August 1, 2007 - "Ghost in the Shell" (1995) written by Kazunori Itō and directed by Mamoru Oshii

Let's us continue our "anime journey"!

More details at:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_in_the_Shell_%28film%29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_in_the_Shell
http://www.manga.com/ghost/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113568/

See you at 8pm as usual in the room 220!

26 July 2007 - "Gedo Senki - Tales from Earthsea" by Goro MIYAZAKI

ATTENTION: We might start little later due to the famous "Wako-shi fireworks display" that we can watch from surroundings of the east building.

The movie's title is "Gedo Senki - Tales from Earthsea", director is Goro MIYAZAKI, the son of famous Hiyao MIYAZAKI ("Spirited Away", "Howl's Moving Castle" etc.). The story itself is loosely based on Ursula K. Le Guin's "Earthsea" saga.

Here are some wikipedia.org and other links for people who want to know more in advance:

On Hayao MIYAZAKI:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hayao_Miyazaki

On Gedo Senki:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tales_from_Earthsea_%28film%29

Le Guin's opinion on the movie:

http://www.ursulakleguin.com/GedoSenkiResponse.html

Official trailer:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=C5ehRnwNDs8

19 july 2007 - La cite de la Peur (1994)

By popular demand of some more comical and lighter movie, this time
we go all the way to satisfy our beloved audience. And maybe even a
little bit too far !

But let's begin with the plot. At the Cannes Festival, a serial killer
is loose and copying the murders seen in one of the movies in
competition.
Is it an awful scheme to make some publicity or just a coincidence ?
You'll know if you come and watch the movie.

It was made in 1994 by a French comic troupe called Les Nuls who were
quite famous in France at the time. One of the member, Alain Chabat
has also, since then, directed several movies like Asterix : Mission
Cleopatre and participated in movies with Victoria Abril or under the
direction of Michel Gondry.

And now, about the movie humour.
If I had to make a comparison, I would say it looks like Austin Powers
but with a kind of silly French touch. This movie is voluntarily
stupid, sometimes below the belt and DEFINITELY not to be taken
seriously.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Cit%C3%A9_de_la_peur
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109440/

12 July 2007 - DREAMS (1990) by Akira Kurosawa

This week a movie based on actual Akira Kurosawa dreams he had at different stages of his life.

More info at:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurosawa%27s_Dreams
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100998/
http://www.aisb.org/~ddj/dreams/

See you on Thursday at 8pm in room #220.

05 July 2007 - Survive Style 5+ (2004)

A few words from Mauro, our correspondent in Japan:

After quite a long time, a Japanese movie for our cineforum:
Survive Style 5+ ... a very peculiar title for a unique movie!
First and (by now) only normal-length movie directed by Gen Sekiguchi
(more active in the making of short-films), starring the best actors
of Japanese "underground" scene, including my favourite Asano
Tadanobu (the "bad young guy" in Zatoichi and the uncle in that
wonderful piece of art called "Cha no aji - the taste of tea"),
Hiroshi Abe, Vinnie Jones, and last but not least the beautiful and
fascinating Haruka Hashimoto.

As it happens for many "debuts", Gen Sekiguchi's SS5+ is a never-
ending well full of fresh ideas born from the mind of a naive genius,
and filmed with excellent photographic taste... the fans of Jeunet
won't be disappointed!

You will get to know the interconnected lives of the 5 main 
characters, who struggle to survive in nowadays' Tokyo and its 
dreamlike (un)reality...
I might say, somehow near to Kurosawa's "Yume - Dreams" and Kitano's 
"Dolls", including the Kieslowskian taste for interconnected plots, 
dressed with  a lot of action, humor, and good music!

We will watch the movie in original language (very good to practice 
your Japanese!) and English subtitles.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0430651