Category Archives: Reviews

Bounty Hunters (2016) Review

Director: Shin Tae-Ra Producer: Raymond Wong Cast: Lee Min-ho, Wallace Chung, Tiffany Tang, Jeremy Xu, Karena Ng, Fan Siu-Wong, Yang Mi Running Time: 105 min. By Paul Bramhall In 2016 China continued its mission to create a watchable Hollywood style action blockbuster, and this time they’ve called in some help to back them up. Bounty Hunters is produced by Hong Kong based Raymond Wong, and perhaps sensing that leaving such a … Continue reading

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

League of Gods (2016) Review

League of Gods | Blu-ray & DVD (Sony)

AKA: Legend of the Gods Director: Koan Hui Co-director: Vernie Yeung Cast: Jet Li, Tony Leung Ka-Fai, Fan Bing-Bing, AngelaBaby, Huang Xiao-Ming, Louis Koo, Wen Zhang, Kristy Yeung, Jacky Heung Cho, Andy On, Zu Feng Running Time: 109 min.  By Paul Bramhall In the last 10 years China has gradually become one of the world’s box office juggernauts, and with a potential cinema going audience of over a billion, naturally … Continue reading

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

Call of Heroes (2016) Review

"Call of Heroes" Theatrical Poster

Director: Benny Chan Cast: Lau Ching-Wan, Louis Koo, Eddie Peng, Yuan Quan, Maggie Jiang, Liu Kai-Chi, Wu Jing, Phillip Keung, Sammy Hung, Berg Ng, Xing Yu, Edward Ma Chi-Wai Running Time: 120 min.  By Kelly Warner When a bloodthirsty warlord’s son comes to town and commits a crime, is the son to be held to the same rule of law as the rest of us? Or must we respect his … Continue reading

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

Hex (1980) Review

"Hex" Blu-ray Cover

Director: Kuei Chih-Hung Producer: Runme Shaw Cast: Tien Ni, Wong Yung, Chan Si Gaai, Shum Lo, Lee Sau Kei, Hon Gwok Choi, Ma Chao, Chan Laap Ban, Lau Yat Fan, Wong Ching Ho, Stephen Chan Yung Running Time: 90 min. By Martin Sandison Hex is the first release from 88 Films’ new “88 Asia” Collection. This UK-based label is known its horror/exploitation releases, and have pledged with this new line to release full HD Blu-rays with … Continue reading

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

Rocky Handsome (2016) Review

Director: Nishikant Kamat Cast: John Abraham, Diya Chalwad, Nishikant Kamat, Sharad Kelkar, Nathalia Kaur, Yash Tonk, Nishikant Kamat, Sharad Kelkar, Shiv Kumar Subramaniam, Suhasini Mulay, Teddy Maurya, Kazu Patrick Tang Running Time: 119 min. By Paul Bramhall I’ll be straight up and confess – I’ve never seen a Bollywood movie from start to finish, not one. While I’m being frank, I’ll also confess that if someone had told me that … Continue reading

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

Sky on Fire (2016) Review

"Sky on Fire" Theatrical Poster

AKA: Battle of Life Director: Ringo Lam Cast: Daniel Wu, Amber Kuo, Joseph Chang, Zhang Jingchu, Philip Keung, Eddie Cheung Running Time: 90 min.  By Paul Bramhall The return of Ringo Lam to the director’s chair for 2015’s Wild City was big news for many Hong Kong cinema fans, and for good reason, with Lam the force behind so many of the territories classics. Proving that his come-back isn’t just … Continue reading

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

Fifth Cord, The (1971) Review

"The Fifth Cord" Japanese Theatrical Poster

Director: Luigi Bazzoni Producer: Manolo Bolognini Cast: Franco Nero, Silvia Monti, Rossella Falk, Edmund Purdom, Maurizio Bonuglia, Pamela Tiffin Running Time: 90 min. By HKFanatic Barely five minutes into The Fifth Cord and Franco Nero’s character is swigging back a bottle of J&B behind the wheel of an automobile. So I had a feeling this was going to be a good giallo, and for the most part I was right. … Continue reading

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

Ebola Syndrome (1996) Review

"Ebola Syndrome" Chinese DVD Cover

Director: Herman Yau Producer: Wong Jing Cast: Anthony Wong, Angel Wong, Vincent Wan, Mariane Chan, Lo Meng, Ng Sui Ting, Peter Ngor Chi Kwan, Shing Fui On, Cindy Yip, Chang Yin, Tsang Yin Running Time: 97 min. By Martin Sandison After the success of the sadistic and powerful Bunman: The Untold Story, the director and star team of Herman Yau and Anthony Wong set about making another classic slice of … Continue reading

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

Terra Formars (2016) Review

"Terra Formars" Japanese Theatrical Poster

Director: Takashi Miike Cast: Hideaki Ito, Takayuki Yamada, Kane Kosugi, Emi Takei, Shun Oguri, Masaya Kato, Rinko Kikuchi, Tomohisa Yamashita, Eiko Koike, Mariko Shinoda, Rila Fukushima, Kenichi Takito, Rina Ohta, Ken Aoki, Kiyohiko Shibukawa Running time: 108 min. By Matija Makotoichi Tomic Fans and those familiar with the work of Takashi Miike might be missing the “old” Miike; whoever enjoyed films such as Dead or Alive, Deadly Outlaw: Rekka, Ichi … Continue reading

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

Reign of Assassins (2010) Review

Reign of Assassins | DVD (Anchor Bay)

AKA: Rain of Sword Director: Su Chao-Bin Cast: Michelle Yeoh, Jeong Wu Seong, Wang Xue Qi, Barbie Hsu, Kelly Lin, Shawn Yue, Nina Pau, Guo Xiao Dong, Matt Wu, Leon Dai, Jiang Yiyan, Hu Xiao Guang Running Time: 117 min. By Kelly Warner As a fan of John Woo and star Michelle Yeoh, Reign of Assassins was once a film I couldn’t wait to see. Then, like the rest of America, I … Continue reading

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

Insane (2015) Review

"Insane" Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Lee Chul-Ha Cast: Gang Ye-Won, Lee Sang-Yoon, Choi Jin-Ho, Ji Dae-Han, Chun Min-Hee, Lee Hak-Joo, Choi Yoon-So, Jo Jae-Yun, Kim Jong-Soo, Jang Tae-Seong Running Time: 91 min. By Paul Bramhall Mainstream Korean horror has always been a tricky beast, dating back to when the new wave really put Korean cinema on the map in the early 2000’s, the one constant seemed to be over promise and under deliver. Posters … Continue reading

Posted in All, Korean, News, Reviews |

Kickboxer: Vengeance (2016) Review

"Kickboxer: Vengeance" Japanese DVD Cover

Director: John Stockwell Cast: Alain Moussi, Georges St-Pierre, T.J. Storm, Matthew Ziff, Sam Medina, Dave Bautista, Sue-Lynn Ansari, Darren Shahlavi, Gina Carano, Hawn Tran, Sara Malakul Lane, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Tanzpol Chuksrida Running Time: 90 min. By Zach Nix Kickboxer: Vengeance is a remake/reboot of the original and classic Jean-Claude Van Damme martial arts film, Kickboxer, which was released in 1989. While there were a string of Van Damme-less Kickboxer … Continue reading

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

Nilalang | aka The Entity (2015) Review

"Nilalang" Theatrical Poster

AKA: Creature Director: Pedring Lopez Cast: Cesar Montano, Maria Ozawa, Meg Imperial, Yam Concepcion, Cholo Barretto, Dido de la Paz, Kiko Matos, Aubrey Miles, Alexandre Charlet, Sonny Sison Running Time: 90 min.  By Paul Bramhall After a long absence out of the spotlight, Filipino cinema has been making a quiet but assured comeback in recent years. Movies like Erik Matti’s On the Job, Sean Ellis’s Metro Manila, and Khavn de la … Continue reading

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

Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982) Review

"Halloween III: Season of the Witch" Japanese Theatrical Poster

Director: Tommy Lee Wallace Cast: Tom Atkins, Stacey Nelkin, Dan O’Herlihy, Michael Currie, Ralph Strait, Jadeen Barbor, Brad Schacter Running Time: 98 min. By Kelly Warner “Happy, Happy Halloween! Silver Shamrock!” The original vision of the Halloween series was not always going to be about Michael Myers, his issues with his sister, and his need to kill babysitters every October. But when 1978’s Halloween was a smash success, director John Carpenter was tasked with … Continue reading

Posted in All, News, Other Movies, Reviews |

Kwaidan | aka Ghost Stories (1965) Review

"Kwaidan" Japanese Theatrical Poster

AKA: Weird Tales Director: Masaki Kobayashi Writer: Yoko Mizuki, Lafcadio Hearn Cast: Tatsuya Nakadai, Rentaro Mikuni, Tetsuro Tamba, Takashi Shimura, Michiyo Aratama, Kunie Tanaka Running Time: 182 min. By Kyle Warner It’s long been my opinion that every great filmmaker should try their hand at horror at least once over the course of their career. Horror directors sometimes repeat some of the same themes, the same scares, the same monsters, and it takes … Continue reading

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