We're wrapping up John Woo-LY 2026 with what many consider to be the definitive John Woo film: The Killer (1989). This isn't just another great Hong Kong action movie. It's arguably the purest expression of John Woo's creative vision—the film where he had almost complete artistic control from start to finish, refining everything that made him one of the most influential action directors of all time. Heroic Bloodshed. Dual pistols. Slow motion. Brotherhood. Betrayal. White doves. It's all here...

Next up on John Woo-LY 2026 is Hard Target (1993), John Woo's explosive first foray into Hollywood. And who better to help introduce Woo to the American film industry than the all-American action hero of the '90s... Jean-Claude Van Damme. Hard Target is widely regarded as the first major Hollywood studio film directed by a Chinese—and more broadly, an Asian—director. Universal reportedly had concerns about whether Woo could direct a big-budget American production with his limited English, but...

We're continuing John Woo-LY 2026 with perhaps the strangest film in John Woo's entire filmography. Heroes Shed No Tears (1984) wasn't a passion project. It was a movie made out of contractual obligation, shelved for two years by its production company, and only released after the enormous success of A Better Tomorrow turned John Woo into one of Hong Kong cinema's hottest directors. It's safe to say this is the John Woo film he would probably rather you forgot. The film follows a group of m...

Welcome to John Woo-LY 2026, where for the month of July we're celebrating the legendary director of Hong Kong action cinema, John Woo. Every week we'll be revisiting one of his defining films and asking the important questions: do they still hold up, and where do they rank in one of cinema's greatest filmographies? We're kicking things off with A Better Tomorrow (1986), the film that launched John Woo into stardom and popularised the Heroic Bloodshed subgenre. If you've ever wondered where ...

Two Asian Blokes Podcast returns with a review of one of our most anticipated South Korean films of the year: Colony. From director Yeon Sang-ho, the filmmaker behind Train to Busan, Colony assembles an incredible cast including Jun Ji-hyun, Ji Chang-wook, Koo Kyo-hwan, Shin Hyun-been, and Go Soo for some sticky zombie action. Expectations were high... perhaps dangerously high. In this episode, we discuss what worked, what didn't, and whether Colony is able to set itself apart from Yeon Sang-...

Two Asian Blokes Podcast returns with Korean cinema hype, Fantastic Film Festival highlights, and one of the strangest J-horror comedies we’ve seen in a while. We kick things off by talking about several upcoming South Korean films that already have us cautiously optimistic. There’s Hope from Na Hong-jin, best known for The Wailing, The Brigands of Rattlecreek from Park Chan-wook of Oldboy fame, and Colony from Yeon Sang-ho, director of Train to Busan. In other words, South Korean genre cine...

Two Asian Blokes Podcast returns with another edition of Show-and-Tell, where guests bring an Asian film that means something to them and we dive into why it matters. This time, friend of the show Chad from the Cheers Big Ears Podcast joins us to talk about Big Trouble in Little China — the cult 1980s classic directed by John Carpenter and starring Kurt Russell. Part martial arts movie, part fantasy adventure, and big-time box office bomb, Big Trouble in Little China has built a massive cult ...

Two Asian Blokes Podcast returns with Coachella complaints and a deep dive into Exit 8. We kick things off with a discussion about this year’s Coachella. Or more specifically, Thavy has a big whinge. From Justin Bieber’s allegedly “lazy” set to the invasion of the influencers, we ask the important question: is modern festival culture cooked? After that, we move into our main topic: Exit 8, a Japanese liminal space horror film based on the indie game of the same name. Set in an endlessly loo...

Two Asian Blokes Podcast is back with a special guest episode — featuring Sam from You, Me, and a Podcast — for another edition of Show-and-Tell. In this recurring segment, we invite guests to bring an Asian film that means something to them… and this time, Sam has chosen a heavy hitter: Battle Royale. Which also happens to be Thavy’s favourite movie. No pressure. Directed by Kinji Fukasaku, Battle Royale is a cult classic that blends brutal violence, social commentary, and unforgettable char...

Two Asian Blokes Podcast returns with “What Have We Been Watching?” and a deep dive into Save the Green Planet! vs Bugonia. After a trip to Japan and a short break from recording, we bring back one of our favourite segments: What Have We Been Watching? — where we catch up on recent releases, hidden gems, and everything in between. This week, we discuss films like Ready or Not 2, They Will Kill You, War Machine, The Fable, Jurassic World Rebirth, and The Wrecking Crew — a mix of new releases a...