White Frog (2012)

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

Booboo Stewart looks like a white kid in this movie rather than looking like an Asian. This is a classic Hollywood using a white person in Asian character.The overall story is good. Booboo has a good potential to be a big star. I like that the producers use multiple teenager stars to put into this project. However, I hate to see the main character pretending to be Asian when he is clearly a white kid by the facial structure and skin complex.

I saw this on Netflix, which offered only the very briefest of descriptions, so I had no idea what to expect. But since Netflix had it listed in the LGBT category, I did at least expect a gay-ish theme. But the repeated and somewhat heavy-handed references early in the film to evangelical Christianity (citing of Biblical verses, the prayer at the funeral, the lyrics of the overtly evangelical hymn in the sound track) left me very confused. I am left with the impression of a screenwriter who is gay but also a devout evangelical Christian, a juxtaposition that I personally find troubling. Still, I tried to give the film some benefit of doubt. I was not successful. The writing was uneven and at times very unrealistic, especially in the way Nick's social abilities ... as a person with Asperger's ... vacillated across a wide range. It was as though he suddenly stopped having Asperger's when the writer/director needed him to be able to emote "normally."And the characters seemed too contrived. Wealthy family with domineering and controlling father, submissive pill-popping mother, "perfect" elder son, challenged younger son. It was all too transparent. But the composition of the boys' poker group! One wealthy white with a prestige car, one probable Latino with a mother who worked as a maid, one black guy who looked like he was channeling Pharrell, and one South Asian. It was like a little United Nations! And it seemed totally artificial. The acting was not great, either. I love both BD Wong and Joan Chen, but neither performance impressed me. But this may be due to the limitations of the material with which they had to work. The boys (Poker Group plus Nick) were very unevenly matched, from Justin Martin's downright bad acting to Gregg Sulkin's roller-coaster of scene-by-scene good-to-bad-to-good-again. Call me crazy, but this entire film might have worked better if a) the overt references to evangelical Christianity were removed and b) the setting were shifted from the wealthy suburbs of LA to a working class neighborhood in middle America.

I enjoyed this film. Not an ounce of me regrets seeing this film (perhaps a small ounce, because it's 2 AM and my sleeping schedule is pretty horrific), and it certainly is going to stay with me, because the message behind it is pretty strong and it's a gem on Netflix's Gay & Lesbian section compared to some of the garbage offered there.The performances are great, and I especially was impressed with Tyler Posey, who came off as ridiculously realistic and hardly seemed like he was "acting". All the actors seemed pretty good to me. Performances were no problem here.The story itself is quite charming and worth sticking through: a boy with Aspergers idolizes his older brother, who is tragically killed in a car accident (don't consider this a spoiler, as it happens about ten minutes into the film and the entire plot revolves around this), leaving him with parents who have little idea as to how to connect with him. He begins to take comfort in his brother's friends, who take him under his wing as he learns more about his brother than he expected as he searches for answers and closure. I enjoyed the film - honestly, I did - yet it has flaws that hold it back from being a "good" movie to being a "great" film. Simplistic things first: editing was not as fine tuned as it should have been, the sound editing and effects weren't particularly impressive, and the cinematography felt uninspired unless it was attempting for the "Indie" style.Things holding it back: - The screenplay. It's not a bad screenplay, but the film lacks development of the friends of his brother (who are pretty central to the film) and often adds in characters and plots that don't seem to flow and may be tacked on. Scenes aren't developed - there's some sections of the film that can be used for incredibly strong character development, but the scenes seem to be cut short and nothing really adds up. It gave it some realism, but a strong in-depth look at the characters seem to missing. - Direction: again, nothing stands out. The actors are fine, but they all seem to be lacking instruction, physicality, line delivery, etc. This really held it back. For a first time feature it was passable, but in the future, get the actors to do more than "act". They need to flow and become the characters. Some actors have skill at this (i.e. Posey) and others need direction. Give it to them. - Certain things in general: because of the pacing and lack of development, there is no sense of connection or understanding what the characters are going through. I fell in love with these characters, but I should have been bawling when it ended. I felt a strange sense of sadness, but that was it. I appreciated the focus an Asian-American family without having their race be part of who they are. How many times in movies are the Asians either villains, humorous, or "traditional parents with Americanized children"? I applaud the filmmakers for this alone, because there simply has to be more of this. It's a great watch, but it screams to be let out of it's cages and be free. It begs to be on the level of Perks of Being a Wallflower in terms of impact and coming-of-age, but it doesn't hit the marks. It's ambitious yet leaves me wanting more from everything. Why are the characters the way they are? What makes them certain ways? How does their environment affect them? I wanted the friends to be more impacted by their friend's death (considering, you know, he's one of their best friends - especially a CERTAIN FRIEND) and have that be explored, but it never was. Had this film been made years in the future when the filmmakers were more advanced and skilled, it'd be perfect. We have to settle for it being good, not great.7/10

Nick Yung has a brother whom he adores, and he has Aspbergers. He comes from a seemingly perfect American/Oriental family, but perfection's not all it's cracked up to be.On the death of his brother, life starts to unravel and he slowly uncovers the truth that lies just beneath the perfect veneer of his life.Nick conquers his differences and goes on a journey to discover that not only do people keep secrets, but that uncovering those secrets can set you free and make you whole.The acting in this film is terrific, especially from the young man who played Nick so well. It's a lovely little film that made me smile and cry in all the right places.Well worth a viewing.