04 • dOwnLOad OuR POdCaST aT • POdCaST.METROPOLIS.CO.JP Away on business or leisure, find comfort in a familiar environment — luxurious in Oakwood Premier, elegant in Oakwood Residence or stylish in Oakwood Apartments. Come home to the ease of Oakwood living in Asia. Oakwood offers a choice of 7 hot spot locations in Asia's most cosmopolitan city, Tokyo — Aoyama, Akasaka, Azabujyuban, Midtown, Roppongi and Shirokane. For further details, please visit our website or call (81-3) 5412 3131 or email us midtown@oakwoodasia.com.
Courtesy of the okinaWa movie festival star struck Joel Schumacher the veteran director on festivals and japan By David Labi Joel Schumacher spent a week in Naha last month as head of the jury at the Okinawa Movie Festival. The lanky and charming Hollywood director—whose films include The Lost Boys and Batman forever—was full of praise for the fest, now in its fifth year. “I thought [the opening ceremony] was so exciting, the whole energy of that crowd,” he enthused. As opposed to other festivals rife with ego, or so international they lose their grounding, he described this one as a “community outreach.” This was definitely the vibe <strong>Metropolis</strong> got from the crowds at the festival’s events—all free of charge. “They’re really trying to make the Okinawans feel part of this festival,” said Schumacher. “I wish more festivals did that.” What’s his opinion of Japanese film? Many of his peers “are very, very inspired by Kurosawa,” he said, mentioning Tarantino. But he had less to say about today’s output. “We don’t get enough Japanese film in the United States... [just] the ones that are most publicized or have won awards.” Schumacher said his role on the jury stemmed from his successes in Japan through Warner Brothers, leading to an invitation from Warner Japan chief Bill Ireton. What was to be his criteria for picking the best films? “Whatever it is, the wackiest comedy, the biggest epic, if it feels like there was a conductor who picked up the baton... [if] you cover contest Help make our 1,000th issue a special one—by designing the cover. since launching as Tokyo classified in 1<strong>994</strong> we’ve experienced the bursting of the tokyo bubble, the smartphone revolution and the tragic events of march 2011. in that time we’ve had all kinds of covers, from wacky illustrations to eye-catching portraits. you might have loved some. you might have hated others. but if you ever thought you could do better—now’s your chance! Schumacher (second from right) hits the red carpet feel there was a vision here.” But it’s hard to pick winners. “Anyone who finishes a movie should win an award.” So he advised his jury, “Let’s be positive... Nobody sets out to make a bad movie.” The 73-year-old’s success in Asia looks set to continue; he hinted about a juicy, bigbudget, wartime movie he’ll be shooting in Shanghai. Did Hollywood’s stagnation mean producers had to work with an international audience in mind? “They have been for a long time,” he said, referring to his adaptation of The Phantom of the opera, which grossed more in Asia than in any other region. A chat of more than an hour moved on from the festival to Tinsel Town’s “identity crisis.” “The business ate itself up,” Schumacher explained. “It outpriced itself.” Advertising and talent fees skyrocketed. Studios had to invest a fortune for a tiny profit margin. “They started saying ‘no.’ And that has changed the business,” he said. Thus was born the era of trilogies and remakes. “Hollywood has corrupted the world,” he chuckled. Born in New York City, Schumacher designed costumes for Woody Allen (Sleeper, etc.) and directed two TV movies before his first feature. But things have gone full circle back to the small screen. He recently directed part of the edgy Netflix series House of Cards. “Cable has changed television,” he said, citing ratings of HBO and AMC shows. Schumacher mused about making a film in Japan. “It would be very contemporary.” “Like Lost In Translation?” someone piped up. “That is not how I see Japan at all,” he said firmly. “I love the Blade Runner part of Tokyo... Tokyo always feels like right now.” Back to the future: <strong>Metropolis</strong> #1,000 as imagined by the design team in issue #500 (Oct 24, 2003) Upfront top ten Thrills at Roppongi Hills Celebrate the complex’s 10th birthday with a day of activities 1. support local farmers at the Ibaraki Market (sat 7-9am). the fresh produce goes fast—pick up a kyowa watermelon, famous for its compact sweetness. 2. get a cup of joe and a soufflé at Lauderdale. With a welcoming green terrace, this international café has a solid weekend brunch following. feel free to linger with bottomless coffee refills. 3. do some light shopping at TV Asahi. doraemon fans look no further, as the shop inside sells character goods and items (some limited edition) from the channel’s variety shows. the first floor boasts some mildly interesting rotating art displays. 4. pamper yourself at May’s Garden Spa. around since 1925, it’s one of the classiest beauty havens in town. men are also welcome, if they aren’t put off by gushing pink. a basic 60-minute facial will set you back about ¥14,000, but our sources swear it’s worth it. 5. in spring, stroll through the sakura-zaka walking trail before picking up a bento at Seijo Ishii, or takeout from 37 Curry— whose 21-day-aged black angus beef Curry is fantastic. settle on a quiet patch of the japanese-style mohri garden. 6. soak up some culture at the Mori Art Museum. from april 26 a special 10th-anniversary exhibition titled “all you need is love” will showcase a variety of local and international artists’ take on the sentiment. 7. Watch the sunset from Tokyo City View. museum tickets get you to the 250m-above-sea-level observation deck. during the summer months access the Sky Deck for an additional ¥500 for open-air, 360º views and some occasional astronomy. 8. happy hour at the Oak Door Bar. this drinking den by the grand hyatt’s steakhouse makes a killer yuzu mojito. the afterwork crowd makes for excellent people-watching and mingling. good cigars, too. 9. nosh on kabuki-inspired sushi. Pintokona may be kaitenstyle, but the quality is decent and the prices, though slightly up-market, are still reasonable. 10. Catch a flick at Toho Cinemas. apart from gummy-coke bottles at the candy store, the best thing is the discounts. every 1st and 14th seats are only ¥1,000—and there’s money off for latenight features. brandi Goode the number 1,000 must be incorporated into your design somehow. apart from that, use any style you like —photo, manga, text, graffiti, or whatever your creativity dictates. if you want to reinterpret or reinvent the metropolis logo—that’s your choice. the winner will be paid ¥10,000—and more importantly will have his or her cover on 30,000 magazines circulating around tokyo. excited yet? to enter send in your design by 11:59pm on monday, may 6 . the winner will be notified by friday, may 10. ☛ All entries must be designed in Adobe photoshop or Illustrator, using the template from http://meturl.com/cover1000 ☛ <strong>Metropolis</strong> cannot print copyrighted images without written permission from the owner #<strong>994</strong> • www.METROPOLIS.CO.JP • 05
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