APA FIRST WEEKEND FILM CLUB - DECEMBER 10, 2004 EDITION - HAPPY HOLIDAYZE!

12.10 - Posted by APAFW

Dear APA FIRST WEEKEND FILM CLUB:
December 10, 2004 - HAPPY HOLIDAYZE!

Print this out - it could get long!
CELEBRATE ASIAN AMERICAN AND ASIAN INTERNATIONALCINEMA!

We apologize if you got this more than once. We know we are on so many different lists.
Please pass this information on to other people who are interested in Asian American and Asian international cinema. We try very hard to keep you always updated as to films that are popping up in your area. Please note that you are a part of over 12,000 people who are on this list nationwide and it is published on www.asianamericanfilm.com!

Note: To subscribe - send an email that says "please subscribe" to apafirstweekend@aol.com

For those of you who are first timers here, the mission of this email newsletter blast to keep everyone aware of Asian American and Asian international films that will be coming out so that we can go out and support them.

First weekend box office receipts are very important to Hollywood and to our films because these reports will make or break a film. If the films does well on Friday, Saturday and Sunday the "first" weekend it comes out, theater owners and distributors will make their decisions on Monday mornings about a film's life.

So, we encourage each and every one of you to go out there and support our Asian American and Asian international filmmakers. It is at the box office where we can show our strength and our power for our films and and filmmakers. Even if you don't have the time to sit through the film on the first weekend - go to the theater and purchase a ticket so that we can show box office $$$ numbers. It is extremely important. At the end of the day.. the color in Hollywood is GREEN! Show up and vote for yourself at the box office!

IN THIS ISSUE:
Hope you are all staying warm and getting that shopping done. Remember to take the time out and see a movie. There are loads to choose from - from the serious to the silly from ZiYi Zhang to Spongebob and even something incredible!! Take yourself out to see a film this holiday season
and support your Asian American and Asian filmmakers! And don't forget to send us your top 5! Let's see what's up this week in Asian cinema: It will be short this week - believe us!

1. HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS SLAMMING EM HERE IN THE US
2. PURPLE BUTTERFLY - ZIYI ZHANG - WE CANNOT GET ENUFF
3. VEER ZAARA - SOUTHASIAN INDIA FILM WOWS EM AT THE BOX OFFICE
4. SAVE THE DATE - JANUARY 23, 2005 - PARK CITY - APAs NEED TO TURN IT OUT IN UTAH!
5. YOUR TOP 5 IN 2004! SEND US YOUR THOUGHTS AND WE WILL SEND YOU A SPECIAL GIFT
6. ASIAN FOLKS IN THE TOP 30 BOX OFFICE!!!
7. ROBOT STORIES KICKS IT UP IN TORONTO
8. DAYS OF BEING WILD - WONG KAR WAI - STILL CHILLIN IN NYC - MOVING TO OTHER CITIES SOON!
9. JESSICA YU'S "IN THE REALMS OF THE UNREAL" GETTING READY TO UNSPOOL IN NY AND SF THIS DECEMBER
10. SPEND CHRISTMAS EVE WITH PHILIP GAN KOTANDA'S SUNDANCE HIT FILM "LIFE TASTES GOOD" WHEN IT HAS ITS BROADCAST PREMIERE ON IFC
11. SANDRA OH - PLAYS IT "SIDEWAYS"

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1. HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS SLAMMING EM HERE IN THE US
ZIYI ZHANG, TAKESHIRO KITANO and ANDY LAU are extremely hot, that it is a joy to watch. But beyond the physical eye candy of these leads - is the entire movie itself. From the cinematography to the fight choreography to the acting, the costumes, and above all the story - there is not a moment that does not leave you breathless and for all the right reasons. The film is being released in a platform manner to build buzz - right now - it's currently slamming folks in New York and Los Angeles. So, make sure you put this one on your calendar when it comes to your city. For that much needed break during these hectic December days from finals to final projects to shopping and making sure you got your mama's favorite candy, you will be even more rejuvenated after seeing this film. At the box office it kicks ass with last weekend's box office average of over $26,500 on just 15 screens for a total of nearly $400,000. At the Regent Cinemas in Union Square in NYC it brought in $83,500 and in LA at the ARCLIGHT, the film brought in $43,000 for the weekend. Not bad for a subtitled foreign language film. Could we possibly see a repeat pattern for HERO and CROUCHING TIGER. This film is so good we should. ZiYi Zhang and her fight scenes are totally amazing!!!! Go on Zhang Yimou.

2. PURPLE BUTTERFLY - ZIYI ZHANG - WE CANNOT GET ENUFF
If you are a true ZiYi Zhang or Zhang ZiYi fan, you have include PURPLE BUTTERFLY on your list. Palm Pictures is releasing this very intriguing and stirring film starring the beautiful Zhang and she's not doing flying kicks or throwing daggers. Instead, she's throwing longing looks and working everyone into her magic. Here's a quick overview: Shanghai, 1931, the dawn of Japanese invasion. Ding Hui (Zhang Ziyi) is a member of Purple Butterfly, a secret organization violently against the Japanese infiltration. Unexpectedly, her ex-lover Itami (Nakamura Tooru), now a Japanese spy assigned to track down Purple Butterfly has arrived. The film is directed by Lou Ye and has been an international festival favorite keeping audiences thinking. Caution - do not go into this film thinking you are going to see high flying kicks - but more of a mysterious subtlety that will keep you thinking long after the credits roll. Currently screening in NYC at the Cinema Village. David Koh and friends at Palm are letting this one out on the gradual tip - so keep checking your local papers.

3. VEER ZAARA - SOUTHASIAN INDIA FILM WOWS EM AT THE BOX OFFICE - over $2 MILLION in less than 3 weeks
The film industry in India continues to vibrate across the world and here in the States, it continues to grow. The latest film from SouthAsia's hottest movie industry, VEER ZAARA is no exception. The film continues to rake it in at the US Box office with now over $2 million in just over 3 weeks. Hello Hollywood Hello - or should we say Hello Bollywood Hello. It's strange that Hollywood has not totally picked up on the phenom just yet - maybe Gurinder Chadha's BRIDE AND PREJUDICE (now moved to an early 2005 date) will change that. In the meantime, get down to your local NAZ cinema or local South Asian cinema to see VEER ZAARA and some of the other gems coming from India. You won't be at all dissapointed. Here's more info!
Director: Yash Chopra
Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Preity Zinta, and Rani Mukherjee
Genre: Musical Romance
Language: Hindi with English subtitles
Rating: N/R
Web Site: www.YashRajFilms.com
Also, check out Box Office Guru.com where Gitesh can give you the latest on all films including the South Asian movies hitting US shores.

4. SAVE THE DATE - JANUARY 23, 2005 - PARK CITY - APAs NEED TO TURN IT OUT IN UTAH!
You know that every SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL for the past 3 years, VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS, NAATA SF, ASIAN CINEVISION, APA FIRST WEEKEND and TCDM & ASSOCIATES throw the biggest Asian Pacific Filmmakers Reception in Park City - and you get fed! Well this coming 2005 is no different. We invite everyone to come join us for this very special event. Every year, we grow larger and larger - last year, over 400 Sundance/Slamdance filmmakers, festival goers and groupies joined us for our biggest ever. It is always the first Sunday of Sundance Film Festival from 4P - 6P at the China Panda Restaurant next door to the Holiday Cinemas! We will have more info here for you later - with an rsvp email as well. But make y our plans now - buy your airline tickets, reserve your hotel space and join us at:

THE FOURTH ANNUAL ASIAN PACIFIC FILMMAKERS RECEPTION AT PARK CITY
SUNDAY, JANUARY 23, 2005
4PM - 6PM
CHINA PANDA RESTAURANT
BEHIND ALBERTSONS AND NEXT DOOR TO HOLIDAY CINEMAS

JOIN US AS WE CELEBRATE ASIAN PACIFIC AND ASIAN INTERNATIONAL FILMMAKERS PREMIERING THEIR WORKS AT SUNDANCE AND SLAMDANCE

ASIAN AMERICAN FEATURE FILMMAKERS AT SUNDANCE INCLUDE:

GREGG ARAKI - MYSTERIOUS SKIN - SPECIAL SCREENING
JESSICA SANDERS - AFTER INNOCENCE - DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
MICHAEL KANG - THE MOTEL - AMERICAN SPECTRUM
ANTHONY NG - 212 - AMERICAN SPECTRUM
ALICE WU - SAVING FACE - AMERICAN SPECTRUM

ALSO WE WILL BE CELEBRATING OUR OWN ASIAN AMERICAN PRODUCERS WHO HAVE FILMS AT THIS YEAR'S SUNDANCE

KARIN CHIEN
GINA KWON
TEDDY ZEE

*note: these lists are not complete - this is what we have been able to track so far - we will have a final list at end of December!!

5. YOUR TOP 5 IN 2004! SEND US YOUR THOUGHTS AND WE WILL SEND YOU A SPECIAL GIFT
As we get to year end, we would love to hear your top 5 films for 2004! Please send us your top 5 favorite 2004 films both in theaters and in festivals. We will compile a list and get it out around New Year's Eve. Send us your snail mail, and we would love to send you a very special APA FIRST WEEKEND holiday gift to the first 30 people who send us their lists! Just email everything to us here at apafirstweekend@aol.com

6. ASIAN FOLKS IN THE TOP 30 BOX OFFICE!!!
Who says we are not visible!!?? Let's look what is at the US top 30 box office this past week

FINDING NEVERLAND - #8 - why? cuz Johnny Deep or is he from Hawaii? You know he's part Thai - that's what they tell us!

SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS #5 - why? check out the credits - Asians are working the Animation realm

THE INCREDIBLES #4 - why? You know you know an Asian brother or sister at Pixar - they are in Nor Cali for crissakes!

THE POLAR EXPRESS #3 - why? well, it's a bit of a stretch but with all this new computer technology and animation melding together - one of us has to be up in there somewhere - and did you see the faces of the characters - they look like us, too.

AFTER THE SUNSET #12 - why? Because director Brett Ratner has the greatest team that includes two high profile Asian Americans Anita and John!

HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS - #19 - you know

SEED OF CHUCKY - #17 - cuz our 1/2 Chinese girlfriend JENNIFER TILLY.

SHALL WE DANCE #15 - cuz it's a remix of a great Japanese film

SAW - #14 - cuz the director is one of ours

THE GRUDGE #13 - cuz the writer, director and even some of the main characters are Asian.

NAPOLEON DYNAMITE - #20 - because many of us have been in Napoleon's moon boots ourselves

SIDEWAYS #11 - Sandra Oh - need we say more???

7. ROBOT STORIES KICKS IT UP IN TORONTO
Our boy Greg Pak brings his award winning ROBOT STORIES to Canada in Toronto this week. Check local listings for times.
or go to the website http://www.pakfilm.com for the latest info.

8. DAYS OF BEING WILD - WONG KAR WAI - STILL CHILLIN IN NYC - MOVING TO OTHER CITIES SOON!
One of the classic all time WONG KAR WAI films comes to the big screen as it should. Right now in NYC at the Film Forum and going to LA, SF and other cities come January 2005. Yes, you have the DVD - but it is not the same as the big screen. Big props to KINO INTERNATIONAL for bringing this classic to the big screen and rightly so!!!

9. JESSICA YU'S "IN THE REALMS OF THE UNREAL" GETTING READY TO UNSPOOL IN NY AND SF THIS DECEMBER
December is Jessica Yu's month - Her film gets short listed for the Oscar docu best feature list; Her film gets picked up by WELLSPRING; Her film will be released next week in New York and on Christmas Eve in San Francisco; Her film is honored at the IFP GOTHAM AWARDS with a nomination; Her film is honored at the IDA AWARDS with a nomination this week; and she's the cover of this month's AUDREY MAGAZINE - at newsstands everywhere now! And on top of it, she is one of the nicest people you will ever meet. Can we say we love us some Jessica Yu? Beyond all that, she is a great filmmaker and storyteller. So our hats are off to Jessica for making us proud Asian American people! Catch her film this month IN THE REALMS OF THE UNREAL - an amazing documentary about a complex ccentric artist/janitor/innovator Henry Darger. REALMS was a hit at 2004 Sundance and continues to win accolades at festivals around the world. The film opens New York on December 22, San Francisco on December 24 and LA in January. Check out www.realmsoftheunreal.com or www.wellspring.com for more info!

10. SPEND CHRISTMAS EVE WITH PHILIP GAN KOTANDA'S SUNDANCE HIT FILM "LIFE TASTES GOOD" WHEN IT HAS ITS BROADCAST PREMIERE ON IFC
If you are too busy wrapping last minute gifts - set your TIVO for Philip Gan Kotanda's critically acclaimed Sundance hit LIFE TASTES GOOD with our favorite actors: TAMLYN TOMITA; JULIA NICKSON and SAB SHIMONO. Here's the info:
LIFE TASTES GOOD
A film by Philip Gan Kotanada

Friday, December 24th 12:30 AM & 6:00AM
(Eastern Standard Times)
IFC (INDEPENDENT FILM CHANNEL)
A low-level criminal turns up dead but the two detectives investigating the case hit the jackpot when they find an audiotape that details the corpse's life story. This IFC Film marks the smart yet subtle directorial debut of Asian-American playwright Philip Kan Gotanda.

MAKE SURE YOU CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS FOR EXACT TIMES IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

With these time slots, you can invite Santa sit with you!

12. SANDRA OH - PLAYS IT "SIDEWAYS"
You are probably like sick of hearing about her and this film. But, once you see the film, you will know what we are talking about. SIDEWAYS is one of those small but great films that is well written and extremely well acted that does not rely on martial arts and computer graphics. And for our home girl, SANDRA OH truly stands out in this small but important role. If you want a film that will make you smile and make you reflect and think, this is your film. And watching Ms. OH on screen reminds us of what good acting is. In fact the entire ensemble cast is totally awesome. This is a must see during these hectic holidays.

OK... Have a great holiday and see you at the movies.
Send us your TOP 5!!

APA FIRST WEEKEND