Category Archives: All

Police Woman | aka Young Tiger (1973) Review

AKA: Rumble in Hong Kong Director: Zhu Mu Cast: Yuen Qiu, Charlie Ching, Jackie Chan, Chiang Nan, Hu Chin, Betty Pei Dee, John Cheung Ng Long, Feng Yi, Lee Man Tai, Helena Law Lan Running Time: 90 min By Alvin George I bought this movie for three bucks from Circuit City, hoping it would be better than the other ’70s Jackie Chan movies I’ve seen due to its modern (1970s) … Continue reading

Posted in All, Chinese, News, Reviews | Tagged , , , , |

Thundering Mantis | aka Mantis Fist Fighter (1980) Review

AKA: Mantis Fist Fighter Director: Yip Wing Cho Cast: Leung Kar Yan, Eddie Ko Hung, Wong Yat Lung, Chin Yuet Sang, Lee Kwan, Fang Mien, Ma Chin Ku, Suen Lam, Shih Ting Ken, Au Lap Bo Running Time: 90 min. By Joseph Kuby Cannibalistic Cult Classic! Thundering Mantis (a.k.a. ‘The Mantis Fist Fighter’ or ‘Crazy Mantis’) is a film that has garnered quite a notorious reputation over the years for … Continue reading

Posted in All, Chinese, News, Reviews | Tagged , , |

Shogun Assassin (1980) Review

"Shogun Assassin" Japanese Theatrical Poster

AKA: Lone Wolf and Cub Director: Kenji Misumi Co-director: Robert Houston Cast: Tomisaburo Wakayama, Kayo Matsuo, Minoru Ohki, Akiji Kobayashi, Shin Kishida Running Time: 89 min. By Joe909 Shogun Assassin is one of those films that demands a recounting of its history, before you can actually review it. In 1980, a pair of producers with ties to Roger Corman got hold of the first two films in the Japanese Baby … Continue reading

Posted in All, Japanese, News, Ninja, Reviews | Tagged , |

Pulse | aka Kairo (2001) Review

AKA: The Circuit Director: Kiyoshi Kurosawa Cast: Haruhiko Kato, Kumiko Aso, Koyuki, Kurume Arisaka, Masatoshi Matsuo, Show Aikawa, Jun Fubuki, Shinji Takeda, Koji Yakusho, Shun Sugata Running Time: 119 min. By Numskull What Kairo sets out to do, it does superbly. However, not everyone will be happy with what it does, which is to sustain an eerie mood for two hours rather than simply tell a scary story. That’s not … Continue reading

Posted in All, Japanese, News, Reviews | Tagged |

Oasis (2002) Review

Director: Lee Chang-Dong Cast: Sol Kyung-Gu, Moon So-Ri, Ahn Nae-Sang, Ryoo Seung-Wan, Chu Kwi-Jung, Son Byung-Ho, Yoon Ga-Hyun, Park Myung-Shin, Park Kyung-Geun Running Time: 132 Min. By Raging Gaijin “Oasis” is a difficult film to watch, let alone review. The story is deceptively simple, as the plot synopsis above describes, but from it grows one of the most unlikely and captivating relationships in cinema history. Writer/director Lee Chang-Dong has crafted … Continue reading

Posted in All, Korean, News, Reviews | Tagged |

Dr. Wai in the Scripture Without Words (1996) Review

"Dr. Wai in the Scripture Without Words" Theatrical Poster

Director: Ching Siu-tung Cast: Jet Li, Rosamund Kwan, Charlie Young, Kaneshiro Takeshi, Law Kar Ying, Billy Chow Bei Lei, Collin Chou, Johnnie Kong Yeuk Sing Running Time: 91 min.  By Numskull Holy crap, what a waste. Of time, of money, of energy, of potential. This could have been a remarkable action-adventure with a scope the width of which is rarely seen in Hong Kong cinema. Instead, it’s just ninety yawn-inducing … Continue reading

Posted in All, Chinese, News, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , |

Hitman | aka Contract Killers (1998) Review

Director: Stephen Tung Wai Cast: Jet Li, Eric Tsang, Simon Yam, Gigi Leung, Keiji Sato, Paul Ropovshi, Frankie Ng, Jude Poyer, Deon Lam Dik On, Sam Wong Shum, John Ching Tung Running Time: 104 min. By Numskull A very welcome change of pace for Jet Li, Hitman features no flying around on wires or other stupid Hong Kong action tricks, unless you count the bad guy who blinds people with light from … Continue reading

Posted in All, Chinese, News, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , |

Waikiki Brothers (2001) Review

"Waikiki Brothers" Theatrical Poster

Director: Yim Soonrye Cast: Lee Eol, Park Won-Sang, Ryu Seung-Beom, Hwang Jung-Min, Oh Ji-Hye, Park Hae-Il Running Time: 140 mins. By Equinox21 Waikiki Brothers is a mildly depressing film about a band of the same name, with Sung-woo as the lead member. The band loses members for a number of reasons, one being that they bring in less and less money, and people simply can’t afford to play music in … Continue reading

Posted in All, Korean, News, Reviews | Tagged , |

Hot, the Cool and the Vicious, The (1976) Review

"The Hot, the Cool and the Vicious" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Lee Tso Nam Writer: Cheung San Yee Cast: Tan Tao Liang, Don Wong Tao, Philip Ko Fei, Jimmy Lee Fong, Suen Ga Lam, George Wang Jue, Lau Yin Seung, Tommy Lee, Chai Kai, Sit Hon, Man Chung San, Sit Cheung Man, Tan Tao Kung, To Wai Wo Running Time: 89 min. By Numskull Straight from the Tai Seng DVD package: “Flashy leg combats highlight this superb action adventure, considered … Continue reading

Posted in All, Chinese, News, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , |

Twilight Samurai (2002) Review

"Twilight Samurai" Theatrical Poster

Director: Yoji Yamada Cast: Hiroyuki Sanada, Rie Miyazawa, Min Tanaka, Nenji Kobayashi, Ren Osugi, Mitsuru Fukikoshi, Keiko Kishi, Tetsuro Tanba, Takako Miyashima Running Time: 129 min. By Alexander This isn’t your traditional samurai action flick. There’s only a couple of fight scenes, and while both are well-filmed and suspenseful, they’re short and with only a fraction of blood you would expect from a movie with the word “samurai” in the … Continue reading

Posted in All, Japanese, News, Reviews | Tagged |

Nowhere to Hide (2000) Review

Director: Lee Myung-sae Writer: Lee Myung-sae Cast: Joong-Hoon Park (Woo), Dong-Kun Jang, Ji-Woo Choi, Sung-kee Ahn, Sang Myun Park Running Time: 112 min. By Joe909 A mish-mash of style and substance, Nowhere to Hide is more focused than most other Korean movies I’ve seen. Which is to say, it doesn’t clock in at an epic running time. The shorter length doesn’t prevent flaws, though. As MPM points out, the opening … Continue reading

Posted in All, Korean, News, Reviews | Tagged , |

Shiri | aka Swiri (1999) Review

Director: Kang Je-Gyu Producer: Kang Je-Kyu Cast: Han Seok-Kyu, Song Kang-Ho, Choi Min-Shik, Kim Yun-Jin, Yun Ju-Sang, Park Yong-Woo Running Time: 125 min. By Numskull Normally, I hate it when people talk about movies “sending messages.” The blocs of suburban yuppie mommies (better known as “soccer moms”) that currently hold a disproportionately large amount of dominion over American life have hijacked the word “message” and imposed upon it a definition … Continue reading

Posted in All, Korean, News, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , |

Grudge, The (2004) Review

"The Grudge" Theatrical Poster

Director: Takashi Shimizu Cast: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jason Behr, William Mapother, Clea DuVall, KaDee Strickland, Grace Zabriskie, Bill Pullman, Rosa Blasi, Ted Raimi, Ryo Ishibashi Running Time: 92 min. By Ningen So stop me if you’ve heard this before. Sarah Michelle Gellar walks into a Japanese haunted house, and almost gets attacked by demons. She’s a nurse who happens to be working abroad and living with a whacky family. Unlike … Continue reading

Posted in All, Asian Related, Reviews | Tagged , |

Ju-On 2 (2003) Review

"Ju-On 2" Promotional Poster

Director: Takashi Shimizu Cast: Shin’ya Egawa, Takashige Ichise, Kunio Kawakami, Yoshinori Kumazawa, Hiroki Numata Running Time: 95 min. By Mighty Peking Man They should have called this movie Ju-On II: Overkill – not only would this title sound cool, but it’s one hell of a double-pun. Like most people, I never expect sequels to be as good as their originals, but Ju-On 2 is too much of the same sh*t, … Continue reading

Posted in All, Japanese, Reviews | Tagged |

Ju-On (2002) Review

"Ju-On" Japanese DVD Cover

AKA: Ju-On: The Grudge Director: Takashi Shimizu Cast: Megumi Okina, Misaki Ito, Misa Uehara, Yui Ichikawa, Tomomi Kobayashi, Takashi Matsuyama Running Time: 92 min. By Mighty Peking Man Imagine waking up in the middle of the night and the first thing you see standing over your bed is Linda Blair’s character from The Exorcist staring right at you and coming closer and closer – that’s how creepy this damn film … Continue reading

Posted in All, Japanese, Reviews | Tagged |