In this episode of Heroic Purgatory, John and Jason discuss the 1995 Hong Kong comedy, Out of the Dark, directed by Jeffrey Lau and starring Stephen Chow and Karen Mok. They talk about the Chow's most memorable scenes (in this film and others) and how Chow's particular brand of comedy elevates all his films above the competition.

Timestamps:

1:36 Media Consumption

16:17 News

24:10 Film Discussion

Website link: https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2021/06/s2e5-out-of-dark-1995.html

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In this episode of Heroic Purgatory, John and Jason discuss Takeshi Kitano's (Beat Takeshi) 1997 Golden Lion winner, Hana-bi (aka Fireworks). They talk about the film's uniquely minimalist aesthetic, beautiful soundtrack, and potential message of hope and/or nihilism, depending on the viewer's mood. We hope you enjoy!

Timestamps:

1:58 Media Consumed

6:58 News

12:47 Film Discussion

Website link: https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2021/05/s2e3-hana-bi-1997.html

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In this special episode of Heroic Purgatory, we are taking a break from our coverage Asian cinema in the 90s to discuss the 2020 Best Picture Oscar winner, Nomadland, directed by Chloe Zhao. We discuss the film's merits as a work of social criticism along with its philosophical musings about the beauty and harshness of the "nomad" lifestyle. 

Timestamps:

2:02 Introduction

2:58 Media Consumption

10:53 News

16:24 Film Discussion

Website link: https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2021/05/oscars-2020-special-nomadland.html

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In this episode of Heroic Purgatory, we tackle a South Korean double feature: Green Fish and No.3, both from 1997. We talk about the similarities and differences between these too films, their artistic merits, as well as their commentary on Korean society of the 90s.

Timestamps:

1:15 Introduction

1:54 Media Consumed

8:00 News

12:38 Film Discussion

Website link: https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2021/04/s2e3-green-fish-no3-1997.html

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In this episode of Heroic Purgatory, John and Jason discuss Wong Kar Wai's 1997 film, Happy Together. They discuss the film's technical aspects, its place in the director's filmography, as well as the film's larger statement on the politics of the time.

Timestamps:

0:00 Introduction

1:40 Media Consumed

9:43 News

14:00 Film Discussion

Website link: https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2021/04/s2e2-happy-together-1997.html

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After a long delay, the second season of the Heroic Purgatory podcast is finally here. In this season we have decided to focus on Asian movies from the 90s, so be prepared for all kinds of 90s goodness with all the great movies and bad haircuts that it entails.

In the first episode of the season, we talk about Shohei Imamura's 1997 Palme D'or winner, The Eel. We discuss various interpretations of the film and try to understand the complex psychology of Imamura's characters.

Timestamps:

01:00 Introduction

05:04 Media Consumption

19:14 News

33:15 Film Discussion

Website link: https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2021/03/s2e1-eel-1997.html

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The holiday season is finally upon us.

John and Jason close 2020 with a Heroic Purgatory Christmas Special, discussing their favorite Holiday themed movies, among other things.

We procrastinated a lot more than usual in this episode. Actual film discussion starts at 42:05.

Finally, we'd like to wish every one of our listeners a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a Happy New Year. See you in 2021.

Website link: https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2020/12/christmas-special-2020.html

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In the final episode of the first season of Heroic Purgatory: An Asian Cinema Podcast, John and Jason discuss Wen Jiang's 2000 war drama/comedy, Devils on the Doorstep. They talk about the effectiveness of the film's comedy, its statement on propaganda, the morality of war, and much more.

Website link: https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2020/12/episode-8-devils-on-doorstep-2000.html

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In this episode of Heroic Purgatory: An Asian Cinema Podcast, John and Jason discuss Bong Joon-ho's 2003 crime-thriller, Memories of Murder. They delve into the film's themes and messages, its statement on class and woman, as well as its stance on the past politics of South Korea.

Next Episode: Devils on the Doorsteps (China, 2000)

Website link:https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2020/11/episode-7-memories-of-murder-2003.html

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In this episode of the Heroic Purgatory podcast, John and Jason talk about Ang Lee's film, Eat Drink Man Woman, the final part of his "Father Knows Best" trilogy. They attempt to analyze the themes of tradition vs. modernity, as well as the film's autobiographical elements. As a side note, they also ponder on the current state of Asian cinema and what it means for Western audiences.

Website link: https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2020/11/episode-6-eat-drink-man-woman-1994.html

Follow the show on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeroicPurgatory

Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/filmnohito

Follow John: https://twitter.com/mildly_scifi