Asian American / Asian Research Institute
The City University of New York
Perhaps Love (China, 2005) A director (played by Jacky Cheung), his star (played by Xun Zhou) and her co-star (played by Takeshi Kaneshiro) enact a romantic triangle in a film-within-a-film, a musical about the making of a movie which is full of wit, humor, pathos, and heart in Peter Chan’s delightfully devious concoction. Workshop Instructor: … Read more
Brokeback Mountain (USA, 2005) Ang Lee’s drama is in the classic tradition of Hollywood romance: a thwarted romance which spans a lifetime. Here, it’s two men (played by Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal) whose hidden passion disrupts their lives and the lives of those around them. Workshop Instructor: Daryl Chin Workshop Coordinator: Antony Wong
Memoirs of a Geisha (USA, 2005) Rob Marshall’s extravaganza, based on Arthur Golden’s novel, is a lush recreation of the life and times of women trapped in the geisha culture of an imaginary by-gone era, with some of the most alluring pan-Asian stars (including Zhang Ziyi, Gong Li, and Michelle Yeoh) turning Japanese. Workshop Instructor: … Read more
Oldboy (South Korea, 2003) Chan-wook Park’s legend of revenge begins with Dae-Su (played by Min-sik Choi) being released from his imprisonment. Gradually, he finds himself consumed by revenge, just as he finds out that freedom for him is as elusive as ever. Workshop Instructor: Daryl Chin Workshop Coordinator: Antony Wong
Beautiful Boxer (Thailand, 2005) Ekachi Uekrongtham’s biographical drama is about Nong Toom (played by Asanee Suwan), a championship kick-boxer in Thailand. But Nong Toom has a secret: he is saving his prize money for his hoped-for sex change operation. His endurance and his amazing prowess are testimony to his remarkable courage. Workshop Instructor: Daryl Chin … Read more
Shall We Dance? (Japan, 1995) A salaried man (played by Koji Yakusho) finds renewed meaning to his life once he starts taking dance lessons from an elegant, remote dance teacher (played by Tamiyo Kusakari). Masayuki Suo’s crowdpleasing comedy is always surprising and genuinely touching; perhaps most surprisingly, it’s not a typical romance. Workshop Instructor: Daryl … Read more