Christopher Webster [Film Festival 06.05.08] movie news



Summer's here and if you're in New York, you know it's too hot and polluted to be outside. Better get yourself into a cool movie theater, and what better excuse than NYAFF '08? Yakuza, cutsie stuff, butchers and zombies, these guys know how to bring it on. The festival has grown every year since 2002, and this year there are 43 films, with guest appearances, whistles and bell. I know if I lived in the big mango, I would definitely go see Tokyo Gore Police (Tokyo, gore) and Adrift in Tokyo (2 dudes roaming the streets). According to the ever awesome Twitch, the final line-up of 43 movies is now fixed so check out the full line-up after the break. And remember, if you you're in the area and planning on catching a few of these flicks, feel free to send us your thoughts.

The presenters, Subway Cinema, say this:


"The New York Asian Film Festival is back like a bad dream, ready to cleanse the dirt from your soul with a barrage of sparkling, super-powered movies straight out of Asia. It's a seventeen day orgy of new films from Takashi Miike, Johnnie To, Hur Jin-Ho, Koji Wakamatsu and Shinji Aoyama. Plus, our first-ever documentary (YASUKUNI) and our first movies from Indonesia (KALA) and Vietnam (THE REBEL)."

THE NEW YORK ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL 2008!!!

June 20 ­ July 6, 2008
at the IFC Center (June 20 ­ July 3)
323 Sixth Avenue, between 3rd and 4th Streets
and Japan Society (July 3 ­ July 6)
333 East 47th Street, between 1st and 2nd Avenues

What the heck, right? We figured if we built it, you might come, so this year we¹re presenting the biggest New York Asian Film Festival in human history, showing 43 films and two programs of short films. It¹s either the start of something big or we¹re going out with a bang!

We¹re also deeply honored that our opening night film will be the world premiere of THEN SUMMER CAME starring Joe Odagiri and Yoshio Harada. Written and directed by award-winning playwright, producer, screenwriter and actor, Ryo Iwamatsu, it will be released in Japan in mid-July. Director Iwamatsu will be the guest of the New York Asian Film Festival and not only has he acted in dozens of films like ZEBRAMAN and this year¹s NYAFF presentation, ADRIFT IN TOKYO, but he is also available for interviews. He will introduce the screening of THEN SUMMER CAME on June 20 and conduct a Q&A afterwards.

And this will be the first year the New York Asian Film Festival has jury duty. Our crack team of jury members include New York Post critic Vincent Musetto, acclaimed author Maitland McDonagh, Time Out New York critic Dave Fear, the exhibitions coordinator and head honcho of the legendary Anthology Film Archives, John Mhiripiri and last but not least, the director of award-winning breakdance documentary, PLANET B-BOY, Benson Lee.

Because there aren¹t enough great movies in New York this summer, here¹s the list!

World Premiere

THEN SUMMER CAME (Japan, 2008)

International Premieres

ACTION BOYS (Korea, 2008)

TAMAMI (aka AKANBO SHOJO) (Japan, 2008)

THE BUTCHER (Korea, 2008)

CHANBARA BEAUTY (Japan, 2008)

KING NARESUAN 1 (Thailand, 2007)

MOST BEAUTIFUL NIGHT IN THE WORLD (Japan, 2008)

PUBLIC ENEMY RETURNS (Korea, 2008)

North American Premieres

*ADRIFT IN TOKYO (Japan, 2007)

ASSEMBLY (China, 2007)

DOG IN A SIDECAR (Japan, 2007)

DORORO (Japan, 2007)

*FINE, TOTALLY FINE (Japan, 2007)

L: CHANGE THE WORLD (Japan, 2007)

LOVE ON SUNDAY (Japan, 2006)

LOVE ON SUNDAY 2: LAST WORDS (Japan, 2007)

LIKE A DRAGON (Japan, 2007)

SASORI (Hong Kong/Japan, 2008)

SHAMO (Hong Kong, 2008)

TOKYO GORE POLICE (Japan, 2008)

THE SHADOW SPIRIT (Japan, 2007)

*UNITED RED ARMY (Japan, 2007)

US Premieres

BODYGUARD 2 (Thailand, 2007)

HAPPINESS (Korea, 2007)

KALA (Indonesia, 2007)

M (Korea, 2007)

*SAD VACATION (Japan, 2007)

THIS WORLD OF OURS (Japan, 2007)

New York Premieres

*ACCURACY OF DEATH (Japan, 2007)

*ALWAYS 2: SUNSET ON THIRD STREET (Japan, 2007)

ARCH ANGELS (Japan, 2006)

BODYGUARD 1 (Thailand, 2004)

*DAINIPPONJIN (Japan, 2007)

KING NARESUAN 2 (Thailand, 2007)

MAD DETECTIVE (Hong Kong, 2007)

THE REBEL (Vietnam, 2007)

SHADOWS IN THE PALACE (Korea, 2007)

SPARROW (Hong Kong, 2008)

*SUKIYAKI WESTERN DJANGO (Japan, 2007)

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKES (Japan, 2006)

X-CROSS (Japan, 2007)

*YASUKUNI (Japan, 2008)

Not a Premiere But Still a Great Movie

ALWAYS: SUNSET ON THIRD STREET (Japan, 2005)

And don¹t forget the two programs from Korea¹s Mise en Scene Short Film Festival, which includes what we think is the best Korean film of 2007, ³Out Family, Our Puppy² directed by Park Jae-Young, who will attend the festival as our guest.

* this indicates that a film is being presented in conjunction with JAPAN

CUTS: Festival of New Japanese Film (July 2 ­ 13 at Japan Society).

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