Is there any greater cinematic crime, in this day in age, than a Donnie Yen action flick not receiving distribution in the West? And yet this remains the case with 2011’s The Lost Bladesman. This is a historical epic based around the classic novel The Romance of the Three Kingdoms and starring Donnie Yen as the legendary god general Guan Yu. It arrives from writing and directing team Alan Mak … Continue reading →

Before he wowed international audiences with his blistering Korean War drama The Front Line, director Jung Hun delivered a decidedly modern thriller in Secret Reunion. This 2010 film stars Korea’s most recognizable actor, Song Kang-ho (Thirst, The Host, Memories of Murder), alongside Kang Dong-Won of Haunters fame in a North vs. South Korea spy game. Song Kang-ho plays a disgraced federal agent who alternately hunts down and befriends Kang Dong-Won’s … Continue reading →

Ah, who can forget the 1980’s practice of taking popular and long-running anime series and chopping them down, editing them for content, and dubbing them for American children? Cartoons like Robotech and Star Blazers were landmark shows for a generation of kids who had no idea these high-tech space operas were from Japan until they got much older. Now the series that inspired Star Blazers, Space Battleship Yamato, is making … Continue reading →

Here at Cityonfire.com, we universally love Peter Chan’s 2011 film Wu Xia. Guest reviewer DiP gave it a 10/10; Mighty Peking Man said that if it was the kind of martial arts film Bruce Lee would make if he were still alive; while HKFanatic called it Donnie Yen’s best role since 2008’s Ip Man. In the film, Donnie Yen plays a family man with a dark past. When two criminals … Continue reading →

It’s not an easy being a monk. You’ve got to abstain from earthly pleasures and stay focused on the holy path. And sometimes you’re called upon to kick demon ass. At least that’s what happens to Jet Li in The Sorcerer and the White Snake, the 2011 Chinese-language CG-infused blockbuster from acclaimed director Ching Siu Tung (Duel to the Death, Dr. Wai in the Scriptures With No Words). The film … Continue reading →

Monster movie Sector 7 didn’t exactly earn glowing reviews last year but it did go on to become the highest-grossing Korean-language film of all time in China. How can you go wrong with a crew of workers trapped on an oil rig and besieged by a slimy, tentacled monster? That’s a golden premise. Trusted retailer DDDHouse is now accepting pre-orders on the 3D Region A Blu-ray for $28.85. The disc … Continue reading →

Back in 2004, the supernatural military thriller R-Point was a hit at both the Korean domestic box office and in the States as part of Tartan’s beloved “Asia Extreme” DVD line. Now the director of that film, Su-chang Kong, is back with a new tale of terror, GP506 (also known as The Guard Post). On February 13, this 2008 film will arrive on Region A blu-ray for only $16.03 at … Continue reading →

Since retiring from the film business, the Shaw Brothers have transformed into a successful television production studio known as TVB. One of their biggest hits was a series called Lives of Omission starring Michael Tse. That show was actually a spin-off of another franchise – confused yet? – but the link between all of them was the popularity of Michael Tse’s character, known as Laughing Gor. This character, a tough … Continue reading →

Directed/written by Alan Mak and Felix Chong (“Infernal Affairs Trilogy”); Starring Lau Ching Wan (“A Hero Never Dies”), Louis Koo (“Bullets Over Summer”) and Daniel Wu (“Shinjuku Incident”), and produced by Derek Yee (“One Nite in Mongkok”). The movie will be released on August 18. Check out the trailer here. – Thanks to DiP for the heads up Update: This film is now available on Region A blu-ray and All … Continue reading →

Twitch has your first look at the trailer for Fist of Legend director Gordan Chan’s next film, the stylish fantasy-action-romance Mural. The project began as a proposed sequel to 2008’s Painted Skin but soon became its own entity. The story concerns two bandits who are swept into an alternate world populated by beautiful women and creepy foes. Somehow this gives way to plenty of special FX-assisted battles and a cameo … Continue reading →

Thanks to hit action-thrillers like Fire of Conscience and The Viral Factor, Dante Lam is arguably the biggest director in Hong Kong cinema right now. That might lead you to believe that all of his recent films would be readily available on Region 1 DVD, but sadly that’s not the case. His 2009 film The Sniper, starring Richie Ren and Edison Chen, has still not seen a release in the … Continue reading →

SIU is a high-octane police thriller from the booming Korean film industry. The plot concerns two cops with differing methods who are tasked with investigating a drug-related murder. It doesn’t take long for the trail of corruption to lead to their own department. The film’s trailer promises pulse-pounding suspense, slick cinematography, and plenty of chase scenes. SIU will arrive on Korean DVD on February 14th. It was directed by Hwang … Continue reading →

Hong Kong director Wilson Yip may be best known in the West for his martial arts collaborations with Donnie Yen, like Ip Man and Flash Point, but he’s no stranger to special effects-laden blockbusters either. In 2006, he brought a Chinese manga to life with Dragon Tiger Gate, starring Donnie Yen and Nicolas Tse. That effort only won him mixed reception but now Yip is back with another film full … Continue reading →

Once I saw the trailer for this film, I just had to post about it. From acclaimed Hong Kong director Wong Ching Po (Jiang Hu AKA Triad Underworld, Revenge: A Love Story) comes Let’s Go, an over-the-top action yarn about a group of everyday individuals who band together with a common goal: to kick evil in the ass. This slick, stylized, and commercial flick is inspired by Japanese superheros and … Continue reading →

Director Daniel Lee (14 Blades) has wrapped up White Vengeance (aka Hong Men Yan), a Chinese historical film that centers on the Feast at Hong Gate/Hongmen Banquet, one of the important events in the Chu–Han Contention. The film stars Leon Lai (A Hero Never Dies), Jordan Chan (Men Suddenly in Black), Anthony Wong (Beast Cops), Andy On (Black Mask 2), Crystal Liu (The Forbidden Kingdom), and Zhang Hanyu (Bodyguards and … Continue reading →