Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Films

The following films have been viewed and enjoyed by individual members of the Fourth Church Racial Equity Council. Neither the REC nor Fourth Church is endorsing these films.

DOCUMENTARIES

38 at the Garden (2022) chronicles the extraordinary ascendance of point guard Jeremy Lin during his landmark 2012 season with the New York Knicks. Lin, an undrafted Harvard graduate, shocked fans, stunned his teammates and galvanized the Asian American community when he scored 38 points at Madison Square Garden against the Los Angeles Lakers, solidifying Lin’s hot streak and the “Linsanity” craze.

Finding Her Beat (2022). For thousands of years women have been locked out of Taiko drumming. Not any more.

Amy Tan: Unintended Memoir (2021) recounts Ms. Tan’s family life and career, starting with the instant meteoric success of The Joy Luck Club, her first novel, and the blockbuster feature film of the same name. It features interviews with Tan’s family and friends, fellow writers and several actors from the film, and many interviews with Tan herself, who shares much of her personal story and the healing she found in her writing.

Far East Deep South (2020) An award winning tale of a Chinese-American family’s search for their roots. Their search leads them to the Mississippi Delta, where they stumble upon surprising family revelations and uncover the racially complex history of the Chinese in the segregated South.

Nailed It (2018) chronicles the genesis and legacy of the 40-year Vietnamese nail salon and its influence on an $8 billion-dollar American industry. For mixed-race Vietnamese filmmaker Adele Pham it's personal as she confronts her cultural conflicts and discovers her place within the community by peeling back the layers of this niche trade seen by everyone but known to few.

To Be Takei (2014) looks at the many roles played by eclectic actor/activist George Takei, whose wit, humor and grace have helped him to become an internationally beloved figure and Internet phenomenon with 7-million Facebook fans and counting.

Linsanity (2013) is the life story of basketball sensation Jeremy Lin.

American Revolutionary: The Evolution of Grace Lee Boggs (2013) is a biographical documentary film. Grace Lee Boggs was a civil rights activist who focused on struggles in the African American community.

Who Killed Vincent Chin? (1987) recounts the murder of a Chinese-American automotive engineer in a racially motivated hate crime and how the murdered escaped justice in the US court system. Nominated for Best Documentary Feature at the 1988 Academy Awards.

GENERAL

Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022). A middle-aged Chinese immigrant travels across parallel universes in which she alone can save existence. Winner of Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert), Best Actress (Michelle Yeoh), Best Supporting Actor (Ke Huy Quan), Best Supporting Actress (Jamie Lee Curtis), Best Original Screenplay and Best Editing.

Turning Red (2022) is an animated Pixar film about a thirteen-year-old girl named Mei Lee who is torn between staying her mother’s dutiful daughter and the changes of adolescence. And as if the challenges were not enough, whenever she gets overly excited she transforms into a giant red panda.

Easter Sunday (2022). Set around a family gathering to celebrate Easter Sunday, this comedy is based on Jo Koy's life experiences and stand-up comedy.

Minari (2020). Jacob Yi moves his Korean American family from urban California to rural Arkansas with a plan to grow Korean fruits and vegetables for sale to what Jacob believes is an untapped and burgeoning Korean American market. Golden Globe winner for Best Foreign Language Film.

The Half of It (2020). Smart but cash-strapped teen Ellie Chu writes a love letter for an athlete to send to his crush.

The Farewell (2019). A Chinese family discovers their grandmother has only a short while left to live and decides to secretly schedule a fake wedding reception to gather everyone before she dies. Young Billi (Awkwafina) does not agree with the family’s traditional route of hiding the diagnosis from her beloved grandmother.

Always Be My Maybe (2019). Everyone assumed that Sasha (Ali Wong) and Marcus (Randall Park) would wind up together except for Sasha and Marcus. Then they reconnect after 15 years.

Crazy Rich Asians (2018). Native New Yorker Rachel Chu travels to Singapore to meet her boyfriend’s family, where she discovers that his family is ridiculously wealthy, his mother disapproves of her humble American background, and the women there are incredibly jealous of her.

Gook (2017) Two Korean-American brothers run a shoe store in L.A. county. Their friend, black eleven-year-old Kamilla, drops in and helps. On this day, the Rodney King verdict ignites the 1992 L.A. riots.

Columbus (2017). Jin is stuck in Columbus, Ohio when his estranged architect father suddenly falls ill. He meets Casey, a young architecture enthusiast who is caring for her mother, a recovering drug addict.

The Big Sick (2017). Pakistan-born comedian Kumail Nanjiani and grad student Emily Gardner fall in love but struggle as their cultures clash. When Emily contracts a mysterious illness, Kumail finds himself forced to face her feisty parents, his family's expectations, and his true feelings.

George Takei’s Allegiance (2016) illuminates one of American history's lesser known chapters as it tells the story of Sam Kimura, transported back nearly six decades to when his younger self and his sister Kei fought to stay connected to their heritage, their family and themselves after Japanese Americans were wrongfully imprisoned during World War II. An important story told with great resonance and intimacy, Allegiance explores the ties that bind us, the struggle to persevere and the overwhelming power of forgiveness and, most especially, love. Video of the Broadway musical.

The Namesake (2006). American born Gogol, son of Indian immigrants, wants to fit in among his fellow New Yorkers, while his family keeps their traditional ways.

Better Luck Tomorrow (2022). A group of over-achieving East Asian American high school seniors enjoy a power trip when they dip into extracurricular criminal activities.

The Joy Luck Club (1993). This highly acclaimed movie is based on Amy Tan’s bestselling novel and explores cultural conflict and often turbulent relationships between four first-generation Chinese American women.

The Wedding Banquet (1993). To satisfy his nagging parents, a gay landlord and a female tenant agree to a marriage of convenience, but his parents arrive to visit and things get out of hand.

ASIAN FILM FESTIVALS AND SHOWCASES IN CHICAGO

Foundation for Asian American Independent Media

The FAAIM annual showcase is May 17–23, 2024 at the Gene Siskel center

Asian Pop-Up Cinema

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