Netflix Watch: Blood The Last Vampire

I've slowly been catching up on movies I should have seen (possibly).

Random thoughts.

• In the first five minutes I asked myself the question of how badly produced could this film actually be and if it was for real because surely any movie with Jeon Ji-Hyun would be better than what I was watching.
• But then - somehow - it just got better.
• At least better than the first five minutes.
• There was a lot of sweet sweet bloodlust in this movie and I have to say that if you're going up against a slew of vampires - bloodsuckers if you so wish - that's just the way you should fight 'em.
• I don't want to give away the ending - but I would have been fine with out some of that last ending dialogue.
• Honestly?
• I'll watch it again.

Finished: Au Revoir Taipei

I finally finished this film up and I felt like I just got a taste: Kai and Susie dancing in the park, Gao and his penchant for finding dumplings, this old love affair from Brother Bao's past - and I really don't know - I'm not sure if I was completely charmed, or if I just wanted more.

Maybe I'll have to watch it again.

Quotable: Angela S. Choi + SFGate

There's a good article from a week or so ago down at the SFGate on author Angela S. Choi and her novel "Hello Kitty Must Die" where this just sticks out at me:

"I always saw (Hello Kitty) as embodying a lot of the stereotypes of what Asian women are about," Choi says. "You're supposed to be nice, you're not supposed to have a mouth - and you're certainly not supposed to go around enjoying killing people."

I would agree.

Killing people is not really in the spirit of Hello Kitty.

Read it in full here.

Chinese American Museum of Chicago

Wanted to make sure and post up some info the Chinese American Museum of Chicago:

Raymond B. Lee, whose family ran a food wholesale business in the museum building, donated $660,000 to buy the building to start the museum. Lee, who as a teen slept on the third floor, has donated another $250,000 for renovations since the fire.
"It's like you finished a final examination," Lee, 76, said of the renovations, which have totaled $1.6 million. "What a relief."

The museum needs $200,000 more to keep its doors open, museum officials say. A fundraiser is set for Nov. 6. The museum also needs donated artifacts to help rebuild its collection.

Official: Dawen Wins Kollaboration Acoustic 4

Just want to give a huge congratulations to Dawen for being the Grand Prize Winner down at Acoustic 4.

Nice work if you can get it.

Nice work indeed.

Emmy Round-Up: Glee With No Glee, Mindy Kaling, Buddhist Jokes, Top Chef, Archie Panjabi, And Not Much More

I'll fully admit that I did skip out during the Emmys at times switching back between the show and J-pop. That being said here's my quick Emmy Roundup.

• Per usual there really wasn't a strong Asian American presence, or POC presence. Do I get tired of saying things like this? Yes.
  
• Obviously there was the Glee inspired intro. Obviously Jenna Ushkowitz was not a part of it.
  
• There were about two Mindy Kaling sightings when it came to categories for writing. We like her.
  
• There was a Buddhist joke by Jane Lynch.
  
• Yes, that counts simply because there was so little representation I'll take what I can get.
  
• Yes again. I do need mouthwash.
  
• Top Chef won in the Best Reality Competition and Padma stole the speech just by being there.
  
• Archie Panjabi won Best Supporting Actress for The Good Wife
  
• There were some Danny Pudi and Ken Jeong sightings for the NBC show Community.
  

That was thin....

Until next year!

Conflict Minerals, Peter Ha, And Blood Laptops

I caught this video from a few days ago over at Time via the Peter Ha (technology editor) blog and wanted to re-post it up here too.

Retro Hồ Ngọc Hà

Yuna Ito + I Don't Want To Miss A Thing + I Don't Really Know

I do like myself some Yuna Ito. I really do. But this one - I'm not sure I'm feeling it. Maybe it's the hat/flower thing on her head - I can't really tell you.

But you may like it, so posted it is.

Get Myself Back: Namie Amuro

Just for the record. If anyone happens to know Namie Amuro, feel free to send her my phone number.

Youku it.

HBO Interview: "East of Main Street: Asians Aloud" Kelly Zen-Yie Tsai

History And Present: Wong Kim Ark

I was reading this article down at New American Media and wanted to make sure and post this just because:

In the 1940s the group Native Sons of the Golden West launched a concerted effort to deny all Japanese U.S. citizenship. They also sought to deny citizenship to their U.S.-born children. Their efforts failed but now some Republicans are resurrecting the idea some 60 years later. In July, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham said he plans to propose an amendment to repeal birthright citizenship and he’s being joined by some leading Republicans. Their plan would require changing the 14th Amendment which grants citizenship to U.S.-born children.

We're going back to the 40's?

Proponents believe there’s an immigration problem in the U.S. that needs to be addressed. And the 14th Amendment, they say, has been misrepresented from its original purpose of granting citizenship to freed slaves.

But Asian Americans believe the proposal is unrealistic and counterproductive.

“It’s not a serious proposal,” said Bill Ong Hing, law professor at the University of San Francisco. “But to say to change the constitution is basically impossible. So they have a better chance of passing some other law than they do of amending the constitution.” [...]

For many Japanese Americans, the current debate about birthright citizenship sounds all too familiar. In the early 1940s the JACL, NAACP and the ACLU formed an unprecedented coalition to fight against the efforts of the Native Sons to deny citizenship to the Nisei and their children.

In Regan v. King, the Native Sons were attempting to repeal the 1898 Supreme Court ruling in favor of Wong Kim Ark — a Chinese American who won the right to hold property and vote — a ruling that helped to establish the principle of birthright citizenship.

Wiki love.

Justice Department Responds To South Philly High Violence

An update on the now infamous South Philadelphia story:

Federal investigators have informed the Philadelphia School District that they found merit in the claims of Asian students who said they were abused at South Philadelphia High School. The school exploded in racial violence on Dec. 3, when 30 Asians were attacked during a daylong series of assaults carried out by groups of mostly African-American classmates.

In a letter to the district, the Justice Department advised school officials to take steps to settle the matter. It was not immediately clear what form a settlement might take, though it would require the district to improve the treatment of Asian students, who say they have been mocked, harassed and beaten at the school. The action follows a formal civil rights complaint filed in January by the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, an advocacy group. Such complaints do not result in criminal penalties, but can bring broad changes provided that violations are found to have occurred.

Read it in full.

Marvel + Runaways + Racebending

If you haven't already heard - give it up to the folks down at Racebending for getting Marvel to response to the Runaways casting.

Here's the letter they got.

Thank you for reaching out regarding your concerns over Marvel’s recent casting notice for THE RUNAWAYS. We appreciate your interest in our production and with Marvel Entertainment.

“To address your concern over casting for the role of Nico, as we do with all of our films, we intend to stay true to the legacy and story of the comic when casting these parts. Thus, our goal is to cast an Asian American actress as depicted in the comic series and the casting notice will be adjusted accordingly.

“We thank you again for your correspondence and the opportunity to clarify our process.”

Marvel Studios

Sweet sweet non-whiteashed characters.

Behind the Scenes: KoreAm's September 2010 Cover Shoot

At Least Someone Won That Powerball

Yeah, it wasn't me - but I'm not that lucky.

An 11-member, Asian-American family claimed the $85.7 million Powerball jackpot Thursday through a local attorney [...] Attorney George Bayhi said the Baton Rouge family members — made up of local business owners, professionals and college students — will share the one-lump sum payment option, which amounts to $45.77 million before taxes.

The jackpot is the second-biggest Powerball prize won in Louisiana.

The winner who signed the ticket and will receive the bulk of the windfall is Hieu Van Nguyen, the Louisiana Lottery Corporation said.

Confirmed First: Tani Gorre Cantil-Sakauye Goes California Chief Justice

Hail To The Chief?

Sacramento appeals court justice Tani Gorre Cantil-Sakauye became the first Filipino and Asian-American chief justice in California history.
This was after the Commission of Judicial Appointment unanimously confirmed her to the California Supreme Court last Wednesday, August 25.

Born Across Borders

Along the same topic of the last post I also wanted to post up a link to the latest Asian Pop column where Jeff Yang talks with Stephanie Wang-Breal ("Wo Ai Ni Mommy") and Deann Borshay Liem ("In the Matter of Cha Jung Hee") as well as gives a little of his own views on the topic.

But once in a while, you see a little reminder that transcultural parenthood comes with unique complications. Like the time I watched a woman dissolve into tears when she couldn't understand what her lovely daughter was screaming in full meltdown mode (something to do with a dispute over chalk that had escalated into madness, as far as I could tell, given my elementary-school Mandarin). Or the eavesdropped conversation I caught in which a doting dad expounded on the benefits of adopted Asian kids over "American" kids, because they come over here smart and obedient, and instinctively know how to work hard and sacrifice. It sounded a little like someone boasting about the handling and fuel efficiency of his imported car.

Read it in full here.

I'll Just Say It: "Wo Ai Ni (I Love You) Mommy" Is A Little Like Forced Child Labor For Your Viewing Enjoyment

I know Wo Ai Ni (I Love You) Mommy has won a lot of awards at different film festivals and is also getting press and play for P.O.V's Adoption Stories series but it's all starting to get a little under my skin in part because I think it's a little like child exploitation.

Sure, in some ways it shows the complexities of transracial adoptions but at the expense of the children - invasive of their personal space and most intimate of feelings and I can't help but wonder how Yong is going to like her story - a story that I'm sure she'll find personal - out on film.

Maybe DVD.

Shown at festivals across the nation.

I'm thinking to myself that Yong wasn't in the best position to be giving her yea or nea on being filmed and even if she did we'd all probably agree that if she wanted to tip back a few shots and drive down the Audubon that it wouldn't really be a good idea.

Or even legal for that matter.

But this is.

Because who really cares about the Asian kid right?

I mean she's there just to be watched for informative reasons.

For an audience.

Katy Perry, Teenage Dream, And This Is Why It Sucks To Be Me

I can't help but say that I like the Katy Perry song "Teenage Dream". Honestly - it kind of gets me giddy in a Glee sort of way where I want to start doing that shoulder drop along with the beat and the next thing you know I'm in full Chaka Khan mode (which apparently is what she was going for in the first place) - I've been playing it incessantly on my iPhone almost non-stop.

And if you probably already couldn't have guessed I'm listening to it right now.

But then I watched the video and I couldn't help but wonder about that part where the White People dress up as cowboys and indians I just had that pause.

I asked myself "Should I be offended right now?"

And I know in many ways I should.

If it was a person dressed up as Fu Manchu I'd be like the "What The Hell Was That?"

But then that beat catches me.

I acquiece to the Katy Perry pop and I feel torn.

It's so catchy.

But it's also kind of messed the fuck up.

I mean who in casting says "Hey. I want that White Girl dressed up in some feathers so she looks like one of those Native people." Because someone actually has to make that choice right?

Maybe I can just not watch the video.