Movie Review: Oldboy (2003)

A central dilemma of the film.

Movie Review: Oldboy (2003) directed by Park Chan-wook On his daughter’s birthday, Dae-su Oh (Choi Min-sik) got stinking drunk and taken to the police station. He was still pretty drunk when he was picked up by his friend No Joo-hwan (Dae-han Ji). So when Dae-su vanished while No’s back was turned in a phone booth, at… Continue reading Movie Review: Oldboy (2003)

Book Review: The Book of Cthulhu II

Book Review: The Book of Cthulhu II edited by Ross E. Lockhart It’s spooky stuff month again, so I sat down with this thick volume (24 stories) of tales inspired by the works of H.P. Lovecraft for a couple of weeks. This is a sequel to The Book of Cthulhu that I reviewed earlier on… Continue reading Book Review: The Book of Cthulhu II

Movie Review: Lady Snowblood 2: Love Song of Vengeance

Yuki's profession is so hazardous in itself that she's never thought about the possibility of dying of plague instead.

Movie Review: Lady Snowblood 2: Love Song of Vengeance (1974) directed by Toshiya Fujita So, it turns out Yuki (Meiko Kaiji) survived the ending of the previous film, much to her own surprise. Problem is, people remember she did all that murder beforehand as Lady Snowblood. We pick up several years later after the end of… Continue reading Movie Review: Lady Snowblood 2: Love Song of Vengeance

Movie Review: The Man with the Iron Fists

The Blacksmith checks out his new fists.

Movie Review: The Man with the Iron Fists (2012) directed by RZA Jungle Village is a lawless town, inhabited by various clans (most named after animals) that engage in frequent turf wars. The Blacksmith (RZA) is one of the few important neutral parties. He uses his skills to make superior weaponry for anyone who can pay… Continue reading Movie Review: The Man with the Iron Fists

Movie Review: The Return of the Five Deadly Venoms

Avengers Assemble!

Movie Review: The Return of the Five Deadly Venoms (1978) directed by Cheh Chang, aka Crippled Avengers Tao (Kuan Tai-Chen) once used his Tiger-style kung fu for good, clearing out bandits and such, and became prosperous as a result. Unfortunately a gang (coincidentally also called “Tigers”) decided to strike back at Tao, and when they found he… Continue reading Movie Review: The Return of the Five Deadly Venoms

Anime Review: Baki (2018)

From left to right: Retsu Kaioh, Kaoru Hanayama, Mitsunari Tokugawa, Baki Hanma, Doppo Orochi and Gouki Shibukawa. Or as Kaoru likes to call them, "Idiots from Planet Strong."

Anime Review: Baki (2018) Baki Hanma is not your average high school student. He may look normal if a teensy bulky and with a dull expression on his face with his school uniform on, but once he doffs his outer clothing, it’s clear that he’s possessed of superior musculature and covered in scars. For in… Continue reading Anime Review: Baki (2018)

Manga Review: Deadman Wonderland #2

Manga Review: Deadman Wonderland #2 by Jinsei Kataoka &Kazuma Kondou Ganta Igarashi’s life sucks. First, his entire junior high classroom is murdered by a being called “Red Man”, then Ganta as the sole survivor is framed for the crime. He’s sentenced to life imprisonment in Deadman Wonderland, a for-profit prison built on the ruins of… Continue reading Manga Review: Deadman Wonderland #2

Book Review: Toughest in the Legion: The Complete Adventures of Thibault Corday and the Foreign Legion Volume 2

Book Review: Toughest in the Legion: The Complete Adventures of Thibault Corday and the Foreign Legion Volume 2 by Theodore Roscoe Thibault Corday is in his eighties now, and enjoying his retirement in Northern Africa, but his beard is still cinnamon-colored, and his memory is sharp. If you come to the cafe and he likes you, Monsieur Corday will spin you a tale of his days in the French Foreign Legion. This volume… Continue reading Book Review: Toughest in the Legion: The Complete Adventures of Thibault Corday and the Foreign Legion Volume 2

Book Review: Every Heart a Doorway

Book Review: Every Heart a Doorway  by Seanan McGuire Nancy went through a door to the Halls of the Dead.  She learned to enjoy the skill of remaining perfectly still, and wearing elegant black and white clothing.  When she asked to stay forever, the Lord of the Dead asked her to be sure–and sent her… Continue reading Book Review: Every Heart a Doorway

Book Review: Penny Dreadfuls: Sensational Tales of Terror

Book Review: Penny Dreadfuls: Sensational Tales of Terror edited by Stefan Dziemianowicz While the term “penny dreadfuls” proper belongs to a particular type of inexpensive newsprint periodical, as explained in the introduction to this volume, the twenty stories chosen here can all be described as lowbrow sensationalist literature written for those seeking thrills in their… Continue reading Book Review: Penny Dreadfuls: Sensational Tales of Terror