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akira · akira dead · animation · Reviews Cinema ·

Akira – The Live Action Funeral

  People are wearing red with a pill design on their backs, like Kaneda above. The audience both inside and outside spill out. It’s all Hollywood execs who hoped it would be better than Speed Racer or Dragon Ball. Yes the temple is overfilled with them trying to make their next deal within the nepotism laced industry. Is it going to be that live action Doraemon feature? Leonardo as the blue cat? It’s like a mafia funeral that you see in movies. They’re not there for the actual death, they’re there to see if they going to be the next boss. Pall Bearers: Anime Fans and media watchdogs. Yes you did it. You complained loudly enough that Akira was going white washed, and now the Hollywood disaster in the making is dead. Hold that casket proudly and keep taking care of the living baby – Akira the Katsuhiro Otomo animation. Sermons led by George Takei. Yes his complaints were loud! “White washing of Hollywood.” (short interview at Perez). He’ll acknowledge the original family. Otomo, Kaneda, Akira, the red bike, etc. Maybe they’ll saw a few words. Done deal. Quick and easy. Cremation and leave it in an urn next to the ton of failed anime to movie DVDs. They mostly don’t work. Post funeral meal at a Chinese restaurant. Everyone’s invited. Let’s eat.
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News · Reviews Cinema ·

Fox Brings You Hit Films From China – Is it Working?

But they’re not doing well, yet… Sometimes, projects like these seem like a US Film company “saving face” by taking the huge films from China and getting them some screens in the US. Is this on the right track, industry person? Sounds simplistic, but it seems like an obvious move. The low box office dollars might be a “trade”. Included in the short list of films, “Beginning of the Great Revival” which is a blockbuster in China, but of course seems like it would have little commercial appeal in the US. It does star our friend, Daniel Wu. (LA Times – China Lion Films)
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News · Reviews Cinema ·

Breakfast at Tiffany Screening at Brooklyn Bridge – Protested

Mickey Rooney co-starred as the neighbor YELLOW FACE character in Breakfast With Tiffany. On August 11th if it all goes through, you can see him at an outdoor screening, buckteeth, ching chong accent, and in his 4 foot tall glory. If he were blackfaced, of course, it would be a racist branded movie, but because Audrey Hepburn is looking so cute, it gets a pass. I remember when I first saw this. I’m guessing it was 1989? I’ve heard it was supposed to be a good classic movie. I’ve seen photos of Hepburn, she looked great, of course the movie was going to be cute. Not more than two minutes after Mickey Rooney – the neighbor makes his debut, I had to shut it off in shock. In 1989, it was the racism. I felt like I got hit. Then I realized, although it’s super fictional and ridiculous, I still wasn’t okay with it. I’m less into barking about racism, since I think most of the racists are ignorant and can’t be changed, unless by their own awakening or by their own death. Rooney himself may think that it’s all okay, but of course, he’s defending his own honor. It’s just a sign of the times. Even blackface was okay ages ago. Maybe this movie deserves a pass – as a film that should stay out of the limelight and in a vault somewhere. It’s a reminder of different times, and it’s the perfect vehicle of racism to show at Klan rallies. Klan! There’s a rally at the Brooklyn Bridge August 11th. (Gothamist – Breakfast at Tiffany’s)
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david gelb · documentary · Features · film · filmmaker · Food · interview · Jiro · jiro dreams of sushi · News · Reviews Cinema · sushi ·

Interview: David Gelb Director of Jiro Dreams of Sushi

Most of us have eaten sushi in one form or another. I’d like to think that I’m fairly adept, my mother owning a sushi restaurant for decades in Santa Monica. I’ve seen the rise of the American sushi movement from the early 80s. Sushi is now available everywhere, from your local supermarkets to the secret sushi locations that feature high end everything at unpublished, market rate prices. People talk about them, as if they’re holding onto a secret. Yet one place stands alone at the top of the rugged mountain of sushi establishments, and it’s Sukiyabashi Jiro – a restaurant that’s garnered back to back Michelin three star ratings in 2008 and 2009. It’s the food lovers holy grail. Filmmaker David Gelb captured the head master chef and octogenarian, Jiro at his finest moments in Jiro Dreams of Sushi. The documentary isn’t overly cinematic, or overly dramatic, it’s actually shot clean and classic, and at the same time, takes you into the world of the business of sushi – from in the shop, the fish market, to Jiro’s personal life which further explains how he is known to be the best.

 

 

GR: Can you back track and talk about sushi and how you felt compelled to make this documentary?
DG: I’ve loved sushi ever since my dad took me to Japan on business trips starting when I was 2 years old. I was fed a diet of cold soba and cucumber rolls. I’ve loved sushi and Japanese culture ever since. After I got out of film school, I thought to myself, ‘why not make it my job to travel to Japan and eat the best sushi in the world?’

GR: Jiro seems like a stoic and strict person. How is he off camera?
DG: Nobody takes his work more seriously than Jiro. He’s been making sushi for over half a century and he still considers everyday an opportunity to improve his skills. He’s strict because he’s applying his full concentration to the present task. However, once the last customer leaves and he has a moment to relax, you’ll find that he is incredibly kind and personable. He has a great sense of humor.

 

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dave boyle · director · Features · film · filmmaker · goh nakamura · people · Podcast · Reviews Cinema · Surrogate Valentine ·

Giant Robot Podcast: Director Dave Boyle

Director Dave Boyle with his next film budget. Dave Boyle has made three feature films including Big Dreams, Little Tokyo, White on Rice, and Surrogate Valentine which is currently touring film festivals. Surrogate Valentine stars musician Goh Nakamura and debuted at the South By Southwest Film Festival in Austin and has shown at film festivals including Cleveland International, Seattle International, Dallas International, Bamfest, and San Francisco International Asian American. In this podcast, Boyle explains how he’s fluent in Japanese, why his films feature Asian Americans, how he’s come up with his movie ideas, filmmaking, and what projects he’s working on next.   Giant Robot Podcast: Director Dave Boyle by realgiantrobot
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