After making quite an impression at the Stanley Film Festival, Todd Strauss-Schulson's meta horror hit, The Final Girls, will screen at the L.A. Film Fest next month, along with an advance look at MTV's Scream TV series and many more onscreen scares.
The 21st L.A. Film Fest takes place June 10th-18th in downtown Los Angeles. The festival will feature screenings of 74 feature films, 60 short films, and more, including the following genre offerings:
"Gala Screenings:
The Final Girls – USA (Director Todd Strauss-Schulson Writer Producer Cast Taissa Farmiga, Malin Akerman, Adam Devine, Thomas Middleditch, Alia Shawkat, Alexander Ludwig, Nina Dobrev) – An unconventional comedy about Max, a high school senior, who is mysteriously transported with her friends into a 1980s horror film that starred Max’s mother, a celebrated scream queen. Los Angeles Premiere
Scream – USA (Showrunners Jill Blotevogel, Jaime Paglia Writers Jay Beattie, Dan Dworkin Executive Producers Harvey Weinstein,...
The 21st L.A. Film Fest takes place June 10th-18th in downtown Los Angeles. The festival will feature screenings of 74 feature films, 60 short films, and more, including the following genre offerings:
"Gala Screenings:
The Final Girls – USA (Director Todd Strauss-Schulson Writer Producer Cast Taissa Farmiga, Malin Akerman, Adam Devine, Thomas Middleditch, Alia Shawkat, Alexander Ludwig, Nina Dobrev) – An unconventional comedy about Max, a high school senior, who is mysteriously transported with her friends into a 1980s horror film that starred Max’s mother, a celebrated scream queen. Los Angeles Premiere
Scream – USA (Showrunners Jill Blotevogel, Jaime Paglia Writers Jay Beattie, Dan Dworkin Executive Producers Harvey Weinstein,...
- 5/19/2015
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Watch the latest movie clip “Ninja Mode” from the upcoming comedy “Ping Pong Playa” by director Jessica Yu ( Grey’s Anatomy, The West Wing ) and starring Jimmy Tsai, Roger Fan ( Drillbit Taylor, Stuck on You ) and Shelley Malil. Synopsis: Christopher “C-Dub” Wang is a suburban guy who waxes political on all things Asian American and clings to pro basketball pipe dreams. But when misfortune strikes his family, C-dub must overcome living at home, working a dead-end job and his worldly older brother, to run his Mom’s ping pong classes and defend the family’s athletic dynasty. In theaters September 5th! For more info, visit: http://www.pingpongplaya.com...
- 9/6/2008
- by Brian Corder
- ShockYa
Why do so many documentary filmmakers nurture a secret desire to make lowbrow comedies and genre pictures? Prior to co-writing and directing Ping Pong Playa, Jessica Yu had a reputation as one of the most daring documentarians around, thanks to features like the stylish, thoughtful In The Realms Of The Unreal and Protagonist, and shorts like the Academy Award-winning "Breathing Lessons." Now, in the grand tradition of Canadian Bacon and The Dark Wind, Yu has made a fiction feature that contains little to no traces of anything that made her doc work special. In fact, it's practically remedial. Which doesn't mean Ping Ping Playa is bad, necessarily—or at least not as bad as Canadian Bacon or The Dark Wind. For the most part, it's an amiable underdog sports comedy, co-written by and starring Jimmy Tsai as an L.A. slacker who's forced by circumstance to take over his mother's table-tennis.
- 9/4/2008
- by Noel Murray
- avclub.com
Watch the latest movie clip “You’re Awesome” from the upcoming comedy “Ping Pong Playa” by director Jessica Yu ( Grey’s Anatomy, The West Wing ) and starring Jimmy Tsai, Roger Fan ( Drillbit Taylor, Stuck on You ) and Shelley Malil. Synopsis: Christopher “C-Dub” Wang is a suburban guy who waxes political on all things Asian American and clings to pro basketball pipe dreams. But when misfortune strikes his family, C-dub must overcome living at home, working a dead-end job and his worldly older brother, to run his Mom’s ping pong classes and defend the family’s athletic dynasty. In theaters September 5th! For more info, visit: http://www.pingpongplaya.com...
- 9/3/2008
- by Brian Corder
- ShockYa
By Neil Pedley
This week's trip to the multiplex offers a jaunt around the globe where, amongst other things, there's a case of mistaken ethnicity in Boston, Nic Cage gets another wig fitted in Thailand, there's whimsy and surrealism in Scotland and Matthew McConaughey is right at home in Malibu, where he might finally have found something he does well, maybe.
"August Evening"
Strained emotional bonds and the transitory nature of the life of an illegal immigrant provide the backdrop for Chris Eska's quietly affecting family drama that stars Pedro Castaneda as an aging farmhand who loses his job at a chicken farm in a sleepy Texas town, forcing he and his devoted daughter-in-law (Veronica Loren) to relocate to San Antonio to stay with his older children and the grandchildren he never knew he had. As Alison Willmore pointed out in last week's Lunchbox, Castaneda is a first-time actor...
This week's trip to the multiplex offers a jaunt around the globe where, amongst other things, there's a case of mistaken ethnicity in Boston, Nic Cage gets another wig fitted in Thailand, there's whimsy and surrealism in Scotland and Matthew McConaughey is right at home in Malibu, where he might finally have found something he does well, maybe.
"August Evening"
Strained emotional bonds and the transitory nature of the life of an illegal immigrant provide the backdrop for Chris Eska's quietly affecting family drama that stars Pedro Castaneda as an aging farmhand who loses his job at a chicken farm in a sleepy Texas town, forcing he and his devoted daughter-in-law (Veronica Loren) to relocate to San Antonio to stay with his older children and the grandchildren he never knew he had. As Alison Willmore pointed out in last week's Lunchbox, Castaneda is a first-time actor...
- 9/1/2008
- by Neil Pedley
- ifc.com
This fall, we're getting our second table tennis comedy in as many years. In 2007, it was Balls of Fury, which was as stupid as it could possibly be, but I still found a couple things to enjoy about it. Ping Pong Playa looks, well, almost just as silly, but based on what I've heard, it's pretty damn funny.
When you watch the trailer, you won't see any big names or wild special effects; this was an Independent Spirit Award nominee, so you know at a certain point it was made on empty pockets.
I like the main character, based on what I've seen, a Chinese American who calls himself C-Dub and thinks he would've been in the NBA if he had different genetics. But after a slow-speed car accident injures his mother, he has to pick up her paddle and play the pong to save the family-run business. C-Dub is...
When you watch the trailer, you won't see any big names or wild special effects; this was an Independent Spirit Award nominee, so you know at a certain point it was made on empty pockets.
I like the main character, based on what I've seen, a Chinese American who calls himself C-Dub and thinks he would've been in the NBA if he had different genetics. But after a slow-speed car accident injures his mother, he has to pick up her paddle and play the pong to save the family-run business. C-Dub is...
- 8/26/2008
- by Colin Boyd
- GetTheBigPicture.net
Filed under: Comedy, Sports, Trailers and Clips
Just in case you have a heart of stone and weren't taken in by the awesome Ping Pong Playa poster that Erik posted earlier this month (which is to the right), two new clips have hit the web. To refresh your memories -- this is the story of a basketball-loving Asian American who has done everything he can to remove himself from his family's ping pong ways -- until an accident and some jerky ping pongers make him reevaluate things.
First up, over at Coming Soon, C-Dub (Jimmy Tsai) gets introduced to his mom's ping pong class after she gets in a car accident and can't teach. C-Dub is completely not into the thought of spending his time with these tykes, and is none too impressed when he is mistaken for his ping pong champion brother.
Meanwhile, over at MovieWeb, we get to...
Just in case you have a heart of stone and weren't taken in by the awesome Ping Pong Playa poster that Erik posted earlier this month (which is to the right), two new clips have hit the web. To refresh your memories -- this is the story of a basketball-loving Asian American who has done everything he can to remove himself from his family's ping pong ways -- until an accident and some jerky ping pongers make him reevaluate things.
First up, over at Coming Soon, C-Dub (Jimmy Tsai) gets introduced to his mom's ping pong class after she gets in a car accident and can't teach. C-Dub is completely not into the thought of spending his time with these tykes, and is none too impressed when he is mistaken for his ping pong champion brother.
Meanwhile, over at MovieWeb, we get to...
- 8/23/2008
- by Monika Bartyzel
- Cinematical
Check out a brand new movie poster from the upcoming comedy “Ping Pong Playa” by director Jessica Yu ( Grey’s Anatomy, The West Wing ) and starring Jimmy Tsai, Roger Fan ( Drillbit Taylor, Stuck on You ) and Shelley Malil. Synopsis: Christopher “C-Dub” Wang is a suburban guy who waxes political on all things Asian American and clings to pro basketball pipe dreams. But when misfortune strikes his family, C-dub must overcome living at home, working a dead-end job and his worldly older brother, to run his Mom’s ping pong classes and defend the family’s athletic dynasty. In theaters September 5th! For more info, visit: http://www.pingpongplaya.com...
- 8/14/2008
- by Brian Corder
- ShockYa
Watch the latest movie trailer from the upcoming comedy “Ping Pong Playa” by director Jessica Yu ( Grey’s Anatomy, The West Wing ) and starring Jimmy Tsai, Roger Fan ( Drillbit Taylor, Stuck on You ) and Shelley Malil. Synopsis: Christopher “C-Dub” Wang is a suburban guy who waxes political on all things Asian American and clings to pro basketball pipe dreams. But when misfortune strikes his family, C-dub must overcome living at home, working a dead-end job and his worldly older brother, to run his Mom’s ping pong classes and defend the family’s athletic dynasty. In theaters September 5th! For more info, visit: http://www.pingpongplaya.com...
- 8/12/2008
- by Brian Corder
- ShockYa
New York -- IFC Films has picked up U.S. theatrical rights to Jessica Yu's Asian American-themed comedy "Ping Pong Playa."
It follows aspiring pro basketball player Christopher "C-dub" Wang (Jimmy Tsai) who is forced to settle for running his mother's ping pong class.
"Playa" is the narrative debut for documentarian Yu ("Protagonist," the Oscar-winning short "Breathing Lessons"), who co-wrote it with Tsai.
It premiered at last fall's Toronto International Film Festival, screened this weekend at New York's Asian-American Film Festival and will hit select theaters Sept. 5.
IFC's Arianna Bocco negotiated the deal with Icm and The Firm.
It follows aspiring pro basketball player Christopher "C-dub" Wang (Jimmy Tsai) who is forced to settle for running his mother's ping pong class.
"Playa" is the narrative debut for documentarian Yu ("Protagonist," the Oscar-winning short "Breathing Lessons"), who co-wrote it with Tsai.
It premiered at last fall's Toronto International Film Festival, screened this weekend at New York's Asian-American Film Festival and will hit select theaters Sept. 5.
IFC's Arianna Bocco negotiated the deal with Icm and The Firm.
- 7/20/2008
- by By Gregg Goldstein
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Before we get any further, I'm going to just say it now - you need to see this movie. Ping Pong Playa is absolutely frickin' hilarious. I stumbled upon it and laughed my ass off from start to finish, calling it one of my favorite movies of last year. It's everything that Balls of Fury should have been as a ping pong comedy, but wasn't. Back at the Toronto Film Festival last year I reluctantly agreed to check out this movie, knowing nothing about it, and walked out calling it the "best of the fest" with a 9.5 out of 10 rating. It is really that good. Jimmy Tsai plays the kid known as C-Dub, who may look dumb in the movie, but it's purely a play - he's coming off that way for the sake of comedy and it works. Please give this indie comedy a chance! Although this trailer ...
- 7/15/2008
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival
SAN FRANCISCO -- Oscar-winning documentarian Jessica Yu's narrative debut "Ping Pong Playa" upends any highbrow expectations created by her intense nonfiction films. Yu adeptly parlays her incisive filmmaking style into an urban yarn about a Chinese-American wanna-be basketball star who discovers his inner champion while coaching a kids' table tennis league. Although formulaic, "Ping Pong Playa" will continue to delight on the fest circuit. An adventurous specialty distributor could score crossover points in multicultural venues.
Motor-mouth Christopher "C-dub" Wang (Jimmy Tsai) is a trash-talking, suburban 20-something basketball fanatic who imagines himself NBA-quality material -- if he were only six inches taller. C-dub lives at home with his parents -- who run a pingpong shop with a sideline in coaching local kids -- and constantly dodging comparisons with his physician brother Michael (Roger Fan).
C-dub's sports-glory fantasies crash to earth when his family drafts him to take over the kids' table tennis league after a car accident injures his mom and Michael. Teaching rowdy kids may be a comedown for a playa, but it forces C-dub to defend family honor in the annual Golden Cock pingpong tournament.
Tsai, who co-wrote the script with Yu, pulls out all the stops with his C-dub role, brimming with witty send-ups of Chinese-American cultural values and Asian stereotypes. The supporting cast aptly abets his small-minded megalomania, particularly the coterie of younger actors surrounding C-dub.
Yu directs with a clever eye and nimble camera, filling scenes with wicked banter, slapstick comedy and amusing visual puns. The rest of her team plays at a similarly skillful level, buoyed by a gleeful score featuring nonstop hip-hop beats.
PING PONG PLAYA
Cherry Sky Films
Sales Agents: ICM, The Firm (domestic)
Credits:
Director: Jessica Yu
Writers: Jessica Yu, Jimmy Tsai
Producers: Anne Clements, Joan Huang
Executive producer: Jeffrey Gou
Director of photography: Frank G. DeMarco
Production designer: Denise Hudson
Music: Jeff Beal
Costume designer: Jessica Flaherty
Editor: Zene Baker
Cast:
Christopher "C-Dub" Wang: Jimmy Tsai
Mr. Wang: Jim Lau
Michael Wang: Roger Fan
Mrs. Wang: Elizabeth Sung
Gerald Harcourt: Peter Paige
Running time -- 96 minutes
No MPAA rating...
SAN FRANCISCO -- Oscar-winning documentarian Jessica Yu's narrative debut "Ping Pong Playa" upends any highbrow expectations created by her intense nonfiction films. Yu adeptly parlays her incisive filmmaking style into an urban yarn about a Chinese-American wanna-be basketball star who discovers his inner champion while coaching a kids' table tennis league. Although formulaic, "Ping Pong Playa" will continue to delight on the fest circuit. An adventurous specialty distributor could score crossover points in multicultural venues.
Motor-mouth Christopher "C-dub" Wang (Jimmy Tsai) is a trash-talking, suburban 20-something basketball fanatic who imagines himself NBA-quality material -- if he were only six inches taller. C-dub lives at home with his parents -- who run a pingpong shop with a sideline in coaching local kids -- and constantly dodging comparisons with his physician brother Michael (Roger Fan).
C-dub's sports-glory fantasies crash to earth when his family drafts him to take over the kids' table tennis league after a car accident injures his mom and Michael. Teaching rowdy kids may be a comedown for a playa, but it forces C-dub to defend family honor in the annual Golden Cock pingpong tournament.
Tsai, who co-wrote the script with Yu, pulls out all the stops with his C-dub role, brimming with witty send-ups of Chinese-American cultural values and Asian stereotypes. The supporting cast aptly abets his small-minded megalomania, particularly the coterie of younger actors surrounding C-dub.
Yu directs with a clever eye and nimble camera, filling scenes with wicked banter, slapstick comedy and amusing visual puns. The rest of her team plays at a similarly skillful level, buoyed by a gleeful score featuring nonstop hip-hop beats.
PING PONG PLAYA
Cherry Sky Films
Sales Agents: ICM, The Firm (domestic)
Credits:
Director: Jessica Yu
Writers: Jessica Yu, Jimmy Tsai
Producers: Anne Clements, Joan Huang
Executive producer: Jeffrey Gou
Director of photography: Frank G. DeMarco
Production designer: Denise Hudson
Music: Jeff Beal
Costume designer: Jessica Flaherty
Editor: Zene Baker
Cast:
Christopher "C-Dub" Wang: Jimmy Tsai
Mr. Wang: Jim Lau
Michael Wang: Roger Fan
Mrs. Wang: Elizabeth Sung
Gerald Harcourt: Peter Paige
Running time -- 96 minutes
No MPAA rating...
- 4/23/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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