Posted inArts & Culture

Tai Chi Zero

In an acting debut that deliberately doesn’t require him to act much, wushu champ Yuan Xiaochao plays Lu Chan, nicknamed “The Freak” from birth because a horn-like protrusion on the side of his forehead. When pushed, his eyes go milky and, for a brief time, he hulks out with brute force until blood spurts out […]

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Big Tits Zombie

But I’ll give you several dozen more. Aoi plays Lena Jodo, the illiterate, chain-saw-wielding stripper heroine at the center of this unapologetic celebration of arterial spray and areola. As her club is being shut down, she and her fellow entertainers … wait, what’s that? I’m boring you? Apologies. How’s this instead: an old Asian midget, […]

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The Outlaw Brothers

Yes, it comes from the Dragon Dynasty line — release No. 57, to be precise — but it’s sillier than the bulk of Dragon Dynasty product, which largely skips this period in favor of old-school Shaw Brothers. But Frankie Chan’s The Outlaw Brothers? It’s as of-the-times as a 1990 flick can be, right down to […]

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Flying Swords of Dragon Gate

Lately — and all too quietly — the Indomina label has been releasing some excellent packages of Asian action films I’m afraid otherwise would go unseen by North American audiences: True Legend, Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame and now, Flying Swords of Dragon Gate. Apparently a sequel and/or semi-remake of 1992’s […]

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Quick

Swapping a bus for a motorcycle, it’s more than a fair comparison. Young, handsome Gi-soo (Min-ki Lee) has left behind his days as a former biker gang member, but not his sweet set of wheels, which he uses to make a meager living as a courier. On a run early in the day, he inadvertently […]

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The Viral Factor

Best known on our shores as Kato to The Green Hornet — and on others, in the likes of Kung Fu Dunk — Jay Chou stars as Jon, the International Security Affairs agent in charge of preventing disaster. In the exciting, extended prologue fueled by plenty of firepower, he takes a bullet to the head. […]

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Exotic city

I’m talking a full-blown holiday to someplace very far away from reality. As a sufferer of chronic wanderlust, I’ve coped by tricking myself into feeling as if I’ve vacationed by daydreaming. I’ve tried weekend mini-getaways, but at some point, the quick jaunts stopped satisfying the urge to experiences new cultures, taste new flavors and see […]

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Sector 7

Also reminiscent of everything from James Cameron’s The Abyss to Stephen Sommers’ Deep Rising, but with multiple mentions of feng shui, the Korean sci-fi film takes place on a real-life ocean drilling rig, where work is on hold due to a stuck drill bit. Nevertheless, tough girl Ha Ji-won (Tidal Wave) is determined to find […]

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The Shock Labyrinth

This is surprising, given that the Japanese horror feature was directed by Takashi Shimizu, the guy who birthed The Grudge franchise. Not that he’s an infallible filmmaker by any stretch of the imagination, but Labyrinth finds him revisiting those reliable themes, with the added dimension — literally — of playing in 3-D. (Well Go USA’s […]

Posted inFood & Drink

Saii Asian Bistro

There’s an abundance of sushi restaurants in Oklahoma City, but there aren’t many that can stand up to Saii Asian Bistro. Saii has built a pretty solid reputation since Finn Pramoj opened it about five years ago. Considering all the good things we’d heard about the restaurant, a friend and I decided to check it […]

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