By Kai Curry
NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
The Northwest Asian Weekly channeled its inner Santa this winter and circled the globe asking: What do you watch for those holiday good vibes? We made a list and checked it twice, and everyone we talked to was very nice. Here’s what you picked!
Number One: “Love Hard”
This romcom featuring Jimmy O. Yang was the hands-down favorite. Local Filipino Shaina Estadilla watches this movie because it stars one of their favorite comedians (Yang), and it fits well with the two other movies it’s named after: “Love Actually” and “Die Hard.”
“We make it a yearly tradition to watch all three,” Estadilla said. “Love Hard” tells of online dating gone wrong—then gone right—and takes place during the Christmas holiday season. It is, in the end, a feel-good film that drives home the notion that we should all just be ourselves. Port of Seattle Commissioner Toshiko Grace Hasegawa told us that “Love Hard” is one of her holiday must-watch movies. It was also the top-of-mind choice for our publication’s editor, Ruth Bayang.
Number Two: “The Farewell”
This film by Lulu Wang demonstrates that our readers aren’t afraid to watch something emotional and thought-provoking during the holidays. Many respondents expressed a wish to find movies about Asians and Asian Americans (AAPIs) that spark conversation during get-togethers. In this film starring Awkwafina, a family gathers around their terminally ill grandmother. Jay Yap told us he chooses films at Christmas that build connection. In this case, “The Farewell” engages his family around the topic of “generational duty,” he said. Therapist Kaila Hattis said that “The Farewell” makes her AAPI clients feel heard with its demonstration of small cultural details. Pastry sous chef Gabrielle Yap likes to have a family dumpling-making session before watching this movie. This gets everyone involved—of all ages—and guarantees quality time together.
Number Three: “Eat Drink Man Woman”
This Ang Lee film has stood the test of time and become a classic for many AAPIs. It tells of a father and his three daughters navigating the challenge of merging traditional and modern life. It is most known for the cooking scenes. The Northwest Asian Weekly’s own writer, Becky Chan, commented, “I love all the food scenes. Cooking is such a big part of the holidays in Asian culture.” Chef Yap pairs this movie with a family meal, where everyone contributes a dish.
“This transforms movie night…into a multi-hour event centered on legacy and flavor. The most memorable traditions are built around shared creation. Start with a simple scallion pancake recipe before the film and build from there because that is how memories are sustained.”
Good vibes
A film or TV show doesn’t have to have anything to do with a particular holiday to make the list. Maybe it’s popular and fun to watch; maybe it’s important for representing Asians on screen.
One of our publication’s owners, Tim Wang, enjoys “K-Pop Demon Hunters” with his 10-year-old son, Elijah. “He’s been such a fan that he has even dressed up as JINU for Halloween and now parts his hair in the middle. Haha!” Wang shared.
Filipino Delbert Lee said, “My family’s traditions are not just about watching feel-good content during the holidays. We specifically choose media that reinforces our Filipino heritage and/or prompts discussions about values, which is a practice we started over a decade ago to ensure our children stay connected to their roots.” Lee chooses films like “The Joy Club” or “Minari” to reinforce AAPI values.
Lawrence Loh in Canada said, “Over previous gatherings, we’ve watched the “Rush Hour” series…mostly because we figured comedy would bring folks together.” As the children are getting older, Loh thinks they will incorporate movies with more AAPI and Asian Canadian content, like “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” or “To All The Boys I Loved Before.”
Everyone’s interests are diverse. It could be just a favorite show that gives the right feels or everyone just thinks is hilarious (“Nacho Libre” is the “funniest movie of all time,” Wang told us). Central Asian Aziz Bekishov said that he and his loved ones “rely on comfort, family, culture, joy, warmth, tradition, memory, and connection during holiday viewing.” His watchlist for December will therefore include “Always Be My Maybe,” starring Ali Wong and Randall Park, “due to its light comedy plus strong AAPI representation.” On television, Bekishov might reminisce with the kind of Korean melodramas that he watched on snowy nights as a kid.
Most popular TV show: “Dash and Lily”
This series circles around holiday romance between two young people who communicate through a notebook they pass back and forth. Meera Watts, a yoga expert from Singapore, loves Midori Francis as Lily, and that the show has a diverse cast. According to Watts, with “Dash and Lily,” you are getting “eight episodes of lovely heartwarming holiday cheer, beautifully decorated New York City, and following the adventure” of the two teenagers. “It has all the feelings of home life of that holiday vibe while also showing a uniquely Asian American take on family expectations and belonging beyond older stereotypes.” Bekishov also recommends “Dash and Lily” due to its centering of an Asian character and its “endearing” story arc.
Sometimes, it’s a single scene or a single episode that stays with us.
“I remember a ‘Hey Arnold!’ episode hitting hard during Christmas when I was a kid,” said Northwest Asian Weekly reporter Nia Wong. The episode, called “Arnold’s Christmas,” tells of when Arnold plays Secret Santa to Mr. Hyunh. Arnold wants to make the holiday as special as possible for Hyunh; meanwhile someone else is trying to find the perfect present for Arnold—a relatable scenario for all of us. Along the same lines of seeing stories or characters that resonate for AAPIs on screen, an Instagram follower told the Northwest Asian Weekly about the “Fresh Off the Boat” episode titled, “The Real Santa.” In this holiday-themed episode, the mom, played by Constant Wu, tries to make Santa Claus more relatable for her son by giving Santa an Asian identity.
Jeffrey Zhou, from New York City, loves the scene from “A Christmas Story,” not an Asian movie, but in which the white family makes an impromptu visit to a Chinese restaurant for dinner.
“They are the only patrons and are greeted by the Chinese staff who sing them carols and humorously scare the mother by cutting off the head of a freshly prepared roast duck. Though their inclusion was brief and hardly significant in the larger plot, the Asian cast was deeply meaningful for me…It was one of my first times seeing Asians in a high-profile film.” Zhou also likes that this movie, which is set in the 1930s, suggests the presence of Asian Americans during that time starting their own businesses and “living the American Dream.”
Kai can be reached at newstips@nwasianweekly.com.
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