Bob McCarty Writes

If you’re having a hard time deciding whether or not to plunk down $20 for an advance ticket or $100 for a VIP pass for this year’s Japanese Film Festival, fear not. As a former three-year resident of the Land of the Rising Sun, I thought it would be interesting to offer my readers a “sneak peak” at three of more than 25 movies due to be screened during the festival that kicks off April 11 in Los Angeles. They appear below:

Hula Girls

Based on a true story, it is 1965 and in Japan, young women in a small Japanese town look to revive their home’s declining fortunes by building a Hawaiian village tourist attraction. A film that is sure to bring tears of joy to even the strongest among us, Hula Girls is a heartwarming true story about a group of vibrant young women who defy the wishes of their community and take the closing of the local coal mine as their chance to make a brighter future for themselves by becoming Hula dancers at the mining company’s new Hawaiian tourist center. You can never go wrong with hula dancing, right?

Sumo Hot Pot

Based on a true story, this film follows a group of international students and Japanese female students who reorganize their university’s sumo team. Through the Japanese national sport, sumo, it shows the hardship and prosperity of the students, as well as cultural exchanges between international students and Japanese students. Is that Tom Hanks at right in the photo above?

Train Man

While riding the train, a desperate geek meets the girl of his dreams, prompting the socially deprived but brave young nerd to start a chat room thread asking his faceless Internet compatriots, “How do you talk to girls?” The courtship advice he receives from his online pals — and what he does with their expert counsel — form the basis for this charming romantic comedy, a love story for the 21st century. Imagine the geek-focused product-placement opportunities in this film!

Gotta love those publicity photos!