Latest news with #TheWeddingBanquet
San Francisco Chronicle
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
6 remakes that were as good as — or better than — the original
Greetings Mick: I recently saw ' The Wedding Banquet,' directed by Andrew Ahn, a remake of the original movie directed by Ang Lee. I thought it to be excellent. Can you recall other remakes of excellent movies that were good? David Swanson, San Francisco Greetings David: Steven Spielberg's 2021 ' West Side Story ' is just as great as the original 'West Side Story' (1961), just different. The best thing about the old one is that Rita Moreno is amazing in it. The best thing about the new one is that Rita Moreno is amazing in it. Other great remakes that somehow get by without Rita Moreno are ' A Star is Born ' (2018), with Lady Gaga, which is way better than both previous versions; ' Scarface ' (1983), with Al Pacino, which is better than the 1932 original; 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers' (1978), which is at least as good as the 1956 film; and Spielberg's 'War of the Worlds' (2005), which is as good as 'The War of the Worlds' (1953). Finally, 1941's 'The Maltese Falcon' was the second remake of the original 1931 'The Maltese Falcon,' starring Ricardo Cortez. I prefer some things about the original, but the 1941 version has the edge. Dear Mick: Let's talk talent versus technique. I say only two aspects of creative work are inborn and not teachable: basic intelligence and responsiveness in one of the senses (sight, sound, touch, taste, body movement). The rest can be taught by a great teacher to a highly motivated, diligent student of the art. What do you say? Dennis Briskin, Palo Alto Dear Mick: It depends what you mean by 'taught.' When I was 12, I was taught how to play the violin, but I was never good at it. You might say, 'Well, that's because you weren't highly motivated.' To which I'd say, 'If I really had a gift, it would have motivated me.' People are like self-programming computers that gravitate in the direction of their innate capacity. It also depends on what you mean by 'basic intelligence.' If you just mean someone with a decent I.Q., then no, I don't think you can teach any average smart person to be a great writer or a great actor, even if they're motivated. On the other hand, if we refine our definition of intelligence and start talking about an actor's intuition or a writer's perception, then we've basically just come up with another name for 'talent,' which is mysterious and random. I'd go this far. You can probably teach almost anybody to be OK at something, if you both work at it. And if you're lucky, you can teach them how to be good. But you can't teach anybody to be Meryl Streep, unless, by some miracle, they happen to be Meryl Streep. Dear Mick LaSalle: Your analysis of cats versus dogs misses the point. Cats have only themselves to blame for their sometimes negative image. Dogs are open to all, like stereotypical Democrats, who wag their tails at labor, environmentalists, feminists, et al. The cat approach is like Republicans: 'We have money, and will pay attention to you on our terms.' Your thoughts? Nick Rizza, Berkeley Dear Nick Rizza: My late cat, Sandrine, was not excessively partisan and, being gray, tried never to see issues in terms of black or white. She preferred the gray areas. If memory serves, I believe she supported Hillary during the 2008 primaries, but eventually warmed to Obama. And though she got along well with a very nice orange cat that we had when she was young, she was quite firm at drawing the line at orange people. In fact, just the sight of a spray tan would make her get a crazed look on her face. She might have leaned Democrat. Have a question? Ask Mick LaSalle at mlasalle@ Include your name and city for publication, and a phone number for verification. Letters may be edited for clarity and length.
Vogue Singapore
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Vogue Singapore
Something borrowed, something new: The Wedding Banquet injects new life into a queer classic
Two couples, one green-card marriage, and a whole lot of heart—The Wedding Banquet proves that there is no fixed roadmap to love. A remake of Ang Lee's groundbreaking 1993 film of the same name, The Wedding Banquet kicked off The Projector's annual pride month event Pink Screen , Singapore's largest LGBTQIA+ film festival . When Winston Chao (in his film debut, no less) appeared as the gay Taiwanese immigrant Wai-Tung on screen over three decades ago, heads turned. At that time, gay marriage had yet to be legalised in the United States. An interracial queer relationship between a white man and a Taiwanese immigrant on the big screen was even less fathomable. In the film, Wai-Tung and his partner Simon engage in a never-ending charade, marrying a Chinese woman in need of a green card to placate Wai-Tung's exigent and conservative parents. As the story progressed, there was no denying that Lee's vision was much ahead of its time. The film was an immediate success and has since become a classic in queer cinema. It was perhaps even one of the first showcases of a throuple in Asian cinema, long before throuples became a thing. But the original film was also a product of its time. Surely, there could have been no other way for a gay couple to start a family than by accidentally impregnating a girl during an antiquated bedding ceremony, right? 32 years since the original film's release, the realities of being queer have changed drastically, as Andrew Ahn's remake artfully reflects. From rejecting heteronormative standards to exploring the raw challenges of starting a queer family, the 2025 rendition injects modern elements into a classic tale, shedding light on issues pertinent within the queer community now more than ever. Lily Gladstone, Bowen Yang, Kelly Marie Tran and Han Gi-chan in The Wedding Banquet . Courtesy of Universal Pictures A star-studded cast featuring Oscar-nominated Lily Gladstone, SNL star Bowen Yang, Kelly Marie Tran and Han Gi-chan, alongside the legendary Joan Chen and Youn Yuh-jung, this impressive ensemble lies at the heart of Ahn's film. Angela (Tran) and her partner Lee (Gladstone) want to start a family but cannot afford another around of IVF treatments, while Min (Han) and Chris (Yang)—close friends who happen to be living in their garage—have a dilemma of their own: Min's student visa is due to expire. When commitment-phobic Chris rejects Min's proposal, the latter turns to Angela as the solution to both their problems—a green card marriage in exchange for money to fund Lee's IVF. A preposterous deal reminiscent yet slightly more grounded than that of the original, the two couples find themselves in an intricate web of lies as Min's skeptical grandmother Ja-Young (Youn) arrives for a surprise visit. It is rare that a rom-com is equal parts rom and com, but The Wedding Banquet strikes the delicate balance well, offsetting heartfelt moments with witty dialogue and brilliant comedic timing. It is reflective of life—where emotional moments and light-hearted ones go hand-in-hand. Youn Yuh-jung plays Min's grandmother Ja-Young in The Wedding Banquet . Courtesy of Universal Pictures As we accompany the younger generation through their various hijinks, the standout performance without a doubt comes from Academy Award-winning Youn Yuh-jung—a scene-stealer to say the least. Throughout the film, we watch the quietly observant Ja-Young slowly reconcile her preconceptions with her love for her grandson, grounding her performance in a subtle yet poignant manner. Her one look speaks volumes: as she watches her grandson stitch together what we later realise is a hanbok for her to wear at his wedding ceremony, a glint reflects in her gaze as she embarks on a journey towards acceptance. On the other side of the spectrum lies Angela's mother, May, portrayed by the iconic Joan Chen. While her peers struggle with a fear of explicit rejection, Angela's demons are more internalised. For one, having a mother who is a proud member of the local PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) organisation may be a distant dream for many. Yet the overt acceptance comes at a cost. When we later discover Angela's misgivings about parenthood largely stem from her strained relationship with her own mother, from whom she was estranged for years after she came out, the strings behind May's performative allyship begin to unravel. Lily Gladstone and Kelly Marie Tran in The Wedding Banquet . Courtesy of Universal Pictures In contemporary cinema, the true eventual goal is the dissolution of categories based on gender identity or sexual orientation. The audience watches the characters navigate their personal journeys and battle their inner demons—be it the fear of coming out, anxiety towards parenthood, or what the film aptly coins 'millennial indecision.' While the film weaves a deeply unique story, it also reflects a universal feeling—the desire for love, acceptance, and a sense of belonging. From one-liners that had the crowd cackling to heartfelt exchanges that brought tears to faces laughing only moments ago, The Wedding Banquet is expanding the canon of queer cinema. While the copious stories of disquieting queer experiences are indeed necessary, it's long overdue for a fun queer romp that carries as much heart as it does humour. The film is nary a cinematic masterpiece, but it doesn't tout itself to be one either. It promises only a fun time, a breath of fresh air to kick off a month of pride and celebration. The Wedding Banquet is now showing in theatres at The Projector. Book tickets here .
Straits Times
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Film picks: John Lui recommended the Italian Film Festival, The Wedding Banquet and Walking With Dinosaurs
23rd Italian Film Festival The 2025 slate of films marks the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Italy and Singapore, and covers the genres of fiction, documentary and animation. The Italian Film Festival is organised by the Embassy of Italy in Singapore in collaboration with The Projector and the Singapore Film Society. The historical drama Vermiglio (2024, NC16, 119 minutes, screens on June 15, 4.30pm) is set in 1944. With the war drawing to a close, a stranger appears in the mountain village of the film's title, located high in the Italian Alps. He is Pietro (Giuseppe De Domenico), a deserter from the south of the coun try. He and Lucia (Martina Scrinzi), the eldest daughter of a local teacher, fall in love. Their relationship will transform the lives of those around them as more of Pietro's past comes to light. Film-maker Maura Delpero drew on her family's history to shape the story by returning to her family home to interview aunts and other villagers. The film won the Grand Jury Prize of the Silver Lion at the 2024 Venice Film Festival, and was selected as Italy's entry to the Best International Feature Film section of the 2025 Academy Awards. Where: The Projector at Cineleisure Orchard, 8 Grange Road MRT: Somerset When: June 7 to 22, various times Admission: $16.50 standard, with concessions for students, seniors, Singapore Film Society members and others Info: The Wedding Banquet (R21) 103 minutes, limited screenings at The Projector at Cineleisure from May 30 (From left) Kelly Marie Tran, Lily Gladstone, Han Gi-chan and Bowen Yang in The Wedding Banquet. PHOTO: UNIVERSAL PICTURES This remake of Lee Ang's 1993 film of the same name kicks off The Projector's Pink Screen season of films with an LGBTQ+ theme. The story follows Angela (Kelly Marie Tran), who lives with her partner Lee (Lily Gladstone) in Seattle. They are trying for a baby through in-vitro fertilisation (IVF), but are running short of funds. Angela's best friend Chris (Bowen Yang) is worried that his partner Min (Han Gi-chan), a student from South Korea and the scion of a wealthy family, will be forced to leave once his visa expires. Angela's mother May (Joan Chen) is an ally, but Min's grandmother Ja-young (Youn Yuh-jung) is unlikely to support her grandson's relationship. A plan is born: Min and Angela will marry for the sake of his residency in the US. In return, Min will pay for Lee's IVF treatments. Chaos and comedy follow when Ja-young announces a visit. A review in The New Yorker magazine asks: 'In an era of wider LGBTQ+ acceptance, how do you fashion a romantic comedy predicated on the deceptions of the closet? Korean-American director and co-writer Andrew Ahn answers that question with the knowledge that acceptance brings pointed complications of its own. It's the warmth of Gladstone's presence that endows this remake with a whisper of something new.' The May 30 premiere is a fund-raiser for Proud Spaces, a community centre dedicated to building belonging for queer folks and allies in Singapore. Among the post-show events are fake weddings and a festival opening party at the No Spoilers lounge from 10.30pm to 12.30am. Walking With Dinosaurs A close-up of a Tyrannosaurus rex as it emerges from the forest in the BBC series Walking With Dinosaurs. PHOTO: BBC When the original series was released in 1999, its realistic computer-generated creatures caused a sensation. Narrated by actor and film-maker Kenneth Branagh, it spawned a new genre of documentary that used digital images to recreate animals from Earth's past. The six-part reboot from BBC Studios updates the science with more recent findings about the way the creatures lived, hunted, fought and died using state-of-the-art visual effects, with narration provided by Olivier and Tony award-winning actor Bertie Carvel. The series is available to stream on BBC Player. It will also be on the BBC Earth channel ( StarHub TV Channel 407 and Singtel TV Channel 203 ), Sundays at 8pm, from June 1. On July 5, from 5pm, families are invited to take along their picnic mats to the BBC Earth Screening Festival at Gardens by the Bay, with this series as the featured title. Entry is free at the event, held at the Supertree Grove. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
New Statesman
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New Statesman
The Wedding Banquet is a breath of fresh air
Photo by BFA / Luka Cyprian / Bleecker Street In Ang Lee's 1993 film The Wedding Banquet, the conflict centred around Wai-Tung, a closeted Taiwanese-American man, and his sham marriage to a woman. Fashioned as a screwball comedy but sharply, sensitively observed, it wrung laughter from the awkwardness of navigating cultural and inter-generational differences. With its elaborate central bacchanal and a running joke about Wai-Tung's live-in white boyfriend secretly cooking all the food, it was an international hit. But while its farcical elements remain timeless, today, its coming out narrative feels almost quaint. The legalisation of gay marriage, along with increased LGBT representation in pop culture, has created an opportunity to tell different, more complex queer stories. It's also an opportunity to make different jokes. In Korean-American director Andrew Ahn's deft remake, he doubles down on the original film's zany plot: in his Wedding Banquet, one half of a lesbian couple agrees to a straight marriage with the partner of her gay best friend. The film revolves around two long-term couples, Angela (Kelly Marie Tran) and Lee (Lily Gladstone), and their best friends Chris (Bowen Yang) and Min (Han Gi-Chan). Angela and Lee are struggling to have a baby following several unsuccessful rounds of expensive IVF. Min, a wealthy art student from Korea, needs to secure his visa or else move home and take over the family business. And Chris, a PhD student with commitment issues, won't marry him. 'I am not going to be responsible for you losing your money or being disowned by your family,' he insists. So Min suggests a workaround: he will pay for his friends' IVF in exchange for a green card marriage. But when his grandmother Ja-Young (Minari's Youn Yuh-jung) gets wind that he's engaged, she arrives in Seattle and insists on a big Korean wedding. Director Ahn and writer James Schamus (who co-wrote the original film) move the story from Nineties Manhattan to present day Seattle, updating the source material in various, amusing ways. The 1993 film took gentle jabs at yuppie culture, with an estate agent protagonist who spent all his free time at the gym. Ahn lovingly teases his own cohort; his hipster millennial ensemble include an aspiring artist with a 10-step skincare routine, a community organizer at a queer nonprofit, a literature student-turned-birdwatching guide, and my favourite, a researcher in a worm lab. The one-liners are all sharp elbows; 'Queer theory takes the joy out of being gay,' deadpans Chris of his lapsed PhD. Yet when it comes to the supporting characters, Ahn refuses to trade in stereotypes for the sake of a gag. Min's formidable, no-nonsense grandmother is portrayed as intelligent rather than simply 'wise' while Angela's glamorous, domineering mother May (a very funny and charming Joan Chen) is not only accepting of her daughter's queerness, but an ally, glowing and sparkling with pride. 'My own daughter, marrying a man!' she gasps when she hears her news. Angela, of course, finds her 'triggering.' Romantic comedies often focus on courtship rather than commitment, which is perhaps why films like this one, along with Tina Fey's recent TV remake of Alan Alda's The Four Seasons, feels like a breath of fresh air. The Four Seasons questions if romance and domesticity can coexist, through the prism of three middle-aged married couples. Similarly, in The Wedding Banquet, though the characters express interest in the rituals of marriage and becoming parents, there's an unwillingness to buy into those institutions wholesale. Tellingly, the film's big drunken set piece takes place at Angela's hen do, not the wedding. Mostly, the film is lighthearted and fun, which is why it wobbles a little when trying to find its balance. Ahn treats the theme of a chosen family with earnest, weary seriousness, but the grounded dramatic performances can jar with the zippier jokes. Gladstone (Killers of the Flower Moon) is a dab hand with both, but a sombre, too-realistic confrontation between her and Tran's Angela feels like it belongs in a different movie. Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month Subscribe 'The Wedding Banquet' is in cinemas now Related
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
New Movies on Streaming: ‘A Minecraft Movie,' ‘Snow White' + More
Did you miss some of this year's most-talked-about movies when they came out in theaters? Not to worry, they're arriving this week on VOD. Hits like A Minecraft Movie and Snow White are new to digital, along with dozens of other great titles. Another title we're excited for is The Wedding Banquet which is also available to stream this week. In the film, a remake of the 1993 Ang Lee movie, Han Gi-Chan stars as Min, a gay Korean man living in Seattle whose friend Angela (Kelly Marie Tran) agrees to marry him so he can get a green card after his boyfriend Chris (Bowen Yang) refuses to commit. The whole plot blows up when Min's grandmother – who doesn't know Min is gay and that the marriage is fake – arrives to throw a massive celebratory wedding banquet and the ruse is discovered, and everyone's secrets spill out into the open. These are just a few of the films that are available to watch on Amazon Prime Video, iTunes, YouTube, and through your cable service this week. Check out what movies are available to buy or rent on demand now. L-l-l-ava! Ch-ch-ch-chicken! The movie that your kids can't stop singing along with is now available for you all to watch and sing along with at home. (Whether you throw your snacks at the screen is up to you.) A Minecraft Movie, starring Jack Black, Jason Momoa, Jennifer Coolidge and Danielle Brooks, has made its way to VOD this week, and in case you've been living under a giant, block-shaped rock, you'd know that the movie is the first (but perhaps not the last) film adaptation of the best-selling video game. WHERE TO WATCH A MINECRAFT MOVIE Disney's live-action Snow White movie has been many years in the making and plagued by various controversies, and now, after a theatrical run, it's coming to digital. Rachel Zegler stars as an innocent young princess who becomes roommate to seven computer-generated men after her mean stepmother keeps trying to get her to engage in creepy beauty contest. Watch the movie, or for added entertainment just skim through the 125,000+ comments on the YouTube trailer. WHERE TO WATCH SNOW WHITE The Heiress and the Handyman Ileana's Smile A Minecraft Movie The Wedding Banquet Snow White Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy The Lost Princess Topakk Solitude The Featherweight The Severed Sun Hunting Grounds Desert Dawn The Rhythm The Uninvited Bound (2025) A Breed Apart V13 Burner Mulan Princess Warrior Off Season The Darkside of Society Silent Partners Meme Gods Southern Village What you see above is just a portion of the new movies and shows you can watch this month if you've got more than one streaming service subscription. We update our guides to the new releases on the most popular streaming platforms every month, so you can stay on top of the freshest titles to watch. Here are full lists, schedules, and reviews for everything streaming: New on Netflix this month New on Amazon Prime this month New on Hulu this month New on Disney+ this month New on Max this month New on Paramount+ this month New on Peacock this month New on Starz this month New on Acorn TV this month New on BritBox this month New on Tubi this month Liz Kocan is a pop culture writer living in Massachusetts. Her biggest claim to fame is the time she won on the game show Chain Reaction.
