Plot: Follows Chang, a 16-year-old, Asian American high school student in the marching band, who bets the school basketball star that he can dunk by Homecoming. The bet leads the 5’ 8″ Chang on a quest to find the hops he needs to dunk in order to impress his crush, Kristy, and finally gain the attention and respect of his high school peers. But before he can rise up and truly throw one down, he’ll have to reexamine everything he knows about himself, his friendships and his family.
Review: The tried and true formula of sports underdog stories has been a staple of movies for decades. From Rocky to Hoosiers, The Mighty Ducks to Remember the Titans, every sport has had a cinematic showcase allowing audiences to believe that even the average can do the incredible. With training montages, adversity overcome, and some inspirational music to liven the mood, sports movies...
Review: The tried and true formula of sports underdog stories has been a staple of movies for decades. From Rocky to Hoosiers, The Mighty Ducks to Remember the Titans, every sport has had a cinematic showcase allowing audiences to believe that even the average can do the incredible. With training montages, adversity overcome, and some inspirational music to liven the mood, sports movies...
- 3/14/2023
- by Alex Maidy
- JoBlo.com
This weekend is when the contenders either become winners or also-rans. The 2023 Oscars air on Sunday (the telecast is technically on our TV show awards contenders list). That’s the big story in cinema right now, so this weekend is light on new releases and especially light on new releases that could become awards contenders in the future. But this weekend does have your best chance yet to watch one of this year’s Best Picture nominees.
The contender to watch this weekend: “Women Talking”
“Women Talking” has been available on-demand for a couple of weeks, but at the moment it’s easier to watch than ever before. The Best Picture nominee is streaming free on Prime Video for a very limited time – until Sunday at midnight Et/9 p.m. Pt. The film tells the story of a group of women in an ultraconservative religious sect deciding whether to stay...
The contender to watch this weekend: “Women Talking”
“Women Talking” has been available on-demand for a couple of weeks, but at the moment it’s easier to watch than ever before. The Best Picture nominee is streaming free on Prime Video for a very limited time – until Sunday at midnight Et/9 p.m. Pt. The film tells the story of a group of women in an ultraconservative religious sect deciding whether to stay...
- 3/11/2023
- by Liam Mathews
- Gold Derby
It’s easy to think that the latest offering on Disney+ will be yet another inspirational, underdog sports movie. After all, the film concerns a 16-year-old Asian-American high-school student who sets out to prove that he can perform a slam dunk despite his underwhelming 5’8” height. So you can expect that by the end of Chang Can Dunk the titular hero will defy the odds, defeat his foe and win the hearts of everyone concerned. Right?
Well, yes and no. Writer-director Jingyi Shao covers all those bases (wrong sport, I know), including the obligatory training montage and the introduction of a wholesome romantic interest. But the filmmaker, making his feature debut, also has more interesting things in mind, delivering a darker, more complex story that nonetheless proves utterly heartwarming by the end.
At the story’s beginning, Chang (Bloom Li, making a terrific feature debut, in which he’s onscreen nearly...
Well, yes and no. Writer-director Jingyi Shao covers all those bases (wrong sport, I know), including the obligatory training montage and the introduction of a wholesome romantic interest. But the filmmaker, making his feature debut, also has more interesting things in mind, delivering a darker, more complex story that nonetheless proves utterly heartwarming by the end.
At the story’s beginning, Chang (Bloom Li, making a terrific feature debut, in which he’s onscreen nearly...
- 3/10/2023
- by Frank Scheck
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
“Chang Can Dunk” doesn’t go the way you’d expect, and that’s a good thing. Here’s a Disney movie about a 5-foot-8-inch Chinese American high school basketball player who bets his rival that he can dunk by the end of the season. He gets his wish about an hour in, but there’s still a long way for the character to go — and grow — in a film that believes maturity isn’t achieved by shortcuts.
The result marks the attention-worthy debut of writer-director Jingyi Shao, and exemplifies the sort of movies Disney should be making: It has its values in the right place, but doesn’t pretend its hero is perfect. If there’s a villain in “Chang Can Dunk,” that role is arguably filled by the title character. In time, the obsessive teen’s ultra-competitive personality winds up alienating practically everyone in his life, except...
The result marks the attention-worthy debut of writer-director Jingyi Shao, and exemplifies the sort of movies Disney should be making: It has its values in the right place, but doesn’t pretend its hero is perfect. If there’s a villain in “Chang Can Dunk,” that role is arguably filled by the title character. In time, the obsessive teen’s ultra-competitive personality winds up alienating practically everyone in his life, except...
- 3/10/2023
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
"Everybody's talking about you, dude!" Disney has revealed an official trailer for a new high school sports movie called Chang Dan Dunk, the feature directorial debut of filmmaker Jing Yi Shao. The movie will be streaming on Disney+ starting in early March, which is really the ideal place for something like this to premiere." Freshman Chang is no more. Chang 2.0 is here!" Bloom Li stars as 16-year-old Asian-American Chang, who is an unpopular high schooler who loves basketball, but is always underestimated. Though his peers treat him as though he is insignificant, he becomes obsessed with learning how to slam dunk. Chang is determined to best the high school's all-star named Matt, all while hopefully winning the adoration of his romantic interest, Kristy. Also starring Ben Wang, Chase Liefeld, Eric Anthony Lopez, Nile Bullock, Zoe Renee, Mardy Ma, and Angel Oquendo as "Coach". This actually looks pretty good! Worth a watch.
- 2/21/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Disney+ has unveiled the trailer for “Chang Can Dunk” from filmmaker Jingyi Shao, one of Variety’s “10 Directors to Watch” for 2023.
The coming-of-age sports film — which begins streaming March 10 — follows Chang (Bloom Li), an unpopular high schooler who loves basketball and Pokémon. Chang finds himself wagering a bet with the school’s all-star player, Matt (Chase Liefeld), that he will be able to make a slam dunk — in 12 weeks time.
The film also stars Zoe Renee, Ben Wang, Dexter Darden, Anthony Lopez, Nile Bullock, Mardy Ma and Angel Oquendo.
“I was really inspired by early ’90s coming-of-age films, but specifically sports-coming-of-age films like ‘Mighty Ducks,’” Shao tells Variety of his feature directorial debut.
The film examines teenage social hierarchies and family dynamics from the perspective of people of color living in communities where they’re a minority population.
“In a town where there aren’t a lot of other Asian American families,...
The coming-of-age sports film — which begins streaming March 10 — follows Chang (Bloom Li), an unpopular high schooler who loves basketball and Pokémon. Chang finds himself wagering a bet with the school’s all-star player, Matt (Chase Liefeld), that he will be able to make a slam dunk — in 12 weeks time.
The film also stars Zoe Renee, Ben Wang, Dexter Darden, Anthony Lopez, Nile Bullock, Mardy Ma and Angel Oquendo.
“I was really inspired by early ’90s coming-of-age films, but specifically sports-coming-of-age films like ‘Mighty Ducks,’” Shao tells Variety of his feature directorial debut.
The film examines teenage social hierarchies and family dynamics from the perspective of people of color living in communities where they’re a minority population.
“In a town where there aren’t a lot of other Asian American families,...
- 2/21/2023
- by Charna Flam
- Variety Film + TV
In our Q&a series Popsugar Crush, we get to know some of our favorite celebs' more intimate details - from their first celebrity crush to the best love advice they've ever received. This month, we're crushing on Saved by the Bell's Dexter Darden.
Dexter Darden grew up watching reruns of the original Saved by the Bell series before catching the school bus. So reprising his role as DeVante Young in Peacock's Saved by the Bell reboot - which returned for a second season on Nov. 24 - feels surreal for the New Jersey-born actor. "The original cast members have a bigger presence this season, but it's a very different show in terms of content," he told Popsugar. "We pay homage to the original, but [creator] Tracey [Wigfield] found a cool way of allowing this reboot to be ours in its own way."
"DeVante and Nadia share the same skin color, but...
Dexter Darden grew up watching reruns of the original Saved by the Bell series before catching the school bus. So reprising his role as DeVante Young in Peacock's Saved by the Bell reboot - which returned for a second season on Nov. 24 - feels surreal for the New Jersey-born actor. "The original cast members have a bigger presence this season, but it's a very different show in terms of content," he told Popsugar. "We pay homage to the original, but [creator] Tracey [Wigfield] found a cool way of allowing this reboot to be ours in its own way."
"DeVante and Nadia share the same skin color, but...
- 12/1/2021
- by Princess Gabbara
- Popsugar.com
Exclusive: Disney Studios feature Chang Can Dunk has added Dexter Darden and Ben Wang to the cast of the high school basketball movie, which is intended for Disney+.
In the Jingyi Shao directed and written movie, a 16 year-old 5’6” Asian-American student (Bloom Li) bets the school jock he can dunk a basketball at Homecoming, leading him on a quest to find the hops he needs to dunk and finally impress his crush. Chase Liefeld also stars.
Darden will play DeAndre, a former pro basketball player and two-time Estonia League Mvp. Deandre is a millennial hustler trying to grow his social media following, and he agrees to coach Chang. Wang will play Bo, Chang’s best friend.
Producers are Lena Waithe and Rishi Rajani through their Hillman Grad Productions banner, Brad Weston and Makeready.
Darden will reprise his starring role in Peacock/NBC hit series reboot of Saved By The Bell returning for season 2 Nov.
In the Jingyi Shao directed and written movie, a 16 year-old 5’6” Asian-American student (Bloom Li) bets the school jock he can dunk a basketball at Homecoming, leading him on a quest to find the hops he needs to dunk and finally impress his crush. Chase Liefeld also stars.
Darden will play DeAndre, a former pro basketball player and two-time Estonia League Mvp. Deandre is a millennial hustler trying to grow his social media following, and he agrees to coach Chang. Wang will play Bo, Chang’s best friend.
Producers are Lena Waithe and Rishi Rajani through their Hillman Grad Productions banner, Brad Weston and Makeready.
Darden will reprise his starring role in Peacock/NBC hit series reboot of Saved By The Bell returning for season 2 Nov.
- 11/4/2021
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Chase Liefeld has joined the cast of Disney Studios’ high school basketball movie Chang Can Dunk which is intended for debut on Disney+.
The Yorba Linda, CA native will play Matt, the high school’s star basketball player, who becomes an obsession of 16-year old Chang, who we told you Bloom Li is set to play. Chang is a constantly marginalized, not-popular kid who wants to learn how to dunk so bad, he wants to best Matt at his game and win the adoration of Kristy.
Jingyi Shao is writing and directing the feature from Lena Waithe and Rishi Rajani’s Hillman Grad Productions. They’re producing with Brad Weston and Negin Salmasi.
Liefeld’s credits include the indie feature Honor Student from director Tamika Miller and the YouTube series Sunnyside Up. He is repped by Robert Stein Management and Gersh.
The Yorba Linda, CA native will play Matt, the high school’s star basketball player, who becomes an obsession of 16-year old Chang, who we told you Bloom Li is set to play. Chang is a constantly marginalized, not-popular kid who wants to learn how to dunk so bad, he wants to best Matt at his game and win the adoration of Kristy.
Jingyi Shao is writing and directing the feature from Lena Waithe and Rishi Rajani’s Hillman Grad Productions. They’re producing with Brad Weston and Negin Salmasi.
Liefeld’s credits include the indie feature Honor Student from director Tamika Miller and the YouTube series Sunnyside Up. He is repped by Robert Stein Management and Gersh.
- 9/29/2021
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Bloom Li has landed the lead role in Disney Studios’ high school basketball feature Chang Can Dunk, which Jingyi Shao will direct and write.
In Chang Can Dunk, a 16-year old, constantly marginalized, not-popular high school kid and wannabe basketball player becomes obsessed with the idea of learning to dunk, all in an effort to best the school’s basketball star, Matt — and hopefully win the adoration of the very pretty Kristy.
Lena Waithe and Rishi Rajani are producing through their Hillman Grad Productions. Brad Weston and Negin Salmasi are also producing the movie, which is intended for Disney+.
Li has had a recurring role on Awesomeness TV’s My Dead Ex and appearances on CBS’ S.W.A.T. and Hulu’s Into the Dark. Some of the numerous short films in which Bloom appeared went on to play at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, Palm Springs International ShortFest and South by Southwest.
In Chang Can Dunk, a 16-year old, constantly marginalized, not-popular high school kid and wannabe basketball player becomes obsessed with the idea of learning to dunk, all in an effort to best the school’s basketball star, Matt — and hopefully win the adoration of the very pretty Kristy.
Lena Waithe and Rishi Rajani are producing through their Hillman Grad Productions. Brad Weston and Negin Salmasi are also producing the movie, which is intended for Disney+.
Li has had a recurring role on Awesomeness TV’s My Dead Ex and appearances on CBS’ S.W.A.T. and Hulu’s Into the Dark. Some of the numerous short films in which Bloom appeared went on to play at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, Palm Springs International ShortFest and South by Southwest.
- 9/22/2021
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.