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on Sweet news for Korean cinema fans! Second Sight to release a limited edition 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray for ‘A Bittersweet Life’Finally! Imported a Korean dvd way back when it came out around 20 years ago…
on First look at martial arts star Daniel Bernhardt in a reboot of Roger Corman’s sword and sorcery thriller ‘Deathstalker’The Void and Psycho Goreman are good fun, this looks promising.
on 88 Films upholds their legacy with a Deluxe Blu-ray for Ronny Yu and Brandon Lee’s 1986 revenge thriller ‘Legacy of Rage’Wild take! But then I've come across people who say Once Upon a time in Holly…
on Sammo Hung controls the city walls in the Final railer for Soi Cheang’s actioner ‘Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In’Screen Daily reporting a few international deals done: Onsite at the Cannes m…
on The Last Kumite | 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray (MPI Home Video)Just finished watching this and it's enjoyable... I'm a huge horror movie fan…
on The Last Kumite | 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray (MPI Home Video)I forgot that this movie was available to rent, so I hopped on Vudu, and chec…
on My bodyguard, my choice! 88 Films delivers Corey Yuen and Jet Li’s 1995 thriller ‘Bodyguard from Beijing’ on 4K Ultra HDOne of the worst Jet Li 90's movies and...it gets 4KUHD and Co... Without me…
on 88 Films upholds their legacy with a Deluxe Blu-ray for Ronny Yu and Brandon Lee’s 1986 revenge thriller ‘Legacy of Rage’Another great character we don't speak about is Four Eyes, who's relationship…
on 88 Films upholds their legacy with a Deluxe Blu-ray for Ronny Yu and Brandon Lee’s 1986 revenge thriller ‘Legacy of Rage’Hey MPM, I agree with you on Legacy Of Rage. Michael Wong if we're objective…
on Sammo Hung controls the city walls in the Final railer for Soi Cheang’s actioner ‘Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In’Appreciate the input Phil. =)
Category Archives: Reviews
Truth Beneath, The (2016) Review
Director: Lee Kyoung-Mi Cast: Son Ye-Jin, Kim Ju-Hyeok, Kim So-Hee, Shin Ji-Hoon, Choi Yu-Hwa, Kim Min-Jae Running Time: 102 min. By Paul Bramhall There’s been a refreshing surge of female talent in Korean cinema during recent years, particularly behind the camera. Movies like Shin Su-won’s Madonna, and Jeong Joo-ri’s A Girl at my Door, are arguably highpoints of the country’s output in the post-2010 era, and in 2016 the director … Continue reading
R100 (2013) Review
Director: Hitoshi Matsumoto Cast: Nao Omori, Shinobu Terajima, Hitoshi Matsumoto, Ai Tominaga, Eriko Sato, Naomi Watanabe, You, Suzuki Matsuo, Atsuro Watabe, Gin Maeda, Katagiri Hairi, Lindsay Kay Hayward, Mao Daichi Running Time: 94 min. By Paul Bramhall Any discussion on director Hitoshi Matsumoto inevitably brings up a comparison with Takeshi ‘Beat’ Kitano. Much like Kitano, Matsumoto is also a famous Japanese TV personality that started off as (and still is) … Continue reading
Re:Born (2016) Review
Director: Yuji Shimomura Cast: Tak Sakaguchi, Yura Kondo, Takumi Saito, Mariko Shinoda, Akio Otsuka, Orson Mochizuki, Kenta Akami, Masaya Kato, Rina Takeda, Yoshitaka Inagawa Running Time: 100 min. By Paul Bramhall The swansong of Tak Sakaguchi (here billed as Tak ∴), Re:Born has certainly had one of the more interesting journeys to the screen. Having been plucked from Japan’s underground street fighting circuit by director Ryuhei Kitamura to headline the 2000 cult hit Versus, Sakaguchi has maintained a … Continue reading
Posted in All, Japanese, News, Reviews
Tagged Masanori Mimoto, Rina Takeda, Tak Sakaguchi, Yuji Shimomura
New World (2013) Review
Director: Park Hoon-jung Writer: Park Hoon-jung Cast: Lee Jung-jae, Choi Min-sik, Hwang Jung-min, Song Ji-hyo, Park Sung-woong, Kim Yoon-seong, Na Kwang-hoon, Park Seo-yeon, Choi Il-hwa Running Time: 134 min. By Martin Sandison Filmmaker Park Hoon-jung has a limited filmography, but as the credited screenwriter on the all-time masterpiece I Saw the Devil, he started off his career very strongly. His 2nd film as director – following 2011’s The Showdown – is New World, an off-the-wall mix of gangster … Continue reading
Posted in All, Korean, News, Reviews
Tagged Choi Min-sik, Hwang Jung-min, Lee Jung-jae, Ma Dong-seok, Park Hoon-Jung
Memoir of a Murderer (2016) Review
Director: Won Shin-yun Cast: Sul Kyung-gu, Kim Nam-gil, Kim Seol-hyun, Oh Dal-su, Shin Ki-joon, Hwang Seok-jeong, Gil Hae-yeon, Kim Han-joon, Kim Dong-hee, Kim Jung-young Running Time: 128 min. By Paul Bramhall There’s been many variations on the serial killer trope in Korea, often framed within a variety of genres. From the horror of Tell Me Something, to the mystery of Memories of Murder, to the visceral thrills of I Saw the Devil. Director Won Shin-yun’s latest delivers yet another variant … Continue reading
Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017) Review
AKA: Star Wars: Episode VIII Director: Rian Johnson Cast: Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Gwendoline Christie, Kelly Marie Tran, Laura Dern, Benicio del Toro, Veronica Ngo, Justin Theroux, Togo Igawa, Amanda Lawrence Running Time: 152 min. By Kyle Warner Right, so before we get started: I am going to talk about the new Star Wars movie. If you want … Continue reading
Thunderbolt Fist, The (1972) Review
Director: Chang Il-ho Producer: Runme Shaw Cast: Chuen Yuen, Shih Szu, James Nam, Fang Mien, Tung Lam, Lee Ka Ting, Wong Chin Feng, Yukio Someno, Gam Kei Chu, Chan Feng Chen, Cheung Hei Running Time: 86 min. By Paul Bramhall In the history of kung fu cinema, 1972 was one of the most significant years. The Shaw Brothers studio had imported several experienced directors and martial artists from Korea, and in this particular year … Continue reading
Posted in All, Chinese, News, Reviews, Shaw Brothers
Tagged Chieh Yuan, Chuen Yuen, James Nam Gung Fan, Shih Szu
Single Rider, A (2016) Review
Director: Lee Zoo-young Cast: Lee Byung-hun, Gong Hyo-jin, Ahn So-hee, Jack Campbell, Yang Yoo-jin, Annika Whiteley, Kei Ekland, Baek Soo-jang, Choi Joon-young Running Time: 97 min. By Paul Bramhall If there was ever an example of an under the radar movie, then you’d be hard pressed to come across a better one than A Single Rider. Headlined by Korea’s most well-known actor, Lee Byung-hun, the low key production was his … Continue reading
Silent Assassins (1988) Review
Director: Lee Doo-Yong Cast: Sam Jones, Linda Blair, Jun Chong, Phillip Rhee, Mako, Bill Erwin, Gustav Vintas, Rebecca Ferratti, Bill Wallace, Alexis Rhee, Simon Rhee, Joanna Chong Running Time: 91 min. By Paul Bramhall Let’s be clear, there are only two kinds of people who should be checking out Silent Assassins. The first is the demographic that feels inexplicably drawn to a movie which would team up Flash Gordon with Regan from … Continue reading
Posted in All, Asian Related, News, Ninja, Reviews
Tagged Bill Wallace, Jun Chong, Mako, Phillip Rhee, Sam J. Jones, Simon Rhee
Legend of the Broken Sword Hero (2017) Review
AKA: Broken Sword Hero Director: Bin Bunluerit Cast: Buakaw Banchamek, Sornsin Maneewan, Nantawut Boonrubsub, Vannapoom Songsuparp, Chutirada Junthit, Phutharit Prombandal, Jaran Ngamdee Running Time: 120 min. By Kyle Warner I tend to approach a new Thai martial arts film with a mix of excitement and trepidation. Because while it’s unfair to generalize an entire film industry’s output, my experience with Thailand’s action cinema often seems to have similar highs and lows across … Continue reading
Showdown | aka Duel: Final Round (2016) Review
Director: Sin Dong-yeop Writer: Min Kyeong-geun Cast: Lee Joo-Seung, Oh Ji-Ho, Lee Jung-Jin, in Jung-Keun, Eun-Seo, Joo Suk-Tae, Kang Shin-Chul, Im Chang-Jung, Ahn Sol-Bin, Lee Se-rang, Cherrish Ramirez Running Time: 97 min. By Paul Bramhall There can be no denying that the classic kung fu movie trope of a martial arts master challenging fellow martial artists has been around for a long time. In the 70’s there was the black caped Kwan … Continue reading
Danny the Dog | aka Unleashed (2005) Review
Director: Louis Leterrier Cast: Jet Li, Morgan Freeman, Bob Hoskins, Kerry Condon, Andy Beckwith, Scott Adkins, Silvio Simac, Christian Gazio, Michael Ian Lambert, Kazu Patrick Tang Running Time: 133 min. By Z Ravas Supposedly after shooting the particularly bloody Kiss of the Dragon, Jet Li wanted to reteam with French writer/producer Luc Besson for a film that would actually depict the consequences of violence. If that was the case, then they … Continue reading
Taxi Driver, A (2017) Review
Director: Jang Hoon Cast: Song Kang-Ho, Thomas Kretschmann, Yu Hae-Jin, Ryoo Joon-Yeol, Park Hyuk-Kwon, Choi Gwi-Hwa, Um Tae-Goo, Jeon Hye-Jin, Ko Chang-Seok, Kim Na-In Running Time: 137 min. By Paul Bramhall An interesting element of Korean cinema has always been how much the film industries output reflects the political climate of the time. When the nationalistic Park Geun-hye was elected in 2013, a slew of patriotic themed movies filled the theaters, … Continue reading
Buddhist Fist and Tiger Claws | aka Yong-ho’s Cousins (1981) Review
AKA: Yong-ho’s Cousins Director: Lee Hyeok-Su Cast: Charles Han Yong-Cheol, Hwang Jang-Lee, Nam Chung-Yat, Park Ae-Kyung, Han Kyung Running Time: 95 min. By Paul Bramhall Buddhist Fist and Tiger Claws is about as perfect an example of Godfrey Ho tampering that you’re likely to come across. A 1981 Korean production titled Yong-ho’s Cousins, directed by Lee Hyeok-su, it became one of the many Korean kung fu flicks that were picked … Continue reading
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