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Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival (PAAFF 2009)
Prior commitments prevented me from seeing the other venue – Asian Arts Initiative and from screenings of the shorts and documentaries. I liked the idea that PAAFF presented shorts Light and Dark. I also wanted to see Operation Babylift about President Ford’s initiative in 1975 to airlift over 2500 orphans out of Vietnam and the effects 30 years later. To my discredit, my coverage is very incomplete in the fact that I also didn’t see the Centerpiece Presentation – Formosa Betrayed featuring James Van Der Beek as an FBI agent who gets in over his head with the Chinese Mafia and the Nationalist Chinese Government. As always, I encourage attendees…
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Commentary – Story of Wine
The Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival chose a food related film for closing night, much to Tinsel & Tine’s delight! Followed by a party in the lobby of IHouse where the film was screened, featuring wines from World Shippers and Importers and catered by Steven Starr’s Elvez. Story of Wine is delightful entertainment, it’s Korean with English subtitles, which I’m not sure technically makes it Asian American. In fact, I was even going to link the interview of the actors on youtube, but that would require a translator. The film opens up to a celebration, a Wine Bar named Story of Wine is celebrating it’s 1 year anniversary. After the…
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HBO Presents A Conversation with Aaron Yoo
Actor Aaron Yoo was presented with the PAAFF Rising Star Award and sat down to be interviewed by Nydia Han. Yoo’s ease of conversation and relaxed posture belies his young persona. His love for the craft of acting is evident along with a healthy confidence in his talent and sense of belonging in the industry. He’s working and writing a lot now, but the lean early years trying to go from uncompensated thesbian to working movie actor was anything but easy. He tells a funny story of trying desperately to get fired from a desk job, so he could live off of unemployment and pursue acting full-time, but his boss…
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Commentary – Second Moon
Second Moon is very odd. The premise, a confidence man of sorts, Don Jim (Jim Finn) has evidently been terribly hurt by this woman of whom we only see her feet over a balcony, as she flicks pre-printed cards down in answer to his questions. In response to her rejection, he begins a business, “Art of Love”, which helps women cheat on their husbands. The men he hires to help these women don’t appear to be having sex with them, they are, I guess you would say, look outs, there to run interference in case a woman’s husband gets wise. In order to work for Don Jim all of his…
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Won Chinese Restaurant
After leaving the screening of Second Moon, I understandably was craving Chinese Food. Especially since someone in the audience was eating take-out in the seat in front of me. Not that I’m condemning them, I’ve brought Chinese into a movie theater before and hoagies or steak sandwiches, once I snuck in a whole pizza and beer! I found my way to Won Chinese Restaurant (214 South 40th Street) where I enjoyed very meaty steamed dumplings and a filling and spicy hot Pork Noodles w/ Peking Sauce. But this was my first experience dining in a Chinese restaurant when not only did they not have crispy fried noodles with duck sauce…
