Laura Leiva

Modern Tokyo Times

Leonardo DiCaprio and director Baz Luhrmann once again create a stunning adaptation of a classic story – this time The Great Gatsby, which takes place during the Roaring Twenties. Glitz, glamour and stunning visuals pull fans in from the opening credits and envelopes the audience in opulent locations, ornate fashion and hip soundtrack. The star-studded cast features Tobey Maguire, Carey Mulligan and Joel Edgerton in the co-starring roles.

The story of The Great Gatsby is told by Nick Carraway (Maguire), who reminisces about how met his illusive and mysterious neighbor, Jay Gatsby (DiCaprio). Staying in a sanatorium for treatment of anxiety and excessive alcoholism, Carraway’s doctor suggests working through his thoughts by writing his story down on paper, and as a formerly aspiring writer, Carraway starts his story at the beginning when he moved to New York from the Midwest and rents a small house among some of the grandest mansions on Long Island. Across the bay from his house live his cousin Daisy (Mulligan) and her husband, Tom (Joel Edgerton). After seeing lavish parties going on in the Gatsby house, Carraway receives a personal invitation by Mr. Gatsby to attend the next party. After the two meet, Carraway realizes that Gatsby wants him to set up an afternoon tea and invite Daisy so they can have a reunion after many years.

Daisy and Gatsby reconnect after years apart and begin a love affair. Gatsby tries to persuade Daisy to leave Tom, but she takes convincing and does not end up doing as she promised. During an outburst between Tom and Gatsby, Daisy realizes she loves Tom and it greatly upsets Gatsby, as all his money and possessions were gained in an attempt to win Daisy back. Tom leaves Daisy and Gatsby to drive back to Long Island and on the way, they strike and kill a woman with their car – Tom’s mistress. Gatsby tells Carraway that it was in fact Daisy driving the vehicle that struck the woman, but he intends to take the blame. Tom, who is devastated by the loss, tells the woman’s husband that Gatsby is the owner of the car. The husband comes to the conclusion that Gatsby not only killed his wife, but was also having an affair with her.

The next day, Gatsby waits for a phone call from Daisy saying she is leaving Tom. He goes for a swim and then hears the phone ring – as he picks it up and answers, he is shot and killed. Soon after, Carraway holds a funeral for Gatsby, but the only people who come pay their respects is the media – Daisy disappears with Tom without acknowledging the death of Gatsby. Disgusted by the people and lifestyle of those on the East Coast, Carraway moves back to the Midwest and checks in the sanatorium, where he writes his novel, The Great Gatsby.

This film was classic and modern – visual effects, cinematography and soundtrack created a unique take on this iconic story. DiCaprio stuns again with his effortless acting and the audience will love escaping into the Roaring Twenties for this fun, dramatic film.

http://thegreatgatsby.warnerbros.com/ The Great Gatsby

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Sarah Deschamps and Michel Lebon

Modern Tokyo Times

The continuing expansion of Hennes & Mauritz AB (H&M) throughout Japan is clear to all fashion lovers in this nation. At first H&M focused heavily on Tokyo and Kanto which is the natural route into the Japanese fashion market. However, the pulling power of Osaka and the Kansai region soon materialized and in 2012 the Nagoya area followed the logical path of expansion. This reality means that 2013 will also witness new ideas from the trendy H&M brand in Japan.

H&M in countless surveys done by Modern Tokyo Times did extremely well because this dynamic company was ranked high on the list. These surveys relate to female fashion in trendy Tokyo and were aimed at younger ladies. Therefore, the age groups selected mainly focused on the range of 18 to 34 years of age.

It is clear that when H&M entered the Japanese market fully in 2008 that this company had great vision and natural self-confidence. This isn’t surprising because H&M was already a big hit throughout Europe and North America. Given this reality, then H&M had already achieved a buzz within Japan before opening their first store. Not surprisingly, many fashion lovers were waiting in anticipation because of the freshness of this company and its sheer innovation.

Several years later then in numerous surveys throughout Tokyo the company H&M was extremely high on the fashion radar. It didn’t seem to matter which district was picked because the same conclusion highlighted the power of this company within the Tokyo fashion market. This reality meant that in surveys taken in Ginza, Harajuku, Ikebukuro, Omotesando, Daikanyama and other powerful fashion districts in the capital of Japan, many trendy ladies selected H&M.

In another article by Modern Tokyo Times related to H&M it was stated that “The “fast fashion” brand of H&M is extremely popular for younger Japanese individuals because this company is trendy and affordable at the same time. H&M first moved to Japan in 2008 in trendy Ginza in Tokyo and since this time the company continues to grow and attract new shoppers. Therefore, the new outlet in Nagoya, which is based within the Matsuzakaya department store, is further evidence of the gradual move to other parts of Japan and this is most welcome.”

The second major area of expansion for H&M was the Kansai region and with great emphasis being put on the powerful Osaka and Kobe area. Osaka is a mega-city and areas like Namba, Umeda and many others, are awash with the finest in Japanese and international boutiques. Indeed, Osaka should be much higher on the international fashion map. This notably applies to the sheer size of the population and the purchasing power of individuals throughout this major economic hub which encompasses Osaka, Kobe and Kyoto.

The amazing “fast fashion” brand of H&M meant that it could enter the Ginza market with ease in Tokyo despite the leafy nature of this buzzing part of the capital city. Ginza is famous for the crème de la crème of fashion boutiques whereby the price range is often very pricey. This is only to be expected given the companies located in Ginza and Yurakucho. However, H&M took this in their stride and soon became a powerful brand within the high octane nature of Ginza fashion.

For now the rise of H&M is continuing in Japan because this company connected with Japanese ladies very quickly. H&M plays to the strengths that this company is blessed with and when extreme confidence is added to this, then clearly you have powerful forces at play. Therefore, for fashion lovers who adore H&M in Japan they will be eagerly awaiting new fresh ideas in 2013 from this innovative fashion company.

leejay@moderntokyotimes.com

http://moderntokyotimes.com

Laura Leiva 

Modern Tokyo Times

Those who love action flicks will appreciate The Last Stand, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, who last had a leading role in a film in 2003 for Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. This film has it all – comedy, action, shootouts and fast cars – but nothing less is to be expected in a Schwarzenegger film. Forest Whitaker, Johnny Knoxville and Luis Guzmán lead an all-star cast in The Last Stand, and viewers looking for a loud, fast-paced movie will surely enjoy escaping into the film.

The Last Stand begins with Sheriff Owens (Schwarzenegger) overseeing the small town of Sommerton Junction in Arizona after a career with the Los Angeles Police Department. The crime between Los Angeles and Sommerton Junction is vastly different, but after Sheriff Owen’s experience in the big city, a sleepy town is what he needs. Owen has a few run-ins with a vintage arms collector, Lewis Dinkum (Knoxville), but that is the extent of disturbances taking place.

In Las Vegas, an internationally known drug lord, Cortez (Eduardo Noriega) speeds away in a Corvette, taking along with him an FBI agent as a hostage during a daring escape. Cortez heads toward Mexico and the FBI scrambles to get him back in custody. FBI Agent John Bannister (Whitaker) orders a blockade be set up in Bullhead City, Arizona, the direction in which Cortez is headed. Despite the heavy police presence, Cortez and his men break through the barrier, and drive straight to Sommerton Junction. Realizing something is going on, Agent Bannister orders an investigation into the agents who were with Cortez to determine how he escaped.

The next morning, an unusual circumstance prompts Owen to send two of his deputies to check in on a local farmer. When the deputies arrive, they find the farmer dead and they follow a trail that leads them right into Cortez and his men. Agent Bannister notifies Owen of the situation and the sheriff gathers his own men, including Dinkum, to protect the sleepy town. When Owen’s men meet with Cortez’s henchmen, a firefight ensues – a scene that is sure to gratify any action film enthusiast. Cortez uses the opportunity to escape by foot, but Owens catches up to him and brings him back into town. Agent Bannister is waiting for Owen and Cortez, and arrests Agent Richards for taking a bribe from Cortez and helping him escape.

Fans of Arnold Schwarzenegger will enjoy seeing the actor in a role for which he is well known: an imposing force bringing the bad guys to justice!

http://thelaststandfilm.com/

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Laura Leiva

Modern Tokyo Times

Anthony Hopkins does an exceptional job in portraying the lead role in the film, Hitchcock. The supporting cast included Helen Mirren as his wife, Alma, and Scarlett Johansson as Janet Leigh. The film directs most of its attention on Hitchcock’s involvement with one of his best films, Psycho, and a behind-the-scenes look at his relationship with his wife.

The film opens up in true Hitchcock style – a short clip of a murder taking place on the Gein farm, followed with an introduction by the director, played wonderfully by Hopkins. The audience is transported to 1959, where North by Northwest is receiving favorable press and during a meeting with reporters, a journalist insinuates he is growing older and needs to retire. The comment drives Hitchcock into wanting to create a film that best represents him as a director and he comes across the novel, Psycho, which is filled with gruesome details of murder and suspense.

He takes his ideas to the head of the studio and is met with little enthusiasm. Hitchcock feels passionate about the film and works to get Alma on board, which she eventually does. The studios do not budge in their stance on the film, so Hitchcock is forced to use his own money in order to finance the film. Along the way, Hitchcock is met with many challenges that jeopardize the release of his film. One roadblock is the Motion Picture Production Code, which has a say in whether the film will be shown in theaters or not, depending on the amount of nudity or violence in a film. The head of the Production Code is not pleased with the shower scene, which has since become the iconic scene in the movie.

Hitchcock seems to have the reputation of being controlling with his leading ladies and Alma has long since put up with his somewhat wandering eye. Alma, feeling as though she needs to feel wanted or creative, begins working on a project with Whitfield Cook in a private house on the beach. When Alfred finds out about it, he is unable to concentrate on the film and it affects him during the directing of certain scenes. Unable to cope, Hitchcock collapses and has to spend a few days in bed recuperating. After Alma returns home from a day with Cook, Hitchcock confronts her and demands to know if she’s been having an affair. She is upset at his accusation and reminds him that she does nothing but support him through all of his films.

After the initial cut of the film is completed, the studio executives are not impressed. Soon after, Alma goes down to Whitefield’s beach house to find him entertaining a young woman – these two events cause Hitchcock and Alma to reconcile and work hard together to fix Psycho into something the studios will appreciate. Their collaboration on the film proves fruitful and it becomes one of the leading films of Hitchcock’s career.

Hitchcock was an entertaining and fascinating film. Hopkins did an outstanding job filling the role of Hitchcock, complete with mannerisms and facial expressions. Fans of Hopkins and Hitchcock will enjoy this interesting and dramatic look at the filming of Psycho.

http://www.hitchcockthemovie.com/

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Laura Leiva

Modern Tokyo Times

This critically acclaimed film was a hit during award season, winning Daniel Day-Lewis an Academy Award for Best Actor in his portrayal of the 16th president of the United States. Directed by Steven Spielberg, who was also nominated as Best Director for the Golden Globe and Academy Award; Lincoln features a star-studded cast including Sally Field, Tommy Lee Jones and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

While many films about Abraham Lincoln focus on his private life or time in office, Spielberg’s Lincoln tells of the president’s bid to pass the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution during January 1865. The amendment, which was designed to abolish slavery, is the root of intense debates and heated arguments as both the North and South grow tired of the ongoing Civil War and countless dead scattered across the land. Despite the Emancipation Proclamation given a few years earlier, Lincoln is afraid the Proclamation will be struck down in court after the Civil War comes to an end. To ensure there is an absolute end to slavery, Lincoln feels it is necessary to pass the Thirteenth Amendment to keep slaves free and prevent them from re-entering slavery after the war.

Lincoln must rely on his supporters in Congress to help him pass the amendment, and he counts on the founder of the Republican Party, Francis Blair (Hal Holbrook) to help him gain enough support to approve the amendment. Blair’s influence on the party is the only way Lincoln can have hope that his amendment will pass. Lincoln works with Blair in attempt to get lame duck Democrats, those who are on their way out of Congress, to vote for the passing of the Thirteenth Amendment. In an effort to be more appealing, Lincoln mentions openings for federal jobs which will be offered to those who vote for the amendment against party lines –a somewhat bribe to Democrats into voting for the passage of the amendment.

While Lincoln focuses much on the political turmoil of the ending of the Civil War, there are personal interactions between Lincoln and his wife, Mary Todd (Fields). Their relationship is strained and they both feel deep hurt after the death of one of their sons. Another son, Robert, comes home from Harvard Law School with aspirations of joining the Union Army. To keep him as safe as possible, Lincoln sends him to work as an attendant to General Ulysses S. Grant. After a grand debate full of emotion and powerful speakers, the Thirteenth Amendment passes by a narrow vote. The film fast-forwards to the surrender of the Confederate Army at Appomattox Courthouse and concludes with Abraham Lincoln leaving for the evening with his wife for a performance at Ford’s Theatre.

Spielberg does a wonderful job telling about this time in history, rather than going over the same plotlines found in other films about Abraham Lincoln. Daniel Day-Lewis brought Lincoln to life in his appearance and mannerism, making his win of an Academy Award much deserved!

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Laura Leiva

Modern Tokyo Times

Denzel Washington is nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor in Flight. Director Robert Zemeckis delivers a dramatic plot with a talented supporting cast, which includes Melissa Leo, John Goodman and Don Cheadle. In addition to Washington’s Best Actor nomination, the film is also up for Best Original Screenplay at the 85^th Academy Awards.

The film begins in October 2011, Captain ‘Whip’ Whitaker (Washington) is in a hotel room with flight attendant Katerina Marquez after a night of drinking, drug use and a lack of sleep. In order to break out of his stupor, Whip snorts a line of cocaine before he pilots a flight from Orlando to Atlanta. Inclement weather creates a turbulent, bumpy takeoff and Whitaker steers the flight into a break in the clouds for smooth sailing to the plane’s destination. He enlists his co-pilot, Ken, to fly the plane as he mixes small bottles of vodka with orange juice in the galley. After drinking his cocktail, Whitaker is taking a nap in the cockpit when the plane suddenly develops a catastrophic mechanical failure and goes into a nosedive.

Whitaker stays calm under pressure and inverts the plane to level it out and then crash lands into an empty field. Inverting the plane is nothing short of a miracle and saves most of the lives on board – two crewmembers died during the accident, including flight attendant Marquez. Whitaker is removed from the cockpit, only suffering a concussion and lacerations to the face. With only six total deaths on board, Whitaker is declared a hero and wakes up to national media attention for his handling of the plane, which would have been a complete loss of life had Whitaker not rolled the aircraft. While in the hospital, Whitaker meets Nicole, a woman who’s recovering from an overdose of heroin. Once he’s released from the hospital, Whitaker goes to his family farm to avoid the public attention.

Within the next few days, Whitaker receives a phone call to meet his friend Charlie, who’s head of the pilot’s union, and attorney Hugh Lang (Cheadle). Lang informs him the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) completed a toxicology screening on Whitaker while he was recovering in the hospital and his results showed he was intoxicated. The results of the toxicology screen likely means manslaughter charges and prison time, but Lang says he can get the toxicology report dismissed – Whitaker just needs to attend the NTSB hearing so they can determine the plane crash was caused by a mechanical failure.

Whitaker becomes even more of an alcoholic after the plane crash. In an attempt to stay sober in the days leading up to the hearing, he stays at Charlie’s house where there is no alcohol. The night before the hearing, Whitaker sees the adjoining hotel room door is open, leading him to drink much of the alcohol in the minibar. Lang and Charlie find him completely drunk the morning of the hearing and realize the only solution is to call Whitaker’s friend Harling (Goodman) to bring cocaine to bring him back up.

During the hearing led by Ellen Block (Leo), Whitaker is called a hero and it has been determined damaged equipment caused the crash. During the investigation, the empty vodka bottles were found in the trash can – even after Whitaker canceled drink service due to the turbulence. The NTSB’s findings showed flight attendant Marquez had alcohol in her system, but Whitaker refuses to let her memory become tainted in the process.  He confesses to drinking while flying and being under the influence during the hearing. He is sentenced to prison time, where he says he finally feels free of his addiction.

Flight is a thought-provoking film enhanced by the talent of the cast. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, the writer John Gatins explains the film was loosely based on the crash of Alaska Airlines Flight 261 in 2000. Denzel Washington provides a refreshing, exceptional performance of a character with flaws and moral implications – a type of role for which he does not play frequently.

http://www.paramount.com/flight/

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Laura Leiva

Modern Tokyo Times

There’s no shortage of amazing women artists out there right now – and some of the hottest names in music are making headlines for their work on and off the stage. Taylor Swift, Alicia Keys and Nicki Minaj all have chart-topping hits in a range of genres, and fans can’t seem to get enough of their music.

Taylor Swift is often in the news – and not just for her music. Her string of romances with well-known names in music, such as Harry Styles of One Direction, Joe Jonas of the Jonas Brothers and John Mayer have provided her with attention and allegations of using the failed relationships as subjects in her lyrics. While she has alluded to writing songs about her past love, it doesn’t seem to matter where she finds her inspiration because her songs jump to the top of the charts. In her somewhat short music career, Swift has earned an impressive 145 awards from various organizations, including the Grammy Awards, Billboard Music Awards and American Music Awards, among others. Currently, her album Red has climbed to the top of the charts in Canada, United States, Australia and the United Kingdom.

Another artist many are talking about is Nicki Minaj. Her recent addition to the judge’s panel for the hit show American Idol has been frequently featured in many gossip magazines and entertainment news columns for feuding with fellow judge, Mariah Carey. Whether it’s for publicity or not, Minaj brings her feisty personality and outrageous fashion to millions of viewers each week, which helps build her mainstream audience. Known for hip hop and pop music, Minaj has garnered attention for her unique style and has cited Lil’ Kim, Lauryn Hill and Foxy Brown as major musical influences. Her gold and platinum hit songs include Starships, Super Bass and Pound the Alarm.

Alicia Keys has been a best-selling artist since she first arrived on the music scene with her debut album, Songs in A Minor, in 2001. Since then, Keys has sold over 35 million albums worldwide and is featured in VH1’s 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. As an artist in the world of hip hop and R&B, Keys has combined a variety of musical influences to create her unique sound. Playing keyboard and piano, her albums often feature an eclectic mix of jazz, soul and classic piano along with rich vocals. Her fifth studio album, Girl on Fire, is described by Keys as a collection of songs meant to empower fans – and the album’s title track is rapidly rising in the charts. Recently, Keys was named the new Global Creative Director for BlackBerry in their new launch of BlackBerry devices.

Three women with three different musical influences – but they all speak to music fans around the world and continue to release creative work that rises through the charts. With their growing fame in such a short amount of time, these artists have amassed millions in record sales and collaborations with world-renowned brands and companies.

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Laura Leiva and Horace C. White

Modern Tokyo Times

When you’re in the mood to laugh, Ted is the movie to watch.While not everyone will appreciate the humor, the idea of a talking teddy bear is sure to be entertaining – and entertaining it is! Fans of Family Guy will recognize the voice of Ted, played by Seth MacFarlane, who also co-wrote, co-produced and directed the film. This is the first feature length film directed by MacFarlane, and is currently nominated for Best Original Song at the 2013 Academy Awards.

Mark Wahlberg and Mila Kunis, who play a romantically linked couple, John and Lori, join MacFarlane in this laugh-out-loudstory about a teddy bear who becomes best friends with a child.As a young kid growing up in a Boston suburb, John (Wahlberg) lives in a neighborhood with other children, but is very lonely. For Christmas, his parents present him with a large teddy bear, which John names Teddy, or Ted for short, and wishes that Ted would come alive so they could be real best friends. John’s wish comes true and Ted comes to life, much to the shock of his parents.

The film flash forwards to present day and the friendship between Ted and John – still having fun, but at a more adult level. John is in a relationship with Lori (Kunis), who accepts Ted as part of John’s life, but eventually wants to settle down with John without Ted being around. Ted is not a good influence on John, encouraging him to be carefree and irresponsible – and Lori asks John to kick Ted out of their apartment. In order to save his relationship, John kicks Ted out and helps him find a job at the local grocery store, where Ted’s obnoxious behavior toward the boss gets him hired and promoted. Despite kicking Ted out of the apartment, it doesn’t keep him and John apart, and it upsets Lori to the point of her questioning the relationship.

Since Ted is well known in the community, a creepy man comes up to John and Ted while they sit together in the park. Donny (played by Giovanni Ribisi) tells Ted and John that he was obsessed with Ted and wishes he had a friend like Ted growing up – and now he wants to know if he can take Ted to give to his son, who clearly has anger issues. Ted and John don’t accept the offer, but Donny won’t give up. While Ted and John spend less time together to please Lori, it doesn’t stop Ted from convincing John to leave a party to visit his childhood idol, Flash Gordon, at Ted’s place. He leaves Lori alone at the party and when she finds out where he went, she breaks up with him. A few days later, at Ted’s suggestion, the two meet up to talk about the relationship.

Donny, who didn’t take no for an answer, finds Ted alone one night and kidnaps him. While being held hostage at the home, Ted manages to call John. Together, John and Lori track Ted down, along with his kidnapper, but during the chase, Ted is ripped apart – stuffing and all. Lori and John gather up Ted’s stuffing in an attempt to save him, but life leaves the bear’s body.

Back at the apartment, Ted’s body is lying on the table and both of them can’t believe he’s gone. Seeing how devastated John is, Lori makes the same wish John did decades ago and falls asleep. The next morning, the two discover Ted has come back to life and all three accept each other once again.

Ted is a fun movie, but not suitable for all audiences. Its popularity allowed it to become the highest-grossing original R rated comedy to date – and there are plans for a sequel.

http://www.tedisreal.com/

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Laura Leiva 

Modern Tokyo Times

This mind-bending film blends science fiction with action to create a unique plot starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis and Emily Blunt. Directed by Rian Johnson, Looper　features thought-provoking ideas, time travel, thrilling twists and turns, and a touch of romance into the storyline – and the film is considered one of the best science fiction flicks to hit the big screen in recent years, with positive reviews coming from The Hollywood Reporter.

Looper takes place in the year 2044 – Joseph Simmons (Gordon-Levitt), a 25-year-old looper, works for a futuristic mafia. The job of a looper is to kill, and then dispose, of agents sent through a recently invented form of time travel. Though time travel is outlawed in the futuristic state, the machines are used by members of the mafia to send people back in time to be killed by ‘loopers’ – loopers are responsible for being at a certain place and time to assassinate the time-traveling victims by shooting them and disposing of their bodies in exchange for silver bars.

In order to “close the loop” or end the contract with a looper, the mafia bosses send the future version of the looper back in time to be killed by the younger version. Once the older version is assassinated, the younger version receives gold bars and freedom for 30 years until their impending death takes place. Simmons spends his time assassinating those sent back in time to him and begins to stock up his pile of silver bars, waiting forth chance to finish his contract and move to France in order to live out his remaining 30 years.

When he least expects it, Simmons is getting ready to close a loop when he recognizes the man at the other end of his gun is actually the older version of himself (Willis). The older version of him escapes from Simmons and Young Joe must find a way to get him back to finish the loop. He sends a message to Old Joe to meet him at a café, where Old Joe tells Young Joe about his wife being killed and his plans to prevent it from happening in the future. Old Joe tells Young Joe about the Rainmaker – an evil leader in the future who’s closing the loops, and his plans to kill him to prevent the future from playing out the way it did.

Young Joe is unable to kill Old Joe once again, and rips a piece of paper out of Old Joe’s possession before an attack on the café. He follows the location coordinates to an isolated farmhouse and meets Sara (Blunt) who lives there alone with her son, Cid. When Sara demands to know why Young Joe is there, he asks if she recognizes the numbers on the paper – they turn out to be Cid’s birth date and his hospital serial number. Young Joe discovers Cid possesses telekinetic powers, which are dangerous when not used properly. Meanwhile, Old Joe is on the hunt for three children, all of whom share the same birth date and hospital serial number as Cid – he must kill them in order to prevent the rise of the Rainmaker.

Finally, Old Joe comes to kill Cid just as Young Joe realizes Cid will become the Rainmaker – and he attempts to prevent the cycle that will inevitably occur if Old Joe carries out his plot. Young Joe kills himself to eliminate the existence of Old Joe, thus preventing Cid from becoming the Rainmaker.

Looper is exciting and interesting – Joseph Gordon-Levitt does a wonderful job playing a young Bruce Willis, capturing his mannerisms and personality perfectly. Those who love science fiction or time travel will surely enjoy this movie!

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1276104/

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Laura Leiva & Horace C. White

Modern Tokyo Times 

The idea of zombies has been around for decades, but in recent years, television shows and films are taking the concept of a post-apocalyptic world, or zombie apocalypse, to a whole other level. Perhaps the well-received television series, The Walking Dead, has something to do with it – the show premiered in the United States on the cable channel AMC on October 31, 2010. The attention and interest in the show prompted a second and third season pick-up, and when the third season premiered on October 14, 2012, it took in 10.9 million viewers – the most-watched drama telecast on a basic cable channel in history.

The Walking Dead is based off the comic book series with the same title – the plot revolves around survivors of a zombie apocalypse in the South and the small group, led by Rick Grimes, is constantly looking for safety away from “walkers” or zombies. These walkers kill living things and infect humans with a single bite – so the group of survivors must protect themselves from these creatures and fight back against the horde of walkers.

The series illustrates the group’s fight against the walkers, how they react to the death of those they know and the subsequent coming across other human survivors of the apocalypse – who are also fighting for survival. Rick Grimes, played by Andrew Lincoln, is a small town’s sheriff deputy wounded in action and falls into a coma – only to wake up after a zombie apocalypse takes place. He becomes the leader of a small group of survivors as they search for shelter and safety away from the walkers – the three seasons follow Rick and the survivors as they attempt to stay away from infectious zombies.

The success and acceptance of The Walking Dead has created a demand in the United States for apocalyptic films. The awaited film World War Z, starring Brad Pitt and out for release in the United States in June 2013, follows a similar plot – a zombie outbreak takes over the world and Gerry Lane (played by Pitt) attempts to stop the pandemic from destroying the global society.

Zombie films aren’t exactly new – the first feature film dedicated to the genre of zombies was White Zombie, a 1932 film with Béla Lugosi as a voodoo master. While it wasn’t well received, numerous zombie movies have hit the big screen ever since. Most notable, Night of the Living Dead, was released in 1968 – and the independent film was selected for the National Film Registry preservation by the Library of Congress in 1999. Those who appreciate the storylines and cinematography of zombie films have plenty to choose from – well-known films include 28 Days Later, the parody film Shaun of the Dead and most recently, Zombieland.

What is the fascination with zombies? Many viewers of the small and big screen have the same opinion – the future is unknown and with the advancement of biochemical warfare, a zombie-like apocalypse isn’t too far out of the question. Zombie films portray a survival of the fittest mentality and the protecting loved ones – which is always a factor in everyday life.

http://www.hulu.com/　

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Laura Leiva 

Modern Tokyo Times

Daniel Craig is back for his third appearance as the famed British Secret Service Agent, James Bond, in the visually stunning film Skyfall, alongside Judi Dench, Javier Bardem and Ralph Fiennes.  Whether you count yourself as a fan of ‘007’ or not, Skyfall blends just about everything you want from a Bond film into a dramatic, action-packed two and a half hours – and the film’s release aptly coincides with the 50^th anniversary of the first theatrical release of Ian Fleming’s James Bond.

Skyfall begins with Bond and an MI6 agent on a dramatic pursuit of a terrorist who has stolen a hard drive with the list of undercover agents serving around the world. The chase, and subsequent fighting, between the two men is in true Bond-fashion – death defying heights and fast-moving trains – but Bond’s partner, under the orders of ‘M’ (Dench), uses a sniper rifle in an attempt to kill the terrorist, but ends up hitting Bond instead. After being hit, Bond falls from the train into the river below and is presumed dead.

Back in London, M is under scrutiny for this threat to national security and while she is out of her office, discovers that her department is being hacked from within her own office and computer. Before she arrives back at her office, she witnesses an explosion that kills many of the employees of MI6. The person hacking into her computer and threatening to expose the undercover agents is taunting her – and after the unknown person (Bardem) makes good on his promise to release the identities of her agents, they are being assassinated around the world – and the terrorist informs her he will be releasing more names in the coming weeks. When M returns home after a meeting with Gareth Mallory (Fiennes), she finds Bond waiting for her – after learning he used his supposed death to leave the agency, she tells him the agency needs him to find who is responsible for the security breach.

Bond travels to Shanghai and kills the man who got away on the train. After the man’s death, Bond finds a gambling chip that takes him to a casino in Macau, where he meets the beautiful Sévérine. He learns that she is under employment by Raoul Silva (Bardem) and that he is a terrible person – Bond promises to kill him. Bond and Sévérine travel by boat to meet Silva, and Bond uses his radio signal to alert agents of his location and they successfully capture Silva and take him back to London.

During his confinement, M learns that Silva, who was once an MI6 agent, is behind the attacks as revenge for her supposed betrayal of him while he was in the service. Somehow, Silva is able to escape from his confines and takes Bond on a dangerous chase in the London underground – and it doesn’t stop until he attacks a public inquiry session in which M is located. During the shootout, M is whisked away to safety, but Bond takes her to his childhood home, ‘Skyfall’ as a sort of bait to kill Silva finally.

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