Author Archives: JJ Bona

East Asian Films That Act Like Video Games 

The gaming industry is surging with growth. Developers have experimented with various unorthodox storytelling methods in just a few years. Fearless of challenging genres, conventions and expectations, developers’ risks have paid off. Audiences seem to love developers’ bold choices, resulting in more funding for gaming studios.    The gaming industry’s growth affects other markets, particularly the film industry. Believe it or not, films and video games share a lot in common. … Continue reading

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Amazon Video brings the blood with ‘Exiled: The Chosen Ones’ starring ‘Headshot’ martial arts star Sunny Pang

Audiences are finally be able to catch Exiled: The Chosen Ones, the latest action-thriller from writer/director Ranjeet S. Marwa (Godforsaken). This Silent D/Rocket Sky High Production is headlined by Headshot breakout star, Sunny Pang (The Night Comes for Us) who shares the screen with Hannah Al-Rashid, Oka Antara and Nisaro Karim. Here’s what you can expect from the plot: After a man-made virus failed to reduce the world’s overpopulated areas, global leaders would start … Continue reading

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Jackie Chan-produced Yemen thriller ‘Home Operation’ filming in Syria from ‘Who Am I?’ remake director Song Yinxi

"Home Operation" Teaser Poster

As with many high profile stars in the movie business, Jackie Chan is no stranger to producing many films he doesn’t appear in. Some of these titles include 1986’s Naughty Boys, 1987’s Rouge, 1991’s Angry Ranger, 1991’s Center Stage, 2011’s Legendary Amazons, 2015’s Amnesia, 2017’s Reset and 2018’s Golden Job. The latest film Jackie Chan is backing is Home Operation, which is currently in production in Hajar al-Aswad, a city located in Syria, … Continue reading

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Heads will roll in 88 Films’ release for Ching Gong’s 1978 Shaw film ‘Flying Guillotines Part II’ in August

On August 9, 2022, 88 Films is releasing the Blu-ray (Region A) for The Flying Guillotines Part II (aka Palace Carnage). Directed by both Ching Gong (12 Gold Medallions) and Hua Shan (To Kill A Jaguar), this 1978 kung fu film stars Ti Lung (Young Lovers on Flying Wheels), Shih Szu (The Thunderbolt Fist), Lo Lieh (The Dynamite Shaolin Heroes), Ku Feng (Shaolin Intruders) and Wong Chung (Police Force). The heroic Ma Teng (Ti … Continue reading

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Deal on Fire! A Prayer Before Dawn | Blu-ray | Only $9.99 – Expires soon!

A Prayer Before Dawn | Blu-ray & DVD (Lionsgate)

Today’s Deal on Fire is the Blu-ray for Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire’s (Johnny Mad Dog) Thai boxing thriller A Prayer Before Dawn (read our review). Based on the international best-seller, A Prayer Before Dawn is the true story of Billy Moore (Joe Cole of Peaky Blinders, and Gareth Evans’ upcoming series, Gangs of London), a troubled young British boxer sent to one of Thailand’s most notorious jails. Refusing to die inside prison, Billy becomes a student of the lethal art of … Continue reading

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Have plans halted for ‘Chaser’ director Na Hong-Jin to tackle real-life Korean mass murderer Woo Bum-kon?

They call him Na Hong-Jin. If you’re not familiar with his name, maybe you’re familiar with his work. In 2008, the South Korean filmmaker shook the world with his debut feature film, The Chaser. In 2010, he showed us that he wasn’t a one-hit wonder with The Yellow Sea. Then in 2016 came The Wailing, where Na proved his cinematic prowess while tackling the occult subgenre. Apparently, his long-awaited next mystery project is The Mink, a Thai/South Korean … Continue reading

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Predator is back in the New TV Spot for Hulu’s ‘Prey’ from Dan Trachtenberg the director of ’10 Cloverfield Lane’

Director Dan Trachtenberg – who is perhaps best known for directing 2016’s 10 Cloverfield Lane, as well as episodes of Amazon’s The Boys series – is prepping Prey, the latest addition in the Predator film franchise. The upcoming film stars Amber Midthunder (Roswell, New Mexico), Dane DiLiegro (American Horror Stories), Stefany Mathias (Longmire), Stormee Kipp (Sooyii) and Dakota Beavers. Prey is the origin story of the Predator in the world of the … Continue reading

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Don’t miss the New Trailer for Netflix’ South Korean action thriller ‘Carter’ from ‘The Villainess’ helmer starring Joo Won

"Carter" Netflix Poster

The latest from writer/director Jung Byung-gil – known for his films Confession of Murder and fan favorite The Villainess – is arriving on Netflix in the form of Carter (read our review), an upcoming action thriller starring Joo Won (Fashion King) and Kim Won-Jung (The Pirates). Thrown straight into a dangerous mission with none of his memories intact, a man (Joo Won) must escape death while trying to figure out who he … Continue reading

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The wild west just got wilder with Alexander Nevsky’s ‘Taken from Rio Bravo’ featuring Don ‘The Dragon’ Wilson and Cynthia Rothrock

"Gunfight At Rio Bravo" Poster

Writer/director Joe Cornet, who is known for his output of low budget Western thrillers that include 2018’s A Prayer for the Damned and 2020’s Incident at Guilt Ridge, recently wrapped production on Taken from Rio Bravo, the sequel to the soon-to-be-released Gunfight At Rio Bravo. Taken from Rio Bravo stars returning leading man Alexander Nevsky (Showdown in Manila, Maximum Impact), as the mysterious Russian gunslinger who, in the first film, aids a marshal (Olivier Gruner) and … Continue reading

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Deal on Fire! Dragons Forever SteelBook | Blu-ray | Only $19.99 – Expires soon!

Today’s Deal on Fire is for 88 Films Blu-ray for Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao’s 1988 classic Dragons Forever, in a special Limited Edition 2-Disc Steelbook. Attention U.S. buyers: Please note that this is a Region B (UK) release, so a multi-region Blu-ray player or multi-region UHD Blu-ray player is required to play this movie (standard U.S. players will not play the discs).  Hotshot lawyer Jackie Lung (Jackie Chan) is hired to defend … Continue reading

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Watch the action packed Trailer for the Jamie Foxx vampire thriller ‘Day Shift’ with Snoop Dogg and featuring Scott Adkins

"Day Shift" Poster

On August 12, Netflix is releasing Day Shift, the directorial debut of J.J. Perry (Bloodsport III), who is best known for his second-unit director and stunt coordinator for The Shepherd, Bullet to the Head and the John Wick franchise. In the film, Jamie Foxx (Sleepless) plays a hard-working, blue-collar dad who just wants to provide a good life for his quick-witted daughter, but his mundane San Fernando Valley pool cleaning job is a … Continue reading

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VR Fighter | DVD (4Digital Media)

"One More Shot" Chinese Poster

RELEASE DATE: October 11, 2022 Hong Kong action star Fan Siu Wong (Attrition, Righting Wrongs, Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky) is making his way into U.S. territory with Tang Qiaojia’s VR Fighter (aka One More Shot), a 2021 Chinese sci-fi action film arriving to DVD and VOD in October by way of 4Digital Media. In a future city with highly developed technology, Special Forces Team leader Long Wei (Siu-Wong Fan) quits his … Continue reading

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Baby Assassins, Angela Mao, Scott Adkins and more! Here’s what’s on Hi-YAH for the month of July!

Hi-YAH!, Well Go USA’s very own Asian/martial arts streaming channel has just announced their New Release line up for the month of July, which includes a New title added to Hi-YAH! every Friday. 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 titles

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Bring Him Back Dead | DVD (Uncork’d)

“Bring Him Back Dead” Theatrical Poster

RELEASE DATE: August 2022 Martial arts star Gary Daniels (City Hunter, Bloodmoon, The Expendables) returns in Mark Savage’s Bring Him Back Dead, an upcoming actioner coming to Digital and DVD in August from Uncork’d Entertainment. The film also stars Louis Mandylor (The Debt Collector), Daniel Baldwin (John Carpenter’s Vampires), Cuyle Carvin (America Made) and Katie Keene (Rogue Warfare: The Hunt). In Bring Him Back Dead, a violent gang of criminals is ordered, after … Continue reading

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Shogun’s Samurai | Blu-ray (Discotek Media)

RELEASE DATE: September 27, 2022 On September 27, 2022, Discotek Media is releasing a Blu-ray for Shogun’s Samurai (aka Yagyu Clan Conspiracy or Intrigue of the Yagyu Clan), a 1978 film from Kinji Fukasaku (The Green Slime, Battle Royal). The film stars Yorozuya Kinnosuke (Lone Wolf and Cub), Sonny Chiba (Fighting Fist) and Hiroki Matsukata (Cops vs. Thugs). Read the details: Following the death of the second Tokugawa shogun, it is revealed that … Continue reading

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