The increase of Asian representation in films and why that is important
Reviews of movies including "Eighth Grade" and "Ralph Breaks The Internet"
VOLUME 2, ISSUE 3. JUL—DEC 2018
HIT OR MISS BY LUKA M. (FEAT. DANA TREADWELL, CASIDY CHEN, GAVIN BOWEN)
Watched on Aug. 7
"I was amused and delighted that Austin and Gavin played board games in the library, during their first 8th-grade dance.” — Dana Treadwell, mother of twins who are now in college
EIGHTH GRADE Directed by Bo Burnham // Release Date Jul. 13, 2018 Starring Elsie Fisher, Josh Hamilton
In sixth grade, I was drinking hot chocolate every Monday morning and playing Minecraft on my mom’s iPad. In eighth grade, I drank coffee once and thought I was going to die alone. The three years of middle school were different for members of the gen Z population versus another generation. We recognized each other through Deviantart usernames (mine was bandgeek746), thrived on Tumblr memes, and casually threw “YOLO” in sentences where they did not belong. But whether we grew up in the ’80s or in the age of Rick Rolls, we had one striking commonality and it was that those three years were confusing. It was confusing because we didn’t like who we were, but we didn’t know whom to become. 1 |
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Kayla Day is self-conscious, insecure, and scared. Kennedy Graves and her posse seem like the complete opposite, but they too, are all of that. We follow the camera, panning from Kayla’s unpopular vlogs ending with “Gucci!” and her, outside of the camera, alone. It’s what most gen Z kids struggle with: confusing our online personalities with our actual selves. Amidst the neverending consumption of social media and being exposed to the reality of sex, Kayla finds herself lost and ends up burning her old time capsule, labeled “to the coolest girl in the world.” It’s the jumbling and the mumbling of stepping into the “adult world” and graduating out of the embarrassing-you that makes “Eighth Grade” personal. We’ve got enough cliché high school movies to fulfill us for the next 700 years, but we don’t have enough on middle schools and their special, edgy attitude on screen. “Eighth Grade,” nevertheless caught all of that; crushing on boys with electric blue eyes and Thrasher t-shirts, wearing drugstore eyeliner, and hating your dad for trivial reasons. It’s hard to watch “Eighth Grade” and it’s not because Kayla is taken out on a chicken nugget date, but because you’ll find yourself in Kayla and you’ll suddenly remember that you, too, had an old YouTube channel with tacky video intros you made yourself. When I came home, I uploaded a new — but private — video on that old channel I haven’t touched in years. It’s a video message to myself in four years when I graduate college, and it’s titled “To The Coolest Girl In The World.”
4 OUT OF 5
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ASIAN REPRESENTATION IN HOLLYWOOD FILMS One summer in high school, to fuel my teenage angst and youthism, I gunned through as many coming of age movies I could possibly consume. I started the summer with “Easy A” and ended with “Fat Kid Rules The World.” By the end of it, I found myself switching to V-neck shirts and carrying around this messenger bag with punk rock pins instead. But I also questioned my ethnicity. Because there is never an Asian protagonist in an American coming of age flick. Really. I mean, see if you can come up with one. So then, I deemed my life sucked. I’ll never be a protagonist and I’ll always be a background character of some other girl’s coming of age film. I shamefully retracted back to my usual hoodies. Until finally, “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before” (TATBILB) was released and destroyed the lack of Asian representation, giving five-year-olds Lara Jean to imitate. In the same summer, “Crazy Rich Asians” (CRA) and “Searching” also stirred controversy in the Asian American community. While CRA was definitely a notch up in Hollywood pace (catch up!), it represented Asians differently the way TATBILB represented them. It’s not necessarily the movie or the team’s fault, but the majority of their scenes are set in Singapore. Less than maybe ten percent of the movie takes place in the United States, so it’s inevitable that the entire cast is Asian. Which is great, but I can’t help but think that this is just another Asian soap opera in English. It’s also in the title. Similar to the comic “American Born Chinese,” it emphasizes Asian stereotypes and Asian culture. Which is again, great in its own way, but white protagonists never emphasize they’re white or explicitly express white culture. Compared to TATBILB, Lara Jean’s skin color is never verbally stated nor does she display any Asian stereotypes. She’s merely a coming of age protagonist who happens to be Asian, and that’s the kind of representation I was looking for. Nonetheless, both movies were huge leaps forward for Hollywood and it’s exhilarating to witness change. This is a great start to break out of the white-protagonist syndrome and to finally address POC actors for their talent. Hopefully, we’ll see more representations in both South and East Asians, but for now, this is exactly the change necessary to wake up Hollywood.
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(left to right) Awkwafina, Nico Santos, and Constance Wu in "Crazy Rich Asians"
Noah Centineo and Lana Condor in "To All The Boys I've Loved Before"
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Watched on Nov. 3
F I R S T M A N Directed by Damien Chazelle // Release Date Oct. 12, 2018 // Starring Ryan Gosling, Claire Foy I felt physically sick watching “First Man” the entire time because of how anxiety-driven and shaky the camera work was. I had to shield my eyes for half of the film in order to suppress vomiting. It might be because I’m tired of seeing grainy films now, but along with the woozy camerawork, I find this the worst movie possible for anybody prone to motion sickness. You can never relax. Although charming and sincere, it’s not Damien Chazelle’s best work and it’s not as captivating as “La La Land” or "Whiplash." Nevertheless, the living room slow dance scene and Neil Armstrong on the moon were notably tender and heartwarming. Maybe if the movie garnered more audience, the silhouette of the two dancing would have been considered a classic movie scene in the future. I can tell young Chazelle is still style-searching and trying to break free of his usual dream versus reality theme in his movies, but I think that’s his suave that keeps Hollywood alive. As stomach-churning as “First Man” was, the maturity and class in scenes remind you of “Gattaca” or “Exterminating Angel.” It’s an upvote from me, but if his usual energy were embedded, he would’ve gotten more from me.
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3 . 5 o u t o f 5
Watched on Oct. 2
MY HERO ACADEMIA: TWO HEROES Directed by Kenji Nagasaki Release date Jul. 5, 2018 Starring Daiki Yamashita, Kenta Miyake If you haven’t seen an anime movie in theaters, it might be something worth putting on your bucket list. There’s something stupidly fun about being crammed wall-to-wall with geeks alike, cosplaying as their favorite characters and holding tight to their Deku plushies. Already thirty minutes prior to the movie, friends are saving seats and passing around boxes of Strawberry Pocky they’ve bought at Daiso. Almost as if I’m at a convention, this familiarity of being surrounded by anime nerds sort of riles me up and makes the movie sweeter. It’s almost like that saying, “Food tastes better with friends.” The movie becomes so much more memorable when you sit next to a Todoroki cosplayer who yells whenever Todoroki does something badass, or when the entire room shakes for All Might who just socked a villain. To tell you the truth, I haven’t watched enough of My Hero Academia nor did I know most of the characters, but it was one of the best nights I’ve had at a theater and I can guarantee you I’ll be watching another anime movie in theaters again soon.
Watched on Nov. 29
MIRAI Directed by Mamoru Hosoda Release date Nov. 29, 2018 Starring Gen Hoshino, Moka Kamishiraishi
Compared to My Hero Academia’s movie, “Mirai” is tame and endearing. It’s an animation built on the appreciation of modern architecture and somber music, paired with lighthearted comedy that pulled out relaxed chuckles from me. It transported me back to my childhood that was filled with rewatches of “Totoro,” and made me feel fascinated about life again.
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Watched on Nov. 21 // Snack of the night: Taro balls and grass jelly
RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET Directed by Rich Moore, Phil Johnston Release date Nov. 21, 2018 Starring Sarah Silverman, John C. Reilly I had to ask: was Disney high? Was Disney emotionally okay? Did Disney really think ten-year-olds would get a knack out of flesh-colored, faceless clones of Ralph crawling on a mega-Ralph? “Ralph Breaks The Internet” had the most terrifying scene possible in Disney history and I really wish I could bleach my eyes to never see the ochlophobia-triggering scene ever again, but alas. The movie brings back old characters from the first movie including Vanellope and Fix-it Felix Jr., but they also add new friends to the mix including Shank and Yesss. Set in a digital utopia of app icons and Mii-like characters, “Ralph Breaks The Internet” starts off safe and typical, like most Disney sequels. Then the movie takes a big U-turn. A 180. A flip of the switch. I’ve never seen the first movie before, but I couldn’t help but think how fetishized Vanellope looked when Ralph shows signs of unhealthy dependency and a fragile male ego. First of all, why does Vanellope look so small and like an infant who is only three years out of the womb? Was it necessary for her character design to look like she’s vulnerable in every way possible? Was it even necessary to use “Wreck-It Ralph” characters for this movie? Their “friendship” just seemed like a weird DDLG relationship that I could never unsee. The moral of “Ralph Breaks The Internet” is to let go of your friends and stop being so overly attached, which I think Ralph barely understood. Vanellope was practically forced to tell Ralph that things were going to be okay because she was about to get squashed by a mega-giant Ralph. Then Ralph was like, “oh okay, cool beans.” It inflicted a strange moral and the whole movie was basically a cinematic ad for the funny money Mickey Mouse corporation, but at least the four-minute Disney princesses scene made-up for most of its flaws. Without it, the Wreck-It Ralph franchise would be dead. I hope I don’t see more coming from Wreck-It Ralph, unless if it’s about Fix-it Felix Jr. and his wife instead. It’s tried and all, but it’s time to let it go.
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2 out of 5
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Watched on Sep. 29
On Tumblr, I have five different blogs and one of them is an inactive grunge/pale aesthetic blog where I reblog photos of hands in weird positions and quotes of something along the lines of “we are lost souls dancing in starlight.” Other blogs commit to vaporwave, pastel, vintage themes. But there’s one aesthetic that has been suddenly popular on both Tumblr and Instagram platforms and it’s the soft grunge aesthetic. In soft grunge, girls wear see-through satin dresses while holding a knife in one hand. Most of their outfits included two-inch platform shoes, chokers and braless shirts, probably all from Forever 21. They seldom smile and instead cock their heads backward with a heart-shaped lollipop between their glossed lips. The aesthetic is contrasting and plain edgy. “Assassination Nation” is just a soft grunge Tumblr blog with a user handle like redcherryangel filled with tags like #softgrunge, #avantgarde, #emogirl... But then again, I’m not opposed to the style choice. It’s a refreshing change for once since movies and media nowadays are obsessed with nothing but 70’s and 80’s culture. Soft grunge may not be the most appropriate, but it reflects most Instagram models and bloggers in 2018. It’s new and fresh-off-the-curling-iron hot. If you’re looking for a new movie that involves Bella Thorne getting knocked out by a baseball bat and Hari Nef machinegunning a man, “Assassination Nation” is all yours to take. Just be sure to keep a cherry lip gloss with you, because you’re going to want to put it on during the closing credits.
3 out of 5
ASSASSINATION NATION Directed by Sam Levinson // Sept. 21, 2018 // Starring Odessa Young
Watched on Oct. 27
A STAR IS BORN Directed by Bradley Cooper Release date Oct. 5, 2018 Starring Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper “Being the fourth remake of the same name, ‘A Star is Born’ modernizes its story for today's audience. Its great music and outstanding performances by the two leads certainly make it an entertaining and interesting watch, but I can't help feeling as if I wasn't given the story I was promised. It heavily focused on Jack (Bradley Cooper) and left the titular character, Allie (Lady Gaga), by the wayside. Although this aspect was disappointing, ‘A Star is Born’ was still engaging and tragic. Besides its R rating, everyone can (and should) watch and enjoy this movie.” — Gavin Bowen
Watched on Dec 26 // Snack of the night: candy canes
THE FAVOURITE Directed by Yargos Lanthimos Release date Dec. 26, 2018 Starring Emma Stone, Olivia Colman “‘The Favourite’ is possibly Yorgos Lanthimos' best movie yet. The camerawork, set design, and visuals glue the viewers' eyes to the screen. Unlike his previous works, the acting balances perfectly between emotion and Lanthimos' stilted style; which is undoubtedly unique but feels natural and emotional compared to some of his previous movies. Although close to perfect, ‘The Favourite’ definitely isn't for everyone. Viewers should expect a gritty (and somewhat dark) character drama. Anyone interested in watching unlikeable characters, manipulation and betrayal should go in as blind as possible, while those who would rather watch happier movies might want to skip this one.” — Gavin Bowen
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I started college this year in a city where the temperature seems to be 50 degrees year-round and light rain falls every other day, to study computer science. I switched to English literature later because I couldn’t care less about zeros and ones, but I still don’t think English is quite it. I’d prepared myself for the best first semester of my life, hoping I’d gain friends quickly like Charlie from “The Perks of Being a Wallflower.” I had a mini bucket list going on to check-off underage drinking, taking a lot of polaroid photos, and cooking dinner with my housemates. I even packed in a denim mini skirt to wear at a party sometime, but I never got invited to one. Several times, my housemates would cook dinner and frolic at beaches without me. Where it’s nobody’s dream school and the school spirit is in the negatives, I found myself lost in my cold dorm room, and bored my first semester. My first semester passed by slowly and painfully, but at the end of it was winter break. Underwhelmingly, my winter break this year was occupied with Hit Or Miss reviews and bingeing on Godiva chocolates I received from work. On Christmas I wanted to stretch my legs out, so we watched “Swing Kids (2018)” instead of our millionth rewatch of “Die Hard.” And it absolutely blew my mind. After an eternity of dull and pointless dragging-of-feet to school, I felt alive again. I couldn’t help but tap my feet, gasp, and cry. I was in there running, dancing, and laughing. I was North Korean, South Korean, black, and white. I was not Luka the college student, I was a Swing Kid. Submerged in technicolor and buttered popcorn, it was a strange and simple affirmation that I love movies and movies will always be there for me when times are hard. Those two hours transport me to a whole new world, unobtainable by a plane ticket. It’s amazing what movies can do to a person and give them the hope, inspiration, and excitement they need to fuel them through life. Hit Or Miss is a constant reminder for me that movies are so special. College isn’t the best right now and to be frank, I don’t like it at all. Sometimes I wish I had applied to a film school in Hollywood or had chosen somewhere new like Arizona or Florida to move to. But I forget all of that when I watch a movie; I’m too busy saving the world or performing a musical number. I’m hoping my second semester will be better. I don’t know how it’ll turn out to be or if by the end of it, I’d turn into a goth anarchist and have punk friends. Maybe I’ll join the cinema collective or take creative writing classes or tell random strangers I like their hair. Whatever it is, I’ll try it. And if all fails, I’ll know I have movies to fall back into.
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OTHER MOVIES NOT MENTIONED Flavors of Youth Blackkklansman White Boy Rick Boy Erased Spider Man: Into The Spiderverse Bird Box Bumblebee
MOVIES I PLANNED TO WATCH BUT MISSED Hot Summer Nights Mid90s The Hate U Give Bohemian Rhapsody
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