Category Archives: Reviews

Veteran (2015) Review

Posted on April 1, 2016 by Paul Bramhall
"Veteran" Theatrical Poster

Director: Ryoo Seung-wan Producer: Kang Hye-Jung Cast: Hwang Jeong-Min, Yu A-In, Yu Hae-Jin, Oh Dal-Su, Jang Yun-Joo, Oh Dae-Hwan, Kim Si-Hu, Jeong Woong-In, Jeong Man-Sik, Song Young-Chang Running Time: 123 min. By Paul Bramhall Director Ryoo Seung-wan is a familiar name to fans of Korean action cinema, ever since his debut Die Bad in 2000, he’s consistently delivered a series of movies which combine action with a strong narrative. Since … Continue reading →

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

Hard Corps, The (2006) Review

Posted on March 29, 2016 by Kelly Warner
"The Hard Corps" Japanese DVD Cover

AKA: The Defender Director: Sheldon Lettich Cast: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Razaaq Adoti, Vivica A. Fox, Peter Bryant, Ron Bottitta, Viv Leacock, Adrian Holmes, Mark Griffin, Aaron Au, Dexter Bell Running Time: 110 min. By Kelly Warner When a movie is a direct-to-DVD release, it comes with certain (usually lowered) expectations. We typically expect something low budget, often with subpar acting, and just enough of the right genre ingredients to appease … Continue reading →

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Shameless, The (2014) Review

Posted on March 23, 2016 by Paul Bramhall
"The Shameless" Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Oh Seung-uk Cast: Jeon Do-Yeon, Kim Nam-Gil, Park Sung-Woong, Kwak Do-Won, Kim Min-Jae, Park Ji-Hwan Running Time: 118 min. By Paul Bramhall Director Oh Seung-wook may not be a name that’s immediately familiar to many fans of Korean cinema, and that’s forgivable. Seung-wook directed and wrote the criminally overlooked 2000 gangster flick Kilimanjaro. The movie featured Park Shin-yang as a police officer returning to his hometown to scatter the … Continue reading →

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

Second in Command (2006) Review

Posted on March 21, 2016 by Kelly Warner
"Second in Command" Japanese DVD Cover

Director: Simon Fellows Cast: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Julie Cox, Alan McKenna, William Tapley, Razaaq Adoti, Velibor Topic, Warren Derosa, Ian Virgo, Raffaello Degruttola Raffaello Degruttola, Serban Celea, Vlad Ivanov, Vlad Ivanov, Razvan Oprea, Mihai Bisericanu, Colin Stinton Running Time: 92 min. By Kyle Warner After reading the post by Jeff Bona on the influential career in action movies that Jean-Claude Van Damme has had (“The Most ‘Remade’ Action Star”), I … Continue reading →

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Creepy (2016) Review

Posted on March 18, 2016 by Martin Sandison
"Creepy" Japanese Theatrical Poster

Director: Kiyoshi Kurosawa Cast: Hidetoshi Nishijima, Yuko Takeuchi, Haruna Kawaguchi, Masahiro Higashide, Teruyuki Kagawa, Ryoko Fujino, Masahiro Toda, Toru Baba Misaki Saisho, Takashi Sasano Running Time: 130 min. By Martin Sandison An established Japanese film company called Shochiku, which celebrated its 120th anniversary last year, has left an enduring legacy. From Yasujiro Ozu masterpieces such as Tokyo Story to more recent output such as Casshern, the diversity of movies the company … Continue reading →

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Rambling Guitarist, The (1959) Review

Posted on March 15, 2016 by Kelly Warner

Director: Buichi Saito Writer: Gan Yamazaki Cast: Akira Kobayashi, Ruriko Asaoka, Sanae Nakahara, Nobuo Kaneko, Jo Shishido, Misako Watanabe, Kyoji Aoyama, Mari Shiraki, Hiroshi Nihon’yanagi, Yuzo Kiura, San’emon Suzuki, Hyosuke Kanbe, Tsuneo Katagiri Running Time: 78 min. By Kyle Warner The Rambling Guitarist is a film that has very clearly taken some notes on what was popular at the time in Hollywood. What begins as an Elvis-inspired drama about a … Continue reading →

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

Invincible Obsessed Fighter (1982) Review

Posted on March 10, 2016 by Paul Bramhall
"Invincible Obsessed Fighter" Korean Theatrical Poster

AKA: Mu-rim Beggar Warriors Director: Kim Jung-yong Writer: Youn Suk-Hoon Producer: Godfrey Ho, Tomas Tang Cast: Elton Chong, Mike Wong Lung, Leung Ting, Chan Lau Lei, Fei Wan, Chu Gei Yuen, Gam Yung Yuen, Cheung Chit Running Time: 85 min. By Paul Bramhall This 1982 Korean production is right up there with Magnificent Wonderman from Shaolin when it comes to awesome movie titles. In fact, in an alternate reality I … Continue reading →

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Mermaid, The (2016) Review

Posted on March 9, 2016 by ningen31
Mermaid | Blu-ray & DVD (Sony Entertainment)

AKA: Mermaid Director: Stephen Chow Cast: Deng Chao, Lin Yun, Show Luo, Zhang Yuqi, Kris Wu, Lu Zhengyu, Fan Shuzhen, Li Shangzheng, Bo Xiaolong, Pierre Bourdaud, Ivan Kotik, Kong Lianshun, Bai Ke, Chiu Chi Ling, Tin Kai-man, Tsui Hark, Wen Zhang Running Time: 94 min. By Ningen Liu Xuan is a rags-to-riches Tony Stark-type flirt who has everything he could ever need, with the exception of a conscience. After pulling … Continue reading →

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Office | aka Design for Living (2015) Review

Posted on March 8, 2016 by Martin Sandison
"Office" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Johnnie To Writer: Sylvia Chang Cast: Chow Yun-fat, Sylvia Chang, Eason Chan, Tang Wei, Wang Ziyi, Lang Yue-Ting, Cheung Siu-Fai, Tien Hsin, Wallace Chung Hon-Leung, Stephanie Che Yuen-Yuen, Timmy Hung Tin-Ming, Mickey Chu Kin-Kwan Running Time: 117 min. By Martin Sandison Just after the Berlin Film Festival finished, the Glasgow Film Festival began. In 2012, the highly reputable Glasgow event screened a sold out show of The Raid that … Continue reading →

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Rage of Honor (1987) Review

Posted on March 6, 2016 by Zach Nix
"Rage of Honor" Theatrical Poster

AKA: Way of the Ninja Director: Gordon Hessler Cast: Sho Kosugi, Lewis Van Bergen, Robin Evans, Richard Wiley, Ulises Dumont, Gerry Gibson Running Time: 98 min. By Zach Nix After tearing up the streets of Los Angeles in Pray for Death, director Gordon Hessler and martial arts star Sho Kosugi reunited to crack down on drugs and destroy South America in the process with Rage of Honor, the lesser of … Continue reading →

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9 Deaths of the Ninja (1985) Review

Posted on March 3, 2016 by Jeff Bona
"9 Deaths of the Ninja" Theatrical Poster

Director: Emmett Alston Cast: Sho Kosugi, Brent Huff, Emilia Crow, Blackie Dammett, Regina Richardson, Vijay Amritraj, Lisa Friedman, Kane Kosugi, Shane Kosugi, Ken Watanabe Running Time: 94 min. By Jeff Bona After a string of successful martial arts films for The Cannon Film Group (Enter the Ninja, Revenge of the Ninja and Ninja III: The Domination), Sho Kosugi, the main face of the 80s phenomenon known as the “ninja craze,” hooked … Continue reading →

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Trivisa (2016) Review

Posted on March 1, 2016 by Martin Sandison
"Trivisa" Chinese Theatrical Posters

Director: Frank Hui Co-director: Jevons Au Co-director: Vicky Wongi Cast: Jordan Chan, Richie Ren, Gordon Lam, Lam Suet, Kwong Leung Wong, Yueh Hua Running Time: 97 min. By Martin Sandison Berlin Film Festival, now in its 66th year, has the biggest audience attendance for any film festival in the world. The diversity of films showing can be overwhelming, but from an Asian perspective there was plenty to enjoy this year. … Continue reading →

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Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny (2016) Review

Posted on February 26, 2016 by Kelly Warner
"Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Yuen Woo-ping Cast: Donnie Yen, Michelle Yeoh, Harry Shum, Jr., Jason Scott Lee, Roger Yuan, Woon Young Park, Eugenia Yuan, Ju Ju Chan, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Veronica Ngo Running Time: 103 min. By Kelly Warner Considering the popularity and critical acclaim of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, a sequel probably seemed like a no-brainer. Well, it took 15 years and the evolution of a streaming service into a production company … Continue reading →

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Edge of Darkness (2010) Review

Posted on February 25, 2016 by Zach Nix
"Edge of Darkness" Japanese Theatrical Poster

Director: Martin Campbell Cast: Mel Gibson, Ray Winstone, Danny Huston, Bojana Novakovic, Shawn Roberts, Jay O. Sanders, Caterina Scorsone, Gbenga Akinnagbe, Denis O’Hare, Damian Young, David Aaron Baker, Caterina Scorsone, Frank Grillo, Wayne Duvall, Wayne Duvall, Gabrielle Popa, Paul Sparks Running Time: 117 min. By Zach Nix Martin Campbell is one of cinema’s underrated directors. Although he has only directed a small batch of films over the course of several … Continue reading →

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Unlucky Stars (2015) Review

Posted on February 23, 2016 by Paul Bramhall
"Unlucky Stars" Theatrical Poster

Director: Dennis Ruel Cast: Dennis Ruel, Ken Quitugua, Sari Sabella, Vlad Rimburg, Jose Montesinos, Steven Yu, Giovannie Espiritu, Sam Hargrave, Emmanuel Manzanares, Roy Chen, Shawn Bernal, George Crayton, Ed Kahana, Troy Carbonel Running Time: 100 min. By Paul Bramhall The journey of Unlucky Stars, from when it began filming in 2010, to its eventual release on VOD in 2016, is indicative of just how much effort it takes to get … Continue reading →

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