Four films to watch during AAPI heritage month
Director Justin Lin is perhaps best known for directing five films in the “Fast and Furious” franchise, most notably “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.” Lin’s debut feature film “Better Luck Tomorrow” is often overshadowed by the car blockbusters, but it is a sincere filmmaking debut for Lin.
The film follows a group of Asian American high school students, with protagonist Ben Manibug (Parry Shen), who become bored with their respective high school careers and turn to crime. The film’s character-based narrative storytelling is what hooks the audience into what could be an otherwise formulaic story. “Better Luck Tomorrow” shows the gradual descent into crime in an insightful way, leaving room for moments of comedy, but still maintaining the intensity of the journey.
“Four Samosas” instantly brings the viewer into the lively and breezy world it is set in with a wide shot of a grocery store and a group of people manically rushing out. The colors are vibrant, loud and always making a statement. The score is jaunty and, at times, lovingly cartoonish.
The film follows Vinny (Venk Potula), an aspiring rapper, and his friends who plan to break into his ex-girlfriend’s dad’s grocery store and steal his uncertified diamonds. Director Ravi Kapoor clearly takes inspiration from director Wes Anderson in his color grading and aspect ratios, and in a more subtle vein, has gags that feel reminiscent of director Edgar Wright. It’s a film that is nearly impossible to dislike, even with a script that is a bit disjointed at times. “Four Samosas” uses stylistic choices and flirts with different genres to create an enjoyable and perky film.
Even though Gurinder Chadha has directed some phenomenal teen films, undoubtedly Chadha is at her best in “Bend it like Beckham.”
“Bend it like Beckham” follows Jesminder “Jess” Bhamra (Parminder Nagra) as a soccer obsessed teenager who struggles to follow her passion due to her family’s lack of support. Over the summer, Jess gains an opportunity to play soccer with new friend Jules Paxton (Keira Knightley) while she and her family prepare for Jess’s older sister’s wedding. “Bend it like Beckham” allowed accessibility to soccer in a time where it felt like a male dominated sport. Not only did Jess act as a unique representation for British South Asian women, but the movie uses soccer as a vehicle for classic coming of age tales. It’s everything that one could want in a feel-good movie: it’s funny, charming and lovely all around.
