okaasan (mom) (2019)

George Washington might have said it best, "All I am, I owe to my mother".  Or maybe it was Chuck Palahniuk who said "Mothers. With all their caring and attention.  They will fuck you up, every time."  Well this short film, okaasan (mom), definitely will make you want to give dear ol' mom a jingle and say you love her, even if you aren't on speaking terms.  We follow the aptly named Daughter (Kana Hatakeyama) who ventures back home to Japan after the loss of a beloved family member to stay with and care for her Mother (Kako Hatakeyama).  The real life mother and daughter combo of Kana and Kako Hatakeyama definitely don't need to stretch to play the roles that writer and director Kana Hatekeyama wrote specifically for them, and all 18 minutes of screen time between the two show a true love and connection, even if there is a plot of a strained relationship between the two.  As the mother and daughter reconnect with each other, we get a chance to see the growth of a complex relationship and all the words unspoken.  We also get a chance to see Kana Hatekeyama jump into a bath with her mom, showing all 3 of her B's on display.  It might not be the sexiest context for a Nude-Comer debut for the Orange is the New Black and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt alum, but we count it as skin, none the less!  So definitely check this short film out for the mother/daughter relationship drama, and stay for bath time with Kana Hatekeyama, because she's an absolutely gorgeous gal!