Shanghai Kiss (2007)

I did not know about this film before I rented it on a whim. It was very entertaining and the acting was great. I especially liked the male lead, Ken Leung. I have only seen him acting as a bad guy in action films. He carried this movie as a leading man (a woman's opinion). I will look for him in movies in the future no matter the genre. Hopefully more Asian's will be seen in mainstream movies. I thought the commentary on the DVD was interesting. It opened up my mind on the meaning behind some of the scenes that I had not considered. I especially enjoy films that keep me thinking about them after they are over. I would watch this movie again just to take it to another level.

Fmovies: I've been following this movie since before it even started shooting and managed to see it earlier this year at the San Francisco Film Festival. Now I see it's finally getting released. When I first read about it, I thought, an Asian guy dating a white girl in a Hollywood movie?! As an Asian guy myself I hoped it was good because I was sick of people like William Hung representing us. Harold and Kumar had a romantic subplot but it wasn't really the focus of the movie and Harold is a bumbling nerdy stereotype. The problem with AA movies is that none have been really good. Better Luck Tomorrow and Saving Face was probably the best (Motel's good), but where are the sex, lies, videotapes, Reservoir Dogs, Little Miss Sunshines, The Squid and The Whales? For an AA movie to break through into the mainstream, there needs to be a film that can be considered as great as any of those. Even better, it needs to be as good as the best movies out there: godfather, Annie Hall, The Apartment. So you can tell I had high expectations.

This movie surpassed my expectations. This is the film that is "good enough" to put AA cinema into the mainstream and I hope it leads the Asian American revolution and also, raises the standards of other Asian American movies. Good is not enough Asian American filmmakers, your movies need to be great. This movie was funny, sad, romantic, beautiful, and deals will so many issues like a young man struggling with feelings for a teenage girl, alcoholism and how it creates a wall to your family, the loss of a parent at a young age, communicational gaps between 2nd generation American and his 1st generation father, what it means to be American vs Chinese, racial stereotypes in Hollywood, leading a practical, stable life vs a fulfilling life (becoming a lawyer or an artist), maturity vs immaturity, following your heart vs complying to what's socially acceptable, - and it faces all these issues in a funny way. This movie is so funny and that's what makes it so enjoyable. It's not a message movie nor is it preachy. It doesn't try to make a statement, it just tries to entertain but the message, the statement comes through subtly. I hope other Asian American filmmakers take notice. The bar has been raised.

There is so much that has been said already about this film in the previous comments. I just want to add my bit about what I liked in the film. Recently lot of films coming out of Hollywood are daring to explore the question of identity. After 9/11, US government and its institutions are now looking beyond Latin America and Europe. There is both a positive and negative engagement with the other cultures and civilizations. Negative comes out in its dealing with Iraq, Afganistan, Korea and Iran.

Positive form of engagement is seen in the genuine interest in their language, culture and migrants from these countries. There is now a renewed vigour among the American students to learn Arabic, Urdu, Bangla, Hindi, Chinese and other Asian and African languages. Now there is more grant for University Departments dealing with these areas in US. Overall, people are reading more, listening more and watching more to understand more about these people. These nationalities are not just "out there" but they are also "in here" living amongst them as a silent, though a vibrant and prosperous minority of the US society.

Two films dealing with the similar theme of cultural identity and rootlessness came out in theaters this year namely, The Namesake and Shanghai Kiss. Both of them describe a protagonist who is lost and feels isolated and rootless in the cold and desolate American cities. Both have a protagonist that undertakes a journey home to rediscover his roots but comes back feeling more rootless. Both explore the basic question that every migrant faces: Where is the Home? And both the films in some way or the other try to answer that question by invoking a universal emotion called LOVE.

I being an Indian should identify more with The Namesake but thats not the case. I found Shanghai Kiss a lot better. The Namesake was backed by the bestselling book by Jhumpa Lahiri for its story but the story limits the flow of the movie in more ways than one. The pace is slow, very slow and it drags. Arty Stuff, Haan! But Shanghai Kiss dazzles us with its witty dialog, fast pace and great performances by all the actors. Even when it explores the question of identity it never resorts to over-sentimentalism.

I recommend Shanghai Kiss to everyone who is looking for a great Comedy. Although I am not a big fan of comedy (Drama is my thing) But once in a long while there comes a comedy that makes U sit up and take notice. Last time it happened when Elizabethtown was out and now it has happened with Shanghai Kiss. And you can clearly see why? Both films explore the same themes, both involve a journey for the protagonist to trace one's roots, both have great dialog and both are also cute love stories.

Go and watch Shanghai Kiss, if you loved When Harry Met Sally you are going to digg this one too.

P.S. I heard the producers trying hard to get The Namesake nominated for Oscars. Producers of Shanghai Kiss Wake Up!

Shanghai Kiss fmovies. Before Spike Lee came around, Black male actors weren't getting the best roles - a) They were usually the first to die in any movie, b) they normally played the roles of drug dealers, gangsters, criminals, slaves, convicts, and pimps). c) Their roles were restricted to action/crime, musical, or sports-related movies.

Spike Lee changed all of that and it's because of Spike that we got to see black actors, such as Denzel, Terrence Howard, and Jamie Foxx (to name a few)get powerful Oscar-worthy roles.

To date, Asian actors are still suffering in Hollywood.

The only roles Asian actors can get in Hollywood are: a) the evil Asian-villain who gets beaten by the white hero...and the white hero saves the beautiful Asian girl from the clutches of "Dr.Fu-Manchu" b) a gangster, Viet-Cong soldier, Shaolin-Monk, Martial Arts teacher, Chinese-takeout cook/delivery-man, computer-geek, pingpong player, etc... c) anything to do with Martial Arts

It's about time that we have an Asian Spike-Lee! David Ren has stepped up to the batter's box and hit a grand slam with this one and I hope that he comes back for more!

This flick has it all...relevant themes, great movie, great cast, and great director!

WOW, you gotta see this movie. It has a non-stereotypical Chinese male lead, which is totally rare in Hollywood films. It's a drama that has some comedic moments. It's about this 28 year old Chinese American (this part same as me) living in LA struggling with his acting career and how an opportunity to leave his normal confine changed his outlook on life and his relationship with his father and others. There is the childhood mother accident and the resulting blaming game. There is the overly positive (polar opposite of main character) girl. I know, the overall storyline is almost exactly like Garden State but the detail experiences are completely different. I actually like it a lot more than Garden State. There are less drug use and weird stuff, instead, it has more real life problems and emotions. I don't mind the former, I like Garden State too but the latter just makes you feel so much closer to the characters.

I love the scenes in Shanghai. I really want to go there now. LOL. I wonder if Hayden got the opportunity to visit while shooting the movie. BTW, all the actors were amazing (even the potential house buyer couple). The main actors displayed all range of emotions very convincingly.

I have to admit, I saw an illegal copy of the movie. But I liked it so much that not only am I going to purchase a legit DVD for myself, I'm going to buy a few to give them to my friends. It's unfortunate there is not enough promotion for it so I'm going to help spread the words myself.

I believe this is one of the best movie in 2007 on Modern Day Asian American Lives. This is one movie that I loved to watch with my wife. This is got no condescending tone about Asian Americans like many other US movies. The movie was modern, witty and incisive. I enjoyed watching it! I have been to Shanghai and it is very modern in the center piece of the town. Many people do move there from all around the world. The girl singing to a guy on the bus seems unreal to me. But I guess that is one way to add drama. I believe this is one of the best movie in 2007 on Modern Day Asian American Lives. I just read how all the people in the film had worked for almost nothing to support a movie like this. The making of the movie itself is truly amazing. I would recommend this movie to all my friends.