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Gumby, Damnit!

Sorry it took so long to finally blog a new entry here. We've switched servers and had to work out kinks in the system, coupled with the fact that I was just lazy for the past few months with this blog. Sorry, everybody!
But to make it up to you, here's some video that Eugene Hernandez from IndieWIRE captured at the Apple Store Soho Filmmakers Party at the Tribeca Film Festival a couple of nights ago. It's a funny vid, but you have to wait til the end, where I dance with Gumby. I was definitely upstaged by the big, black woman shaking her moneymaker like it was no one else's business!

Spring is here!

The HIFF Spring Showcase is less than a month away (April 20 - 26) and the film program is now online! I'm really proud of this year's selections and we've got something for anyone. You like David Lynch? You got it. Crime thrillers from Hong Kong? Ditto. A rom-com about the twisted look of beauty and body image in South Korea? We've got it here too. Remember, tickets go on sale April 6th! In the next few weeks, I'll be posting about some of my favorite selections from this year's 10th annual Spring Showcase. Check back for more film fest goodness!

Nara in Berlin

So, I am back from Berlin. With intermittent access and/or 30 euros for net access, I couldn't do the daily blog from Berlin that I wanted to do. Therefore, I will consolidate as much as I can and send in a report early next week.
In the meantime, I ran into my friend Wei at Tegel airport and she was in town to catch some screenings and attend a Yoshitomo Nara opening!! He's designed everything from Shonen Knife album covers to and his work is revered by art enthusiasts and hipsters alike. In fact, Wei helped organize the Nara show at the Contemporary Museum in Honolulu last year. Thanks to Gallery Zink! You can check out some photos from my flickr!

Dakota Fanning

Well, before I leave for Berlin with, hopefully, daily news reports, I just want to highlight two very funny segments associated to precocious child star Dakota Fanning. SNL did a hilarious skit with Amy Poehler as Fanning, hosting her own talk show. Amy Poehler is dead on too! Another clip is from a Japanese TV show from 2004, when Fanning was on the press tour for WAR OF THE WORLDS in Japan. Anyway, the two Japanese hosts bring in a very nervous, and sometimes, convulsing high school kid who is the president of a Dakota Fanning fan club. Watch the pure terror and hilarity here. I have to say that Dakota takes it in stride and has a lot of fun with the interview.
In the meantime, no need to mention all the hoopla and controversy surrounding her latest film at Sundance.

Eagle vs. Shark

One of the sleeper hits at the Sundance Film Festival, Maori director Taika Waititi's EAGLE VS. SHARK is generating a lot of advance buzz before its U.S. summer release from Miramax. Over at GreenCine, they've compiled some review quotes about the film.
Spring Showcase Update: The film will have its Hawaii premiere in April!

HK to throw Asian Film Awards

How many film awards do we need? Well, here's a worthy one, I think. HKIFF will be throwing the first Asian Film Awards in March. What's great is that it's Pan-Asian and the list of nominees is pretty amazing. Here are some of the nominees:
~ BEST FILM ~
1. Curse of the Golden Flower Hong Kong / Chinese mainland
2. Exiled Hong Kong
3. The Host South Korea
4. Love and Honor Japan
5. Opera Jawa Indonesia / Austria
6. Still Life Chinese mainland
~ BEST DIRECTOR ~
1. HONG Sang-soo Woman on the Beach (South Korea)
2. JIA Zhangke Still Life (Chinese mainland)
3. Jafar PANAHI Offside (Iran)
4. Johnnie TO Exiled (Hong Kong)
5. TSAI Ming-liang I Don't Want to Sleep Alone (Taiwan / France / Austria)
6. Apichatpong WEERASETHAKUL Syndromes and a Century (Thailand / Austria / France)
~ BEST ACTOR ~
1. CHANG Chen The Go Master (Chinese mainland)
2. JUNG Ji-hoon (RAIN) I'm a Cyborg, but That's OK (South Korea)
3. Shahrukh KHAN DON (India)
4. Andy LAU A Battle of Wits (Japan / Hong Kong / Chinese mainland / South Korea)
5. SONG Kang-ho The Host (South Korea)
6. WATANABE Ken Memories of Tomorrow (Japan)
~ BEST ACTRESS ~
1. GONG Li Curse of the Golden Flower (Hong Kong / Chinese mainland)
2. KIM Hye-soo Tazza: The High Rollers (South Korea)
3. LIM Soo-jung I'm a Cyborg, but That's OK (South Korea)
4. MIYAZAWA Rie Hana (Japan)
5. NAKATANI Miki Memories of Matsuko (Japan)
6. ZHANG Ziyi The Banquet (Hong Kong / Chinese mainland)
You can read more at Twitch.

Yunjin Kim collaborates with Margaret Cho

In-between her busy schedule shooting LOST on Oahu, Yunjin Kim recently acted in an indie film directed by comedian Margaret Cho. Apparently, it's about two, dueling Asian-American sisters in the competitive world of belly-dancing. Tamlyn Tomita plays her sister-rival. Sounds pretty funny! Read more at Asian Popcorn.

Hero Biopic shown to Japan Royalty

ANATA WA WASURENAI (We Will Not Forget You), is based on the life of a South Korean man who sacrificed his life in an attempt to save a drunken man from falling into the tracks of an incoming train in Tokyo. That was almost 6 years ago. This new film, which is significant because it is a South Korean/Japanese co-production, was recently shown in a private screening that had Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, as well as the hero's parents, in attendance. You can read more at the Japan Times.

Nia Dinata's latest explores Islamic terrorism

Nia Dinata's LOVE FOR SHARE won the Halekulani Golden Orchid for Best Feature at the last LVHIFF. Highly controversial for its portrayal of women living in Indonesia, Dinata's latest (just producing duties on this one) continues the trend. According to the BBC LONG ROAD TO HEAVEN, a retelling of the terrorist bombings in Bali five years ago that killed over 200, with most of the casualties being western tourists,has divided Indonesians on the treatment and perspective of this tragic event. Thanks to Matt Dentler for passing this along.

Alain Delon set to star in Johnnie To film

Alain Delon, one of the most revered French actors ever, for his seminal roles in PURPLE NOON, ROCCO AND HIS BROTHERS, and one of my favorite films of all time, LE SAMOURAI, has agreed to star in Hong Kong auteur Johnnie To's next film. To what the role will be for the now 72 year old legend, there are no details yet. Shooting commences at the end of the year. I'm salivating already! Thanks to Twitch for the update!

Hand Wars

Wow, this is pretty ingenious. Cinematical has discovered an old STAR WARS fan film that recreates the famous Battle of Yavin sequence from the original film. You know it, don't you? It's the final battle that takes place on the Death Star with Luke Skywalker piloting his X-wing into the trenches with Darth Vader close behind him. Anyway, what's brilliant about this fan film is that it is recreated with hands over a black background! You can check it out here.

Johnnie To Double Whammy

Johnnie To, the hardest working man in the Hong Kong film industry, won two awards at the recently held Hong Kong Film Critics Society awards. ELECTION 2, or TRIAD ELECTION, as it is called in the U.S., won best feature and EXILED, his pseudo-sequel to the great THE MISSION, garnered him the best director prize. Spring Showcase Update:We'll be showing both titles in April!

SAKURAN to debut in Berlin

Man, I really want to see this film! I'll catch it in Berlin in a couple of weeks, where I'll try to have daily reports from my favorite film festival! Read more about the film at Variety. Check out the amazing trailer here!

LINDA LINDA LINDA U.S. DVD Release!

One of my favorite films from last year was Nobuhiro Yamashita's fantastic LINDA LINDA LINDA, which HIFF showed at the last spring showcase. Anyway, Viz is releasing the DVD on April 24th and it's now available for pre-order at Amazon! Awesome!! "Linda, Liiiindaaah! Linda, Linda, Liiiindaaaaah!"