Dragon The Bruce Lee Story Movie

Could it be that by midsummer, after "Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story" has made its multiplex rounds, Jason Scott Lee will have been anointed the next great action film and martial arts hero? He has all the tools, a whippet-like frame, a face that in the genre's tradition is both wary and reposeful in its staple possession of (portentous gong sound here) Ancient Secrets of the East, and an explosive tension in which he mutates onto a fearsome plane of midair dervish violence.

When it comes to marketing movies in Hollywood, there are few tougher sells than biography and political satire. Even dead but still sexy rock stars such as Jim Morrison have a hard time drawing crowds when their stories are told on film. So audiences went against type last weekend when they laid down a combined $17.3 million for "Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story," about the life of the martial arts icon, and "Dave," a mistaken-identity saga set in the White House.

When it comes to marketing movies in Hollywood, there are few tougher sells than biography and political satire. Even dead but still sexy rock stars such as Jim Morrison have a hard time drawing crowds when their stories are told on film. So audiences went against type last weekend when they laid down a combined $17.3 million for "Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story," about the life of the martial arts icon, and "Dave," a mistaken-identity saga set in the White House.

Could it be that by midsummer, after "Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story" has made its multiplex rounds, Jason Scott Lee will have been anointed the next great action film and martial arts hero? He has all the tools, a whippet-like frame, a face that in the genre's tradition is both wary and reposeful in its staple possession of (portentous gong sound here) Ancient Secrets of the East, and an explosive tension in which he mutates onto a fearsome plane of midair dervish violence.

The camera can communicate feelings, experiences and perspectives with an impact that transcends cultures, languages and borders. Films and videos can provide a familiarity that builds understanding. So it is indeed noteworthy that Los Angeles, home of the entertainment industry, is showcasing films and videos made about or by Asian-Pacific-Americans as part of this month's nationwide celebration of Asian Pacific Heritage Month.