PLANET CHOCKO – art/music/movies/beyond

Super Saturday Lion Dance performances in Chinatown – NYC

February 18th, 2013 by Mr. C

Festive Lions could be found covered in every nook & cranny in Manhattan’s Chinatown last weekend on a day which is known as Super Saturday. It’s a time during Chinese New Year when local organizations, Kung Fu schools, dance troupes, & chinese cultural groups roam the streets of chinatown going door to door to businesses performing traditional southern lion dances at the storefronts to welcome in a prosperous lunar new year and to ward away evil spirits! In return, the performers receive a red envelope with money as a token of wealth, health, & prosperity. The distinctive sound of the drums, gongs, & the colorful Lion’s body while it prances about under the performers’ guidance is truly a sight to see! I always look forward to combing the streets of chinatown on super saturday!

Some organizations that I stumbled upon last Saturday that took part in the performances included Yip’s Dragon Style Kung Fu, Jook Lum Gee Tong Long Pai (Southern Praying Mantis), Luen Hing, Shaolin Kung Fu Institute, Wan Chi Ming Hung Gar Institute, Yee’s Hung Ga, United East Athletic Association, Golden Lion club, Staten Island Lions, New York United Lion Dance Troupe, Chinatown Community Young Lions, Chinese Freemason Athletic Club, & many more! Happy New Year of the Snake – everyone!

Tags: chinatown, chinese culture, chinese new year 2013, lion dance, new york city
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The Berlin File (2013) : movie review

February 13th, 2013 by Mr. C

Director: Ryoo Seung-wan
Stars: Ha Jung-woo, Han Suk-kyu, Ryoo Seung-bum, Gianna Jun
Genre: Action, Thriller, Drama

The Berlin File sets the tone with this epic espionage chase in Berlin, Germany involving various radical groups with their own agendas including the North Koreans, the South Korean Intelligence, the CIA, Russian Arms dealer, Israeli secret service, & Arab terrorists each with their own layer of deception introduced to us right from the onslaught of the film. The beginning of the movie sets us up in a hotel in Berlin where a weapons deal between the Russians and the North Koreans is taking place under negotiations by our main protagonist, agent Pyo Jong-seong (Ha Jung-woo) – a national hero of North Korea. The deal is secretly being watched by the South Koreans, North Koreans, and the CIA. When negotiations go awry, flurries of bullets start to fly! All the groups are introduced to us and only until after the dust settles do we start to peel away the layers of deceit. What basically is left is Pyo Jong-seong being left to fend for his own self as all fingers start to point to him in being a fall guy from the outlook of all parties involved. As part of the setup, Pyo Jong-seong’s wife, a translator for the North Korean embassy is also implicated in aiding with this twisted game of espionage. The root of all evil lies from the cover-up of unaccounted for loyalties being funneled within Kim Jong Il’s regime or might it be another group?

The action sequences including the firearms, the explosions, and the hand to hand combat are all moving images that will quickly demand your attention! The set pieces where all this takes place, mind you in a foreign land is amazing and adds extra tension to the story line. The soundtrack and the exceptional camera work helped set up the viewer perfectly for that frenetic pace and suspenseful mood. Even though the fight choreography and stunt work were well produced, I didn’t care for some of the sudden closeups of our combatants and the slight camera shakes during the hand to hand exchanges to provoke more frenzy in the scene. It gives me the feeling that the closeups and the shakes are visuals used to distract me from the fact that the scene is being filmed with a double which might or might not be the case. The main character played by Ha Jung-woo does a great job of being a cool and nonchalant customer all the while being super intense even with his constant uphill battle. The main villain in the film played by Ryoo Seung-bum does a tremendous job with being the cold blooded North Korean assassin! The performance by the leading lady, Gianna Jun was just o.k. for me. Her role didn’t provoke as much emotion as I would have expected and the few action sequences that she was in – was not quite convincing enough. My other gripes with the film was the incomprehensible english being spoken by the korean cast. I honestly had a hard time understanding some of the dialogue. Maybe they should have had english subtitles when they were speaking in english or maybe have the voices dubbed?

Despite a few shortcomings like the ones I mentioned above and an over complicated story that rushes to unravel to its conclusion, I most definitely found The Berlin File to be quite entertaining as an action film. I’m a big fan of director Ryoo Seung-wan’s past works including City of Violence, Crying Fist, & The Unjust. And with The Berlin File – the overall action is amped up a notch in terms of production value. I actually can’t wait to see this film in the theaters – the way that this type of explosive movie is made to be seen – on the big screen! See you guys and gals at the cinema!

Tags: action, korean movies, thriller
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Toy Fair 2013

February 12th, 2013 by chocko

The Toy Fair in NYC is in full swing, bringing together exhibitors, toy makers, buyers and media all wandering the Jacob Javits Convention Center searching for the next big thing in the world of toys and games. The huge foldout map handed to me at the press table read “If You Can Imagine It You Can Find It At Toy Fair” – ya got that right! Chocko always dreamed of going to this massive event so it definitely was a fun time checking it out on a Monday, taking photos and playing for a few hours.

Ahhh…real Monstaz in front of the Ty booth! They don’t have arms?

These Rody Racin’ Horses looked fun to ride. They’re made of super strong vinyl but no way could they hold the weight of Sumo Chocko.

I never understood the appeal of the Elf On The Shelf Dolls and what’s up with the sideways glance? Are they all covering up their naughty bits?

Stuffed animals with huge dilated pupils are very popular. Kids love ’em I think. Pac-Man is a legendary video game character who chomped his way through mazes and ate ghosts. He’s back with a new animated show Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures. Look for it on Disney XD in 2013.

Safari Ltd. had some dope toy displays including the Civil War one above.

The Create-a-Character toy is super cool…it’s an unpainted wooden toy that comes with paints and a brush and the rest is up to you and your imagination. There were a bunch on display but I’m a sucker for robots.

Ran into a display that honored the French inventor and creator of the Etch A Sketch, André Cassagnes who passed away last month.

Kaskey Kids impressed me with their quality sports action toys. Very cool toy sets for kids which featured baseball, football and hockey. Also, the people at the booth were so friendly and thanks for the baseball figures!

Nothing freaks me out more than creepy looking dolls and rats. Although the radio controlled rodent might be a fun gag in parks and restaurants.

This jigsaw puzzle features some unusually shaped pieces like whales!

Tonner Doll Company had a lot of dolls inspired by different TV shows and Hollywood movies including The Hunger Games and Warm Bodies.

The Skylanders Swap Force booth was colossal and featured a video game which also combined toy collecting and power portals. Looks fun!

Bruce Lee’s Temple of Kung Fu Series features some mean looking 3-inch dudes. Kick that elf on your shelf to the curb and collect all 29 figures!

Diamond Select Toys had a massive display. A couple things that made me geek out were the Munsters figures and Aardman 5-Pack of DC characters. Quit drooling…the set won’t be available until Fall 2013.

Diamond also had some nice looking action figures including The Marvel Select Classic Green Goblin and Ghostrider. Lots of detail! You’ll be the life of the party with a Galactus bottle opener. You know you want that.

Batman has a huge presence in the toy world and it is ultra cool to repesent the classic series starring Adam West. I couldn’t get into the Mattel booth because you needed to make an appointment and they were all booked so nope…didn’t get to see Mattel’s take on the classic tv series, but I did run into the bad boy picture above at the NECA booth. The Batman doll is 1/4 scale figure and NOT FINAL. Changes might still be made but it looks really cool. WB, release the series on DVD already!

More Breaking Bad dolls merchandise coming your way in the form of plush dolls and action figures from Mezco Toyz. Heisenberg is da man!

ThinkGeek featured lots of cool and geeky items at their booth including the zombie head mug…gotta have it. If you are a fan of chemistry and hard liquor, then the set of laboratory shot glasses are for you.

Robots will eventually dominate the human race, but for now they’re cute and fun including Romo, which turns your iPhone into an interactive robot that has lots of personality. Another of the many robot toys at the fair was the Cubelets which is a robot construction kit. The robots can be assembled like blocks, are mobile and can respond to light and sound.

There were plenty of board games at the fair too. Old Age Opoly, a parody of the classic Monopoly board game made me chuckle along with the Fanny Bank. Hear one rip every time a coin is dropped in dat crack.

That’s it for now. Chocko hopes to visit the Toy Fair again next year!
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Tags: action figures, batman, breaking bad, games, kaskey kids, pac-man, review, temple of kung fu, toy fair, toy fair 2013, toys
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Lions on Mott Street and Mighty Quinn’s BBQ

February 12th, 2013 by Mr. C

Chinese New Year celebrations started last Sunday and before I was sentenced to a night of family gatherings, I darted into the sloppy and slushy arms of NYC’s Chinatown – a day after we got about a foot of snow! Festive Lions were out and about on the streets dancing to a familiar beat going door to door to welcome in a prosperous new year for the local businesses. Street vendors were also milling about selling tubes of confetti that rocketed into the air with a twist of the wrist! Two for $5 dolla’ – Two for $5 dolla’ – We would hear! The lion dancers would ping pong from the slightest gong gong drum beat as they swaggered from Haagen Daz to Cha Chang Tang to the Tofu shop and back to Tearrific which would be perfect to collect those auspicious red envelopes of happy new year cheer! Of course this dumb dumb didn’t get any dim sum but instead opted for some classic americana from the same streets where Madonna used to roam looking for her latin prince to romp around with! Slow cooked smoky meat can’t be beat as I celebrated my first new year meal cheer with a pilgrammage to the East Village’s – Mighty Quinn’s Barbecue! You can have your beef brisket ($8.50) or pulled pork ($7.50) – naked or on a sandwich, it doesn’t really matter which because the slow cooked meat will melt from the slightest heat and rake from your teeth! Let me go as my mouth is full – of this wonderful smoky goodness! Gung Hei Fat Choy and Happy Year of the Snake, y’all!

Mighty Quinn’s Barbeque
103 2nd Ave (between 6th & 7th St)
New York, NY

(Pulled Pork Sandwich w/ pickled peppers & vinegar based slaw – $7.50)

(Brisket w/ pickled peppers and onions with baked beans – $8.50)

(New York United Lion Dance Troupe)

(Lions entering Tearrific Cafe at 51 Mott St, New York, NY 10013)

(Lettuce for the Lions at Fong Inn Too Tofu – 46 Mott Street)

Haagen Daz Chinatown – 53 Mott Street – the oldest Haagen Daz store in the City since 1977)

Tags: barbecue, chinese new year
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National Pro Wrestling day in Philadelphia

February 5th, 2013 by Mr. C

(The high flying A.C.H. during the day session)

Last Saturday’s festivities to celebrate National Pro Wrestling day in Philadelphia originated in the Bronx as the Mondo-mobile scooped me up in Northern NJ as we hightailed down the dirty NJ turnpike to the National Guard Armory in Philadelphia for an afternoon and evening lineup of matches. It was pretty surreal to see a fleet of our armed forces in training as another band of wrestling outlaws were smacking each other down in the main space of the armory. But before we would be entertained by these high flying-athletic warriors in tights who have a bit of flair for the dramatics, we had to grease ourselves up with a meal fit for champions – cheesesteaks! Destination – Steve’s Prince of Steaks – it truly made me feel like I was King of the Cheesesteak Throne for the day! A tender slice of steak bathed in a warm & generous spread of cheese-whiz hugged between a torpedo roll which was slightly crispy on the outside and not too doughy. We also loved the self serve pickled peppers in the clear jars! It was so nice that we stopped in at Steve’s Prince of Steaks twice before our trip back up north! This time I got an Italian Hoagie, though!

(Steve’s Prince of Steaks – 7200 Bustleton Ave Philadelphia, PA 19149)

(Steve’s Prince of Steaks – 2711 Comly Road Philadelphia, PA 19154)

After refueling our bodies fit for a blogger, we dipped back to the armory to catch the last few matches of the daytime card. An all star collective of independent wrestling organizations would be called upon to restore order on this day! Of course I’m a complete neophyte to modern day wrestling as my comfort zone lies to the likes of the 1980’s WWF when Bob Backlund, Andre the Giant, Paul Orndoff, Adrian Adonis, Jimmy Superfly Snuka, Pedro Morales, Big John Studd, George the animal steele, & others dominated! Though recently I’ve been catching up with an Independent wrestling outfit based in NJ called ECPW. The cards at the National Pro Wrestling day in Philadelphia included organizations such as Evolve, Chikara, Resistance Pro Wrestling (Billy Corgan), NYWC, Ring of Honor, Wrestling is Fun, Wrestling is Awesome, Wrestling is Respect, International Wrestling Cartel, & many others! A list of the wrestling organizations as well as the cards can be viewed at the National Pro Wrestling Day homepage.

(Team Chikara)

Some outstanding wrestlers that we saw that day included A.C.H. who we happened to catch on the daytime lineup as he battled in a tournament for the right to fight 2 Cold Scorpio on the evening card. Scorpio is a veteran of the ECW and WWF from the mid to late 90’s. Shameful to say, I didn’t know much about Too Cold but he was pretty impressive especially for an older guy – smashing roundhouse,crescent, & spinning heel kicks to A.C.H. . 2 Cold Scorpio seemed to be most comfortable going toe to toe but he did have some heavy duty splashes off the top rope as well! The diminuitive but diesel A.C.H. on the other hand was a high flying monster performing frog splashes in and out of the ring to parkour type of moves from one rope to another using his whole body as an arsenal! Another impressive match pitted A.R. Fox vs Shane Strickland from Evolve. They both had technical skills on the ground and in the air. There was some serious high flying action that took place outside the ring for this bout! The audience went bonkers with the Chikara tag team match with Los Ice Creams & FIST vs The Colony & 3.0 . This match was all about the comedy and the action. The crowd really got into this one. The New York guys from NYWC – Tony Nese & Apollyon vs Alex Reynolds & John Silver was a power match. Apollyon, sort of a Bam Bam Bigelow’esque large guy had some serious splash in him as well as a few slingshot moves! Another hilarious & fun tag team match from the Wrestling’s Heroes and Outlaws organization pitted The Hurricane & Matty De Nero vs Ophidian & Kobald. The Hurricane looked good but was quite reserved from his WWF/WWE days as I was told. There would also be a danceoff as Ophidian busted a few B-Boy moves as The Hurricane countered back with his 2 step combination! All in all it was a great day of indie wrestling and we can most definitely say – we’ll be back! Support your local independent wrestling circuit, y’all! Checkout the National Pro Wrestling Day website to get more information on the organizations that were involved that day.

(Too Cold Scorpio and A.C.H. locking grips!)

(A.C.H. believes he can fly!)

(Too Cold Scorpio doing damage w/ some roundhouse kicks)

(AR Fox vs Shane Strickland)

(Apollyon)

(The Hurricane & Matty De Nero vs Ophidian & Kobald)

(Team Chikara)

During intermission between the day & nightime bouts, we dipped into South Philly to catch Parts Unknown – a Pro Wrestling Photography show by Zia Hiltey hosted at a really neat cafe called the Grindcore House – The Vegan Coffeehouse! The back room of the cafe was where the photos of the wrestlers were on display. Some intense punk music, metal, & even a soundbyte of Dr. Octagon’s (Kool Keith) ‘3000’ went blasting in our ears as we gazed at the visuals! Some really neat photos of Tatanka, The WWF Wrestling album (1985), El Generico, and more were showcased on the wall! Parts Unknown – A Pro Wrestling Photography Show is on display until March 6th at Grindcore House – 1515 South 4th Street Philadelphia, PA 19147

(Grindcore House – the vegan coffeehouse)

(Massive Awesome comic)

Tags: independent wrestling, national pro wrestling day, philadelphia, photos
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Paul Baribeau and Jason Anderson played Stardust Video & Coffee

February 3rd, 2013 by chocko

PAUL BARIBEAU at Stardust Video & Coffee (Orlando) 01.27.13

JASON ANDERSON at Stardust Video & Coffee (Orlando) 01.27.13

Another recent excursion to sunny Florida was coming to a close and on a Sunday night after nearly a week bouncing around all the Disney and Universal theme parks I decided to catch a local show in Orlando. It was quickly decided to check out Paul Baribeau play some folky punk music at Stardust Video & Coffee which is just around the corner from one of my favorite Orlando shops, Park Ave CDs. My friend from NYC, Ariela and I walked into the place while openers Among Giants played some intense punk songs. I encountered Baribeau at the merch table and bought some of his albums. His beard (sorry I had to talk about it!) made mine look like peach fuzz. I didn’t wait too long for the next act, Jason Anderson to set up but it was fun checking out all the video rentals stacked on the shelves near the stage. Jason didn’t plug in his guitar, use a microphone or the stage, but for most of his set had everybody gather ’round in a circle..a really tight one at that. He has a great way of interacting with the room and telling stories and sharing lessons and advice. He also sang emotional songs on his acoustic guitar and had everyone singing along. He sang a song that he just made up outside of the venue while waiting for the show to start. The song was about his day, hanging out with Paul Baribeau at Downtown Disney eating vegan cupcakes. During one song he decided that we have to all sing under the stars. The doors were swung open and we all ran out into the parking lot and sang at the top of our lungs under the nighttime sky. It was a memorable and inspiring performance and I’m sure a game changer for many in the crowd. Definitely check out Jason Anderson when he comes and plays your town! Paul Baribeau played last and the crowd bum rushed the stage and sang along to his sincere and refreshing songs about imperfect relationships and the angst and banality of everyday life. A highlight for me was the performance of “If I Knew” off his 2010 album Unbearable. Unfortunately, I couldn’t stay for Paul’s whole set because I had a plane to catch in the wee hours of the morning. I stopped by the merch table, shook Jason’s hand and told him how inspiring his performance was and picked up his new album Summer Style. That night of music was the best way to cap off a week of escaping from the bitter cold of winter in NJ. Check out some videos below of Paul and Jason at Stardust!

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Tags: folk, jason anderson, music, orlando, paul baribeau, punk, stardust, video & coffee
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Slick Rick played Brooklyn Bowl

February 3rd, 2013 by chocko

Slick Rick performed at Brooklyn Bowl in New York City last month a couple of days before his birthday. The celebration performance featured all the hits from The Ruler’s career that dates back to the Golden Era of Hip Hop in the 80’s. When his debut album The Great Adventures Of Slick Rick came out on Def Jam in 1988, that album rocked my world and I wore that cassette out! His rhymes with his British swagger made him unique, along with his narratives incorporated into his songs which often times had a sick sense of humor that had me hooked. Slick Rick, decked in his trademark eye patch and gold chains, performed a solid 45 minute set and was accompanied by a live band with a DJ and back-up singers. He started off the set with “Street Talkin” off the 1999 album The Art of Storytelling and after introducing the band, went into a classic, the up-tempo “Mona Lisa.” Check the videos below! Slick Rick performed an excellent mix of songs including “Lick The Balls” which I’ve never heard live. I wished he did “Treat Her Like A Prostitute” but ya can’t win ’em all. The Ruler was presented a birthday cake at the end of the night and it looked like he was truly touched when a birthday shout-out video played for all to see. There were a lot of familiar faces in the video including Raekwon, Biz Markie, Humpty Hump and MC Lyte.

SLICK RICK performing “Street Talkin'” and “Mona Lisa”

SLICK RICK performing “Hey Young World”

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Tags: birthday, brooklyn, hip hop, new york city, nyc, show, slick rick
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John Gorka played at the Ringwood Library – New Legacy Concert Series

January 29th, 2013 by Mr. C

NJ bred folk singer/songwriter – John Gorka performed at the Ringwood Public Library in NJ last Sunday as part of the New Legacy Concert Series to a crowd about 150+ strong! It’s always fun driving to the shows in Ringwood because the library is nestled up in the mountains which provides a beautiful backdrop for the performances! And of course listening to the Gorka live is always a treat because of his clear & soulful baritone voice, his funny intros to his songs, his storytelling, and catchy hooks. Sometimes I wonder if John twilights as a comedian because he is just that hilarious! He has a great knack of knowing how to connect with his audience by poking fun at himself to break the ice. He started his matinee set by stating that he knew the audience was curious as to what a “Gorka” looked like. And that the picture of himself on the programming bill looked like his son. He thought about coming out saying that he was John Gorka’s dad and that he couldn’t make it to the show so he would be filling in for the afternoon! That got a few chuckles out of the salt & peppered haired crowd! Another fun story was at the Newport Folk Festival when the late Earl Scruggs, a legendary bluesgrass banjo player was playing on stage and John Gorka seized an opportunity to talk to Pete Seeger about finger picking on the banjo. Gorka proceeded to tell Seeger that the brain releases oxytosin (not oxycontin) when playing and Seeger just looked at him with a blank stare!

John Gorka’s lyrics range from the funny to the witty then back to the somber with love and hope in these ever changing troubled times. John is a true documenter of life – observing, writing, and singing about the everyday. Some sad & heart wrenching but beautiful tunes that he played on his set that afternoon included ‘I saw a stranger with your hair’ & ‘Love is our cross to bear’ as well as a song of unearned advantage – ‘Ignorance and privilege’. Gorka also played some tunes that he re-recorded with his Red Horse band on Red House Records like ‘Blue Chalk’, ‘Wayfaring Stranger‘, & ‘If these walls could talk’. Some of my favorites from the set included some blues tunes that he created on his miniature G-sharp guitar like ‘Baby Blue’ & ‘Where the bottles break’ as well as ‘Houses in the fields’ & ‘Down in Milltown’ on the piano. Some of the more funnier songs that he sang at the Ringwood Library were ‘I’m from New Jersey’ & ‘People my age’ which he jokingly said he wasn’t looking forward to playing. People my age was the antithesis of Dar Williams’ song ‘Aging well’. I really dig how Gorka uses his emotion, facial expression, and clever play on words to tell us a colorful story with his voice and guitar play. It was such a wonderful performance as witnessed by the unanimous standing ovation after the show. He ended his set with a ‘Coda for Bill’ (tribute to Bill Morrisey). My favorite contemporary folk acts to watch live are Lucy Kaplansky, Dar Williams, & of course – John Gorka! If you get a chance to see any of these 3 play live – do it!

SETLIST
Outside
Where no monument stands
I’m from New Jersey
Land of the bottom line
Blue Chalk
Houses in the fields (piano)
if these walls could talk
Branching out
Flying red horse
I saw a stranger with your hair
diminishing winds
Oh Abraham
I know
Down in the Milltown (piano)
Baby Blues (G-sharp guitar)
Where the bottles break (G-sharp guitar)
Wayfaring stranger (G-sharp guitar)
Ignorance and privilege
People my age
Love is our cross to bear
Coda for Bill

Tags: contemporary folk, folk, john gorka, music, new legacy concert, ringwood library
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The Black Kung Fu Experience – (2012)

January 22nd, 2013 by Mr. C

Director: Martha Burr & Mei-Juin Chen
Stars: Ron Van Clief, Dennis Brown, Tayari Casel, Donald Hamby
Genre: Martial arts and culture – documentary
———————————————————————————————————————–

The Fist and Sword ongoing movie series at the Museum of the Moving Image curated by Warrington Hudlin is one of my favorite events to attend in New York City! Hudlin is very knowledgeable in the martial art scene in New York and is a student of Jujitsu Master Lil’ John Davis. Warrington is also a walking knowledgebase of information on martial art films as well. Last Monday on Martin Luther King day – we were treated to a screening of The Black Kung Fu Experience which was part of the Fist and Sword series. Michael Woods, Sifu Carl Albright, and Sifu Alan Goldberg were also in attendance.

(Warrington Hudlin – curator of Fist and Sword series)

The Black Kung Fu Experience was a very inspirational documentary about 4 african american martial artists, all from various backgrounds but carved from the same mold of inner strength, humility, and passion. These Masters of their respective fighting arts all have something in common from the 1960’s and 1970’s – the influences of kung fu through movies while growing up in the inner city. We as viewers got to travel to NYC, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., the U.S. Virgin Islands, Hong Kong, and Jamaica to get a glimpse of these warriors in mind, body, & spirit. Masters: Ron Van Clief, Dennis Brown, Tayari Casel, & Donald Hamby are highly regarded asian fighting art experts that went through similiar paths and struggles yet their storyboards are all unique. While the movies might have introduced the asian arts to these individuals which started a spark towards their martial arts journey – their resilience, intestinal fortitude – their endless search to learn & grow as a person while keeping the thought of bettering their community by passing on knowledge has kept their internal flames of fury & peace on high. These four teachers have all pledged their allegiance to the arts but more importantly they have all pledged their allegiance to their communities. The determination and drive despite the racism that these four went through are truly inspirational. I can truly say that not only are they great role models for the black community, they are great role models for Americans!

(Master Ron Van Clief)

Ron Van Clief in particular is a real life american hero. I was familiar with the Black Dragon’s martial arts prowess and his dip into films in Hong Kong in the 1970’s but I was not aware of the struggles that he went through while serving in the Marines as he faced racial discrimination from fellow americans in the Carolinas. Furthermore, being black – he was sentenced to serve in a one way mission in the Vietnam War, but as god would have it – the Black Dragon made it a roundtrip affair though lots of psychological scars from warfare would haunt him for decades. Master Ron Van Clief had made martial arts as an outlet to express himself and 40+ years later – he continues to spread his knowledge as well as not being afraid to empty his cup to learn new things. He seemed to be such a gentle and peaceful soul when he spoke at the panel at the Musuem of the Moving Image after the screening. Master Van Clief has roots in Brooklyn but has relocated to the U.S Virgin Islands to spread his knowledge.

Sifu Dennis Brown is another throwback kung fu relic that teaches Shaolin kung fu in the Washington D.C/Maryland area. His life story tells a tale of a martial hero’s uplifting ascent from poverty to the gold mountain of old-school traditional kung-fu! The interaction between himself and his young students always showcases nuggets of discipline and encouragement as well as rewards and acknowledgement when the student does well in academics. Sifu Brown teaches in the Maryland metropolitan area.

(Sifu Tayari Casel)

Sifu Tayari Casel was one of the first fighters in the U.S. to put kung fu on the map in the 1970’s with his many successful bouts in the ring. His legendary fight at Madison Square Garden against the real shogun of Harlem – Master Little John Davis drew much attention! Sifu Casel has an impressive form that flows like water but can strike with the power and speed of a cobra! I was really impressed by Sifu Casel’s eclectic mix of Chinese martial arts blended with African culture. Tayari Casel Martial Arts Academy is a perfect example of how to combine traditional cultures together to make a product that is relevant to you and your community, all the while still being true to yourself! Well done sir! His inspirations reach as far as Jamaica and beyond! Sifu Tayari Casel teaches in the Washington D.C./Maryland Metropolitan area. Tayari was also on the Q&A panel with Ron Van Clief after the screening. They both were very articulate and humble in speech.

Sifu Donald Hamby representing the 5 animal – Hung Ga Kung fu family is a style that traces their lineage back to the likes of China’s most celebrated hero – Wong Fei Hong! Sifu Donald and his flesh tearing tiger grip was a force to be reckon with for sure! He was truly a gentle giant, but one that you did not want to mess with. Sifu Donald’s story along with his son following in his footsteps was a very touching tale indeed! The humbleness of this sifu has him visiting Hong Kong periodically to keep his kung fu family within arms grasp as he pays respect to Sifu Lam Jo’s Hung Ga family tree. The film had a nice clip of father and son on the Steve Harvey show doing a metal bending – mind blowing demonstration of steel rod vs neck. Sifu Donald teaches in Los Angeles.

The Black Kung Fu Experience is a documentary that takes a look at how urban america fused the teachings of traditional martial arts along with their own culture and made it into something relevant to their environment. At the Q&A after the screening of the film, Tayari Casel and Ron Van Clief made it clear that “Kung Fu” is more than just punches and kicks. It’s a journey about discovering yourself. It’s a lifelong journey of empowerment, survival, and being self-aware!

(Michael Woods at the Museum of the Moving Image)

(Q&A with Tayari Casel and Ron Van Clief after the screening)

Tags: documentary, martial arts, musuem moving image
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Dear Mandela (2012) – movie review

January 20th, 2013 by Mr. C

Directors: Dara Kell & Christopher Nizza
Genre: Documentary on South Africa’s housing movement
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I couldn’t find a better way to celebrate Martin Luther Ling Jr.’s legacy other than by serving this film writeup as food for thought! Keep dreaming everyone! Dear Mandela is having its U.S. Broadcast Premiere on January 29th streaming on Afropop.TV for the month of February.

Dear Mandela centers around a shack dwelling movement in South Africa known as the Abahlali BaseMjondalo and their fight against the government in regards to their lack of commitment in building new homes and provide adequate housing for the poor as the ANC (African National Congress) had promised. Much to the dismay of the South African people, the Kwazulu-natal province enacted the Slums Act law which basically gives them the authority to eradicate Informal Settlement homes aka Shacks/Shanty homes and prevent new ones from being built which leaves a BIG conflict with the residents like WHERE are they going to LIVE? There are no roads, not enough running water, and no support from the ANC. The South African government wants to bus these temporarily displaced residents to what they called Transit camps which is located many miles away from the city center until new homes are erected. Transit Camps were described as something more or less like a prison.

Dear Mandela is a good documentary if not a bit clinical as the film highlights the grassroots of activism with a young generation of politically aware individuals willing to fight for their rights for something they were promised by the government – adequate housing. We are introduced to 4 main characters in the film that soldier on with the struggles against a two faced leadership in South Africa: Mnikelo is elected as one of the spokespersons for the movement. Zama works at the food distribution program at the community center. Mazwi is a student and one of the more promising leaders of the cause and S’bu Zikode is the president and inspirational leader of the Abahlali baseMjondalo movement. This group is fighting to abolish the Slums Act Law based on the Constitution of South Africa that states: “no-one shall be evicted from their home or have their home demolished without an order from court.” Despite the Shack Dwellers who peacefully protest the housing conditions in their area, the ANC still uses bullying tactics & violence to demolish their homes and terrorize the neighborhood.

The film raises good questions and yields a double edge sword of conflict to the young generation of South Africa. You see, the ANC led the fight against apartheid, slowly broke the door down, and finally abolished segregation as the ANC went into full power with Nelson Mandela elected as president in 1994. Since then, the African National Congress never looked back. Fast forward to the present times and ironically, inequality rears its ugly head in another form against its own people and instituted by the same group that led the fight against inequality to begin with. The elders of the nation are stuck in between a rock and a hard place because some of these folks who almost died fighting for ANC during apartheid are finding it difficult to agree with the present generation who are criticizing ANC which in turn means that you are also criticizing Nelson Mandela. Inequality still exists in South Africa and the history of the ANC is weighed upon the shoulders of the new school. What the Abahlali group is trying to do is exactly what ANC was doing before they got into power in 1994. It’s just that the ANC forgot where they came from. One side of the city is still living in shambles while the other side is living in a lap of luxury. The new generation of educated individuals in South Africa are fighting for what they believe in and their rights as stated in the Constitution. Will they succeed in the courts of Johannesburg to abolish the Slums Act? Either way there has to be better communications between ANC and the urban housing group so they can provide better living conditions for its own people.

“Being poor in life doesn’t mean that you are poor in the mind.” – Mazwi

“No land – no home – no vote” – Mnikelo

I think Dear Mandela would make a great teaching tool and educational piece in our High Schools to open up dialogue between our youths to discuss about constitutional rights, social issues, & politics. I know that it certainly opened up my eyes about the urban housing struggles in South Africa that I wouldn’t have known otherwise.

Tags: dear mandela, documentary, south africa
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Chiller Theatre October 2012

January 20th, 2013 by chocko

Just rewinding the clock a bit and taking a look back at The Chiller Theatre Expo that went down a couple months ago at The Sheraton Parsippany Hotel in New Jersey just before a monster hurricane came rambling through town. Chiller is the place to be to pick up horror and sci-fi movies and collectibles and the list of guests is always insane. Mr. C already shared thoughts, photos and even a poem about our Saturday visit to Chiller which you can check out HERE. Chiller Theatre is returning April 26-28 at the same location and advance tickets are available now.

We ran into this Dukes of Hazzard super-fan in the parking lot who was walking around with a signed General Lee car door. Tom Wopat was in the house so I’m assuming his “Herbie Hancock” is on that orange beast.

Left: The lovely Stefania Casini best known for her role in Dario Argento’s 1977 nightmarish movie Suspiria signed some stuff for the Planet Chocko crew and shared a story with us about one particular scene in the movie where she jumped unknowingly into a room filled with barbed wire. Right: housing some fries…Caroll Spinney the famous puppeteer best known for playing Big Bird and Oscar The Grouch.

Ian Ziering of Beverly Hills 90210. Behind him to his right is John Wayne Bobbitt signing kitchen knives. The dude’s not scared of knives?

From left to right: professional wrestlers Greg “The Hammer” Valentine, Andrew Anderson, and Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake. These guys look like they could do some damage in the wrestling ring.

The VHSPS booth has been a recent favorite of mine. They sell DVD transfers of lost films originally only available on VHS. What’s in Chocko’s bag you ask? Raw Force-an incredibly cheesy karate film from the 80’s which is loads of fun to watch, Too Hot To Handle-a movie about an undercover agent who seduces and gets naked a lot and a classic from Something Weird Video, Afros, Macks & Zodiacs a jam-packed collection of blaxploitation trailers hosted by Rudy Ray Moore (Dolemite)!

Left: Zacherley The Cool Ghoul-the O.G. of horror hosts and a regular at Chiller Theatre. Right: Donna Loren known for her album “Beach Blanket Bingo” and appearances in Beach Party Movies and TV shows such as Shindig! (a musical variety show) and The Milton Berle Show.

When Tiffany Shepis first made her Chiller appearance she was in a handful of Troma films but since then, Tiffany has been in a ton of indie horror movies. Don’t let the photo fool you…she’s really friendly!

Julie Adams from The Universal Studios horror classic Creature From The Black Lagoon. She was a sweetheart, we talked briefly about that famous monster movie and Julie posed for some photos with The Creature. She has an autobiography out titled The Lucky Southern Star: Reflections From The Black Lagoon. Purchase that book HERE.

Barbara Steele from Mario Bava’s Black Sunday was in the house.

Bai Ling signed my copy of Gene Generation, a sci-fi stinker of a movie…horrible plot, wack special effects but throw in the alluring Bai Ling with a couple nude scenes and Chocko is a happy camper.

Here is Samantha Fox signing a record from my vinyl collection. Back in the day Chocko admired Samantha for her HUGE Hits from the 80’s: Touch Me and Naughty Girls (Need Love Too). She still looks foxy!

Left: Ed Repka King of Thrash Metal Art and a Mars Attacks pencil drawing which is now hanging on my wall. Right: Bronson Pinchot making his first convention appearance ever! He is best known for his role of Balki Bartokomous in the TV Series Perfect Strangers. Bronson presently restores houses which you can see on the DIY Network.

People that go to Chiller Theatre sure know how to party. The photos above were some of the costumes people wore during the show and costume contest hosted by Ted A. Bohus (The Deadly Spawn).

The Dead Elvi brought out a lot surprises during the musical portion of the evening. Zacherley hopped on stage for “The Monster Mash” and Keith Emerson of Emerson, Lake & Palmer jammed on the keyboards (pictured above). Bai Ling performed two slow jams including an Elvis cover. Bebe Buell (Singer, Playmate and Liv Tyler’s mom) brought down the house with some of her friends including Dennis Dunaway (Alice Cooper group) on the bass and Cheetah Chrome (Dead Boys) on guitar. Her performance of Dead Boy’s “Sonic Reducer” was a highlight of the night! Taryn Manning (Boomkat) performed a Rolling Stones and a Nirvana song. Check out some videos below! See you at the next Chiller.