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on Shaw Brothers Classics Vol 8 | Blu-ray (Shout)Well, the answer is due to licencing, so your still where we were with region…
on Armie Hammer returns in Uwe Boll’s ‘Citizen Vigilante’… grab the signed Limited Edition Blu-ray before it’s gone!So because he became famous by being shit, we're now supposed to defend him b…
on I Love Maria | 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray (Shout!)I wonder whether this version includes the scenes shown in the trailer but mi…
on Hail to the thief! Arrow Video announces 4K Ultra HD for John Woo’s Hong Kong heist actioner ‘Once a Thief’It doesn't have many fans on the west, but still John Woo's most popular movi…
on Hail to the thief! Arrow Video announces 4K Ultra HD for John Woo’s Hong Kong heist actioner ‘Once a Thief’Not a good movie: badly scripted, poorly directed. Looking so cheap... Next!
on The wait is nearly over! Jackie Chan’s 3D kung fu adventure ‘Magnificent Bodyguards’ arrives on Blu-ray this Julyalmost a year later let's pray we finally get it as promised lol
on Mao bang for your buck! Eureka’s announces the ‘Reap The Whirlwind: Four Films with Angela Mao’ Blu-ray collectionDammit. Another great release. So many of them coming along at the same time…
on The Kosugi ninja empire lives on! New Poster for Shane Kosugi’s ‘Seek’ starring Kansuke Asano and Kane KosugiGlad to see that both of Sho Kosugi's sons have been actively busy(film world…
on Bruce Lee returns! Check out the thrilling New Trailer for the ‘Game of Death’-focused documentary ‘Broken Rhythm’That's exactly what I have, and it is awesome. I don't really know what else…
on 🦂 Feel that sting? Here’s the full details for 88 Films’ Blu-ray for the 1992 Golden Harvest classic ‘Operation Scorpio’This is an old favorite of mine. Dare I hope 88films will release this in 4k…
on Hop right to it! New Bruce Lee doc, ‘Mr. Vampire’ reboot and more arriving from veteran Hong Kong producer Bey LoganYou’re no random stranger, Ska. You’re someone hiding behind a fake name who…
on Tarantino says NO, but Lionsgate says GO: Details for the 4K, Blu-ray and VHS editions for ‘Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair’I'd only disagree with you, Ska on the extended anime sequence. For years I'v…
on Tarantino says NO, but Lionsgate says GO: Details for the 4K, Blu-ray and VHS editions for ‘Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair’Don't forget the influence of Swedish revenge flick Thriller: A Cruel Movie o…
on I Love Maria | 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray (Shout!)Clip. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DYz1PbZiWte/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link…
on Ready to unleash some WANG!? Steve Wang’s cult classic ‘Guyver 2: Dark Hero’ arriving on Blu-ray later this yearI’m even more excited about this one than Roaring Fire. I know we’ll get a co…
on Vengeance, Japanese style! Hiroyuki Sanada and Sonny Chiba’s ‘Roaring Fire’ arriving on Blu-ray later this yearIt’s about time Hiroyuki Sanada’s earlier works got this treatment! He really…
on Bren Foster is Marx’d for death! The martial arts powerhouse teams up with Mekhi Phifer for Louis Mandylor’s ‘Marx’And what mind blowing new action films are you watching?
Author Archives: Martin Sandison
Night Comes for Us, The (2018) Review
Director: Timo Tjahjanto Writer: Timo Tjahjanto Cast: Joe Taslim, Iko Uwais, Julie Estelle, Sunny Pang, Zack Lee, Asha Kenyeri Bermudez, Hannah Al Rashid, Salvita Decorte, Abimana Aryastya, Salvita Decorte Running Time: 121 min. By Martin Sandison The Mo Brothers’ Headshot, while a very good action movie in its own right, with effectively bloody violence and some great choreography, fell short of greatness in my opinion. One half of the Mo Brothers, Timo Tjahjanto, announced … Continue reading
Posted in All, Indonesian, News, Reviews
Tagged Iko Uwais, Joe Taslim, Julie Estelle, Kimo Stamboel, Sunny Pang, The Mo Brothers, Timo Tjahjanto
Crippled Kung Fu Boxer | aka Ninja Supremo (1981) Review
AKA: Kung Fu Boxer Director: Lee Chiu Cast: Cliff Lok, Tsai Hung, Yueh Hua, Sun Yueh, Goo Chang, Lee Chiu, Chu Siu-Wa, Ma Chin-Ku, Wynn Lau Chun-Fai, Danny Chow Yun-Kin, Chen Shu-Chu Running Time: 77 min. By Martin Sandison Those who know the name Cliff Lok usually worship at the alter of old school kung fu. It’s really a shame he was not a bigger star, as he has the … Continue reading
Eastern Cherries – First Experiences of Asian Cinema: Hong Kong & China Edition Part IV
My childhood in the leafy suburb of Linlithgow, near the capital of Scotland, Edinburgh, could not have been more idyllic and beautiful. On Saturdays the family would head through to Edinburgh, a place I remember as a kid being labyrinthine with great Victorian atmosphere, with winding streets that connect up in weird ways. In the evening we would regularly go to my Grandparents house, just outside of the city. My … Continue reading
Division, The (2018) Review
Director: Jean-Paul Ly Producer: Law Plancel Cast: Jean-Paul Ly, Laurent Plancel, Phoebe Robinson-Galvin, Toni Ash, Hugo Nicolau, Stephanie Bailey-Wright, Hung Dante Dong, Jane Elsmore, Antti Hakala Running Time: 23 min. By Martin Sandison Last year’s Cambodian martial arts flick Jailbreak announced a few new names to the Asian action pantheon, with the most exciting being leading man and choreographer Jean Paul Ly. Ly has worked on the stunts for movies such as Doctor Strange and Now You See Me 2. … Continue reading
Posted in All, Asian Related, News, Reviews
Tagged Jean-Paul Ly, Laurent Plancel
Calibre (2018) Review
Director: Matt Palmer Writer: Matt Palmer Cast: Jack Lowden, Martin McCann, Tony Curran, Ian Pirie, George Anton, Kate Bracken, Therese Bradley, Joe Cassidy, Cameron Jack, Kitty Lovett, Cal MacAninch Running Time: 101 min. By Martin Sandison There are two films everyone remembers when discussing my homeland, Scotland; Mel Gibson’s historically inaccurate but entertaining Braveheart, and Danny Boyle’s masterful junkie odyssey Trainspotting – two films that could not be more oppositional in … Continue reading
Posted in All, News, Other Movies, Reviews
License to Steal (1990) Review
Director: Billy Chan Writer: Johnny Lee Cast: Joyce Godenzi, Collin Chou Siu Long, Richard Ng, Yuen Biao, Agnes Aurelio, Lam Chung, Billy Chow, Chui Jing Yat, Michael Dinga, Corey Yuen, Sammo Hung Running Time: 90 min. By Martin Sandison One of the most rare Hong Kong movies ever made, License to Steal was given a Laserdisc release back in the day, but never made it on VCD or DVD, even in … Continue reading
Posted in All, Chinese, News, Reviews
Tagged Billy Chan Wui Ngai, Billy Chow, Colin Chou, Corey Yuen, Joyce Godenzi, Richard Ng, Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao
Merciless, The (2017) Review
Director: Byun Sung-Hyun Writer: Byun Sung-Hyun Cast: Sol Kyung-Gu, Siwan, Kim Hee-Won, Jeon Hye-Jin, Lee Kyoung-Young, Jang In-Sub, Kim Sung-Oh, Choi Byung-Mo, Heo Jun-Ho, Kim Ji-Hoon Running Time: 120 min. By Martin Sandison Since its inception in the mid-90’s, the Korean noir genre just keeps producing gems. Movies such as Lee Chang-dong’s Green Fish, Kim Jee-woon’s A Bittersweet Life and Park Chan-wook’s Oldboy are a few of the all-time classics; … Continue reading
Third Murder, The (2017) Review
Director: Hirokazu Koreeda Cast: Masaharu Fukuyama, Koji Yakusho, Suzu Hirose, Yuki Saito, Kotaro Yoshida, Shinnosuke Mitsushima, Mikako Ichikawa, Isao Hashizume, Izumi Matsuoka Running Time: 124 min. By Martin Sandison Director Hirokazu Koreeda has gone from strength to strength in the last ten years, with a strong following thanks to films such as Still Walking and Our Little Sister. His most recent, The Third Murder, swept the Japanese Academy Prize last week … Continue reading
Junk Head (2017) Review
Director: Takahide Hori Writer: Takahide Hori Animator: Takahide Hori Running Time: 115 min. By Martin Sandison Dystopian Science Fiction has a prerequisite to be po-facedly serious in tone and downright depressing at times (see genre stalwarts Blade Runner and Brazil), and it’s about time a movie came along that alters this. Enter Takahide Hori’s Junk Head, a one-man show labour of love that manages to be an endlessly inventive, hilarious entrant … Continue reading
Crazy Couple (1979) Review
Director: Ricky Lau Writer: Raymond Wong Cast: Lau Kar Yung, Dean Shek, Lily Li Li Li, Eric Tsang, Peter Chan, Wong Ching, Fung Hak On, Ho Pak Kwong, Mars, Huang Ha, Chik Ngai Hung Running Time: 90 min. By Martin Sandison The nephew of the Lau brothers, Lau Kar Yung, certainly did not achieve as much in the martial arts film genre as Lau Kar Leung and Lau Kar Wing. The former, … Continue reading
Posted in All, Chinese, News, Reviews
Tagged Dean Shek, Eric Tsang, Fung Hak On, Lau Kar Yung, Lily Li Li-Li, Mars (Cheung Wing Fat), Peter Chan Lung, Ricky Lau
Exclusive: Interview with Hong Kong filmmaker Herman Yau
With dozens of credits as a cinematographer and director, Herman Yau is one of the most prolific filmmakers ever to have worked in Hong Kong cinema. His most notorious films have come in the horror genre, especially the extreme classics Bunman: The Untold Story and Ebola Syndrome. A return to this shocking cinema comes in the guise of The Sleep Curse, and a reunion with the legendary Anthony Wong. We had the … Continue reading
Posted in Interviews, News
New World (2013) Review
Director: Park Hoon-jung Writer: Park Hoon-jung Cast: Lee Jung-jae, Choi Min-sik, Hwang Jung-min, Song Ji-hyo, Park Sung-woong, Kim Yoon-seong, Na Kwang-hoon, Park Seo-yeon, Choi Il-hwa Running Time: 134 min. By Martin Sandison Filmmaker Park Hoon-jung has a limited filmography, but as the credited screenwriter on the all-time masterpiece I Saw the Devil, he started off his career very strongly. His 2nd film as director – following 2011’s The Showdown – is New World, an off-the-wall mix of gangster … Continue reading
Posted in All, Korean, News, Reviews
Tagged Choi Min-sik, Hwang Jung-min, Lee Jung-jae, Ma Dong-seok, Park Hoon-Jung
Chasing the Dragon (2017) Review
Director: Wong Jing Co-director: Jason Kwan Cast: Donnie Yen Ji-Dan, Andy Lau Tak-Wah, Kent Cheng, Phillip Keung, Wilfred Lau, Yu Kang, Kent Tong, Michelle Hu, Xu Dong-Dong, Felix Wong, Bryan Larkin, Philip Ng, Jonathan Lee, Lawrence Chou, Wang Qian-Yu, Kenneth Tsang, Chan Wai-Man, Terence Yin Chi Wai, Chun Wong Running Time: 112 min. By Martin Sandison By the age of 14 my appetite for martial arts movies was voracious, so every … Continue reading
Posted in All, Chinese, News, Reviews
Tagged Andy Lau Tak-Wah, Donnie Yen, Jason Kwan, Kenneth Tsang, Kent Cheng Jak Si, Michael Chan Wai Man, Philip Ng, Terence Yin, Wong Jing
Villainess, The (2017) Review
Director: Jeong Byeong-gil Cast: Kim Ok-bin, Shin Ha-kyun, Sung Joon, Kim Seo-hyung, Jo Eun-ji, Lee Seung-joo, Son Min-ji Running Time: 129 min. By Martin Sandison Some action movies come along that define a generation, or represent the cream of the crop when it comes to their respective Nation’s output at the time. Titles such as John Woo’s indescribable adrenalin rush of a movie Hard Boiled and Tony Jaa’s era-defining Ong … Continue reading
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