2024 movie Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – To the Hashira Training (鬼滅の刃 柱稽古編) in Pittsburgh, from February 22.

The 2024 movie Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – To the Hashira Training (鬼滅の刃 柱稽古編) will play in Pittsburgh from February 22.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba -To the Hashira Training- will feature “A Connected Bond: Daybreak and First Light” (Episode 11) from the Swordsmith Village Arc, featuring the conclusion of the fierce battle between Tanjiro and Upper Four demon Hantengu, as well as Nezuko's triumph over the sun. Seamlessly followed by Episode 1 of the highly anticipated Hashira Training Arc, featuring the start of training conducted by the Hashira in preparation for the forthcoming final battle against Muzan Kibutsuji, an episode never before seen by audiences.

It is scheduled (so far) to play at many local theaters, including the AMC Loews Waterfront, AMC Classic South Hills Village, Waterworks Cinema, and the Cinemark theaters in Monroeville, North Hills, and Robinson. Tickets are available online; please note, some shows are in Japanese with English subtitles while others are dubbed in English.

2023 Celine Song film Past Lives remains in Pittsburgh through February 7.

The 2023 Celine Song film Past Lives, which re-opened in Pittsburgh on January 26, will play here through (at least) February 7. From the distributor:

Nora and Hae Sung, two deeply connected childhood friends, are wrest apart after Nora’s family emigrates from South Korea. Two decades later, they are reunited in New York for one fateful week as they confront notions of destiny, love, and the choices that make a life, in this heartrending modern romance.

The movie opened here in June 2023 and had multiple runs throughout the last half of the year, and it is scheduled to play at the Row House Lawrenceville in February. Past Lives plays locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront, and tickets are available online.

In the Mood for Love (花樣年華), Past Lives at Row House Lawrenceville, February 9 through 15.

The 2000 Wong Kar-wai film In the Mood for Love (花樣年華) and the 2023 Celine Song movie Past Lives will play at the Row House Lawrenceville from February 9 through 15, part of the Love Languages film series.

A summary of the former:

Wong Kar-wai’s vibrant romantic drama starring Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung Chiu-wai explores the limits of morality, the passing of time, and courage as it follows neighbors drawn together by their spouses’ extramarital affairs in overcrowded 1960s Hong Kong.

And the latter:

Subtle and moving, Greta Lee stars in Celine Song’s deeply human story of two childhood friends who are reunited in New York for one fateful week as they confront notions of destiny, love, and the choices that make a life.

Tickets are available online. The single-screen theater is located at 4115 Butler Street in Lawrenceville (map).

2024 Spring Japanese Film Series at Maridon Museum begins February 23, with After Life (ワンダフルライフ) , Hula Girls (フラガール), Princess Mononoke (もののけ姫), and Grave of the Fireflies (火垂るの墓).

The Maridon Museum, a museum of Asian art in Butler, will present a 2024 Spring Japanese Film Series from February 23, featuring four Japanese films over the course of two months.

After Life (ワンダフルライフ) - February 23. Presented by Dr. William Covey.
A mid-20th Century social service structure serves as a way station between life and death. Every Monday, deceased individuals check in and social workers prompt them to select a single memory to carry into the afterlife. They have only a few days to choose their happiest memory, which is then designed, staged, and filmed by the workers. This allows souls to relive this moment for eternity, forgetting the rest of their lives and residing within their happiest memory.

Hula Girls (フラガール) - March 21. Presented by Yukako Ishimaru.
In an effort to reverse their economic fortunes, the elders of a small Japanese coal-mining town hire Madoka to create a Hawaiian center tourist attraction. Madoka recruits and trains hula dancers, including Sayuri and Kimiko. With encouragement from Kimiko’s brother Yojiro, Madoka redoubles her efforts to make things work.

Princess Mononoke (もののけ姫) - April 12. Presnted by Misaki Okita.
In the 14th Century, the harmony among humans, animals, and gods started to crumble. Infected by an animal attack, the protagonist, young Ashitaka, seeks a cure from the deer-like god Shishigami. During his journey, he witnesses humans ravaging the Earth, angering the wolf god Moro and Princess Mononoke, his human companion. Ashitaka’s efforts to mediate peace among them resulted in conflict.

Grave of the Fireflies (火垂るの墓) - April 26. Presented by Misaki Okita.
A poignant reflection on the human toll of war, this animated story tracks Seita (Tsutomu Tatsumi), a teen responsible for his younger sister, Setsuko (Ayano Shiraishi), following an American firebombing in WWII that separates them from their parents. Their survival story is both heartbreaking and realistic, as they depend on each other and fight against all odds to remain united and alive.

The movies are free and open to the public, but registration is required and can be made by calling 724.282.0123. The Maridon Museum is located at 322 North Mckean St. in Butler (map).

2006 Satoshi Kon film Paprika (パプリカ) in Pittsburgh, February 7, 8, 11.

The 2006 Japanese animated film Paprika (パプリカ) will play in PIttsburgh from February 7, 8, and 11, the final installment of the Satoshi Kon Fest that's been running the last few months.

Anime Expo Cinema Nights presents the last film ever made by visionary director Satoshi Kon with his mind-bending thriller PAPRIKA, which has been restored in 4K for the first ever. When a machine that allows therapists to enter their patients’ dreams is stolen, all hell breaks loose. Only a young female therapist, Paprika, can stop it.

It plays locally at the AMc Lowes Waterfront and the Cinemark Robinson, and tickets are available online.

2023 Celine Song film Past Lives returns to Pittsburgh, from January 26.

The 2023 Celine Song film Past Lives will play in Pittsburgh from January 26 through January 31. From the distributor:

Nora and Hae Sung, two deeply connected childhood friends, are wrest apart after Nora’s family emigrates from South Korea. Two decades later, they are reunited in New York for one fateful week as they confront notions of destiny, love, and the choices that make a life, in this heartrending modern romance.

The movie opened here in June 2023 and had multiple runs throughout the last half of the year, and it is scheduled to play at the Row House Lawrenceville in February. Past Lives plays locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront and AMC Westmoreland in Greensburg, and tickets are available online.

Miyazaki film The Boy and the Heron (君たちはどう生きるか) remains in Pittsburgh-area theaters through (at least) January 31.

The 2023 Hayao Miyazaki film The Boy and the Heron (君たちはどう生きるか), which opened across Pittsburgh-area theaters on December 7, will remain here through (at least) January 31. A synopsis of the movie, from the distributor:

Hayao Miyazaki's first feature film in 10 years, The Boy and the Heron is a hand-drawn, original story written and directed by the Academy Award®-winning director. Produced by Studio Ghibli co-founder Toshio Suzuki, the film features a musical score from Miyazaki's long-time collaborator Joe Hisaishi. The theme song for the film "Spinning Globe" was penned and performed by global J-pop superstar Kenshi Yonezu.

. . .

A young boy named Mahito
yearning for his mother
ventures into a world shared by the living and the dead.
There, death comes to an end,
and life finds a new beginning.


A semi-autobiographical fantasy
about life, death, and creation,
 in tribute to friendship,
from the mind of Hayao Miyazaki.

Tickets are available online for shows at the the AMC Loews Waterfront. Please note, some shows are in Japanese with English subtitles while others are dubbed in English.

Atomic Cinema: GODZILLA (1954) with Alternate Histories, January 23 at Bottlerocket Social Hall.

Bottlerocket Social Hall and Alternate Histories will present Atomic Cinema: GODZILLA (1954) on January 23.

ATOMIC CINEMA brings a screening of the original GODZILLA to Bottlerocket! A free night with games and drinks hosted by ALTERNATE HISTORIES and Pittsburgh's own YINZILLA!

The event starts at 7:30 pm and is free, but online registration is required. Bottlerocket Social Hall is located at 1226 Arlington Ave. in Allentown (map).

Black-and-white version Godzilla Minus One Minus Color in Pittsburgh, from January 25.

Godzilla Minus One Minus Color, the black-and-white version of the latest Godzilla film Godzilla Minus One (ゴジラ-1.0), will play in Pittsburgh-area theaters for one week starting January 25. The official Godzilla site writes:

"Godzilla Minus One/Minus Color is not just a simple black and white version," [Director, Screenwriter, and Visual Effects Supervisor Takahashi] Yamazki said, "The colorist took the care and the time to go through a careful and very complex process. The black-and-white images make Godzilla look very realistic and documentary-like, which leads to even more fear. Even we have seen Godzilla many times, but we felt that something completely different appeared there. It is very scary. So this is not only for those who liked Godzilla Minus One but also those who are seeing it for the first time. They should definitely see this black-and-white version. Especially the scene at the beginning where Godzilla appears in the night - it is so terrifying that it made my knees shake!"

It plays locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront, AMC CLassic South Hills, AMC Westmoreland in Greensburg, AMC Classic South Pike in Sarver, and the Cinemark in Robinson. Tickets are available online.

Godzilla Minus One (ゴジラ-1.0) to remain in Pittsburgh-area theaters through (at least) January 24.

The latest Godzilla movie, Godzilla Minus One (ゴジラ-1.0), which opened in Pittsburgh on November 30, will remain in local theaters through at least January 24.

Japan, devastated after the war, faces a new threat in the form of Godzilla. How will the country confront this impossible situation?

It plays locally in Japanese with English subtitles at the AMC Loews Waterfront, and tickets are available online.

Identity, Inclusion, and Information: THE AANHPI Experience Conference, January 30 and 31 at the University of Pittsburgh.

PittBusiness and the University of Pittsburgh's Screenshot Asian Film Festival will present Identity, Inclusion, and Information: THE AANHPI Experience Conference on January 30 and 31, featuring lectures, a performance by Mai Khoi, and a documentary screening of Out of State. 

• January 30, 4:00 pm - Keynote by Yun-Oh Whang
• January 30, 5:00 pm - "The Importance of Cultivating Belonging for the AAPI Community in Higher Education" panel
• January 30, 6:30 pm - "Bad Activist" performance by Mai Khôi
• January 31, 6:30 pm - Out of State documentary screening

The events are free and open to the public.

Miyazaki film The Boy and the Heron (君たちはどう生きるか) remains in Pittsburgh-area theaters through (at least) January 25.

The 2023 Hayao Miyazaki film The Boy and the Heron (君たちはどう生きるか), which opened across Pittsburgh-area theaters on December 7, will remain here through (at least) January 25. A synopsis of the movie, from the distributor:

Hayao Miyazaki's first feature film in 10 years, The Boy and the Heron is a hand-drawn, original story written and directed by the Academy Award®-winning director. Produced by Studio Ghibli co-founder Toshio Suzuki, the film features a musical score from Miyazaki's long-time collaborator Joe Hisaishi. The theme song for the film "Spinning Globe" was penned and performed by global J-pop superstar Kenshi Yonezu.

. . .

A young boy named Mahito
yearning for his mother
ventures into a world shared by the living and the dead.
There, death comes to an end,
and life finds a new beginning.


A semi-autobiographical fantasy
about life, death, and creation,
 in tribute to friendship,
from the mind of Hayao Miyazaki.

Tickets are available online for shows at the Chartiers Valley Luxury 14 (the AMC Loews Waterfront is temporarily closed). Please note, some shows are in Japanese with English subtitles while others are dubbed in English.

In the Mood for Love (花樣年華), Past Lives at Row House Lawrenceville, February 9 through 15.

The 2000 Wong Kar-wai film In the Mood for Love (花樣年華) and the 2023 Celine Song movie Past Lives will play at the Row House Lawrenceville from February 9 through 15, part of the Love Languages film series.

A summary of the former:

Wong Kar-wai’s vibrant romantic drama starring Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung Chiu-wai explores the limits of morality, the passing of time, and courage as it follows neighbors drawn together by their spouses’ extramarital affairs in overcrowded 1960s Hong Kong.

And the latter:

Subtle and moving, Greta Lee stars in Celine Song’s deeply human story of two childhood friends who are reunited in New York for one fateful week as they confront notions of destiny, love, and the choices that make a life.

Tickets are available online. The single-screen theater is located at 4115 Butler Street in Lawrenceville (map).

2009 Japanese animated movie GURREN LAGANN THE MOVIE: The Lights in the Sky are Stars- in Pittsburgh, January 23 and 24.

The 2009 Japanese animated movie GURREN LAGANN THE MOVIE: The Lights in the Sky are Stars will play in Pittsburgh on January 23 and 24, a week after the first installment of the Gurren Lagann series played here.

Seven Years have passed since the battle of Teepelin…

Humans have successfully rebuilt civilization under Simon’s leadership and enjoyed an unprecedented period of peace and prosperity. However, humanity’s increasing population triggers the emergence of a powerful enemy. This fearsome Anti-Spiral proves too overwhelming for humanity to fight back. In these desperate times, the members of Team Dai-Gurren reunite to fight once again. In this high-stakes battle, can Simon and his team pierce the heavens with the Gurren Lagann to save mankind one last time?

It plays locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront and the Cinemark theaters in Monaca, Monroeville, North Hills, and Robinson, and tickets are available online.

1973 Japanese film Lady Snowblood (修羅雪姫) at Row House Lawrenceville, from January 19.

The 1973 Japanese film Lady Snowblood (修羅雪姫) at Row House Lawrenceville as part of its Snow Week series, January 19 - 25.

One of the most influential action films of all time, this 1970s Japanese cult classic follows Yuki — who has been raised as an assassin since birth to avenge her family. It served as inspiration for countless revenge thriller films, including Tarantino’s Kill Bill series.

Tickets are available online. The single-screen theater is located at 4115 Butler St. (map).

2001 film Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (カウボーイビバップ 天国の扉) in Pittsburgh, January 21 - 23 as part of Satoshi Kon Fest.

The 2001 film Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (カウボーイビバップ 天国の扉) will play in Pittsburgh-area theaters from January 21 through 23 as part of the Satoshi Kon Fest spanning a few months in 2023-2024.

Anime Expo Cinema Nights presents COWBOY BEBOP: THE MOVIE. Caught up in a world of dreams, lost in the cruelty of reality. What should have been an easy bounty turns into biological war after a terrorist gets hold of a deadly virus. Drawn in by the pretty price on the mastermind's head, Spike and the Bebop crew are ready to collect a much-needed reward. Unfortunately, the gang's about to find themselves in more trouble than money when the terrorist threatens to unleash the virus on Halloween--effectively killing everyone on Mars. With little time and leads that seem more dreamy than helpful, they'll have to use their own bag of tricks to stop a dangerous plot.

It plays locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront and the Cinemark in Robinson (January 21-22 only) and tickets are available online.

New Miyazaki film The Boy and the Heron (君たちはどう生きるか) remains in Pittsburgh-area theaters through (at least) January 17.

The 2023 Hayao Miyazaki film The Boy and the Heron (君たちはどう生きるか), which opened across Pittsburgh-area theaters on December 7, will remain here through (at least) January 17. A synopsis of the movie, from the distributor:

Hayao Miyazaki's first feature film in 10 years, The Boy and the Heron is a hand-drawn, original story written and directed by the Academy Award®-winning director. Produced by Studio Ghibli co-founder Toshio Suzuki, the film features a musical score from Miyazaki's long-time collaborator Joe Hisaishi. The theme song for the film "Spinning Globe" was penned and performed by global J-pop superstar Kenshi Yonezu.

. . .

A young boy named Mahito
yearning for his mother
ventures into a world shared by the living and the dead.
There, death comes to an end,
and life finds a new beginning.


A semi-autobiographical fantasy
about life, death, and creation,
 in tribute to friendship,
from the mind of Hayao Miyazaki.

Tickets are available online for shows at the AMC Loews Waterfront. Please note, some shows are in Japanese with English subtitles while others are dubbed in English.

Godzilla Minus One (ゴジラ-1.0) to remain in Pittsburgh-area theaters through (at least) January 17.

The latest Godzilla movie, Godzilla Minus One (ゴジラ-1.0), which opened in Pittsburgh on November 30, will remain in local theaters through at least January 17.

Japan, devastated after the war, faces a new threat in the form of Godzilla. How will the country confront this impossible situation?

It plays locally in Japanese with English subtitles at the AMC Loews Waterfront and tickets are available online.

2009 Gurren Lagann movies in Pittsburgh, January 16-17 and 23-24.

Two Japanese animated movies, Gurren Lagann the Movie: Childhood's End (劇場版 天元突破グレンラガン 紅蓮篇) and Gurren Lagann The Movie: The Lights in the Sky are Stars (劇場版 天元突破グレンラガン 螺巌篇) will play in Pittsburgh-area theaters in January. A synopsis of Childhood's End, playing January 16 and 17, from the distributor:

In the distant future, Simon, a shy boy, and Kamina, a man who dreams of another life up on the surface live a quiet and restless life deep underground in Giha Village. One day, their destinies are forever changed when a gigantic “Gunmen” along with a beautiful girl named Yoko come falling through their village ceiling! Kamina, Simon, and Yoko break through to the surface riding the mysterious “Lagann” but the surface is nothing like Kamina imagined. Now, Kamina and Simon along with their comrades must challenge the evil Spiral King with the Gurren Lagann to bring hope to this desperate world

And The Lights in the Sky are Stars, playing here on January 23 and 24:

Seven Years have passed since the battle of Teepelin…

Humans have successfully rebuilt civilization under Simon’s leadership and enjoyed an unprecedented period of peace and prosperity. However, humanity’s increasing population triggers the emergence of a powerful enemy. This fearsome Anti-Spiral proves too overwhelming for humanity to fight back. In these desperate times, the members of Team Dai-Gurren reunite to fight once again. In this high-stakes battle, can Simon and his team pierce the heavens with the Gurren Lagann to save mankind one last time?

The movis are scheduled to play at the AMC Loews Waterfront and the Cinemarks in McCandless, Monaca, Monroeville, and Robinson, and tickets for the first weekend and the second are available onilne.

New film adaptation of Chinese TV series Shining for One Thing (一闪一闪亮星星) in Pittsburgh, from January 5.

A new film adaptation of Chinese TV series Shining for One Thing (一闪一闪亮星星) will play in Pittsburgh from January 5.

A young man plans to confess his love to the girl he has a crush on, but a sudden tragedy changes everything. He unexpectedly finds himself restarting the summer before the accident.

It plays locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront and tickets are available online.