August Book Club: Miracle Creek by Angie Kim, August 27 at Maridon Museum.

Butler County's Maridon Museum will read and discuss Miracle Creek by Angie Kim in its August Book Club meeting on August 27. A brief synospis, from the author's site:

In the rural Virginia town of Miracle Creek, Young and Pak Yoo run an experimental medical treatment device known as the Miracle Submarine—a pressurized oxygen chamber that patients enter for therapeutic “dives” with the hopes of curing issues like autism or infertility. But when the chamber mysteriously explodes, killing two people, a dramatic murder trial upends the Yoos’ small community.

The meetings will be held in person from 3:00 to 4:00 pm but will also have a Zoom component for people not comfortable gathering at this time. Those interested in registering should call 724-282-0123 or email info@maridon.org. The Maridon Museum is an Asian art museum in Butler County that holds frequent movie screenings, classes, and book club meetings, in addition to the art exhibitions that take place when there isn't a pandemic.

Chiang Mai Noodle now open in Oakland.

Chiang Mai Noodle has opened in North Oakland, located at 256 N. Craig Street (map) in what was most recently Pad Thai Noodle (and three Vietnamese restaurants in recent years).

New Chinese restaurant under construction on Forbes Ave. in Squirrel Hill.

Permits have been issued for work on a new Chinese restaurant in Squirrel Hill. A building permit for 5867 Forbes Ave. (map) to "Build a small restaurant" was issued last month, the contracter being ABC Global, a consulting firm owned by a local Chinese businessperson involved in numerous Chinese restaurant and grocery projects. The lcoation was formerly home to Capriccio Boutique.

TBT: Rina Sawayama in Pittsburgh.

via @deltafoundation and Mark Simpson Photography

Rina Sawayama has been in the news for the British Awards exclusion, and was very briefly in the local news here last year when she opened for Toni Braxton at last June's Pride Rocks PGH concert.


via @deltafoundation and Mark Simpson Photography

2013 animated film Patema Inverted (サカサマのパテマ) online at Row House Cinema, part of Japanese Film Week, from July 31.

The 2013 animated film Patema Inverted (サカサマのパテマ) will play online at Row House Cinema as part of Japanese Film Week from July 31. From a 2014 New York Times review:

An orphaned girl and a fatherless boy bridge opposing societies in “Patema Inverted,” a delightful animated fable from Yasuhiro Yoshiura.

When a scientific experiment goes awry, the laws of physics go nuts, and a subset of humans is forced underground, where gravity has been reversed. In this inverted world of tunnels and caverns, the sky is a terrifying blue-and-white hole for the unwary — like the 14-year-old Patema — to fall into.

Meanwhile, on the surface, young Age and his school friends aren’t faring much better under a totalitarian regime that forbids them to look toward the heavens.

Similar to Juan Solanas’s little-seen 2013 love story, “Upside Down,” this “Can we get along?” movie literalizes a physical attraction that acts as a counterargument to the divided worlds’ insistence on separation.

Ticket information is coming soon. Two other films comprise Japanese Film Week, which actually runs two weeks through August 13: A Girl Missing (よこがお) and We Are Little Zombies (ウィーアーリトルゾンビーズ) , both from 2019.

Replay of "A Conversation Too Long Ignored: How COVID-19, Xenophobia and Systemic Racism Disenfranchise the Marginalized Communities of Pittsburgh" from Pitt Diversity Forum 2020 now available.

This year's installment of the annual Pitt Diversity Forum, titled Advancing Social Justice: A Call To Action, featured a number of topics related to Asian-America and xenophobia on July 29. A replay of the livestream of "A Conversation Too Long Ignored: How COVID-19, Xenophobia and Systemic Racism Disenfranchise the Marginalized Communities of Pittsburgh" with Marian M. Lien, Josiah Gilliam, and James Cook is now available:

Crazy Rich Asians at Waterworks Cinema, July 29 and 30.

The movie Crazy Rich Asians is playing at the Waterworks Cinema on July 29 and 30. A summary of the film, from the distributor:

"Crazy Rich Asians” follows native New Yorker Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) as she accompanies her longtime boyfriend, Nick Young (Henry Golding), to his best friend’s wedding in Singapore. Excited about visiting Asia for the first time but nervous about meeting Nick’s family, Rachel is unprepared to learn that Nick has neglected to mention a few key details about his life. It turns out that he is not only the scion of one of the country’s wealthiest families but also one of its most sought-after bachelors. Being on Nick’s arm puts a target on Rachel’s back, with jealous socialites and, worse, Nick’s own disapproving mother (Michelle Yeoh) taking aim. And it soon becomes clear that while money can’t buy love, it can definitely complicate things.

Tickets for the two 7:40 pm shows are available online. The theater is located at the Waterworks Shopping Mall across the river from Higland Park (map).

Brew & View: We Are Little Zombies (ウィーアーリトルゾンビーズ) with Row House Cinema, July 31 - August 2; film continues through August 13.

The Row House Cinema will present an online "Brew & View" with the 2019 Japanese film We Are Little Zombies (ウィーアーリトルゾンビーズ) from July 31 through August 2.

We're rethinking our signature beer and movie events so that you can pair great beer with an amazing film safely at home while Row House Cinema is closed.

Here's how it works:
1.) Pre-order your beer through Eventbrite ($20)
Tickets: https://bit.ly/38PnD7k

2.) Pick up a special 4 pack at Bierport July 31-Aug 2.
(Pssst. You can call ahead to add popcorn to your pickup!)

3.) Rent “We Are Little Zombies” from Row House Online ($12)
(Available 7-31 to 8-13 at rowhousecinema.com)

4.) Crack open a cold one and follow our handy guide for drinking themed beers that pair with key scenes in the movie!

1975 film The Man From Hong Kong (直搗黃龍) online with Row House Cinema, August 1.

The Row House Cinema will present the 1975 Australia-Hong Kong film The Man From Hong Kong (直搗黃龍) on August 1. This live stream will feature commentary from the director and the head programmer of Portland's Hollywood Theatre.

Join us this Saturday, August 1st at 9:15 pm EDT, for the live stream of "Man from Hong Kong" on 36cinema.com!

Dan Halsted—head programmer at the Hollywood Theatre—and Brian Trenchard Smith—film writer, author, and director of "Man From Hong Kong"—will provide live commentary during this special presentation.

Visit http://36cinema.com/RowHouse to secure your spot!

THE MAN FROM HONG KONG is a rare success, both in terms of blending Eastern and Western action styles and of providing a snapshot of how no-holds-barred Aussie cinema was at the time. This movie is filled with non-stop excitement and wild stunt work.

The Facebook event page gives the incorrect date; the film will play on August 1. Tickets for the 9:15 pm show are $10.

2019 Japanese film A Girl Missing (よこがお) online at Row House Cinema, from July 31.

The 2019 Japanese film A Girl Missing (よこがお) will play online at the Row House Cinema from July 31. An August 2019 Variety review provides a synopsis:

Ichiko is a visiting nurse whose in-home care for elderly artist Tôko Oishi (Hisako Ohkata) has made her a favorite of the family, especially with Tôko’s two granddaughters, the troubled, enigmatic Motoko (Mikako Ichikawa) and the younger, carefree Saki (Miyu Ogawa). Life is pretty good: Ichiko has a pleasant relationship with her nurse colleagues, she enjoys her work, and she’s engaged to Dr. Totsuka (Mitsuru Fukikoshi). Then Saki disappears and is found one week later seemingly unharmed, with Ichiko’s nephew Tatsuo (Ren Sudo) arrested for abduction. She feels responsible, having introduced the two by chance, yet Motoko tells her not to mention her connection to the accused, as it would jeopardize her presence in the family fold.

It will play online from July 31 through August 13; ticket information is coming soon.