minari movie – The Tempest

In his acceptance speech for the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film honoring his groundbreaking film, Parasite, Bong Joon Ho began by saying, “once you overcome the one-inch tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films.”

His advice isn’t unwarranted. Hollywood has a problem of constricting American cinema culture to a congruent reservoir of English films.

The Hollywood motto: if it doesn’t make money, it doesn’t make sense.

This motto has persisted in studios choosing to smother and censor foreign films from the big screen. It’s almost like executives believe that theater owners simply do not know how to market them to an American audience.

But Bong’s words endure as modern Western cinema changes to embrace international- and domestic-fomented Asian films — not just an accolade subcategory, but as a source of mainstream entertainment.

In 2018, Roma received rapid popularity through its release on Netflix which widened accessibility beyond that of theatre reservations. This new wave of online streaming has pushed other platforms to mimic Netflix’s approach of embracing international films with unprecedented outreach and advertising pushes.

Yet there is no reason to rely on algorithms and consumer formulas to find your next obsession. In honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Month, here are some phenomenal movies to expand your watch list.

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1. Minari (2020)

[imageAlt]via Sightlines[/imageAlt]

Minari, directed by Lee Issac Chung, is a Korean-language film that swept the 2021 award season. The film plays loosely off of Chung’s own immigrant experience, following Jacob’s (Steven Yeun) struggle to support his family and make his claim.

This is a film so universal in its language and intent that it speaks to every immigrant experience, namely the fight for the American dream.

2. Parasite (2019)

Characters from “Parasite” stand scattered on the lawn of a lavish house in one of the most recognizable posters for the film. — “Parasite” experienced tremendous box office growth following their Best Picture Oscar [Credit: Wikipedia]

Parasite is definitely the It movie of 2020. After it swept through American award ceremonies and received the Best Picture Oscar, it experienced one of the biggest revenue boosts for the best picture winner in the past decade.

If you haven’t watched it already, it’s never too late to jump on the bandwagon then. The saying goes, it’s better late than never, doesn’t it?

3. In the Mood for Love (2000)

Su (Maggie Cheung) is pictured in the foreground, close, looking forlornly off camera. Chow (Tony Leung Chiu-wai) looks at her but she doesn’t notice. — “In the Mood for Love” explores the romantic possibility in the “what-if.” [*via The New York Times*]

In the Mood for Love is a 2000 Hong Kong film that follows two spouses whose partners are having an affair. The movie has been hailed as one of the most gorgeous films.
Its deep cinematic hues reflect the complexities between the estranged pair making you fall in love with the idea of love as their potential love blossoms slowly and heavily.

4. The Farewell (2019)

“The Farewell” focuses on the cultural divergence between immigrants and their family at home.
*via IMDb*

The first Asian-American movie on this list, Lulu Wang’s The Farewell focuses on the cultural divergence between an immigrant and their family at home.

Billi (Awkwafina) clashes with her family’s decision to hide the news of her grandmother’s terminal illness in accordance with Chinese cultural beliefs of collectivism.

The emotional conflict is real in this one.

5. Shirkers (2018)

Spunky illustrations act as the film’s main movie poster. — A visit to Sandi Tan’s student past engrosses audiences in “Shirkers.”
*via From the Intercom*

Shirkers is a weird movie. But its quirkiness is what makes it special.

The documentary follows Sandi Tan’s journey, recovering the footprints of her enigmatic film mentor who pilfered her student footage. Exploring Tan’s youth and corresponding nostalgia, cringe, and inspiration make it a layered and beautiful film that filmgoers everywhere can take something from.

6. Chungking Express (1994)

Convenience store worker Faye (Faye Wong) stares forlornly off-camera with her chin resting in her hand. — Wong Kar Wai’s “Chungking Express” remains a timeless classic about love.
*via BAMPFA*

Chungking Express is a timeless classic ‘90s Hong Kong film, one of few that leaves an impression afterward. Conventional people – policemen, a convenience store worker, a flight attendant – are all shrouded by the implications of love.

The possession of it, the loss of it, and the remnants of it.

7. Train to Busan (2016)

A crew of people is running towards the camera in desperation from an unseen force. — “Train to Busan” was the highest-grossing movie of the year in several Asian countries.
*via Wikipedia*

Zombies, train entrapment, a handsome protagonist — what’s there not to like?

The Korean horror film was the highest-grossing film of 2016 in both South Korea and Hong Kong. Centered on the stories of the passengers of a train overtaken by zombies, humanity is explored at its most desperate for survival.

8. Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts (2017)

Marlina (Marsha Timothy) is trotting away on a horse in an arid land. — “Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts” is a feminist Indonesian art-house film.
*via Wikipedia*

Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts is a must-watch for every woman.

The Indonesian film ties a Western milieu with tinges of feminist vengeance. Marlina (Marsha Timothy) kills her rapists belonging to a group of thieves and ventures for empowerment and revenge, not without dealing with repercussions from the remaining of the group.

9. Spirited Away (2001)

Several fantasy characters are pictured on top of a traditional Japanese roof. — “Spirited Away” is a classic anime movie that can be enjoyed by all ages.
*via The Express*

This is definitely one of my favorite movies, hands down, with all pretentiousness thrown out the window.

Spirited Away captures the essence of fantasy: escape into another world. The unpredictable plot physically transported into this fictional universe, one of shapeshifting witches and bathhouse attending monsters, and leaves it lingering in the back of your head so that you visit it time and time again.

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10. Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

A pair of grubby siblings enjoy fireflies in a field. — Get ready for the tears with “Grave of the Fireflies.
*via The Telegraph*

While Studio Ghibli, the same production company that created Spirited Away, is known for its fantastical abilities, contrastingly earnest and heavyweight films are not omitted from their repertoire. It seems easy to see troops and citizens as a collective insofar as to forget there are victims on the other side.

Grave of the Fireflies follows siblings after they lose their home and family to incendiary bombs during World War II. All I can say is get your tissues ready.

11. Perfect Blue (1997)

An animated woman lies amongst assorted bedroom items in a blue filter. — “Perfect Blue” is the template for films about the obsessed artist.
*via IMDb*

The story of the obsessed artist is popular on the big screen. The origin of such films like Black Swan derives from the Japanese anime movie, Perfect Blue.

The animation style is psychedelic, purposely underscoring Mima Kirigoe’s descent into commercial obsession.

12. Maheshinte Prathikaaram (2016)

A couple is standing facing each other, smiling with umbrellas in front of a chapel. — “Maheshinte Prathikaram” is lighthearted fun against the mastery of the art form.
*via IMDb*

Maheshinte Prathikaaram (“Mahesh’s Revenge”) is a humorous retelling of bitter revenge; lighthearted fun against the mastery of the art form.

There’s subliminal artistry that reflects the mastery of the cast and crew, the ability to characterize a town around the central character rather than remain as a backdrop to the plot.

13. Bad Genius (2017)

A male student looks warily at a girl leaning on his desk too-close-for-comfort who glares back at him. — Multiple choice questions are made as gripping as a classic thriller in “Bad Genius.”
*via Variety*

There’s nuanced artistry required for making mundane activities suitable for a motion movie. Bad Genius, believe it or not, does this by answering multiple-choice questions.

Meanwhile, the film explores the deeply academic culture in Thailand and Asian countries at large in the dramatization of a student cheating schedule. Definitely show your children this movie.

14. Memories of Murder (2003)

Two detectives hold a blurred picture of a suspect to the camera. — Bong Joon-Ho’s “Memories of Murder” is a thriller crime masterpiece.
*via IndieWire*

Bong Joon-Ho’s early masterpiece, Memories of Murder, is about two detectives solving the first documented serial killer case. The thriller aspect is amplified in the rural setting but Bong’s talent behind the camera draws closer and closer to the edge of the seat with every new clue and discovery.

It’ll definitely have you screaming at the screen!

15. Little Door Gods (2015)

The characters - deities and humans - are all huddled in a big hug with fireworks and traditional Chinese lanterns floating behind them. — “Little Door Gods” is a reflection of the rise of Chinese animation.
*via Wikipedia*

Adults can watch kids’ movies, too. I repeat: adults can watch kids’ movies, too. And this is one that should be watched.

Little Door Gods details a deficit of belief in deities by humans leaving them jobless. The film pays homage to an evolved and now-robust Chinese animation sphere, complete with correct cultural references that American-grown films like Kung-Fu Panda missed. But beware before watching: do not watch it dubbed in English.

16. Dhoom 2 (2006)

Five characters from the movie stand in formation dressed in black leather outfits. — “Dhoom 2” is a classic Bollywood movie – and more.
*via Yash Raj Films*

There’s something so enchanting about Bollywood.

Perhaps it’s the dramatization of literally everything and everything or perhaps it’s the elaborate and frequent dance sequences. Dhoom 2 fails to fail short on any of these attributes and goes above and beyond. It’s an altogether incredibly fun experience.

17. Lagaan (2001)

Bhuvan (Aamir Khan) is the largest figure in this tan movie poster. — “Lagaan” is a Bollywood classic with a 2002 nomination for Best Foreign Film.
*via The Asian Cinema Blog*

Lagaan is a definitive example of Bollywood’s best. With a soundtrack written by A. R. Rahman — the composer behind Slumdog Millionaire — and an epic sports plot, everything comes together beautifully for an engrossing film experience.

Even more beautiful is Lagaan’s accurate representation of India’s history, done without losing the film’s flavor.

This list is a reflection of a whole world of film waiting against the one-inch barrier fence.

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Youn Yuh-Jung accepted her SAG (Screen Actors Guild) award for outstanding performance by a female actor in a supporting role with tears in her eyes and careful care of her articulation in English. There was a moment in which she consulted someone off-screen to check her pronunciation of “supporting actress”, taking due diligence with her words even in a moment of fervor. Fans on Twitter call her their queen and relate with her fellow nominee fangirls. It’s heart-warming to see positive Asian representation in mainstream media – something that’s sorely lacking.

Her role in Minari has welcomed her to the Western sphere of cinema. She stars as the doting yet vulgar grandmother Soon-ja who moves to the US to help raise the children of her immigrant son. To much of her grandson’s chagrin, Soon-ja brings a carefree spirit to a house that is injured by poverty and marital discourse.

For much of the movie, she holds as the emotional tether for the children of the household, something that is lost on the struggling family. She reminded me much of my own grandmother who provided me a safe bubble from the afflictions of my own parents and I’m sure that this empathy is universal for many that were born here too. Throughout Minari, Youn’s performance felt and stayed raw and heartfelt, as she channeled her own immigrant experience to America during the ’70s.

But who is this veteran Korean actress that has managed to capture every international heart?

Image Description: Youn Yuh-Jung in a floral sweater. Her hands are wrapped around her as she looks up to the sky, eyes closed. She looks deep in thought. Credit: Philip Montgomery for New York Magazine.

Youn Yuh-Jung didn’t think of acting until the start of her term at Hanyang University in Seoul. She was dejected after receiving her low college-entrance exam scores barring her from any elite colleges so when a TV director suggested she try out for an open talent audition, she went ahead with it.

She debuted on the screen with the drama series Mister Gong in 1967. Though she received a TBC Drama Award for Best New Talent, it was not until 1971 that she gained critical acclaim. Her role as a paramour femme fatale in the film Woman of Fire awarded her three Best Actress awards from the Stiges Film Festival, Grand Bell Awards, and Blue Dragon Film Awards, the latter the Korean equivalent to the Oscars. Awards aren’t enough to quantify the impact of her role, however.

To this day, sexism is deeply ingrained in almost all pillars of respect due to historically Confucianist ideals. Within Confucianism, there are the Five Relationships that symbolize the basic links that must exist for harmony: ruler and ruled – be it father and son, husband and wife, elder brother and younger brother, and friend and friend. The kinship between the husband and wife particularly contains increments of patriarchal values when considering the adjacent values of filial piety. A woman was expected to show only love and respect to her husband with their subservience.

Yuh-Jung’s role as a young woman grappling with the moral complexities of marriage, poverty, and lust, was unbeknownst to the big screen; women were simply never characterized so humanly, at least in popular films and TV shows.

From then on, Yuh-Jung shot to popularity but at its zenith, she married and disappeared to the US, following her husband where he attended college. During her time, she gave birth to two sons but moved back to South Korea with them after divorcing her husband.

Youn Yuh-Jung (left) received critical acclaim as a paramour femme fatale in "Woman of Fire." — Image Description: Youn Yuh-Jung (left) received critical acclaim as a paramour femme fatale in “Woman of Fire.” Credit: HanCinema.

Yuh-Jung was a 40-year old divorcee returning to a country that rarely turned on its screens to middle-aged actors starring in anything but a parent role. She had no chance but to labor at any opportunity that came her way; to act was to work and support her family. To date, Yuh-Jung has starred in more than 30 films and 70 series.

Eventually, Yuh-Jung was able to relinquish the chains of financial responsibility for her two boys. This finally allowed her the possibility of choice, the ability to choose what kind of roles she’d take on. At an age where women retire, Yuh-Jung looked frequently to amateur directors who, like Woman of Fire, weren’t scared to play around with the boundaries of the status quo. In The Bacchus Lady, for example, Yuh-Jung plays an aging prostitute who grapples with her role in a modernizing world.

Yuh-Jung is, however, not simply just an actor but an adored public figure. Korea’s bustling entertainment TV business gives way for many actors to reveal their true personalities and personas. Youn’s Kitchen stars Yuh-Jung leading an ensemble of other actors in functioning a cafe in a foreign country. The show has not only gained general popularity with another show called Youn’s Stay in production but has cultivated a public image for Yuh-Jung. One in which many are able to watch her calm and pensive attitude infused with a dry wit that only age could give you.

Now, she is an Oscar-nominated actress and holds a SAG award. There doesn’t seem to be any more that this actress can do yet for Youn Yuh-Jung, there’s no telling what’s next. Western cinema needs more Asian representation, and I am so excited to see Youn Yuh-Jung get the praise that she deserves.

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