Crazy Rich Asians

Ever been to a derelict power station on a hot and humid day to look at some sneakers? Yes, those sneakers that “cosmopolitan” Singapore youth dream about on a silver platter? Neither have I. Take my hand as I retell my meandering experience into a world of subcultures at Street Superior 2018. Despite the far-flung locale, I have to admit that the elaborate space-making lent itself well to a feeling almost akin to walking into the wrong classroom or jumping down into the rabbit hole. Think grungy London back alleys and joggers in Nike windbreakers – you know you like that…

Everybody wants to know what everyone else thinks about Crazy Rich Asians (CRA), particularly, if you’re Asian. Many commentators have already weighed in about how CRA is either a triumph of representation for the Asian community, or an opulent neo-colonial misrepresentation of the Singaporean, Asian, and Asian-American ethnic groups, and an actively discriminatory film. These are critical issues that deserve attention, but they ultimately grapple with the contexts that the film interacts with, and not the heart of the film itself. If we want to understand what the film means to the people who are watching it, then we should…