Asians New to Netflix: Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Edition
Asians New to Netflix is a monthly column introducing the new live-action movies and television shows which air next month on Netflix and feature Asian American actors.
Happy Asian Pacific American Heritage Month! In the spirit of APAHM, we’ve got a new edition of Asians New to Netflix, and May is a great month for Asian Americans on-screen - especially if you’re a fan of comedies and Ali Wong. From stoner comedies and romcoms, to adult cartoons and action comedies, this month has it all.
Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay (2008)
Available May 1
Directed by: Jason Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg
Screenplay by: Jason Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg
Plot: After being mistaken for terrorists and thrown into Guantánamo Bay, stoners Harold and Kumar escape and return to the U.S., where they proceed to flee across the country with federal agents in hot pursuit (IMDB).
Disclaimer: I haven’t seen it, but the next time I’m in the mood for a Star Trek/House crossover I might.
John Cho and Kal Penn as Harold Lee and Kumar Patel (Source)
The sequel to the surprise hit Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay once again brings together the stoners Harold Lee (John Cho) and Kumar Patel (Kal Penn). It’s rare to see a comedy fronted by Asian Americans, nevermind a stoner comedy fronted by Asian Americans. Add in the fact that they’ve gone on to bigger roles and broken into medical dramas, scifi, thrillers, and horror, and you could even say that these two are royalty in Asian American Hollywood. I mean, this is John Cho and Kal Penn. Penn was on House, Designated Survivor, and worked in the Obama administration. Cho is the focus of a hashtag rallying attention to Hollywood’s lack of leading Asian American men. He’s been in everything from Star Trek and The Exorcist, to Selfie and The Twilight Zone. So even if you’re not a fan of stoner comedies, check out this movie even just to see how two Asian American stars got their big breaks.
If you haven’t seen the first movie already, go watch John Cho and Kal Penn in Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle before catching the sequel Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay on Netflix on May 1.
Good Sam (2019)
Available May 16
Directed by: Kate Melville
Screenplay by: Teena Booth, Dete Meserve
Plot: A curious reporter finds love while pursuing the story of a mysterious figure who's leaving bags of cash for strangers around New York City (Netflix).
Disclaimer: I haven’t watched the movie, but Tiya Sircar killed it in The Good Place, which is one of my favorite comedies. So I’m a little biased.
Tiya Sircar as Kate Bradley (Source)
In a sea of romcoms led by white women, Good Sam and its South Asian American lead Tiya Sircar feels like a welcome addition. Plus, when was the last time you saw a South Asian American female reporter in a movie? The movie is based on the first installment of a series of romantic mystery books, so fingers crossed that more moves are to come. If you don’t recognize Tiya Sircar from The Internship (as Neha) or The Good Place (as Real Eleanor/Vicky), then you might have heard her voice the character Sabine Wren in Star Wars Rebels.
Tiya Sircar solves a mystery and falls in love in Good Sam on Netflix starting May 16.
Rim of the World (2019)
Available May 24
Directed by: McG
Screenplay by: Zack Stentz
Plot: Four misfit teenagers join forces to save the world when an alien invasion interrupts their summer camp (Netflix).
Cast of Rim of the World (Source)
Okay, this actually looks really fun, and probably breaks the record for the youngest actors shouldering an entire apocalyptic alien action movie/comedy. In Rim of the World, Miya Cech plays ZhenZhen, one of the four kids (played by actual kids) who become unlikely heroes in a fight against aliens. The trailer scene alone with Miya driving a Ford Mustang because she’s the only one who can drive a stick shift had me cackling. As a new actress, Miya has mostly been in small roles; she’s most known for her character Zu in The Darkest Minds. She’ll appear next as the younger version of Ali Wong in Always Be My Maybe.
If you’re tired of seeing only (mostly white) kids from the 80s become friends and save the world, check out Netflix’s Rim of the World starring Miya Cech on May 24.
Always Be My Maybe (2019)
Available May 31
Directed by: Nahnatchka Khan (Iranian American woman!!)
Screenplay by: Ali Wong, Randall Park, Michael Golamco
Plot: Reunited after 15 years, famous chef Sasha and hometown musician Marcus feel the old sparks of attraction but struggle to adapt to each other's worlds (Netflix).
Ali Wong (left) and Randall Park (right) as Sasha and Marcus (Source)
Folks, this is the crown jewel of APAHM 2019 films. This is what we’ve all been waiting for. If John Cho and Kal Penn were THE Asian American comedy celebrities in the 2000s, Ali Wong and Randall Park (as Sasha and Marcus) are Asian American comedy royalty right now. Not only are they starring in this romcom, they also co-wrote the screenplay. Plus, they’ve pulled together an amazing Asian American cast with everyone from Daniel Dae Kim and Charlyne Yi, to James Saito and Keanu Reeves. Yes, that Keanu Reeves - apparently he’s a big fan of Ali Wong (so are we!).
If you’ve watched TV or movies since 2003, you’ll definitely recognize Randall Park, who stars in Fresh Off the Boat and has done small roles in things like The Interview, Ant-Man and the Wasp, and even that hilarious cold open from The Office where he played Asian Jim. Ali Wong quickly rose to fame for her Netflix comedy stand-up specials, Ali Wong: Baby Cobra and Ali Wong: Hard Knock Wife. Besides that, she’s been a writer on Fresh Off the Boat, acted in Are You There, Chelsea?, Black Box, and American Housewife, and provided voicework in several animated movies and shows (including a starring role in Tuca and Bertie).
We’re counting down the days until Always Be My Maybe premiers on Netflix on May 31.
Bonus
Caught up on all the episodes of Patriot Act? Don’t worry - Hasan Minhaj returns in Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj: Volume 3 on May 12.
If you can’t get enough Ali Wong and you’re a fan of Broad City and/or Bojack Horseman, I HIGHLY recommend Tuca and Bertie. The adult cartoon stars Tiffany Haddish and Ali Wong as Tuca and Bertie, 30-something bird best friends who guide each other through life’s ups and downs. It’s a surreal and wacky show created, written, and led by women, and the two stars are women of color. Plus - Ali Wong’s love interest is voiced by Steven Yeun (of Walking Dead fame). Need I say more?
APAHM 2019 caps off a glowing year of Asian American representation in TV and movies, and Netflix features some of its highlights. This month alone, we have five new comedies - a record high compared to some of the low points in the past few years. Of course, on-screen media has a long way to go to improve the diversity and depth of Asian American representation (not to mention Pacific Islander representation), but the future is looking a little bit brighter.
Are you, like us, going to host a watch party for Always Be My Maybe? Did you laugh and cry during Tuca and Bertie? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram! And as usual, please tell us iif we missed any movies or TV shows with Asian American leads - I love being able to add to the short list of Asian American representation.
