Masahiro Takeda’s debut film Honey and Clover (based on the popular Japanese Manga by Chica Umino), follows the lives of five young art students over the course of one year. The main themes of the film are love and rejection, and we see the five students confront these issues in the hopes that they will one day have the peace and comfort of a stable and loving relationship. Takemoto (Sho Sakurai) is a young and naïve student who seems to have a very idealistic and romantic outlook on life and love. During a birthday party for one of his Professors,…
Author: Ed Yealu
Nobuhiro’s Yamashita’s 2005 film Linda Linda Linda is a coming of age story which touches on the issues of friendship, teen angst, loyalty, relationships and the bonding power of music. The film follow four high school girls as they work and parry in order to perform three musical numbers at their high schools annual culture festival. Kei (Kashii Yu) is the group’s hot headed leader and guitarist. Her stubbornness and combative personality has forced one of the band members (Rinko) to depart, which has left the band shorthanded. Kyoko (Aki Maeda), the group’s drummer, is a friendly and free spirited…
Since the turn of the new millennium South Korean Cinema has been on the rise. The Korean Wave (or “Hallyu”) has swept through Asia, and is slowly washing upon the shores here in the west. The Korean film industry has previously been overshadowed by the neighboring Cinema’s of Hong Kong and Japan, but the industry is now ranked ninth in the world in terms of gross revenue. Korean directors have found international success in almost every genre of film. From action-thrillers such as Chan Wook-Park’s Oldboy, to horror blockbusters like Kim Ji-Woon’s A Tale of Two Sisters, and art house…
It has been fifteen years since Hong-Kong director Wong Kar-Wai released his classic romantic drama Days of Being Wild. It was Wong’s second feature film effort, and although not a commercial success, it has been hailed as one of Hong Kong’s best films, and also as one of the best films of the 1990’s. The film was comprised of an all star cast that included the late Leslie Cheung (Farewell My Concubine, Happy Together), Tony Leung (In the Mood for Love, Happy Together), Maggie Cheung (In the Mood for Love, Clean), Andy Lau (Infernal Affairs, House of Flying Daggers), And…
Beauty in Trouble is the award winning film by Czech director Jan Hrebejk. The film surprised audiences at festivals around the world with its impressive cinematography, top notch performances, and subtle yet powerful messages on love, loyalty, family, guilt and redemption. The film mixes cinema genres as comedic and dramatic situations help tell the story of a woman who is torn between her personal desires and what is in the best interest of her and her family. The film follows Marcela (Anna Geislerova) a young woman whose family has come into hard times due to the fact that a severe…
His films were loved by audiences, and his personality was admired and respected by his peers, Sydney Pollack was an innovative director, actor, and producer who will not be soon forgotten. The legendary director passed away on May 26, 2008 nine months after being diagnosed with cancer. His calm and collaborative approach to filmmaking made him a standout from his peers and gave him the ability to pull the best out of his cast and crew. His films were successful with both critics and audiences and traces of his daring, humanistic, and meticulous personality were present in all of his…