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

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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

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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

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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

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In this episode of Heroic Purgatory: An Asian Cinema Podcast, John and Jason talk about arguably the best Taiwanese film ever made, Edward Yang's Yi Yi. While tackling existential alienation of in the face of modernity, the film explores the complex dynamics of a 21st century family, their screw ups, past regrets, and above all, their need for connection.

Website: https://www.heroic-purgatory.com/2026/05/s6e4-yi-yi-2000.html

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In this episode of Heroic Purgatory: An Asian Cinema Podcast, John and Jason revisit the heroic bloodshed genre with arguably the second (and far less melodramatic) entry into the category: Ringo Lam's City on Fire (1987). While male friendship is central to the film, Lam injects a fair amount of social criticism into his film, making him a unique and often underappreciate voice among the the action filmmakers of 1980s Hong Kong. Listen as we dissect the many themes of City on Fire and even take a jab at Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs, which it inspired.

We hope you enjoy!

Website: https://www.heroic-purgatory.com/2026/04/s6e3-city-on-fire-1987.html

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In this episode of Heroic Purgatory: An Asian Cinema Podcast, John and Jason talk about Park Chan-wook's first(ish) feature film, Joint Security Area. In the midst of our discussion, a daring proposition emerges: is this the director's best film. Listen to our thoughts about the films themes of Korean separation, isolation, male friendship, and the role of gender in military society.

We hope you enjoy!

Website: https://www.heroic-purgatory.com/2026/04/s6e2-joint-security-area-2000.html

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A new season, and old theme. For season 6, the Heroic Purgatory team revisits the topic of gateway films, i.e. popular or accessible works of cinema that serve is a gateway to the wider world of asian cinema. In the first episode of the season, John and Jason discuss Akira Kurosawa's 1954 classic, Seven Samurai. Heralded as one of the best movies ever made, Seven Samurai is not only an action masterpiece, but also an astute work of social and existential commentary.

Enjoy the discussion!

Website link: https://www.heroic-purgatory.com/2026/03/s6e1-seven-samurai-1954.html

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