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“The Radius”

Title: Goemon [Blu-ray]

Director: Kazuaki Kiriya

Actors: Yosuke Eguchi, Takao Osawa, Ryoko Hirosue

U. S. Distributor: FUNimation

U. S. Release Date: April 19th, 2011

Format: Blu-ray / 127 minutes

Genre: Historical Early Edo Period, Fantasy, Action/Adventure

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Rating: A

Similar Title: Kamui Gaiden, Ip Man

In a time of dreams just before the Tokugawa Shogunate came to power and united the nation, there was a famous Thief, or should I say Master Thief. He was the hope of the poor and downcast, a thing to be feared by the rich and powerful. Once aroused his might and fury would become legend.

“The Radius”

Higanjima: Escape From Vampire Island DVD/Blu-ray Combo

Director: Tae-gyun Kim

Actors: Dai Watanabe, Asami Mizukawa, Koji Yamato, Hideo Ishiquro and Tomohisa Yuge

U.S. Distributor: FUNimation

U.S. Release Date: Oct. 4th, 2011

Format: DVD / Blu-ray / 122 minuets

Genre: Triller

Overall Personal Rating: C+

Nothing good can come when the village says stay away from the shrine yet you disobey and end up opening the one thing that will ruin your life. But in most films like this, there is one arrogant punk that just won’t listen.

Hitman

Director/Studio: Xavier Gens/Twentieth Century Fox

American release date: 21 November 2007

Format/Genre/Length: DVD/Action/94 minutes

Publisher/Industry Age Rating: Not Rated (Contains strong language, violence and some nudity)

Overall Personal Rating:  B

It is late upon a stormy night.   A weary Interpol agent returns to his home, his castle, only to find that all is not as it should be – a shaven-headed man sits in wait for him, one he has long pursued, and he poses a question to the policeman – “How does a good man decide when to kill?”  His fate depends upon his answer.  But before he responds, let’s go back three months.

“The Radius”:

Title: Honey and Clover

Director: Masahiro Takata

Written by: Masahiko Kawahara and Masahiro Takata

Based on the series by manga artist Chika Umino

Distributor: Viz Pictures

American release date: 5/13/08

Format, Genre and length: DVD, Romantic Comedy, 116 minutes

Publisher/Industry Age Rating: Teen

Overall Personal Rating: A

Similar series or titles to check out: Honey and Clover (manga), Honey and Clover (anime),  Makoto Aida: Cynic in the Playground

This is a joint review by Julie and Sarah Hayes

Inception

Director/Studio: Christopher Nolan/Warner Brothers

American release date: July 16, 2010

Format/Genre/Length: Theatrical Release/Fantasy/148 minutes

Age Rating: PG13

Overall Personal Rating: A+

Similar titles: What Dreams May Come, Brainstorm, Paprika

The fluidity of time and the permeability of dreams is tested in the new fantasy/sci fi/high tech thriller Inception.

Synopsis:

“The Radius”

IP Man: The Legend is Born

Director: Herman Yau

Studio: Mei Ah Entertainment

Staring: Dennis To, Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao, Fan Siu-wong, Haung Yi

U.S. Distributor: FUNimation

U. S. Release Date: December 13th, 2011

Format: Blu-ray / 100 minutes

Genre: Semi-Biographical, Martial Arts

Age Rating: TV MA (due to violence)

Overall Personal Rating: A-

Similar Titles: Ip Man, Ip Man 2

Ever really wonder where that intense fighting style of Bruce Lee came from, or who Bruce learned the innovative moves? If so, you should look no further than Ip Man: The Legend is Born.

The Radius

K-20: The Fiend with Twenty Faces

Director: Shimako Sato

Studio: Toho, NTV

Author: Shimako Sato and So Kitamura

U.S. Distributor: Viz Pictures

American Release Date: April 20th, 2010

Format: DVD / 137 minutes

Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama and Comedy

Age Rating: Not Rate but PG-13 suggested

Overall Personal Rating: A-

Similar titles: Red Cliff and Returner

“The Radius”

Kamui Gaiden on Blu-ray

Director: Yoichi Sai

Writers: Kankuro Kudo (Screenplay), Shirato Sanpei (Manga)

Actors: Kenichi Matsuyama, Koyuki, Hideaki Ito, Kaoru Kobayashi

U. S. Release Date: Dec. 28th, 2010

U. S. Distributor: FUNimation

Format: Blu-ray / 120 minutes

Genre: Edo Period Historical Fiction, Ninja, Action/Adventure

Overall Personal Rating: B

Similar Titles: Ichi

Once an Shinobi always a Shinobi, or that is the saying. A young aspiring Shinobi learns that saying in person as he watches a rouge Shinobi try to escape that way of life.

“The Radius”

Lady Snowblood

Director: Toshiya Fujita

Studio: Toho

Authors: Kazuo Kamimura, Kazuo Koike and Noio Osada

Actors: Masaaki Daimon, Meiko Kaji and Toshhio Kurosawa

U.S. Distributor: AnimEigo

Release Date: Dec. 1st, 1973

Format: DVD /  97 minutes / Japanese with English sub-titles

Genre: Period Piece, Samurai Revenge

Age Rating: 18+ due to graphic violence.

Overall Personal Grade: B

Similar titles: Shogun Assassin, Revenge of a Kabuki Actor

When your very existence is an act of revenge by your mother, the karma you inherit will direct you in the path that only leads to death and destruction.

“The Radius”

Love and Honor on DVD

Director: Yoji Yamada

Staring: Takuya Kimura, Rei Dan, Takashi Sasano and Kaori Momoi

Produced by: Junichi Sakamoto

Writer: Shuhei Fujisawa (original novel), Screenplay: Ichiro Yamaoto, Emiko Hiramatsu, Yoji Yamada.

U.S.Distributor: FUNimation

U.S. Release Date:  Feb. 1st, 2011

Format: DVD/121 minutes

Genre: Romance, Drama and Edo Period piece.

Age Rating: PG 13

Overall Personal Rating: B+

The love for a man who is blinded in the line of duty pushes a wife into the arms of the one who can save her husbands position. How the young man handles this, is where the real story lies.

“The Radius”:

Title: Love*Com The Movie

Director/Author: Kitaji Ishikawa/  Aya Nakahara

Distributor: Viz Pictures

American release date: 2-19-2008

Format, Genre and length: DVD, Shojo movie, 100 min

Overall Personal Rating: A+

Similar series or titles to check out: Happy Cafe, the Love*Com manga series

Skilled actors playing great characters, all with clever comedy writing and superb attention to detail.  A real hit for everyone to see.

Synopsis:

“The Radius”:

Title: Makoto Aida:  Cynic in the Playground

New People Artist Series

Director/Studio/Author: Yosuke Tamari

Producer: VIZ Pictures

Film Date: 2003

Format, Genre and length: DVD, Documentary of a Japanese Artist, 98 min.

My Recommended Age Rating: 18+

Overall Personal Rating: B

Part of the New People Artist Series, this volume depicts the life of artist Makoto Aida threaded into the creation of one of his large works.  He is an artist of wide range, exploring photography, painting, sculpture, manga and film. His works are often controversial, sometimes just really odd, like filming when calling people from around the world, not saying anything and hearing them say, “Hello… Hello?” in their different languages.  This guy is all over the place in style and activities.

“The Radius”

Ping Pong the Movie

Director: Fumihiko Sori

Writer: Taiyo Matsumoto

Actors: Yosuke Kubozuka, Shidou Nakamura, Sam Lee and Koji Ohkura

Distributor: Viz Pictures

U. S. Release Date: Sept. 4th, 2007

Format: DVD / 114 minutes

Genre: Seinen, Slice of Life, Sports, Drama

Age Rating: Not Rated (PG suggested)

Overall Personal Rating: A

Similar Titles: Taste of Tea and Train Man

In a world gone made from the drudgery of every day life, there is one constant guarantee, Mr. Peco has an Ego that will engulf all who surround him.

“The Radius”

Title: Revenge (Adauchi)

Director: Tadashi Imai

U. S. Distributor: AnimEigo

U. S. release date: May 17, 2011

Format: DVD /  104 minutes + Extras

Genre: Samurai, Drama

Age Rating: Not listed (violence warning on the box)

Overall Personal Rating: B

Synopsis:

“The Radius”

Revenge of a Kabuki Actor

Director: Kon Ichikawa / Studio: Daiei Studios / Author: Natto Wada

U.S. Distributor: AnimEigo

U. S. Release Date: Oct. 14th, 2008

Original Release date: Jan. 13th, 1963

Format: DVD / 113 minutes

Genre: Samurai, Drama

Age Rating: +13

Overall Personal Rating: A

Similar Titles: Alfred Hitchcock’s  Rope, Tora-San, and The Gesha.

“The Radius”

Samurai Spy

Director/Studio/Author: Masahiro Shinoda/Criterion/Koji Nakada, Yoshiuka Fukuda

Distributor: AnimEigo

American release date: October 25, 2005

Format, Genre and length: DVD/Samurai/99 minutes

Publisher/Industry Age Rating: Not Rated

Overall Personal Rating: A

“Seal your lips tight.”

Fourteen years have passed since the Tokugawa clan were victorious at the Battle of Sekigahara, but that does not mean that there are still not factions which oppose the new regime.  Battle lines are drawn between the supporters of Tokugawa and the supporters of Toyotomi.  In broad geographical terms, the Kanto region, which contains the city of Edo, is pro Tokugawa, while those in the Kansai, where Osaka can be found are in favor of Toyotomi.  Not everyone has chosen a side.  One of these is Sasuke Sarutobi, who belongs to the Sanada clan.  He believes that wars are good for no one.

Samurai Vendetta

Director/Studio/Author: Kazuro Mori/Daei Studios/Kosuke Gomi and Daisuke Ito

Distributor: AnimEigo

American release date: October 12, 2010

Format, Genre and length: DVD/Samurai/109 minutes

Overall Personal Rating: A-

Publisher/Industry Age Rating: 18+

Similar series or titles to check out: Samurai Banners, Samurai Assassin, 47 Ronin

Two’s company, three’s a crowd, even in feudal Japan.  What you want isn’t necessarily what you get, especially when forces that are greater than you, conspire against you.  But isn’t that always the way?

Synopsis:

Title: Shinobi no Mono

American Publisher: AnimEigo

American Release Date: September 15, 2009

Format and length: DVD, 4 Movies

Genres: Action, Drama, Historical Fiction

Age Rating: 18+Overall Personal Rating: A-

Titles in the Radius: You Only Live Twice

Summary:

“The Radius”

Shinobi on Blu-ray

Director:  Ten Shimoyama  /  Writers: Futaro Yamada and Kenya Hirata.

U.S. Distributor: FUNimation

U.S. Release Date: May 13, 2008

Format: Blu-ray / 102 minutes

Genre: Action Adventure, Romance

Overall Personal Rating: B+

Similar Titles: Ichi and the anime Basilisk.

Here come the age old family feud and star crossed lovers with the historical backing of the Tokugawa Period. This also gives a solid dose of the Hatfield and McCoys Japanese style.

Synopsis:

Shinsengumi Chronicles: I Want to Die a Samurai

Director/Studio/Author: Kenji Misumi/Kadokawa Pictures/Seiji Hoshikawa

Distributor: AnimEigo

American release date: November 9, 2010

Format, Genre and length: DVD/Samurai/93 minutes

Publisher/Industry Age Rating: 18+/Violence

Overall Personal Rating: A

Similar series or titles to check out: Shinsengumi: Assassins of Honor

Susumu Yamakazi (Raizo Ichikawa, Sleepy Eyes of Death) is an idealistic young man who wishes to be a samurai, and to uphold the honor inherent in following the Bushido.  The time is 1863, the third year of the Bunkyu Period, and the Tokugawa Shogunate is dying.  Will the samurai way of life go with it?