Japan Cuts 2012 Interview: Kenji Kohashi, Director of Route 66 Doc DON'T STOP!

If Kenji Kohashi seems like a familiar face to you that's because he probably is. As an actor, he's appeared in numerous TV dramas in Japan, and is probably best known to Western audiences as Hyuga in Ryuheu Kitamura's 2003... More »

By Ben Umstead

Japan Cuts 2012 Interview: Director Naoko Ogigami on RENT-A-CAT

Over the last couple of years New York audiences have had a couple chances to cozy up to the films of Naoko Ogigami, with Japan Cuts screenings of the enticingly-titled Toilet and the less-so-in-title but equally charming Kamome Diner. This... More »

By Ben Umstead

Japan Cuts 2012 Interview: Filmmaking Without Borders -- A Discussion with LEONIE Director Hisako Matsui

Hisako Matsui (Yukie and Oriume) brought her latest film Leonie to Japan Cuts last Friday for its U.S. premiere. Leonie is a biopic on Leonie Gimour (Emily Mortimer) an American journalist who falls in love with Japanese poet Yone Noguchi,... More »

By Ben Umstead

Japan Cuts 2012 Interview: Japan's Leading Man Kôji Yakusho

The 2012 edition of Japan Cuts may be drawing to a close this evening, but we still have a few more treats up our sleeve. And this may be the best yet! Cementing himself as a star in his native... More »

By Ben Umstead

Japan Cuts 2012 Interview: Toshiaki Toyoda Talks Monsters, Manifestos & Moviemaking

Arguably one of the most fascinating filmmakers working in Japan over the last 15 years, Toshiaki Toyoda was recently in New York to present his latest film Monsters Club to the audience at Japan Society's Japan Cuts. Our correspondent, The... More »

By Ben Umstead

An Interview With YAKUZA WEAPON Star And Co-director, Tak Sakaguchi

[And as promised, Diva Velez's interview with YAKUZA WEAPON star/co-writer/co-director, Tak Sakaguchi, which is being cross-published at The Diva Review.] The Lady Miz Diva: Welcome back to the New York Asian Film Festival and Japan Cuts. You're returning with the... More »

By Diva Vélez

An Interview with YAKUZA WEAPON Co-Director, Yudai Yamaguchi

[Yakuza Weapon, the latest from Versus writer and Battlefield Baseball director Yudai Yamaguchi and Sushi Typhoon madman Tak Sakaguchi screened two weekends back as a part of Japan Cuts and NYAFF and just last night at Fantasia. We now present... More »

By Diva Vélez

NYAFF 2011: An Interview With Yoshimasa Ishibashi, Director Of MILOCRORZE: A LOVE STORY

[A highlight of the 10th anniversary NYAFF, Yoshimasa Ishibashi's Milocrorze: A Love Story also plays as the centerpiece film at Japan Cuts, this Sunday, July 10th. Once again, we thank the Lady Miz Diva for sharing this interview with us,... More »

By Ben Umstead

NYAFF 2011: An Interview With Takayuki Yamada, Star of 13 ASSASSINS & MILOCRORZE

[Crossed published at The Diva Review, a very special thanks to the always fabulous, Lady Miz Diva for the following interview with this year's Star Asia Rising Star Award recipient, Takayuki Yamada: star of what is thus far my favorite... More »

By Ben Umstead

Leading Voices in Global Cinema

Todd Brown, Founder & Editor Toronto
Peter Martin, Managing Editor Dallas
Ryland Aldrich, Festivals Editor Los Angeles
James Marsh, Asian Editor Hong Kong
Brian Clark, European Editor Paris

FEAR & LOATHING AT CANNES, PART 3: EVERYTHING IS WONDERFUL AND I'M TRIPPING BALLS

CHAPTER 6: THERE'S NOTHING MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN A PURPLE BEACH SMOTHERED IN MELTING TROMMETTES DURING A CRIMSON TINGED SUNSET ON THE FRENCH RIVERIA, HOLY SHIT I'M TRIPPING MY FUCKING FACE OFF.It's night. When the fuck did it become night? I'm naked. Where the fuck did my clothes go? I'm on... More »

Destroy All Monsters: I Think We've Been This Way Before, Mr. Spock

They can remember it for you wholesale, and they do. At some point, we licensed our pop cultural nostalgia to a handful of multinational conglomerates (well, to be fair, they always owned the licenses) and now they're selling them back to us - though, I guess, not at wholesale, but... More »

Interview: Twitch Talks to HANGOVER III's Ken Jeong

Ken Jeong may often play a lunatic on both big and small screen, but in person it's quite disarming to see just how calm and considerate he comes across. While he got his big screen start in Judd Apatow's Knocked Up, Jeong's real breakthrough was taking a small-on-paper role... More »

Hollywood Beat: Notes On Cutting The Cord And NBC's Genre Programs

I cut the cable cord last year, but I'm not always happy about it. I had to wait a year before seeing Season 2 of Game of Thrones, for example, and will have to wait to see Season 3 until next year. I only have to wait to see Mad... More »

Twitchvision: Talking STAR TREK: INTO DARKNESS, MUD and THE ICEMAN

Another Twitchvision chat with Scott Laurie, this time me gushing about J.J.'s latest Star Trek film, which I unabashedly loved.Also talked about he fabbo Mud, and the less fabbo The Iceman, both with Michael Shannon doing his thing.Video embedded below.Update: Was asked to come in today and pick a few... More »