Heroic Purgatory: An Asian Cinema Podcast

The Heroic Purgatory podcast continues with its theme of gateway movies by exploring the world of Hong Kong Horror, this time with Ringo Lam's debut feature, Esprit D'amour, from 1983. While flawed in many ways, the film showcases the director's talents and hints at some of his later successes. Enjoy! Website: https://www.heroic-purgatory.com/2026/11/s6e12-esprit-damour-1983.html Follow the show on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/heroicpurgatory.bsky.social Follow Jason: https://bsky.app/profile/filmnohito.bsky.socia Follow John: https://bsky.app/profile/jmhimara.bsky.social

Yet another spooky season is approaching, so John and Jason put on their plantation boots and travel to the Caribbean in the 1940s to walk with zombies -- and talking about I Walked with a Zombie, the brilliant and underrated 1943 supernatural horror film by Jacquess Tourneour. They discuss the romance, the characters, the racial undertones, and the excellent visual aesthetic of the film. Enjoy! Website: https://www.heroic-purgatory.com/2026/10/halloween-special-i-walked-with-zombie.html Follow the show on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/heroicpurgatory.bsky.social Follow Jason: https://bsky.app/profile/filmnohito.bsky.socia Follow John: https://bsky.app/profile/jmhimara.bsky.social

In a first for Heroic Purgatory, John and Jason meet in person to discuss the 2001 Stephen Chow blockbuster, Shaolin Soccer. While the film made Chow an international star, the boys debate the film's merits and its status as a "gateway" into HK cinema. Enjoy! Website: https://www.heroic-purgatory.com/2026/10/s6e11-shaolin-soccer-2001.html Follow the show on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/heroicpurgatory.bsky.social Follow Jason: https://bsky.app/profile/filmnohito.bsky.socia Follow John: https://bsky.app/profile/jmhimara.bsky.social

In this special episode of Heroic Purgatory, John and Jason take a break from regular season 6 coverage to discuss the films they've seen so far this year. A midyear catch up. Enjoy! Website: https://www.heroic-purgatory.com/2026/09/special-midyear-catch-up-2026.html Follow the show on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/heroicpurgatory.bsky.social Follow Jason: https://bsky.app/profile/filmnohito.bsky.socia Follow John: https://bsky.app/profile/jmhimara.bsky.social

In the latest episode of Heroic Purgatory: An Asian Cinema Podcast, John and Jason explore the slow cinema of Taiwanese filmmaker Tsai Ming-liang's debut feature, Rebels of the Neon God. Is this Tsai's most accessible and "least" slow movie? What do the characters represent, and what is the filmmaker trying to say about modern life in Taipei? Hear our opinions on these questions. Enjoy! Website: https://www.heroic-purgatory.com/2026/08/s6e10-rebels-of-neon-god-1992.html Follow the show on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/heroicpurgatory.bsky.social Follow Jason: https://bsky.app/profile/filmnohito.bsky.socia Follow John: https://bsky.app/profile/jmhimara.bsky.social

In the latest episode of Heroic Purgatory: An Asian Cinema Podcast, John and Jason wonder if they've ever met in a past life, and so they watch Past Lives, Celine Song's debut film about a Korean immigrant reconnecting with an old love. Is this film about immigration or about romance? What does it have to about either topic? Listen to find out. Enjoy! Website: https://www.heroic-purgatory.com/2026/08/s6e9-past-lives-2023.html Follow the show on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/heroicpurgatory.bsky.social Follow Jason: https://bsky.app/profile/filmnohito.bsky.socia Follow John: https://bsky.app/profile/jmhimara.bsky.social

In the latest episode of Heroic Purgatory: An Asian Cinema Podcast, John and Jason put their tin-foil hats on and lock themselves in basement to talk about Save the Green Planet, Jang Joon-hwan's 2003 South Korean film that somehow never got the credit it deserves. A truly idiosyncratic film, Save the Green Planet features incredible acting, art direction, and just enough melodrama to make you feel sad for the unhinged protagonist. Enjoy! Website: https://www.heroic-purgatory.com/2026/07/s6e8-save-green-planet-2003.html Follow the show on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/heroicpurgatory.bsky.social Follow Jason: https://bsky.app/profile/filmnohito.bsky.socia Follow John: https://bsky.app/profile/jmhimara.bsky.social

In the latest episode of Heroic Purgatory: An Asian Cinema Podcast, John and Jason spice up their man-feelings for A Better Tomorrow, discussing John Woo's 1986 film that sparked the heroic bloodshed genre. Enjoy! Website: https://www.heroic-purgatory.com/2026/06/s6e7-better-tomorrow-1986.html Follow the show on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/heroicpurgatory.bsky.social Follow Jason: https://bsky.app/profile/filmnohito.bsky.socia Follow John: https://bsky.app/profile/jmhimara.bsky.social

In the latest episode of Heroic Purgatory: An Asian Cinema Podcast, John and Jason move to the countryside for a friendly chat with magical owls and bus-sized orange cats. That's right, we are covering My Neighbor Totoro, the 1988 Hayao Miyazaki film who's titular character became the logo for the newly minted Studio Ghibli. Though often viewed as a "children" film, Totoro is not all about laughs and cuddles. We discuss the more tragical underpinnings of the story and how it reflects the ambivalent Japanese society of Miyazaki's youth. Enjoy! Website: https://www.heroic-purgatory.com/2026/06/s6e6-my-neighbor-totoro-1988.html Follow the show on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/heroicpurgatory.bsky.social Follow Jason: https://bsky.app/profile/filmnohito.bsky.socia Follow John: https://bsky.app/profile/jmhimara.bsky.social

In the latest episode of Heroic Purgatory: An Asian Cinema Podcast, John and Jason get sassy in South Korea with the 2001 romantic comedy, My Sassy Girl. A critical darling of the early 21st century, the film has been somewhat forgotten or relegated as a curio of a different era in Korean cinema . Does it still hold up? We discuss how the film's comedy and romance may or may not have aged, and whether it should regain its place in the list of the the best Korean films ever made. Website: https://www.heroic-purgatory.com/2026/05/s6e5-my-sassy-girl-2001.html Follow the show on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/heroicpurgatory.bsky.social Follow Jason: https://bsky.app/profile/filmnohito.bsky.socia Follow John: https://bsky.app/profile/jmhimara.bsky.social