Selections from Q&A with Santa Mesa dir Ron Morales at Reel Asian 2008

The following video clips are from the screening of Santa Mesa on Sunday November 16, 2008 at the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival. See my review of Santa Mesa here.

Santa Mesa director Ron Morales discusses casting


Ron Morales discusses inspiration of the film:


The Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival 2008 ran from November 12-16, 2008 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Selections from Q&A with West 32nd director Michael Kang at Reel Asian 2008

The following video clips are from the screening of West 32nd on Saturday November 15, 2008 at the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival. See my review of West 32nd here.

West 32nd director Michael Kang discusses casting:


Michael Kang discusses choice of character and focus (includes plot spoilers):


Michael Kang responds to audience question on influences:


Michael Kang discusses different possible endings ideas (includes spoilers):


Michael Kang discusses subplots and CJ Entertainment's involvement:


Michael Kang responses to audience question about how CJ Entertainment got involvement:


The Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival 2008 ran from November 12-16, 2008 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Selections from Q&A Long Story Short director Christine Choy and writer Jody Long at Reel Asian 08

The following video clips are from the screening of Long Story Short on Saturday November 15, 2008 at the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival. See my review of Long Story Short here.

Long Story Short writer Jodi Long introduces the film and gives background on the films origins:


Long Story Short director Christine Choy and writer Jodi Long discuss the creation of the narrative structure of the film:


Jodi Long discusses acting and roles for Asian actors:


The Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival 2008 ran from November 12-16, 2008 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Selections from Q&A for Twelve with director Lester Alfonso at Reel Asian 08

The following video clips are from the screening of Twelve as a part of the Everybody Else Program on Friday November 14, 2008 at the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival. See my review of Twelve here.

Twelve director Lester Alfonso and producer Lea Marin discuss how the film came to be:


Lester Alfonso responds to audience question regarding representing a film that is so personal, and also discusses upcoming projects:


The Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival 2008 ran from November 12-16, 2008 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Selections from Q&A with Randall Okita at the Reel Asian 08 Screening of Machine with Wishbone

The following video clip is from the screening of the Full Boat Program on Thursday November 13, 2008 at the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival. See my review of Machine with Wishbone here.

Machine with Wishbone director Randall Okita discusses where the idea for the film came from:


Randall Okita responds to audience question regarding budget & time:


The Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival 2008 ran from November 12-16, 2008 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Selections from Q&A for Full Boat Program Reel Asian 08

The following video clip is from the screening of the Full Boat Program on Thursday November 13, 2008 at the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival. See my reviews of films in the Full Boat Program here.

Filmmakers from the Full Boat program respond to an audience question regarding how their non film backgrounds helped affected the film making process. Vid is a little dark, so here is the order of speakers:
Stefanie Wong dir: Around the Corner From Solitude
Ann Marie Fleming dir: Running (Heart, Mind, Body, Spirit)
Blair Fukumura dir: Catalogue
Khanhthuan Tran dir: Self-Portrait
Randall Okita dir: Machine with Wishbone



The Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival 2008 ran from November 12-16, 2008 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Reel Thoughts: Neil's Favorite Movies, From A to Z

And here is Neil's "Alphabet Meme" list:

I am sure I'll regret some choices and forgotten some others, but here it is!

A is for All About Eve (1950): “Fasten your seatbelts … ”
B is for The Birds (1963): “Don’t they ever stop migrating?”
C is for Carrie (1976): “There all gonna laugh at you!”
D is for Death on the Nile (1978): Glorious bitchy dialogue and a cast to die for.
E is for Ed Wood (1994): Angora sweaters for everyone!
F is for Fargo (1996): “That would be your associate in the wood chipper.”
G is for Gone With the Wind (1939): "Well, fiddle dee dee!"
H is for Hairspray (1988): “She has roaches in her hair! I saw them!”
I is for The Incredibles (2004): The only Pixar film that would fit.
K is for King of Hearts (1996): Alan Bates and Geneviève Bujold — Ooo, la la!
L is for L.A. Story (1991): It’s SanDeE*!
M is for Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975): Sorry, Mommie Dearest!
N is for A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984): One-two, Freddy's coming for you ...
O is for The Opposite Sex (1956): Glorious Technicolor Women
P is for Psycho (1960): “Not cabin one please!”
Q is for The Queen (2006): Not since Scott Thompson has anyone captured the Queen so well!
R is for Rear Window (1954): Another Hitchcock winner.
S is for Serial Mom (1994): Kathleen Turner rules.
T is for Tootsie (1982): One of my favorite “actor” movies ever.
U is for The Uninvited (1944): Ray Milland went from this to Frogs?!
V is for Vertigo (1958): Yet another Hitchcock classic!
W is for The Wizard of Oz (1939): “There’s no place like home!”
X is for Xanadu (1980): Did anyone really think it wouldn’t be?
Y is for Young Frankenstein (1974): “Nice knockers!”
Z is for Zelig (1983): I’m not putting Zoolander!

By Neil Cohen, resident film critic of Movie Dearest and Phoenix's Echo Magazine.