Comments on: The New (And Dying) Japanimerican Film Industry

By: Sebastian

Sebastian — Wed, 12 Feb 2014 10:49:00 +0000

Very good article! Yes, I was also thinking, why a lot of American movies based on japanese settings these days. But it was clear these movies would fail in Japan. Most American movies with japanes settings are very bad. I am very happy to hear, that japanese movies are more and more success in Japan. I hope a lot, that these trend will go further. I am totally satisfied with american movies. When you have watched one, you have seen all. Here in Europe the american movie industrie is so dominant, 90% of movies distributed here are from the us. It is frustrating, that there are no local movies anymore. I am wishing a lot, that Japanese movies and content is finally reaching the western world and the us lose their monople! I want to see japanese movies getting their worldwide succes, which they should get!

By: DAVIDPD

DAVIDPD — Tue, 04 Feb 2014 06:41:00 +0000

“Roads? Where we’re going we don’t need roads.”

By: zachary T

zachary T — Sat, 01 Feb 2014 02:45:00 +0000

thermae romae just came in the mail today. put in the player to make sure it WAS a non region DVD, it was. excited to watch it now ^_^

By: zachary T

zachary T — Sat, 01 Feb 2014 02:45:00 +0000

just got it in the mail today. made sure it played. now i am excited to watch it.

By: slicerx

slicerx — Thu, 30 Jan 2014 01:01:00 +0000

Hollywood relies on CG, ridiculous action, pathetic unreal love stories and slap stick comedy. Isn’t it obvious nobody above 12 cares? I am trying to watch a lot more foreign films lately and I have not been disappointed. To keep it relevant, some of the wonderful Japanese movies I have seen lately and loved are: たそがれ清兵衛 (The Twilight Samurai) possibly my favourite film now. I love the interaction between Seibei and his daughters, おくりびと (English Title: Departures) often has me in tears with its delicate approach to death, and I really enjoyed The Ramen Girl. The western extras were rather pathetic but the mains were brilliant and I loved the mains relationship. A simple film but nice.
You can’t go wrong watching anything by Yoji Yamada (Twilight Samurai director).

By: Enzo

Enzo — Wed, 29 Jan 2014 09:05:00 +0000

I agree with many of the
comments. Hollywood is still making a lot of movies based on action, CG, and continually
stereotyping many cultures. Stereotyping itself already puts a really bad light
on these American-made films to its native country, for example the 47 ronin, memoir
of Geisha, dragon ball z, and the Last Samurai. This Hollywood decline has been
also seen in other Asian countries like China and South Korea. Last year 2013,
films like Miracle in Cell No.7 was #1 in box office for South Korea, Journey
to the West for China, and Kaze tachinu for Japan. To set an perspective on
current Asian film industries, the Chinese film industry is climbing at an fast
pace just like the country’s insane GDP growth in the early 2000s where the
Chinese Film Group Corporation is now acquiring talents from Hong Kong, Taiwan,
South Korea, Japan, and even the U.S. It even started its own
“Hollywood” in the city Qing Dao (think of the beer.) The current movies
that are really popular in each of these 3 Asian countries are increasingly
cultural based films than action-based films from America. Films like Back to
1942 and Tiny Times for China that reflect personal stories of Chinese peple in
the past and present are an indicator for shifting of taste among Asian film
audiences, including Japan. Asian audiences want to see more family oriented and
culturally oriented film now. Hollywood film are losing grips with its motion
picture magic of the eye popping helicopter transforming into giant alien in
Transformer or the insanely realistic opening scenes from Saving Private Ryan. But
the deep, personal, cultural story telling from individual Asian countries
(fictional or not) are gaining some real attraction from the audiences. The new
movie, Like father Like son (そして父になる) is doing really great in Japan now. So I think there is a
changing trend regarding what Asian film audiences wanted to see now
with many young Asian directors who are trying to produce high
quality film like the Hollywoods but also with an Asian taste for a deeper
connection with the audience.