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FILM HOME PAGE
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FEATURING ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICANS 
THE KILLING BEACH (AKA TURTLE BEACH) Directed by Stephen Wallace Cast: Greta Scacchi, Joan Chen, Art Malik This Australian production has "down under" journalist Scacchi investigating the Malaysian genocide of Vietnamese refugees. Chen's role as Scacchi's Vietnamese guide is meatier than most parts for Asian women, but she turns out to be (surprise!) an ex-hooker. More groundbreaking is Art Malik's role as Scacchi's sexy, confident South Asian love interest. But since this overseas movie never received theatrical distribution in the States, Malik will probably remain best-known for his villainous performance as the main Islamic terrorist in "True Lies" (1994), starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. (Columbia/TriStar Home Video) (1991) Directed by Nancy Kelly Cast: Rosalind Chao, Dennis Dun, Chris Cooper Based on Ruthanne Lum McCunn's well-known biographical novel, this film traces the struggles of a Mongolian woman (Chao) who is sold into slavery in 19th-century China, but who finds independence in the American West. While director Kelly (who co-produced this film with her husband, Kenji Yamamoto) treats her material with sincerity and respect, her approach lacks passion and urgency. Reclaiming a lost history isn't enough--it has to mean something to us here and now. (Hemdale Home Video) 
STAR TREK VI: THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY Directed by Nicholas Meyer Cast: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, George Takei Captain Sulu takes command of his own starship--the "Excelsior"--and flies to save Captain Kirk's butt in this pulse-pounding Cold War allegory (the Starship Federation and the Klingons try to get along). As Sulu, Takei sits regally in his captain's seat, barking orders to crewmembers, and gives a coolly sarcastic retort to a junior officer played by Christian Slater (who makes an unbilled cameo appearance just to take orders). Finally, Sulu shows us what he can do when he's not under Kirk's thumb, and his heartfelt goodbye to his former commander at the end deserved Oscar consideration (did you read Takei's autobiography, " To the Stars?" He hates Shatner!). One of the most dynamic performances by an Asian American male in an "action film." [Guy Aoki]
Elaan was obviously a hit with Scotty. He referred to Elaan
seventy odd years later(!) in the Star Trek: The Next Generation" episode "Relics". France
also appeared with "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" semi-regular, Rosalind Chao in "The
Joy Luck Club" and with
Diana Muldaur, the "Star Trek: The Next Generation" second season CMO, Doctor Pulaski, in a 1971
cowboy film! France appeared on St. Elsewhere with Alfre Woodard of "Star Trek: First
Contact". She also appeared in a short made at the University of California in which she
co-starred with Star Trek: Voyager's Garrett Wang.
FRANCIS NUYEN'S FILMOGRAHY
Directed by Rea Tajiri Disturbed by her parents' silence about their internment during World War II, video artist Tajiri digs through old documentary footage and visits the ruins of her mother's camp to answer her nagging questions. However, the real subjects of this half-hour video are the uncertainty of perception and the vagaries of history. Tajiri skillfully mixes thoughtful personal insight with pointed criticism of the media as she grows to understand her parents' "loss of memory." A moving and haunting work. (Ghost Pictures) 
MASALA (1991) Directed by Srinivas Krishna Cast: Jennifer Armstrong, Madhuri Bhatia, Wayne Bowman, Saeed Jaffrey, Sakina Jaffrey, Bill Jay, Heri Johal, Paul Jolly, Namir Khan, Srinivas Krishna, Les Porter, Ronica Sajnani, Zohra Segala Krishna directs himself as an Indian Canadian ex-junkie named Krishna trying to find his moorings in modern-day Toronto after the death of his parents. Meanwhile, the Indian deity Krishna (do you see a pattern here?) visits the young man's grandmother over her TV set. Like "My Beautiful Laundrette" (see above), this color-drenched Canadian movie (released in the U.S. in 1993) is another intriguing mix of gritty South Asian reality and fantastical South Asian magic. Not to be confused with Mira Nair's "Mississippi Masala" . (Fox/Lorber Home Video) 
(1991) Directed by Mark L. Lester Cast: Dolph Lundgren, Brandon Lee, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Tia Carrere, Toshirô Obata, Philip Tan, Rodney Kageyama, Ernie Lively, Renee Griffin, Reid Asato, Takayo Fischer, Simon Rhee, Vernee Watson-Johnson, Lenny Imamura, Roger Yuan, Susan E. Cox, Rick Cramer, Keith Boldroff, Gerald Okamura, R. David Smith, Tony Maccario, Rome Viharo, Keenan Thomas, Steve Park, Jim Ishida, Rachen Assapiomonwait, Ryan Ryusaki, Jeff Ramsey, Phil Chong, Tera Tabrizi
This movie has a complicated plot. The bad guy does something to the good guy. The good guy gets revenge and finds a friend to help him. The bad guys come back after the good guys. They then all get together at the end where there is a big fight scene with all the good and bad guys fighting each other. Dolph and Brandon, naturally, kick butt and beat the bad guys in some pretty narly martial art fighting, flying, people dying, plenty of one-on-one fighting - but they eventually win out in the end. There is, of course, the love interest provided by the gorgeous Tia Carriere. Dolph and Brandon (son of Bruce) provide some great fighting, along with the other great fighters that are featured in this film.
Directed by Shirley Sun Cast: To Funglin, Zhuang Genyuan, Dong Hangcheng, Qingfu Pan, Mark Salzman, Jeannette Lin Tsui, Vivian Wu, Jiang Xihong, Yang Xiru, Sun Xudong, Xiao Ying, Hu Yun, Lu Zhiquan
The story was simple, and perhaps cliched, but seemed very real. Anybody who travels and visits other cultures, one can see what Mark goes through. "Iron and Silk" reminds us that you never know how it is until you get there, but also caters to those who look to China for something you can't find here at home. It also shows the romance, AGAIN, of a white guy with a Chinese girl - does the plot ever change!?!?!
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