Tag: Joan Chen

DIDI (2024)

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Written & Directed By: Sean Wang

Cinematography: Sam Davis 

Editor: Arielle Zakowski

Cast: Izaac Wang, Joan Chen, Shirley Chen, Zhang Li Hua, Mahaela Park, Raul Dial, Aaron Chang, Chiron Cillia Denk 

In 2008, during the last month of summer, before high school begins, an impressionable 13-year-old Taiwanese American boy learns what his family can’t teach him: how to skate, how to flirt, and how to love your mom.

As one gets older, coming-of-age films seem to have less relevance. As we get further from that age nostalgia is as strong as it could be. It could be that these films recently set more when the older audience Were adults.

So while a nice look back, it might leave them with very little connection. No, I’m sure that they connect with certain audiences though are they made more for teenagers who can identify and are around the same age as the characters or more for those who were recently around that age and would have grown somewhat now can look back and identify

this film could’ve been set during modern daytimes even as the film timestamp seems to be the early 2000s and allows a look back at the burgeoning technology of my space flip phones, home video cameras, and America Online chat rooms. This might have been done so the film could be an autobiographical look for the writer-director or trying to make it seem more simplistic than today’s complicated technology rule times either way it fires not to be or not seem like a gimmick.

What ends up making the film feel universal is the awkwardness of the main character as he isn’t too clearly defined yet to us in the audience or even himself as he tries on different interests and identities that seem to go, but so far before crashing and making himself into what he believes others expect but always making a mistake and doing the wrong thing which he punishes himself for. He can’t be himself because he hasn’t quite figured that out.

This starts After being rejected and embarrassed by his friends when he is himself he lashes out at his family, particularly his mother who is having her own domestic problems, which he chooses to either close his eyes or not to truly acknowledge but she never wavers in her love for her son or her family. No matter how mean he can be.

She seems to be the one of the few who truly loves him unconditionally. as well as his sister even though they fight there seems to be a tough love there

The film is heartwarming overall even if it has its obstacles to get there, it does feel natural and fresh because there is an innocence, but never feels sugarcoated

The film, constantly states, awkward though one of a kind showing an Asian American family in this type of genre and most of the characters being of color and commonly Asian. It’s a nice film of culture that doesn’t make the whole film about that only even if the film is at heart about identity.

Grade: B

AVA (2020)

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Directed by: Tate Taylor
Written by: Matthew Newton
Cinematography: Stephen Goldblatt
Editor: Zach Staenberg

Cast: Jessica Chastain, John Malkovich, Common, Colin Farrell, Ioan Gruffund, Geena Davis, Jess Weixler, Diana Silvers, Joan Chen 

Ava is a deadly assassin who works for a black ops organization, traveling the globe specializing in high profile hits. When a job goes dangerously wrong she is forced to fight for her own survival.

The film offers an interesting character where you wish she had a more exciting tale to go with it. So that it feels like you have a good lead character looking for a better film.

Jessica Chastain is full of energy here. Though the film and character strength are not too much of a challenge for her. 

The film soon gets to the point and stays there. Where you have no doubt what will happen. Even though for a film that is supposed to be an espionage tale it feels more small-town gritty. Like more of a mob tale

The filM comes across at times as mroe domestic drama and not as interesting as it thinks it is. With some action scenes that take place In Interiors particularly small rooms. Make the film more small scale yet fits the Netflix action aesthetic. 

The casting of Geena Davis playing the mother to a character similar to the assassin Charli Baltimore she played in THE LONG KISS GOOD NIGHT. Which makes it feel a bit like stunt casting. 

Unfortunately, this is another middling movie from director Tate Taylor that sounds mroe interesting and fun than it actually is.

The film includes a strange romance that doesn’t seem like it would hav been that exciting even if it had made it to theaters.

The film tries to be different by offering a mroe domestic story, but it feels like I needed melodrama. To make you identify snd care more about the characters. Especially the more supporting ones 

Nothing really sets this movie apart from average and familiar. Though it does leave itself open to sequels that hopefully would flesh it out especially the supporting characters. Who gets no chance to shine here it seem to be set up for greater things later in the film Only for nothing to really happen.

Sort of like the movie FASTER which left itself open to spinoff sequels but wasn’t quite as popular that was expected. So this is most likely a solo effort. Though a sequel Would help improve on the material.

This film seems like it could have been more fleshed out and given for room. Especially with it’s more recognizable cast. Who all end up here for a paycheck more than anything.

GRADE: D+