Category Archives: All

Christmas Carol (2022) Review

Director: Kim Seong-soo Cast: Park Jinyoung, Kim Young-min, Heo Dong-won, Song Geon-hee, Kim Dong-Hwi Running Time: 130 min. By Paul Bramhall While the English title of writer and director Kim Seong-soo’s 3rd feature Christmas Carol may sound like another disposable entry in Netflix’s festive movie lineup, thankfully the reality is very different. Taking the classic tale of a revenge seeking protagonist who intentionally gets sent to prison to hunt down … Continue reading

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New Normal (2022) Review

Director: Jung Bum-Sik Cast: Choi Ji-Woo, Lee Yu-Mi, Choi Min-Ho, Pyo Ji-Hoon, Jeong Dong-Won, Lee Moon-Sik Running Time: 112 min. By Paul Bramhall Filmmaker Jong Beom-sik is one of those few director screenwriters in Korea whose name is almost exclusively tied to the horror genre. After making his debut alongside his brother Jeong Sik with 2007’s Epitaph, Beom-sik would go on to helm segments in both 2012’s Horror Stories and … Continue reading

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Super Power (1980) Review

Director: Lin Chan-Wai Cast: Billy Chong, Hau Chiu-Sing, Chiang Tao, Ho Kei-Cheong, Annie Liu On Lai, Lau Dan, Fung Ging-Man, Wong Chi-Ming, Wang Han-Chen, Lau Hok-Nin Running Time: 95 min. By Paul Bramhall In the late 70’s production house The Eternal Film Co. must have felt like they struck gold by signing on Indonesian martial artist and local movie fixture Billy Chong. While Chong had shown hints of what he … Continue reading

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Sun Dragon | aka A Hard Way to Die (1979) Review

Director: Hua Shan Cast: Billy Chong, Carl Scott, Louis Neglia, Ma Chung-Tak, Hsiao Sung Liang, Joseph Jennings, Gam Biu, Lam Hak-Ming, Hau Chiu-Sing, Lai Sau-Kit Running Time: 90 min. By Henry McKeand Two decades before Hollywood tasked the Andrzej Bartkowiaks and Brett Ratners of the world with melding Hong Kong action with Hip-Hop aesthetics, Shanghai-born director Hua Shan was crafting his own successful Black-meets-Asian action creations. Thanks to martial artist … Continue reading

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Customs Frontline (2024) Review

Director: Herman Yau Cast: Jacky Cheung, Nicholas Tse, Karena Lam, Francis Ng, Liu Yase, Michelle Wai, Angus Yeung, Melvin Wong, Ben Yuen, Amanda Strang, Brahim Chab Running Time: 115 min.  By Paul Bramhall While the flaunting of China’s various authorities and military divisions through the format of cinema has become almost the exclusive forte of Dante Lam, in 2024 he kindly stepped aside to make some room for fellow Hong … Continue reading

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Phantom (2023) Review

Director: Lee Hae-Young Cast: Sol Kyung-Gu, Lee Ha-Nee, Park So-Dam, Park Hae-Soo, Seo Hyun-Woo, Kim Jong-Soo, Bibi, Esom, Lee Joo-Young, Kim Dong-Hee, Kim Joong-Hee Running Time: 133 min. By Paul Bramhall If someone asked if I could recall the name of that Korean movie which was set in 1933, and involves a group of independence fighters whose mission is to assassinate an official in the occupying Japanese government, chances are … Continue reading

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Handsome Guys (2024) Review

Director: Nam Dong-hyub Cast: Lee Sung-min, Lee Hee-jun, Park Ji-hwan, Lee Kyu-hyung, Gong Seung-yeon, Woo Hyeon Running Time: 100 min.  By Paul Bramhall The comedy genre has always been one which feels reluctant to be tackled head on in Korea, with even productions that bill themselves as comedies often making sharp U-turns into melodrama for their final reels. The likes of 2002’s Sex is Zero and 2017’s I Can Speak … Continue reading

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Escape (2024) Review

Director: Lee Jong-pil Cast: Lee Je-hoon, Hong Xa-bin, Koo Kyo-hwan, Shin Dong Hyeon, Esom, Lee Ho Jung Running Time: 95 min. By Paul Bramhall When the Korean War ended in an armistice in 1953 the anti-communist film became a mainstay in the South Korean film industry, going through a golden era during the remainder of the decade, and one which continued well into the 1960’s (so much so that, in … Continue reading

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Tastes of Horror (2023) Review

Director #1: Ahn Sang-hoon Director #2: Yoon Eun-kyung Director #3: Chae Yoo-joon Director #4: Kim Yong-gyun Director #5: Im Dae-woong Cast: Lee Zoo-young, Kim Joo-ryoung, Shin Eun-soo, Kim Tae-hoon, Park Jin-a, Choi Soo-im Running Time: 118 min. By Paul Bramhall The horror anthology is a production that’s been around for years, and in Asia there have been several takes on the format in the 21st century. The early 2000’s gave … Continue reading

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Hopeless (2023) Review

Director: Kim Chang-hoon Cast: Hong Xa-bin, Kim Hyung-seo (Bibi), Song Joong-ki, Kim Jong-soo, Park Bo-Kyung  Running Time: 125 min. By Paul Bramhall In Korean cinema it almost feels like a rite of passage for debut writer and directors to tackle the gritty social drama, usually focusing on those who live on the bottom rungs of Korean society, and with 2023’s Hopeless Kim Chang-hoon proves he’s not going to be one … Continue reading

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Life After Fighting (2024) Review

Director: Bren Foster Cast: Bren Foster, Cassie Howarth, Annabelle Stephenson, Luke Ford, Eddie Arrazola, Ethan Browne, Ruby Busuttil, Denise Chan, Mike Duncan, Hakan Manav Running Time: 125 min. By Paul Bramhall Let’s face it, Australia isn’t going to be the first country anyone thinks of when it comes to martial arts movies. Sure productions have been filmed there (Jackie Chan even has his own Australia trilogy thanks to First Strike, … Continue reading

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Death Notice (2023) Review

Director: Herman Yau Cast: Julian Cheung, Louis Koo, Waise Lee, Francis Ng, Simon Yam, Myolie Wu, Chrissie Chau Sau-Na, Pakho Chau, Helena Law Lan, Ray Lui Leung-Wai Running Time: 100 min.  By Paul Bramhall Herman Yau is something of an anomaly when it comes to Hong Kong filmmakers. Having made his directorial debut in 1987 and rose to prominence during the 1990’s, he’s the only filmmaker who continues to be … Continue reading

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Big Boss Part II, The (1976) Review

Director: Chan Chue Cast: Lo Lieh, Wong Ping, Lee Kwan, Michael Chan Wai Man, Bruce Le (Huang Kin Long), Krung Srivilai, Preeya Rongernaug, Hung Wang, Shan Shan, Chiu Lik Running Time: 107 min. By Ian Whittle It’s weird that The Big Boss Part II is as obscure as it is. You’d think being a semi-official sequel to a Bruce Lee movie, it’d have been all over numerous VHS and DVD … Continue reading

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Four 3, The | aka The Four: Final Battle (2014) Review

Director: Gordon Chan Co-director: Janet Chun Cast: Crystal Liu Yi Fei, Deng Chao, Colin Chou, Ronald Cheng, Yu Chenghui, Anthony Wong Chau Sang, Wu Xiubo, Jiang Yi-Nan, Alec Su, Ada Liu Running Time: 107 min.  By Paul Bramhall  The closing scenes of The Four 2 saw the team’s internal strife come to a head, leading to Crystal Liu’s Emotionless leaving both the Divine Constabulary and her brooding boyfriend, Deng Chao’s … Continue reading

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Four 2, The (2013) Review

Director: Gordon Chan Co-director: Janet Chun Cast: Crystal Liu Yi Fei, Deng Chao, Anthony Wong Chau Sang, Cheng Taishen, Colin Chou, Ronald Cheng Chung Kei, Wu Xiubo, Yu Chenghui, Ken Lo Running Time: 118 min.  By Paul Bramhall Hot on the coat tails of 2012’s The Four, the following year The Four 2 hit the screens, arriving with the announcement that a third instalment had been filmed back-to-back with the … Continue reading

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