Wednesday, February 19, 2025

2025 Chinese movie Legends of the Condor Heroes: The Gallants (射雕英雄传:侠之大者) in Pittsburgh, from February 20.


The 2025 Chinese movie Legends of the Condor Heroes: The Gallants (射雕英雄传:侠之大者) will play in Pittsburgh from February 20.
The film is adapted from Mr. Jin Yong's classic martial arts work "The Legend of the Condor Heroes". It tells the story of the world of grievances and hatred in the war-torn era of power struggle. Guo Jing (played by Xiao Zhan) left his hometown and acquired huge power of martial arts to change destiny. Although he was valued by Kung Fu Masters and who passed down the world's peerless martial arts "Nine Yin Manual" and "Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms", jealousy towards him was formed from all parties where he became the target of public criticism. Guo Jing and Huang Rong (played by Zhuang Dafei) turned the tide and protected the Southern Song Dynasty border amidst the rain of arrows with the spirit of gallants.
It plays locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront and tickets are available online.

2025 Chinese animated film Ne Zha 2 (哪吒之魔童闹海), now the top-grossing animated film of all time, remains in Pittsburgh through (at least) February 26.


The 2025 Chinese animated film Ne Zha 2 (哪吒之魔童闹海), which opened in Pittsburgh on February 13, will remain here through at least February 26.
After the catastrophe, although the souls of Nezha and Aobing were saved, their bodies would soon be shattered. Taiyi Zhenren planned to use the seven-colored lotus to rebuild their bodies.
Ne Zha 2 recently became the highest-grossing animated film of all time. It plays locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront, the AMC Westmoreland in Greensburg, and the Cinemark theater in Monroeville, and tickets are available online.

Concert film Ive The First World Tour in Cinema in Pittsburgh, February 26 and March 1.


The concert film Ive The First World Tour in Cinema will play in Pittsburgh on February 26 and March 1.
After traveling across 19 countries during their first-ever world tour, IVE made a passionate return to Seoul for an encore performance of their “SHOW WHAT I HAVE” concert. Now, the dreamlike excitement of their world tour unfolds on the big screen once again – this time in cinemas across the globe. Capturing the energy and the emotion of the concert, this thrilling film features a rich set-list filled with diverse hit songs that made IVE who it is today along with dazzling stage performances, candid band interviews, and exclusive behind-the-scenes videos! This is a special opportunity to dive into IVE for the first time or to relive the special memories from the live concert. Are you ready to ‘LOVE DIVE’?
It is scheduled to play locally, so far, at the AMC Loews Waterfront, and tickets are available online.

Tuesday, February 18, 2025

"Mascots, Cryptids, and UFOs: Civic Monsters in Contemporary Japan," April 10 at Pitt.


The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will host Dr. William Tsutsui and his talk "Mascots, Cryptids, and UFOs: Civic Monsters in Contemporary Japan" on April 10.
Why are cute and creepy mascots so ubiquitous among Japan’s cities and regions? Is there a Japanese Bigfoot? Have extraterrestrials ever landed in Japan? This lecture traces the history of Japanese mascots, cryptids, and UFOs, exploring how invented, imagined, and unexplained creatures have been deployed in tourism campaigns, the creation of regional identity, and local commercial boosterism. These “civic monsters” grew from Japan’s rich and distinctive monster culture of folkloric yōkai and cinematic kaijū but are also deeply woven into global circuitries of politics, capitalism, media, and play.

Why are cute and creepy mascots so ubiquitous among Japan’s cities and regions? Is there a Japanese Bigfoot? Have extraterrestrials ever landed in Japan? This lecture traces the history of Japanese mascots, cryptids, and UFOs, exploring how invented, imagined, and unexplained creatures have been deployed in tourism campaigns, the creation of regional identity, and local commercial boosterism. These “civic monsters” grew from Japan’s rich and distinctive monster culture of folkloric yōkai and cinematic kaijū but are also deeply woven into global circuitries of politics, capitalism, media, and play.
It runs from 6:00 to 8:00 pm in the Barco Law Building's Alcoa Room (map).

2001 Hayao Miyazaki film Spirited Away (千と千尋の神隠し) in Oakmont, February 28.


The 2001 Hayao Miyazaki film Spirited Away (千と千尋の神隠し) will play at The Oakls Theater in Oakmont on February 28.
Winner of the Academy Award® for Best Animated Feature, Hayao Miyazaki’s wondrous fantasy adventure is a dazzling masterpiece from one of the most celebrated filmmakers in the history of animation. Chihiro’s family is moving to a new house, but when they stop on the way to explore an abandoned village, her parents undergo a mysterious transformation and Chihiro is whisked into a world of fantastic spirits ruled over by the sorceress Yubaba. Put to work in a magical bathhouse for spirits and demons, Chihiro must use all her wits to survive in this strange new place, find a way to free her parents and return to the normal world. Overflowing with imaginative creatures and thrilling storytelling, Spirited Away became a worldwide smash hit, and is one of the most critically-acclaimed films of all time.
The show runs from 8:00 to 10:05 pm and tickets are $10. The Oakls Theater is located at 310 Allegheny River Blvd. (map).

Monday, February 17, 2025

1988 Japanese animated movie Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack (機動戦士ガンダム 逆襲のシャア) in Pittsburgh, March 12 and 16.


The 1988 Japanese animated movie Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack (機動戦士ガンダム 逆襲のシャア) will play in Pittsburgh on March 12 and 16, part of an 2024/2025 AX Cinema Nights series over 2024 and 2025.
Universal Century 0093. The previously missing Char Aznable has revived Neo Zeon and declared war against the Earth Federation government. The Londo Bell unit commanded by Bright Noa is forced to fight alone and unaided against the Neo Zeon forces, which have begun dropping asteroids onto the Earth. Among the Londo Bell members is Amuro Ray, Char's longtime rival. But their valiant efforts are in vain as 5th Luna falls onto the planet.

Sensing a further threat behind Char's movements, Amuro heads for the Moon to collect the Nu Gundam, a mobile suit equipped with a psycho-frame. Waiting for him there is its lead developer, Chan Agi. Meanwhile, Bright's son Hathaway Noa meets a girl named Quess Paraya on his way into space, and is instantly attracted to her..
It plays locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront and the Cinemark theater in Robinson, and tickets are available online.

Sunday, February 16, 2025

Attack on Titan: The Last Attack (劇場版「進撃の巨人」 ~THE LAST ATTACK~) stays in Pittsburgh through February 19.


The 2024 compilation film Attack on Titan: The Last Attack (劇場版「進撃の巨人」 ~THE LAST ATTACK~), consisting of the last two episodes of the anime series, will continue playing in Pittsburgh through at least February 19, after opening here February 10.
Attack on Titan: THE LAST ATTACK brings together the last two episodes of the highly acclaimed anime series in the franchise's first-ever theatrical experience delivering the epic finale in a colossal-sized omnibus film. Humanity lived quietly behind massive walls built to protect themselves from the threat of monstrous creatures called Titans. Their century of peace was shattered by an attack on their city that left a young child, Eren Yeager, motherless and vowing revenge on the titans. Years after joining the Survey Corps, Eren finds himself facing a deadly foe, and ultimately gains a special ability that unveils a new truth about the world he knows. After venturing beyond the walls and separated from his comrades, Eren finds himself inspired by this new truth and plots the "Rumbling," a terrifying plan to eradicate every living thing in the world.
It plays locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront, with some shows dubbed in English and others in Japanese with English subtitles, and tickets are available online.

Friday, February 14, 2025

2025 Pittsburgh Lunar New Year Parade, set for February 16, cancelled due to rain forecast.


The 2025 Pittsburgh Lunar New Year Parade, set to march through Squirrel Hill on February 16, has been cancelled due to the forecast of rain. Some festivities have been moved inside the Jewish Cultural Center (JCC).
Unfortunately the weather prediction for Sunday February 16th is 90% chance of rain with intermittent winds. Therefore the Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition and the OCA Asian American Advocates of Pittsburgh decided to cancel the outdoor Lunar New Year parade scheduled for noon on Sunday. As we consider the beginning of the New Year the safety of our performers and participants is essential. We apologize for any inconvenience this cancellation has caused.
The relatively new annual tradition was aiming to return in 2025 after taking 2024 off.

Thursday, February 13, 2025

Opening reception for Jordan Wong (WONGFACE)'s PRACTICE +/-, February 28 at The Portal.


The Portal Art Gallery will host an opening reception for a new exhibition by Jordan Wong (WONGFACE) titled PRACTICE +/- on February 28. From the artist:
PRACTICE +/- builds upon my recent "Play is Infinite" exhibition at the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh (on view until May). This body of work furthers my imaginative exploration of the Ultimate Self, the endless possibilities of leveling up in life, and the transformative power of play.
The opening reception will be held 5:30 to 7:30 pm on the 28th, and The Portal is located at 6425 Penn Ave in Bakery Square (map).

New Vietnamese restaurant coming soon to Oakland.

Signage went up a little while ago for a new Vietnamese restaurant "bringing the taste of Vietnam to Oakland." It seems to be called Vietnam Vietnam 9 and is located at 338 S. Bouquet St. (map), in what was most recently Beta Bytes. Window signage advertises pho, banh mi, bun bo hue, com dia, bun, chao, heo kho, and bo kho.

The side streets of Oakland, and S. Bouquet would qualify in spite of being a somewhat busy thoroughfare connecting campus to residential areas, have grown bland over the years, with fewer retail and restaurants. This corner of Oakland hasn't had a Vietnamese restaurant in decades, and the general Oakland area hasn't had one since a series of short-lived Vietnamese spots on N. Craig St. in what is now Bomb Chicken.

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