This week marks the tenth anniversary of the theatrical release of Better Luck Tomorrow, an independent film that arguably changed the direction of contemporary Asian American cinema. With last week's passing of venerated film critic Roger Ebert, I noted his unique, influential moment in the legacy of the film.
Ten years later, I look back and marvel and at what Better Luck Tomorrow meant for me and this blog, and I'm thankful. The film itself is a shock to the system, offering a dark, shocking portrait of Asian American youth. Director Justin Lin's story of making the film is an inspiring, a great example of what can happen when you stop waiting for someone else to tell a story, and get off your ass to make it happen yourself.
The theatrical release of the Better Luck Tomorrow is an awesome example of how the indie film-appreciating community rallied around the film to get butts in those seats. It was early on in the life of this blog, and it showed me a lot about the power of the online voice. And best of all, I made some great relationships with folks who were similarly passionate about Better Luck Tomorrow -- folks that I'm still friends with to this day.
If you haven't seen Better Luck Tomorrow, well, you should. (Dude, the DVD is only $6.49 right now on Amazon.) I shared this last week, but I figured I'd re-post Evan Leong's documentary BLT: Genesis, a behind-the-scenes look at the scrappy journey of making the film. Take a look:
Happy ten years to Justin Lin and the cast and crew of Better Luck Tomorrow. What a journey. May this film continue to inspire Asian American filmmakers and fans for many years to come. Now, what can we do about getting an anniversary BLT Blu-ray release?