YNOT at the Movies

Sacha Baron Cohen plays his new character Brüno, a gay fashion journalist from Austria who is banned from the fashion world due to his mischief. He decides to move to Hollywood to become a celebrity, and gets rid of his gayness which he blames to be the cause of his failure. He tries to create his own talk shows, sets up humiliating interviews with celebrities, adopts a black baby, and stages gay bashing gatherings only to shock the homophobic crowd by his exaggerated gay acts.

However, most of these events (and many more) are just to set up pranks for the audience—if you think you have seen them all, here comes another one. These pranks appear more shocking than entertaining, more offensive than funny, and more juvenile than intelligent.

The film takes equal opportunity to offend just about every group: gay, straight, women, Asian, black, Latino, celebrities, and politicians. For a satire film, that's not necessarily a bad thing. What makes these offensive acts remain a tasteless shocker is that they are simply just a shocker, but not funny.

For example, the sex scenes of Brüno with his small framed Asian bottom boyfriend (can it be even more stereotype than that?) are cheap shots to beg for a few chuckles. The scene in which Brüno seduces Presidential candidate Ron Paul is simply weird and puzzling than anything else. Certainly not funny.

Director Larry Charles is brilliant at setting up stages to let unknown participants to create comic moments. His previous films such as "Borat" and "Religulous" are smart and hilarious. However, none of those qualities repeat in this new shocker "Brüno."

Sacha Baron Cohen is courageous to take up this role and to push the limit beyond boundaries. I cannot think of any other actor who might be willing to perform as he does in this film, even what he is shaking might not be his own penis in this film—and the fact that this film gets an R rating is the last shocker if there are not enough shockers in the film already.

"Brüno" opens on Friday, July 10 in theaters.

John Dillinger (Johnny Depp) is a legendary bank robber during the Great Depression in Midwest. FBI agent Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale) is hand-picked by Edgar Hoover to capture John Dillinger. However, John Dillinger seems able to elude FBI's hunt miraculously and carries on a romantic relationship with Billie Frechette (Marion Cotillard) in and out expensive restaurants, when he is not robbing another bank. John Dillinger is named the Public Enemy Number One, but the "public" really just means the FBI that Hoover is trying to advance.

Johnny Depp brilliantly portraits John Dillinger as a handsome, charming, intelligent, loyal, determined, and brave young man. He appears more as an action hero figure, who will do everything for his love, than as an outlawed conman. No wonder Billie falls in love with him despite his high profile as a most wanted criminal.

On the contrary, Christian Bale plays Melvin Purvis as a dull, arrogant, cold agent who further direct public's sympathy to John Dillinger. Luckily, the Texas Ranger character Charles Winstead (Stephen Lang) adds much needed intelligence to the law enforcement.

The film is entertaining and captivating for the most part, even with its formulaic story development. It brings John Dillinger's story back to life when the American sinks into another deep recession.

However, just don't try to mimic what John Dillinger did, even we all know who are the true public enemies.

"Public Enemies" opens on Wednesday, July 1 at Bay Area theaters.

A Tibetan Lama passed away at the age of 84 in 2001. His disciple Tenzin Zopa goes on a quest that lasts over four years to search for the "unmistaken" child to be his master's reincarnation. The film documents the search process and reveals the human aspects behind the religion believes and faith. It allows the audience to come to their own conclusions if the little boy is indeed the unmistaken reborn of the deceased monk.

There is no doubt shown by the film that Tenzin Zopa is a devoted monk. He has been at his master's service since the age of seven. For over 20 years, he doesn't think but simply always follows his master—he told us in very good English, wearing a Northface jacket. After his master's death, he needs to fill the void by completing his reincarnation. Based on the Tibetan tradition, the master's reincarnation should be a new born between the age of one to two. Would you want to be chosen as the unmistaken child?

Whether the child is the unmistaken child depends on who you ask. To non-believers of reincarnation, it's an incredible sad to witness that a child is lured away by toys and balloons from his parents. To believers of reincarnation, it's a delightful celebration of the reborn of their master and a remarkable achievement of finding the boy.

However, one thing is surely unmistaken is that the boy's fate is sealed and his life is forever changed, and he doesn't even know yet. He is no longer living in poverty condition and he drinks American brand orange juice even in a remote mountain area. He wears clean clothes, although not a Northface jacket, yet. He is preoccupied by many toys that he has never seen before and sleeps soundly in a sea of teddy bears.

I hope he will feel a little comfort in the future when he sees his parents speaking to the camera in this film, with profound sadness in their eyes: "If it's not for this (reincarnation), who is going to give up his child?"

"Unmistaken Child" opens on Friday, June 26, at Landmark's Lumiere Theatre in San Francisco and Shattuck Cinemas in Berkeley.

With 96 programs, including 80 feature films and 139 shorts from 32 countries, Frameline 33 will take place June 18-28, 2009 at Castro Theater, Roxie Theater, Victoria Theater, and Rialto Cinemas Elmwood in Berkeley.

Despite the fact that we are still in recession and most film festivals increase the admission fees, Frameline 33's ticket prices remain unchanged. However, the number of screenings seems reduced, and many films are only get to shown once at a venue other than Castro Theater which has the more seats. How does this matter? Well, that means if one waits till the last minute, the tickets might be all gone for that movie, leaving only one option—standing in a rush line to score a ticket.

Besides the always entertaining "Fun in Boys' Shorts" and "Fun In Girls' Shorts" (no pun intended), this year's festival provides a wide range of films that will make us laugh, make us cry, make us think, make us angry, and make us feel to be part of the community and the history.

However, I have to say that I am a little disappointed by weak presence of Asian films at this year's festival. I have heard a lot about "Permanent Residence" (永久居留 | Hong Kong 2009) and I bet all my money that this film would be included in this year's festival. I lost. Let's hope next year's festival will be different and have more Asian films or films about queer Asian.

Here are a few feature films that are worth seeing.

• Born in '68 (Nés en 68 | France 2008 | in French | 173 min.)

  Spanning over almost four decades, Born in '68 (Nés en 68 | France 2008 | in French | 173 min.) is a beautiful epic film that tells a story about idealism, passion, politics, and love. Although it's a quite a long film, the audience won't look at their watches because the story is captivating and the characters are fascinating. The film starts with the student riots of 1968 in France during the hippie era, and the film chronicles all the way to the current struggle with the AIDS epidemic, and the issues the world is facing in a time of post 9/11.

  This film is particularly fitting to be screened in San Francisco, because the city has the culture, history, and spirit that remarkably resemble the story lines in this film.

  

  This is by far the best film I have seen at this year's Frameline, and it just might be your best three hours at the festival.

  
  

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• Soundless Wind Chime (无声风铃 | Hong Kong/Switzerland 2009 | in Cantonese/Mandarin/German/English | 110 min.)

  One of the few Asian films at this year's festival is Hong Kong director Kit Hung's (洪榮傑) "Soundless Wind Chime" (无声风铃 | Hong Kong/Switzerland 2009 | in Cantonese/Mandarin/German/English | 110 min.). Loosely based on his real life experience, Hung stylishly tells a personal story about love between two lonely souls coming from foreign lands and struggling to survive in Hong Kong.

  Despite the weak story and unlikable characters, the exquisite cinematography and touching music scores are unforgettable and will stick with you long after the film.

  

  Gorgeous Lu Yulai (吕玉来) ("Peacock (孔雀)") gives a terrific performance as the immigrant young man from Beijing who falls in love with a street bum from Switzerland (why?). If the Swiss guy were a local Hong Kong boy, the story would have been more interesting. But, that would be a different movie as well.

  
  
  

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• Boy (Philippines 2009 | in Tagalog | 80 min.)

  Auraeus Solito, the director of charming "The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros" and the delightful "Tuli," brings to the festival his new film "Boy" (Philippines 2009 | in Tagalog | 80 min.). It tells a story about a teenager poet who falls in love with a macho dancer, tenderly, when he is not obsessing with his fish tanks.

  This film continues the tradition in Solito's films that a young boy occupies the center stage as the protagonist who pursues his love innocently, or the lack of it in this film by buying the other one.

  

  I wish the casting of the film would have been different to make the characters more convincing and to act better.
  
  

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• Prodigal Sons (USA 2008 | 86 min.)

  If you think your life is tough and full of drama, wait until you see Kimberly Reed 's feature debut documentary "Prodigal Sons" (USA 2008 | 86 min.). It tells director's personal mind-boggling story about the relationship among her family members including her adopted first brother Marc who becomes mentally ill after traumatic brain injury, her gay brother, and her supportive loving mother; and of course, about their reactions on her transition from a star quarterback in high school into a woman.

  It's courageous for the director to tell this incredible story to the world. It's a remarkable process to make peace and reconcile with her family members, and mostly importantly, a second coming out process to herself.

  
  
  

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• The Country Teacher (Venkovský ucitel | Czech Republic 2008 | in Czech | 113 min.)

  One sure thing about Czech drama "The Country Teachers" (Venkovský ucitel | Czech Republic 2008 | in Czech | 113 min.) is that it's not a happy film to watch because almost all of their characters are coping with unrequited love. I am sure many people can identify with these characters, because we might all have similar experiences at some points in our lives. And, those experiences are pure torture.

  Pavel Liska brilliantly portraits a country teacher who leaves his boyfriend and escapes to a village. He stays at a ranch to tutor a teenager boy. While he cannot return the attention from the boy's mom, he also cannot suppress the urge toward the boy.

  

  The emotional struggle among these characters is absolutely unforgettable.

Based on Eric Schlosser's book "Fast Food Nation", director Robert Kenner's new documentary "Food, Inc." (USA 2008 | 94 min.) paints a grim picture about what Americans are putting in their mouths. It reveals lots information that food industry definitely does not want consumers to know. In fact, many people probably prefer not to know, because they might go to bed hungry after watching this film.

The film peels away the layers of packaging wrapped around the foods we put on the table. It traces back to the root where the foods are coming from. It illustrates how the foods reach the shelves in grocery stores. It criticizes how the food industry puts profit ahead of public health, environmental impact, and workers' wellbeing. It shows how vulnerable our food resources have become. It predicts disastrous health consequences in the generations to come.

Apparently, the fast moving life style in our modern society has transformed how we eat and what we eat. Not only animals grow faster, consumers also spend less time on preparing food, if they cook at all. When most Americans are not eating at fast food joints, they are probably eating processed food controlled by very few giant multi-national corporations.

If you are familiar with the information presented in this documentary, the film makes you more disturbed and terrified.

If you have not given much thought about what are in the food you put into your mouth everyday, this film is an entertaining and informative eye opener.

If you are on the other side of the fence rooting with the food industry, it is unlikely this film makes you change your mind.

It's pretty clear that the film tells one-sided story, because the filmmakers simply cannot get any interview from major food industry players.

However, even the film is not as balanced as it wants to be, it tells a story that needs to be known by the American public.

We need to buy local and buy organic. We need to eat less meat and more food in their original forms versus processed versions.

We simply need to cook more—food not only will taste better, but also might save our lives instead of killing us.

"Food, Inc." opens on Friday, June 12 at Landmark's Embarcadero Center Cinema in San Francisco.

Special Appearance: Eric Schlosser, co-producer of the film and the author of "Fast Food Nation" will be in person on Saturday, June 13 at 4:50 & 7:30pm screenings.

Young cellist Daigo Kobayashi (Masahiro Motoki) loses his job in an orchestra. He and his wife move back to his late-mother's old house in his small hometown. After he answers a job ad in a newspaper to help "departures," he reluctantly becomes an encoffiner who sends those "departed" to a new journey by gracefully dressing and placing the body into a coffin.

When Daigo's wife Mika (Ryoko Hirosue) finds out his encoffiner job, like many others, she disapproves him and hopes that he gets a different job instead. However, after she sees his elegant work, she and people around the town gain respect toward Daigo's profession and appreciate how encoffiners bring a closure to the family and connect the life and death.

An encoffination ritual is tremendously moving and beautiful. Like during a tea ceremony (茶道), every move by a encoffiner possesses impeccable precision, soothing gentleness, and ultimate respect.

Boy-band-singer-turned-actor Masahiro Motoki (本木 雅弘) gives a terrific performance as Daigo. Tsutomu Yamazaki (山崎 努) brings humor and wisdom to the role of Daigo's boss. Unlike in the classic "Tampopo" (タンポポ | Japan 1985 | in Japanese | 114 min.), instead of eating noodles, Tsutomu Yamazaki is cooking good chicken and fish. He "hates" himself because he cooks them so well.

"Departures" is a well crafted film that touches all walks of live who must face the inevitable—death. The film does not shy away from being sentimental while dealing with a sensitive topic. Yet, it eloquently transforms the moaning of death into a celebration of love among the living.

"Departures" opens on May 29 at Bay Area theaters.

The film is set at present time, when the economy melts down deep into the recession. 21-year-old Chelsea (Sasha Grey) and her boyfriend Chris (Chris Santos) also feel the pinch in their own businesses, besides they hear about the economy constantly from their clients. Chelsea is a high-class escort making $2000 per hour, and Chris is a personal trainer at a local gym making $125 per hour. Chelsea records every detail about her service because she is also writing a book. When a Chelsea's client evokes her feeling and compromises her emotional detachment, both Chelsea and Chris must face the new challenge in dealing with their relationship, besides the economy meltdown.

Although Sasha Grey has stared in more than 80 adult films, this is her feature debut in a non-porn film, and her performance is quite impressive, considering her character is no match in sophistication to her hourly rate.

The film's cinematography is beautifully to watch, and it tends to draw more attention from the audience than the babblings from film's characters. Even they really talk a lot in the film, very few conversations seem sincere and meaningful. Sometimes, as if they are reciting from some newspaper articles to fill the emotion void during the "business transactions." Perhaps that's the reality when intimacy is based on money and payment. No soul or humanity can be found in these characters, or maybe they were buried too deep under cash to be noticed.

Like many personal trainers, Chris is a big talker and persuasive when he tries to sell something. However, when he sits down at home with Chelsea, he sounds like a shrink. It's totally understandable—It must be mind-boggling to have a girlfriend who is an escort. That's some "girlfriend experience."

"The Girlfriend Experience" opens Friday, May 22 at Landmark's Embarcadero Center Cinema in San Francisco, Shattuck in Berkeley, Piedmont Theatre in Oakland, Aquarius Theatre in Palo Alto, and Nickelodeon Santa Cruz. It opens on May 29 at Camera 3 in San Jose.

That was a few years ago when I was still living in North Carolina. It was cold and grey outside. I didn't leave the couch for about nine hours on that Christmas Day, mulching on leftovers and sipping hot tea — I was watching "The Godfather" (USA 1972, 175 min.), "The Godfather: Part II" (USA 1974, 200 min.), and "The Godfather: Part III" (USA 1990, 162 min.) continuously. I was completely captivated into a world that the legendary director Francis Ford Coppola creates in these films. It was a magical day that I will never forget. Coppola has been one of my favorite directors.

To celebrate his outstanding contribution to cinema, Francis Ford Coppola is honored with the Founder's Directing Award at the 52nd San Francisco International Film Festival (SFiFF52).

Tonight, over a thousand people packed the one and only Castro Theater to spend the evening with director Francis Ford Coppola, joined by his long time friends and fellow filmmakers George Lucas, Carroll Ballard, Walter Murch, and Matthew Robbins.

It was an enchanting night when these old friends tell entertaining stories about filmmaking, and the love of San Francisco — they all left Los Angeles and settled down here. Coppola's story about how Marlon Brando got the part in "The Godfather" drew big laugh in the audience.

It's inspiring to hear their journeys of pursuing their dreams. Coppola encourages the audience to tell individual personal stories. I wish Hollywood executives were in the audience, so they might have taken Coppola's advice and stop remaking Asian films.

Coppola explains that his latest film "Tetro" is one of those "personal" films that he has been making. The trailer of the film is stunningly beautiful, in black and white. It will be in theater in June.

Apparently, tonight's event is just one of the many "award nights" at the San Francisco International Film Festival. Many remarkable filmmakers are recognized with these awards, and festival goers get a chance to be up and close to these artists.

The festival just passed the half way mark. I am sure there are plenty personal stories yet to be told.

I am listening.

In 1975, when Michael Bennett brought audionees' personal stories into a Broadway musical "A Chorus Line," it won nine Tony Awards and became one of the longest running musicals on Broadway.

Three decades later, "A Chorus Line" is revived on Broadway. The audition process not only once again echoes the musical's story, it also produces a touching and endearing documentary "Every Little Step" (USA 2008 | 96 min.). The film pays tributes to artists of many generations.

The casting team consists of A Chorus Line's original co-choreographer Bob Avian and original cast members Donna McKechnie and Baayork Lee. Their task is to select 19 actors out of over 3000 auditionees. The film captures auditionees' heartfelt journeys and explores A Chorus Line's legacy.

The filmmakers bring us inside the audition studio and also those actors' lives through their observant and affectionate lenses. The film turns the harsh audition process into a suspensive dramatic tale about the dedication and struggle from these talented artists. Even we might have our own picks after each audition, all actors, especially those who do not get the parts, earn our respect and admiration.

During a scene in A Chorus Line, a gay youth character Paul gives a monologue describing the moment when his parents come to see his performance. When Jason Tam auditions for Paul, his powerful deliverance not only brings me into tears, it also breaks down the casting team captured by the film, even they have heard the same lines for thousands of times. If anybody is not moved by Jason Tam's monologue, I will refund your ticket myself.

Regardless whether you like musical or not and whether you have seen A Chorus Line or not, this terrific documentary will inspire you as well as entertain you.

"Every Little Step" will be shown at the 52nd San Francisco International Film Festival on Sunday, Apr 26, 9:30pm at Castro Theater.

"Every Little Step" opens on Friday, May 8th at Bay Area Theater.

• Speaking in Tongues (USA 2008 | in English/Mandarin/Spanish/Cantonese | 60 min.)

  While there are 112 languages spoken in San Francisco metropolitan area, the notion of "English Only" (in 31 states already) seems absurd. The intriguing documentary "Speaking in Tongues" follows four youngsters and their families in a San Francisco public school for a year to study the fascinating impact of bilingual education. Can't speak in another tongue yet? Not to worry, the film will be subtitled at the screenings before you get back to school to learn another language.

  

• Tongzhi in Love (彼岸浮生 | China 2008 | in Mandarin | 30 min.)

  Academy Award winning director Ruby Yang's (杨紫烨) new documentary "Tongzhi in Love," perhaps the first documentary about gays in China, examines gay men's double lives in modern China — the freer city gay life versus the closet life being the only child who is responsible for producing an heir for the family.

  My full review.

  

• Home (Switzerland/France/Belgium 2008 | 97 min.)

  The still images from "Home" (starring Isabelle Huppert) reminds me European films such as "Adam's Apples" (SFiFF49). I feel that if I were going to see only one European film during this festival, "Home" would be the one. The story about a happy-go-lucky family dealing with a highway built on their front yard interests me. Don't we all deal with similar situations even it might not be a highway?

  

• Claustrophobia (親密 | Hong Kong/China 2008 | 100 min.)

  Award winning screenwriter Ivy Ho's (岸西) directorial debut "Claustrophobia" is a drama about office romance set in modern time. Although personally I never think office romance is a good idea — for the obvious reasons — I am eager to see how protagonists in this film sort things out in their cubicles.

  

• Departures (おくりびと | Japan 2008 | in Japanese | 131 min.)

  This just in: the winner of the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2009, "Departures" will be shown at the fesitval on Saturday May 2 at 11:00 am at the Clay Theatre! Enough said.

  

• Easy Virtue (UK/USA 2008 | 93 min.)

  Director Stephan Elliott ("The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert,") blends brilliant performance, fantastic cinematography, lavish art design and costumes, funky music, and mischievous humor into an entertaining "Easy Virtue" (UK/USA 2008 | 93 mins.). The movie is the second adaptation of Noel Coward's classic play, and the first adaptation is a silent film by Alfred Hitchcock eighty years ago. Even though this film is no "Gosford Park," it has its own charm when telling a story about a newly wed American wife tries to escape a suffocating upper class British family.

  

• The Beast Stalker (證人 | Hong Kong 2008 | in Cantonese | 110 min.)

  Just won Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor Awards few days ago at the 28th Hong Kong Film Awards, director Dante Lam's (林超賢) action packed thriller "The Beast Stalker" (證人) will have its U.S. premiere at the festival. Go and see it before the Hollywood remakes it.

  

• River People (水上人家 | China 2008 | in Chinese/Yan Cheng dialect | 88 min.)

  Worked with directors Zhang Yimou (张艺谋) and Chen Kaige (陈凯歌), director He Jianjun (何建军) is considered to be a leading voice of the sixth generation Chinese filmmakers. His new docudrama "River People" tells a story about two teenager boys living on the Yellow River bank, one wants to leave for the city, and the other one wants to stay.

  

• The Window (La ventana | Argentina/Spain 2008 | in Spanish | 85 min.)

  It appears to be a very simple story — a bedridden 80-year-old man gets ready for his estranged son's visit. He looks out his window at the Patagonian landscape and sees light and life, the past and the present, while sensing the future. When the story is told by renowned director Carlos Sor’n in his new film "The Window," it becomes a must see at the festival.

  

With more than 150 films from more than 50 countries, the 52nd San Francisco International Film Festival (SFiFF52) will take place April 23 - May 7 at Sundance Kabuki Theater, Castro Theater, Landmark's Clay Theater, and other venues.

As always, this year's program is full of excitements. It contains a wide spectrum of recent world cinema as well as a few retrospective programs. Regardless one's taste in films, everybody should be able to find something that is familiar and delightful. In addition, people have plenty to choose from at the festival if in the mood of experiencing something new and challenging.

Here is a list of films that I am looking forward to at SFiFF52.

• Still Walking (歩いても 歩いても | Japan 2008 | in Japanese | 114 min.)

  Director Hirokazu Kore-eda's (是枝裕和) "Nobody Knows" (誰も知らない) is one of my all time favorites, and I also enjoy his period drama "Hana" (花よりもなほ, SFiFF50). Now I am thrilled that his highly anticipated new film "Still Walking" (歩いても 歩いても) comes to the festival. "Still Walking" tells a story about grown children visiting their elderly parents on one summer day. It shows how a family is bonded by love as well as resentments and secrets. A must see.

  

• Artemisia (艾草 | Taiwan 2008 | in Mandarin | 85 min.)

  Chiang Hsiu Chiung's (姜秀瓊) feature directorial debut "Artemisia" (艾草) is nothing short of excellence. The film is an affectional and beautiful portrait of a loving mother Ai-chao who struggles to cope with her family's affairs that reflect the changing society in Taiwan.

  My full review.

  

• Every Little Step (USA 2008 | 96 min.)

  Based on the audition process of the Broadway revival of A Chorus Line, documentary "Every Little Step" is a touching and endearing film that pays tributes to artists of many generations. It captures auditionees' heartfelt journeys and explores A Chorus Line's legacy.

  

• Good Cats (好猫 | China 2008 | in Chinese/Sichuan dialect | 103 min.)

  After director Ying Liang's (应亮) feature debut "Taking Father Home" (背鸭子的男孩) won the SFiFF49's SKKY Prize, all of his feature films have been selected by the SFiFF since. His second film "The Other Half" (另一半) was shown at last year's SFiFF. His latest film "Good Cats" (好猫) will be shown at this year's SFiFF. It's a story about greed and corruption beneath the current rapid modernization in China. I have seen this film frame by frame numerous times because I donated my time and talent to translate the entire film. I hope the countless hours I spent on revising and editing its English subtitles will pay off when the translation conveys the story to the audience.

  

28-year-old Brian Weathersby (Paul Dano) sells high-end Swedish mattress while pursing his "lifelong" dream — adopting a Chinese baby. After art collector Al Lolly (John Goodman) comes to the store to buy a mattress for his back problem, Brian meets Al's daughter Harriet Lolly, or Happy. While Brian is romantically involved with Happy, he has to constantly fight off a mysterious homeless guy who tries to kill him.

Actually the film's plot is not important. The most entertaining aspect about this film is the witty and humorous dialogue, and these verbal exchanges reveal the fascinating relationships among these characters. This is a film one must watch several times in order to catch all the lines, because many of the conversations will not be heard due to the giggling in the audience, especially both Brian and Happy always speak softly in the film.

The uniformly strong performances from an ensemble cast deliver many funny lines brilliantly. Paul Dano completely vanishes into a quiet Brian from the charismatic priest in "There Will Be Blood." Edward Asner hilariously steals many scenes in the film playing Brian's 80-year-old father.

However, I am not very fond of the subplot of the crazy homeless character — not because of its relevance to the main story, but because he didn't say a word in the film. After all, the dialogue is the gem of the film that is worth of listening and that is funny. Of course not all of the characters have to speak in order to be funny. For example, those masseuses do not say a word either, but how can anybody keep a straight face while watching them working?

"Gigantic" opens on Friday, April 10 at Landmark's Lumiere Theatre in San Francisco, Landmark's Shattuck Cinema in Berkeley, and Camera 12 in San Jose.

FILMMAKER IN PERSON: Director and co-writer Matt Aselton will speak at Lumiere Theatre in San Francisco on Friday, April 10 at 7:00pm & 9:40pm shows, and Saturday, April 11 at Shattuck in Berkeley at 5:00pm & 7:25pm shows.

Some of her works are with renowned directors Edward Yang (楊德昌) and Hou Hsiao-hsien (侯孝賢). She is the assistant director in Edward Yang's "Yi Yi: A One and a Two" (一一). She also worked in Hou Hsiao-hsien's films such as "Flowers of Shanghai" (海上花) and "Millennium Mambo" (千禧曼波).

With that exceptional resume, Chiang Hsiu Chiung's feature directorial debut "Artemisia" (艾草 | Taiwan 2008 | in Mandarin | 85 min.) is nothing short of excellence. The film is an affectional and beautiful portrait of a loving mother Ai-chao who struggles to cope with her family's affairs that reflect the changing society in Taiwan.

Ai-chao (艾草) means Artemisia. It's also the name of this film's protagonist — a 58-year-old Taiwanese woman. When Ai-chao was young, without her mother's approval, she married to her mainland born husband who was 20 years her senior. After her husband died 20 years ago, she raised her son and her daughter by herself. Now, not only her children have grown up, the social norm in Taiwan has also changed. It's Ai-chao's turn to face the reality in her family affairs. Despite the conflicts and gaps in generations and culture, the bond and love in a family ultimately prevail.

This deeply affectionate and heartwarming film embraces family, love, and the turbulent journey of understanding and accepting each other in a changing society.

Either coming from her own or influenced by directors Edward Yang and Hou Hsiao-Hsien, the film definitely has a resemblance in the storytelling style to films by Yang and Hou. The film's engrossing story and lively characters are naturally developed and effortlessly win over our hearts.

"Artemisia" will be shown at the 52nd San Francisco International Film Festival on Sunday, Apr 26 at 9:15pm, Sunday, May 3 at 12:45pm, and Thursday, May 7 at 8:30pm at Kabuki Theater. Director Chiang Hsiu-chiung will be in person for Q&A at these screenings.

"Artemisia" is the winner of the Golden Gate Awards in the Television Narrative Long Form category at this year's San Francisco International Film Festival.

Continuing on her worthy contributions, Ruby Yang's new documentary "Tongzhi in Love" (彼岸浮生 | China 2008 | in Mandarin | 30 min. ), perhaps the first documentary about gays in China, examines gay men's double lives in modern China—the freer city gay life versus the closet life being the only child who is responsible for producing an heir for the family.

"Tongzi" (同志) originally means "comrade" in Chinese. However, since the early 90s, "Tongzhi" has become the term for "gay" in Chinese in the LGBT community, and it is a widely accepted term by the general public in Chinese speaking regions nowadays.

Riding the waves of the rapid social and economical progress in China, many gays begin to enjoy a much more tolerate atmosphere in China and to taste their newly found gay freedom in big cities such as Beijing. However, most of them cannot come out to their parents and live a double life; because besides the conservative views toward gays, they also face the immense pressure uniquely to the Chinese culture based on Confucian (儒家) teaching.

One of the most prominent Confucian scholar Mencius once said:

"Among the three major offenses against filial piety, not producing an heir is the worst." (不孝有三无后为大.)

More than two thousands years later, a billion Chinese people still take Mencius's words close to the heart. Obviously, it creates bigger challenge to gay men, many of them are the only child in a family due the one child policy in modern China.

"Tongzhi in Love" examines this complex scenario through three young gay men's personal stories. Via candid testimonies and lively interviews, these three characters share their opinions, their struggle, their sacrifices, their sorrow, and most importantly, their love for their parents. The film captures the heavy burden in these Tongzhi's mind and shows how they walk the thin line between pursing happiness and pleasing their parents, especially when the two cannot go hand in hand.

These Tongzhi are in love, but not without pain.

"Tongzhi in Love (彼岸浮生)" will be shown with "City of Borders" at the 52nd San Francisco International Film Festival.

Troy Gable (Colin Hanks) drops out of law school because he wants to find a dream before it's too late. He becomes the road manager for a hard-to-please stage artist — the Great Buck Howard (John Malkovich). The Great Buck Howard wants to give Troy a "life experience" starting with a clarification to Troy that he is a mentalist, not a magician: "I was a magician when I was 3 years old, but I evolved out of that. Not that I have anything against magicians, as long as they're dead."

After Troy meets a publicist Valerie (Emily Blunt, like Tina Fey's twin sister on screen) in Cincinnati, he begins to question his career choice, so does his father Mr. Gable, played by Colin Hanks's real life father Tom Hanks. Years later after Troy leaves Buck Howard, Troy realizes the great mentalist's impact on shaping his path to reach his dream — the Great Buck Howard strides a chord that continues to echo in Troy's mind.

John Malkovich's earnest performance as the Great Buck Howard is crucial to the success of this film — his violent handshake makes Jon Stewart beg for a "mental handshake" to replace the real one; his trademark shouting "I love this town!" makes him a memorable and interesting character.

Similar as in "For Your Consideration", the satire on the entertainment industry is quite entertaining in this film. Surprising appearances of numerous celebrities adds charming comic reliefs to the story.

Like a magic — or a mentalism act — the film transforms a seemingly obnoxious and arrogant aging performer into an charismatic and fascinating performing artist, who loves what he does and loves those towns he travels.

"The Great Buck Howard" opens on Friday, March 20, at Bay Area theaters.

Starting March 12, Asians cinema enthusiasts will flock to Sundance Kabuki, Castro Theater, and other venues in Berkeley and San Jose.

With 108 films and 47 programs, this year's lineup contains a little less films compared to the past. That translates to more furious competition among the submissions and better films in the festival. Actually, I like this size better because I feel less overwhelmed and much easier to schedule the screenings during the festival.

I have written about some films at this year's SFIAAFF, including:

• Chinese Cinema at SFIAAFF 2009
• Japanese Cinema at SFIAAFF 2009
• Korean Cinema at SFIAAFF 2009

Of course, shorts programs are NOT to be missed at all cost at the SFIAAFF. They never fail to be refreshing, rewarding, entertaining, and amusing. Even a film might not be my cup of tea, a few minutes later, a new one will appear on the big screen.

Among all the shorts, I have only seen one — the delightful "The Postcard" playing in the program "It's Easy Because You're Beautiful."

After the charming "Police Box" (SFIAAFF 2007, Frameline31), director Josh Kim returns to SFIAAFF with his new short film "The Postcard" (South Korea 2007 | in Korean | 15 Min.). The film brilliantly tells a story about how a boy conveys his crush on a postman — he writes messages on postcards.

When I can see great Asian cinema with film lovers, who cares how much the Dow is falling. When the festival is over, things will be back to normal. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the festival. That's what I am going to do beginning next Thursday.

Asra Nomani is a feminist Muslim who is a single mom out of her wed lock. That doesn't prevent her from challenging the mosque — she wants to pray side by side with men in the mosque, instead of being in the back of the room. That stirs a big controversy when CNN comes into this small town to cover the story. Brittany Huckabee's new documentary "The Mosque in Morgantown" (USA 2009 | 75 min.) follows the development of the conflict between Asra Nomani and the mosque, and gives us a rare look at the life inside the mosque in America.

After 9/11, Islam takes some heat from the American public. But how much do people actually know about Islam, or Muslims in America? What's the teaching of Islam? How should we understand the conflicts between the Islamic culture and the social norm in the western society? Should America Muslims follow the Islamic rules rigorously, such as how and where men and women should pray in a mosque, or should they bend the rules to accommodate the social norm in the America?

Although this film will not answer all of these questions, but it tells an interesting story with these inquires in the background, and the film is thought provoking if nothing else.

Is praying next to a man that important to Asra Nomani? Or is she just using this issue as a breaking point to challenge the mosque? Or is she using this for publicity to sell her book as many mosque members accuse of her? Different people will come up different answers after viewing this film, which makes this film even more fascinating.

However, whether we should apply social norm to a religious practice will be even a bigger and harder question to ponder. Viewing this film could be a starting point to explore this subject.

Director Brittany Huckabee and journalist Asra Nomani will appear in person for Q&A at the the screenings at the 27th San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival (SFIAAFF).

Talented filmmaker Kimberlee Bassford does a great job to bring Patsy Mink back to life in her new documentary "Patsy Mink: Ahead of the Majority" (USA 2008 | 57 min.).

Patsy Mink is a celebrated figure, especially for Asian Americans and women. She has been an important voice for the right of women and minorities, and she is an inspiration and a role model for many.

She stood up for what she believes in, even political defeats would be the consequences. She represents changes, progressive, and equality.

Her enormous contributions to the US politics, woman's rights, and social justices in general will be forever remembered. Her story should be and must be told.

This is her story — meet Patsy Mink in "Patsy Mink: Ahead of the Majority," an informative, inspiring, and interesting film about this colorful woman who was full of life and passion.

Director Kimberlee Bassford will appear in person for Q&A at the screenings at the 27th San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival (SFIAAFF).

From Academy Award winner Ang Lee (李安), to Chinese independent filmmaker veteran Jia Zhang-ke (贾樟柯), to new director Cao Baoping (曹保平), and to rock musician filmmaker Peng Lei (彭磊), festival goers will have plenty to choose from if they are in the mood for some Chinese.

• 24 City (二十四城记 | China/Hong Kong/Japan 2008 | in Mandarin | 107 min.)

  Although I own a few films on DVD by critically acclaimed director Jia Zhang-ke (贾樟柯), I admit that I have not watched any of his film more than once. However, I never miss any opportunity to see his new work. Therefore, I have not yet seen Jia's latest film "24 City" which competed for Palme d'Or at 2008 Cannes Film Festival, staring Joan Chen (陈冲) — I will catch this film at the festival.

  

• The Panda Candy (熊猫奶糖 | China 2007 | in Mandarin | 85 min.)

  After premiered two years ago in China, a stylish Chinese independent film "The Panda Candy" finally meets the American audience at this year's SFIAAFF. Director Peng Lei (彭磊) is the lead singer of a Chinese rock band called "Red Pants" (新裤子). During the band's tour in China, Peng picks concert goers to join the protagonist of his film to tell a story about the love and dating of the young generation in the rapidly changing China. I found the film's music and visual are quite refreshing. However, those who must rely on subtitles might face a challenge when viewing the film, unless at the screening time, the subtitles are refurbished. Perhaps, the plot is not that important after all.

  

• The Equation of Love and Death (李米的猜想 | China 2008 | in Mandarin | 92 min.)

  Riding the wave of its commercial success at the box offices in China, director Cao Baoping's (曹保平) second feature "The Equation of Love and Death" comes to SFIAAFF. In a style similar to "Crash," this film tells a story of a cab driver Li Mi's quest looking for her suddenly vanished boyfriend. Zhou Xun (周迅), One of the hottest actresses in China, is the center of this film playing Li Mi, who fights kidnapping, extortion, and mostly, desperation.

  

• Lust, Caution - Ang Lee in Conversation with Linda Williams (色, 戒 | China 2007 | 158 min.)

  Academy Award winning director Ang Lee's (李安) "Lust, Caution" tells a remarkable story about a woman's courage and sacrifice during the fight against Japanese's occupation during World War II. Followed the screening at the festival, an intimate conversation with Ang Lee will take place on stage led by UC Berkeley professor Linda Williams. This special screening and on-stage conversation will take place at Wheeler Auditorium in Berkeley.

  

Seven(!) of Kiyoshi Kurosawa's films will be screened at the festival, including his newest "Tokyo Sonata" and his J-Horror flick "Pulse" (回路). It's a great opportunity to watch these films in theaters, especially with Kiyoshi Kurosawa in person at some of the screenings for Q&A.

Perhaps I should add San Francisco Public Library as an extra venues for the festival, because the library has more Kiyoshi Kurosawa's films that are not showing during the festival.

Other must see Japanese films at this year's festival include Ryosuke Hashiguchi's "All Around Us." To be able to see films like "All Around Us" is part of the reason why I love SFIAAFF dearly.

• All Around Us (ぐるりのこと。 | Japan 2008 | in Japanese | 140 min.)

  I am quite confident that "All Around Us" will easily become my top ten films of 2009. This is Japanese director Ryosuke Hashiguchi's (橋口亮輔) first film after a seven-year hiatus. The film is funny, touching, and observant.

  The film's protagonist is Kanao, a soft mannered shoe repair man turning into a court room sketch artist, who deals with his own marriage with humor, gentleness, and love. Through the eyes of Kanao, the film quietly observes the major events in Japanese society over the span of a decade. Japanese bestselling novelist Lily Franky (リリー・フランキー) gives a great performance as Kanao.

  

• Tokyo Sonata (Japan 2008 | in Japanese | 119 min.)

  Director Ryosuke Hashiguchi's latest film "Tokyo Sonata" looks deeply inside an ordinary Japanese family. It tells a heartfelt story about their struggle to survive, to communicate, and to realize their places in the fast moving modern society.

  Renowned Japanese actor Teruyuki Kagawa (香川照之) plays a middle aged salaryman who is recently laid off (does that sound familiar for folks in the US?), but he doesn't have the courage to tell his family. Everyone in the family wish that it would be wonderful if their whole lives are a dream, and when they wake up, they are somewhere completely different.

  

  The festival goers can also catch Teruyuki Kagawa's other performances in "Tokyo!" and "Serpent's Path" (蛇の道) at the festival.

• License to Live (ニンゲン合格 | Japan 1998 | 109 min.)

  In Ryosuke Hashiguchi's "License to Live", 24-year-old Yutaka wakes up from a 10-year-old coma and finds out that his family and the world around him are no longer the same. His efforts to bring the family back together and to validate his own existence are both poignant and intriguing.

  

Korean actor Ha Jung-woo (하정우) is perhaps one of the mostly sought actors these days. While his terrific performance in "Time" (시간) and "Never Forever" (두 번째 사랑, SFIAAFF 2008) are still fresh to many, he appears in two new films playing completely different characters at this year's festival.

• My Dear Enemy (멋진 하루 | South Korea 2008 | in Korea | 123 min.)

  This year's opening night film is the delightful and talkative "My Dear Enemy." Ha Jung-woo ("Time," "Breath," "Never Forever") plays an insouciant and charming ex-boyfriend, who owns money to his ex-girlfriend, played by Jeon Do-yeon ("Secret Sunshine," "My Mother the Mermaid"). The film follows the couple around in Seoul to get some money and explores the fascinating complexity in human relationship.

  

• Treeless Mountain (USA/South Korea 2008 | in Korea | 89 min.)

  After "In Between Days" (SFIAAFF 2007), director So Yong Kim returns to SFIAAFF with her second feature "Treeless Mountain," this year's closing night film. "Treeless Mountain" intimately tells a story of two young girls who longing for their mom who left them, when they are not preoccupied by their own children's daily activities. The two young actors give a wonderful performance as the young sisters. This film reminds me of the heartbroken Japanese film "Nobody Knows," one of my all time favorites.

  

• The Chaser (추격자 | South Korea 2008 | in Korean | 123 min.)

  The third Korean film "The Chaser" is an impressive feature debut from director Na Hong-jin (나홍진). In this engrossing, unpredictable, and exciting thriller, Ha Jung-woo plays a completely different character from the happy-go-lucky guy in the opening night film "My Dear Enemy." This time, he is chased as a murder by an ex-cop who turns into a pimp. Although the film is not the same as "Oldboy," but the hammer definitely brings chill in the neck, keeps the audiences on the edge of their seats, and chases the Hollywood out to remake it.

  

• Tokyo! (France/Japan/Germany/South Korea 2008 | in Japanese and French | 110 min.)

  "Tokyo!" consists of three stories from two French directors Leos Carax and Michel Gondry, and a Korean director Bong Joon-ho (봉준호), who made the sci-fi blockbuster "The Host." They offer an unique perspective about the lives in the most crowed and exciting city — Tokyo!

  

Leonard (Joaquin Phoenix) lives at home with his parents in Brooklyn and helps their dry cleaning business. His parents tries to help him to recover from his recent breakup by setting him up with Sandra (Vinessa Shaw), the daughter of a businessman who is buying out his family's business. While Leonard seems willing to play along with this arrangement, he quickly falls for a neighbor Michelle (Gwyneth Paltrow), who is having a fair with a married man at work. On Christmas Eve, Leonard has to make a final decision about his triangle relationship.

I cannot figure out why Joaquin Phoenix and Gwyneth Paltrow are cast for these two protagonists. It's quite obvious that they don't look like a couple together, but both of them have to work hard to pretend on behalf of their characters. I feel their pain on the screen, because they have to behave wired according to the script, which make them appear to be awkward, unconvincing, and strange.

Soon after Sandra meets Leonard, she invites him to a dinner with her lover, the unfaithful cheating husband. Even Leonard has a crush on Sandra, he comes to this expensive restaurant anyway to have dinner with them. Just pretend that you were any of these three characters for a second, would you come to a dinner like this?

That being said, I very much enjoy the characters of Leonard's parents, terrifically played by Isabella Rossellini and Moni Moshonov.

This is perhaps the most unromantic film about romance. When Leonard checks out Sandra by peeking into her window from his apartment, it's creepy, not romantic. When they yell out at each other from their windows, it's annoying to the neighbors and the audience, still not romantic.

I am glad that the film has a conclusion for everyone so Leonard's neighbors don't have to suffer any more, nor these characters.

"Two Lovers" opens on Friday, February 27, 2009 at Landmark's the Embarcadero Center Cinema in San Francisco and the Shattuck Cinemas in Berkeley.

In an inner city in Philippines next to noisy streets, a run-down adult movie theater called "Family" is not only the home for the extended Pineda family, but also the hustling ground for rent boys. The film's title "Serbis" means "service" in Tagalog, referring to sexual service the hustlers are providing inside the adult theater. The endless battle to keep the "family" business afloat and to resolve the conflicts among family members become daily routines inside the theater, and they consume away everybody's life, hopes, and dreams.

Like Brillante Mendoza's previous films ("Slingshot," "Foster Child," and "The Masseur"), the hand held camera follows the characters running up and down the theater to witness everything raw and uncensored. It is amazingly effective. The film makes me feel like that I am living with these characters — inside the smelly theater, enduring the unbearably heat, suppressing or unleashing the desire, coping with the desperation, and being suffocated by the horrible environment. I want to escape from this "Family" theater as much as the film's characters.

Apparently, the film has plenty shockers. I call them shockers because I don't see a clear connection between their existence and the storytelling. I am surprised by the very long opening credit (with the weird sound track) to begin with. Then I see the pain in the butt — a boil. After many more events, it's the end of the film...

"Serbis" opens on Friday, February 20, at Landmark's Lumiere Theatre in San Francisco.

Last year, my Oscar prediction missed the Best Picture and Best Actress categories. I blame on Tommy Lee Jones's Southern accent in "No Country for Old Man."

Unlike last year, I have yet seen one of the best picture nominees, which somebody calls it "poverty porn."

However, based on what I know so far, I hope I can do better this year to predict the winners. I am dropping the Best Documentary Feature category because I only saw few of the nominations this year.

Best Picture

None of the five nominees are on my last year's top ten list, and I don't really have the desire to see "Slumdog Millionaire" right now either. I do enjoy "The Reader" and "Frost/Nixon" more than the rest, although I doubt that they have any chance to win.

Will win: Slumdog Millionaire
Should win: None of them

Best Actor

Among the five performances, the only one I have not seen is Mickey Rourke in "The Wrestler," yet he has the highest expectation to win. If I were voting, there would be no doubt in my mind that Frank Langella's fascinating portrait of Nixon in "Frost/Nixon" deserves the trophy. Sean Penn ("Milk") runs up close to the second.

Will win: Mickey Rourke
Should win: Frank Langella

Best Actress

Again, only one performance I have not seen (Anne Hathaway in "Rachel Getting Married"), but that doesn't matter. This is the year for Kate Winslet ("The Reader") who has been sweeping numerious awards lately. Both Melissa Leo ("Frozen River") and Meryl Streep ("Doubt") give strong performance, but Kate Winslet will finally take the award home, not only for her performance in "The Reader," but also for her performance in "Revolutionary Road" — that's what the Academy members have in mind when they cast their votes. Why isn't Sally Hawkins nominated for her lovely performance in "Happy-Go-Lucky?"

Will win: Kate Winslet
Should win: Kate Winslet

Best Supporting Actor

This category is completely overshadowed by the tragic death of Heath Ledger ("The Dark Knight"). He is a beloved talented actor and people want to pay tribute to him. That doesn't mean that his performance doesn't deserve the award. However, given the current situation, come on, give an Oscar to him, would you? He doesn't have another chance.

Will win: Heath Ledger
Should win: Heath Ledger

Best Supporting Actress

This category is full of impressive performances this year. Despite Penélope Cruz's ("Vicky Cristina Barcelona") winning of a few awards, I think the winner will be a tossup between Viola Davis ("Doubt") and Taraji P. Henson ("The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"). Although I don't care about the corniness of "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," Taraji P. Henson's performance as Button's adopted mother is memorable. However, my money bet on Viola Davis.

Will win: Viola Davis
Should win: Anyone but Penélope Cruz

Best Director

I almost can repeat my comment about Best Picture in this category. I think Ron Howard really does a terrific job telling an gripping story in "Frost/Nixon;" as well as Gus Van Sant amazingly brings Harvey Milk back to life in "Milk."

Will win: Danny Boyle
Should win: Ron Howard or Gus Van Sant

The evenlope please...