Category Archives: All

Dead or Alive (1999) Review

December 10, 2012 JJ Bona
"Dead or Alive" Japanese Theatrical Poster

Director: Takashi Miike Cast: Riki Takeuchi, Sho Aikawa, Renji Ishibashi, Hitoshi Ozawa, Shingo Tsurumi, Kaoru Sugita, Hirotaro Honda, Minoru Iizuka, Michisuke Kashiwaya, Mizuho Koga, Ren Oosugi, Tomoro Taguchi Running Time: 105 min. By Mairosu And so finally, I rent a Miike Takashi film. After hearing countless stories about him, seeing numerous trailers for his shock-fests such as Ichi the Killer, Audition or Fudoh, I finally took a chance on one … Continue reading →

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Madam City Hunter | aka Lady Hunter (1993) Review

December 1, 2012 JJ Bona
"Madam City Hunter" Theatrical Poster

Director: Johnnie Kong Yeuk Sing Cast: Cynthia Khan, Anthony Wong Chau-Sang, Sheila Chan Suk Laan, Kara Hui Ying-Hung, Tommy Wong Kwong-Leung, Wu Fung, Yau Gin Gwok, Dang Wai Ho Running Time: 95 min. By Numskull A somewhat tepid but reasonably enjoyable “femme fatale” vehicle that has Cynthia Khan trying to eliminate the threat of the Five Finger Gang (with names like Thumb and Middle), mean and nasty bad guys who … Continue reading →

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Heroes Among Heroes | aka Fist of the Red Dragon (1993) Review

December 1, 2012 JJ Bona
"Heroes Among Heroes" Theatrical Poster

Director: Yuen Wo-Ping Co-director: Chan Chin Chung Cast: Donnie Yen, Wong Gok, Fennie Yuen Kit-Ying, Ng Man Tat, Kwan Hoi San, Sheila Chan Suk Laan, Lee Ga Sing, Hung Yan Yan, Bao Fang, Lau Yue Ching Running Time: 91 min. By Numskull A sluggish misfire from acclaimed director and martial arts choreographer Yuen Wo-Ping (with the, uh, assistance of Chan Chin Chung) dealing with fine, upstanding Chinese trying to put … Continue reading →

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High Risk | aka Meltdown (1995) Review

October 4, 2012 JJ Bona
"High Risk" Chinese DVD Cover

Director: Wong Jing Cast: Jet Li, Jacky Cheung, Chingmy Yau, Charlie Young, Kelvin Wong, Valerie Chow, Billy Chow, Ben Lam, Wu Ma, William Tuan, Lo Hung, Charlie Cho Cha-lee Running Time: 101 min. By Numskull Wong Jing can’t direct worth sh*t. His frequent toy, oops I mean collaborator, Chingmy Yau, isn’t much of an actress. Jet “F*ck-Me-In-The-A$$-I-Wish-To-Hell-I-Hadn’t-Passed-On-Crouching-Tiger-Hidden-Dragon” Li has yet to impress me with any of his HK films. And Jacky … Continue reading →

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So Close (2002) Review

September 16, 2012 JJ Bona
"So Close" Theatrical Poster

Director: Corey Yuen Cast: Shu Qi, Vicky Zhao Wei, Karen Mok, Song Seung Heon, Ben Lam, Yasuaki Kurata, Deric Wan, Sek Sau, Jude Poyer, Ricardo Mamood, Michael Wei, Henry Fong, Gam Hing Yin, Wong So Bik, May Gwong Man Chun Running Time: 111 min By Reefer During the preposterous opening of Cory Yuen’s action thriller, So Close, I thought I was going to be treated to a half-assed rehashing of … Continue reading →

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Dreadnaught (1981) Review

September 5, 2012 JJ Bona
"Dreadnaught" Theatrical Poster

Director: Yuen Woo Ping Producer: Raymond Chow Cast: Yuen Biao, Leung Kar Yan, Kwan Tak Hing, Yuen Shun Yee, Philip Ko, Lily Li, Tong Jing, Fan Mei Sheng, Fung Hak On, Brandy Yuen, Cheung Chok Chow Running Time: 90 min. By Joe909 Dreadnaught is considered one of the “New Wave” HK movies that upped the bar for martial arts films, and Hong Kong cinema in general. Sure. But what most … Continue reading →

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Phantom: The Submarine (1999) Review

August 21, 2012 JJ Bona
"Phantom: The Submarine" DVD Cover

Director: Min Byeong-Cheon Cast: Choi Min-Su, Jeong Wu-Seong, Yun Ju-Sang, Son Byeong-Ho, Go Dong-Up, Han Ban-Do, Park Gil-Su, Seol Gyeong-Gu, Jeong Eun-Pyo Running Time: 110 min.  By Equinox21 Well, Crimson Tide this ain’t. Phantom: The Submarine and Crimson Tide have very similar plots, with obvious major differences between them. They both take place on nuclear submarines where the Captain attempts to launch nuclear missiles. In Crimson Tide there’s good motivation … Continue reading →

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Pedicab Driver (1989) Review

August 6, 2012 JJ Bona
"Pedicab Driver" Poster

Pedicab Driver is often mentioned as one of Sammo Hung’s best films, and after watching it, it’s pretty easy to see why. Set in 1930s Macau, the film follows Tung (Sammo Hung), Malted Candy (Max Mok), and their friend, three pedicab drivers who spend their days getting by until romance and trouble with the local crime world turn their lives upside down. Things really start to go wrong when Malted … Continue reading →

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Magnificent Warriors (1987) Review

August 3, 2012 JJ Bona

Director: David Chung Chi-Man Cast: Michelle Yeoh, Richard Ng, Derek Yee Tung Sing, Lowell Lo, Koon Ting, Cindy Lau Chin Dai, Tetsuya Matsui, Hwang Jang Lee, Chang Yi, Lo Meng, Ku Feng Running Time: 89 min.  By Numskull Very ’80s action flick that substitutes quantity for quality. There’s not much about it that could rightly be described as “magnificent” but that’s OK… this is a rainy day, nowhere to go, … Continue reading →

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Lost Kung Fu Secrets, The (1979) Review

July 10, 2012 JJ Bona
"The Lost Kung Fu Secrets" DVD Cover

Director: Joe Law Cast: David Chiang Da-Wei, Hsu Feng, Choi Wang, Hu Chin, Wong Hap, Paul Chun Pui, Sun Jung Chi, Weng Hsiao Hu, Yuen Sam, Chiang Han, Wang Man Chuen Running Time: 91 min. By Numskull  The Lost Kung Fu Secrets (abbreviated hereafter as “Lost”) is not just an exercise in pointlessness, it’s a full-blown workout. I’m talking three consecutive Richard Simmons videos, here. The…ah, “plot” begins as a … Continue reading →

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Tokyo Raiders (2000) Review

July 5, 2012 JJ Bona
"Tokyo Raiders" Japanese Theatrical Poster

Director: Jingle Ma Cast: Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Ekin Cheng, Kelly Chen Wai Lam, Cecilia Cheung, Toru Nakamura, Ken Abe, Maiyu Ozawa, Kumiko Endo, Sirakawa Minani Running Time: 101 min. By Numskull The problem with movies in the “mindless fun” category is that too many of them forget the “fun” part. Happily, Tokyo Raiders does not suffer from this problem and is readily available in unbutchered form on DVD in North … Continue reading →

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Prison on Fire II (1991) Review

June 28, 2012 JJ Bona

Director: Ringo Lam Producer: Ringo Lam, Karl Maka Cast: Chan Chung Yung, Chow Yun Fat, Victor Hon Kwan, Frankie Ng Chi Hung, Elvis Tsui Kam Kong, Tommy Wong Kwong Leung, Yu Li, Ng Kwok Kin, Roy Cheung You Yeung, Vincent Wan Yeung Ming Running Time: 109 min. By Numskull This here sequel reunites director Ringo Lam, writer Nam Yin, star Chow Yun-Fat, and a few supporting actors in another episode … Continue reading →

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Prison on Fire (1987) Review

June 28, 2012 JJ Bona
"Prison on Fire" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Ring Lam Writer: Nam Yin Cast: Chow Yun Fat, Tony Leung Ka Fai, Roy Cheung Yiu Yeung, William Ho Ka Kui, Victor Hon Kwan, Tommy Wong Kwong Leung, Frankie Ng Chi Hun Running Time: 98 min. By Numksull Lots of directors out there could learn a valuable lesson from Ringo Lam. No artsy-fartsy cinematic snobbery to be found in his films, for better or for worse. He and screenwriter … Continue reading →

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Seven Samurai (1954) Review

June 27, 2012 JJ Bona
"Seven Samurai" Japanese Theatrical Poster

AKA: 7 Samurai Director: Akira Kurosawa Cast: Toshiro Mifune, Takashi Shimura, Daisuke Kato, Isao Kimura, Minoru Chiaki, Seiji Miyaguchi, Yoshio Inaba, Kamatari Fujiwara, Bokuzen Hidari Running Time: 207 min. By Numskull Akira Kurosawa is what I refer to as a “sacred cow” director (others include Ingmar Bergman and Wong Kar Wai). To suggest that any of his films is anything less than perfect in every way is to be labeled … Continue reading →

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Cure (1997) Review

June 25, 2012 JJ Bona

Director: Kiyoshi Kurosawa Cast: Kōji Yakusho, Masato Hagiwara, Tsuyoshi Ujiki, Anna Nakagawa, Yoriko Dōguchi, Yukijirō Hotaru, Denden, Ren Osugi, Masahiro Toda, Misayo Haruki Running Time: 111 min. By Jesse “Who are you?” That is a question repeated throughout Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s 1997 film Cure, but its true meaning does not become clear until the very end. Takabe (Kôji Yakusho) is a detective living in Japan, doing his best that he can … Continue reading →

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