Film Reviews
With our theme of “Embracing Challenges” in mind, we decided to put together a list of movies for our readers to explore. Keep reading to find some movies from our list as well as a few reviews from the team!
LGBTQ
Abu (2017) by Arshad Khan
Happy Together (1997) by Wong Kar Wal
Saving Face (2004) by Alice Wu
Review by Jian
Saving face means to retain respect from others, and to avoid humiliation. To me it also means fitting into traditions and into a community. When I used to dye my hair neon green and neon orange, my mom told me before I left to go to my friend’s house, to think about what my friend’s mom will think about my hair. As if I should be more sensitive to how people perceive me, because to my mom—fitting in is important. Just like in Alice Wu’s Saving Face, Wil’s family is concerned about saving face. Wil is a closeted lesbian and her mom, Gao, is kicked out for being pregnant without a spouse. This was my first film that I watched with a queer Asian protagonist, and I felt so content being able to resonate with a film’s theme and cultural background. It kickstarted my journey to continue seeking more LGBTQ+ films, especially by queer POC directors. I would recommend this film for the Asian diaspora, and if you like this film, you can watch Alice Wu’s The Half of It (2020).
ASIAN DIASPORA
Minari (2020) by Isaac Chung
The Farewell (2019) by Lulu Wang
Tigertail (2020) by Alan Yang
Reviewed by Alyssa
As a Taiwanese American, I often feel a sense of generational and cultural gap with my parents. Fortunately, my parents and I constantly work to bridge that gap, having conversations about controversial topics and trying our best to be open. Tigertail is a story that shows this gap in the relationship between the father, Pin-Jui, who immigrated from Taiwan in search for a better life for him and his mother, and his estranged daughter, Angela, who grew up in the United States. Pin-Jui’s tale of hardship and the difficult decisions he was forced to face is told alongside the development of his faltering relationship with Angela. I was touched by the way both tried hard in their own ways to understand the other, when they finally took the time to recognize the root of their differences. This made me think a lot about what my parents had to go through to be able to raise my brother and I, and I know it’s a story that is familiar to many families as well. I think that many like myself may find it relatable to some degree.
POPULAR FILMS
Nomadland (2021) by Chloe Zhao
That Thing Called Tadhana (2015) by Antoinette Jadaone
Crazy Rich Asians (2018) by Jon M. Chu
Reviewed by Alexis
Crazy Rich Asians was the first American film featuring an all Asian cast that I've seen in theaters. I remember not having any idea of what to expect but I ended up enjoying the movie as I admired the extravagant settings, laughed at the characters' antics, and appreciated the fact that I could watch actors that look like me and find similarities of the characters’ backgrounds to my own upbringing and culture. This film follows Rachel Chu as she travels to Singapore with her boyfriend, Nick Young, and faces challenges that come with meeting the wealthy Young family. Although the premise of the story isn't entirely relatable, the audience can still find moments to connect with Rachel and the relationships she has with the other characters. I personally connected with Rachel’s relationships with her mom and her best friend/college roommate, where both people play important roles in her life to keep her grounded and strong. Overall, Crazy Rich Asians is definitely a feel-good movie that provides viewers with a unique story to get lost in and enjoy.
INDIE FILMS
The Wailing (2016) by Na Jong-jin
Happy Old Year (2019) by Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit
Kita Kita (2017) by Sigrid Andrea P. Bernardo
View the entire list in the Mar/Apr 2022 issue!
