One of our mom's friends had recommended that we should try and plan out a day so our mom could take a break. We would plan out where to go, what to eat, and we'd have a budget for it also. If the place we were going to was close by we would also practice driving there since we have our permit now. Starting small we're given a $50 budget for our first day, today was my sisters day to choose! She had been wanting to go to a sushi place, and the same friend had mentioned that there was a good place nearby called Sushi Chiyo. We decided to try it out and thankfully the time we went was happy hour so we were able to sample a lot of different sushi without worrying about the price all that much.
It was both mine and my sisters first time being in a sushi place with a conveyor belt and, to be honest, we were a bit excited. They had fresh sushi being made right in front of us in the middle of the island. We all agreed that the rainbow roll was our favorite. If you can see on the menu it has salmon and tuna on it, but both mine and moms had what we believed to be ahi which I didn't mind either. I really enjoyed the sushi's that added avocado, it was like a calm, creamy break from the other flavors that the some of the sushi's offered. We also tried their miso soup that had smelt weird at first, like something soggy, but the taste was good overall, I liked the bits of tofu. Both my sister and I really enjoyed their sesame balls filled with red bean, known as Jian Dui in Chinese.
Sushi Chiyo's Menu
After our big lunch, that creeped into dinner, we went to the movies to watch Alpha. The movie was described as a boy in a tribe who got separated and befriended a wolf along the way, both my mom and sister had wanted to watch it. Me, not so much, it didn't exactly catch my interest with its trailer.
Alpha
The movie started with a beautiful showing of the barren landscape of how Europe may have looked like 20,000 years ago. Bringing us straight into the action they show us a tribe that's creeping towards a herd of buffalo's for their big hunt before winter. Along the trail to the ledge, there were stone pillars made by their ancestors to lead the way back to their home. This is the first hunt for the tribe leader's son, Keda, and you can tell that he isn't much of an adept at killing to survive. They threw their spears in a crescent formation and scared most of the buffalo that then fell to their death in the chasm just nearby. Keda had gotten tossed off a cliff by the buffalo, landing on a ledge, and was knocked out from the fall. His father showed little to no hesitation to climb after his son, his friend had to stop him from following him off the cliff. It was so heartbreaking, you could see how much he cared for his son as a father. So much that he nearly followed him off the cliff just to get to him. Knowing that as the leader he needed to do what was best for his tribe, and so he made a ritual of stones to respect his passing and went back home grudgingly.
Unbeknownst to the father, his son Keda was still alive. A big downpour had come and created a flood in the chasm, knowing that it was his only possible way to get off the ledge he jumped. I'm not sure how deep it was but when he woke up he had a swollen foot that was bruised and purple, having to put it back into place and made a splint for himself. I definitely wouldn't have been able to do this, I'm not a very big fan of pain. Meeting a pack of wolves he runs up a tree, and in doing so he wounds one of them in the leg with his knife. That's how he meets Alpha, slowly becoming accustomed to the wolf, he helps keep its wound clean and feeds him what he can. Alpha helps him learn how to hunt and slowly they become a great duo.
The journey to get to Keda's home is dangerous because of the arising winter. Massive snowstorms are on the way and Keda and Alpha both need shelter and food. Midway into their journey Keda and Alpha part ways because Alpha had found its pack and went along with them. Meeting again Keda see's the pack eating the remains of what used to be a massive animal. Rushing towards them because he needs the food he falls through the ice and into the cold, freezing water. Lasting longer than I think would be humanly possible he manages to break the ice with his knife, along with the help of Alpha. Realistically, I truly doubt he would have survived after that. Especially since he was already weak from being malnourished, then being dipped into freezing water, that's just a recipe for death.
Alpha is now the one who helps Keda through the snowstorms, following the stars they make their way closer and closer, but both are now very weak. Alpha was barely able to move, Keda needed to lift them up. Finally seeing his home he starts to cry, carrying Alpha on his back he finally reaches home. Like any cliche movie, Alpha turns out to be a female and was pregnant through that whole ordeal. The end shows a clip of the hunters going for the herd of buffalos again, but now with the help of man's best friend, dogs. Or at least a type similar to dogs, which are wolves.
Overall
As a whole I really enjoyed the movie, the actors were good for the most part and the other animals were very realistic, so kudos to the CGI artists. The wolves were played by actual animals, which I thought did a great job. The make-up crew was good because the blood definitely looked real, and Keda's broken foot was also very realistic! I like the time that the movie took place in, I wouldn't mind reading books or watching more movies that are based around that time. I loved watching the bond grow between Alpha and Keda, they were definitely a great pair. My favorite character would have to be Keda's dad, he showed so much emotion and you could truly see the thought process of how it is for a leader of a tribe. And of course my favorite animal was Alpha, who stuck with Keda through the end. I would recommend this movie, just not for those who may feel queasy looking at blood or others being injured. It tells a great story of man's best friend and my family really enjoyed the movie.
Sources:
Sushi Chiyo Menu
Alpha