If you’ve ever finished a show and thought, “I wish I had something new to watch that actually feels different,” AAPI Heritage Month is a great time to branch out.

Asian film and TV have quietly become some of the most exciting storytelling in entertainment right now, from emotionally layered dramas to high-energy anime and beautifully shot, slow-paced lifestyle series. The only real question is: where do you start?

Start with the names you already know (even if you don’t realize it)

You’ve probably already seen actors like Steven Yeun (Beef, The Walking Dead) or Song Kang-ho (Parasite), but their earlier work opens up an entirely different world of storytelling.

Films like Burning or A Taxi Driver hit differently. They’re slower, more character-driven, and often linger with you in a way that big Hollywood releases don’t always try to.

Then fall into the rabbit hole (you’ll probably stay there)

If you’ve never really gotten into anime or serialized Asian dramas, this is where things can get addictive fast.

Shows like Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood and Demon Slayer – The Movie: Mugen Train aren’t just popular; they’re the kind of series people build routines around. One episode turns into three, and suddenly it’s a full weekend watch.

For something quieter, try watching how culture shows up in everyday life

Not everything has to be high stakes. Some of the most memorable content comes from shows that focus on food, travel, and routine.

The Solitary Gourmet and A Taste of Life in Kyoto are the kind of series you put on thinking you’ll casually watch, and end up getting completely absorbed in. They’re less about plot and more about atmosphere, tradition, and small moments that feel deeply personal.

Where to find all of this (without another subscription)

Let’s be honest, most people aren’t looking to add another streaming service right now.

That’s where free platforms like Amasian TV come in. It brings together a mix of films, dramas, anime, and live programming, including internationally acclaimed and award-winning titles, all in one place, with curated collections that make it easier to jump between genres depending on your mood.

Whether you’re in the mood for something emotional, something bingeable, or just something new, it’s an easy way to explore without overthinking it.

This isn’t just for AAPI Month

What’s changed in the last few years is how accessible these stories have become. You no longer need to go out of your way to find them; they’re part of the broader entertainment landscape now.

So if AAPI Heritage Month gives you a reason to start, there’s a good chance you won’t stop there.

Written in partnership with Tom White

Every year, Mother’s Day sneaks up on someone. Don’t let it be you. This list is all about gifts that show you actually put in the effort. From a Baywatch-approved swimsuit to artisan ice cream that ships to your door, here’s how to make Mom feel like the icon she is.

For the Mom Who Runs Things in a Swimsuit

If your mom’s taste runs anywhere near the shore or pool, this one’s a no-brainer. JOLYN — the brand behind the red swimsuit in the upcoming Baywatch reboot — has quietly become the go-to for women who want to move freely in their swimwear. Their proprietary Splashtec fabric is the real differentiator: it stretches for comfort and flexibility, stands up to chlorine without breaking down, and retains its shape and color long after most suits have faded and stretched out beyond recognition. Think bold cuts, serious construction, and the kind of confidence that turns heads at Malibu without trying. For the mom who’s been wearing the same tankini since 2015, this is the upgrade she deserves.

For the Mom Who Never Stopped Loving Old Hollywood

For the mom who grew up watching Technicolor films and never really let that era go, Unique Vintage is her brand. The Monroe Swing Dress (~$70) comes in prints that feel straight out of a 1950s movie still — floaty, feminine, and incredibly flattering across sizes. It’s the rare gift that photographs well, fits beautifully, and doesn’t look like it came from a department store. Perfect for brunch at Nobu Malibu or a Sunday afternoon doing absolutely nothing.

For the Mom Who Glows on Her Own Schedule

In LA, a sun-kissed glow is basically a year-round requirement — but not all moms want to spend that time actually in the sun. NUDA Sunless tanning mousse options (~$42) deliver a streak-free, natural-looking bronze that develops in a few hours and doesn’t smell like the tanning beds of 2003. It’s the kind of gift that feels genuinely luxurious without the price tag to match. Great for the mom who wants to look like she just got back from a long weekend in Cabo even when she hasn’t left the house.

For the Mom Who Takes Her Health Seriously

For the mom who’s serious about what goes in her body — or the one who’s been meaning to get serious — Levels Nutrition takes the guesswork out of clean eating. Their protein and wellness products are made without the artificial junk sneaked into most mainstream supplements, and they actually taste like something you’d choose to drink. If she’s been reaching for whatever’s on sale at the pharmacy, this is a meaningful upgrade. A great starting point for the health-conscious mom who deserves better than gas station protein bars.

For the Mom Who Touches Up and Moves On

Root regrowth has terrible timing — it always shows up right before a dinner, a family photoshoot, or a neighborhood barbecue that calls for a supermarket run, not a salon appointment. Style Edit is the stylist-born fix: a salon-quality root concealer with color-adaptive technology that blends in seconds and actually holds up. No heavy texture, no harsh chemicals, just a seamless finish that looks fresh and effortless. For the active mom who’s always on the go, it bridges the gap between appointments without compromising hair health.

For the Mom Who Deserves a Great Night’s Sleep

Yes, it’s a cube. No, it doesn’t make as little sense as you’d think. Pillow Cube‘s signature square design is built for side sleepers — it fills the gap between shoulder and head perfectly, which means no more stacking two pillows and still waking up with a crick in the neck. It sounds like a novelty gift, but moms who get one tend to become borderline evangelical about it. If she’s been complaining about her pillow, this is the fix she didn’t know existed.

For the Mom Who Deserves Clean Air and Good Vibes

If your mom lights a candle every time she needs to decompress, Sea Witch Botanicals is worth checking out. The 12-year-old brand has been making incense and candles without synthetic fragrances since before clean beauty was a buzzword, which means no mystery chemicals, no artificial fillers, just botanicals to scent your space the way nature intended. “Breathe plants, not plastic” is their philosophy, so it’s a match for the mom who’s particular about what she brings into her home.

For the Mom Who Brightens Up Every Morning

If your mom’s morning ritual involves an overpriced coffee shop order, it might be time to introduce her to something better. Matcha.com‘s Ceremonial Organic Starter Set (~$124 one-time, or less on subscription) is a proper gift: ceremonial-grade matcha plus either a traditional bowl and bamboo whisk or a cup and frother, depending on how she likes to roll. No barista required. The quality is noticeably different from the dusty green powder at the back of the grocery store — smooth, grassy, and energizing without the jitters. For the wellness-minded mom, this is a ritual she’ll lean on.

For the Mom Who Says She Doesn’t Need Anything

We’re closing with dessert because that’s how it should be. Skip the single pint — Cold Case Ice Cream lets you build your own case (~$99): six handcrafted specialty pints with flavor names that sound like they were invented in a detective novel. We’re talking Cereal Killer (a chocolate base loaded with a homemade cereal mix and ribbons of peanut butter), Illegal Fireworks (cake batter ice cream packed with popping candy that actually pops), and more fun flavors. They drop brand new creations regularly, so it’s worth checking what’s just landed. For the mom who insists she doesn’t need anything: let her pick her own case. She’ll love every pint.

Written in partnership with Tom White

At last Monday’s screening of Bodyman, Kate Monroe watched her first feature unfold in front of an audience of more than 300 people, an experience she described as both surreal and grounding. 

“Seeing Bodyman with an audience of over 300 people in a theater that big—especially since it wasn’t your typical movie theater—was pretty wild,” Monroe said. “Sitting near the front and hearing the laughter, feeling the scale of it… it kind of brought the whole thing to life for me—took it off the shelf and made it real.” For Monroe, the difference between watching alone and watching with a crowd was immediate. “There’s really nothing like watching your film with a crowd,” she said. “When you watch it by yourself, you tend to be really critical—you’re picking apart your performance, your face, your posture, all those little things we all overthink. But with an audience, they’re just enjoying the movie as it unfolds.” That shift, she added, changed her experience entirely. “It made me think, ‘If I were just sitting in this room as an audience member, would I enjoy this?’ And the answer was absolutely yes. So it really took my enjoyment up a few notches.” 

She also said the audience reaction played a major role in shaping how she viewed the film’s tone and pacing in real time. “A lot of the scenes weren’t strictly written—they were more off the cuff,” she explained. “Once you get to know the actors and you’re spending all day together, some of that naturally starts to bleed into what you see on screen.” One moment in particular stood out. “The spanking scene definitely got a big reaction. People see my character as this strong, alpha woman, so that moment kind of catches them off guard in a fun way. And hearing 100 or 200 people laughing at the same time was really special.” Overall, she said the energy in the room confirmed the film was landing as intended. “The energy in the room was just really good—we got all the right laughs and all the right reactions. You can feel when people are truly paying attention.” 

That response, she added, went beyond polite approval. “I was hoping people wouldn’t just feel like they had to be nice afterward and say, ‘Oh, it was great,’” she said. “A lot of people genuinely went out of their way to tell me how much they enjoyed it. That definitely raised the bar for me. It made me want to chase that feeling again. So you’ll definitely be seeing more of me.” 

Originally, Monroe said, she envisioned something closer to a gritty political thriller. “I think originally, when I wrote the book, I imagined it having more of a Narcos or The Terminal List kind of vibe,” she said. “But it ended up becoming more of a popcorn movie.” That shift, she believes, ultimately strengthened the project. “We’re dealing with really heavy subject

matter—the border, immigration—and if we had told it in a more serious way, people might have felt like they had to take sides. Instead, we leaned into something more fun and stylized—almost Guy Ritchie-esque—with humor and larger-than-life characters.” Even so, she found herself in an unexpectedly intense role. “I actually ended up being the most alpha—and probably the most violent—character in the film,” she said. “I might have gotten a little carried away. I wasn’t exactly play fighting, which is probably why it looks so real.” 

Monroe also credited much of the film’s impact to the cast and how the story evolved once it became personal for them. “Once they realized this story is based on a real person—that Evelyn James is essentially me—it gave everything a different weight,” she said. “Suddenly you’re not just acting—you’re debating with someone who debates, you’re in scenes with someone who’s actually lived it.” Even off-screen dynamics added to the experience. “Even with Tom Arnold… I think he initially assumed I wouldn’t be very likable,” she said. “But after working together, he told me, ‘You’re actually really compassionate—thank you for your service.’” 

Describing the production environment, Monroe called it highly collaborative. “Very collaborative,” she said. “As a Marine Corps veteran, I’d help actors with weapon handling or physicality so it felt real but still safe. Sometimes I was ‘really’ fighting while they were learning the rhythm of it as actors.” She also noted how much of the film came together organically. “The scene where I fire the gun out of the window—that wasn’t originally planned. It just felt right in the moment, so we went with it. I think about 10–15% of every movie ends up being those instinctive decisions.” Even dialogue often shifted on set. “Tom Arnold said, ‘We can’t have a toy soldier playing with real guns, can we?’—that wasn’t in the script,” she recalled. “So later I used that in our scene together. I said, ‘What would a toy soldier know about that?’” 

Some of the film’s most memorable moments, she added, came from pure improvisation. “In the hotel scene, John Sheck said, ‘I feel a calling that my character should pray for your character,’” she said. “That wasn’t written, but it completely changed the tone.” Instead of going in a predictable direction, the scene became something more restrained and emotional. “It ended up becoming a really tender moment,” she said. “It set up the shower scene in a more emotional way—like she’s washing off all of that trauma.” She added, “Actors really do surprise you with how they interpret things.” 

For Monroe, the premiere ultimately reinforced a larger lesson. “The biggest takeaway was that we made something with real heart—and people showed up for it in a big way,” she said. “Some drove three or four hours, others even flew in just to be there.” Moving forward, she said, her mindset is simple: “Keep going. People will show up for you. There are always those ‘what ifs’—but what if it works? What if people love it? I’m always going to lean toward that side of it. We made a real movie that genuinely connected with people, and that’s something I want to keep building on.”

Written in partnership with Tom White