The 84th Academy Awards by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will air on Sunday, Feb. 26. Some 5,783 members will have cast their votes for the outstanding film achievements of 2011, with films from 63 countries. The awards ceremony will take place at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in […]
Book Reviews of Inconsequence
February 23, 2011 by Leave a Comment
I would like to take a moment to tell you about something I aim to do. This is to save me from having to say, over and over, what this little segment is about. This will be a series of book reviews you will most likely not care about. Okay, you might care about it, […]
ENTERTAINMENT RE-ORIENTED: How far have we come? ‘Hawaii Five-O’ 40 years later
December 2, 2010 by Leave a Comment
Any TV producer who wants to court Asian Pacific American viewership benefits from having a very low bar to hurdle. If an Asian character pops up in a sitcom and the proceeding 26 minutes aren’t full of lazy racism, it’s generally considered a small triumph. If you have a show with several Asian Pacific Islander […]
Little Tokyo’s Aratani/Japan America Theatre to close for repair in Jan. 2011
October 14, 2010 by Leave a Comment
LOS ANGELES — The Aratani Japan America Theatre of the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center (JACCC) will close for repairs and upgrades on Jan. 31, 2011, the organization said. “Our theatre is nearly 30 years old,” said JACCC Executive Director Chris Aihara, “and there are necessary repairs that we now need to address. It […]
Artist Takara contributes to SJ museum exhibit
September 23, 2010 by 1 Comment
SAN JOSE — Mixed media artist Corinne Okada Takara combines her passion for design, textiles and fabrics to capture life in Silicon Valley in a concrete way. Collaborating with two other artists, Takara developed unique textile designs for the artwear installation “TECHstyle SoftWEAR: Surface and Shape,” at the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles. […]
Enka Singer Jero Embraces Cultural Heritage, Embarks On U.S. Tour
March 18, 2010 by Leave a Comment
Enka is often described as the most traditional of all popular music in Japan, usually considered distinct from the very broad J-pop category that includes “non-Japanese” musical genres such as rock, dance and hip-hop. When enka singers visit the U.S., they often draw intimate crowds of older Nisei and Shin-Issei. However, when current enka sensation […]
A Hip-Hop Element: Dan the Automator Launches Audio Alchemy Deejay Series at Yoshi’s San Francisco
March 11, 2010 by Leave a Comment
Dan Nakamura — better known in the music industry as Dan the Automator — has enjoyed phenomenal success as a producer in hip-hop and beyond, putting together such notable albums as the eponymous debut for Gorillaz, a pair of Handsome Boy Modeling School collaborations with Prince Paul, and the high-concept “Deltron 3030” record. He’s also […]
COMMENTARY: Dunst’s Foray into Asia a Mess
March 11, 2010 by Leave a Comment
Can somebody call Kirsten Dunst’s agent for me? I would prefer it be from someone high up in her talent agency so they can kick her and whoever is her manager out. I really don’t understand how her latest foray into Asia was expected to do anything but hurt what’s left of her celebrity image. […]
What to Watch at the SF International Asian American Film Festival
March 4, 2010 by Leave a Comment
There is quite a lineup at this year’s San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival and the Nichi Bei Weekly has been busy watching films to bring you an overview of the diverse works showcased this year. “Today’s Special” kicks off the festival on March 11 at Castro Theatre. Aasif Mandiv (“The Daily Show”) plays […]
Aoki, the Activist and Intellectual
February 25, 2010 by Leave a Comment
“Aoki,” the new documentary by Ben Wang and Mike Cheng, tells the little known story of Black Panther Party Field Marshal Richard Aoki. Filmed during the last five years of Aoki’s life, the filmmakers weave archival footage with interviews of key players including — Bobby Seale, Kathleen Neal Cleaver and Aoki himself — to create […]
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