There’s something uniquely special about the films you discover when you’re a child. Whether it’s a wondrous flight of fantasy, a mind-boggling work of animation, an adventure in a whole new world, or a coming-of-age tale that teaches you some of life’s biggest lessons, the movies we see when we’re kids stay with us for life — and the best ones help shape who we are. But in an age where you don’t have to leave the house — or even the sofa — to lose yourself in the magic of moving pictures, it can be hard to even know where to start when it comes to finding the films that will truly connect with the next generation of budding young film buffs.
Thankfully, your cool aunt/uncle Empire is here to help. We’ve got down with the kids, reconnected with the child within, and spent...
Thankfully, your cool aunt/uncle Empire is here to help. We’ve got down with the kids, reconnected with the child within, and spent...
- 10/18/2023
- by Jordan King
- Empire - Movies
The streaming service is capable of interesting works for children, with this one based on 16th century novel Journey to the West featuring an irritating protagonist
Despite recent budget cuts, Netflix’s in-house animation division continues to produce lively, interesting works that, if released theatrically, might be diverting some of the applause that gets automatically lavished on Disney and Pixar’s currently mediocre output. Not that this is anywhere as rich and strange as the streaming service’s last big title, the Oscar-winning Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio. The latest in a 10,000-mile-long line of adaptations of Journey to the West, the 16th-century Chinese novel attributed to Wu Cheng’en, bounces along energetically, and has some exceptionally fun frills around the edges, such as a flouncy vocal performance from Bowen Yang as spiteful, effete baddie the Dragon King, who gets to sing the film’s best musical number.
Sadly, the Dragon...
Despite recent budget cuts, Netflix’s in-house animation division continues to produce lively, interesting works that, if released theatrically, might be diverting some of the applause that gets automatically lavished on Disney and Pixar’s currently mediocre output. Not that this is anywhere as rich and strange as the streaming service’s last big title, the Oscar-winning Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio. The latest in a 10,000-mile-long line of adaptations of Journey to the West, the 16th-century Chinese novel attributed to Wu Cheng’en, bounces along energetically, and has some exceptionally fun frills around the edges, such as a flouncy vocal performance from Bowen Yang as spiteful, effete baddie the Dragon King, who gets to sing the film’s best musical number.
Sadly, the Dragon...
- 8/16/2023
- by Leslie Felperin
- The Guardian - Film News
After foiling a Nazi plot to unleash the power of the Ark of the Covenant on the world, the intrepid archaeologist, Indiana Jones, is heading beneath the Pankot Palace in India to recover the mystical Sankara Stones from the evil Thuggee cult, led by the deranged priest Mola Ram. This mission is all in a day’s work for Dr. Henry Walton “Indiana” Jones Jr., whose heroism is becoming a legend worldwide after his thrilling adventure in Raiders of the Lost Ark. Grab your trusty braided kangaroo leather whip, bury your entomophobia deep, and bring your appetite for chilled monkey brains because we’re looking back on the second chapter of Lucasfilm’s Indiana Jones franchise, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom!
When executive producer and story writer George Lucas teamed up with Steven Spielberg for the Indiana Jones project, the creator of the Star Wars Universe said he...
When executive producer and story writer George Lucas teamed up with Steven Spielberg for the Indiana Jones project, the creator of the Star Wars Universe said he...
- 7/18/2023
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
It’s hard to pin down the identity of “American Born Chinese,” the new live action adaptation of Gene Luen Yang’s acclaimed graphic novel of the same name from creator Kelvin Yu. Is it a fantasy epic of warring ancient gods? A modern-day high school romp about a second generation Chinese American teenager trying desperately to fit in? A tender examination of multigenerational trauma and the scars that can unwittingly be passed on from parents to children?
The answer is all of the above and, as you may expect, it comes with mixed results. At its best, “American Born Chinese” is a delightful and refreshing exploration of diasporic identity, a thrilling martial arts fantasy and a heartwarming tale of family and friendship. However, the series’ disparate storytelling styles don’t often blend as seamlessly as we might like, making the whole show just a bit less effective than the sum of its parts.
The answer is all of the above and, as you may expect, it comes with mixed results. At its best, “American Born Chinese” is a delightful and refreshing exploration of diasporic identity, a thrilling martial arts fantasy and a heartwarming tale of family and friendship. However, the series’ disparate storytelling styles don’t often blend as seamlessly as we might like, making the whole show just a bit less effective than the sum of its parts.
- 5/24/2023
- by Lauren Thoman
- The Wrap
When Gene Luen Yang’s graphic novel American Born Chinese came out in 2006, it was a gamechanger. Yang has built his career on Asian-inclusive comics and American Born Chinese has been his most influential to date. It earned several comic book awards when it came out, and is still taught in schools today, complete with a study guide in Gale’s acclaimed Novels for Students series.
The slang “American born Chinese” is commonly reduced to the acronym “ABC” within Chinese communities. When used by certain Chinese, it can be slightly derogatory, implying that the ABC has lost the connection to Chinese culture. Yang’s graphic novel grapples with Amerasian issues in a coming-of-age story that has now been adapted into an eight-episode series for Disney+. While there are distinct references to the Asian American experience, the story embraces outsider themes that anyone can relate to.
American Born Chinese has underlying autobiographical elements.
The slang “American born Chinese” is commonly reduced to the acronym “ABC” within Chinese communities. When used by certain Chinese, it can be slightly derogatory, implying that the ABC has lost the connection to Chinese culture. Yang’s graphic novel grapples with Amerasian issues in a coming-of-age story that has now been adapted into an eight-episode series for Disney+. While there are distinct references to the Asian American experience, the story embraces outsider themes that anyone can relate to.
American Born Chinese has underlying autobiographical elements.
- 5/24/2023
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
When Everything Everywhere All At Once burst into the multiverse, it rocked our cinematic world like never before. Not only did Michelle Yeoh become the first Asian woman to win Best Actress at the Academy Awards, Eeaao captured six other Oscars including Best Picture, and both Best Supporting Actor and Actress. Beyond that, Eeaao collectively earned over 300 honors and nominations from film festivals all over the world.
Hot on heels of the Eeaao victory lap, Disney+ announced the debut of American Born Chinese, a miniseries based on a celebrated graphic novel created by Gene Luen Yang in 2006. Yang is an executive producer of this television adaptation. His original graphic novel won tons of accolades including the 2007 Eisner Award and Best Comic of the Year from Publishers Weekly, Time, Amazon, and others. A pioneering exploration of the Asian American experience, American Born Chinese is even used as a teaching aid in schools to this day.
Hot on heels of the Eeaao victory lap, Disney+ announced the debut of American Born Chinese, a miniseries based on a celebrated graphic novel created by Gene Luen Yang in 2006. Yang is an executive producer of this television adaptation. His original graphic novel won tons of accolades including the 2007 Eisner Award and Best Comic of the Year from Publishers Weekly, Time, Amazon, and others. A pioneering exploration of the Asian American experience, American Born Chinese is even used as a teaching aid in schools to this day.
- 5/23/2023
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
The Lunar New Year is a time of feasting and family gatherings. It’s also a time for new movies. China’s Lunar New Year film rush is on par with the holiday film rush in the West, with dozens of premieres jockeying to be the season’s number one blockbuster. In the Chinese queue for this year are films like Donnie Yen’s Kung Fu fantasy Sakra, The Wandering Earth II, the prequel to China’s visionary 2019 sci-fi, and the eagerly anticipated action comedy, Everything Under Control.
It often takes a few months for new Chinese films to cross the pond to the West, and they seldom get theatrical showings. However, Western theaters are becoming increasingly aware of the drawing power of the Lunar New Year and have begun to showcase some special releases in honor of the holiday. This year the U.S. market is treated to a...
It often takes a few months for new Chinese films to cross the pond to the West, and they seldom get theatrical showings. However, Western theaters are becoming increasingly aware of the drawing power of the Lunar New Year and have begun to showcase some special releases in honor of the holiday. This year the U.S. market is treated to a...
- 1/22/2023
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
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