Category Archives: News

Wine War (2017) Review

"Wine War" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Leon Lai Writer: Succeed Be Cast: Leon Lai, Zhang Hanyu, Nan Fulong, Lily Ji Li, Du Juan, David Wang, Huang Shang-Ho Running Time: 80 min. By Paul Bramhall Out of the Four Heavenly Kings of Cantopop – Andy Lau, Aaron Kwok, Jacky Cheung, and Leon Lai – it’s always been youngest member Lai that’s had the most difficulty transitioning his onstage pop star charisma to the silver screen. Ladened with … Continue reading

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Once Upon a Time | Blu-ray (Well Go USA)

RELEASE DATE: May 1, 2018 On May 1, 2018, Well Go USA will be releasing the Blu-ray for Once Upon a Time, a fantasy thriller from Zhao Xiaoding (filmmaker best known for his acclaimed cinematography work for films such as House of Flying Daggers and The Great Wall). Based on the best-selling fantasy novel “To the Sky Kingdom,” Once Upon a Time is a story of epic battles, deep passion, and the powerful forces that drive mortals … Continue reading

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Ridley Scott to produce Chinese actioner ‘Amman Mission’?

Legendary filmmaker Ridley Scott (Alien, Black Rain, Blade Runner) is in-talks to produce Amman Mission (or Goodbye, Kuwait in Chinese) for China’s Zhejiang Talent Television and Film Co. According to THR, Amman Mission is an action-thriller based on the evacuation of Chinese nationals in 1990 during the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Budgeted at $35 million, the film will be shot in the Chinese regions of Ningxia and Xinjiang, as well as in Kuwait. The same source … Continue reading

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Third Murder, The (2017) Review

Director: Hirokazu Koreeda Cast: Masaharu Fukuyama, Koji Yakusho, Suzu Hirose, Yuki Saito, Kotaro Yoshida, Shinnosuke Mitsushima, Mikako Ichikawa, Isao Hashizume, Izumi Matsuoka Running Time: 124 min. By Martin Sandison Director Hirokazu Koreeda has gone from strength to strength in the last ten years, with a strong following thanks to films such as Still Walking and Our Little Sister. His most recent, The Third Murder, swept the Japanese Academy Prize last week … Continue reading

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A sequel to Jet Li’s ‘Shaolin Temple’ in the works?

Okay, this is definitely the strangest news to come out of the Filmart 2018 event. Apparently, a sequel to Jet Li’s 1982 debut film, The Shaolin Temple, is in-the-works. As Hong Kong film historian Ricky Baker (of Eastern Heroes) says: “It’s official. The Shaolin Temple sequel NOT starring Jet Li,” followed by a shot of the film’s preliminary poster, which features what appears to be shadowy figure of Li. In other words, don’t get your hopes up … Continue reading

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As the Gods Will | Blu-ray & DVD (Funimation)

RELEASE DATE: June 5, 2018 On June 5, 2018, Funimation will be releasing the Blu-ray & DVD combo for As the Gods Will (read our review), directed by the one, the only Takashi Miike (13 Assassins, Blade of the Immortal). If you’ve seen the Battle Royale and Hunger Games movies, and you still can’t get enough of teenagers killing one another, then look no further than As the Gods Will (aka As God Says). In … Continue reading

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Peng Zhang’s fantasy actioner ‘Asura’ gets a New Trailer

This summer will see the release of the fantasy-adventure Asura (not to be confused with the Korean crime film), the directorial debut of noted stunt coordinator Peng Zhang (The Wrath of Vajra, Kick-Ass). The big budget film is said to be the first in a trilogy to be released at a later date. The story is set in Asura, the dimension of pure desire according to ancient Buddhist mythology. The mythical realm is … Continue reading

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Legend of the Mountain | Blu-ray (Kino Lorber)

RELEASE DATE: May 1, 2018 On May 1st, 2018, Kino Lorber will be releasing a 4K restoration Blu-ray of Legend of the Mountain, a 1979 wuxia thriller directed by King Hu (Come Drink with Me, A Touch of Zen). In the film, a travelling scholar, intent on translating a Buddhist sutra, loses his way in the mountains. Time and space collapse around him as he continues his journey, encountering ghostly visitations amid a haunting fantasia of color, … Continue reading

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‘Beyond Skyline’ helmer to do Silat martial art film ‘Last Savage’

Liam O’Donnell’s Beyond Skyline, the sequel to the Brothers Strause’ panned sci-fi flick Skyline, wasn’t supposed to be a good movie, but somehow, it ended up being good. We can only speculate if the film’s modest success was because of the buzz surrounding the addition of Indonesian martial arts stars (Iko Uwais and Yayan Ruhian) from The Raid and The Raid 2 –or if O’Donnell simply knows how to deliver the goods as a filmmaker. Whatever the case, … Continue reading

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Outlaws, The (2017) Review

"The Outlaws" Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Kang Yoon-Sung Cast: Ma Dong-Seok, Yoon Kye-Sang, Jo Jae-Yun, Choi Gwi-Hwa, rk Ji-Hwan, Hong Ki-Joon Running Time: 121 min. By Z Ravas I walked away from 2016’s smash hit Train to Busan with a distinct impression that supporting actor Ma Dong-seok had stolen the movie – no small feat in a film about a train full of rabid zombies! Although I’d caught the actor in plenty of parts before, including Kundo: Age of … Continue reading

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New Trailer for Yu Nan and Simon Yam’s ‘Justice in Northwest’

Hong Kong legend Simon Yam (Operation Red Sea, Mrs K, The Midnight After) and Yu Nan (The Expendables 2, Wolf Warrior, Wolf Warrior II) partner up for Huang Huang’s Justice in Northwest. This upcoming thriller tells the story of the female drug narcotics office and her personal war with cross-border smuggling and drug trafficking. The film also stars Samuel Pang King-Chi (New Police Story) and Jack Kao Kuo-Hsin (The Assassin, Wild City). Justice in Northwest releases domestically on April 13, 2018. … Continue reading

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Seven: Uncut | Blu-ray (Kino Lorber)

RELEASE DATE: May 8, 2018 On May 8, 2018, Kino will be releasing the uncut Blu-ray for 1979’s Seven, by cult director Andy Sidaris. In Seven, a government agent discovers a plot by a cartel of seven gangsters to take over the state of Hawaii. He hires a team of seven hitmen to stop them. The film stars William Smith (Any Which Way You Can), Barbara Leigh (Terminal Island), Guich Koock (American Ninja), Christopher Joy … Continue reading

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Hong Kong’s Andy Cheng leaps into ‘Qi : Spacetime Warriors’

Rising star Wesley Wong (Pacific Rim Uprising), son of legendary Hong Kong actors Angie Chiu (Private Eyes) and Melvin Wong (Aces Go Places V: The Terracotta Hit), will star in the GenFilms’ original production Qi : Spacetime Warriors, an upcoming sci-fi actioner directed by Jessie Kerry and renowned Hong Kong/Hollywood action director/stunt coordinator Andy Cheng (Red Line, End Game, Rush Hour). The following information is from the film’s official press release: Qi takes … Continue reading

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JeeJa Yanin and Dan Chupong kick it in Africa for ‘Red Cargo’

Filmmakers Nonthakorn Thaweesuk (Muay Thai Giant, Monkey Twins) and Senzo Zindela (The Right) are sharing the director’s chair for Red Cargo, an upcoming Thai production starring martial arts stars JeeJa Yanin (Chocolate, Hard Target 2) and Dan Chupong (Vengeance of an Assassin, Dynamite Warrior). According to Zindela, here’s what you can expect from this South African-set actioner: Zulu and Thailand cultures clash when the son of Lion slayer, Senzo, confronts a dangerous Thailand con man. Vitaya controls rhino poaching … Continue reading

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Sandra Ng’s ‘Goldbuster’ goes digital in April from Well Go USA

Popular Hong Kong actress Sandra Ng (Jian Bing Man, In the Line of Duty 3) makes her directorial debut with a horror-comedy titled Yao Yao Ling (aka The Monsters’ Bell). The film will be available exclusively on Digital this April 3rd from Well Go USA under the title Goldbuster. A quirky internet star, a pair of retired gangsters, and the black sheep of a prolific family of herbalists are a few of the oddball tenants that … Continue reading

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