In honor of Asian American Pacific Islander Month this April, here are some film recommendations available at the J. Willard Marriott Library, recommended by Mary Ann James.

Film recommendations:

Everything Everywhere All At Once

Grappling with the onset of middle age, a Chinese immigrant discovers that she can traverse across time and space. Teaming up with her alternate lives, the unlikely allies realize that they alone possess the power to protect the world from calamity, plunging them into the midst of an outlandish quest.

Minari

A Korean-American family moves to an Arkansas farm in search of their own American Dream. Amidst the challenges of this new life in the strange and rugged Ozarks, they find the undeniable resilience of family and what really makes a home.

Better Luck Tomorrow

Justin Lin directed and co-wrote this drama about a group of Asian-American scholars turned gangstas in affluent Orange County, Cal. A scathing look at teen hubris and moral disintegration. Lin maxed out 10 credit cards to finance the film, then received a cash advance from MC Hammer. The story is loosely based on a 1992 murder case. Jerry Mathers plays the students’ biology teacher.

The Farewell

After her beloved grandmother is diagnosed with terminal cancer, a Chinese-American woman returns to China for a family gathering secretly designed to say goodbye to the matriarch. However, when it becomes apparent that grandma is the only one unaware of the diagnosis, she struggles to keep the secret.

Yellow Rose

In rural Texas, a Filipino teen longs to make her mark on the world of country music. When an unexpected opportunity comes her way, she must make a choice between upholding her family’s traditions or leaving them all behind to pursue her lifelong aspiration.

Jiro Dreams of Sushi

This profile of acclaimed sushi chef Jiro Ono delves into the octogenarian’s life, including his difficult childhood and his early days in the restaurant business, and examines the techniques and philosophies he employs in putting together a dish.