Salmokji: Whispering Water (2026) Review

Posted on April 27, 2026 by Paul Bramhall
"Salmokji: Whispering Water" Poster

“Salmokji: Whispering Water” Poster

Director: Lee Sang-min
Cast: Kim Hye-yoon, Kim Young-sung, Oh Dong-min, Yoon Jae-chan, Jang Da-ah, Kim Jun-han
Running Time: 95 min.

By Paul Bramhall

In 2018 director Jeong Beom-sik had a stroke of genius for a found footage horror movie – film it in a real location that’s said to be haunted, effectively blurring the lines between cinema and reality. The result was Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum, a real abandoned psychiatric hospital, which would ultimately end up being demolished the same year. Skip forward to 2026, and for his feature length directorial debut Lee Sang-min has taken a leaf from the Beom-sik playbook, opting for a location that can’t be wiped off the map quite so easily. Salmokji: Whispering Water takes its name from, you guessed it, the Salmokji reservoir in South Chungcheong Province. Already known as a location haunted by ‘water ghosts’ (spirits of the dead restricted to bodies of water) and filmed on location, the setting provides the perfect backdrop for a dose of late-night horror.

Local audiences certainly agree, surpassing 1 million admissions (as of the time of writing), and spurring a surge of midnight pilgrimages to the reservoir by horror fanatics, the sudden surge in popularity seeing the small road that leads to the reservoir bumper to bumper with traffic. Of course it takes more than just utilising an actual real location to make a decent horror Continue reading →

Posted in All, Korean, News, Reviews |

You know, like Caine in ‘Kung Fu’? Production begins on ‘John Wick’ spin-off directed by and starring Donnie Yen

Posted on April 25, 2026 by JJ Bona

Martial arts star Donnie Yen (The Prosecutor, Chasing the Dragon) will reprise his role as Caine – the blind assassin from 2023’s John Wick: Chapter 4 – in a standalone John Wick spin-off movie tentatively titled Caine, which will take place after the events after Chapter 4.

In addition to starring, Yen will also be directing Caine. “The John Wick films have set an immensely high standard for action filmmaking and I greatly appreciate Continue reading →

Posted in News |

Reiko Ike twofer! Arrow announces Blu-ray for ‘Sex & Fury’ and ‘Female Yakuza Tale’ arriving in July

Posted on April 25, 2026 by JJ Bona

On July 6, 2027, Arrow is releasing the Blu-ray (Region A/B) Double Feature for 1973’s Sex & Fury and Female Yakuza Tale. Following their genre-defining “female delinquent” classic Girl Boss Guerrilla, director Norifumi Suzuki and action star Reiko Ike would join forces once again for the shocking Sex & Fury. Pulpy and bathed in lurid violence of the highest order, the film would beget the sequel, Female Yakuza Tale directed by none other than the king of ero-guro, Teruo Ishii (Horrors of Malformed Men).

In Sex & Fury, deadly swordswoman Ocho Inoshika (Ike) is looking for the men who killed her father and finds herself infiltrating a sordid den of sexually deviant yakuza, involving a British secret agent (Christina Lindberg, Thriller: A Cruel Picture) and a twisted Continue reading →

Posted in News |

The Super Inframan (1975) Review

Posted on April 25, 2026 by Z Ravas
"The Super Inframan" Poster

“The Super Inframan” Poster

Director: Hua Shan
Cast: Danny Lee, Wang Hsieh, Bruce Le (Huang Kin Long), Yuan Man-Tzu, Terry Lau Wai-Yue, Dana, Lin Wen-Wei, Chiang Yang, Lu Sheng, Fanny Leung 
Running Time: 88 min. 

By Z Ravas

As someone who grew up collecting an inordinate amount of comic books, it’s seemed strange to me that I’ve spent the last several years completely disinterested in what’s happening in the superhero movie space; but a viewing of last year’s Hi-Five (perhaps the most purely entertaining new film that I saw in 2025) made me realize I’m not tired of the superhero genre, per se, just Hollywood’s lately very dull conception of it. Case in point: sitting down to rewatch The Super Inframan, the Shaw Brothers’ attempt at a tokusatsu-style superhero movie, confirmed for me all over again that this is one of my favorite efforts from the venerable studio.

In 1975, the Shaw Brothers would have been at the peak of their commercial powers, which must be why they felt they could afford to take such a risk with Super Inframan—both a superhero movie before big screen comic book adaptations were all the rage (a full three years before Superman: The Movie!) and a Hong Kong martial arts film that owed a creative debt to Japanese creations like Ultraman and Kamen Rider. (To that end, the movie features music from Ultraman spinoff Ultraseven and costumes from Japan’s Ekisu Productions, known for their work on Kamen Rider). Even wilder, the studio handed directing duties to Hua Shan, who had served Continue reading →

Posted in All, Bruceploitation, Chinese, News, Reviews, Shaw Brothers, Top 4 Featured | Tagged , , |

Has Brett Ratner’s ‘Rush Hour 4’ hit some speed bumps with Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker holding things up?

Posted on April 24, 2026 by JJ Bona

For over a decade, Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker have kept the door open for Rush Hour 4 — and even without a set production date, the fourth film is starting to feel like a sure thing, but not without some speed bumps.

Rush Hour 4 is still in motion, with President Donald Trump reportedly giving things a push by encouraging the Ellisons to move forward, something that ultimately helped secure the green light from Warner Bros, who hold the rights.

On top of it, Brett Ratner – the director of the previous Rush Hour films, as well as the recent pro-Trump Melania documentary – is back in the director’s seat Continue reading →

Posted in News, Top 4 Featured |

GET OVER HERE! Watch a fight clip from ‘Mortal Kombat II’ starring Karl Urban, Joe Taslim and Hiroyuki Sanada

Posted on April 24, 2026 by JJ Bona
“Mortal Kombat II” Poster

“Mortal Kombat II” Poster

The James Wan–produced reboot of the Mortal Kombat franchise returns with an all-star sequel that arrives in theaters May 8, 2026.

The upcoming follow-up – one again directed by Simon McQuoid – is written by Jeremy Slater, who is best known for penning Marvel/Disney+ series Moon Knight.

The first film followed a MMA fighter who seeks out Earth’s greatest champions in order to stand against the enemies of Outworld in a high stakes battle for the universe.

For Mortal Kombat II, the fighters from the first film – now joined by Johnny Cage himself – are pitted against one another in Continue reading →

Posted in News |

Cultures collide for Arrow’s 4K Ultra HD release for ‘Red Sun’ starring Charles Bronson, Toshiro Mifune and Alain Delon

Posted on April 24, 2026 by JJ Bona

On July 13, 2027, Arrow is releasing the 4K Ultra HD for 1971’s Red Sun. Cultures collide in this ‘East Meets West’ classic from Terence Young. Shot in Almería, Spain, and starring four intercontinental superstars – America’s Charles Bronson (The Great Escape), Japan’s Toshiro Mifune (Yojimbo), Switzerland’s Ursula Andress (Dr. No), and France’s  (Le Samouraï) – Red Sun is a Western with a global flair like no other!

A ceremonial Samurai sword intended as a gift to the U.S. President from the Japanese ambassador is stolen by the devilish rogue, Gauche (Delon). To restore their honor and return the sword to its rightful owner, disgraced samurai Kuroda Continue reading →

Posted in News |

Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao and more! Star-studded Hong Kong epic ‘1941’ in the works for a 2027 release?

Posted on April 23, 2026 by JJ Bona

Get ready, because this next bit of news almost feels like an Avengers-moment for the entire Hong Kong action cinema industry!

The Hong Kong Stuntman Association is developing a star-studded historical film to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return Continue reading →

Posted in News |

Marx for death? Martial arts powerhouse Bren Foster teams up with Mekhi Phifer for Louis Mandylor’s ‘Marx’

Posted on April 23, 2026 by JJ Bona

Filmmaker and star Louis Mandylor (The Debt Collector, The Doorman) – fresh off directing Scott Adkins in 2025’s Prisoner of War – has started principal photography on his next film, Marx. 

Produced by Mandylor’s own Odyssey Motion Pictures, this upcoming actioner stars martial arts powerhouse Bren Foster (Life After Fighting, Mexicali) and Continue reading →

Posted in News |

No one man should have all that power! Watch the New Trailer for ‘Masters of the Universe’ from ‘Bumblebee’ filmmaker

Posted on April 23, 2026 by JJ Bona
"Masters of the Universe" Poster

“Masters of the Universe” Poster

Travis Knight, the director of 2018’s Bumblebee, will soon be unleashing Masters of the Universe, a live-action adaptation of the franchise created by Mattel.

In the film, a young man on Earth discovers a fabulous secret legacy as the prince of an alien planet, and must recover a magic sword and return home to protect his kingdom.

Masters of the Universe is written by Chris Butler (Kubo and the Two Strings), Aaron and Eric Nee (Band of Robbers), and Dave Callaham (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings).

The film stars Nicholas Galitzine (Red, White & Royal Blue) as He-Man; Idris Elba (A House of Dynamite) as Man-At-Arms; Jared Leto (Tron: Ares) as Skeletor; Alison Brie (Together) as Evil-Lyn; Camila Continue reading →

Posted in News |

Assassin (2025) Review

Posted on April 23, 2026 by Paul Bramhall
"Assassin" Poster

“Assassin” Poster

AKA: Assassination: 1932
Director: Zhou Jiu Qin
Cast: Wang Ming, Jin Long, Cheng Qi, Jinhao Guo, Ray Lui, Di Wang, Tang Hao Yuan
Running Time: 90 min. 

By Paul Bramhall

One of the quirks I always enjoy in the world of Chinese streaming movies is the occasional oddly worded credit introduction, and 2025’s Assassin offers up a good one in the form of ‘Special Invited Lead Actor Ray Lui’, who presumably, by virtue of having his name appear in the credits, was happy to accept the invite. A mainstay of Hong Kong cinema since debuting in the Shaw Brothers production The Informer in 1980, like many familiar faces from Hong Kong’s golden era, Lui has carved out somewhat of a niche for himself in the Chinese streaming era in recent years. Leading roles in the likes of 2023’s Quick Counterattack and 2022’s Shanghai Knight act as kind of modern day iterations of his 90’s outings like Thunder Run and To Be Number One, ensuring a steady stream of work even as he reaches 70 (despite the fact that he doesn’t look a whole lot different from the Flash Point era almost 20 years earlier!).

In Assassin Lui steps into the familiar role of a respected gangster (complete with an omnipresent cigar), considered to be “the king of Shanghai”, who we’re introduced to in the opening meeting with the Japanese military in the club he owns. Resistant to the Japanese suppressors demands, their discussion is interrupted when a foursome from the Iron Continue reading →

Posted in All, Chinese, News, Reviews | Tagged |

Bruceploitation lives! Cult martial arts star Bruce Le (Huang Kin-Lung) comes out swinging for ‘The Fist’

Posted on April 23, 2026 by JJ Bona

Cult martial arts icon Huang Kin-Lung — better known as Bruce Le of the Bruceploitation era — is making a comeback with The Fist, an upcoming project that was recently in production in Macau.

The Fist isn’t exactly Bruce’s long-awaited return to the kung fu genre. Instead, he steps behind the scenes, serving as producer and action director Continue reading →

Posted in News |

🍿 Get ready to experience Jackie Chan in the third dimension! 88 Films brings ‘Magnificent Bodyguards’ to Blu-ray this July

Posted on April 23, 2026 by JJ Bona

Now available for Pre-order is the Blu-ray (Region A/B) for Magnificent Bodyguards, which will be reelased on July 13, 2026. This 1978 kung fu oddity is directed by Lo Wei (The Big Boss) and stars the one and only, Jackie Chan (Hidden Strike, Ride On).

Jackie leaps out of the screen in Magnificent Bodyguards, the first Hong Kong movie shot in 3D! The icon joins a team of guards who are escorting an ill man across a land filled danger and possible death, a land known as Stormy Hills, but does the man hold Continue reading →

Posted in News, Top 4 Featured |

Deal on Fire! Ran | Blu-ray | Only $9.36 – Expires soon!

Posted on April 22, 2026 by JJ Bona
Ran | Blu-ray (StudioCanal Collection)

Ran | Blu-ray (StudioCanal Collection)

Today’s Deal on Fire is the Blu-ray for Akira Kurosawa’s Ran, a 1985 “interpretation” of Shakespeare’s King Lear.

Throughout Akira Kurosawa’s illustrious career the director often adapted classic literature from overseas and transformed the stories into tales about Japan. Some of his favorite writers that he took the most inspiration from were Shakespeare, Dostoevsky, and Maxim Gorky, but it’s the Shakespeare adaptations that made for the most interesting films. Kurosawa did away with Shakespeare’s words but kept the tragic plots largely intact. Shakespeare’s Macbeth became Throne of Blood, a film about a samurai that commits murder in order to chase destiny. Hamlet was an inspiration for The Bad Sleep Well, a drama about a businessman carefully plotting his revenge against the executives Continue reading →

Posted in Deals on Fire!, News |

Rumor has it… Chow Yun-fat to join Jackie Chan in Larry Yang’s sequel to ‘The Shadow’s Edge’?

Posted on April 21, 2026 by JJ Bona

Given the massive success of 2025’s The Shadow’s Edge, which held the No. 1 position at the China box office for four consecutive weekends, it’s no surprise that a sequel is currently in pre-production.

Last year, Larry Yang (Ride On) and Victoria Hon (Mountain Cry) – director and producer of The Shadow’s Edge, respectively – stated they were open to cash in on a sequel. “We’re considering the idea of a sequel, but right now we’re unsure what direction it will take,” Yang says. “I don’t want to repeat myself so I will very likely find a new approach. We’ll see Continue reading →

Posted in News, Top 4 Featured |
  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. 5
  7. 6
  8. 7
  9. 8
  10. 9
  11. 10
  12. 11
  13. ...
  14. 533