Category Archives: Reviews

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor Made Me Sleepy

I have to admit that I was disappointed with the third installment of the Mummy movie, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. Yes, I finally got it on Blu-ray and watched it, but it seems like as those Mummy … Continue reading

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On DramaFever and International Distribution Licenses

Those who frequent Kpop gossip blogs may already know that drama addicts Stateside can now enjoy high quality streaming of English-subbed Asian dramas thanks to DramaFever. The site’s current catalogue is exclusively Korean, but are engaged in conversation with various … Continue reading

Posted in Entertainment, Movies, Music, Observations, Reviews, Technology | 9 Comments

SF Ballet’s Nutcracker on PBS: Yuan Yuan Tan as Snow Queen & Hosted by Kristi Yamaguchi

Since this is Christmas, something that always puts me in the holiday mood is the Nutcracker ballet. This year there is a special treat, as the San Francisco Ballet Nutcracker will be re-broadcast on PBS this Sunday. (That’s on KQED … Continue reading

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Secrets of the Kung Fu Temple: Shaolin Inc.

Premiering this coming Thursday, December 18 at 10PM ET/PT on the National Geographic Channel is Secrets of the Kung Fu Temple. Although the documentary is a good overview of the current state of Shaolin in 2008 its misguided title should … Continue reading

Posted in Current Events, Entertainment, Reviews | 9 Comments

The Owl and the Sparrow

There’s a part of me that’s too tough, wise, and jaded for a film about a Vietnamese kid who runs away and must find a way to survive in Ho Chi Minh City. But there’s also a part of me … Continue reading

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Goh Nakamura’s Ulysses

Face it — if your life were an indie movie, Goh Nakamura’s music would be playing in the background. You know, as you sit in a San Francisco coffee shop, getting dumped by your girlfriend while her “it’s not you … Continue reading

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Blog Tour: Christine Son’s “Off the Menu”

I love “chick-lit,” also known as fiction written for and targeted to young, working women in their twenties and thirties.  I must say, it’s about time chick-lit is written by and for Asian American women, and Christine Son’s Off the … Continue reading

Posted in Reviews, The Arts | 29 Comments

Reviews in 88 words or less – Toronto Reel Asian Festival – Part Deux

In an effort to keep promises, here’s part two of some of the films you can enjoy at this year’s Toronto Reel Asian Film Festival. Wonderful Town – director Aditya Assarat – Thailand Four years after the devastation of the … Continue reading

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12th Annual Toronto Reel Asian Film Festival – Reviews in 88 words or less, Part 1

The 12th Annual Toronto Reel Asian Film Festival kicks off this coming Wednesday, November 12th at the Bloor Cinema in Toronto’s Annex Village and runs till Sunday, November 16th. Billed as one of the best little film festival the city … Continue reading

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“Factory Girls” Teaching Western Women About Feminism

I recently came across the book Factory Girls: From Village to City in a Changing China on Jezebel — my favorite feminist blog — and was surprised to not only see a mention of Asians, but a population of women … Continue reading

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The Study of Koko

I just finished reading Kokology by Tadahiko Nagao and Isamu Saito. [From Amazon: Created by a famous Japanese psychologist, Kokology (koh-KOL-oh-jee) is the study of kokoro (“mind” or “spirit” in Japanese). Based on sound psychological principles, Kokology asks you to … Continue reading

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NPR: The Slants: Trading in Stereotypes

On National Public Radio’s All Things Considered, April Baer profiles the Asian American band, The Slants in “The Slants: Trading in Stereotypes” (Listen here: [4 min 46 sec]): “In the 20th century, younger members of many minority groups repurposed offensive … Continue reading

Posted in Music, Observations, Reviews | 25 Comments