Better Luck Tommorw was a great movie because is translated your Asian experience through a unique and interesting story which a lot of people could relate to. Now you could sell out and do Jackie Chan movies or you go broke and self finance but I would compromise by putting your story in a vehicle that attracts Hollywood (through their greed) as well as gives you a way to relate your experience and tell non-stereotypical asian stories.

One example is sports movies. Jeremy Lin is the first American born Asian to play in the NBA. He played basketball at Harvard and it now a hero at Golden State as there are many Asian American basketball fans in the Bay Area. It is an amzing story that is uniquely Asian and truly American, and I feel could make a great movie when you look at the factors. It is more of a Rudy than a Rocky but both of those movies were great, and well received by wide audiences.

If you can make it happen, and need a sterotypical Croatian-American for the next door neighbor, please let me know.

Good Luck!

Don’t they realize that every single benefit we have as americans was earned through struggle? If our predecessors had the “it’s a pointless fight” mentality, where would we be today? Half of us would get “shipped back” an the other half would be servants (since we no longer need anyone to build the transcontinental railroad). And NONE of us would get to go to university.

Look, women weren’t “given” the right to vote. A small # of women fought for the right…and the rest benefited from their efforts.

U keep up the good work and ignore the naysayers. I pity the naysayers…I pity them for their lack of self-respect. Asian-americans get no respect in hollywood because asian-americans act like they don’t deserve respect.

4th of july ppl. if our forefathers thought it was pointless to fight, we’d all still be under britain’s thumb.

My take on the word etymology: “retarded” = “major studio exec vision challenged”

Understandably, it will may take some time for the mainstream to appreciate his AA works – due to their unfamiliarity of the characters types and the likelihood they are not aware of their existence. However, for a movie to succeed, financially or otherwise, the audience merely needs to sympathize, understand or be entertained by the story. (or on occasion to be subjected to an overwhelming amount of marketing)

Perhaps the subtle approach (which is happening now) is the most effective. Integrate the AA roles into larger productions, sort of a like a Trojan horse, then expand on the complexity of the characters once you’re inside. The stereotypical AA roles are not necessarily a negative but a reflection of the what most people can currently relate to. Whether it be marital artists, restaurant cooks, massage girls or homosexuals – talented people such as Christopher Doyle, Wong Kar Wai, Ang Lee and Quentin Tarantino to name a few, have managed to transform the simplest of traditional subject matters into vivid and surreal images on film. Once you’ve opened the doors of familiarity then you can give the viewers a chance to explore the similarities all human beings share – regardless of race, color or culture.

With world financial disparity on the rise, films have the unique ability to portray the commonalities of Asians and Westerners; hopefully to influence things positively in the best interest of world peace, understanding and the betterment of mankind.

Anyhow, the true counterculture, non-conformist cinematic buff revels in the ideology of remaining a minority fan to an underdog genre. If Better Luck Tomorrow ticket sales would’ve reached those of Avatar, then you’re only social play would be to say… “I was watching obscure Justin Lin flicks before he got popular.”

Such is the irony of life. Savor the moment and respect of being one of the few brave souls to take the risk for the sake of your vision.

Oh… and BTW Justin. I need you to read my script please.