Author Archives: Paul Bramhall

Keep Calm and Be a Superstar (2018) Review

Posted on September 10, 2018 by Paul Bramhall
"Keep Calm and Be a Superstar" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Vincent Kok Cast: Eason Chan Yick-shun, Li Rong-Hao, Cui Zhi-Jia, Li Yi-Tong, Zheng Ji-Feng, Danny Chan Kwok-kwan, Wilfred Lau Ho-Lung, Hui Siu-Hung, Chris Collins, Vincent Kok Tak-chiu , Edward Ma, Lam Tze-Chung, Steven Fung Running Time: 98 min. By Paul Bramhall Most fans of Hong Kong cinema will be familiar with Jackie Chan and Wong Jing’s reported inability to get along while making City Hunter in 1993. As a … Continue reading →

Posted in All, Chinese, News, Reviews | Tagged , , , |

Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum (2018) Review

Posted on September 4, 2018 by Paul Bramhall
Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

Director: Jung Bum-Sik Cast: Wi Ha-Joon, Park Ji-Hyun, Oh Ah-Yeon, Moon Ye-Won, Park Sung-Hoon, Lee Seung-Wook Running Time: 94 min. By Paul Bramhall The found footage horror film could be said to have started with Italian filmmaker Ruggero Deodato’s notorious 1980 jungle nightmare Cannibal Holocaust, but for many viewers it will arguably be a movie that came almost 20 years later, in the form of The Blair Witch Project, that … Continue reading →

Posted in All, Korean, News, Reviews |

Big Brother (2018) Review

Posted on August 29, 2018 by Paul Bramhall
Big Brother | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

Director: Kam Ka-Wai Cast: Donnie Yen, Joe Chen, Yu Kang, Brahim Achabbakhe, Tom Caserto, Alfred Cheung, Ye Fan, Semiquaver Iafeta, Tin-Lung Koo, Gladys Li, Ka Wah Lam, Mike Leeder, Jess Liaudin, Billy Lau Nam-Kwong, Fung Lee, Brahim Chab Running Time: 101 min.  By Paul Bramhall In the last 3 years alone Donnie Yen has played a kung fu master, a wandering swordsman, a sci-fi version of Zatoichi, a kick ass … Continue reading →

Posted in All, Chinese, News, Reviews | Tagged , , , |

Meg, The (2018) Review

Posted on August 22, 2018 by Paul Bramhall
"The Meg" international Trailer

Director: Jon Turteltaub Cast: Jason Statham, Li Bingbing, Rainn Wilson, Ruby Rose, Winston Chao, Cliff Curtis, Shuya Sophia Cai, Page Kennedy, Robert Taylor, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson Running Time: 113 min. By Paul Bramhall Let’s just get it out of the way upfront. Yes, The Meg is the movie which puts Jason Statham on equal footing with Jackie Chan. Is there another star out there who’s had the pleasure of starring alongside … Continue reading →

Posted in All, Asian Related, News, Other Movies, Reviews | Tagged , , , |

Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings (2018) Review

Posted on August 15, 2018 by Paul Bramhall
"Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Tsui Hark Writer: Chang Chia-lu Cast: Mark Chao, William Feng Shaofeng, Kenny Lin Gengxin, Carina Lau, Ethan Juan, Sandra Ma, Ma Sichun, Chien Sheng, Yang Yiwei Running Time: 132 min. By Paul Bramhall Before you express concern, don’t panic, the latest entry in the Detective Dee series has nothing to do with the wily sleuth investigating a crime spree instigated by Andy Lau, Aaron Kwok, Jacky Cheung, and Leon Lai. With that … Continue reading →

Posted in All, Chinese, News, Reviews | Tagged , , , , |

Eastern Cherries – First Experiences of Asian Cinema: Hong Kong & China Edition Part I

Posted on August 7, 2018 by Paul Bramhall

Over the coming months, myself and other regular contributors here at cityonfire will be weighing in with what movie it was that first got us into Asian cinema. We’ll be breaking it down into 3 regions – Hong Kong/China, Japan, and Korea – in that order, with a month dedicated to each. First out of the gates, as expected, is Hong Kong and China. Most likely the gateway for many … Continue reading →

Posted in Features, News |

Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018) Review

Posted on August 4, 2018 by Paul Bramhall
"Mission: Impossible – Fallout" Japanese Theatrical Poster

Director: Christopher McQuarrie Writer: Christopher McQuarrie Cast: Tom Cruise, Henry Cavill, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Sean Harris, Angela Bassett, Michelle Monaghan, Alec Baldwin, Liang Yang Running Time: 147 min. By Paul Bramhall In the closing of my review for Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, I’d mentioned how if Tom Cruise waited until 2020 to grace us with another instalment of the franchise, I’d still be first in line to … Continue reading →

Posted in All, News, Other Movies, Reviews | Tagged , , , , |

Super Powerful Man | aka The Story of Ricky 2: Dint King Inside King (2004) Review

Posted on August 3, 2018 by Paul Bramhall

Director: Muk Baak-Ji Producer: Chow Pei Hok Cast: Fan Siu Wong, Leung Kar-Yan, Carisa Yan Wing-San, Ricky Ng Kwok-Sing, Hoh Hung-Kwan Running Time: 93 min. By Paul Bramhall Director Lam Nai-Choi’s 1991 splatter fest, The Story of Ricky, is one of the movies that got me into the wilder side of Hong Kong cinema. An almost relentless barrage of eye ball popping, intestine strangling, stomach exploding goodness, it quickly achieved cult status in … Continue reading →

Posted in All, Chinese, News, Reviews | Tagged , |

Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days (2018) Review

Posted on July 30, 2018 by Paul Bramhall
"Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days" Teaser Poster

Director: Kim Yong-Hwa Writer: Kim Yong-Hwa Cast: Ha Jung-Woo, Ju Ji-Hoon, Kim Hyang-Gi, Ma Dong-Seok, Kim Dong-Wook, Lee Jung-Jae, Jo Han-Chul, Kim Myung-Gon, Il-woo Nam Running Time: 141 min. By Paul Bramhall It’s been less than a year since Along With the Gods: The Two Worlds hit cinema screens, and already the second part of the consecutively filmed pair is upon us with Along With the Gods: The Last 49 … Continue reading →

Posted in All, Korean, News, Reviews | Tagged , , , , |

Heart Blackened (2017) Review

Posted on July 27, 2018 by Paul Bramhall
"Heart Blackened" Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Jeong Ji-woo Cast: Choi Min-Sik, Park Shin-Hye, Ryoo Joon-Yeol, Lee Honey, Park Hae-Joon, Lee Soo-Kyung Running Time: 125 min. By Paul Bramhall The current trend of Asian movies being remade within the region shows no signs of slowing down, with most recently China remaking the Korean movie A Hard Day into Peace Breaker, and Korea returning the favour by remaking Drug War into Believer. In Believer, Korean actor Choi … Continue reading →

Posted in All, Korean, News, Reviews | Tagged |

Ajin: Demi Human (2017) Review

Posted on July 20, 2018 by Paul Bramhall
"Ajin: Demi Human" Japanese Theatrical Poster

Director: Katsuyuki Motohiro Manga: Gamon Sakurai Cast: Takeru Satoh, Gou Ayano, Yuu Shirota, Yudai Chiba, Yuki Yamada, Tetsuji Tamayama, Rina Kawaei, Minami Hamabe, Hiroshi Shinagawa Running Time: 109 min. By Paul Bramhall For those who’ve become jaded when faced with the endless superhero franchises that have come to dominate Hollywood in recent years, then chances are they haven’t had to suffer through any of Japan’s big screen manga adaptations. While … Continue reading →

Posted in All, Japanese, News, Reviews |

Thousand Faces of Dunjia, The (2017) Review

Posted on July 11, 2018 by Paul Bramhall
Thousand Faces of Dunjia | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

Director: Yuen Woo-ping Writer: Tsui Hark Cast: Da Peng, Ni Ni, Aarif Lee Chi-Ting, Zhou Dong-Yu, Wu Bai, Ada Liu Yan, Tiger Xu, Yang Yiwei, Mo Tse, Xu Ming-Hu, Sun Mingming, Zhang Yiqian Running Time: 110 min. By Paul Bramhall In 2015 it was announced that master choreographer Yuen Woo-Ping would be teaming up with visionary auteur Tsui Hark to remake The Miracle Fighters, Woo-Ping’s madcap fantasy from 1982, that … Continue reading →

Posted in All, Chinese, News, Reviews | Tagged , , , , |

Enter the Dragon: The Most Overrated Kung Fu Movie Ever?

Posted on July 5, 2018 by Paul Bramhall

I get it, Enter the Dragon is an iconic movie. Ever seen a t-shirt of Bruce Lee? Chances are the image on it is one of him poised in a kung fu stance, three bloody scratches adorning his chest, his face alive with intensity. It’s an image from the finale of said title, and even today, 45 years on, it’s one that endures. It’s also a landmark movie, for its … Continue reading →

Posted in Features, News |

Legend of the Demon Cat (2017) Review

Posted on June 25, 2018 by Paul Bramhall
"Legend of the Demon Cat" Theatrical Poster

Director: Chen Kaige Cast: Shota Sometani, Huang Xuan, Hiroshi Abe, Sandrine Pinna, Keiko Matsuzaka, Shohei Hino, Zhang Luyi, Baiqing Xin, Tian Yu, Qin Hao, Crystal Zhang Tian-Ai Running Time: 132 min.  By Paul Bramhall It’s been 3 years since fifth generation alumni Chen Kaige made his ill-advised wuxia caper Monk Comes Down the Mountain, however far from looking like a director licking his wounds, Kaige’s latest storms out the gates … Continue reading →

Posted in All, Chinese, Japanese, News, Reviews | Tagged |

Better Tomorrow 2018, A (2018) Review

Posted on June 20, 2018 by Paul Bramhall
"A Better Tomorrow 2018" Theatrical Poster

Director: Ding Sheng Cast: Wang Kai, Ma Tian-Yu, Darren Wang Ta-Lu, Yu Ai-Lei, Lam Suet, Wu Yue, Vivien Li Meng, Zhang Yi-Shang, Jiang Pei-Yao, Mario Li Mincheng, Ning Hao Running Time: 140 min. By Paul Bramhall If you ask any fan of Hong Kong cinema what their opinion is on remaking the 1986 John Woo classic, A Better Tomorrow, then the likely answer will be that it’s a bad idea. Woo’s … Continue reading →

Posted in All, Chinese, News, Reviews | Tagged |
  1. Pages:
  3. 1
  4. ...
  5. 24
  6. 25
  7. 26
  8. 27
  9. 28
  10. 29
  11. 30
  12. 31
  13. 32
  14. 33
  15. 34
  16. ...
  17. 46