Wednesday, September 19, 2012

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.
 

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

That looks really good, Rodger. I already have it halfway downloaded. It's looking like I will have to intrude on my sister-in-law's Netflix account to see Note by Note.

You are being too hard on Letters From Iwo Jima. I know what you mean about Nanking but these were not the same Japs. You know that it was directed by Clint Eastwood? He made it to go along with his Flags of Our Fathers. I own both movies.

Anonymous said...

Sorry, that was me. I forgot to sign it.

Anonymous said...

D'oh!
GrinfilledCelt

Anonymous said...

I agree about the movie, it was a really excellent documentary, and explains much about what it is like to grow up in Japan ( as well as make me wish I could travel there for Jiro's sushi! )

Excellent film.

Anonymous said...

Don't know anything about the movie, I'm sure it's wonderful. But like I said to my son when he wanted to try some sushi, "you can try all you like at $20 a quart. Round here, we call it bait."

Keep up with the movie and series recommendations, Rodge, you've made a definite difference in what the misses and I watch at night.

Dodgeman

Skoonj said...

It might be the same restaurant on either Bourdain or Zimmern. The chef is very particular about eating his sushi, and you can't use soy sauce or wasabi.

Helly said...

Good movie. It streams on Amazon Prime.

On the other end of the sushi spectrum, we have a place called Ichiban. The spearos like to get a little wild and crazy there on Saturday nights.

It's all the sushi and tempura you can eat for $21. Made to order, but not to Jiro's standards. When I asked a friend how to order, he told me solemnly, "If you order 50 pieces of tuna, they will bring you 50 freaking pieces of tuna. But you have to eat it all."

Wabano said...

It was not the same Japs? They all knew about Nanking...and thought that we knew...
that explain all these civilian suicides...they expected the Nanking treatment.

Tani Matsuo, the butcher of Nanking, getting the broomhandle
from a Chinese officer survivor of the Nanking garrison:
http://imageshack.us/a/img10/9361/nankingtanimashuobutche.jpg

Wabano said...

Nanking was only one of many enormous massacres...Hong Kong being even worse...
but there was no German nazi Legacy employees in HK to take pictures...dead people dont talk...

Anonymous said...

Saw Jiro when it first came out and loved it. Another streaming documentary you might like is called The Ritchie Boys. But if you ever get discs that aren't streaming try Shanghai Ghetto----it is amazing how hard people will try to maintain a normal life under incredible conditions.

jim

Anonymous said...

They were EATING our POW's one Island over (Fly BOYS).

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