Japanese studio Nikkatsu has bolstered its Filmart sales slate with A Big Home, the next feature from director Ryo Takebayashi.
The documentary is filmed in a children’s home in Tokyo and explores the lives of young people who live apart from their parents due to bereavement, abuse or financial problems.
It marks the third feature by Takebayashi, whose previous film was comedy Mondays: See You ‘This’ Week!, which played at festivals including Sitges and Shanghai in 2023. His first was Bookmark 14, a doc that followed 35 teenagers from the same school class.
A Big Home is produced by Chocolate Inc. and...
The documentary is filmed in a children’s home in Tokyo and explores the lives of young people who live apart from their parents due to bereavement, abuse or financial problems.
It marks the third feature by Takebayashi, whose previous film was comedy Mondays: See You ‘This’ Week!, which played at festivals including Sitges and Shanghai in 2023. His first was Bookmark 14, a doc that followed 35 teenagers from the same school class.
A Big Home is produced by Chocolate Inc. and...
- 3/11/2024
- ScreenDaily
Ultraman is back in Ultraman: Rising, a new animated feature film that’s coming soon from Netflix. New key art unveiled today finally revealed a release date for the adorable new film that sees Ultraman playing dad to an adorable baby kaiju.
Check out the new key art below.
In the upcoming movie, “With Tokyo under siege from rising monster attacks, baseball star Ken Sato reluctantly returns home to take on the mantle of Ultraman. But the titanic superhero meets his match when he is forced to adopt a 35-foot-tall, fire-breathing baby kaiju. Sato must rise above his ego to balance work and parenthood while protecting the baby from forces bent on exploiting her for their own dark plans.”
From director Shannon Tindle (Kubo & The Two Strings) & co-director John Aoshima (Kubo & The Two Strings), and based on characters by Eiji Tsuburaya, a creative mind behind Godzilla, the action-packed...
Check out the new key art below.
In the upcoming movie, “With Tokyo under siege from rising monster attacks, baseball star Ken Sato reluctantly returns home to take on the mantle of Ultraman. But the titanic superhero meets his match when he is forced to adopt a 35-foot-tall, fire-breathing baby kaiju. Sato must rise above his ego to balance work and parenthood while protecting the baby from forces bent on exploiting her for their own dark plans.”
From director Shannon Tindle (Kubo & The Two Strings) & co-director John Aoshima (Kubo & The Two Strings), and based on characters by Eiji Tsuburaya, a creative mind behind Godzilla, the action-packed...
- 2/29/2024
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
Television has long ridden the coattails of cinema when coming up with new programming, serializing popular genres like Westerns and Crime Thrillers since its very inception. However, the obvious budgetary limitations of TV production mean that certain kinds of stories are less suited for the small screen. Thankfully, we’re lucky enough to live in a time when technology and the streaming wars have finally caught up to film when it comes to producing the type of long-form content we’ve always yearned for.
Case in point, Legendary and Apple TV’s Monarch: Legacy of Monsters achieved the unthinkable by bringing blockbuster-worthy Kaijus to the small screen at a scale we’ve never seen before. And though the show has already aired its finale, I know that Kaiju fans are likely still clamoring for more TV-based monsters, so we’ve decided to come up with a list recommending six TV shows to watch after Monarch.
Case in point, Legendary and Apple TV’s Monarch: Legacy of Monsters achieved the unthinkable by bringing blockbuster-worthy Kaijus to the small screen at a scale we’ve never seen before. And though the show has already aired its finale, I know that Kaiju fans are likely still clamoring for more TV-based monsters, so we’ve decided to come up with a list recommending six TV shows to watch after Monarch.
- 1/30/2024
- by Luiz H. C.
- bloody-disgusting.com
The Action Scene is a column that explores the construction of action set pieces in order to deepen appreciation for and spark discussion about action cinema.The following column examines my fifteen favorite action scenes of 2023. In their variety, virtuosity, and visceral power, they embody the vibrancy of contemporary action cinema. Like last year’s roundup, the focus is on action scenes—relatively sustained, heightened, self-contained expressions of action filmmaking craft—so some otherwise strong action films didn’t make the cut, and not all of the films featured here are necessarily compelling beyond their set pieces. All included films made their official, non-festival, US theatrical and/or streaming debut in 2023. For the sake of variety, I’ve limited myself to one scene per film.And now, on to the action. As with previous years, these scenes have been grouped by theme to foreground patterns and enhance ease of perusal.
- 1/9/2024
- MUBI
As we continue to explore the best in 2023, today we’re taking a look at the articles that you, our dear readers, enjoyed the most throughout the past twelve months. Spanning reviews, interviews, features, podcasts, news, and trailers, check out the highlights below and return for more year-end coverage as well as a glimpse into 2024.
Most-Read Reviews
1. Body Parts
2. The Exorcist: Believer
3. Barbie
4. Beau Is Afraid
5. Priscilla
6. Suzume
7. Hypnotic
8. No Hard Feelings
9. The Zone of Interest
10. The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Most-Read Interviews
1. Claire Simon on Capturing the Female Body and What Sets Her Apart From Frederick Wiseman
2. “I Don’t Think Directors Should Be Amenable”: Erik Messerschmidt on Shooting The Killer and David Fincher’s Simple Process
3. Richard Kelly on Creative Heartbreak, Political Cinema, and Future Projects
4. Christopher Blauvelt on May December, Formatting for Netflix and 35mm, and Life Lessons from Harris Savides
5. Brandon Cronenberg on Infinity Pool,...
Most-Read Reviews
1. Body Parts
2. The Exorcist: Believer
3. Barbie
4. Beau Is Afraid
5. Priscilla
6. Suzume
7. Hypnotic
8. No Hard Feelings
9. The Zone of Interest
10. The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Most-Read Interviews
1. Claire Simon on Capturing the Female Body and What Sets Her Apart From Frederick Wiseman
2. “I Don’t Think Directors Should Be Amenable”: Erik Messerschmidt on Shooting The Killer and David Fincher’s Simple Process
3. Richard Kelly on Creative Heartbreak, Political Cinema, and Future Projects
4. Christopher Blauvelt on May December, Formatting for Netflix and 35mm, and Life Lessons from Harris Savides
5. Brandon Cronenberg on Infinity Pool,...
- 1/1/2024
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Ultraman is back in Ultraman: Rising, a brand new animated feature film that’s coming soon from Netflix. During “Geeked Week” tonight, Netflix debuted a first-look teaser trailer.
This one boasts not only gorgeous animation, but a really fun storyline as well.
In the upcoming movie, “When baseball superstar Ken Sato returns home to Japan to pick up the mantle of Earth-defending superhero Ultraman, he quickly finds more than he bargained for as he’s forced to raise the offspring of his greatest foe.”
From director Shannon Tindle (Kubo & The Two Strings) & co-director John Aoshima (Kubo & The Two Strings), and based on characters by Eiji Tsuburaya, a creative mind behind Godzilla, the action-packed animated film Ultraman: Rising hits Netflix in 2024.
Watch the official teaser for Ultraman: Rising below, while you wait.
Ultraman is, per his official bio, “An alien superhero from Nebula M78.” He first appeared in the ’60s Japanese TV series “Ultraman,...
This one boasts not only gorgeous animation, but a really fun storyline as well.
In the upcoming movie, “When baseball superstar Ken Sato returns home to Japan to pick up the mantle of Earth-defending superhero Ultraman, he quickly finds more than he bargained for as he’s forced to raise the offspring of his greatest foe.”
From director Shannon Tindle (Kubo & The Two Strings) & co-director John Aoshima (Kubo & The Two Strings), and based on characters by Eiji Tsuburaya, a creative mind behind Godzilla, the action-packed animated film Ultraman: Rising hits Netflix in 2024.
Watch the official teaser for Ultraman: Rising below, while you wait.
Ultraman is, per his official bio, “An alien superhero from Nebula M78.” He first appeared in the ’60s Japanese TV series “Ultraman,...
- 11/9/2023
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Is this a first? It kind of feels like a first for our friends at Raven Banner Releasing. They have announced that they have acquired the Japanese Sci-fi epic, Shin Ultraman. They will release the film digintally here in Canada on November 28th then on Blu-ray in December, just in time for the holidays and lovers of Ultraman here in Canada. As Shin Ultraman begins, we learn the appearance of giant unidentified life forms known as “S-Class Species (Kaiju)” has become commonplace in Japan. The Japanese Government formed a Kaiju defense taskforce known as the Sssp, led by Kimio Tamura (played by Drive My Car’s Hidetoshi Nishijima). After a particularly challenging encounter, a silver giant descends from the sky to rescue the country. Dubbed...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 11/6/2023
- Screen Anarchy
Takumi Saitoh is best known as an in-demand actor with an enormous list of credits, but he has also established himself as a filmmaker and photographer. After modeling in Japan and overseas in his teens, he made his acting debut in 2001, and has appeared in such heralded films as Takashi Miike's For Love's Sake (2012) Junji Sakamoto's The Projects (2015), Eric Khoo's Ramen Teh (2018), Last of the Wolves (Nyaff 2021), Shin Ultraman and The Legend and Butterfly (2023), among many others. Saitoh has been directing short films for several decades, and made his feature debut with blank 13 (2018), which won awards at film festivals in Japan and abroad, followed by the omnibus Zokki (Nyaff 2020). Home Sweet Home marks his third feature as director.
On the occasion of his film “Home Sweet Home” screening at New York Asian Film Festival, we speak with him about transitioning from actor to director, the filmmakers...
On the occasion of his film “Home Sweet Home” screening at New York Asian Film Festival, we speak with him about transitioning from actor to director, the filmmakers...
- 8/4/2023
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
By Corey Kirby
Tokusatsu and Kaiju, what better a combination? Shin Ultraman, part of the Shin Japan Heroes Universe Project, is the third film in a series that takes classic Japanese media and brings it to the modern big screen. Hideaki Anno co-directed this film alongside Shinji Higuchi, as well as serving as the script writer, co-producer, and co-editor. As a result, just as with the pair’s previous project together (Shin Godzilla), this has Anno’s aesthetic and sensibilities all over it; this being evident in terms of cinematography, philosophical themes, and the score. Speaking of the score, Shiro Sagisu did an excellent job with the material used for the film. The musical score includes original material composed by Shiro Sagisu as well as reused material from previous Ultraman series such as the 1965 series Ultraman Q, along with several unused tracks from previous projects that were composed by Shiro...
Tokusatsu and Kaiju, what better a combination? Shin Ultraman, part of the Shin Japan Heroes Universe Project, is the third film in a series that takes classic Japanese media and brings it to the modern big screen. Hideaki Anno co-directed this film alongside Shinji Higuchi, as well as serving as the script writer, co-producer, and co-editor. As a result, just as with the pair’s previous project together (Shin Godzilla), this has Anno’s aesthetic and sensibilities all over it; this being evident in terms of cinematography, philosophical themes, and the score. Speaking of the score, Shiro Sagisu did an excellent job with the material used for the film. The musical score includes original material composed by Shiro Sagisu as well as reused material from previous Ultraman series such as the 1965 series Ultraman Q, along with several unused tracks from previous projects that were composed by Shiro...
- 7/10/2023
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Japanese Superhero Film ‘Lion-Girl’ Snapped Up for U.S., U.K. by Cleopatra Entertainment (Exclusive)
Cleopatra Entertainment has secured the North American and U.K. distribution rights for Japanese superhero film “Lion-Girl.”
The film is written and directed by cult Japanese director Mitsutake Kurando (“Samurai Avenger: The Blind Wolf”) and based on characters created by prolific manga artist Go Nagai. The story revolves around survivors of a meteor shower who find themselves locked in a battle against each other and a group of creatures called Anoroc, monsters who hunt and kill humans to extract their life force.
The cast includes Tori Griffith as the titular Lion-Girl, Derek Mears, known for his roles in comic book adaptations such as The CW’s “Swamp Thing” series, Damian TooFeek Raven (“The Chadwick Journals”), David Sakurai (“Fantastic Beasts”), Shelby Lee Parks (“Good Trouble”), Matt Standley (“Fairyland”), and Joey Iwanaga (“Enter the Fat Dragon”).
Shot entirely in Los Angeles during the height of the Covid-19 lockdown, the film was produced in collaboration with Toei Video.
The film is written and directed by cult Japanese director Mitsutake Kurando (“Samurai Avenger: The Blind Wolf”) and based on characters created by prolific manga artist Go Nagai. The story revolves around survivors of a meteor shower who find themselves locked in a battle against each other and a group of creatures called Anoroc, monsters who hunt and kill humans to extract their life force.
The cast includes Tori Griffith as the titular Lion-Girl, Derek Mears, known for his roles in comic book adaptations such as The CW’s “Swamp Thing” series, Damian TooFeek Raven (“The Chadwick Journals”), David Sakurai (“Fantastic Beasts”), Shelby Lee Parks (“Good Trouble”), Matt Standley (“Fairyland”), and Joey Iwanaga (“Enter the Fat Dragon”).
Shot entirely in Los Angeles during the height of the Covid-19 lockdown, the film was produced in collaboration with Toei Video.
- 6/15/2023
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Living through an era of seemingly endless and ever-expanding franchises and multiverses, when “listen to the fans” is a governing principle for the purveyors of pop culture, it’s easy to forget that the superhero genre once offered filmmakers an exciting avenue for pop-art indulgence. Pity, then, that appreciation continues to elude Ang Lee’s Hulk, an ambitious take on Marvel’s big green menace and one of the boldest entries into the cinematic superhero canon.
A willfully melodramatic amalgamation of styles and thematic fixations, from atomic anxiety to childhood trauma, the 2003 film was derided for its lack of action and purported over-reliance on dialogue. Unsurprisingly, the woeful “Critics Consensus” for the film on Rotten Tomatoes read: “There’s ultimately too much talking and not enough smashing.”
After 15 years of enduring so much comic book sludge, re-watching the first cinematic stab at Marvel Comics’s modern Jekyll-and-Hyde story...
A willfully melodramatic amalgamation of styles and thematic fixations, from atomic anxiety to childhood trauma, the 2003 film was derided for its lack of action and purported over-reliance on dialogue. Unsurprisingly, the woeful “Critics Consensus” for the film on Rotten Tomatoes read: “There’s ultimately too much talking and not enough smashing.”
After 15 years of enduring so much comic book sludge, re-watching the first cinematic stab at Marvel Comics’s modern Jekyll-and-Hyde story...
- 6/13/2023
- by Fred Barrett
- Slant Magazine
Shin Ultraman Watch The Trailer: youtu.be/U6AphAYe4WU Distributor Cleopatra Entertainment Directed by Shinji Higuchi Starring Takumi Saitoh, Masami Nagasawa, Daiki Arioka, Akari Hayami, Tetsushi Tanaka, Hidetoshi Nishijima, with Anno and Bin Furuya as Ultraman As Shin Ultraman begins, we learn the appearance of giant unidentified life forms known as “S-Class Species (Kaiju)” has become commonplace …
The post Shin Ultraman: On VOD July 4, On Blu-ray & DVD July 11 appeared first on Horror News | Hnn.
The post Shin Ultraman: On VOD July 4, On Blu-ray & DVD July 11 appeared first on Horror News | Hnn.
- 6/9/2023
- by Janel Spiegel
- Horror News
Cleopatra Entertainment have announced the US home entertainment release of Shin Ultraman, directed by Shinji Higuchi, next month.
As Shin Ultraman begins, we learn the appearance of giant unidentified life forms known as “S-Class Species (Kaiju)” has become commonplace in Japan. The Japanese Government formed a Kaiju defense taskforce known as the Sssp, led by Kimio Tamura (played by Drive My Car’s Hidetoshi Nishijima). After a particularly challenging encounter, a silver giant descends from the sky to rescue the country. Dubbed Ultraman, this giant’s identity and purpose are a mystery. Shin Ultraman is a delightful reimagining of one of Japan’s classic superheroes, full of cosmic twists, charismatic villains, and giant Kaiju, leading Variety to declare that “the mix of styles and moods works wonderfully, raising Shin ‘Ultraman’ into the top rank of superhero movies!”
Starring Takumi Saitoh, Masami Nagasawa, Daiki Arioka, Akari Hayami, Tetsushi Tanaka, Hidetoshi Nishijima,...
As Shin Ultraman begins, we learn the appearance of giant unidentified life forms known as “S-Class Species (Kaiju)” has become commonplace in Japan. The Japanese Government formed a Kaiju defense taskforce known as the Sssp, led by Kimio Tamura (played by Drive My Car’s Hidetoshi Nishijima). After a particularly challenging encounter, a silver giant descends from the sky to rescue the country. Dubbed Ultraman, this giant’s identity and purpose are a mystery. Shin Ultraman is a delightful reimagining of one of Japan’s classic superheroes, full of cosmic twists, charismatic villains, and giant Kaiju, leading Variety to declare that “the mix of styles and moods works wonderfully, raising Shin ‘Ultraman’ into the top rank of superhero movies!”
Starring Takumi Saitoh, Masami Nagasawa, Daiki Arioka, Akari Hayami, Tetsushi Tanaka, Hidetoshi Nishijima,...
- 6/9/2023
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
The live-action comic book reboot of Ultraman, titled Shin Ultraman will be released on Blu-ray and DVD this July!
Synopsis: As Shin Ultraman begins, we learn the appearance of giant unidentified life forms known as “S-Class Species (Kaiju)” has become commonplace in Japan. The Japanese Government formed a Kaiju defense taskforce known as the Sssp, led by Kimio Tamura (Hidetoshi Nishijima). After a particularly challenging encounter, a silver giant descends from the sky to rescue the country. Dubbed Ultraman, this giant’s identity and purpose are a mystery. Shin Ultraman is a delightful reimagining of one of Japan’s classic superheroes, full of cosmic twists, charismatic villains, and giant Kaiju, leading Variety to declare that “the mix of styles and moods works wonderfully, raising Shin Ultraman into the top rank of superhero movies!”
About The Film
Starring: Takumi Saitoh, Masami Nagasawa, Daiki Arioka, Akari Hayami, Tetsushi Tanaka, Hidetoshi Nishijima, with...
Synopsis: As Shin Ultraman begins, we learn the appearance of giant unidentified life forms known as “S-Class Species (Kaiju)” has become commonplace in Japan. The Japanese Government formed a Kaiju defense taskforce known as the Sssp, led by Kimio Tamura (Hidetoshi Nishijima). After a particularly challenging encounter, a silver giant descends from the sky to rescue the country. Dubbed Ultraman, this giant’s identity and purpose are a mystery. Shin Ultraman is a delightful reimagining of one of Japan’s classic superheroes, full of cosmic twists, charismatic villains, and giant Kaiju, leading Variety to declare that “the mix of styles and moods works wonderfully, raising Shin Ultraman into the top rank of superhero movies!”
About The Film
Starring: Takumi Saitoh, Masami Nagasawa, Daiki Arioka, Akari Hayami, Tetsushi Tanaka, Hidetoshi Nishijima, with...
- 6/8/2023
- by Editor
- CinemaNerdz
"As Shin Ultraman begins, we learn the appearance of giant unidentified life forms known as “S-Class Species (Kaiju)” has become commonplace in Japan. The Japanese Government formed a Kaiju defense taskforce known as the Sssp, led by Kimio Tamura (played by Drive My Car’s Hidetoshi Nishijima). After a particularly challenging encounter, a silver giant descends from the sky to rescue the country. Dubbed Ultraman, this giant’s identity and purpose are a mystery. Shin Ultraman is a delightful reimagining of one of Japan’s classic superheroes, full of cosmic twists, charismatic villains, and giant Kaiju"
Distributor Cleopatra Entertainment
Directed by Shinji Higuchi
Starring Takumi Saitoh, Masami Nagasawa, Daiki Arioka, Akari Hayami, Tetsushi Tanaka, Hidetoshi Nishijima, with Anno and Bin Furuya as Ultraman
On VOD July 4, On Blu-ray & DVD July 11
The post Shin Ultraman Arrives on VOD July 4th, Blu-ray & DVD July 11th appeared first on Daily Dead.
Distributor Cleopatra Entertainment
Directed by Shinji Higuchi
Starring Takumi Saitoh, Masami Nagasawa, Daiki Arioka, Akari Hayami, Tetsushi Tanaka, Hidetoshi Nishijima, with Anno and Bin Furuya as Ultraman
On VOD July 4, On Blu-ray & DVD July 11
The post Shin Ultraman Arrives on VOD July 4th, Blu-ray & DVD July 11th appeared first on Daily Dead.
- 6/8/2023
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
Shin Ultraman, from Shin Godzilla filmmaking duo Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi, finally dates a home release after a limited theatrical release earlier this year.
Look for the live-action comic book reboot to arrive on Digital on July 4 before heading to Blu-ray and DVD on July 11. No box art or special features have been revealed at this time.
In Shin Ultraman, “we learn the appearance of giant unidentified life forms known as ‘S-Class Species (Kaiju)’ has become commonplace in Japan. The Japanese Government formed a Kaiju defense taskforce known as the Sssp, led by Kimio Tamura (played by Drive My Car’s Hidetoshi Nishijima). After a particularly challenging encounter, a silver giant descends from the sky to rescue the country. Dubbed Ultraman, this giant’s identity and purpose are a mystery.”
Takumi Saitoh is playing the main character. In addition, Masami Nagasawa, Daiki Arioka, Akari Hayami, and Tetsushi Tanaka star in Shin Ultraman.
Look for the live-action comic book reboot to arrive on Digital on July 4 before heading to Blu-ray and DVD on July 11. No box art or special features have been revealed at this time.
In Shin Ultraman, “we learn the appearance of giant unidentified life forms known as ‘S-Class Species (Kaiju)’ has become commonplace in Japan. The Japanese Government formed a Kaiju defense taskforce known as the Sssp, led by Kimio Tamura (played by Drive My Car’s Hidetoshi Nishijima). After a particularly challenging encounter, a silver giant descends from the sky to rescue the country. Dubbed Ultraman, this giant’s identity and purpose are a mystery.”
Takumi Saitoh is playing the main character. In addition, Masami Nagasawa, Daiki Arioka, Akari Hayami, and Tetsushi Tanaka star in Shin Ultraman.
- 6/8/2023
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
When looking at some special effects-heavy films that have come out of Japan in recent years, the “Shin Japan Heroes Universe” has graced audiences with some of the more unique and higher-quality tokusatsu titles in a long time. In particular, the live-action movies from this ongoing collaborative series are more than just standard reboots of long-existing franchises. “Shin Godzilla” and “Shin Ultraman” were clever reimaginings that modernized their respective franchises while preserving the themes each one embodied. Hideaki Anno celebrates the legacy of yet another groundbreaking series for the latest installment of these reboots as he delivers a spectacular action-packed emotional rollercoaster of a feature with his new film “Shin Kamen Rider.”
“Shin Kamen Rider” is the 50th-anniversary celebration of the classic 1970s television series “Kamen Rider” and its manga counterpart of the same name, both created by legendary manga artist and writer Shotaro Ishinomori. This time, Anno directs solo...
“Shin Kamen Rider” is the 50th-anniversary celebration of the classic 1970s television series “Kamen Rider” and its manga counterpart of the same name, both created by legendary manga artist and writer Shotaro Ishinomori. This time, Anno directs solo...
- 6/4/2023
- by Sean Barry
- AsianMoviePulse
Toronto-based genre specialist plans summer release.
Toronto-based genre specialist Raven Banner has acquired Canadian rights to Japanese box office smash Shin Ultraman, the latest incarnation of the Japanese superhero franchise from Tsuburaya Productions.
The latest Ultraman adventure grossed more than $30m at the Japanese box office and opened theatrically in the US through Fathom Events in January.
Raven Banner plans a summer release on Shin Ultraman, which takes place as Japanese authorities respond to the appearance around the country of giant unidentified life forms known as S-Class Species (Kaiju), when a silver giant descends from the sky to save the country.
Toronto-based genre specialist Raven Banner has acquired Canadian rights to Japanese box office smash Shin Ultraman, the latest incarnation of the Japanese superhero franchise from Tsuburaya Productions.
The latest Ultraman adventure grossed more than $30m at the Japanese box office and opened theatrically in the US through Fathom Events in January.
Raven Banner plans a summer release on Shin Ultraman, which takes place as Japanese authorities respond to the appearance around the country of giant unidentified life forms known as S-Class Species (Kaiju), when a silver giant descends from the sky to save the country.
- 5/19/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Warwick Thornton’s “The New Boy” has been set as the opening title of next month’s Sydney Film Festival, which will celebrate its 70th edition, June 7-18. The film, a tale of sprituality and survival in 1940s Australia, starring Cate Blanchett, Deborah Mailman, Wayne Blair and Aswan Reid, will also play in the festival’s competition section.
Other titles in competition include: the world premiere of Australian documentary feature “The Dark Emu Story,” directed by Allan Clarke; Christian Petzold’s previously announced “Afire”; Charlotte Regan’s Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner “Scrapper”; Kore-eda Hirokazu’s “Monster”; Aki Kaurismäki’s compassionate comedy “Fallen Leaves”; Kim Jee-woon’s “Cobweb”; Asmae El Moudir’s “The Mother of All Lies”; Alice Englert’s directorial debut “Bad Behaviour”; Celine Song’s Sundance and Berlinale 2023 selected romance “Past Lives”; Liu Jian’s 2023 Berlinale-selected animation “Art College 1994”; Devashish Makhija’s “Joram,” a thriller about an...
Other titles in competition include: the world premiere of Australian documentary feature “The Dark Emu Story,” directed by Allan Clarke; Christian Petzold’s previously announced “Afire”; Charlotte Regan’s Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner “Scrapper”; Kore-eda Hirokazu’s “Monster”; Aki Kaurismäki’s compassionate comedy “Fallen Leaves”; Kim Jee-woon’s “Cobweb”; Asmae El Moudir’s “The Mother of All Lies”; Alice Englert’s directorial debut “Bad Behaviour”; Celine Song’s Sundance and Berlinale 2023 selected romance “Past Lives”; Liu Jian’s 2023 Berlinale-selected animation “Art College 1994”; Devashish Makhija’s “Joram,” a thriller about an...
- 5/10/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
“Drive My Car” star Hidetoshi Nishijima has signed with CAA for representation.
Nishijima starred in the acclaimed 2021 Japanese feature “Drive My Car,” which was nominated for four Academy Awards, and walked away with the Oscar for best international feature film.
He earned several awards for his performance in the Cannes-premiering critical darling, including best actor from the National Society of Film Critics and the Boston Film Critics Circle Awards, as well as the Japan Academy Film Prize for best actor.
Nishijima will next star alongside Rashida Jones in “Sunny,” Apple TV+’s half-hour dark comedy series from A24 and Lucy Tcherniak. He also stars in Kitano Takeshi’s “Kubi,” which will premiere at the Cannes Film Festival next month.
Nishijima’s previous credits include “Shin Ultraman” (2022), Kitano Takeshi’s “Dolls” (2002), and “License to Live” for which he won the best actor award at the Japanese Professional Movie Awards.
Nishijima has also appeared in TV series,...
Nishijima starred in the acclaimed 2021 Japanese feature “Drive My Car,” which was nominated for four Academy Awards, and walked away with the Oscar for best international feature film.
He earned several awards for his performance in the Cannes-premiering critical darling, including best actor from the National Society of Film Critics and the Boston Film Critics Circle Awards, as well as the Japan Academy Film Prize for best actor.
Nishijima will next star alongside Rashida Jones in “Sunny,” Apple TV+’s half-hour dark comedy series from A24 and Lucy Tcherniak. He also stars in Kitano Takeshi’s “Kubi,” which will premiere at the Cannes Film Festival next month.
Nishijima’s previous credits include “Shin Ultraman” (2022), Kitano Takeshi’s “Dolls” (2002), and “License to Live” for which he won the best actor award at the Japanese Professional Movie Awards.
Nishijima has also appeared in TV series,...
- 4/25/2023
- by Manori Ravindran
- Variety Film + TV
It is the perfect time to reflect on some of the essential works of filmmaker Hideaki Anno (b. 1960) in culmination with the recent release of his latest feature, “Shin Kamen Rider.” From his days as an animator to becoming one of Japan's most renowned directors working today, the postmodernist auteur has captivated and certainly polarized moviegoers with his unique line of work both in animation and live-action filmmaking. Taking influence from his favorite pieces of entertainment and his personal life experiences, Anno has become widely recognized for his extraordinary visual style, superb editing, and nonconformist approach to storytelling with the mental deconstruction and psychological examination of his characters. Anime fans likely know him best for his hit series “Neon Genesis Evangelion,” a show that has since then become a recognizable staple of Japanese media culture that would spawn numerous movies. Recently, he contributed as the screenwriter and producer of the spectacular superhero flick “Shin Ultraman,...
- 4/9/2023
- by Sean Barry
- AsianMoviePulse
The Japan Academy Film Prize Association held the 46th edition of its awards ceremony on March 10, 2023. The nominees are selected by industry professionals from the pool of film releases between January 1 and December 31, 2022 which must have screened in Tokyo cinemas. Award categories are modelled after Hollywood's Academy Awards®.
Following its success at the recent Blue Ribbon Awards, and leading with 13 nominations in 12 categories, Kei Ishikawa's “A Man” walks away with 8 Japan Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress. The full list of winners is described below.
Picture of the Year
A Man
Shin Ultraman
Phases of the Moon
Anime Supremacy!
Wandering
Team from A Man Animation of the Year
Inu-Oh
Lonely Castle in the Mirror
Suzume
One Piece Film Red
The First Slam Dunk
Director of the Year
Kei Ishikawa – A Man
Takashi Koizumi – The Pass: Last...
Following its success at the recent Blue Ribbon Awards, and leading with 13 nominations in 12 categories, Kei Ishikawa's “A Man” walks away with 8 Japan Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress. The full list of winners is described below.
Picture of the Year
A Man
Shin Ultraman
Phases of the Moon
Anime Supremacy!
Wandering
Team from A Man Animation of the Year
Inu-Oh
Lonely Castle in the Mirror
Suzume
One Piece Film Red
The First Slam Dunk
Director of the Year
Kei Ishikawa – A Man
Takashi Koizumi – The Pass: Last...
- 3/15/2023
- by Suzie Cho
- AsianMoviePulse
Being a Kaiju fan wasn’t always this easy. Not only were dubbed and subtitled copies of Japanese monster movies hard to come by before the advent of online streaming and boutique Blu-rays, but it was also hard to find other cinephiles with the same taste for rubber-suits and cardboard destruction. Fortunately, times have changed, with the rise of internet culture allowing what were once niche interests to find their way into mainstream culture.
However, while general audiences are now mostly aware of Godzilla and his titanic rogues’ gallery, there’s still a whole world of untapped kaiju flicks out there, just waiting to be discovered by a new generation of fans. And with the internet making even the most obscure creature features more accessible, we’ve decided to come up with a list celebrating six Kaiju movies that aren’t Godzilla-related.
While we obviously have nothing against everyone’s favorite radioactive lizard,...
However, while general audiences are now mostly aware of Godzilla and his titanic rogues’ gallery, there’s still a whole world of untapped kaiju flicks out there, just waiting to be discovered by a new generation of fans. And with the internet making even the most obscure creature features more accessible, we’ve decided to come up with a list celebrating six Kaiju movies that aren’t Godzilla-related.
While we obviously have nothing against everyone’s favorite radioactive lizard,...
- 3/2/2023
- by Luiz H. C.
- bloody-disgusting.com
Godzilla feature films can be separated into six separate, distinct continuities. From Toho's 1954 original "Gojira" until "Terror of Mechagodzilla" in 1975, there were 16 films in the "Showa" era. Beginning in 1984 with "The Return of Godzilla" and running until "Godzilla vs. Destoroyah" in 1995, was the "Heisei" era. Roland Emmerich's 1998 American film was, after the fact, folded into a new rebooted continuity which began in 2000 with "Godzilla 2000." That was the "Millennium" era. That era ran until 2004 and closed out with "Godzilla: Final Wars," a film where Godzilla fights just about every monster imaginable. In 2014, America took a crack at kaiju films again with a new "Godzilla," now part of a multi-film "MonsterVerse" era. Perhaps in response, Japan made "Shin Godzilla" in 2016, the only film to date in the "Shin" era. Shortly after "Shin Godzilla," there was also a trilogy of animated films on Netflix. Call those films the "Netflix" era.
- 2/8/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Strong recovery reveals figures are getting closer to pre-pandemic levels.
Japan showed strong recovery at the box office in 2022 with takings of 1.6bn (¥205bn) approaching pre-pandemic levels, bolstered by a string of local animated film hits.
Cinema admissions reached 146.9 million across the year compared to 182 million in pre-pandemic 2019, according to Comscore. Box office receipts were 1.6bn (¥205bn), down 15.3 on the 1.9bn (¥242bn) taken in 2019. For comparison, last year’s US box office was down 34 on 2019.
Scroll down for top 20 titles
Japan, which was one of the few countries to largely keep cinemas open during the Covid-19 pandemic, is the world...
Japan showed strong recovery at the box office in 2022 with takings of 1.6bn (¥205bn) approaching pre-pandemic levels, bolstered by a string of local animated film hits.
Cinema admissions reached 146.9 million across the year compared to 182 million in pre-pandemic 2019, according to Comscore. Box office receipts were 1.6bn (¥205bn), down 15.3 on the 1.9bn (¥242bn) taken in 2019. For comparison, last year’s US box office was down 34 on 2019.
Scroll down for top 20 titles
Japan, which was one of the few countries to largely keep cinemas open during the Covid-19 pandemic, is the world...
- 1/13/2023
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
The critic Viktor Shklovsky once described the durability of certain poetic images as a kind of immortality, for it’s as if they were never created, but constantly being found, in new but recognizable forms. The poetic image of the Japanese superhero Ultraman is now in its 56th year of rediscovery, with over a half-century of revival and reconfiguring amounting to a vast constellation of TV series, one-off specials, films, manga and video games. This enormous store of moving images is a testament to not only the popularity of Ultraman the character, but to several generations of artists, of many stripes, who’ve sculpted this franchise in an ever-changing flow of new styles and ideas. Shinji Higuchi and Hideaki Anno make their own addition with Shin Ultraman (2022), the second film in their series of reimagined classic tokusatsu (special effects) films. It follows Shin Godzilla (2016), a restoration of the Godzilla film...
- 1/12/2023
- MUBI
Following The Film Stage’s collective top 50 films of 2022, as part of our year-end coverage, our contributors are sharing their personal top 10 lists.
Just hours prior a friend asked what’s on my best-of-2022 list. (This sounds made-up; I promise it actually happened.) I could run it down with exacting detail, each entry signaling a postmark—personal, temporal, geographic, formal—in the year before one escaped me. Absolutely, entirely, gone as if never seen. Consulting my Notes app let all attendant thoughts and feelings rush back—where and when seen, fulfilled or complicated desires, fruitful conversations (including with its director) and strong recommendations all the time since.
It is a great film. Have I thought about it more than Tár (stylized as TÁR), which but minutes prior I’d asked if my companion saw? Clearly not. Tár (stylized as TÁR) also doesn’t appear here. Much as I liked Todd Field...
Just hours prior a friend asked what’s on my best-of-2022 list. (This sounds made-up; I promise it actually happened.) I could run it down with exacting detail, each entry signaling a postmark—personal, temporal, geographic, formal—in the year before one escaped me. Absolutely, entirely, gone as if never seen. Consulting my Notes app let all attendant thoughts and feelings rush back—where and when seen, fulfilled or complicated desires, fruitful conversations (including with its director) and strong recommendations all the time since.
It is a great film. Have I thought about it more than Tár (stylized as TÁR), which but minutes prior I’d asked if my companion saw? Clearly not. Tár (stylized as TÁR) also doesn’t appear here. Much as I liked Todd Field...
- 1/12/2023
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
The wait for “Shin Ultraman’s” U.S. release is finally over, but for now, you’ve got a very limited window to catch it in theaters. Following a blockbuster May 2022 debut in Japan, the reimagining of the iconic “Ultraman” franchise is getting a special engagement release in limited theaters, for two days only.
If you weren’t able to catch the film during its festival run, this might be the last chance to see it in theaters. And If you’re an “Ultraman” fan, you’ll definitely want to catch the Kaiju-packed, crowd-pleasing film on the big screen, so we’ve put together all the need-to-know details so you don’t miss your shot.
When Is “Shin Ultraman” Getting a U.S. Release?
“Shin Ultraman” will finally arrive in U.S. theaters on Wednesday, Jan. 11 and Thursday, Jan. 12, via Fathom Events.
Screenings on Jan. 11 will have subtitles, while the Jan.
If you weren’t able to catch the film during its festival run, this might be the last chance to see it in theaters. And If you’re an “Ultraman” fan, you’ll definitely want to catch the Kaiju-packed, crowd-pleasing film on the big screen, so we’ve put together all the need-to-know details so you don’t miss your shot.
When Is “Shin Ultraman” Getting a U.S. Release?
“Shin Ultraman” will finally arrive in U.S. theaters on Wednesday, Jan. 11 and Thursday, Jan. 12, via Fathom Events.
Screenings on Jan. 11 will have subtitles, while the Jan.
- 1/11/2023
- by Haleigh Foutch
- The Wrap
Shinji Higuchi’s fantastic new film “Shin Ultraman” elicits a sensation that other blockbusters, huge and popular blockbusters, have often neglected: In these worlds where larger-than-life, godlike beings traipse around like they own the place, people wouldn’t just feel small — we’d be completely confused. How inconsequential are we? How oblivious have we been to the rest of this incredible universe? What is our purpose? What’s the freakin’ point?
“Shin Ultraman,” an adaptation of an immensely popular and long-running tokusatsu/kaiju multimedia franchise that began way back in 1966, captures all the ecstatic joy of giant monsters fighting a giant alien and breaking buildings and blowing up mountains. But the screenplay (by “Neon Genesis Evangelion” creator Hideaki Anno) also captures the episodic quality of the “Ultraman” series, leaving audiences overwhelmed by how multifaceted this fantasy truly is and how existentially challenging it would be simply to live in a world that’s this weird.
“Shin Ultraman,” an adaptation of an immensely popular and long-running tokusatsu/kaiju multimedia franchise that began way back in 1966, captures all the ecstatic joy of giant monsters fighting a giant alien and breaking buildings and blowing up mountains. But the screenplay (by “Neon Genesis Evangelion” creator Hideaki Anno) also captures the episodic quality of the “Ultraman” series, leaving audiences overwhelmed by how multifaceted this fantasy truly is and how existentially challenging it would be simply to live in a world that’s this weird.
- 1/11/2023
- by William Bibbiani
- The Wrap
As the threat of giant unidentified lifeforms known as "S-Class Species" worsens in Japan, a silver giant appears from beyond Earth's atmosphere. If you're unable to get out to cinemas to catch special event screenings of Shinji Higuchi's As the threat of giant unidentified lifeforms known as "S-Class Species" worsens in Japan, a silver giant appears from beyond Earth's atmosphere. this week there is a consolation prize coming this Spring. Cleopatra Entertainment has acquired the U.S. rights for the Japanese superhero box office hit. They will release Shin Ultraman on VOD and give it a deluxe home entertainment Blu-ray and DVD release. The official announcement follows and we've included a Japanese trailer below that. Cleopatra Entertainment has acquired U.S. territory rights...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 1/11/2023
- Screen Anarchy
Cleopatra Entertainment has acquired U.S. territory rights to the latest incarnation of the Japanese Superhero franchise Ultraman from Tsuburaya Productions. Entitled Shin Ultraman, this new Ultraman adventure was the sixth-highest grossing Japanese feature film of 2022 and will hit U.S. theaters – via Fathom Events – on January 11th and 12th, 2023.
Written by Hideaki Anno (Shin Godzilla) and directed by Shinji Higuchi, the film stars Takumi Saitoh, Hidetoshi Nishijima, Masami Nagasawa (Before We Vanish, Mother), Daiki Arioka (Innocent Curse), and Akari Hayami (Gintama, Forget Me Not).
As Shin Ultraman begins, we learn the appearance of giant unidentified life forms known as “S-Class Species (Kaiju)” has become commonplace in Japan. The Japanese Government formed a Kaiju defense taskforce known as the Sssp, led by Kimio Tamura (played by Drive My Car’s Hidetoshi Nishijima). After a particularly challenging encounter, a silver giant descends from the sky to rescue the country. Dubbed Ultraman,...
Written by Hideaki Anno (Shin Godzilla) and directed by Shinji Higuchi, the film stars Takumi Saitoh, Hidetoshi Nishijima, Masami Nagasawa (Before We Vanish, Mother), Daiki Arioka (Innocent Curse), and Akari Hayami (Gintama, Forget Me Not).
As Shin Ultraman begins, we learn the appearance of giant unidentified life forms known as “S-Class Species (Kaiju)” has become commonplace in Japan. The Japanese Government formed a Kaiju defense taskforce known as the Sssp, led by Kimio Tamura (played by Drive My Car’s Hidetoshi Nishijima). After a particularly challenging encounter, a silver giant descends from the sky to rescue the country. Dubbed Ultraman,...
- 1/11/2023
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
Blue An, Film.UA & Zdf Team On Zelenskyy Doc ‘Citizens At War’
Canada’s Blue Ant International has struck a distribution and co-production financing deal for six-part doc series Citizens at War: A Year in Ukraine. The doc will include exclusive, personal interviews with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his wife, Olena, and details how the lives of people in Ukraine were turned upside down by the Russian invasion. Stories include intervies with a Ukrainian beauty queen turned sniper, a Russian soldier terrified by unexpected resistance to his convoy and the sole survivor of a mass execution in Bucha. Blue Ant’s Global Head of Acquisitions and Partnerships Lilla Hurst struck the deal for the series with leading Ukrainian studio Film.UA, Australia’s Tilt Media and Gtv Docs in London. Germany’s Zdf is attached as the commissioning broadcaster and the show is expected to debut on the one-year anniversary...
Canada’s Blue Ant International has struck a distribution and co-production financing deal for six-part doc series Citizens at War: A Year in Ukraine. The doc will include exclusive, personal interviews with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his wife, Olena, and details how the lives of people in Ukraine were turned upside down by the Russian invasion. Stories include intervies with a Ukrainian beauty queen turned sniper, a Russian soldier terrified by unexpected resistance to his convoy and the sole survivor of a mass execution in Bucha. Blue Ant’s Global Head of Acquisitions and Partnerships Lilla Hurst struck the deal for the series with leading Ukrainian studio Film.UA, Australia’s Tilt Media and Gtv Docs in London. Germany’s Zdf is attached as the commissioning broadcaster and the show is expected to debut on the one-year anniversary...
- 1/11/2023
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
After all the scandals and skepticism, was tonight the Golden Globes that NBC, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and the Todd Boehly-owned dick clark productions really wanted?
Back on network TV after two stained and subsequently supposedly reform-filled years, the once riotous and influential ceremony had high expectations to meet — but the erratic 80th annual Golden Globes barely met them halfway.
Related Story Golden Globes: ‘The Fabelmans’ Wins Best Motion Picture Drama – Complete List Related Story Ukraine Doc Series 'Citizens At War' Readied; 'Lust' Trailer (Exclusive); 'Shin Ultraman' U.S. Sale (Exclusive) — Global Briefs Related Story Eddie Murphy "Absolutely Would Go Back" To Host 'SNL', Hasn't Spoken To Will Smith & Chris Rock About Oscar Slap – Golden Globes Backstage
Big-win hardware was handed out to Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’s Angela Bassett, The Fabelmans and director Steven Spielberg, Everything Everywhere All at Once’s Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan,...
Back on network TV after two stained and subsequently supposedly reform-filled years, the once riotous and influential ceremony had high expectations to meet — but the erratic 80th annual Golden Globes barely met them halfway.
Related Story Golden Globes: ‘The Fabelmans’ Wins Best Motion Picture Drama – Complete List Related Story Ukraine Doc Series 'Citizens At War' Readied; 'Lust' Trailer (Exclusive); 'Shin Ultraman' U.S. Sale (Exclusive) — Global Briefs Related Story Eddie Murphy "Absolutely Would Go Back" To Host 'SNL', Hasn't Spoken To Will Smith & Chris Rock About Oscar Slap – Golden Globes Backstage
Big-win hardware was handed out to Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’s Angela Bassett, The Fabelmans and director Steven Spielberg, Everything Everywhere All at Once’s Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan,...
- 1/11/2023
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
Rebooting a vintage superhero for modern audiences is never easy, but Shinji Higuchi and Hideaki Anno were not only up to the challenge, they pulled it off with zeal and respect. With Shin Ultraman, the creative duo behind Shin Godzilla carve out another considerable and clever update of a beloved Japanese icon. The towering, humanoid superhero from another galaxy doesn’t receive a significant physical makeover in this new big-screen adventure, however his origin story is retooled with fantastic results.
Ultraman has never been off the air or out of the public eye for too long since his debut in 1966; Earth’s utmost extraterrestrial guardian has, in some form or another, been featured in a number of TV series, films, anime and video games. And to say Japan is well aware of Ultraman’s presence is an understatement. He is as famous as he is ubiquitous. Shin Ultraman, on the other hand,...
Ultraman has never been off the air or out of the public eye for too long since his debut in 1966; Earth’s utmost extraterrestrial guardian has, in some form or another, been featured in a number of TV series, films, anime and video games. And to say Japan is well aware of Ultraman’s presence is an understatement. He is as famous as he is ubiquitous. Shin Ultraman, on the other hand,...
- 1/10/2023
- by Paul Lê
- bloody-disgusting.com
(Superhero Bits is a collection of stories, updates, and videos about anything and everything inspired by the comics of Marvel, DC, and more. For comic book movies, TV shows, merchandise, events, and whatever catches our eye, this is the place to find anything that falls through the cracks.)
In this edition of Superhero Bits:
The "Black Adam" reshoots were tremendously expensive.
"Daredevil: Born Again" has a very long shooting schedule.
"Shin Ultraman" is coming to Blu-ray.
DC Studios is working closely with DC Comics.
All that and more!
Stark Sentinels Will Be On The Hunt For Mutants In Invincible Iron Man
The current run of "Invincible Iron Man" in Marvel Comics is looking to shake things up. In particular, it looks like Stark tech is going to be used to hunt mutants, without Tony Stark's blessing. These Stark Sentinels are about to become a big part of the book,...
In this edition of Superhero Bits:
The "Black Adam" reshoots were tremendously expensive.
"Daredevil: Born Again" has a very long shooting schedule.
"Shin Ultraman" is coming to Blu-ray.
DC Studios is working closely with DC Comics.
All that and more!
Stark Sentinels Will Be On The Hunt For Mutants In Invincible Iron Man
The current run of "Invincible Iron Man" in Marvel Comics is looking to shake things up. In particular, it looks like Stark tech is going to be used to hunt mutants, without Tony Stark's blessing. These Stark Sentinels are about to become a big part of the book,...
- 12/23/2022
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
Based on Inio Asano’s manga, the film stars Takumi Saito from ’Shin Ultraman’.
Japan’s Nikkatsu is launching sales on actor-director Naoto Takenaka’s Downfall, an upcoming live-action feature based on Inio Asano’s manga of the same name, at content market Tiffcom.
The adaptation of the manga, also known as Reiraku, will be a dark drama starring Takumi Saitoh of Shin Ultraman as a formerly successful manga artist. He will be joined in the cast by Shuri (Wandering), who plays a prostitute he becomes interested in, and Megumi, who plays his wife.
The story follows the artist as...
Japan’s Nikkatsu is launching sales on actor-director Naoto Takenaka’s Downfall, an upcoming live-action feature based on Inio Asano’s manga of the same name, at content market Tiffcom.
The adaptation of the manga, also known as Reiraku, will be a dark drama starring Takumi Saitoh of Shin Ultraman as a formerly successful manga artist. He will be joined in the cast by Shuri (Wandering), who plays a prostitute he becomes interested in, and Megumi, who plays his wife.
The story follows the artist as...
- 10/27/2022
- by Jean Noh
- ScreenDaily
"Ultraman" is a franchise that has deep roots dating back to the mid-'60s with the original series that birthed the giant Japanese superhero. We've had several iterations of the character since but now, it's radical reinvention time: "Shin Ultraman" arrives from Toho and director Shinji Higuchi to give us an Ultraman for modern times. Much like "Shin Godzilla," "Shin Ultraman" very much succeeds in providing an update to the franchise that can stand up to modern scrutiny. But, in many ways, that's where the similarities stop with this absolutely insane, visually delightful, and downright haphazard reboot. What begins, instead, is something hard to classify but also impossible to look away from.
The movie takes place after Japan experiences a rapid growth in kaiju attacks. So, the Sssp kaiju defense task force is established to help deal with these monstrous threats. The group is led by Kimio Tamura (Hidetoshi Nishijima...
The movie takes place after Japan experiences a rapid growth in kaiju attacks. So, the Sssp kaiju defense task force is established to help deal with these monstrous threats. The group is led by Kimio Tamura (Hidetoshi Nishijima...
- 9/28/2022
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
Fantastic Fest Awards Winners: ‘Piggy,’ ‘The Five Devils’ and ‘The Menu’ Take Top Honors (Exclusive)
Another Fantastic Fest is coming to a close, and we’ve got the full list of 2022 Fantastic Fest awards winners — including Searchlight Pictures’ upcoming release “The Menu.”
The film festival, held at the Alamo Drafthouse on South Lamar in Austin, Texas, is one of the premiere genre film festivals in the country and has led to more acquisitions than South by Southwest, which takes place in Austin every spring. A joyful celebration of all things genre, this year was no different – with buzzy titles like Searchlight’s “The Menu” and MGM’s “Bones and All” playing alongside more esoteric fare like “Shin Ultraman.” There was even a high profile Marvel Studios premiere in their upcoming black-and-white Halloween special, “Werewolf by Night” (which really brought the house down).
“We really gave our jury members a tough job this year. We have no idea how they were able to choose between so many amazing films,...
The film festival, held at the Alamo Drafthouse on South Lamar in Austin, Texas, is one of the premiere genre film festivals in the country and has led to more acquisitions than South by Southwest, which takes place in Austin every spring. A joyful celebration of all things genre, this year was no different – with buzzy titles like Searchlight’s “The Menu” and MGM’s “Bones and All” playing alongside more esoteric fare like “Shin Ultraman.” There was even a high profile Marvel Studios premiere in their upcoming black-and-white Halloween special, “Werewolf by Night” (which really brought the house down).
“We really gave our jury members a tough job this year. We have no idea how they were able to choose between so many amazing films,...
- 9/27/2022
- by Drew Taylor
- The Wrap
Shin Ultraman Director Shinji Higuchi On Reinventing The Iconic Superhero [Fantastic Fest Interview]
Shinji Higuchi is a storyboard artist, VFX artist, and director who has worked on plenty of iconic projects, from "Neon Genesis Evangelion," to "Gamera" and "Attack on Titan" (the live-action movies). He has often collaborated with Hideaki Anno, with the two co-directing the fantastic "Shin Godzilla," a reinvention of the iconic character.
Now, the two are teaming up again for another reinvention of a Japanese icon — Ultraman. With "Shin Ultraman," director Higuchi and writer Anno bring the '60s character to the modern era with a film that works as both an introduction to a decades-old franchise for newcomers, and also a fan-service fest for longtime fans of the silver hero. Like "Shin Godzilla," expect a focus on human characters and rapid-fire dialogue, but where that film had a bit of a cynic tone, "Shin Ultraman" is about pure, relentless optimism and hope. There are plenty of stunning kaiju fights,...
Now, the two are teaming up again for another reinvention of a Japanese icon — Ultraman. With "Shin Ultraman," director Higuchi and writer Anno bring the '60s character to the modern era with a film that works as both an introduction to a decades-old franchise for newcomers, and also a fan-service fest for longtime fans of the silver hero. Like "Shin Godzilla," expect a focus on human characters and rapid-fire dialogue, but where that film had a bit of a cynic tone, "Shin Ultraman" is about pure, relentless optimism and hope. There are plenty of stunning kaiju fights,...
- 9/26/2022
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
I knew nothing about Ultraman when I sat down to watch "Shin Ultraman," and I'll be perfectly honest: when the credits rolled, I still didn't know much about Ultraman.
The new film from director Shinji Higuchi is a modernized update of the classic Japanese character, a skyscraper-sized alien who defends the Earth from various threats, both internal (those blasted kaiju just keep emerging from the ground) and external (our planet is apparently on the radar of every scheming alien in the galaxy). When he's not punching giant monsters in the face, Ultraman lives among us as a (regular-sized) blank-faced government bureaucrat. And as the film makes clear, he has many, many problems to deal with — "Shin Ultraman" resets itself with a new evil plot every 30 minutes or so, with each solved problem escalating into a new crisis.
I'd be lying if I said I could follow it all. This is...
The new film from director Shinji Higuchi is a modernized update of the classic Japanese character, a skyscraper-sized alien who defends the Earth from various threats, both internal (those blasted kaiju just keep emerging from the ground) and external (our planet is apparently on the radar of every scheming alien in the galaxy). When he's not punching giant monsters in the face, Ultraman lives among us as a (regular-sized) blank-faced government bureaucrat. And as the film makes clear, he has many, many problems to deal with — "Shin Ultraman" resets itself with a new evil plot every 30 minutes or so, with each solved problem escalating into a new crisis.
I'd be lying if I said I could follow it all. This is...
- 9/25/2022
- by Jacob Hall
- Slash Film
The Exchange has acquired the sales rights for North America, Europe, Latin America, Australia, New Zealand and other remaining territories for superhero movie “Shin Ultraman,” a blockbuster hit in Japan when it was released on May 13. The Exchange is introducing the movie to buyers at the Toronto Film Festival.
The movie, produced by Tsuburaya Productions, Toho and Khara, grossed 31.2 million in Japan, building on the fanbase of the “Ultraman” TV series, which was first broadcast in 1966.
The movie was directed by Shinji Higuchi and was written by director and screenwriter Hideaki Anno, who also acted as producer alongside Takayuki Tsukagoshi and Minami Ichikawa.
“Shin Ultraman” stars Hidetoshi Nishijima, who was in the Academy Award winning movie “Drive My Car,” Takumi Saitoh, and Masami Nagasawa. The cast also includes Daiki Arioka (“Innocent Curse”), Akari Hayami (“Forget Me Not”), and Tetsushi Tanaka.
In the movie, the appearance of giant unidentified life forms,...
The movie, produced by Tsuburaya Productions, Toho and Khara, grossed 31.2 million in Japan, building on the fanbase of the “Ultraman” TV series, which was first broadcast in 1966.
The movie was directed by Shinji Higuchi and was written by director and screenwriter Hideaki Anno, who also acted as producer alongside Takayuki Tsukagoshi and Minami Ichikawa.
“Shin Ultraman” stars Hidetoshi Nishijima, who was in the Academy Award winning movie “Drive My Car,” Takumi Saitoh, and Masami Nagasawa. The cast also includes Daiki Arioka (“Innocent Curse”), Akari Hayami (“Forget Me Not”), and Tetsushi Tanaka.
In the movie, the appearance of giant unidentified life forms,...
- 9/12/2022
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
“Shin Ultraman” wouldn’t be the first time filmmakers Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi reimagined a popular tokusatsu character. A few years prior, they gave audiences “Shin Godzilla,” an alternate title for the feature being “Godzilla Resurgence.” It is a film that is not only an entertaining monster flick but a suspenseful political thriller with clever commentary. Also reinstated are the themes of the original “Godzilla” directed by Ishiro Honda on the horrors of nuclear warfare. In conjunction with that is satire inspired by the Japanese government’s poor handling of the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami and the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011.
Japan is thrust into panic and chaos when a giant creature appears and starts causing destruction. The beast is referred to as Godzilla, and it is constantly evolving. The government works to prevent further catastrophe while overcoming bureaucratic red tape. The story is simple but engaging, balancing humor...
Japan is thrust into panic and chaos when a giant creature appears and starts causing destruction. The beast is referred to as Godzilla, and it is constantly evolving. The government works to prevent further catastrophe while overcoming bureaucratic red tape. The story is simple but engaging, balancing humor...
- 8/13/2022
- by Sean Barry
- AsianMoviePulse
Translation by Koichi Mori
Shinji Higuchi is a filmmaker and storyboard artist. At a young age, he was taken on a tour by his aunt to Toho Studios, where he saw the making of tokusatsu in action, which greatly inspired him. He would get his big start as an assistant modeler for the production of “The Return of Godzilla” and further advance career-wise with his collaborations with the studio Daicon. During that period, he would meet fellow filmmaker Hideaki Anno, who would become a close friend and frequent collaborator. Higuchi’s recognition would peak for his phenomenal work directing the special effects for the “Heisei Gamera Trilogy” directed by Shusuke Kaneko. Since then, he has been hailed both natively and internationally for his exceptional work as a special effects director and his movie directorial career. Higuchi’s latest film is “Shin Ultraman” the newest entry in the long-running “Ultra” franchise...
Shinji Higuchi is a filmmaker and storyboard artist. At a young age, he was taken on a tour by his aunt to Toho Studios, where he saw the making of tokusatsu in action, which greatly inspired him. He would get his big start as an assistant modeler for the production of “The Return of Godzilla” and further advance career-wise with his collaborations with the studio Daicon. During that period, he would meet fellow filmmaker Hideaki Anno, who would become a close friend and frequent collaborator. Higuchi’s recognition would peak for his phenomenal work directing the special effects for the “Heisei Gamera Trilogy” directed by Shusuke Kaneko. Since then, he has been hailed both natively and internationally for his exceptional work as a special effects director and his movie directorial career. Higuchi’s latest film is “Shin Ultraman” the newest entry in the long-running “Ultra” franchise...
- 8/6/2022
- by Sean Barry
- AsianMoviePulse
With a little more than a month to go until Fantasia returns in person in Montreal (July 14th - August 3rd), North America's biggest genre film festival has unveiled their second wave of titles and events and there are plenty of heavy hitters on deck. Kc Carthew's Polaris is set to open the fest on July 14th, this post-apocalyptic adventure is a graduate of the Frontieres film market back in 2019 and marks the director's second feature. Also included in this round of films is a queer genre focus with films like SXSW Alum, Hypochondriac, Carter Smith's Swallowed, queer wrestling doc, Out in the Ring, Eduardo Casanova's La Pieta, and more. Fantasia also brings the North American premiere of the hotly anticipated Shin Ultraman film...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 6/2/2022
- Screen Anarchy
Montreal event to run July 14 to August 3.
Organisers at the 26th edition of Fantasia International Film Festival have announced that the world premiere of K.C. Carthew’s Polaris will open the Montreal festival, set to run from July 14 to August 3.
The eco action fantasy set in a post-apocalyptic world is distributed in Canada by Filmoption International and is among the second wave of titles and events announced on Thursday (June 2). They include a spotlight on queer cinema and new work from Neil Labute, Patrice Leconte and Shinichiro Ueda.
Labute’s horror-comedy House Of Darkness gets its international premiere and...
Organisers at the 26th edition of Fantasia International Film Festival have announced that the world premiere of K.C. Carthew’s Polaris will open the Montreal festival, set to run from July 14 to August 3.
The eco action fantasy set in a post-apocalyptic world is distributed in Canada by Filmoption International and is among the second wave of titles and events announced on Thursday (June 2). They include a spotlight on queer cinema and new work from Neil Labute, Patrice Leconte and Shinichiro Ueda.
Labute’s horror-comedy House Of Darkness gets its international premiere and...
- 6/2/2022
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Montreal event to run 14 to August 3.
Organisers at the 26th edition of Fantasia International Film Festival have announced that the world premiere of K.C. Carthew’s Polaris will open the Montreal festival, set to run from July 14 to August 3.
The eco action fantasy set in a post-apocalyptic world is distributed in Canada by Filmoption International and is among the second wave of titles and events announced on Thursday (June 2). They include a spotlight on queer cinema and new work from Neil Labute, Patrice Leconte and Shinichiro Ueda.
Labute’s horror-comedy House Of Darkness gets its international premiere and stars Justin Long and Kate Bosworth.
Organisers at the 26th edition of Fantasia International Film Festival have announced that the world premiere of K.C. Carthew’s Polaris will open the Montreal festival, set to run from July 14 to August 3.
The eco action fantasy set in a post-apocalyptic world is distributed in Canada by Filmoption International and is among the second wave of titles and events announced on Thursday (June 2). They include a spotlight on queer cinema and new work from Neil Labute, Patrice Leconte and Shinichiro Ueda.
Labute’s horror-comedy House Of Darkness gets its international premiere and stars Justin Long and Kate Bosworth.
- 6/2/2022
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Update, writethru: Disney/Marvel’s Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness is approaching 700M globally after two weekends. The worldwide cume through Sunday is now an estimated 688.1M, including 291.9M domestic and 396.2M from the international box office. The latter number will shortly pass The Batman to become the biggest overseas release of 2022.
The sequel has edged the global lifetime of the first Doctor Strange (678M) and looks headed to a final above 900M, and that’s without Russia or China in the mix. So, maybe not the 1B that might have been sensed off of last weekend’s better-than-projected opening.
The sophomore frame overseas was 83.5M in 49 material markets. This reps a 60 drop from opening weekend. While that’s at the same level as the dip that Spider-Man: No Way Home took in its second frame in the same suite of markets, that film was during the Christmas session.
The sequel has edged the global lifetime of the first Doctor Strange (678M) and looks headed to a final above 900M, and that’s without Russia or China in the mix. So, maybe not the 1B that might have been sensed off of last weekend’s better-than-projected opening.
The sophomore frame overseas was 83.5M in 49 material markets. This reps a 60 drop from opening weekend. While that’s at the same level as the dip that Spider-Man: No Way Home took in its second frame in the same suite of markets, that film was during the Christmas session.
- 5/15/2022
- by Nancy Tartaglione
- Deadline Film + TV
In the wake of last week’s teaser trailer, the Shin Ultraman extended trailer has arrived this week, giving us a better look at the upcoming Kaiju movie from Shin Godzilla filmmaking duo Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi. The film takes a similar approach to Shin Godzilla, focusing heavily on the politics of dealing with the sudden appearance of […]
The post ‘Shin Ultraman’ Extended Trailer Now With More Monsters and More Ultraman! appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.
The post ‘Shin Ultraman’ Extended Trailer Now With More Monsters and More Ultraman! appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.
- 4/18/2022
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
While those stateside are getting served up the latest product from the Marvel assembly line as their sole blockbuster offering to kick off the summer (all respect to Sam Raimi), Japan will be getting Shin Ultraman, a new film directed by Shin Godzilla VFX lead and Evangelion co-writer Shinji Higuchi and written and produced by Hideaki Anno.
A reimagination of the Japanese series Ultraman, first originating back in the 1960s, this 2022 iteration stars Takumi Saitoh, Masami Nagasawa, and Drive My Car lead Hidetoshi Nishijima. Set for a May 13, 2022 release in Japan, this new international trailer shows all sorts of kaiju mayhem as our lead powers up.
Watch below.
The post First Trailer for Shin Ultraman Brings Kaiju Mayhem first appeared on The Film Stage.
A reimagination of the Japanese series Ultraman, first originating back in the 1960s, this 2022 iteration stars Takumi Saitoh, Masami Nagasawa, and Drive My Car lead Hidetoshi Nishijima. Set for a May 13, 2022 release in Japan, this new international trailer shows all sorts of kaiju mayhem as our lead powers up.
Watch below.
The post First Trailer for Shin Ultraman Brings Kaiju Mayhem first appeared on The Film Stage.
- 4/18/2022
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Shin Ultraman Trailer — Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi‘s Shin Ultraman (2022) movie trailer has been released by Toho Pictures. The Shin Ultraman trailer stars Takumi Saitoh, Masami Nagasawa, Hidetoshi Nishijima, Koji Yamamoto, and Akari Hayami. Crew Hideaki Anno wrote the screenplay for Shin Ultraman. Shiro Sagisu created the music for the film. Kazuhiro Nakagawa crafted [...]
Continue reading: Shin Ultraman (2022) Movie Trailer: An Alien Gives Takumi Saitoh its Powers to Protect Earth from Extraterrestrial Criminals...
Continue reading: Shin Ultraman (2022) Movie Trailer: An Alien Gives Takumi Saitoh its Powers to Protect Earth from Extraterrestrial Criminals...
- 4/16/2022
- by Rollo Tomasi
- Film-Book
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