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on Most posters ever award goes to THE FURIOUS! The highly anticipated martial arts thriller hitting theaters FridayI caught this at a special screening* in my neck of the woods. So…I caveat th…
on Blades of the Guardians (2026) ReviewI kind of agree. It starts off really rough. Maybe I went in with too high ex…
on City on Fire (1987) ReviewOverrated, far from Lam's best movies (School on fire, Prison on fire and "It…
on ⚠️ Tornado Warning! ⚠️ John Maclean’s samurai-Western actioner ‘Tornado’ hits 4K Ultra HD in JulyI’d like to hear your thoughts
on Blades of the Guardians (2026) ReviewHonestly thought the film was the wuxia equivalent of Marvel slop. Entertaini…
on The Japanese ‘Rocky’? Perhaps. But it’s every bit its equal! Shuji Terayama’s ‘The Boxer’ arrives on Blu-ray in JulyIf you like it, check out Ashita no Joe on Crunchyroll.
on Most posters ever award goes to THE FURIOUS! The highly anticipated martial arts thriller hitting theaters Fridayyou sound like Michael Jackson on that old South Park episode. "That's ignora…
on ⚠️ Tornado Warning! ⚠️ John Maclean’s samurai-Western actioner ‘Tornado’ hits 4K Ultra HD in JulyThanks for elaborating. Good to know. I'll give it a chance if it convenientl…
on Martial arts star Cynthia Rothrock teams up with Tim Scanlon for SRS Cinema’s Blu-ray for ‘Ryan Carson’You don't know the budget and/or the time constraints that came with this mov…
on Most posters ever award goes to THE FURIOUS! The highly anticipated martial arts thriller hitting theaters FridayEverything is inspired by things that came before. Hong Kong cinema itself wa…
on Life After Fighting (2024) ReviewJe découvre pour la première fois Bren Foster dans son premier film Life Afte…
on THE FURIOUS PART II? A sequel to ‘The Furious’ already in the works as producer promises a bigger follow upI also forgot Iko Uwais.
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 Most posters ever award goes to THE FURIOUS! The highly anticipated martial arts thriller hitting theaters FridayUh, seriously? The John Wick films were literally inspired by Hong Kong kung…
Category Archives: Reviews
Warriors of the Nation (2018) Review
AKA: Unity of Heroes 2 Director: Marco Mak Cast: Vincent Zhao Wenzhuo, Miya Muqi, Kenya Sawada, Na Wei, Lubing Li, Huanhuan Wei Running Time: 92 min. By Paul Bramhall To many kung fu fans in the west the genre may be regarded as dead and buried, but in China streaming channels like Youku and iQiyi have been providing a steady stream of original kung fu flicks for a number of … Continue reading
Posted in All, Chinese, News, Reviews
Tagged Kenya Sawada, Vincent Chiu Man Chuk
First Love (2020) Review
Director: Takashi Miike Writer: Masaru Nakamura Cast: Masataka Kubota, Sakurako Konishi, Nao Omori, Shota Sometani, Seiyo Uchino, Becky, Jun Murakami, Sansei Shiomi, Takahiro Miura, Maimi Yajima Running Time: 115 min. By Martin Sandison It’s pretty difficult to be an Asian movie fan in the last 25 years, and not love at least one Takashi Miike film. An omnipresence in challenging, genre-shifting vital cinema, the director is irrepressible and much-loved. Even … Continue reading
Battle of Jangsari, The (2019) Review
Director: Kwak Kyung-Taek Co-director: Kim Tae-Hoon Cast: Kim Myung-Min, Minho, Kim Sung-Cheol, Kim In-Kwon, Kwak Si-Yang, Megan Fox, Jang Ji-Gun, Lee Ho-Jung, Lee Jae-Wook, Dong Bang-Woo, Kim Mi-Hwa Running Time: 104 min. By Paul Bramhall With the thawing in relations between North and South Korea in recent years, movies about the Korean War have taken a back seat, and noticeably been replaced by more action-centric productions which partner agents from … Continue reading
Human, Space, Time and Human (2018) Review
Director: Kim Ki-Duk Cast: Jang Keun-Suk, Ryoo Seung-Bum, Ahn Sung-Ki, Mina Fujii, Lee Sung-Jae, Joe Odagiri, Tae Hang-Ho, Park Se-in, Sung Ki-Yoon, Kim Dong-chan Running Time: 122 min. By Paul Bramhall If ever there was an example of a movie destined to seal the fate of its creator, then it could very well be Human, Space, Time and Human, controversial Korean auteur Kim Ki-duk’s latest (and most likely last) movie. … Continue reading
Three Swordsmen (1994) Review
Director: Taylor Wong Writer: Shut Mei Yee Cast: Andy Lau Tak Wah, Elvis Tsui, Brigitte Lin, Yu Li, Leung Si Ho, Siqin Gaowa, Zhao Jian Running Time: 86 min. By Paul Bramhall In 1994 the new wave wuxia genre was fizzling out almost as quickly as it had arrived just a couple of years prior, however the sheer volume of wuxia flicks released during this period prove it wasn’t willing … Continue reading
Posted in All, Chinese, News, Reviews
Tagged Andy Lau Tak-Wah, Brigitte Lin, Elvis Tsui, Taylor Wong Tai Loy
Eagle Shooting Heroes, The (1993) Review
Director: Jeff Lau Writer: Wong Kar-wai Cast: Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Maggie Cheung, Leslie Cheung Kwok Wing, Jacky Cheung Hok Yau, Tony Leung Ka-fai, Brigitte Lin Ching Hsia, Joey Wong Tsu Hsien, Carina Lau Kar Ling, Kenny Bee Chung Chun-to, Sze-Ma Wah-Lung Running Time: 114 min. By Paul Bramhall In case it’s never been said before, Hong Kong cinema owes a debt of thanks to Wong Kar Wai’s 1994 wuxia, … Continue reading
Kungfu Cyborg: Metallic Attraction (2009) Review
Director: Jeffrey Lau Cast: Hu Jun, Betty Sun, Alex Fong, Ronald Cheng, Wu Jing, Stephy Tang, Gan Wei, Law Kar-ying, Eric Tsang, Chin Kar Lok, Hong Jun-Jie Running Time: 102 min. By Paul Bramhall Kungfu Cyborg: Metallic Attraction opens with the onscreen text “If God created humans, and they created robots, should we not question our maker the way humans question theirs?” Deep stuff, and one may expect the next … Continue reading
Posted in All, Chinese, News, Reviews
Tagged Alex Fong Chung Sun, Hu Jun, Jeff Lau Chun Wai, Stephy Tang Lai Yan, Wu Jing (Jacky Wu)
Ip Man 4: The Finale (2019) Review
Director: Wilson Yip Cast: Donnie Yen, Scott Adkins, Danny Chan, Vanness Wu, Chris Collins, Wu Yue, Lo Meng, Kent Cheng, Mark Strange, Jim Liu, Nicola Stuart-Hill, Linda Jean Barry Running Time: 105 min. By Paul Bramhall I once read somewhere that there’s nothing wrong with changing your mind, and while I forget exactly where it was, I have a feeling Donnie Yen may have read the same thing too. After 2010’s … Continue reading
Posted in All, Chinese, News, Reviews
Tagged Chris Collins, Danny Chan, Donnie Yen, Kent Cheng Jak Si, Lo Meng (Toad), Mark Strange, Scott Adkins, Wilson Yip, Wu Yue, Yuen Woo-ping
Shaolin Avengers | aka Invincible Kung Fu Brothers (1976) Review
AKA: Invincible Kung Fu Brothers Director: Chang Cheh Co-director: Wu Ma Cast: Alexander Fu Sheng, Chi Kuan Chun, Chan Wai Lau, Bruce Tong, Lung Fei, Choi Wang, Johnny Wang Lung Wei, Chiang Sheng, Leung Kar Yan Running Time: 93 min. By Martin Sandison As a kid I remember settling down to watch Chang Cheh’s Shaolin Temple – for me the crowning achievement of his monumental Shaolin-cycle. A depiction of the classic story … Continue reading
Posted in All, Chinese, News, Reviews, Shaw Brothers
Tagged Chang Cheh, Jamie Luk Kim Ming, Ricky Cheng Tien Chi, Wu Ma
Dragon Chronicles, The: The Maidens of Heavenly Mountain (1994) Review
Director: Andy Chin Producer: Jimmy Heung Cast: Brigitte Lin, Gong Li, Sharla Cheung, Frankie Lam, Norman Chu, Ku Tin-yi, Liu Kai-chi Running Time: 97 min. By Paul Bramhall Convoluted plots, a dizzying cast of characters, and breakneck pacing are all some of the defining characteristics of many a wuxia movie. From the Chor Yuen directed Gu Long adaptations during the 70’s Shaw Brothers heyday, through to the wire-filled extravaganzas of … Continue reading
Driver, The (2019) Review
Director: Wych Kaosayananda Cast: Mark Dacascos, Julie Condra, Noelani Dacascos, Jeremy Stutes, Adam Zachary Smith, Charlie Ruedpokanon, Kane Kosugi, Milena Gorum Running Time: 90 min. By Paul Bramhall The Driver is the final installment in director Wych Kaosayananda’s thrilling apocalyptic zombie trilogy, and no doubt the one that fans have been waiting for! If that sentence has you scratching your head in bewilderment, then the good news is you’re not alone. … Continue reading
Posted in All, Asian Related, News, Reviews
Tagged Kane Kosugi, Mark Dacascos, Wych Kaosayananda
Dangan Runner | aka Non-Stop (1996) Review
Director: Sabu Writer: Sabu (as Hiroyuki Tanaka) Cast: Tomorowo Taguchi, Diamond Yukai, Shinichi Tsutsumi, Akaji Maro, Ren Osugi, Sabu Running Time: 88 min. By Paul Bramhall The world of V-Cinema remains a criminally overlooked one when it comes to being released on either Blu-ray or (are we still allowed to say it in 2019?) DVD. A uniquely Japanese phenomenon, V-Cinema refers to the name given to the DTV style of … Continue reading
One on One (2014) Review
Director: Kim Ki-Duk Cast: Ma Dong-Seok, Kim Young-Min, Lee Yi-Kyung, Cho Dong-In, Yoo Teo, Ahn Ji-Hye, Jo Jae-Ryong, Kim Joong-Ki, Kim Jae-Rok, Joo Hee-Joong, Choi Gwi-Hwa Running Time: 122 min. By Paul Bramhall Just like movies are a product of the time they’re made in, so the same can be said for reviews that are written of them. A review of The Matrix in 1999 described it as an innovative … Continue reading
Exit (2019) Review
Director: Lee Sang-Geun Cast: Cho Jung-Seok, Yoona, Ko Du-Shim, Park In-Hwan, im Ji-Young, Hwang Hyo-Eun, Lee Bong-Ryun, Bae Yoo-Ram, Yoo Su-Bin, Kim Kang-Hoon, Lee Dong-Hwi Running Time: 103 min. By Paul Bramhall Much like every other film industry in the world, South Korea may not check-in to the disaster genre that frequently, but when it does it tends to go all out. Whether it be big blockbuster FX showcases such … Continue reading
Svaha: The Sixth Finger (2019) Review
Director: Jang Jae-Hyon Cast: Lee Jung-Jae, Park Jung-Min, Lee Jae-In, David Lee, Jung Jin-Young, Hwang Jung-Min, Jin Seon-Kyu Ji Seung-Hyun, Yoo Ji-Tae, Moon Sook, Ok Joo-Ri Running Time: 122 min. By Paul Bramhall I’m not sure if there’s something in the air, but the South Korean film industry has been cranking out a steady stream of evil ass-kicking Christians in recent years. From Kim Yoon-seok and Kang Dong-won in 2015’s … Continue reading
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