Melissa, Alex, and special guest Sandie Cheng (Now In Color podcast) talk about the indie summer hit, Lulu Wang's The Farewell. We discuss Asian grandmothers, Awkwafina's Mandarin, and all the news in Asian-American cinema.
Representing All Asians - https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/7xggba/hollywood-doesnt-fully-represent-asian-americans-yet?utm_source=tcpfb&fbclid=IwAR09LmSqXJTaSBlu9FJosko64UVxa_nfZ-X1aBXdbW70Xz4UJ_mKLnUhfxQ
Whitewashing The Farewell- https://www.indiewire.com/2019/07/the-farewell-lulu-wang-interview-a24-1202158932/
In our latest interview, Melissa spoke with writer/director Andrea A. Walter and actor/producer Osric Chau of the indie film Empty By Design. We talk about travel, identity, and Ikea.
Empty By Design and In A New York Minute (last week's episode) will be in NYC for the Asian American International Film Festival, July 25th thru August 3rd.
AAIFF Empty By Design: https://www.goelevent.com/AAIFF/e/EmptybyDesign
AAIFF In A New York Minute: https://www.goelevent.com/AAIFF/e/InANewYorkMinute
This month, we did a series of interviews for the indie film, In A New York Minute, which our very own Rachel Liu worked on. This episode features Melissa interviewing actors Celia Au, Yi Liu, and Amy Chang, and Rachel interviewing actor Ludi Lin.
Look for the movie at a festival near you! If you're in NYC, you can catch this film at the Asian American International Film Festival. Buy your tickets here: https://www.goelevent.com/AAIFF/e/InANewYorkMinute
We discuss Detective Pikachu and John Wick 3 before diving into Always Be My Maybe, featuring Randall Park, Ali Wong, and our favorite Hapa, Keanu Reeves!
https://www.vulture.com/2019/05/randall-park-always-be-my-maybe.html
https://www.vulture.com/2019/06/keanu-reeves-became-ali-wongs-lover-in-always-be-my-maybe.html
Always Be My Maybe is out now on Netflix! Melissa interviews writer/actor Randall Park, director Nahnatchka Khan, and musician Dan the Automator. Alex interviews writer Michael Golamco. Check out our episode and make sure to watch the movie!
We're in the Endgame now! Rachel and Melissa talk Endgame while Alex is on vacation. We have so many thoughts. Namely, should we even be talking about this movie?
This month, we're covering a few movies, all of which left us wanting something a little more. Happy Death Day 2 (04:28) fell back into nerdy Asian Stereotypes, Battle Angel: Alita (13:30) whitewashed some of it's main characters, and Captain Marvel (25:10) covered Gemma Chan in green paint.
"Cyberpunk Cities Fetishize Asian Culture But Have No Asians": https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/mb7yqx/cyberpunk-cities-fetishize-asian-culture-but-have-no-asians-blade-runner
This month, we're discussing the Oscar-nominated documentary Minding the Gap. Directed by Bing Liu, Minding the Gap uses 12 years worth of footage that feature Bing and some of his skate boarding community in Rockford, IL. TW: this film and episode discuss domestic abuse.
If you or someone you know need support, the National Domestic Violence Hotline is available 24/7/365 in 3 languages: 1−800−799−7233
We have a bonus for you! You might recognize actress Olivia Cheng from Marco Polo on Netflix, but she's making waves for her role in Syfy's Deadly Class and for the upcoming Cinemax show Warrior (based of the writings of Bruce Lee.) Olivia was kind enough to call us for an interview.
Deadly Class is airing now on Syfy, and Warrior drops on April 5th. You can follow Olivia at @thatoliviacheng on Instagram and Twitter.
We're taking a turn this week to discuss TV. It's awards season, and with all the success of Killing Eve, and The Assassination of Gianni Versace, we wanted to celebrate our favorite TV shows with AAPI actors. In this episode we talk about Killing Eve, the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, and The Good Place.
Angry Asian Man Fall 2018 TV Shows: http://blog.angryasianman.com/2018/09/all-asians-on-tv-fall-2018-series.html
We've waited so long for a Hapa Hero! Jason Momoa stormed into our hearts as Aquaman, a shirtless, wet, halfbreed superhero. Do we spend a lot of time talking about how hot he is? Yes! Do we also discuss how Aquaman is Hapa AF? YES!
Also, happy Season 4!
Asians in Movies 2018: https://tinyurl.com/y7au3cfk
Nerds of Color Review: https://tinyurl.com/y8luchct
Hapa Mag: https://tinyurl.com/y8ocnuam
100 Most Handsome Men: https://tinyurl.com/y7mjk2xr
Happy Holidays! We've got a special treat. We interviewed James Wan, director of the upcoming DCEU film "Aquaman." We talk the look of the underwater Kingdom, the biracial nature of Aquaman, and how James' film "The Conjuring" broke Rachel Liu.
We've got an update for you! Listen to hear more and make sure to find Melissa at the Werk It! Podcast Conference at the Knockdown Center in Queens, NY on November 13th and 14th.
In our final full film review of Season 3, we talk about the Freddie Mercury and Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody! Melissa loves Freddie Mercury but is that enough to save this movie? With special guest Christian Dan Luu, Melissa and Rachel break down the film's interpretation about the first Asian Rock God.
In a special October bonus, we interview Nick Neon, writer, director, actor and fellow Hapa. We discuss being a Hapa filmmaker, his film Zero One, and intersectional art.
On Saturday the 27th at 3pm at the Wythe Hotel, we'll be cohosting Nick's film Zero One at KAFFNY (Korean-American Film Festival of NY).
Use promo code NOTNINJA30 for discounted tickets!
Buy KAFFNY tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/kaffny-2018-infinite-love-tickets-51109847931
KAFFNY Schedule: http://www.kaffny.org/
#AsianAugust live on! This month, we're talking about the thriller Searching. We talking John Cho and other leading Asian men, creating Asian families on screen, and what does the TV world looks like for representation in 2018.
It's Been A Minute with John Cho and Aneesh Chaganty: https://www.npr.org/2018/08/08/636576081/john-cho-and-aneesh-chaganty-on-searching
They Call Us Bruce with John Cho: https://theycallusbruce.libsyn.com/episode-47-they-call-us-john-cho
Avatar and a non-whitewashed cast: https://deadline.com/2018/09/avatar-the-last-airbender-live-action-series-netflix-1202467089/
Keeping it going with #StillAsianSeptember. To All The Boys I've Loved Before is out on Netflix now, and we cover Lana Candor, Hapa representation and the lack of Asian males in teenage films.
Callie Crossley for WGBH: https://www.wgbh.org/news/commentary/2018/09/02/im-thinking-of-going-to-see-crazy-rich-asians-again?platform=hootsuite
Lana Candor (The Cut): https://www.thecut.com/2018/08/interview-lana-condor-on-to-all-the-boys-ive-loved-before.html
Part two of two! We got special guest, Jonathan Castanien (host of Not So Ancient) to help us finish up Crazy Rich Asians. We talk the sequel, new Asian-focused projects, Awkafina's "blaccent", and Rachel drops some knowledge on China's relationship with hip hop.
Yuri Kochiyama: Japanese-American Civil Rights Activist
Michelle Yeoh was called a Banana
Find Not So Ancient on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play and more! @NotSoAncient
We saw Crazy Rich Asians a week before its official opening because we're, well, crazy like that. So this is our hot take in Crazy Rich Asians, before it's #GoldOpen 35 million dollar opening weekend. This is part one of two, since there's so much to cover, from hot abs to why #representationmatters.
Almost ten years have passed since The Cove was released; the documentary about Japanese fishermen hunting dolphins and small whales became a international phenomenon. The Cove created a one-sided narrative. Japanese filmmaker Megumi Sasaki saw this disparity in narratives and decided to embark on her own documentary A Whale Of A Tale. Her film is a counter-narrative to that of The Cove. Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1960505270/a-whale-of-a-tale-a-documentary-film
We are one week away from the premiere of Crazy Rich Asians! Writer/content creator Nathan Ramos (Club Mickey Mouse) guested this week to talk to about Crazy Rich Asians and all the controversies surrounding it from Henry Golding to the "Asian Black Panther."
This week, we cover Ocean's 8, the all-lady reboot of the Ocean's franchise. We talk Awkwafina, Mindy Kaling, and how one cameo saved them all. So here's to all the little girls who want to grow up to commit some crimes!
Nerd's of Color:
In a summer bonus, we cover Deadpool 2, and the TV shows Altered Carbon and Sense8. Rachel breaks down the trope of Women in Fridges, and we break down the issue with Yukio's hair streak.
Our Ocean's 8 episode will come out later. But in the meantime, we got an interview with star on the rise, Awkwafina! Besides Ocean's 8, her latest album, "In Fina We Trust", dropped a few days ago. And next she's starring in Crazy Rich Asians.
So hear her here before she blows up this summer!
"In Fina We Trust" is out now on Spotify, Itunes and anywhere music can be found. Ocean's 8 is in theatres now.
HB Studio had a panel and we moderated! We talk Sierra Boggess in West Side Story, creating new works, and actors asking the question "Am I right for this role?" Big thanks to panelists Annie Henk, Tonilyn Sideco, and Peter J. Kuo, sound engineer Alexandra Chludzinska, and The New School.
HB Studio Panel: https://hbstudio.org/calendar/race-casting-and-representation-a-panel-discussion-live-podcast/
Sierra Boggess and West Side Story: http://www.playbill.com/article/sierra-boggess-withdraws-from-west-side-story-concert
Linda Park and Cat On A Hot Tin Roof: http://www.laweekly.com/arts/for-the-first-time-ever-an-asian-american-has-been-cast-in-a-classic-tennessee-williams-role-8049025
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf and the Edward Albee Estate: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/21/theater/a-black-actor-in-virginia-woolf-not-happening-albee-estate-says.html