Author Archives: Paul Bramhall

Accident Man (2018) Review

Posted on January 17, 2018 by Paul Bramhall
"Accident Man" DVD Cover

Director: Jesse V. Johnson Cast: Scott Adkins, Ashley Greene, Michael Jai White, Amy Johnston, Ray Park, Ray Stevenson, David Paymer, Nick Moran, Perry Benson, Ross O’Hennessy, Roger Yuan, Lee Charles, Tim Man, Brooke Johnston, Stu Small Running Time: 105 min.  By Paul Bramhall With a new year upon us in the form of 2018, there are 2 things that I can safely guarantee. One is that we’ll be getting more Scott Adkins … Continue reading →

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

Bleeding Steel (2017) Review

Posted on January 12, 2018 by Paul Bramhall
"Bleeding Steel" Theatrical Poster

Director: Leo Zhang Cast: Jackie Chan, Show Lo, Nana Ou-Yang, Callan Mulvey, Tess Haubrich, Erica Xia-hou, Damien Garvey, Kaitlyn Boyé, Isabelle Wojciechowska, Olga Miller Running Time: 110 min. By Paul Bramhall To say that Jackie Chan has had a busy couple of years could well be construed as the understatement of the century. With starring roles in Skiptrace, Railroad Tigers, Kung Fu Yoga, The Foreigner, and now his latest with … Continue reading →

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

Our Top 15 Watched Movies of 2017

Posted on January 5, 2018 by Paul Bramhall

For various inexcusable reasons, last year I omitted posting a list of the best movies bore witness to in 2016. Thankfully 12 months on, looking back over my movie viewing habits of 2017, I can safely say there’s definitely been more good than bad. And when it was good, it was really good. So it seems apt to once more pull together a summary of titles I found myself categorizing … Continue reading →

Posted in Features, News |

Truth Beneath, The (2016) Review

Posted on January 4, 2018 by Paul Bramhall
"The Truth Beneath" Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Lee Kyoung-Mi Cast: Son Ye-Jin, Kim Ju-Hyeok, Kim So-Hee, Shin Ji-Hoon, Choi Yu-Hwa, Kim Min-Jae Running Time: 102 min. By Paul Bramhall There’s been a refreshing surge of female talent in Korean cinema during recent years, particularly behind the camera. Movies like Shin Su-won’s Madonna, and Jeong Joo-ri’s A Girl at my Door, are arguably highpoints of the country’s output in the post-2010 era, and in 2016 the director … Continue reading →

Posted in All, Korean, News, Reviews |

R100 (2013) Review

Posted on December 28, 2017 by Paul Bramhall
"R100" Theatrical Poster

Director: Hitoshi Matsumoto Cast: Nao Omori, Shinobu Terajima, Hitoshi Matsumoto, Ai Tominaga, Eriko Sato, Naomi Watanabe, You, Suzuki Matsuo, Atsuro Watabe, Gin Maeda, Katagiri Hairi, Lindsay Kay Hayward, Mao Daichi Running Time: 94 min. By Paul Bramhall Any discussion on director Hitoshi Matsumoto inevitably brings up a comparison with Takeshi ‘Beat’ Kitano. Much like Kitano, Matsumoto is also a famous Japanese TV personality that started off as (and still is) … Continue reading →

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

Re:Born (2016) Review

Posted on December 24, 2017 by Paul Bramhall
"Re:Born" Teaser Poster

Director: Yuji Shimomura Cast: Tak Sakaguchi, Yura Kondo, Takumi Saito, Mariko Shinoda, Akio Otsuka, Orson Mochizuki, Kenta Akami, Masaya Kato, Rina Takeda, Yoshitaka Inagawa Running Time: 100 min.  By Paul Bramhall The swansong of Tak Sakaguchi (here billed as Tak ∴), Re:Born has certainly had one of the more interesting journeys to the screen. Having been plucked from Japan’s underground street fighting circuit by director Ryuhei Kitamura to headline the 2000 cult hit Versus, Sakaguchi has maintained a … Continue reading →

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

Memoir of a Murderer (2016) Review

Posted on December 20, 2017 by Paul Bramhall

Director: Won Shin-yun Cast: Sul Kyung-gu, Kim Nam-gil, Kim Seol-hyun, Oh Dal-su, Shin Ki-joon, Hwang Seok-jeong, Gil Hae-yeon, Kim Han-joon, Kim Dong-hee, Kim Jung-young Running Time: 128 min. By Paul Bramhall There’s been many variations on the serial killer trope in Korea, often framed within a variety of genres. From the horror of Tell Me Something, to the mystery of Memories of Murder, to the visceral thrills of I Saw the Devil. Director Won Shin-yun’s latest delivers yet another variant … Continue reading →

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

Thunderbolt Fist, The (1972) Review

Posted on December 14, 2017 by Paul Bramhall
"The Thunderbolt Fist" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Chang Il-ho Producer: Runme Shaw Cast: Chuen Yuen, Shih Szu, James Nam, Fang Mien, Tung Lam, Lee Ka Ting, Wong Chin Feng, Yukio Someno, Gam Kei Chu, Chan Feng Chen, Cheung Hei Running Time: 86 min. By Paul Bramhall In the history of kung fu cinema, 1972 was one of the most significant years. The Shaw Brothers studio had imported several experienced directors and martial artists from Korea, and in this particular year … Continue reading →

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

Single Rider, A (2016) Review

Posted on December 11, 2017 by Paul Bramhall
"A Single Rider" Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Lee Zoo-young Cast: Lee Byung-hun, Gong Hyo-jin, Ahn So-hee, Jack Campbell, Yang Yoo-jin, Annika Whiteley, Kei Ekland, Baek Soo-jang, Choi Joon-young Running Time: 97 min. By Paul Bramhall If there was ever an example of an under the radar movie, then you’d be hard pressed to come across a better one than A Single Rider. Headlined by Korea’s most well-known actor, Lee Byung-hun, the low key production was his … Continue reading →

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Silent Assassins (1988) Review

Posted on December 6, 2017 by Paul Bramhall
"Silent Assassins" Theatrical Poster

Director: Lee Doo-Yong Cast: Sam Jones, Linda Blair, Jun Chong, Phillip Rhee, Mako, Bill Erwin, Gustav Vintas, Rebecca Ferratti, Bill Wallace, Alexis Rhee, Simon Rhee, Joanna Chong Running Time: 91 min. By Paul Bramhall Let’s be clear, there are only two kinds of people who should be checking out Silent Assassins. The first is the demographic that feels inexplicably drawn to a movie which would team up Flash Gordon with Regan from … Continue reading →

Posted in All, Asian Related, News, Ninja, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , |

Showdown | aka Duel: Final Round (2016) Review

Posted on November 29, 2017 by Paul Bramhall

Director: Sin Dong-yeop Writer: Min Kyeong-geun Cast: Lee Joo-Seung, Oh Ji-Ho, Lee Jung-Jin, in Jung-Keun, Eun-Seo, Joo Suk-Tae, Kang Shin-Chul, Im Chang-Jung, Ahn Sol-Bin, Lee Se-rang, Cherrish Ramirez Running Time: 97 min. By Paul Bramhall There can be no denying that the classic kung fu movie trope of a martial arts master challenging fellow martial artists has been around for a long time. In the 70’s there was the black caped Kwan … Continue reading →

Posted in All, Korean, News, Reviews |

Life Before Atomic Blonde: Female Action Leads in Mainstream Hollywood

Posted on November 14, 2017 by Paul Bramhall

With the recent release of the Charlize Theron starring Atomic Blonde, a disproportionate amount of mainstream press coverage has revolved around how refreshing it is to finally see a Hollywood movie with a female action lead. Understandably, many Asian cinema fans have been quick to point out how Hong Kong has delivered more butt kicking female leads than you can shake a stick at, dating back to the beginnings of … Continue reading →

Posted in Features, News |

36 Chambers of Shaolin: The Final Confrontation | aka The Shaolin Drunken Monk (1981) Review

Posted on November 10, 2017 by Paul Bramhall
"36 Chambers of Shaolin: The Final Confrontation" Theatrical Poster

AKA: Drunk 8 Blows, Crazy 8 Blows Director:Lee Yeong Co-director: Ulysses Au-Yeung Jun   Cast: Gordon Liu Chia-Hui, Chin Yuet-Sang, Eagle Han Ying, Wong Yat-Cho, Kwon Il-Soo, Hyeon Kil-Su, Choi Jeong-Il, Chang Mi-Hee, Kim Jeong-Jung, Kim Wuk, Kim Ki-Ju, Park Seong-sik, Kim Il-chung Running Time: 75/84 min. By Paul Bramhall Call me a masochist, but nothing beats trying to untangle the mystery of an obscure Korean kung fu movie. I’d like … Continue reading →

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

Taxi Driver, A (2017) Review

Posted on November 7, 2017 by Paul Bramhall
"A Taxi Driver" Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Jang Hoon Cast: Song Kang-Ho, Thomas Kretschmann, Yu Hae-Jin, Ryoo Joon-Yeol, Park Hyuk-Kwon, Choi Gwi-Hwa, Um Tae-Goo, Jeon Hye-Jin, Ko Chang-Seok, Kim Na-In Running Time: 137 min. By Paul Bramhall An interesting element of Korean cinema has always been how much the film industries output reflects the political climate of the time. When the nationalistic Park Geun-hye was elected in 2013, a slew of patriotic themed movies filled the theaters, … Continue reading →

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Buddhist Fist and Tiger Claws | aka Yong-ho’s Cousins (1981) Review

Posted on November 1, 2017 by Paul Bramhall
"Buddhist Fist and Tiger Claws" Korean Theatrical Poster

AKA: Yong-ho’s Cousins Director: Lee Hyeok-Su Cast: Charles Han Yong-Cheol, Hwang Jang-Lee, Nam Chung-Yat, Park Ae-Kyung, Han Kyung Running Time: 95 min. By Paul Bramhall Buddhist Fist and Tiger Claws is about as perfect an example of Godfrey Ho tampering that you’re likely to come across. A 1981 Korean production titled Yong-ho’s Cousins, directed by Lee Hyeok-su, it became one of the many Korean kung fu flicks that were picked … Continue reading →

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