Yi Liu

How many movies in film history have been made about the New York City experience? Some might say too many. The perils of life in The Big Apple is well worn territory with each new production that dares to use NYC as a backdrop approaching parody at every turn. This is what makes Ximan Li’s In A New York Minute movie so refreshing. The film presents a new perspective, combined with fantastic performances and beautiful cinematography that gives talented Asian performers the spotlight. While the structure of In A New York Minute uses the time tested storytelling technique of parallel lives intersecting after individual vignettes take us through the plight of each character, the film forges it’s own path and manages to use this structure in a way that doesn’t feel rote or outside the ability of the filmmaker. It should be noted that In A New York Minute was produced by a predominantly female crew and almost exclusively Asian/Asian-American cast, which certainly lends to the fresh feel of the experience.