As a culture, we don’t put a lot of stock in the pursuit of mastery. Sure, we’ll cheer for Michael Jordan and clap for Yo Yo Ma, but if we can find some way to destroy you (Tiger Woods, anyone?) we will. It seems, eventually, that the pursuit of mastery is some sort of threat on our tendencies toward the mediocre. This is where we find ourselves.

Enter Jiro. Jiro is the best sushi maker in the world. Really. He has no other passions, no other drives. He is 100% devoted to the pursuit of mastery in his field. It’s something you don’t see every day and, more importantly, something to aspire to.

This movie isn’t about how the world…

Jiro Dreams of Sushi is an interesting documentary about 85-year old, Jiro Ono, a sushi master who runs a 10-seat and three Michelin starred restaurant in Tokyo. The film documents his lifelong dedication to his craft and creation of his mouthwatering dishes. Yet it is also a film about family, Japanese culture, artistry and the way of life for a sushi shokunin (translated as artisan).

The direction of the film by David Gelb is staunchly conventional with familiar talking head sections and behind-the-scenes kitchen montages. It is a style that fits this story of a man who seems entirely defined by his unquestionable skill and dedication to his discipline. Even at 85-years old there is no sign of him relinquishing…

Film #26 of The December Project

I thought Jiro Dreams of Sushi would be little more than hero worship and food porn. What I found was so much more! Sure, you're supposed to admire Jiro's drive and energy at age 85 and the shots of the sushi are nothing short of spectacular, but the real crux of the story is the effect his lifelong pursuit of perfection has had on his two sons.

I was especially invested in his eldest son's plight. His name is Yoshikazu, and he had dreams of his own before his father asked him to carry on his legacy. The documentary about Jiro's notable life turns into an exploration of Japanese culture, a condemnation of over-fishing,…

Out of many books about failed technology companies I read, Riding the runaway horse left a particularly lasting impression. It wasn’t because Wang Laboratories had especially interesting products. It was because of the heartbreaking personal story of An Wang who spent half of his life grooming his son to become his successor at the helm of the company – and eventually had to replace him after Wang Labs went into a nosedive from which it never recovered.

Jiro dreams of sushi is a movie about a Japanese chef who – at 85 and having started around the age of ten – has been making sushi for longer than most people are alive. He has his own little but acclaimed restaurant…