Month: May 2020

CRAZY RICH ASIANS

Gjoh Peik Lin’s (Awkwafina) (r.) wealthy father is played by the very funny Ken Jeong, (l.) who meets Rachel (Constance Wu). (center)

CRAZY RICH ASIANS

Film Review by Marlene Ardoin

The 100^th Anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party is in 2049, so that means that the Chinese family in “Crazy Rich Asians,” must have fled China around 1949 to Singapore.

We are still in quarantine, with no cinemas open yet, so I found that for around $5, I could buy a DVD at Walmart, which is what I did for “Crazy Rich Asians.”

I have since, watched this film about six times. I love it. It has everything that the pandemic is denying me.

I can live vicariously in a world that has unlimited money to buy things and, it features many large, fun gatherings (a welcome home party, bachelor parties, Academy Award style weddings, and a huge, over the top engagement party).

I also connected with the Cinderella type theme.

Unbeknownst to Rachel Chu (Constance Wu), a pretty New York economics lecturer, is that her boyfriend for about a year, is Nick Young (Henry Golding), heir to a wealthy, Chinese family in Singapore.

Nick casually invites Rachel to go with him to Singapore to attend his best friend’s wedding, Colin Khoo (Chris Pang).

Rachel, who has a best friend in Singapore, Goh Peik Lin (Awkwafina), agrees to go with him, still not knowing what she is getting into.

Luckily for Rachel, she has the type of personality that attracts many allies.

Of course, she has Goh Peik Lin, whose family is also rich, so she has some means behind her predicament, since she is the product of being raised by a single mom, Kerry Chu (Tan Kheng Hua).

Gjoh Peik Lin’s wealthy father is played by the very funny Ken Jeong. I love his reaction to Rachel, when she tells him that her boyfriend is Nick Young.

Rachel also acquires allies within Nick’s family, his cousin Astrid (Gemma Chan) and his cousin Oliver (Nico Santos).

What is missing from this family picture, are the fathers of our two main characters, Nick’s father and Rachel’s father. My imagination went wild in both cases.

Anyway, when Rachel first arrives at the Singapore airport, she realizes that this is a very special place. “This airport has a butterfly garden and a movie theater!”

I, personally, would have found everything that I needed just at the airport.

The food and the music in this film were the elaborate frostings on top of the cake.

And, the best friend’s wedding, is the most beautiful wedding that I have ever witnessed.

Nick’s mother, Eleanor Sun-Young (Michelle Yeoh), studied to become an attorney, but gave up that future for the keys to the kitchen, an absent husband and an overbearing mother-in-law.

But, like Rachel’s mom, she gets a beautiful child.

This film, “Crazy Rich Asians” is guaranteed to cure the pandemic blues on every level.

Nick (Henry Golding) introduces Rachel (Constance Wu) to his mother, Eleanor Sun-Young (Michelle Yeoh).

Cast:

Constance Wuas Rachel Chu, Nick’s girlfriend and Kerry’s daughter^[5]
Henry Goldingas Nicholas “Nick” Young, Rachel’s boyfriend and Phillip and Eleanor’s son^[6][7]
Michelle Yeohas Eleanor Sung-Young, Nick’s domineering mother and Phillip’s wife^[8]
Gemma Chanas Astrid Leong-Teo, Nick’s cousin and Michael’s wife, a fashion icon and socialite^{[9][note 1]}
Lisa Luas Shang Su Yi, Nick’s grandmother and the matriarch of the family^[12]
Awkwafinaas Goh Peik Lin, Rachel’s charismatic confidant and best friend, and Wye Mun’s daughter^[13]
Ken Jeongas Goh Wye Mun, Peik Lin’s wealthy father^[14]
Sonoya Mizunoas Araminta Lee, Colin’s fiancée and heiress to a billion dollar resort chain^[15]
Chris Pangas Colin Khoo, Nick’s childhood best friend and Araminta’s fiancé^[16]
Jimmy O. Yangas Bernard Tai, Nick and Colin’s former classmate^[16]
Ronny Chiengas Eddie Cheng, Nick and Astrid’s cousin and Fiona’s husband from Hong Kong^[16]
Remy Hiias Alistair Cheng, Eddie’s brother and Nick and Astrid’s movie-making cousin from Taiwan^[12]
Nico Santosas Oliver T’sien, Nick’s second cousin^[16]
Jing Lusias Amanda “Mandy” Ling, Manhattan lawyer and Nick’s former girlfriend^[17]
Carmen Sooas Francesca Shaw, Nick’s snobby ex-girlfriend^[18]
Pierre Pngas Michael Teo, Astrid’s husband^[16]
Fiona Xieas Kitty Pong, Alistair’s girlfriend and Taiwanese soap opera star^[19]
Victoria Lokeas Fiona Tung-Cheng, Eddie’s wife from Hong Kong and Nick’s cousin-in-law^[20]
Janice Kohas Felicity Young, Astrid’s mother and Su Yi’s eldest child^{[11][note 1]}
Amy Chengas Jacqueline Ling, Mandy’s heiress mother and Eleanor’s friend^[21]
Koh Chieng Munas Neena Goh, Peik Lin’s mother^[22]
Calvin Wong as P.T. Goh, Peik Lin’s brother^[23]
Tan Kheng Huaas Kerry Chu, Rachel’s mother^[23]
Constance Lauas Celine “Radio One Asia” Lim, gossiper and member of Radio One Asia^[24]
Selena Tanas Alexandra ‘Alix’ Young-Cheng, Su Yi’s youngest child^[23]
Daniel Jenkinsas Reginald Ormsby, manager of the London Calthorpe Hotel^[25]
Peter Carrollas Lord Calthorpe, owner of the London Calthorpe Hotel^[25]
Kris Aquinoas Princess Intan, a wealthy royal^[23]
Tumurbaatar Enkhtungalag as Nadine Shao, one of Eleanor’s best friends^[26]

Crazy Rich Asians author Kevin Kwan has a cameo appearance during the Radio One Asia sequence.^[27] Singer Kina Grannis cameos as Colin and Araminta’s wedding singer during the marriage sequence, and Harry Shum Jr. makes a brief appearance as Astrid’s ex-fiancé Charlie Wu in a mid-credits scene.

Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) (right) with two of her allies, Goh Peik Lin (Awkwafina) (left) and Nick’s cousin Oliver (Nico Santos) (middle).

Wiki Crazy Rich Asians:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crazy_Rich_Asians_%28film%29

5 Reasons Why Everyone Loves Henry Golding:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lip2gP0-HuE

Henry Golding Biography Family, Childhood, Body, Height, Age, Net Worth, Krishtuve-tk:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ixt0Sx_jFUM

Golding’s The Travel Show: Kuala Lumpur (2015 Week 50):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpfT5YP1-u4

Golding’s BBC The Travel Show – Thailand Canals (Week 15):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVPOXOA4F7E

Henry Golding Talks About How He Met His Wife:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7YO_NUQ6xE

Liv Lo Talks About Henry Golding’s Fame & Seeing His Onscreen Kisses With Other Women:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCU4iCHJvrc

Henry Golding Shares What It’s Like Filming Intimate Scenes in ‘A Simple Favor’:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLB8c_bf2kc

The ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ Cast On Filming In Malaysia:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNiqL_P64YM

Constance Wu, Awkwafina, Ken Jeong, Michelle Yeoh & Henry Golding Discuss “Crazy Rich Asians”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xqaIN8_Ss8

The Cast Of Crazy Rich Asians Talk About The Incredible Response The Movie Received:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksK-5V0zu48

Screen Times: “Crazy Rich Asians”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_v1IbsU7bk

China Rich Girlfriend (sequel to Crazy Rich Asians):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China_Rich_Girlfriend

5/30/2020 # Crazy Rich Asians

EMMA 2020

Johnny Flynn as George Knightley and Anya Taylor-Joy as Emma Woodhouse

EMMA

Film review by Marlene Ardoin

When I first viewed this film, pre-Covid 19 era, I knew that “Emma” had something different about it, but I could not put my finger on it.

After a little research, I discovered that it not only has a female director, Autumn de Wilde, but it also has a female writer, Eleanor Catton.

The point of view of this Jane Austen classic is totally feminine.

We see the romantic interest, George Knightley (Johnny Flynn), in the very beginning of this film, throwing off his clothes, and then is dressed with all his fussy, but manly glory.

Sexual politics is the topic of this story and Knightley has our votes from the very beginning.

Men and women are being judged, then pitted against each other for some kind of advantage in the ranking.

This was an era with very obvious class divisions (the Georgian era in 1815 was right before the Victorian era).

Also, women were not allowed to own property, because they were property.

In fact, Jane Austin was living in a cottage on her brother’s property, when she began writing novels.

In the original story, Knightley was supposed to be the older friend of Emma’s (Anya Taylor-Joy) father.

In this film, he is closer to her age, rather than about seventeen years older than she.

Although delightful, it does not make sense as to why he is so often the guest of her father, except, maybe he is checking her out.

They make a perfect couple, but cannot stop criticizing and disagreeing with each other in the beginning of their relationship.

The father gets what is going on, but Emma does not.

She is spoiled, beautiful, and headstrong.

Emma assumed the status of her father’s companion, since the time her mother died, when she was around twelve.

Emma interjects herself into the lives of others as a matchmaker, without any real credentials of her own.

She eventually succeeds in putting a powerful spell on Knightley, who, like her father, finally allows her to have her way.

The real writer of this story, Jane Austin, was the daughter of a clergyman.

And, I cannot think of a single story, where she presents the clergy in a kindly manner, and this is no exception.

Although, I do think Austin was an authority on the subject matter, having observed the culture all her life.

The characterizations in this film are interesting, entertaining and drop dead gorgeous.

While each characterization is strong, the most interesting character is the director, Autumn De Wilde.

It turns out that this is her first film at age 49.

She is a well-respected photographer, but was not given the green light to make a film until now.

De Wilde has a grown daughter, is very feminine, but with the making of this film, she becomes androgynous in appearance.

There is no doubt that De Wilde has a very keen eye for both male and female beauty, as is evident in all her photo shoots.

I am not sure if the androgynous persona allowed her to make her cast feel at ease, or if her real self is finally being allowed to shine.

In my opinion, “Emma 2020” is the absolute best version yet.

Autumn de Wilde feminine version.

Autumn de Wilde androgynous version.

Cast

Anya Taylor-Joy as Emma Woodhouse
Johnny Flynn as George Knightley
Mia Goth as Harriet Smith
Miranda Hart as Miss Bates
Bill Nighy as Mr. Woodhouse
Josh O’Connor as Mr. Elton
Callum Turner as Frank Churchill
Amber Anderson as Jane Fairfax
Rupert Graves as Mr. Weston
Gemma Whelan as Mrs. Weston
Tanya Reynolds as Mrs. Elton
Connor Swindells as Robert Martin
Oliver Chris as John Knightley
Chloe Pirrie as Isabella Knightley

Directed by	Autumn de Wilde
Produced by	· Tim Bevan· Eric Fellner · Graham Broadbent · Pete Czernin
Screenplay by	Eleanor Catton
Based on	Emma by Jane Austen
Starring	· Anya Taylor-Joy· Johnny Flynn · Josh O’Connor · Callum Turner · Mia Goth · Miranda Hart · Bill Nighy
Music by	· Isobel Waller-Bridge· David Schweitzer
Cinematography	Christopher Blauvelt
Edited by	Nick Emerson
Production companies	· Perfect World Pictures· Working Title Films · Blueprint Pictures
Distributed by	Focus Features
Release date	· 14 February 2020 (United Kingdom)
Running time	124 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Box office	$25.2 million^[1][2]