Prime Video Releases First Look at ‘Expats’

Prime Video released their first-look images for Expats, the six-part limited series based on the internationally best-selling novel The Expatriates by Janice Y.K. Lee. Directed by Lulu Wang, Expats stars Nicole Kidman, Sarayu Blue, Ji-young Yoo, Brian Tee, and Jack Huston.

Continue reading “Prime Video Releases First Look at ‘Expats’”

On Playing ‘Wanted: Dead’ on PS5 at 2AM on Valentine’s Day

I wanted to play Wanted: Dead because there’s a woman protagonist speaking English in a Swiss accent, and that’s unusual in this space, and it’s a real cool accent, whether or not I know what a Swiss accent actually is.

Continue reading “On Playing ‘Wanted: Dead’ on PS5 at 2AM on Valentine’s Day”

Hard NOC Life 236: Designing the Action of ‘Shang-Chi’ (with Chris Cowan and Yung Lee)

On a new episode of Hard NOC Life, Keith, Britney, and Dominic welcome action designers Chris Cowan and Yung Lee to talk about their work on Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings! The crew also break down the latest What If and the anime-inspired Star Wars: Visions!

Continue reading “Hard NOC Life 236: Designing the Action of ‘Shang-Chi’ (with Chris Cowan and Yung Lee)”

Hard NOC Life 233: Did ‘Shang-Chi’ Live Up to the Hype?

Now that it’s breaking box office records, Keith, Britney, and Dominic are joined by HK cinema and martial arts movie expert Raymond Chow to break down Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings on a new episode of Hard NOC Life.

Continue reading “Hard NOC Life 233: Did ‘Shang-Chi’ Live Up to the Hype?”

Gavin Stenhouse Just May Surprise You on ‘Kung Fu’

Kung Fu’s Gavin Stenhouse knows he’s pretty privileged. 

As the only non-BIPOC person in the predominantly Asian cast on The CW’s Kung Fu, Stenhouse understands the responsibility of being part of this monumental drama — the first Asian American-centered drama on primetime television. Stenhouse has been using his platform to lift up his costars and the writers of the series instead of putting his own input when it comes to the cultural nuances of the Chinese American experience.

Continue reading “Gavin Stenhouse Just May Surprise You on ‘Kung Fu’”

NOC Interview: ‘Godzilla Vs. Kong’ Director Adam Wingard

Godzilla Vs. Kong is stomping into theaters and HBO Max today! And despite a lot of POC issues, the movie is admittedly a good time, and I’d be remiss if I said you shouldn’t see it. The spectacle and action is well worth the price of admission.

We were fortunate enough to be given the chance to interview director Adam Wingard recently, and though a lot of Adam’s work in the past has been problematic (this film included), he was still gracious enough to lend us four minutes of his time to discuss his film. I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t more I would have loved to ask, particularly when it comes to the subject of Asian representation in his films — something I plan to do so should I ever be afforded the same opportunity to sit down with him for future installments or movies. But alas, four minutes is all we were given for now.

Continue reading “NOC Interview: ‘Godzilla Vs. Kong’ Director Adam Wingard”

Jackie Chan Hopes to Draw American Audiences for His Latest ‘Vanguard’

The trailer for Jackie Chan’s latest action film Vanguard has just dropped in the US. Directed by Stanley Tong, the adventure spy-thriller marks the 9th collaboration between the Hong Kong filmmaker and Chan. Tong is known for his action films … Continue reading Jackie Chan Hopes to Draw American Audiences for His Latest ‘Vanguard’

Daniel Wu Goes Into the Badlands

by Timothy Tau | Originally posted on Hyphen

Daniel Wu is a Chinese American actor/director/writer/producer that has already had quite an impressive career overseas in Hong Kong, appearing in over 60 films there — many of them box-office hits —  and also winning awards for his directing, producing and performance work (such as the “Best New Director Award” at the Hong Kong Film Awards for his directorial debut The Heavenly Kings in 2006, which he also wrote, produced and starred in, and a Golden Horse Award for “Best Supporting Actor” in Jackie Chan’s New Police Story in 2004. He will also be starring in Duncan Jones’ Warcraft movie in 2016.

Wu breaks into American TV airwaves on Sunday, November 15th (at 10/9c) with the debut of AMC’s Into The Badlands, which has been receiving buzz as a hotly-anticipated new martial arts drama/action television show featuring not just one but two Asian American leads — Aramis Knight, a young actor of Pakistani and East Indian descent, also plays supporting character M.K. alongside Wu’s main protagonist Sunny. In this interview, readers will appreciate Wu’s illuminating answers, in-depth insight no doubt informed by seasoned experience and hard-won achievements on both sides of the Pacific.

Continue reading “Daniel Wu Goes Into the Badlands

Old Film Reviews: One-Armed Swordsman

Originally published at BadAzz Mofo

The Shaw Brothers studio in Hong Kong was responsible for producing some of the greatest Wushu martial arts films of all time. In the 1970s kung fu flicks flooded American drive-in theaters and grindhouses, and some of the most memorable films came courtesy of Shaw Brothers. But the style and genre of film most Americans associate with Shaw Brothers was relatively new to the studio, part of a new generation Wushu films that was ushered in during the 1960s with titles like the seminal classic One-Armed Swordsman.

Continue reading “Old Film Reviews: One-Armed Swordsman

The NOC Review: Donnie Yen’s Back in Kung Fu Killer

As a rabid martial arts film nerd, I’m not easily impressed. It’s one of those things where if you’ve seen one film, you’ve seen them all. So a movie has to really step outside of the box to garner my attention.

The premise of Donnie Yen’s latest action flick, Kung Fu Killer directed by Teddy Chen, did exactly that in grand fashion.

Continue reading “The NOC Review: Donnie Yen’s Back in Kung Fu Killer

Enter the GTFOH

On March 21, 2015 Ain’t it Cool dropped the mother, father, cousin, and incarcerated uncle of all bombshells: Brett Ratner wants to remake one of the most iconic films in cinema history, which starred one of the most iconic leading mean in the history of film. To even have the gauldacity to fix your imagination to entertain the idea is Greek tragedy level hubris. How could he even think that he has the talent, vision, heart, and narrative ability to remake Enter the Dragon? Who in our modern cinematic landscape has the charisma, charm, physique, sex appeal, and martial talent to even mimic Bruce Lee? I assure you neither Scott Adkins nor Ronda Rousey have it. No diss to them, but, no.

Continue reading “Enter the GTFOH”

Where Does He Get Those Wonderful Hot Toys?

Sorry for the lack of posts lately. It is the holidays after all. Speaking of which, I Just happen to be abroad at the moment and just had to share some pics from a recent pilgrimage to the Hot Toys Secret Base in Hong Kong. Check out the photos after the break.

Continue reading “Where Does He Get Those Wonderful Hot Toys?”