Category Archives: All

Anchor, The (2022) Review

Director: Jeong Ji-Yeon Cast: Chun Woo-Hee, Shin Ha-Kyun, Lee Hye-Young, Cha Rae-Hyoung, Park Ji-Hyun, Nam Moon-Chul, Im Sung-Jae, Kim Young-Pil, Lee Hae-Woon Running Time: 111 min. By Paul Bramhall There’s something morbidly entertaining about those movies which take a character and put them through the wringer to a point that they become completely unhinged. Jack Nicholson in The Shining, Christian Bale in American Psycho, Natalie Portman in Black Swan – the … Continue reading

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My Flying Wife (1991) Review

Director: O Sing Pui Cast: Sammo Hung Kam Bo, Tommy Wong Kwong Leung, Fennie Yuen, Yu Li, Roy Cheung, Shing Fui On, Terrence Fok, James Ha, Frankie Ng, William Ho Ka Kui Running Time: 90 min.  By Henry McKeand The legacy of Sammo Hung’s work with Jackie Chan is so massive that it’s easy to forget what a diverse filmography he has. In a sense, there are many Sammos. You have … Continue reading

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Sparring Partner, The (2022) Review

Director: Ho Cheuk-tin Cast: Alan Yeung, Mak Pui-tung, Louisa So, Michael Chow, Jan Lamb, Gloria Yip, Jimmy Wong, Choi Tze-Ching, Au Ka-Man, Hui Siu-Ying, Franchesca Wong Running Time: 140 min. By Paul Bramhall When Hong Kong first introduced the Category III rating in 1988, indicating that the title in question couldn’t be viewed by those under 18, few could predict that by the time the 90’s hit, the term Cat … Continue reading

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Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash (2021) Review

Director: Edwin Cast: Marthino Lio, Ladya Cheryl, Cecep Arif Rahman, Sal Priadi, Reza Rahadian, Ratu Felisha, Lukman Sardi, Djenar Maesa Ayu, Christine Hakim, Ayu Laksmi Running Time: 114 min. By Paul Bramhall It’s perhaps not surprising that little of Indonesia’s arthouse cinema scene has made it across to western shores, however with Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash, director Edwin has (albeit unintentionally) ensured his latest work has an opportunity … Continue reading

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7 Commandments of Kung Fu, The (1979) Review

Director: Got Si Ho Cast: Lee Yi Min, Chang Yi, Goo Jing, Lung Fei, Ma Chin Ku, Siu Foo Dau, Ching Kuo Chung, Suen Shu Pau, Cheung Chung Kwai, Cheung Taai Lun, Li Chu-Yong Running Time: 84 min. By Martin Sandison The genres of the Italian western and the classic, traditional kung fu movie have many similarities. They both arose out of a turbulent, massively creative time in their respective … Continue reading

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Sakra (2023) Review

Director: Donnie Yen Cast: Donnie Yen, Yuqi Chen, Cya Liu Ya-Se, Kara Hui, Wu Yue, Eddie Cheung Siu-fai, Ray Lui, Tsui Siu-Ming, Yuen Cheung-Yan, Du Yu-Ming, Michelle Hu Ran Running Time: 130 min. By Paul Bramhall Out of the many famous wuxia novels out there, its Jin Yong’s Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils that takes the award for the one that’s been adapted for the screen the most. On the small screen … Continue reading

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Calamity of Snakes (1983) Review 🐍

Director: William Cheung Kei Cast: Kao Yuen, Hsiang Yun-Peng, Wei Ping-Ao, Zheng You-Xiu, Lee Ying, Ou-Yang Sha Fei Running Time: 96 min. By Paul Bramhall  There’s only a handful of movies out there whose reputation precedes them, and 1983’s Calamity of Snakes is one of them. I first came across it in the late 90’s through the pages of the book Mondo Macabro by Pete Tombs (who went on to create … Continue reading

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Kill Boksoon (2023) Review

Director: Byun Sung-hyun Cast: Jeon Do-yeon, Sol Kyung-Gu, Kim Si-A, Esom, Koo Gyo-Hwan, Lee Yeon, Lee Jae-Wook, Park Se-Hyun, Ahn Seong-Bong, Kim Sung-Oh, Ki Joo-Bong Running Time: 137 min. By Paul Bramhall At this point there are very few active actors and directors left who haven’t worked with Netflix in some form or another, and in 2023 arguably the most highly regarded actress in Korean cinema, Jeon Do-yeon, made her … Continue reading

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Fist of the Condor (2023) Review

Director: Ernesto Díaz Espinoza Cast: Marko Zaror, Eyal Meyer, Gina Aguad, Fernanda Urrejola, Man Soo Yoon, Jose Manuel, Cristian Garin, Francisco Castro, Andrés Cid, Joaquin Puig Running Time: 80 min.  By Paul Bramhall  Chile isn’t the country that first springs to mind when you think about martial arts cinema, however since their debut with 2006’s Kiltro, the director and leading man pair of Ernesto Díaz Espinoza and the ‘Latin Dragon’ … Continue reading

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Furies | aka Thanh Soi (2023) Review

Director: Veronica Ngo Cast: Hoa Thanh, Veronica Ngo, Dong Anh Quynh, Toc Tien, Rima Thanh Vy, Thuan Nguyen Running Time: 112 min.  By Paul Bramhall Multi-talented star Veronica Ngo has maintained an enduring presence since first coming to international audiences attention in The Rebel and Clash during the late 2000’s, both of which served to briefly put Vietnamese action cinema on the map. Naturally Hollywood came calling, however minor supporting … Continue reading

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John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023) Review

Director: Chad Stahelski Cast: Keanu Reeves, Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgård, Laurence Fishburne, Hiroyuki Sanada, Shamier Anderson, Lance Reddick, Rina Sawayama, Scott Adkins, Ian McShane, George Georgiou, Marko Zaror, Aimée Kwan Running Time: 169 min. By Henry McKeand Midway through John Wick: Chapter 2, the titular boogeyman guns his way down a subway escalator and passes a blink-or-you-miss it poster that reads: “The Only Way Out Is To Go Through.” Like so … Continue reading

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A Family (2020) Review

AKA: Yakuza and the Family Director: Michihito Fujii Cast: Go Ayano, Hiroshi Tachi, Machiko Ono, Yukiya Kitamura, Hayato Ichihara, Hayato Isomura, Shun Sugata, Suon Kan, Ryutaro Ninomiya, Taro Suruga Running Time: 135 min. By Henry McKeand “Lately, I’m getting the feeling that I came in at the end. The best is over.” It’s been nearly twenty-five years since Tony Soprano, perhaps America’s last real mafia icon, said these words in … Continue reading

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Returned Single-Legged Man | aka The Korean Connection (1974) Review

AKA: The Korean Connection Director: Lee Doo-yong Cast: Han Yong-cheol, Kwan Yung-moon, Jeong Sonyeo, Lee So-yeong, Kim Mun-ju, Nam Chung-il, Bae Su-chun, Kwon Il-soo, Cho Chun, Elton Chong, Hwang Jang Lee, Nam Chung-il, Lim Hae-lim, Kim Ki-bum Running Time: 88 min. By Paul Bramhall Being a fan of Korea’s martial arts output, which spanned from the 1960’s through to the 1990’s, has never been a particularly rewarding endeavour. Want to … Continue reading

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Invitation Only (2009) Review

Director: Kevin Ko Cast: Bryant Chang, Jerry Huang, Julianne Chu, Kristian Brodie, Maria Ozawa, Kao Ying-Hsuan, Lene Lai, Vivi Ho, Liz Ran Yang, Joseph Ma Running Time: 95 min.  By Paul Bramhall Like every genre, horror is one that goes through phases. While in recent times we increasingly see horror being used as a theme to explore trauma, back in the 2000’s the genre was in a much more visceral … Continue reading

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Code of the Assassins (2022) Review

AKA: Song of the Assassins Director: Daniel Lee Yan-Kong Cast: William Feng Shaofeng, Gina Jin Chen, Zhang Hao, Hu Jun, Summer Xu Qing, Wang Qing-Xiang, Kenneth Tsang, Ray Lui, Norman Tsui, Jack Kao Kuo-Hsin Running Time: 119 min.  By Paul Bramhall After a long and arduous journey, in 2022 Code of the Assassins finally made it to the screen. Filming started way back in 2017 with grand plans to include … Continue reading

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