalist Takako Nozoe, who has been following the story since the previous deaths, also gets involved in the case soon after the murder occurs,...
Kindergarten teacher Kyoko and her friend Madoka visit the former’s boyfriend, Naoto, in the Chinese restaurant he works at. At the same time, Mr Wang, the owner, picks up his daughter’s phone and the “missed call curse” begins once again, ending up almost immediately to his death. Journalist Takako Nozoe, who has been following the story since the previous deaths, also gets involved in the case soon after the murder occurs,...
- 2/8/2020
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
In February, Arrow Video send a wonderful Valentine to genre film fans, with a bells and whistles release of a classic J-horror trilogy.
The One Missed Call Trilogy- An iconic trilogy of J-horror films comes to Blu-ray for the first time! Tapping into the same brand of terror as the Ring and Grudge movies, visionary director Takashi Miike presents a modern, high-tech twist on that mainstay of Japanese folklore, the yurei or vengeful spirit, in the form of its own iconic antihero – the terrifying Mimiko.
In the first instalment in the trilogy, 2003’s One Missed Call, student Yoko receives a phone message from her future self, ending with her own death scream. Two days later, she dies in a horrific rail collision. As the mysterious phone curse spreads, claiming more young lives, Yoko’s friend Yumi joins forces with detective Hiroshi, whose sister met the same gruesome fate.
The One Missed Call Trilogy- An iconic trilogy of J-horror films comes to Blu-ray for the first time! Tapping into the same brand of terror as the Ring and Grudge movies, visionary director Takashi Miike presents a modern, high-tech twist on that mainstay of Japanese folklore, the yurei or vengeful spirit, in the form of its own iconic antihero – the terrifying Mimiko.
In the first instalment in the trilogy, 2003’s One Missed Call, student Yoko receives a phone message from her future self, ending with her own death scream. Two days later, she dies in a horrific rail collision. As the mysterious phone curse spreads, claiming more young lives, Yoko’s friend Yumi joins forces with detective Hiroshi, whose sister met the same gruesome fate.
- 12/1/2019
- by Rhythm Zaveri
- AsianMoviePulse
"You demon!" Shout Factory has debuted the official trailer for the upcoming Us release of Takashi Miike's Over Your Dead Body, a film he made in-between Shield of Straw and Yakuza Apocalypse (which just premiered at Cannes). This film premiered in Japan in 2014 and is just getting a release early in 2016, but if you're into trippy supernatural Japanese horror, give this a look. The story involves an actress and her lover cast in a play, caught between reality and fantasy on stage. It's apparently described as a "mixture of high and low art" reminiscent of Miike's Audition. Ko Shibasaki stars, with Hitomi Katayama, Hideaki Itô and Ebizô Ichikawa. The doll in this looks crazy creepy, as they do, but I'm not so sure about the rest of it. Here's the official Us trailer for Takashi Miike's film Over Your Dead Body, from ScreamFactoryTV: A beautiful actress (Kô Shibasaki...
- 10/30/2015
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
If Takashi Miike's zany "Yakuza Apocalypse" is still rattling around in your brain and you have an itch for more from the Japanese master, the good news is that another film is just around the corner. Having completed a lengthy run on the festival circuit, the director's "Over Your Dead Body" is gearing up to hit home video and VOD, and a full length trailer is here as a treat for Halloween. Read More: Fantasia Review: Takashi Miike's Enjoyably Wacky 'The Mole Song - Undercover Agent Keiji' Ebizo Ichikawa, Ko Shibasaki, Hideaki Ito, Miho Nakanishi, Maiko, Toshie Negishi, Hiroshi Katsuno and Ikko Furuya star in a movie where a kabuki theater sets the stage for a 200 year-old terror. Here's the official synopsis: A beautiful actress (Kô Shibasaki of 47 Ronin and Battle Royale) plays the protagonist in a new play based on a legendary ghost story. She pulls some...
- 10/29/2015
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
The August bank holiday weekend in London is always cause for celebration for horror fans as the FrightFest horror and genre film festival rolls into the city’s Leicester Square for four days of blood-spattered cinematic mayhem. This year saw the arrival of horror icon and star of Re-Animator and You’re Next, Barbara Crampton, as the Guest of Honour who starred in no less than five of the entries this year including festival favourite We Are Still Here. As always with film festivals it was a real mixed bag, with very few scares but a lot of laughs (some intentional, other not so much) as the filmmakers, many of them horror fans themselves, had a lot of fun playing with the tropes and clichés of the genre while others tried to put fresh new spins on some well-worn material. Here are a few of the highlights:
We Are Still Here...
We Are Still Here...
- 9/4/2015
- by Liam Dunn
- SoundOnSight
Stars: Ko Shibasaki, Hideaki Ito, Hitomi Katayama, Ebizo Ichikawa, Maiko, Toshie Negishi, Miho Nakanishi, Hiroshi Katsuno, Ikko Furuya | Written by Kikumi Yamagishi | Directed by Takashi Miike
Time to fess up: I don’t know all that much about Japanese folklore. Knowing the source material for an artwork that leans heavily on popular cultural institutions isn’t a requirement when viewing said art, mind. I was hardly aware of the Tale of the Bamboo Cutter before seeing The Tale of the Princess Kaguya earlier this year but still managed to be transfixed by the beauty and sweet melancholy of that particular story all the same – though I am sure extra nuggets of meaning could be sifted from that film were I to read up on its origins.
Unfortunately for Over Your Dead Body, the latest in a long line of brutal but thematically complex psychological horrors from controversial auteur Takashi Miike,...
Time to fess up: I don’t know all that much about Japanese folklore. Knowing the source material for an artwork that leans heavily on popular cultural institutions isn’t a requirement when viewing said art, mind. I was hardly aware of the Tale of the Bamboo Cutter before seeing The Tale of the Princess Kaguya earlier this year but still managed to be transfixed by the beauty and sweet melancholy of that particular story all the same – though I am sure extra nuggets of meaning could be sifted from that film were I to read up on its origins.
Unfortunately for Over Your Dead Body, the latest in a long line of brutal but thematically complex psychological horrors from controversial auteur Takashi Miike,...
- 9/3/2015
- by Mark Allen
- Nerdly
Earlier this week, we gave you details on first wave of special experiences and events taking place at the 2015 Stanley Film Festival. We now have details on their impressive slate of features, short films, and additional special events, including screenings of The Final Girls, Deathgasm, Stung, The Invitation, and We Are Still Here.
We're teaming up with the festival for live coverage and special opportunities for Daily Dead readers, so be sure to check back all month for contests, features, and more.
"April 2, 2014 (Denver, Co) - The Stanley Film Festival (Sff) produced by the Denver Film Society (Dfs) and presented by Chiller, announced today its Closing Night film, Festival lineup and the 2015 Master of Horror. The Festival will close out with The Final Girls. The film, directed by Todd Strauss-Schulson, is the story of a young woman grieving the loss of her mother, a famous scream queen from the 1980s,...
We're teaming up with the festival for live coverage and special opportunities for Daily Dead readers, so be sure to check back all month for contests, features, and more.
"April 2, 2014 (Denver, Co) - The Stanley Film Festival (Sff) produced by the Denver Film Society (Dfs) and presented by Chiller, announced today its Closing Night film, Festival lineup and the 2015 Master of Horror. The Festival will close out with The Final Girls. The film, directed by Todd Strauss-Schulson, is the story of a young woman grieving the loss of her mother, a famous scream queen from the 1980s,...
- 4/2/2015
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
Two updates from Scream Factory. We'll talk about the new acquisition first... The company has picked up Takashi Miike's Over Your Dead Body for a 2015 release. The film made its debut at the Toronto International Film Festival earlier this year.
From that fest's program: A star, Miyuki Goto (Ko Shibasaki) plays Oiwa, the protagonist in a new play based on the ghost story Yotsuya Kaidan.
The post Scream Factory Reveals Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh Specs, Takes Miike’s Over Your Dead Body appeared first on Shock Till You Drop.
From that fest's program: A star, Miyuki Goto (Ko Shibasaki) plays Oiwa, the protagonist in a new play based on the ghost story Yotsuya Kaidan.
The post Scream Factory Reveals Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh Specs, Takes Miike’s Over Your Dead Body appeared first on Shock Till You Drop.
- 11/7/2014
- by Ryan Turek
- shocktillyoudrop.com
Prolific director Takashi Miike has helmed an abundance of eclectic big screen stories over the years, memorably taking viewers on graphic killing quests in Ichi the Killer and 13 Assassins. Miike also made an indelible mark on the horror genre with 1999’s Audition, and he looks to scare audiences again with his new film, Over Your Dead Body, recently acquired by Shout! Factory for a 2015 release.
Earlier today it was revealed that Shout! Factory! acquired the North American rights to Miike’s new horror film, which made its international premiere at Tiff in September. Shout! Factory plans to release Over Your Dead Body on home media through its Scream Factory label sometime next year.
Synopsis via Tiff: “A star, Miyuki Goto (Ko Shibasaki) plays Oiwa, the protagonist in a new play based on the ghost story Yotsuya Kaidan. She pulls some strings to get her lover, Kosuke Hasegawa (Ebizo Ichikawa) cast in the play,...
Earlier today it was revealed that Shout! Factory! acquired the North American rights to Miike’s new horror film, which made its international premiere at Tiff in September. Shout! Factory plans to release Over Your Dead Body on home media through its Scream Factory label sometime next year.
Synopsis via Tiff: “A star, Miyuki Goto (Ko Shibasaki) plays Oiwa, the protagonist in a new play based on the ghost story Yotsuya Kaidan. She pulls some strings to get her lover, Kosuke Hasegawa (Ebizo Ichikawa) cast in the play,...
- 11/7/2014
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
While Over Your Dead Body conceptually represents everything that has made Takashi Miike one of the most exciting genre directors of the decade, its execution lacks the same infectious essence that turned films like Ichi The Killer and Audition into Japsploitation cult classics. Writer Kikumi Yamagishi blurs the realms of fantasy and reality together into a sinister tale of life imitating art, but as Miike blends the stories into one hazy fever-dream, the allure of deception morphs into cerebral confusion and questions galore. While the film comes with vested intrigue, the punchy metaphysical nature of Over Your Dead Body becomes a marginally incoherent exercise in romantic depravity. Miike weaves a tragically gory love story, but the novelty of parallel storytelling wears thin as Yamagishi’s plot becomes more contrived and convoluted with every mysterious scene, right until the curtain falls on another ultra-violent Takashi Miike head-scratcher.
Over Your Dead Body...
Over Your Dead Body...
- 10/15/2014
- by Matt Donato
- We Got This Covered
It’s always exciting when Takashi Miike releases a new movie — something that happens approximately 19 times per year. The guy is a workhorse who steps up to the plate often and strikes out a lot, but when he connects the impact sends you flying past the parking lot. Unfortunately, Over Your Dead Body isn’t one of the home runs. Leaving aside the quality shifts of quick turnaround, everyone essentially knows that there are two Miikes (and a third who makes children’s movies): gonzo horror Miike who made shockers like Audition, Ichi the Killer and Visitor Q (got milk?), and polished prestige Miike who made 13 Assassins and Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai. They’ve advised one another on projects before, but this is the first genuine collaboration between the co-directors, and they’ve chosen to take on one of Japan’s most famous ghost stories. Written in the early 19th century, “Yotsuya Kaidan...
- 9/23/2014
- by Scott Beggs
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
As per usual, Takashi Miike is releasing a handful of movies this year. We recently caught The Mole Song – Undercover Agent Reiji at the Fantasia Film Festival, and now the prolific filmmaker has another new release for us to see.
Originally produced in 1825 as a kabuki play, Yotsuya Kaidan is arguably the most famous Japanese ghost story of all time, and has been adapted for film over 30 times since. It continues to be a major influence on Japanese horror and now Miike is taking a shot in telling the tale of betrayal, murder and ghostly revenge.
Over Your Dead Body will screen at the Toronto International Film Festival, making its International Premiere in the Vanguard Section. Judging by the brief trailer, Miike, a veteran theatre director, mounts the action on a number of dazzlingly elaborate sets. Here’s the synopsis:
A star, Miyuki Goto (Ko Shibasaki) plays Oiwa, the protagonist...
Originally produced in 1825 as a kabuki play, Yotsuya Kaidan is arguably the most famous Japanese ghost story of all time, and has been adapted for film over 30 times since. It continues to be a major influence on Japanese horror and now Miike is taking a shot in telling the tale of betrayal, murder and ghostly revenge.
Over Your Dead Body will screen at the Toronto International Film Festival, making its International Premiere in the Vanguard Section. Judging by the brief trailer, Miike, a veteran theatre director, mounts the action on a number of dazzlingly elaborate sets. Here’s the synopsis:
A star, Miyuki Goto (Ko Shibasaki) plays Oiwa, the protagonist...
- 8/26/2014
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
Playing as part of the Toronto International Film Festival's Vanguard programme is the latest flick from legendary Japanese director Takashi Miike, entitled Over Your Dead Body. We have every pixel of the flick's trailer right here for your perusal. Dig it!
Over Your Dead Body - Takashi Miike, Japan - International Premiere
A star, Miyuki Goto (Ko Shibasaki), plays Oiwa, the protagonist in a new play based on the ghost story Yotsuya Kaidan.
She pulls some strings to get her lover, Kosuke Hasegawa (Ebizo Ichikawa), cast in the play even though he's a relatively unknown actor. Other performers Rio Asahina (Miho Nakanishi) and Jun Suzuki (Hideaki Ito) lust after Miyuki. Off stage the cast's possessive love and obsessions exist as reality. Trapped between the play and reality, the cast's feelings for each other are amplified.
When it becomes clear that love is not meant to be both on and off stage,...
Over Your Dead Body - Takashi Miike, Japan - International Premiere
A star, Miyuki Goto (Ko Shibasaki), plays Oiwa, the protagonist in a new play based on the ghost story Yotsuya Kaidan.
She pulls some strings to get her lover, Kosuke Hasegawa (Ebizo Ichikawa), cast in the play even though he's a relatively unknown actor. Other performers Rio Asahina (Miho Nakanishi) and Jun Suzuki (Hideaki Ito) lust after Miyuki. Off stage the cast's possessive love and obsessions exist as reality. Trapped between the play and reality, the cast's feelings for each other are amplified.
When it becomes clear that love is not meant to be both on and off stage,...
- 7/30/2014
- by Steve Barton
- DreadCentral.com
Earlier today we brought you the full lineup of Tiff 2014's Midnight Madness programme, and we're back with the 11 films that comprise the fest's Vanguard lineup, which includes Alleluia, Shrew's Next, Spring, and the latest from Takashi Miike.
A few of the films on this list don't fall in the pure horror category, but we've included them as well just because they sound so damn intriguing!
From the Press Release:
The Toronto International Film Festival's Vanguard programme seduces audiences with a sensory experience full of mystery and boundary-busting madness with bold international films that walk the razor’s edge. International programmer Colin Geddes brings together the work of some of the most audacious auteurs in the world to present a cinematic adventure that takes audiences to the dark, dangerous places that both unnerve yet intrigue them.
“The Vanguard programme presents the intersection between genre and arthouse to showcase intrepid works that fearlessly defy convention,...
A few of the films on this list don't fall in the pure horror category, but we've included them as well just because they sound so damn intriguing!
From the Press Release:
The Toronto International Film Festival's Vanguard programme seduces audiences with a sensory experience full of mystery and boundary-busting madness with bold international films that walk the razor’s edge. International programmer Colin Geddes brings together the work of some of the most audacious auteurs in the world to present a cinematic adventure that takes audiences to the dark, dangerous places that both unnerve yet intrigue them.
“The Vanguard programme presents the intersection between genre and arthouse to showcase intrepid works that fearlessly defy convention,...
- 7/29/2014
- by Debi Moore
- DreadCentral.com
While a certain “freshness” might be lacking in the Midnight Madness programme, the Vanguard section (and Wavelengths to be unveiled next month) is where there might be more cerebral bang for the buck and programmer Colin Geddes has a nice canvas to paint on with the bunch announced below. Running down the list we find a must see in the Cannes sensation Alleluia (Fabrice Du Welz), which had the entire Ioncinema team in awestruck mode, and then we have Berberian Sound Studio‘s Peter Strickland breaking out the world premiere for The Duke of Burgundy (see pic above). After penning several Ulrich Seidl items over the years (Import/Export, Paradise Trilogy), Veronika Franz might outclass The Shining for most creepiest young child twin set with Severin Fiala for the Venice Film Fest selected Goodnight Mommy. Takashi Miike is naturally invited back to the fest with his latest, and Spring, which...
- 7/29/2014
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
Another year, another handful of Takashi Miike movies to track down. This month, we caught his wild "The Mole Song – Undercover Agent Reiji" at the Fantasia Film Festival (review here), and now the filmmaker is ready to drop another movie at another fest. "Over Your Dead Body" will screen at the Toronto International Film Festival, making its International Premiere in the Vanguard Section. Judging by the brief trailer, Miike's switched to dramatic thriller/costume drama mode. Here's the synopsis: A star, Miyuki Goto (Ko Shibasaki) plays Oiwa, the protagonist in a new play based on the ghost story Yotsuya Kaidan. She pulls some strings to get her lover, Kosuke Hasegawa (Ebizo Ichikawa) cast in the play, even though he's a relatively unknown actor. Other performers Rio Asahina (Miho Nakanishi) and Jun Suzuki (Hideaki Ito) lust after Miyuki. Off stage the cast's possessive love and obsessions exist as reality. Trapped between the play and reality,...
- 7/29/2014
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
Stars: Keanu Reeves, Hiroyuki Sanada, Ko Shibasaki, Tadanobu Asano, Min Tanaka, Jin Akanishi, Masayoshi Haneda, Hiroshi Sogabe, Takato Yonemoto, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Rinko Kikuchi | Written by Chris Morgan, Hossein Amini | Directed by Carl Rinsch
An ancient Japanese legend tells the story of 47 samurai, seeking revenge on a rival warlord who killed their master and banished them from their homeland, making them ‘Ronin’. 47 Ronin is the Hollywood take on this legend, throwing magic, giant beasts and fantasy adventure into the mix as the Ronin, lead by a ‘half breed’ known as ‘Kai’ (Keanu Reeves), seek to destroy Lord Kira (Tadanobu Asano) and his witch protector (Rinko Kikuchi) and restore their honour.
The first thing to be said about 47 Ronin is that it is very CGI heavy. Some people find that kind of thing very annoying, although in this case I felt it did add a lot to the film. The magic felt a lot more potent,...
An ancient Japanese legend tells the story of 47 samurai, seeking revenge on a rival warlord who killed their master and banished them from their homeland, making them ‘Ronin’. 47 Ronin is the Hollywood take on this legend, throwing magic, giant beasts and fantasy adventure into the mix as the Ronin, lead by a ‘half breed’ known as ‘Kai’ (Keanu Reeves), seek to destroy Lord Kira (Tadanobu Asano) and his witch protector (Rinko Kikuchi) and restore their honour.
The first thing to be said about 47 Ronin is that it is very CGI heavy. Some people find that kind of thing very annoying, although in this case I felt it did add a lot to the film. The magic felt a lot more potent,...
- 6/3/2014
- by Richard Axtell
- Nerdly
Properly channeling Japanese culture for American audiences has been a challenge given how different our tastes and expectations are. We find the content of much of their Manga and anime either not to our taste or outright incomprehensible. So, the challenge of adapting their bushido Edo-era and adding in some powerful fantasy into 47 Ronin was going to be a challenge. Mix in American performer Keanu Reeves as a half-breed you have an uphill challenge in making the film palatable to enough moviegoers to justify the $170 million budget.
It has some terrific concepts and incredible visuals but it’s a mess of a movie, with a long, sluggish middle that loses the audience. Even amazing CG and a strong Asian cast can’t support a messy script.
The story, in short: Lord Asano Naganori (Min Tanaka) is disgraced after the efforts of Lord Kira (Tadanobu Asano), conspires with a shape-shifting witch...
It has some terrific concepts and incredible visuals but it’s a mess of a movie, with a long, sluggish middle that loses the audience. Even amazing CG and a strong Asian cast can’t support a messy script.
The story, in short: Lord Asano Naganori (Min Tanaka) is disgraced after the efforts of Lord Kira (Tadanobu Asano), conspires with a shape-shifting witch...
- 4/10/2014
- by Robert Greenberger
- Comicmix.com
Chicago – If you’ve ever wondered what the difference is between a director and a producer, let “47 Ronin” explain how the hierarchy of creativity hinders the evolution of even the most straightforward-sounding pitches. “47 Ronin” is the type of samurai movie set in Japan that features native actors speaking only English, while Keanu Reeves stars as an outsider clearly plunked into the picture for stateside star power.
Co-written by Chris Morgan (the writer behind the “Fast & Furious” renaissance) and Hossein Amini (who wrote “Drive”), the film is directed by first-time helmer Carl Rinsch, whose popular science-fiction short “The Gift” is available for a look on Youtube. And even with the hands of Amini, Morgan, and Rinsch, the film’s vision is lost in a desperate appeal to fit different pieces that do not work together.
Better taken in the vacant mindset of a late night viewing, if at all, “47 Ronin” is...
Co-written by Chris Morgan (the writer behind the “Fast & Furious” renaissance) and Hossein Amini (who wrote “Drive”), the film is directed by first-time helmer Carl Rinsch, whose popular science-fiction short “The Gift” is available for a look on Youtube. And even with the hands of Amini, Morgan, and Rinsch, the film’s vision is lost in a desperate appeal to fit different pieces that do not work together.
Better taken in the vacant mindset of a late night viewing, if at all, “47 Ronin” is...
- 4/9/2014
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Keanu Reeves makes an explosive return to action-adventure in 47 Ronin. After a treacherous warlord kills their master and banishes their kind, 47 leaderless samurai vow to seek vengeance and restore honor to their people. Driven from their homes and dispersed across the land, this band of Ronin must seek the help of Kai (Reeves)—a half-breed they once rejected—as they fight their way across a savage world of mythic beasts, shape-shifting witchcraft and wondrous terrors. As this exiled, enslaved outcast becomes their most deadly weapon, he will transform into the hero who inspires this band of outnumbered rebels to seize eternity. 47 Ronin was directed by Carl Rinsch, from a screenplay written by Chris Morgan and Hossein Amini. The cast includes: Keanu Reeves, Hiroyuki Sanada, Tadanobu Asano, Rinko Kikuchi and Ko Shibasaki. The film will be released on December 25, 2013. Merry Christmas, dude!
- 4/5/2014
- ComicBookMovie.com
I debated whether I should watch 47 Ronin or not. It seemed to me the page view alternative was embarrassing myself by posting fan altered pictures from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles teaser trailer so I opted for Ronin. Suffice to say, the result wasn't going to be pretty either way. Originally scheduled to hit theaters November 2012 before finally hitting theaters December 2013, the final reported budget for this retelling of the classic Japanese tale was $175 million. Throughout the course of production there was talk of just how bad things had gotten and, at the time, the budget was said to have ballooned to over $225 million. After watching all 118 minutes of this film (ten of which are the closing credits) it would appear the money was spent on crummy visual effects, but mostly production design as several massive sets, aided by CGI, were created only to eventually present a picture that never feels authentic,...
- 4/3/2014
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
A handsome movie in many ways, but it feels like an unpolished first draft, one that can’t quite decide how fantastical it wants to be. I’m “biast” (pro): like Keanu Reeves more than most
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
This umpteenth iteration of the Japanese legend of the 47 ronin, or masterless samurai warriors, has its fair share of problems, but not as many as you’ve heard, and not as many as the presence of poor Keanu Reeves — who has unfairly become a cinematic punchline — may have led you to believe. Stolid, stoic Reeves (The Day the Earth Stood Still, Street Kings) is well-cast as the half-Japanese, half-British Kai, whose status as an outcast in xenophobic 18th-century Japan means he has to keep his eyes down and his mouth shut, and the actor maintains a modest presence throughout,...
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
This umpteenth iteration of the Japanese legend of the 47 ronin, or masterless samurai warriors, has its fair share of problems, but not as many as you’ve heard, and not as many as the presence of poor Keanu Reeves — who has unfairly become a cinematic punchline — may have led you to believe. Stolid, stoic Reeves (The Day the Earth Stood Still, Street Kings) is well-cast as the half-Japanese, half-British Kai, whose status as an outcast in xenophobic 18th-century Japan means he has to keep his eyes down and his mouth shut, and the actor maintains a modest presence throughout,...
- 4/1/2014
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
Chicago – In the latest HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Combo Pack with our unique social giveaway technology, we have 5 free Blu-ray and DVD combo packs up for grabs for the home entertainment release of the new visually stunning 3D film “47 Ronin” starring Keanu Reeves!
“47 Ronin,” which is rated “PG-13” and will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on April 1, 2014, also stars Hiroyuki Sanada, Ko Shibasaki, Tadanobu Asano, Min Tanaka, Jin Akanishi, Masayoshi Haneda and Hiroshi Sogabe from director Carl Rinsch and writers Chris Morgan and Hossein Amini.
To win your free “47 Ronin” combo pack courtesy of HollywoodChicago.com, get interactive with our unique Hookup technology directly below. That’s it! The more social actions you complete below, the higher yours odds of winning! Completing these social actions only increases your odds of winning; this doesn’t intensify your competition or lower your odds!
Preferably, use your computer to enter rather than your smartphone.
“47 Ronin,” which is rated “PG-13” and will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on April 1, 2014, also stars Hiroyuki Sanada, Ko Shibasaki, Tadanobu Asano, Min Tanaka, Jin Akanishi, Masayoshi Haneda and Hiroshi Sogabe from director Carl Rinsch and writers Chris Morgan and Hossein Amini.
To win your free “47 Ronin” combo pack courtesy of HollywoodChicago.com, get interactive with our unique Hookup technology directly below. That’s it! The more social actions you complete below, the higher yours odds of winning! Completing these social actions only increases your odds of winning; this doesn’t intensify your competition or lower your odds!
Preferably, use your computer to enter rather than your smartphone.
- 3/30/2014
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Here’s all the information you need to secure your copy of Keanu Reeves latest action adventure, 47 Ronin. If you need a refresher on the amazing warrior tale, here’s the trailer, followed by the official press release.
Trailer: 47 Ronin
Keanu Reeves Stars In The 3D Epic Action-Adventure 47 Ronin Be The First To Own It On Digital HD March 18, 2014 And Bring Home The Blu-ray™ Combo Pack Including Blu-ray, DVD & Digital HD With Ultraviolet™ On April 1, 2014 Now Movie Fans Can Watch 47 Ronin Anywhere On Their Favorite Devices
Universal City, California, February 4, 2014— Keanu Reeves (The Matrix trilogy, The Day The Earth Stood Still) stars in a reimagining of one of Japan’s timeless tales, 47 Ronin, available on Blu-ray™ 3D and Blu-ray™ Combo Packs, DVD, Digital HD including UltraViolet™ and On Demand on April 1, 2014, from Universal Studios Home Entertainment.
Based on an epic story, this extraordinary tale of inspiring courage has its...
Trailer: 47 Ronin
Keanu Reeves Stars In The 3D Epic Action-Adventure 47 Ronin Be The First To Own It On Digital HD March 18, 2014 And Bring Home The Blu-ray™ Combo Pack Including Blu-ray, DVD & Digital HD With Ultraviolet™ On April 1, 2014 Now Movie Fans Can Watch 47 Ronin Anywhere On Their Favorite Devices
Universal City, California, February 4, 2014— Keanu Reeves (The Matrix trilogy, The Day The Earth Stood Still) stars in a reimagining of one of Japan’s timeless tales, 47 Ronin, available on Blu-ray™ 3D and Blu-ray™ Combo Packs, DVD, Digital HD including UltraViolet™ and On Demand on April 1, 2014, from Universal Studios Home Entertainment.
Based on an epic story, this extraordinary tale of inspiring courage has its...
- 2/19/2014
- by Jess Orso
- ScifiMafia
Concept Art by Daren Horley Keanu Reeves makes an explosive return to action-adventure in 47 Ronin. After a treacherous warlord kills their master and banishes their kind, 47 leaderless samurai vow to seek vengeance and restore honor to their people. Driven from their homes and dispersed across the land, this band of Ronin must seek the help of Kai (Reeves)—a half-breed they once rejected—as they fight their way across a savage world of mythic beasts, shape-shifting witchcraft and wondrous terrors. As this exiled, enslaved outcast becomes their most deadly weapon, he will transform into the hero who inspires this band of outnumbered rebels to seize eternity. 47 Ronin was directed by Carl Rinsch, from a screenplay written by Chris Morgan and Hossein Amini. The cast includes: Keanu Reeves, Hiroyuki Sanada, Tadanobu Asano, Rinko Kikuchi and Ko Shibasaki. The film will be released on December 25, 2013. Merry Christmas, dude!
- 1/21/2014
- ComicBookMovie.com
Concept Art by framestoreart.com Keanu Reeves makes an explosive return to action-adventure in 47 Ronin. After a treacherous warlord kills their master and banishes their kind, 47 leaderless samurai vow to seek vengeance and restore honor to their people. Driven from their homes and dispersed across the land, this band of Ronin must seek the help of Kai (Reeves)—a half-breed they once rejected—as they fight their way across a savage world of mythic beasts, shape-shifting witchcraft and wondrous terrors. As this exiled, enslaved outcast becomes their most deadly weapon, he will transform into the hero who inspires this band of outnumbered rebels to seize eternity. 47 Ronin was directed by Carl Rinsch, from a screenplay written by Chris Morgan and Hossein Amini. The cast includes: Keanu Reeves, Hiroyuki Sanada, Tadanobu Asano, Rinko Kikuchi and Ko Shibasaki. The film will be released on December 25, 2013. Merry Christmas, dude!
- 1/9/2014
- ComicBookMovie.com
Director: Carl Rinsch; Screenwriter: Chris Morgan, Hossein Amini; Starring: Keanu Reeves, Hiroyuki Sanada, Kô Shibasaki, Rinko Kickuchi; Running time: 119 mins; Certificate: 12A
As the old adage goes, you can't polish a turd. But you can sprinkle plenty of CGI and countless close-ups of Keanu Reeves looking morose onto it. Not that it matters in the case of 47 Ronin, an unfathomably botched attempt to translate the classic Japanese folktale into a Hollywood blockbuster.
Carl Rinsch's directorial debut finally limps onto screens almost three years after filming began, amidst stories of a turbulent production, a spiralling budget and editing room lockouts. Similar issues didn't prevent World War Z from impressing audiences, as the central story was conveyed in a fairly engaging manner, despite occasional unevenness.
Contrastingly, 47 Ronin is a model of consistency. It's unfailingly atrocious from start to finish. A turgid backstory is vomited onto the screen in a chaotic and cluttered opening,...
As the old adage goes, you can't polish a turd. But you can sprinkle plenty of CGI and countless close-ups of Keanu Reeves looking morose onto it. Not that it matters in the case of 47 Ronin, an unfathomably botched attempt to translate the classic Japanese folktale into a Hollywood blockbuster.
Carl Rinsch's directorial debut finally limps onto screens almost three years after filming began, amidst stories of a turbulent production, a spiralling budget and editing room lockouts. Similar issues didn't prevent World War Z from impressing audiences, as the central story was conveyed in a fairly engaging manner, despite occasional unevenness.
Contrastingly, 47 Ronin is a model of consistency. It's unfailingly atrocious from start to finish. A turgid backstory is vomited onto the screen in a chaotic and cluttered opening,...
- 12/23/2013
- Digital Spy
American Hustle | Anchorman 2 | The Harry Hill Movie | Walking With Dinosaurs: The 3D Movie | Moshi Monsters: The Movie | The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty | All Is Lost
American Hustle (15)
(David O Russell, 2013, Us) Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Jennifer Lawrence. 138 mins
Big, brassy and outrageously coiffured, this crazed 70s crime epic leads you into a maze, then keeps you wondering if it knows the way out. Things starts out small, with Bale and Adams's petty con duo turned by Cooper's ambitious Fed, but stakes escalate, allegiances complicate, and deceptions multiply deliriously, carried along by lovably flawed characters and a manic energy.
Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (15)
(Adam McKay, 2013, Us) Will Ferrell, Steve Carell, Paul Rudd. 119 mins
The hype is over, as Ferrell reunites his news team and drags them into New York, the 80s and the 24-hour era. But this sequel's absurdity, cameo-fuelled mayhem and mild...
American Hustle (15)
(David O Russell, 2013, Us) Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Jennifer Lawrence. 138 mins
Big, brassy and outrageously coiffured, this crazed 70s crime epic leads you into a maze, then keeps you wondering if it knows the way out. Things starts out small, with Bale and Adams's petty con duo turned by Cooper's ambitious Fed, but stakes escalate, allegiances complicate, and deceptions multiply deliriously, carried along by lovably flawed characters and a manic energy.
Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (15)
(Adam McKay, 2013, Us) Will Ferrell, Steve Carell, Paul Rudd. 119 mins
The hype is over, as Ferrell reunites his news team and drags them into New York, the 80s and the 24-hour era. But this sequel's absurdity, cameo-fuelled mayhem and mild...
- 12/21/2013
- by Steve Rose
- The Guardian - Film News
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