Fu for Thought

On this weeks episode of the podcast we return to both Shaw Brothers and Shaolin to unravel the murder mystery of SHAOLIN INTRUDERS. We ask Devan whether she's changed her mind on Shaolin films, Cyrus surprises us all and, as always, I gush over what I think is an unheralded classic. With all its weapon fights, does Devan absolutely love this one? Later, I give the other two some solid "Would you rather?" questions and we chat about weird dreams (I take it to a dark place!). Enjoy!

This week on the podcast we review the utterly bonkers (but highly enjoyable) ROAD HOUSE remake. We ask Devan to rate Conor McGregor's cheeks, discover some Easter Eggs and do our best (or worst) "DALTON!" yells. Later, we answer listener questions and discuss our run ins with bouncers and the oldest/newest films we'd put o our "Top 250 films of all time" list. Enjoy!

This week on the podcast we sit down and try to decipher the utterly confounding plot of No Retreat, No Surrender 3. We question Loren Avedon's "Russia jacket," I gush over the legendary scaffold jump and Devan hands out another one of her legendary nicknames. Later, we answer listener questions and talk about heartbreaking films, newly discovered music and we write the ultimate Romcom. Enjoy!

No Devan this week, unfortunately. But Cyrus and I sit down and discuss the ins and outs of Yuen Woo Ping's modern classic, Yuen Woo Ping's Tiger Cage II. I ask Cyrus, "Do you need a reason to have a fight scene?", Cyrus tslks about the film's hilarious (and offensive) dub track and we both agree that squibs are always better than CGI. Later on we answer listener questions and get into an important discussion about Lil Jon's "Get Low." Enjoy!

Love is in the air! On our Valentine's Day special epiode of the Fu for Thought podcst, we review Wong Kar Wai's emotional, thought provoking masterpiece, In the Mood for Love. We get DEEP with this one and discuss the film's various themes, metaphors and ideas. We dive into Chan's (Maggie Cheung's) Singapore visit, the importance of the colour red and we ask if the two leads are ever physically intimate. Later on we answer listener questions about romance and list off our favourite Rom Coms. Enjoy!

This week, we get knocked out and slapped back to consciousness by the latest in the "Crime City" series, The Roundup: No Way Out. We discuss the big laughs in the film, the construction of the fight sequences and the fact that the the film's violence is actually relatively safe. After Devan's oh-so-subtle signal, we answer listener questions and get into one of our favourite podcast discussion about which is scarier: an otter with a knife or an eagle with a gun. Enjoy!

After an illness induced hiatus, we're BACK! This week, we discuss Jackie Chan's globe trotting classic, Operation Condor. Devan wants proof that Jackie's a treasure hunter, I gush over the film's comedic sensibilities and reminisce about the time I believed Chan did all of his own stunts. But the big question is, "Has Devan finally found a Jackie film she likes?" Later, we answer listener questions and do our best to recall Fu for Thought's "greatest hits." Enjoy!

We see 2023 off with a bang by watching and reviewing the infamous "so bad it's good" film, SAMURAI COP (1991). We ask, "Did this film actually have an editor?", question the gratuitous and, let's face it, gross, sex scenes and jointly roll our eyes at the film's racial jokes.I argue that Samurai Cop is a riot, to be watched with friends and Devan...well...she thinks differently. Later we answer listener questions and talk about whay films we'd watch for the first time again, if we had the chance. Enjoy!

On this week's episode, we discuss the merits of the straight-to-sreaming Zatoichi homage, EYE FOR AN EYE: THE BLIND SWORDSMAN. I get pretty ranty as I go on a one man crusade for equality in cinema. Besides that, Devan asks "Is Stevie Wonder really blind?", Cyrus tells us about him trying to assist his "lady friend" in the bathroom and we all go back and forth about which animal has the worst potty mouth. It's a fun one!

We are Cyrus-less this week but Devan and I have a good ol' fashioned chinwag about Lau Kar Leung's Tiger and Crane classic, Executioners from Shaolin. I question the mechanics of the pressure point training dummy, Devan confesses that she didn't know the villain was Pai Mei and we both ask, "Is the final fight scene really any good?" Later, we have fun with listener questions and discuss Thanksgiving food, tattoos and much more. Enjoy!

This episode, we jump feet first into the filmography of Ringo Lam and review his brutal and bloody kung fu film, Burning Paradise! The review soon turns into a discussion comparing martial arts cinema fans to non-martial arts cinema fans and I think some really interesting points were brought up. Later, we answer listener questions including, "When is movie violence too much?" and Devan gives us the funniest way of winning an MMA fight. Enjoy!

It's our HALLOWEEN SPECIAL! This week, we review what is considered one of the greatest Asian horror movies of all time, THE WAILING. We ask a LOT of questions. What's up with the shaman's ritual? What was the father's original sin? And much more. Later on, Devan cracks herself up, we answer a few spoooooooky listener questions and Devan finds a quick and easy way to take care of Michael Myers. Enjoy!

This week, we get down and dirty with Iko Uwais, Tony Jaa, Scott Adkins and a million other martial arts stars as we review Jesse V. Johnson's "B-movie Expendables." I talk about how you can come at this film from two different angles, Devan gives her opinion on who the best actor in the film is and Cyrus remains adamant about his very particular opinion of the movie. Later, we answer listener questions and I am forced to reveal what might be the most embarrassing thing I've ever said on the podcast. Enjoy!

This week we dip our toes back into the Heroic Bloodshed sub genre and watch John Woo's bullet riddled masterpiece, The Killer. Devan kicks off a great discussion about the John Wick style of gunplay compared to the "spray and pray" stylings of John Woo, we discuss the film's "good versus evil" themes as well as the famous religious iconography. Later, Cyrus and Shaun debate what the great shootout of all time is. Then, of course, we tackle listener questions. Enjoy!

This week we celebrate Shawtember and delve back into the directorial filmography of Lau Kar Leung with SHAOLIN MANTIS (1978). Devan elaborates on how it's definitely a film of two halves, Shaun tries to explore the film's themes and both end up disappointed by Gordon Liu's very insubstantial cameo. Later on, Devan blows Shaun's mind with a speech about "shapes versus weapons." Then it's on to the usual listener questions and all that good stuff. Enjoy!

This week we review 2019's Korean serial killer thriller, THE GANGSTER, THE COP, THE DEVIL and Cyrus gets his first taste Don Lee literally slapping someone silly. We go over the interesting themeso of what the "devil" represents, discuss Korean fight choreography and applaud the blurring of lines found throughout the film. Later on, we answer listener questions where we chat about the underrated one-liners found in comedies, what film we'd have an alien watch and Cyrus gives us his views on how to beat The Hulk. Enjoy!

In this week's Cyrus-less episode, Devan and I sit down to talk about the John Woo co-directed wuxia film, REIGN OF ASSASSINS. We compare the film to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Devan asks, "Is there such thing as good wire fu?" We also discuss the villain's crazy motivation and express our chagrin at Michelle Yeoh being dubbed. Later, we answer listener questions and compare the American vocabulary to the British vocabulary. Enjoy!!

On this episode we head back to the old school and one of us reveals that they "Don't really like drunken boxing." Scandalous! We talk about the movie's (lack of) logic, Devan gives us her best kung fu sound effects and Cyrus showers the film with some rare positivity! Later, we answer listener questions, including who we think could lift Thor's hammer, and I reveal my teenage fashion fads. Enjoy!

This week Cyrus and I (no Devan, I'm afraid) sit down and discuss the bow and arrow centric Korean movie, War of the Arrows. We discuss how much we like archery, some of the film's more interesting lines of dialog and its surprising brutality. Later we answer listener question where I talk about the massive disappointment that was Masters of the Universe and Cyrus reveals hia awkward internet search history. Enjoy!

This week we delve into our first Bruceploitation film! I played it safe by going for one of the best but let's just say there were "mixed" views. Devan debates whether this film is a Bruceploitation movie or a biopic, I get salty about Devan implying there are too many fight scenes and Cyrus...well, let's just say her has very "Cyrus" views. Later, we answer listener questions. I get made about Mission: Impossible III and we play a game where Cyrus reveals he knows more about my wife than I do. Enjoy!