Masao Teshima Movies
- 2009
A special kind of toy is suddenly introduced to the real world around her in this artful fantasy from Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda. Hideo (Itsuji Itao) is a middle-aged man who doesn't have many friends, but he wards off loneliness with his companion Nozomi (Bae Du-na), who joins him for dinner each evening and in bed afterwards. But Nozomi is actually an inflatable love doll that can't speak or move on her own -- or she can't until one morning when she discovers she's developed the heart, flesh and soul of a human being. Unfamiliar with the world outside Hideo's apartment, Nozomi tentatively learns to walk, dress herself and venture out into the neighborhood, where she mimics the speech and habits of others. Hideo is surprised when he discovers his "air doll" has come to life, but he soon adjusts to Nozomi's new form. But Nozomi begins learning about the pain and confusion that having a heart can bring when she gets a job at a video store and falls in love with one of her co-workers, Junichi (Arata). As she struggles with her feelings, she seeks out her creator -- Sonoda (Joe Odagiri), the designer who invented the model of doll she used to be. Kuki Ningyo (aka Air Doll) was an official selection at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival, where it was screened as part of the "Un Certain Regard" program. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bae Doo na, Arata, (more)
- 2008
This heartwarming family film from Japan centers around a 13-year old girl named Mai. Suffering from intense asthma, and even more intense anxiety, Mai is sent to live with her English-born grandmother in the country. The mysterious old woman is thought by many to be a witch, so Mai asks her to teach her secrets of magic. The grandmother agrees and the two set off on a series of educational adventures, but soon it becomes clear that the lessons Mai is learning from her grandmother require no sorcery -- just a little common sense. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sachi Parker
- 2008
Portly television comedian Muga Tsukaji and former male model Shosuke Tanihara team up to deliver laughs in this Japanese comedy about a talented-yet-unattractive chef who becomes irresistibly handsome after being fitted with a revolutionary "handsome" suit. Takuro Ohki (Tsukaji) may make a mean tempura, though the ladies flee in horror thanks to his abrasive behavior and repulsive fashion sense. A friend's wedding fast approaching, Takuro heads for a local clothing store to pick out a tuxedo. But the tailors here are especially talented, and in no time flat they've fitted him with a brand new "handsome" suit. Upon donning the threads, Takuro is instantly transformed into perfectly chiseled slice of beefcake (Tanihara). Adapting the more masculine name Annin Hikariyama ("Lightning Mountain") for his handsome new persona, the once unlucky-in-love cook becomes the toast of the Tokyo fashion scene, scoring a male modeling job and instantly appearing on the radar of popular high profile supermodel Raika (Mayumi Sada). Back in the kitchen, Takuro keeps his new life a secret while hitting it off with plump new employee Motoe (Miyuki Oshima). Meanwhile, out on the town, every time Takuro gets close to Raika the malfunctioning suit threatens to reveal the true man underneath, in all his bloated glory. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 2007
A troubled woman must confront the madness in others in this offbeat Japanese comedy-drama. Asuka Sakura (Yuki Uchida) is a writer who has enjoyed some success as a magazine reporter, but the stress and long hours of her work has caused her to become dependent on drugs and she's physically and emotionally worn to a frazzle. One day, Asuka awakes to discover she's in a psychiatric hospital after spending two days in a coma; her boyfriend, a television presenter named Tetsuo (Kudo Kankuro), is convinced her accidental overdose was really a suicide attempt, and he's had her committed for observation, even though he's clearly more disturbed than she is. As Asuka struggles to detox and regain her stability, she has to deal with the often-difficult personalities of her fellow patients, ranging from a former porn star with a gift for smuggling forbidden goods into the hospital to a gifted pianist with an eating disorder and a profound fear of open spaces. Kuwaieto rumo ni yokoso (aka Welcome To The Quiet Room was written and directed by Matsuo Suzuki, whose screenplay was based on his own novel. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Yuki Uchida, Kankuro Kudo, (more)
A pair of feisty young street urchins attempts to protect an unnamed metropolis from a diabolical villain whose plans to raze the urban landscape on the behalf of malevolent real-estate developers threatens to destroy the very soul of the city. Street-smart youngsters Black and White do their best to defend their territory from rival gangs as local yakuza leader Suzuki, fearing that the town has lost its zeal, plots a triumphant return to form. A lifelong criminal with a serious zodiac fixation, Suzuki (aqua The Rat) doesn't want to corrupt the city as much as he simply wants reinvigorate it with the kind of vibrancy that drew him to love it in the first place. Mr. Snake, on the other hand, wants nothing more than to profit as the buildings of the city crumble to make room for the massive amusement park planned by his wealthy clients. The only problem now is that Mr. Snake can't carry out his destructive deed while Black and White are still wandering the streets - of course that's nothing that can't be solved by a pair of sharp-shooting intergalactic assassins whose bullets always meet their mark. A metaphysical tale of survival in a city that seems to be poised on the brink of disaster, Tekkonkinkreet marks the feature directorial debut of longtime visual effects artist Michael Arias (The Abyss, Princess Mononoke). ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Min Tanaka, Yoshinori Okada, (more)
