-
-
Newest Comments
on You know, like Caine in ‘Kung Fu’? Martial arts star Donnie Yen to star and direct untitled ‘John Wick’ spin-offPersonally I find Donnie's directing uneven - Legend of the wolf was a mess,…
on STOP… Hammer time! 4K Ultra HD Limited Edition for the Hammer Film/Shaw Brothers classic ‘Shatter’ arriving in MayHammer doesn't own that many of their own films - most are owned by whichever…
on Feeling triggered? Future pressings of the ‘Bruceploitation Collection Vol. 1’ have you covered!This is the one that gets me today, this?! 😭
on STOP… Hammer time! 4K Ultra HD Limited Edition for the Hammer Film/Shaw Brothers classic ‘Shatter’ arriving in MayWhy? Giving Shatter this kind of 4K special treatment makes about as much sen…
on Karate and Kung Fu collide in the New Trailer for Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio’s upcoming ‘Karate Kid’ movieAm I the only one who thinks it's more of the same that you saw in the first…
on ‘Passenger 57’, move over! Andy Lau’s hijack thriller ‘High Forces’ is getting a U.S. release from China LionHigh Forces has been released on Blu-ray in the US - 25 March 2025 - by Bayvi…
on Richard Norton, ‘Gymkata’ and ‘City Hunter’ actor, martial artist, trainer and stunt performer, dies at 75My favorites with him are Twinkle Twinkle, and Magic Crystal. It’s interestin…
on Looking for some spear-slicing action? Donnie Yen’s ‘The Lost Bladesman’ arrives on Blu-ray from ImprintVery underrated Donnie Yen gem. The movie, along with Sakra, has arguably the…
on Wild, The (2023) ReviewThis review does a great job of breaking down the strengths and weaknesses of…
on Don’t fight what you can’t see! Arrow announces Blu-ray for Yoshiyuki Kuroda’s 1970 actioner ‘The Invisible Swordsman’Dear Arrow... Let "old" Asian cinema to 88 Films, Eureka, BFI n' Co.
on Kung Fu Rookie (2023) Review& just like that, Z Ravas reappeared after 5 years in the wilderness, the sam…
Category Archives: All
Return, The (2018) Review
Director: Malene Choi Writer: Sissel Dalsgaard Thomsen Cast: Thomas Hwan, Karoline Sofie Lee Running Time: 85 min. By Paul Bramhall Out of all the many characters that frequent Korean cinema, the one which is arguably the most underrepresented is that of the international adoptee. So it came as quite a shock when I watched the recently released Champion, a mainstream production starring Ma Dong-seok as an adoptee raised in the … Continue reading
Secret Reunion (2010) Review
Director: Jang Hun Cast: Song Kang-Ho, Gang Dong-Won, Jeon Kuk-Hwan, Park Hyuk-Kwon, Yoon Hee-Seok, Ko Chang-Seok, Lee So-Yun, Jung In-Gi, Bae Yong-Geun, Jo Suk-Hyun, Park Yong-Jin, Kwon Bum-Taek, Choi Jung-Woo Running Time: 116 min. By Z Ravas Secret Reunion opens at a fever pitch most action movies hope to achieve during their climax. Gang Don-won’s character has been living in South Korea as a sleeper agent for the North when … Continue reading
Mile 22 (2018) Review
Director: Peter Berg Cast: Mark Wahlberg, John Malkovich, Lauren Cohan, Iko Uwais, Ronda Rousey, Sam Medin, Nikolai Nikolaeff, Chae Rin Lee, Poorna Jagannathan, Myke Holmes Running Time: 94 min. By Kelly Warner There’s a joke online that when an international breaking news tragedy occurs, Peter Berg and Mark Wahlberg are first in line to get the movie rights. From terrorist attacks to environmental disasters, it would seem that the duo … Continue reading
Posted in All, Asian Related, News, Reviews
Tagged Iko Uwais, Mark Wahlberg, Ronda Rousey
Master Z: The Ip Man Legacy (2018) Review
Director: Yuen Woo-ping Cast: Max Zhang, Dave Bautista, Liu Yan, Michelle Yeoh, Tony Jaa, Kevin Cheng, Chrissie Chau, Patrick Tam, Philip Keung, Anthony Ho, Xing Yu, Adam Pak Running Time: 137 min. By Paul Bramhall While anticipation builds for the 2019 release of Ip Man 4, with all of its furore around the inclusion of Bruce and Boyka, it shouldn’t be forgotten that 2018 isn’t going to let us get … Continue reading
Posted in All, Chinese, News, Reviews
Tagged Dave Bautista, Max Zhang Jin, Michelle Yeoh, Patrick Tam, Tony Jaa, Yuen Woo-ping
Rage (1995) Review
Director: Joseph Merhi Cast: Gary Daniels, Kenneth Tigar, Fiona Hutchison, Jillian McWhirter, Peter Jason, Mark Metcalf, Tim Colceri, Ramon Sison, David Powledge, Judith-Marie Bergan Running Time: 95 min. By Paul Bramhall Call me gullible, but when a movie comes with a tagline like “Somewhere between sanity and madness….there is RAGE”, you have me sold. Such is the case for the 1995 Gary Daniels vehicle Rage. Despite the bold tagline, there can be … Continue reading
Posted in All, Asian Related, News, Other Movies, Reviews
Tagged Gary Daniels, Joseph Merhi
Psychokinesis (2018) Review
Director: Yeon Sang-Ho Writer: Yeon Sang-Ho Cast: Ryoo Seung-Ryong, Shim Eun-Kyung, Park Jung-Min, Kim Min-Jae, Jung Yu-Mi Running Time: 101 min. By Z Ravas Train to Busan must be the most popular Korean film in America since Oldboy. No, I don’t have any hard data to back that up (although the movie did gross close to $100 million worldwide). But anecdotally, here in the States – where Korean cinema is still … Continue reading
Posted in All, Korean, News, Reviews
Tagged Park Jung-Min, Ryoo Seung-Ryong, Yeon Sang-Ho
Illang: The Wolf Brigade (2018) Review
Director: Kim Ji-woon Cast: Gang Dong-Won, Han Hyo-Joo, Jung Woo-Sung, Kim Moo-Yul, Han Ye-Ri, Heo Jun-Ho, Minho, Shin Eun-Soo, Kim Pub-Lae, Lee Dong-Ha, Choi Jin-Ho Running Time: 138 min. By Z Ravas A Tale of Two Sisters. A Bittersweet Life. The Good, the Bad, the Weird. I Saw the Devil. Age of Shadows. Over the last 15 years, the work of Kim Jee-woon has come to help define popular Korean … Continue reading
Posted in All, Korean, News, Reviews
Tagged Gang Dong-won, Jung Woo-sung, Kim Jee-Woon (Kim Ji-woon)
Run and Kill (1993) Review
Director: Billy Tang Writer: Bryan Chang Cast: Kent Cheng, Simon Yam, Esther Kwan, Danny Lee, Melvin Wong, Johnny Wang Lung Wei Running Time: 91 min. By Paul Bramhall The best Category III movies usually come with a reputation that precedes them, and Run and Kill certainly fits that criteria. Multiple versions in existence because of cuts made to secure distribution in various territories? Check. A particular scene known for its shocking … Continue reading
Posted in All, Chinese, News, Reviews
Tagged Billy Tang Hin Sing, Danny Lee Sau Yin, Johnny Wang (Wong Lung Wei), Kent Cheng Jak Si, Melvin Wong Kum-Sum, Simon Yam
Nightshooters (2018) Review
Director: Marc Price Writer: Marc Price Cast: Jean-Paul Ly, Adam McNab, Nicky Evans, Rosanna Hoult, Richard Sandling, Kaitlyn Riordan, Mica Proctor, Hung Dante Dong, Nicholas Aaron, Ben Shafik Running Time: 100 min. By Martin Sandison Hot on the trail of his self-directed short The Division, Jean-Paul Ly (Jailbreak) has achieved the seemingly impossible: starred and choreographed in a low budget, great British-made martial arts film, Nightshooters – ok, ok, it’s not a purists … Continue reading
Unstoppable (2018) Review
Direcor: Kim Min-ho Writer: Kim Min-Ho Cast: Ma Dong-Seok, Song Ji-Hyo, Kim Sung-Oh, Kim Min-Jae, Ji-Hwan, Lee Sung-Woo, Bae Noo-Ri, Park Ji-Hoon, Park Kwang-Jae, Lim Hyung-Joon Running Time: 115 min. By Paul Bramhall It’s fair to say that if The Man from Nowhere was Korea’s Taken, then Unstoppable is Korea’s Taken 2. One had Won Bin tracking down the traffickers who kidnapped his neighbour’s child, while the other has Ma … Continue reading
Europe Raiders (2018) Review
Director: Jingle Ma Cast: Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Kris Wu, Tiffany Tang, Du Juan, George Lam, Jija Yanin, Cung Le Running Time: 100 min. By Paul Bramhall It’s fair to say that perhaps the biggest fan of cinematographer turned director Jingle Ma’s …….. Raiders series, is Ma himself. The first (and I’m sure many considered last) entry in the series was 2000’s Tokyo Raiders, which was a fun but slight slice of action … Continue reading
Posted in All, Chinese, News, Reviews
Tagged Cung Le, Jingle Ma, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Yanin Vismitananda
Unity of Heroes (2018) Review
Director: Lin Zhenzhao Cast: Vincent Chiu Man Chuk, Wei Ni, Michael Tong, Li Lubing, Li Yuan, Chen Chen, Xu Zhengguo, Wei Xiaohuan, Zhang Lei, Chen Chao, Zhou Jianhua Running Time: 104 min. By Paul Bramhall I believe it was Morgan Freeman in The Shawshank Redemption that said “hope is a dangerous thing my friend”, but even knowing this, I couldn’t help but feel optimistic when news broke that Vincent Zhao … Continue reading
Once Upon a Time in China V (1994) Review
Director: Tsui Hark Cast: Vincent Chiu, Rosamund Kwan, Jean Wong, Kent Cheng, Hung Yan Yan, Mok Siu Chung, Lau Shun, Elaine Lui, Gwok Chun On, Stephen Tung Wei Running Time: 101 min. By Paul Bramhall Remember that time Tsui Hark decided to make his own version of Project A, but film it in the style of John Woo? If not, then it likely means you’ve never seen Once Upon a … Continue reading
Posted in All, Chinese, News, Reviews
Tagged Hung Yan Yan, Jean Wong Ching Ying, Kent Cheng Jak Si, Rosamund Kwan, Stephen Tung Wai, Tsui Hark, Vincent Chiu Man Chuk
Witch: Part 1. The Subversion, The (2018) Review
Director: Park Hoon-Jung Cast: Kim Da-Mi, Jo Min-Soo, Choi Woo-Sik, Go Min-Si, Park Hee-Soon, Da-Eun, Choi Jung-Woo, Oh Mi-Hee, Kim Byung-Ok, Lee Joo-Won, Kim Ha-Na Running Time: 125 min. By Paul Bramhall As 2018 draws close to an end, the appetite for female driven action movies doesn’t seem to be waning in the West or the East. Warner Brothers appear to know this, so for their latest foray into the … Continue reading
Negotiation, The (2018) Review
Director: Lee Jong-Suk Writer: Choi Sung-Hyun Cast: Son Ye-Jin, Hyun-Bin, Kim Sang-Ho, Jang Young-Nam, Jang Gwang, Lee Moon-Sik Running Time: 114 min. By Paul Bramhall In the Korean film industry, Son Ye-jin is known as the Queen of Melodrama, and Hyun Bin the Rom-Com King. However the movie that’s brought them both together is (perhaps mercifully) neither a melodrama nor a romantic comedy, with The Negotiation instead being a thriller … Continue reading
1 Comment