Showing posts with label martial arts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label martial arts. Show all posts

Jason and Shawn review: Enter the Dragon and Running Scared

Enter the Dragon

Jason: Watching this again, for the first time in 25 years, I realized I had forgotten how great Bruce Lee was. He didn't need wire work, fancy camera tricks or CGI to make his mastery of the martial arts impressive. All a director had to do was turn the camera on and Lee delivered. No one, not Tony Jaa, Jackie Chan or Jet Li had moves like Lee. He's still is the master. And Enter the Dragon is still a lot of fun. A Good for sure.

Shawn: Here is a movie that's older than I am, and everything I've done in my life in terms of martial arts has stemmed from this movie. Whether YOU hate it or love it, you can't go without seeing it at least once, especially if you call yourself a movie fan. Not just for broadening your cinematic horizons, but for the straight-up legitimate kung fu action! Bruce Lee at his finest. A Good from me!

Running Scared

Jason: This isn't a movie that goes over the top, it resets the bar for kinetic energy and audacity. There's more profanity and blood spilled in the first six minutes than mainstream Hollywood delivers in a year. The pedophile/child killer sequence is super creepy and disturbing and they don't show you anything. The film is a modern Grimm's Fairy Tale for people who like gritty crime thrillers, and it's cool! Even Paul Walker is good in it. A Good for those you like something different.

Shawn: I can see why Jay picked this movie. I was actually surprised he didn't pick the original Halloween or The Strangers. This is also one of my favourite movies. I haven't watched it a billion times, but I've enjoyed it every single time I've watched it. It takes a lot of twists and turns and is filled to the seams for the full two hours . . . and there isn't one part that isn't awesome. Nice pick, Jay. A Good here too!

Episode XXVII: Movies You Need To See Vol. 1

Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Bruce Lee!

Tonight, Shawn and I are going to share two movies we think you need to see. Perhaps you already have, perhaps not, but we're going to put out a suggestion each for films we think NEED to be a part of every movie fan's collection.

Coming up with our selections wasn't easy. There's a lot of great films out there and picking just one took a lot of effort, which is why we will revisit the subject from time to time, building the ultimate Basement movie library.

Being a martial artist, Shawn went with Bruce Lee's 1973 classic Enter the Dragon, the first martial arts film produced by a major Hollywood studio. It's been ages since I've watched it, and I look forward to hearing why Shawn thinks it's required viewing.

As for me, I went with 2006's Paul Walker action flick Running Scared. Some might find it hard to believe that Walker made a solid film outside of The Fast and The Furious franchise, but you better believe it. Tonight I will tell you why!

We've also got the usual mix of music, movie news and our thoughts on the Top 5 best movie kills of all time. We promise if you tune in tonight at 10 p.m. PST at www.thex.ca, Shaw Cable 106.1 or 92.FM CFBX Kamloops it will be an hour of radio you won't regret.

And now, a look at tonight's feature presentations:

Enter the Dragon



Running Scared

Jason and Shawn review: Legend of the Fist and Tucker & Dale Vs. Evil

Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen

Jason: Action doesn't need translating. Too bad there wasn't more of it in this talky martial arts film featuring the great Donnie Yen. There are about three or four exceptional fight scenes, but they are way too spaced out between long sequences of chatter. I don't mind chatter and plot, but when I watch a kung fu film, I want a lot of kung fu. Sadly, the lack of kung fu means Legend of the Fist has to rate a Bad.

Shawn: We need a kung fu guy and Donnie Yen is he. He ranks right up there with Tony Jaa. This is a guy who can use the big-screen exposure. He is so precise with his moves. This movie is excellent. The story is excellent and the action scenes ridiculously long. It was all a bit too foreign for my tastes, but I know I'll watch it again. My biased kung-fu loving side can't resist a Good here.

Tucker and Dale Vs. Evil

Jason: What a fun, likable movie with lovable characters and some great, gory deaths -- none of which are at the hands of another character! And yes, Katrina Bowden is gorgeous. Tucker and Dale Vs. Evil isn't laugh-a-minute funny, but I did laugh a lot. And one's enjoyment of it doesn't hinge on whether or not he or she is a horror fan. If you dig horror comedies in the vein of Shaun of the Dead, you will likely enjoy Tucker and Dale. I did, and I'm giving it a Good.

Shawn: Well, well, well. What have we here? Could it be? Is this possibly an original movie based on cliched ideas? Wow! This is excellent. I believe it's the best movie I've sat through this year. I liked everything about it. I honestly can't complain about anything except the dog needed to be in it more. Love that dog! And I loved the wood-chipper scene. Loved it! I have to give this movie a Good.

Episode XXVI: Legend of the Fist and Tucker & Dale Vs. Evil

Radio NL reporter Shane Woodford returns for a second go-round in The Basement and, believe it or not, he actually asked to be here. Usually we have to put on skin masks and butcher's aprons and haul our return visitors back kicking and screaming.

We kid, we kid. Or do we? You'll never know for sure.

Seeing as Woodford isn't a horror fan (wuss) we've lined up something different for your listening pleasure tonight -- kung fu! Everyone loves kung fu, right? Well Shawn does and I do. We're not sure about Woodford.

Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen is a good 'ole fashioned kick 'em up that promises spectacular fight scenes. To say we're looking forward to reviewing it is an understatement. And it stars martial arts legend Donnie Yen. Get ready for a good time!

Which brings us to Tucker and Dale Vs. Evil. A horror comedy, the film stars Firefly fave Alan Tudyk as one half of the Tucker and Dale combo. As for the evil? Well, stick with us! Tucker and Dale Vs. Evil has done well on the festival circuit as a spoofy riff on the backwoods horror genre. We'll see how it does in The Basement tonight!

We've also got our thoughts on Sequels That Rock, the latest movie news as read by newshound Woodford, and some great music for your ear hole. You know where you need to be tonight at 10 p.m. PST? That's right: at 92.5 FM CFBX Kamloops, Shaw Cable 106.1 and www.thex.ca!

And now for a look at tonight's films:

Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen



Tucker & Dale Vs. Evil

Mortal Kombat Reborn

Here is a super-slick short film for all you Mortal Kombat fans and non-fans out there! It's a test video, produced by Warner Bros and directed by Kevin Tancharoen (the Fame remake), designed to prove the potential for an R-rated reboot of the videogame franchise, originally brought to us in PG-13 form in the mid-90s by Paul WS Anderson.

The best part: it stars Black Dynamite himself Michael Jai-White and Jeri Ryan of Star Trek Voyager fame and is cool as hell! Here's hoping they can make a feature film out of this!

Watch it now and enjoy the coolness!!

Van Damme and Lundgren Return For Unisol 4!


That's the good news. The bad news is the fourth installment in the long-running Universal Soldier series will be made in 3D.

Foresight Unlimited announced Wednesday that production would begin in the fall on the next film in the series. Dolph Lundgren will return, along with JCVD, to do some damage. John Hyams, director of Universal Soldier: Regeneration, will helm the project.

Fans of the podcast will know that Shawn and I quite enjoyed Regeneration, he more so. The film featured some great and gritty action scenes with nary a pixel of CGI noticeably in sight, which makes news of the 3D involvement somewhat upsetting for yours truly.

At least they aren't shooting it in 2D and converting it after.

We'll post more news as it comes in!
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