Category Archives: All

Mission Milano (2016) Review

"Mission Milano" Theatrical Poster

Director: Wong Jing Producer: Wong Jing Cast: Andy Lau, Huang Xiaoming, Michelle Hu, Shen Teng, Wong Cho-lam, Michelle Hu, Nana Ouyang, Fung Bo Bo, Wu Yue, Xie Yilin, Mao Junjie, Xu Dongdong, Shen Teng, Zhao Yingjun, Qi Wei, Ken Lo, Philippe Joly Running Time: 103 min. By Paul Bramhall Remember the big fuss that was made when Jackie Chan made his 100th movie? Well, that same fuss isn’t being applied … Continue reading

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Incredible Kung Fu Master, The (1979) Review

"The Kung Fu Master" Chinese Theatrical Poster

AKA: The Kung Fu Master Director: Joe Cheung Tung Cho Cast: Stephen Tung Wei, Sammo Hung, Philip Ko, Lee Hoi San, Peter Chan, Chung Fat, Dai Sai Aan, Huang Ha, Cecilia Wong, Meng Hoi, Austin Wai, Billy Chan, Lam Ching Ying, Mars, To Wai Wo, Ho Pak Kwong, Wu Ma Running Time: 92 min.  By Martin Sandison In 1979, Sammo Hung was at the peak of his powers as an onscreen … Continue reading

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Suddenly in the Dark (1981) Review

AKA: Suddenly in Dark Night Director: Go Yeong-nam Producer: Suh Byung-gi Cast: Kim Young-ae, Yoon Il-bong, Lee Gi-seon Running Time: 100 min. By Paul Bramhall While just like Shiri put Korean action movies on the map in 1999, a year prior the high school ghost tale Whispering Corridors did the same for the Korean horror movie. However both genres had been around for long before the titles that gained them international recognition, with horror … Continue reading

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Prison, The (2017) Review

"Prison" Theatrical Poster

Director: Nah Hyeon Cast: Kim Rae-won, Han Seok-kyu, Han Suk-Kyu, Kim Rae-Won, Jung Woong-In, Kim Sung-Kyun, Shin Sung-Rok, Han Sung-Yong, Lee Geung-young, Cha Yup Running Time: 125 min.  By Paul Bramhall In years to come, when people look back on the 2015 – 2016 era of the Korean film industry, it may well look like all it took for a movie to get green lit is for it be about figures in authority … Continue reading

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Diamond Cartel (2017) Review

"Diamond Cartel" Theatrical Poster

AKA: The Whole World at Our Feet Director: Salamat Mukhammed-Ali Cast: Karlygash Mukhamedzhanova, Armand Assante, Cary Hiroyuki-Tagawa, Bolo Yeung, Don ‘The Dragon’ Wilson, Peter O’Toole, Michael Madsen, Tommy ‘Tiny’ Lister, Aleksey Frandetti, Nurlan Altaev, Serik Bimurzin Running Time: 100 min. By Paul Bramhall As a candidate for the cinematic oddity of 2017, Diamond Cartel is certainly a strong contender for the prize. The Kazakhstan production was originally titled The Whole … Continue reading

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Three (2016) Review

Three | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

Director: Johnnie To Cast: Louis Koo, Wallace Chung, Vicky Zhao Wei, Lam Suet, Lo Hoi-Pang, Timmy Hung, Michael Tse, Eddie Cheung, Mimi Kung, Raymond Wong Ho-Yin Running Time: 89 min. By Kelly Warner After a couple years spent making comedies, director Johnnie To returns to the gritty crime genre with the cops vs. robbers vs. doctors thriller Three. Like all of To’s finest films, Three is positively dripping with style. Near … Continue reading

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Tunnel (2016) Review

"Tunnel" Theatrical Poster

Director: Kim Seong-Hun Cast: Ha Jung-Woo, Bae Doo-Na, Oh Dal-Su, Shin Jung-Keun, Nam Ji-Hyun, Cho Hyun-Chul, Kim Hae-Sook, Yoo Seung-Mok, Park Hyuk-Kwon Running Time: 126 min. By Paul Bramhall Not to be confused with the 2014 South Korean horror movie, Tunnel 3D, director Kim Seong-hoon’s latest effort is a decidedly 2D disaster movie, which, in the grand tradition of many a disaster movie, puts its ill-fated location as the title. … Continue reading

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Quick Man (2002) Review

Director: Lee Hyeok-su Writer: Yun Jin-a Producer: Seo Gil-seong Cast: Jeon Hye-yun, Yun Se-ung, Song Geum-sig, Ricky Jun, Park Jeong-gwon, Lee Moo-jung, Kim Youn-soo, Lee Jae-yeong, Min Seong-joo Running Time: 89 min. By Paul Bramhall The start of the millennium saw many new directorial talents emerge in Korean cinema, with 2002 in particular seeing the likes of Park Chan-wook unleash Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, and Ryoo Seung-wan deliver his hard … Continue reading

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Sea Fog | aka Haemoo (2014) Review

Sea Fog | DVD (Film Movement)

Director: Shim Sung-Bo Cast: Kim Yun-Seok, Park Yoo-Chun, Han Ye-Ri, Lee Hee-Joon, Moon Sung-Geun, Kim Sang-Ho Running Time: 111 min. By Kyle Warner I think Memories of Murder deserves to be in the conversation of the finest films ever made. Dark, thrilling, funny, and almost poetic, it’s the movie that made me a fan of director/co-writer Bong Joon-ho, who did not disappoint when he followed up that masterwork with other great titles like The … Continue reading

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On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969) Review

"On Her Majesty's Secret Service" Japanese Theatrical Poster

Director: Peter Hunt Writer: Richard Maibaum Cast: George Lazenby, Diana Rigg, Telly Savalas, Bernard Lee, Gabriele Ferzetti, Ilse Steppat, Lois Maxwell, George Baker, Yuri Borienko, Desmond Llewelyn Running Time: 140 min. By Paul Bramhall Ask any James Bond fan which entry in the series has the ‘Asian connection’, and many will likely say 1967’s You Only Live Twice, which has Sean Connery gallivanting around Japan while taking on ninjas and training in … Continue reading

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Martial Club | aka Instructors of Death (1981) Review

"Martial Club" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Lau Kar Leung Producer: Mona Fong Cast: Gordon Liu, Kara Hui, Robert Mak, Wang Lung Wei, Ku Feng, King Chu Lee, Chu Te Hu, Wilson Tong, Hsiao Ho Running Time: 102 min. By Chris Hatcher Of the storied directors in old school kung fu cinema, none stand higher on the mountain top than the great Lau Kar Leung. His directorial run from 1975-1986 produced some of the Shaw Brother’s … Continue reading

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Dragon, the Young Master | aka Deadly Silver Ninja (1981) Review

"Dragon, the Young Master" Korean Theatrical Poster

AKA: Eighteen Martial Arts Director: Kim Si-hyun Writer: Kim Kyeong-il Cast: Dragon Lee (Mun Kyong-sok), Yuen Qiu, Choi Min-kyu, Baek Hwang-ki, Kim Ki-ju Running Time: 83 min. Paul Bramhall Back when I was first getting into the kung fu genre many years ago, upon witnessing a handful of Korea’s contributions, I confess to being quick to write them off as low budget imitations of Hong Kong’s far superior output. Looking back, I now feel like I … Continue reading

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Age of Shadows, The (2016) Review

"The Age of Shadows" Korean Theatrical Poster

AKA: Secret Agent Director: Kim Ji-woon Cast: Goo Uoo, Song Kang-Ho, Han Ji-Min, Um Tae-Goo, Shin Sung-Rok, Seo Young-Joo, Lee Byung-Hun, Shingo Tsurumi, Kim Dong-Young, Park Hee-Soon Running Time: 140 min. By Martin Sandison I remember going to see Kim Ji-woon’s A Bittersweet Life back when it came out, and thinking: This is something special. An artistic aesthetic, but with populist entertainment at its heart. I then saw The Good, the Bad and the Weird, … Continue reading

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Cold War II (2016) Review

"Cold War II" Theatrical Poster

Director: Longman Leung Co-director: Sunny Luk Cast: Aaron Kwok, Tony Leung Ka Fai, Chow Yun-Fat, Charlie Young, Janice Man Wing-San, Eddie Peng, Aarif Rahman, Tony Yang, Chang Kuo-chu, Wu Yue Running Time: 110 min.  By Kelly Warner The 2012 Hong Kong crime film Cold War created a lot of buzz before its release and, at least in the West, did not seem to maintain that buzz once it reached audiences. It’s a good looking film, headlined by some of Hong … Continue reading

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Logan (2017) Review

"Logan" Theatrical Poster

AKA: Logan: The Wolverine Director: James Mangold Cast: Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Richard E. Grant, Stephen Merchant, Boyd Holbrook, Dafne Keen, Elizabeth Rodriguez, Eriq La Salle, Elise Nea, Daniel Bernhardt Running Time: 137 min. By Zach Nix James Mangold’s Logan is such an eventful film to someone as myself that I struggle to come up with an opening statement about it, as it marks the end of an unforgettable era in blockbuster … Continue reading

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