220: The Joy Luck Club + Minari

Hey film buds,Filmmaking is perhaps the only art form one can say is predominately American in origin. Though it is an amalgamation of many arts and it has had contributions made to the form from around the world, its form and functions were largely formed in America. In fact, for a long time, America was the world provider of film. That's precisely why it is so important to highlight the vast range of Americans that have contributed to our collective cinematic history.AAPI people have been involved in film since the birth of the industry, but like all non-white groups, have suffered to truly find inclusion in the space. During the month of May, we're highlighting those achievements and how AAPI people have been contributing to film. This week is all about Family Drama, particularly in the home of recent immigrants to the country.Introduction - 00:00Opening ChatFamily Drama MoviesAAPI Pop History (Bruce Lee’s Death to the 1990s) - 11:56Background/History on Amy Tan - 18:05First is considered the first film to ever feature an all-Asian cast, 1993's The Joy Luck Club. Adapted from a novel of the same name, the film is a narration heavy story about the trials and tribulations of eight Asian women, four mothers and their daughters. We'll review the film, discuss the structure of the story, Disney's involvement in production, and the life of author Amy Tan.The Joy Luck Club - 21:56Production History/BackgroundReview and DiscussionSecond is the recent pseudo-memoir from 2021, Minari. Though about people in America, the film is spoken almost entirely in Korean. We review the film, as well as compare and contrast it with Joy Luck, discuss the language controversy of the film, talk about autobiography, and more.Minari - 49:12Production History/BackgroundReview and DiscussionEnding the show, we'll have a brief discussion. Lauren and Paul will share some life updates, and we'll talk What We're Watching, Scream 6 news, and more. If you haven't already, be sure to listen to last week's episode.End of Show - 01:13:48What We’re WatchingWestworld Season 4The New Doctor WhoScream 6 NewsThanks y'all,The BudsTotal Runtime - 01:29:51Be a Friend to the Film Buds:thefilmbuds.comThe Buds on PatreonThe Buds on bandcamp@filmbuds on Twitter@thefilmbudspodcast on InstagramPaul’s Letterboxd