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Go Soo & Son Ye-jin, White Night & Cosmopolitan from YeinJee's Asian Journal

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Keiko Kitagawa plays swordswoman in new movie from YeinJee's Asian Journal

The full title of the film is Giant Monster Battle: Ultra Galactic Legend The Movie, to be precise lol.

Koizumi will lend his voice as the Ultraman King, an ancient Legendary Hero in the Ultra family. The film will open in Japan on December 12.

Koizumi is one of the most of popular postwar Prime Ministers in Japan. He retired in 2006, and the political arena has been in chaos ever since. The current PM Yukio Hatoyama, amazingly, is Koizumi’s 4th successor in just over three years.

[via Animenewsnetwork and Japanprobe]

Ex Japanese Prime Minister to voice Ultraman movie from YeinJee's Asian Journal

Ha Ji-won

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Pusan International Film Festival 2009 red carpet from YeinJee's Asian Journal

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Chow Yun Fat plays Confucius from YeinJee's Asian Journal

The video is a combo of various trailers, it gets repetitive after the 4th minute…

The story revolves around the civil war between the Kuomintang and the Communists, which ended in 1949 when the People’s Republic of China was established by the victorious Communists.

Almost all notable A-list mainland Chinese stars are taking (at least a cameo) part in the movie; many without paid just to have their face in the symbolic film.

[video via schwaben18@Youtube]

The Founding of A Republic (2009) movie trailer from YeinJee's Asian Journal

Directed by Yojiro Takita and starring Masahiro Motoki, the movie follows the story of a nokanshi whose job is to prepare the death for encoffinment. Other main leads include Ryoko Hirosue and Tsutomu Yamazaki etc.

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Departures (2008) movie review from YeinJee's Asian Journal

Pacquiao, nicknamed Pacman, is one of the world’s top boxer and highest paid sportsman; while Nicole, the lead singer for PCD is actually a half Filipina… so, it actually makes sense for the duo to work together in a Filipino production.

Pacman will play a superhero in the action comedy with Nicole the leading lady; Filipino-Greek wrestler Dave Batista will play the villain [image via Pinoygigs]

Manny Pacquiao and Nicole Scherzinger in Filipino movie from YeinJee's Asian Journal

Billed as Korea’s first major disaster film, the movie fields a strong cast of Sol Kyung-gu, Ha Ji-won, Park Jung-hoon and Uhm Jung-hwa etc…

Haeundae will hit the Korean cinemas in July 2009. The trailer doesn’t look half bad; and being a disaster movie freak, I’m definitely going to watch it when it’s released in local theatres [credits to nadiv1@youtube for the upload]

Haeundae (2009) movie trailer from YeinJee's Asian Journal

Feature films

Golden Palm – “The White Ribbon”, directed by Michael Haneke
Grand Prix – “A Prophet”, directed by Jacques Audiard
Best director – Brillante Mendoza, “Kinatay”
Best screenplay – Lou Ye, “Spring Fever”

Best actress – Charlotte Gainsbourg, “Antichrist”
Best actor – Christoph Waltz, “Inglorious Basterds”
Jury prize – “Fish Tank”, by Andrea Arnold / “Thirst”, by Park Chan-wook
Lifetime achievement award – “Wild Grass”, directed by Alain Resnais

Short films

Golden Palm – “Arena”, directed by João Salaviza
Special distinction – “The Six Dollar Fifty Man”, by Louis Sutherland, Mark Albiston

Other Cannes Film Festival 2009 articles: Photos [1] ~ Photos [2]

Cannes Film Festival 2009 – winners from YeinJee's Asian Journal

Best actor and actress, Nick Cheung and Paw Hee Ching (Image from Baidu (Cn))

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28th Hong Kong Film Awards (2009) winners from YeinJee's Asian Journal

Jun is beginning her promotion in Japan where the movie will make its global premier on May 29th (titled as “Last Blood” in Japan). The actress looks pretty cool in the stills, but things are not doing too well for the film at the moment.

Last Blood (Image from Asmik-Ace (Jp))

There’s not much buzz created for the movie; and the trailer (British version) looks kinda disappointing… seems like it would have to rely on Jun’s fans and the original anime’s fans to support the box office.

But, as compared to the likes of “Dragonball” and “Chun Li”, the Blood anime probably doesn’t have a similarly huge fan-base to begin with. And if there’s no other attractions being pulled out in the next few weeks… things are not looking good.

The movie will be released in Europe in mid-June, but the US release date has not yet been set, which could be another huge concern. In worst case scenario, the US distributor might turn it into a DVD release if it’s not doing well in other markets… I wonder if it could still be called a Hollywood debut for Jun if it happens.

Best of luck to Jun Ji-hyun, because she really needs some luck for the film.

[Update] Sony Pictures has acquired the US rights for the movie; Gianna is getting a Hollywood debut after all.

Blood: The Last Vampire shows worrying signs from YeinJee's Asian Journal

Best film – “Tokyo Sonata” (Hong Kong, Japan, Netherlands)
Best director – Hirokazu Kore-Eda, “Still Walking” (Japan)
Best actor – Masahiro Motoki, “Departures” (Japan)
Best actress – Zhou Xun, “The Equation of Love and Death” (China)

Best newcomer – Yu Shaoqun, “Forever Enthralled” (China)
Best supporting actor – Jung Woo-sung, “The Good, The Bad, The Weird” (Korea)
Best supporting actress – Gina Pareño, “Service” (Philippines)
Best screenwriter – Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Max Mannix, Sachiko Tanaka, “Tokyo Sonata”

Best cinematographer – Jola Dylewska, “Tulpan” (Kazakhstan and co.)
Best composer – Joe Hisaishi, “Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea” (Japan)
Best editor – Kim Sun-min, “The Chaser” (Korea)
Best special effect – Craig Hayes, “Red Cliff” (China)

3rd Asian Film Awards (2009) from YeinJee's Asian Journal

45th Baeksang Awards’ best actors and actresses… Kim Myung-min, Moon Geun-young,
Son Ye-jin and Jo Jin-mo (Image from Isplus (Kr))

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45th Baeksang Arts Awards (2009) winners from YeinJee's Asian Journal

Got a tip from reader CL about the film; haven’t watch it, but the trailer seems promising… can’t say anything about the content, the artwork itself is surprisingly good though. Probably not Hollywood material yet, but it’s a giant leap for the country’s animation industry which was in its infant stage.

Kudos to Les’ Copaque Production and the crew, keep it up.

Geng: The Adventure Begins (2009) animation trailer from YeinJee's Asian Journal

DB Evolution in Seoul… director James Wong, Joon Park, Emmy Rossum, Chow Yun Fat,
Jamie Chung, Justin Chatwin and James Marsters (Image from Newsen (Kr))

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Dragonball Evolution begins Asian promotion from YeinJee's Asian Journal