#Nick Leong

[naveentejavath]

Crazy Rich Asians Cast (Film)

Constance Wu as Rachel Chu – A Chinese-American economics professor at NYU and the film’s protagonist. Henry Golding as Nick Young – Rachel’s boyfriend and the heir to one of Singapore’s wealthiest families. Michelle Yeoh as Eleanor Young – Nick’s disapproving mother who is wary of Rachel and her intentions. Gemma Chan as Astrid Leong-Teo – Nick’s cousin and a fashion icon who deals with her…

[cinemaaosmeusolhos]

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

Director: George Miller Casting Director: Nikki Barrett Writer: George Miller and Nick Lathouris Year: 2024 Budget: 168 million USD (Font: Wikipedia) Distribution: Warner Bros., Warner Bros. Pictures Cinematography: Simon Duggan Art Direction: Nicholas Dare, Jacinta Leong and Sophie Nash Film Edition: Eliot Knapman; Margaret Sixel Cast: Charlee Fraser (Mary Jo Bassa); Alyla Browne (Imperator Furiosa), Chris Hemsworth (Dr. Dementus), Anya Taylor-Joy (Imperator Furiosa); Tom Burke (Praetorian Jack), Lachy Hulme (Rizzdale Pell)

Sinopse (No spoilers):

Furiosa (Alyla Browne) was kidnapped by a group of bandits, led by Dr. Dementus (Chris Hemsworth). Mary Jo Bassa (Charlee Fraser), Furiosa's mother, was went after her to save the life of her daughter. However, in the mid of time, Furiosa saw something which change your all life. Based on that, she started a mission which could impact the whole people who lives at those cities.

Opinion (WITH SPOILERS):

Remember the following text:

The movie starts in a way I don't like, using a lot of fades as transitions. This kind of transition needs to be used carefully and not so much. I felt that Director George Miller was in a hurry to tell the beginning of the story. However, Nikki Barrett chooses his actors very well. Even though the story wasn't great, the performance of the actors from the beginning to the end was incredible for me. I particularly loved the acting of Charlee Fraser and Alyla Browne. But I thought that all the actors were pretty good.

Nicholas Dare, Jacinta Leong, and Sophie Nash are they are to be congratulated because the Art of the movie was impeccable. The same for Simon Duggan, the Photography was really great. The Director George Miller chose great plans to tell the story.

The worst thing to me was the script, written by George Miller themselves and Nick Lathouris. Even though I like this type of script which tells a story since childhood and follows the main character in her life, this script was kind sucks for me. I didn't feel attached to the story.

[movienized-com]

Bao Lie Dian

Bao Lie Dian (2023) #DanteLam #WaihonTong #WilliamChan #ChrissieChau #NickCheung #WingHongCheung Mehr auf:

爆裂点 / Bursting Point Jahr: 2023 Genre: Action / Drama / Thriller Regie: Dante Lam, Waihon Tong Hauptrollen: William Chan, Chrissie Chau, Nick Cheung, Wing-Hong Cheung, Kevin Kam-Yin Chu, Philip Keung, Man Biu Lee, Isabella Leong, Bryant Ji-Lok Mak, Kumer So, Yiu-Ming Tai … Filmbeschreibung: Das ist die Geschichte eines Hauptinspektors in der Anti-Drogen-Einheit, der seinen Überzeugungen als…

[badassbutterfly1987]

2023 Book Reviews (July to December)

5 stars

- Midwives (Bohjalian, 1997): A midwife is accused of negligence and manslaughter after a woman in her care dies during a home birth. The mother seemingly had a stroke and an emergency C-section was required to save the baby; the question is raised if she was indeed dead when the C-section happened or if the midwife had accidentally killed her, as well if the mother was even healthy enough to be having a home birth far from a hospital. Told from the perspective of the midwife’s teenage daughter.

- Raptor Red (Bakker, 1995): Follows a year in the life of a female Utahraptor, drawing inspiration from various paleontology theories at the time. Think Meerkat Manor but about a raptor and her family. Obviously I loved it.

3 stars

- The Haunting of Maddy Clare (Simone St James, 2012): the ghost stuff was mostly well done. Maddy is angry and hurting and I don't blame her for being so hostile. Didn't like her dialogue, it felt very "Crazy=Dangerous=Monster" in a way that just felt generic horror villain which doesn't sit right knowing that this is a traumatized victim. Sarah and Matthew have a Hallmark-level romance but it isn't even decent Hallmark. Every conversation until the last third features some kind of misunderstanding they don't resolve. First sex scene between the leads is technically okay but the complete lack of communication makes consent feel more dubious (just because Sarah’s inner dialogue is fine with it, doesn’t make Matthew’s lack of even checking in okay, especially in light of their repeated misunderstandings). The post-WWI trauma was pleasantly well-done, physical disabilities in Matthew and Alistair were a more mixed bag.

2 stars

- In the Shadow of the Throne (Kate Sheridan, 2022): I really wanted to like this graphic novel. It’s cute and gay and a teen boy is isekai’d to a fantasy world but there’s not much substance. Not nearly enough time to hit all the plot points so everything feels rushed; dialogue and relationships don’t proceed naturally. Art style is nice at least.

Nonfiction: 

- Monsters in the Movies: 100 Years of Cinematic Nightmares (Landis, 2011): Encyclopedia of horror and horror-adjacent movies that author has seen. He shares his opinions on them but offers little beyond surface analysis. 

- Living with Cannibals and Other Women’s Adventures (Michele Slung, 2000): Introduction to various female explorers. Decent intro but each chapter felt like a basic book report on each woman.

- The Complete Beginner’s Guide to Drawing Manga (Sonia Leong, 2023): Good lessons here for anyone interesting in the subject. 

- Trans and Autistic (Noah Adams + Bridget Liang, 2020): The experiences of people who are both trans and autistic and how those parts of their identity have afffected their lives. Definitely of interest to me as someone who is definitely one and possibly the other as well.

- A Wolf Called Romeo (Nick Jans, 2014): About a lone wolf in Alaska who was chill with people and really just wanted to play with the local dogs; fair warning the ending made me cry.

- Becoming Nicole (Amy Ellis Nutt, 2015): The life story of transgender actress and activist Nicole Maines.

- Notes from a Sickbed (Tessa Brunton, 2022): a graphic novel about the author’s experiences with chronic fatigue syndrome.

- Little Girls in Pretty Boxes (Joan Ryan, 1995): about the pressure put on young girls and teenagers in competitive gymnastics and iceskating (especially those aiming for the Olympics), and the consequences of that pressure.

[sheilamlinva]

Steamed Hams but There's a Different Animator Every 13 Seconds

[reverie-quotes]

"I have no idea who these people are. But I can tell you one thing—these people are richer than God."

— Kevin Kwan, Crazy Rich Asians

[nadineeb]

CRAZY RICH ASIANS -  MOVIE REVIEW

Hi dears! It’s me again. After my tech review, I’m navigated to this 2016 movie -  Crazy Rich Asians which came from the first book of its trilogy novel. This is always at the top of my list and my favourite movie. Hope you’ll enjoy this movie review as it feels like you’re watching it when you’re really just reading. All credits goes to the owner of the photos and GIFs. Thank you so much!! Enjoy it as much as I do. 

- XOXO, Nads <3

New York City - Rachel Chu, a young, lovely, part-timer economic professor who dates for over a year now, a hunk, eye-turner, history professor, Nick Young, at New York University. Rachel already introduced Nick at their family dinners but since Nick's family are from Singapore, he hasn't presented Rachel formally to them.

Nick's closest female cousin, a double - heiress in her family, an icon in the fashion industry, had already chatted with Rachel. She's the only one that has known her cousin's girlfriend. Astrid was always busy with the Paris' fashion week, shopping spree every week, buying ancient jewelries that costs a fortune and building her own family with her only son and her husband who's also busy gaining investors in his technology business. 

(Astrid down below)

Being that it's Araminta and Colin's wedding, Colin, who happens to be Nick's bestfriend and cousin since their diaper days. Colin wants him to come home for he is his bestman in his wedding. He wants to take this chance for Rachel to meet his gigantic family and have her experience his childhood in the country where he grew up. It's also a great opportunity for her to visit her college bestfriend, Peik Lin , who always asks her to come to Singapore where she lives.

Excitedly, Rachel asks his mom for help with what dress will she be wearing when she meets his boyfriend's Ah-ma (grandmother in Chinese) during the family dinner to welcome the guests of the wedding. She forcibly agrees when her mom tries to get her wear the red dress. Her mom says that red is a color of good luck in Chinese traditions and also a little bit more of a plus point from Nick's Ah-ma though she also got a pure Chinese blood but grew up in America which promotes an entirely different culture.

Amazed by their First Class seats and soft silk pair of pj's given by the airlines, Rachel couldn't contain her happiness while sipping on their glass of champagnes on their flight to Singapore. Astonished as she seemed, she nags Nick on why he can afford the First Class tickets to a country miles away from them while Nick uses her Netflix password. He admits that they are living "comfortably" which what exactly a member of a crazy rich family says.

As soon as they land in Singapore, Araminta and Colin, the soon-to-be wedded couple was there at the airport with balloons in their hands and joy in their auras. After introducing them to Rachel, they plan to eat Newton Food Centre, a place where they serve delicious street foods especially laksa curry and satay bowls from street food vendors which gained Michelin stars.

Right before the Nick's family welcome dinner, Rachel visits Peik Lin in her house which everything is brilliantly gold-plated and was inspired by the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles. While catching up over their food for lunch, Peik Lin's mom interrogates her about her coming to Singapore. When she said that it's for the wedding of his boyfriend's bestfriend Colin, Peik Lin's family were shocked, they said that it is the wedding of the year and even them having that rich, they aren't invited to the wedding. It seems like Rachel didn't do a research at his boyfriend's family!

Peik Lin also warned Rachel that the Youngs are kind of snobbish that would belittle a commoner. She would not let Rachel wear that little red dress to the dinner so she gathered all of her fancy clothes and choose the best for Rachel to wear.

The Youngs - migrated in the 1800's to the small island of Singapore from their main land, China  with a vast amount of fortune. They started real-estates business until this family became most probably the landlords of Singapore.

Nick escorted Rachel and Peik Lin to his Ah-ma's house which is the largest, most beautiful house that Rachel didn't expect to see. A house that Nick and Astrid grew up in. A house that has lots of wings that you'll probably get lost once you enter the wrong one.

Finally, Nick introduces Rachel to all of his cousins. Nick's mom, Eleanor, is busy in the kitchen scrutinizing every detail of the food to serve to their guests. When the couple went down to the kitchen, Rachel thrillingly hugs Eleanor which made Eleanor uncomfortable around Rachel. That is why Rachel immediately concluded that Eleanor doesn't want her for his son.

In the middle of the garden, sits a fragrant Tan Hua flower which usually blooms fully once a year, a great opportunity for the guests to see this once in a year. While waiting for it to fully bloom, Nick introduced Rachel to his Ah-ma, surprisingly, she likes Rachel the moment they talked in Chinese. She said that Rachel should come back to the mansion when there are no more craining necks so that she can teach Rachel how to make their family's traditional dumpling recipe which was passed to generations.

The Bachelor and Bachelorette's  Party where Nick and Rachel's love was tested. The Bachelor's party is located literally in the middle of the ocean, filled the cargo-like ship with sexy girls and men that is enjoying the scenery. As they are talking about anything under the sun and with the influence of alcohol, some men questions Nick on Rachel's details. Though the men want to know more about Rachel, Nick went hot-headed as the men start to sexualize his girlfriend. He decides to leave the ship that day with Colin, the bachelor, to an island with a small wooden floating house and a raft.

On the other hand, Rachel met Nick's ex-girlfriend, Amanda, in Araminta's Bachelorette party at a private island. She did not know that Amanda wants to be friends with her so that she and her mean friends can pull off their plans and that Rachel would want to leave. Their plans succeeded, while crying Rachel went to her villa to get her things and leave, she bumped into Astrid. They two found that Rachel's bed was covered in tuna's blood with a tuna head at her headboard.

That incident led to them to the seashore talking about why Amanda is like that. Astrid also opened up to Rachel how she found out that her husband is not really busy going to business trips but rather he is busy having an affair with a woman she doesn't know. It seems like the two found comfort in each other.

Dumpling day comes and also another day to test their relationship. While making dumplings, Rachel found out that Ah-ma doesn't want Eleanor for Nick's father way back then and she doesn't have the heirloom engangement ring of the Youngs since Ah-ma didn't approve of her. Ah-ma arrived at the dining table exactly after Rachel knew the backstory of Eleanor and Nick's father. Ah-ma was pleased after seeing Rachel again. She adoringly expressed her interest in Rachel's face features which made Eleanor jealous of Rachel.

On her way to the toilet, Rachel's lost in the mansion and was shocked that Eleanor found her. Eleanor talked to Rachel and frankly told her that she will never be enough for her son.

(Rachel and Eleanor Scene)

The wedding of the year came, famous business elites and the royalties attended. Rachel wore a pretty blue elegant dress paid respects to Eleanor and Nick's aunties though Eleanor doesn't want her to sit with her.

Princess Inta, who demanded a whole row of the front seats to herself so she would not be bothered by anyone, approached by Rachel who doesn't have seats, she talked about the princess' book about economics and that they have the same stand. They immediately been comfortable with each other. Escorted by Astrid, Ah-ma came and everyone was shocked at her presence. They said that Ah-ma never came to such events.

Not long after Ah-ma arrived, the grand wedding started which left everyone in awe on how beautiful the oriental, Gothic-themed was.

After the ceremony, the program continued at the Gardens by the Bay, a reception for the wedding. It was filled with laughters, everyone is having a great time dancing and enjoying the beat. In contrast with this, stands Rachel and Nick called by Ah-ma and Eleanor for the truth behind Rachel's identity. They said that they cannot let Rachel join their family for the fact that she lied to them about his father after they hired a peivate investigator. Little did they know that Rachel only found out then that her mom's husband, which all throughout her life she believed wa sher father, isnt really her biological father. Rachel walked out for she is deeply hurt by their actions. Ah-ma later then gave Nick an ultimatum. Once he leave, he can't come back. Who will he choose? His family or Rachel?

After a few days of crying, Rachel's mom found her in Peik-Lin's house and not eating. Her mom admitted that she left her husband because she was impregnated by Rachel's father and that her husband was not kind after all. She flew all the way to America to start a new life with her baby, Rachel.

Before leaving Singapore, Rachel wanted to talk to two people; Nick and Eleanor. She ended her relationship with Nick and declined Nick's offer to marry her and start a new life in New York as he will cut his ties with his family.

Rachel meets Eleanor at a Mahjong Parlour where they had a mahjong game along with two deaf players. She told Eleanor everything that had happened before she met with her and that she knew that Nick loves his family so much that even though Nick decided to leave his family for her, she couldn't stand to see Nick away from them. He is the only son that would inherit their wealth. She decides to let him go.

Also broken-hearted with her cousin Nick, Astrid decides to leave his husband for she cannot be blinded by her husband's affair. She decides to take their son with her.

Rachel and her mom are boarding the aircraft when Nick chased her to fly to New York with her.   She don't want to listen to Nick at first but when she realized what Nick's doing, she decided to  clisten to him and is completely speechless when Nick get down on one knee. Her face brightened when she saw the small box with the emerald stone ring embedded in diamonds that Eleanor wore on their engagement with Nick's father is vividly shining right infront of her eyes. She said Yes!

Them three left the aircraft to celebrate their engagement with their friends at the top of Singapore's most popular hotel - Marina Bay Sands. Ended as Eleanor genuinely smiles at Rachel as Rachel shows her engagement ring.

This movie taught me that you can’t choose who you’ll love. If you're looking for someone with the same wealth level as yours or even the same race as yours, you may never find your true love. Given the circumstances of Rachel and Nick, they don’t want their wealth status to be a hindrance in their relationship.

Though family always comes first, if it's a matter of going through what your family wants for you or going through what you want for your future family, always choose the latter. I only get one chance to live and I don’t want any regrets, so for as long as possible, if my decisions don't violate a person's right, i’ll do everything and whatever it takes.

This part below, where Rachel met Eleanor at the Mahjong Place where they talked about why Eleanor didn’t want Rachel for Nick the second she arrived in Singapore. Eleanor said that there is a Hokkien phrase “Ka ki lang” which means “Our own kind of people.” This is why the Chinese people tend to want to marry the same ethnicity as them because they want to preserve their traditions and would want to keep it going for as long as possible, which Rachel is not. Not because she is not wealthy, but because she is a foreigner, an American, although the Chinese blood runs through her, she grew up in America and Eleanor doesn’t want that.

One of the Chinese’s cultures is that they are taught to build things that last and not to feed in what they want, but in what they need. I understand Eleanor in this part because as an Asian, we are taught by these things - to prioritize our needs and build connections that will benefit us in the future. But for me, we should give respect to other cultures and not close our circle entirely. We all have different perspectives regardless of our race, that is why we should not judge one’s personality based on their race.

Rachel said that Nick proposed to him the day before and she turned him down, though Nick stated that he will stay away from his family for good. She said that if Nick would choose Rachel, he would lose his family, and if Nick would choose his family, he might spend the rest of his life resenting Eleanor.

Eleanor shows her Mahjong tiles which she thought she won, but Rachel looks at her, sighs, and says,

“ I’m not leaving because I’m scared, or because I think I’m not enough, because maybe for the first time in my life, I know I am. I just love Nick so much. I don’t want him to lose his mom again, so I just wanted you to know that one day, when he marries another lucky girl, who is enough for you, and you’re playing with your grandkids, while the Tan Hua’s are blooming, and the birds are chirping, that is was because of me. A poor, low-class immigrant nobody.”

Then she showed her Mahjong tiles and she won to Eleanor. She left the table and fetched her mother with a smile at the other table to leave the place. What a queen! Powerful. That is the best scene ever. The feels, the script, the emotions, they are just so perfect.

Astrid, my favorite character, not just she is stunningly beautiful but among all the cousins, she has the purest heart. She doesn’t want the people around her to feel that they are left out when they are with her. She wanted everything to be perfect when it comes to her family. Though her shopping spree every time she’s going to Paris fashion week is a bit overwhelming to commoners, she deserves all of it.

Astrid and I have similarities in our personalities. I’m also calm when there are problems that are coming my way. I can remain composed and I buy my time until I can find solutions to it. I remember the time when the man I loved cheated on me just like when Michael (Astrid’s husband) cheated on Astrid.

I can relate to her when she said that she’s wrong when she’s turning down jobs because Michael might feel lesser than her. I used to lower myself when I’m with him because I worry that he might feel that I’m the superior one between the two of us. But when he cheated, I realized that it shouldn’t be like that. It will be his fault for being insecure in me. Just like what Astrid said,

“It’s not my job to make you feel like a man. I can’t make you something you’re not.”

[etuwubrutus]

Mic-drop moments from ‘China Rich Girlfriend’:

“Michael, don’t you know by now that my grandmother and Uncle Alfred are the largest private shareholders of Singapore Press Holdings? We’re not going to be in the papers. We’re never going to be in the papers.”

AND

Oliver T’sien winked at her. “I was right when I told you to buy this house, and I was right when I told you to buy the painting, wasn’t I? I always imagined it looking utterly exquisite against this wall. It’s about how the light filters in through those old lead-glass windows.”

“You’re right, it’s all going to be utterly exquisite,” Kitty said, gazing out the window as the workmen began rehanging The Palace of Eighteen Perfections on her drawing-room wall.

[nataliamaximoff]

Crazy Rich Asians (2018) dir. Jon M. Chu

These people aren’t just rich. They’re crazy rich.

[royhl]

Day 7/365 Movie Challenge.  Crazy Rich Asians (2018)

[curlyhairedbibliophile]

Cast of Crazy Rich Asians for Vanity Fair 😍🤩

Photography by Miles Aldridge

[anotherenglishmajorxo]

What’s Been Going On Lately in My Life:

School dropped my four classes I registered for because I’m waiting on the slow-ass IRS to get my Letter of Nonfiling, so I scurried around two weeks before school to get into classes. I got into three, which is good for me honestly, and I’m taking:

American Literature

Elementary Japanese I

A journalism class I don’t remember right now

So at least I’m in those classes and now I gotta wait till the letter comes though so I can get my financial aid (finally). 

Also, I’m nearly done with Crazy Rich Asians and it is soo good. I felt sorry for Astrid, to find out that Michael faked it so he wouldn’t be married to her (which is bullshit, why couldn’t he just tell her), fuck Nick’s family for what they did to Rachel and making her go through all that. I did order the next book of the Crazy Rich Asians trilogy and I’m waiting for it, but honestly, I want Astrid to get with Charlie Wu. Fuck Michael Teo (I never liked him anyway).

[bells670]

Crazy Rich Asians Spoilers:

Ok so there were quite a few moments when I was on the verge of tears but the two most iconic moments that brought be to tears were

1) When Astrid confronted Michael and then Grandma came to the wedding for her and the whole "family doesn't say thank you" line that was her basically saying that she loved Astrid and she would do anything for her

2) When Nick got on the plane after Rachel and he got down on one knee and he opened up the box and it was his mom's ring. Like that was so iconic and sweet I was crying

[sortinghattbyme]

Hi! I'm back to bussines!

CRAZY RICH ASIANS!

1 - I made this a looooooong time ago. So don't be mad at me, thanks.

Astrid Leong-Teo: Slytherin.

Rachel Chu: Gryffindor.

Eleanor Sung-Young: Slytherin.

Nick Young: Gryffindor.

[reverie-quotes]

“We are all Chinese. Just because some people actually work for their money doesn’t mean they are beneath you."

— Kevin Kwan, Crazy Rich Asians

[soul-music-is-life]

Crazy Rich Asians

Don’t sleep on Crazy Rich Asians, y’all. Seriously. It’s an amazing movie with an amazing cast. It is charming, witty, deeply introspective, and full of so much important culture.

The visuals are stunning.

The bro-ments made me happy.

Astrid Leong (Young) is Queen of everything and I will fight any bitch who disagrees.

Peik Lin’s family needs their own reality TV show.

OLIVER! I love you rainbow sheep of the family.

That POWER MOVE Mahjong scene was Bomb AF. I knew what Rachel was doing from the get-go and it STILL got me.

The ring reveal was predictable, but still powerful as hell.

The soundtrack tho.

Also, Awkwafina is the most hilarious human being on the planet.

And, look, yeah, it’s a total rom-com. There were some really slap-stickey cringey moments, BUT there were far more pivotal powerful moments than there were the typical rom-com silliness.