Fresh Trailers Round-up #1

We may not be able to see as many Japanese films as we want released on screens in Australia, but we can still enjoy the new trailers, right? Here is a round-up of new Japanese film trailers in the JFF team’s radar this April… And with English subtitles too!

A Bride for Rip Van Wrinkle

This mysteriously titled new movie by director Shunji Iwai has caught our attention. Lonely protagonist Nanami marries a man she met through social media, and turns to an odd-jobs handyman Masayuki to find pretend friends and relatives to come to her wedding. Not long after getting wed, her marriage falls apart and she ends up working part time jobs for Masayuki.

The dappled sunlight imagery gives off that signature Iwai feel but we’re not entirely sure what to expect from the story. But we’re sure that there are great performances to be expected from the cast featuring Haru Kuroki (Solomon’s Perjury) and Go Ayano (The Light Shines Only There).

Lowlife Love

Warning: Trailer contains mature content

Eiji Uchida’s new film Lowlife Love explores the lowest circles of the Japanese film industry filled with what journalist Mark Schilling describes as populated by rebels, failures, wannabes and gangsters. The film is admittedly disturbing in its portrayal of sex in the bottom layer of the industry, but apparently also rings true in some ways as Uchida, who also wrote the script, based the story on his own experiences as a filmmaker.

The Inerasable

The world seems to be in collective agreement that the heydays of Japanese horror has long passed. But this trailer for The Inerasable tells us that Japan can still make chilling, hair-raising horror movies. Judging by the trailer, The Inerasable is packed with layers of history, supernatural research and crime solving.

After The Storm

Kore-eda is a must-see director for those who cherish their slice of life Japanese films. But the director stands out with how he can deliver stories that would melt even the coldest person. After The Storm is said to be the unofficial sequel to his 2008 film, Still Walking. It stars Hiroshi Abe as a divorced husband who attempts to reconnect with his ex-wife (played by Maki Yoko) and gain back the trust of his young son. In one of the cuts in the trailer, Yoko’s character tells Abe, “If you’re that interested in becoming a good father, why didn’t you try harder before.” Pass the tissue box this way please.