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Reviews
Better Luck Tomorrow (2002)
One big step in the right direction
Excellent film debut with powerful subject matter which equates to a step in the right direction for minority representation in film. The director has portrayed these four Asian-American youths as typical film characters with depth and dimension to them.
The characters do not dwell on the fact that they are Asian-American, they simply are normal characters who are Asian-American. The director does confront the overachieving stereotype of the Asian American student, but, the over-achieving aspect of their lives is fundamental to the power of the film.
The cinematography may have been a conglomeration of techniques lifted from other films, however, this is normal for young directors under tight budgets. Additionally, being picked up by MTV, you would expect very proven cinamatic techniques.
What stands out in this film is the plot and the snapshot of a very real culture. Many Asian-Americans I have spoken with, myself included, can relate to this story of suburban boredom. In fact, many people I know went down the same rebellious route as the four main characters in this film. To many people, the plot may seem somewhat unbelievable. However, this story is very similar to a real incident at Sunny Hills High School (google Stuart Tay). The reality of the complexity within this particular Asian-American culture will open up eyes to what seems to be a very 'model minority' myth.
Vat Doi Sao Doi (2001)
Postmodernism at its finest
This film is a giant step forward for films about Vietnam and the Vietnamese people. Prior to "Chances Are", recent popular films dealing with Vietnam and the Vietnamese focused on the visual aspects of Vietnam and the Vietnamese condition. Granted, they presented a beautiful country in romantic settings. However, as a result of the focus on the visual, character development and story were not emphasized enough, which made the films rather one-dimensional. In "Chances Are", the story and character development are emphisized to reasonable postmodern levels. The film takes place in Vietnam and the particular environments are recognized; but, visual imagery is not overwhelming the story. "Chances Are" is a romantic-comedy in the tradition of postmodern film. It mixes genres quite nicely and has enough sub-plots and humor to keep the audience attention. The characters are rather kitch, but, it is a giant step forward from films prior. This film brings enough postmodern film-making techniques to reach the mass audience rather than just film festival connoisseurs and Vietnamese enthusiasts.