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【Saturday Cinema】Tomoya Nagase as the Hilarious Rookie Judge

Published: 2026-09-25 👁 100 views
Last updated 2026-09-25 — Takashi Ota (played by Tomoya Nagase), who works at an advertising agency, has talent for the job but is always a bit clueless. One day, his half-hearted boss, Ichiro Otaki (played by Etsushi Toyokawa), suddenly assigns...

Takashi Ota (played by Tomoya Nagase), who works at an advertising agency, has talent for the job but is always a bit clueless. One day, his half-hearted boss, Ichiro Otaki (played by Etsushi Toyokawa), suddenly assigns him a task—to go all the way to the United States as a judge at an international advertising festival.
 
But how can Ota’s “terrible English” help him chat effortlessly at the nightly parties? So he asks his gambling-obsessed beautiful colleague, Mitsu Ota (played by Satomi Ishihara), to pretend to be his wife and accompany him to the festival. Mitsu initially refuses, but when she realizes the venue is close to Las Vegas, the gambling capital, she reluctantly agrees.
 
The advertising festival kicks off in grand style. Just then, boss Otaki calls Ota, claiming that if the company’s chikuwa (fish cake) commercial doesn’t win an award, he’ll be fired. But the ad is so boring it makes people roll their eyes—this demand seems both outrageous and unreasonable, leaving Ota shocked and at a loss.
 
At the same time, Ota must also face elite talents from rival companies and ruthless judges from around the world. Ota’s only weapons seem to be the secret tricks taught by his colleague, Mr. Kagami (played by Lily Franky), and his pure, loyal passion for advertising... In this lively yet cutthroat battlefield of ads abroad, can Ota make the most crucial judgment of his life—between work and love?
 

Tomoya Nagase delivers hilarious performance as the rookie judge. (Image provided by Cai Chang International Multimedia)

For this work depicting the behind-the-scenes world of the advertising industry, many A-list celebrities competed to be part of it, but ultimately Tomoya Nagase and Satomi Ishihara were chosen as the leads. The two had previously starred together in the American film *The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift*, but never shared any scenes. Thus, this film marks their true “first collaboration.” Nagase said: “Making such an unexpectedly funny piece made me feel like I was back during the filming of *Waterboys*. Audiences will find emotion through laughter with this bumbling rookie character.” Meanwhile, Ishihara, who plays Nagase’s fake wife in the film, portrays a violent and gambling-addicted character unlike any of her past roles. Especially since she gets to physically lash out at Nagase on screen, Ishihara said it was a blast. In addition, the film features a stellar cast including Lily Franky, Kyoko Suzuki, and Etsushi Toyokawa, making this freshly plotted, entertaining comedy a massive hit after its Japan release this year. To date, the box office has approached NT$150 million, a remarkable achievement. Beyond touching everyday audiences, it’s also garnered high praise across Japan’s entertainment industry. Animator Mamoru Hosoda praised the film: “The classic path of youth movies!” Comedian Tomohisa Yamashita exclaimed: “So fun—it’s an easy way to understand the ad industry while feeling uplifted!” With such glowing reviews, the much-anticipated film is finally hitting screens in Taiwan to laughter and cheers.

Rookie Judge poster. (Image provided by Cai Chang International Multimedia)

 

Godzilla
GODZILLA 3D
    

 

Dickens’ Secret Love Affair
The Invisible Woman
Release Date: 2014-05-16
Genre: Action, Adventure
Duration: 2 hours 3 minutes
Director: Gareth Edwards
Cast: Aaron Taylor-Johnson (*Kick-Ass*), Ken Watanabe (*The Last Samurai*), Elizabeth Olsen (*Martha Marcy May Marlene*), Juliette Binoche (*The English Patient*), Sally Hawkins (*Blue Jasmine*)
 
In the summer of 2014, Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures join forces to bring the most iconic, awe-inspiring monster in film history back in a powerful, epic action film—*Godzilla*. Newcomer director Gareth Edwards (*Monsters*) presents this latest work, which depicts humanity facing the overwhelming force of nature—and the awe-inspiring return of Godzilla, whose astonishing destructive power could restore the balance between humans and nature. Though helpless, humans display astonishing courage and tolerance.
 
*Godzilla* is directed by Gareth Edwards, and the cast includes: Aaron Taylor-Johnson (*Kick-Ass*), Oscar-nominated Ken Watanabe (*The Last Samurai*, *Inception*), Elizabeth Olsen (*Martha Marcy May Marlene*), Oscar-winner Juliette Binoche (*The English Patient*, *House of Pleasures*), Sally Hawkins (*Blue Jasmine*), and Oscar-nominated David Strathairn (*Good Night, and Good Luck*, *The Bourne Legacy*).
 
 
Release Date: 2014-05-16
Genre: Drama, Romance
Duration: 1 hour 51 minutes
Director: Ralph Fiennes
Cast: Ralph Fiennes,
                    Kristin Scott Thomas
 
 
In 19th-century England, during the conservative Victorian era, young actress Nelly (played by Felicity Jones) and literary giant Dickens (played by Ralph Fiennes) fall in love—but theirs is a secret relationship that cannot be made public.
 
The world-renowned Dickens, at age 45 and despite being married, still radiates the brilliance and charm of his immense talent. By chance, he meets his long-awaited true love—Nelly.
 
The two talk about literature, ideas, politics, and music—an enviable match made in heaven. Yet this relationship, which must remain hidden, leaves Nelly to confide only in her mother (played by Kristin Scott Thomas). Even with the warmth and care of family around her, Nelly and Dickens’ secret romance faces tremendous challenges from gossip media and societal judgment. Whether they soar together or fall, they must face the harsh realities of life...

 

 

Omar’s Choice
Omar
    

 

Bike Battle
Wadjda
Release Date: 2014-05-16
Genre: Drama
Duration: 1 hour 39 minutes
Director: Hany Abu-Assad
Cast: Adam Bakri, Eyad Hourani, Samer Bisharat, Leem Lubany
 
 
A seemingly endless concrete wall stretches along the border, temporarily blocking the relentless gunfire but also separating Omar from his beloved. Despite the guns trained on him from the watchtower, Omar climbs over the wall every day to meet his lover. But their romance is ultimately threatened by the chaos of war. For love and freedom, he decides to fight back. However, during a raid, he is unexpectedly captured. Faced with threats and temptations from the military, Omar’s choice wavers between love and loyalty...
 
 
The film weaves through war-torn streets, where childhood friendships and sweet romances unfold under the director’s lens. As the plot twists and turns, it portrays universal values of trust and betrayal.
 
 
Golden Globe-winning director Hany Abu-Assad delivers a moving work focused on modern warfare
Omar Killed Me (Omar), after winning the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars, becoming a highlight in the international film scene. This is also the latest work by award-winning director Hany Abu-Assad, following Paradise Now, which once again focuses on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Through the shifting and complex storyline seen from the perspective of young Omar, the film reveals the emotional rifts and contradictions people face in times of unrest.
 
Release Date: 2014-05-16
Genre: Drama
Duration: 1 hour 36 minutes
Director: Haifaa Al-Mansour
Cast: Waad Mohammed, Reem Abdullah
 
 
But riding a bicycle is a taboo for girls in Saudi Arabia...
Ten-year-old Wadjda lives in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. Though she grows up in a conservative country, she is an adventurer who loves to challenge herself. After arguing with her neighbor boy Abdullah, Wadjda dreams of owning her own bicycle so she can beat him in a race...
 
But riding a bicycle is a taboo for girls in Saudi Arabia, and her mother tries to dissuade her. Unwilling to give up, Wadjda decides to secretly raise money. Though her mother is busy trying to stop her father from taking a second wife and has no time to focus on Wadjda, the girl's fundraising plan is soon discovered...
 
Just as Wadjda is about to give up, she learns that the school is holding a Quran recitation competition with a very generous cash prize. This time, Wadjda refuses to miss the chance and decides to enter the competition to keep fighting for her dream...
 
Wadjda (Wadjda), one of the top-grossing foreign language films in the U.S. that year, is the first feature film shot entirely on location in Saudi Arabia, the first directed by a female Saudi filmmaker, and the first to represent Saudi Arabia at the Oscars.
 
 

 

 

 

 

     

【Saturday Cinema】Hilariously crazy fun—come for the booms and zooms together!

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