Category Archives: Reviews

Halloween (2018) Review

"Halloween" Theatrical Poster

Director: David Gordon Green Cast: Jamie Lee Curtis, Judy Greer, Andi Matichak, Will Patton, Virginia Gardner, Nick Castle, Haluk Bilginer, Toby Huss, Jefferson Hall, Rhian Rees Running Time: 105 min. By Kyle Warner It’s strange – yet totally welcome, in my opinion – for a slasher movie to be an event film in 2018. And it seems only appropriate that it would be a new Halloween that summoned the crowds … Continue reading

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Resurrection of the Little Match Girl (2003) Review

"Resurrection of the Little Match Girl" Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Jang Sun-Woo Cast: Lim Eun-Kyung, Kim Hyun-Sung, Kim Jin-Pyo, Myung Gye-Nam, Myung Gye-Nam, Jung Doo-Hong, Kang Ta, Lee Chung-Ah, Seo Jae-Kyung, Park Sung-Woong Running Time: 125 min. By Paul Bramhall There are some movies out there that seem destined to only be appreciated in retrospect, such could be the case for Resurrection of the Little Match Girl. It was a title that I avoided since its release, as I … Continue reading

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Apostle (2018) Review

"Apostle" Teaser Poster

Director: Gareth Evans Writer: Gareth Evans Cast: Dan Stevens, Lucy Boynton, Mark Lewis Jones, Bill Milner, Kristine Froseth, Michael Sheen, Blake Ridder, Owain Gwynn, Juke Hardy, Pino Maiello Running Time: 129 min. By Kelly Warner After The Raid 2, many of us assumed that the next Gareth Evans film we’d be watching would be The Raid 3. But Evans made it clear that he needed a break from The Raid … Continue reading

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Hold the Dark (2018) Review

"Hold the Dark" Poster

Director: Jeremy Saulnier Cast: Jeffrey Wright, Alexander Skarsgård, James Badge Dale, Riley Keough, Julian Black Antelope Running Time: 125 min. By Kyle Warner In days like these, when seemingly every other person in Alaska has their own reality TV show and the powers that be plan to put oil pipelines all across the land, the state of Alaska is losing some of its rugged, dangerous appeal. But in the deep … Continue reading

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Trap: Lethal Temptation (2015) Review

Director: Bong Man-Dae Writer: Lee Chang-Yeol, Bong Man-Dae Cast: Yu Ha-Jun, Jung Min-Gyul, Na Sang-Gyu, Kang Yong-Gyu, Jo Soo-Jung, Lee Sang-Hwa Running Time: 107 min. By Paul Bramhall In Korea director Bong Man-dae is something of an anomaly. Even today he remains the only director to successfully transition from the world of erotic B-movies to mainstream cinema. After cranking out 12 titles in the 3 years spanning 1999 – 2002, … Continue reading

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Oh Lucy! (2017) Review

"Oh Lucy!" Japanese Theatrical Poster

Director: Atsuko Hirayanagi Cast: Shinobu Terajima, Josh Hartnett, Kaho Minami, Shiori Kutsuna, Koji Yakusho, Megan Mullally, Reiko Aylesworth, Suzuka Ohgo, Hajime Inoue, Leni Ito Running Time: 95 min.  By Kelly Warner Setsuko is a depressed, lonely middle-aged woman working in a joyless office job with nothing to come home to but a big mess of an apartment. Her family – a bitchy sister and a niece that was the result … Continue reading

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Maximum Impact (2018) Review

Maximum Impact | Blu-ray & DVD (Sony)

Director: Andrzej Bartkowiak Cast: Alexander Nevsky, Danny Trejo, Tom Arnold, Kelly Hu, Mark Dacascos, William Baldwin, Alphonso McAuley, Matthias Hues, Keith Powers, Bai Ling, Eric Roberts, Brian Kirchoff, Liliya May, Odin Lund Biron Running Time: 110 min. By Paul Bramhall Let me start by saying that I’m a guy who’s all for giving second chances. I mean if I wasn’t, then I’d never have bothered checking out a movie like … Continue reading

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Crippled Kung Fu Boxer | aka Ninja Supremo (1981) Review

"Crippled Kung Fu Boxer" Theatrical Poster

AKA: Kung Fu Boxer Director: Lee Chiu Cast: Cliff Lok, Tsai Hung, Yueh Hua, Sun Yueh, Goo Chang, Lee Chiu, Chu Siu-Wa, Ma Chin-Ku, Wynn Lau Chun-Fai, Danny Chow Yun-Kin, Chen Shu-Chu Running Time: 77 min. By Martin Sandison Those who know the name Cliff Lok usually worship at the alter of old school kung fu. It’s really a shame he was not a bigger star, as he has the … Continue reading

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Black Water (2018) Review

"Black Water" Japanese DVD Cover

Director: Pasha Patriki Writer: Chad Law Cast: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Dolph Lundgren, Patrick Kilpatrick, Al Sapienza, Jasmine Waltz, Kristopher Van Varenberg, Courtney B Turk Running Time: 104 min. By Kelly Warner I like Jean-Claude Van Damme. I blame/thank the good people of this here site for convincing me to give the actor’s films another look after I had dismissed them as forgettable, low-rent action movies. And, to be sure, some … Continue reading

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Keep Calm and Be a Superstar (2018) Review

"Keep Calm and Be a Superstar" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Vincent Kok Cast: Eason Chan Yick-shun, Li Rong-Hao, Cui Zhi-Jia, Li Yi-Tong, Zheng Ji-Feng, Danny Chan Kwok-kwan, Wilfred Lau Ho-Lung, Hui Siu-Hung, Chris Collins, Vincent Kok Tak-chiu , Edward Ma, Lam Tze-Chung, Steven Fung Running Time: 98 min. By Paul Bramhall Most fans of Hong Kong cinema will be familiar with Jackie Chan and Wong Jing’s reported inability to get along while making City Hunter in 1993. As a … Continue reading

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Gambling for Head (1975) Review

Director: Jimmy Nam Writer: Jimmy Shaw Cast: James Nam, Shao-Hung Chan, Kuen Cheung, Nan Chiang, Shao-Lin Chiang, Chi Chu Chin, Chun Erh, Yi Feng, Tsan-Hsiung Ku, Hok Nin Lau, Ke Ming Lin, John Patton, Travador Ramos, Fui-On Shing Running Time: 86 min. By Jay Dune Revenge plots are classic tropes that we see in martial arts movies all the time. Heck, even Western Action movies maintain that notion of revenge. … Continue reading

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Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum (2018) Review

Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

Director: Jung Bum-Sik Cast: Wi Ha-Joon, Park Ji-Hyun, Oh Ah-Yeon, Moon Ye-Won, Park Sung-Hoon, Lee Seung-Wook Running Time: 94 min. By Paul Bramhall The found footage horror film could be said to have started with Italian filmmaker Ruggero Deodato’s notorious 1980 jungle nightmare Cannibal Holocaust, but for many viewers it will arguably be a movie that came almost 20 years later, in the form of The Blair Witch Project, that … Continue reading

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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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Bouncer, The | aka Lukas (2018) Review

"The Bouncer" Theatrical Poster

Director: Julien Leclercq Writer: Jérémie Guez Cast: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Sveva Alviti, Sami Bouajila, Sam Louwyck, Kaaris, Kevin Janssens, Alice Verset, Dimitri Thivaios, Laurent D’Elia Running Time: 82 min. By LP Hugo While many film critics and casual filmgoers seem to date Jean-Claude Van Damme’s first true flexing of his acting muscles back to Mabrouk El Mechri’s JCVD in 2008, the Belgian action star has actually always been a bonafide … Continue reading

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Meg, The (2018) Review

"The Meg" international Trailer

Director: Jon Turteltaub Cast: Jason Statham, Li Bingbing, Rainn Wilson, Ruby Rose, Winston Chao, Cliff Curtis, Shuya Sophia Cai, Page Kennedy, Robert Taylor, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson Running Time: 113 min. By Paul Bramhall Let’s just get it out of the way upfront. Yes, The Meg is the movie which puts Jason Statham on equal footing with Jackie Chan. Is there another star out there who’s had the pleasure of starring alongside … Continue reading

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