jayg_58 I really wanted to like it - so I did. A murder mystery with a worn premise. Strange combination of 60% Japanese with subtitles and 40% English. Liked that too. Main character, Ayako Fujitani, is very good and takes a mean close-up. Very cute.People keep disappearing and identities are always in question. Nothing new, but with the conflageration of characters it was hard to follow, especially since most of the characters were Japanese. The protagonist was developed, but the antagonist could have been a whole movie.The problem was that this could easily have been a six part mini-series. There were so many characters and sub-plots, all introduced and abandoned. Each of these could have been a one or two hour episode instead of just dropped. In the end - it just ended. Then I saw the credits. 'Gofundme'. Apparently they were moving along at a brisk pace and suddenly ran out of money. 'Well, I guess that's a wrap, folks.' As the lawman stands on a dock with no visible means of escape, but the bad guy gets away anyway. Wheredidhego? After more funding? I enjoyed it anyway, just wish it had been 'finished'.

The Couchpotatoes My wife being from Reno the movie title caught my eye. I had absolutely no clue what it was going to be about. I didn't read any reviews before watching it, just saw it was a mystery/crime and that's the kind of movies I like so I gave it a shot. I didn't regret it. It's a good movie but you for sure have to stay alert every second because you might miss something because of the many twists. I might even have to watch it a second time to get more answers. The mix of Japanese and English worked very well. To me the two stars of the movie are Ayako Fujitani and Pepe Serna. Very good performances both of them. Surely worth a watch or even two to get everything.

cs-75808 This is an exceptional piece of cinema in ways obvious and not so obvious.It can be especially appreciated by native Californians, although that's not necessarily a prerequisite to enjoy the film.The plot captures your interest from the opening scenes of a driver carefully navigating his way through fog on a lonely road, but hitting a pedestrian in spite of his caution. To the surprise of both the audience and the driver, who stops and gets out of the car to assist, the victim gets up and runs away, disappearing into the fog.True to the film noir tradition, this is just the first in a whole series of mysterious occurrences, some of which are eventually resolved, and some which are not. This keeps the viewer guessing not only during the film, but after he/she leaves the theater. Your attention is focused all during the film, although a few of the less important plot points are so convoluted, you never do figure them out.Never mind, there is great beauty in the film, thanks to carefully thought out direction by Dave Boyle and the extraordinary skill of the cinematographer, Richard Wong. In shot after shot, the collaboration of the director and his cinematographer results in images perfectly composed. The cinematographer, who is based in San Francisco, obviously has a great feeling and appreciation for both interiors and exteriors of this exceptional city. Even more impressive to this native Californian is his feel for the state's subtle beauty outside of its famous urban areas.There are the icons familiar to all: San Francisco's Victorian architecture, fascinating waterfront, hilly skyline and impressive bridges. Less familiar are the sparsely-populated areas of the California countryside, with rolling hills, winding roads, and occasional trees. The muted color palette and quiet beauty in these areas of the state may not have the majesty and impact of San Francisco or Yosemite, but they can have their own unique appeal just the same. It's obvious that the cinematographer and director understand this and wisely included some of these kinds of scenes in their opus.They also maximize the beauty of their lead actress, Ayako Fugitani, not only with the cinematography, but also in collaboration with the individual responsible for her elegant attire, costume designer Irene Chan. Ms. Fugitani's affluent chic look is evidence that great care and thought went into in how she was to be presented. And of course her expert hairstyling and make up work was icing on the cake. My guess is that she has never looked better since she began her acting career two decades ago.Welcome also is the humanity of the portrayal of the sheriff by veteran actor Pepe Sema. His sincerity and smooth professionalism – over 40 years as an actor - is reflected in his work in this film.Also admirable - and unusual - is the attempt to accurately portray two complete different cultures, Japanese and American, in the same film without relying on stereotypes or preconceived ideas that the audience might have. The director's previous work has involved having a foot in both cultures, and this film demonstrates how well he has honed his expertise.Speaking of expertise, the film, which was shot digitally on a modest budget, but doesn't look like it, is a terrific example of how today it is possible to make a film with superb production values because excellent tools are more accessible than they ever have been in history of filmmaking. You don't need a studio and the associated overhead. The tools for capture - cameras, lenses, and lighting - are so good and so portable, they can literally be used anywhere under any conditions. And you can work with minimal crew, which minimizes the risk of disruption when working on location.It's the same story with post-production, where filmmakers spend far more time refining their story than they spent shooting it. The editing capability of the computers and software available today is phenomenal, even if you only have a modest budget. Just ask the director, who has been editing professionally for years.The film noir efforts of 70 years ago still stand up well when it comes to the storyline, but when it comes to the production values . . . well, you really appreciate all the progress that has been made since. "Man from Reno" is a superb example of that progress.I look forward to seeing more work from this director and his team of very talented collaborators.

David Ferguson Greetings again from the dark. It's been awhile since we have seen a turtle movie that didn't also feature pizza and nunchucks. While it's true that the endangered exotic turtles in director Dave Boyle's neo-noir potboiler don't live in the sewer or wear masks, they do play a key role in his multiple-plot murder mystery co-written with Joel Clark and Michael Lerner.This nifty little web of clues and McGuffins centers on mystery writer Aki (Ayako Fujitani) and a small town Sheriff (Pepe Serna), and starts with a foggy night on a nearly deserted road. From there we get murders, turtles, a night of passion, deceit, paparazzi, secrets, and a rich Brit and his burly henchmen. And if that's not enough, there is a professional impostor who takes identity theft to the extreme. With the back and forth between English and Japanese dialogue, the film has the feel of a foreign film, yet it's filmed mostly in San Francisco. The use of mood lighting and atmospheric sets add an element of intrigue. Heck, even one small hotel room gets used over and over for a variety of scenes. It's a fun movie to watch and play along with.Ms. Fujitani and Mr. Serna are both excellent in their roles, and support work comes courtesy of Kazuki Kitamura (The Raid, Killers), Hiroshi Watanabe (Letters from Iwo Jima), Rome Kanda, and Derrick O'Connor (Lethal Weapon 2). This was a favorite on the film festival circuit last year, and despite the use of a couple of false endings, it is one most fans of mysteries will enjoy.