Hi! For my 10 year anniversary of So's Reel Thoughts, I've integrated the blog with my film website, to bring you a more cohesive experience over at
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Here we go with Season 3, Episode 4, "eps3.3_m3tadatapar2". We left off last episode (see recap) with a complete recap of where Tyrell Wellick has been since the Five/Nine hack. In this episode, we continue right from where Episode 2 left off when Elliot discovers Darlene's safe house. Plans are shifting and "Red Wheelbarrow" is happening very soon. We can already sense the impending doom but can Elliot save everyone including himself? Meanwhile, Darlene is coping with the fact that she may very well lose the most important person in her life, which is Elliot. Next week's episode is going to be a big one, I can feel it!
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Here we go with Season 3, Episode 3, "eps3.2_legacy.so". We left off last episode (see recap) with Elliot going back to E-Corp and Darlene making a rough decision that may ruin everything. In this episode, we wholly focus on Tyrell Wellick, backtracking all the back to the night of the Five/Nine hack. Considering that Tyrell was gone all of season 2, it shows where he's been hiding and what he's been up to till present day. We also get to learn a little bit more about Irving but that also doesn't mean much because Irving is and always has been at this point, a mysterious and shady man. I love seeing how much Tyrell loves Elliot and I'm all for the Tyrelliot love!
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Year: 2017
Director: Edgar Wright
Writer: Edgar Wright
Cinematography: Bill Pope
Cast: Ansel Elgort, Jon Hamm, Eiza Gonzalez, Jamie Foxx, Kevin Spacey, Lily James,
Country of Origin: USA
Rating: R
Time: 112 mins.
Fasten your seat belt because you're in for a wild ride! Needless to say but Edgar Wright's Baby Driver is one of the hottest films to come out this summer. With it's jam-packed score, uber hot cast, and breathtaking action sequences, this is the kind of adrenaline rush you can't get enough of! After being coerced into working for a crime boss, a young getaway driver named Baby, finds himself taking part in a heist that is doomed to fail.
Here we go with Season 3, Episode 2, "eps3.1_undo.g". We left off last episode (see recap) with Darlene being paranoid about the FBI and Elliot asking Angela to get him a job at Evil Corp. In this episode, Elliot goes back to his 9-5 grind at Evil Corp and figures out a solution on how to them rebuild their data and avoid Stage 2. He's doing fairly well but still his loneliness is unbearable and goes back to therapy with Krista. Meanwhile, Darlene makes a tough decision that may ruin everything for Elliot & FSociety. And to my surprise, there is shocking turn of events for Joanna Wellick. All the plans are set in motion, now we wait for it to all crash and burn. We'll see what happens next week!
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If you didn't know already, I'm a huge Mr. Robot fan! I can't believe I'm finally going to do an episode breakdown like I've been saying since day one but better late than never! Season 3 just premiered and it's better than ever. The whole gang is back and Elliot is as deranged and loveable as ever! Season 3, episode 1, "eps3.0_power-saver-mode.h", picks up right from where they left off at in Season 2. In this episode, Elliot realizes his mission and needs help from Angela. Meanwhile, Darlene worries about getting caught by the FBI. The stakes are higher than ever and there are many enemies from the outside and within so hopefully Elliot can get his shit together this season and fight the good fight cause it's gonna be a tough one.
I designated September as my catch-up month considering it's been one hectic summer! I recently shot my most lucrative short film, earlier this September called In Bloom. And because most of the month was dedicated to that shoot, I wanted to lay back and catch-up on some films and tv series I've been FOMOing on like Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 2, the original 1990's It, Issa Rae's Insecure & Donald Glover's Atlanta.
I'm slowly realizing that my go-to activity for decompressing is binge-watching a tv series. There are so many incredible series out there that I've yet to watch but I'm so glad I finally got to see the two most buzzed about & award-winning shows, Insecure and Atlanta. Both deserve all the praise and views and I will for sure to tuning in season after season! What are your September favorites?
I'm slowly realizing that my go-to activity for decompressing is binge-watching a tv series. There are so many incredible series out there that I've yet to watch but I'm so glad I finally got to see the two most buzzed about & award-winning shows, Insecure and Atlanta. Both deserve all the praise and views and I will for sure to tuning in season after season! What are your September favorites?
I didn't realized how much I loved Jackie Chan till I saw The Foreigner trailer. And considering that I'm seeing him in REAL LIFE at Beyond Fest, I couldn't resist doing a trailer reaction for his new film! Based on the 1992 novel, The Chinaman by Stephen Leather, the film follows Quan Ngoc Minh, a business with a buried past who seeks justice when his daughter is killed in an act of terrorism. A cat-and-mouse conflict ensues with a government official (Pierce Brosnan), whose past may hold clues to the killers' identities.
I don't think Jackie has released a film in the United States since The Karate Kid starring Jaden Smith so naturally, I'm incredibly elated to see him in another film. While we know Jackie as the goofball action star, The Foreigner shows a darker and serious side to him and I'm loving it already! And I am not going to lie, I almost cried watching this trailer because Jackie reminds me so much of my own father. I can't wait to watch serious Jackie in action!
I don't think Jackie has released a film in the United States since The Karate Kid starring Jaden Smith so naturally, I'm incredibly elated to see him in another film. While we know Jackie as the goofball action star, The Foreigner shows a darker and serious side to him and I'm loving it already! And I am not going to lie, I almost cried watching this trailer because Jackie reminds me so much of my own father. I can't wait to watch serious Jackie in action!
Every year, I like to create at least one short film just for my own sanity. So, Kristine Gerolaga and I went out to my favorite place in the city AKA Koreatown (of course), to shoot a little something something. You may have noticed that Kristine was my actress from my short last year, Blue Paradise (See here) for the YOMYOMF + Justin Lin short film competition. She also directed her own short for that called Hit or Miss and it's one of my favorite shorts (See here). While we were shooting this, we realized that this story could be a continuation of Blue Paradise.
Blue Nights follows an an aspiring actress who leaves her mom a heartfelt voicemail during one somber night in Koreatown. I wanted to show the realities of being a struggling artist living in Los Angeles. As second generation Asian-Americans, many of us still feel obligated to comply to our parent's wishes and this film was a way to show how sometimes we have to sugarcoat our lives to them in order to keep pursuing our dreams, no matter how lonely that journey may be. I hope you enjoy.
I've been MIA all of summer (See Life Update Video) so I thought I share a cumulative favorites video of the summer! Despite being gone, I've watched many films and binged on various tv shows which you can all see in my newly made Letterboxd! I tried a free month of Film Struck and I absolutely loved it! I got to watch so many classic films that I've been meaning to watch like Lady Snowblood, Thelma and Louise, and so much more! I also went to many film events like LA Film Festival, Okja screening with Bong Joon-ho & Tarantino, and even Harry Potter @ Hollywood Bowl! & of course, tons of action films with incredible badass femmes kicking ass in Atomic Blonde and The Villainess! It indeed was a busy summer! What were your Summer Film Favorites?
My gal pals have never seen Billy Wilder's Some Like It Hot so we went to go watch it at the infamous Cinespia! Some Like It Hot must be Wilder's most popular and beloved film. It was certainly my first film of his and it's undeniably one of the most funny and witty films I've ever seen. We ate our favorite snacks, snuggled up with some blankets, and laughed for days! That last line in the film is one that will forever be engrained in my memory for life. It's a classic!
I've been MIA for most of the summer for various reasons: I moved, had several jobs, and I'm working on my new short film, In Bloom. It's been a hectic summer indeed. In this video, I do a recap of what I've been up to and how you can stay connected with me!
Earlier this month, I got to catch a screening of one of my favorite Harry Potter films, Prisoner of Azkaban at the Hollywood Bowl with a live-score by the LA Philharmonic. It was one of the greatest experiences ever especially knowing that I was watching the beloved film with so many fans. I never appreciated PoA till years later and after many viewings. The concept of turning time always felt cheap but I now see that it was vital to the story at hand. Alfonso Cuaron who directed PoA has created one of the most memorable, iconic, and pivotal film of the entire HP series. If you have a chance to have this experience with your favorite film of choice, I definitely say jump on it quick!
Year: 2017
Director: Matt Spicer
Writer: David Branson Smith & Matt Spicer
Cinematography: Philippe Le Sourd
Cast: Aubrey Plaza, Elizabeth Olsen, O'Shea Jackson Jr.
Country of Origin: USA
Rating: R
Time: 97 mins.
I went to LA Film Festival this year and one of the best film I saw there was Ingrid Goes West (See vlog). It was their closing night film and I had no idea what to expect and boy, it hit me like a ton of bricks. The film follows Ingrid, who after the death of her mother and a series of self-inflicted setbacks, moves to Los Angeles to try to befriend an Instagram star, Taylor Sloane. Undeniably, this is one of the most accurate depictions of social media since EVER!
As someone who is just as obsessed with social media as anyone else living in this digital age, I felt personally attacked by the film. It was so accurate in it's portrayal of the LA socialite and our social media habits that this supposedly "satirical" film was jarring. Aubrey Plaza has never been better as the mentally ill fan girl who just wants to have friends and O'Shea Jackson Jr. as the most grounded and hilarious character in the film. Ingrid Goes West's screenplay is painstakingly humorous while the direction is razor-sharp, making this film, easily one of the best films of the year.
Despite living in Los Angeles my whole life, I've never been to Quentin Tarantino's New Beverly Cinema till now. And what a great way to kick it off but with a screening of Okja with a Q&A with Tarantino himself and Bong Joon-ho! I had such a grand time finally attending the theatre and watching the film. I also did a mini review of the film at the end of the video and least to say, I enjoyed the film! Especially Jake Gyllenhaal's wacky character! I'm so excited to attend more screenings at the New Bev and I hope to see you all there!
Year: 2017
Director: Bobby Kim, Scott Weintrob
Cast: A$AP Rocky, Russell Simmons, Tommy Hilfiger,
Country of Origin: USA
Rating: NR
Time: 80 mins.
I recently went to the LA Film Festival (See vlog) and saw the streetwear documentary, Built to Fail. Built to Fail is a documentary by The Hundred's co-founder, Bobby Hundreds, as he takes a journey to define and document one of the most elusive fashion phenomena of our times, Streetwear. With interviews by Russell Simmons, A$AP Rocky, Benny Gold, and so many more, we get an insider's look at the history of streetwear and it's current state right now. This film is a primer for any streetwear obsessed teen or enthusiast, who wants to start their own brand. It's no easy ride and the film goes through the perils and tribulations of what the business has to offer and how it's evolving.
Like I said before, I would've never known about The Hundreds if it wasn't for my ex-boyfriend's obsessive passion for the streetwear culture. And I know I'm better for it because as a proud Los Angelenos, LA wouldn't be LA without its streetwear culture.
I went to the LA Film Festival this past week and had a blast! First up, I went to the Whitewashing: Asian American panel with the most stacked guest from Kelly Hu (Scorpion King) to Kelvin Yu (Bob's Burger's) to Leonardo Nam (Westworld)! Then saw Lena Waithe of Master of None, drop some knowledge on how she writes such brilliant work aka be honest. And attended the world premiere screenings of Streetwear documentary, Built to Fail, Bruce Thierry Cheung's Don't Come Back from the Moon starring James Franco, and of course, the mind-blowing social media commentary film, Ingrid Goes West starring Aubrey Plaza! Even though I didn't catch as many films as I normally would've, every film and panel I attended to was the most insightful and enthralling! I can't wait to come back next year!
Year: 2017
Director: Sofia Coppola
Writer: Sofia Coppola
Cinematography: Philippe Le Sourd
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst, Colin Farrell, Elle Fanning, Oona Laurence, Angourie Rice, Addison Riecke
Country of Origin: USA
Rating: R
Time: 93 mins.
I never thought I would see the day when Sofia Coppola would direct a thriller but here we are with The Beguiled! This southern gothic story is set during the Civil War at a southern girl's boarding school. When one of the girls find a wounded soldier (Colin Farrell), they take him in and sexual tension starts brewing. Sofia Coppola crafts a razor sharp thriller that explores gender dynamics through the female gaze. The film is filled with atmospheric tension from start to finish especially with the music provided by Laura Karpman and Phoenix. The stunning cinematography by Philippe Le Sourd will leave you breathless and wanting more!
The Beguiled is a remake of the 1971 film starring Clint Eastwood and based on the novel by Thomas P. Cullinan. Sofia has been getting a lot of heat for removing a Black slave that was in the original film to focus on the gender dynamics instead of the race relations. But I don't see why it wouldn't have worked if it did so well in the original film but that's Sofia Coppola for you. Regardless of everything, I quite enjoyed it and I'm sure it will get some Oscar nominations! After all, she did win the Best Director award at Cannes this year!
What would LA be without its streetwear culture? Built to Fail is a documentary by The Hundred's co-founder, Bobby Hundreds, as he takes a journey to define and document one of the most elusive fashion phenomena of our times, Streetwear. With interviews by Russell Simmons, A$AP Rocky, Benny Gold, and so many more, we get an insider's look at the history of streetwear and it's current state right now.
Truth be told, I would've never known about The Hundreds if it wasn't for my ex-boyfriend's obsessive passion for the streetwear culture. And I'm better for it because it's a culture that is so engrained in Los Angeles, a place I'm proud to call my home. I can't to see the film at its premiere at LA Film Fest this weekend! See ya all there!
