Welcome to Subway Cinema News!

.

Samurai fever! That’s the story of the week. The Japan Society are launching their massive samurai series THE DOUBLE EDGED SWORD: The Chambara Films of Shintaro Katsu & Raizo Ichikawa (December 2009 – May 2010). Sounds nice, but what does it mean? Katsu and Ichikawa were two of Japan’s baddest badasses. Shintaro Katsu, the pot-smoking rebel (a sort of Robert Mitchum of Japanese film) was best known for playing Zatoichi, the blind swordsman, in a legendary series of films. Raizo Ichikawa was dubbed “the Japanese James Dean” and starred in over 100 films, earning tons of cash for Kadokawa before dying of rectal cancer at the age of 37. He’s an onscreen alien, graceful and with an ethereal beauty, and it’s no wonder that he made 12 installments in the THE SLEEP EYES OF DEATH series. The screenings will take place once a month on Fridays at 7:30pm and it kicks off tomorrow night with a screening of SAMURAI VENDETTA: A CHRONICLE OF PALE CHERRY BLOSSOMS (Friday, December 11 @ 7:30pm) a film that stars both actors. The invaluable Chris D., who is curating the series, will intro the film and do a book signing. (More info) (trailer).

.

Also on the samurai tip, the Metropolitan Museum is running “Art of the Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armor 1156 – 1868″ through January 10, 2010 and it’s a massive exhibition of samurai stuff. If you ever imagined slashing your way through legions of foes, this is the exhibition for you. Truly monstrous, it’s the first of its kind at the museum. (More info)

.

.

Tonight, at 6:30pm at the Asia Society, director Mira Nair (MONSOON WEDDING, THE NAMESAKE) will be having a discussion with Asia Society president, Vishakha N. Desai, about filmmaking and the like. If you can’t make it, don’t worry! It will also be a free, live video webcast. Thanks, internets! (more info)

.

John Woo’s RED CLIFF is screening at the Landmark Sunshine and the Beekman (which is at 2nd Avenue between 66th and 67th). This is a return to form for the action master and the cut version (which is what’s playing in the US) moves fast and furious, doesn’t get bogged down in meaningless philosophizing about war and China, and I don’t think you lose a lot.  (more info)

.

Rain, the Korean pop star with perfect abs and sometime movie star (I’M A CYBORG BUT THAT’S OKAY), appears in the muddled and muddy NINJA ASSASSIN that’s playing all over town. (showtimes)

.

THE SUN, by Russian director Alexander Sokurov is all about the last days of Japan’s Emperor Hirohito and it’s still playing at Cinema Village. (more info and showtimes)

.

And, dear god, PAA is still playing up at the Phoenix Adlabs Big Cinema (what used to be the ImaginAsian) Here’re the showtimes. A quick still from PAA just to give you a taste of what to expect:

.

Aaaaargghhhh!!!!

.