Geek of Oz

  2022 marks the 26th year of the Japanese Film Festival (JFF) which is held every year in Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth. To celebrate the festival we have 4 passes to give away. How do you go in the draw to win one you ask? Well friend, just click here to head over to our Facebook page and follow the entry details.  The festival has something for all film lovers, from seasoned veterans to curious newcomers. You can view the entire festive program by clicking here . The Japanese Film Festival is brought to you by The Japan Foundation, Sydney. Find out more here! Japanese Film Festival 2022 Dates  Canberra – 5-20 November  Perth - 21-27 November  Brisbane - 11-27 November  Melbourne - 30 November - 4 December  Sydney - 7-14 December   More information is available:  Official site Instagram Twitter 

For those who missed the Japanese Film Festival (JFF) earlier this year, you're in luck. Because an off-season program called JFF Fringe , which will feature four contemporary Japanese films has just been announced. The films will be screened once only over the period of May 30 - August 29, 2018 at Sydney's Event Cinemas George St and Event Cinemas Brisbane City Myer Centre. Tickets are $15 each and are on sale at participating cinemas' box offices and online. For further details head over to www.japanesefilmfestival.net/jff-fringe-2018 Screening Schedule: May 30 - Gintama Lightening the mood is the live-action gag-comedy Gintama, set in an alternate universe where feudal Japan is occupied by aliens. June 27 - Honnouji Hotel Present meets past in the Australian premiere of Honnouji Hotel, an entertaining period film with a fantasy twist. July 30 - In This Corner of the World The beautifully hand-drawn animation In This Corner of the World ...

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...

Thanks to our good friends at the Japan Foundation, we've got 3x double passes to see the Japan Academy Award winning comedy film Key of Life during JFF ENCORE! Screening at Event Cinema George St Sydney at 6:30pm on July 11th, Key of Life is the hilarious tale of two men whose lives are switched during an unfortunate accident. What would you do if you suddenly found yourself in the shoes of a cold-blooded assassin? All you have to do is fill out the form below and you're in the running to win a double pass to see Key of Life on the big screen thanks to Japan Foundation Sydney and the Japanese Film Festival . Don't forget, you can get yourself a bonus entry just by  following us on Twitter  or  liking us on Facebook! THIS COMPETITION HAS CLOSED E ntries close 11:59pm on Sunday 6th July 2014. Your details will not be used in any way other than for the delivery of your prize. Geek of Oz and Japan Foundation Sydney do not take any responsibility for th...

CGI extravaganzas are usually reserved for the likes of Michael Bay but this film, based on a long-running manga series of the same name, uses CGI to create nostalgia, not explosions. Always Sunset on Third Street (ALWAYS 三丁目の夕日) by director Takashi Yamazaki takes place not long after World War II over the course of one year while Tokyo Tower is being built. During the course of the film we meet seemingly disparate members of the local Tokyo community and following them through a series of life events. Released years ago on DVD by Madman, Always Sunset on Third Street is all but impossible to find locally. Thankfully, you'll be able to see it on the big screen in all of its honey-soaked glory. The real strength of this film is the characterisation of not only the main protagonists, but also secondary characters and Tokyo itself. The reason that these characters work so well is because they're all inherently flawed, as we all are. Their foibles to only highlight their hum...

The Japanese Film Festival is, without a doubt, one of my favourite events of the year. Not only is it incredibly well organised, but the line up is always assured to be top notch. But what happens if you miss out on seeing one of your most anticipated films? Running from the 9th to the 13th of July 2014,   JFF ENCORE  has got you covered! You can now see some of the best, Academy Award winning Japanese films of recent years. I sat down to have a chat to Masafumi Konomi, Artistic Director of Japan Foundation Sydney, to find out what we can expect from JFF ENCORE. Ryan: First of all, how did JFF Encore come to be?  Mr Konomi: 2014 marks the 18th year of the Japanese Film Festival, our main event in the JFF calendar. Over the years, more than 300 titles from a range of genres have been enjoyed by audiences across Australia. The Japanese Film Festival is traditionally held each year between October and December. As Artistic Director, I try to select the most...

Why wait until October to get your fill of Japanese cinema? From the 9th to the 13th of July 2014, the fine folks at Japan Foundation Sydney will be presenting the JFF ENCORE - JAPAN ACADEMY AWARDS EDITION which allows audiences to revisit some of the most critically acclaimed Japanese films in recent memory. Tickets can be booked ahead of time or at the venue for $18 for adults, $15 for concession and $13 for JPF members. Films in the inaugural JFF ENCORE - JAPAN ACADEMY AWARDS EDITION include: Departures (2008) Always - Sunset on Third Street (2005) Rebirth (2011) Tokyo Tower - Mom & Me, and Sometimes Dad (2007) Confessions (2010) Key of Life (2012) The Kirishima Thing (2012) When the Last Sword is Drawn (2003) Tickets will be available to purchase from japanesefilmfestival.net and at Event Cinemas, George Street, Sydney from June the 11th. ABOUT JFF ENCORE JFF Encore is a new addition to the Japanese Film Festival event calendar, featuri...

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. 

Just when you thought the Japanese Film Festival couldn't get any bigger, the Japan Foundation Sydney have announced that Western Sydney Wanderer's star Shinji Ono is the festival's official Cultural Ambassador. Full details after the jump.

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. 

Thermae Romae is an ambitious film which has one of the most peculiar premises I have seen in a long time. Set in Ancient Rome (128 AD), we meet Lucius (Hiroshi Abe), a frustrated architect who wants to return Rome’s bathhouses to their former glory. Whilst taking a bath, Lucius is sucked through a small hole which transports him to a modern-day bath house in Japan. Amazed by the inventive aspects of Japan’s bathing culture, Lucius returns to Ancient Rome and becomes somewhat of a celebrity as he implements the modern day ideas in Rome. Whilst travelling back and forth, Lucius is assisted by an aspiring artist Mami (Aya Ueto) which results in a very funny and thoroughly entertaining film. I was immediately impressed by the production design of this film, directed by Hideki Takeuchi. The opening sequence shows Lucius and a friend making their way through crowded market places and intricate alleyways all of which invest in hundreds of extras on screen at any time. This gives the fil...

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!