Steph Song Movies
Death brings a contentious family together (though that doesn't mean they get along) in this comedy-drama from director Anna Chi. When elderly Mrs. Xiao (Lisa Lu) dies in her sleep at home, her housekeeper and close friend Viola (Talia Shire) contacts her four adult children in hopes they'll come home to help with the funeral. Unfortunately, Mrs. Xiao didn't have many friends besides Viola, her children all have issues with her, and given her zeal to assimilate into American culture, the siblings are more than puzzled that she insisted upon a traditional Chinese funeral lasting a full seven days. Alexander (Russell Wong), a successful doctor, is still coming to terms with his overly strict mother and philandering father, and is unexpectedly reunited with his ex-wife (Kelly Hu), who he lost through his own infidelity. Elizabeth (Julia Nickson), a writer, also crosses paths with her former spouse (Adrian Hough) while she mourns both her mother and her young son. Victoria (Francoise Yip) has never been able to forgive her mom after she rejected her for marrying an African-American. And MeiMei (Steph Song), an actress, is a lesbian who wants to have children with her significant other Deedee (Bai Ling); they've been having trouble finding a suitable sperm donor, though they think one of the monks at the funeral may be just what they're looking for. Dim Sum Funeral received its world premiere at the 2008 AFI Fest. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steph Song, Kelly Hu, (more)
An FBI agent whose partner and family were killed by a notorious assassin sets out for revenge as the elusive triggerman sparks a sprawling gang war between the triads and the yakuza in the feature debut from prolific music video director Phillip Atwell. FBI sgent Jack Crawford (Jason Statham) is a man driven by vengeance. After his partner, Tom Lone (Terry Chen), and his family fell to bullets fired by infamous hitman Rogue (Jet Li), Crawford makes it his life mission to ferret out the slippery killer. Complications arise when it begins to appear as if Rogue has a mission of his own to carry out, and as triad boss Chang (John Lone) prepares for all-out war against yakuza boss Shiro (Ryo Ishibashi), Crawford and Rogue also come face to face as the secrets of the past emerge in a hail of gunfire. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jet Li, Jason Statham, (more)
- 2007
Made for television and first telecast April 22, 2007 by CBS, Crossroads: A Story of Forgiveness) is based on the true story of Kansas City contractor Bruce Murakami, played by Dean Cain. On November 16, 1998, Bruce's wife Cindy (Chelah Horsdal) and daughter Chelsea (Katie Pezarro) are killed in a street accident by drag-racing teenager Justin Suarez (Shiloh Fernandez). Despite the admonitions of Bruce's surviving sons Brody (Landon Liboiron) and Josh (Ryan Kennedy), and those of family friend Melissa (Julie Warner), the bitter, vengeance-driven Murakami hires attorney Erin Teller (Peri Gilpin) to see to it that Suarez is punished to the full extent of the law. But during the boy's trial, Bruce experiences an epiphany, and realizes that revenge is not the answer. Without tipping off the ending of the film (which unfortunately was telegraphed by CBS' publicity campaign--to say nothing of the film's title itself), it can be noted that the real Bruce Murakami is the founder of Safe Teen Driver Inc. Filmed in British Columbia, Crossroads: A Story of Forgiveness was the 230th presention of The Hallmark Hall of Fame. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dean Cain, Shiloh Fernandez, (more)
A slacker edging into his thirties plots a not quite legal get-rich-quick scheme in this satiric comedy written by celebrated novelist Douglas Coupland. Ryan (Paulo Costanzo) lives and works in Vancouver, which has become overrun by runaway Hollywood film crews and folks looking for an easy buck however they can find it. Ryan's unemployed father grows marijuana in his basement, his brother is involved in a real-estate scam that bilks tycoons from Hong Kong who never see the property they only think they own, and Ryan himself is an office drone at a magazine devoted to chronicling the lives of lottery winners. After his girlfriend leaves him for a wealthy yuppie, Ryan falls for Ming (Steph Song), a beautiful Asian woman he meets in a Mandarin language class. Prompted by Ming's desire for a more luxurious lifestyle, Ryan dreams up a scheme to fix the lottery using what he's learned at his job. Adapted from the first original screenplay from Douglas Coupland, Everything's Gone Green received its world premiere at the 2006 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paulo Costanzo, Steph Song, (more)
