Glory Boy Days is a representation of twentysomethings of the 21st century. Directed by Paul Encinas, the movie follows a clan of troublemaking Gen Y’ers (or are they Z’ers? or maybe they are considered the blogging generation…whatever) over the course of 24 hours as they party, complain, makeout, drink, do drugs, bicker and all those other youthful antics.

Focusing most of its energy on Lando (Jared Mendiola), an aspiring filmmaker who goes from party to party while his parents give him shit about his direction in life. I think a lot of people can relate to that.

What I liked: The gritty, raw reality-show esque style captures the attitude of the film very well. The subject matter is definitely alive and well in today’s youth. For the most part, it translates well. Oh yeah, there’s one b-boy scene that amps things up.

What I didn’t like: Most of my attention was on Lando’s story, but it also follows two other characters who’s personalities weren’t strong enough for me to remember. At times, the story got muddled and left me bored and cinematically flaccid. Bottom line: it’s a movie about the semi-wreckless behavior of out-of-college and out-of-work young suburbanites, but it didn’t captivate me enough to actually care about the characters.

My rating: There was an imbalance between execution of content and the visual appeal and because of that I give it a “C+”.

Jimmy Tsai (left) as Christopher “C-Dub” Wang and Andrew Vo as Felix

Balls of Fury, Schmalls of Fury, if you see only one ping pong comedy in your entire life, then watch Ping Pong Playa – a story about video game couch potato b-ball jersey clad Christopher “C-Dub” Wang (Jimmy Tsai) and his attempt to carry on the Wang family legacy. Of course, he adds his “I’m a true playa yo!” attitude to the mix.

C-dub, who takes confident joy in demolishing little kids on the basketball court, is forced to teach little ones the art of ping pong after his table tennis affluent mom (Elizabeth Sung) and golden boy brother Michael (Roger Fan) are injured in a car accident (which is inadvertedly caused by C-dub). With none of his family members not able to fill in the empty spot at the community center’s next big competition, they reluctantly put a paddle in his hand to defend the family’s honor.

Javin Reid as Prabakar (far left), Andrew Vo as Felix (2nd from right)

What I liked: I was LOLing all over the place. This movie cracked me up. Tsai (who co-wrote the story with Academy Award winning director Jessica Yu) blazes the screen with his portrayal of the slacker basketball playing hip-hop head, C-dub.

The movie had the potential to be cheesy, full of racial stereotypes and kitsch – it was anything but. The cast meshes well together and despite the ongoing comedic storyline of ping pong, it’s a sweet story of family and friendship.

And P.S… the kids give a great jolt of youthful energy and hilarity in the movie – not to mention C-Dub’s BFF, JP Money (Khary Payton).

What I didn’t like: There wasn’t too much I didn’t like. If anything, there were parts of C-dub that grated at my nerves. Everyone – black, white, Asian or whatever – knows this guy. He’s obnoxious. He’s a wannabe. He’s lazy. He doesn’t think – but his charm eclipses all of that.

My rating: I give it a “B+” for bouncing hilarity and underdog charm.

If you’re looking for a happy-go-lucky, lift your spirits type of movie then Santa Mesa is for you! Wait a second, no it isn’t. It’s honestly kind of depressing – but don’t let that dissuade you. Sometimes we need a good cry to make us smile.

The story focuses on Hector (Jacob Shalov). His mother dies and he is forced to move to the Philppines to live with his estranged grandmother, Lita (Angie Ferro) in Santa Mesa, a not-so-glamorous part of Manila.

He doesn’t speak a word of Tagalog and she doesn’t speak any English. That said, things don’t exactly pan out for the best.

Hector starts to explore the streets of the slummy district and befriends a street hustler that looks like a long lost member of Menudo, Miguel (Pierro Rodriguez), an emotionally scarred dreamer Sel (Maria Lopez) and a tough-as-nails mentor Jose (Jaime Tirelli).

There’s laughs. There’s tears. There’s trouble. And there’s more tears. But in the end, it’s a story about the relationship of Hector and his grandmother. More than that, it’s about a boy getting back to his roots.

What I liked: It evokes so much emotion. I connected with it on a “Filipino identity” level, but at the same time I saw it as movie about relationships and how dysfunctional families can do a lot of damage control despite what has happened in the past.

Event though the film is mostly shot in the slums of Manila, there’s something beautiful and peaceful about it. It shows the Philippines in a raw lens, making it a perfect backdrop for the movie.

And finally, I LOVED Angie Ferro as the grandmother. Her portrayal of a hard-on-the-outside-soft-on-the-inside Lita made my heart melt – and it made me miss my grandma. Yes, I am a softie.

What I didn’t like: The “romantic” relationship between Hector and Sel. It wasn’t strong – even if it was just puppy love.

My rating: I give it a “B+” for making me a bawl like a baby.

For the record, I admire his work, but I am in no way an obsessive fan. I just want to be best friends with him. Forever.

Okay. That was a total joke.

It just so happens that he has been, in one way or another, a part of all these things I have been writing about: West 32nd, Wondercon, Harold and Kumar, Star Trek etc…etc…

So please don’t mistake me for a deranged fan. I think I need to go back to hunting Joseph Cross and Emile Hirsch on the streets of SF. Or maybe I need a new female prey.

Wow. I am sounding really psycho. I am going to stop talking.

Neil Patrick Harris, (from left) Kal Penn and John Cho reprise their roles in this Harold and Kumar follow-up

Three words: An emo Harold. Three more words: Neil Patrick Harris. Three more words: Explosive bowel movements. Three more words: Enjoyably unnecessary vulgarities. Two more words: Glowing unicorns. I could do this all day.

Most of that will make sense when you see Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay. I was lucky enough to see one of the preliminary screenings at SFIAAFF – and I am glad I made that trek to Japantown’s Kabuki Cinemas.

The plot: Yes, it does have a plot and it is very epic. It’s revolutionary. It’s mind-blowing. Okay, not really – but it does go deeper than hunting for White Castle burgers. The movie picks up where the last one left off. Harold (Cho) and Kumar (Penn) plan a trip to Amsterdam in order to find Harold’s hottie, Maria (Paula Garcés). At the airport, they run into Kumar’s ex, Vanessa (Danneel Harris) who he obviously still has feelings for. They find out that she’s engaged to an “Abercrombie and Fitch douche bag,” Colton (Eric Winter) – but enough of all that. While they are en route to Amsterdam, the stoner duo run into some problems and they end up locked up in Guantanamo Bay and, as the title of the movie suggests, they escape. Stoner/vulgar hilarity ensues.

What I liked: Despite all the slapstick and grotesque humor, the movie is a great social commentary on racial stereotypes. Sure, some people might take offense, but in a bizarre way, it’s smart. Once they tell a joke, you’ll laugh, and then you’ll think marinate on it – this excludes the more gratuitous humor. There’s a lot of it and I won’t mention the girth of it. You’ll just have to see for yourself. Also, I like how the dynamic between Kumar and his ex. It shows that behind his slacker/pot smoking exterior, he does have a heart of gold – and Danneel Harris is gorgeous. Oh yes there is one more thing. I know I said it before, but I urge you, please keep your eye out for the emo Harold. It will make your day.

What I didn’t like: This movie isn’t supposed to do anything more than make you laugh – and that’s what I did. But then there was this (spoiler alert) President Bush impersonator. That made me lose my giggling buzz. It was like a sore thumb. I appreciate the fact that they wanted to throw in a dash of political commentary, but I am not a fan of impersonators in movies. Let me put it this way, I enjoyed the unicorn and brothel more.

My rating: I give it a “B” for great male bonding, hilarity and most of all, the unicorn.

John Cho (2nd from left) and Jun Sung Kim (3rd from left) in West 32nd

There’s murder! There’s mystery! There’s lawyers! There’s betrayal! All of this and more encompass the noir-esque indie drama, West 32nd – but don’t be fooled by the exclamation points, the movie is quiet with moral despair and yes, it will have you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

John Kim (John Cho) is a young ambitious lawyer climbing his way to the top of his firm by taking on a pro bono case that involves Lila (Grace Park of Battlestar Gallactica fame) and her little brother.

Grace Park in West 32nd

The case eventually leads Kim to the Korean underground crime world of Manhattan, with the tough-as-nails, gritty Asian wannabe Godfather, Mike (Jun Sung Kim) holding the reigns.

As Kim gets deeper and deeper into this world of corruption, he eventually learns how to play the game himself and at the same time, gets reacquainted with his culture in an unconventional way.

Director Michael Kang picks up where Better Luck Tomorrow left off. He smudges the stereotypically clean image of Asian America and does it with finesse. Through visually stimulating shades of deceit, Kang, along with screenplay co-writer, Edmund Lee gives us a story that is smart and edgy (that word is so overused).

I can relate to Cho’s character; being disconnected to your culture in way that makes you feel uncomfortable when you are neck deep in it – now just imagine if there’s murder involved.

What I liked: Sure, the Asian American element is alive and well, but in this film, it’s more of a secondary character. The movie is an excellent murder mystery. This is how it should be. No Hello Kitty. No martial arts. Just pure unadulterated murder, mystery, twists, turns, gun fights, alcohol, cringe-worthy jerks, tragedy and all that other fun stuff.

The characters: Cho shows us that he is more than Harold from the Harold and Kumar franchise. He shows versatility and is carving a place in Asian American history as an esteemed actor of our generation (did I mention he’s going to be Sulu in the upcoming “Star Trek” movie?). Park goes for the gusto with her portrayal of the sweet girl next door with emotional nicks and scratches that play a big role in the choices she makes – whether they are moral or not. Then there’s Jun Kim – he plays a great asshole. I was intimidated by his character, but at the same time I wanted to bash his head in. If he made me think such violent thoughts, he must be doing something right.

What I didn’t like: Honestly, I don’t know. I liked the film – and I am just not saying that because of the Asian American bias. It’s just a good movie. It’s a noir-ish mystery for the 21st century. If there is something I have to complain about – I have to say that…ummmm…I don’t know. Oh wait – I don’t like blood. There’s some blood in this. And what’s the deal with that human trafficking stuff? That stuff freaks me out. I also didn’t like Cho’s hair. It was like a Ken coif that has been saturated with mousse. Oh yeah – I would’ve loved to see more of Jane Kim. She mesmerizes me.

Kim as the beautifully damaged Suki Kim, one of the pieces of the murder-mystery puzzle

My rating: A: it’s not an A+ because of the aforementioned dislikes

Wasn’t that really braggy of me?

Anyways, Cho was sporting some sort of ace bandage or cast on his right arm and he admitted to the audience that he got an injury on the set of Star Trek.

For some reason, this really excited me – not in an arousing sort of way, but in a J.J. Abrams sort of way. I am not even a Trekkie, but the fact that Cho is making SO many strides in the industry makes me smile and gives me hope as the future first ever Filipino American to win the Academy Award for “Best Original Screenplay.”

PHOTO CREDIT: Philip Koller/GOOD PRAYERS LLC

For the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival’s (that is a mouthful) opening night, I made my way to the Castro Theatre where I was greeted with a long line of people anticipating opening night screening of San Francisco native, Wayne Wang’s film, A Thousand Years of Good Prayers

I have never been to the Castro Theatre before (yes, I know it’s a cardinal sin after living here for nearly three years) so seeing the ornate decolletage of gold leafing and antiqued glamor was a treat.

After a classic Hollywood overture from the resident organ player, the 26th annual event was officially initiated with words from Center for Asian American Media executive director Stephen Gong, festival director Chi-hui Yang and Mr. Wang himself.

The scent of popcorn in the theater made me drool as they started the screening of the festival’s first movie based on Oakland resident, Yiyun Li’s book of short stories.

The film introduces us to Yilan (Feihong Yu), a recent divorcee who tries to remain normal despite her obvious heartbreak. When her father, Mr. Shi (Henry O) visits from Beijing to help her cope with her problems, she fails to open up which causes a quiet rebellion on her part. As she becomes more and more distant, Mr. Shi finds other ways to occupy his time: reading the newspaper, jotting down new English phrases, chatting with Mormon missionaries, befriending an Iranian widower (Vida Ghahremani) in the park and playing with nesting dolls while listening to Russian folk dance music.

Much like The Joy Luck Club, Wang bridges the Asian and Asian American gap with storytelling that explores the complexities of Asian American families in a way that no one else can.

For one, more than half the movie has subtitles. On the other hand, Yilan leads a very American life of an independent woman. Mr. Shi is trying his best to learn the American culture. Conversely, he puts some traditional Asian decor on Yilan’s front door that doesn’t sit too well with her.

All Asian American identity references aside, the story is a universal one that revolves around the classic parent vs. child paradigm. The more Mr. Shi tries to help Yilan with her problems, the more she pushes him away.

Does this sound familiar to anyone? It does to me.

Throughout the movie, there is this impatient battle. After a while, you feel sorry for Mr. Shi because of Yilan’s bratiness. You even get more peeved (partial spoiler alert) when she plans to send him away on a tour of America. This is obviously done so that he is out of her business. At one point, I wanted to have a Dr. Phil moment and yell, “Just tell him how you feel!” at the screen.

The assimilating tug-o-war of cultural ideas worked, but I still had an emotional void that failed to be filled. They may have met a resolution in the end, but the road that took them there didn’t make my senses tingle. I didn’t mind wading ankle deep in the characters’ lives, but being immersed in the story would’ve intrigued me more.

Henry O delivers an “awwwww!” worthy performance of the curious father, trying to reconnect with his daughter, while Fu’s performance as the daughter who refuses her father’s help is gratingly satisfying.

Once again, Wang delivers a great cross generational tale and even though it didn’t give me the river of tears I wanted, I will still retain my lifetime membership to the Joy Luck Club.

I am a fan of film. I also happen to be Asian American. That said, to support my brethren and some great motion pictures, I am going to do some postings on the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival (which lasts until March 23).

So the next couple of days, I will post a couple of items about the SFIAAFF (pronounced “sphee-aff”). I am not really a movie critic, but I have done a couple of movie reviews in the past as a “freelancer.” And I do watch film. And I do have lots of DVDs. So I think I have enough credentials to rant and rave about movies.

More on the SFIAAFF can be read at my other blog, Dressed