[.ca] Catfish in Black Bean Sauce

pleasant surprise!:
i was forced into watching this movie, which is usually not necessary for an asian-american movie. but since hollywood is still doing the asian woman-white man thing (think "Real World" San Diego, with the token asian woman), i thought this movie might not be worth the effort, and i was getting tired of the white guy diggin the asian girl thing. to my surprise, it was written, directed, and produced by Wago!!! (from vanishing son, another favorite of mine because it actually has an asian-american man and a white woman in a more involved relationship than being just platonic.) the story is well-written and the timing of the comedic moments are precisely delivered. it's hard to believe this was a low-budget flick, especially with the excellent cast, good character development, and that damn funny music they play when something is about to get even funnier. to my even greater surprise, he had a relationship with a black woman! i guess chi muoi lo writing this was the only way an asian-man would get anywhere close to first base on the big screen. and he honestly opened himself up to the stereotypes and insecurities his character might feel, even choosing the foxy, but-taller-than him, sanaa lathan as his girlfriend. it's hard not to like this movie, and it's harder to not watch it again. this reminds me a little bit of that movie with dante basco and pam grier called "Faking The Funk", but manages to be more well-executed in it's more mature portrayal of stereotypes, and in being a more enjoyable story by far. watch this movie without expectations and it will deliver tenfold. the funniest thing i saw was how crystal-sparkly clean the windows and windshields were during the car sequences--i've never seen windows like that on cars from LA

Well Worth the Time and Money:
I watched this movie first on Blackstars Network, the title really caught my attention. It turned out to be the best movie about real family life that I have seen. I have recommended it to everyone I know and they all have agreed that it's a great movie. We don't get many independent movies here in this small southern city, so I had never even heard of the film. Thank you cable T.V.. I will continue to look for more movies from this very talented young man and all the cast members.

Great Movie:
Don't let independent movies turn you off. This one was great. It is funny and cute and the story is nice. I enjoyed everything. This is a must see.

A wonderful movie!:
I am so glad I discovered this movie. I loved/love it. Watch it opportunity I get. It let's us know that no matter your background or nationality emotions good and bad are universal. We all love, laugh, hurt, cry, rejoice, ...

A Little gem of a movie:
I found this movie by way of "DVD Deals," and what a deal, you really get you money's worth. What a nice discovery, but sad that many people won't really know about this low budget movie. First of all, I found it amazing that quit a few, seasoned and famous actors participated in this low budget movie, like Paul Winfield (recently deceased at a young age of 62), Alice Walker and Sanaa Latham. This is one of the reasons why this movie suceeds because the actors are aptly able to convey a seemingly implausible storyline: A black couple adopts a Vietnamese brother and sister who are all grown-up and searching for their identities. The flash backs really works in explaining how these characters ended up with each other. It is a tender love story between uncondtional parents and their children whose commitment to what family really means endures even the most challenging hurdles. This comes in a form of a long lost Vietnamese mother and the uncertainties of falling in love. Sometimes this movie resolves in comic one liners that seemed out of place, but if you think about it, it is a bit of a relief from the seriousness of the moment. I like this movie a lot even though it has some awkward moments because it is very sincere in potraying its characters so keenly that even if it is not a perfect movie, you ended up caring about the characters. And don't forget the tisse paper.