Tag: Martial Arts

The Calm Before the Storm with Ninjago: Seabound

True to the legend, Wojira is an embodiment of a tempestuous sea and he looks just as fierce as Godzilla!

FEAF8B65-87BA-4019-8023-1AB5133A9AD0On Teletoon Canada
Sundays 6:30am PST/ 9:30am EST

Spoiler Alert

Sometimes these small chapters in Ninjago Seabound are simply teasers. “The Calm Before the Storm” shows how far Jay and Nya’s relationship progressed. It’s easy to realize that something will separate these two when considering how truly yin and yang they’ve become. The future Jay saw in the Ice Labyrinth (“Grave Danger”) may well be in trouble unless the plan mapped out for the series has a solution.

True to the legend, Wojira is an embodiment of a tempestuous sea and he looks just as fierce as Godzilla! The carnage reminds me of the Tōhoku tsunami of 2011 and it may well be intentional. Even the minted King Kalmaar has trouble controlling her. One fact is certain, he needs the beast to drench the surface world if he’s to rule over it. Thankfully, not every Merlopian agrees with this warlord’s edict.

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Arr! The Masters of Spinjitzu are Seabound Ho!

There’s no denying mothers will be mothers, and the siblings will have to deal. The tale takes on a familiar tone when they find a deserted underwater temple and a cryptic prophecy. Everything points to Wojira…

Ninjago (TV Series 2019– ) - IMDbBy Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

On Teletoon Canada
Sundays 6:30am PST/ 9:30am EST

Spoiler Alert
Please check local listings for other regions.

Nya’s powers are going haywire in LEGO Ninjago. They’re the Masters of Spinjitzu after all, and this year’s set of episodes dropped this moniker in favour of streamlining the series. This latest chapter, titled Seabound, reimagines the team as proper Avengers level heroes. They’re always going after villains somewhere in this continent. They’ve all upped their game and when considering this chapter takes place after The Island, certain threats are bound to return, namely Wojira!

Sensei Wu reintroduces this creature in “A Big Splash.” This titan is of the serpentine class and they have been regular foes in this series. This newest member ranks right up there with The Great Devourer in terms of power, and I’m sure the list doesn’t end there. Fire Fang and the Anacondrai serpent proved to be tough adversaries for Lloyd and the gang. I would not be surprised if they’ve lived a long life, and helped shape this universe in one way or another. Wojira might even have more relatives. She’s blamed for affecting Nya’s ability to control the water element than the Vengestone–this universe’s version of Kryptonite–Miss Demeanor stole. I think it’s a combination of both. The others have been Ninjas longer and faced more threats which rarely affected their powers whereas Nya is still ‘new.’

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The Masters of Spinjitzu Heads into Season 14 This Weekend!

Whatever the outcome–as there’s only four episodes–and if the trio are immediately found, fans of this series will be glad to know the saga is going strong.

Spinjitzu

Teletoon Premiere Date

March 7, 2021

Please check listings for showtimes in your area.

The next season of LEGO Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu may well go full on Island of Doctor Moreau! Or should that be discovering the secrets of this franchise’s version of Easter Island? Officially, the story is about rescuing Misako, Master Wu, and Clutch Powers. They went on an expedition and the trailer suggests what they are searching for is an amethyst crystal. When Clutch is involved, I’m guessing the team up was to search for some relic about this world’s past.

This concept behind this chapter might be appropriate to celebrate the tenth anniversary year of the series.

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The Folklore Behind Invincible Dragon (九龙不败)

Jin (Max) Zhang is the next Invincible Dragon! Or rather, in this movie’s case, an undercover cop whose lapse in judgement on duty has robbed him of more than just a fiancée.

SpinjitzuBy Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Well GO USA
Now Available on Netflix and DVD

Jin (Max) Zhang is the next Fist of the North Star. Or should that be Crying Freeman? Anime references notwithstanding, he has the good looks to pull off playing either character should they get realized into live action. But in Invincible Dragon, he plays Kowloon, an undercover cop whose lapse in judgement on duty has robbed him of more than just a fiancée. He gets reassigned and stumbles into another crime wave much to the chagrin of his captain.

A psychopath is out on the loose and killing female police officers. Losing his girlfriend is motivation to get him on the case. It’s a cop and MMA showcase of what Zhang can do as a fighter. The punches feel real, especially when his rival, Alexander Sinclair, is played Brazilian mixed martial artist Anderson Silva. They are the highlight. Plus, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a bungee cord used in a fight before!

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News Stars are “Vanguard” with Jackie Chan!

Vanguard Movie PosterBy Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Coming to limited theatres Nov 20, 2020

Please check local listings

After many months of delay because of a certain pandemic, Jackie Chan’s Vanguard‘s world tour lands in North American cinema. Without his name, this film might get missed. This star isn’t as spry. Ultimately, the younger stars in this film are the ones who shine.

Zhang Kaiyuan (艾伦; Lun Ai) and Lei Zhenyu (rising star 杨洋; Yang Yang) are members of Vanguard, a private global security firm providing the best protection to corporations and dignitaries. They thwart attempts to kill Guoli Qin (Jackson Lou), an accountant, but pretty soon, the terrorists target his daughter Fareeda (Ruohan Xu). This group is led by Omar (Eyad Hourani), and his goals are far worse. Everyone gets involved, including Tang Huating (Chan) who is the head of the organization, and that’s when the action gets amped up.

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The Kung Fu Credo Shines in The Paper Tigers

The talented up-and-coming writer/director Quoc Bao Tran must have trained too, and he’s taken those lessons he learned at the kwoon (dojo) and put them to heart when penning The Paper Tigers.

SpinjitzuBy Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Playing at Fantasia Digital Film Festival 2020 on Sept 1st, 5:30pm PST. Buy your virtual ticket here. Canadian Residents only.

Making its US debut at 36th Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival (Sept 24-Oct 31st)

All hail The Paper Tigers! This martial arts comedy shows what three former students–now past their prime–are up to since they stopped practising. When their sifu (Roger Yuan, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny) die under mysterious circumstances, they reunite to figure out what’s going on, and along the way, try to get back their mojo.

While the humour is light, the mystery is heavy. However, the heart and soul of the film belong to those aphorisms you’d take away from after certain films or television. In this case, it’s Kung Fu, the original series.

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