VCinema Episode 30: Cafe Lumiere

This is the second in a three part series of podcasts looking at the “Big Three” of the Taiwanese New Wave (the first on Edward Yang is here). In this episode, Marc Saint-Cyr of the Toronto JFilm Pow-wow again joins us for a look at the introspective cinema of Hou Hsiao-Hsien whose Cafe Lumiere (2003) is the subject of our feature film discussion. Also included is talk about Gaspar Noe, the Romanian New Wave, Ozu, and more on our coverage plans for the New York Asian Film Festival, Japan Cuts, and Shinsedai Cinema Festival.

Email: vcinema@variedcelluloid.net

Formspring: http://www.formspring.me/vcinema

Manually download this episode here.

Subscribe to the VCinema RSS feed here.

Subscribe to the VCinema iTunes feed here.

VCinema Episode 29: The Scent of Green Papaya

We are back from our break and blasting our podcast into your ear like buckshot from a shotgun with some BADASS errr…art film from Vietnam. This episode, our feature discussion is on Anh Hung Tran’s debut full length feature, the 1993 international hit, The Scent of Green Papaya. We also talk about our summer film festival coverage plans, Rufus’ new podcast, the cineAWESOME! cast, HD movies, texting in movie theaters, and even Fonzi makes a guest appearance!

Email: vcinema@variedcelluloid.net

Formspring: http://www.formspring.me/vcinema

Manually download this episode here.

Subscribe to the VCinema RSS feed here.

Subscribe to the VCinema iTunes feed here.

VCinema Episode 28: Origins

“I want to get into Asian cinema, but I just don’t know where to start.”

In this episode, our friends and fellow Asian podcasters Podcast on Fire come to our end of the sandbox to talk about films that got us into Asian film and why. So, no featured film discussion, What to Watch, Let’s Get Formsprung, or DocuAsia this time around, just 100% banter which at least 20-30% of you will really like.

And, for those .035% who read our show descriptions and don’t actually listen to our show, the VCinema Show will be taking a one and a half month break and will return in June 2011 The blog (www.vcinemashow.com) will remain functioning during that time, however, so please join us there.

Email: vcinema@variedcelluloid.net

Voicemail: (206) 426-1390

Formspring: http://www.formspring.me/vcinema

Manually download this episode here.

Subscribe to the VCinema RSS feed here.

Subscribe to the VCinema iTunes feed here.

VCinema Episode 27: Rambu

In this episode, we look at the Rambosploitation film that is second to none (no, not even Fabrizio De Angelis’ Operation Nam), The Intruder (1986) aka RAMBU. Fans of star Peter O’Brian and his second film The Stabilizer (1986) will dig our discussion about the exploits of Alex Trambuan aka RAMBU. Also included is a little history about Indonesian exploitation film, a nod to nunsploitation, a new installment of “Everything I Know About Korea, I Learned From Watching Movies”, post-apocalypse drama, why poetry is good for you, and debut our new semi-regular segment DocuAsia.

Email: vcinema@variedcelluloid.net

Voicemail: (206) 426-1390 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (206) 426-1390 end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Formspring: http://www.formspring.me/vcinema

Manually download this episode here.

Subscribe to the VCinema RSS feed here.

Subscribe to the VCinema iTunes feed here.

VCinema Episode 26: Yi Yi

As we mentioned during our one year anniversary episodes, one of the goals of the VCinema podcast is to explore the cinema of Asia in regions that don’t get as much exposure as they deserve. So, in this episode, we set sail away from the safe cinematic lands of Japan, Korea, and Hong Kong and into strange new territories and corny film exploration cliches. For our first stop, we touch down on the fertile land of Formosa a.k.a. Taiwan for our first of three forays into Taiwanese new cinema and discuss the film that is quite possibly the pinnacle of that movement, Edward Yang’s Yi Yi (2000). Our Ponce de Leon for this episode is old VCinema friend Marc Saint-Cyr from the Toronto J-Film Powwow, whose original wish to be called “The Skipper” was turned down because, for sure. the Minnow would be lost. The Minnow would be lost.

Also in this episode, we talk about the Borat of North Korea, Crayon Shin-Chan’s contribution to cultural globalism, why we should (or shouldn’t) be guilty for liking Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991), and a whole bunch of other movie stuff. Ye scalywags.

Email: vcinema@variedcelluloid.net

Voicemail: (206) 426-1390 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (206) 426-1390 end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Formspring: http://www.formspring.me/vcinema

Manually download this episode here.

Subscribe to the VCinema RSS feed here.

Subscribe to the VCinema iTunes feed here.

VCinema Episode 25: The Housemaid(s)

?????! VCinema is donating $1 to the Japan Society of New York’s quake relief fund* for each download of this episode between 03/14/11 and 03/28/11. If you wish to make a individual donation to their fund, then please read this.

Welcome to episode 25, recorded especially for the Korean Cinema Blogathon 2011! In this special episode (aren’t they all special, though?!), Adam Hartzell from koreanfilm.org, the longest running English-language resource on Korean film, joins our review panel to discuss Kim Ki-Young’s The Housemaid (1960)- AVAILABLE FOR FREE VIEWING ON MUBI.COM (you’ll get the joke once you’ve listened to this episode…) as well as Im Sang-Soo’s 2010 reimagining. We also diss on Park Chan-wook yet again, give our picks of films to watch this episode, and make a general nuisance of ourselves (as usual). Enjoy!

Email: vcinema@variedcelluloid.net

Voicemail: (206) 426-1390

Formspring: http://www.formspring.me/vcinema

Manually download this episode here.

Subscribe to the VCinema RSS feed here.

Subscribe to the VCinema iTunes feed here.

*Since donations will come from our own personal funds which are quite meager, we are only able to donate a maximum of $700 (editor’s note: co-host Rufus has upped the maximum by $200). Also, donated funds will not be used for personal tax-deduction purposes and may be distributed to the Japan Society in installments. Questions and concerns can be sent to vcinema@variedcelluloid.net

VCinema Episode 24: Pulse

Great googly moogly! We have come to the third and final episode of our first anniversary. In this episode, we unsurprisingly discuss the third and final film in Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s “apocalypse” trilogy, 2001′s Pulse (aka Kairo) as well as the craptacular Hollywood remakes/retreads/regurgitations, Pulse (2006), Pulse 2: Afterlife (2008) and Pulse 3 (2008). We also talk briefly about the upcoming Korean Cinema Blogathon and all of the festivities that event will entail. Do we ever stop partying?!

Email: vcinema@variedcelluloid.net

Voicemail: (206) 426-1390

Formspring: http://www.formspring.me/vcinema

Manually download this episode here.

Subscribe to the VCinema RSS feed here.

Subscribe to the VCinema iTunes feed here.

Mise en scène via blocking (ie. character placement) in a scene from Pulse (conversation starts from 1:22:54)

VCinema Episode 23: Charisma

In the second part of three first anniversary episodes, we the discuss the second part of (surprise) three film in Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s “Apocalypse” trilogy, Charisma (1999). Also in this episode, we talk about where we hope to take VCinema in 2011, our latest screening event at the VIZ Cinema in San Francisco, and more!

Email: vcinema@variedcelluloid.net

Voicemail: (206) 426-1390

Formspring: http://www.formspring.me/vcinema

Manually download this episode here.

Subscribe to the VCinema RSS feed here.

Subscribe to the VCinema iTunes feed here.

VCinema Episode 22: Cure

Party People! You have come to the right place because in this episode, we are celebrating our first anniversary as a podcast. This is the first of three episodes for the occasion, each one exploring the deep, dark films in Japanese auteur Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s “Apocalypse” trilogy. In this episode, we will discuss Cure (1997), talk about VCinema milestones throughout 2010, draw the winner of our contest, and more.

Email: vcinema@variedcelluloid.net

Voicemail: (206) 426-1390

Formspring: http://www.formspring.me/vcinema

Manually download this episode here.

Subscribe to the VCinema RSS feed here.

Subscribe to the VCinema iTunes feed here.

VCinema Episode 21: After Life

On the eve of our podcast’s first anniversary, a ripe time for reflection, we review Hirokazu Koreeda’s After Life (1999), a film that ruminates on memory and reflection. We also talk about Kelvin Kyung-Kun Park’s documentary Cheonggyecheon Medley: A Dream of Iron (2010) which played at the 2010 Pusan International Film Festival and also which we were given an exclusive look at. Also included in this episode are details about our first anniversary contest and additional details on how you (YES, YOU!) can still get a chance to win and other talk about the moooovaaaays.

Email: vcinema@variedcelluloid.net

Voicemail: (206) 426-1390

Formspring: http://www.formspring.me/vcinema

Manually download this episode here.

Subscribe to the VCinema RSS feed here.

Subscribe to the VCinema iTunes feed here.