Author Archives: Paul Bramhall

I Know Kung Fu: The Second Golden Era of Collecting Kung Fu

By Paul Bramhall Many kung fu movie fans who have been around since the genre’s beginnings would arguably call the 70’s and 80’s the golden era. It was a time when the movies could be experienced first hand as they were released – whether it be going to check out Five Fingers of Death at a grindhouse movie theater on 42nd Street in New York, or heading down to the … Continue reading

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Gangnam Blues (2015) Review

AKA: Gangnam 1970 Director: Yu Ha (aka Yoo Ha) Cast: Lee Min-Ho, Kim Rae-Won, Jung Jin-Young, Seol Hyun, Kim Ji-Su, Lee Yeon-Doo, Jung Ho-Bin, Eom Hyo-Seop, Yoo Seung-Mok, Lee Suk, Choi Jin-Ho Running Time: 135 min. By Paul Bramhall Former poet turned director and script writer Yoo Ha makes his long overdue return to the gangster genre with Gangnam Blues. Ha, whose 2006 movie A Dirty Carnival is considered a … Continue reading

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Strike of Thunderkick Tiger (1981) Review

"Strike of Thunderkick Tiger" Korean Theatrical Poster

AKA: My Name is Twin Legs Director: Park Woo Sang Cast: Charles Han, Casanova Wong, Bak Min Wong, Han Jee Ha, Peggy Min, Lisa Lee, Billy Yuen, Alfred Ma, Chan Taiyun, Dragon Lee, Phillip Leung, David Kao Running Time: 85 min. By Paul Bramhall The Korean old-school kung fu movie is without doubt the most bastardized genre out there. To this day, the number of legitimate releases of old school … Continue reading

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Girl at My Door, A (2014) Review

"A Girl at My Door" Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Jeong Joo-ri Producer: Lee Jun-Dong Cast: Bae Doo-Na, Kim Sae-Ron, Song Sae-Byuk, Kim Jin-Gu, Son Jong-Hak, Na Jong-Min Running Time: 119 min. By Paul Bramhall Korea has arguably been producing the best movies to come out of Asia for the last 15 years, however one criticism of the industry has always been the lack of lead roles for women, outside of romantic comedies and flower vase roles in male … Continue reading

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Ace Attorney (2012) Review

"Ace Attorney" Japanese Theatrical Poster

Director: Takashi Miike Cast: Hiroki Narimiya, Takumi Saito, Mirei Kiritani, Akiyoshi Nakao, Shunsuke Daito, Akira Emoto, Rei Dan, Mitsuki Tanimura, Takehiro Hira, Eisuke Sasai Running Time: 135 min. By Paul Bramhall Anyone with even a passing interest in Asian cinema will most likely be familiar with the name of director Takashi Miike. From the early-90’s, all the way up to the mid-2000’s, Miike was responsible for some of the most … Continue reading

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Slaughter in Xian (1989) Review

"Slaughter in Xian" Chinese Poster

AKA: Xian Massacre Director: Chang Cheh Cast: Tung Chi Hwa, Cecilia Wong Hang Sau, Du Yu Ming, Jia Kang Xi, Ku Wing Chuen, Wong Heung Wai Running Time: 100 min. By Paul Bramhall Director Chang Cheh is commonly referred to as ‘the Godfather of Hong Kong action cinema’, and it’s a title well deserved. In 1967 he cast Jimmy Wang Yu in The-One Armed Swordsman at a time when most … Continue reading

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Taking Manhattan (1992) Review

"Taking Manhattan" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Kirk Wong Producer: Eric Tsang Cast: Carrie Ng, Lui Chi Yin, Andrew Chan Gwan, Jeff Lee Tak Wing, David Lea, Connie Cabret, Alana Jerins, Michael Lewis, Angelo Lopez, Jaclyn Ngai, Benny Nieves Running Time: 85 min. By Paul Bramhall It’s common knowledge that many Hong Kong directors have, in the past, tried their hand at making a movie in an English speaking country. Philip Ko brought Simon Yam to … Continue reading

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Switch (2013) Review

Director: Jay Sun Writer: Jay Sun Cast: Andy Lau, Tong Dawei, Zhang Jing Chu, Lin Chi-ling, Siqin Gaowa, Liu Yu Qi, Wu Xiu Bo Running Time: 122 min. By Paul Bramhall With China quickly becoming one of the biggest movie markets in the world, the temptation to appeal to the sizable Chinese box office has seen a lot of the studios adjusting their output for the audience there. Hollywood co-productions … Continue reading

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Divine Move, The (2014) Review

The Divine Move | Blu-ray & DVD (CJ Entertainment)

Director: Jo Beom-Goo Writer: Yu Seong-Hyeop Cast: Jeong Woo-Sung, Lee Bum-Soo, Ahn Seong-Gi, Kim In-Kwon, Lee Si-Young, Ahn Gil-Gang, Lee Do-Kyung, Choi Jin-Hyuk, Jeong Hae-Gyun, Ahn Seo-Hyun Running Time: 118 min. By Paul Bramhall The gambling genre seems to come in and out of fashion in Asian cinema. The early 80’s gave us Shaw Brothers gambling flicks such as Challenge of the Gamesters, by the early 90’s we had Chow … Continue reading

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Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films (2014) Review

"Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films" Theatrical Poster

Director: Mark Hartley Writer: Mark Hartley Cast: Olivia d’Abo, John G. Avildsen, Martine Beswick, Richard Chamberlain, Bo Derek, Lucinda Dickey, Michael Dudikoff, Robert Forster, Elliott Gould, Tobe Hooper, Dolph Lundgren, Franco Nero, Molly Ringwald, Robin Sherwood, Alex Winter, Franco Zeffirelli, Albert Pyun Running Time: 107 min. By Paul Bramhall As a child growing up in the 80’s, I have fond memories of my early movie watching days. Often the TV … Continue reading

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Future Hunters | aka Deadly Quest (1986) Review

"Future Hunters" VHS Cover

AKA: Spear of Destiny Director: Cirio H. Santiago Cast: Robert Patrick, Linda Carol, Ed Crick, Bob Schott, David Light, Paul Holmes, Peter Shilton, Ursula Marquez, Elizabeth Oropesa, Bruce Le (aka Huang Kin Long, Wong Kin Lung), Hwang Jang Lee, Richard Norton, Mike Abbott Running Time: 96 min. By Paul Bramhall There are some movies which simple defy normal comprehension, and even before reading any sort of synopsis, just by looking … Continue reading

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Our Top 15 Watched Movies of 2014

With 2014 coming to a close, it’s nice to look back and remember those moments that, especially for genre fans like ourselves, for every movie that made us bang our head against the nearest wall and accept that 2 hours of our lives have just been wasted, there’s also those movies that made us go, “Wow! What took me so long to watch this!?”, or if the movie is starring … Continue reading

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Man on High Heels (2014) Review

"Man on High Heels" Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Jang Jin Cast: Cha Seung-Won, Oh Jeong-Se, Lee Som, Go Kyung-Pyo, Shin Sung-Hun, Jo Bok-Rae Running Time: 125 min. By Paul Bramhall In many ways the gangster genre is to the Korean movie industry what the heroic bloodshed genre was to the Hong Kong movie industry of the 90’s. Ever since Korean cinema gained international recognition in the late 90’s, every year we can be guaranteed a hard hitting … Continue reading

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Lupin the Third (2014) Review

AKA: Lupin III Director: Ryuhei Kitamura Writer: Mataichiro Yamamoto, Monkey Punch Cast: Shun Oguri, Meisa Kuroki, Gou Ayano, Tadanobu Asano, Tetsuji Tamayama, Vithaya Pansringarm, Rhatha Phongam, Thanayong Wongtrakul, Kim Jun, Jerry Yan, Nirut Sirichanya, Nick Tate, Yoshiyuki Yamaguchi, Yuka Nakayama Running Time: 133 min. By Paul Bramhall When director Ryuhei Kitamura hit the scene in 2000 with his low budget zombie kung fu hybrid, Versus, critics were quick to announce … Continue reading

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No Tears for the Dead (2014) Review

"No Tears for the Dead" Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Lee Jeong-beom Cast: Jang Dong-Gun, Kim Min-Hee, Kim Hee-Won, Kim Jun-Sung, Go Woo-Lim, Ju Young-Ho, Jang In-Seop, Lee Seung-Chan, Park Sang-Hun, Brian Tee Running Time: 116 min. By Paul Bramhaull Director and writer Lee Jeong-beom quickly came to the attention of action movie aficionado’s in 2010 with the release of The Man from Nowhere. A Korean movie starring Won Bin as a mopish pawn shop attendant with a tragic … Continue reading

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