Plot: When a underwater volcano erupts it leaves Japan in turmoil.  After the damage is done it’s determined that Japan is in fact sinking and they have under a year left before Japan is submerged.

Review: Sinking of Japan AKA Japan Sinking is going to be difficult to sum up with out comparing it to the American blockbusters; Day After Tomorrow and 2012. I have little interest in the natural disaster genre and the slow start to this movie left me with little hope and interest towards the movie and its ill fated cast.

Based on the original novel by Sakyo Komatsu, it focuses on three characters who are brought together by the first eruption. Our leading lady is Reiko (Kou Shibasaki), is part of an elite rescue squad. She saves both our leading man, submarine research pilot Onoder (Tsuyoshi Kusanagi) and wondering orphan child Misaki (Mayuko Fukuda). (continue reading…)

Filmmaker/filmhistorian/trivia machine Ronald L. Strong goes over his fanatic history digging Kaiju. It’s a delightful journey as well as an aggrivating one thanks to a fair few characters taking hold of the Godzilla franchise in the 80s and onwards. Gamera still rocked though!

Don’t miss the Deleted Conversations package running almost 40 minutes available in the FREE Members Only area here

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 Japan On Fire 4-4 - Voices On Kaiju: Ronald L. Strong [81:41m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

One wide awake Swede, one hungover Scotsman and a sick Brit plus special American guests takes a detailed look at the popular Daei production DAIMAJIN.

 

 Japan On Fire 4 (part 2) – Kaiju [108:35m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Plot: When rapidly approaching his 30th birthday under-achieving prankster Teruo (Yosiyosi Arakawa) shows aspiration of building the ultimate Haunted House one day. Although his dream plan grinds to a stop when his ill father suddenly disappears leaving him in-charge of  the families second hand bookshop.

Teruo’s childhood friend Hisanobu (Yoshinori Okada) helps him out by introducing him to a lovely and very accident prone young artist Akari (Yoshino Kimura). Akari works with Teruo in the shop, soon Tersuo finds himself falling for Akari and he discovers that Hisanobu has very strong feelings for our artist.

But who has Akari got feelings for? (continue reading…)

It may be the third but not the last JOF as Ken once again host a fun-filled episode where the trio discuss samurai movies. Don’t expect any refined opinions though on The Twilight Samurai and Samurai Commando. We’re not scholars. DO NOTE THAT SPOILERS FOR THE TWILIGHT SAMURAI ARE DISCUSSED BETWEEN 00:58:50 AND 01:02:28. Adam Torel also stops by for a visit to share his thoughts on the genre. Some technical issues resulted in the latter half of the show being noticeable lower on Ken and Mike’s end while Stoo is very loud and Ken’s chat with Adam for some reason has an echo on it. Don’t hate us.

 

 Japan On Fire 3 - Samurai cinema (Chambara) [80:26m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

3 years after the third Battle Royale, surviving students Nanahara Shuya (Tatsuya Fujiwara) has become the leader of a leading Anti-Battle Royale terrorist group. Although the ‘adults’ have come up with a new Battle Royale, version 2. In this act a group of rebellious students will be sent to the island where Nanahara is hiding out and the students are given three days to eliminate Nanahara Shuya.

Now the lucky students chosen for this years Battle Royale is a class of 42. The school is for students who are orphan, rebels or truants. One of the main class members are Takuma Aoi (Shûgo Oshinari), aka Taku. The also recently had gotten a transfer student, Shiori Kitano (Ai Maeda). You’ve guessed it, Shiori is the daughter of Takeshi Kitano…Nanahara’s teacher. She has signed herself up for the Battle Royale Act along with the school students, now she has only one ambition, kill Nanahara.

With all these twists and turns in BR2 will the students kill or be killed? (continue reading…)

The Audition seemed to be another cheesy romantic film, Husband looses his wife, Son suggests he gets a new wife, he holds an audition for a new wife, finds one. She cuts of one of his feet and turns him in to a human pin cushion. Yes Takashi Miike strikes again with his ’99 hit film “The Audition” (continue reading…)