Saturday, March 25, 2023

天龍八部之喬峰傳 - Sakra



天龍八部之喬峰傳 (Sakra) is an 2023 film out of Hong Kong. The movie stars Donnie Yen, whom also served as the Director. The supporting actress is Yukee Chen Yuqi. the movie is based on the Qiao Feng character within Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils (天龍八部). In the future, there could be other movie(s) based on the other characters of the novel.

Qiao Feng is the leader of thw begger sect and defends the country from the outside barbarian invaders. After a mission of defending the country, Qiao Feng is accused of being a child of one of these outside barbarian groups. The begger sect immediately disowns him and he sets to find out his past. Qiao Feng's investigation leads to many deaths that are blamed on him, leading him to leave his country. Will Qiao Feng ever be able to find out about his past?

This isn't the traditional Donnie Yen action film of late as it incorporates elements of fantasy wuxia. Qiao Feng does do a lot of fighting in this movie and the story goes from mystery solving to facing the Jin Yong storyline of does it matter if you're from the outside?

With only a movie's length time to tell the story of Qiao Feng, the movie is bit dis-jointed for someone that knows the story of Qiao Feng well. There was a drama re-make not long ago. The movie does what it can to tell his story with Azhu and than her annoying sister, Azhi. But in the end, it leaves a cliffhanger for another movie.

天龍八部 and Sakra are both Buddist terms. Not sure hot they match up here as I do not know much about this. 天龍八部 is the eight guardians of some higher diety. Sakra refers some diety. That's where my understanding of the connection ends. I would say that Jin Yong heavily uses monk culture in this series more so than other ones.

Sunday, March 5, 2023

Everything Everywhere All At Once - 媽的多重宇宙



Everything Everywhere All at Once (媽的多重宇宙) is an 2022 film. The movie stars Michelle Yeoh. The supporting cast include Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, Harry Shum Jr., James Hong, and Jamie Lee Curtis. The movie is directed by the Daniels, Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert. The movie has had a great awards season run of late and making headlines. I wanted to get this post out before the results of the Oscars.

Michelle Yeoh plas Evelyn, who is married to Waymond, played by Ke Huy Quan, the mother of Joy, played by Stephanie Hsu, and the daughter of Gong Gong, played by James Hong. Evelyn is full of responsibility as she is running a cleaning store that is attached to a laundry mat. The IRS has taken a keen interest in their tax fillings and has a meeting with an IRS agent, played by Jamie Lee Curtis , to discuss our submissions. While there, Evelyn finds out about her multiverse selves and has to decide is she can help those that contacted her to save it. There is an evil being trying to kill these other universes off. The first universe to fight back, Alphaverse, has contacted her to join the battle. Can Evelyn understand the alpha universes' cause and join in the fight to save them all?

This movie was well made and it kept my attention for most of the movie. There were moments where I had to decide if I wanted to press the forward button. But I did not and immediately felt like I would have rewound. The movie is a play on the multiverse concept that is in comics and the current MCU storyline. The concept of multiple versions of yourself being out there that can be better is a concept older than time. In Asian culture, the concept of the next life is a play on this very concept, abet a little different.

Michelle Yeoh does a great job in this movie in playing all the various versions of Evelyn. Ke does so as well in the role of Waymond. Stephanie has many versions, but they are essentially only two versions. The movie goes a round about way to get to the ending concept of Kindness. The family dynamic of Gong Gong, Evelyn, and Joy plays out dramatically here. Waymond’s struggle is of a son-in-law and husband looking for renewed longings.

I think this is a great American made Asian lead film that moves the needle. I’ll be looking to pick up the 4K Blu-ray someday to support the continued rise of Asian representation in American entertainment. I did not watch this movie in the theaters, but through streaming.

As for the Oscars, I do not have any respect for the awards that they give out, but my opinion doesn’t matter. When introducing things in the future, an instant way to give credibility to a movie or performer is to note how many Oscar noms or awards they got. Doesn’t matter if you care about the Oscars, it’s a standard that’s still used these days. Unavoidable, so I hope ETEWAAO can haul in the Oscars to give itself a standard that generally isn’t disputed.

Saturday, March 4, 2023

2023 March Netflix Releases



Netflix has lots of things that come and go every months. And its a bit of a struggle to keep up. Here are some highlights.





Friday, March 3, 2023

2023 March Disney+ Releases



Wednesday, March 1
  • Eureka! (Season 1, 4 Episodes)
  • Going Fur Gold (Season 1)
  • Star Wars: The Bad Batch (Episode 211: “Metamorphosis”)
  • Star Wars: The Mandalorian (Season 3 Premiere) (Episode: “Chapter 17”)


Friday, March 3
  • Dino Death Match
  • The Next Mega Tsunami


Wednesday, March 8
  • Africa’s Deadliest (Seasons 2–5)
  • Chibiverse (Season 1)
  • Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur (Season 1, 5 Episodes)
  • MPower (Premiere) (All Episodes Streaming)
  • Spidey and his Amazing Friends (Season 2, 4 Episodes)
  • Star Wars: The Bad Batch (Episode 212: “The Outpost”)
  • Star Wars: The Mandalorian (Episode: “Chapter 18”)


Friday, March 10
  • Chang Can Dunk (Premiere)


Tuesday, March 14
  • Disney NHL Big City Greens Classic (Livestream)


Wednesday, March 15
  • Doogie Howser, M.D. (Seasons 1–4)
  • Engineering Connections (Seasons 1–2)
  • Firebuds (Season 1, 4 Episodes)
  • Kiff (Season 1, 6 Episodes)
  • Turning the Tables with Robin Roberts (Season 2 Premiere) (All Episodes Streaming)
  • Star Wars: The Bad Batch (Episode 213: “Pabu”)
  • Star Wars: The Mandalorian (Episode: “Chapter 19”)


Friday, March 17
  • Bono & The Edge: A Sort of Homecoming, with Dave Letterman (Premiere)
  • Hippo vs. Croc


Wednesday, March 22
  • How to Win at Everything (Season 1)
  • Kiya & the Kimoja Heroes (Season 1, 4 Episodes)
  • Restaurants at the End of the World (Season 1)
  • Superstructures: Engineering Marvels (Season 1)
  • Star Wars: The Bad Batch (Episode 214: “Tipping Point”)
  • Star Wars: The Mandalorian (Episode: “Chapter 20”)


Friday, March 24
  • Witness Disaster


Saturday, March 25
  • Saturdays (Season 1, 6 Episodes)
  • Secrets of Sulphur Springs (Season 3)


Wednesday, March 29
  • Crimes Against Nature (Season 2)
  • Mickey Mouse Funhouse (Season 2, 4 Episodes)
  • Incredibly Small World (Season 1)
  • Star Wars: The Bad Batch (Episode 215: “The Summit”) (Episode 216: “Plan 99” – Season 2 Finale)
  • Star Wars: The Mandalorian (Episode: “Chapter 21”)


Friday, March 31
  • Doogie Kamealoha, M.D. (Season 2 Premiere) (All Episodes Streaming)
  • Prom Pact
  • Worst Weather Ever?










Source: D23