Summer Movie Asian-spotting
May 18
Moon Bloodgood helps Christian Bale's John Connor fight the cyborgs in Terminator Salvation [1].
Mizuo Peck and Mindy Kaling in Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian [2]. Native Americans may have a bone to pick the casting of hapa Peck: she plays historical figure Sacajawea.
May 29
Reggie Lee and Dileep Rao in Drag Me To Hell [3], director Sam Raimi's return to the horror genre.
Yojiro Takita's Oscar-winning film Departures [4] opens in limited release.
Jordan Nagai (voice) in Pixar's Up [5]. Nagai voices Russell, an Asian American Junior Wilderness explorer with some extra baby fat, who accompanies elderly Carl on a balloon trip to South America. I think this movie might make a buck or two.
June 5
Ken Jeong in a "what happens in Vegas must be horrifically catastrophic" comedy The Hangover [6].
June 19
Aasif Mandvi in the Sandra Bullock/Ryan Reynolds romantic comedy The Proposal [7].
July 31
Ken Jeong in Judd Apatow's (more) mature comedy Funny People [7].
August 7
Byung-hun Lee as Storm Shadow (Tropic Thunder's kiddie druglord Brandon Soo Hoo plays the character's younger version) in the big-screen adaptation of G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra [8].
August 14
Animation master Hayao Miyazaki's Ponyo [9] opens in limited release.
Director Ang Lee goes from Chinese espionage in Lust, Caution to smelly, free-lovin' hippies in Taking Woodstock [10].
Charlyne Li [11] in documentary/romantic comedy Paper Heart [12].
Vanessa Hudgens, Tim Jo, and Lisa Chung in teen rock flick Bandslam [13].
Ken Jeong (damn, this man seems to be working a lot) in the comedy The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard [14].
August 21
Hong Kong cinema legend Maggie Cheung in Quentin Tarantino's Nazi revenge flick Inglourious Basterds [15].
Not a total coup obviously, but looking a bit promising. Please let me know of any glaring omissions; every role counts. Happy movie-watching!