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Fantasia International Film Festival · 2023

Fantasia International Film Festival 2023

Axis

Programme

7 films · 4 reviews

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Baby Assassins 2

Chisato and Mahiro were banned from performing tasks because they violated the organisation's rules. Needing money to make ends meet, they resumed their days as part-time workers. Suddenly two other assassins are after them.

(Country: Japan; Year: 2023; Director: Yugo Sakamoto; Writer: Yugo Sakamoto; Stars: Oto Abe, Tatsuomi Hamada, Junpei Hashino, Joey Iwanaga, Saori Izawa)

The Concierge

A young woman takes on a new job as a concierge at the elegant and expansive Arctic Department Store, where the customers are all animals and the most valued among them are members of extinct species.

(Country: Japan; Year: 2023; Director: Yoshimi Itazu; Writer: Satomi Ooshima, based on the manga by Tsuchika Nishimura)

Deep Sea (Shen Hai)

Review preview for Deep Sea

Though aimed at children, it’s so beautiful that viewers of all ages will find themselves enraptured.

Jennie Kermode · 4.5 out of 5
A girl strays into the dreamy deep sea world. In the deepest part of the sea, all secrets are hidden.

(Country: China; Year: 2023; Director: Tian Xiaopeng; Writer: Tian Xiaopeng; Stars: Tingwen Wang, Xin Su, Kuixing Teng, Yang Ting, Jing Ji, Haoran Guo)

Full review

The First Slam Dunk

Review preview for The First Slam Dunk

The basketball sequences grab the eye as firmly as the players grasp the ball.

Andrew Robertson · 4 out of 5
Hanamichi Sakuragi is a delinquent with a long history of getting dumped by girls. After enrolling in Shohoku High School, Hanamichi becomes interested in a girl named Haruko who loves the game of basketball.

(Country: Japan; Year: 2022; Director: Takehiko Inoue, Yasuyuki Ebara; Writer: Takehiko Inoue; Stars: Masaya Fukunishi, Yoshiaki Hasegawa, Katsuhisa Hôki, Tetsu Inada, Ryota Iwasaki)

Full review

Kurayukaba

Review preview for Kurayukaba

Tsukahara creates an immersive and vivid world both in the present and the past.

Amber Wilkinson · 3 out of 5
A detective heads into a city's maze-like underbelly on a case.

(Country: Japan; Year: 2023; Director: Shigeyoshi Tsukahara; Writer: Shigeyoshi Tsukahara; Stars: Hakuzan Kanda, Tomoyo Kurosawa, Raikou Sakamoto)

Full review

Mad Cats

Review preview for Mad Cats

As engaging as it is ridiculous.

Jennie Kermode · 3.5 out of 5
Taka, a shiftless young man, sets off on a quest to find his brother Mune. Teaming up with a quirky new friend and an edgy, mysterious young girl along the way, Taka finds himself taking on a pack of vicious monster cats determined to execute unscrupulous pet shop owners.

(Country: Japan; Year: 2023; Director: Reiki Tsuno; Writer: Reiki Tsuno; Stars: Hikari Aiko, Asachill, Amanda B, Maari Iwata, Chiyuki Kanazawa)

Full review

Sand Land (Sando Rando)

The world is a desolate wasteland called Sand Land, inhabited by humans and demons. Water costs a lot of money so the people thirst constantly. An old sheriff asks Beezlebub to help find the elusive Phantom Lake. Along with Thief, they go head to head with the king's army and discover the truth behind many mysteries.

(Country: Japan; Year: 2023; Director: Toshihisa Yokoshima, Hiroshi Kôjina; Writer: Hayashi Mori, Akira Toriyama; Stars: Mutsumi Tamura, Kazuhiro Yamaji, Chô, Satoshi Tsuruoka, Nobuo Tobita)