Movie Review: Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior

Ting ropes up for an important battle.

Movie Review: Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior (2003) directed by Prachya Pinkaew Don (Wannakit Sirioput) had one job. Go to a remote village in Thailand, buy an ancient amulet at way below market price, and return it to mob boss Komtuan (Suchao Pongwilai) for sale on the black market. He failed because the village chief is saving… Continue reading Movie Review: Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior

Movie Review: Five Deadly Venoms

Snake vs. Lizard

Five Deadly Venoms (1978) dir. Cheh Chang Many years ago, the Poison Clan used its powerful martial arts techniques for evil. By this means, they amassed great wealth, but also many enemies. The remaining members had to move into the remote wilderness to keep their lore alive. Now the last teacher of the Poison Clan (Dick… Continue reading Movie Review: Five Deadly Venoms

Movie Review: Project A

Don't try this at home, kids!

Movie Review: Project A (1983) directed by Jackie Chan In the fading years of the Nineteenth Century, the waters off Hong Kong are infested with pirates. It’s the duty of the Hong Kong Coast Guard to deal with said pirates, and they haven’t been doing a very good job. Sergeant Ma Yue “Dragon” Lung (Jackie Chan),… Continue reading Movie Review: Project A

Movie Review: Big Trouble in Little China

Lo Pan's pet beholder.

Movie Review: Big Trouble in Little China (1986) directed by John Carpenter. Wang Chi (Dennis Dun), owner of a small restaurant in San Francisco, probably shouldn’t have stayed up all night gambling with his recently arrived trucker friend Jack Burton (Kurt Russell). After all, he’s supposed to pick up his fiancee Miao Lin from the airport… Continue reading Movie Review: Big Trouble in Little China

Book Review: Secondhand Origin Stories

Book Review: Secondhand Origin Stories by Lee Blauersouth Opal’s father should have been a superhero, but he used his powers to protect a neighbor illegally and wound up in jail.  Ever since, Opal has kept her nose clean, excelling in school and decorum, in the hope of being licensed and redeeming the family name.  Now… Continue reading Book Review: Secondhand Origin Stories

Manga Review: Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure Part 1: Phantom Blood Volume 02

Manga Review: Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure Part 1: Phantom Blood Volume 02 by Hirohiko Araki Quick recap: In 19th Century England, orphan Dio Brando comes to live with the wealthy and noble Joestar family.  In retrospective, they probably should have asked more questions about how he became an orphan.  Dio planned to supplant the heir, Jonathan… Continue reading Manga Review: Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure Part 1: Phantom Blood Volume 02

Manga Review: Fullmetal Alchemist, Volume 10

Manga Review:  Fullmetal Alchemist, Volume 10 by Hiromu Arakawa. In the country of Amestris, the highest form of science known is alchemy, the ability to transmute substances into another form.  It seems limited only by the Law of Equivalent Exchange “to obtain an object, something of equal value must be lost.”  Transmutation of humans is… Continue reading Manga Review: Fullmetal Alchemist, Volume 10

Comic Book Review: Essential Daredevil Vol. 4

Comic Book Review: Essential Daredevil Vol. 4 edited by Stan Lee and Roy Thomas Created in 1964 by Stan Lee and Bill Everett, Daredevil is Matt Murdock, a blind lawyer.  He was struck in the face with radioactive material as a teen while shoving a blind man out of danger, which both blinded Matthew and… Continue reading Comic Book Review: Essential Daredevil Vol. 4

TV Review: Thunderbolt Fantasy

TV Review: Thunderbolt Fantasy Sho Fukan, a simple wanderer, just wanted an umbrella to ward off the rain.  But the sly stranger called Rin Setsua manipulated Sho Fukan into helping out a damsel in  distress.  The woman’s name turned out to be Tan Hi, a shrine maiden whose family was dedicated to keeping a powerful… Continue reading TV Review: Thunderbolt Fantasy

Comic Book Review: The Immortal Iron Fist: The Last Iron Fist Story

Comic Book Review: The Immortal Iron Fist: The Last Iron Fist Story written by Ed Brubaker & Matt Fraction, primary artist David Aja When Daniel Rand was nine years old, his father Wendell Rand took him, his mother Heather, and business partner Harold Meachum on an expedition to the mystical city of K’un L’un, which appears… Continue reading Comic Book Review: The Immortal Iron Fist: The Last Iron Fist Story