Category Archives: Reviews

Blast (1997) Review

Blast | Blu-ray (MVD Marquee)

Director: Albert Pyun Writer: Albert Pyun Cast: Linden Ashby, Rutger Hauer, Kimberly Warren, Tim Thomerson, Norbert Weisser, Andrew Divoff, Yuji Okumoto, Vincent Klyn, Tim Thomerson, Sonya Eddy, Shannon Elizabeth, Jill Pierce Running Time: 159 min. By Z Ravas When I was 10 years-old, I thought you couldn’t get any cooler than Linden Ashby. That probably sounds amusing now, but I still think the actor was able to combine the amiable charm … Continue reading

Posted in All, News, Other Movies, Reviews | Tagged , , , , |

Angry Ranger (1991) Review

"Angry Ranger" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Wang Lung Wei Producer: Jackie Chan Cast: Ben Lam Kwok Bun, Jackie Lui Chung Yin, Sun Chien, Leung Yuen Jing, Mai Kei, Edward Mok Ga Yiu, Benny Lai Keung Kuen, Danny Chow Yun Kin, Johnny Cheung Yiu Wah, Anthony Carpio, Christopher Chan Sai-Tang, Mai Kei Running Time: 87 min. By Martin Sandison Once one of the premier members of the Jackie Chan stunt team, whose greatest role in a … Continue reading

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

Return, The (2018) Review

Director: Malene Choi Writer: Sissel Dalsgaard Thomsen Cast: Thomas Hwan, Karoline Sofie Lee Running Time: 85 min. By Paul Bramhall Out of all the many characters that frequent Korean cinema, the one which is arguably the most underrepresented is that of the international adoptee. So it came as quite a shock when I watched the recently released Champion, a mainstream production starring Ma Dong-seok as an adoptee raised in the … Continue reading

Posted in All, Korean, News, Reviews |

Secret Reunion (2010) Review

"Secret Reunion" Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Jang Hun Cast: Song Kang-Ho, Gang Dong-Won, Jeon Kuk-Hwan, Park Hyuk-Kwon, Yoon Hee-Seok, Ko Chang-Seok, Lee So-Yun, Jung In-Gi, Bae Yong-Geun, Jo Suk-Hyun, Park Yong-Jin, Kwon Bum-Taek, Choi Jung-Woo Running Time: 116 min. By Z Ravas Secret Reunion opens at a fever pitch most action movies hope to achieve during their climax. Gang Don-won’s character has been living in South Korea as a sleeper agent for the North when … Continue reading

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

Mile 22 (2018) Review

"Mile 22" Japanese Theatrical Poster

Director: Peter Berg Cast: Mark Wahlberg, John Malkovich, Lauren Cohan, Iko Uwais, Ronda Rousey, Sam Medin, Nikolai Nikolaeff, Chae Rin Lee, Poorna Jagannathan, Myke Holmes Running Time: 94 min. By Kelly Warner There’s a joke online that when an international breaking news tragedy occurs, Peter Berg and Mark Wahlberg are first in line to get the movie rights. From terrorist attacks to environmental disasters, it would seem that the duo … Continue reading

Posted in All, Asian Related, News, Reviews | Tagged , , |

Master Z: The Ip Man Legacy (2018) Review

Master Z: Ip Man Legacy | Blu-ray (Well Go USA)

Director: Yuen Woo-ping Cast: Max Zhang, Dave Bautista, Liu Yan, Michelle Yeoh, Tony Jaa, Kevin Cheng, Chrissie Chau, Patrick Tam, Philip Keung, Anthony Ho, Xing Yu, Adam Pak Running Time: 137 min. By Paul Bramhall While anticipation builds for the 2019 release of Ip Man 4, with all of its furore around the inclusion of Bruce and Boyka, it shouldn’t be forgotten that 2018 isn’t going to let us get … Continue reading

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

Rage (1995) Review

"Rage" VHS Cover

Director: Joseph Merhi Cast: Gary Daniels, Kenneth Tigar, Fiona Hutchison, Jillian McWhirter, Peter Jason, Mark Metcalf, Tim Colceri, Ramon Sison, David Powledge, Judith-Marie Bergan Running Time: 95 min.  By Paul Bramhall Call me gullible, but when a movie comes with a tagline like “Somewhere between sanity and madness….there is RAGE”, you have me sold. Such is the case for the 1995 Gary Daniels vehicle Rage. Despite the bold tagline, there can be … Continue reading

Posted in All, Asian Related, News, Other Movies, Reviews | Tagged , |

Psychokinesis (2018) Review

"Psychokinesis" Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Yeon Sang-Ho Writer: Yeon Sang-Ho Cast: Ryoo Seung-Ryong, Shim Eun-Kyung, Park Jung-Min, Kim Min-Jae, Jung Yu-Mi Running Time: 101 min.  By Z Ravas Train to Busan must be the most popular Korean film in America since Oldboy. No, I don’t have any hard data to back that up (although the movie did gross close to $100 million worldwide). But anecdotally, here in the States – where Korean cinema is still … Continue reading

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

Illang: The Wolf Brigade (2018) Review

"Illang: The Wolf Brigade" Theatrical Poster

Director: Kim Ji-woon Cast: Gang Dong-Won, Han Hyo-Joo, Jung Woo-Sung, Kim Moo-Yul, Han Ye-Ri, Heo Jun-Ho, Minho, Shin Eun-Soo, Kim Pub-Lae, Lee Dong-Ha, Choi Jin-Ho Running Time: 138 min. By Z Ravas A Tale of Two Sisters. A Bittersweet Life. The Good, the Bad, the Weird. I Saw the Devil. Age of Shadows. Over the last 15 years, the work of Kim Jee-woon has come to help define popular Korean … Continue reading

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

Run and Kill (1993) Review

"Run and Kill" Theatrical Poster

Director: Billy Tang Writer: Bryan Chang Cast: Kent Cheng, Simon Yam, Esther Kwan, Danny Lee, Melvin Wong, Johnny Wang Lung Wei Running Time: 91 min. By Paul Bramhall The best Category III movies usually come with a reputation that precedes them, and Run and Kill certainly fits that criteria. Multiple versions in existence because of cuts made to secure distribution in various territories? Check. A particular scene known for its shocking … Continue reading

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

Nightshooters (2018) Review

"Nightshooters" Theatrical Poster

Director: Marc Price Writer: Marc Price Cast: Jean-Paul Ly, Adam McNab, Nicky Evans, Rosanna Hoult, Richard Sandling, Kaitlyn Riordan, Mica Proctor, Hung Dante Dong, Nicholas Aaron, Ben Shafik Running Time: 100 min. By Martin Sandison Hot on the trail of his self-directed short The Division, Jean-Paul Ly (Jailbreak) has achieved the seemingly impossible: starred and choreographed in a low budget, great British-made martial arts film, Nightshooters – ok, ok, it’s not a purists … Continue reading

Posted in All, Asian Related, News, Other Movies, Reviews | Tagged |

Unstoppable (2018) Review

Unstoppable | Blu-ray (Well Go USA(

Direcor: Kim Min-ho Writer: Kim Min-Ho Cast: Ma Dong-Seok, Song Ji-Hyo, Kim Sung-Oh, Kim Min-Jae, Ji-Hwan, Lee Sung-Woo, Bae Noo-Ri, Park Ji-Hoon, Park Kwang-Jae, Lim Hyung-Joon Running Time: 115 min. By Paul Bramhall It’s fair to say that if The Man from Nowhere was Korea’s Taken, then Unstoppable is Korea’s Taken 2. One had Won Bin tracking down the traffickers who kidnapped his neighbour’s child, while the other has Ma … Continue reading

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

Europe Raiders (2018) Review

"Europe Raiders" Teaser Poster

Director: Jingle Ma Cast: Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Kris Wu, Tiffany Tang, Du Juan, George Lam, Jija Yanin, Cung Le Running Time: 100 min.  By Paul Bramhall It’s fair to say that perhaps the biggest fan of cinematographer turned director Jingle Ma’s …….. Raiders series, is Ma himself. The first (and I’m sure many considered last) entry in the series was 2000’s Tokyo Raiders, which was a fun but slight slice of action … Continue reading

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

Unity of Heroes (2018) Review

"Unity of Heroes" Teaser Poster

Director: Lin Zhenzhao Cast: Vincent Chiu Man Chuk, Wei Ni, Michael Tong, Li Lubing, Li Yuan, Chen Chen, Xu Zhengguo, Wei Xiaohuan, Zhang Lei, Chen Chao, Zhou Jianhua Running Time: 104 min.  By Paul Bramhall I believe it was Morgan Freeman in The Shawshank Redemption that said “hope is a dangerous thing my friend”, but even knowing this, I couldn’t help but feel optimistic when news broke that Vincent Zhao … Continue reading

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

Once Upon a Time in China V (1994) Review

"Once Upon a Time in China V" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Tsui Hark Cast: Vincent Chiu, Rosamund Kwan, Jean Wong, Kent Cheng, Hung Yan Yan, Mok Siu Chung, Lau Shun, Elaine Lui, Gwok Chun On, Stephen Tung Wei Running Time: 101 min. By Paul Bramhall Remember that time Tsui Hark decided to make his own version of Project A, but film it in the style of John Woo? If not, then it likely means you’ve never seen Once Upon a … Continue reading

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