Movie Reviews

A Movie “Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993) ” by Woody Allen January 11, 2021

Woody Allen has made 8 wonderful films with Diane Keaton. Keaton said ” He just has a mind nobody else”. It is one of them and the movie was filmed in New York! Of Course! Larry Lipton (Woody Allen) and his wife, Carol (Diane Keaton), are adjusting to a new life together with their son away […]

A Movie “Funny Face” 12/13/20 December 14, 2020

It is a wonderful movie to spend a night at home. Audrey Hepburn and Fred Astaire! What can we ask more! Also I have to mention Gershwin’s music. Of course, it is not realistic at all, but that is not a point to see a musical movie. It was made in 1957. The fashion and […]

A Movie “Return of the Hero” (Le retour du héros) – In French with English Subtitle 12/8/20 December 8, 2020

Do you need an innocent laughter? This movie is quite silly. In France 1809, Captain Neuville (Jean Dujardin) is set to marry Pauline (Noémie Merlant) when war breaks out, leaving her heartbroken. He promised to write to her, but no letter comes to Pauline. So her big sister, Elizabeth (Mélanie Laurent),  begins to write letters to […]

A Movie “Saul and Ruby’s Holocaust Survivor Band” 10/24/20 October 24, 2020

Like many survivors of the Holocaust, Saul and Ruby moved to America after the WWII, started families and careers. They grew old, and retired happily in South Florida. For them, retirement could have been the last page in their stories, but Saul decided to start a klezmer band, named the Holocaust Survivor Band, despite of […]

A Movie “Kingdom” 10/24/20 October 24, 2020

I usually don’t like an action – fantasy movies, but I really enjoyed this one. It is an adaptation of “Kingdom” manga series of the same name which is set during China’s “Warring States” period, and the film is created by Yasuhisa Hara. The film portrays the life of “Li Xin”, a general of Qin, […]

A Movie “Canaletto and The Art of Venice at The Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace” – Exhibition on Screen 12/4/17 August 8, 2020

I enjoy Laemmle’s “Exhibition on Screen” Culture Series! It was shown at Pasadena location. This movie depicts an immersive journey into the life and the art of Venice’s famous view-painter, Giovanni Antonio Canal, better known as Canaletto. No artist better captures the essence and allure of Venice than Canaletto. The remarkable group of over 200 […]

A Movie “Frantz” 7/8/20 July 8, 2020

It is a quiet and inward movie, setting in Germany and France in the post First World War era. “Frantz”, the name of the young German soldier who was killed during trench warfare, depicts an endless mourning period through the eyes of the war’s “lost generation”. Anna (Paula Beer) lost her fiancé, Frantz, and is living […]

A Movie “The Farewell” 6/12/20 June 12, 2020

I truly enjoyed watching this movie. It is truthful, yet funny. It is soulful, yet silly. It is very entertaining and soul searching. The movie follows a Chinese family’s journey to search Chinese belief (I share this belief as a Japanese too) and to help the family’s difficulty together.  It happened when they discovered that […]

A Movie “Back to Burgundy” May/2020 May 26, 2020

I love French wine countries. The location of this movie is picturesque Burgundy, and actually we can learn the process of wine making. 3 siblings reunite at their family vineyard when their father was terminally ill. The old brother escaped from their family business and 10 years later he came back to see their father […]

A Movie “Roman Holiday” May/2020 May 26, 2020

It has been about 2 months since the lockdown. Rome seems so far away in theses days. I don’t know when I can visit Europe.. I thought about this movie! I have watched it before, of course. But I chose to watch it again. I needed something innocent and fun. Audrey Hepburn is just beautiful […]