JA Journal: Reviews

This is a collection of weblogs written by Onigiriman dealing with Japanese American and Asian American Issues. As mentioned on the previous page, the views expressed here are strictly those of the author, and he make no claims to represent Japanese Americans in general.

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Miscellaneous Reviews on movies, books, restaurants, and others.

Sunday, December 21, 2003

Last Samurai
Saw the movie, finally. But it is too complex to talk about on the spur of the moment. I went with Musubi-chan and Unagi and later we went shopping for my daughter's Christmas present; I haven't seen in about two year. Sometimes its just not possible, even if you wanna see your own kid. (You reading this Sarah?) Anyway, I will comment on this movie extensively later, but for the time being, I will say I was rather impressed. I was afraid that I would HATE the movie. You know... Whenever you hear really good things, expectations are built, and then there is the inevitable let down. Well, not with this movie. What I wanna know is, no matter how drunk you might be, how could anyone have slept through this movie... I will not name names here... Hahahaha

But for those of you who saw it: Wasn't Hiroyuki SANADA kinda cool? In Japanese: Kakkou ii! Since I have a kinda bearnd and long hair, maybe I won't tie it back and leave it long and flowing. I wonder if students will think I look like a samurai? hahahahahah! Now if you guys compared me to him rather than Jackie Chan, I would be incredibly flattered!

Anyway, after the movie and shoppping, Musubi-chan and I went to our favorite watering hole and we just got back. More on the movie later...

Monday, October 20, 2003

Pleasantville
I guess I'm a dork. I've had a couple of comments on the music, "I Confess" by the English Beat. It may not sound so "cool" to some, but that's okay. This is actually one of my favorite songs. And I love Rankin' Roger's voice. If God told me I could have any voice I want, I would take this one singing right now. It's unique and has a wide range.

I'm also kinda dorky cuz' I'm supposed to be doing tons of work, but I end up watching Pleasantville. Yesterday, I have to do some exercise to relieve stress. So I'm running on the treadmill--I don't run outside because of my allergies--and I'm flipping through the channels as I run when I come across Pleasantville, and end up watching it to the end instead of doing my work. I really like this movie. I know its corny, but I like movies that try--as awkward as it may be--to address the inequalities of society. In the case of this movie, it's about race (ok, Paiky, you don't have to read any further).

Gawd it's so corny, but I like the way the story is set up: Pleasantville is a pleasant location in a 50s sitcom, into which David/Bud (Toby Maguire) and his sister (Reese Whitherspoon) are transformed. Everyone talks about the false sense of happiness represented by the 50s characters: Everything is the same, nothing changes, everyone is always happy because there is only one way to interpret the way they lead their lives, a good way as opposed to a bad way. Everything is black or white. In the movie, David/Bud keeps saying that there is no one way to do anything, nothing is routine, everyone and everything changes. But the film is really a call for diversity. The original characters of the town are a metaphor for segregation: everyone is black and white, and everything is defined by these values, good or bad, right or wrong. The people who embrace change and diversity turn into "colored people". Get it? Get it? Its the "colored people" who listen to the blues, and rock and roll. It's the colored people who indulge in sex. It's the colored people who are artists. It's the colored people who draw graffiti on the wall. The court scene is the most telling. If you saw the movie To Kill a Mockingbird (Gregory Peck)--a movie about a southern lawyer defending a "negro" accused of rape and murder--you will have noticed the exact parallel. In the courthouse of both movies, the "coloreds" are in the balcony while the whites are on the first floor.

There should be more movies like Pleasantville. It is well made, and it is amazing that it didn't even get an academy nomination.

I also saw Field of Dreams the day before on Saturday. I love this movie too, partly because they made the author who is "kidnapped" by Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner) an African American, Terrence Mann (James Earl Jone). In the original novel, Shoeless Joe, the author is J.D. Salinger.

Why do I like such dorky movies?

Saturday, October 18, 2003

Lost in Translation, cont'd
This past week, I got caught up in other things and never go around to returning to Lost in Translation. I was asked if the movie suggested stereotypes, and I would say, "sorta, kinda".

The massage/prostitute scene (Oh, Mr. Harris, lip my stockings, lip them!) was perhaps over the top, and perhaps is an reflection of one stereotype some American's have of Japan: Japanese will provide sexual opportunities for important guests. However, it is also true that there are many people and places that provide sex in Japan in ways that make this particular scene tame in comparison. Role-playing prostitution has been popular in Japan, and it isWAY over the top. Also, the interpreter during the Suntory commercial filming may have been a bit to incompetent. While the best interpreters charge $300 an hour, this is not a sum that Suntory could not afford, and there are many who can provide better English than that they showed in the film. But other than that, I think the movie was pretty straight-forward in portraying Japan.

Some Japanese I have talked to have said, "That's not Japan". And they are right, it is not Japan. But IT IS the Japan that many foreigners come across when they go for the first time. The Japanese rarely entertain at home, so when business men go to Japan, they are usually treated to the nightlife by their host. That's why in the film you see: Bob Harris and Charlotte going to clubs and karaoke. The rest of their time is spent in the hotel, since their hosts do not associate with guests outside the business context. Unable to speak Japanese, they are isolated from the rest of society and so spend their time in the Hotel pool or hotel bar. On the other side, they see the typically "oriental" Japan: Bob golfing in the shadow of an aesthetically misty--and hence, appropriately mysterious--Mt. Fuji; Charlotte visits a shrine where a wedding ceremony is being held. So I guess the film does focus on stereotypes, but in a way, its a stereotype created by the Japanese, because this is the Japan--fun nightlife and the mysterious orient--that the Japanese themselves present to overseas guests.

On a side note: Watch how Bill Murray separates his wooden chopsticks at the sushi bar. He doesn't hold them at the top or middle and break them in the V-shape manner. Rather, he holds it towrd the bottom and separates them in parallel fashion. This is typically Japanese, and shows that Murray has done his share of eating at Japanese establishments. Actually, there was a restaurant in West LA, near UCLA, where my friend was a bartender--I went there to get drinks at significantly reduced prices. At the sushi bar, Bill Murray was a regular customer--Gawd, but I can't remember the name of the restaurant.

Monday, October 13, 2003

Lost in Japan : update:
On Friday, I went with Musubi-chan to see Lost in Translation by Sofia Coppola. People have told me it was funny so I expected it to be a comedy, but it turned out to be a different kind of movie. Parts were funny, other parts were "romantic." The quotation marks are there because I can't think of any other to describe the connection made between a man, Bob Harris (Bill Murray), and women, Charlotte (Scarlet Johansson), that is so intimate and yet lacking in sexual passion. This intimacy is suggested from the opening scene where the title of the film is displayed at the bottom of the screen in an opaque aqua-blue, almost difficult to read in the shadow of a derrier of a female lying on her side on a bed. The derrier is not naked, but covered in a sheer pink panty--hinting at intimacy. However, it is not a thong or bikini or a g-string; rather it is a sensible full-cut panty covering her entire bottom--implying the absence of an overt sexual attitude....

So the main story surrounds the relationship between Bob and Charlotte. But more interesting to me is their interaction with Japan. It is, in a way, the thing that links them. Once they return to the US, they will no longer be able to share the intimacy. Tokyo is their Paris, a la Bogart and Bergman; a place they can share mentally and maybe emotionally, but no longer physically. As such it is interesting to see how they interact with Tokyo.

Individually, the focus is on Bob. He does a whiskey commercial and photo shoot with Japanese individuals. The lack of subtitles forces the audience to feel what Bob is going through. It is--in my mind--a form of participational art: the viewer participates in the confusion that Bob is enduring, thereby using this confusion--and the possible frustration it arousses--to understand and appreciate the film. I almost wish I didn't understand Japanese so I could participate, as well. Instead, I got to play god, the omniscient observer. more later.

Saturday, July 22, 2003

Pirates of the Caribbean Okay, I don't usually go out to movies cuz it gets to be too expensive when you pay for three all the time. We usually go to movies that require less thinking so my stepson can understand it without running commentary from me--he's still learning English. So most movies have been limited to things such as Finding Nemo, X-Men, Spiderman, Shrek, etc. Of course, I wanted to see these movies as well.... Anyway, yesterday we went to see Pirates of the Caribbean. I'm not much on raving; most movies to me are just "okay." This is what happens when you teach a film class....

But this was a really fun movie, and it was mostly because of Johnny Depp. He can really act, he is so off the wall, and he just screams attention without screaming. I would love to learn his technique, but I'm sure a lot of it has to do with the way he looks and there's no way Onigiriman can change his, well, onigiri shape and texture...

A number of critics have panned Pirates, but I don't see why. It was just plain fun. It didn't convey the cynicism of the patriotic American as in Casablanca, or of the modern American in Americna Beauty. It didn't reflect the postmodern thought of Tampopo, and it wasn't emotionally draining like Pay It Forward. It didn't have the scale of a Titanic, the CG wizardry of AI, or the bleached-out cool of Minority Report. But it was fun to watch. I laughed out loud a couple of times, but mostly I giggled--I know, sounds stupid--my way through the film, and mostly at the character of Capt. Jack Sparrow. Depp is kinda mesmerizing... not that I'm gay or anything; he simply demands attention, he was like that in Sleepy Hollow and Scissorhands, too. Now I gotta rent To Hell.

4.5 stars on my movielens scale.

Speaking of which, if any of you have even more time than me to waste, check out movielens. I think it started out as somebodies research at the University of Minnesota or something. You rate your movies 1 to 5 stars and it stores the information in a database. After a number of movies, it will predict the number of stars for movies you have yet to see. Obviously, the more you input, the more accurate it becomes, and it is pretty accurate for me. But then, I've rated 826 films so far--In case you're wondering, I have been rating films over a two and a half year period. I haven't seen 826 in 2 1/2 years; they've slowly added old films and I rate the ones I've seen before as they become available.

Later (much later tonight)... My All-time Top 10 Movies Gotta go grocery shopping... and cook... tonight grilled sea bass... with Tofu pomodoro

Monday, July 15, 2003

Banzai! review in Monday's log
It's what?!? Friggin 6 in the morning? And I'm still not asleep. Is this insomnia? Crap, what to do. Anyway, I thought I'd mention a couple of people I met on Xanga who have interesting things to say. Note that these are people I know only through their Xanga sites, but they seem pretty cool--although pretty cool for a 40-something may not be cool to you.

Anyway, Takunishi79 is a JA working closely with JA issues. Totally cool! Maybe I need to invest more time in the doing, and not just the writing and pondering. But Taku's got to post using MS Word--or somethin'. I always have to change the encoding to read some of his stuff. But believe me, its hard core JA stuff.

Sleetse--whatever that means?!?--is a cool JA in California, my home state. He just got a new job so he hasn't posted many logs recently, but when he does, it is always good for a laugh. He understands and enjoys Japan (like all of us), is amazed at some of the stuff the Japanese do (like all of us), and really digs cute Japanese girsl (like half of us). And he's the ring leader of Japan II. Join me on his blogring! (Don't forget to mention that I sent you.)

Nefarious_hatter is in Illinois, I think--her logs make reference to things Chicago(?). I don't know if she's JA or AA, but she puts up great logs. Everyday there's a story. I wonder if they are based on reality--her reality--but they are a good read. She is also into quizzes. She has one up every now and again, like the animal one I referred to previously. And if nothing else, its a trip to hear her raggin' on Megaman! Hey, its cool. We all have our bad days. I SHOULD KNOW!

Peace everyone! And don't forget to read the review of Banzai below, and give me your feedback. HattoriHanzo, Pirate-chan and JC have already clocked in. How about you?

Monday, July 14, 2003

No Banzai! Intentionally or Not, Fox Undermines Asian Image
Okay, I saw it. Not to support it, but to see it so I can criticize it in an informed fashion.

The show is supposedly a spoof of crazy Japanese game shows. If you've seen Takeshi's Castle,then you'll probably have an idea as to where they're coming from. However, these shows (unless you watch TNN's Most Extreme Elimination Challenge, a dubbed version of Takeshi's Castle) are obscure to most US viewers, and the ultimate result is that most Americans will just think Japanese and/or Asians are simply off the wall.

Another major issue I have with the show is the "foreign" accent of the "Japanese" narrator. I think anyone who has ever heard a Japanese native speak English can tell that the voice is of an American trying to sound foreign--sometimes the Rs and Ls were too perfect... not that an authentic foreign accent would have been better.

Another point of contention is something I have previously mentioned: the image of the "mysterious oriental". Japanese/Asian actors contort there faces while striking a martial arts pose. I mean, will we ever be portrayed as regular citizens? These types of stereotypes remind me of Mr. Bojangles--"We here t' entertain da masser, yowzer." Some have said that it is just in fun--something that even the Japanese might do (not the most legititmate argument)--and if you don't like it, don't watch it. But what they fail to realize is that: while I may refuse to see Banzai, others will see it, form an opinion about Asians influenced by this program, and carry this opinion around, someday affecting me or my fellow Asians. Why don't some people get it? We don't live in separate, insulated worlds; we're all mixed together in one society, affecting one another, directly or indirectly, whether we like it or not.

<sigh>

Misdirected Pride
Perilously, there is something that might be miscontrued as being positive: Asians rule. If you saw it, there were a couple of pretty funny stunts. A Japanese guy--he did seem to speak fairly fluently--plays "Mr. Shake Hands Man". He grabs the hand of an unsuspecting celebrity, Kelsey Grammer last night, and refuses to let go, until Grammer tries to do his impersonation of a Sumo wrestler! The other one is "Lady One Question", who asked Simon Cowell of American Idol, one question--What's the difference between American and British contestants?--and leaves the microphone in his face, forcing him to either continue his answer or walk away in bewilderment. It was pretty funny to see Cowell on the spot for once.

And the possible saving grace? Yes, you guessed it. The Japanese/Asian were putting the non-Asians to task. In the Shopping Cart joust or the Old Lady Wheel Chair game of Chicken, all contestants were white while the referees were Asian. Only stupid non-Asians would actually perform these inane acts. But, is this good? Not really. For one thing, the show is in incredibly poor taste. The One Limbed Soccer Penalty Kick Conundrum (or something like that) takes a shot at the handicapped. In this bit, they pitted a one-legged kicker--without his prosthesis--with a one armed goal keeper. I mean seriously, a spoof is a spoof, but this was totally tasteless. "So," the white viewer might think, "are all Asians this tasteless?"

Worse for Asian Americans, the issue may be even deeper than just a lack of taste. It deals with our identity and place in society. With a critical eye, we might ask: Why use white contestants? Well, any good ol' boy could easily respond, "Hell, yeah, of course the contestants were white folk. Who'd watch the program if the contestant were all Asian?"

Indeed, who would?

In many respects, we are an invisible minority in the media--except maybe in news broadcasts. (Y'know, those Asian are smart, right? Like, they dominate math and science, right? Like my Calculus class is a sea of black hair.) To change this situation, we have to do it ourselves. No one will do it for us. Now, if I only knew how... Any suggestions?

And again....
Sorry to be soooooo persistent, but just in case there are other random visitors--or if you haven't told your family and friends to sign it--I will continue to post: The City of Los Angeles is planning to construct a new Police Station, Jail and Emergency Center next to Nishi Hongwanji Buddhist Temple in Little Tokyo. If you or your family and friends have not done so already, I urge you to visit and sign the petition below to protect the community that is Little Tokyo. http://www.petitiononline.com/LAJtown/petition.html

Sunday, July 06, 2003

Back from Williamsburg, VA. It was a very nice trip. I enjoy going to places where I can learn the history of the land I live in. It sort of provides a sense of place, where I fit in--or don't fit in. The fife and drum was interesting to hear. I learned that the home of the American theater was actually Williamsburg, not NY. I ate game pie--venison, rabbit, duck--which was pretty tasty, and certainly different. We ate at the King's Arm Tavern, a refurbished place where people back in the day came to spend time, including Thomas Jefferson and George Washington.

We also spent time at Busch Garden where we went only on a few rides, like the water raft ride--Musubi-chan does not like roller coasters, and as a result, we end up doing nothing but looking at everyone else screaming... sigh. So we ended up going to shows and the Oktoberfest recreation. Of course, we had our beer.

The two downers for the trip. The drive took much longer than it should have. Everyone told me that its a short two hour drive down... BS! Highway 95 gets so crowded around certain areas, that it took 4 hours to get there. In some areas, the traffic comes to a halt. I thougth I was in LA again!. Secondly, the heat was crazy hot. 94-96 with high humidity. During the theatre lecture in Colonial Williamsburg held outside in the sun, I felt lighthead, like I would if I had a cig for the first time in a long time.

But still, I shouldn't complain. We all went, had a good time despite the heat, and came back safe and sound.

Monday, June 23, 2003

I saw Spirited Away for the first time. It was alright, but perhaps I was expecting more because virtually everyone I talked to said it was GREAT! I was rather impressed with the English title, because the word Kamikakushi in the original title 千と千尋の神隠し suggests the unexplained disappearance of people. Once upon a time, unexplained disappearances were attributed to the gods or tengu, the red, long nosed ogre of myth with god-like powers. The literal translation, I suppose, would be "The Unexplained Disappearance of Sen and Chihiro by Gods or Ogres." Yeah, that would draw a lot of people to the theaters! Disney effectively translated it to "Spirited Away"--to be carried off mysteriously or secretly. Unfortunately, this success is not always translated in the dialogue. With the time I had this weekend to get rid of the stress of the previous day--thanks to the words of encouragement from Tak, Sleetse, et al--I saw both Japanese and English versions. While most of it is adequate, there were a number of scenes that just weren't right. Of course, this is perhaps a matter of culture. I mean, how do you translate engachoエンガチョウ? Okay, the normal(?) rendering is cooties, but engacho also suggests a separation or cut from the group, as it is derived from 縁がちょん切った--you have the cooties so you and I are no longer connected. In the movie, Kamaji tells Sen to put her fingers together so he can cut through them with a "magic" spell and thereby reverse her cooties. I think the English version kind of garbles it up. But still, it was okay. Just picking nits.

I also watched "Cowboy Bebop." This is the one anime that students have been buzzing about more than "Spiritied Away" this year. So, of course, I had to see this tale of a bounty hunter in the future. This was okay too. Kinda reminded by of Lupan III with a futuristic edge. No big deal.

Monday, June 23, 2003

Went to a local ribs place called Famous Dave's for Sunday dinner. Egads! The ribs were incredible!!! Forget Red, Hot, and Blue. Froget Memphis BBQ at Ballston. This place on Chain Bridge Road (hwy 123) in Oakton (No. Virginia) is great! Order them "naked". No comments please... it means "with no sauce". They have sauce on the table that you can add. Devil's Spit is hot and good. It was so good, I ordered a another half order! The waitress was shocked, y'know, with my girlish figure and all. [Yeah, right, that's why they call you Onigiriman...] The cornbread (corn cupcake?) was gritty and scrumptious, as well. But the corn on the cob sucked. Definitely frozen. But, hey, it's a rib joint. It's for carnivors. Not for vegetarian Japanese majors who shall remain nameless... Now if they only had a better selection of beer.... Yeungling is okay, and I'm tired of Sam Adam. I guess you can't have it all.