Hollywood did something right. Today, veteran versatile actor James Hong got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Jamie Lee Curtis emceed the ceremony for the 93-year performer who was quite jaunty at the festivities. His list of on-camera and voiceover credits is stunning. In the on-camera film work category alone, his credits are impressive: 1961's FLOWER DRUM SONG, THE SAND PEBBLES, THE HAWAIIANS, CHINATOWN, excellent scene with Jack Nicholson is a highlight of THE TWO JAKES (a follow-up to CHINATOWN), AIRPLANE!, 1982's BLADE RUNNER, BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA, WAYNE'S WORLD 2, and the 2008 remake of THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL to name a few. He is in this year's critically acclaimed EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE.
Back in 2007, I was in New York City and working as a movie reviewer on a weekday morning radio show. I got an invite to the screening of a movie called BALLS OF FURY, a comedy centered on the competitive sports world of ping-pong. The movie was shown in a posh Manhattan screening attended by some posh critics whose body language made it apparent that they found it low-brow. I sat next to noted film critic and novelist Thelma Adams.
She and I laughed like a couple of 8th graders having a fun vacation day at Disneyland.
Yes, it's a goofy movie. But, once in a while, I need that kind of entertainment. I admit that I have seen NAPOLEAN DYNAMITE and TALLADEGA NIGHTS: THE BALLAD OF RICKY BOBBY numerous times. BALLS OF FURY is not sophisticated. But Thelma and I howled with laughter at James Hong's performance. He's a main character in the movie.
If you need some low-brow laughs this week or weekend, check out James Hong, Christopher Walken, George Lopez, Aisha Tyler and Dan Fogler in BALLS OF FURY.
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