Month: December 2014

JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI (2011)

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Meet Jiro Ono, an 85 year old master sushi chef at his exclusive restaurant in Tokyo, Sukiyabashi Jiro.

This shokunin, Jiro is an 85-year-old master chef living in Tokyo with a restaurant that is exclusively dedicated to the culinary creation of the perfect sushi. He has two sons, Takashi who now owns his own sushi restaurant in the Roppongi Hills and Yoshikazu, the eldest, who will eventually take over from his father.

This restaurant is really exclusive, seating only 10 people at a time and having a 3-month reservation period. It has been awarded 3 stars by Michelin, the highest rating possible and is held in such high esteem by many including the acclaimed French chef, Joel Robuchin, who states that he wishes he had Jiro’s exquisite sense of smell.

Jiro spent his life dedicated to perfecting the art of sushi making, seemingly having no hobbies, not really wanting to take holidays and defining himself by his work. His obsession is clearly the most important part of his world. His attention to detail is astonishing.

We see his son, Yoshikazu visiting the fish markets and the level of criteria that must be met to find the perfect fish is astounding. These chefs are not mucking about.

Directed with love and respect by David Gelb, this is truly enlightening into the world of this genius. The music, featuring the likes of Philip Glass, Max Richter and the London Philharmonic Orchestra, is brilliant; classical music to suit the depth of this man’s dedication to perfection.

This is what Gelb had to say about the use of music:

“In hindsight, I think it works because Philip Glass’s music is kind of a metaphor for Jiro’s work ethic, because it’s repetitive but it also builds on itself and escalates, and it’s the same with Jiro’s work. Because every day he’s going, he’s doing the same routine, and trying to do everything exactly the same, but just reaching for that one step of improvement, and I feel like the music’s doing the same thing, so they match perfectly.”

A beautiful insight into the workings of one of great masters and his tireless craft.

BUY THE BLU RAY DVD HERE

DOWNLOAD THE FILM ON iTUNES HERE

3.5/5

 

 

OXYANA (2013)

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Probably the best documentary I have seen this year. Tragic, mysterious and highlighting the precarious line betwixt harmony and chaos.
With no need for any voice-over, this is such a brilliantly constructed documentary and shows you how, if you have the skills you can create the narrative without resorting to external means for structure fillers

This once thriving community has been destroyed by the decline of the coal-mining industry, economic difficulties and the lack of prospects for the previously harmonious town. It comes across with a touch of the Twin Peaks, underlying evil and misfortune.

There are interviews with the residents of this erstwhile thriving town ravaged by the scourge of prescription drugs, especially Oxycotin, an incredibly strong, highly addictive pain killer.
These drugs have been responsible for decimating this community in Oceana, West Virginia, hence the name, Oxyana.

What sounds like an incredibly depressing documentary somehow manages to be both fascinating and engaging as the director Sean Dunne and editor Kathy Gatto have made an accomplished film filled with brilliant story-telling. The music is spot on and helps elevate this documentary from the usual fare.

The question remains-Where is the hope? No answers are given, merely a snapshot into this American nightmare that is both informative and well documented; albeit raw and unshrinking.
If it opens the door to debate, maybe a solution can be found but, like many towns around the world, if ignored, it will carry on without anyone learning from it. That would be a tragedy.

Definitely worth a watch.

DOWNLOAD THE FILM ON iTUNES HERE

4/5