past lives

best slow burn: to say i couldn't wait to see this film is an understatement. i was worried it wouldn't live up to all the praise, but it was everything i wanted it to be and more. a mediation on relationships, time and space that shape your life. perhaps, even your past lives if you believe in that sort of thing. the film hums with anticipation for the the main characters nora and hae sung to reunite and when they do it's satisfying and bittersweet. the group of gal pals i went with immediately after the screening said we wanted to watch it again. it's been a longtime since film has given me that feeling.  last year's "everything everywhere all at once" did. (sadly, i haven't rewatched because the run in theaters ended. i was hoping for a re-release post-oscars) i think 'moonlight' was the last film i rewatched several times in a theater. anyhow, i'd recommend seeing this film if you haven't yet.

shoplifters

this film was a sweet revelation of what it means to be a family. as the holidays are amongst us, it's top of mind. the performances are all a+ and recently noticing the foreign productions are really bringing the acting chops. from the recent my brilliant friend cast and the discovery of yalitza aparicio of roma, loving all the new faces on the screen.

crazy rich asians

so it's taken me 3 weeks to finally watch the film all asian americans are required to support. i couldn't get past the first chapter of the novel, but had a feeling the film would be a better medium for this narrative. it's true there hasn't been a film that truly captures the asian-american experience quite like this. i remember watching the joy luck club over two decades ago and cheering that it was filmed in the vicinity of my school based in the heart of san francisco's chinatown. yes, i saw myself in that film, especially in the strict upbringing i grew up with. what crazy rich asians illuminates is the faction of wealth and appearances that is so prevalent in my personal experiences as a chinese american. as a chiu, not chu or chew or jew, that bit in the film hit close to heart. my family was definitely not rich, but we sure knew folks in those spheres. only the nuevo rich, no old money rich. more mercedes and bmw's vs. bentleys. 

constance wu recorded a great video for the coalition of asian pacifics in in entertainment. 

kat chow of npr's code swtich also wrote a nice piece about watching the film in a largely non-asian and then a largely asian screening. i had the experience of the former and i have to say i laughed at bits that other audience members prolly didn't get. SPOILER ALERT! the loudest cheer came when astrid walks out on her cheating husband. for me as a mah jong player most of my life, the eleanor-rachel stand off scene really paid off imo. when i was riding home on the subway, i overheard a group saying they wanted to learn the game to find out what that hand was. rachel essentially had the equivalent of a royal flush, but passed on the 8 bamboo tile (aka white flag) to eleanor. i'd have to take another view to see if she had all bonus winds. in any case, i thoroughly enjoyed the rom-com and looking forward to seeing the sequel, china rich asian. yay harry shum jr, from my chinatown alma mater, st. mary's.

won't you be my neighbor?

i can't even explain how excited i am for this film. i grew up with mister rogers and i remember my grandmother saying it's time to watch "godfather." fred rogers really felt like my godfather as he taught me about the most important in lesson in life, be kind to others. a message we really need to amplify. 

columbus

this film had me at hello. i'm a self-professed architect's daughter, so this quiet, meditative celluloid piece was just my cup of tea. i'm also a fan of the midwest and now want to go to columbus. director kogonada draws out odes to ozu in the contemplative piece on familial responsibility. john cho speaks in his native korean tongue! haley lu richardson, who i only realized was in split after some light googling, reminded me of linda cardellini (a la lindsay weir in freaks and geeks.) a nice turn for parker posey in a supporting role brings me back to her indie darling shine. lastly, i totally didn't know it was rory culkin in the role of gabe, friend/potential love interest to richardson's lead character until after the credits rolled. the sundance buzz from this little film is deffo valid.

current mood

yas moonlight

photo: Chris Pizzello / Invision/Associated Press

what a way to end the show. i literally was leaving my friend's in disappointment when the la la land crew went up to claim best picture, but the most bizarre and fortuitous thing happened!!! there was a mistake. warren beatty/ faye dunaway (aka bonnie and clyde) mistakenly read an incorrect envelop. moonlight wins!!! BEST OSCAR'S EVAH!

p.s. saw moonlight 3 times and each time brought new friends to witness it's quiet, yet heavy story. people who say they haven't seen it - GO!!!!!!

moonlight

there hasn't been a reason for me to blog about a movie in a long time, but moonlight definitely deserves all the hype it's been getting. watching it made me think of the stylized and haunting direction of andrew haigh matched with the genesis story of the wire's omar little. seriously friends go see it.

all things must pass

this is totally nostalgic, and rightly so for kids that grew up in california. i spent hours and hours at tower records in north beach. i remember going early to buy concert tickets. director colin hanks speaks about his documentary on kcrw's the treatment.

All Things Must Pass - Official Trailer from Company Name on Vimeo.

nothing's gonna stop us

umm finally saw the skeleton twins on my flight over to london and this is just in-cre-DE-ble. i know totally late on this, but still ahhh-mazing.

bends

mel and i went to moma for the screening of the bends, which is a modern film about hong kong with a classic narrative structure. it's kinda like driving miss daisy, but carina lau ain't no miss daisy. it's got the slow, languid feel of a wong kar wai film, but probably because the cinematography was done by none other than christopher doyle.

it really captured that materialistic, keeping-up appearances environment of kongers. something that has always deterred me from moving there. i love me some kongers, but shar ain't into labels or bling. i do wanna visit soon though. friends, bends is playing at moma until april 27. i recommend you check it out.

a long time ago...

we used to be friends. ahhh marshmellows, i've finally watched the veronica mars movie, and it delivered the goods. see that pic to the left? i took that in my peak of veronica mars fandom. does anyone remember the upn? exactly. the final episode of the series left fans unsatisfied and wanting more. the mars clan were in the dumps, and we all know that's not where they should be. veronica was with piz and still is in the movie. spoiler: not for too long as the "epic" love story of veronica and logan will not burn out ever. it was great to see virtually the entire cast back for this blast back to neptune. for a show that's been off the air over 6 years, the cast is looking mighty fine. i'm one happy marshmellow and my fellow mellows, jenni and anesia agree. 

first kiss

my roommate sent this to me, and it was too delightfully precious that i couldn't help share. check out damian kulash of ok go. he playfully sets the mood at ease earlier when he says, "this here is the awkward moment." the piece is perfectly paired with soko's "we might be dead tomorrow."  she's the sky ferreira look-a-like at 0:25.

march 14 can't come any sooner

film forum binge

when i joined film forum at the start of the year, i had grand plans to revive the inner cinephile in me. i did see a few earlier in the year, but lagged for the rest of the year until this last quarter. i went on a binge to say the least. 

modern love

still can't get this scene out of my mind after seeing it friday. denis levant runs with reckless abandon and the cartwheel is just the exclamation to a joyous cinematic dance. 

ladies...

dick casablancas! most amazing video with sytycd alum cyrus and marco with mike chung from glee. can't wait for the veronica mars movie.  

film forum

belated member- ship: film forum.  i had planned to join last year, but somehow slipped my mind. i have been trying to donate to a different organization.  i snoozed last year, but previous years i've joined bam and the guggenheim. 

i feel like i've been neglecting film, so wanted to support film forum.  it's an institution in new york. hopefully, it will get this former film minor back into the classics and indies. 

les miz

must belated viewing: les miserables. i had heard the early mixed reviews from friends and les miz enthusiast but i had to watch it for myself. heck, i was counting down the days with the vulture's advent calendar. so yes russell crowe does not sing the javert role as his broadway predecessors. he has been getting lots of flack. sure us die hard miserables love some baritone goodness, but we have to remember this is film not the stage. hugh jackman is good as the tortured lead valjean and gives his all. he said the training was harder than playing wolverine. anne hathaway breathes new light to "i dreamed a dream," as a truly down in her luck ballad. the truly lovely treat was colm wilkinson as the bishop. (thanks jac for cluing me in.)  wilkinson was valjean in the 10th anniversary cast, which for me is what i grew up on. in conclusion, i liked tom hooper's adaption but it made me long to watch the 10th anniversary again.

fltgc: the clock

best not so much lunch fltgc: christian marclay's the clock at lincoln center's david rubenstein atrium. first off, props to andy for cluing this new yorker in on the arty goodness. with about a 15 minute wait, i was in on opening day and sat in from 6:10-7:47.  my segment featured the likes of macgyver, holly golightly, james bond (sean connery and daniel craig versions), cary grant, old fred astaire and many more. i highly recommend checking out this masterpiece if only for a few minutes.  hope to get a chance to catch more before it ends august 1.