Control

ACTION USA is a fun flick. Don't think it’s available through VS anymore.

I’m thinking after Rei Saito it’ll be Suwama in March. Then it’s the CC. It’ll be interesting to see who is competition this year.

I have not watched AJPW in a while—just keep up with news and results—but it seems from Twitter at least that the Saitos have quite a popular following.

NJPW should just snatch Kento and put him in Okada’s role.

WERKMEISTER HARMONIES as well, and an update to LE HAINE. Meanwhile, I bit the bullet and ordered Arrow’s Coffin Joe boxset.

The Nakajima stuff is dumb. Suwama vs Nakajima would be good (and meaningful), though it seems like we’ll get Ashino vs Nakajima and then maybe Rei Saito first? Then Suwama in March.

The great thing is that when it gets to -40 me and the Americans are on the same page.

His Twitter is still up, but not active. He don’t post during his previous injury, so that’s not saying much. He’s been out since March. It was like a quad tear or something fairly major as I recall.

I’d like to see them grab up guys like Ren Ayabe (freelance), Ayato Yoshida (2AW), Kodai Nozaki (Kyushu), and Towa Iwasaki (BURST). I’d expected Ayabe to join at the start of the year, but Ishikawa leaving probably put a damper on that. They need juniors, too. Bring back Iwamoto and Tachibana full time, maybe pick up Musashi, who just left Michinoku Pro. Any news from Naoya Nomura? Hoping he isn’t done after a second big injury.

Watch the Luis Guzman one, just to see him hop up and down in excitement.

Just fyi, they don’t do subscriptions on Black Friday anymore. It’s during the first week of the year only. Someone on Reddit explained their strategy as buying $100 gift card (or credit) from the website every month and then using that at the start of the year to pay for a membership. That’s one way of budgeting!

It’s subscriber week at Vinegar Syndrome. Here’s what they’ve said about the 2024 release schedule: January 2024: 3 releases totaling $182.94 (MSRP) Including: THE HORRIBLE DR. HICHCOCK (UHD/BD combo), FORGOTTEN GIALLI Vol. 6 (feat. DEATH CARRIES A CANE, THE BLOODSTAINED SHADOW, NAKED YOU DIE), and SANTET 1 & 2 February 2024: 3 releases $159.94 (MSRP) Including: PHASE IV (UHD/BD combo), Never-on-blu early 60s Italian horror, 3-film Spanish Giallo Set March 2024: 3 releases totaling $147.94 (MSRP) Including: UHD debut of an acclaimed 60s horror anthology, SINGAPORE SLING on BD (exclusively restored by VS), Never-on-Disc 80s Italian Horror double feature April 2024: 3 releases totaling $142.94 (MSRP) Including: Never on disc slasher, UHD (and English friendly BD) debut of 80s Italian horror, 80s Hong Kong Action May 2024: 4 releases totaling $259.92 (MSRP) Including: 80s Hong Kong Action UHD double feature, Home Grown Horror Vol. 3 featuring HAUNTEDWEEN and two other regional rarities, plus two secret surprise UHDs! June 2024: No releases planned July 2024: 3 releases totaling $159.94 (MSRP) Including: INTRÉPIDOS PUNKS/LA VENGANZA DE LOS PUNKS BD double feature, plus two other horror and action releases. August 2024: 3 releases totaling $142.94 (MSRP) Including: 70s Drive-In horror classic on UHD, sleazy Hong Kong Cat 3 film, wild Paramount eurosleaze rarity September 2024: 3 releases totaling $164.94 (MSRP) Including: 80s horror classic on UHD, Giallo classic on UHD, grimy Mexican horror October 2024: 4 releases totaling $244.92 (MSRP) Including: 70s "horror" masterpiece on UHD, Forgotten Gialli (late 80s edition), never-on-disc slasher, CORPSE MANIA (UHD/BD Combo) November 2024: 4 releases totaling $244.92 (MSRP) Including: A horror box set and an epic UHD/BD debut, plus two Secret Surprise titles December 2024: - 1869.34 No releases planned

Apparently Shuji Ishikawa is also leaving AJP, which strikes me as bad news.

What are some gems of late 90s All Japan? I’m thinking 1997-99. Planning to check out Kenta Kobashi vs Hiroshi Hase. Wondering about more Hase matches, Vader, NO FEAR.

Best first-time watches, 2023: 1. Kanehsatake, 270 Years of Resistance 2. Goodfellas 3. Ballad of Narayama 4. KURENOKO 5. A Pigeon Sat in a Branch Reflecting on Existence 6. Le Corbeau 7. Songs from the Second Floor 8. Sorcerer 9. The Asphalt Jungle 10. Paths of Glory 11. Black Rain 12. El Sur 13. Wings of Desire 14. Claire’s Knee 15. Le Ceremonie 16. Big Time Gambling Boss 17. Ghost in the Shell 18. The Northman 19. The Train 20. Rapine 21. Royal Warriors 22. This Transient Life 23. Masque of Red Death 24. Highway Patrolman 25. Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore

Surprising, since I thought he was an office guy at this point. His last AJPW run has to have been his longest in one organization.

I don’t know if “seriously” is the right descriptor.

It’s predictable that ppl are already assuming a NXT-AJPW collaboration. If there’s anything I’ve come to expect from following AJPW over the years, it’s a complete lack of follow through.

AJPW is teasing that the “special assassin” for the January TC challenge will be a NXT wrestler.

https://boxd.it/qT9UM Very cool that Radiance Films published this list of movies they failed to get the rights to. I’d be overjoyed if someone released DEMONS. It’s like a samurai chamber play, directed by David Lynch.

You’d think they could find a slightly more subtle way of doing that. Like, an award that doesn’t say “box office” in the title, for starters.

Da fuck is Cinematic and Box Office Achievement?

When Who does something I don’t like, I try not to sweat it: they’ll probably just undo it or forget all about it at some point.

I was thinking more specifically of the Chibnal era, since they pretty much ignored that earlier instance, to the extent that a major plot point for the Matt Smith era was having to get more regenerations because he was already at 13.