Independent filmmaker, Sally Potter's new film, RAGE is going to be the "rage" when it comes out. I predict it now. It's impressive cast and interesting costume and makeup for it's stars will make all the men in the audience wonder about themselves and all the women jealous...
Hopefully that will be enough to draw in the crowds. Sally Potter isn't for everyone...alas, too bad. I really do think she's a freaking genius. I read the script of YES, in book form. I'm not sure how it was sent to me, but it's lyrical rhythm and poetic sensibilities made me ache inside. Make note however, I don't always have the patience or depth to appreciate "art" all the time either. Only some times, and usually only in small dosages.
I heard through the grapevine that there is talk of a Three Stooges remake. I'm not sure exactly what they would be remaking. If I remember correctly, the Three Stooges did comedic shorts and not feature films. A remake is bad enough, but the rumour is that Johnny Depp is in the running for Moe, and Sean Penn for Larry, directed by the Farrelly Brothers. No word yet on who will be cast as Curly. I'm thinking that we, as Americans, who know, love and appreciate the OG Three Stooges might not buy into Depp as "Moe" and Penn as "Larry," however, it might be cool if they played the real guys behind the characters. Depp playing Moses Horwitz (AKA Moe Howard), and Penn playing Louis Fienberg (AKA Larry Fine.)
From what I understand the guys actually lived pretty drama filled lives in it of itself. Didn't they die broke? Anyway, if it were more of a bipoic it can be a hit! I'd totally be into that. Kind of like Chaplin, with Robert Downey Jr. Remember that one? That was great! But can Farrelly Brothers pull something like that off? I kind of think of them as goofy guys who make goofy films...albeit funny. The Three Stooges may have been funny characters, but who were they REALLY? That's what I wanna know!
Synopsis: Walt Kowalski (Clint Eastwood) has just lost his wife and his children want him to move out of the old neighborhood and move into a senior citizens' home. Walt doesn't want to move even though more Asian people live in his Detroit neighborhood than Americans. Walt has a problem with Asians ever since he fought them in the Korean War. This prejudice explodes when Thao, the teenage son of the Hmong family next door, tries to steal his mint condition 1972 Grand Torino car. Thao (played by Bee Vang) was pressured by an Asian gang to steal the car as an initiation rite. To regain the family's honor, Thao is forced to work for Walt. Walt begins to protect Thao from the gangs and soon he becomes a target. - Douglas Young
This is another film that needs to be watched with your confused, sometimes insecure teen, restless at home.
Although I found the acting by some of the cast, namely Bee and Chee Thao (Grandmother), to be a little awkward and inauthentic I found the characters themselves to be engaging and charming enough.
I admit, the dialogue and banter spewing from Kowalski's mouth sometimes made me cringe and squirm in my seat, only to be broken up by the occasional inescapable gasp that I couldn't quite stop. I constantly made up excuses in my head to persevere and appreciate that there are in fact, real people in this world that are indeed like this and represent the ignorant that have yet to be enlightened.
Cushioned in between a middle aged male attendee who appeared to have come by himself and my urbanized "too-cool" teen I found that if that when one was laughing the other wasn't. Well into the film I was becoming increasingly aware that the white guy was laughing at all the abrasive racial slurs while my son and I could do nothing but grit our teeth and bite our tongues.
The characters developed smoothly and believably. When evolving as people, as I, myself have done as well, I think it happens with exposure and really familiarizing ourselves with the unknown. It happened to Kowalski , it happened to me, it happened to you, and hopefully one day it will happen to all of us.
Synopsis: BABY is the tragic tale of an Asian youth trapped in the seedy world of the hostess bars, pool halls and drug dens that characterize East LA gang life. Baby is a motherless 11-year-old with only an alcoholic father to raise him. His troubles multiply when he is taken under the wing of his gangster neighbour, Tommy, who leads him down a path that lands him in Juvenile Hall for manslaughter. After seven violent, terrifying years in prison, Baby is ill-equipped to re-enter society and soon returns to a life of gangbanging and murder. Only his childhood friends, Fat Petey and Sammy, offer him any hope of turning his life around before it's too late. BABY features a case of over two hundred Asian American actors and extras, creating a great opportunity for many of them demonstrate the range of their talents in the kinds of roles for which they are usually passed over.
I took my sixteen year old to watch Babya couple of months ago and I wanted to write about it now to tell you and worthwhile it was. Especially if you have a teen in your home.
Although it has a strong indie feel and it isn't as polished as a typical Hollywood film, the production value is great and the storyline is even better. It's hard enough to talk to teens today about the dangers of the streets and the importance of making good friends but taking your teen to a film like this helps stimulate and inspire dialogue and communication.
My son walked away full of thought and questions which he then immediately grilled me with. It was awesome.
Synopsis: A girl who refuses to surrender her optimism despite difficult circumstances brings two unlikely strangers together in this comedy-drama from Vietnam. Thuy (Pham Thi Han) is an orphan who, after the death of her parents, has been sent to live with her uncle Tran Le Minh (Nguyen Hau). Tran runs a company that processes bamboo, and he puts Thuy to work in his factory, where's she puts in long hours and is treated poorly by her uncle and his associates. Convinced life has better things to offer, Thuy runs away to Saigon, and she soon makes friends with a handful of plucky fellow orphans who survive on the street and look out for one another. Thuy supports herself by selling flowers, and during her rounds she meets Hai (Le The Lu), a friendly zookeeper who is looking after a baby elephant which is soon to be sold. Thuy and her friends meet every day at a diner where a boy (Hoang Long) serves the kids soup; another regular at the restaurant is Lan (Cat Ly), a stewardess who takes a liking to Thuy and lets the girl stay with her when she's in town on layover. Thuy senses that Lan is lonely, much like Hai, and she decides that with a little intervention on her part, Hai and Lan might make a good couple and she could become their adopted daughter. However, Thuy soon learns that matchmaking is a more challenging task than she realized.
Owl and Sparrow opens today in So. Cal. If you are in the area you should check it out. It looks great and won tons of awards.
I missed it on the festival circuit but I'll try to catch it when it comes to theaters in San Francisco. Unfortunately it looks like it comes to town the weekend of Valentines and I just learned that my John is taking me to Austin, TX then but maybe when I get back into town it will still be around. Otherwise I'll have to hunt it down some other way.
I heard on the radio this morning that Jackie Chan is in negotiations to play Mr. Miyagi in a Karate Kid remake.
Asian remakes are on fire right now! (Or those with Asians in it).
That said, I wonder if they'll change the name of Mr. Miyagi, because obviously Mr. Miygai is a Japanese name and Jackie Chan is clearly not Japanese. According to reports the filming will take place in Beijing and the U.S.
All said and done, I think Chan is a solid candidate for this remake. He can add a humour and likability that the original Miyagi played by Pat Morita also had.
(Pat Morita and I in Hawaii - 2002)
I loved Karate Kid back then and with Chan playing the mentor role of "Miyagi" or by another name now, I'm sure I'll like it.
I also heard that Will Smith's 10 year old son Jaden Smith will be playing the lead role that Ralph Macchio played of "Daniel San." Seriously, the kid is cute as heck but I'm curious to see what they are going to do.
Incidentally Smith's Production company, Overbrook is also producing the film. Not that I'm sure that has nothing to do with Jaden getting the lead role, even if he does seem a little young for it. ;) ;)
All three were incredibly disturbing and after all it IS a part of a TRILOGY. Doesn't seem right to do only two of the three. And truth be told, although I personally was more affected by the Old Boy film, after hearing that Boyle might direct Lady Vengeance I am way more excited than Spielberg/Smith doing Old Boy.
Either way, I'm excited that people are finally starting to appreciate the talent coming out of Korea!
Synopsis: Blade II and Batman Begins scribe David S. Goyer writes and directs this supernatural thriller about a 19-year-old girl (Odette Yustman) haunted by a "dybbuk" (a malevolent wandering soul of Jewish folklore) that was once a young boy ruthlessly slaughtered in Auschwitz. Though her sympathetic boyfriend (Cam Gigandet) and best friend (Meagan Good) do everything they can to help, the frightened girl is soon forced to seek out the assistance of a spiritual specialist (Gary Oldman). ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
My All time favorite actor Gary Oldman is in a film that opens today called The Unborn. Also, in it is my fb buddy C.S. Lee. I'm not a huge fan of horror flicks but this might be worth checking out. I'm sure Oldman and C.S. would make it worthwhile for me!
Okay, truthfully, I'm too scared to go by myself. Anyone wanna join?
Synopsis: Discover the beauty and complexity of Korean cuisine in The Grand Chef, the 2008 breakthrough drama featuring some of the biggest names in Korean dramas.
Korean heartthrob Kim Rae Won (What Planet Are You From?, My Little Bride) stars as Sung-Chan, the warm-hearted chef-in-training who loves to cook. In his culinary education, he befriends Jin-Soo (Nam Sang-Mi, Sweet Spy) a headstrong country girl who dreams of becoming a food critic. Although Sung-Chan and Jin-soo don’t get along at first, the two quickly join forces in order to make both their dreams come true.
But life gets complicated for Sung-Chan when his step-father learns of his culinary talents and rethinks the inheritance of the family restaurant, creating a newfound sibling rivalry between himself and his chef step-brother, Kwon Oh Joong (Damo). The two brothers begin an intense culinary battle to become top chef of the family business and to discover for once and for all, whose cuisine will reign supreme!
Touted as the highest rated show in Korea of 2008 I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. Considering it was just broadcast late in the year it was still very new and the buzz still strong. Again, a show about cuisine and the importance of how cuisine introduces and influences acculturation.
Someone asked me if I liked Kim Rae Won in it. I thought about it for a moment and said "I like him like I wish he could be my younger brother, but not like I could have a crush on him." And..it doesn't have anything to do with his age. Trust me, I'm totally comfortable having crushes on younger men.
Anyway, it's solid, clean and fulfilling. It doesn't leave you exhausted and wrecked with emotion. I caught myself smiling almost throughout all 24 episodes. Seriously, to the point where my cheeks hurt.
Synopsis: “If my heart is pure, I can do anything.”
So sings pop sensation Eugene in I Really, Really Like You — an uplifting Korean TV drama series about the transforming power of the heart.
Simple country girl Bong-sun (Eugene, Save the Last Dance for Me) leaves the mountains in search of her long-lost parents. Helped by an irascible Secret Service officer (Lee Min Gi, Be Strong, Geum-soon, Dal Ja's Spring) and a handsome doctor (Ryu Jin, Summer Scent, Capital Scandal), she finds love and success as a cook in Seoul’s most important kitchen, the South Korean President's Blue House. Along the way, Bong-sun overcomes every obstacle, learns the true meaning of family, and solves a startling riddle: Could the President himself be her father?
I Really, Really Like You is a romantic comedy filled with great music, quirky characters, and delicious food. It’s an irresistible drama of an irrepressible girl!
It seems like lately I have watched a few dramas that have something to do with Korean cuisine. Although this one use the Blue House (Korea's version of the White House) as the back drop, the food definitely plays almost as big of a role.
I know that Eugene (name of a girl) is really popular but I admit I guess I haven't really paid too much attention to TV drama actors as much. Only because there are so many of them and my brain can only fit so many of them...I truthfully only noticed the cute boys. ;)
That said, I've changed my mind. This Eugene girl has got some serious talent. I totally bought all of it. She's very natural although TV dramas tend to be over-the-top melodramatic sometimes. She's not annoyingly thin, or freakishly re-invented by a nonsensical plastic surgeon. She comes across as very likable and someone I can envision becoming friends with.
Lee, who is also is Be Strong Geum Soon plays sort of a similar character in the beginning but his personal journey takes a very dramatic turn in the end. That, in it of itself, is almost worth watching.
I wasn't sure if I was going to like this one, but at the end of it I think this might be in my favorite Top Ten.
Again, this is kind of a longer one with a total of 34 episodes...but if you've got the time...why not! Actually, you should make the time for this one...you'll enjoy it! I promise!
Han Hye Jin (Jumong, Romance) stars as Geum-soon, a young and cheerful aspiring beautician whose life takes a detour when she unexpectedly gets pregnant. Her husband dies soon after their shotgun marriage, leaving her to the mercy of her disgruntled in-laws. With nowhere else to turn, Geum-soon can only work hard and brave the family feuds. Misadventures abound in the first volume of Be Strong, Geum-soon, the star-studded family drama that took Korea by storm. Hold on tight as our heroine battles the in-laws, starts a new job, and catches the eye of a handsome surgeon. All in a day's work for Geum-soon! Also starring Gang Ji Hwan (Hong Gil Dong, Save the Last Dance for Me), Choi Ja Hye (Dae Jang Geum, Spring Waltz), and Lee Min Gi (I Really, Really Like You).
Every now and then I watch a drama that I can't help but to be fully addicted to. This is one of them. There were some nights I couldn't stop myself from "watching just one more episode". After all they are in 30 minute episodes rather than the typical 1 hour long ones, so I somehow found it justifiable, although I'd usually squeek by one less hour to get in two episodes. Yep. I'm telling you, it's THAT good.
It fills you with so much emotion from the first episode to the last one, which incidentally ends at episode 163 spread out in a 4 volume series. I know that sounds intimidating but they go by really fast.
This might not be a good series to start with if you're a TV drama series virgin but I'd highly recommend for those who are familiar with TV dramas on DVD.
Slumdog Millionaire is the story of Jamal Malik (Patel), an 18 year-old orphan from the slums of Mumbai, who is about to experience the biggest day of his life. With the whole nation watching, he is just one question away from winning a staggering 20 million rupees on India¹s "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?"
But when the show breaks for the night, police arrest him on suspicion of cheating; how could a street kid know so much? Desperate to prove his innocence, Jamal tells the story of his life in the slum where he and his brother grew up, of their adventures together on the road, of vicious encounters with local gangs, and of Latika (Pinto), the girl he loved and lost. Each chapter of his story reveals the key to the answer to one of the game show¹s questions.
Each chapter of Jamal¹s increasingly layered story reveals where he learned the answers to the show¹s seemingly impossible quizzes. But one question remains a mystery: what is this young man with no apparent desire for riches really doing on the game show?
When the new day dawns and Jamal returns to answer the final question, the Inspector and sixty million viewers are about to find out.
Directed by Danny Boyle, who did some intense films in the past like Trainspotting and 28 Days Later, this is no different. Sitting in a nicely air conditioned theater didn't make me feel any less hot and uncomfortable while watching the Indian heat bare down on Malik unforgivingly and at times with a vengence.
This is a definite MUST SEE and even when the story line ends, sit still and hold your pee. Watch the credits roll and enjoy the ride all the way through the end. The ending after the ending is pure charm!
A while back ago I received a request on facebook to become a Planet B-Boy fan. I looked into Planet B-Boy and decided "Sure, I'll be a fan". I am totally into supporting Asian American Cinema in whatever way I can. I was a little disappointed because I didn't catch it at the Film Festival and was hoping that I'd be able to get it on DVD for my son and I if and when it eventually came out.
Weeks later I found out that it was finally coming to San Francisco and there was no way I was going to miss the chance to watch Asians breakdancing. I begged my 16 year old son to go with me, even though he protested, knowing he's appreciate not only the film, but that in fact, to also acknowledge his Mother is really hip and cool.
Sitting side by side I'd catch my feet tapping and head bouncing to the fast paced beats pulsating from the screen. I'd look over at Jordan to see doing the same, only better.
It's inspiring and I couldn't help but to feel huge waves of pride being Korean and watching my fellow countrymen being acknowledged and praised for their talent and endurance.
I encouraged Jordan, who doesn't seem to know what he wants to do with his life yet, to go back to school and get a crew together and become B-Boys.
Anyway, for those of you who didn't catch it yet here's your chance. MTV will be airing it on your television. It's totally worth DVRing it for your teens too.
Sunday January 11: - 11 am PST/EST (10 am CST) - Midnight PST/EST (11 pm CST)
Wednesday January 14: - 1:30 am PST/EST (12:30 am CST) - 8 am PST/EST (7 am CST)
Synopsis: David Fincher's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, an adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's story, re-teams the director with Brad Pitt, who takes on the title role. What makes Button such a curious case is that when he is born in New Orleans just after World War I, he is already in his eighties, and proceeds to live his life aging in reverse. This sweeping film follows the character's unusual life into the 21st century as he experiences joy and sadness, loves lost and found, and the meaning of timelessness. Cate Blanchett co-stars along with Tilda Swinton, Elias Koteas, and Julia Ormond. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
Okay, you know I am crazy about Cate Blanchett but whoa, this time I was really impressed by Brad Pitt. Although with Burn After Reading and now this, I think I finally see him in a new and brighter light.
The film is a touch long at just under 3 hours and my butt was numb after the first two but as uncomfortable as I was I couldn't get over how beautiful the story was and how my heart started to ache at the anticipation of what was to come.
John did not enjoy it as much as I did, even though he was the one who suggested it in the first place, but I think he was preoccupied with the fact that he had to pee half way into the film and expecting it to end any minute...
I highly recommend this one for the big screen. I don't think the slight details in the reverse aging process for Pitt and the the aging process for Blanchett will come across as eloquently on your TV screen. Fork out the $20.00 and take date. Save Marley and Me for a night out with your girlfriends.
Independent filmmaker, Sally Potter's new film, RAGE is going to be the "rage" when it comes out. I predict it now. It's impressive cast and interesting costume and makeup for it's stars will make all the men in the audience wonder about themselves and all the women jealous...
a couple of months ago and I wanted to write about it now to tell you and worthwhile it was. Especially if you have a teen in your home.
and 
are getting the attention? What about 
???
Posts
