20 Essential Films - Asian Pacific American Heritage Month 2020

The month of May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, a time to honor the history, the people, and the contributions of Asian and Pacific Americans including when it comes to the world of movies. To honor this special time, I have chosen to scour through the history of movie reviews on this very website to find what I feel are 20 essential films created by Asian film makers, half from the states and half from abroad.

The High Note - Movie Review

The Movie: The High Note

The Director: Nisha Ganatra

The Cast: Dakota Johnson, Tracee Ellis Ross, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Ice Cube, Bill Pullman, Zoe Chao

The Story: A superstar singer and her overworked personal assistant are presented with a choice that could alter the course of their respective careers.

The Vast of Night - Movie Review

The Movie: The Vast of Night

The Director: Andrew Patterson

The Cast: Sierra McCormick, Jake Horowitz, Gail Cronauer, Bruce Davis

The Story: In the twilight of the 1950s, on one fateful night in New Mexico, a young switchboard operator Fay and charismatic radio DJ Everett discover a strange audio frequency that could change their small town and the future forever.

Saving Face - Movie Review

The Movie: Saving Face

The Director: Alice Wu

The Cast: Michelle Krusiec, Lynn Chen, Joan Chen, Jin Wang, Guang Lan Koh, Jessica Hecht, Ato Essandoh, David Shih, Brian Yang, Nathanel Geng, Mao Zhao

The Story: A Chinese-American lesbian and her traditionalist mother are reluctant to go public with secret loves that clash against cultural expectations.

The Half of It - Movie Review

The Movie: The Half of It

The Director: Alice Wu

The Cast: Leah Lewis, Daniel Diemer, Alexxis Lemire, Wolfgang Novogratz, Collin Chou, Becky Ann Baker, Enrique Murciano, Catherine Curtin

The Story: When smart but cash-strapped teen Ellie Chu agrees to write a love letter for a jock, she doesn't expect to become his friend - or fall for his crush.