Weekend Watch: May 5, 2023
Asian American filmmaking in the 80s + unapologetically unfiltered, R-rated storytelling + Queen Charlotte rules in this Bridgerton prequel...
We’re cruising into the weekend with another awesome list of movie releases, series drops, and tv shows, as seen on this week’s TueDo List — LET’S GO!
Here are this week’s picks:
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story (Netflix): A limited series prequel devoted to the marriage between the young Queen Charlotte (India Amarteifio) and King George III (Corey Mylchreest). An origin story of the "Bridgerton series" monarch, explaining her rise to power and love life, the six-episode series follows two seasons of Regency-era "Bridgerton", which became a global phenomenon when it was released in 2020 and won praise for its diverse cast.
Fan favorite Golda Rosheuvel reprises her role as the mature, slightly salty Queen Charlotte and we are here for it!
Asian American ’80s (The Criterion Channel): The 1980s marked the first decade of Asian American feature filmmaking—a period defined by restless thematic and stylistic exploration as trailblazing directors sought to express their complex cultural identity on-screen.
In this decade, filmmakers like Wayne Wang (whose CHAN IS MISSING emerged as an indie landmark), Steven Okazaki, Peter Wang, and Kayo Hatta sought to define “Asian American” anew, whether through comedic contrast with Asians on the other side of the Pacific (THE GREAT WALL, LIVING ON TOKYO TIME), or via tender melodramas of the second generation (DIM SUM: A LITTLE BIT OF HEART, OTEMBA).
Supported not only by the burgeoning American independent market of the 1980s, but also by new Asian American film festivals and media centers in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, the films in this program—curated by Brian Hu—imagined for the first time what a community in the shadows might do with the spotlight.
Bupkis (Peacock): A half-hour live-action comedy, is a heightened, fictionalized version of former SNL star Pete Davidson’s real life. After moving back home to Staten Island, he struggles to deal with unfortunate family news, all the while trying to maintain his career, relationships, and mental health in an increasingly surreal and heightened world of his own making.
The series combines unapologetically unfiltered, R-rated storytelling with absurd elements from the completely original worldview for which Pete is well known. Also featuring Edie Falco and Joe Pesci, and comedic guest stars including “Every Loves Raymond’s” Ray Romano and Brad Garrett.
Succession, Succession, Succession. My money's on Shiv. Pinky can dance!
Oooooo Queen Charlotte is so fun. Devouring it.