Now Showing Sept 29

Eat Pray Love is a film adaptation of the bestselling memoir of the same title by Elizabeth Gilbert (a book that has been translated into forty languages, sold a total of over seven million copies, and is now widely regarded of as a kind of twenty-first century women’s bible), in which Julia Roberts (who reportedly fell in love with the book years before it came to her as a film) plays a woman in her early thirties who embarks on a one year journey of self-discovery.

Liz Gilbert, a busy journalist living in New York, has a husband, a house and a successful career. However, in her heart she feels deeply unsatisfied and, in an attempt to turn her life around, decides to give up everything she has and travel to Italy, India and Bali. In Italy, she throws calorie caution to the wind and eats to her heart’s content, in India, she practices meditation and yoga and finally, in Bali, she experiences the joys of true love.

In August of this year, 20 years after ‘Pretty Woman’ and 10 years after ‘Notting Hill’, Julia flew to Tokyo to promote the film. Surprisingly, the trip was Julia’s first to Japan – a fact that consequently brought with it a renewed sense of popularity and an almost overwhelming amount of media attention.

At a press conference, at which Julia spoke about the film, in response to a question asking which of the film’s three locations – Italy, India and Bali – made the biggest impression, Julia answered ‘I’m fascinated by our world’s desire to pick a favourite of everything, what was your favourite food? What was your favourite country? Who’s your favourite guy to act with? …which is a nice way of saying I’m not going to choose a favourite.’ In response to a later question, asking her to reveal the secret of looking beautiful, Julia answered ‘just being happy’ to which she later added (remembering her position as an official spokesperson for the cosmetic company Lancôme) with a smile ‘…and maybe a little Lancôme eye cream.’ Finally, in response to a question regarding Brad Pitt, one of the film’s producers, she made everyone laugh by replying ‘Brad Pitt? Who?’

Eat Pray Love

USA, 2010
Japanese title: Tabete, Inotte, Ai wo shite
Opened: Sept 17
Director: Ryan Murphy
Cast: Julia Roberts, Javier Bardem, Richard Jenkins, James Franco Distributor: Sony Pictures Entertainment
Website: eat-pray-love.jp/

Micmacs

A comedy written and directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet – whose previous works include ‘Amélie’ and ‘Delicatessen’ – Micmacs tells the story of a man who has a bullet lodged inside his head as a result of a freak drive- by shooting, and makes friends with a unique group of particularly good-humoured, charming and ingenious misfits.

France, 2009
Japanese title: Micmacs
Opened: Sept 18
Director: Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Cast: Danny Boon, André Dussollier, Omar Sy
Distributor: Kadokawa Pictures
Website: www.micmacs.jp/

Mobile Suit Gundam 00 The Movie: A wakening of the Trailblazer

Released as a movie sequel to the incredibly popular Mobile Suit Gundam series, ‘Mobile Suit Gundam 00’ elaborates on events that take place in the second television series (which ended two years ago) and tells a new story in which Setsuna F Seiei returns to battle against a new extraterrestrial threat.

Japan, 2010
Japanese title: Gekijouban Kidousenshi Gundam 00 (Daburu O): A Wakening of the Trailblazer
Opened: Sept 18
Director: Seiji Mizushima
Cast: Mamoru Miyano, Shinichiro Miki, Hiroshi Kamiya, Shiroyuki Yoshino, Ryou Katsuji
Distributor: Matsutake Shochiku
Website: www.gundam00.net/

Perfect Blue

A screen adaptation of the first full-length novel written by best selling author Miyuki Miyabe, in which a private eye named Kayoko, who is initially hired by the parents of a murdered son to track down their second son (a teenage runaway named Shinya, who later comes under suspicion of murdering his older brother), attempts to uncover the truth and clear Shinya’s name. At the same time, a seemingly unrelated incident has occurred at a major pharmaceutical company; as the relationship between the two incidents becomes clear, the truth is revealed.

Japan, 2010
Japanese title: Perfect Blue
Opened: Sept 18
Director: Ten Shimoyama
Cast: Rosa Katou, Aoi Nakamura, Kanji Tsuda, Ren Ooosugi, Ken Ishiguro
Distributor: Kadokawa Cineplex
Website: www.wowow.co.jp/dramaw/blue/