Author Archives: JJ Bona

Kung Fu Dunk DVD/Blu-ray (Well Go USA)

February 21, 2011 JJ Bona

RELEASE DATE: May 3, 2011 Starring Green Hornet’s Jay Chou, Eric Tsang and Charlene Choi. Kung Fu Dunk, also known by its former title Slam Dunk, is a 2008 Chinese-language live-action film. It was directed by Taiwanese director Chu Yin-Ping. The film was previously titled Slam Dunk, but later the title has been changed to avoid confusion with the Slam Dunk manga and anime series[1] which it was roughly based … Continue reading →

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

Struggle Through Death | aka Dragon Fighter (1979) Review

February 21, 2011 JJ Bona
"Struggle Through Death" US DVD Cover

Director: Cheung San Yee Cast: John Liu (Chung Liang), Ma Chiu-Ku, Wei Ping-Ao, Chui Chung Hei, Ma Cheung, Chin Lung, Yue Hang, Ma Yue Fung, Chai Hau Keung Running Time: 96 min. By Joseph Kuby A classic example of a Chinese Opera-seria. For those not familiar with this term, here is the meaning… Opera-seria: (esp. 18th-c. Italian) opera on a serious, usually classical or mythological theme. Thus the classical or … Continue reading →

Posted in Chinese, Reviews | Tagged , |

Dragon the Master (2003) Review

February 21, 2011 JJ Bona

Director: Ray Woo Writer: Ray Woo Producer: Joseph Lai, Ricky Wong, George Lai Cast: Dragon Sek, Karen Cheung, Roy Cheung, Edward So, Billy Chow Bei-Lei, Lily Chung, Huang Yang Running Time: 89 min. By Joseph Kuby OK but no point! Just to save you from watching this movie with no obvious preconception of what this movie is about, I’ll tell you the plot in a nutshell. I know it’s called … Continue reading →

Posted in Bruceploitation, Chinese, Reviews | Tagged , , |

Dangerous Encounters of the First Kind | aka Don’t Play With Fire (1980) Review

February 21, 2011 JJ Bona
"Dangerous Encounters of the First Kind" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Tsui Hark Cast: Lin Chen Chi, Lo Lieh, Tse Bo-law, Lung Tin-sang, Ray Lui, Bruce Barron, Ronny Yu Yan-Tai Running Time: 91 min. By Mighty Peking Man Okay, I’m not sure what was running through Tsui Hark’s mind when when he made this flick, but it takes a twisted, LCD-induced individual to pump out something so bizarre, yet so entertaining. The best thing about Don’t Play With Fire is … Continue reading →

Posted in Chinese, Reviews | Tagged , , , |

Delinquent, The (1973) Review

February 21, 2011 JJ Bona
"The Delinquent" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Chang Cheh Co-director: Kuei Chih-Hung Cast: Wong Chung (Wang Chung), Lily Li Li-Li, Booi Dai (Betty Pei Ti), Fan Mei Sheng, Dean Shek, Lo Dik, Fung Hak On, Tung Lam, Wong Kwong Yue, Yen Shi Kwan Running Time: 101 min. By Joe909 I was a little hard on this movie, because I felt that Chang Cheh’s handling of the (mostly) same story, four years later in Chinatown Kid, was … Continue reading →

Posted in Chinese, Reviews, Shaw Brothers | Tagged , , , , , , , |

Avenging Eagle | aka Shaolin Hero (1978) Review

February 21, 2011 JJ Bona
"Avenging Eagle" Chinese Theatrical Poster

AKA: Shaolin Hero Director: Sun Chung Cast: Ti Lung, Alexander Fu Sheng, Guk Fung, Si Si, Yue Wing, Johnny Wang, Dick Wei, Eddy Ko Hung, Peter Chan Lung, Yuen Bun, Yeung Chi Hing, Bruce Tong Running Time: 100 min. By Joe909 Sun Chung isn’t as well known as fellow Shaw Brothers kung-fu directors Chang Cheh and Liu Chia-Liang, but his films are equal to their best. In some ways, he … Continue reading →

Posted in Chinese, Reviews, Shaw Brothers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , |

Memoirs of a Lady Ninja DVD (Tokyo Shock)

February 21, 2011 JJ Bona

RELEASE DATE: May 17, 2011 Ninja are assassins with remarkable abilities, and that remains true for their female subset, the kunoichi. When one particular blue-eyed lady ninja discovers a secret scroll of immortality, she finds herself succumbing to the tragic fate of all those who work from the shadows. Memoirs of a Lady Ninja (Onmitsu Kunoichi Retsuden Himerareta Onna Shinobi) is a Japanese original video release written and directed by … Continue reading →

Posted in DVD/Blu-ray New Releases |

Malay Chronicles: Bloodlines DVD/Blu-ray (Image)

February 21, 2011 JJ Bona

RELEASE DATE: August 9, 2011 Directed by Yusry Kru, The Malay Chronicles: Bloodlines (released in Malaysia as “Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa”) is an adventure feature film set against the backdrop of ancient Malay, Roman and Chinese civilizations. It tells the tale of the journey of Merong Mahawangsa escorting a Roman prince to wed a beautiful Chinese princess during the 2nd century. Featuring an international cast, The Malay Chronicles: Bloodlines combines elements … Continue reading →

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

Pale Flower DVD/Blu-ray (Criterion)

February 20, 2011 JJ Bona

RELEASE DATE: May 17, 2011 In this cool, seductive jewel of the Japanese New Wave, a yakuza, fresh out of prison, becomes entangled with a beautiful yet enigmatic gambling addict; what at first seems a redemptive relationship ends up leading him further down the criminal path. Bewitchingly shot and edited and laced with a fever-dream-like score by Toru Takemitsu (Woman in the Dunes, Ran), this breakthrough gangster romance from Masahiro … Continue reading →

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

Evolution of Collecting Kung Fu & Asian Film

February 20, 2011 JJ Bona

With the infinite amount of websites, eBay, and other online retailers; Asian/kung fu movie fanatics have it really good these days. Especially for the crowd who take advantage of bootlegs, DVD-R swapping and those sneaky forms of file sharing. This wasn’t exactly the case in the 1980s and throughout most of the 1990s; back then, Asian movies were obtainable, but they weren’t a click away. The Early-Mid 1980s: Rent it. … Continue reading →

Posted in Features |

Prodigal Son, The (1982) Review

February 20, 2011 JJ Bona
"The Prodigal Son" Chinese Theatrical Poster

AKA: Pull No Punches Director: Sammo Hung Cast: Yuen Biao, Frankie Chan, Lam Ching-Ying, Sammo Hung, Wei Pei, Peter Chan, Dick Wei, Wei Pei, Wu Ma, James Tien, Pang Yun-Cheung, Yuen Miu Running Time: 100 min. By Joe909 In my “Invincible Shaolin” review, I wrote that I’d never seen a New Wave Hong Kong movie that could hold a candle to a Shaw Brothers film. Well, I finally have, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Chinese, Golden Harvest, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , |

Righting Wrongs | aka Above the Law (1986) Review

February 20, 2011 JJ Bona
"Righting Wrongs" International Theatrical Poster

Director: Corey Yuen Producer: Leonard Ho Cast: Yuen Biao, Cynthia Rothrock, Melvin Wong, Corey Yuen, Wu Ma, Fan Siu Wong, James Tien, Sandy Chan, Karen Sheperd, Lau Siu Ming, Baan Yun Sang, Stephen Chan, Cheng Siu Ping, Roy Chiao, Chin Yuet Sang, Peter Cunningham Running Time: 100 min. By Numskull I don’t know what to say. Did you know… DID, YOU, KNOW that the legal system protects the guilty, rather … Continue reading →

Posted in Chinese, Golden Harvest, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , |

Anonymous Heroes (1971) Review

February 20, 2011 JJ Bona

Director: Chang Cheh Producer: Sir Run Run Shaw Cast: David Chiang, Ti Lung, Cheng Li, Ku Feng, Wang Chung, Tong Dik, Yen Shi Kwan Running Time: 100 min. By Joe909 Most old school movies ask for a suspension of disbelief, but Anonymous Heroes asks you to abandon all concept of reality. If you buy into the film, you will be treated to a light-hearted (albeit violent) adventure, but if you … Continue reading →

Posted in Chinese, Reviews, Shaw Brothers | Tagged , , , , , , |

Game of Death (1978) Review

February 20, 2011 JJ Bona
"Game of Death" Japanese Theatrical Poster

Director: Robert Clouse Cast: Bruce Lee, Kim Tai-chung, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Colleen Camp, Gig Young, Dean Jagger, Sammo Hung, Bob Wall, Mel Novak, Hugh O’Brian, James Tien, Roy Chiao, Hon Tsoi Chi, Casanova Wong, Billy McGill Running Time: 92 min. By Joseph Kuby At best, this is a quintessential example of a good/bad movie. Brandon Lee was said to have hated this film with a passion! It’s funny, because even with the original footage, … Continue reading →

Posted in Bruceploitation, Chinese, Golden Harvest, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Secret of the Urn DVD (Animego)

February 19, 2011 JJ Bona

RELEASE DATE: April 12, 2011 After losing both an eye and an arm to treachery while on a mission for his clan, Samanosuke (Kinnosuke NAKAMURA) becomes a ronin who calls himself TANGE Sazen. When a stolen urn that contains the secret to a treasure worth a million gold coins falls into his one remaining hand, all sorts of villains, including a high-ranking Shogunate minister, plot to relieve him of his … Continue reading →

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