Author Archives: JJ Bona

Showdown in Little Tokyo | Blu-ray (Warner)

RELEASE DATE: July 21, 2015 Warner presents the Blu-ray for 1991’s Showdown in Little Tokyo, directed by Mark L. Lester (Commando, Class of 1984). This martial arts action-comedy pairs Dolph Lundgren (Skin Trade) and Brandon Lee (Legacy of Rage, The Crow) as L.A. cops against a gang of Japanese drug dealers, headed by Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa (Tekken 2: Kazuya’s Revenge). The film also stars Tia Carrere (True Lies), Toshishiro Obata (The … Continue reading

Posted in DVD/Blu-ray New Releases, Martial Arts Titles |

‘SPL 3′ (aka Sha Po Lang 3, Kill Zone 3 or whatever you want to call it) is happening!

Following SPL 2’s box office success, the possibility of an SPL 3 was inevitable – in fact, it’s in stone! According Twitchfilm, producer Paco Wong (Zombie Fight Club) announced that the next installment in the SPL franchise, titled S.P.L 3: War Needs Lord, has already been green-lit. The original SPL (aka Sha Po Lang) – helmed by Wilson Yip (Bio-Zombie), which was released in North America under the title Kill Zone … Continue reading

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The Dead Lands | Blu-ray & DVD (Magnolia)

RELEASE DATE: August 4, 2015 Magnolia presents the DVD for To a Fraser’s The Dead Lands, an action film that utilized the Maori martial art Mau Rakau (the skilled use of weapons). The film has been described as Mel Gibson’s Apocalypto meets Tony Jaa’s Ong Bak. After his tribe is slaughtered through an act of treachery, the teenage son of a slain Maori chieftain looks to avenge his father’s murder and … Continue reading

Posted in DVD/Blu-ray New Releases, Martial Arts Titles |

1st explosive trailer for Gerard Butler’s ‘London Has Fallen’

Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart and Morgan Freeman are back for an Olympus Has Fallen sequel, titled London Has Fallen, which has a release date set for October 2, 2015. Babak Najafi (Easy Money II: Hard to Kill) is directing. Katrin Benedikt and Creighton Rothenberger, who both scribed Olympus Has Fallen, are writing the sequel. London Has Fallen also stars Angela Bassett, Melissa Leo, Robert Forster, Sean O’Bryan, Radha Mitchell, Jackie Earle … Continue reading

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Cityonfire.com’s ‘Kung Fu Killer’ Blu-ray Giveaway! – WINNERS ANNOUNCED!

Cityonfire.com and Well Go USA are giving away 3 Blu-ray copies of Donnie Yen’s Kung Fu Killer to three lucky Cityonfire visitors. To enter, simply add a comment to this post and describe, in your own words, this classic trailer! We will be selecting a winner at random. Be sure to include your email address in the appropriate field so we can contact you for your home address. Additionally, you must … Continue reading

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Trailer for the Ringo Lam-less ‘Prison on Fire 2015’

Don’t let the title fool you. Prison on Fire 2015 has little to do with Ringo Lam’s 1987’s Prison on Fire or 1991’s Prison on Fire II, other than being in the “prison film” sub-genre and sharing some of the same cast members, mainly William Ho, who appeared in the original, as well as 2001’s two throwbacks, Prison on Fire: Life Sentence and Prison on Fire: Plaintive Destiny. Actually, the film’s real title is … Continue reading

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Bukaw Banchamek kicks A$$ in ‘Thongdee: The Warrior’

Thai welterweight Muay Thai kickboxer Buakaw Banchamek (Yamada: The Samurai of Ayothaya) is back with Thongdee: The Warrior, an upcoming martial arts flick that will apparently be directed by Bin Bunluerit (Panya Raenu trilogy). Here’s the film’s official plot: Phraya Phichai was a Siamese general serving under King Taksin. After the fall of Ayudhya in 1767, Phraya Pichai and Chao Phraya Chakri (who later become the first King of Chakri Dynasty) … Continue reading

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Zhang Ziyi and Ge You venture through ‘The Wasted Times’

Young rising director Cheng Er (Lethal Hostage) is back with another thriller titled The Wasted Times, which stars Ge You (Let the Bullets Fly), Zhang Ziyi (The Grandmaster), Gillian Chung (Ip Man Final Fight) and Asano Tadonobu (Lupin III). According to FBA, the offbeat thriller, which takes place in 1920s Shanghai, is about a Japanese spy hunting down a former friend for the murder of his family. If you haven’t … Continue reading

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Silver Hawk (w/Bonus Movies) | DVD (Echo Bridge)

RELEASE DATE: July 21, 2015 Echo Bridge presents the DVD for Jingle Ma’s Silver Hawk starring Michelle Yeoh (True Legend), Richie Ren (Punished), Luke Goss (Death Race II),  Michael Jai White (Falcon Rising) and Li Bingbing (Detective Dee). The DVD also includes the bonus movies: Running Delilah, The Legend of Red Dragon, Snake-Crane Secret and Honor. In the public eye, she’s billionaire heiress, but with a mask, she’s transformed into a silver crusader. Silver … Continue reading

Posted in Asian Titles, DVD/Blu-ray New Releases, Martial Arts Titles |

Ready to see some ‘Awesome Asian Bad Guys’?

Get ready to get reacquainted with Awesome Asian Bad Guys from films of the 80s and 90s! This action/comedy is about two offbeat filmmakers (Stephen Dypiangco and Patrick Epino) who reunite iconic Asian bad guys – from action films such as Die Hard, Lethal Weapon and Rambo: First Blood Part II – to carry off one impossible mission. Awesome Asian Bad Guys stars Dante Basco (Blood and Bone), Al Leong (Big Trouble in … Continue reading

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The Mercury Conspiracy | DVD (Entertainment One)

Entertainment One presents the DVD for The Mercury Conspiracy (aka The Mercury Factor), directed by and starring Luca Barbareschi (Cannibal Holocaust). After her son dies from poisoned food, Xiwen falls in love with Matteo, a businessman. Though a good man at heart, Matteo has been lured into the black market trafficking of adulterated food – the same food responsible for killing Xiwen’s son! This Italian film is noted for its … Continue reading

Posted in DVD/Blu-ray New Releases, Other Notable Titles |

Lawless Kingdom | aka The Four II | DVD (Lionsgate)

RELEASE DATE: September 2, 2015 Lionsgate presents the DVD for Lawless Kingdom (aka The Four II), directed by Gordon Chan (Fist of Legend). Four detectives (Emotionless, Iron Hands, Life Snatcher, and Coldblood), each uniquely skilled with their own individual superpowers, are sent to investigate a murder outside the city. Lawless Kingdom stars Deng Chao (Detective Dee), Liu Yifei (Outcast), Collin Chou (Special ID), Ronald Cheng (12 Nights) and Anthony Wong (Untold … Continue reading

Posted in Asian Titles, DVD/Blu-ray New Releases, Martial Arts Titles |

Philip Rhee is rebooting the ‘Best of the Best’ franchise!

While promoting his latest movie, Underdog Kids, Philip Rhee revealed that he will be rebooting his successful Best of the Best saga, which consists of Best of the Best (1989), Best of the Best 2 (1993), Best of the best 3: No Turning Back (1995) and Best of the Best 4: Without Warning (1998). The big question is whether Rhee will be the main star or if he’s looking for new … Continue reading

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Ultimate action flick starring Jason Statham and Tony Jaa?

Furious 7’s Jason Statham (Blitz) and Tony Jaa (Skin Trade, Tom Yum Goong 2) may re-team for a potential martial arts film together. Statham says he wants to “elevate the action in a way that’s never been done before.” A script for the untitled project is currently being worked on. Here’s the full scoop from Statham himself: (via MH/MAAC): “What I’d like to do is a fully-fledged fight movie. I’ve … Continue reading

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The Most Memorable Villains in Martial Arts Film: Part I

Every film genre – action, science fiction, horror, comedy and even animated – has had a series of memorable villains that have stuck with us for most of our lives. Whether it be a sadistic teenager portrayed by James Spader; an emotionless cyborg represented by Arnold Schwarzenegger; a suave, humorous terrorist leader played by Alan Rickman; or even a scarred lion voiced by Jeremy Irons – it’s the bad guys who make the … Continue reading

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