Enjoy this youtube compilation of G.I. Joe originals and animated videos for your one stop enjoyment.

Asian American Movie

The culture of America is rich because of the contribution from its immigrant population. The Asian American movie plays an important part, having produced many box office hits and critically applauded films. Asian American directors, actors and screenwriters have all reflected on their identity, whilst informing and entertaining.

Some of these films have been dramatic and others comedic and some have tackled controversial subjects. The 1957 release, Sayonara was based on the James Michener novel of the same name. Marlon Brando plays Major Ace Gruver, an air force pilot from the Korean War, who is stationed in Japan. He falls in love with a Japanese entertainer, Miiko Taka, played by Hana-Ogi. The story was inspired by real life situations with couples unable to gain acceptance from the US military and the Asian community. Red Buttons was awarded an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.

Some of the major films are associated with Asian American talent. The director M. Night Shyamalan was born in India and raised in the United States. He is known for his films that disturb and sometimes frighten the audience and has achieved success with The Village, Signs, Unbreakable, and The Sixth Sense.

Ang Lee was born in Taiwan and re-located to the US in 1979 and is another famous exponent of Asian American movies. He studied at the University of Illinois and then the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. Lee has directed an extremely diverse group of films. Sense and Sensibility is based on Jane Austen’s novel, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a martial arts extravaganza which won the Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award, and Hulk is the story of a comic book anti-hero. He also directed Brokeback Mountain to much critical acclaim.

The community has also contributed well-received literature. The Joy Luck Club was written by Amy Tan and was adapted as a film by the director Wayne Wang, who originates from Hong Kong. The 1993 Asian American film cast several Asian American actresses and Amy Tan co-wrote the screenplay. Tan also co-produced the film along with Oliver Stone. The film was also a big hit and audiences enjoyed the unusual story of four Chinese American immigrant women and their passion for playing mahjong for money.

Martial arts films have long been a favorite with western cinemagoers. This genre of Asian American films is very lucrative and each generation produces a new star. The phenomenon began in earnest when Bruce Lee burst onto the screen. The martial arts expert from Hong Kong was handsome and charismatic and he set the standard for action sequences. Fellow Hong Kong actor, Jackie Chan, began his career as a stuntman on Bruce Lee films. The tradition of Asian American martial arts movies continues with Beijing born Jet Li.

There are several annual film festivals in the United States that showcase the best of current Asian American movie releases. Independent festivals take place in New York City, Washington DC, and Los Angeles. The Chicago Asian American Showcase is the place for movies, music, art and literature.

March Of The Penguins

I have had a March of the Penguins poster on my wall ever since the movie came out. It isn’t just that I am a big Morgan Freeman fan, although I am. I’ve always loved his mellow, warm voice and enjoyed most of the movies he has made. Nevertheless, I liked the rest of the March of the Penguins so much that Morgan Freeman almost took a backseat. It was really one of the most amazing movies I’ve ever seen.

The funny thing is that I’m not normally much of a documentary viewer. I’ve never been that into nature films especially. To me, a movie needs a lot of character exposition to work. Let’s face it, you just don’t get that with the majority of animal movies. Nonetheless, March of the Penguins somehow worked for me. I think it had a lot to do with the lifecycle of the Emperor penguins they were showing. It is one of the most moving and dramatic stories of ever heard.

To me the great irony about these penguins is that they spend much less time in the water, where they are agile and comfortable, than anywhere else. These penguins spend most of their time either huddled about in the cold or taking long walks to and from their feeding grounds. They live in one of the most remote and hostile regions in the world, and most of their lives are spent just huddling together trying to keep warm. According to March of the Penguins, many babies die every winter, unable to cope with the cold.

This is what makes the perseverance and continuation of the Penguins so moving and profound. The march of the penguins carried on year after year, in spite of the incredibly cold temperatures. Penguins still fall in love and mate, have a new generation of young, and survive the next cold winter. I think that is what speaks most to people. All of us have to undergo some pretty epic and difficult trials at some point in our lives, and occasionally it feels like we can’t carry on. What this movie taught me was that you can carry on no matter what. Like the March of the Penguins, the daily struggles of humanity continue generation after generation no matter what happens. It is simultaneously a frightening and profoundly hope inspiring message that I hope everyone has the chance to hear.