Anna's blog

Every spring and fall HIFF shines the spotlight on some of the best Korean films of the year, and Spring Showcase 2012 is no exception. Korean films are always some of the most popular festival fare among HIFF audiences, and are beloved by HIFF staff. This year HIFF has a whopping FOUR South Korean films at Spring Showcase! I'm probably not the only one who is jumping up and down and giggling a little at the thought. So just to give you a quick preview of what you have in store, here is a rundown of the K-Films at the Showcase and some fun-facts you might not know!

So as some of you may have noticed there are 22 feature-length Japanese films at HIFF 2011! With such a huge selection, and limited time you mast be asking yourself how can I ever decide what to watch!

Between the Spotlight on Japan section, and a slew of other Japanese films placed throughout the different film sections, there is truly something for everyone. There are the kid-friendly RYUJIN MABUYER, NINJA KIDS!!!, and A LETTER TO MOMO, family dramas KAASAN: MOM'S LIFE, CHRONICLE OF MY MOTHER, and WIFE OF GEGEGE NYOUBOU, and strange-wonderful-extreme fare such as MILOCRORZE: A LOVE STORY, SMUGGLER, and THE WARPED FOREST. This is not to mention all the anime.....phew!

So to help a little with your decision making, here is a list of five of my personal J-Favs at HIFF 2011....

So summer is in full swing and so is the summer movie season! And during this season of the epic blockbuster, a breath of fresh indie air and Festival Films would be a welcome treat. But have no fear, you need not wait till October! Thanks to Netflix, this summer you can instantly catch up on many of the films you missed at HIFF 2010 while you eagerly await our 2011 edition.

Click here to discover all of the fine HIFF 2010 titles currently available on Netflix Streaming...

**Starred films are also available on Netflix DVD

Fans of genre-bending splatter-fest films better hold on to their seats because Yoshihiro Nishimura and Sushi Typhoon are back with the goriest, splatter-filled zombie epic to ever come out of Japan, that's right it's HELLDRIVER. Over the last ten years Nishimura, and a small group of like-minded horror directors have carved out a new genre in Japanese horror. It's part comedy, part over-the-top gore and blood, and always filled with cute young girls, freakish mutants, and bizarre special effects. These low budget thrills have made waves at film festivals around the globe, making a name for Nishimura and fellow director Noboru Iguchi (KARATE ROBO-ZABORGAR) among others. In 2010 the rising demand for these campy b-movie flicks culminated in the formation of Sushi Typhoon, a production offshoot of the Nikkatsu Corporation. This specialty label burst onto the scene last year with ALIEN VS. NINJA and MUTANT GIRLS SQUAD, which was co-directed by Yoshihiro Nishimura, Noboru Iguchi, and Tak Sakaguchi. HELLDRIVER represents Nishimura's first solo effort with Sushi Typhoon, and since the release of his epic TOKYO GORE POLICE (2008). 

In HELLDRIVER, Nishimura takes the zombie thriller to new dizzying heights, pulling out all the stops, and complete with his trademark comedy-gore. Somewhere in the near future, a mysterious mist has covered the northern half of Japan, turning the local population into flesh-eating zombies. Japan is ultimately driven to divide the country in two, erecting a heavily fortified wall to contain the zombie-infected northern wasteland. And just when all hope seems lost, in walks Kika (Yumiko Hara), a beautiful high school girl armed with a chainsaw sword powered by an artificial heart. Recruited by the government, Kika leads a ragtag group of desperados on a secret mission into the zombie-infected wilds to exterminate zombie queen Rikka (Eihi Shiina from AUDITION and TOKYO GORE POLICE) and put an end to the plague of the living dead. But the road is fraught with a thriving zombie culture that refuses to lay down and die.

A zombie road-movie the likes of which you've never seen before, HELLDRIVER is a J-horror that will have you laughing and cringing at the same time!

HELLDRIVER Showtimes: Friday, April 1 at 9PM Dole Cannery                    

If you grew up watching such classics as KIKAIDA and KAMEN RIDER and have a special place in your heart for Japanese super heroes, robots, and monsters then you might have also caught a glimpse of the 1970's Japanese series DENJIN ZABOGA also known as DENJIN ZABORGAR (Hawaii release title). This show, which aired in 1974 on Japanese television, also premiered the same year for (some very lucky) Hawaii audiences with English subtitles. However, unfortunately local television only screened the first 39 of the total 52-episode series. But have no fear! Infamous genre director, Noboru Iguchi has teamed up with production house Sushi Typhoon to bring an updated and reworked version of the series to the big screen, KARATE ROBO-ZABORGAR!

KARATE ROBO-ZABORGAR follows the story of secret police agent Yutaka Daimon and his robot warrior Zaborgar. After the death of his scientist father, Daimon inherits this mighty robot equipped with an array of superpowers including the ability to transform into a motorcycle. However, during their attempt to foil an evil plot Daimon falls in love with an enemy agent, beautiful female robot Miss Borg. Fast-forward to twenty-five years later, the now disgraced Daimon has been relegated to working as a chauffeur for a corrupt minister. But when his nemesis Sigma appears back on the scene with a giant robot bent on destruction, Daimon must come out of retirement to fight crime once again. But will Zaborgar forgive and forget, and help Daimon in his quest to save the world from total destruction? 

This exciting update is slightly different fare from Noboru Iguchi's usual splatter fests, and promises to be much more family friendly. Many may know him from such cult classics as ROBOGEISHA and MACHINE GIRL, both of which were fan favorites among HIFF audiences. Iguchi's campy over-the-top style easily translates to the live-action superhero tale, and promises to add some exciting flair. Even if you've never seen a live-action Japanese superhero film or show, or one of Iguchi's genre-bending films, KARATE ROBO-ZABORGAR is an exciting and fun film for young and old alike. 

KARATE ROBO-ZABORGAR Showtimes (tickets go on sale March 23rd, 2011)

Saturday, April 2nd - 9PM - Dole Cannery