NEWSWORTHY
Cary Joji Fukunaga replaces Danny Boyle to become first American director of a James Bond film
Filmmaker Cary Joji Fukunaga will become the first American to direct a James Bond movie, producers announced Thursday, replacing British director Danny Boyle for the 25th installment of the storied spy franchise. Fukunaga, a surprise pick that had not been among names touted to direct ...
Veteran actress Kirin Kiki, who won two Japan Academy best actress awards during her career, dies in Tokyo at the age of 75.
To black up or not to black up for 'Othello,' that is the question
As a Tokyo theater offers another Othello in blackface, Baye McNeil argues that breaking out the shoe polish is the laziest yet most problematic option.
Chinese A-list actress Fan Bingbing last seen in June amid culture crackdown
Fan Bingbing, an A-list Chinese movie star who has appeared in the "X-Men" and "Iron Man" film franchises, has more than 62 million followers online in China and fronted campaigns for Montblanc watches and De Beers diamonds, has disappeared. The star's vanishing act — she ...
Pacifist samurai film by Japanese director is a 'scream' against modern-day violence
Cult Japanese director Shinya Tsukamoto said Friday that his new film about a pacifist samurai who refuses to kill is "a scream" at the current state of the world. The actor-director with a huge following for his cyberpunk horror movies like "Tetsuo: The Iron Man" ...
No L.A. sex charges for Kevin Spacey, Steven Seagal, Anthony Anderson
The Los Angeles District Attorney's office said Tuesday it would not prosecute actor Kevin Spacey on a 1992 sexual assault accusation because it fell outside the California statute of limitations. The district attorney's office also said it would not charge actor Steven Seagal and television ...
'First Man,' a film about U.S. astronaut Neil Armstrong, accused of being unpatriotic
Neil Armstrong's sons and the director of a new biopic on the space hero are hitting back against criticism that the film is unpatriotic because of the lack of a flag-planting scene. In a statement issued Friday, Rick and Mark Armstrong said "First Man," starring ...
'Crazy Rich Asians' draws in viewers who rarely go to the movies
When "Crazy Rich Asians" surpassed expectations and grabbed the top spot at the box office in its opening weekend, the film also pulled off another surprising feat: It put Asians of a certain age in theater seats. Younger Asian-Americans have been flocking with their parents ...
Making the cut in Japan's film industry
Film producer Yukie Kito talks about making movies, her favorite actor and how the entertainment industry in Japan differs to that in the U.S.
After 'Crazy Rich Asians,' 'Searching' breaks more new ground
The Asians in new movie "Searching" are neither rich nor crazy, but the contemporary thriller is in some ways as ground-breaking as the big romantic comedy currently making waves in Hollywood. "Searching," opening in U.S. movie theaters on Friday, a week after the debut of ...
Whatever the role, if it's tough, 'Chuck can do it'
Bothered by the acting parts offered to black people in Japan, action man Chuck Johnson started his own production company.
'Asian August' comes to Hollywood, but will it last?
Phil Yu is excited. The Los Angeles-based blogger saw an advance screening months ago of "Crazy Rich Asians," and now the first Hollywood movie with an all-Asian cast in 25 years is about to arrive in theaters, along with two other predominantly Asian films. "I've ...
