by Nick Taylor
First, let me say that I enjoyed reading Ben Miller’s less enthusiastic but deeply engaged review of Evil Does Not Exist. I would never have thought to compare this with Aronofsky’s mother!, though as he points out, both films are quite skilled at accumulating tension despite or even because of their unpredictability. He’s also right about the resonance of the ending, which takes the film’s main themes about survival, self-defense, and man’s different awareness of their place in nature and heightens that allegory dramatically. Pondering the finale has made it feel less inscrutable, but that hasn’t dulled its impact in the slightest.
Rather than editorializing on Ben’s review by saying “umactuallyilikedthatpart” for a few hundred words, I’m going to go deep on one key sequence, talk about why I liked it, and how it exemplifies what I love about Evil Does Not Exist.
First, let me say that I enjoyed reading Ben Miller’s less enthusiastic but deeply engaged review of Evil Does Not Exist. I would never have thought to compare this with Aronofsky’s mother!, though as he points out, both films are quite skilled at accumulating tension despite or even because of their unpredictability. He’s also right about the resonance of the ending, which takes the film’s main themes about survival, self-defense, and man’s different awareness of their place in nature and heightens that allegory dramatically. Pondering the finale has made it feel less inscrutable, but that hasn’t dulled its impact in the slightest.
Rather than editorializing on Ben’s review by saying “umactuallyilikedthatpart” for a few hundred words, I’m going to go deep on one key sequence, talk about why I liked it, and how it exemplifies what I love about Evil Does Not Exist.
- 5/22/2024
- by Nick Taylor
- FilmExperience
Indian Paintbrush founder Steven Rales has purchased Criterion and Janus Films.
The mission and leadership of the companies will not change following the private transaction.
Screen Daily was first to report the news of the sale. “We have grown our brands and audience with dedication to a set of values reflected in the films we release, the way we release them, and the way we conduct our business with our valued partners around the world,” said Criterion and Janus Films president Peter Becker told the outlet. “We are excited to continue that legacy and pursue new opportunities now available through this relationship.”
Janus Films was founded in 1954 by Bryant Haliday and Cyrus Harvey, Jr., and has since become the preeminent distributor of international classic films in the United States. Recent films include “Drive My Car,” “Evil Does Not Exist,” “Eo” and “The Beast.” On Monday, Sideshow and Janus films acquired...
The mission and leadership of the companies will not change following the private transaction.
Screen Daily was first to report the news of the sale. “We have grown our brands and audience with dedication to a set of values reflected in the films we release, the way we release them, and the way we conduct our business with our valued partners around the world,” said Criterion and Janus Films president Peter Becker told the outlet. “We are excited to continue that legacy and pursue new opportunities now available through this relationship.”
Janus Films was founded in 1954 by Bryant Haliday and Cyrus Harvey, Jr., and has since become the preeminent distributor of international classic films in the United States. Recent films include “Drive My Car,” “Evil Does Not Exist,” “Eo” and “The Beast.” On Monday, Sideshow and Janus films acquired...
- 5/20/2024
- by Katcy Stephan
- Variety Film + TV
Criterion and its sister distribution arm Janus Films each have a new owner: Indian Paintbrush founder Steven Rales.
Rales has acquired both Criterion and Janus in a private transaction, IndieWire has learned according to two individuals, giving the home for classic and art house films a new leader.
However, as Screen Daily first reported, leadership, including Criterion and Janus Films president Peter Becker, is expected to remain in place, and the overall mission of both companies is not expected to change, per a source.
“We have grown our brands and audience with dedication to a set of values reflected in the films we release, the way we release them, and the way we conduct our business with our valued partners around the world,” Becker said in a statement to Screen. “We are excited to continue that legacy and pursue new opportunities now available through this relationship.”
Reps for Janus Films...
Rales has acquired both Criterion and Janus in a private transaction, IndieWire has learned according to two individuals, giving the home for classic and art house films a new leader.
However, as Screen Daily first reported, leadership, including Criterion and Janus Films president Peter Becker, is expected to remain in place, and the overall mission of both companies is not expected to change, per a source.
“We have grown our brands and audience with dedication to a set of values reflected in the films we release, the way we release them, and the way we conduct our business with our valued partners around the world,” Becker said in a statement to Screen. “We are excited to continue that legacy and pursue new opportunities now available through this relationship.”
Reps for Janus Films...
- 5/20/2024
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
Sideshow and Janus films (“Drive My Car”) have acquired all North American rights to Payal Kapadia’s “All We Imagine as Light,” the first Indian film to screen in official competition at the Cannes Film Festival in 30 years. The movie will world premiere on Thursday, May 23.
It’s also one of only four films in the Competition directed by a woman. Kapadia previously helmed the documentary “A Night of Knowing Nothing,” which premiered at Directors’ Fortnight and won the L’Œil d’Or for Best Documentary in 2021.
“All We Imagine as Light” stars Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha, Chhaya Kadam, Hridhu Haroon and Azees Nedumangad. Sideshow and Janus Films are planning a theatrical release.
In the last three years, Sideshow — along with its partner Janus Films — have had an impressive track record with their Cannes acquisitions, starting with Ryūsuke Hamaguchi’s “Drive My Car,” which went on to become the most...
It’s also one of only four films in the Competition directed by a woman. Kapadia previously helmed the documentary “A Night of Knowing Nothing,” which premiered at Directors’ Fortnight and won the L’Œil d’Or for Best Documentary in 2021.
“All We Imagine as Light” stars Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha, Chhaya Kadam, Hridhu Haroon and Azees Nedumangad. Sideshow and Janus Films are planning a theatrical release.
In the last three years, Sideshow — along with its partner Janus Films — have had an impressive track record with their Cannes acquisitions, starting with Ryūsuke Hamaguchi’s “Drive My Car,” which went on to become the most...
- 5/20/2024
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
The 50th Annual Seattle International Film Festival (Siff) wrapped up on Sunday and announced the winners of the 2024 Golden Space Needle Audience and Juried Competition Awards.
The festival began on May 9 and screened 261 films representing 84 countries with “62% of the feature films were created by first or second-time filmmakers; 43% were created by women or nonbinary filmmakers; 35% of filmmakers identify as a Bipoc director; and nearly 60% are currently without U.S. distribution and may not screen commercially in the United States,” according to Siff.
Siff holds two categories of competition: juried and audience based. Juried competitions include five feature subcategories including the Official Competition, New American Cinema Competition, New Directors Competition, Ibero-American Competition and Documentary Competition. Short film categories include live action, animation and documentary.
In addition, over 32,000 ballots were submitted for the Golden Space Needle Awards (Gsna). Films judged through the GSNAs are selected by audience members through post-screening ballots. The categories include best film,...
The festival began on May 9 and screened 261 films representing 84 countries with “62% of the feature films were created by first or second-time filmmakers; 43% were created by women or nonbinary filmmakers; 35% of filmmakers identify as a Bipoc director; and nearly 60% are currently without U.S. distribution and may not screen commercially in the United States,” according to Siff.
Siff holds two categories of competition: juried and audience based. Juried competitions include five feature subcategories including the Official Competition, New American Cinema Competition, New Directors Competition, Ibero-American Competition and Documentary Competition. Short film categories include live action, animation and documentary.
In addition, over 32,000 ballots were submitted for the Golden Space Needle Awards (Gsna). Films judged through the GSNAs are selected by audience members through post-screening ballots. The categories include best film,...
- 5/19/2024
- by Lexi Carson
- Variety Film + TV
MGM/Imax’s The Blue Angels lands a hefty $1.3 million on just 255 domestic Imax screens from limited showtimes in the large format exhibitor’s exclusive theatrical engagement. The Paul Crowder film, with Glen Powell and Bad Robot as producers, follows the Navy’s famed demonstration flying squadron. It also “ushers in a new era for IMAX Documentaries, or Docu-busters,” the company said. It’s no. 9 at the domestic box office
It’s got a weeklong run before hitting Prime Video. The feature-length version for Imax multiplex locations will be followed later by a 45-minute, traditional Imax documentary version for Imax institutional locations.
I Saw The TV Glow from A24 had an impressive expansion, grossing $1+ million on just 469 screens. The Jane Shoenbrun (We’re All Going To The World’s Fair) coming of age sci-fi stars Justice Smith and Bridgette Lundy-Paine as queer teenagers navigating life in the 1990s suburbs. The film has...
It’s got a weeklong run before hitting Prime Video. The feature-length version for Imax multiplex locations will be followed later by a 45-minute, traditional Imax documentary version for Imax institutional locations.
I Saw The TV Glow from A24 had an impressive expansion, grossing $1+ million on just 469 screens. The Jane Shoenbrun (We’re All Going To The World’s Fair) coming of age sci-fi stars Justice Smith and Bridgette Lundy-Paine as queer teenagers navigating life in the 1990s suburbs. The film has...
- 5/19/2024
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Babes by Pamela Adlon, co-written and starring Ilana Glazer, debuts in limited release with films by Hang Song-soo and Bertrand Bonello and docs on a controversial Venice Biennale, ground-breaking female clerics, and the Blue Angels Navy Squadron. A trio of festival favorites expand. While eyes now are on fare at Cannes — where Neon has been making high-profile moves — each week Stateside remains a test of indie film’s theatrical boundaries in a post-Covid, streaming-centric marketplace.
There have been notable hits. A24’s I Saw The TV Glow by Jane Schoenbrun is having a nice run so far as is Evil Does Not Exist — Sideshow/Janus Films’ second outing with Ryusuke Hamaguchi after Oscar-winning Drive My Car. (That 2021 Japanese film about a...
There have been notable hits. A24’s I Saw The TV Glow by Jane Schoenbrun is having a nice run so far as is Evil Does Not Exist — Sideshow/Janus Films’ second outing with Ryusuke Hamaguchi after Oscar-winning Drive My Car. (That 2021 Japanese film about a...
- 5/17/2024
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
We’re thrilled to launch a new feature on The Film Stage highlighting our top recommendations for films currently in theaters, from new releases to restorations receiving a proper theatrical run. While we already provide extensive monthly new-release recommendations and weekly streaming recommendations, as distributors’ roll-outs can vary, we thought it would be helpful to provide a one-stop list to share the essential films that may be on a screen near you. We’ll be updating this page weekly, so be sure to bookmark.
Babes (Pamela Adlon)
Transitioning the naturalistic comic sensibilities that made Better Things a success, Pamela Adlon’s feature debut Babes manages to co-opt the rhythms of a romantic comedy to explore the relationship between two best friends at opposite points of their lives. – Christian G. (full review)
The Beast (Bertrand Bonello)
Where to begin with Bertrand Bonello’s wonderful The Beast? It’s been so gratifying...
Babes (Pamela Adlon)
Transitioning the naturalistic comic sensibilities that made Better Things a success, Pamela Adlon’s feature debut Babes manages to co-opt the rhythms of a romantic comedy to explore the relationship between two best friends at opposite points of their lives. – Christian G. (full review)
The Beast (Bertrand Bonello)
Where to begin with Bertrand Bonello’s wonderful The Beast? It’s been so gratifying...
- 5/16/2024
- by The Film Stage
- The Film Stage
“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” (Disney) opened to $56.5 million, slightly above pre-opening projections, which is encouraging after “The Fall Guy” (Universal) last week. That’s a relief to theaters that hope summer releases meet their potential and buffer what is expected to be a major drop in revenues versus last year.
20th Century Fox released “Planet of the Apes” in 1968. For an old franchise, this is one that still has plenty of life: The “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” opening matched the last “Planet of the Apes” installment in 2017 (albeit when tickets cost 15 percent less). Speaking of old franchises, it also beat the $55 million opening of the 2021 Bond entry “No Time to Die.” Disappointing B Cinemascore aside, “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” seems poised for a solid run.
The opening for “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” doubled that of “The Fall Guy...
20th Century Fox released “Planet of the Apes” in 1968. For an old franchise, this is one that still has plenty of life: The “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” opening matched the last “Planet of the Apes” installment in 2017 (albeit when tickets cost 15 percent less). Speaking of old franchises, it also beat the $55 million opening of the 2021 Bond entry “No Time to Die.” Disappointing B Cinemascore aside, “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” seems poised for a solid run.
The opening for “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” doubled that of “The Fall Guy...
- 5/12/2024
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
Jane Schoenbrun’s I Saw Then TV Glow is looking at an estimated $195k+ on 21 screens, a great week-two expansion for the A24 film. The number is driven by a passionate fan base for the gender-bending supernatural thriller that’s been skewing very young, male and heavily LGBTQ+. Will continue a rollout in coming weeks. It’s not clear where the screen count will max out, but so far so good.
The director of We’re All Going To The World’s Fair was honored with a Breakthrough Artist award at the Coolidge Corner theater in Boston at a sold out screening with cast Justice Smith and Brigette Lundy-Paine, who play queer teens coming of age in the 1990s suburbs, obsessed with a late-night sci-fi television show.
Sideshow/Janus Films’ release of Evil Does Not Exist by Ryusuke Hamaguchi (Drive My Car) grossed about $102.7k on 34 screens in week 2 for a come of $165k.
The director of We’re All Going To The World’s Fair was honored with a Breakthrough Artist award at the Coolidge Corner theater in Boston at a sold out screening with cast Justice Smith and Brigette Lundy-Paine, who play queer teens coming of age in the 1990s suburbs, obsessed with a late-night sci-fi television show.
Sideshow/Janus Films’ release of Evil Does Not Exist by Ryusuke Hamaguchi (Drive My Car) grossed about $102.7k on 34 screens in week 2 for a come of $165k.
- 5/12/2024
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Chicago – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com audio film review for the “Evil Does Not Exist,” the latest film from Japanese writer/director Ryusuke Hamaguchi, whose “Drive My Car” won Best International Film at the 2022 Oscars. In select theaters since May 10, 2024. See local listings.
Rating: 5.0/5.0
The film involves a Japanese village within driving distance of Tokyo, pristine in its state of nature and populated by indigenous villagers for several generations. A developer from Tokyo intends to build a “glamping” site … short for luxurious “glamour camping” … to exploit the area’s nature for vacationers. When a meeting is held with the villagers regarding the build-out, there is a questioning to representatives Takahashi (Ryuji Osaka) and Mayuzumi (Ayaka Shibutani) regarding legitimate environmental concerns, especially from Takumi (Hitoshi Omika) the village leader and widower father of daughter Hana (Ryo Nishikawa). When the Tokyo developers ignore the rep’s report, and demand that they alter the villager’s attitudes,...
Rating: 5.0/5.0
The film involves a Japanese village within driving distance of Tokyo, pristine in its state of nature and populated by indigenous villagers for several generations. A developer from Tokyo intends to build a “glamping” site … short for luxurious “glamour camping” … to exploit the area’s nature for vacationers. When a meeting is held with the villagers regarding the build-out, there is a questioning to representatives Takahashi (Ryuji Osaka) and Mayuzumi (Ayaka Shibutani) regarding legitimate environmental concerns, especially from Takumi (Hitoshi Omika) the village leader and widower father of daughter Hana (Ryo Nishikawa). When the Tokyo developers ignore the rep’s report, and demand that they alter the villager’s attitudes,...
- 5/12/2024
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Berlin-based sales agency M-Appeal has closed several new deals for Berlinale title “Sex,” directed by Dag Johan Haugerud, and two further deals for Venice’s “Evil Does Not Exist,” directed by Oscar-winner Ryusuke Hamaguchi.
The new “Sex” buyers include U.K. and Ireland (Modern Films), Czech Republic and Slovakia (Pilot Film), Portugal (Films4You), Switzerland (Xenix Film), Ex-Yugoslavian territories (McF Megacom) and Hungary (Vertigo Média).
The film, which premiered in the Panorama section of Berlinale, follows two men – both working as chimney sweeps – living in monogamous, heterosexual marriages as they both end up in situations that challenge their views on sexuality and gender roles.
The title received three awards at the festival: the Europa Cinemas Label – Best European Film (Panorama), the Cicae Art Cinema Award, and the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury.
Previously, the film secured distribution deals in North America (Strand Releasing), France (Pyramide Distribution), South Korea (JinJin Pictures...
The new “Sex” buyers include U.K. and Ireland (Modern Films), Czech Republic and Slovakia (Pilot Film), Portugal (Films4You), Switzerland (Xenix Film), Ex-Yugoslavian territories (McF Megacom) and Hungary (Vertigo Média).
The film, which premiered in the Panorama section of Berlinale, follows two men – both working as chimney sweeps – living in monogamous, heterosexual marriages as they both end up in situations that challenge their views on sexuality and gender roles.
The title received three awards at the festival: the Europa Cinemas Label – Best European Film (Panorama), the Cicae Art Cinema Award, and the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury.
Previously, the film secured distribution deals in North America (Strand Releasing), France (Pyramide Distribution), South Korea (JinJin Pictures...
- 5/10/2024
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
“I’m back,” Hamaguchi Ryûsuke exuberantly proclaimed—in English no less—when introducing his latest film, Evil Does Not Exist, to a rapturous response from a New York Film Festival crowd in 2023. His punchy opening line was more overtly declarative than the work he was there to present. After his two-release breakout year in 2021 culminated in an Oscar victory for Drive My Car, Hamaguchi might have taken the familiar path of following up such a win with a big directorial proclamation. Instead, his latest feature belies the nature of its title and proves to be more of a question than a statement.
Some of this may be due to the genesis of Evil Does Not Exist, which doesn’t lie entirely with Hamaguchi himself. Ishibashi Eiko, his composer on Drive My Car, approached the director to create footage to accompany her live performances. Inspiration struck, and Hamaguchi’s remit expanded...
Some of this may be due to the genesis of Evil Does Not Exist, which doesn’t lie entirely with Hamaguchi himself. Ishibashi Eiko, his composer on Drive My Car, approached the director to create footage to accompany her live performances. Inspiration struck, and Hamaguchi’s remit expanded...
- 5/7/2024
- by Marshall Shaffer
- Slant Magazine
Safe to say Drive My Car‘s success wouldn’t have reached its historic heights sans Eiko Ishibashi, whose musical contributions acted as both complement and counterpoint to Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s lengthy, ornate drama. Perhaps nobody would affirm this more than Hamaguchi: likely facing every opportunity a filmmaker, Japanese or otherwise, could want from the western world, he instead visited Ishibashi and troupe member Jim O’Rourke to film their performances in a small mountainous town, and from this emerged the dual projects Gift and Evil Does Not Exist.
After last week’s live performances of Gift at Film at Lincoln Center, I spoke to Ishibashi about the unique operation, her ongoing creative partnership with Hamaguchi, and attitude towards filmmaking practice.
Thanks to Stacy Smith, who provided interpretation.
The Film Stage: I saw Gift two nights ago––a very restorative experience. This quote kind of clarified why: “There is some element...
After last week’s live performances of Gift at Film at Lincoln Center, I spoke to Ishibashi about the unique operation, her ongoing creative partnership with Hamaguchi, and attitude towards filmmaking practice.
Thanks to Stacy Smith, who provided interpretation.
The Film Stage: I saw Gift two nights ago––a very restorative experience. This quote kind of clarified why: “There is some element...
- 5/6/2024
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
With ”The Fall Guy” (Universal), summer 2024 box office didn’t kick off; it just sort of happened. It opened to $28.5 million, a 52 percent drop from last year with “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.” Hopefully, that will be the last precipitous weekend drop (aside from the inevitable “Barbie”/”Oppenheimer” July weekend of $310 million).
This $76 million domestic weekend is bad, but “The Fall Guy” shortfall is worse. Estimates were broad, but worst-case scenarios predicted $30 million. The Ryan Gosling action rom-com had all the earmarks of audience appeal. Whatever its possible limitations — and a $130 million budget — that’s a terrible look to start the summer.
Despite good reviews, Gosling’s momentum, director David Leitch’s proven box office success, the usually lucrative playdate, and a decent A- Cinemascore, “The Fall Guy” opened to only a little more than $3 million above “Civil War” (A24), April’s best opener.
“The Kingdom of the Planet...
This $76 million domestic weekend is bad, but “The Fall Guy” shortfall is worse. Estimates were broad, but worst-case scenarios predicted $30 million. The Ryan Gosling action rom-com had all the earmarks of audience appeal. Whatever its possible limitations — and a $130 million budget — that’s a terrible look to start the summer.
Despite good reviews, Gosling’s momentum, director David Leitch’s proven box office success, the usually lucrative playdate, and a decent A- Cinemascore, “The Fall Guy” opened to only a little more than $3 million above “Civil War” (A24), April’s best opener.
“The Kingdom of the Planet...
- 5/5/2024
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
A24’s I Saw The TV Glow beamed out one of the best limited openings of the year as the specialty market shows signs of life after a dreary April.
The ‘90s era trans coming-of-age horror-thriller grossed $116.3k at four theaters in New York and LA for a per screen average of $29k for Jane Schoenbrun. It’s the helmer’s second outing after We’re All Going To The World’s Fair established them as an edgy new voice. The film, which premiered at Sundance, saw multiple sold-out Q&As over the weekend with strong reviews and exit polls. Expands into selected top markets this weekend with a continued rollout to follow.
Produced by Emma Stone under her Fruit Tree Banner, it follows a teenager named Owen (Justice Smith) trying to make it through life in the suburbs. The weirdness starts when his older classmate (Brigette Lundy-Paine) introduces him...
The ‘90s era trans coming-of-age horror-thriller grossed $116.3k at four theaters in New York and LA for a per screen average of $29k for Jane Schoenbrun. It’s the helmer’s second outing after We’re All Going To The World’s Fair established them as an edgy new voice. The film, which premiered at Sundance, saw multiple sold-out Q&As over the weekend with strong reviews and exit polls. Expands into selected top markets this weekend with a continued rollout to follow.
Produced by Emma Stone under her Fruit Tree Banner, it follows a teenager named Owen (Justice Smith) trying to make it through life in the suburbs. The weirdness starts when his older classmate (Brigette Lundy-Paine) introduces him...
- 5/5/2024
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
In the riveting eco-horror drama Evil Does Not Exist, director Ryusuke Hamaguchi delves deep into the serene yet unsettling relationship between humans and nature. Set against the backdrop of a quaint village that epitomizes symbiosis with nature, Hamaguchi constructs a narrative that not only captivates but also sends a profound message about ecological balance and ethical conundrums faced by society. Film’s Insight on Nature and Corporate Conflict The story revolves around a small village where residents live in harmony with the environment, utilizing natural resources respectfully and sustainably. However, the tranquility is disrupted when a corporate entity plans to introduce
The post The Subtle Eco-Horror of Evil Does Not Exist Explored first appeared on TVovermind.
The post The Subtle Eco-Horror of Evil Does Not Exist Explored first appeared on TVovermind.
- 5/4/2024
- by Steve Delikson
- TVovermind.com
“The Fall Guy” is swinging into theaters this weekend, as are the indie masterpieces “I Saw the TV Glow” and “Evil Does Not Exist.” Fortunately, a handful of fun and intriguing titles are also hitting digital platforms, including a dynamic documentary about a rock ‘n’ roll linchpin.
The contender to watch this week: “Catching Fire: The Story of Anita Pallenberg”
No, this isn’t a “Hunger Games” sequel. Anita Pallenberg was an actress, a New York It Girl, and a denizen of Andy Warhol’s Factory, but she is best known as an associate of the Rolling Stones. She dated founder Brian Jones and, later, guitarist Keith Richards, with whom she had three children. Some people have called her the band’s muse. Pallenberg’s life was not always as glamorous as it sounds, though, and directors Alexis Bloom and Svetlana Zill mine her highs and lows for a compelling...
The contender to watch this week: “Catching Fire: The Story of Anita Pallenberg”
No, this isn’t a “Hunger Games” sequel. Anita Pallenberg was an actress, a New York It Girl, and a denizen of Andy Warhol’s Factory, but she is best known as an associate of the Rolling Stones. She dated founder Brian Jones and, later, guitarist Keith Richards, with whom she had three children. Some people have called her the band’s muse. Pallenberg’s life was not always as glamorous as it sounds, though, and directors Alexis Bloom and Svetlana Zill mine her highs and lows for a compelling...
- 5/4/2024
- by Matthew Jacobs
- Gold Derby
It’s been a rough few weeks for indies but May is here with a handful of hopefuls looking to rev up the market — from A24’s buzzy I Saw The TV Glow to Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s Venice award-winning Evil Does Not Exist. A documentary about Anita Pallenberg featuring Scarlett Johansson hits theaters, with a French animated sci-fi set on Mars, and a Flannery O’Conner biopic by Ethan Hawke.
I Saw The TV Glow is written and directed by Jane Schoenbrun (We’re All Going To The World’s Fair) and produced by Emma Stone under her Fruit Tree Banner. The horror-thriller that gripped Sundance (Deadline review called it a “trippy gut punch”) then SXSW follows a teenager named Owen trying to make it through life in the suburbs. The weirdness starts when his classmate introduces him to a mysterious late-night TV show, a vision of a supernatural world beneath their own.
I Saw The TV Glow is written and directed by Jane Schoenbrun (We’re All Going To The World’s Fair) and produced by Emma Stone under her Fruit Tree Banner. The horror-thriller that gripped Sundance (Deadline review called it a “trippy gut punch”) then SXSW follows a teenager named Owen trying to make it through life in the suburbs. The weirdness starts when his classmate introduces him to a mysterious late-night TV show, a vision of a supernatural world beneath their own.
- 5/3/2024
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
The opening, multi-minute shot of “Evil Does Not Exist” stares upwards at the trees, floating backwards through the forest, while Eiko Ishibashi’s haunting score casts a spell on us. It’s contemplative but not peaceful; weirdly arresting, like a thriller with no tangible thrills. It’s almost a shock when the story kicks in, but writer/director Ryusuke Hamaguchi looks at his characters much the same way. He’s fascinated and concerned by who they are and what they might do, and he watches them float by.
Hamaguchi’s previous film, “Drive My Car,” was a nearly three-hour drama about a man directing a stage version of Anton Chekhov’s “Uncle Vanya” where every character speaks a different language. Along the way, he formed a relationship with his production-mandated chauffeur who — fittingly enough — drives his car, as they listen to recordings of his recently-deceased wife reading the script. You...
Hamaguchi’s previous film, “Drive My Car,” was a nearly three-hour drama about a man directing a stage version of Anton Chekhov’s “Uncle Vanya” where every character speaks a different language. Along the way, he formed a relationship with his production-mandated chauffeur who — fittingly enough — drives his car, as they listen to recordings of his recently-deceased wife reading the script. You...
- 5/3/2024
- by William Bibbiani
- The Wrap
The Killing of a Sacred Dear: Hamaguchi Explores Ills of Urbanization
Ryūsuke Hamaguchi explores the doctrine about the absence of evil in his latest drama Evil Does Not Exist, a quiet film pondering the necessary evils of urban development and tourism on a small, Japanese village when a corporation aims to establish a glamping hotel in their midst. Like Mohammad Rasoulof’s 2020 Golden Bear Winner There Is No Evil, Hamaguchi’s overarching theme taps into the same ‘absence of good’ philosophy expounded upon from Nietzsche to Einstein, with roots reaching all the way back to Plato. In short, as this film also depicts, there are no innately evil people, only self-serving, ignorant humans who are, also, not inherently good.…...
Ryūsuke Hamaguchi explores the doctrine about the absence of evil in his latest drama Evil Does Not Exist, a quiet film pondering the necessary evils of urban development and tourism on a small, Japanese village when a corporation aims to establish a glamping hotel in their midst. Like Mohammad Rasoulof’s 2020 Golden Bear Winner There Is No Evil, Hamaguchi’s overarching theme taps into the same ‘absence of good’ philosophy expounded upon from Nietzsche to Einstein, with roots reaching all the way back to Plato. In short, as this film also depicts, there are no innately evil people, only self-serving, ignorant humans who are, also, not inherently good.…...
- 5/2/2024
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
More than ever, it’s hard to imagine a world where evil does not exist, so it should come as no surprise that the world captured in Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s film with that very same title feels out of step with our own.
“Evil Does Not Exist,” the Japanese auteur’s follow-up to “Drive My Car,” opens with a long shot that tracks through the forest, gazing up at the sky through intersecting branches that crisscross above. The pace is calm and unhurried, leisurely even, if not for the strings that accompany it. Ishibashi Eiko’s score, her second for Hamaguchi, is calming, too, at first. But then discordant notes gradually weave in, hinting at something darker under the melody and behind the trees. The longer this shot continues, the more eerie it feels, as if we’re gliding into another reality. Suddenly, it ends abruptly, jolting the audience into...
“Evil Does Not Exist,” the Japanese auteur’s follow-up to “Drive My Car,” opens with a long shot that tracks through the forest, gazing up at the sky through intersecting branches that crisscross above. The pace is calm and unhurried, leisurely even, if not for the strings that accompany it. Ishibashi Eiko’s score, her second for Hamaguchi, is calming, too, at first. But then discordant notes gradually weave in, hinting at something darker under the melody and behind the trees. The longer this shot continues, the more eerie it feels, as if we’re gliding into another reality. Suddenly, it ends abruptly, jolting the audience into...
- 5/1/2024
- by David Opie
- Indiewire
After years of making films in his native Japan, writer-director Ryusuke Hamaguchi found unexpected global success in 2021 with “Drive My Car.”
Adapted and expanded from short stories by Haruki Murakami, it’s an exquisite drama about a grieving theater director staging a multilingual “Uncle Vanya,” and his relationship with the pensive young woman employed to drive his cherry-red Saab.
Premiering at the Cannes Film Festival, where Hamaguchi and co-writer Takamasa Oe won the Best Screenplay prize, “Drive My Car” went on to dominate the fall festival circuit. The film clocked up an astonishing four nominations at the 2022 Oscars, including Best Picture and a Best Director nod for Hamaguchi, and went on to win Japan’s first Oscar for Best International Film.
Hamaguchi’s latest film, “Evil Does Not Exist” is to some extent a response to that overwhelming acclaim. “I knew that I wanted my next work to be very...
Adapted and expanded from short stories by Haruki Murakami, it’s an exquisite drama about a grieving theater director staging a multilingual “Uncle Vanya,” and his relationship with the pensive young woman employed to drive his cherry-red Saab.
Premiering at the Cannes Film Festival, where Hamaguchi and co-writer Takamasa Oe won the Best Screenplay prize, “Drive My Car” went on to dominate the fall festival circuit. The film clocked up an astonishing four nominations at the 2022 Oscars, including Best Picture and a Best Director nod for Hamaguchi, and went on to win Japan’s first Oscar for Best International Film.
Hamaguchi’s latest film, “Evil Does Not Exist” is to some extent a response to that overwhelming acclaim. “I knew that I wanted my next work to be very...
- 4/30/2024
- by John Forde
- Indiewire
On a bright summer day in a tent on top of the sultry clay courts that give the Tennis Club Venezia its name, writer-director Ryûsuke Hamaguchi––known for his searing stories of love and longing and a taut, cryptic cinematic style all his own––saunters in tired but ready to talk, bags heavy under his eyes, tennis balls whopping back and forth in the distance. It’s 2023 and we’re on the Lido at the 80th Venice Film Festival. Hamaguchi’s latest feature Evil Does Not Exist has just debuted in competition to uncharacteristically rapturous applause.
The prolific, self-made Japanese auteur burst onto the scene at Locarno in 2015 with the success of the five-plus-hour Happy Hour. But despite the newfound popularity, Hamaguchi was a veteran. He’d already written and directed ten features and eight shorts, often teaming up with universities and research organizations that funded his crisp, sharp, sensitive...
The prolific, self-made Japanese auteur burst onto the scene at Locarno in 2015 with the success of the five-plus-hour Happy Hour. But despite the newfound popularity, Hamaguchi was a veteran. He’d already written and directed ten features and eight shorts, often teaming up with universities and research organizations that funded his crisp, sharp, sensitive...
- 4/30/2024
- by Luke Hicks
- The Film Stage
Clockwise from bottom left: Good One (Metrograph Pictures), Deadpool & Wolverine (Disney/Marvel), The Watchers (Warner Bros.), Alien: Romulus (20th Century Studios)Graphic: The A.V. Club
Yesterday, we took a look at the films that really stand out to us this summer, but there are still plenty of other movies on...
Yesterday, we took a look at the films that really stand out to us this summer, but there are still plenty of other movies on...
- 4/30/2024
- by Jen Lennon, Drew Gillis, Cindy White, Jacob Oller, Matt Schimkowitz, and Saloni Gajjar
- avclub.com
The summer season is upon us and, per each year, we’ve dug beyond studio offerings to present an in-depth look at what should be on your radar. From festival winners of the past year to selections coming straight from Cannes to genre delights to, yes, a few blockbuster spectacles, there’s more than enough to anticipate.
Check out our picks below and return for monthly updates as more is sure to be added to the calendar. Release dates are for theatrical openings unless otherwise noted.
The Contestant (Clair Titley; May 2 on Hulu)
If some of today’s reality shows can feel out-of-hand for what they put their contestants through, nothing compares to one of the first to ever hit the air. In 1988, aspiring comedian Tomoaki Hamatsu (aka Nasubi) got the “opportunity” to take part in a game show without knowing any of the parameters, resulting in him being placed...
Check out our picks below and return for monthly updates as more is sure to be added to the calendar. Release dates are for theatrical openings unless otherwise noted.
The Contestant (Clair Titley; May 2 on Hulu)
If some of today’s reality shows can feel out-of-hand for what they put their contestants through, nothing compares to one of the first to ever hit the air. In 1988, aspiring comedian Tomoaki Hamatsu (aka Nasubi) got the “opportunity” to take part in a game show without knowing any of the parameters, resulting in him being placed...
- 4/24/2024
- by The Film Stage
- The Film Stage
Curiosity is bound to be piqued for a title like Evil Does Not Exist. Once you see the latest film from Ryusuke Hamaguchi, you further wonder what exactly the title of the film means, especially after the baffling ending that leaves you scratching your head. However, there are obvious metaphors and trickery, which should strike you once you start to think about it, and maybe after you re-watch the last five minutes a few times. It is a strange film nonetheless, which deals with much darker subject matter compared to his last two works, Drive My Car and Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy, both of which were released in 2021. One might find the complete tonal shift in the final act a bit too jarring, and that’s where Evil Does Not Exist is polarizing people. In this article, I’m going to take a swing at deconstructing the ending. Hopefully,...
- 4/22/2024
- by Rohitavra Majumdar
- Film Fugitives
RankFilm (distributor)Three-day gross (Apr 5-7)Total gross to dateWeek 1. Kung Fu Panda 4 (Universal) £2.8m £12.8m 2 2. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (Warner Bros) £2m £9.2m 2 3. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (Sony) £1.4m £12.1m 3 4. Dune: Part Two (Warner Bros) £1.1m £36.8m 6 5. Monkey Man (Universal) £763,004 £809,767 1
Gbp to Usd conversion rate: 1.26
Universal animation Kung Fu Panda 4 knocked Godzilla x Kong: A New Empire off top spot at the UK-Ireland box office this weekend; as Dev Patel’s Monkey Man started in fifth place.
Kung Fu Panda 4 added £2.8m on its second weekend – a 28% drop that brings it to £12.8m. It is already...
Gbp to Usd conversion rate: 1.26
Universal animation Kung Fu Panda 4 knocked Godzilla x Kong: A New Empire off top spot at the UK-Ireland box office this weekend; as Dev Patel’s Monkey Man started in fifth place.
Kung Fu Panda 4 added £2.8m on its second weekend – a 28% drop that brings it to £12.8m. It is already...
- 4/8/2024
- ScreenDaily
Dev Patel’s feature directorial debut Monkey Man leads the new films at this weekend’s UK-Ireland box office, starting in 592 cinemas through Universal.
Directed, produced, from a story by and starring Patel, Monkey Man follows an anonymous young man who unleashes a campaign of violence against the corrupt leaders who murdered his mother, and continue to systematically victimise the poor and powerless.
Filmed in early 2021, Netflix originally bought worldwide rights to Monkey Man. After Jordan Peele boarded the title as producer through his Monkeypaw Productions, Universal acquired it from Netflix earlier this year. It debuted at SXSW last month.
Directed, produced, from a story by and starring Patel, Monkey Man follows an anonymous young man who unleashes a campaign of violence against the corrupt leaders who murdered his mother, and continue to systematically victimise the poor and powerless.
Filmed in early 2021, Netflix originally bought worldwide rights to Monkey Man. After Jordan Peele boarded the title as producer through his Monkeypaw Productions, Universal acquired it from Netflix earlier this year. It debuted at SXSW last month.
- 4/5/2024
- ScreenDaily
Honors were even atop the U.K. and Ireland box office as Universal’s “Kung Fu Panda 4” and Warner Bros.’ “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” battled for top spot during the Easter holiday weekend.
While “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” won the three-day weekend, “Kung Fu Panda 4” had the higher gross including previews. According to numbers provided by Comscore, “Kung Fu Panda 4” collected £5 million ($6.3) million, while “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” took in £4.1 million ($5.2 million).
In third place, in its second weekend, Sony’s “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” collected £2.1 million for a total of £8.2 million. In its fifth weekend, in fourth place, Warner Bros.’ “Dune: Part II” grossed £1.6 million to take its total to £34 million.
Debuting at fifth place was Indian filmmaker Blessy’s acclaimed desert saga “Aadujeevitham” (“The Goat Life”), distributed by Dg Tech, with £480,977.
There were two more debuts in the top 10. Studiocanal...
While “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” won the three-day weekend, “Kung Fu Panda 4” had the higher gross including previews. According to numbers provided by Comscore, “Kung Fu Panda 4” collected £5 million ($6.3) million, while “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” took in £4.1 million ($5.2 million).
In third place, in its second weekend, Sony’s “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” collected £2.1 million for a total of £8.2 million. In its fifth weekend, in fourth place, Warner Bros.’ “Dune: Part II” grossed £1.6 million to take its total to £34 million.
Debuting at fifth place was Indian filmmaker Blessy’s acclaimed desert saga “Aadujeevitham” (“The Goat Life”), distributed by Dg Tech, with £480,977.
There were two more debuts in the top 10. Studiocanal...
- 4/2/2024
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Spooky Korean drama film “Exhuma” held on at the top of the local box off ice chart for the sixth consecutive weekend. It saw off challenges from significant newcomers “Troll Factory” and “Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire.”
The Choi Min-sik-starring “Exhuma” dropped 32% week-on-week to record $3.08 million between Friday and Sunday, according to data from Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic). That gives it a cumulative total of $78.7 million, earned from nearly 11 million spectators.
“Troll Factory,” a crime drama, in which an investigative journalist is lured into probing an online scam company only for his informant to mysteriously disappear, was the weekend’s highest-placed new release. Directed by Ahn Gooc-jin and starring Son Suk-ku (Netflix’s “A Killer Paradox”), it earned $2.56 million, good enough for second place, between Friday and Sunday. Over its five opening days it built a total of $3.75 million.
“Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire...
The Choi Min-sik-starring “Exhuma” dropped 32% week-on-week to record $3.08 million between Friday and Sunday, according to data from Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic). That gives it a cumulative total of $78.7 million, earned from nearly 11 million spectators.
“Troll Factory,” a crime drama, in which an investigative journalist is lured into probing an online scam company only for his informant to mysteriously disappear, was the weekend’s highest-placed new release. Directed by Ahn Gooc-jin and starring Son Suk-ku (Netflix’s “A Killer Paradox”), it earned $2.56 million, good enough for second place, between Friday and Sunday. Over its five opening days it built a total of $3.75 million.
“Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire...
- 4/2/2024
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
After being catapulted to the big time with Drive My Car, the director’s next film Evil Does Not Exist has helped him escape the pressure of his success – and is designed to retain an air of the unknown
The winter sky in the opening shot of Ryûsuke Hamaguchi’s Evil Does Not Exist is a brilliant white, seen through a tangle of spindly tree branches. Set against a radiant orchestral score, the scene looks sublime. But then a dissonant note is heard in the music. Then another. Not everything is as it seems.
“I started from a place of not knowing anything,” Hamaguchi says of his new film, which sets up a paradisal image of nature to then unsettle it. He speaks with a humility that belies his standing as one of Japan’s most celebrated auteurs. It was late 2021, he recalls; his previous film, Drive My Car, had been released.
The winter sky in the opening shot of Ryûsuke Hamaguchi’s Evil Does Not Exist is a brilliant white, seen through a tangle of spindly tree branches. Set against a radiant orchestral score, the scene looks sublime. But then a dissonant note is heard in the music. Then another. Not everything is as it seems.
“I started from a place of not knowing anything,” Hamaguchi says of his new film, which sets up a paradisal image of nature to then unsettle it. He speaks with a humility that belies his standing as one of Japan’s most celebrated auteurs. It was late 2021, he recalls; his previous film, Drive My Car, had been released.
- 4/1/2024
- by Rebecca Liu
- The Guardian - Film News
Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. To keep up with our latest features, sign up for the Weekly Edit newsletter and follow us @mubinotebook on Twitter and Instagram.NEWSUntil Branches Bend.Amidst a widespread debate on the merit of U.S. state financial incentives for film and television productions, a Georgia bill that would have limited the sale of tax credits was rejected by the Senate Finance Committee. In recent years, those credits have exceeded $1 billion despite findings that the state makes back only 19¢ on the dollar. Four of the thirteen labor guilds bargaining with IATSE have now reached tentative agreements with the AMPTP: Locals 600 (cinematographers), 729 (set painters), 800 (art directors), and 695. IATSE president Matthew Loeb has threatened to strike if a new contract is not in place when the current one expires on July 31.Due to financial constraints, the Human Rights Watch Film Festival will be...
- 3/28/2024
- MUBI
Catch a first look at the new trailer for Evil Does Not Exist – director Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s follow-up film to 2021’s critically-acclaimed Drive My Car.
Released in 2021, Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s Drive My Car was critically acclaimed, winning awards at just about every festival it was screened. The film was even nominated for Best Picture at that year’s Oscars while also taking the gong for best international picture back to Japan. Interest in Hamaguchi’s next project has remained high then, with his follow-up film, Evil Does Not Exist finally being unveiled to the world next month.
According to a synopsis, the film is said to be an ‘ecological fable’ that centres on a ‘rural alpine hamlet of Mizubiki, not far from Tokyo. Takumi and his daughter, Hana, lead a modest life gathering water, wood, and wild wasabi for the local udon restaurant. Increasingly, the townsfolk become aware of a...
Released in 2021, Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s Drive My Car was critically acclaimed, winning awards at just about every festival it was screened. The film was even nominated for Best Picture at that year’s Oscars while also taking the gong for best international picture back to Japan. Interest in Hamaguchi’s next project has remained high then, with his follow-up film, Evil Does Not Exist finally being unveiled to the world next month.
According to a synopsis, the film is said to be an ‘ecological fable’ that centres on a ‘rural alpine hamlet of Mizubiki, not far from Tokyo. Takumi and his daughter, Hana, lead a modest life gathering water, wood, and wild wasabi for the local udon restaurant. Increasingly, the townsfolk become aware of a...
- 3/27/2024
- by Dan Cooper
- Film Stories
Acclaimed Japanese filmmaker Ryusuke Hamaguchi wowed international audiences and critics with his drama “Drive My Car,” which earned the Best International Feature Film Oscar in 2022. The venerated director is back with “Evil Does Not Exist,” an ecological fable with genre elements about a father and daughter living in the wilderness outside Tokyo. The domestic distributors Sideshow and Janus Films have released a trailer, and the movie will open in limited release in May.
Continue reading ‘Evil Does Not Exist’ Trailer: Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s Follow-Up To Acclaimed Oscar-Winning ‘Drive My Car’ at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘Evil Does Not Exist’ Trailer: Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s Follow-Up To Acclaimed Oscar-Winning ‘Drive My Car’ at The Playlist.
- 3/26/2024
- by Christopher Marc
- The Playlist
Evil Does Not ExistPhoto: Janus Films
There are few things more bone-chilling than the real-life evils set upon our planet and its people each and every day. This is the type of horror Japanese director Ryûsuke Hamaguchi is contending with in Evil Does Not Exist, the stirring and eerie follow-up to his Oscar-winning 2021 film,...
There are few things more bone-chilling than the real-life evils set upon our planet and its people each and every day. This is the type of horror Japanese director Ryûsuke Hamaguchi is contending with in Evil Does Not Exist, the stirring and eerie follow-up to his Oscar-winning 2021 film,...
- 3/26/2024
- by Emma Keates
- avclub.com
Japanese filmmaker Ryusuke Hamaguchi became globally known after the success of Drive My Car, which earned him three major Oscar nominations, and one win (Best International Feature). After adapting Haruki Murakami’s short story, Hamaguchi has moved on to a new project, which was presented to audiences last year in Venice, where it won five out of the six awards it was nominated for. Evil Does Not Exist is the movie we are talking about, and ahead of this year’s American premiere, an official trailer for the movie has been released.
The movie is based on an original screenplay by Hamaguchi and based on the success it has had so far, the movie is slated to be another big hit for the Japanese filmmaker, which might earn him several awards later this year and next year.
The film will feature Hitoshi Omika as Takumi, Ryo Nishikawa as Hana, Ryuji Kosaka as Takahashi,...
The movie is based on an original screenplay by Hamaguchi and based on the success it has had so far, the movie is slated to be another big hit for the Japanese filmmaker, which might earn him several awards later this year and next year.
The film will feature Hitoshi Omika as Takumi, Ryo Nishikawa as Hana, Ryuji Kosaka as Takahashi,...
- 3/26/2024
- by Arthur S. Poe
- Fiction Horizon
"If you go overboard, you upset the balance." Janus Films has revealed an official US trailer for the latest film from Japanese filmmaker Ryusuke Hamaguchi called Evil Does Not Exist. After winning an Oscar two years ago for his highly acclaimed Drive My Car, Hamaguchi went back home and ended up making this smaller, much quieter little film that could be described as an eco thriller or even eco fable. Takumi and his daughter Hana live in Mizubiki Village, near Tokyo. One day, the village inhabitants become aware of a plan to build a glamping site near Takumi's house offering city residents a comfortable "escape" to nature. But it will disrupt the way of life for many of the local villagers, who ask for them to make changes. The film stars Hitoshi Omika, Ryo Nishikawa, Ryuji Kosaka, Ayaka Shibutani, Hazuki Kikuchi, and Hiroyuki Miura. This premiered at the 2023 Venice Film Festival,...
- 3/26/2024
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
One of the best surprises in cinema this past year was the news that Ryusuke Hamaguchi, just two years after his perfect one-two punch of Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy and Drive My Car, had secretly shot and completed another film that was to premiere at the Venice Film Festival. After picking up the Grand Jury Prize there, the serene and expertly scripted Evil Does Not Exist will now roll out to kick off the summer movie season courtesy of Sideshow and Janus Films. Ahead of the U.S. release, the new trailer and poster have arrived.
Rory O’Connor said in his review, “A quiet, funny, confounding mystery, Evil plays out amongst the forests and streams of a remote village close to Tokyo. Tensions are raised when two representatives for the glamping company, Takahashi (Ryuji Kosaka) and Mayuzumi (Ayaka Shibutani), arrive to talk things over. The locals, in particular a man named Takumi,...
Rory O’Connor said in his review, “A quiet, funny, confounding mystery, Evil plays out amongst the forests and streams of a remote village close to Tokyo. Tensions are raised when two representatives for the glamping company, Takahashi (Ryuji Kosaka) and Mayuzumi (Ayaka Shibutani), arrive to talk things over. The locals, in particular a man named Takumi,...
- 3/26/2024
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Ryûsuke Hamaguchi retreated into a rural village outside of Tokyo to make “Evil Does Not Exist,” his first film following the global success of “Drive My Car,” which won the 2022 Best International Feature Oscar. The Japanese director found himself perhaps uncomfortably in the worldwide spotlight after being known for indies like “Asako I & II” and “Happy Hour,” and so “Evil Does Not Exist,” winner of the 2023 Venice Silver Lion and Fipresci prizes, is a return to minimalist basics — an ecological parable wrapped up with unexpected thriller elements, and a movie he shot in secret.
IndieWire shares the exclusive trailer for the film, out in U.S. theaters May 3 from Sideshow and Janus Films, below. While “Evil Does Not Exist” wasn’t eligible for the International Feature Oscar due to its release date in Japan, Hamaguchi had a great run at the 2022 Academy Awards — along with the “Drive My Car” International Feature win,...
IndieWire shares the exclusive trailer for the film, out in U.S. theaters May 3 from Sideshow and Janus Films, below. While “Evil Does Not Exist” wasn’t eligible for the International Feature Oscar due to its release date in Japan, Hamaguchi had a great run at the 2022 Academy Awards — along with the “Drive My Car” International Feature win,...
- 3/26/2024
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
The Far East Film Festival (Feff) in Italy’s Udine has unveiled the full line-up for its 26th edition, which will honour Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou with an honorary award and world premiere restored versions of his Raise The Red Lantern and To Live.
Running April 24 to May 2, the festival will open with a double bill: Chinese box office hit Yolo and South Korean action-comedy Citizen Of A Kind.
Yolo dominated this year’s Lunar New Year releases, grossing $484m in China, and is directed by Jia Ling, who stars as an unemployed woman in her 30s whose life is...
Running April 24 to May 2, the festival will open with a double bill: Chinese box office hit Yolo and South Korean action-comedy Citizen Of A Kind.
Yolo dominated this year’s Lunar New Year releases, grossing $484m in China, and is directed by Jia Ling, who stars as an unemployed woman in her 30s whose life is...
- 3/26/2024
- ScreenDaily
Evil Does Not Exist, Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s disquieting new film, is at once a major break from the Japanese director’s previous work and a distillation of the questions and anxieties around which his cinema has long orbited; it’s the film he seems to have been working toward his whole career. Anyone mildly familiar with Hamaguchi’s work will know the cardinal role dialogue plays in his films, which often double as symposiums—a proclivity evident long before Drive My Car’s meandering chats and late-night confessions. Pitted next to its talk-heavy predecessors, Evil Does Not Exist is a stark outlier; it may well be […]
The post Vulnerable Spaces first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post Vulnerable Spaces first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 3/18/2024
- by Leonardo Goi
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Evil Does Not Exist, Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s disquieting new film, is at once a major break from the Japanese director’s previous work and a distillation of the questions and anxieties around which his cinema has long orbited; it’s the film he seems to have been working toward his whole career. Anyone mildly familiar with Hamaguchi’s work will know the cardinal role dialogue plays in his films, which often double as symposiums—a proclivity evident long before Drive My Car’s meandering chats and late-night confessions. Pitted next to its talk-heavy predecessors, Evil Does Not Exist is a stark outlier; it may well be […]
The post Vulnerable Spaces first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post Vulnerable Spaces first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 3/18/2024
- by Leonardo Goi
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
The 17th annual Asian Film Awards (Afa) announced the winners and special award recipients at a ceremony held at the West Kowloon Cultural District's Xiqu Centre in Hong Kong on March 10, 2024. Sixteen competitive prizes and six honorary prizes were given out.
A total of thirty-five films from 24 countries and regions were nominated for 16 prizes at the 17th Afa. From Japan, Ryusuke Hamaguchi 's Evil Does Not Exist received the Best Film Award and Best Original Music (Eiko Ishibashi), marking the second year in a row that Hamaguchi and Ishibashi have received Afa Awards; and Hirokazu Kore-eda won the Best Director Award with Monster, following last year's wins with his Korean film Broker. Koji Yakusho won the Best Actor Award for Perfect Days, his second such Afa Award following his win at the 13th Afa in 2019 for The Blood of Wolves. Perfect Days won the Best Director Award at the Japan...
A total of thirty-five films from 24 countries and regions were nominated for 16 prizes at the 17th Afa. From Japan, Ryusuke Hamaguchi 's Evil Does Not Exist received the Best Film Award and Best Original Music (Eiko Ishibashi), marking the second year in a row that Hamaguchi and Ishibashi have received Afa Awards; and Hirokazu Kore-eda won the Best Director Award with Monster, following last year's wins with his Korean film Broker. Koji Yakusho won the Best Actor Award for Perfect Days, his second such Afa Award following his win at the 13th Afa in 2019 for The Blood of Wolves. Perfect Days won the Best Director Award at the Japan...
- 3/11/2024
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
With four TV and film projects in as many years, few filmmakers right now are more prolific than Hirokazu Kore-eda.
The veteran Japanese filmmaker behind titles like the Palme d’Or-winning Shoplifters and Still Walking continued his hot streak after landing his third directing honor from the Asian Academy Sunday night for his last feature, Monster. Last night’s win was Kore-eda’s second consecutive Best Director win at the Asian Film Awards after nabbing the gong with the Korean-language Broker in 2023.
“I’m in a really good spot right now,” Kore-eda told Deadline shortly before picking up the award on Sunday. “I’m not forcing myself at all. I’m constantly working. I have good stamina.” The filmmaker told us that he has no intentions of slowing down.
“I’m currently working on a streaming drama I shot last autumn. I’m in the editing phase for that now,...
The veteran Japanese filmmaker behind titles like the Palme d’Or-winning Shoplifters and Still Walking continued his hot streak after landing his third directing honor from the Asian Academy Sunday night for his last feature, Monster. Last night’s win was Kore-eda’s second consecutive Best Director win at the Asian Film Awards after nabbing the gong with the Korean-language Broker in 2023.
“I’m in a really good spot right now,” Kore-eda told Deadline shortly before picking up the award on Sunday. “I’m not forcing myself at all. I’m constantly working. I have good stamina.” The filmmaker told us that he has no intentions of slowing down.
“I’m currently working on a streaming drama I shot last autumn. I’m in the editing phase for that now,...
- 3/11/2024
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
Eiko Ishibashi provides more than just music for Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s movies, with her compositions being central to the Japanese filmmaker’s dramas, so much so that they take on the life of a supporting character.
There have been consecutive Asian Film Awards (Afa) wins for Ishibashi’s work on, first, the Oscar-winning Drive My Car and, this past Sunday night in Hong Kong, Evil Does Not Exist. In both films, the composer’s music helps drive the narrative, as much as set the mood.
Evil Does Not Exist grew out of plans for a concert Hamaguchi and Ishibashi were working on. Such was the depth and breadth of their discussions that the filmmaker started to see specific characters and situations emerging, and he then gathered them into a screenplay that deals with an environmental flashpoint in rural Japan, which is shadowed by the looming threat of violence.
The long-time...
There have been consecutive Asian Film Awards (Afa) wins for Ishibashi’s work on, first, the Oscar-winning Drive My Car and, this past Sunday night in Hong Kong, Evil Does Not Exist. In both films, the composer’s music helps drive the narrative, as much as set the mood.
Evil Does Not Exist grew out of plans for a concert Hamaguchi and Ishibashi were working on. Such was the depth and breadth of their discussions that the filmmaker started to see specific characters and situations emerging, and he then gathered them into a screenplay that deals with an environmental flashpoint in rural Japan, which is shadowed by the looming threat of violence.
The long-time...
- 3/11/2024
- by Mathew Scott
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s Evil Does Not Exist was named best film at the Asian Film Awards in Hong Kong on Sunday evening (March 10).
The Japanese drama, which premiered in competition at Venice where it won five awards including the grand jury prize, also picked up best original music for composer Eiko Ishibashi.
Scroll down for full list of winners
While Hamaguchi was not at the ceremony, held in the Grand Theatre of the Xiqu Centre in Hong Kong’s West Kowloon Cultural District, the top prize was accepted in-person by Ishibashi, cinematographer Yoshio Kitagawa and co-editor Azusa Yamzaki – presented by...
The Japanese drama, which premiered in competition at Venice where it won five awards including the grand jury prize, also picked up best original music for composer Eiko Ishibashi.
Scroll down for full list of winners
While Hamaguchi was not at the ceremony, held in the Grand Theatre of the Xiqu Centre in Hong Kong’s West Kowloon Cultural District, the top prize was accepted in-person by Ishibashi, cinematographer Yoshio Kitagawa and co-editor Azusa Yamzaki – presented by...
- 3/10/2024
- ScreenDaily
Oscar winner Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s formalist arthouse drama Evil Does Not Exist won the best film prize Sunday night at the Asia Film Awards in Hong Kong.
The Japanese film industry had a big night overall at the 17th edition of the awards ceremony, which was hosted this year in Hong Kong’s gleaming new Xiqu Centre, part of the city’s $2.7 billion West Kowloon Cultural District development. Japanese festival favorite Hirokazu Kore-eda won best director for his mystery drama Monster, while the great Koji Yakusho took best actor for Wim Wender’s moving minimalist drama Perfect Days. Hamaguchi’s chief collaborator on Evil Does Not Exist, Eiko Ishibashi, won best music and the Kaiju critical and commercial sensation Godzilla Minus One claimed both best visual effects and best sound.
In many ways, it was Zhang Yimou’s night, however. The venerated Chinese director took the stage twice, once to...
The Japanese film industry had a big night overall at the 17th edition of the awards ceremony, which was hosted this year in Hong Kong’s gleaming new Xiqu Centre, part of the city’s $2.7 billion West Kowloon Cultural District development. Japanese festival favorite Hirokazu Kore-eda won best director for his mystery drama Monster, while the great Koji Yakusho took best actor for Wim Wender’s moving minimalist drama Perfect Days. Hamaguchi’s chief collaborator on Evil Does Not Exist, Eiko Ishibashi, won best music and the Kaiju critical and commercial sensation Godzilla Minus One claimed both best visual effects and best sound.
In many ways, it was Zhang Yimou’s night, however. The venerated Chinese director took the stage twice, once to...
- 3/10/2024
- by Patrick Brzeski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Hamaguchi Ryusuke’s “Evil Does Not Exist,” was Sunday evening named as the best picture at the Asian Film Awards.
The 17th edition of the prizes was held at the Xiqu Centre, part of the West Kowloon Cultural District in Hong Kong.
While “Evil Does Not Exist” and Korean blockbuster “12.12: The Day” had dominated the nominations with six each, including those in the best film category, the prizes on Sunday were much more evenly distributed. No title collected more than two prizes.
Outside, crowds failed to be muted by the March drizzle, though VIP guests were given escorts with purple umbrellas.
Filmmaker and industry attendance was also robust. Those spotted on the red carpet and pre-event cocktails included: Lee Yong Kwan (former chair of the Busan film festival), Tom Yoda, Udine festival heads Sabrina Baracetti and Thomas Bertacche, Anthony Chen, Stanley Kwan, Rina Damayanti, Hong Kong distributor Winnie Tsang,...
The 17th edition of the prizes was held at the Xiqu Centre, part of the West Kowloon Cultural District in Hong Kong.
While “Evil Does Not Exist” and Korean blockbuster “12.12: The Day” had dominated the nominations with six each, including those in the best film category, the prizes on Sunday were much more evenly distributed. No title collected more than two prizes.
Outside, crowds failed to be muted by the March drizzle, though VIP guests were given escorts with purple umbrellas.
Filmmaker and industry attendance was also robust. Those spotted on the red carpet and pre-event cocktails included: Lee Yong Kwan (former chair of the Busan film festival), Tom Yoda, Udine festival heads Sabrina Baracetti and Thomas Bertacche, Anthony Chen, Stanley Kwan, Rina Damayanti, Hong Kong distributor Winnie Tsang,...
- 3/10/2024
- by Patrick Frater and Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s Evil Does Not Exist won Best Film at the Asian Film Awards (AFAs) this evening in Hong Kong. Scroll down for the full list of winners.
This is the second year running that a film helmed by Hamaguchi has picked up the award. He won the top prize last year with Drive My Car. This year, however, the director was not in attendance to accept the award due to what he described as “work commitments” in a video message played at the top of the ceremony.
Evil Does Not Exist, which also picked up an award for original music, debuted at the 2023 Venice Film Festival. The film follows Takumi and his daughter Hana, who live in Mizubiki Village close to Tokyo. Like generations before them, they live a modest life according to the cycles and order of nature. A plan to construct a glamping site near Takumi’s house,...
This is the second year running that a film helmed by Hamaguchi has picked up the award. He won the top prize last year with Drive My Car. This year, however, the director was not in attendance to accept the award due to what he described as “work commitments” in a video message played at the top of the ceremony.
Evil Does Not Exist, which also picked up an award for original music, debuted at the 2023 Venice Film Festival. The film follows Takumi and his daughter Hana, who live in Mizubiki Village close to Tokyo. Like generations before them, they live a modest life according to the cycles and order of nature. A plan to construct a glamping site near Takumi’s house,...
- 3/10/2024
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
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