When the heroic duo of Stoo and Mike discover that Ken is fighting Cat III Kaiju’s in Stockholm, they decide to kick back and enjoy a evening of banter. Ong Bak 2, Twinkle Twinkle Lucky Stars, Asian Cinema on British TV and we revisit Guilty Pleasures! Oh yeah the occasional static sound is me scratching my beard!!
Mikes Link for Stoo; http://www.cdwow.com/DVD/DRAGON-TIGER-GATE/dp/pc/10545659
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1 comment on “Podcast on Fire 59: “An Evening with Stoo & Mike” AKA 52 Minutes of Waffling”
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Hey guys,
Been a fan of your podcasts, mainly because of the fact that being Asian, it was impressive to hear a bunch of Scottish and English guys spout out Asian actor names that even I am unaware about. Your understanding of Asian cinema astounds me, more so with your vast knowledge of classic Asian films.
But I was listening to you guys talk about Ong Bak 2 from a martial arts point of view that really sweetened the deal with why you guys are fantastic. Mike really kneed it to the head (as opposed to nailed it, pun intended) when he says Ong Bak 2 is one of the best martial art films of all time… because this film seriously deserves more than the critical reception it’s been getting.
I am totally on your side when you guys disagree with the complaints about a paper-thin plot and the confusing narrative .. it’s simple, old – school kickass martial arts story with shades of Conan but a nice twist on the hero being a badass good guy with flaws associated with a badass bad guy. Mike’s detailed description of his favourite Ong Bak 2 fight scene where Tony Jaa engages 2 Ninjas at the same time while switching between Muay Thai and Crane Style Kung Fu is spot on – it’s easily the best fight scene I have seen in a martial arts film in the last decade or so. If I could wank off to a martial arts fight scene it would be this one.
I had a great deal of respect for Ong Bak, and kinda liked the Protector (Tom Yum Goong) but I felt that Tony Jaa has really reinvented himself with this one. The previous ones felt like watching a Jackie Chan-esque Tony Jaa stunt reel with the constant different angle playbacks that felt a little out of place. Here the fight scenes felt more realistic as I was watching a character fighting. Like Mike, I really enjoyed the variety of martial art styles that Tony Jaa employed for the film instead of just the Muay Thai. Tony Jaa belting out one style of martial arts after the other with so many different weapons is instant gratification and just awesome. Stoo’s comments about the story being an instant improvement over those 2 films is absolutely fucking right. It’s dramatic, gritty and more depth to it. Tony Jaa definitely displays a talent for directing, especially with the high production values, great cinematography and an attention to detail. Not to mention some great, inventive action choreography.
Who gives a fuck about what Toby Young thinks of Ong Bak 2? The adaptation of his own book was a failure and as if you care about a guy who says Ong Bak 2 lacks kung fu and takes photos like this:
http://thephoenix.com/BLOGS/blogs/outsidetheframe/toby.jpg
(maybe that’s why he figured Ong Bak 2 a musical, enuff said)
The Thai dancing scene was great, definitely very arthouse-like, and well-edited to incorporate suspense moments with the lead actress and the villain while Jaa deceptively draws closer towards his enemy. LOL, I also mistook Dance Chupong for being a woman, as he resembled eerily like the woman tiger fighter at the start of the film.
THE ENDING! (Spoilers Alert) – Loved it. Excellent use of Buddhist philosophies and definitely unique compared to most revenge movies. I was left wanting more what’s bad about that?
I posted a detailed dissection of the Ong Bak 2 ending on Film Junk, which was read on their podcast. You can check it out here:
http://www.filmjunk.com/2009/09/08/film-junk-podcast-episode-234-extract-gamer-and-halloween-ii/
I referenced that Tony Jaa’s character in Ong Bak 2 shares the same name as his character in Ong Bak 1 (Tien) and suggested that if you ignore Ong Bak 3, Tony Jaa’s fate at the end of Ong Bak 2 was a result of being dealt with karmic punishment, and that he returns to fulfill his karmic cycle and spiritual debt owed to Buddhist destiny by rescuing the Buddha Head in Ong Bak 1. The scarred Buddha head in Ong Bak 1 appears in the Ong Bak 2 ending, which ties in nicely. I also explained Tony Jaa’s history with elephants.
Thanks guys, I hope my comments help. Keep up the good work on your great podcasts. I’m a huge fan now and I’ll be checking up on your website from now (and help spread the word). Also, Ong Bak 2 blu ray in North America will be released Feb 2010. Get ready to relive the action in HD!
– Kamen Liew
Trivia 01 – Those curved knives are called Karambits, originated from Indonesia. They will be featured in an Indonesian martial arts movie called “Merantau”, whose action star Iko Uwais is being hailed as the next Tony Jaa and the movie itself earning significant praise for both atcion and story.
Trivia 02 – Jaa’s character name “Tien” means candlelight in Thai.