The easternKicks.com Podcast
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A regular magazine programme about East Asian film, with the latest news, reviews and interviews.
60 Episodes
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This week Andy and James take a look at Mongolian cinema. With If Only I Could Hibernate in UK cinemas, Andy chat's to the director Zoljargal Purevdash. Meanwhile regular easternKicks contributor Amarsanaa Battulga joins us to chat about Mongolian cinema in general.
This episode’s handy timecodes
00:00:32 - Introduction.
00:01:44 - Zoljargal Purevdash interview: If Only I Could Hibernate.
00:32:58 - Putting Mongolian cinema in context. Why do we only see coproductions? What do local audiences really watch?
01:06:03 - Outro.
If Only I Could Hibernate is in UK cinemas now, released by Conic Films
James and Andy are back with another look at the latest releases on streamers and in cinemas for March.
This episode’s handy timecodes
00:00:32 - Introduction.
00:02:20 - The Oscars!
00:11:35 - Shudder, with a sudden appearance of 2000's Uzumaki.
00:15:48 - Amazon Prime, including Suddenly in Dark Night, Doctor (2013) and KKN di Desa Penari: Luwih Dowo, Luwih Medeni.
00:25:04 - Netflix, including Officer Black Belt, Indigo, Shake, Rattle and Roll Extreme, The Parades and The Pig, The Snake and the Pigeon.
00:50:28 - Cinema picks, including Monster, Drift and Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus.
01:00:56 - Outro.
James and Andy are back with another look at the latest releases on streamers and in cinemas for February.
This episode’s handy timecodes
00:19 - Introduction
02:33 - Shudder, with Dain Said's Blood Flower
06:53 - Netflix, including Badland Hunters, Home for Rent, The Last Wife, Past Lives, The Bridge Curse – Ritual
26:08 - Amazon Prime, including Expats, Zu Warriors, The Fallen Bridge
36:57 - Cinema picks, including The Moon Thieves, Perfect Days, Evil Does Not Exist
47:46 - Outro
James and Andy ring in the New Year with another look at the latest releases on streamers and in cinemas for this month.
This episode’s handy timecodes
00:33 - Introduction
01:41 - Special announcement: Focus Hong Kong's Chinese New Year screenings
06:34 - Amazon Prime, including The Long Walk, Chasing the Dragon, Sakra, The Tiger, and Derailed
27:46 - Netflix, including Bad Lands, Badland Hunters, The Abandoned, A Very Good Girl, and The Brothers Sun
41:56 - iPlayer, Decision to Leave
48:46 - Cinema picks, including In Broad Daylight, Ping Pong, and The Scent of Green Papaya
56: 00 - Teaser for future episodes...
58:53 - Outro
James and Andy curate a selection of new and recent releases from streaming platforms, cinema and more.
This episode’s handy timecodes
00:19 - Introduction
02:29 - Streaming picks...
03:43 - Netflix, including Sweet Home Season 2, Believer 2 and Hard Days
16:27 - Amazon Prime, including Ashiap Man, The Family, Kwaidan and Third Window
24:08 - Cinema picks, including Godzilla Minus One, Yoshiki: Under The Sky and Raging Grace
21:52 - Outro
In the first of a new format, James and Andy curate a selection of new and recent releases from streaming platforms, cinema and festivals. Plus Andy catches up with Geran and Walid director Areel Abu Bakar in trendy Hackney Wick.
This episode’s handy timecodes
00:00:19 - Introduction
00:02:36 - But first, what easternKicks Picks IS, and what it ISN'T
00:06:24 - Streaming picks, including Ballerina, Yellow Door 90’s Lo-Fi Film Club and In my Mother’s Skin.
00:39:44 - Cinema picks, including Back Home, Past lives and Where the Wind Blows.
00:46:49 - Areel Abu Bakar interview
01:03:16 - Festival roundup, including BFI London Film Festival and London Korean Film Festival.
01:21:52 - Outro
James and Andy look back on Ann Hui's unsung ghost comedy Visible Secret, newly released by Radiance Films and screening in London, as well as more Hong Kong horror in the form of new cinema release Back Home.
This episode’s handy timecodes
00:35 - Introduction
01:38 - Visible Secret introduction
06:40 - Great talent in front and behind the camera
14:09 - The plot
16:57 - Lost in the crowd - why was it overlooked?
36:20 - Back Home
44:51 - Outro
This episode Colette Balmain joins James and Andy to chat about Tokyo Melody, a 1985 documentary that recently resurfaced at Japan Cuts 2023 about Ryuichi Sakamoto, and to chat about the great musician, innovator and composer's legacy. Yonah Sichrovsky speaks to the film’s director Elizabeth Lennard. Meanwhile, Frank Djeng, king of audio commentaries, shares his thoughts on Sakamoto. Plus we have the return of the easternKicks picks! All in this bumper-packed show!
This episode’s handy timecodes
00:00:32 - Introduction
00:02:09 - We discuss Tokyo Melody
00:16:30 - Yonah chats to Elizabeth Lennard
00:40:28 - Sakamoto's legacy
00:52:33 - Frank Djeng remembers Sakamoto
00:56:19 - Sakamoto's legacy continued
01:07:20 - easternKicks picks
01:22:48 - Outro
This episode James and Andy introduce the lineup for two summer events for new-ish UK festival Focus Hong Kong, curated by some rather familiar names.
This episode’s handy timecodes
00:32 - Introduction
01:42 - What is Focus Hong Kong? The full disclosure...
04:55 - Memories to Choke On, Drinks to Wash Them Down
11:16 - Made in Hong Kong
15:58 - Where the Wind Blows
21:44 - A Guilty Conscience
24:43 - Let it Ghost
27:53 - Nomad (Leslie Cheung)
36:26 - Outro
You can see the full details for Focus Hong Kong on the official website: focushongkong.uk
Andy chats to Filipino filmmaker Mikhail Red while at Udine Far East Film Festival, while James and Andy take a trip through highlights of his career so far and the latest hit starring Nadine Lustre, DELETER.
This episode’s handy timecodes
00:33 - Introduction
02:13 - Career highlights
13:28 - Deleter
26:58 - Andy chats with Mikhail Red
54:27 - Outro
Deleter had its International Festival Premiere at 25th Far East Film Festival 2023. You can find the EXCLUSIVE shots from Red's next film Friendly Fire here.
This episode Andy and James are joined by Yonah Sichrovsky to chat about Brotherhood of the Wolf, returning to home media in a new 4K restoration. Yonah also chats to star Mark Dacascos himself about the film, appearing in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum and Iron Chef!
This episode’s handy timecodes
00:00:33 - Introduction
00:02:09 - Highlights from Mark Dacascos's career
00:07:00 - Crying Freeman - Christophe Gans and Dacascos's first collab
00:12:37 - Brotherhood of the Wolf
00:47:46 - Yonah chats to Mark Dacascos
01:05:10 - Outro
Brotherhood of the Wolf is released on UHD, Blu-Ray and DVD from 15th May by Studiocanal.
Oh, the Calamity! The Calamity of Snakes! Andy and James discuss the controversial exploitation flick, released by Unearthed Films in a glorious 2K restoration, and wonder... just where is the fourth floor? Listen in if you dare, but don't get too distracted knitting. That might not be a bundle of wool...
This episode’s handy timecodes
00:33 - Introduction
02:53 - The new restoration
11:24 - Background to the production and cast
15:55 - The "plot"!!!
18:10 - The missing floor mystery
19:39 - Snake carnage
22:28 - Context and style
32:01 - The unavoidable bad side
44:06 - Outro
Calamity of Snakes is released on Blu-Ray and DVD from April 25th by Unearthed Films
This episode Kay Hoddy chats to the director of 2022 Oscar nominated Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom, Pawo Choyning Dorji. Meanwhile, James gives us a rundown of recent releases on the streaming platforms.
This episode’s handy timecodes
00:00:33 - Introduction
00:01:58 - Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom intro
00:05:46 - Pawo Choyning Dorji interview
00:34:25 - Review of the film
00:45:07 - James Mudge's streaming roundup
01:12:37 - Outro
Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom is released in UK cinemas from 10th March by Peccadillo Pictures.
With the new series Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre debuting on Netflix, James and Andy are joined by self-confessed Ito fans Colette Balmain and Niina Doherty to chat about his works and how they've been adapted to film and television over the years. Has anyone done him justice...?
This episode’s handy timecodes
00:00:33 - Introduction
00:01:37 - Junji Ito in context
00:10:46 - Early adaptions
00:12:34 - Tomie film and TV series
00:34:12 - Uzumaki (2000)
00:40:05 - Other adaption in early 2000s
00:44:22 - Gyo Tokyo Fish Attack (2012)
01:47:37 - Junji Ito Collection (2018) and Junji Ito Maniac (2023)
01:00:50 - Uzumaki, Tomie and other potential adaptions
01:13:55 - Outro
Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre is streaming now on Netflix.
It's time for the End of Year Show! James and Andy look back on 2022, the highs and lows. Did anything change for Asian film? What were the big releases and trends? Will there be ranting about that certain recent survey? There's only one way to find out: listen!!!
This episode’s handy timecodes
00:00:32 - Introduction
00:01:53 - What were the big releases?
00:08:25 - Decision to Leave, innit?
00:25:16 - Other key cinema releases
00:41:37 - Trends, what have we seen from different countries
00:50:22 - The home entertainment renaissance
00:47:46 - Legacy and influence
01:01:45 - The Sight and Sound '100 Greatest Films of All Time'
01:26:35 - Takeaways from 2022?
01:32:36 - The end of the End of the Year Show!
To celebrate the 20th Anniversary of its original release, Stephen Palmer joins Andy and James to discuss the Infernal Affairs Trilogy starring Tony Leung and Andy Lau. Meanwhile, Phillip O'Connor shares his thoughts on the inevitable fates of our protagonists.
This episode’s handy timecodes
00:00:32 - Introduction
00:03:00 - Context and concept
00:08:25 - Creative team
00:11:50 - Infernal Affairs
00:25:19 - Infernal Affairs II
00:40:29 - Infernal Affairs III
00:47:46 - Legacy and influence
00:51:53 - Phillip on the inevitability of fate
01:05:42 - The Departed
01:18:09 - Conclusions
01:23:39 - Outro
The Infernal Affairs Trilogy is available now on Blu-ray from The Criterion Collection.
James and Andy take a look at Asian films screening at the 66th BFI London Film Festival 2022, and Andy chats to the director of Liquor Store Dreams, So Yun Um.
This episode’s handy timecodes
00:00:32 - Episode introduction
00:01:27 - On to the festival, and the many films from Korea (?)
00:18:14 - So Yun Um interview, Liquor Store Dreams
00:37:18 - Films from Japan
00:39:09 - Films from Thailand and beyond, plus documentaries and more
00:52:25 - Thoughts on the festival
01:06:07 - Outro
The BFI London Film Festival 2022 takes place from 5th to 16 October. See the official site for listings.
On the first anniversary of the show debuting on Netflix and with a big win at the Emmys, we look back at the impact of Squid Game and ask what it really means for the future of both the creators and cast, and Korean film and TV in general...
This episode’s handy timecodes
00:32 - Episode introduction
02:13 - For those that missed it...(what?)
14:02 - The success of the show, and creators and cast
26:40 - What does that mean for other shows?
44:57 - Wrapping up
48:37 - Outro
James and Andy chat exclusively about Focus Hong Kong's Making Waves, a Hong Kong screening programme coming to London from 8 to 10 July. Full disclaimer, they might have had something to do with it...
This episode’s handy timecodes
00:31 - Episode introduction
01:43 - An introduction to Focus Hong Kong
05:00 - The Making Waves programme
06:19 - Comrades, Almost A Love Story and Peter Chan holo-presence
13:41 - July Rhapsody
18:32 - Anita
22:34 - Hand Rolled Cigarette
24:51 - Breakout Brothers
26:48 - The First Girl I Loved
28:24 - Tales from the Occult
35:43 - Outro
Making Waves takes place at the Soho Hotel and Garden Cinema from 8th to 100th July. Check the website for more details.
To celebrate the global release of gruesome horror The Sadness on Shudder, James and Andy chat through the film, with an exclusive interview with the films director, Rob Jabbaz.
This episode’s handy timecodes
00:31 - Episode introduction
01:54 - The Sadness, a quick explainer
08:39 - Rob Jabbaz interview
28:11 - Reactions to the interview
34:52 - easternKicks Picks!
42:40 - Outro
The Sadness is available to exclusively stream on Shudder from 12th May.
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