Mikayla's Media Corner #11

It’s been a hella long week, but thank god it’s Friday. Here we go with more AAPI related suggestions!

• The Big Sick is a romcom written by Kumail Nanjiani and Emily Gardner that tells the story of how they fell in love. Nanjiani even stars in the film opposite Zoe Kazan who plays Emily. Kumail and Emily meet, start dating, and break up due to family pressures. Shortly after breaking up, Emily is put into a medical coma and Kumail finds himself bonding with her parents as they wait for Emily’s recovery. I really enjoyed this movie, it’s heartfelt, funny, and a deeply personal project. Nanjiani openly portrays his difficulty dating with the expectations that his traditional Pakistani family places on him. He is authentic and sharp as he delves into a culturally relevant and difficult reality that many interracial couples face. I like Emily and Kumail, but my favorite characters were Emily’s parents played by Holly Hunter and Ray Romano. I really liked the dynamic between the two and how they eventually welcomed Kumail. If I haven’t convinced you that this movie worth a watch, maybe its 98% rotten tomato score will! (Link to image)

• The EP, Nice Colors, is one of my go to EP/Albums whenever I am looking for a mood boost, chilling with friends, or going for a long walk outdoors (because COVID). I have been in love with this album since it first came out in 2018 and will revisit it every few months. Nice Colors is a 7 song indie-pop-rap collaboration by Khai Dreams and Atwood. The tracks are light hearted, catchy, and create happy vibes. Nice Colors was my introduction to Khai Dreams and if you like it I would recommend checking out their other EPs and singles, especially Now and Then. Khai Dreams lyrics are clever, thoughtful, and are always a vibe. (Link to image)

• If you are like me and have been feeling a need to diversify your content by reading a book, check out Sour Heart, a collection of short stories, by Jenny Zhang. Each short story follows a young girl growing up in America as the daughter of Chinese immigrants. While each girl has a distinct story, the stories almost bleed together even occasionally overlapping characters and circumstances. The writing is visceral, biting, and sharp, weeks after reading it and I can still vividly conjure the specific feelings and images that Zhang described. I enjoyed this collection of short stories, however the writing can be heavy and drawn out. Zhang does not shy away from explicitly depicting the most brutal parts of immigrating to America from China. I will warn that the story has elements of violence and sexual violence and I would not recommend if you find that triggering. However, I do think Zhang's writing is moving, evocative, and intentional. It made me feel the experiences of the girls and better understand the reality of immigrating to a country that doesn’t want you. (Link to image)