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on Special ID (2013) ReviewWe agreed! - Iceman 3D (2014) review - 7/10 Iceman: The Time Traveler (2018)…
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on I ain’t afraid of no ghosts! Arrow brings the classic Hong Kong fantasy action trilogy ‘A Chinese Ghost Story’ to 4K Ultra HDpuede poner noticias de tony jaa y de jet li y bren foster y por ultimo de sc…
on Curbing Violence (2024) ReviewInteresting! It's not out of the realm of possibility that Vincent Zhao felt…
on Black Storm (2024) ReviewSpeaking of co-finnancing from China, I felt the urge to rewatch The Edge of…
Author Archives: Henry McKeand
John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023) Review
Director: Chad Stahelski Cast: Keanu Reeves, Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgård, Laurence Fishburne, Hiroyuki Sanada, Shamier Anderson, Lance Reddick, Rina Sawayama, Scott Adkins, Ian McShane, George Georgiou, Marko Zaror, Aimée Kwan Running Time: 169 min. By Henry McKeand Midway through John Wick: Chapter 2, the titular boogeyman guns his way down a subway escalator and passes a blink-or-you-miss it poster that reads: “The Only Way Out Is To Go Through.” Like so … Continue reading
Posted in All, Asian Related, News, Other Movies, Reviews
Tagged Chad Stahelski, Donnie Yen, Hiroyuki Sanada (Henry Sanada), Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Marko Zaror, Scott Adkins
A Family (2020) Review
AKA: Yakuza and the Family Director: Michihito Fujii Cast: Go Ayano, Hiroshi Tachi, Machiko Ono, Yukiya Kitamura, Hayato Ichihara, Hayato Isomura, Shun Sugata, Suon Kan, Ryutaro Ninomiya, Taro Suruga Running Time: 135 min. By Henry McKeand “Lately, I’m getting the feeling that I came in at the end. The best is over.” It’s been nearly twenty-five years since Tony Soprano, perhaps America’s last real mafia icon, said these words in … Continue reading
Double Threat (2022) Review
Director: Shane Stanley Cast: Danielle C. Ryan, Dawn Olivieri, Matthew Lawrence, Kevin Joy, Andrea Logan, Mo Gallini, David Castro, Aimey Beer, Val Barri, Dmitriy Karas Running Time: 92 min. By Henry McKeand “What do you think this is? A Hallmark movie?” This line from last year’s Double Threat, spoken by a cynical mob fixer, is supposed to indicate that, no, this is not a Hallmark movie. But with middle-of-the-road digital … Continue reading
Posted in All, News, Other Movies, Reviews
Silencers, The (1996) Review
Director: Richard Pepin Cast: Jack Scalia, Dennis Christopher, Carlos Lauchu, Lucinda Weist, Clarence Williams III, Stephen Rowe, Lance LeGault, Madison Mason, Terri Poch Running Time: 103 min. By Henry McKeand PM Entertainment always understood how to borrow the most successful elements of mainstream action cinema and synthesize them into sweaty, single-minded B-movies that somehow delivered more fireworks than tentpole films with three times their budget. If the composition of your average … Continue reading
Sex and Fury (1973) Review
Director: Norifumi Suzuki Cast: Reiko Ike, Akemi Negishi, Ryoko Ema, Yoko Hori, Naomi Oka, Katsumasa Uchida, Rena Ichinose, Tatsuo Endō, Yōko Mihara, Christina Lindberg Running Time: 88 min. By Henry McKeand While action cinema has long been criticized as pornographic in its depictions of bloodshed and weaponry, the ‘pinky violence’ films released in Japan during the 60s and 70s are early examples of filmmakers pushing that pornographic label past the … Continue reading
Pom Pom and Hot Hot (1992) Review
Director: Joe Cheung Tung Cho Cast: Jacky Cheung Hok Yau, Stephen Tung Wei, Rachel Lee Lai Chun, Alfred Cheung Kin Tin, Austin Wai Tin Chi, Lam Ching Ying, Bonnie Fu Yuk Jing, Ricky Cheung Kwok Leung, Guy Lai Ying Chau, John Ching Tung Running Time: 90 min. By Henry McKeand The early heroic bloodshed films from John Woo and his contemporaries were, above all, Heaven-or-Hell morality tales. These are stories of violent men who fight desperately to … Continue reading
Impetigore (2019) Review
Director: Joko Anwar Cast: Tara Basro, Ario Bayu, Marissa Anita, Christine Hakim, Asmara Abigail, Zidni Hakim, Afrian Aris, Kiki Narendra, Faradina Mufti, Abdulrahman Arief Running Time: 107 min. By Henry McKeand Modern supernatural horror films seem to be split into two camps. In one camp are haunted house rollercoaster rides designed to pack in as many jump scares as possible. Think The Conjuring or most films produced by James Wan. In … Continue reading
Haze (2005) Review
Director: Shinya Tsukamoto Cast: Shinya Tsukamoto, Takahiro Murase, Takahiro Kandaka, Masato Tsujioka, Mao Saito Running Time: 49 min. By Henry McKeand Shinya Tsukamoto’s films have always presented a claustrophobic view of the world. Even in massive and open urban landscapes, Tsukamoto’s characters are trapped by the oppressive man-made structures that surround them. There’s the sense that concrete and steel are capable of closing in at any time, overwhelming and overpowering … Continue reading
Twins Effect (2003) Review
Director: Dante Lam Cast: Gillian Chung, Charlene Choi, Ekin Cheng, Josie Ho Chiu-Yee, Jackie Chan, Edison Chen Koon-Hei, Mickey Hardt, Karen Mok Man-Wai, Anthony Wong Chau-Sang, Chapman To Man-Chat, Bey Logan, Spencer Lam Running Time: 107 min. By Henry McKeand Vampires and Kung Fu films have a long, if troubled, history. From 1974’s Shaw Brothers/Hammer Horror co-production Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires to wacky 80s fare such as Encounters … Continue reading
Exciting Dragon | aka Drunken Dragon (1985) Review
AKA: Drunken Dragon Director: Chiu Chung Hing Cast: Suen Kwok Ming, Chiang Sheng, Chow Mei Yee, Philip Ko Fei, Leung Kar Yan, Yeung Hung, William Yen, Ko Jan Pang, Chen Chin Hai, Lam Gwong Wing Running Time: 94 min. By Henry McKeand One set piece in Chiu Chung-Hing’s Exciting Dragon (or Drunken Dragon, depending on who you ask) involves a man steering a wheeled rowboat as he fights, indoors, against … Continue reading
Posted in All, Chinese, News, Reviews
Tagged Chiang Sheng, Chiu Chung-Hing, Leung Kar-Yan (Beardy), Philip Ko Fei
Cruel Gun Story (1964) Review
Director: Takumi Furukawa Cast: Jo Shishido, Chieko Matsubara, Tamio Kawaji, Shobun Inoue, Yuji Odaka, Minako Kazuki, Hiroshi Nihonyanagi, Hiroshi Kondo, Saburo Hiromatsu Running Time: 87 min. By Henry McKeand In the 1960s, the Japanese studio Nikkatsu made a string of hard-edged crime thrillers that became known as “borderless action” films. They received this distinction because they borrowed from international influences, combining classic American noir and French New Wave gangster cool … Continue reading
Prisoners of the Ghostland (2021) Review
Director: Sion Sono Cast: Nicolas Cage, Sofia Boutella, Ed Skrein, Tak Sakaguchi, Bill Moseley, Nick Cassavetes, Yuzuka Nakaya, Young Dais, Koto Lorena, Jai West, Cici Zhou Running Time: 103 min. By Henry McKeand When talking or writing about Nicolas Cage, the word “extreme” inevitably comes up. In some ways, it has defined his career, leading to a perhaps unfair reputation as an overactor. This reputation, coupled with memes and viral … Continue reading
Posted in All, Asian Related, Other Movies, Reviews
Tagged Nicolas Cage, Sion Sono, Sofia Boutella, Tak Sakaguchi
Kiltro (2006) Review
Director: Ernesto Díaz Espinoza Cast: Marko Zaror, Caterina Jadresic, Miguel Angel De Luca, Daniela Lhorente, Luis Alarcón, Alejandro Castillo, Man Soo Yoon, Roberto Avendano Running Time: 93 min. By Henry McKeand At first glance, Marko Zaror is what you expect from an action star. A tall, intimidating martial artist from Chile with an intense screen presence, he was first introduced to most action fans as the villainous Dolor in the … Continue reading
Posted in All, Asian Related, News, Other Movies, Reviews
Tagged Ernesto Diaz Espinoza, Marko Zaror
Bloodmoon (1997) Review
Director: Tony Leung Siu Hung Cast: Gary Daniels, Darren Shahlavi, Michael Depasquale Jr, Keith Vitali, Rob Van Dam, Chuck Jeffreys, Frank Gorshin, Ken Kensei, Jen Sung, Joe Hess Running Time: 102 min. By Henry McKeand “It’s never enough!” These words are spoken by Bloodmoon’s villain in the opening fight scene, but they could double as the unofficial mantra of this maximalist martial arts buddy cop flick. The funny detective being … Continue reading
Posted in All, Asian Related, News, Reviews
Tagged Chuck Jeffreys, Darren Shahlavi, Gary Daniels, Keith Vitali, Michael Depasquale Jr, Rob Van Dam, Tony Leung Siu Hung
Breathing Fire (1991) Review
Director: Lou Kennedy Co-director: Brandon De-Wilde Cast: Ke Huy Quan, Eddie Saavedra, Ed Neil, Jerry Trimble, Bolo Yeung, Wendell C. Whitaker Running Time: 85 min. By Henry McKeand How’s this for an early-90s time capsule? Breathing Fire is a film so dedicated to its Xtreme teenage aesthetic that the plot revolves around a group of kickboxing bank robbers searching for a slice of pizza. Just when you think it couldn’t … Continue reading
Posted in All, Asian Related, News, Other Movies, Reviews
Tagged Bolo Yeung (Yang Sze), Jerry Trimble, Ke Huy Quan
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