Category Archives: Reviews

20th Century Boys: Chapter 1: The Beginning of the End (2008) Review

Posted on June 2, 2015 by Z Ravas

Director: Yukihiko Tsutsumi Producer: Nobuyuki Iinuma Cast: Toshiaki Karasawa, Etsushi Toyokawa, Takako Tokiwa, Teruyuki Kagawa, Takashi Ukaji, Kuranosuke Sasaki Running Time: 142 min. By HKFanatic 20th Century Boys is a live-action film based off the immensely popular and award-winning manga by Naoki Urasawa, who also created Monster. I’m not familiar with the source material but it must be pretty damn epic – it’s taken three movies, each over 2 hours … Continue reading →

Posted in All, Japanese, News, Reviews |

Master Strikes, The (1980) Review

Posted on May 31, 2015 by Paul Bramhall

Director: Kao Pao Shu Writer: Kao Pao Shu Cast: Meng Yuen Man, Tony Ching Siu Tung, Casanova Wong, Yen Shi Kwan, Eddie Ko Hung, Wong Mei Mei, Max Lee Chiu Jun, Meg Lam Kin Ming, Sham Chin Bo Running Time: 85/91 min. By Paul Bramhall The Master Strikes is one of those movies that seems to split audiences down the middle. Some fans praise it as being the movie in … Continue reading →

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

Colombiana (2011) Review

Posted on May 29, 2015 by Z Ravas

Director: Olivier Megaton Cast: Zoe Saldana, Michael Vartan, Cliff Curtis, Lennie James, Callum Blue, Graham McTavish Running Time: 108 min. By HKFanatic During the past few years, Luc Besson has made the transition from writer/director to writer/producer, creating a stable of Eurotrash action flicks with a rotating set of directors. He’s helped launch the careers of guys like Louis Letterier, who made the transition from The Transporter to big time … Continue reading →

Posted in Asian Related, Reviews | Tagged , |

Taking of Tiger Mountain, The (2014) Review

Posted on May 28, 2015 by Kelly Warner
"The Taking of Tiger Mountain" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Tsui Hark Cast: Zhang Hanyu, Tony Leung Ka-fai, Lin Gengxin, Yu Nan, Tong Liya, Kenny Lin, Gao Hu, Zhou Dong Yu, Han Geng, Chen Xiao, Mo Tse, Zha Ka, Li Bing-Yuan Running Time: 141 min. By Kelly Warner Adapted from Qu Bo’s 1957 novel Tracks in the Snowy Forest, which is itself based on a true story, Tsui Hark’s The Taking of Tiger Mountain takes what sounds like another drama … Continue reading →

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

Chocolate | aka Fury (2008) Review

Posted on May 26, 2015 by Z Ravas
"Chocolate" Japanese DVD Cover

Director: Prachya Pinkaew Cast: Yanin Vismitananda, Hiroshi Abe, Pongpat Wachirabunjong, Taphon Phopwandee, Ammara Siripong, Dechawut Chuntakaro, Hirokazu “Hero” Sano, Sirimongkol Singwangcha, Su Jeong Lim Running Time: 92/100 min. By HKFanatic I thoroughly enjoyed the Thai action movie Chocolate when it first came out in 2008, but revisiting it a few weeks ago on blu-ray – with the sound cranked – I think I loved it even more. This is a … Continue reading →

Posted in News, Reviews, Thai | Tagged , |

Fox Hunter (1995) Review

Posted on May 25, 2015 by Paul Bramhall
"Fox Hunter" Chinese DVD Cover

AKA: Hunting Fox Director: Stephen Tung Wai Cast: Jade Leung, Jordan Chan, Yu Rong Guang, Ching Fung, Guy Lai, Ng Git Keung, Roger Lee Running Time: 92 min. By Paul Bramhall Fox Hunter was the second of only 4 movies that legendary Hong Kong action choreographer Stephen Tung Wei would direct, as well as taking on action duties. To his credit, with each movie he did something a little different … Continue reading →

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

Soo | aka Art of Revenge (2007) Review

Posted on May 21, 2015 by Z Ravas
"Soo" Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Yoichi Sai Ji Jin-Hee, Kang Sung-Yeon, Moon Sung-Geun, Lee Ki-Young, Oh Man-Seok, Jo Kyeong-Hwan, Kim Jun-Bae, Choi Duk-Moon, Choi Jung-Woo, Lee Jae-Gu Running Time: 122 min. By HKFanatic Soo is not a movie I ever hear listed in the same breath as other Korean revenge flicks like Oldboy or A Bittersweet Life. In fact, it’s not a movie that I ever hear listed at all! It’s a shame this … Continue reading →

Posted in Korean, News, Reviews | Tagged |

Big Match (2014) Review

Posted on May 19, 2015 by Paul Bramhall
"Big Match" Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Choi Ho Producer: Park Sang-Hyun Cast: Lee Jeong-Jae, Shin Ha-Gyun, Lee Sung-Min, BoA, Kim Yui-Seong, Bae Sung-Woo, Son Ho-Jun, Kim Yun-Sung, Choi Woo-Sik, Park Doo-Sik Running Time: 112 min. By Paul Bramhall Director Choi Ho is certainly not someone you could say is afraid of working at his own pace. Since his feature debut in 1998 with the youth drama Bye June, skip forward 16 years and Big Match … Continue reading →

Posted in Korean, News, Reviews | Tagged , |

Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Miss Osbourne, The (1981) Review

Posted on May 15, 2015 by Kelly Warner

Director: Walerian Borowczyk Writer: Walerian Borowczyk, Robert Louis Stevenson Cast: Udo Kier, Marina Pierro, Patrick Magee, Gérard Zalcberg, Howard Vernon, Clément Harari, Jean Mylonas, Eugene Braun Munk, Louis Colla Running Time: 92 min. By Kyle Warner Walerian Borowczyk’s 1981 adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a graphic and savage take on the classic story. While it features a doctor who transforms … Continue reading →

Posted in News, Other Movies, Reviews |

Helios | aka Equator (2015) Review

Posted on May 12, 2015 by Paul Bramhall
"Helios" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Sunny Luk Co-director: Longman Leung Cast: Jacky Cheung, Nick Cheung, Chang Chen, Shawn Yue, Janice Man, Wang Xue Qi, Ji Jin-Hee, Choi Si-Won, Yoon Jin-Yi, Lee Tae-Ran, Kim Hae-Sook, Mike Leeder Running Time: 119 min. By Paul Bramhall Directors Sunny Luk and Longman Leung team up once more for their sophomore effort, Helios. Looking to match the success of their surprisingly taut 2012 bureaucratic thriller Cold War, here they’re … Continue reading →

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

Rurouni Kenshin (2012) Review

Posted on May 11, 2015 by Martin Sandison
"Rurouni Kenshin" Japanese Theatrical Poster

Director: Keishi Ohtomo Cast: Takeru Satoh, Emi Takei, Koji Kikkawa, Yu Aoi, Munetaka Aoki, Gou Ayano, Genki Sudo, Taketo Tanaka, Eiji Okuda, Yosuke Eguchi, Teruyuki Kagawa Running Time: 134 min. By Martin Sandison One of the most successful and critically acclaimed manga and anime’s of all time, Rurouni Kenshin’s fans were understandably worried about a live action version. Thankfully, those fans were in for a treat, and it works just … Continue reading →

Posted in Japanese, News, Reviews |

Retaliation (1968) Review

Posted on May 5, 2015 by Kelly Warner

Director: Yasuharu Hasebe Writer: Yoshihiro Ishimatsu, Keiji Kubota Cast: Joe Shishido, Meiko Kaji, Hideaki Nitani, Tamio Kawachi, Eiji Go, Tatsuya Fuji, Jiro Okazaki, Shoki Fukae, Shoki Fukae, Kaku Takashina Running Time: 94 min. By Kyle Warner There are two primary types of yakuza film. The genre began with films about chivalrous gangsters. These classics depicted yakuza as outlaws, yes, but they lived by a code, they were often romantic, and … Continue reading →

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

Invincible Armour (1977) Review

Posted on May 1, 2015 by Matthew Le-feuvre
"The Invincible Armour" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Ng See Yuen Producer: Chor Yuen Cast: John Liu Chung Liang, Hwang Jang Lee, Tino Wong Cheung, Lee Hoi San, Philip Ko Fei, Corey Yuen Kwai, Yuen Shun Yee, Yuen Biao, Hsu Hsia Running Time: 101 min. By Matthew Le-feuvre The collaborative effort in reuniting two of the world’s most celebrated kicking technicians was no light work for independent producer, Ng See Yuen. His previous trendsetter The Secret Rivals … Continue reading →

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

Shadowguard | aka The Blood Bond (2011) Review

Posted on April 30, 2015 by Paul Bramhall

AKA: The Blood Bond Director: Michael Biehn, Bey Logan Cast: Michael Biehn, Simon Yam, Phoenix Chou, Emma Pei, Jennifer Blanc, Xiao Keng Ye, Thomas Ho, Kenny Lo, Ridwan Amir, Michael Wong Mun-Tak Running Time: 86 min. By Paul Bramhall With the dawn of the DVD era, Hong Kong cinema expert Bey Logan quickly became known for his informative and knowledgeable audio commentaries, recorded for the Hong Kong Legends and Dragon … Continue reading →

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

Postman Strikes Back, The (1982) Review

Posted on April 28, 2015 by Paul Bramhall
"The Postman Strikes Back" DVD Cover

AKA: The Postman Fights Back Director: Ronny Yu Cast: Leung Kar Yan, Chow Yun Fat, Yuen Yat Chor, Fan Mei Sheng, Cherie Chung, Eddie Ko Hung, Brandy Yuen Jan Yeung, Chiang Cheng, Lee Fat Yuen Running Time: 88 min. By Paul Bramhall Postman Strikes Back is a unique entry in the Hong Kong action genre for a number of reasons. Set in 1913, it’s a movie which brings together elements … Continue reading →

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