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on You know, like Caine in ‘Kung Fu’? Martial arts star Donnie Yen to star and direct untitled ‘John Wick’ spin-offPersonally I find Donnie's directing uneven - Legend of the wolf was a mess,…
on STOP… Hammer time! 4K Ultra HD Limited Edition for the Hammer Film/Shaw Brothers classic ‘Shatter’ arriving in MayHammer doesn't own that many of their own films - most are owned by whichever…
on Feeling triggered? Future pressings of the ‘Bruceploitation Collection Vol. 1’ have you covered!This is the one that gets me today, this?! 😭
on STOP… Hammer time! 4K Ultra HD Limited Edition for the Hammer Film/Shaw Brothers classic ‘Shatter’ arriving in MayWhy? Giving Shatter this kind of 4K special treatment makes about as much sen…
on Karate and Kung Fu collide in the New Trailer for Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio’s upcoming ‘Karate Kid’ movieAm I the only one who thinks it's more of the same that you saw in the first…
on ‘Passenger 57’, move over! Andy Lau’s hijack thriller ‘High Forces’ is getting a U.S. release from China LionHigh Forces has been released on Blu-ray in the US - 25 March 2025 - by Bayvi…
on Richard Norton, ‘Gymkata’ and ‘City Hunter’ actor, martial artist, trainer and stunt performer, dies at 75My favorites with him are Twinkle Twinkle, and Magic Crystal. It’s interestin…
on Looking for some spear-slicing action? Donnie Yen’s ‘The Lost Bladesman’ arrives on Blu-ray from ImprintVery underrated Donnie Yen gem. The movie, along with Sakra, has arguably the…
on Wild, The (2023) ReviewThis review does a great job of breaking down the strengths and weaknesses of…
on Don’t fight what you can’t see! Arrow announces Blu-ray for Yoshiyuki Kuroda’s 1970 actioner ‘The Invisible Swordsman’Dear Arrow... Let "old" Asian cinema to 88 Films, Eureka, BFI n' Co.
on Kung Fu Rookie (2023) Review& just like that, Z Ravas reappeared after 5 years in the wilderness, the sam…
Author Archives: Paul Bramhall
The Birth of the Modern Korean Gangster Movie: The General’s Son Trilogy
While today many would consider the Korean film industries output to be some of the best in the world, it wasn’t always this way. Just 30 years ago, Korean cinema was in crisis, going through what could easily be argued to be one of its darkest periods. To fully understand why, it’s important to consider the situation the country was in at the time. South Korea finally achieved true democracy … Continue reading
Record of Sweet Murder, A (2014) Review
Director: Koji Shiraishi Writer: Koji Shiraishi Cast: Kim Kkobbi, Yeon Je-Wook, Ryotaro Yonemura, Tsukasa Aoi, Yeo Min-Jung, Koji Shiraishi Running Time: 86 min. By Paul Bramhall Japanese director Koji Shiraishi had, for a long time, carved out a niche for himself as the guy who makes grimy found-footage/docu-horror flicks. The likes of 2005’s Noroi: The Curse, 2009’s Occult, and 2011’s Cho Akunin, all feature some kind of first person perspective … Continue reading
Ash is Purest White (2018) Review
Director: Jia Zhang-Ke Writer: Jia Zhang-Ke Cast: Liao Fan, Zhao Tao, Feng Xiaogang, Xu Zheng, Zhang Yibai, Xuan Li, Casper Liang Running Time: 136 min. By Paul Bramhall In the world of cinema the word ‘epic’ gets thrown around a lot these days, with what often feels like little time spent on justifying if the movie in question is truly deserving of the description. However one movie that definitely warrants the … Continue reading
Dark Soul, The (2018) Review
Director: Bey Logan Writer: Bey Logan Cast: Kevin Brewerton, Lang-Xing Ye, Lo Meng, Bianca Stam, James Nan, Yang Yifan, Ray Li Running Time: 90 min. By Paul Bramhall It’s fair to say that any self-respecting review of The Dark Soul should get the elephant in the room out of the way at the start. The production marks the directorial debut of Hong Kong film expert Bey Logan (and no, it’s … Continue reading
Iceman: The Time Traveler (2018) Review
AKA: Iceman 2 Director: Raymond Yip Cast: Donnie Yen, Eva Huang, Wang Bao Qiang, Simon Yam, Yu Kang, Yasuaki Kurata, Maggie Jiang, Hans Marrero, Hee Ching Paw, Minowa Yasufumi, Chen Kuan-Tai Running Time: 88 min. By Paul Bramhall It’s been a long time since I watched a movie that left me so dumbfounded, I found myself staring at a blank screen for 10 minutes, struggling to figure out how best … Continue reading
Posted in All, Chinese, News, Reviews
Tagged Chen Kuan-tai, Donnie Yen, Simon Yam, Wang Baoqiang, Yasuaki Kurata
Avengement (2019) Review
Director: Jesse V. Johnson Cast: Scott Adkins, Craig Fairbrass, Nick Moran, Thomas Turgoose, Kierston Wareing, Louis Mandylor, Leo Gregory, Beau Fowler, Terence Maynard, Lee Charles Running Time: 90 min. By Paul Bramhall In the world of DTV action movies, Scott Adkins in prison normally only means one thing – he’s back for another round of playing Boyka in the Undisputed series. That is, until now. Avengement marks the fifth collaboration … Continue reading
Posted in All, Asian Related, News, Other Movies, Reviews
Tagged Jesse V. Johnson, Lee Charles, Louis Mandylor, Scott Adkins
Steel Rain (2017) Review
Director: Yang Woo-Seok Cast: Jung Woo-Sung, Kwak Do-Won, Kim Kap-Soo, im Eui-Sung, Lee Kyoung-Young, Jo Woo-Jin, Park Eun-Hye, Ahn Mi-Na, Won Jin-A, Park Sun-Young Running Time: 139 min. By Paul Bramhall With improving relations between South and North Korea, the theme of mutual understanding between the divided nation has also begun to be reflected in the South’s cinematic output in recent years. Movies like Confidential Assignment and The Spy Gone … Continue reading
Killer Angels (1989) Review
Director: Tony Liu Chun-ku Cast: Moon Lee, Gordon Liu, Lau Siu Kwan, Leung Kar Yan, Fujimi Nadeki, Kingdom Yuen King Tan, Shing Fui On, Ng Man Tat, Tony Liu Jun Guk, Mark Houghton Running Time: 91 min. By Paul Bramhall Like most fans of Hong Kong action, I have a soft spot for the Girls with Guns genre. Sure it was short lived (almost every entry that falls under the … Continue reading
Posted in All, Chinese, Golden Harvest, News, Reviews
Tagged Gordon Liu, Leung Kar-Yan (Beardy), Mark Houghton, Moon Lee, Shing Fui On
Maria (2019) Review
Director: Pedring Lopez Cast: Cristine Reyes, Germaine De Leon, KC Montero, Guji Lorenzana, Freddie Webb, Jennifer Lee, Cindy Miranda, L.A. Santos, Ronald Moreno, Ronnie Lazaro, Andrea Del Rosario, Johnny Revilla, Sonny Sison Running Time: 90 min. By Paul Bramhall Say what you want about Atomic Blonde, but one thing we do have the 2017 Charlize Theron actioner to thank for, is the resurgence of the female lead action flick. While … Continue reading
Shadow (2018) Review
Director: Zhang Yimou Writer: Zhang Yimou Cast: Deng Chao, Sun Li, Ryan Zheng Kai, Leo Wu, Wang Qianyuan, Hu Jun, Guan Xiaotong Running Time: 116 min. By Paul Bramhall In a year that saw the Chinese film industry more concerned with ensuring its finances where in order than it was with actually making any films (thanks Fan Bingbing!), fifth generation director Zhang Yimou’s latest production Shadow arrived in a decidedly understated manner, with … Continue reading
Hidden Man (2018) Review
Director: Jiang Wen Cast: Eddie Peng, Liao Fan, Jiang Wen, Zhou Yun, Xu Qing, Kenya Sawada, Li Meng, Yuan Shanshan, Ding Jiali, Shi Hang, Paul Morris, Junichi Kajioka, Chen Xi Running Time: 137 min. By Paul Bramhall While for many Jiang Wen may be most recognizable as that guy who threatened to act Donnie Yen off the screen whenever they appeared together in 2011’s The Lost Bladesman, he’s also one … Continue reading
Posted in All, Chinese, News, Reviews
Tagged Eddie Peng, Jiang Wen, Kenya Sawada, Liao Fan
Wonder Seven (1994) Review
Director: Ching Siu-Tung Cast: Michelle Yeoh, Kent Cheng, Andy Hui Chi On, Hung Yan Yan, Vincent Lau Tak, Kwan Shan, Elvis Tsui Kam Kong, Chin Ho, Hilary Tsui Ho Ying, Guan Shan Running Time: 88 min. By Paul Bramhall By the mid-90’s Hong Kong audiences appetite for the new wave wuxia boom was starting to wane. The likes of the Swordsman trilogy (and, well, any early 90’s movie starring Brigitte Lin) had wowed audiences … Continue reading
Posted in All, Chinese, News, Reviews
Tagged Ching Siu-tung, Elvis Tsui, Hung Yan Yan, Kent Cheng Jak Si, Michelle Yeoh
JCVD’s ‘Full Love’ follows ‘The Eagle Path’ to a 3-Disc Blu-ray
It may have taken a long time to get here, but this year, newly established U.S. distributor JVD Rewind will finally release Jean-Claude Van Damme’s long gesticulating sophomore feature as a director, Full Love, as a 3-disc Blu-ray special edition. Read the official press release sent exclusively to City on Fire from JVD Rewind: After a career reviving turn in 2008’s JCVD, the Muscles from Brussels returned to the director’s … Continue reading
Is that a Threat? – An Interview with Jesse V. Johnson
There’s an old adage that goes ‘too many cooks spoil the broth’, and Jesse V. Johnson’s latest action extravaganza, Triple Threat, comes loaded to the brim with cooks, and ones that can fight at that. Thankfully though, Johnson runs a tight kitchen, and against the odds the British stuntman turned director has delivered a dish that gives a plethora of martial arts talent their own individual moments to shine – … Continue reading
Posted in Interviews, News
Project Gutenberg (2018) Review
Director: Felix Chong Cast: Chow Yun-fat, Aaron Kwok, Zhang Jung-Chu, Joyce Feng, Catherine Chow, Alex Fong, Liu Kai-chi, Yao-Qing Wang, Alien Sun, Carl Ng, Leung Kin-Ping Running Time: 130 min. By Paul Bramhall When a trailer gets released for a movie, it has one job – to make people want to come and see it. Most trailers do that through editing together some of the key moments in order to grab the … Continue reading
Posted in All, Chinese, News, Reviews
Tagged Aaron Kwok, Alex Fong Chung Sun, Chow Yun-fat, Felix Chong
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