Weekend of movies

This weekend I went to the Wisconsin Film Festival where I watched four different "films." I put "films" in quotes because one of the films, "Asian American Screen Test," comprised of short films. It's amazing how similar one Asian American's experience can be to that of others. It's an indescribable feeling knowing you're not the only one thinking these thoughts. Misery loves company I suppose.

One of the shorts I liked, "My German Boyfriend," was told from the point of view of a gay Chinese Canadian who invented these fantasies about having the perfect German boyfriend. Then he travels to Germany and goes on dates with a few different guys. It turns out that the German men not only failed to fulfill his fantasies, but each had their fantasies of the perfect Asian boyfriend. Comedy, drama & romance ensues.

Another film, "3 Meals," depicted a Singaporean single woman who goes on dates with an Asian guy and then a white guy. Of course both characters were caricatures in their own ways. On one date, the Asian guy talked about himself the whole time, ate his food very loudly, bragged nonstop about how much money he made and how much more he was going to make. On the other date, the white guy tentatively poked at the meal the girl cooked for him, asked what it was, picked up a piece of fish with his chopsticks and barely ate a fiber of it as if fearing it would kill him. They end up ordering pizza. I honestly can say I've been on nearly identical dates with both of these characters.

The other films, in the "Asian American Screen Test" and in the film festival, were great overall. I often wonder why quality films that become labeled "independent films" never get the publicity they so deserve, while these big-budget low-quality films get all the hype. I suppose as long as good movies continue to be made, I'll be good to go.