Phil's Top Three Film Picks from CAAMFest San Jose-August 19, 2013

After the final screening of the CAAMFest San Jose at the Camera 3 Cinemas, I ran into Masashi Niwano, the festival and exhibitions director in the theater lobby. He asked me what were my favorite films during the weekend, to which I responded. Now since I have severe OCD, I had my favorites listed by category: narrative, documentary, and what I call undiscovered gem, which is a film that catches me by surprise. Masashi liked my choices and appreciated my feedback. While driving home I thought to myself, "Hey! I should post that for my blog! What a great idea!" So ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to present to you all my Top Three Film Picks from the inaugural CAAMFest San Jose!!

FAVORITE NARRATIVE FILM: WILL YOU STILL LOVE ME TOMORROW?

From the opening scene from Arvin Chen's film, I knew I was seeing something really special. Equal parts romantic comedy, drama, and queer cinema, Chen's film also has that distinctive feel of a Wes Anderson movie; which only elevates the film to new heights. Funny, sweet, heart warming, as well as touching, introspective, and surreal, this was an easy pick for me! One of the finest films I've seen in a long time! To learn more about the film, check it's official website and "Like" the film on Facebook!

FAVORITE DOCUMENTARY: GO GRANDRIDERS!

Truly one of the most inspiring documentaries ever captured onto film! This simple story about a group of over 80 senior citizens traveling on a 13 day motorcycle tour around the island of Taiwan is a testament to the human spirit, showing us that life doesn't have to slow down when you get older. And as I said in my original review, this film should inspire you to live every single day of your life to the fullest! I found myself getting choked up during the screening because I was so touched my these people! My favorite documentary at the festival! The film will be the very first Taiwanese documentary to be released theatrically here in the states, so I encourage you all to see this once it's released! In the meantime, please visit the film's official website at http://gograndriders.com.

UNDISCOVERED GEM: BEST FRIENDS FOREVER

OK, I did not see this film coming. While reading the film's synopsis in the schedule, you really don't get the full brilliance of it. Here's a girl buddy road trip film, mixed with an apocalyptic disaster film, and you get one of the most intriguing and fascinating films ever! It really did caught me off guard because it was so different and original! Plus the stars of the movie wrote and directed the film and it was shot on glorious super 16mm film stock! All these factors make this an undiscovered gem of a film! Highly recommended!! Check out the movie's official website at http://bestfriendsforeverfilm.com.

And folks there you have it! My Top Three Film Picks from CAAMFest San Jose! So be on the lookout for any of these films in your local theater, on cable, or VOD, or any other media outlet! Also, if you would like to learn more about CAAM, their mission, and how to make a donation, please visit their website at caamedia.org.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil attends CAAMFest San Jose at the Camera 3: Day Three-August 18, 2013

Hello again everybody and welcome to the third and final day of the CAAMFest San Jose Film Festival at the Camera 3 Cinemas! Hard to believe it's all over! But before I say goodbye, let me talk about the last four film I saw on Sunday!

The first film I saw was the French-Belgian export APPROVED FOR ADOPTION, a true story/narrative/documentary/animation movie. It's about a 45 year old comic book artist named Jung who travels back to Seoul, Koera for the first time since he was abandoned there by his mother at five years old and was found by a policeman. He was just one of thousands of abandoned Koreans that was adopted after the war. He eventually was adopted by a loving French family. Told in animated sequences conveying his childhood, he see Jung's early years unfold as he struggles with who he is and his search for an identity.

The movie is based on a graphic novel by Jung and was directed by Laurent Boileau and Jung. This was a very personal film to watch. We have all at one point in our lives struggled with an identity crisis that leaves us questioning everything that we do. Jung was brave enough to first put it in comic form, and then translate it for the big screen. A very brave move on his part. The film was thoughtful, poetic, and amazingly animated that pulls on your heartstrings. A wonderful work of art that Jung should be very proud of! To learn more about the film, visit its official website at www.couleurdepeaumiel-lefilm.com as follow the film on Facebook too.

Film number two was the documentary HARANA, the long lost art form of when a Filipino man would serenade to the woman he was in love with under her window. Returning home to the Philippines for the first time in over 12 years, classically trained guitarist Florante Aguilar sets out to find the last three remaining masters of the Harana: Celestino Aniel, Felipe Alonzo, and Romeo Bergunio. Together, these four men set out to revive this forgotten music by recording an album and going on tour; to once again bring the Harana music to the people.

I have never heard of Harana music before, and now after seeing the documentary, I can't wait to tell all my friends about it, and the film as well! Director Benito Bautista and Florante did a tremendous job of not only finding the original Harana keepers, but do get them in the film and in the studio to record this incredible music! This film should be required view for music lovers worldwide! It's as if Florante and his friends serenade us though the duration of the film! It's truly a captivating film to watch!

For those of you living here, the film will have several more Bay Area screenings so make sure you check this film out. To learn more about the film and the other screenings, please visit www.haranathemovie.com and check out its Facebook page. 

The third film of the day was the crazy and eccentric New York based film LET'S BE OUT, THE SUN IS SHINING. A shy, twenty-something, Indian-American woman named Diya (Lipica Shah) meets and falls for good looking but jerk Brooklyn bartender Paddy (Scott Lyman). Believing everyone is disposable, he ditches her to Diya to and runs away to Miami with smoking hot blonde cougar Sophia (Madeleine James). Feeling rejected, she befriends a small group of struggling actors and musicians in Bushwick, Brooklyn, much to the disapproval of her protective older brother. During this time she explores who she is, her feelings and thoughts on life and love, and what's important to her.

Director Bornila Chatterjee captures the raw energy and youthful rebellion of New York as we watch Diya come out of her shell and becomes a totally different person at the end of the film. The combination of a good script with hand held cinematography really sets the film apart and gives it its own distinctive personality. The entire cast was great but Lipica Shah was amazing in the film, bringing a sense of innocence and strength to her role as Diya. Really a terrific performance! At the 2012 New York Indian Film Festival, the film won the Audience Choice Feature Film Award and Lipica Shah also received a Best Actress nomination!

After the screening, Bornila Chatterjee came up on stage and gave a fun Q&A session with the audience. You can follow the film on its Facebook page and Bornila on Twitter.

The fourth and final film of the festival was the documentary CROCODILE IN THE YANGTZE, which tells the story of the man known as "Crazy" Jack Ma, a former school English school teacher who went on to become China's first Internet entrepreneur. The documentary explores the early years of his company, the Alibaba Group, and his fierce battle with the powerful US company eBay for dominance in China.

The film was written, produced, and directed by Porter Erisman, who was one of Ma's first employees and had front row seats of this rags t riches tale. From its humble beginnings in Ma's small apartment to a massive company employing 16,000 staff, Porter documents Ma's story from culling nearly " 200 hours of archival footage filmed by over 35 sources between 1995 and 2009." What's really remarkable was that Ma gave Porter his blessing to make the film, showcasing some personal moments and stories that most CEOs wouldn't allow. But by doing this, Porter's film shows the real Jack Ma, a regular human being who had a dream and dared to chase it.

Porter was in attendance at the screening and conducted a Q&A with the audience. To learn more about the film, visit the official website at www.crocodileintheyangtze.com and also follow the film on Facebook.

And that ladies and gentlemen is a wrap of the very first CAAMFest San Jose! I had a blast this weekend and I cannot wait for next year's festival! So if you would like to learn more about CAAM, their mission, and how to make a donation, please visit their website at caamedia.org.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil attends CAAMFest San Jose at the Camera 3: Day Two-August 17, 2013

Welcome back to Day Two of my trip to the CAAMFest San Jose Film Festival at the Camera 3 Cinemas!! Saturday was a busy day for me! I saw four films and one shorts program, so let's get started shall we?

The first film I saw was INFINITY AND CHASHU RAMEN. Written and directed by local filmmaker Kerwin Berk, the film takes place in San Francisco's Japantown and follows two spirits: a wise but mischevious 400 year old man named Tenshi (Hiroshi Kashiwagi) and young naive woman from the 1940's named Lucy (Wendy Woo). Together, these two very different spirits help guide the lives of a dozen people in Japantown, as told in six interwoven vignettes.

This is a perfect example of the flourishing local independent movie scene here in the Bay Area. Berk really captures not only this independent spirit, but also captures the spirit of Japantown. The combination of a cleverly written script with very good acting makes this a winner in my book! The entire cast is great in the film! Both Woo and Kashiwagi play up the odd couple scenario perfectly, giving us some true laughs and sentiment. It's their on-screen chemistry that makes the film so much fun to watch. Definitely worth checking out! To learn more about the film, visit the official website at http://infinityandchashuramen.com.

Film number two of the day was the FUTURE'S CALLING SHORTS PROGRAM. The program consisted of Bay Area filmmakers showcasing their short films about who they are, their communties and their roots.

DISTANCE: A black and white film about a young couple facing a crisis in their relationship. A young Chinese girl's boyfriend asks her to join him as he is being relocated to Hong Kong because of his job. Told in a voiceover narrative, she explains the distance she feels not only with her boyfriend, but also within herself.
TULE LAKE: This amazing animated short takes place in the dead of winter at Tule Lake segregation camp during the Japanese-American internment of World War II. It focuses on a young mom there who leaves her family for one night, but not to escape. The film was beautifully animated by the students at the San Jose Sate University animation department and directed by Michelle Ikemoto! A visually stunning short film!
GRAVE GOODS: Directed by Leslie Tai, this documentary short tells the story of her deceased grandmother who was buried with some of her personal belongings so she could take them with her to the afterlife. Leslie examines what was left behind, and discloses personal stories about them and what they mean to her. Very touching short film!
INDIAN SUMMER: Another doc short, it's about a group of Indian children attending the Hindi Heritage Summer Camp where they learn their roots, traditions, and culture. The film was directed by Mridu Chandra.
LADY RAZORBACKS: Shot in East Palo Alto, this black and white doc focuses on a group of female Pacific Islander rugby players. The short was directed by Laura Green.
PERFORMING GIRL: Directed by Crescent Diamond, the film focuses on the life of D'Lo, a queer, transgender, Tamil Sir Lankan American, actor, artist, comedian, director, and music producer who discusses his upbringing in Lancaster, California. A truly inspiring film!

After the screening, directors Crescent Diamond, Leslie Tai, and Michelle Ikemoto participated in a Q&A session with the audience.

The third film I saw was the powerful documentary STATELESS. Directed by Emmy award winner Duc Nguyen, the film follows the lives of Vietnam War refugees who are living in the Philippines, and have been waiting for over 16 years to be granted interviews in order to come to the United States. The documentary closely examines and tells their stories of hurt, betrayal, sacrifice, and their hope of having a place to call home.

This is one of the reasons I love watching documentaries. They tell stories that I never knew existed and this is one of them. I never knew that there were still over 2,000 boat people still left from the Vietnam War. And all they want is the chance to start over here in America and to finally to not only have a home, but to be free. Nguyen's film portrays the plight of these people and we cannot help feel sympathetic to their cause! Truly an outstanding documentary (six years in the making!) and one that people should definitely see!

After the screening, Duc Nguyen participated in a Q&A with the audience. He also mentioned that he's still seeking help for the film because it is not completely finish, and you can help contribute to its fundraising. To learn more about the documentary and to make a contribution, visit the film's official website at www.statelessdocumentary.com

Film number four was the festival's centerpiece presentation (and another fantastic documentary) called GO GRANDRIDERS. This inspiring film chronicles a group of senior citizens (majority are over 80 years old) as they embark on the greatest adventure of their lives: a 13 day motorcycle tour around the island of Taiwan! As the film progresses, we get to know these people; their background, their family, and their own personal philosophies about life as they travel Taiwan, stopping at nursing homes to inspire other elders to keep on living life to its fullest!

What a wonderful film! I could not stop smiling the entire time I was watching it! It's so inspiring, so touching, and so fantastic to watch that it brought a tear to my eye! OK, it brought a lot of tears to both my eyes! The film proves that just because your old doesn't mean you have to stop living your life. Quite the contrary, it should inspire you to live life to the fullest every single day! These so-called "old people" have lived a very long life, filled with many stories and adventures. And now, in their twilight years, they have added one more to their storybook!

After the screening, director Hua Tien-Hau was there along with ten of the original Grandriders to participate in an awesome Q&A session! To see them live and in-person was so amazing! Afterward, everybody went over to the Fahrenheit Restaurant and Lounge for a reception. The film will be the very first Taiwanese documentary to be released theatrically here in the states, so I encourage you all to see this once it's released! In the meantime, please visit the film's official website at http://gograndriders.com.

The fifth and final film of the day was BEST FRIENDS FOREVER. The film follows best friends Harriet (Brea Grant) and Reba (Vera Miao) as they embark on a road trip from LA to Austin, Texas. At the exact same time, LA and three other cites are wiped off the face of the earth from a nuclear  attack. The apocalypse has just been ushered in, forcing both Harriet and Reba to re-examine their lives and their beloved friendship.

This film caught me off by surprise! It features a terrific script, solid acting, awesome directing, and as a bonus, it features one helluva curve ball: a female buddy road trip story wrapped around an apocalyptic disaster story! Genius! Absolutely genius! Also adding more bonus points, the film was female made. Grant directed the film and co-wrote the screenplay with Miao, who was also one of the producers along with Stacey Storey, a former Miss Alaska USA turned filmmaker who also has her production company called Storeyteller Films. And speaking of film, the movie was shot on super 16mm film print! How cool is that? A true gem of a film! Check out the movie's official website at http://bestfriendsforeverfilm.com.

What a great day of film watching! Six screenings in two days, and there's still more to see on Sunday! To learn more about Center for Asian American Media and the film festival, and to make donations, please visit their website at http://caamedia.org.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil attends the CAAMFest San Jose Opening Night Gala at the Camera 3-August 16, 2013

Friday night I attended the inaugural CAAMFest San Jose Film Festival! Formerly known as the San Francisco International Asian America Film Festival and usually held in March, this year marks a new name for the festival and a new month. But it's still held at the Camera 3 Cinemas here in Downtown San Jose! Before the screening of the opening film, the Center for Asian American Media (CAAM) executive director Stephan Gong thanked all their sponsors and partners, without whom this festival would not happen. Stephen also talked about having this festival separate from the fest in San Francisco and their goal is to hopefully grow this to a week long festival, which I would love to see! After all the introductions, writer/director Arvin Chen was called up to introduce his film to the audience and thanked us for coming out to see it on this warm, summer night. Then it was time to watch the South Bay Premiere of the film WILL YOU STILL LOVE ME TOMORROW?

Meet Weichung (Richie Jen). He's an optometrist who was just promoted to manager, is married to the beautiful Feng (Mavis Fan), and they have a son. Life should be good for him, but when he runs into marriage planner Stephen (Lawrence Ko), an old friend from from his gay past, he begins to question his sexual orientation, especially now that his wife wants to have another child. Things begin to get even more complicated when he meets good looking flight attendant (Wong Ko Lok). To make things even more problematic, his younger sister Mandy (Kimi Hsia) has a pre-wedding panic attack and dumps her bland fiance Sen-Sen (Stone) at a department store. Yup, life's not boring for Weichung.

The film was sweet, heart warming, and laugh-out-loud hilarious! Arvin Chen did an incredible job with crafting a story that was fantastic, filled it with believable and relatable characters, and combining surreal and realistic settings and situations that are just beautiful. The film is honest, funny, and is like a breathe of fresh air! I absolutely loved the film! This is what I would call a perfect film! Now I originally wanted to see the film when it was playing during the Frameline 37 Film Festival, but I couldn't make it to the screening. I am very happy that I now got to see this incredible, enchanting, and wonderful film, especially here in San Jose! After the screening, Arvin participated in a fun and informative Q&A session with the audience.

After the screening, we all went to the gala afterparty which was held at the San Jose Museum of Art. There was plenty of food, drinks, and wine to enjoy. Music was played and people were having a very good time! Also the museum had some very cool exhibits to coincide with the festival: Questions from the Sky: New Work by Hung Liu and New Stories from the Edge of Asia: This/That.

What an amazing night, and this was just the beginning! The festival continues for the rest of this weekend so come out to the Camera 3 and partake on the fun! To view the film schedule and to purchase tickets, visit the CAAM website at http://caamedia.org.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show! 

Phil wishes all of you a HAPPY NEW YEAR!!-January 1, 2013

Me at Cinequest 22 Film Festival in San Jose.

Hello everybody and welcome to 2013!! The Mayans predicted the end of the world would arrive on December 21, 2012, but here we all are!!

The year 2012 will go down as one of my busiest years of all time. Since launching my movie blog back in March of 2011, I was able to attend several film festivals! My very first festival that I covered was also my most favorite of all: The Cinequest 22 Film Festival! This film festival is my absolute favorite fest to attend and since it's right here in my hometown of San Jose, it felt like I was coming home. During Cinequest I attended 56 screenings in 13 days!! This was an all-new personal best for me! Let's see if I can top that at this year's festival! Keep your fingers crossed for me and hope I don't go blind!!

With friends Jason Weiner & Elijah Berry at the SF Silent Film Festival.

After Cinequest 22, the floodgates opened and I found myself at a plethora of film festivals and events: A week after Cinequest ended I was at the 30th Annual San Fransisco International Asian American Film Festival (SFIAAFF), then I was at the magnificent art deco Paramount Threatre in Oakland attending the exclucive 5 1/2 hour epic screening of Abel Gance's 1927 long, lost silent film classic NAPOLEON!!

Me & Rena Riffel at the SHOWGIRLS 2 show at the Castro,

In April I was back out at the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum attending their 10th Anniversary celebration of Gilbert Anderson aka Broncho Billy and the Essanay Studios coming to Niles as well as their Annual Earthquake show. There were a lot of other cool events at the museum, such as their Charlie Chaplin Days, their world famous Broncho Billy Silent Film Festival, their encore screening of Sutro's Baths documentary, as well as their weekly Saturday Night shows!

Other festivals and events included the 17th San Francisco Silent Film Festival, Miss Misery's 5th Annual Nightmare To Remember International Horror Film Festival, the Midnites For Mainacs movie events and the Peaches Christ Experience shows at the historic Castro Theatre in San Francisco! I was also at the RiffTrax Live broadcast events at the Cinemark Century 20 Oakridge Mall, the Indiana Jones Marathon at the AMC Mercado 20, the very first Miss Misery's Days Of Terror Horror Convention at the at the Scottish Rite Center in Sacramento, the Back To The Future trilogy at the Retro Dome in Saratoga.

Me & actress Debra Lamb at Miss Misery's Days of Terror Con.

I also found myself being contacted by directors to review their films. Director James Cullen Bressack contacted me through Facebook and asked me to review his new horror film entitled  HATE CRIME. In my review I stated that, "No other horror film has left me this disturbed in quite some time."Well, turned out that Bressack liked my review and he used that particular quote in the film's trailer!! This was truly a memorable moment for me as a film reviewer and a movie blogger!!

In October I once again did my annual horror movie marathon, where I watched and reviewed one horror movie throughout the month. This has inspired me to one again rethink about relaunching my horror movie blog The Midnight Horror Sinema Show! So look for that happening in the next few months!

Me & Horror Movie Hostess Miss Misery at the SJ Toy Fair.

Then there were all the movies I saw at the Camera Cinemas in both Downtown San Jose and in the Pruneyard Campbell. It was at the Camera 3 where yours truly hosted the Cult Move Series and I was there for almost all of the Rocky Horror Picture Show screenings, hosted my good friends Barely Legal Productions!!

Overall 2012 was a epic year for me. It goes without saying that 2013 will be an even more exciting year! And of course, I would like to thank all of you who joined me on my cinematic adventures!! I hope you enjoyed my reviews and thoughts. Now let's say goodbye to 2012, and welcome 2013 with a bang!!

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil attends the SFIAAFF at the Camera 3: Day Three-March 18, 2011

Hello again everyone and welcome to the third and final day of my trip to the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival here at the Camera Cinemas! Today I was planning to see another five films today (if that was possible) but I settled for three. But let me explain what happened.

So there were two other films that I wanted to see originally: YES, WE'RE OPEN and VIETTE. Now when I got to the Camera 3 I was informed that both of these films had sold out! Needless to say I was quite bummed. However, later on in the Psycho Donuts area of the theater, I met Mye Hoang, who wrote, acted, and directed the film VIETTE! She was selling festival DVD autographed copies of her film, and yours truly bought one. Also, she was kind enough to personalized my copy for me, so thank you Mye and keep your eyes peeled here for my review of VIETTE in the very near future! So let's talk about the three films that I did see today!

First film up was the inspiring documentary MRS. JUDO: BE STRONG, BE GENTLE, BE BEAUTIFUL. The film's about Keiko Fukuda, who is just one of only four Judo practitioners in the world to currently hold the 10th Dan, Judo’s highest degree black belt. She is also the only women in the world to have this prestigious honor. Oh, did I mention she's only less than five feet tall, weighs less than 100 pounds, and is also 98 years old? This incredible and unbelievable doc tells Fukuda's life as it traces her seven decade Judo career: her travels to different countries, her commitment to the Judo teachings, and the sexism she encountered during her lifetime.

The documentary was preceded by the 25 minute short film RING LAILA, and it's about young women raised in the slums of Kolkata who who take up boxing. The film was directed by Anurada Rana. Check out the film's official website at www.ringlaila.com.

Director Yuriko Gamo Romer did a marvelous job creating the film by using rare archival footage, family and personal photos, and plenty of insightful and intimate interviews. After the screening, director Romer and Keiko Fukuda herself came down to participate in a Q&A session. Granted Fukuda was in a wheelchair and was tired but it was cool to meet her! So as a result Romer mostly answered the audiences' questions. Another great documentary that needs to be seen! Be sure to check out the film's official Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pages/Be-Strong-Be-Gentle-Be-Beautiful.

The second film I saw was Indian drama ABU, SON OF ADAM. Basically, the film's about Abu and Aisu, a loving old Muslim couple in their late 70s who've been scrapping and saving to go on trip to Hajj, but only according to all diktats of Islam. People offer them money, but it's against their religion. They get set to go, then they can't, and that happens quite a lot in the film. Slow and quiet, the film was India’s official entry to the Best Foreign Language Film category of the 84th Academy Awards and the 2012 Golden Globes.

OK, with apologies to the Academy, the Golden Globes, and to the SFIAAFF, this film didn't do anything for me. None at all. Yes, it was beautifully directed, but I didn't connect with the film at all. To be honest, I found it to be flat and forgettable. Some people liked it, but I would pass on this film.

The third and film film of the festival was another documentary. MR. CAO GOES TO WASHINGTON was about Joseph Cao, the first Vietnamese American Republican ever to be elected to Congress and his bid for re-election in 2010. Producer/director S. Leo Chiang followed Congressman Cao for over two years, chronicling the whole story: from his surprise win in the African American Democratic district in New Orleans, being the only Republican to vote for Obama's Health Care Bill, and the pressure to be re-elected. The documentary was also produced by CAAM as well!

After the screening, both Cao and director Chiang participated in a long and informative Q&A with the audience. This was my favorite documentary at the festival! Insightful, intriguing, sometimes funny, and tragic as well! To learn more about the film and future screenings, check out the film's official website at http://mrcaofilm.com.

Well another SFIAAFF has come to an end! Overall I saw nine films in two and a half days! Not too shabby! Hopefully I can see more films at next year's festival. So do yourself a favor and make plans to come out to the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival. To learn more about the festival, make donations, visit the Center for Asian American Media's website at http://caamedia.org.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil attends the SFIAAFF at the Camera 3: Day Two-March 17, 2012

Welcome back to Day Two of my trip to the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival at the Camera 3 Cinemas!! Today I saw five films so let's get started shall we?

The first film I saw was NINJA KIDS, the newest film by acclaimed director Takashi Miike. Based on the popular Manga comic, the film's about Rantaro, a cute little eight-year-old kid who has wild looking orange-ish hair and big Harry Potter-like glasses. His parents send him off to ninja academy to become a great ninja and to bring honor to their family. Once there he makes friends with his classmates, who are also wild and crazy in their own way. Dressed in cool blue ninja pajamas, the class learns the fundamentals of rock climbing, explosives, and ninja star throwing. But soon their skills are put to the test as Rantaro and his friends must protect the Saito clan, who are former ninjas turned cross-dressing hair stylists that look like they came straight out of the Castro district. With the help and guidance from their teachers, the boys bravely defend the Saito clan, and Rantaro learns the true meaning of the word ninja.

Back in July of last year at the Camera 3, I saw Miike's last film 13 ASSASSINS, which in my review I mentioned that, "not since Akira Kurosawa's 1954 masterpiece SEVEN SAMURAI  has there been a samurai film of this perfection." So when I saw this film, which is a family film, I was completely blown away! The fact that Miike made a film that was a complete 180 degrees from his last was staggering. The film felt like it was filtered through acid filled orange Kool-Aid. It was trippy, bizarre, absurd, and I loved every minute of it! The film was picked up and distributed by Warner Brothers (if you can believe that) and hopefully will be playing soon at a movie theater near you! In the meantime, check out the film's official website (it's in Japanese) at wwws.warnerbros.co.jp/nintama.

Film number two of the day was the WERE WE LIVE SHORTS PROGRAM. The program consisted of eight short films about family, love, life, and death:

L.A. COFFIN SCHOOL: A group of students attend this special school to experience their own deaths and relive past memories of their lives.
THE CHAMPIONS: A very funny film about a neurotic family called the Champions that believes that there house is haunted....by an evil spirit living their couch.
BEI YAN WAN SHANGHAI: In Shanghai there is a migrant worker district called Bel Yan Wan that is about to be demolished and the film follows two families from this area.
DEREK & LUCAS: Two boys playing soccer discover a dying dog in the woods and argue on what to do about it.
WERE WE LIVE: A short doc about the Hamad family, who now live here in the US but are still reminded of their traumatic experience living in Iraq. Very powerful and disturbing short film.
SHANGRA-LA: A funny short film about a group of Tibetan monks now living in a Bay Area suburb that wonders why people don't come out of their homes.
RAYMOND: An emotional and funny film about a young man named Raymond who returns home to the Bay Are to tell his family and his ex-boyfriend that he has cancer.
DOL, FIRST BIRTHDAY: The film's about a Korean American gay man who comes home to partake in his nephew's first birthday.

After the program, the cast and crew of the short film RAYMOND participated in a Q&A session. Overall these were some amazing short films!

The third film of the day was SURROGATE VALENTINE 2: DAYLIGHT SAVINGS (or just DAYLIGHT SAVINGS), the new film by Dave Boyle. In this sequel to last year's Closing Night smash hit, singer/songwriter/rocker Goh Nakamura returns as "Goh." Life's been good for Goh as of late. His music has been featured in a big time television commercial for the drug Relatrix, and he's about to go on his biggest tour of his life when his girlfriend in L.A. Ayako Fujitan (daughter of Steven Seagal) breaks up with him via Skype. Heartbroken and shaken, Goh wanders aimlessly through San Francisco while hanging out with his old flame Rachael (the lovely Lynn Chen). At his going away party he meets fellow musician and new love interest Yea-Ming (playing herself), the lead singer from the group Dreamdate. Before Goh can make his move, she leaves to go do a show in Las Vegas. Feeling a connection with her, Goh's cousin Mike (Michael Aki) convinces him to go on a madcap roadtrip with him to Sin City and see if there is something between them.

The film is a perfect follow-up to the first film. Our friend Goh grows up in this film and we see him go through a wide range of emotions that are heartfelt and oh to real. The real Goh's acting in the film was really good and seeing Lynn again is always a pleasure. But kuddos goes to Yea-Ming, who really shines in the film. Also the soundtrack in the film is incredible! Both Goh and Yea-Ming provide some astounding music that you should own! After the screening, Boyle, Goh, Yea-Ming, Michael, and members of the Top Hats Motorcycle Club participated in a fun Q&A session. To learn more about the film and to purchase a copy of the soundtrack, visit the film's official website at http://surrogatevalentine.com.

The fourth film I saw was the ultra cool and ultra hilarious NICE GIRLS CREW. The film focuses on three best friends Sophie (Lynn Chen), Leena (Sheetal Sheth), and Geraldine (Michelle Krusiec), who have known each other since grade school. Now as adults, they are reunited and decided to start a book club called, you guessed it, Nice Girls Crew. In five separate shorts, the girls tackle a different book with different results that leads to some of the funniest moments I have ever seen captured on film! The series was produced by the Center for Asian American Media and it was also created and written by Festival staff member Christine Kwon. The films were also co-written and directed by filmmaker Tanuj Chopra, whose film PUNCHING AT THE SUN was screened at 2006 film fest. NICE GIRLS CREW was the first film series to be produced by CAAM and to have it premiere during the festival was awesome! After the screening both Kwon and Chopra held a fun-filled Q&A that hinted that there could be more of NGC films in the near future. I for one would love to see more of this series! Make sure you check out the series' official Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ngcseries.

The fifth and final film I saw was the HBO produced documentary LOVE CRIMES OF KABUL. Set at the Bagh Women's Prison in Kabul, Afghanistan, the film follows a group of women who are incarcerated for premarital sex, running away from home, and adultery.. Emmy-nominated director Tanaz Eshaghian tells the stories of these women and reminds us that in other countries, women are still being treated like second class citizens.

Words cannot describe just how shocking the documentary was. Raw, unflinching, and unnerving, the film really get your blood boiling and makes you wonder how and why some societies still treat women this way, granting them no rights or a voice to speak their minds or opinions. A powerful and disturbing documentary that really got under my skin. Highly recommended!! To learn more about the film and to see when it will be shown, visit the film's official HBO website at www.hbo.com/documentaries/love-crimes-of-kabul/index.html.

Today was a great day of film watching! Six films in two days, and there's still more to see on Sunday! To learn more about Center for Asian American Media and the film festival, and to make donations, please visit their website at http://caamedia.org.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil attends the SFIAAFF 30 Opening Nght Gala at the Camera 3-March 16, 2012

Hello folks and welcome to the opening night of the San Fransisco International Asian American Film Festival (SFIAAFF) at the Camera 3 Cinemas here in Downtown San Jose! This year marks the 30th anniversary of the festival, as well as the 11th anniversary of the festival being shown in San Jose! Before the screening of the opening film, the Center for Asian American Media (CAAM) executive director Stephan Gong thanked all their sponsors, without whom this festival would not happen. Then both director Michael Kang and star/screenwriter Kimberly-Rose Wolter were called up to introduce their film to the audience and thanked us for coming out to see the film on this cold, wet, rainy Friday night. Then the lights dimmed and we watched the South Bay Premiere of the comedy film KNOTS.

The film's about Lily (Wolter), who is a beautiful, quirky, marriage-phobic woman who left her family and their family business in Hawaii and relocated to Los Angeles. When she and her boyfriend James (Henry Dittman) travel back for vacation, he pops the big question which sends her back to her loving family: her mom Miriam Wolf (Illeana Douglas), and her younger sisters Hoku (Janel Parrish), who just happens to be pregnant and bubbly Twinny (Mia Riverton). Reluctantly, she helps out with the family business ironically called "Tying the Knot." While back home she runs into her ex-boyfriend Kai (Sung Kang), who Twinny is dating. Things become complicated when old feelings resurfaces, but will Lily's fear of commitment ruin her friendship with Kai and her family's business as well?

The film was a fun, light-hearted comedy that boasts some really hilarious moments combined with love and inspiration. The family dynamic between the mom and her daughters was very well done. The on-screen chemistry between all the lead actresses was believable, thanks to perfect casting. Wolter not only starred in the film, but also written the script (she also starred in and wrote TRE, which won the Special Jury Prize at SFIAAFF ‘08). Born and raised in Hawaii, Wolter knew a lot about Hawaiian customs and knew locations that would best suit the film. Director Kang is no stranger to the festival, having both the comedy THE MOTEL (SFIAAFF ‘05) and noir film WEST 32ND (SFIAAFF ‘08) showcased at the festival. With this film, he continues his streak of bringing us films that shows us his talents.

After the screening, we all went to the gala afterparty which was held at the San Jose Museum of Art. There was plenty of food, drinks, and wine to enjoy. Some of my favorite treats were the dessert snacks from Charlie's Cheesecake Works and Jade Chocolate, as well Chinese cuisine from Ginger Cafe. Both Charlie's and Ginger are located here in the South Bay, while Jade is located in San Fransisco. Check out their websites to learn more about their businesses.

Tonight was an amazing night, and this was just the beginning! The festival continues for the rest of this weekend so come out to the Camera 3 and partake on the fun! To view the film schedule and to purchase tickets, visit the CAAM website at http://caamedia.org.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil sees CLASH at the Camera 12-March 21, 2011

While attending the SFIAAFF here in San Jose, I realized that I missed out on a lot of films that the festival showed up in San Francisco a couple of weeks earlier. However on Sunday, our good friends at CAAM mentioned that their centerpiece film of the festival CLASH was being shown at the Camera 12 as a regular film release. So today, still riding high from this past weekend, I ventured back to Downtown San Jose to see the film.

Le Thanh Son's CLASH

CLASH stars the sexy, action heroine Veronica Ngo as Trinh (or Phoenix as she is also called), a tough and brooding hitwoman to crime boss known as the Black Dragon. He is holding her daughter captive, so she is forced to do jobs for him. For her "final job," she recruits a motley-looking crew (including her real-life husband Johnny Tri Nguyen who portrays the mysterious Quan) to pull it off, afterwards her boss will release her and her daughter. Soon, it all hits the fan as Trinh and her gang must fight off French mobsters, Vietnamese gangsters, as well as themselves, and of course, the Black Dragon.

Le Thanh Son's directorial debut's tribute to classic Hong Kong martial arts films resonates here, but he updates and infuses it with modern sensibility. Ngo is deadly as she is beautiful, Nguyen is strong and commanding. Together this real life couple kick ass all over the screen, and they make it look so easy. Both were the stars in another feature entitled THE REBEL. Their on-screen personas in this film are entertaining, proud, and, of course, bad asses.

Son's directing is flawless, with quick, precise editing, and solid storytelling makes this an action packed, over-the-top rollercoaster ride. It's been awhile since I've seen an action film that I thoroughly enjoyed. American action films should take notes from this Vietnamese import. CLASH is a fantastic film that really must be seen of the big screen.

CLASH is playing for two weeks only at the Camera 12 in downtown San Jose. To see the times listing visit http://www.cameracinemas.com/index.shtml

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil attends the SFIAAFF - Day Three

Hello folks and welcome back to the third and final day of my trip to the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival at the Camera 12 Cinemas here in downtown San Jose! Brace yourselves, and here we go!

Hao Lie in Chung Mong-Hong's THE FOURTH PORTRAIT

My first film on this wet and rainy Sunday was THE FOURTH PORTRAIT, directed by Chung Mong-Hong. The film centers on a 10-year-old boy named Xiang, who goes to live with his mother and stepdad after his real father passes away. However all is not right with Xiang. Lonely and withdrawn from the kids at school and his parents, he takes to his art, by drawing to escape his problems. But things take a turn for the worse when he begins to dream of his missing older brother, which someone in his family knows the truth behind the mysterious disappearance.

From the director of PARKING, Hong follows up that film with this beautiful and painful exhibit of broken homes, escapism, isolation, and loneliness. Though only his second feature, Hong demonstrates how he has improved his directing style. He captures emotions like no other filmmaker does. Shots of Xiang playing on the slides at school all by himself, Hao Lie (who portrays his mother) is shown with regret and loss, an empty shell of the woman who she claims was once full of life. Though the film drags a bit here and there, the powerful emotional payoffs are all there, waiting for you to sympathize with Xiang and the rest of the characters.

Goh Nakamura in Dave Boyle's SURROGATE VALENTINE

The second film I saw was an amazing surprise! Director Dave Boyle's first film WHITE ON RICE was a break out hit at last year's film festival. Now Boyle, along with Bay Area indie musician Goh Nakamura teamed up to bring us the film SURROGATE VALENTINE, which was my second favorite film I saw at the festival. Goh is a shy, awkward, somewhat anti social, full time musician, who also teaches as well. A filmmaker friend of his has asked him to partake another job: teach guitar lessons to one pompous, arrogant, self delusional Hollywood actor Danny (whose claim to fame is being a famous TV doctor). Now "Goh" (who pretty much plays himself, but wonderfully though) must now contend to playing babysitter to Danny while he travels up and the west coast touring, and also trying to win the heart of his high school flame Rachel.

This was such a great film to watch and enjoy! Under Boyle's careful direction, the film feels and looks like an early 80's indie flick, complete with beautiful black and white photography. Think Jim Jamurch's STRANGER THE PARADISE, Spike Lee's SHE'S GOTTA HAVE IT, as well as Kevin Smith's CLERKS. Even the fonts that Boyle uses for his credits were reminiscent of those early indie films as well. This is true local independent filmmaking that I love. Chadd Stoop's portrayal of Danny is hilarious and a send up of Hollywood actors who take themselves to seriously. Lynn Chen is wonderful as Rachel, and her on screen chemistry with Goh was perfect.

Before the film, the audience was treated to a quick performance by Goh himself. He played two songs, the last one was the theme song of the film. After the screening, Goh, Boyle, and Stoops participated in a rousingly fun Q&A. Two very big thumbs up!!

Phan Dang Di's BI, DON'T BE AFRAID

The third film I saw was BI, DON'T BE AFRAID, by director Phan Dang Di. The film's main character is Bi, a six year old boy who wonder about town unsupervised. He like to spend most of his time hanging out at the ice factory. His mother and his very attractive aunt are preoccupied, taking care of their sick grandfather, who has just arrived to live with them. His father spends his days away from his family, drinking beer with his friends at their regular hangout. Throughout the film Bi begins to explore his family and life, exposing the frank sexuality of his parents and his aunt, and of death.

While there are layers to the film, and metaphors abound about men, women, sex, death, some of its meaning fell flat for me. While the film itself was very well directed, and all of the actors were brilliant, it didn't resonate with me at all. I didn't really care about the characters, nor did I feel like Bi was the central protagonist, even though his name is in the title. This felt cold to me, and I wasn't too impressed with it.

Goldy Notay & Shabana Azmi in IT'S A WONDERFUL AFTERLIFE

The last film I saw at the festival was IT'S A WONDERFUL AFTERLIFE, the latest film by famed Indian director Gurinder Chadha. The film's about an Indian mother named Mrs. Sethi, who's only wish is to see her daughter Roopi married, but it's not easy. Those who have turned down Roopi and belittled her, Mrs. Sethi has murdered. However in a comedic twist, the victims' ghosts have been haunting Sethi, but only she can see them. The only way the ghosts can pass over is if she does too. But alas, poor Sethi cannot leave until her daughter is married and taken care of. So the ghosts help Sethi to get her daughter a husband. However the London police are on the trail, and so they all must act quickly before it's too late.

This, of couse, was my third favorite film of the festival. And what a film this was! Right from the beginning, you automatically know that you are about to have a good time while being entertained! I don't want to say to much, but this was a lot of fun to watch. Chanha has thrown in numerous film references in here, the most obvious was CARRIE. Another one was SEVEN, and even the title is a reference to that beloved holiday classic. Great acting, great directing, great story, great music, everything was great! A definite winner here!!

What a weekend I had! Nine films in two and a half days equals one fun weekend! Well folks there you have it. My first film festival blog is finally finished. Hope you enjoyed reading it, as much as I enjoyed watching and writing about all these amazing films! If you would like to know more about these and other films, about CAAM, and how to become a member, visit their website at http://caamedia.org/ 

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil attends the SFIAAFF - Day Two

Welcome back to Day Two of my trip to the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival!! Let's get started shall we?

While picking up my tickets at the Camera 12 in downtown San Jose, I met up with my film partner in crime Jason, who's film blog mentions mine and gave me praise for my write up of last night's opening gala. You are too kind Jason! FYI folks: he's blogs are fun to read and, personally, I liked his write up better.

Zhang Meng's THE PIANO IN A FACTORY

The first film that I saw was THE PIANO IN A FACTORY, directed by Zhang Meng. The film focuses on Chen, who works at a deteriorating steel plant as well as a musician. Chen's life is starting to unravel. He's current wife is divorcing him and his lead singer in his musical group is in love with him but he's not sure of his feelings for her. However, he's too distracted because his ex wants their daughter to come live with her. In order to keep her, he wants to give her the ultimate present; a piano. With no money, he and his friends go to great lengths to achieve this present, including trying to steal one from a school. Then Chen comes up the idea in building one using material  found right there in the factory.

Director Meng uses the widescreen format to full use. Everything within the frame has a purpose. His directing styles reminds me of early Woody Allen films; comedic timing infused with dramatic seriousness. The story is strong with fully developed characters who, like us, are flawed, honest, and real. A really funny and dramatic film, and the perfect film to start off the day with.

Stephan Gauger's SAIGON ELECTRIC

The second film I saw was SAIGON ELECTRIC, a faced paced dance film that, believe it or not, has a real plot! Which, by the way, is a rarity nowadays. The film begins with Mai, a traditional ribbon dancer who comes to Saigon to audition for the prestigious National Dance Academy. When she fails her audition, she meets a young rebellious hip hop dancer named Kim, who introduces Mai to her dance crew, Saigon Fresh, and a new dance style. Their leader Do-Boy informs her that they are training to take on their rivals The North Killaz in the nationals dance off, upon winning they will be able to save their youth center from being demolished. Along the way Mai, Kim, and Do-Boy learn the meaning of love, friendship, and family while also displaying some amazing dance moves that must be seen to believe.

Unlike the STEP UP films here in the states, this Vietnamese film offers the audience something the other dance films lack, which is character development. Throughout the film, we see our three main characters grow, evolve, and change. Mai who is naive of her surroundings and unsure of her dancing talent, becomes a source of inspiration to her new friends and begins teaching children at the youth center. Kim, who is a tough street smart girl, meets a young man who shows her that love is possible, and Do-Boy, who is an orphan, learns that the friends in his life are his family.

Director Stephan Gauger made a splash with his first film THE OWL AND THE SPARROW, which was shown at the SFIAAFF back in 2007. Gauger keeps the film moving forward with strong characters and, with quick edits, showcases some of the best hip hop dance moves this reviewer has seen in years. Both Gauger and Executive Producer Anderson Lee were present and participated in a Q&A session after the screening of their film.

Bertha Bay-Sa Pan's ALMOST PERFECT

Third film of the night for me was ALMOST PERFECT, a romantic comedy starring Kelly Hu, who finds her "almost perfect" love of her life, but has to contend with her very dysfunctional family and her doubts about marriage. The film features an all star cast, including Ivan Shaw, Christina Chang, Tina Chen, with Edison Chen and Roger Rees. This film was my favorite film of the day. It contained all of my requirements that I look for in a film: a solid script, believable characters, fantastic acting, great directing and editing, and a relatable topic which I hold very close to me; finding love despite your shortcomings.

Director Bertha Bay-Sa Pan was in attendance and participated in a Q&A session after the screening. I was able to introduce myself and informed her how this film radiated with me. I told her that even though the lead was a Asian American female living in New York, I can relate to her because of the subject matter of the film. We all want to find love, and when we have it, we are unsure of ourselves sometimes. Letting thoughts of doubts and our fears interfere with something that we treasure so much. Love is a very powerful emotion, one that we cannot live without. This film touched me in a way that won't be leaving me for quite sometime. Highly recommended!!

Chito S. Rono's EMIR

The fourth and final film that I saw was Chito S. Rono's EMIR, a very entertaining musical that surprised me a lot. The film is about a Filipino girl named Amelia, who decides to help out her family by working as a nanny to a royal family in Morocco. According to the director, this was the biggest musical ever made in the Philippines, and it shows! This was a spectacular musical, shot in exotic locations, numerous dance musicals, fantastic singing from the entire cast, and once again, a film that you can relate to; helping out your family in tough times, sacrifices of love and happiness, finding a new family to call your own, being asked to rise in extreme circumstances, and finding your place in the world. Another great film that I thoroughly enjoyed!

Today was a great day of film watching! Five films in two days, with another four more left to see on Sunday. Tickets are still available for the Sunday screenings. To purchase yours online visit http://caamedia.org/ or visit the boxoffice at the Camera 12 Theatre.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil attends the SFIAAFF Friday Night Opening Gala in San Jose

This year the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival (SFIAAFF) celebrates 10 years of screening films here in San Jose. Tonight was the opening ceremony of the film festival, which was held at the Montgomery Theatre in downtown San Jose. Once again the festival was kicked into high gear with style and culture. First the Center for Asian American Media (CAAM) thanked all their sponsors, which play a huge part in the festival. Then the audience was treated to a spectacular dance routine by the Chhandam Youth Dance Company. Then the festival screened the world premiere of Hoku Uchiyama's documentary entitled UPAJ.

Pandit Chitresh Das (left) & Jason Samuels Smith (right)

This stunning documentary showcases how individuals from two very different worlds can come together and create something that transcends boundaries. The film focuses on Pandit Chitresh Das, who is a master of Kathark, which is one of India's classical dance forms, and rising tap star from New York's Hell's Kitchen, Jason Samuel Smith. Through backstage footage and intimate settings in and around India, we see the bonding of Das and Smith, and how passionate they are about their art. It is also inspiring to witness two distinctly different cultures drawing inspiration from one another. Through the art of dance, they are able to cross language barriers and bring people of different races and generations together.


The film also touches on how we are responsible for passing down our knowledge to the next generation. Das is well aware of his own mortality, and has taken the necessary steps to ensure that the Kathark will live on. Through his dance schools he has all over the world, his teachings and philosophies will continue to inspire and radiate within the youths of today. The same story can be said for Smith, who has been teaching tap dancing to the children in his community as well. Both draw the teachings of the past, so they will live on in the future.


After the screening of the film, we were again treated to the amazing dance techniques of both Das and Smith. Needless to say, to witness the two of them dancing and feeding off from one another was absolutely awe inspiring. I have never witnessed dancing like this ever in my life. Just amazing! Afterwards the director and stars participated in an informative and philosophical Q&A. Then everyone headed over to the San Jose Museum Of Art for the reception, where fine wine, spirits, and food was served.


Overall it was an amazing night, and this was just the beginning! There are still two more days to see films. If you would like to learn more about the film festival and the Center for Asian American Media, please visit their website at http://caamedia.org/ 


Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!