The "Fast & Furious" franchise has taken quite the ride, growing from a modest "Point Break" riff to globe-trotting espionage, borderline superhero movies (with cars). Along the way, it left the laws of physics in the dust. There are currently 11 "Fast & Furious," the 10 mainline films plus the spin-off "Hobbs & Shaw" — or are there?
Director Justin Lin (who directed five of these eleven films) made himself a household name with 2002's "Better Luck Tomorrow." The film centers on four Asian-American high school students in Orange County, California: overachieving Ben (Parry Shen), his nerdy best friend Virgil (Jason Tobin), Virgil's cool cousin Han (Sung Kang), and valedictorian Daric (Roger Fan). Afflicted with ennui, the four begin committing petty crimes, which escalate to robbery and then murder — the victim is Steve (John Cho), boyfriend of Ben's crush Stephanie (Karin Anna Cheung).
The film was inspired by Lin's work as a youth...
Director Justin Lin (who directed five of these eleven films) made himself a household name with 2002's "Better Luck Tomorrow." The film centers on four Asian-American high school students in Orange County, California: overachieving Ben (Parry Shen), his nerdy best friend Virgil (Jason Tobin), Virgil's cool cousin Han (Sung Kang), and valedictorian Daric (Roger Fan). Afflicted with ennui, the four begin committing petty crimes, which escalate to robbery and then murder — the victim is Steve (John Cho), boyfriend of Ben's crush Stephanie (Karin Anna Cheung).
The film was inspired by Lin's work as a youth...
- 5/18/2023
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
On November 9, Pacific Arts Movement (Pac Arts) will kick off its annual awards gala with a celebrity-lined red carpet to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the San Diego Asian Film Festival (Sdaff). Masters of Ceremony for the awards ceremony will be Hollywood stars Leonardo Nam (West World; The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift) and Tamlyn Tomita (The Good Doctor; The Joy Luck Club). In honor of the largest platform of Asian cinema on the west coast, more than 500 entertainment, business and community leaders will recognize the Sdaff’s top independent films, enjoy spectacular live entertainment like rock violinist Jason Yang and meet with celebrity guests.
Over the last 20 years, Sdaff has displayed the best in Asian and Asian American cinema from around the world. To honor that tradition, former Pac Arts Executive Director and Founder Lee Ann Kim will revisit the history of the festival and the gala will...
Over the last 20 years, Sdaff has displayed the best in Asian and Asian American cinema from around the world. To honor that tradition, former Pac Arts Executive Director and Founder Lee Ann Kim will revisit the history of the festival and the gala will...
- 11/1/2019
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
Cavity Colors has gone interactive with their latest enamel pin. The worms festering in this poor zombie’s rotting eye socket can be spun with a flick of your wrist! Also in this round-up: a new TV spot for Hardcore Henry and a new trailer for Quentin Lee’s The Unbidden.
Zombie Enamel Pin: “It’S Going To Eat You!
Our first action pin! Use your finger to spin the maggots! Gross out all of your friends!
* Features Spinning Maggots inside the eye socket *
High-quality soft enamel pin with a Black Nickel Finish
Double rubber clutch on the back for secure attachment
Cavitycolors logo on the back
First pressing – Only 200 Available
Art By: Aaron Cavitycolors
Size: Approx 2 inches tall
Shipping: Currently In Production – Ships in approx. 5 – 7 days – $ 12.00.”
To learn more about the new zombie enamel pin, visit Cavity Colors’ website.
———
Hardcore Henry: “Strap in. Hardcore Henry is one of...
Zombie Enamel Pin: “It’S Going To Eat You!
Our first action pin! Use your finger to spin the maggots! Gross out all of your friends!
* Features Spinning Maggots inside the eye socket *
High-quality soft enamel pin with a Black Nickel Finish
Double rubber clutch on the back for secure attachment
Cavitycolors logo on the back
First pressing – Only 200 Available
Art By: Aaron Cavitycolors
Size: Approx 2 inches tall
Shipping: Currently In Production – Ships in approx. 5 – 7 days – $ 12.00.”
To learn more about the new zombie enamel pin, visit Cavity Colors’ website.
———
Hardcore Henry: “Strap in. Hardcore Henry is one of...
- 3/4/2016
- by Tamika Jones
- DailyDead
To celebrate the completion of principal photography on Quentin Lee's supernatural thriller The Unbidden, we have a gorgeously dark set of new, exclusive stills to share. The film follows "four best friends who get together for a spirit-settling seance the night before Halloween and are intruded upon by a young man who claims that one of them is his mother," according to the official synopsis. The intruder then "unravels a past crime that has been haunting them for two decades." The Asian-American cast includes Tamlyn Tomita, Julia Nickson, Amy Hill, Elizabeth Sung, Jason Yee, Karin Anna Cheung, Kimberley Rose-Wolter, and Michelle Krusiec, with newcomers Akemi Look and Hayden Szeto rounding out the ensemble. The film is the sixth feature by Lee, who has made dramas...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 3/19/2015
- Screen Anarchy
Crossfire
Stars: Curtis ’50 Cent’ Jackson, Forest Whittaker, Robert DeNiro | Written by L. Philippe Casseus | Directed by Jessy Terrero
Jonas “Malo” Moldanado is the son of a slain police officer who joins the NYPD (50 Cent) as a rookie cop and is taken in under the wing of a veteran vice officer, Sarcone, played by De Niro. But while Malo is tasked with cleaning up both the force and the streets, corrupt Sarcone and his crew have a very different way of tackling vice. The young rookie soon gets an education in the reality on the street as it becomes apparent that cops are the biggest hustlers out there.
Oh how the mighty have fallen.
Crossfire comes from 50 Cent’s own production company and features Mr. Wooden himself (aka Fiddy Cent) in the lead and Forest Whittaker and Robert DeNiro seemingly slumming it up in a low-budget, horrendously scripted crime “thriller” which...
Stars: Curtis ’50 Cent’ Jackson, Forest Whittaker, Robert DeNiro | Written by L. Philippe Casseus | Directed by Jessy Terrero
Jonas “Malo” Moldanado is the son of a slain police officer who joins the NYPD (50 Cent) as a rookie cop and is taken in under the wing of a veteran vice officer, Sarcone, played by De Niro. But while Malo is tasked with cleaning up both the force and the streets, corrupt Sarcone and his crew have a very different way of tackling vice. The young rookie soon gets an education in the reality on the street as it becomes apparent that cops are the biggest hustlers out there.
Oh how the mighty have fallen.
Crossfire comes from 50 Cent’s own production company and features Mr. Wooden himself (aka Fiddy Cent) in the lead and Forest Whittaker and Robert DeNiro seemingly slumming it up in a low-budget, horrendously scripted crime “thriller” which...
- 9/16/2012
- by Phil
- Nerdly
Explorations of female sexuality have always faced considerably more resistance than those espousing the media dominating male sex drive, wherein a man who sleeps with numerous women (James Bond) is applauded. It’s a paradigm that really only flows in one direction and filmmakers have been expounding on that hypocrisy for ages. Some films turn the concept on its head in elegant ways while others do it with all the subtlety of a kick to the head. The People I’ve Slept With falls into the latter category, but it’s not without its charm.
Nikki (Karin Anna Cheung) likes sex. Whether or not society thinks that ladylike doesn’t really matter to her; she likes sex. Each night brings a different conquest which she catalogs with a small picture of the night’s stud memorialized with a nickname like “Mystery Man”. These are her trophies, and consequently her best...
Nikki (Karin Anna Cheung) likes sex. Whether or not society thinks that ladylike doesn’t really matter to her; she likes sex. Each night brings a different conquest which she catalogs with a small picture of the night’s stud memorialized with a nickname like “Mystery Man”. These are her trophies, and consequently her best...
- 3/28/2011
- by Lex Walker
- JustPressPlay.net
By Bryan Buss
(March 2011)
March 1
“127 Hours” (Fox Searchlight, R) — This true story of a mountain climber who gets pinned in a crevasse by a boulder earned raves (and an Oscar nomination) for star James Franco’s tour de force performance (in addition to nabbing noms for Best Picture, adapted screenplay, original score, editing and original song). The realism and intensity — not to mention the gore — in one particularly brutal scene led to patrons fainting, which may have kept some viewers away, as the film grossed only $15 million.
“Burlesque” (Screen Gems, PG-13) — This pairing of songstresses Cher and Christina Aguilera could have been camp nirvana, but despite the story similarities (small-town girl goes to the big city to become a star and learns life lessons the hard way), this derided musical didn’t cross the line from bad to entertaining often enough the way “Showgirls” did. Critics found the story timeworn,...
(March 2011)
March 1
“127 Hours” (Fox Searchlight, R) — This true story of a mountain climber who gets pinned in a crevasse by a boulder earned raves (and an Oscar nomination) for star James Franco’s tour de force performance (in addition to nabbing noms for Best Picture, adapted screenplay, original score, editing and original song). The realism and intensity — not to mention the gore — in one particularly brutal scene led to patrons fainting, which may have kept some viewers away, as the film grossed only $15 million.
“Burlesque” (Screen Gems, PG-13) — This pairing of songstresses Cher and Christina Aguilera could have been camp nirvana, but despite the story similarities (small-town girl goes to the big city to become a star and learns life lessons the hard way), this derided musical didn’t cross the line from bad to entertaining often enough the way “Showgirls” did. Critics found the story timeworn,...
- 3/1/2011
- by admin
- Moving Pictures Network
By Bryan Buss
(March 2011)
March 1
“127 Hours” (Fox Searchlight, R) — This true story of a mountain climber who gets pinned in a crevasse by a boulder earned raves (and an Oscar nomination) for star James Franco’s tour de force performance (in addition to nabbing noms for Best Picture, adapted screenplay, original score, editing and original song). The realism and intensity — not to mention the gore — in one particularly brutal scene led to patrons fainting, which may have kept some viewers away, as the film grossed only $15 million.
“Burlesque” (Screen Gems, PG-13) — This pairing of songstresses Cher and Christina Aguilera could have been camp nirvana, but despite the story similarities (small-town girl goes to the big city to become a star and learns life lessons the hard way), this derided musical didn’t cross the line from bad to entertaining often enough the way “Showgirls” did. Critics found the story timeworn,...
(March 2011)
March 1
“127 Hours” (Fox Searchlight, R) — This true story of a mountain climber who gets pinned in a crevasse by a boulder earned raves (and an Oscar nomination) for star James Franco’s tour de force performance (in addition to nabbing noms for Best Picture, adapted screenplay, original score, editing and original song). The realism and intensity — not to mention the gore — in one particularly brutal scene led to patrons fainting, which may have kept some viewers away, as the film grossed only $15 million.
“Burlesque” (Screen Gems, PG-13) — This pairing of songstresses Cher and Christina Aguilera could have been camp nirvana, but despite the story similarities (small-town girl goes to the big city to become a star and learns life lessons the hard way), this derided musical didn’t cross the line from bad to entertaining often enough the way “Showgirls” did. Critics found the story timeworn,...
- 3/1/2011
- by admin
- Moving Pictures Magazine
Born out of conversation between two friends, director Quentin Lee and actress Karin Anna Cheung, "The People I've Slept With" has gone on to earn positive word of mouth in the press and a TV deal through MTV's Logo TV. Lee and Cheung came together in an effort to make a feature with a strong female protagonist and positive Lgbt sensibility. The result is a romantic comedy that centers on ...
- 11/3/2010
- Indiewire
Director Quentin Lee's raunchy romantic comedy "The People I've Slept With" will screen along with "Children of Invention" at the Wellesley Asian Alliance Film Festival, Wednesday Oct. 13, 2010 at 6:30 Pm to 9:00 Pm.The film stars Archie Kao and Karin Anna Cheung along with Randall Park, Lynn Chen, Wilson Cruz and James Shigeta. It was written by Koji Steven Sakai.Future Screening dates:10/17/2010 Image Out:The Rochester Lesbian & Gay Film & Video Festival10/22/2010 Hamburg International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival (European Premiere) 10/22/2010 Seattle...
- 10/11/2010
- by Ed Moy, LA Asian American Movie Examiner
- Examiner Movies Channel
17th Annual Apex Awards Gala And Silent Auction: "Influence. Impact. Inspire." Only a few days left until Apex's largest community event of the year!Join Apex and co-emcees actor Harry Shum Jr. from Glee and actress Karin Anna Cheung next Saturday, September 25, 2010 at the Wilshire Grand Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles for a night of celebration as we honor and pay tribute to those who have made an impact on the Asian Pacific Islander American community. The evening will feature exquisite food, awards presentation, silent auction and musical performances by talented...
- 9/18/2010
- by edmoy
- Examiner Movies Channel
Quentin Lee’s fourth feature brings a multicultural, Asian-centric sensibility to the dating-while-pregnant romcom. Like Katherine Heigl’s character in “Knocked Up,” Angela (Karin Anna Cheung) discovers that she’s expecting after a one-night stand. Unlike the Judd Apatow hit, however, Angela is a self-described slut. She has slept with so many people, in fact, that she makes baseball cards for all her lovers, complete with photos and stats. In her quest to determine the father of her baby, she narrows down paternity to four candidates — 5-Second-Guy, Mystery Man, Nice-but-Boring Guy and Mr. Hottie — and sets out to collect their DNA in covert and creative ways.
Koji Steven Sakai writes and Cheung performs Angela — and, more broadly, female sexuality — without judgment. She’s a likable character who behaves like a man in the bedroom. If that makes her a slut, well, she’ll embrace it. Meanwhile, Angela’s gay Bff...
Koji Steven Sakai writes and Cheung performs Angela — and, more broadly, female sexuality — without judgment. She’s a likable character who behaves like a man in the bedroom. If that makes her a slut, well, she’ll embrace it. Meanwhile, Angela’s gay Bff...
- 8/23/2010
- Moving Pictures Magazine
[Our thanks to Liz Reed of MangaLife for this review.]
The first 15 minutes of The People I've Slept With were the most uncomfortable, in your face moments I've seen in a movie in a long time - and not in a good way with sub-par acting and a story too shallow to believe. But after getting over this difficult hurdle, the remaining 74 minutes are full of beyond hilarious situations, with an intimate look at love of all forms, and over-the-top characters you'll grow to appreciate. Yes, after getting over the film's self-expectation to feature raunchy sex scenes and lust, there actually is a sexy love story about responsibility, taking risks, and most of all, independence.
The film follows Angela (Karin Anna Cheung), an Asian American, self-proclaimed "slut" who takes pictures of her lovers and creates sex "baseball cards" (stats and all) to remember her conquests. Angela's rowdy lifestyle comes to a halt when her pregnancy test comes back positive and...
The first 15 minutes of The People I've Slept With were the most uncomfortable, in your face moments I've seen in a movie in a long time - and not in a good way with sub-par acting and a story too shallow to believe. But after getting over this difficult hurdle, the remaining 74 minutes are full of beyond hilarious situations, with an intimate look at love of all forms, and over-the-top characters you'll grow to appreciate. Yes, after getting over the film's self-expectation to feature raunchy sex scenes and lust, there actually is a sexy love story about responsibility, taking risks, and most of all, independence.
The film follows Angela (Karin Anna Cheung), an Asian American, self-proclaimed "slut" who takes pictures of her lovers and creates sex "baseball cards" (stats and all) to remember her conquests. Angela's rowdy lifestyle comes to a halt when her pregnancy test comes back positive and...
- 7/28/2010
- Screen Anarchy
Director Quentin Lee and star Karin Anna Cheung party hard at the party for their film "The People I've Slept With," which closed the New York Asian-American International Film Festival last week. The film follows Cheung's nymphomaniac character, Angela, as she tries to figure out who is the father of her unborn child. The film will be self-distributed by Lee beginning in New York next month, with a small multi-city cities to follow. [Photo credit: Bryce J. Renninger/indieWIRE]...
- 7/26/2010
- Indiewire
The Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival showcases some great films from around the world. The People I've Slept With starring Karin Anna Cheung drew a big crowd on Saturday night with the line wrapped outside the door and down the street of the Director's Guild.
If you missed the opening weekend it's not too late to catch some films including the showing of Bodyguards and Assassins at the Aratani/Japanese America Theatre on May 6th.
For a full schedule of films and venues visit www.asianfilmfestla.org...
If you missed the opening weekend it's not too late to catch some films including the showing of Bodyguards and Assassins at the Aratani/Japanese America Theatre on May 6th.
For a full schedule of films and venues visit www.asianfilmfestla.org...
- 5/3/2010
- by solshine7@hotmail.com (Karen)
- Reelartsy
This review was written for the festival screening of "Better Luck Tomorrow".
PARK CITY -- Most people have a skeleton in their closet, but very few have one in their back yard, especially as a teen. A scorching smear of high school life, prismed darkly through Asian-American eyes in Orange County, Calif., "Better Luck Tomorrow" is one of the hottest, most stylish and smartly twisted films to play at Sundance in years.
Asian-American kids are always the silent minority -- and, in this case, four disaffected teen-age dudes do a hostile takedown of their Orange County high school and community. A dramatic in-your-face slam to the stereotypical image of the studious, passive Asian-American student, these guys are a digital-age Billionaire Boys Club/Loeb and Leopold. With a jaunty "Less Than Zero"-type glaze of affluent adolescent life, "Better Luck" provides both a searing satire of modern suburbia and provocative insight into the malignant maturation of generally well-meaning and privileged kids.
Subversively charming, this gang of four operates largely unchallenged because they excel: At their core is Ben Parry Shen), an Ivy League candidate who learns a new word a day, plans to score 1,600 on his SATs and volunteers for every club and do-gooder organization. In addition, through compulsive free-throw practice, he manages to make the basketball team and becomes known, much to his surprise and displeasure, as the team's token Asian-American.
Ben's cohorts are a scruffy bunch, including the smoothly political Daric (Roger Fan), the trigger-happy Virgil (Jason Tobin) and the laconic Han (Sung Kang). There's also the rich kid, Steve John Cho), whose insouciant style and hard-ass manner, of course, manage to snare pretty cheerleader Stephanie Karin Anna Cheung). From scamming, trashing and drugging to bigger and uglier things, The Four Lads soon find themselves in way over their heads.
At its most high-spirited, "Better Luck" is anarchically fun as the four guys trounce the school's convention and, in the process, garner an outlandish reputation -- as members of the Chinese Mafia. But through the touchstone character of Ben, we're increasingly unsettled by the out-of-control character and moral turpitude of their high jinks.
Ripped with a very unsettling ending, "Better Luck" will unnerve many. But its story progression is consistent with its hard-edged look at modern society, family and morals.
Filmmaker Justin Lin's expressive storytelling fits his darkly ironic theme, and the performances are nicely fleshed-out and edgy. As high-achiever Ben, Shen shows the torment of a guy with a lot of smarts but not many values. Adding flavor and craziness is Tobin as Virgil, while Fan is aptly slick as the manipulative Daric. Cheung's saucy, effervescent turn as the fetching cheerleader also rubs smartly against the grain of expectation.
Technical credits are scorchingly good, especially cinematographer Patrice Lucien Cochet's deadly satirical compositions and music supervisor Ernesto M. Foronda's searingly hormonal selections.
BETTER LUCK TOMORROW
Cinetic Media
Producers: Julie Asato, Ernesto M. Foronda,
Justin Lin
Director-editor: Justin Lin
Screenwriters: Ernesto M. Foronda,
Justin Lin, Fabian Marquez
Executive producers: Gustavo Spoliansky,
Michael Manshel
Associate producers: Steve Herr, Sung Kang
Director of photography: Patrice Lucien Cochet
Casting: Donna Tina Charles
Music supervisor: Ernesto M. Foronda
Sound mixer: Curtis X. Choy
Color/stereo
Cast:
Ben: Parry Shen
Virgil: Jason Tobin
Han: Sung Kang
Daric: Roger Fan
Steve: John Cho
Stephanie: Karin Anna Cheung
Biology teacher: Jerry Mathers
Basketball coach: Kenwood Jung
Running time -- 101 minutes
No MPAA rating...
PARK CITY -- Most people have a skeleton in their closet, but very few have one in their back yard, especially as a teen. A scorching smear of high school life, prismed darkly through Asian-American eyes in Orange County, Calif., "Better Luck Tomorrow" is one of the hottest, most stylish and smartly twisted films to play at Sundance in years.
Asian-American kids are always the silent minority -- and, in this case, four disaffected teen-age dudes do a hostile takedown of their Orange County high school and community. A dramatic in-your-face slam to the stereotypical image of the studious, passive Asian-American student, these guys are a digital-age Billionaire Boys Club/Loeb and Leopold. With a jaunty "Less Than Zero"-type glaze of affluent adolescent life, "Better Luck" provides both a searing satire of modern suburbia and provocative insight into the malignant maturation of generally well-meaning and privileged kids.
Subversively charming, this gang of four operates largely unchallenged because they excel: At their core is Ben Parry Shen), an Ivy League candidate who learns a new word a day, plans to score 1,600 on his SATs and volunteers for every club and do-gooder organization. In addition, through compulsive free-throw practice, he manages to make the basketball team and becomes known, much to his surprise and displeasure, as the team's token Asian-American.
Ben's cohorts are a scruffy bunch, including the smoothly political Daric (Roger Fan), the trigger-happy Virgil (Jason Tobin) and the laconic Han (Sung Kang). There's also the rich kid, Steve John Cho), whose insouciant style and hard-ass manner, of course, manage to snare pretty cheerleader Stephanie Karin Anna Cheung). From scamming, trashing and drugging to bigger and uglier things, The Four Lads soon find themselves in way over their heads.
At its most high-spirited, "Better Luck" is anarchically fun as the four guys trounce the school's convention and, in the process, garner an outlandish reputation -- as members of the Chinese Mafia. But through the touchstone character of Ben, we're increasingly unsettled by the out-of-control character and moral turpitude of their high jinks.
Ripped with a very unsettling ending, "Better Luck" will unnerve many. But its story progression is consistent with its hard-edged look at modern society, family and morals.
Filmmaker Justin Lin's expressive storytelling fits his darkly ironic theme, and the performances are nicely fleshed-out and edgy. As high-achiever Ben, Shen shows the torment of a guy with a lot of smarts but not many values. Adding flavor and craziness is Tobin as Virgil, while Fan is aptly slick as the manipulative Daric. Cheung's saucy, effervescent turn as the fetching cheerleader also rubs smartly against the grain of expectation.
Technical credits are scorchingly good, especially cinematographer Patrice Lucien Cochet's deadly satirical compositions and music supervisor Ernesto M. Foronda's searingly hormonal selections.
BETTER LUCK TOMORROW
Cinetic Media
Producers: Julie Asato, Ernesto M. Foronda,
Justin Lin
Director-editor: Justin Lin
Screenwriters: Ernesto M. Foronda,
Justin Lin, Fabian Marquez
Executive producers: Gustavo Spoliansky,
Michael Manshel
Associate producers: Steve Herr, Sung Kang
Director of photography: Patrice Lucien Cochet
Casting: Donna Tina Charles
Music supervisor: Ernesto M. Foronda
Sound mixer: Curtis X. Choy
Color/stereo
Cast:
Ben: Parry Shen
Virgil: Jason Tobin
Han: Sung Kang
Daric: Roger Fan
Steve: John Cho
Stephanie: Karin Anna Cheung
Biology teacher: Jerry Mathers
Basketball coach: Kenwood Jung
Running time -- 101 minutes
No MPAA rating...
- 4/11/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Most people have a skeleton in their closet, but very few have one in their back yard, especially as a teen. A scorching smear of high school life, prismed darkly through Asian-American eyes in Orange County, Calif., "Better Luck Tomorrow" is one of the hottest, most stylish and smartly twisted films to play at Sundance in years.
Asian-American kids are always the silent minority -- and, in this case, four disaffected teen-age dudes do a hostile takedown of their Orange County high school and community. A dramatic in-your-face slam to the stereotypical image of the studious, passive Asian-American student, these guys are a digital-age Billionaire Boys Club/Loeb and Leopold. With a jaunty "Less Than Zero"-type glaze of affluent adolescent life, "Better Luck" provides both a searing satire of modern suburbia and provocative insight into the malignant maturation of generally well-meaning and privileged kids.
Subversively charming, this gang of four operates largely unchallenged because they excel: At their core is Ben Parry Shen), an Ivy League candidate who learns a new word a day, plans to score 1,600 on his SATs and volunteers for every club and do-gooder organization. In addition, through compulsive free-throw practice, he manages to make the basketball team and becomes known, much to his surprise and displeasure, as the team's token Asian-American.
Ben's cohorts are a scruffy bunch, including the smoothly political Daric (Roger Fan), the trigger-happy Virgil (Jason Tobin) and the laconic Han (Sung Kang). There's also the rich kid, Steve John Cho), whose insouciant style and hard-ass manner, of course, manage to snare pretty cheerleader Stephanie Karin Anna Cheung). From scamming, trashing and drugging to bigger and uglier things, The Four Lads soon find themselves in way over their heads.
At its most high-spirited, "Better Luck" is anarchically fun as the four guys trounce the school's convention and, in the process, garner an outlandish reputation -- as members of the Chinese Mafia. But through the touchstone character of Ben, we're increasingly unsettled by the out-of-control character and moral turpitude of their high jinks.
Ripped with a very unsettling ending, "Better Luck" will unnerve many. But its story progression is consistent with its hard-edged look at modern society, family and morals.
Filmmaker Justin Lin's expressive storytelling fits his darkly ironic theme, and the performances are nicely fleshed-out and edgy. As high-achiever Ben, Shen shows the torment of a guy with a lot of smarts but not many values. Adding flavor and craziness is Tobin as Virgil, while Fan is aptly slick as the manipulative Daric. Cheung's saucy, effervescent turn as the fetching cheerleader also rubs smartly against the grain of expectation.
Technical credits are scorchingly good, especially cinematographer Patrice Lucien Cochet's deadly satirical compositions and music supervisor Ernesto M. Foronda's searingly hormonal selections.
BETTER LUCK TOMORROW
Cinetic Media
Producers: Julie Asato, Ernesto M. Foronda,
Justin Lin
Director-editor: Justin Lin
Screenwriters: Ernesto M. Foronda,
Justin Lin, Fabian Marquez
Executive producers: Gustavo Spoliansky,
Michael Manshel
Associate producers: Steve Herr, Sung Kang
Director of photography: Patrice Lucien Cochet
Casting: Donna Tina Charles
Music supervisor: Ernesto M. Foronda
Sound mixer: Curtis X. Choy
Color/stereo
Cast:
Ben: Parry Shen
Virgil: Jason Tobin
Han: Sung Kang
Daric: Roger Fan
Steve: John Cho
Stephanie: Karin Anna Cheung
Biology teacher: Jerry Mathers
Basketball coach: Kenwood Jung
Running time -- 101 minutes
No MPAA rating...
Asian-American kids are always the silent minority -- and, in this case, four disaffected teen-age dudes do a hostile takedown of their Orange County high school and community. A dramatic in-your-face slam to the stereotypical image of the studious, passive Asian-American student, these guys are a digital-age Billionaire Boys Club/Loeb and Leopold. With a jaunty "Less Than Zero"-type glaze of affluent adolescent life, "Better Luck" provides both a searing satire of modern suburbia and provocative insight into the malignant maturation of generally well-meaning and privileged kids.
Subversively charming, this gang of four operates largely unchallenged because they excel: At their core is Ben Parry Shen), an Ivy League candidate who learns a new word a day, plans to score 1,600 on his SATs and volunteers for every club and do-gooder organization. In addition, through compulsive free-throw practice, he manages to make the basketball team and becomes known, much to his surprise and displeasure, as the team's token Asian-American.
Ben's cohorts are a scruffy bunch, including the smoothly political Daric (Roger Fan), the trigger-happy Virgil (Jason Tobin) and the laconic Han (Sung Kang). There's also the rich kid, Steve John Cho), whose insouciant style and hard-ass manner, of course, manage to snare pretty cheerleader Stephanie Karin Anna Cheung). From scamming, trashing and drugging to bigger and uglier things, The Four Lads soon find themselves in way over their heads.
At its most high-spirited, "Better Luck" is anarchically fun as the four guys trounce the school's convention and, in the process, garner an outlandish reputation -- as members of the Chinese Mafia. But through the touchstone character of Ben, we're increasingly unsettled by the out-of-control character and moral turpitude of their high jinks.
Ripped with a very unsettling ending, "Better Luck" will unnerve many. But its story progression is consistent with its hard-edged look at modern society, family and morals.
Filmmaker Justin Lin's expressive storytelling fits his darkly ironic theme, and the performances are nicely fleshed-out and edgy. As high-achiever Ben, Shen shows the torment of a guy with a lot of smarts but not many values. Adding flavor and craziness is Tobin as Virgil, while Fan is aptly slick as the manipulative Daric. Cheung's saucy, effervescent turn as the fetching cheerleader also rubs smartly against the grain of expectation.
Technical credits are scorchingly good, especially cinematographer Patrice Lucien Cochet's deadly satirical compositions and music supervisor Ernesto M. Foronda's searingly hormonal selections.
BETTER LUCK TOMORROW
Cinetic Media
Producers: Julie Asato, Ernesto M. Foronda,
Justin Lin
Director-editor: Justin Lin
Screenwriters: Ernesto M. Foronda,
Justin Lin, Fabian Marquez
Executive producers: Gustavo Spoliansky,
Michael Manshel
Associate producers: Steve Herr, Sung Kang
Director of photography: Patrice Lucien Cochet
Casting: Donna Tina Charles
Music supervisor: Ernesto M. Foronda
Sound mixer: Curtis X. Choy
Color/stereo
Cast:
Ben: Parry Shen
Virgil: Jason Tobin
Han: Sung Kang
Daric: Roger Fan
Steve: John Cho
Stephanie: Karin Anna Cheung
Biology teacher: Jerry Mathers
Basketball coach: Kenwood Jung
Running time -- 101 minutes
No MPAA rating...
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.