By Assunta Ng When one out of five small businesses fails in its first year nationwide, Chinatown’s Eastern Café is bucking statistics. It is only a year old, making money, and expanding.
“A Letter to Momo”
By Andrew Hamlin Northwest Asian Weekly Hiroyuki Okiura’s anime feature “A Letter to Momo” was seven years in the making, including the story, script, and storyboarding. It’s also the filmmaker’s first turn in the director’s seat since 1999’s “Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade.” For all the planning, though, the film begins simply enough, with a medium-sized […]
Jamie Lee joins as IDEA program manager
IDEA Space, the International District’s community resource center has announced the appointment of Jamie Lee as program manager.
“Short Peace” — Three little films in one
By Andrew Hamlin Northwest Asian Weekly In 1995, anime director Katsuhiro Otomo masterminded an omnibus film called “Memories,” consisting of three unrelated segments from three directors, including Otomo himself. His master plan was to showcase emerging talent in anime. The other two directors were Tensai Okamura and Koji Morimoto, both of whom have gone on […]
Mayor announces $2 million in investments for neighborhood business districts
The Chinatown-International District will receive a lion’s share of a $2 million investment in 18 neighborhood business districts, announced Mayor Ed Murray on April 1, as part of the Only in Seattle Initiative.
“Beyond Outrage”
By Andrew Hamlin Northwest Asian Weekly Takeshi Kitano’s film “Outrage” began with the writer/director/actor, also known as Beat Takeshi, waiting outside a bigwig yakuza meeting. His character, Otomo, was a low-level flunky, obliged to put his own feelings and aspirations aside as he waited for orders. The new film “Beyond Outrage” follows the first film […]
“Space Battleship Yamato”
By Andrew Hamlin Northwest Asian Weekly “We’re oooooooooff in out-ter space/We’re leeaaving Moth-er Earth/To saaaaaaave the hum-an raaaace/Our Star Bla-zers!” This theme rang out, starting in 1979, in my friend Tom’s bedroom, my friend Sam’s den room, and through American televisions all over the country. “Star Blazers” was the first anime to be shown in […]
On ‘The Act Of Killing’
By Andrew Hamlin Northwest Asian Weekly “The Act Of Killing” is a documentary film. I want to emphasize that right up front. But it opens with a beguiling surrealistic dance sequence. A giant fish, the size of an office building, sits on the edge of a body of water. The fish is concrete, perhaps metal; […]
“Wish You Were Here”
By Andrew Hamlin Northwest Asian Weekly The two people on the beach at the beginning of “Wish You Were Here” are white and attractive, though iridescently so. They look healthy enough — normal enough. They’re wistful, though a little tired. The sand gleams underneath them. They ask themselves where they would go if they could […]
“In Another Country”
By Andrew Hamlin Northwest Asian Weekly Up until now, it’s been safe to say that South Korean director Sang-soo Hong has had a knack for crisp photography, deftly-drawn interperonsal struggles, and strong characters. I think it’s also safe to say that he’s been making the same film over and over. The men lust after the […]