Kiyoshi Kurosawa and Atsuko Maeda make an odd couple: The former is best known abroad as a master of horror, starting with his 1997 international breakthrough ¡°Cure,¡± while the latter was a star of idol-pop group AKB48, but has since gone on to a thriving acting career.
They have collaborated three times to date, with Maeda starring in Kurosawa¡¯s 2013 thriller ¡°Seventh Code,¡± playing a supporting role in his 2017 alien invasion sci-fi ¡°Before We Vanish¡± and starring again in his latest, ¡°To the Ends of the Earth.¡±
The first and third films are bookends of a sort: Both are set in exotic locales (Vladivostok and Uzbekistan, respectively) and feature Maeda¡¯s vocals, with ¡°Seventh Code¡± acting as a showcase for one of her singles.
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