Asian American / Asian Research Institute
The City University of New York
Train Man (Japan, 2005), Running Time: 101 Minutes While riding the train, a desperate geek meets the girl of his dreams, prompting the socially deprived but brave young nerd to start a chat room thread asking his faceless Internet compatriots, “How do you talk to girls?” The courtship advice he receives from his online pals … Read more
Nana (Japan, 2005), Running Time: 114 Minutes Based on the popular manga, this series follows the adventures of two girls named Nana who depend on each other’s help to realize their dreams: Nana Komatsu yearns for true love, while Nana Osaki wants to get her punk band off the ground. The two meet on a … Read more
Rashomon (Japan, 1950), Running Time: 88 Minutes Considered one of Japanese director Akira Kurosawa’s masterpieces, this Oscar-winning crime drama unfolds as four witnesses to a rape and murder report their versions of the attack. But the chain of events depicted by the bandit (Toshiro Mifune), the rape victim (Machiko Kyo), the murdered man’s ghost (Masayuki … Read more
Nobody Knows (Japan, 2004) Yuya Yagira was named Best Actor at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival for his moving portrayal of the older brother trying desperately to support his three younger siblings in writer-director Hirokazu Kore-eda’s masterful work NOBODY KNOWS. Kore-eda (MABOROSI, AFTER LIFE) also produced and edited the film, which was nominated for the … Read more
https://aaari.info/notes/videos/07-01-19Twilight.mp4 Howl’s Moving Castle (Japan, 2005) Academy Award -winning director Hayao Miyazaki (“Spirited Away”) takes moviegoers on an amazing new animated adventure that celebrates the power of love to transform and the resiliency of the human spirit in the face of adversity. Brimming with a blend of imagination, humor, action, and romance, “Howl’s Moving … Read more
Shall We Dance? (Japan, 1995) A salaried man (played by Koji Yakusho) finds renewed meaning to his life once he starts taking dance lessons from an elegant, remote dance teacher (played by Tamiyo Kusakari). Masayuki Suo’s crowdpleasing comedy is always surprising and genuinely touching; perhaps most surprisingly, it’s not a typical romance. Workshop Instructor: Daryl … Read more