Ken and Robin Consume Media: Early Michelle Yeoh, Renfair Bikers, and Keanu Breaking It Down
June 13th, 2023 | Robin
Ken and Robin Consume Media is brought to you by the discriminating and good-looking backers of the Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff Patreon. Each week we provide capsule reviews of the books, movies, TV seasons and more we cram into our hyper-analytical sensoriums. Join the Patreon to help pick the items we’ll talk about in greater depth on a little podcast segment we like to call Tell Me More.
Recommended
Apples (Film, Greece, Christos Nikou, 2020) Withdrawn man (Aris Servitalis) undergoes a series of exercises designed to individuate victims of an amnesia pandemic. Deadpan fable of isolation and grief puts a gentler spin on the absurdism of the Greek Weird Wave..—RDL
The Art of Action Episodes 45 & 46: Keanu Reeves (Web Series, UK, Scott Adkins, 2023) Martial arts actor Adkins takes his John Wick Chapter Four scene partner through an in-depth retrospective of his action work from Point Break to The Matrix and beyond. Charming, informative shop talk between enthusiast practitioners offers detailed, revealing insight into fight scene construction. See how much Keanu is still Ted when he lets his guard down in a relaxed setting! Watch Adkins make the classic mistake of starting an interview by trying to get a Canadian to accept a compliment!—RDL
Royal Warriors (Film, HK, David Chung, 1986) After interrupting the attempted rescue of a prisoner from an airplane, a Hong Kong police inspector (Michelle Yeoh), a Japanese ex-cop (Hiroyuki Sanada) and a gormless air marshal (Michael Wong, but I said gormless already) defend against a series of reprisal attacks. Plunks Yeoh’s then-standard kung fu sweetheart persona into the full gonzo plotting and casual brutality of golden age HK action.—RDL
Knightriders (Film, US, George A. Romero, 1981) Uncompromising leader (Ed Harris) struggles to maintain his hold on a Renfaire that stages its jousts on motorcycles. Simultaneously romantic and ironic look at the American hero myth with echoes of Ford, Altman, and George Stevens not elsewhere seen in Romero’s work.—RDL
The Stranger (Film, Australia, Thomas M. Wright, 2022) Undercover cop (Joel Edgerton) takes part in a sting operation designed to win the confidence of a suspected child murderer (Sean Harris) in order to prompt a confession from him. Moody, controlled visuals and unnerving sound design give oppressive weight and a fog of enigma to this true crime docudrama.—RDL
Ken is in Brazil.
