Category Archives: Chinese

Big Brother (2018) Review

Big Brother | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

Director: Kam Ka-Wai Cast: Donnie Yen, Joe Chen, Yu Kang, Brahim Achabbakhe, Tom Caserto, Alfred Cheung, Ye Fan, Semiquaver Iafeta, Tin-Lung Koo, Gladys Li, Ka Wah Lam, Mike Leeder, Jess Liaudin, Billy Lau Nam-Kwong, Fung Lee, Brahim Chab Running Time: 101 min.  By Paul Bramhall In the last 3 years alone Donnie Yen has played a kung fu master, a wandering swordsman, a sci-fi version of Zatoichi, a kick ass … Continue reading

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Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings (2018) Review

"Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Tsui Hark Writer: Chang Chia-lu Cast: Mark Chao, William Feng Shaofeng, Kenny Lin Gengxin, Carina Lau, Ethan Juan, Sandra Ma, Ma Sichun, Chien Sheng, Yang Yiwei Running Time: 132 min. By Paul Bramhall Before you express concern, don’t panic, the latest entry in the Detective Dee series has nothing to do with the wily sleuth investigating a crime spree instigated by Andy Lau, Aaron Kwok, Jacky Cheung, and Leon Lai. With that … Continue reading

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Super Powerful Man | aka The Story of Ricky 2: Dint King Inside King (2004) Review

"Super Powerful Man" Taiwanese DVD Cover

Director: Muk Baak-Ji Producer: Chow Pei Hok Cast: Fan Siu Wong, Leung Kar-Yan, Carisa Yan Wing-San, Ricky Ng Kwok-Sing, Hoh Hung-Kwan Running Time: 93 min. By Paul Bramhall Director Lam Nai-Choi’s 1991 splatter fest, The Story of Ricky, is one of the movies that got me into the wilder side of Hong Kong cinema. An almost relentless barrage of eye ball popping, intestine strangling, stomach exploding goodness, it quickly achieved cult status in … Continue reading

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Duel of Fists | aka Fist Attack (1971) Review

"Duel of Fists" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Chang Cheh Producer: Runme Shaw Cast: David Chiang, Ti Lung, Cheng Lee, Guk Fung, Chan Sing, Cheng Miu, Wong Chung, Yeung Chi Hing, Yuen Wo Ping, Yen Shi-Kwan, Yuen Shun-Yi, Yuen Cheung Yan, Chan Chuen, Lau Laan Ying, Tong Dik Running Time: 102 min. By JJ Hatfield In 1971 Chang Cheh took Ti Lung and David Chiang to Thailand to film a Muay Thai boxing tournament movie/travelogue. That may … Continue reading

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Thousand Faces of Dunjia, The (2017) Review

Thousand Faces of Dunjia | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

Director: Yuen Woo-ping Writer: Tsui Hark Cast: Da Peng, Ni Ni, Aarif Lee Chi-Ting, Zhou Dong-Yu, Wu Bai, Ada Liu Yan, Tiger Xu, Yang Yiwei, Mo Tse, Xu Ming-Hu, Sun Mingming, Zhang Yiqian Running Time: 110 min. By Paul Bramhall In 2015 it was announced that master choreographer Yuen Woo-Ping would be teaming up with visionary auteur Tsui Hark to remake The Miracle Fighters, Woo-Ping’s madcap fantasy from 1982, that … Continue reading

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Legend of the Demon Cat (2017) Review

"Legend of the Demon Cat" Theatrical Poster

Director: Chen Kaige Cast: Shota Sometani, Huang Xuan, Hiroshi Abe, Sandrine Pinna, Keiko Matsuzaka, Shohei Hino, Zhang Luyi, Baiqing Xin, Tian Yu, Qin Hao, Crystal Zhang Tian-Ai Running Time: 132 min.  By Paul Bramhall It’s been 3 years since fifth generation alumni Chen Kaige made his ill-advised wuxia caper Monk Comes Down the Mountain, however far from looking like a director licking his wounds, Kaige’s latest storms out the gates … Continue reading

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Better Tomorrow 2018, A (2018) Review

"A Better Tomorrow 2018" Theatrical Poster

Director: Ding Sheng Cast: Wang Kai, Ma Tian-Yu, Darren Wang Ta-Lu, Yu Ai-Lei, Lam Suet, Wu Yue, Vivien Li Meng, Zhang Yi-Shang, Jiang Pei-Yao, Mario Li Mincheng, Ning Hao Running Time: 140 min. By Paul Bramhall If you ask any fan of Hong Kong cinema what their opinion is on remaking the 1986 John Woo classic, A Better Tomorrow, then the likely answer will be that it’s a bad idea. Woo’s … Continue reading

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License to Steal (1990) Review

"License to Steal" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Billy Chan Writer: Johnny Lee Cast: Joyce Godenzi, Collin Chou Siu Long, Richard Ng, Yuen Biao, Agnes Aurelio, Lam Chung, Billy Chow, Chui Jing Yat, Michael Dinga, Corey Yuen, Sammo Hung Running Time: 90 min. By Martin Sandison One of the most rare Hong Kong movies ever made, License to Steal was given a Laserdisc release back in the day, but never made it on VCD or DVD, even in … Continue reading

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Empty Hands, The (2017) Review

"The Empty Hands" Theatrical Poster

Director: Chapman To Cast: Chapman To, Stephy Tang, Yasuaki Kurata, Stephen Au, Dada Chan, Ryan Lau, Michelle Loo, Juju Chan, Roy Szeto, Tanya Chan, Wiyona Yeung Running Time: 87 min. By Paul Bramhall While many may claim that Hong Kong cinema is dead, a case that’s hard to argue when compared to its unmatchable heyday of the 80’s, it’s unfair to completely write off the territory as being a lifeless … Continue reading

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Fighting Fist | aka Lady Cop in Fury (1992) Review

"Fighting Fist" Theatrical Poster

AKA: Lady Cop in Fury Director: Sonny Chiba Co-director: Casey Chan Cast: Sibelle Hu, Sonny Chiba, Chin Kar Lok, Song Lei, Ken Lo, Shogo Shiotani, Masashi Ishibashi, Masaru Matsuda, Gam Biu, James Ha, Lee Fat-Yuen Running Time: 91 min. By Paul Bramhall Let’s face it, 1992 was a great year for Asian action cinema. Jet Li and Donnie Yen faced off in Once Upon a Time in China II, John … Continue reading

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Ghostly Face, The (1973) Review

"The Ghostly Face" Theatrical Poster

Director: Yang Shih-Ching Cast: Polly Shang-Kuan, Chan Wai-Lau, Chan Bo-Leung, To Wai Wo, Lenny Marlina, To Man-Bo, Chan Chue Running Time: 85 min.  By Paul Bramhall There’s something undeniably alluring about stumbling across obscure slices of kung fu cinema from the past, and The Ghostly Face could easily be categorized as one such example. In the 1970’s the practice of Hong Kong and Taiwan filming (or in many cases co-producing) with their South East Asian neighbours … Continue reading

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Wine War (2017) Review

"Wine War" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Leon Lai Writer: Succeed Be Cast: Leon Lai, Zhang Hanyu, Nan Fulong, Lily Ji Li, Du Juan, David Wang, Huang Shang-Ho Running Time: 80 min. By Paul Bramhall Out of the Four Heavenly Kings of Cantopop – Andy Lau, Aaron Kwok, Jacky Cheung, and Leon Lai – it’s always been youngest member Lai that’s had the most difficulty transitioning his onstage pop star charisma to the silver screen. Ladened with … Continue reading

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Soul of Chiba | aka Soul of Bruce Lee (1977) Review

"Soul of Chiba" Japanese Theatrical Poster

Director: Chan Tung-Man, Noda Yukio Cast: Sonny Chiba Shinichi, Luk Chuen, Shiomi Etsuko, Bolo Yeung Sze, Fong Yuen, Kong Chuen, Tadashi Yamashita, Lau Nga-Ying, Peter Chan Hoh-San, Krung Srivilai, Naowarat Yooktanun, Somjit Sapsamruey Running Time: 94 min. By Paul Bramhall At the risk of blacklisting myself from ever writing for an Asian cinema site again, I’ll admit I initially wasn’t very enamoured with Sonny Chiba. When I first got into … Continue reading

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Brink, The (2017) Review

"The Brink" Theatrical Poster

Director: Jonathan Li Producer: Soi Cheang Pou Cast: Max Zhang Jin, Shawn Yu Man-Lok, Gordon Lam Ka-Tung, Janice Man Wing-San, Wu Yue, Yasuaki Kurata, Tai Bo, Cecilia So, Derek Tsang, Kumer So Running Time: 100 min. By Paul Bramhall Martial artist Max Zhang may have been showing off his stuff since the early 00’s, however it’s only in recent years that he registered on the radar of many kung fu cinema fans. With scene stealing … Continue reading

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Operation Red Sea (2018) Review

"Operation Red Sea" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Dante Lam Cast: Zhang Yi, Huang Jingyu, Hai Qing, Du Jiang, Zhang Hanyu, Henry Prince Mak, Michelle Bai, Wang Qiang, Simon Yam Tat-wah, Wang Ian, Guo Jiahao Running Time: 138 min. By Paul Bramhall A couple of years after the successful Operation Mekong, in 2018 Operation Red Sea finds Dante Lam, one of Hong Kong’s brightest directors, sticking to his action guns. He may be sticking with the Mainland … Continue reading

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