Movies for Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Cinema of, about, and by the intersection of Asia & America
May is Asian-Pacific American (APA) or Asia-Pacific Islander (API) or Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPI)…I’m not really sure which is the best acronym. But rather than try to pin down May to one definition–what it’s about, or who it’s celebrating–I’m embracing the ambiguity through and through. What is “Asian American?” Is that Asians who immigrate to America? Americans of Asian descent? What’s “American”? In light of the multiple interpretations, I’ve compiled multiple lists, for whatever your entry point you prefer to “getting your Asian Americanism on.”
MOVIES BY AMERICANS OF ASIAN DESCENT
& Where to Watch Them (May 2020)
Better Luck Tomorrow (2002) Dir. Justin Lin
A high school crime movie debut by the man who would go on to make the Fast & Furious franchise.
Chan is Missing (1982) Dir. Wayne Wang
One of the first films by an American-born Asian filmmaker to be appeal to the critics, Chan is Missing follows two friends as they look for a third friend in San Francisco’s Chinatown. It’s a fascinating look at the tensions between Chinese Americans and immigrant Chinese in America, as well as the local politics of San Francisco in the 1980s. Chan is Missing is a film noir dark-comedy that’s gorgeously shot and wonderfully acted.
[Free on YouTube]
Crazy Rich Asians (2018) Dir. Jon M. Chu
Unexpectedly popular, this film has become something of an instant-cult classic, in spite of its predictable story line. Indisputably, this rom-com is responsible for making it popular for white girls to date Asian (American) guys. The premise of Crazy Rich Asians, or CRA as it’s come to be known, follows the romance between a nice Chinatown-girl and the heir to Singaporean fortune as they overcome Asian-parent-child syndrome, in the larger contest world superpowers of East Over-taking the West. Just kidding; it’s pretty light. Some good zingers and, hey, Awkwafina is in it.
[$2.99 on Amazon Prime Video]
The Farewell (2019) Dir. Lulu Wang
A nice culture-clash drama-edy about living, dying and lying. Starring New York’s own, Awkwafina.
[Included with Amazon Prime Video]
Gook (2017) Dir. Justin Chon
2 Korean American brothers who run a shoe store in LA county. Their friend, black 11 y.o. Kamilla, drops in and helps while the Rodney King verdict ignites the 1992 LA riots. Racial tensions between Korean Americans and the black community make this essentially a period-piece.
[Included with Amazon Prime Video]
The Joy Luck Club (1993) Dir. Wayne Wang
Critically-acclaimed film that follows four Asian women and their daughters. What can go wrong?
[$2.99 on Amazon Prime Video]
The Sixth Sense (1999) M. Night Shyamalan
Bruce Willis had hair and M. Night Shyamalan was 29 when he made the film that provoked everyone to want to rewatch it immediately after finishing it.
[$2.99 on Amazon Prime Video]
MOVIES STARRING ASIAN AMERICANS
& Where to Watch Them (May 2020)
Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
One of those great epic films that everyone should see, even though it only tangentially intersects with the “Asian American Experience” (what is that, anyway?). Set during World War II, British POW are imprisoned by the Japanese in Burma, and ordered to build a bridge for a railroad connecting Rangoon to Bangkok. What’s notable is the region, almost perpetually colonized, then by the Japanese and now by Chinese, was released four years after French were being “excused” from Vietnam, aka Indochine, and while Americans were (colonizing) in the Korean Peninsula.
Bridge on the River Kwai stars Sessue Hayakawa, one of Hollywood’s first Asians icons. He plays the evil General Saito. During the Golden Age of Hollywood anti-miscengation laws were the norm, as was the suspicion of the Asians. In that context, the actor who exclusively played villiains, is understood more clearly: “My one ambition is to play a hero.”–Sessue Hayakawa.
[$3.99 on Amazon Prime Video]
The Crimson Kimono (1959) Dir. Samuel Fuller
The movie poster says it all: “YES, this is a beautiful American girl in the arms of a Japanese boy!” Another film noir.
[$3.99 on Amazon Prime]
Enter the Dragon (1973) Dir. Robert Clouse
Born in San Francisco, educated in the University of Washington’s Philosophy department, Bruce Lee is credited for inventing the movie genre of martial artists action films. One of the most influential movies ever, Enter the Dragon, stars one of the most influential actors in the history of cinema, Bruce Lee–a rare example of someone in cinema impacting culture both inside and outside of the picture frame. In cinema, Lee’s imprint is tangible in the shape of strength and the definition of muscle. Strong didn’t just mean ‘big.’ You had to have muscle, and we had to be able to see it. Every fiber. Even outside of cinema, the notion of body-fat ratio is indebted to Bruce. It’s quite possible that this whole six-pack phenomenon can be credited to Lee, as pointed out in by the Cine-Files (ep. 13). Outside of cinema, non-Asian-Americans didn’t train in martial arts prior to Bruce Lee, who democratized the art. If you know someone who isn’t Asian and has studied any kind of martial arts, they can thank the fame and philosophy of Bruce Lee.
Enter the Dragon is action-packed, (even if campy by today’s standards), steeped in East-West tensions, inculcated with geopolitics, the burgeoning global drug war, an example of Blaxploitation, and massively popular.
If you fall down the rabbit hole of Bruce Lee, of course check out Fists of Fury, aka Big Boss (1971) and his final film, Game of Death, in which he donned his famous yellow jumper, referenced by Quentin Tarantino in Kill Bill. Lee also wrote, directed, and produced, Game of Death. He fights Kareem Abdul-Jabbar! (Eat your heart out, Orson Welles).
[Free on Dailymotion]
[$3.99 on YouTube]
Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (2004) Dir. Danny Leiner
The first of the franchise Harold & Kumar do whatever, follows two stoned friends who go on a munchies run to White Castle. If you enjoy dumb comedy, as I do, be sure to check out Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo and the most recent installment A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas. (4/20 advised). But you should start with White Castle.
($2.99 on Amazon Prime Video)
The Karate Kid (1984) Dir. John G. Avildsen
Comedian Pat Morita stars as Mr. Miyagi, the sensei who teaches Macchio how to defend himself against West Coast bullies. One of the most iconic film franchises on the 1980s, until it was ruined in 1994 by Hilary Swank and further assaulted by Jackie Chan in 2010, the original Karate Kid is still a classic.
[$2.99 on Amazon Prime Video]
To Be Takei (2014) Dir. Jennifer M. Kroot, Bill Weber
If there was a mold, George Takei broke it. This is the documentary about his life. Trekkies, hold on.
[$3.99 on Amazon Prime Video]
