Author Archives: Kelly Warner

Blind Woman’s Curse (1970) Review

Blind Woman’s Curse | Blu-ray (Arrow Video)

AKA: Black Cat’s Revenge Director: Teruo Ishii Cast: Meiko Kaji, Hoki Tokuda, Makoto Sato, Hideo Sunazuka, Shiro Otsuji, Toru Abe Running Time: 85 min. By Kelly Warner Teruo Ishii was an incredibly prolific filmmaker, directing nearly fifty movies in the 1960s alone. Referred to in Japan as “the King of Cult”, Ishii dabbled in many genres: he made exploitation films such as the Joys of Torture series, a large collection … Continue reading

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Ran (1985) Review

AKA: Chaos Director: Akira Kurosawa Writer: Akira Kurosawa, Hideo Oguni, Masato Ide Producer: Serge Silverman, Masato Hara Cast: Tatsuya Nakadai, Akira Terao, Jinpachi Nezu, Daisuke Ryu, Masayuki Yui, Kazuo Kato, Peter, Hitoshi Ueki, Jun Tazaki, Mieko Harada, Yoshiko Miyazaki, Norio Matsui Running Time: 160 min. By Kyle Warner Throughout Akira Kurosawa’s illustrious career the director often adapted classic literature from overseas and transformed the stories into tales about Japan. Some … Continue reading

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White Haired Witch of Lunar Kingdom, The (2014) Review

The White Haired Witch of Lunar Kingdom | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

AKA: The White Haired Witch Director: Jacob Cheung Cast: Fan Bing Bing, Huang Xiao Ming, Vincent Chiu, Shera Li Xin Ru, Wang Xuebing, Du Yiheng, Nicholas Tse, Yin Zhusheng, Wang De-Shun, Dong Zi-Wu Running Time: 103 min. By Kyle Warner Liang Yusheng’s popular wuxia novel Baifa Monu Zhuan has been adapted for television and film multiple times since its debut in the 1950s. The adaptation you’re most likely familiar with … Continue reading

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Bushido Man: Seven Deadly Battles (2013) Review

"Bushido Man" International DVD Cover

Director: Takanori Tsujimoto Writer: Takanori Tsujimoto Cast: Mitsuki Koga, Yoshiyuki Yamaguchi, Masanori Mimoto, Kentaro Shimazu, Kazuki Tsujimoto, Ema, Kensuke Sonomura, Masaki Suzumura, Naohiro Kawamoto, Marc Walkow, Yasutaka Yuuki, Takashi Tanimoto Running Time: 88 min. By Kelly Warner Bushido Man: Seven Deadly Battles kind of surprised me. I wasn’t expecting much from the film — the average ratings are weak, the title is silly, and the plot description is somewhat generic. … Continue reading

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Colt is My Passport, A (1967) Review

Director: Takashi Nomura Cast: Jo Shishido, Chitose Kobayashi, Jerry Fujio, Akiyoshi Fukae, Zenji Yamada, Hideaki Esumi, Jun Hongo, Akio Miyabe, Toyoko Takechi, Kojiro Kusanagi, Ryotaro Sugi, Takamaru Sasaki, Asao Uchida, Zeko Nakamura Running Time: 84 min. By Kelly Warner In the 1960s, the Japanese studio Nikkatsu was cranking out action films at a rapid pace. They were often made fast and cheap, but they were also wildly inventive, and gave … Continue reading

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Genghis Khan: To the Ends of the Earth and Sea (2007) Review

"Genghis Khan: To the Ends of the Earth and Sea" Japanese Theatrical Poster

Director: Shinichiro Sawai Cast: Takashi Sorimachi, Rei Kikukawa, Mayumi Wakamura, Ken’ichi Matsuyama, Yoshihiko Hakamada, Eugene Nomura, Go Ara, Takahiro Araki, Kachiwo Endo, Yusuke Hirayama, Naoki Hosaka, Sosuke Ikematsu Running Time: 136 min. By Kelly Warner Thirty minutes into Genghis Khan: To the Ends of the Earth and Sea I came to realize that I was not watching a historical epic. Instead, this movie is a biopic about a man who … Continue reading

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Brotherhood of Blades (2014) Review

"Brotherhood of Blades" Theatrical Poster

Director: Lu Yang Cast: Chang Chen, Cecilia Liu, Wang Qianyuan, Ethan Li, Nie Yuan, Chin Shih-chieh, Ye Qing, Zhou Yiwei, Zhu Dan, Zhao Lixin, Ye Xiang Ming Running Time: 106 min. By Kelly Warner There’s a line in Jean Renoir’s The Rules of the Game that goes a little something like, “The awful thing about life is this: everyone has their reasons.” It’s a simple concept, but so true, and … Continue reading

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Pirates, The (2014) Review

"The Pirates" Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Lee Seok-Hun Cast: Kim Nam-Gil, Son Ye-Jin, Yu Hae-Jin, Lee Kyung-Young, Oh Dal-Su, Kim Tae-Woo, Park Cheol-Min, Shin Jeong-Geun, Kim Won-Hae, Jo Dal-Hwan, Jo Hee-Bong, Jeong Seong-Hwa, Sully, Lee Yi-Kyung Running Time: 130 min. By Kelly Warner Sometimes a movie surprises you. As I sat down to watch the South Korean adventure The Pirates, I expected a silly headache of a movie that existed just to cash-in on the … Continue reading

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Tekken 2: Kazuya’s Revenge (2014) Review

"Tekken 2: Kazuya’s Revenge" Japanese DVD Cover

AKA: Tekken: A Man Called X Director: Wych Kaosayananda Cast: Kane Kosugi, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Rade Serbedzija, Gary Daniels, Kelly Wenham, Ron Smoorenburg, Paige Lindquist, Charlotte Kirk Running Time: 88 min. By Kelly Warner 2010’s Tekken came and went without many people taking notice. Well, I’m going to be honest: I kind of liked the film. I mean, make no mistake, I would never call it a good movie, but it’s … Continue reading

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Tokyo Drifter (1966) Review

"Tokyo Drifter" Japanese Theatrical Poster

Director: Seijun Suzuki Cast: Tetsuya Watari, Chieko Matsubara, Hideaki Nitani, Tamio Kawaji, Tsuyoshi Yoshida, Ryuji Kita Running Time: 83 min. By Kelly Warner Most film buffs probably know the story of how director Seijun Suzuki was fired by Nikkatsu after producing his 1967 film Branded to Kill, and was then effectively blacklisted from filmmaking after suing his former employers. But the story is more complicated than that. Branded to Kill … Continue reading

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Traffickers (2012) Review

AKA: Traffikers Director: Kim Hong-Sun Producer: Won Hyun-Jae Cast: Im Chang-Jung, Daniel Choi, Jo Yoon-Hee, Oh Dal-Su, Jo Dal-Hwan, Jung Ji-Yoon Running Time: 111 min. By Kelly Warner They say that truth is stranger than fiction because fiction has to make sense. What they left out is that films based on a true story also have to make sense, regardless of whether that ruins the truthiness of the tale (my … Continue reading

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Why Don’t You Play in Hell? (2013) Review

"Why Don't You Play In Hell?" Theatrical Poster

Director: Sion Sono Writer: Sion Sono Cast: Jun Kunimura, Shinichi Tsutsumi, Fumi Nikaido, Hiroki Hasegawa, Gen Hoshino, Tomochika, Tak Sakaguchi, Itsuji Itao, Hiroyuki Onoue, Tetsu Watanabe, Tasuku Nagaoka, Akihiro Kitamura, Motoki Fukami Running Time: 129 min. By Kelly Warner Sion Sono is my kind of madman. In recent years Sono has made some of the zaniest, most singularly inventive films in the world. Love Exposure was a strangely lovable four … Continue reading

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Die Fighting (2014) Review

AKA: The Price of Success Director: Fabien Garcia Cast: Fabien Garcia, Laurent Buson, Didier Buson, Jess Allen, Dave Vescio, Adelyne Liu, Xin Sarith Wuku, Jose Rosete, Gray Michael Sallies, Davis Chong, Michael Antonio, Aoni Ma, Xango Henry, Marcus Natividad, Nico Johns Running Time: 110 min. By Kelly Warner Found footage films quickly went from being the hot new idea to being the same old thing. This is largely thanks to … Continue reading

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As the Light Goes Out (2014) Review

"As the Light Goes Out" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Derek Kwok Cast: Nicholas Tse, Shawn Yue, Simon Yam, Hu Jun, Patrick Tam, Liu Kai Chi, Andy On, Bai Bing Running Time: 116 min. By Kyle Warner There seems to be a shared belief among most filmgoers that firefighter dramas have nothing new to say or do. And while it’s true that As the Light Goes Out does occasionally tread on some familiar ground, it also proves that there … Continue reading

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Kundo: Age of the Rampant (2014) Review

Director: Yun Jong-Bin Cast: Ha Jung-Woo, Kang Dong-Won, Lee Kyung-Young, Lee Sung-Min, Jo Jin-Woong, Ma Dong-Seok, Yun Ji-Hye, Ju Jin-Mo, Song Young-Chang, Jeong Man-Sik, Kim Byung-Ok, Kim Jong-Gu, Kim Seong-Gyun Running Time: 137 min. By Kelly Warner I went into Kundo: Age of the Rampant expecting something like a Korean take on the Robin Hood tale. What I got was a Tarantino-infused post-modern historical action movie that tries to be … Continue reading

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