The staff at Jackfroot.com is going to start a weekly installment that will feature Asian/ Asian American films from the past and present. Each week, we will highlight a film that deserves a little more recognition and love than it received. We will include independent, mainstream, and even international films, tell you where to buy it and even show you a trailer if you’ve never seen the film. The goal is to expose these great pieces of work and give them the spotlight like no other media platform has done before. So sit back, grab some popcorn, and let Jackfroot pick your weekly film!
For our first installment, we’re featuring the independent film “Better Luck Tomorrow” directed by Justin Lin which starred Perry Shen, Sung Kang, John Cho, Jason Tobin, Roger Fan, and Shirley Anderson. This movie was picked up by MTV Studios and released in select cities back in 2002. Before Lin was directing major Hollywood films such as Fast Five, he was responsible for one of the most riveting and socially impacting films for Asian Americans alike.
“Better Luck Tomorrow” challenged the “model minority” stereotype that has plagued the Asian community for decades. It showed mainstream media that Asians were and are capable of wrong-doings and misdemeanors which went against the typical “clean” “well-behaved” stigma. This movie was definitely something that the Asian American culture needed at the time and was a hit within the college circuit throughout the nation because of it’s ambitious ways. The beauty of this film is that it relates to anyone regardless of race because it identifies with all those that face stereotypes and labels on a day-to-day basis. If you haven’t seen this film, this is a must on your Netflix account, RedBox or purchase list. Press play to check out the trailer for the film and click the link below if you wish to add this cinematic gem to your collection. Enjoy!
Amazon link: Better Luck Tomorrow DVD Â
