Author Archives: JJ Bona

The Search for Weng Weng | DVD (Wild Eye)

RELEASE DATE: November 8, 2016 On November 8, 2016, Wild Eye is releasing the DVD for The Search for Weng Weng, a documentary that investigates the life of Weng Weng (aka Ernesto de la Cruz), a forgotten icon of Pinoy exploitation cinema who starred in the films For Y’ur Height Only, The Impossible Kid and D’Wild Wild Weng. Join Andrew Leavold’s personal quest to find the truth behind its dwarf James Bond … Continue reading

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Shout! Factory unleashes 4K masters of Bruce Lee’s films

Shout! Factory has recently announced that they’ll be releasing restored, 4K versions of Bruce Lee’s films, starting with The Big Boss (1971) and Fist of Fury (1972). Oddly enough, they’ll be released as their North American titles, Fists of Fury (ak The Big Boss) and The Chinese Connection (aka Fist of Fury). The films will be packaged using original U.S. theatrical artwork, which can also be reversed for those who prefer international artwork. The titles are being marketed as “Collector’s Editions,” but according … Continue reading

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Deal on Fire! Little Big Soldier | Blu-ray | Only $7.44 – Expires soon!

Today’s Deal on Fire is the Blu-ray for Little Big Soldier, starring the legendary Jackie Chan (Armour of God III: Chinese Zodiac) and Leehom Wang (Lust, Caution and Legendary Amazons). Directed and written by Ding Sheng, Litte Big Soldier (read our review) is definitely one of the best Jackie Chan flicks of the last 10 years. I know we’re all sick of period films (especially one titled Little Big Solider), … Continue reading

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Judge Archer | DVD (Lionsgate)

RELEASE DATE: November 1, 2016 Lionsgate presents the long-awaited U.S. release for Haofeng Xu’s Judge Archer on DVD, which stars Yu Chenghui (The White Haired Witch of Lunar Kingdom), Lvy Lee (Poor Rich Father) and Song Yang (The Final Master). Haofeng Xu (The Final Master) made a name for himself by penning the screenplay for Wong Kar-Wai’s The Grandmaster – but due to that film’s lengthy production process, Haofeng has managed to make … Continue reading

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Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: 15th Anniversary Edition | Blu-ray/4K (Sony)

RELEASE DATE: October 18, 2016 Details have emerged for Sony Pictures Home Entertainment’s upcoming 15th anniversary 4K Blu-ray (pre-order here) and Blu-ray editions (pre-order here) of director Ang Lee’s Oscar-winning film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Named “Best Picture of the Year” by over 100 critics nationwide! Two master warriors (Chow Yun Fat and Michelle Yeoh) are faced with their greatest challenge when the treasured Green Destiny sword isstolen. A young aristocrat (Zhang … Continue reading

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Antony Szeto’s ‘Fist of the Dragon’ finally makes its U.S. debut

2000’s Moving Target, which starred 11-time World Kickboxing Champion Don “The Dragon” Wilson, has been loosely redone in the form of Fist of the Dragon, a U.S./Chinese co-production that puts Strikeforce World Lightweight Champion, Josh “The Punk” Thomson, in Wilson’s shoes. As with the original, Roger Corman’s New Horizons Pictures is producing. Fist of the Dragon is directed by Antony Szeto (Wushu) and also stars Juju Chan (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of … Continue reading

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Phantom of the Theatre | DVD (Well Go USA)

RELEASE DATE: October 11, 2016 Well Go USA presents the DVD for Phantom of the Theatre, a thriller starring Ruby Lin (Blood Stained Shoes), Tony Yang (The Crossing), Simon Yam (Cross) and Huang Lei (CJ7). A haunted theatre, filled with the vengeful spirits of a tragically-trapped performance troupe murdered in a fire 13 years ago, waits for the once-grand palatial playhouse to re-open with a new show… and bring in … Continue reading

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Kung fu, retro games and metal collide in ‘Metal City Mayhem’

Get ready to bang some heads with Metal City Mayhem, a proposed action/comedy series by Dan Jackson and Savage Storm Studios. Metal City Mayhem draws inspiration from cult classic films like Warriors and arcade favorites such as Double Dragon and River City Mayhem. It also fuses Hong Kong-influenced choreography with old-school, heavy metal pop culture. In the tradition of Hobo With a Shotgun, Machete, and Black Dynamite – all of which started out … Continue reading

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Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams | Blu-ray & DVD (Criterion)

RELEASE DATE: November 15, 2016 Criterion Collection presents the Blu-ray & DVD for Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams. Unfolding in a series of mythic vignettes, this late work by Akira Kurosawa brings eight of the beloved director’s own nighttime visions, informed by tales from Japanese folklore, to cinematic life. In a visually sumptuous journey through the master’s unconscious, tales of childlike wonder give way to apocalyptic visions: a young boy stumbles on … Continue reading

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Dragon Chen is all action in the new ‘Ultimate Hero’ Trailer

Dragon Chen (aka Chen Star), the martial artist who paid homage to Bruce Lee in movies like Jeet Kune Do and Nunchucku, is back in Lei Cui’s Ultimate Hero, an upcoming actioner he’s once again helming (with the aid of co-director Lei Cui). In Ultimate Hero, Chen takes on a gang of arms smugglers in Africa. Martial arts sequences, explosions, car chases and shoot ’em up scenes – it’s all there, so we’re … Continue reading

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Violent Cop | Blu-ray & DVD (Film Movement)

RELEASE DATE: October 11, 2016 Film Movement Classics presents the Blu-ray & DVD for Violent Cop, a 1989 crime/thriller directed by and starring Takeshi Kitano (Beyond Outrage). Azuma is a cop who plays by his own rules: He batters suspects, beats confessions from criminals, and plants evidence. He’s a vigilante force the department quietly supports as long as he gets results, but when a volatile drug case results in the death … Continue reading

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Boiling Point | Blu-ray & DVD (Film Movement)

RELEASE DATE: October 11, 2016 Film Movement Classics presents the Blu-ray & DVD for Boiling Point, a 1990 crime/thriller directed by and starring Takeshi Kitano (Outrage). Boiling Point is the story of a passive gas station attendant and benchwarming minor-league baseball player Masaki (Masahiko Ono), who finally rebels against the yakuza. When the local crime boss embarks on a campaign of beatings aimed at Masaki’s coworkers and baseball teammates, Masaki buys a … Continue reading

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Deal on Fire! New World | Blu-ray | Only $7.95 – Expires soon!

Today’s Deal on Fire is the Blu-ray for Park Hoon-jeong-I’s New World, starring Lee Jung-Jae (Big Match), Hwang Jung-min (The Unjust) and Choi Min-sik (The Tiger: An Old Hunter’s Tale). New World follows an undercover cop who’s caught between the gangsters’ power struggle and a police crackdown. This acclaimed gangster flick from Park Hoon-jung, the writer of I Saw the Devil, is often compared to such classics as The Godfather and The Departed. At only … Continue reading

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One reason why Bollywood shouldn’t do martial arts movies…

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Attack on Titan: Part 1 | Blu-ray & DVD (Funimation)

RELEASE DATE: October 4, 2016 Funimation presents the Blu-ray & DVD for Shinji Higuchi’s live-action adaptation of Attack on Titan. Attack on Titan (read our reviews for Part I and Part II) takes place in a strange, quasi-medieval world in which giant humanoid creatures named Titans appear and threaten the lives of everyday people. Civilization’s only line of defense against the Titans are teenage soldiers who traverse the Titans’ massive bodies using … Continue reading

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