Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is as fresh as Marvel has been in years. A moving tragedy about fathers, sons, and the crushing weight of filial expectations, director Daniel Destin Cretton wraps affecting drama within an effortlessly cool superhero origin story. The MCU’s first film with an Asian lead doesn’t disappoint - even with its muddy, CGI soup third act, there’s a voice within Shang-Chi’s kinetic action, and a powerful performance from screen legend Tony Leung as one of the MCU’s best villains. Minor spoilers ahead…

Gorgeously realized with Disney’s signature heart and warmth, Raya and the Last Dragon is another feather in the animation studio’s cap, even if its muddled representation and thin plotting occasionally get in the way of its emotional beats. An epic action-adventure with an all-Asian voice cast, Raya balances its huge stakes with human moments and particularly charismatic performances from Kelly Marie Tran, Awkwafina, and Gemma Chan. Minor spoilers ahead…

Director Lulu Wang’s sophomore feature-length film, The Farewell, is one of the year’s best. As a second-generation Chinese American myself, the film hits particularly close to home in a way I never expected to see on the big screen - a transcendent examination of the gap between cultures and generations, The Farewell is a funny and emotionally poignant portrait of a family and the secrets it keeps. Minor spoilers ahead…

Crazy Rich Asians, the long-awaited film based on the 2013 novel of the same name by author Kevin Kwan, is a milestone in Asian-American filmmaking and representation. The film works best not as a romantic comedy, but as an exploration Asian and Asian-American identity in ways not often seen in mainstream media. Despite a sometimes uneven script and a reliance on genre tropes, Crazy Rich Asians is a vital stepping stone for Asians in Hollywood, elevated by a sprawling cast led by a charming Constance Wu. Mild spoilers ahead...