Fu for Thought

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 i...

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 ab...

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 questio...

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...

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 pot...

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 Thanksgi...

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...

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. En...

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 que...

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 shootou...

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...

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...

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 v...

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 sear...

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 M...

In this episode we sit down to have a pretty in-depth conversation about Zhang Yimou's colorless classic, Shadow. We ask, "Who is the shadow in Shadon?" and discuss the film's many subtexts and metaphors. We also ask, "What's up with that final scene?" Later on we answer listener movie questions and you, the listeners, finally get to hear exactly what Devan and Cyrus look for in a film. Enjoy! **W...

We're moving up in the world! Things get a little weird in this episode because, for the first time, we're on camera! "Why?" you might ask. Keep your eyes peeled for our upcoming YouTube channel! In this episode we discuss the latest (and greatest?) John Wick outing. We ask, "How does John Wick travel?" and question whether he's now a full on superhero. Devan has a LOT to say in this episode as th...

This episode, we revisit Corey Yuen and one of his most popular examples of the "Girls with Guns" sub genre. We ask, "Is the princess dead?", Cyrus asks "Is the motorcyclist dead?" and we all ask "Is Yuen Wah dead?" Lots of wondering whether people are dead, this episode. We also ponder what happened to the baby, I explain Chekhov's Gun and two out of three of us didn't like Sammo Hung in this one...

The fellas are on our own for this episode and when the cat's away, the mice will play! We dive head first into Corey Yuen's vibrant videogame adaptation and ask "Can Jaime Pressly do the splits?" We discuss the grossness of "upskirt" photos, the fact that Collin Chou should have been a superstar and whether Holly Valance is doing a British accent or not. Later, we rate some "old ladies of Hollywo...

I give Cyrus a break from martial arts this week and we watch the controversial Japanese classic, BATTLE ROYALE.  We discuss exactly how we'd survive a Battle Royale scenario, we question the film's weird dream sequences and we ask, "Who has the best weapon?" Later, we go nuts with the listener questions and try to answer how many children we could take in a fight. We also tackle the amount of mon...

No Cyrus this week, I'm afraid. But Devan puts on her big girl pants and braves the world of low budget, old school kung fu flicks! How does she feel about John Liu? Does she appreciate Hwang Jang Lee's eagle's claw style? Does she get the dose of weapons action she so often craves? Listen to find out! Later, we discuss imaginary business ideas (and I go off on a weird sex-positivity tangent), Dev...

In this episode. me, Devan and Cyrus return to the world of chain punching as we watch the unofficial prequel to Donnie Yen's Ip Man movies. We answer the question. "Are we tired of Wing Chun," I get confused about the film's controversy and Cyrus has some harsh words. Later on, we answer listener questions which involves discussing actors in fat suits. popular musicians we don't like all that muc...

The things we do for this podcast! This week we watch the 1994 videogame adaptation, Double Dragon.  We ask "Why is a 30 year old playing an 18 year old?" as well as "Why is Scott Wolf in this film at all?" Devan  gets angry, we all get confused about a particular character (Abobo) and we question the film's depiction of 2007 technoogy. As always we answer listener questions and Devan reveals how...

It's just me and Cyrus this week. We start off strong by demonstrating our total lack of knowledge when it comes to American geography. Then we jump into discussing the film, as per usual. Later on, we dive into listener questions and discuss musical collaborations, whether Jackie Chan or Sammo Hung is the better director and making friends as an adult. Enjoy!