When you think of martial arts in films, your mind probably goes to Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Michelle Yeoh … even so far as The Karate Kid. This sub-genre of action films stretches across the Asian continent and beyond, and has inspired the fight choreography for franchises like The Matrix and John Wick. But these aren’t just shoot ‘em up ass-kicking movies. There’s discipline. There’s honor. So, because I chose the film genre for my birthday month in January, Johnny did the same—except he opted to postpone by a month in order to really tap into the theme of “Martial Madness” for March.
For our meals, in homage to the countries of origin for these films, we made dishes that featured their cuisines: Chinese, Japanese, and French (yes, French) .
Week 1: Mel’s Movie
Movie: Enter the Dragon (1973)
Helloooooo Foley Artist. There are so many sound effects in this movie!
I’ve never seen a Bruce Lee movie before, so I figured this was an excellent place to start (considering Johnny has this film on VHS, despite the fact we don’t have a VCR!) It felt like an homage to Bond films in some ways, but maybe that’s because I grew up with Bond films and not Bruce Lee films. The plot was solid, and the action was great. You can clearly see how Enter the Dragon influenced movies that came after it.
Check it out if you want to:
See the very cool room of mirrors scene (which, according to IMDB, featured thousands of mirrors!).
Experience a film that has left such a huge mark on culture: From MMA to the Dragon Ball magna and anime to fighting games like Tekken and Mortal Kombat.
Meal: Wonton Soup
I have been making Wonton Soup for years, but this time I decided to riff off a recipe from Let’s Make Dumplings!, by Hugh Amano and one of my favorite comic artists, Sarah Becan. My broth was based off a weird duck and chicken stock blend I made a while back (always keep your carcasses for stock!), and had a little extra richness because of the duck. This recipe is great because it makes a lot of wontons, which are super easy to freeze, meaning you have plenty for later!
Week 2: Johnny’s Movie
Movie: Ip Man (2008)
Is it too much to ask the people who want to fight your husband NOT to destroy your furniture and smash up your vases? Sheesh.
First thing to point out: If you can, find the subtitled version of the movie. This is how Johnny originally saw it (and fell in love with the film). The version we saw was dubbed … and not well done. That said, it’s a beautifully shot movie with epic storytelling, awesome fight choreography, and better yet, it’s based on a true story (though was never meant to be a true bio-pic). The pacing is great, and there are moments that break your heart and other moments when you’re audibly booing the bad guys (or maybe that was just me).
Check it out if you want to:
Understand why Donnie Yen is one of the most underrated martial arts cinema stars in recent history.
Ogle the Ip family’s beautiful home from the beginning of the film, complete with stunning art nouveau woodwork and furniture.
Meal: Scallion Chicken over rice
This is a recipe Johnny makes semi-regularly, and it always delivers big flavors, despite its simplicity! The sauce is balanced and tasty, and the chicken is tender every time. Also a great dish to make when you want leftovers for lunch the next day.
Week 3: Mel’s Movie
Movie: Seven Samurai (1954)
Get ready: At 3 hours and 27 minutes (including an intermission), you need to be comfy and have snacks at hand. Thankfully there’s a pause button for breaks.
When I was deciding on my selections, I knew I wanted to feature movies and martial arts from different countries. And while samurai films are often considered an adjacent genre to martial arts films, I’m really happy with my pick, especially as this Akira Kurosawa masterpiece is considered one of the greatest and most influential in film history. Are you reading 3+ hours of subtitles? Yes. But Seven Samurai was a fascinating watch because while I know very little about the era, samurai in general, and film making overall, I have experienced Kurosawa’s influence on many films and directors that followed it.
Check it out if you want to:
Appreciate how much the environmental conditions (aka the weather) are their own characters.
Giggle at what I dubbed the “Butts Out Bandits” (BOBs). as Johnny said, “That’s why they turned to crime … they couldn’t afford pants!”
Meal: Chan Chan Yaki
Chan Chan Yaki, or miso butter salmon, is a classic dish from Hokkaido, Japan, and it’s very easy to make. I highly recommend not skipping the Enoki mushrooms, however I did make a blunder and skipped the rice (I figured all those veggies and fish would make plenty for a meal). While they do, you need the rice to help cut through the richness of the miso butter. Lesson learned.
Week 4: Johnny’s Movie
Movie: Brotherhood of the Wolf (2001)
Why yes, that IS the chairman. Allez cuisine!
When Johnny picked this movie, I was not expecting a French period film that blends action and horror, with a speckling of martial arts—specifically from the Iroquois Mani, played by Mark Dacascos (who also is a martial artist). I also didn’t expect such a bloody beginning. Even Johnny admitted he thought there were more fight scenes, so I’d call this martial arts adjacent or inspired. That said, it was definitely a fun watch, and the dub was quite good (unlike Ip Man).
Check it out if you want to:
See Sylvia impeccably portrayed by Monica Bellucci. Do you want to be her friend because she’s so cool or are you terrified she’s going to poison you—the answer is yes.
Constantly yell at the screen how you just want to see the dang “wolf.”
Meal: Short Rib Bourguignon with mashed potatoes and green beans
Tip #1: Prep the short ribs the day before, trust us. This makes things faster on day 2, and the meat deserves the rest. Tip #2: You’re going to have extra sauce, so SAVE IT! This meal was delicious from top to bottom, though we both agreed some sauteed mushrooms would have been a very welcome addition.
For April, we’re leaning into a film genre that has been on our list since day one: Exploitation films! With so many sub-genres to pick from, April is going to be a fun month AND Johnny will be doing the write-up!