Two Asian Blokes

We're continuing John Woo-LY 2026 with perhaps the strangest film in John Woo's entire filmography.

Heroes Shed No Tears (1984) wasn't a passion project. It was a movie made out of contractual obligation, shelved for two years by its production company, and only released after the enormous success of A Better Tomorrow turned John Woo into one of Hong Kong cinema's hottest directors. It's safe to say this is the John Woo film he would probably rather you forgot.

The film follows a group of mercenaries on a mission deep into hostile territory to rescue a powerful crime lord. What begins as a straightforward military operation quickly descends into a chaotic survival story filled with relentless action, jungle warfare, and some of the most unexpectedly unhinged tonal shifts you'll ever see in an action movie.

In this review, we discuss the film's bizarre production history, its blend of action, comedy, and shocking violence, whether traces of the classic "John Woo touch" are already beginning to emerge, and if there's a genuinely good movie buried beneath the rushed production.

It's messy. It's weird. It occasionally feels like three different films stitched together. But is there still something worth discovering in one of John Woo's most overlooked movies?

🔔 **SUBSCRIBE to Two Asian Blokes**
https://www.youtube.com/@twoasianblokes?sub_confirmation=1

⏱️ **Chapters**

00:00 Why John Woo Wants to Forget This Movie
01:06 Heroes Shed No Tears – First Impressions
03:22 Big Guns, Tiny Handcuffs & Pure Chaos
09:10 Comedy, Horror & Extreme Violence
12:40 The Infamous Love Shack Scene
15:49 Eye for an Eye – The Film's Brutality
18:59 Weak Characters or Missed Potential?
20:36 Is Heroes Shed No Tears Worth Watching?

💬 What do you think of Heroes Shed No Tears? Is it an underrated John Woo film, or one best left forgotten?

📩 Email us: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])

👥 Join the Friends of Two Asian Blokes Facebook group to discuss movies, anime, and pop culture.

🎧 Listen to the full podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

📱 Follow us on Instagram & TikTok: @twoasianblokes

#HeroesShedNoTears #JohnWoo #HongKongCinema #ActionMovies #MovieReview

Welcome to John Woo-LY 2026, where for the month of July we're celebrating the legendary director of Hong Kong action cinema, John Woo. Every week we'll be revisiting one of his defining films and asking the important questions: do they still hold up, and where do they rank in one of cinema's greatest filmographies?

We're kicking things off with A Better Tomorrow (1986), the film that launched John Woo into stardom and popularised the Heroic Bloodshed subgenre. If you've ever wondered where slow-motion gunfights, dual pistols, and tragic bromances came from, this is a very good place to start.

Starring the holy trinity of Hong Kong cinema - Ti Lung, Leslie Cheung, and Chow Yun-fat as the legendary Mark Gor - and developed by the dynamic duo of Tsui Hark and John Woo (before the falling out), A Better Tomorrow has everything: melodrama, two-gun action, unforgettable one-liners, and enough brotherly angst to power an entire decade of action movies.

The story follows Ho, a triad gangster who, after serving three years in prison, tries to leave his criminal past behind and reconcile with his younger brother Kit, who is a police officer. But when old loyalties come calling, Ho is forced to choose between the brother he fought beside and the brother he wants back.

In this review, we discuss the cast, the state of 1980s Hong Kong cinema, Chow Yun-fat's controversial casting, the morality of Heroic Bloodshed, the emotional core of the story, and why A Better Tomorrow remains one of the most influential action films ever made.

Is this John Woo's greatest film?

If you enjoy movie reviews, film analysis, Hong Kong cinema, and Asian pop culture, check out our weekly podcast, Two Asian Blokes, where we chat about films, TV, and vaguely Asian stuff.

🔔 SUBSCRIBE -- https://www.youtube.com/@twoasianblokes?sub_confirmation=1

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 Introduction – Welcome to John Woo-LY 2026
01:40 Is A Better Tomorrow John Woo's Best Film?
03:10 The Cast & 1980s Hong Kong Cinema
06:48 Why Chow Yun-fat Was a Controversial Choice
08:12 A Better Tomorrow Plot Overview
10:45 The Morality of Heroic Bloodshed
12:50 Family, Loyalty & Brotherhood
16:30 The Emotional Conflict & Heartbreak
18:34 Why the Action Still Holds Up Today
20:30 The Iconic Final Gunfight
23:06 A very personal movie

💬 What do you think of A Better Tomorrow? Is it John Woo's finest film, or do you prefer The Killer, Hard Boiled, Bullet in the Head, or another classic?

Let us know in the comments, or contact us at [email protected]

👥 Join the Friends of Two Asian Blokes Facebook group to keep the discussion going.

🎧 Find us on Spotify & Apple Podcasts
📱 Follow us on Instagram & TikTok @twoasianblokes

#ABetterTomorrow #JohnWoo #ChowYunFat #HongKongCinema #HeroicBloodshed #MovieReview

Two Asian Blokes Podcast returns with a review of one of our most anticipated South Korean films of the year: Colony.

From director Yeon Sang-ho, the filmmaker behind Train to Busan, Colony assembles an incredible cast including Jun Ji-hyun, Ji Chang-wook, Koo Kyo-hwan, Shin Hyun-been, and Go Soo for some sticky zombie action. Expectations were high... perhaps dangerously high.

In this episode, we discuss what worked, what didn't, and whether Colony is able to set itself apart from Yeon Sang-ho's much-loved magnum opus. 

We also spend some time talking about one of our favourite recurring features of South Korean cinema: deliciously unlikeable bureaucrats. Whether they're covering things up, making catastrophically bad decisions, or confidently marching everyone towards disaster, Korean films have a remarkable talent for making government officials spectacularly frustrating. We discuss how Colony fits into that tradition and whether its portrayal of bureaucracy reflects broader anxieties about institutions and public trust.

Is Colony the next great South Korean genre film, or does it struggle to escape the shadow of Train to Busan?

Whether you're a fan of Korean cinema, science fiction, creature features, or Yeon Sang-ho's unique brand of social commentary, we've got you covered.

🔔 SUBSCRIBE to Two Asian Blokes
https://www.youtube.com/@twoasianblokes?sub_confirmation=1

00:00 Introduction – Thavy Got High and Watched Obsession
08:20 Hope Interview Controversy – Forgetting the Korean Actors
12:26 Colony (2025) Spoiler-Free Review
15:32 Colony Plot & Sci-Fi Premise
18:22 Sticky Zombies? Hive Mind Creatures Explained
20:11 Colony Cast & Character Performances
24:04 South Korean Bureaucracy & Social Commentary
25:43 Colony vs Train to Busan – Which Is Better?
29:15 Final Verdict – Is Colony Worth Watching?
31:19 Colony Spoiler Discussion

💬 What did you think of Colony? Do you like sticky zombies?

📩 Email us: [email protected]

👥 Join the Friends of Two Asian Blokes Facebook group to discuss movies, anime, and pop culture.

🎧 Listen to the full podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

📱 Follow us on Instagram & TikTok: @twoasianblokes

#Colony #YeonSangHo #TrainToBusan #KoreanCinema #MovieReview  #연상호 #부산행 #전지현 #지창욱 #구교환 #신현빈 #고수 #콜로니 

Two Asian Blokes Podcast returns with Korean cinema hype, Fantastic Film Festival highlights, and one of the strangest J-horror comedies we’ve seen in a while.

We kick things off by talking about several upcoming South Korean films that already have us cautiously optimistic. There’s Hope from Na Hong-jin, best known for The Wailing, The Brigands of Rattlecreek from Park Chan-wook of Oldboy fame, and Colony from Yeon Sang-ho, director of Train to Busan. In other words, South Korean genre cinema continues to refuse to slow down.

After that, we dive into this year’s Fantastic Film Festival, where we caught retrospective screenings of Ichi the Killer and Love Exposure, alongside newer releases like The Girl Who Stole Time, a visually stunning 2025 Chinese animated film, and About a Place in the Kinki Region, a Japanese found footage horror movie that quietly gets under your skin.

Then we get to the main review of the episode: New Group, a satirical Japanese horror-comedy directed by rising filmmaker Yuta Shimotsu. The film follows introverted high schooler Ai and rebellious transfer student Yu as they navigate a deeply bizarre social phenomenon where classmates and community members transform into mindless followers obsessed with forming grotesque human pyramids.

Subtlety is not on the menu here. New Group wears its themes directly on its sleeve, swings hard at conformity and social pressure, and somehow becomes more effective because of it. It’s strange, funny, uncomfortable, and exactly the kind of movie we love talking about on this podcast.

🔔 SUBSCRIBE to Two Asian Blokes
https://www.youtube.com/@twoasianblokes?sub_confirmation=1

⏱️ Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
05:42 Upcoming South Korean Films We’re Excited For
12:50 Fantastic Film Festival Retrospectives – Ichi the Killer & Love Exposure
20:57 The Girl Who Stole Time (2025) – Spoiler-Free Review
28:32 About a Place in the Kinki Region – Spoiler-Free Review
41:20 New Group – Spoiler-Free Review
55:51 New Group Spoiler Discussion

💬 What upcoming Korean or Japanese films are you most excited for? And would you survive the social nightmare of New Group?

📩 Email us: [email protected]

👥 Join the Friends of Two Asian Blokes Facebook group

🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts
📱 Follow us on Instagram & TikTok: @twoasianblokes

#NewGroup #JapaneseHorror #JHorror #FantasticFilmFestival #ParkChanWook #NaHongJin #YeonSangHo #MovieReview #AsianCinema #TwoAsianBlokes

Two Asian Blokes Podcast returns with another edition of Show-and-Tell, where guests bring an Asian film that means something to them and we dive into why it matters.

This time, friend of the show Chad from the Cheers Big Ears Podcast joins us to talk about Big Trouble in Little China — the cult 1980s classic directed by John Carpenter and starring Kurt Russell.

Part martial arts movie, part fantasy adventure, and big-time box office bomb, Big Trouble in Little China has built a massive cult following over the years thanks to its chaotic energy, unforgettable characters, and endlessly quotable dialogue. We talk about our first experiences watching the film, why it means so much to Chad, and whether the movie still holds up today.

Along the way, we break down the highs, the lows, the action, the practical effects, and yes… the semi-racist bits. Because revisiting beloved cult classics from the 1980s is always a slightly unpredictable experience.

And of course, we finish things off with our recurring segment: Let’s Pitch a Bad Hollywood Remake, where we attempt to make a studio executive somewhere very happy... and a fanbase very angry.

Check out more from Chad over at Cheers Big Ears
https://open.spotify.com/episode/4z14TuvLzKtUqHazNcfwWA?si=KdvNy4JNSUesUnuLNWOBTg

🔔 SUBSCRIBE to Two Asian Blokes
https://www.youtube.com/@twoasianblokes?sub_confirmation=1

⏱️ Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction – Welcoming Chad from Cheers Big Ears Podcast
08:48 Big Trouble in Little China (1986) – Review & Discussion
12:10 Big Trouble in Little China Plot Breakdown
18:08 Why Big Trouble in Little China Is a Beautiful Chaotic Mess
26:20 Practical Effects & Creature Design
33:59 Kurt Russell & the Wild Acting Choices
40:10 Asian American Character Actors in 1980s Hollywood
46:47 Big Trouble in Little China – From Box Office Bomb to Cult Classic
50:18 Has Big Trouble in Little China Aged Well?
56:41 Let’s Pitch a Bad Hollywood Remake
1:05:08 Why Modern Movies Lack Charisma
1:13:34 Final Thoughts on Big Trouble in Little China

💬 Does Big Trouble in Little China still hold up?
And who would you cast in a terrible modern remake?

📩 Email us: [email protected]

👥 Join the Friends of Two Asian Blokes Facebook group

🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts
 📱 Follow us on Instagram & TikTok: @twoasianblokes

#BigTroubleInLittleChina #JohnCarpenter #KurtRussell #CultClassic #MovieReview #FilmPodcast

Two Asian Blokes Podcast returns with Coachella complaints and a deep dive into Exit 8.

We kick things off with a discussion about this year’s Coachella. Or more specifically, Thavy has a big whinge. From Justin Bieber’s allegedly “lazy” set to the invasion of the influencers, we ask the important question: is modern festival culture cooked?

After that, we move into our main topic: Exit 8, a Japanese liminal space horror film based on the indie game of the same name. Set in an endlessly looping subway station, the film traps its protagonist in a quiet, deeply unsettling nightmare where the only way out is to observe your surroundings and spot subtle anomalies. It’s part psychological horror, part “spot the difference,” and far more stressful than it sounds.

We talk about how the film translates its minimalist concept from game to screen, the production choices that make it work, and the way it uses silence and repetition to build tension. There’s also a broader discussion about modern video game adaptations and whether Exit 8 succeeds by keeping things simple, or if the concept starts to wear thin the longer it goes.

🔔 SUBSCRIBE to Two Asian Blokes
https://www.youtube.com/@twoasianblokes?sub_confirmation=1

⏱️ Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction – Coachella & Modern Music Rant
03:24 Thavy Hates Coachella Now
14:36 Exit 8 – Spoiler-Free Review
18:40 Exit 8 Production & Game Adaptation
21:31 Silence in Horror – Why It Works
24:04 Video Game Adaptations Discussion
27:54 Repetition, Loops & Anomalies
32:32 Exit 8 Spoiler Discussion

💬 What did you think of Exit 8?

Thank you for listening! If you want to follow us or get in touch, hit us up!

📩 Email us: [email protected]

👥 Join the Friends of Two Asian Blokes Facebook group

🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts

 📱 Follow us on Instagram & TikTok: @twoasianblokes

#Exit8 #JapaneseHorror #LiminalSpace #Coachella #MovieReview #FilmPodcast #TwoAsianBlokes

Two Asian Blokes Podcast is back with a special guest episode — featuring Sam from You, Me, and a Podcast — for another edition of Show-and-Tell.

In this recurring segment, we invite guests to bring an Asian film that means something to them… and this time, Sam has chosen a heavy hitter: Battle Royale.

Which also happens to be Thavy’s favourite movie. No pressure.

Directed by Kinji Fukasaku, Battle Royale is a cult classic that blends brutal violence, social commentary, and unforgettable characters. In this episode, we break down the film’s production, its stacked cast, our favourite scenes, and the themes that have kept it relevant for over two decades.

We also discuss how Fukasaku’s World War II experiences shaped the film, spotlight performances like Chiaki Kuriyama, and ask the important question: how long would we actually survive in a Battle Royale scenario?

(Answer: not long.)

From its most hard-to-watch moments to its lasting legacy in pop culture, we dissect why Battle Royale remains one of the most influential and delightfully gruesome films ever made.

🎙️ Check out Sam’s podcast — You, Me, and a Podcast
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1i43ToDCKrzDmOcKq1STSC?si=8b72d4fb6c3742f8

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/you.me.and.apodcast/

🔔 SUBSCRIBE to Two Asian Blokes
https://www.youtube.com/@twoasianblokes?sub_confirmation=1

⏱️ Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction – Meet Sam (You, Me, and a Podcast)
03:55 About You, Me and a Podcast
07:35 Sam’s Movie Taste
12:52 Battle Royale (2000) – Review & Discussion
28:03 The Battle Royale Cast
33:38 Kinji Fukasaku’s WWII Experience & Influence
39:15 Favourite Scenes from Battle Royale
44:55 Themes & Social Commentary
58:49 Chiaki Kuriyama Spotlight
1:01:54 The Ending Explained & Message
1:04:02 Most Hard-to-Watch Moments
1:08:21 Pitching a Bad Hollywood Remake
1:12:32 Final Thoughts

💬 What’s your favourite scene from Battle Royale?
And how long do you think you’d last?

📩 Email us: [email protected]

👥 Join the Friends of Two Asian Blokes Facebook group

🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts
 📱 Follow us on Instagram & TikTok: @twoasianblokes

#BattleRoyale #KinjiFukasaku #JapaneseCinema #MovieReview #FilmPodcast #CultClassic #TwoAsianBlokes

Two Asian Blokes Podcast returns with “What Have We Been Watching?” and a deep dive into Save the Green Planet! vs Bugonia.

After a trip to Japan and a short break from recording, we bring back one of our favourite segments: What Have We Been Watching? — where we catch up on recent releases, hidden gems, and everything in between.

This week, we discuss films like Ready or Not 2, They Will Kill You, War Machine, The Fable, Jurassic World Rebirth, and The Wrecking Crew — a mix of new releases and chaotic viewing choices.

But the main event is a comparison between the cult South Korean dark comedy Save the Green Planet! and its 2025 American remake Bugonia, directed by Yorgos Lanthimos and starring Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons.

We break down:

•  How the remake compares to the original 
•  The differences in tone, violence, and storytelling 
•  Whether the “weirdness” translates across cultures 
•  And which version ultimately works better 

Does Bugonia successfully reinterpret a cult classic, or does Save the Green Planet! still stand on its own?

🔔 SUBSCRIBE to Two Asian Blokes
https://www.youtube.com/@twoasianblokes?sub_confirmation=1

⏱️ Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction – Podcast Returns + Japan Trip
02:09 What Have We Been Watching? (Movie Catch-Up)
02:45 Thavy’s Picks – Ready or Not 2 & They Will Kill You
12:07 Danh’s Picks – War Machine, Jurassic World Rebirth & The Fable
20:57 Save the Green Planet! vs Bugonia – Movie Comparison
24:00 Save the Green Planet! (2003) – Original Film Breakdown
28:12 Comparing the Violence
32:28 Comparing Plot & Music
35:50 Comparing the Tone & Weirdness
38:51 Comparing Themes & Messaging
45:32 Which Version Do We Prefer?
53:27 Spoiler Discussion

💬 Which version do you prefer — Save the Green Planet! or Bugonia?

📩 Email us: [email protected]

👥 Join the Friends of Two Asian Blokes Facebook group

🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts
 📱 Follow us on Instagram & TikTok: @twoasianblokes

#SaveTheGreenPlanet #Bugonia #YorgosLanthimos #EmmaStone #JessePlemons #MovieReview #FilmPodcast #TwoAsianBlokes

Two Asian Blokes Podcast celebrates the 2026 Academy Awards by ranking our Top 10 Movies of 2025.

Awards season is here, which means it’s time to look back at the best (and unfortunately, the worst) films we watched over the past year. Before we get to the good stuff, we briefly revisit some of the more… memorable misfires of 2025 — because not every movie can be an Oscar contender.

From there, we count down our Top 10 Movies of 2025, featuring a mix of blockbuster hits, hidden gems, and a few personal favourites that may or may not align with the Academy’s taste. We also highlight a handful of honourable mentions that just missed the cut but are still well worth your time.

🔔 Subscribe to Two Asian Blokes
https://www.youtube.com/@twoasianblokes?sub_confirmation=1

⏱️ Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction – Top 10 Movies of 2025
04:21 Worst Movies of 2025 (Biggest Disappointments)
09:21 Top 10 Movies of 2025 – #10
15:02 Top 10 Movies of 2025 – #9
19:20 Top 10 Movies of 2025 – #8
26:13 Top 10 Movies of 2025 – #7
34:52 Top 10 Movies of 2025 – #6
40:35 Top 10 Movies of 2025 – #5
46:14 Top 10 Movies of 2025 – #4
56:30 Top 10 Movies of 2025 – #3
1:05:10 Top 10 Movies of 2025 – #2
1:14:16 Honourable Mentions – Best Movies That Didn’t Make the Top 10
1:23:44 Top 10 Movies of 2025 – #1 (Best Movie of the Year)

💬 What were your top movies of 2025?
Did the Oscars get it right this year?

📩 Email us: [email protected]

👥 Join the Friends of Two Asian Blokes Facebook group to chat movies, anime, and pop culture.

🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts
 📱 Follow us on Instagram & TikTok: @twoasianblokes

#Top10Movies #BestMovies2025 #Oscar2026 #AcademyAwards #MovieRanking #FilmPodcast #TwoAsianBlokes

Happy Lunar New Year! 🧧 

In this episode of Two Asian Blokes, we kick things off with a quick chat about the announcement of a new Evangelion series and the online backlash surrounding a K-Pop festival planned at Belfast. After that, we dive into our main topic: a spoiler-free review and discussion of the Chinese live-action adaptation of Blades of the Guardians.

Based on the popular Chinese comic series, Blades of the Guardians brings martial arts spectacle back to the big screen with a stacked lineup of talent across generations of action cinema. Featuring performances from Wu Jing and a long-awaited return from Jet Li, with legendary action choreography from Yuen Woo-ping acting as director, the film carries the legacy of wuxia filmmaking on its shoulders.

So the question becomes: does it deliver?

In this episode, we break down what works in Blades of the Guardians and where it struggles. We discuss the performances, the costuming and production design, the storytelling, and of course the action sequences. With three generations of martial arts cinema represented in one film, we also explore whether Blades of the Guardians successfully reinvigorates the wuxia genre for modern audiences — or whether the more contemporary elements dilute the charm of classic wuxia storytelling.

🔔 SUBSCRIBE to Two Asian Blokes
https://www.youtube.com/@twoasianblokes?sub_confirmation=1

⏱️ Timestamps:
00:00 Happy Lunar New Year! + Podcast Introduction
03:51 New Evangelion Series Discussion (Neon Genesis Evangelion Franchise Update)
06:27 K-Pop Festival Backlash in Belfast Explained
11:06 Blades of the Guardians – Spoiler-Free Review
14:34 Blades of the Guardians Plot Breakdown
18:48 Modern Filmmaking Trends vs Wuxia
25:32 Blades of the Guardians Action Scenes Analysis
29:33 Best Characters in Blades of the Guardians
32:07 Will Blades of the Guardians Become a Classic?
37:23 Blades of the Guardians Spoiler Discussion

💬 What did you think of Blades of the Guardians?
Does it bring wuxia back in style, or should the genre stick to tradition?

📩 Email us: [email protected]

👥 Join the Friends of Two Asian Blokes Facebook group to chat movies, anime, and pop culture.

🎧 Listen to the full podcast on Spotify & Apple Podcasts
 📱 Follow us on Instagram & TikTok: @twoasianblokes

#BladesOfTheGuardians #Biaoren #Wuxia #JetLi #WuJing #MartialArtsMovies #MovieReview #FilmPodcast #TwoAsianBlokes