I was going up the escalator when I saw that in Hollywood Road Video Store, “Better Luck Tomorrow” was in the window. I jumped off, ran in, and bought it.
I always planned to buy it even though I watched it on the Internet as I have to support this film on many levels.
1) Jason Tobin, who is a fine fine actor, is in it. He grew up in Hong Kong, and a friend of mine. What’s more amazing is each time I see him on film, I believe in his ability more and more.
2) This is the testing ground for whether there is an Asian American Film Market.
3) Justin (director) and all the actors and crew starved while making this film because they believed in it.
4) You gotta support an Indie film that went to Sundance, blew the audience away, caused mucho controversy when Roger Egbert (this big big film critic in the US) stood on a chair to defend the director and the film when some person asked “Don’t you think you should make films that represent your people better.”
Went on and won the Selection. Got bought up by MTV Films. It’s totally impressive. It’s the Indie film maker dream.
5) It’s a damn good first film. It doesn’t have any Asian-American Sap, stuff that can make even a sentimental fool like me, cringe out of embarrassment.
Yan Sham-Shackleton Online 