Author Archives: JJ Bona

‘Passenger 57’, move over! Andy Lau’s hijack thriller ‘High Forces’ is getting a U.S. release from China Lion

In the tradition of hijack thrillers like The Delta Force (1986), Passenger 57 (1992), Executive Decision (1996) and United 93 (2006), comes High Forces (aka Crisis Route), an upcoming actioner from Oxide Pang (one half of The Eye and The Eye 2 writing/directing duo, the Pang Brothers). Hong Kong superstar Andy Lau (Shock Wave 2, Walk on Fire) plays an international security expert who combats against hijackers on board the Airbus A380. The film … Continue reading

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How about a ‘Weekend in Taipei’? New Trailer for the Luc Besson-penned actioner starring Luke Evans and Sung Kang

Writer/director George Huang, who is perhaps best known for the 1994 cult satire film Swimming with Sharks, is teaming with Luke Evans (Dracula Untold, Blitz) for Weekend in Taipei, an actioner Huang co-wrote with Luc Besson (Lucy, Leon: The Professional). The film also stars Sung Kang (Bullet to the Head), Gwei Lun-Mei (Black Coal, Thin Ice) and newcomer, Wyatt Yang. The plot follows a “pit-bull” DEA agent working on job … Continue reading

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Who likes a good yakuza bloodbath? Watch the New Trailer for Masaharu Take’s ‘Yakuza: Like a Dragon’ on Prime this month

Hide your fingers, because Amazon’s Prime Video will soon unleash Like a Dragon, an upcoming six-part, live-action series based on the SEGA videogame franchise, Yakuza: Like a Dragon. The series – directed by Masaharu Take (100 Yen Love) and Takimoto Kengo (Kamen Teacher) – is set in two time periods, 1995 and 2005, and follows the life, childhood friends and the repercussions of the decisions of a fearsome and peerless … Continue reading

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The Roundup: Punishment | Blu-ray (Capelight)

RELEASE DATE: December 10, 2024 On December 10, 2024, Capelight Pictures is releasing the Blu-ray for The Roundup: Punishment (read our review), the fourth film in The Round Up franchise that started with 2017’s The Outlaws, 2022’s The Roundup and 2023’s The Roundup: No Way Out. Directed by Heo Myung-Haeng (Badland Hunters), The Roundup: Punishment stars Don Lee (Unstoppable), Park Ji-Hwan (The Roundup: No Way Out), Lee Beom-Soo (The Roundup: No Way Out) … Continue reading

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Too fast, too furious! Visual Vengeance working on a Blu-ray for Simon and Phillip Rhee’s 1984 cult gem ‘Furious’

"Furious" VHS Cover

Visual Vengeance is working on a Blu-ray for Furious, a 1984 cult martial arts gem from filmmaker Tim Everitt (Too Fast Too Young). Furious is the first film to star brothers Simon and Phillip Rhee (4 years before the pair found the greener pastures of Hollywood in the Best of the Best franchise). The rest of the film’s cast consists mostly of the Rhees’ own students and friends, including a then-unknown Loren Avedon … Continue reading

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In GODFREY We Trust… Visual Vengeance to release a Blu-ray for the martial arts oddity ‘Born a Ninja’

"Born a Ninja" Promotional Poster

Visual Vengeance is prepping a Blu-ray for IFD Films’ Born a Ninja, a martial arts film – produced somewhere between 1988 and 1991 – from director Law Chi (Thunderbolt) with some copy ‘n paste help from Godfrey Ho (Manhattan Chase). In the film (aka American Commando Ninja), a group of Russians, a Chinese terrorist group and a Japanese ninja are trying to capture a Japanese WWII scientist and steal his … Continue reading

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Ready for some post-Shaw Chang Cheh? Visual Vengeance is conjuring a Blu-ray for 1984’s ‘The Nine Demons’

Visual Vengeance will soon be releasing a Blu-ray for The Nine Demons, a 1984 post-Shaw Brothers film from legendary Hong Kong director Chang Cheh (Death Ring, The One Armed Sworsman). After selling his soul to the devil, Joey (Ricky Cheng Tien Chi, Five Element Ninjas) is given the power to control 9 demons. With their help, Joey must save his childhood friend Gary from a bloody massacre. The Nine Demons … Continue reading

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Deal on Fire! The Double Crossers | Blu-ray | Only $21.99 – Expires soon!

Today’s Deal on Fire is the Blu-ray (Region A/B) for The Double Crossers (read our review), a 1976 Golden Harvest actioner from director Jeong Chang-hwa (The Devil’s Treasure, King Boxer) that stars South Korean martial artist Shin Il-ryong (The Dragon Lives Again) and featuring the legendary Sammo Hung (The Magnificent Butcher). Following his late father’s murder, police officer Detective Lung (Shin) discovers that both of his parents were involved in … Continue reading

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The East meets WEST! Watch the New Trailer for October’s Hi-YAH! Original ‘Westbound Inn’

Hi-YAH!, Well Go USA’s very own Asian/martial arts streaming channel has just announced their New Releases for the month of October. If you want to give Hi-YAH! a go, visitors of this site can use the promo code “CITYONFIRE” for a FREE 30 Day trial! Read on for the full list of New and Exclusive

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Pray for Death | Blu-ray (Kino Lorber)

Pray for Death | Blu-ray (Kino Lorber)

RELEASE DATE: December 10, 2024 On December 10, 2024, Kino Lorber is releasing a Blu-ray for Pray for Death (read our review), a 1985 actioner directed by Gordon Hessler (Rage of Honor). This two-disc special edition includes both the R rated and unrated versions of the film. They Shattered His American Dream. The Ninja Master himself, Sho Kosugi (9 Deaths of the Ninja), stars as Akira, a Japanese immigrant who starts … Continue reading

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Rage of Honor | Blu-ray (Kino Lorber)

Rage of Honor | Blu-ray (Kino Lorber)

RELEASE DATE: December 10, 2024 On December 10, 2024, Kino Lorber is releasing a Blu-ray for Rage of Honor (read our review), a 1987 actioner directed by Gordon Hessler (Pray for Death). International action icon Sho Kosugi (9 Deaths of the Ninja) unleashes a devastating display of martial arts virtuosity as the forces of evil push him over the edge…and into a Rage of Honor. When his best friend is slain … Continue reading

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Deal on Fire! The Last Blood | Blu-ray | Only $19.99 – Expires soon!

Today’s Deal on Fire is the Blu-ray (Region A/B) for The Last Blood (aka Hard Boiled II), a 1991 Hong Kong actioner directed by Wong Jing (Return to a Better Tomorrow) that stars Andy Lau (Saving Mr. Wu) and Alan Tam (Armour of God). The Last Blood is definitely one to watch for anyone who looks back fondly at the late 80’s, early 90’s heyday of Hong Kong action cinema. … Continue reading

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Kickboxer | 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray (Lionsgate)

RELEASE DATE: December 3, 2024 On December 3, 2024, Lionsgate is releasing a 3-Disc SteelBook for Kickboxer on 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray, which will also include the rarely-seen International version of film. Directed by Mark DiSalle (The Perfect Weapon) and David Worth (American Tigers), this 1989 cult martial arts hit further elevated the career of Jean-Claude Van Damme (Black Water), and was responsible of the sparking the kickboxing boom … Continue reading

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Underworld Beauty | Blu-ray (Radiance)

RELEASE DATE: January 25, 2025 On January 25, 2025, Radiance is releasing the Blu-ray (Region A/B) for Underworld Beauty, a 1958 thriller from director Seijun Suzuki (Pistol Opera, Branded to Kill). Retrieving the diamonds he stashed before his arrest, thief Miyamoto hopes to help his old partner Mihara, crippled during the heist. Their former boss, crime lord Oyane, offers to mediate with a foreign buyer, but secretly wants the stones … Continue reading

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Live. Die. Repeat. Watch the New International Trailer for Bong Joon-ho’s ‘Mickey 17’ starring Robert Pattinson

"Mickey7" Novel

Bong Joon-ho (Okja, The Host, The Snowpiercer) – the acclaimed South Korean director of the 2019 masterpiece Parasite – is going to space with Warner’s thriller, Mickey 17. The upcoming film is based on Edward Ashton’s novel, Mickey7 (spelled slightly differently with a “7”). In the Mickey 17, an unlikely hero, Mickey Barnes (Robert Pattinson) has found himself in the extraordinary circumstance of working for an employer who demands the ultimate commitment … Continue reading

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