In the late 1930s, the Japanese army occupies Shanghai. Barber Lu Ping kills a Japanese officer by accident and then escapes from Shanghai to the residence of his master's brother, Song Fengnian. When he arrives at the small town, he falls in love with Song's daughter Jiayi at the first sight. However, Jiayi has had the engagement with an officer for a decent life in the wartime, even as concubine. After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, Lu is sentenced to death as a traitor because Song, his boss, has worked for the Japanese. When he closes his eyes and waits for the sound of shot, Jiayi rescues him. Arranged by her husband, Lu becomes an officer. However, he can never forget Jiayi and his barber life. After the end of the Civil War, Lu is sent to work on a farm in the northwest. There he learns that Jiayi doesn't leave with her husband and has been waiting for him at the small town where they meet for the first time. Lu decides to look for Jiayu.
"Warrior" is a Bruce Lee written and inspired story that follows a diverse cast of Chinese American characters and does a terrific job of setting the story in 1878 San Francisco - all without pulling their punches with the systemic racism, discrimination, and struggle for power that old and young immigrants that crossed the country at that time had to go through.
An aspect of She-Ra that I find refreshing is even though a large portion of the cast is on the LGBTQ+ Spectrum, being gay is never mentioned. While this might initially sound like a negative thing, in the show’s land of Etheria being on the gay spectrum is shown to be so common and normalized that straight isn’t the default. As much as there is to appreciate about narratives revolving around the obstacles that may come from being non-heteronormative, it’s nice to get immersed in a world where no one bats an eye at all to any sort of differing identity.
Weird has a name and it's, Weird Al. 'Weird: The Al Yankovic Story' makes you want to "Eat it" then "Beat it".
Joann Kohng’s Subject to IX tells the heartbreaking truth of the Title IX rules that colleges abide by.
Housefull 5 attempts something bold with two endings — but does the gamble pay off? Read this spoiler-filled review for a breakdown of both versions, standout moments, and why it might be the franchise’s most forgettable entry yet.
If you haven’t watched Good Trouble yet, you need to. This Foster’s spinoff, aptly named for civil rights champion and Congressman, John Lewis, follows Mariana and Callie Adams Foster as they begin a new chapter of young adulthood and navigate life, careers, social justice, and love.
