Happy Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month! The month of May is about recognizing the contributions and influences Asian Americans and Pacific Islander Americans have had in the United States. In honor of AAPI Heritage Month, here are five movies that are about finding love within yourselves and others:
- Love Hard
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This movie is so cute! When I first saw the trailer I thought “it’s just a cliche Christmas movie,” but no! It’s romantic, funny and relatable! Natalie has been having bad luck with her Tinder dates lately until she finally meets a perfect match. The only problem is that she’s never met this person or even FaceTimed him (red flag). So she flies out to surprise him during Christmas, but it turns out she’s the one being surprised. Sometimes it’s hard for us to be our true selves when meeting new people; we don’t want to mess it up so we only show them our perfect side. But as Josh said in the movie, “Love doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to be honest.” It is a reminder to be happy with who you are. Also, the person who stays with you through both the good and bad will be the one who loves you for you. You can find this movie on Netflix. I highly suggest watching it when you feel like watching a cute romantic movie.
- To All The Boys I’ve loved TRILOGY
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This is one of my favorite romantic trilogies! The movies are something you are going to wish you got to experience in high school (if you didn’t already). Lara Jean never expected her letters to get mailed out. But thanks to this, she got to meet her love when she least expected it. I highly suggest watching all three movies because they cover Lara Jean’s experience in high school and her transition from high school to college. She made sure to stick to what she wanted no matter how scary it seemed. Sometimes we overthink our decisions, but if something is meant to be, then it will be. You can find this movie along with the rest on Netflix.
- Crazy Rich Asians
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This movie left me speechless. I know there are mothers out there who protect their sons and make sure they choose the right woman for them. But wow! Will they do anything to make their girlfriend’s or wife’s life miserable? What was supposed to be a normal flight to her boyfriend’s hometown in Singapore, ended up being a surprise for Rachel, the protagonist. It was a trip filled with constant fights with society, his family and not to forget women who are after Rachel’s boyfriend. This movie is about Rachel remaining true to herself while standing strong. Remember, don’t let anyone intimidate you, you are strong and awesome! You can watch this movie on HBO Max.
- Hustlers
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Destiny, the protagonist, is trying to make enough money for herself and her grandma so she goes into the stripping world. However, it’s not as easy as she thinks, so she seeks advice from the queen of the club, Ramona. Things go well for a while — Destiny is able to provide for her grandma and buy things she never could before. She finds family in her friends as well, but eventually, every story has to come to an end. This movie had me intrigued from the start. It’s filled with lots of drama and loving moments. Sometimes money makes people do things that they shouldn’t or in this case commit crimes. You can watch this movie on Hulu.
- Turning Red
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Turning Red is a reminder of how mothers can be a bit overprotective at times! Nonetheless, they mean well. In this movie, we see how much the mom protects Mei Lee (sometimes a little too much). I think many of us can agree that sometimes moms don’t want to see us grow up. They want us to remain their little baby. But one thing is for sure: they are always there and you’ll see that in Turning Red. It’s a story filled with a lot of emotions, friendships and red pandas! Follow Mei Lee on her adventures outside of her house, while remaining her mother’s dutiful daughter. You can watch this movie on Disney+.
I highly recommend watching these movies or at least one of them. Check out their trailers and see which ones intrigue you the most. Once again, happy Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month!