Mystica - Simple Lang (VIDEO)

Candy Lo and Leehom Wang - Hao Xin Fen Shou (VIDEO)

Mixing it up: Multiracialism redefines Asian American identity

Note: Dedicated to my son as I watch him developing his own identity.

The mainstreaming of multiracialism hasn't just made it harder to define identity; it's raised the question of whether it makes sense to try to define it at all. More and more mixed-race individuals are calling for an end to the tyranny of racial algorithms, of the blood quantum that measures us by inherited fractions.

They're not, however, suggesting that race should be erased entirely: Attempts at "color-blindness" miss the practical realities that lie behind racial identities -- the historical narratives they recount in shorthand, the social and political challenges they serve to benchmark, the cultural contexts they illuminate and enrich. As Quashie points out, race may simply be a construct, but so is a brick wall -- and you ignore either at your peril.

There are other ways, as my friend TzeMing Mok notes; in her native New Zealand, the Maori determine identity not by name, appearance or percentage, but by whakapapa -- the act of narrating lineage.
To be accepted as Maori, you must be able to recount your ancestral line back up to an iwi -- a tribe -- and then beyond that, to the atua, the gods. You can be 1/1024th Maori by blood, but if you can speak the story of your family's descent from the Earth Mother Papatuanuku to the present, you're as Maori as anyone. It's a viral rather than dilutive interpretation of race; a way of looking at identity as a story, of which each individual is a chapter.

The bottom line: Race is complicated, and only getting more so. Why shouldn't it be an essay question, rather than multiple choice?


http://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/Mixing-it-up-Multiracialism-redefines-Asian-2381990.php#photo-1911549

'X-Men: Apocalypse' Ending Teases next Villain. Picture only. No Movie Spoilers.

Vincent D’Onofrio Wants In On Spider-Man: Homecoming

Rumors that Marvel's Daredevil villain Wilson Fisk (played by Vincent D'Onofrio) is headed to Spider-Man: Homecoming may be exaggerated -- but that doesn't mean D'Onofrio wouldn't jump at the opportunity.

Following a week where reports came out that D'Onofrio's Netflix character was headed for cinema screens, the actor took to Twitter to both deny that talks were ongoing -- and embrace the concept.

Vincent D'Onofrio ✔?@vincentdonofrio
Sorry folks but this is news to me.
It would be great but I don't think it will happen. V. https://twitter.com/unimediapr/status/733605360355921920 …
9:53 AM - 20 May 2016

I was 'single parent' for two weeks and...wow

My partner was out of the country for the past two weeks and I gotta say it's a different world when you can't take for granted having someone to cover for you when you're facing a major work deadline and the babysitter's looking for you, especially when you rely on public transportation. Those inconveniences were minor and I wouldn't wish anything more on my worst enemy. Single parents, you have a respect that comes from getting at least a taste of your lives.

Marvel plans Africa filming for Black Panther

Marvel is looking into filming partly on location in Africa for its upcoming superhero movie Black Panther.

The eponymous character made his movie debut as part of an extensive ensemble in Captain America: Civil War and the film teased a full Black Panther adventure to continue expanding the world known as the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Black Panther will film its studio work in Atlanta, Georgia, but Marvel wants to also shoot scenes in Africa, revealed producer Nate Moore in comments to culture website The Undefeated.

“We’re definitely investigating shooting in Africa,” Moore told the website. “Both Marvel and Ryan [Coogler, the director] feel that would be really good for the movie.”


http://www.kftv.com/news/2016/05/19/marvel-plans-africa-filming-for-black-panther

Cate Blanchett joins Thor: Ragnarok as Marvel Studios' first major female supervillain

Marvel today announced that Cate Blanchett has joined the cast of Thor: Ragnarok as the mystical villainess Hela. Her stepping into the role marks the first time Marvel has cast a woman to play the main villain in its ever-expanding Cinematic Universe. She'll be joined by Jeff Goldblum, who is set to play the supremely powerful Grandmaster, alongside Dear White People's Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie, Star Trek's Karl Urban as Skurge, and a returning Mark Ruffalo, who will reprise his role as the Hulk.

Hela is a significant addition to Marvel's movie universe. Having debuted in the comics back in 1964, she is the daughter of an older form of Loki's and the ruler of Hel, the Asgardian realm of the dead. Her presence is intrinsically linked to Ragnarok, or the Norse apocalypse, wherein all gods of Asgard are killed off. (An event that was hinted at in Avengers: Age of Ultron.) It's easy to imagine Blanchett, a two-time Oscar-winner and living Royal Elf, lending the role incredible power.

The rest of the cast hints at the next Thor being far more ambitious than the franchise's last outing, Thor: The Dark World, even if their significance to the plot is a little harder to discern. Tessa Thompson taking up the mantle of Valkyrie makes her Marvel's second superheroine of color, and she's set to replace Natalie Portman as Thor's love interest. Jeff Goldblum's Grandmaster is one of the most powerful beings in the universe, and Karl Urban's Skurge is a great Asgardian warrior. And, of course, Bruce Banner being anywhere near Asgard hints at a possible connection to Marvel's Planet Hulk storyline, wherein he takes over and rules an alien world.

http://www.theverge.com/2016/5/20/11723448/thor-ragnarok-cate-blanchett-female-supervillain-hela-marvel

First ‘Suicide Squad’ Reactions Hit the Web

he fate of Suicide Squad is, well, a bit unclear. The trailers are pretty excellent, no question about that. But some worrisome reports and the less-than-enthusiastic response to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (For the record, I like the movie! Don’t pile up on me, Internet!) are leaving more than a few dubious about whether or not writer/director David Ayer can do this villain-centric story justice.

No pun intended.

And though first reactions weren’t expected for another few weeks, after the movie made its official debut at the MCM London Comic Con, some very lucky fans were apparently granted a very early look at the upcoming blockbuster. And if their word can be trusted, we might be in for something special.

Warner Bros. reportedly screened Ayer’s latest at Union City, CA’s Century 25 Union City and XD theatre last night, and reactions from said screening have hit Twitter throughout the day. Although one would believe they signed a non-disclosure agreement against this kind of activity, WB is probably pretty happy with the response.

The tweet round-up, collected by ComicBook.com, calls the new movie “a pleaser,” “pretty great” and downright “amazing.” And their positive responses can also be applied to the star-studded performances. Will Smith’s Deadshot was also proclaimed “amazing,” while Margot Robbie is “perfectly crazy” as Harley Quinn, Jared Leto’s Joker fit the film’s “aesthetics” and provided a “different aspect of insanity” to the iconic role. Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje’s Killer Croc, meanwhile, is reportedly something of a scene-stealer, as he left at least one audience member “rolling for days” by the end. Certainly some promising stuff.


http://heroichollywood.com/first-suicide-squad-reactions-hit-web/

Mike Colter Reveals ‘Luke Cage’ Plot Details

There are politicians and then there are shady characters that function on the other side of the law. Who does what? I won’t say, but this becomes a situation where there are a lot of people who want to help Harlem and think they have Harlem’s best interests, but, ultimately, just because they think or say they have Harlem’s best interests, sometimes they’re being very selfish or being very short-sighted. So sometimes what they’re doing is actually harming the community.

So this is where Luke comes in because Luke is a person who likes to, he observes and he listens and he takes in to account what people tell him, and he’s a pretty smart guy himself and he understands that some peoples’ way may not be the best may not be the best in the big picture so ultimately Luke has to get involved because there are a lot of things that happen, a lot of people get hurt, a lot of lives are lost and unfortunately he’s the only one who is capable of actually helping deal with this because sometimes the law enforcement is actually not the best because they’re not aware or they’re not capable, or maybe they’re corrupt. So, without getting into too many details, Luke Cage is gonna have to step up and be the man.


http://collider.com/luke-cage-plot-details-netflix-mike-colter/