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…

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…

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…

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…

Beautifully elegant documentary about a 85-year old sushi chef with tunnel vision, driven to perfection with no other goals but to cook the best sushi possible. His apprentices have to serve for 10 years before they can cook the eggs, his octopus is massaged for 50 minutes rather than the usual 30, he only buys the best cuts of fish and the finest rice available - everything has to be perfect.

To match his artistry, this documentary looks absolutely gorgeous…

This film was tailor made to fit my interests. Since I was young, my family has always put interest into the restaurant business, both from the business aspect (my family used to own a couple restaurants in New York) and the food.

The preparation of food has always interested me. Not only is it an art, but it's an exact science. Even the smallest detail can have the greatest effect. It's impressive.

So naturally, this documentary about a guy who…

First off I have to mention the lovely TIFF Bell Lightbox theatre I had the pleasure to see this at. Truly a beautiful theatre and a great movie watching experience. I can't imagine I will be back in Toronto any time soon, but if I am there, I will make damn sure to see something at the LIghtbox.

Now, for the movie, it's a simple documentary on one of the most unlikely three-starred Michelin chefs. An 85 year-old man who…

JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI is some hardcore food porn. Seriously, some of the imagery in this movie of sushi preparation is beautiful enough to make me want to bite a living dolphin, and I don’t even like seafood.

You don’t need to be a spicy tuna roll connoisseur to appreciate this movie, though. While the film’s bones are about this world-renowned chef and his perfectionist technique, JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI’s heart rests more within a family story of tradition and…