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FEATURING ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICANS Click HERE for Part 1 (1995) Directed by Franklin Brauner (Donald Cammell). Cast: Christopher Walken, Joan Chen, Steven Bauer, Anne Heche, Allen Garfield, Adam Novack, Hiro Sakamoto, Richard Palmer, Randy Crowder, Marcus Aurelius, Michael Rose, Lewis Arquette, Rolando De La Maza, Candace Camille Bender, Ian Johnson, Gena Kim, Robert Mazzola 
However, this straight-to-video production will probably go down in Hollywood history for having Anne Heche play a lesbian two years before she came out in real life. Chen, Heche, and Walken pour themselves into their roles, but--despite its flirtation with humanity's dark underbelly--the material never rises above crime-movie clichés. Chen also associate-produced, and her self-conscious nude scene comes off as a desperate attempt to catch a casting director's eye. Eight years after "The Last Emperor," one would have hoped to see her in something better. 
(1995)Directed by Peter Greenaway Cast: Vivian Wu, Yoshi Oida, Ken Ogata, Ewan McGregor, Ken Mitsuishi, Yutaka Honda, Miwako Kawai, Hidashi Hidaka, Dehong Chen, Ham-Chau Luong, Akihiko Nishida, Kentaro Matsuo, Nguyen Duc Nhan, Roger To Thanh Hien, Wu Wei, Kheim Lam Is this the story of an Asian woman taking power over her own life--or just another irritating "white knight" re-tread? You be the judge! One thing's for certain: this is one of the most visually imaginative films to come along in a long time. Known for his startling imagery, British director Greenaway ("Prospero's Books," "The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover") fills the screen with an explosive mix of color and design in his update of the Japanese classic "The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon." But while the images are strong throughout, this story of a Japanese/Hong Kong woman (Wu) taking revenge on the murder of her British lover (McGregor) tends to lose its way. (Columbia/TriStar Home Video) (1995) Studio: Vidmark/Trimark Director: George Huang Cast: Kevin Spacey, Frank Whaley, Michelle Forbes, Benicio Del Toro, T.E. Russell, Roy Dotrice, Matthew Flint, Patrick Fischler, Jerry Levine, Sabryn Genet
Director George Huang is joining a growing list of Asian Pacific American directors who are directing mainstream films with American casts such as John Woo, Ang Lee and Wayne Wang.
In this film, Huang directs a satirical, harsh, and wickedly funny look into the dark and steamy side of show business. The film is a counterpoint to Spinal Tap's spoof of the music industry.
The plot describes the story of a naive and eager assistant slide into the cutthroat world of Hollywood power struggles and learn the meaning of being abused. Whaley (assistant) goes to work for a top movie executive (Kevin Spacey) who almost immediately begins to wear down his
This savage indictment of both the movie business and the price of ambition, Swimming with Sharks is a delicious black comedies that spoofs the extreme greed that exists in the "Biz" with the assistant getting his revenge at the end! (note: Kevin Spacey was a co-producer on this film and George Huang was an assistant in the film industry!?!?!)
Wayne Wang proves, again, that an Asian/Asian Pacific American director is fully capable of effectively exploring mainstream stories with American casts.
In Smoke, Wang directs a film about a New York quilt of contemporary characters who cross paths in a corner smoke shop in a straightforward fashion by a talented cast. These characters make-up a tapestry of lives that intertwine around a Brooklyn smoke shop; key figures include the philosophical manager (Keitel), a burnt-out novelist (Hurt), a worldly wise teenager (Perrineau), and the boy's actual father (Whitaker), whom he hasn't seen since infancy. Wang's introspective and "looking in" attitude provides an intimacy that is similar to his big hit "Joy Luck Club."
Redwood Curtain has many things in common with the plot and background with Miss Saigon. These elements and similarities make the casting of Lea Salonga a good choice for this film. For those few who don't know, she was of course the original girl to play Kim in the London cast of Miss Saigon. Even though her inexperience of being in a film, as oppose to acting on the stage, sometimes show - it is a good showing for her. The rest of the good cast does well, though the film could have been paced better. The basic plot of the film is about finding your true self, who you really are, in all aspects of life, not just nationality.
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