Category Archives: News

Nilalang | aka The Entity (2015) Review

"Nilalang" Theatrical Poster

AKA: Creature Director: Pedring Lopez Cast: Cesar Montano, Maria Ozawa, Meg Imperial, Yam Concepcion, Cholo Barretto, Dido de la Paz, Kiko Matos, Aubrey Miles, Alexandre Charlet, Sonny Sison Running Time: 90 min.  By Paul Bramhall After a long absence out of the spotlight, Filipino cinema has been making a quiet but assured comeback in recent years. Movies like Erik Matti’s On the Job, Sean Ellis’s Metro Manila, and Khavn de la … Continue reading

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Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982) Review

"Halloween III: Season of the Witch" Japanese Theatrical Poster

Director: Tommy Lee Wallace Cast: Tom Atkins, Stacey Nelkin, Dan O’Herlihy, Michael Currie, Ralph Strait, Jadeen Barbor, Brad Schacter Running Time: 98 min. By Kelly Warner “Happy, Happy Halloween! Silver Shamrock!” The original vision of the Halloween series was not always going to be about Michael Myers, his issues with his sister, and his need to kill babysitters every October. But when 1978’s Halloween was a smash success, director John Carpenter was tasked with … Continue reading

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Schwarzenegger will be back as ‘The Guest of Sanxingdui’

After decades of muscle-bound mayhem, Arnold Schwarzenegger (Maggie) still continues to pump out the goods in a consistent manner. In addition to a couple of upcoming films – Aftermath, an airline disaster flick based on a true story, as well as Why We’re Killing Gunther, an action-comedy where Arnie plays the title character – the legendary star just wrapped up scenes with Jackie Chan for Viy 2: A Journey to China, a Sino-Russian co-production that he (and Jackie) are making a cameo appearance … Continue reading

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Kwaidan | aka Ghost Stories (1965) Review

AKA: Weird Tales Director: Masaki Kobayashi Writer: Yoko Mizuki, Lafcadio Hearn Cast: Tatsuya Nakadai, Rentaro Mikuni, Tetsuro Tamba, Takashi Shimura, Michiyo Aratama, Kunie Tanaka Running Time: 182 min. By Kyle Warner It’s long been my opinion that every great filmmaker should try their hand at horror at least once over the course of their career. Horror directors sometimes repeat some of the same themes, the same scares, the same monsters, and it takes … Continue reading

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Bruce Lee: Tracking the Dragon (2016) Review

"Tracking the Dragon" DVD Cover

Director: John Little Writer: John Little Cast: John Little, Malisa Longo, Jon T. Benn, Anders Nelsson, Riccardo Billi, Chaplin Chang Running Time: 100 minutes By Jeff Bona Back in 2013, I reviewed a documentary titled In Pursuit of the Dragon, by noted Bruce Lee historian, John Little (A Warrior’s Journey). Unlike the most of the endless, oversaturated list of Bruce Lee documentaries – many of which featured the same tired footage, usual interview clips and other useless … Continue reading

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Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (2016) Review

“Jack Reacher” Korean Theatrical Poster

AKA: Jack Reacher 2 Director: Edward Zwick Cast: Tom Cruise, Cobie Smulders, Aldis Hodge, Danika Yarosh, Patrick Heusinger, Holt McCallany, Austin Hebert, Robert Catrini, Robert Knepper, Talbott Lin Running Time: 118 min. By Paul Bramhall The announcement that Tom Cruise was going to be playing Jack Reacher, the character of author Lee Child’s ongoing series of novels about an ex-military drifter that has an uncanny ability for finding trouble, was … Continue reading

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Amnesia | aka Who Am I? 2015 | DVD (Lionsgate)

RELEASE DATE: January 3, 2017 On January 3, 2017, Lionsgate is releasing the DVD for Song Xi-Yin’s Amnesia (its full marketing title is Jackie Chan Presents Amnesia, since Chan serves as producer). It’s also known as Who Am I: 2015, which is a more fitting title, considering it’s a loose remake of Chan’s 1998 classic, Who Am I?  Finding himself at a murder scene, bike courier Li Ziwei tries to escape, but the culprits force him off a bridge. The amnesia … Continue reading

Posted in Asian Titles, DVD/Blu-ray New Releases, Martial Arts Titles, News |

Brace yourself for South Korea’s answer to ‘The Exorcist’

Jang Jae-hyeon’s “Korean version of The Exorcist,” The Priests (read our review), will be arriving to DVD on January 10, 2017, courtesy of CJ Entertainment. If you can’t wait to face the evil spirits on DVD – or just need something to watch in the days leading up to Halloween – The Priests is currently available through Amazon’s streaming service. The film, which has been retitled for its U.S. release as The Priests: Exorcism, stars Kim Yoon-seok … Continue reading

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Men Behind the Sun (1988) Review

"Men Behind the Sun" Theatrical Poster

AKA: Camp 731 Director: T. F. Mou Producer: Fu Chi, Hung Chu Cast: Gang Wang, Hsu Gou, Tie Long Jin, Zhao Hua Mei, Zhe Quan, Run Sheng Wang Running Time: 105 min. By Paul Bramhall Men Behind the Sun comes with the reputation of being one of the most controversial movies ever made, often mentioned in the same sentence as the likes of Ruggero Deodato’s Cannibal Holocaust, and Japan’s Guinea Pig … Continue reading

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Halloween Top 5: Bloodiest Shaw Brothers ‘Venoms’ Films

With their ornate costumes, eclectic masks and sinister weaponry – not to mention some of the most blood-drenching flicks ever put on celluloid – we consider The Venoms (aka Philip Kwok, Lu Feng, Chiang Sheng, Lo Meng, Sun Chien and Wei Pai) to be the ultimate link between kung fu and Halloween. For this reason, City on Fire proudly presents the Top 5 Bloodiest Venoms Films: Masked Avengers (1981) If you’ve ever watched a Shaw Brothers kung fu film and found yourself thinking: “This flick … Continue reading

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The Perfect Weapon | Blu-ray & DVD (Sony)

RELEASE DATE: December 6, 2016 Sony Entertainment presents the Blu-ray & DVD for The Perfect Weapon. Despite its title, this upcoming movie has no connection with 1991’s The Perfect Weapon, which starred Jeff Speakman. The Perfect Weapon hints an influence from both Universal Soldier and Hitman: Agent 47. Even though the words “Steven Seagal” headline the film’s marketing materials, the Above the Law star appears to have more of a co-starring role – … Continue reading

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Deep Red (1975) Review

Deep Red Blu-ray/DVD (Blue Underground)

Director: Dario Argento Cast: Macha Meril, David Hemmings, Daria Nicolodi, Gabriele Lavia, Giuliana Calandra, Glauco Mauri, Clara Calamai, Piero Mazzinghi, Glauco Mauri, Aldo Bonamano Running Time: 126 min. By HKFanatic I consider myself a massive fan of Italian horror and, specifically, director Dario Argento. That said, I’ve never felt that Deep Red (released as Suspiria 2 in Japan) was the masterpiece that many claim it is. So maybe that makes … Continue reading

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Shin Godzilla | aka Godzilla: Resurgence (2016) Review

"Godzilla: Resurgence" Teaser Poster

AKA: Godzilla: Resurgence Director: Hideaki Anno Co-director: Shinji Higuchi Cast: Hiroki Hasegawa, Yutaka Takenouchi, Satomi Ishihara, Kengo Kora, Ren Osugi, Akira Emoto Running Time: 120 min. By Kelly Warner In the 90’s, the Japanese Godzilla was killed off by his own nuclear heart going into meltdown, and the American Godzilla was killed off by the world’s general disinterest in ever seeing Roland Emmerich’s monster iguana on screen again. Toho’s ‘Millennium’ … Continue reading

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Deal on Fire! Bodyguards and Assassins | Blu-ray | Only $9.96 – Expires soon!

Today’s Deal on Fire is the Blu-ray for Donnie Yen’s Bodyguards and Assassins, a 2009 martial arts film directed by Teddy Chen (Kung Fu Jungle). Yen stars in this gripping martial arts blockbuster set in the bustling metropolis of Hong Kong in 1905. Winner of eight Hong Kong Film Awards, including Best Film, and featuring an hour-long battle sequence unlike anything attempted before. Bodyguards and Assassins (read our review) also stars Leon … Continue reading

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Scott Adkins vs. Wade Barrett in the new ‘Eliminators’ Trailer

Universal Home Entertainment is bringing the action-thriller Eliminators to Blu-ray & DVD (read our review) on December 6, 2016. The film stars Scott Adkins (Close Range, Hard Target 2) and former WWE champ Wade Barrett. The film is directed by James Nunn, who previously worked with Adkins in Green Street 3: Never Back Down. When his home in London is attacked, a former federal agent (Adkins) must come out of hiding of the witness protection program to … Continue reading

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