NOC Review: Strap in for a Smart, Sweet, and Hilarious ‘Joy Ride’

July 3, 2023July 3, 2023 Mike Manalo

Name me a single raunchy R-rated comedy prior to 2022, starring Asian leads. Okay, you probably said the Harold and Kumar trilogy. But what about Asian women? That becomes a bit more challenging. It’s hard to find many Apatow-level comedies outside of Bridesmaids and Girls Trip even led by female ensembles or directed by female filmmakers, let alone a predominantly Asian one. But we now finally have one in Joy Ride.

Interview, Movies

‘Joy Ride’ Cast and Crew on Being Unapologetically Funny and Changing the Narrative

June 26, 2023June 27, 2023 Michael Lee

Joy Ride is just as much a celebration of friendship as it is of finding your identity and family. And all of that is seen through the Asian lens. So while there may be cultural specificities, there’s a universal story that should resonate with audiences abroad.

Comics, Movies

Adrian Tomine’s Classic Graphic Novel is Brought to Life in ‘Shortcomings’ Trailer

June 14, 2023June 15, 2023 Keith Chow

During the early aughts, indie comics were the only place to find Asian American stories by Asian American cartoonists. One of the biggest books to come out in that period was Shortcomings by Adrian Tomine. Now, a decade and a half later, that indie comic has been turned into an indie movie at Sony Pictures Classics in Randall Park’s directorial debut.

Star Wars, Streaming

New TV Spot for ‘Ahsoka’ Reveals Release Date

June 7, 2023June 8, 2023 Mike Manalo

It’s Dave Filoni’s birthday! And to celebrate, Lucasfilm has released a brand new trailer for Ahsoka. But that’s not all, you’ll find the trailer comes with a bonus surprise — the reveal of the show’s official release date!

Animation, Interview, Television

Chloe Bennet Talks the Importance of ‘Rally Road Racers’ and Working on ‘Dave’

June 2, 2023June 8, 2023 Sophia Soto

Chloe Bennet can be heard lending her voice in Rally Road Racers as well as be seen portraying Robyn in FX’s Dave, which you can stream on Hulu. I spoke with the actress about why she enjoys voice acting, the importance of choosing projects that promote diversity, what she hopes her character in Dave represents for women, and more.

Movies

‘Joy Ride’ Celebrates Individuality with Character Posters

May 31, 2023June 1, 2023 Laura Sirikul

It’s the last day of AAPI Heritage month, Lionsgate gifted audiences with special character posters from their new comedy, Joy Ride. The posters speak for themselves on each of their unique personalities. The four main characters consists of Audrey (Ashley Park), the responsible one; Lolo (Sherry Cola), the mouthy fun one; Kat (Stephanie Hsu), the almost-famous one; and, Deadeye (Sabrina Wu), the chaotic — and unexpected — one.

Music, Podcasts

Southern Fried Asian: Nat Myers

May 26, 2023 Southern Fried Asian

Southern Fried Asian returns for a special AAPI Heritage Month episode featuring Kentucky-based blues musician, Nat Myers! He and Keith discuss the events that inspired his forthcoming album, Yellow Peril and his connection to Aquaman himself, Jason Momoa.

Books, Comics, Movies, Television

For AANHPI Heritage Month, Here are 50 West Asians in Pop Culture You Should Know

May 25, 2023November 18, 2025 Swara Salih

May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, a cause for celebration of these many diverse communities. But far too often, many who champion this month have belied and ignored specific groups within this collective, often presenting a limited scope of who counts as “Asian” or “Asian American” in this collective consciousness.

Interview, Streaming

Anna Cathcart is Ready for the Spotlight in ‘X.O. Kitty’

May 24, 2023May 24, 2023 Laura Sirikul

Anna Cathcart didn’t expect her character Kitty in Netflix’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before to explode the way it did. She had played the charismatic matchmaker for three films and it looks like Netflix couldn’t get enough of Kitty. Now Cathcart returns as the title character on her own series, X.O. Kitty.

Animation, Television

‘The Ghost and Molly McGee’ Exclusive Clip: “Molly Culture Cram”

May 19, 2023May 19, 2023 Laura Sirikul

There is a lot to be said about a show that is entertaining but also packs a punch when it comes to relatability. Disney Channel’s The Ghost and Molly McGee (and Disney’s Amphibia) has always been the show for me, growing up in a Thai American household.

Animation, Reviews, Streaming

Gateway Horror Gets Animated in ‘Gremlins: Secret of the Mogwai’

May 19, 2023May 29, 2023 Michael Lee

The original Gremlins films are one of the best gateways to horror. While the titular creatures are terrifying to watch as they terrorize the screen, it’s all balanced out by its cute, cuddly, and courageous hero Gizmo. And it was that mix of adorable kid-friendly humor with the gruesome murders that reminded us of what made it such a cult classic.

Interview, Music1 Comment

Super Smack is Shamelessly Asian American in “Orange Chicken!”

May 17, 2023May 19, 2023 Bray Lawrence

It was a pleasant surprise to see an email invite from Super Smack inviting me to the listening party for his next single. It had been a few weeks since I had last seen him but I heard his voice everywhere. “Cute!” and “Grind!” started to show up in rotation through my TikTok For You Page and several of my personal friends would remark hearing the songs in their feeds as well. It was no denying his songs were picking up traction, but what exactly was resonating with the listeners? I finally had the perfect opportunity to find out.

Animation, Interview, Streaming1 Comment

‘Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai’ Cast and Creator Talk Representation

May 16, 2023May 29, 2023 Michael Lee

Max’s Gremlins: Secret of the Mogwai invites audiences old and new to discover the origins of Gizmo and the rules to take care of them properly. While the original film took place during Christmastime in the ’80s, showrunner Tze Chun’s animated period piece serves as a prequel to the family-friendly cult classic that brought us plenty of laughs and frights.

Interview, Movies

Priya Kansara and Ritu Arya on Leading Nida Manzoor’s ‘Polite Society’

April 27, 2023April 27, 2023 Swara Salih

In anticipation of Nida Manzoor’s thrilling masterpiece Polite Society premiering in theaters, we spoke with stars of the film Priya Kansara and Ritu Arya on taking the lead roles of the Khan sisters.

DC Comics, Interview, Television

Aliza Vellani on the Impact of ‘Sweet Tooth’

April 25, 2023April 26, 2023 Swara Salih

We interview Aliza Vellani on her role as Rani Singh in Netflix and Warner Bros.’ Sweet Tooth, based on the graphic novel series from DC Comics’ Vertigo imprint, returning for Season 2 on April 27!

Movies, Television

Gold House to Honor Sandra Oh, Ke Huy Quan, Iman Vellani, and More at Annual Gala

April 19, 2023April 20, 2023 Laura Sirikul

Academy Award winner Ke Huy Quan and Emmy-nominated actress Sandra Oh will be honored at the second annual Gold House Gala in May.

Movies, News

Visual Communications Celebrates 39th Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival

April 11, 2023April 20, 2023 Laura Sirikul

The 39th year of the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival is upon us! The annual showcase for Asian diaspora, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, and international Asians in cinema returns just in time for Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month in May.

Books, Hard N.O.C. Life1 Comment

Hard NOC Life 307: ‘Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant’

April 10, 2023March 25, 2023 Hard NOC Media

On another special episode of Hard NOC Life, Keith sits down with documentary filmmaker and co-founder of the Asian American Writer’s Workship, Curtis Chin, to discuss his new memoir, Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant, which will be available in bookstores everywhere this October.

Star Wars, Television2 Comments

UPDATE: New Details, Poster, and Trailer for ‘Ahsoka’ are Revealed

April 7, 2023May 5, 2023 Mike Manalo

It’s Star Wars Celebration weekend! And today brought a flood of surprises. News of new films on the horizon! And the reveal of a new poster and trailer for Ahsoka!

Streaming, Television

‘Beef’ Star Joseph Lee Finds Humanity in Being Collateral Damage

April 5, 2023April 5, 2023 Laura Sirikul

What happens when you are the casualty of two opposing forces who threaten your way of life? How does that affect a person — being the collateral damage? For Beef actor Joseph Lee, who plays George, a man whose wife Amy‘s (Ali Wong) battle with the stranger she had a road rage incident with, he thinks about his own experiences dealing with people and setting boundaries.

Interview, Streaming, Television

Netflix’s ‘Beef’ Thriller Vibes Came as a Surprise for the Cast

April 4, 2023April 5, 2023 Laura Sirikul

It was a road rage incident in real life that inspired showrunner Lee Sung Jin to write the dark comedy, Beef. As he was driving on the 10 Freeway in Los Angeles, Lee was cut off by a white SUV — very similar to the car that Ali Wong’s character drives in the series.

Animation, Streaming

Netflix’s ‘Jentry Chau vs. the Underworld’ Animated Series to Star Ali Wong

March 29, 2023March 29, 2023 Keith Chow

Netflix has just announced the all-star cast — led by executive producer Ali Wong — for its upcoming supernatural animated series from first time show runner Echo Wu, Jentry Chau vs. the Underworld!

Movies, Television2 Comments

RADIANCE Gala Celebrates API Women and Non-Binary Luminaries in Entertainment

March 17, 2023March 22, 2023 Laura Sirikul

CAPE (Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment), the organization leading the charge for API in entertainment, has announced their inaugural event RADIANCE, celebrating the achievements of API Women and Non-Binary luminaries in entertainment. The event will be held on Tuesday, March 21 at The Ebell in Los Angeles.