Jiro's Fish

At The Cinema                              Jiro Dreams of Sushi Jiro Dreams of Sushi is a 2011 Japanese documentary film that follows Jiro Ono, an 85 year-old sushi master and owner of Michelin 3-Star restaurant Sukiyabashi Jiro, on his continuing quest to perfect the art of sushi. His restaurant (Sushi Bar) seats just 10, and 20 pieces of sushi will cost you $300—for starters.  Reservations must be made months in advance,  I started watching this Monday night around midnight, just to see what it looked like.  An hour and a half later I gave it 5 stars.  Just like Note By Note - The Making Of The Steinway, Jiro is one of the most  fascinating documentaries I've ever seen. Oddly, I think it was recommended by NetFlix because I had been watching "Letters form Iwo Jima."  I had no previous knowledge of this film, so what would you be looking to see?  Marines writing letters home during the WWII battle for Iwo Jima,  right?  Right.  Except the letters were from the Japanese.    A bold idea for an American made film, and it began interestingly enough.  But somewhere it became less an interesting portal into the Japanese mind, and more a paean to the noble Japanese who were being butchered in their little caves by Marines with flamethrowers. At that time Japanese soldiers were tossing bayoneted Chinese babies around in Nanking.  It was all bit much for me.  I didn't finish it.  And another twist.  Modern day Communist China is making noise about going to war with Japan.  I'd gladly stand  alongside the Japanese in that fight, same as I would with the Israelis against Islam.