Geek of Oz

Just when you thought that the Japanese Film Festival couldn't possibly get any bigger or better, The Japan Foundation Sydney have announced another wave of titles which are sure to delight. Whether you're a cinema purist, an indie-film lover, anime or manga fan, there's something included in this new wave that you're sure to love. Following on from Adelaide, Canberra, Brisbane, Perth and Auckland, the Japanese Film Festival (JFF) 2014 continues its international tour with stops at Sydney’s Event Cinemas, George Street, and for the first time in Festival history, Event Cinemas, Parramatta from 13 – 23 November. In Melbourne, it will stop at Hoyts Melbourne Central and ACMI Cinemas, Australian Centre for the Moving Image from 27 November – 7 December. Over 50 titles will feature in the program with early bird tickets going on sale from 1 October in Sydney, and 15 October in Melbourne. Tickets are available for purchase via www.japanesefilmfestival.net or from the p...

Just when you thought that the Japanese Film Festival couldn't get any bigger or better, The Japan Foundation Sydney have announced FOUR superstar guests who will be attending this years festival in Sydney and Melbourne.

Gatchaman is a mildly entertaining superhero film which sadly lacks the must-see moments to warrant a viewing. The production design is best summed as an unhappy marriage between low-budget practical and computer-generated effects, resulting in a film that is all too often reminiscent of an episode of Power Rangers .

One of the true blockbusters at this years Japanese Film Festival, Gatchaman is the superhero embodiment of a childhood dream: Battle of the Planets on the big screen. Full of action, adventure and kick arse costumes, Gatchaman is a must see film at this years festival and we're giving away double passes! Just remember that these tickets are only available for the sessions outlined HERE. All you have to do is fill out the form below and you're in the running to win a double pass thanks to the Japan Foundation Sydney ! Don't forget, you can get yourself a bonus entry just by  following us on Twitter  or  liking us on Facebook!

With the dramatic sensibilities of a great zombie film, Shield of Straw replaces shambling corpses with every day people who are equally as driven by the almighty dollar as they are by justice. Kunihide Kiyomaru, a cold blooded pedophile and murderer, who finds himself in everyone's crosshairs when the victims Grandfather places a 1 billion dollar bounty on the criminals head. Charged with his safety and delivery to Tokyo for due process, Tokyo's finest police officers are assigned to the case and in protecting his life put their own on the line.  This is Japanese cinema on a Hollywood scale and proof that superstar director Takashi Miike (Audition, Ninja Kids!!! ) can do no wrong.

Library Wars is one of the most enjoyable films I’ve watched this year. It uniquely blends political espionage, warfare and romantic comedy into a touching and entertaining film. Library Wars instantly sets up a believable world and completely fleshes it out. Set in a not-too-distant-future dystopian Japan, the government has passed new laws in order to censor any books it deems “immoral”. Agents of the Betterment Act are charged with tracking down and destroying all questionable material. In response to this, the Library Defence Force was formed to protect creativity and free expression. 

The God of Ramen is a touching, heart-felt documentary about one mans' desire to serve people his deceptively simple ramen. Whist glaringly unpolished, the human story in the piece is so enveloping that the result is a compelling, if bittersweet, film that should definitely be seen. For over forty years, Kazuo Yamagishi has served thousands of queuing fans his signature ramen dish. This isn't the upmarket end of Japanese cuisine; it's basic but superbly executed rustic-style fare that captures his diners’ adoration and devotion. The film focuses upon the twilight of Yamagishi’s career as he is struggling with health issues and coming to terms with the modern world starting to leave him behind.

One of our absolute favourite film festivals returns this year with a ridiculously awesome line up. There's something for everyone this year at Japan Foundation's 17th annual Japanese Film Festival.  Over the last couple of years Geek of Oz has brought you a whole bunch of JFF reviews and 2013 is no different, expect reviews to start popping up over the next couple of weeks. 

The Floating Castle is an epic period piece that focuses on a true story that is seemingly too insane to be true. Like a Japanese version of Frank Miller's 300, it tells the tale of a small army who take on against a far superior force, utilising the element of surprise and a whole tonne of nouse to battle against the odds. It’s the sixteenth century, and all-powerful warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi has conquered most of feudal Japan – with the exception of Oshi Castle. Known as the Floating Castle, it is commanded by Narita Nagachika, a popular but buffoonish samurai whose battle strategies are unusual to say the least. As Hideyoshi’s 20,000-strong army closes in, Nagachika’s 500 men prepare for the battle of their lives. An award-winning epic saga based on actual historical events - Japan Foundation

Afro Tanaka sounds like a weird title for a film, but it's the perfect title for a weird film. Based on a manga series of the same name by Masaharu Noritsuke, Afro Tanaka is a quirky film that manages to juggle off the wall manga inspired scenes and larger than life characters while still injecting some honest concerns held by young Japanese men. Bullied as a child for his long curly hair, the decidedly uncool Tanaka opts for an afro, convinced that it will turn his luck around. But several years and a series of poor decisions later, he’s 24, stuck in a crappy job, single and still a virgin. With a high school friend about to marry, the pressure is on for the hapless Tanaka to find a date and fulfill a childhood pact. The situation looks grim, but can his afro save the day? An enjoyably awkward comedy based on the popular manga series of the same name - Japan Foundation

Tenchi: The Samurai Astronomer is a strange beast of incredible pedigree. Yojiro Takita may not be the biggest name director in Western circles, but his most successful film, Departures, has drawn critical and financial acclaim from all corners of the globe. No stranger to manga and novel adaptations, he has now set his sights on Tenchi which is based on the novel of the same name by Tow Ubukata, somewhat of a celebrity in his own right. As the writer of Fafner, Heroic Age and Mardock Scramble, Ubukata is best known for his work in science fiction and fantasy circles however this time, his story is far more grounded. Young samurai Santetsu is an avid astronomer with a passion for mathematical puzzles. So when he is asked to devise a new calendar – a task which involves charting the stars across the length and breadth of Japan – he throws himself into the project with gusto. However, the idea of a new calendar and the ideological change it could bring poses a threat to certai...

Bunny Drop, based on the manga and anime series of the same name by Yumi Unita, tells a tale which, while wildly left of centre, is able to be appreciated at its most basic level by anybody who has ever had to make a major change in their life for the good of another. At his grandfather’s funeral, 27-year-old Daikichi discovers a family member he never knew he had: six-year-old Rin, his late grandfather’s illegitimate daughter. Abandoned by her mother and left alone by her father’s death, little Rin has nowhere to go. When Daikichi takes pity on her and decides to take her under his wing, the sudden change for both of them brings Daikichi to understand what it takes to be a single parent. This award-winning heartwarmer features acclaimed child actor Mana Ashida - Japan Foundation Check out the full review after the jump!

Based on the manga and anime series of the same name, the Rurouni Kenshin film tells the story of Kenshin, a young samurai who was once renowned for his deadly skill. However, after the fall of the Tokugawa Shogunate, Kenshin vows never to kill again. Rurouni Kenshin was a resounding success when released in Japan and now it is a success in Australia. In a massive coup for the Japanese Film Festival , they have completely sold out their first screening and will be holding second screenings in Sydney and Melbourne on the very same day!  Get in quick and secure your tickets because if history repeats itself, they won't last long! Rurouni Kenshin is screening in Sydney on the 21st of November and in Melbourne on the 5th of December.

Reminiscent of Audition by Takasii Miike , Helter Skelter   is a thrilling insight into the insanity of living in the public eye, a fact that seems to resonate with the films director and lead actress. Dangerously beautiful superstar Lilico has the world at her feet. She also has a secret: she owes her entire ‘perfect’ body to plastic surgery. When a naturally gorgeous new talent arrives on the scene, Lilico’s reign is threatened – but this is just a precursor to a more sinister threat which could see Lilico spiral out of control. Directed by fashion photographer Mika Ninagawa, Helter Skelter is an unsettling, discordant visual feast that lays bare the perversion and pathology of beauty - Japan Foundation

Gantz: Perfect Answer is a direct continuation of the first film although it has a completely different feel to it. The dark angst remains but this film hits us with a fist full of anger and unbridled violence. When we left our hero, Kei (Kazunari Ninomiya), he was just finding his feel in this sick and twisted death match. Now when we return, he has fully embraced the power at his disposal and is a relentless killing machine. Kei and Kato return to their normal lives, albeit momentarily, and fall back into the routines of their daily routines. Kato cares for his brother while Kei focuses on a burgeoning relationship with college classmate Tae. Just when their routine begins to offer a sense of normalcy, Gantz plays the cruelest trick of all.

Imagine, if you will, the love-child of Naruto and Yo-Gabba-Gabba. Sure, its not the most likely of mash-ups but if you can wrap your head around it, you'd get Ninja Kids!!!  (忍たま乱太郎). Stylistically the film takes its cues from the original manga and anime series' Rakudai Ninja Rantaro by Sōbē Amako. Rantaro is born into a bottom tier, yet incredibly dedicated ninja family. In order to get the family back on track he is sent to a prestigious ninja academy to learn the sacred and spiritual art of ninjutsu. A boy who is swift of foot and pure of heart, Rantaro quickly excels at school and amasses a solid group of friends with whom he embarks on an adventure of snot covered peril. If only Rantaro could get a hang of those pesky throwing stars.... There is no way to truly explain Ninja Kids!!! You just have to see it for yourself.

For many older fans of Japanese animation, 1974's Space Battleship Yamato was the first and most enduring series which was heavily edited and subsequently screened in many western countries under the guise of " Star Blazers ". Before Star Wars, Yamato paved the way with a grand sweeping space opera which was rehashed for years to come, finally culminating in 2010's live-action blockbuster which will be screening at this years Japanese Film Festival thanks to the Japan Foundation . The year is 2199. Earth is besieged by a ruthless onslaught of nuclear attacks by an alien race, the Gamila's. To escape the radioactive wasteland above, humans have retreated underground and all but resigned themselves to eventual annihilation. In a last ditch effort the United Nations Space Administration launch their greatest weapon, Space Battleship Yamato, hoping to find a cure for their  dying planet.

Making its Australian premiere at the Japan Foundation's 15th Annual Japanese Film Festival , Buddha: The Great Departure is an animated retelling of Osamu Tezuka's manga "Buddha" which ran for 14 volumes between 1972 and 1983. Although best known as the creator of Astro Boy , Tezuka was a prolific manga creator who often created stories that were much more dark, and sometimes disturbing, that our favourite little robot boy. The manga, and more importantly the film, is a gritty insight into what life may really have been like once the rose coloured glasses of religion are removed. Traces of sex, violence and a great deal of prejudice give sense of realism and weight to what would become the great Buddha's journey. Although not always as dark as the source material, Buddha: The Great Departure takes us into a world that is just as barbaric and magical as any fantasy world.

The hardest part of writing this entire review was deciding what to name the film! In Japan it is known as The Borrower Arrietty , in the US The Secret World of Arrietty and in the UK simply Arrietty . I decided to go with the UK version, Arrietty, not only because its what the Japan Foundation call it but also because it is easier to write. Although the source material is based upon Mary Norton's "The Borrowers", there can be no doubt that this is a Studio Ghibli affair. No one, not even the House of Mouse, manages to make animated films of such a high quality and with as much soul as our dear Arrietty. This film is comparable to a big, ol' slice of chocolate mudcake. It looks delicious, its sweet and moreish and even those who aren't all that fond of mudcake will still love it.