Sketches include:

• TORTURE!
• ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS!
• KOREAN BBQ!
• And more!

The Contemporary Asian Theater Scene presents The 18 Mighty Mountain Warriors at The 9th Annual Asian Comedy Night!

Friday, November 20, 8pm (with cast reception)
Saturday, November 21, 7pm and 10pm

San Jose Woman’s Club
75 South 11th Street, San Jose 95112-2018

TICKETS:
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/84600
Friday show and reception with cast: $25
Saturday shows: $20

What you could win from 18MMW and CATS: two tickets to either performance on Saturday, November 21.

That’s right! The lucky winner wins a pair of tickets to see 18MMW Saturday night!

How do you enter?
Simply leave a short comment stating why you should win. (Be sure to use the email address you’d like to be contacted at if you’re the winner.)

Hurry, the deadline to enter is: Wednesday, November 18 at 11:59 pm (Pacific Time) One lucky winner will be selected and contacted on Thursday.

Rules for entering:

1. Please be in the San Jose area (or willing to travel to SJ on your own dime) and serious about using these tickets; if you’re too busy to use these, please don’t take them away from someone who will!
2. Tickets are non-transferrable; they are good for you and a guest.
3. Contributors to 8Asians and their immediate family members are not eligible to win.

Prizes courtesy of: 18 Mighty Mountain Warriors and Contemporary Asian Theater Scene (CATS).

UPDATE: Congrats to our winners, YvesPaul and Kenny! They were randomly chosen from all the haiku entries submitted. Missed your chance? Enter the next giveaway, when, uhm, we have one again.

We’ve blogged about the LOLcats guys a couple of times — since their humble beginning as a way for an Asian American couple in Hawaii to send funny photographs of cats and walruses with captions about cheezburgers and buckits, it has since become a media empire, spawning a book deal and a couple of other additional humor sites. And guess what? Those sites have book deals too. And guess who has a couple of those books to give away to you, the 8Asians reader? That’s right, us. Freeh bukkz, we haz em.

We have two sets of books to give away this week — each set will contain the following books: How to Take Over Teh Wurld: A LOLcat Guide 2 Winning, as well Graph Out Loud: Music. Movies. Graphs. Awesome and Fail Nation: A Visual Romp Through the World of Epic Fails, the new book counterparts of GraphJam and FailBlog, respectively. All you have to do is submit a haiku that uses the phrase “lol” or “FAIL” in the comments section — we’ll pick two haikus and send the books over.

Hurry, the deadline to enter is: Monday, October 19th 2009 at 11:59 pm PST. TWO lucky winners will be selected and contacted on Tuesday morning.

Rules for entering:
1) Please be in the US or Canada. Sorry, we will not be shipping anywhere else.
2) Regular contributors to 8Asians and their immediate family members are not eligible to win. Who is deemed a “regular contribution” will be at the sole discretion of the Editors of 8Asians.

Prize courtesy of: The Cheezburger Network.

UPDATE: Early bird gets the worm autographed Mike Shinoda “Glorious Excess” art book! The first commenter is the winner! Congratulations to itzk2di2dm (Kimle)! Thanks to everyone who entered, and also to all the 8Asians contributors for not quitting because of Rule #2!

About a month ago, we reported that Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park fame opened a exhibit of his artwork called Glorious Excess (Dies) at the Japanese American National Museum in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles.

If you didn’t heed our advice and go see the exhibit right away, you and the rest of the procrastinators of the world have one final weekend to check it out. Glorious Excess (Dies) will be closing October 4, so it’s your last chance to check out this one-of-a-kind art show. While you’re at it, why not check out the ID Film Fest also happening in Little Tokyo this weekend, as well?

What’s that? You love Mike Shinoda and you want a little something to remember this exhibit by? Shinoda published a special Glorious Excess “Art Book” which is a 128-page full-color book that documents the bodies of work he created for (Born) and (Dies). The forward is written by world-renowned artist Shepard Fairey and also includes five insightful chapters written by Shinoda himself. (All proceeds from the book and other merchandise from this exhibit go to various charities Shinoda supports.)

What you could win from 8Asians:
One AUTOGRAPHED copy of the Glorious Excess Art Book

How do you enter?
Simply leave a short comment stating why you want to be chosen as the winner of the autographed Mike Shinoda book. (Be sure to use the email address you’d like to be contacted at if you’re the winner.)

Hurry, the deadline to enter is: Monday, October 5 at 11:59 pm (Pacific Time)
ONE lucky winner will be selected and contacted on Tuesday morning.

Rules for entering:
1) Please be in the US or Canada. Sorry, I will not be shipping anywhere else!
2) Contributors to 8Asians and their immediate family members are not eligible to win.

Prize courtesy of: 8Asians, with thanks to JANM and Mike Shinoda.

(Mike Shinoda photo taken by jozjozjoz; Cover artwork from MikeShinoda.com)

Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior (Thai: องค์บาก), also known in the United States as “Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior” was a Thai action film from 2003 that was considered the breakout film of Tony Jaa. Because of Ong-Bak, Jaa was hailed as the next international martial-arts star.

Now Ong-Bak 2: The Beginning is here today on VOD, Amazon and XBOX Marketplace. Jaa stars in and directs this epic tale of revenge set hundreds of years in the past. Featuring a huge cast and hordes of elephants, this film takes Jaa’s skills to the next level, showcasing him as a master of a wide range of martial arts styles.

What? The past? Well, Ong-Bak 2 is not a sequel, but a prequel to its predecessor, which sounds kind of confusing, right? Well, no need to be confused!

Why not get a Tony Jaa refresher course by watching the Ong Bak DVD, which you can win right here on 8Asians! And, if that weren’t enough, we’re also going to throw in a DVD of 2008 Thai action film Chocolate (Thai: ช็อคโกแลต), also known as Fury! (Chocolate was directed by Prachya Pinkaew and has martial arts choreography by Panna Rittikrai, the same pair who directed Tony Jaa in Ong-Bak.)

If you love martial arts and action films, you need to check these movies out! Ong-Bak 2 is available now on VOD, Amazon and XBOX Marketplace and the film will be in theaters Oct 23.

What you could win from 8Asians: 2 DVDs: Ong-Bak + Chocolate!

How do you enter?
Simply leave a short comment stating why you want to be chosen as the winner for the DVDs. (Be sure to use the email address you’d like to be contacted at if you’re the winner.)

Hurry, the deadline to enter is: Wednesday, September 30 at 11:59 pm (Pacific Time)
FIVE lucky winners will be randomly selected and contacted on Thursday morning.

Rules for entering:
1) Please be in the US or Canada. Sorry, I will not be shipping anywhere else!
2) Contributors to 8Asians and their immediate family members are not eligible to win.

Prize courtesy of: 8Asians.

When was the last time you saw a trailer and you were overwhelmed with the urge to see that movie? Ever since I watched the trailer to Ocean of Pearls, I’ve been feeling that way. Bummed because I missed this movie at the 2008 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival where it received the Grand Jury Award and Audience Award for Narrative Feature, this movie can now be seen theatrically in limited markets. (See screening schedule). Lucky Bay Area folks can see this film at Landmark’s Bridge Theater in SF from August 21 – August 27, 2009.

A film which explores issues of identity which many Asian Americans can relate to, “Amrit Singh is of two worlds, but belongs to neither. A turban-wearing Sikh, he has lived his life in North America out of sorts and out of place, cast adrift at an uneasy crossroads between East and West. But when he is offered a prestigious position as a transplant surgeon in a Detroit hospital, the young doctor sees it as a opportunity to start fresh. He struggles to be the man he believes he is and at the same time the person he wants to be. His ambitious pursuit of success, however eventually leads to tragedy and it is only in defining his singular identity that he finds peace.”

Ocean of Pearls is based on the real-life experiences of director Sarab Singh Neelam, a physician based in the Detroit area (see this awesome interview and story done by Metromode). Written by the award-winning screenwriter V. Prasad, the film stars Omid Abtahi, Heather McComb, Navi Rawat, KT Thangavelu, and Rena Owen and speaks to the universal challenge of how people (not only Sikhs) must balance romance, family, ethics and spirituality in today’s complex world.

From the director, Sarab Singh Neelam

s a practicing Sikh living in the United States, I have undertaken this effort to reach out broadly to various communities after the events of 9/11. This tragedy has led to hate crimes – especially against Sikhs. It is extremely important to note, however, that this film and its characters are fictitious, though loosely based on my own experiences and observations. This film is not intended to be a definitive depiction of Sikhs or Sikhism. It is one characters journey to find inner peace.

“Ocean of Pearls” opens on Friday, August 21, at Landmark’s Bridge Theatre in San Francisco. (Updated Screening Schedule)

Bay Area folks, lucky you… 8Asians is doing another ticket giveaway!

TICKET GIVEAWAY FOR SAN FRANCISCO OPENING!
Courtesy of Landmark Theatres, 8Asians is giving away a free pair of tickets for Opening Weekend 8/21-8/23 in SF (Landmark’s Bridge Theatre))!

All you have to do is to leave a comment of why you want to see this film and one lucky winner will be selected to go!

(Contest will be closed at 11:59pm Pacific Time on Thursday night, 8/20)

Congratulations to Jason H, who was randomly selected as the winner of our Asian American Arts Stimulus Package 2! Thanks for all the great entries!

Here is Jason’s winning entry:

Ever since I moved to Los Angeles, a year ago, I have appreciated the wide availability of API-American events on the West Coast. After attending many of these events, I felt so influenced, that I wanted to be part of these organizations and be part of their goals. Therefore, I have been able to meet so many fascinating and very welcoming people.

Rather than just attend events, I always feel obligated to volunteer and help in any way I can. My most recent event was the Korean BBQ Cookoff and I got to know the KAC (Korean-American Coalition). I am also affiliated with Kollaboration, Visual Communications, and Tuesday Night Cafe. I cannot wait for Nisei Week coming soon!

As for my favorite of the three tickets, I would most appreciate Lodestone’s “Closer than Ever,” because I have never been to a musical before. I have always wanted to go to one for the live-acting, the singing, the dancing, and the inspiration/feeling a person can gain from such an experience. I have looked into possibly volunteering for it, but I believe they do not need any.

I know of the 18 Mighty Mouth Warriors from TNKAT; they usually do short comedic skits every show!

As for the East-West Players’s “Art,” this is my first time hearing of it and it does sound very interesting. I am likely to go and support them.

Congratulations! Please attend and enjoy all three events and thanks for your commitment to the L.A. Asian American arts community!

You know, I have to say that even though Jason was selected randomly as the winner, I’m so pleased that it turns out he has a great entry (albeit not very “brief” as requested!). I love all 3 of these organizations, but I’m also glad he singled out Lodestone’s musical “Closer Than Ever,” which I saw on Opening Night. It was really a fun production and I think for someone who has never seen a musical revue, this is a great one to “pop his musical cherry.” I do know that 18MMW’s Bow Down to Your Asian Masters is already sold out for this weekend, so please act quickly and book your tickets before they’re all gone… their run ends next weekend! And even though East West Players’ Art doesn’t open for another month, please mark the dates in your calendar because it promises to be another exciting run, as well!

I wish we had more free tickets to giveaway, but please check out the event websites as there are (generally) lower priced tickets such as previews, matinees, and “Pay What You Can” performances.

Thanks again to 18 Mighty Mountain Warriors, Lodestone Theatre Ensemble, and East West Players for offering up free tickets for this giveaway.

UPDATE: Comments are closed and the winner is being contacted… announcement to follow in the next couple of days!

Those of you who can’t take advantage of our Asian American Arts Stimulus Package 2 giveaway, pay attention on how you can score a free goodie from 8Asians!

Lily and I both blogged about how much we enjoyed Ping Pong Playa and if you didn’t heed our advice to watch it at your local film fest, or if you weren’t able to see it for some other reason, now you have no excuse!

Ping Pong Playa is out on DVD, BluRay and Amazon VOD. Even better yet, Angry Asian Man tipped us off to an Amazon sale on indie DVDs so the PPP DVD is only $5.99 (regularly $14.98) for a limited time. I say you should buy a copy to lock in your awesome deal and then enter our 8Asians giveaway… if you win, gift your original DVD to a friend!

What you could win from 8Asians: one Ping Pong Playa DVD with a PERSONALIZED AUTOGRAPH by PPP star Jimmy Tsai! I will also provide photographs of Jimmy signing your DVD for you!

How do you enter?
Simply leave a short comment stating why you want to be chosen as the winner for the DVD. “I haven’t seen it yet” is totally acceptable! (Be sure to use the email address you’d like to be contacted at if you’re the winner. I will contact you to ask you what you want your personalization to be!)

Hurry, the deadline to enter is: Wednesday, August 12 at 11:59 pm (Pacific Time)
One lucky winner will be randomly selected and contacted on Thursday morning.

Rules for entering:
1) Please be in the US or Canada. Sorry, I will not be shipping anywhere else!
2) Please be ready with your personalization request by Thursday if I email you. And don’t be rude or crude in your personalization request; if I deem it offensive, I will give it to someone else.
3) Contributors to 8Asians and their immediate family members are not eligible to win.

Prize courtesy of: 8Asians with special thanks to Jimmy Tsai.

UPDATE: We have a winner!

Back in May, during Asian Pacific Islander (API) Heritage Month, 8Asians partnered with 3 awesome L.A. arts organizations to bring you the incredibly popular first Asian American Arts Stimulus Package.

Since so many folks were so eager to get their hands on this, we’re doing it again… one lucky winner who will be the recipient of a pair of tickets to THREE amazing events in the L.A. area for the Asian American Arts Stimulus Package 2! In addition to East West Players and Lodestone Theatre Ensemble, who are again providing tickets to their new productions, we also have 18 Mighty Mountain Warriors in the fray, as well! Check it out!

1) 18 Mighty Mountain Warriors: Bow Down to Your Asian Masters! An ALL NEW World Premiere!
Runs July 31 – August 23, 2009 (Thurs., Fri., Sat., & Sun. @ 8pm)

It’s the Asian Century. Be prepared to show obedience to your new Asian masters. 18mmw will show you how. We have ways of making you laugh! You will bow down…with laughter. We will torture you…with laughter! You will shiver with…oh, you get the picture.

Starring: Junko Goda, Michael Chih Ming Hornbuckle, Kevin Ocampo, Diana Toshiko, Greg Watanabe, and Peter J.Wong.

Brand New Theatrical Sketches including: David Carradine and Bruce Lee debate “Kung Fu” in the afterlife, The 18 MMW News Show, How to serve your new Asian masters properly, The Dick Cheney Show with special guest Sarah Palin, Meat is murder! So is…vegetarianism, I dated a Zombie, and more!

2) Lodestone Theatre Ensemble: Closer Than Ever
Runs August 8 – August 30, 2009 (8:00PM Thurs-Sat; 2:00PM Sun)

A musical revue in two acts with words by Richard Maltby, Jr. and music by David Shire; Directed by Chil Kong; Music Direction by Akira Nakano

The acclaimed musical revue about life, love and all the doors in between… Starring: Sharline Liu, DT Matias, Blythe Matsui, Paul Nakauchi, Erin Quill, EJ Arriola, Jully Lee, Jiehae Park, & Miley Yamamoto

An all Asian American revival of CLOSER THAN EVER, the classic 1989 musical revue which won the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Off-Broadway Musical and was nominated for multiple Drama Desk Awards. CLOSER THAN EVER features self-contained songs which deal with such diverse topics as aging, mid-life crisis, second marriages and unrequited love. This is the second mainstage production of Lodestone’s tenth and final “Beginnings and Endings” season.

3) East West Players: Art, A Tony Award Winning Broadway Play!
Art By Yasmina Reza; Traslated by Christopher Hamton; Directed by Alberto Issac
Runs September 10 – October 11, 2009

Imagine: A 4′ x 5′ white canvas, painted with fine white diagonal lines. Is this art? Serge believes it is and is willing to pay 200 grand for it. When Marc flat out laughs at the ridiculousness of the situation, a third party is brought in for an objective opinion. Yvan agrees with both. When three opinions clash, three friendships are put to the test. At the breaking point, Serge hands Marc a felt tip pen and dares him: “Go On.”

That’s right! The lucky winner wins a pair of tickets to ALL THREE events!

How do you enter?
Simply leave a short comment stating which one of these events interest you most and why. (Be sure to use the email address you’d like to be contacted at if you’re the winner.)

Hurry, the deadline to enter is: Wednesday, August 12 at 12 noon (Pacific Time)
One lucky winner will be randomly selected and contacted on Wednesday afternoon.

Rules for entering:
1) Please be in the Los Angeles area (or willing to travel to LA on your own dime) and serious about using all these tickets; if you’re too busy to use these, please don’t take them away from someone who will!
2) Tickets are non-transferrable; they are good for you and a guest.
3) Contributors to 8Asians and their immediate family members are not eligible to win.

Prizes courtesy of: 18 Mighty Mountain Warriors, Lodestone Theatre Ensemble, and East West Players. Thanks to all the orgs which are providing free tickets to 8Asians readers, and especially Phil Chung for his help with this.

Moye and I recently watched “Paper Heart,” which was a charming blend of documentary and fiction in film making. China’s most noted contemporary filmmaker, Jia Zhang-ke uses a similar technique in “24 City” (二十四城記 / Er shi si cheng ji), by fusing documentary and fiction to tell a tale of the transformation of the China of the past 50 years into the new, hypercapitalist China.

Shot in disorientingly vivid high-def video, “24 City” chronicles the dramatic closing of a State‐owned munitions factory and its conversion into luxury high‐rise apartments. Given the name Factory 420 as an internal military security code, the Chengdu Engine Group was founded in 1958 to produce aviation engines, and saw years of prosperous activity. Now abandoned, the factory was sold for millions to real‐estate developers, it is being transformed into an emblem of market economy: an apartment complex called 24 City.

As the buildings are demolished around them and their past is wiped away, former workers (some played by themselves, others by actors, including Joan Chen as Gu Minhua “Xiao Hua” / 小花) reminisce about the vanished world where they lived and worked. Meanwhile, a materialistic younger generation jettisons their parents’ traditions to pursue wealth and consumer happiness.

From the director, Jia Zhang-Ke (賈樟柯)

This film is made up of interviews with five workers, who share their real-life experiences with us, and of fictional monologues by three women. I decided to integrate documentary and fiction in this parallel flow because this seemed to me the best way of representing the last half-century of Chinese history. As far as I’m concerned, History is always a blend of facts and imagination.

The stories of these characters, both real and fictional, center on a state-owned factory which supplies the Air Force and other sectors of the military. The factory was founded 60 years ago, and was moved to Chengdu City 50 years ago. It has weathered all of the successive political movements under communist government. I’m not interested in chronicling this history as such, but rather in seeing how a century of experiments with Socialism has impacted on the fate of Chinese people. To understand the complexity of the social changes, we need to listen to the direct and in-depth testimonies of the people who have lived through them.

Presented by Cinema Guild, “24 City” opens on Friday, July 31, at Landmark’s Lumiere Theatre in San Francisco, and Landmark’s Shattuck Cinema in Berkeley. Also opens August 21at Camera Cinemas in San Jose. (Updated Screening Schedule)

Bay Area folks, lucky you… 8Asians is doing another ticket giveaway!

TICKET GIVEAWAY FOR SAN FRANCISCO OPENING!
Courtesy of Landmark Theatres, 8Asians is giving away a free pair of tickets for Opening Night 7/31 in SF (Landmark’s Lumiere Theatre) or Berkeley (Landmark’s Shattuck Theatre)!

All you have to do is to leave a comment with your preferred location and one lucky winner will be selected to go!

(Contest will be closed at 11:59pm Pacific Time on Thursday night, 7/30)