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on ‘Blades of the Guardians’ hits digital on June 30 and arrives on physical media on August 25 with a new overly long titleThat's up to Jet Li, not for you to decided.
on Hong Kong action is BACK with a vengeance! Watch the Newest clip from FURIOUS starring Xie Miao and Joe TaslimUh, seriously? The John Wick films were literally inspired by Hong Kong kung…
on 2 Fast 2 Furious? A sequel to ‘The Furious’ already in the works as producer promises a bigger follow upQuizás quieras esperar a que realmente la hagan primero. 😄
on 2 Fast 2 Furious? A sequel to ‘The Furious’ already in the works as producer promises a bigger follow upQueria saber cuando se estrena la pelicula en Argentina ?
on 2 Fast 2 Furious? A sequel to ‘The Furious’ already in the works as producer promises a bigger follow upHere's a giant list of martial arts actors who could in theory join this hypo…
on Armie uncancels himself in Uwe Boll’s ‘Citizen Vigilante’… grab the signed Limited Edition Blu-ray before it’s gone!Uwe is a helleuva action director. The Rampage trilogy , Assualt on Wall Stre…
on ⚠️ Tornado Warning! ⚠️ John Maclean’s samurai-Western actioner ‘Tornado’ hits 4K Ultra HD in Julyfrom what i recall, there's very little action in the movie, it's just a regu…
on Contour (2006) ReviewI purchased the original DVD from HK Flix way back when. I think it goes for…
on Back to school again! Shout announces 4K Ultra HD for Ringo Lam’s 1988 Hong Kong action film ‘School on Fire’Zero interest if I can't watch the full movie including "Extended and Uncenso…
on Shaw Brothers Classics Vol 8 | Blu-ray (Shout)Well, the answer is due to licencing, so your still where we were with region…
on Armie uncancels himself in Uwe Boll’s ‘Citizen Vigilante’… grab the signed Limited Edition Blu-ray before it’s gone!So because he became famous by being shit, we're now supposed to defend him b…
on I Love Maria | 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray (Shout!)I wonder whether this version includes the scenes shown in the trailer but mi…
on Hail to the thief! Arrow Video announces 4K Ultra HD for John Woo’s Hong Kong heist actioner ‘Once a Thief’It doesn't have many fans on the west, but still John Woo's most popular movi…
on Hail to the thief! Arrow Video announces 4K Ultra HD for John Woo’s Hong Kong heist actioner ‘Once a Thief’Not a good movie: badly scripted, poorly directed. Looking so cheap... Next!
on The wait is nearly over! Jackie Chan’s 3D kung fu adventure ‘Magnificent Bodyguards’ arrives on Blu-ray this Julyalmost a year later let's pray we finally get it as promised lol
on Mao bang for your buck! Eureka’s announces the ‘Reap The Whirlwind: Four Films with Angela Mao’ Blu-ray collectionDammit. Another great release. So many of them coming along at the same time…
on The Kosugi ninja empire lives on! New Trailer for Shane Kosugi’s ‘Seek’ starring Kansuke Asano and Kane KosugiGlad to see that both of Sho Kosugi's sons have been actively busy(film world…
Category Archives: Japanese
13 Assassins (2010) Review
Director: Takashi Miike Cast: Koji Yakusho, Takayuki Yamada, Yusuke Iseya, Goro Inagaki, Masachika Ichimura, Mikijiro Hira, Tsuyoshi Ihara, Hiroki Matsukata, Kazue Fukiishi Running Time: 114/126 min. By HKFanatic “13 Assassins” is one of those rare films that comes out of nowhere – at this point in his career, was anybody really expecting Takashi Miike to direct a traditional samurai flick with sky-high production values? – and immediately garners a critical … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Reviews
Tagged Takashi Miike
Tetsuo: The Bullet Man | aka The Bulletman (2009) Review
Director: Shinya Tsukamoto Cast: Eric Bossick, Akiko Mono, Shinya Tsukamoto, Stephen Sarrazin, Yuko Nakamura Running Time: 79 min. By HKFanatic As a die-hard fan of Shinya Tsukamoto (I even wrote a term paper on the guy), I’m honest enough to admit that “Tetsuo: Bullet Man” is not very good. Sadly, I don’t think many fans were expecting it to be. Not only is it yet another sequel to Tsukamoto’s “Tetsuo: … Continue reading
Yojimbo (1961) Review
Director: Akira Kurosawa Writer: Ryuzo Kikushima, Akira Kurosawa Cast: Toshiro Mifune, Tatsuya Nakadai, Yko Tsukasa, Isuzu Yamada, Daisuke Kat, Seizabur Kawazu, Takashi Shimura, Hiroshi Tachikawa, Yosuke Natsuki Running Time: 110 min. By Mairosu One day I’ll stop frenetically rewatching Kurosawa, but I’ve got to make the most of it right now. After Ikiru, Stray Dog and Throne of Blood (which I’ll review somewhere later), I got to this little story … Continue reading
Rashomon (1950) Review
AKA: In the Wood Director: Akira Kurosawa Producer: Jingo Minoura Cast: Toshiro Mifune, Machiko Kyo, Masayuki Mori, Takashi Shimura, Minoru Chiaki, Kichijiro Ueda, Fumiko Honma Running Time: 88 min. By Alexander The Good: I’ve never been as captivated by the cinematography of a black and white film as I was with this one. There are only three locales in the entire movie, yet each (particularly the rain-ravaged temple ruins) are … Continue reading
Evil Dead Trap (1988) Review
Director: Toshiharu Ikeda Cast: Miyuki Ono, Aya Katsuragi, Hitomi Kobayashi, Eriko Nakagawa, Masahiko Abe Running Time: 105 min. By Woody Ikeda’s “Evil Dead Trap” is a very entertaining mix of the giallo (slasher) films of Italy’s Dario Argento, that rushing camera trick from Raimi’s “Evil Dead” films, and the “body horror” of David Cronenberg. Stylistically, this is reminiscent of an Argento film…bright colors, creative murders, a never-still camera, the unseen … Continue reading
Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973) Review
Director: Jun Fukuda Producer: Tomoyuki Tanaka Cast: Katsuhiko Sasaki, Hiroyuki Kawase, Yutaka Hayashi, Robert Dunham, Kotaro Tomita Running Time: 81 min. By Woody My fondest memories of Palmdale, California are of visiting my Grandma Mary, eating TV dinners, and sitting in the guest room to watch the weekly Japanese monster movie on channel 5. It was the high point of my week. Living in Palmdale in the early nineties was … Continue reading
Peacock King, The | aka Legend of the Phoenix (1989) Review
Director: Nam Nai Choi Cast: Yuen Biao, Gloria Yip Wan Yi, Pauline Wong Siu Fung, Pauline Wong Siu Fung, Gordon Liu Chia Hui, Eddie Ko Hung, Philip Kwok Chung Fung, Ken Boyle, Siu Tak Foo, Yuen Bun, Kara Hui Ying Hung Running Time: 83 min. By JJ Hatfield All is dark except for an area forming a rough circle around an ongoing archaeological dig. Without warning a great force erupts … Continue reading
Goemon | aka The Legend of Goemon (2009) Review
AKA: Goemon: The Robin Hood of Japan Director: Kazuaki Kiriya Cast: Yosuke Eguchi, Takao Osawa, Ryoko Hirosue, Gori, Eiji Okuda, Eiji Okuda, Kazuaki Kiriya, Jun Kaname, Masato Ibu, Hashinosuke Nakamura, Susumu Terajima, Mikijiro Hira, Tetsuji Tamayama, Choi Hong-man Running Time: 128 min. By Ningen A revisionist take on the titular legendary Japanese thief, this Hero/300-esque follow-up from the director of the live-action Casshern emphasizes his role in Japan’s warring state … Continue reading
Godzilla: Final Wars (2004) Review
Director: Ryuhei Kitamura Cast: Masahiro Matsuoka, Rei Kikukawa, Akira Takarada, Kane Kosugi, Kazuki Kitamura, Maki Mizuno, Masami Nagasawa, Chihiro Otsuka, Don Frye Running Time: 125 min. By Ningen Note that the only previous film of Ryuhei Kitamura’s I’ve seen was Versus. I haven’t seen Azumi and didn’t even play that MGS remake for the GC in which he was involved. Anyway, while it was supposed to be a sequel to the … Continue reading
Posted in All, Japanese, News, Reviews
Tagged Godzilla, Kane Kosugi, Ryuhei Kitamura
Battle Royale (2000) Review
Director: Kinji Fukasaku Cast: Tatsuya Fujiwara, Aki Maeda, Taro Yamamoto, Masanobu Ando, Takeshi Kitano, Kou Shibasaki, Chiaki Kuriyama, Yuko Miyamura, Yuuki Masuda, Sousuke Takaoka Running Time: 114 min. By JJ Hatfield “Battle Royale” is very interesting – interesting beyond the usual curiosity and opinions about books and films. What is most interesting is that those who have not read the book nor viewed the movies are the same ones who … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Reviews
Tagged Aki Maeda, Chiaki Kuriyama, Kinji Fukasaku, Masanobu Ando, Takeshi Kitano (Beat Takeshi), Tatsuya Fujiwara
Asako in Ruby Shoes | aka Sunaebo (2000) Review
Director: E J-Yong Producer: Koo Bon-Han, Tsuchida Masaki, Iwata Hitoshi Cast: Lee Jeong-Jae, Misato Dachibana, Kim Gumija, Kim Min-Hee, Ren Osugi Running Time: 115 min. By Mlindber Asako in Ruby Shoes is another one of those great films from Korea in a genre you’d normally hate. You know the type. The movie is about a guy named U-in (Lee Jung-jae) from Korea, how much of a loser he is, and … Continue reading
Snake of June, A (2002) Review
Director: Shinya Tsukamoto Cast: Asuka Kurosawa, Yuji Kohtari, Shinya Tsukamoto, Masato Tsujioka, Susumu Terajima Running Time: 77 min. By Raging Gaijin It’s no secret that the Japanese people are repressed. And we all know that when a society represses its deepest, darkest urges, they don’t actually go away. No, they remain just below the surface and ready to break through at any moment. Or at the very least they’re filtered … Continue reading
Crazy Thunder Road (1980) Review
Director: Sogo Ishii Producer: Mitsuhiko Akita, Hiroshi Kobayashi Cast: Tatsuo Yamada, Hiroshi Kaiya, Masamitsu Daichi, Yōsuke Nakajima, Tadashi Kamiya, Akihiro Kimura, Hiroyuki Kiyosue, Katsunori Hirose, Masahiro Ōzeki, Nenji Kobayashi, Masashi Kojima, Koji Nanjō, Michiko Kitahara, Naoto Ōmori, Masahiro Yoshiwara, Akemi Morimura Running Time: 90 min. By Joe909 As of this writing, I’m 27 years old, and I’ve realized through the wisdom of age that one shouldn’t get too excited to … Continue reading
Kamui Gaiden | aka Kamui The Lone Ninja (2009) Review
AKA: Kamui Director: Yoichi Sai Cast: Ken ichi Matsuyama, Koyuki Koyuki, Kaoru Kobayashi, Koichi Sato, Hideaki Ito Running Time: 120 min. By Mighty Peking Man “Kamui Gaiden” is the story of a Kamui (Ken’ichi Matsuyama), an ex-evil ninja who turns his back on his evil ways to pursue a peaceful lifestyle. However, everywhere he goes, he is followed and attacked by his former ninja clan, who now consider him a … Continue reading
Sanjuro (1962) Review
Director: Akira Kurosawa Writer: Ryuzo Kikushima, Akira Kurosawa Cast: Toshiro Mifune, Tatsuya Nakadai, Keiju Kobayashi, Yuzo Kayama, Reiko Dan, Akihiko Hirata, Takashi Shimura, Kamatari Fujiwara, Takako Irie, Masao Shimizu Running Time: 96 min. By Mairosu After Yojimbo proved to be a huge commercial hit, messrs Kurosawa and Mifune teamed up for another humorous caper about the wisecracking nameless ronin, and this time with equal success. Sanjuro is admittedly more light-hearted … Continue reading
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