Last year we compiled the Top 15 Bathroom Fight Scenes, so since we’ve now had time to fully digest, it feels only right to take a visit to that other room where the magic happens – the kitchen. Some might say a visit to the bathroom should come after the kitchen, but hey, at COF we don’t split hairs (or bills). The kitchen feels like the neglected cousin of the … Continue reading →

What would the end of a decade be without a look back on the movies which came out of it? We may no longer be in the golden era of fight flicks, but one only needs to spend a few moments thinking of the past 10 years, to realise there’s still plenty of talent with the enthusiasm and skill to create a great martial arts movie. From new blood like … Continue reading →

The following feature is about the many actors who have portrayed Bruce Lee in movies, TV and advertisements. In an effort to put together the most comprehensive list, I’ve also included those who portrayed him in ways that I can’t explain. It should also be noted that the term “biopics” should be taken lightly, as ALL biopics listed are extremely sensationalized. Yes, even the ones endorsed, produced and blessed by The Bruce Lee Estate (controlled … Continue reading →

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 →

PM Entertainment is a much-loved film production company from the height of the straight-to-video era. They began with tiny-budget crime and exploitation films but eventually rivaled Hollywood in terms of action spectacle. Their calling cards would become flipping cars, explosions and excessive violence on a large scale. They strived to outdo their DTV competitors by attempting the most daring action and stunt-work in American cinema. But apart from action, one … Continue reading →

The bathroom – that one room where you should feel the most safe. Whether it be taking a hot shower at the end of the day, or relieving yourself from the mornings coffee intake, there’s an unwritten rule that we should feel safe in the bathroom. However, that rule doesn’t apply in the world of action movies. Bathrooms are the place where an assassin can sneak up when you least … Continue reading →

It all comes back to Blockbuster Video. Sure, when you think of the former franchise’s early 2000’s heyday, you might resent them for ordering and taking up so much shelf space with 200 copies of Vin Diesel’s xXx that nobody wanted to rent. But in the midst of all the would-be Hollywood hits and Casper Van Dien Direct-to-DVD flicks, you would occasionally find a foreign film diamond in the rough. Such … Continue reading →

While I can definitively say that Jackie Chan introduced me to Hong Kong/Chinese cinema and that Godzilla opened the door for me to the world of Japanese cinema, it’s a little harder to remember where my appreciation for Korean film began. That’s interesting because I didn’t get into Korean movies until the last decade or so, whereas my interest in HK and Japanese film began much earlier. I think, unlike … Continue reading →

As a young kid of 18, I used to watch a British Television film review programme, then presented by Johnathan Ross. A major advocate of Eastern cinema, Ross is a larger than life character with an abundance of knowledge of especially Asian action movies. At the end of one programme there was a clip of the South Korean film Nowhere to Hide, featuring two characters fighting in the pouring rain, … Continue reading →

The irony isn’t lost on me that, considering I now devour more Korean cinema than any other countries output, unlike Hong Kong and Japan my first taste of it didn’t have me hook, line, and sinker. If anything, my introduction to the world of Korean cinema left me equal parts perplexed, but with an unshakable feeling that I wanted to see more. Looking back now I think I know why. … Continue reading →

Despite their doors being shuttered over a decade ago, Tower Records is a place that continues to loom large in many consumers’ nostalgic hearts. Don’t believe me? Just watch 2015’s All Things Must Pass, which –– while not a great documentary –– is admirably devoted to preserving the memory of the once great entertainment franchise. For media fans all over the globe, Tower served as a one-stop shop for vinyl … Continue reading →

Steven Seagal is something of an enigma, as his behaviour becomes increasingly bizarre and his claims more outlandish, he has become a joke. His bloated appearance and penchant for long coats make him a figure of fun, but the many claims of sexual harassment laid against him, means the joke is starting to wear thin. We all laughed when he famously stated that he is a reincarnation of a Buddhist … Continue reading →