Travelling While Black

The story is about how black Americans faced discrimination when they were travelling long distance across America many years ago.

Watched this at the "We Are One" film festival. First time watching a movie with virtual reality controls! Not sure how to best make use of it though. Quite sad to hear that black Americans still facing discrimination even until today.

Internet Movie Database Link

Made In Japan

The story is about what happened when a group of friends started to make up stories to the media on what they know about a murderer on the loose.

Liked the interesting relationship between media and the interviewee! The media hopes for scandalous details to bring in more sales so this indirectly tempts the interviewee to make something up.

Japanese Film Festival Link

The Breakfast Club

The story is about five American high school students learning more about each other during a weekend class detention.

Liked how the students sat down and had in-depth conversations with each other! Not as much action as "Back to the Future" that came out in the same year, but I learned a bit more about young people in the '80s from this film.

Internet Movie Database Link

From Up On Poppy Hill

The story is about the lives of a few school children in Japan just before the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.

Liked the old style kitchen and the friendship between the two protagonists! Looked quite fun riding the bicycle downhill!

Internet Movie Database Link

Lady Bird

The story is about a girl growing up in Sacramento California but dreams of going to college in New York.

Liked the snippets of life in a Catholic all girl's high school! A nice coming-of-age story where the protagonist made mistakes along the way but realized that there is no place like home in the end!

Internet Movie Database Link

Excited Death

The story is about a girl who secretly admired her handsome neighbor next door. She then bumped into a man who is a secret admirer of the neighbor's girlfriend and formed plans together to break them up.

Liked the voice over narration of the protagonist and the ridiculous plans which were doomed to fail! Recognized the park near Ghibli Museum for their first plan from my recent Japan trip!

Japanese Film Festival Link

Girl's Encounter

The story is about a shy girl coming out of her shell after she made a new friend in school. There was something strange about the friend though.

Liked the friendship of the two girls! Great suspense in keeping the audience guessing what might happen next but didn't really like the fantasy sequences as they were a little bit weird for my taste! A thought provoking film as it made me wonder if it is really a good idea to not feel pain in life!

Japanese Film Festival Link