A review (or “critique”) of a film, album, theatre

performance, or event is not merely a summary.
Instead, it analyzes, comments on, and evaluates the

work. For this assignment, your review will
also situate the work a) within its specific

historical/political context and b) in relationship to the
theoretical concerns of our course.
Choose 4 different films, CDs/albums, TV

shows/series, websites/blogs, performance/plays
written and/or performed by, for, and/or about Asians

in America. Write a review for each of
your 4 chosen popular cultural objects and make sure

to address the following directions and
questions:
1. Assuming a completely uninformed reader, describe

the work in detail. What is the work’s
specific topic or theme? What artistic and/or cultural

practices, genres, and styles does it draw
from and represent? Who is its audience? What

particular purpose(s) does it seem to serve?
2. What are some of the materials (personal narratives,

characters, storylines, images) that the
work present? How is this material presented (in other

words, what are its aesthetics) and how
does this demonstrate the artists’ larger artistic or

political vision? (your review could quote or
summarize specific examples to describe the author’s

presentation, including writing style and
tone.)
3. What is the background/biography of the director,

playwright, musician, or event
organization? How might this play into the way the

piece is created, distributed, or received?
4. How exactly does the work relate to some of the

themes, topics, histories, and analytical
frameworks we have discussed in this class? What

might this work have to offer a course on
Asian Americans and popular culture?
5. What issues and topics for further discussion does

the work raise?