'Jiro Dreams of Sushi' (2011)

"Once you decide on your occupation... you must immerse yourself in your work. You have to fall in love with your work. Never complain about your job. You must dedicate your life to mastering your skill. That's the secret of success... and is the key to being regarded honorably." -Jiro Ono

  The opening lines of 'Jiro Dreams of Sushi' just about sums up the life philosophy of the master sushi chef, Jiro Ono. This documentary takes us into the life of a remarkable man. A man who has dedicated seven decades of his life to the art of making sushi and is still tirelessly honing his craft. His restaurant has earned the prestigious Michelin Guide 3 star. I will admit, I have very limited knowledge about sushi. After seeing this documentary, I realize just how much work and art goes into making the perfect sushi. 
 Even in his 80's, Jiro is shown working hard as ever doing what he loves doing. It was inspiring to see such a high level of dedication to one's work. Jiro's philosophy on hard work can be universally understood and speaks to all of us. I hope I can strive to have the level of dedication to my work and life as Jiro has demonstrated. 'Jiro Dreams of Sushi' is a welcoming insight into a foreign world and has a message that we can all take in. If you are a fan of documentaries, I highly recommend watching this gem. 


IMDB-7.8/10
Metascore- 77/100
Rotten Tomatoes- Critics- 99% Audience- 93%
Yong's Rating- 4/5 stars

Total Recall (2012)

I have not had the chance to watch the original 'Total Recall'. So, I will not be making any comparisons to the original here. Well, because I can't. I know there's been overall negative vibe around the remake, but I didn't think it was terrible. Sure, it's not a masterpiece, but it was entertaining and easy on the eyes.  Set in the future where the earth is overpopulated and polluted, life seems depressing for the average joe. Colin Farrell plays the hero of the film. Tired of his dead end life (one thing that did bother me about this movie was this- can your life really be that bad if you are waking up next to Kate Beckinsale everyday?), Farrell makes a visit to Rekall, a company that promises to make all your dreams come true. Following the visit, he suddenly becomes the most wanted man. As Farrell is getting chased by just about everyone, he must piece together clues to find out who he is. There's plenty of action and neat chase scenes. And the storyline was just intriguing enough to keep me entertained. Oh and Kate Beckinsale and Jessica Biel didn't hurt either. Don't be scared by the bad reviews, it's not as bad as advertised.

IMDB-6.3/10
Metascore- 43/100
Rotten tomatoes- Critics- 29%, Audience- 47%
Yong's Rating- 3.5/5 Stars