Category Archives: Chinese

Bleeding Steel (2017) Review

"Bleeding Steel" Theatrical Poster

Director: Leo Zhang Cast: Jackie Chan, Show Lo, Nana Ou-Yang, Callan Mulvey, Tess Haubrich, Erica Xia-hou, Damien Garvey, Kaitlyn Boyé, Isabelle Wojciechowska, Olga Miller Running Time: 110 min. By Paul Bramhall To say that Jackie Chan has had a busy couple of years could well be construed as the understatement of the century. With starring roles in Skiptrace, Railroad Tigers, Kung Fu Yoga, The Foreigner, and now his latest with … Continue reading

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Crazy Couple (1979) Review

"Crazy Couple" Theatrical Poster

Director: Ricky Lau Writer: Raymond Wong Cast: Lau Kar Yung, Dean Shek, Lily Li Li Li, Eric Tsang, Peter Chan, Wong Ching, Fung Hak On, Ho Pak Kwong, Mars, Huang Ha, Chik Ngai Hung Running Time: 90 min.  By Martin Sandison The nephew of the Lau brothers, Lau Kar Yung, certainly did not achieve as much in the martial arts film genre as Lau Kar Leung and Lau Kar Wing. The former, … Continue reading

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Thunderbolt Fist, The (1972) Review

"The Thunderbolt Fist" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Chang Il-ho Producer: Runme Shaw Cast: Chuen Yuen, Shih Szu, James Nam, Fang Mien, Tung Lam, Lee Ka Ting, Wong Chin Feng, Yukio Someno, Gam Kei Chu, Chan Feng Chen, Cheung Hei Running Time: 86 min. By Paul Bramhall In the history of kung fu cinema, 1972 was one of the most significant years. The Shaw Brothers studio had imported several experienced directors and martial artists from Korea, and in this particular year … Continue reading

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36 Chambers of Shaolin: The Final Confrontation | aka The Shaolin Drunken Monk (1981) Review

AKA: Drunk 8 Blows, Crazy 8 Blows Director: Ulysses Au-Yeung Jun, Lee Yeong Cast: Gordon Liu Chia-Hui, Chin Yuet-Sang, Eagle Han Ying, Wong Yat-Cho, Kwon Il-Soo, Hyeon Kil-Su, Choi Jeong-Il, Chang Mi-Hee, Kim Jeong-Jung, Kim Wuk, Kim Ki-Ju, Park Seong-sik, Kim Il-chung Running Time: 75/84 min. By Paul Bramhall Call me a masochist, but nothing beats trying to untangle the mystery of an obscure Korean kung fu movie. I’d like to … Continue reading

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Vampire Cleanup Department (2017) Review

"Vampire Cleanup Department" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Chiu Sin-Hang Co-director: Yan Pak-Wing Cast: BabyJohn Choi, Chin Siu-Ho, Lin Min-Chen, Richard Ng, Lo Meng, Yuen Cheung-Yan, Siu Yam-Yam, Bonnie Chiu, Jiro Lee, Eric Tsang, Jim Chim Sui-Man, Stephen Au Kam-Tong, Hana Tam Hang-Lam Running Time: 93 min. By Paul Bramhall In 2017 the hopping vampire genre continues to hang on by a thread. After being a mainstay of Hong Kong cinema during the 80’s, when you never … Continue reading

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Dreaming the Reality (1991) Review

"Dreaming the Reality" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Tony Liu Chun-Ku Producer: Chui Fat Cast: Moon Lee, Yukari Oshima, Sibelle Hu, Ben Lam Kwok Bun, Eddie Ko, Hsu Hsia, Lee Ho Kwan Running Time: 102 min. By Paul Bramhall The years spanning 1991 – 1993 burned the brightest for the Girls with Guns genre, a 3-year period in which an almost countless number of butt kicking femme fatales graced the screen. Names like Moon Lee, Yukari Oshima, … Continue reading

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Journey to the West: The Demons Strike Back (2017) Review

Director: Tsui Hark Cast: Kris Wu, Kenny Lin, Yao Chen, Lin Yun, Mengke Bateer, Wang Likun, Yang Yiwei, Wang Duo, Bao Bei-Er, Cheng Si-Han, Da Peng, Yeung Lun, Shu Qi, Zhang Mei-E, Xu Cai-Xiang, Lai Kai-Keung, Anthony Wong, Zuo Jing-Bo Running Time: 108 min. By Paul Bramhall It’s only been 4 years since Stephen Chow helmed 2013’s Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons, the first movie in which he … Continue reading

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Extraordinary Mission (2017) Review

"Extraordinary Mission" Blu-ray Cover

Director: Fletcher Poon Co-director: Alan Mak Cast: Huang Xuan, Duan Yi-Hong, Zu Feng, Lang Yue-Ting, David Wang Yao-Qing, Xing Jia-Dong, Wang Yan-Hui, Ding Yongdai, Xiao Cong, Li Xiaochuan Running Time: 122 min. By Paul Bramhall Extraordinary Mission suffered extraordinarily bad timing in terms of when it was released. Hitting screens within months of popular director Dante Lam’s big budget spectacular Operation Mekong, many (including myself) glanced over the awkwardly titled production, in part … Continue reading

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Chasing the Dragon (2017) Review

"Chasing the Dragon" Theatrical Poster

Director: Wong Jing Co-director: Jason Kwan Cast: Donnie Yen Ji-Dan, Andy Lau Tak-Wah, Kent Cheng, Phillip Keung, Wilfred Lau, Yu Kang, Kent Tong, Michelle Hu, Xu Dong-Dong, Felix Wong, Bryan Larkin, Philip Ng, Jonathan Lee, Lawrence Chou, Wang Qian-Yu, Kenneth Tsang, Chan Wai-Man, Terence Yin Chi Wai, Chun Wong Running Time: 112 min. By Martin Sandison By the age of 14 my appetite for martial arts movies was voracious, so every … Continue reading

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God of War (2017) Review

"God of War" Theatrical Poster

Director: Gordon Chan Cast: Vincent Chiu, Sammo Kam-Bo Hung, Yasuaki Kurata, Regina Wan, Keisuke Koide, Wang Ban, Wu Yue, Jiang Luxia, Liu Junxiao, Micheal Tong Running Time: 90 min. By Kelly Warner Ming soldiers advance on a fortified gate. Blood from a previous battle runs like a stream over the mud. Thousands of Japanese pirates wait on the other side of the gate, their latest attempt at a land grab to … Continue reading

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Foreigner, The (2017) Review

Director: Martin Campbell Cast: Jackie Chan, Pierce Brosnan, Michael McElhatton, Charlie Murphy, Liu Tao, Orla Brady, Katie Leung, Manolo Cardona, Simon Kunz, Pippa Bennett-Warner, Roberta Taylor, Dermot Crowley, Niall McNamee Running Time: 113 min. By Paul Bramhall The last time we saw Jackie Chan in London was 14 years ago, hanging from the clock face of Big Ben with Owen Wilson in Shanghai Knights. In 2017, he’s back in the … Continue reading

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Fists, the Kicks and the Evil, The (1978) Review

"The Fists, the Kicks and the Evil" DVD Cover

AKA: Fists, Kicks and the Evils Director: To Lo Po Cast: Bruce Leung Siu Lung, Philip Ko Fei, Bolo Yeung Tze, Chiang Cheng, Ku Feng, Lau Hok Nin, Ma Chao, Chan Lau, Lin Ke Ming, Kei Ho Chiu, Ricky Wong Running Time: 84 min. By Matthew Le-feuvre In that rare and exclusive echelon of celebrated kicking tactic­ians, Leung Siu Liang – otherwise known in international circles as Bruce Leung – seemed to … Continue reading

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Game Changer, The (2017) Review

"The Game Changer" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Gao Xixi Cast: Peter Ho, Huang Zitao, Guli Nazha, Wang Xueqi, Choo Ja-hyun, Jack Kao, Long Meizi Running Time: 133 min. By Paul Bramhall The 1980 TVB gangster series The Bund has had a long lasting influence on Hong Kong cinema. As well as giving Chow Yun Fat one of his earliest memorable screen roles, it’s been remade both on TV and for the big screen in the years since, perhaps … Continue reading

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Super Bodyguard | aka Iron Protector (2016) Review

Iron Protector | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

AKA: The Bodyguard Director: Yue Song Cast: Yue Song, Xing Yu, Li Yufei, Collin Chou, Chan Wai Man, Shang Tielong, Xu Dongmei, Yang Jun, Li Changhai, Jiang Baocheng Running Time: 90 min. Kyle Warner Iron Protector, aka The Bodyguard, aka Super Bodyguard, is the sophomore effort of filmmaker and star Yue Song. I didn’t see his debut, The King of the Streets, and cannot comment on how far he’s come in front of and behind the camera in the four years between films. But … Continue reading

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Manhunt (2017) Review

"Manhunt" Theatrical Poster

Director: John Woo Cast: Zhang Hanyu, Tao Okamoto, Hiroyuki Ikeuchi, Ji-won Ha, Jun Kunimura, Naoto Takenaka, Masaharu Fukuyama, Yasuaki Kurata, Angeles Wo, Stephy Qi Running Time: 106 min. By Matija Makotoichi Tomic When a director of John Woo’s caliber announces his return to the genre that made his name, it’s always a cause for celebration, just as it is a reason to worry. After signing his name on some of … Continue reading

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