2016 Chinese computer-animated motion capture movie L.O.R.D: Legend of Ravaging Dynasties (爵迹) in Pittsburgh, from September 30.

The 2016 Chinese computer-animated motion capture movie L.O.R.D: Legend of Ravaging Dynasties (爵迹) will play at the AMC Loews Waterfront theater from September 30. The distributor provides a brief plot summary of the movie starring Fan Bingbing and Kris Wu:

A long time ago, a determined King Zhou, supported by his concubine Daji, sets his mind on conquering the Middle Kingdom. After years of slaughter, the unyielding Adept tribes have been eliminated in succession. Jiang and General Ji from Qishan are King Zhou's longstanding opponents.

The movie premieres in China and the US on the 30th, and will play here in Mandarin with English subtitles. Tickets and showtime information is not yet available via the theater's website. The theater is located at 300 West Waterfront Dr. in the Waterfront shopping complex in Homestead (map), across the Monongahela River from Greenfield, Squirrel Hill, and the rest of Pittsburgh.

Kizumonogatari Part 2: Nekketsu (傷物語II 熱血篇) at Hollywood Theater, from October 22.

The Hollywood Theater in Dormont announced on Monday that it will have three screenings of the 2016 Japanese animated movie Kizumonogatari Part 2: Nekketsu (傷物語II 熱血篇) on October 22, 23, and 25.

2016 Korean zombie movie Train to Busan (부산행) in Pittsburgh, September 30 to October 6.

The 2016 Korean hit zombie movie Train to Busan (부산행) will play at the Parkway Theater in McKees Rocks from September 30 to October 6. A July 21 New York Times review summarizes:

The setup is lean and clean. A flattened deer, mowed down in a quarantine zone in Seoul where some kind of chemical spill has occurred (echoes of Bong Joon-ho’s 2007 enviro-horror film, “The Host”), springs back to life. Then, in just a few swiftly efficient scenes, we meet a harried hedge-fund manager and his small, sad daughter (Gong Yoo and an amazing Kim Su-ahn), see them settled on the titular locomotive and watch in dismay as a vividly unwell last-minute passenger lurches onboard. And we’re off!

Sprinting right out of the gate, the director, Yeon Sang-ho, dives gleefully into a sandbox of spilled brains and smug entitlement. (“In the old days, they’d be re-educated,” one biddy remarks upon spying an undesirable fellow traveler.) As zombies chomp and multiply, an assortment of regular folks face them down while furthering an extended critique of corporate callousness. The politics are sweet, but it’s the creatures that divert. Eyes like Ping-Pong balls and spines like rubber — I’d wager more than a few chiropractors were required on the set — they attack in seizures of spastic energy. They’re like break-dancing corpses.

The theater is located at 644 Broadway Ave. in McKees Rocks (map), a few miles west of the North Side.

Japanese garage rock band Guitar Wolf (ギターウルフ) at Hard Rock Cafe tonight, September 14.

Japanese garage rock band Guitar Wolf (ギターウルフ) will play at Hard Rock Cafe tonight, September 14. Doors open at 7:30 pm.

Korean movie A Girl At My Door (도희야) in Pittsburgh, September 18 and 20.

The 2014 Korean movie A Girl At My Door (도희야) will play in Pittsburgh on September 18 and 20 as part of this year's Silk Screen Film Festival. The Vancouver Queer Film Festival provides a summary of the film, starring Doona Bae (배두나) and a 14-year-old Sae-ron Kim (김새론):

A brilliant, gritty and complex psychodrama that received a three-minute standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival, this powerful film by writer-director July Jung presents a stunning reflection on immigration, rural life, addiction and abuse—and the heartbreak of finding no safe refuge in family or law. Young-Nam, an outsider with an unspoken scandal, is sent from Seoul to a small village to take over as police chief, and is soon drawn into the personal dramas of the locals. When her ex-lover arrives, Young-Nam’s defense of a girl in the town becomes suspect. Doona Bae (Cloud Atlas, Jupiter Ascending, Sense8), revered as one of the best actors of our time and a “performer who can convey everything that needs to be said,” is luminous in her portrayal of a woman stubbornly seeking justice, even as she drinks a little too much shoju on the side. Kim Sae-ron is also exceptional as Dohee, capably maneuvering extremely satisfying plot twists while embodying the brutality she’s lived through at the hands of her father. A beautifully done, sometimes disturbing, and ultimately exquisite film, July Jung’s A Girl at My Door captures the fantasies and hopes of two people finding hard-won redemption.

The movie plays at 8:00 pm on the 18th and 20th, both nights at the McConomy Auditorium in the Jared L. Cohon Center on the Carnegie Mellon University campus (map). Tickets are available on the Silk Screen Film Festival website.

Japanese movie Twisted Justice (日本で一番悪い奴ら) in Pittsburgh, September 18 and 24.

The 2016 Japanese movie Twisted Justice (日本で一番悪い奴ら) will play in Pittsburgh on September 18 and 24 as part of this year's Silk Screen Film Festival.

No, Everyday Noodles is not hipster food.

The most recent listicle from Made in PGH is on "the most hipster foods" in Pittsburgh, and includes "Noodle Joints" like Everyday Noodles and Pusadee's Garden.

Pittsburgh’s young and hip are practically tangled in a nest of noodle shops. Do you want spicy noodles, noodles with meat, vegan noodles, rice noodles or noodles with an array of unpronounceable roots and spices? You’re in luck because just about every neighborhood boasts a noodle shop or three.

Oh for f**ks sake.

Bubblepop! for Babes & Babies, September 17.

The next Bubblepop event is scheduled for September 17 at Brillobox in Lawrenceville. Bubblepop, explains its Facebook page,

is a dance party for K-Pop, J-Pop, Mando-pop and everything else fun and cute.

A $5 donation to The Midwife Center for Birth and Women's Health is suggested. The 21-and-over event starts at 10:00 pm, and the venue is at 4104 Penn Ave. (map).

2015 Hong Kong film Ten Years (十年) at Regent Square Theater, September 17 and 19.

The 2015 Hong Kong film Ten Years (十年) will play at the Regent Square Theater on September 17 and 19 as part of this year's Silk Screen Film Festival.

New signage up at Noodle Uchi in Oakland.

New signage up at Noodle Uchi, at 415 S. Craig St. in Oakland (map), in what was formerly Maximum Flavor Pizza Shop. The restaurant is owned by Ting Yen, the owner of Oakland's Sushi Fuku and Fuku Tea. "ready to create your own ramen noodle bowl" has replaced "Create Your Own Noodle Bowls". Work is being done by Peter Margittai Architects, who designed the space for Noodle Uchi's neighbor, the second Sushi Fuku location.


Interior design by Peter Margittai Architechts, via Noodle Uchi Facebook page.

Rurouni Kenshin 2: Kyoto Inferno (るろうに剣心 京都大火編 ) in Pittsburgh, September 13 and 14; Rurouni Kenshin 3: The Legend Ends ( るろうに剣心 伝説の最期編), October 4 and 5.

The 2014 Japanese movie Rurouni Kenshin 2: Kyoto Inferno (るろうに剣心 京都大火編 ) will play at Southside Works Cinema on September 13 and 14. The distributor has a synopsis of the second installment of the trilogy:

Spectacular fight scenes and swordplay capture the true spirit of the classic franchise in this thrilling live-action adaptation.Former assassin Kenshin Himura and his friends are called back into action when a ghost from the past era rises to wreak havoc across Japan. Makoto Shishio, another ex-assassin, was betrayed, burned, and left for dead at the end of the war. Badly scarred—but very much alive—Shishio has put together an army and aims to overthrow the new government—burning anything and killing anyone who stands in his way. After witnessing his brutality firsthand, Kenshin agrees to intervene and help keep the peace. Will the wanderer with a blade bathed in blood be able to withstand the fury of the swordsman forged by fire?

The trilogy has a limited release in the US this fall, with Rurouni Kenshin 3: The Legend Ends (るろうに剣心 伝説の最期編) playing on October 4 and 5 at Southside Works Cinema. Tickets are currently available online via the theater's website.

Shin Godzilla (シン・ゴジラ) at Pittsburgh Mills, October 11 to 18.

The 2016 Japanese blockbuster Shin Godzilla (シン・ゴジラ) will have a limited theatrical release in the US from October 11 to October 18, with Pittsburgh Mills being one of the 440 theaters showing it. Ticket information, as well as a full list of theaters, will be available via Funmation Films on September 9.

Cafe 33 Taiwanese Bistro to open September 6.

Cafe 33 Taiwanese Bistro will have its grand opening in Squirrel Hill on Tuesday, September 6. Located at 1711 Shady Ave. (map) in what was most recently a laundromat, the restaurant is run by the former head chef of Rose Tea Cafe, another Taiwanese restaurant around the corner.

Japanese-English Reading Circle continues in Shadyside, from September 3.

The Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania's Japanese-English Reading Circle groups will continue in at Kenmawr Apartments in Shadyside on Saturdays from September 3.

Things shaping up at Cafe 33 Taiwanese Bistro in Squirrel Hill.

Cafe 33 Taiwanese Bistro hits a lot of the requisite points for a new restaurant. Cafe plus number in the name? Check. Bistro? Check. Garage door patio? Check. Construction at 1711 Shady Ave (map) is nearing completion, the space rehabilitated from its previous use a dilapidated laundromat. The owner of Cafe 33 Taiwanese Bistro is the former head chef at Rose Tea Cafe, another Taiwanese restaurant around the corner on Forbes Ave.

Ming Wong lecture at Carnegie Mellon School of Art, November 1.

From 明年 / Next Year / L'Année Prochaine, via artist's site.

The Carnegie Mellon School of Art will host Ming Wong on November 1 as part of it's Fall 2016 Lecture Series. The School of Art profiles the artist:

Ming Wong re-interprets cinema and popular culture to consider how identity is constructed, reproduced and circulated. Through imperfect translations and re-enactments, the artist portrays multiple key characters irrespective of language, gender, ethnicity, nationality or historical period. His videos, photographs, installations and performances uncover the gaps and slippages that haunt the notions of “authenticity” and “originality” in self and society. The Singapore-born, Berlin-based artist represented Singapore at the 53rd Venice Biennale in 2009 with his solo presentation Life of Imitation, which was awarded a Special Mention.

The talk begins at 5:00 pm in Kresge Theater (map), and is free and open to the public.

Free Chinese, Japanese, Korean classes at Oakland branch of Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.

As the new school year begins, a reminder that the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh has free Korean, Japanese, and Chinese classes at its Oakland branch (map). Depending on the class and the particular volunteer teacher, the sessions range from a period of casual free talking to more rigorous class with workbooks and chalk-and-talk instruction on grammar and usage.

Here's a look at what's coming up:

* Chinese for Beginners (next meeting: September 11). Held the second and fourth Sunday of the month from 3:30 to 4:30 pm. The Squirrel Hill branch hosts a Chinese for Beginners class every Saturday at 2:00 pm, the next meeting being September 10.
* Kasper Hua Presents Let's Learn Chinese (next meeting: September 1). Held every Thursday from 6:30 to 7:00 pm in the Children's Library. Helping children learn Chinese language and culture through songs, stories, and more.
* Chinese II (next meeting: September 4). Held the first and third Sundays of the month from 3:30 to 4:30 pm in the Large Print Room.
* Chinese Conversation Club (next meeting: September 8). Held the second and fourth Thursday of each month from 6:00 to 7:00 in the Large Print Room. For intermediate and advanced learners.

* Japanese for Beginners (next meeting: September 12). Second and fourth Monday of the month from 6:30 to 7:30 pm in Classroom A.
* Japanese II (next meeting: September 13). Second and fourth Tuesday of the month from 6:30 to 7:30 pm in Classroom A. "Japanese II is geared toward those who already have a basic understanding of Japanese and are interested in increasing proficiency," says the library website. "Ability to read and write hiragana is required to take this class."
* Japanese Conversation Club (next meeting: September 6). Held on the first and third Tuesday of the month from 6:00 to 7:00. For intermediate and advanced learners.

* Korean for Beginners (next meeting: September 3). Every Saturday from 1:00 to 2:30 in the Large Print Room. Focuses on reading Hangeul and producing basic phrases.
* Korean II (next meeting: September 3). Every Saturday from 11:00 to 12:30 in the Large Print Room.

Students may join the class at any time of the year, though registration is now required for the classes. This can be done online by clicking on the class and submitting your name and email address. For more information about the courses, and to register for one, visit the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh homepage, click events, and search for Chinese, Japanese, or Korean.

[With Asian/Pacific Islander Beats] We Move Night Market, September 17 in Squirrel Hill.

The Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition will present the [With Asian/Pacific Islander Beats] We Move Night Market on September 17. An excerpt from a forthcoming Squirrel Hill Magazine profile:

In July, as part of his Welcoming Pittsburgh Initiative, Mayor Bill Peduto announced the [ ] We Move series, an assortment of ten community-led cultural celebrations. The [ ] We Move events are focused on promoting immigrant, Latino and African American inclusion in Pittsburgh while celebrating our diverse cultures. The Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition is proud to have been chosen to host one of these events and receive the $1000 mini-grant!

As a result, the last Night Market this summer will be an Asian/Pacific Islander inspired celebration: [With Asian/Pacific Islander Beats], We Move! Featuring special performances from the K-Pop Dance Club (KPDC) of Carnegie Mellon University and Steel City Ukuleles, the market will have you dancing in the streets!

. . .

Also scheduled are fun Asian games and traditions, such as the classic board game, Go, origami and a Kimono/Yukata photo booth! Market goers will also be able to experience a unique summer treat: Nagashi-somen. Part game, part dining experience, nagashi-somen is the act of catching noodles as they rush past on a water filled bamboo ‘stream’ before dunking them in sauce and devouring them. It promises to be a real treat!

The night market will also include some yet-unannounced performers of particular relevance tot he theme. It will run from 6:00 to 10:00 pm near the intersections of Forbes and Murray Aves (map), accessible via buses 61A, 61B, 61C, 61D, 64, and 74.

Chinese movie Time Raiders (盗墓笔记) in Pittsburgh from August 26.

The 2016 Chinese movie Time Raiders (盗墓笔记) starring Luhan and Jing Boran will play at the AMC Loews Waterfront from August 26. Wikipedia provides a plot summary:

Graduated from a top architect school, Wu Xie (Lu Han) is fascinated with old architecture and antiques. He was raised by his Uncle Wu Sanxing (Wang Jing Chun), a renowned archaeologist. One day, Xie heard that his uncle has gone missing. After some digging, Xie found a notebook which was full of secrets that belongs to Uncle Wu. Xie decides to find his uncle at all costs.

Surprisingly, Xie is not the only one who is looking for Uncle Wu. He teamed up with Uncle Wu’s best friend Chubby Wang (Zhang Boyu), Zhang Qiling (Jing Boran) & assistant Ning (Ma Si Chun). After much hardship, they found the place Uncle Wu last visited: The Heavenly Palace --- tomb of Ming dynasty Fengshui Guru Wang Canghai.

In spite of negative reviews for the plot and special effects, the movie is one of the most financially successful in Chinese history.

The theater is located at 300 West Waterfront Dr. in the Waterfront shopping complex in Homestead (map), across the Monongahela River from Greenfield, Squirrel Hill, and the rest of Pittsburgh.

Grave of the Fireflies (火垂るの墓), Paprika (パプリカ) to round out Anime Film Series at Row House Cinema in October.

The Row House Cinema in Lawrenceville has added Grave of the Fireflies (火垂るの墓) and Paprika (パプリカ) to an Anime Film Series that includes previously-announced movies 1973's Belladonna of Sadness (哀しみのベラドンナ), Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (カウボーイビバップ 天国の扉), and Millennium Actress (千年女優). The series will run from October 14 through 20, with ticket information and showtimes to come later. The single-screen theater is located at 4115 Butler Street in Lawrenceville (map).

Former Steelers QB Terry Bradshaw on "Better Late Than Never", remake of South Korean travel comedy show "꽃보다 할배".

As we wrote last June, Terry Bradshaw, the Hall of Fame quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1970 to 1983, will be one of the stars of "Better Late Than Never", an upcoming reality show based off South Korea's "Grandpa Over Flowers" (꽃보다 할배).