Amy Lamparelli

Better Luck Tomorrow as an amazing movie. I felt that it really strayed away from the norm of the typical Asian American sterotype in movies.  All of the characters played different roles through out the movie.

Derrick. He seemed to be the “brains” behind the majority of the plans. He was the typical class president, and lead all major groups, he seemed to be “perfect”

The play between Ben and Virgil was very interesting to the effect that Ben, who fit the social norm of an Asian American, always doing the right thing. On the other hand Virgil was the opposite to ben in the sense that virgil seeked out adventure. In some aspects Virgil was Bens alter ego.  In the part where kill steve, it is a good demostration of the alter ego, switch that ben and virgil have. Ben is the one who kills Steve, where as Virgil freaks out. This is the switch because throughout the movie we view ben as being the one person who would constantly plays it safe. Yet when they kill steve, Ben does it, and feels no remorse but Virgil freaks out  like we expected Ben too.

The use of the SAT words to start each portion of the movie was a good forshadowing use. If the definition often times allowed us to have some sort of insight has to what is going to happend.

One of the best lines from the movie came from what I thought was at the end…” Break the Cycle…don’t know what is going on…” To me this line signifies the idea that Ben has finally let of the constant cycle that he has put himself in. He is finally able to breathe and relax, there is no need to stress or worry.  The last part about don’t konw what is going on, we viewed Ben as always having the set schedule, everything for him ran on clock work, this signifies that for once in his life, he will no longer have that set schedule to live upon.

Overall I thought that the movie was great and the cimatography was awesome….every shot gave more effect to what the movie was getting across.

Article time!

The mid 1990s brought about Asian American film and video production were documentaries, experimental works and student made narrative shorts…this was named “Asian American Cinema”

Director:  Wayne Wang

Movies:

• The joy Luck Club
• Chan is missing
• smoke
• Anywhere but here
• The wedding Banquet
• Hat drink man woman
• Sense and sinsibility
• The ice Storm

Benefits are shown from “Hong Kong brain drain”

Face off, The maxtrix, Mr. Magoo, Bride of Chucky, The Love Letter, Rush Hour….All of these films made money and are popular, YET they are all shot and produced by Asian Americans.

“Asian Aermican Cinemas does not imply that there is such thing as ‘Asian American culture’ given the diversity of Asian cultures and the different patterns of acculturation that have greeted the immigrants from various Asian countries…” This quote shows that the Asian american culture is still not defined, nor can anyone find the right way to help define what is their own culture.

“…asian american  filmmakers face similar crises when attempting to market their films and themselves. Asian Americanare continually asked to choose eith an Asian or American terms, the most successfull filmakers have either submerged their Asian identities to make films about white Americans…”

Were all done reading books!

We started watching Videos on M. Cho

Cho who dropped out of school at 16 and started traveling around the country doing stand up. Cho has a huge following from the Asian community and also in the Gay community. Cho is an advocate for Gay marriage and Gay rights.

In “I’m the one that I want” Cho spoke about her experience of being on her own TV show. The show was called All American Girl.  While filming the Show the nextwork felt that Cho wasn’t Asian enough so they hired an Asian consultant to make her more Asian, which just resulted in putting Chop Sticks in her hair…strange eh? The network also had her lose about 20lb or something. well once Cho lost all that weight it dystroyed her body, and put Cho in the hospital where she met Gwen.

Cho spend a solid five minutes enaction what Gwen was saying to her…in a very manly deep voice…”Hi I’m Gwen and I am going to wash your Vagina” Cho spoke about it over and over again, and not just in the setting of being at the Hospital. She made the voice and the statement, pretending Gwen was at the movies or out in a social seen.  It was obvious that Gwen was not Asian American, nor Cacuasion. This shows how Cho projects and views people of different ethinicties in her acts.Cho obvously has a defined view on her identity, yet she often struggled with what/ who she is for a while.

another important and funny/akward situtation is that of  Cho and her parents. She has a very different/ detached relationship. Cho was reciving the Korean of the Year award, and for her “dress” she had a china doll dress painted on her….Her parents didn’t show anger or rage, on camera, but if that was my child I feel that I would be just a little on the upset side. Additionally, her parents giving her crap about not having a child, she makes the comback…”I’ll just adopt a kid from China…no  one will know the difference…” she cracks me up!

When we did the worksheet about the book I made a perdiction about what was going to happen

I thought that:

1. Kwang was going to screw up some how, He seemed to perfect, small hints made me think that he was going to screw up
2. Henry was going to figure out what is going on with his life
3. Lelia comes back in  Henrys life, The book was too depressing to not have her come back
4. Henry die

So I got 3/4 right not bad right?

we all knew that Kwang was either going to die, or some huge screw up. it is the constant Politition Vs Person, wheres the balance?

Henry ended his job, and has found what he really wants in life.

Henry is teaching kids his Language, English.

Kwang

Kwang is a very important part within our book. He friends Henry, while Henry is doing his creeping work on him.

Description of Kwang:

” A Korean man, of his age as part of vernacular. Not just a respectable grocer or drycleaner or doctor, but a larger public figure who was willing to speak and act outside the tight sphere of his family. he displayed an ambition I didn’t recognize, or more, one I hadn’t yet envisioned as something a Korean man would find significant or worthy engergy and devotion; he didn’t seem afraid like my mother and father, who were always wary of those who would try to shame or mistreat us…” (pg. 139)

• Shows Kwang is NOT the sterotypical Asian American
• is viewed as a well put together constantly looking sharp guy
• Pushed to go past the middle class worker
• slogan viewed as Kwang is like you, You will be an American
• Smart
• Asian American identity
• Kwang isn’t perfect:
• Yelling at his wife in the car, in “closed” place, gets out of the car, acts like nothing is wrong
• Has his kids still value the traditional of his heritage, yet are still Americanized
• buying the stripper, driving drunk, getting thrown in jail
• brought shame to the family, no more Kwang, goes back home
• Asian American History connection:
• Kwang is able to reach out to all the groups. Similar to Gary Lotch from Zia

While reading the second section of Native speaker, there were many important developments.

“He started speaking in English. Sometimes, when he wanted to hide or not outright lie, he chose to speak in English. he used to break into it when he argued with my mother, and it drove her crazy when he did and she would please, ‘No, no!’ as though he ahd suddenly introduced a switchblade into a clean fistfight…” (Pg. 63)

This quote is about Henrys father who constantly was giving Henry mixed signals about his identity.  Henrys father who was a diligent worker and an immigrant to the United states, would stress to Henry to represent his heritage, but Henry never seemed to be good enough since henry would constantly quote himself as being an B+ student at life. By Henrys father breaking out in English to fight or lie about something it was to his family that speaking English was the “bad word” like Fuck is to us. Henrys mother freaking out about it, shows that it has a large impact on their family. To Henrys mother, when henrys father used English it was like he was physically beating her. I think that she became so upset because obviously Korean was the first language spoken in the house, and she doesn’t really understand many things in English. additionally, I feel that in the relationship aspect in their marriage, even when arguing the fight should be in the same language that they both can fully understand. As for the father having the inappropriate language to me that is a huge slap in the face, and completely uncalled for.

Okay so, lets see so far I’m not sure how I am going to like this new book. I think that it is going to be very different from Zia. The one thing that bothers me about the book is that the book bounces back and forth between present time, and what happend, and then trying to connect everything, unless you are paying attention THEN your screwed.

I am not a huge fan of the wife, shes a crazy person.  I’m not sure, but if you have to keep a list of everything that bothers about your husband, then maybe you should consider to not marry this dude. It is also a  very bad way to break up with someone. Oh I am going away to a forgin country, I hate you and heres a list about why I don’t like you…

another reason why it is taking me time to adjust to the new novel is that its annoying to not  be able to uncover his new job. I feel that if we findout what his job is then, we will be able to understand more things.  One of the reasons why is that on the list that his wife gave him a list which called him a spy and traitor.

I would also like to find out about his son, he was mentioned onced and then we didnt’ really hear about him for the rest of the chapter.

Its going to be an interesting book, it kind of reminds me of the Eric Lu reading, about finding out what their idenity is.

“no justice, no peace”

Within three days, 45 people died, and $1billion worth of damage. 8,000 federal troops

“Is this America or South America?”

“Guilty, Guily, we saw it, we know it”

“It’s not where you end its where you start”

“Jurors, Why are you holding your heads in shame?”

According to  Charles duke (cop) the rodeny king inciddent wouldn’t have ever happend if the upper body restraint (choke hold) wasn’t taken out of a way to detain suspects. The reason why it was taken off was because 56 black males had died. The reason why the cops hit rodney king so many times, was because they weren’t hitting him effeciantly. wtf?

the movie was amazing and gave a strong insight as to what occurred during the LA riots. It showed the racial injustice, and what hapends when people do not like hte outcome of a violent crime. Personally I think that it was complete bullshit that the cops were found not guilty. Secondly, I feel as if the jurory was somewhat remsembling the OJ simpson juroy, there were just middle class white males. Hmm aren’t the cops all middle class white males? I thought so. Additionally, I felt that it was perfectly acceptable that the juroy had their names released, for screwing up that bad they deserve it.

Lastly I loved how the movie was set up the actress did such a good job of portraying each and every person that she inteviewed. it was as if, it was the actual interviewee itself. The fact that she was constantly changing characters gave the movie a good flow and kept you guessing constantly.

Well i’ve found to enjoy reading the little side stories, erm tidbits in the begining of the story.

“…In China he was an accountant. To finance his visit, he began looking for owrk in New York. The only job he could find was washing dishes and unloading boxes in a Chinese restuarant.” Zia pg. 196

Okay what is wrong with this quote, this if a 50 year old man, who used to be an accountant in his country, now comes to the United States for a better life? and he is now is a dishwasher and moves boxes? Hello! Whatever happend to the Land of the Free? I feel that in other countries like forChina,  everyone feels that the United States is the remedie to all situations. If you have a shitty life in China, well then the idea of coming to America, where technically we are the land of the free, yet when immigrants show up they typically can’t speak English, they live misrible apartments, and have under the table jobs, where they get paid $1 or $2 for manual labor. Doesn’t really sound like the land of the free to me. The one thing that boggles me is that for example, someone who is an Accountant in China, shouldn’t he be an Accountant in America too?

” Auntie Betty, Though, was disturbed by the stubborn chinese habits…they washed their laundry in the sink each day, and hung their clothes to dry throughout the small apartment…she couldn’t understand why they wouldn’t spend fifty cents to use the dryer. This is America, not China…” pg 197

This is America, yet you take Auntie Betty, who has grown a custom to the American traditions because she has been in America, and is “Americanized” For immigrants coming over, it is a struggle, and someone living with new immigrants has to accept it, and wait for them to grow acustom to American customs. But if you take Ziyoung, after a few months, he gave up and went back to China, because he will have a better life in China then he will in America.

“…the United States, dispite  its gilded image and high standard of living, was harsh palce for those with little money and limited English–so harsh that life in China looked a lot better…”pg. 197

In class on Wednesday we spoke about situations how Asian American groups combatted situtations to find just situtations. Within Chapter five there was a large protest against the Broadway show,  Miss Saigon.  The reason for the protest was about how Asian American actors weren’t getting roles for actual Asian roles.

“B.D. Wong was at a dinner party in 1989 with friends who had just seen the show in London. “They said how embarassing it was to see this tall white man perform in “yellow face,” Wong recalled “we were a certian that the role would be recast when it came to New York.”…”We just assumed that Asian American actors would have a chance to be auditioned.”pg. 119 Yellowface became a term that was widely known and used in the acting district. Even though there was a huge list as of Asian American actors who werre qualifed to play roles, yet no one would even let Asian Americans Audition.  Yellowface, is a make up technique by caking on make up to make the white actors look Asian, even though Asians do not have yellow faces…(strange huh?)  along with caking on make up many actors would tape their eyes to have an apperance of a slant eye. This technique was also used in Breakfest at Tiffineys’.

There became an up roar in with the fact that there wasn’t equality in the acting world. B.D. Wong ended up contacting the Actors Equality, and set up a sub group called Racial Equality. The Racial Equality soon became; Asian Pacific Alliance for Creative Equality (APACE).

So the one thing that just really tweeks me is that, why would you go through the hassel to make a non Asian actor yellowface, wouldn’t it be easier to just find an amazing Asian Actor to play the role?

Okay so my sister did the whole theater thing, and many times people would flip out that someone  was type casted, and many times it turned out good, and sometimes it turns out horrible. So taking the type casting idea, I’m pretty sure that type casting in this situtation would be perfectly fine. Wouldn’t you want someone who is good enough to fit the role, be the role?

Or is it all about politics? Well in the situtation in Zia, it was politics and the miss treament of Asian Americans.

One thing that I found somewhat ironic is that B.D. Wong is all about nontraditional casting and was apart of APACE. Yet in Law and Order SVU, Wong plays an Asian Psychologist, and don’t we have a sterotype about Asians being smart and them all becoming doctors? think about that!