Posts by Dr. Craig D. Reid
Craig started off in the biz in 1979 as a stuntman/actor in Chinese Kung Films in Taiwan, the token white dude that got his butt kicked in by a different kung fu star every few months. A former writer for Rueters of Asia, he's written over 1000 articles for magazines (when they truly were in vogue), is an award winning screenwriter, was a fight choreographer in Hollywood for 10 years and his critically acclaimed first book The Ultimate Guide to the Martial Arts Movies of the 1970s was published by Black Belt Books 12/10.
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SDAFF 2015: MADE IN JAPAN – Tomi Fujiyama, The Art of Humility and Humbleness
Posted November 15th, 2015 by Dr. Craig D. Reid in Uncategorized
Anyone who saw SDAFF’s official closing night film Friday evening (Nov. 20), Made in Japan, got to the see the true ending of the movie, which was not seen when it had it’s major debut at the SXSW (South by Southwest) 2015 film festival. Directed by Josh Bishop and narrated by Frodo Baggins…I mean Elijah […]
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SDAFF 2015: Best Film of the Festival (to me) – Hou Hsiao-Hsien’s ASSASSIN
Posted November 12th, 2015 by Dr. Craig D. Reid in Uncategorized
How many of you know any of the following films: Summer at Grandpa’s (1984); Café Lumiere (2003) and Flight of the Red Balloon (2007)? I imagine a sea of blank faces staring at the blog thinking…doesn’t sound like martial arts movies to me. Correct. They’re well known movies shot by Taiwanese film auteur Hou Hsiao-hsien. A […]
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SDAFF 2015: TWO COMEDY HITS – One on Purpose, One Undesigned.
Posted November 10th, 2015 by Dr. Craig D. Reid in Uncategorized
Monday (11/9) at SDAFF was not Mundane, in fact it was jolly well hi-larious. It’s the insane in the membrane refrain that makes film festivals unique over waiting for a film to hit the theaters. And of course, many films at festivals that feature foreign productions never make it into American theaters…and that’s a loss […]
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SDAFF 2015: KOREAN NIGHT OUT: The Santa Ana Winds of Seoul Sacrifice
Posted November 9th, 2015 by Dr. Craig D. Reid in Uncategorized
Sunday’s Mass had nothing to do with Moonies, but two distinctly flavored Korean comedies, one about searching for cultural identity, the other about soul switching and making sacrifices, and both are winners for the sole’s that attended the mass screenings. In case you didn’t get the title, Santana performing Soul Sacrifice was one the flagship […]
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SDAFF 2015: Tyrus Wong…More Than a Brushstroke of Genius
Posted November 8th, 2015 by Dr. Craig D. Reid in Uncategorized
How do you write a short blog about a long-living legend who’s not only been a major visual influence in the history of Hollywood’s unforgiving film industry but he’s also 105-years-old and doesn’t overtly moan about his past and all the opportunities missed but revels in the life he’s led and brought to everything he’s […]
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SDAFF 2015: R2 D2 – Willo the Whisper
Posted November 7th, 2015 by Dr. Craig D. Reid in Uncategorized
In celebration of Star Wars opening in six weeks, today’s blog is short for R2-D2 (Reid Two-Day Two) at the 16th Annual San Diego Asian Film Festival, where the date also happens to be November 6. Thus, 6 weeks to Star Wars, 16th SDAFF and Friday, November 6. This is kind of creepy if you’re […]
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SDAFF 2015 OPENING NIGHT: Un-Ravi-ling Kapoor’s Directoral Debut
Posted November 6th, 2015 by Dr. Craig D. Reid in Uncategorized
Why was the opening night film so exciting for me? Was it because I love South Asian or Bollywood films? Not really, unless of course it featured the Indian martial art kalaripayattu. Was it for the expected sing and dance routines? The film had none, so no again. What was it? When I began writing […]
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TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE THE 2015 SDAFF
Posted November 4th, 2015 by Dr. Craig D. Reid in Uncategorized
It’s the 16th SDAFF, an event more solid than mochi ice cream at the North pole, which is very cool. In preparation for the holiday season…SDAFF, Thanksgiving, Christmas for me and the New Year…tradition is an integral part of many people’s lives. Thus keeping with tradition, I open this holiday bloggiday with a version of […]
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ASIAN FILMS…SO WHAT?: A TRI-CHALLENGE TO THE PAC-ARTS/SDAFF STAFF
Posted September 29th, 2015 by Dr. Craig D. Reid in Uncategorized
With the 2015 San Diego Asian Film Festival but a meager five weeks away, it is time to put down the gauntlet. That’s right folks, this is an official challenge to all those involved with the Pacific Arts Movement and SDAFF to come forward and share with the San Diego cinematic community three things about […]
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