Category Archives: Asian Related

Jade Warrior | aka Jadesoturi (2006) Review

Director: Antti-Jussi Annila Cast: Tommi Eronen, Zhang Jingchu, Krista Kosonen, Markku Peltola, Hao Dang, Taishen Cheng, Elle Kull, Liansheng Tong, Qiupu Tao, Xiaomei Tong Running Time: 110 min. By JJ Hatfield When most people think about martial arts they think of China, Japan, and places like Thailand.  Don’t leave out other countries or regions though. If martial arts are practiced in most countries we know of why wouldn’t every place … Continue reading

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Kundun (1997) Review

Director: Martin Scorsese Writer: Melissa Mathison Producer: Barbara De Fina Cast: Henry Yuk, Tenzin Thuthob Tsarong, Gyurme Tethong, Tulku Jamyang Kunga Tenzin, Tenzin Yeshi Paichang Running Time: 134 min. By JJ Hatfield “Kundun” is the fascinating true story of the life and challenges of the ruler of Tibet during times of extreme turmoil. The 14th Kundun is known to most of the world as the Dalai Lama. This excellent film … Continue reading

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Green Hornet, The (2011) Review

Director: Michel Gondry Cast: Seth Rogen, Jay Chou, Christoph Waltz, Cameron Diaz, Edward James Olmos, Tom Wilkinson, Edward Furlong, Jill Remez, Joe O’Connor, Morgan Rusler Running Time: 110 min. By Ningen Britt Reid’s a goof-off son of a media mogul-played by Seth Rogen-whose dad passes away unexpectedly. After becoming newly acquainted with his dad’s ex-servant, Kato-played by Jay Chou-Britt discovers that Kato’s not just good with making coffee, but also … Continue reading

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Balls of Fury (2007) Review

"Balls of Fury" Japanese Theatrical Poster

Director: Robert Ben Garant Cast: Dan Fogler, Christopher Walken, George Lopez, Maggie Q, Thomas Lennon, James Hong, Robert Patrick, Jason Scott Lee, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Patton Oswalt Running Time: 90 min. By Ningen Dan Fogler plays a washed-up ping-pong champion who gets hired by the FBI’s special crime division(led by George Lopez’s character, Ernie Rodriguez) to bust a weapons dealer named Feng (played by Christopher Walken). Since he’s fairly rusty, Randy … Continue reading

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Broken Arrow (1996) Review

Director: John Woo Producer: Terence Chang Cast: John Travolta, Christian Slater, Samantha Mathis, Delroy Lindo, Frank Whaley, Howie Long Running Time: 108 min. By Numskull The John Woo Movie That Is Not A John Woo Movie. The maestro of mayhem served as director and is credited as such, but he had to provie he could turn out a commercially viable, no-frills action flick without getting too violent or stylish for … Continue reading

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Black Dynamite (2009) Review

"Black Dynamite" French Theatrical Poster

Director: Scott Sanders Cast: Michael Jai White, Salli Richardson, Arsenio Hall, Kevin Chapman, Tommy Davidson Running Time: 90 min. By Ningen Black Dynamite’s an ex-CIA agent and Vietnam vet who returns to the force when he finds out his brother OD’ed. He teams up with pimps, hustlers, and Black Panthers to take down the local mob dumping a type of heroin into the black community. What he finds out is … Continue reading

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Ninja Destroyer (1986) Review

"Ninja Destroyer" VHS Cover

Director: Godfrey Ho Producer: Joseph Lai Cast: Stuart Smith, Bruce Barron, Richard Berman, Timothy Nugent, Sorapong Chatri, Na Yen Na, Pedros Ernyes, Rick Jenkins, Roger Seller, Richard Chit, Peter Ramwa, Surian Suryoog, Luck Apichart Running Time: 80 min. By Joe909 Question: When is a Hong Kong action film not really a Hong Kong action film? Answer: When a pair of gwailo actors shoot an unrelated ninja movie and inject it … Continue reading

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Blackjack (1998) Review

"Blackjack" American DVD Cover

Director: John Woo Producer: Terence Chang Cast: Dolph Lundgren, Kate Vernon, Phillip MacKenzie, Kam Heskin, Fred Williamson, Padraigin Murphy, Tony De Santis, Saul Rubinek, Peter Keleghan Running Time: 112 min. By Mairosu Dolph Lundgren is Jack Devlin, an ex-fed turned bodyguard for hire, who suffers a trauma during one shootout and as a result, develops a rabid fear of white colour (?!) . He decides to retire, but is lured … Continue reading

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Windtalkers (2002) Review

"Windtalkers" Japanese Theatrical Poster

Director: John Woo Cast: Nicolas Cage, Adam Beach, Roger Willie, Peter Stormare, Noah Emmerich, Mark Ruffalo, Brian Van Holt, Martin Henderson, Christian Slater, Frances O’Connor, Jason Isaacs, Billy Morts, Cameron Thor Running Time: 134/154 min. By Numskull World War II: Navajo code talkers are employed by the U.S. military to relay coordinates in their native language, which Japanese code breakers are unable to decipher. Their efforts are crucial to U.S. … Continue reading

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Matrix Revolutions, The (2003) Review

"The Matrix Revolutions" American Theatrical Poster

Director: The Wachowskis Writer: The Wachowskis Producer: Joel Silver Cast: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, Nathaniel Lees, Jada Pinkett Smith, Harry J. Lennix, Harold Perrineau Running Time: 129 min. By Numskull I was one of a relatively small group of people who was not disappointed with The Matrix Reloaded. As someone who was pleased but not awestruck by the first film, and as someone who doesn’t put … Continue reading

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Matrix Reloaded, The (2003) Review

"The Matrix Reloaded" American Theatrical Poster

Director: The Wachowskis Producer: Joel Silver Cast: Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Laurence Fishburne, Hugo Weaving, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Randall Duk Kim, Daniel Bernhardt, Harold Perrineau Running Time: 138 min. By Numskull First things first: it is very fashionable to dislike The Matrix. I, for one, have long since grown sick and tired of arrogant, elitist followers of anime and Hong Kong action films constantly bitching about how the 1999 blockbuster “stole” (in … Continue reading

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Matrix, The (1999) Review

"The Matrix" Japanese Theatrical Poster

Director: The Wachowskis Writer: The Wachowskis Producer: Joel Silver Cast: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, Gloria Foster, Joe Pantoliano, Marcus Chong, Anthony Ray Parker, Julian Arahanga Running Time: 136 min. By Numskull “Unfortunately…no one…can describe…what the Matrix…really is.” The Matrix…the movie, not the thing that no one can describe…is a rare thing indeed: a film that got widespread success, a franchise deal (two sequels in the works) … Continue reading

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Bruce Lee Fights Back from the Grave | aka The Stranger (1976) Review

"Bruce Lee Fights Back from the Grave" US Theatrical Poster

AKA: Visitor in America Director: Lee Doo-Yong Cast: Jun Chong (aka Bruce K. L. Lea), Deborah Chaplin, Anthony Bronson, Steve Mak, Jack Houston, Charlie Chow, Philip Kennedy, Jimmy Sato, Sho Kosugi Running Time: 85 min. By Mighty Peking Man Next to Fist of Fear, Touch of Death and Clones of Bruce Lee, this film is right up there as one of the biggest oddballs of the Bruceploitation genre. The funny thing … Continue reading

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Finishing the Game (2007) Review

AKA: Finishing The Game of Death Director: Justin Lin Writer: Josh Diamond Cast: James Franco, Roger Fan, Sung Kang, Dustin Nguyen, McCaleb Burnett, MC Hammer, Ron Jeremy, Bella Thorne Running Time: 88 min. By Ningen This is essentially a mockumentary which asks, “What if the greedy bastards who owned his footage actually wanted to realize Bruce Lee’s original vision for ‘Game of Death’, and shoot it the way it was … Continue reading

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Expendables, The (2010) Review

"The Expendables" American Theatrical Poster

Director: Sylvester Stallone Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Jet Li, Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, Steve Austin, Terry Crews, Mickey Rourke, Bruce Willis, Eric Roberts, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Gary Daniels, David Zayas, Giselle Itié, Tze Yep, Amin Joseph Running Time: 105 min. By Ningen So an Italian guy, a Brit knife-thrower, a Good Ol’ Boy tattooist, a black guy, a Dutch junkie and a Chinese guy ride into a garage… And the … Continue reading

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