Asian Americans (2020)

Happy Asian Pacific American Heritage Month! To celebrate, PBS released a five-part docuseries chronicling the story of Asians in America, from the California Gold Rush and the transcontinental railroad to today. It is both informative and emotional. It does an extraordinary job at covering a variety of stories. Asian American is an incredibly broad term comprising people as diverse as South Asians, East Asians and Southeast Asians and the documentary gives each group some screen time. The series zooms in and zooms out effectively, picking individuals to highlight the essential role of Asian Americans in building the fabric of America. Three Asian names in early Supreme Court jurisprudence help define America: Wong Kim Ark, Yik Wo and Bhagat Singh Thind. Hawaii sends a majority Asian American delegation to Washington. Filipino Americans in the California fruit fields go on strike. Students fight for ethnic studies. The Rodney King riots are a definitive experience in creating a Korean American identity. For over a hundred and fifty years, Asian Americans have contributed to American life. This wondrous docuseries should be required viewing for all Americans.

The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (2013)

Isao Takahata spent many years on this film, allegedly his final film, and it paid off.  Takahata is a master at his craft, proving Studio Ghibli to truly be one of the most prolific studios for bringing the world the works of two legends.  Adapted from an ancient Japanese folktale, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya is a majestic triumph. The artwork is truly stunning.  In an age when most all of the animated films produced are computer animated in the same style, it is refreshing and comforting to see hand-drawn lines, soft edges, and beautiful watercolors.  The scenes with a lot of movement are particularly stunning but the stills allow the viewer to admire the exquisite artwork.  I have never seen a movie that looked quite like this and it is brilliant.