Even though there's no film fests in town, we stopped by the movie theater and checked out American Fusion, which opened this past weekend at the Sundance Kabuki. This film totally reminded us of a Jimmy Kimmel Patton Oswald joke we heard a few years ago that references the breaks one gets upon growing older.

Well, the wickedly funny Taiwanese grandmother, played by Lan Yeung, was not 100 (which according to Oswald, entitles one to kill anyone with their bare hands if possible), but close enough. She had us doubled over many many times throughout this film with her irreverent (and very unabashed) cultural stereotyping. If you’ve ever had a grandparent or elderly relative who resorts to blackmailing you into compliance with their not-so-subtle threats that they’re gonna kick the bucket any day now - or if you’ve ever had to witness their inappropriate ethnic comments (to put it nicely) in public -- then you know exactly what we’re talking about.

It’s not just about Grandma, though. American Fusion is an in your face portrait of intergenerational family conflict that almost anyone can relate to in part (and some probably all too well). It features former NYPD Blue hottie Esai Morales (what’s the latest on his legal woes?!), aka Dr. Martinez, the Mexican dentist who steps directly into granny’s path when he makes a move on her middle-age daughter, Yvonne (Sylvia Chang). There are plenty of cameos in the film, including one by Pat Morita (R.I.P.), the beloved Mr. Miyagi from The Karate Kid.

American Fusion continues at the Sundance Kabuki, and opens this Friday at the Oaks Theatre in Berkeley.

p.s. Any word on when the new Sundance café (that replaced Pasta Pomodoro) next to the theater is gonna get its liquor license? It’s about time!

SFist Wendy, contributing.

SFist Wendy's back at the theater!