Movies

Asian American Showcase

April 10, 2008

The 13th annual Asian American Showcase, presented by the Foundation for Asian American Independent Media and the Gene Siskel Film Center, continues Friday through Thursday, April 18 through 24, with screenings at the Film Center. Tickets are $9, $7 for students, and $5 for Film Center members; for more information call 312-846-2600. Following are selected programs; for a full festival schedule visit siskelfilmcenter.org.

The Killing of a Chinese Cookie Eric Shinoda explores the history of the fortune cookie in this video documentary. 74 min.  Sun 4/20, 5:15 PM, and Tue 4/22, 6:15 PM.

Option 3 An “avant-grade chase film” by Richard Wong (Colma: The Musical).  Fri 4/18, 6:30 PM.

Santa Mesa A 12-year-old Filipino-American boy (Jacob Kiron Shalov), orphaned when his mother dies in a car accident, is sent to Manila to become the ward of his poor, no-nonsense grandmother. Their language barrier immediately causes friction, and the kid seeks relief by wandering the city, falling in first with some street toughs, then with a gruff photographer who becomes his mentor (Jaime Tirelli). The movie suffers from some improbable coincidences but benefits from compelling lead performances and Yaron Orbach’s velvety cinematography. Ron Morales makes his writing and directing debut. In English and subtitled Tagalog. 82 min. (AG)  Thu 4/24, 8:15 PM.

Someplace Else Kai-duc Luong directed this documentary about his experiences as a foreign student in Chicago, including his friendship with blues musician Vance Kelly. Avisheh Mohsenin codirected. 70 min. Luong and Kelly will attend the screening.  Mon 4/21, 6 PM.

West 32nd An ambitious but naive young lawyer (John Cho of Harold & Kumar fame) takes a pro bono case representing a 14-year-old boy who’s accused of having murdered the manager of a “room salon,” or prostitution club, in New York’s Koreatown. The attorney sets out to prove the teen was framed, but his investigation quickly leads him into the middle of a power struggle between rival gangsters. Director Michael Kang works wonders with a limited budget, displaying a flair for atmosphere, yet the characters are flat and their relationships are never developed enough for one to care what happens to them. In English and subtitled Korean. 86 min. (Reece Pendleton)  Sat 4/19, 8 PM.

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