Category Archives: Reviews

Breathing Fire (1991) Review

Posted on April 22, 2022 by Henry McKeand

Director: Lou Kennedy Co-director: Brandon De-Wilde Cast: Ke Huy Quan, Eddie Saavedra, Ed Neil, Jerry Trimble, Bolo Yeung, Wendell C. Whitaker Running Time: 85 min. By Henry McKeand How’s this for an early-90s time capsule? Breathing Fire is a film so dedicated to its Xtreme teenage aesthetic that the plot revolves around a group of kickboxing bank robbers searching for a slice of pizza. Just when you think it couldn’t … Continue reading →

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Clementine (2004) Review

Posted on April 19, 2022 by Paul Bramhall

Director: Kim Doo-young Cast: Lee Dong-jun, Steven Seagal, Kim Hye-Ri, Eun Seo-Woo, Ki Joo-Bong, Kim Jung-Tae, Lim Ho, Lim Hyeok-Pil, Simon Rhee, So-yeon Kim, Jun Won-Joo Running Time: 100 min. By Paul Bramhall The likelihood is you’ve never found yourself asking if there’s a Korean version of Don ‘The Dragon’ Wilson, but just on the off chance that you have, then let me put forward the case for Lee Dong-jun. … Continue reading →

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Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022) Review

Posted on April 15, 2022 by Paul Bramhall

Director: Dan Kwan Co-director: Daniel Scheinert Cast: Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, Jenny Slate, Harry Shum Jr., James Hong, Jamie Lee Curtis, Sunita Mani, Aaron Lazar, Audrey Wasilewski Running Time: 139 min. By Paul Bramhall As an actress Michelle Yeoh has made an impact in every decade she’s been active. In the 80’s she kick-started the Girls with Guns genre in her first starring role with Yes, Madam!. … Continue reading →

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Mechanical Violator Hakaider (1995) Review

Posted on April 13, 2022 by Henry McKeand

Director: Keita Amemiya Cast: Yuji Kishimoto, Mai Hosho, Yasuaki Honda, Dai Matsumoto, Kazuhiko Inoue, Sumisu Andi Running Time: 51/71 min. By Henry McKeand There’s cerebral, lore driven science fiction, and then there’s something like Mechanical Violator Hakaider: a lizard-brained action fantasy with little patience for traditional world-building or character development. Directed by Keita Amemiya (Zeiram, Kamen Rider ZO) and based on the 1972 tokusatsu series Android Kikaider, the film is … Continue reading →

Posted in All, Japanese, News, Reviews |

Midnight (2021) Review

Posted on April 12, 2022 by Paul Bramhall
"Midnight" Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Kwon Oh-Seung Cast: Jin Ki-Joo, Wi Ha-Joon, Park Hoon, Gil Hae-Yeon, Kim Hye-Yoon, Na Eun-Saem, Kim Yoo-Ri, Kang Sang-Won, Lee Sang-Eun, Lim Seung-Min Running Time: 100 min. By Paul Bramhall When looking at landmark movies that came to define Korean cinema in the 21st century, it shouldn’t take too long before Na Hong-jin’s 2008 serial killer thriller The Chaser is brought into the discussion. Sure there had been serial killer … Continue reading →

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Yaksha: Ruthless Operations (2022) Review

Posted on April 11, 2022 by Paul Bramhall

Director: Nah Hyeon Cast: Sol Kyung-Gu, Park Hae-Soo, Yang Dong-Geun, Lee El, Song Jae-Rim, Jin Young, Hiroyuki Ikeuchi  Running Time: 125 min. By Paul Bramhall Taking its title from a type of spirit that exists in Hindu and Buddhist culture responsible for looking after hidden treasures, Yaksha: Ruthless Operations is also the name of the latest Korean offering from Netflix. Far from being a supernatural outing, here the reference is … Continue reading →

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Wind Blast (2010) Review

Posted on April 8, 2022 by Paul Bramhall

Director Gao Qun-Shu Cast: Duan Yi-Hong, Ni Da-Hong, Jacky Wu Jing, Zhang Li, Francis Ng Chun-Yu, Yu Nan, Xia Yu, Charlie Yeung, He Tiehong, Wang Shuang-Bao, Chi Qiang Running Time: 114 min.  By Paul Bramhall  If any movie is representative of Chinese mainstream cinema being at a crossroads, then the case for Wind Blast being it is a strong one. Made in 2010, it was a time when China’s rapid … Continue reading →

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

Hard Hit (2021) Review

Posted on April 5, 2022 by Henry McKeand

Director: Kim Chang-Ju Cast: Jo Woo-Jin, Lee Jae-In, Jin Kyung, Kim Ji-Ho, Jun Suk-Ho, Ji Chang-Wook, Haerry Kim Running Time: 94 min. By Henry McKeand The best Korean thrillers are successful because they push traditional genre elements to new extremes, creating violent psychodramas that value intensity above all else. These films often have runtimes of at least two hours, but there’s almost zero room for Hollywood sentimentality or warmed-over narrative … Continue reading →

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Coffin Homes (2021) Review

Posted on March 30, 2022 by Paul Bramhall

Director: Fruit Chan Cast: Siu Yam-Yam, Paul Che, Tai Bo, Rachel Lee Lai-Chun, Cheung Tat-Ming, Wong Yau-Nam, Peter Chan Charm-Man, Candy Wen Xue-Er, Ai Wai Running Time: 91 min. By Paul Bramhall As a director, Fruit Chan has always had the ability to take what appears to be standard genre fare, and give it his own unique off-kilter twist. This was on display in efforts as early as 1993’s Finale … Continue reading →

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Tattooed Dragon, The (1973) Review

Posted on March 28, 2022 by Ian Whittle

Director: Lo Wei Cast: Jimmy Wang Yu, Sylvia Chang Ai Chi, Sam Hui Koon Kit, James Tien Chun, Dorian Tan Tao Liang, Lee Kwan, Tong Tin Hei, Pipop Pupinyo, Nai Jia Running Time: 94 min. By Ian Whittle After two less than stellar features lensed in Japan, A Man Called Tiger and Seaman No.7, the Lo Wei/Jimmy Wang Yu/Golden Harvest team finally achieve some success with their third collaboration. In … Continue reading →

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A Touch of Sin (2013) Review

Posted on March 24, 2022 by Henry McKeand

Director: Jia Zhang-Ke Cast: Jiang Wu, Wang Bao-Qiang, Zhao Tao, Luo Lan-Shan, Zhang Jia-Yi, Vivien Li Meng Running Time: 130 min. By Henry McKeand At its most extreme, cinematic violence can serve either as a satisfying catharsis or a stark reminder of real-world suffering. The bloodshed in Jia Zhangke’s A Touch of Sin accomplishes each, sometimes simultaneously. The film is both a seething commentary on exploitation in present-day China and … Continue reading →

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Real (2017) Review

Posted on March 22, 2022 by Paul Bramhall

Director: Lee Sa-Rang Cast: Kim Soo-Hyun, Sung Dong-Il, Sung-Min, Sulli, Jo Woo-Jin, Lee Kyoung-Young, Han Ji-Eun, Kim Hong-Fa, Jung In-Gyeom, Choi Kwon, IU, Ahn So-Hee Running Time: 137 min. By Paul Bramhall Once in a while a production comes along whose reputation for being a complete train wreck precedes it. Who can forget Andy Lau apologising for appearing in the 007-inspired spy caper Switch, or Jackie Chan battling an Australian … Continue reading →

Posted in Korean, News, Reviews | Tagged , |

Spiritwalker (2021) Review

Posted on March 19, 2022 by Paul Bramhall
Spiritwalker | Blu-ray (Well Go USA)

Director: Yoon Jae-Keun Cast: Park Yong-Woo, Lim Ji-Yeon, Park Ji-Hwan, Yoo Seung-Mok, Lee Sung-Wook, Seo Hyun-Woo, Baek Do-Gyum, Woo Kang-Min Running Time: 110 min.  By Paul Bramhall It’s fair to say the body-swap plot device has been a recurring theme in cinema over the years. While more often than not the gimmick has been used for comedic purposes, thankfully there are filmmakers out there who have been willing to apply … Continue reading →

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Dynamite Shaolin Heroes, The (1977) Review

Posted on March 16, 2022 by Henry McKeand

Director: Lee Hyeok-Su Co-director: Godfrey Ho Cast: Lo Lieh, Kim Young-In, Choi Sung-Kyu, Kim Ki-Bum, Choe Bong, Kwan Yung-Moon, Roman Lee Kang-Jo, Kwon Il-Soo, Kim Wang-Kuk, Kim Min-Jeong Running Time: 77 min.  By Henry McKeand It’s not always easy to find behind-the-scenes information on the more obscure martial arts flicks from the 70s, but it’s almost impossible when Godfrey Ho is involved. Ho is perhaps best known for his low-budget … Continue reading →

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Beast, The (2019) Review

Posted on March 15, 2022 by Paul Bramhall
"The Beast" Theatrical Poster

Director: Lee Jung-Ho Cast: Lee Sung-Min, Yoo Jae-Myung, Jeon Hye-Jin, Daniel Choi, Kim Ho-Jung, An Si-Ha, Lee Sang-Hee, Kim Byung-Choon, Kim Hong-Fa, Kim Young-Sung Running Time: 130 min.  By Paul Bramhall While the Korean film industry has produced a number of remakes from its Asian neighbours like Japan and China over the years, more recently its increasingly found itself turning to European cinema to offer up a distinctly Korean spin … Continue reading →

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