‘Old Boy’ meets ‘Bone Tomahawk’? Park Chan-wook and S. Craig Zahler’s ultra violent western to shoot this year?

Visionary director Park Chan-wook (No Other Choice, Decision to Leave, Old Boy) teams up with acclaimed cult filmmaker S. Craig Zahler (Bone Tomahawk, Dragged Across Concrete) for The Brigands of Rattlecreek.

The upcoming English-language western – directed by Park and written by Zahler  – features an all-star cast that includes Matthew Continue reading

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Death Warrant | 4K Ultra HD (MVD Rewind)

On August 11, 2026, MVD is releasing the 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray for Death Warrant (aka Dusted), a 1990 actioner directed by Deran Sarafian (Terminal Velocity) and written by David S. Goyer, who became notably known as the co-writer of Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy and the Blade trilogy.

Martial arts star Jean-Claude Van Damme (Double Impact, Cyborg) stars as Detective Louis Burke, who must pose as an inmate at the notoriously violent Continue reading

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Audition | 4K Ultra HD (Arrow)

On June 14, 2026, Arrow is releasing the 4K Ultra HD for 1999’s Audition. One of the most notorious J-Horror films ever made, Takashi Miike’s Audition exploded onto the festival circuit at the turn of the 21st century to a chorus of awards and praise. The film catapulted Miike to the international scene and paved the way for such other genre delights as Ichii the Killer and 13 Assassins.

When recent widower Shigeharu Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi, American Yakuza) is advised by his son to find a new wife, he seeks the advice of a colleague having been out of the dating scene for many years. The two men decide to take advantage of their position Continue reading

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Atten-TION!!! Dante Lam’s follow up to ‘Operation Mekong’ and ‘Operation Red Sea’ explodes onto Digital on June 16

"Operation Hadal" Theatrical Poster

“Operation Hadal” Theatrical Poster

Director Dante Lam (Beast Cops, The Rescue) has been reliably turning out hard-hitting films that have helped expand the scope of the action/thriller genre in Hong Kong and his next film Operation Hadal (aka Operation Leviathan) – the follow up to 2016’s Operation Mekong and 2018’s Operation Red Sea – will continue the tradition.

Debuting on Digital on June 16 from Well Go USA, Operation Hadal stars Xuan Huang (Extraordinary Mission), Yosh Yu (Born to Fly), Zhang Hanyu (Manhunt), Karry Wang (The Great Wall), Luxia Jiang (Double World), Chen Li (Never Say Never), Cory Beeston (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings), Yihong Duan (Wind Blast) and Ivan Kostadinov (Boyka: Undisputed IV).

For Operation Hadal, you can obviously expect more of Lam’s knack for Continue reading

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Or I will attack and you don’t want that! New Sword of Power Featurette released for ‘Masters of the Universe’

"Masters of the Universe" Poster

“Masters of the Universe” Poster

Travis Knight, the director of 2018’s Bumblebee, will soon be unleashing Masters of the Universe, a live-action adaptation of the franchise created by Mattel.

In the film, a young man on Earth discovers a fabulous secret legacy as the prince of an alien planet, and must recover a magic sword and return home to protect his kingdom.

Masters of the Universe is written by Chris Butler (Kubo and the Two Strings), Aaron and Eric Nee (Band of Robbers), and Dave Callaham (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings).

The film stars Nicholas Galitzine (Red, White & Royal Blue) as He-Man; Idris Elba (A House of Dynamite) as Man-At-Arms; Jared Leto (Tron: Ares) as Skeletor; Alison Brie (Together) as Evil-Lyn; Camila Continue reading

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Action icon Michelle Yeoh faces her toughest opponent yet in Bai Xue’s ‘This is My Time’

We’ll soon see action icon Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All at Once, Royal Warriors) take on the Rubik’s Cube This is My Time, an upcoming comedy-drama marking her first Chinese language film since 2018’s Master Z: Ip Man Legacy.

In the film, Yeoh portrays a 70-year-old woman determined to take back control of her life after being placed in a nursing home. She gets a second chance Continue reading

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Best Comedy Shows to brighten Up Your day

Looking to shake off those persistent anxious thoughts that just won’t seem to go away? Why not treat yourself to a dose of laughter therapy? Whether you opt for a quick fix with some funny videos online or decide to sink into a cozy movie marathon, laughter has a remarkable ability to flood your brain with those feel-good chemicals, effectively shooing away stress and worry.

Sure, there are plenty of ways to infuse your life with joy—cooking up your favorite comfort meal, catching up with your best friend over a juicy gossip session, romping around with your furry friend, hosting a lively game night, or even just immersing yourself in hilarious videos on the web. But when it comes to a sustained bout of merriment, few things can rival the immersive experience of a well-crafted comedy movie or show.

So, if you find yourself in need of some well-deserved me-time, look no further. We have taken the guesswork out of the equation and rounded up the best of comedy shows so you can sit back, relax, and let the laughter wash over you. And remember, nothing ruins a good movie moment like a glitchy internet connection, so be sure to have a reliable provider like Xfinity on hand.

Without further ado, let us dig into our carefully curated selection of top comedy picks, guaranteed to tickle your funny bone and leave you grinning like never before.

Black-ish:

If you haven’t tuned in to “Black-ish” yet, now’s the time to give it a go. While the last episode addressing police brutality has sparked significant discussion, there is far more depth to the series. “Black-ish” explores the everyday challenges faced by the Johnson family, navigating predominantly white environments while preserving their cultural identity.

From workplace dynamics to educational settings, the show offers a nuanced portrayal of modern-day issues with wit and humor. Beyond its social commentary, “Black-ish” serves up genuine humor without resorting to clichés, making it a must-watch for those seeking entertainment with substance.

The Big Bang Theory

And who hasn’t heard of “The Big Bang Theory”? It’s a surprise if you’ve missed this iconic sitcom, which has been on the air for over a decade. What distinguishes it from other sitcoms is its commitment to authenticity. Employing physicists to ensure scientific accuracy and stereotypes in favor of genuine character development, the show offers a refreshing take on geek culture.

While it’s undoubtedly a comedy powerhouse, complete with laugh-out-loud moments and crazy pranks, it also weaves in moments of genuine emotion and introspection. Whether it’s Sheldon and Amy’s evolving relationship or Leonard bidding farewell to Sheldon at the train station, the show deftly balances humor with heartfelt storytelling, earning its status as a beloved classic.

Schitt’s Creek

Then there’s “Schitt’s Creek,” a sleeper hit turned beloved favorite. This Emmy-winning series offers a heartwarming journey that surprises with its depth and sincerity. What initially appears to be a lighthearted comedy about a wealthy family’s fall from grace unfolds into a heartfelt exploration of love, acceptance, and self-discovery.

Led by the incomparable Catherine O’Hara, the cast delivers standout performances, infusing each character with depth and nuance. From Moira’s eccentricities to David’s endearing quirks, “Schitt’s Creek” is a masterclass in character-driven storytelling, leaving viewers both laughing and teary-eyed in equal measure.

Fresh Off The Boat

Lastly, “Fresh Off The Boat” offers a comedic take on the immigrant experience, drawing from Eddie Huang’s memoir. Set in the ’90s, it follows a Taiwanese family’s trials and triumphs as they adjust to life in suburbia. Despite initial controversies surrounding its portrayal of Asian culture, the show has evolved into a poignant exploration of identity, family, and the pursuit of the American dream. Through its humor and heart, this amazing show invites audiences to laugh, learn, and empathize with characters whose experiences may differ from their own.

So, these four comedies offer more than just laughs—they invite viewers on a journey of self-discovery, empathy, and connection. So, if you are in need of a pick-me-up or simply seeking quality entertainment, look no further than these captivating series. And if you’re still searching for your next binge-worthy obsession, stay tuned for our next post. For now, these will do the job for you.

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Deal on Fire! Mortal Kombat: Legacy II | Blu-ray | Only $8.49 – Expires soon!

Mortal Kombat: Legacy II | Blu-ray & DVD (Warner)

Mortal Kombat: Legacy II | Blu-ray & DVD (Warner)

Today’s Deal on Fire is the Blu-ray for Mortal Kombat: Legacy Season 2, directed by Kevin Tancharoen (The Brothers Sun, Warrior).

The warriors have been chosen. The Mortal Kombat tournament has begun. Old friends become sworn enemies and deadly powers are heightened as the battle for Earthrealm rages. More action, more skill, more fights and more of the word you’ve been waiting to hear: FATALITY.

Mortal Kombat: Legacy Season 2 stars Casper Van Dien (Ruthless Bastards) as Johnny Cage, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa (Tekken) as Shang Tsung, Eric Jacobus (Contour) as Stryker, David Lee McInnis (Typhoon) as Raiden, Samantha Tjhia (Justice League) as Kitana, Harry Shum, Jr. (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny) as Kuai Liang, Brian Tee (No Tears for the Dead) as Continue reading

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Cyclops | Blu-ray (Visual Vengeance)

On August 11, 2026, Visual Vengeance is releasing the Blu-ray (Region A) for 1987’s Cyclops. Emerging from Japan’s late-’80s direct-to-video boom, Cyclops stands as an early, unhinged entry in the country’s underground splatter movement.

Directed by Jōji “George” Iida in his debut, the film fuses Cronenberg-style body horror with low budget V-cinema rawness – building methodically before erupting into a chaotic finale packed with grotesque practical effects and full-throttle gore. A lean, mean Continue reading

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Hard Redemption (2026) Review

"Hard Redemption" Poster

“Hard Redemption” Poster

Director: Jino Kang
Co-director: Christine Lam
Cast: Jino Kang, Lou Ferrigno, David Kurzhal, Jessie Pettit, James Aaron Oh, Mikaila Maei
Running Time: 88 min.

By Z Ravas

It’s ‘Die Hard in a school’ starring Jino Kang! You know Jino Kang…right? The writer/director/star of such Direct to Video martial arts efforts as Fist 2 Fist and Fist 2 Fist 2: Weapon of Choice? …no?

Well, that’s okay, Hard Redemption also offers a special appearance by Lou Ferrigno. And if you don’t know Lou Ferrigno, I suggest you make like the kids in this movie and get your ass to class…’cause you need some schooling!

In all honesty, I’m not terribly familiar with Jino Kang either, which is why I wanted to make the time for Hard Redemption: I’m always curious about action stars who make the leap to writing and directing their own material, and the fact that former TV “Hulk” Lou Ferrigno was along for the ride for this one only sweetened the deal. As mentioned, this movie offers Continue reading

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Deal on Fire! Enter the Fat Dragon | Blu-ray | Only $15.96 – Expires soon!

Enter the Fat Dragon | Blu-ray (Well Go USA)

Enter the Fat Dragon | Blu-ray (Well Go USA)

Today’s Deal on Fire is the Blu-ray for Enter the Fat Dragon (read our review), the latest from martial arts star Donnie Yen (Ip Man 4, Big Brother14 Blades).

The Chasing the Dragon team is back! Only this time, producer Wong Jing (Mission Milano) and Donnie Yen are chasing a dragon that’s about 100 pounds heavier in Enter the Fat Dragon.

In the film, directed by both Wong Jing (City Hunter) and Kenji Tanigaki (The Furious), Yen plays a cop escorting a convict to Japan. With that said, it’s not a remake of the 1978 Sammo Hung classic of the same name, it just happens to share its title, which is a parody (by title only) of Bruce Lee’s Enter the Dragon. Continue reading

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Digital War Archives: Will Raw War Footage Become History’s Main Source?

In an era when conflicts unfold across smartphone screens before they reach newsrooms, the question of who documents war – and how – has shifted fundamentally. Platforms aggregating war footage now operate as de facto archives, capturing moments that traditional correspondents may never reach. This transformation is not merely technological. It is rewriting the relationship between conflict, memory, and historical truth.

From Centralized Journalism to Decentralized War Documentation

For most of the twentieth century, war documentation was a controlled enterprise. Governments managed press access, broadcasters curated footage, and photojournalists operated within established institutional frameworks. The camera was a professional instrument, and the archive was a physical place – film reels stored in broadcast vaults, prints filed in agency libraries.

The shift began gradually with the democratization of digital cameras and accelerated sharply with the mass adoption of smartphones. By the time conflict erupted in Syria in 2011, the paradigm had already cracked. Civilians were uploading eyewitness footage directly to YouTube within hours of incidents that no journalist had witnessed. The gatekeeping function of traditional media was not abolished – but it was profoundly disrupted.

Today, the architecture of war documentation is horizontal rather than hierarchical. Anyone with a charged phone and a network connection can become a primary source.

Telegram, X, and the New Archive of Raw War Footage

The platforms that have emerged as the dominant repositories of conflict footage were not designed for this purpose. Telegram, originally conceived as a secure messaging service, became a primary channel for distributing frontline video from Ukraine within days of the 2022 invasion – from infantry engagements to the rapidly expanding visual record of Drone Warfare, which produced some of the most widely circulated combat footage of the conflict. X (formerly Twitter) functions simultaneously as a breaking news wire and an unmoderated clip repository. Reddit communities dedicated to geopolitical conflicts aggregate footage with timestamps, coordinates, and user-generated analysis.

What distinguishes these environments from traditional archives is speed. Footage appears in real time, often before the situation it depicts has resolved. This immediacy has genuine documentary value – it compresses the distance between event and record. But it also introduces instability. Without institutional verification, a clip’s authenticity, provenance, and context are all uncertain until someone with the appropriate tools examines it.

The Verification Gap in Real-Time War Footage

The infrastructure of open-source intelligence (OSINT) has partially filled this gap. Communities of analysts cross-reference footage using satellite imagery, geolocation tools, and shadow mapping to verify time and place. Organizations like Bellingcat have demonstrated that rigorous verification is possible within decentralized media ecosystems. But these efforts remain reactive and selective – they cannot keep pace with the volume of combat footage generated in active conflict zones.

The Deepfake Problem and the Erosion of Trust

As verification methods have grown more sophisticated, so have the tools for fabrication. Synthetic media – video and audio generated or manipulated by artificial intelligence – now present a structural challenge to raw war footage as a historical source. In conflict contexts, deepfakes are not merely misinformation tools. They introduce epistemological doubt into the archive itself.

The concern is not only that false footage will be believed. It is that the existence of false footage will cause authentic eyewitness footage to be dismissed. When every clip carries a question mark, the evidentiary value of the entire category diminishes. Historians of future conflicts may face source corpora in which truth and fabrication are genuinely indistinguishable without specialized analytical tools.

Ethical Dimensions of the Visual Archive

Raw footage of war is, by nature, raw. It captures violence, death, and suffering without the editorial mediation that has historically governed what audiences see. The normalization of graphic content – its routine appearance in social media feeds alongside travel photography and sports highlights – raises questions that neither platforms nor viewers have adequately resolved.

There is also the matter of consent. Individuals captured in conflict footage – wounded, fleeing, dying – have not agreed to become historical documents. The families of those killed have not consented to the permanent availability of the most extreme moments of their loss. Digital archives, unlike physical ones, do not decay. The footage persists indefinitely, re-surfacing with each algorithmic recommendation.

Platforms have implemented inconsistent content moderation policies that satisfy neither documentary nor ethical standards. The result is an archive shaped less by principle than by enforcement capacity.

AI Verification and the Future of War Footage Archives

The most plausible response to both the verification gap and the deepfake problem lies in automated analysis. AI tools capable of detecting compression artifacts, identifying synthetic generation signatures, and cross-referencing metadata are already in early deployment. The trajectory suggests that future archival practice will involve machine-assisted provenance assessment as a baseline function.

But technological solutions address only part of the problem. Data overload – the sheer volume of war footage generated in modern conflicts – poses an archival challenge that no verification system can fully resolve. Future historians may find themselves not with too little evidence, but with too much: most of it unverified, all of it contextually ambiguous.

What emerges from this landscape is not a replacement for traditional documentation, but a parallel and deeply complicated archive – one that demands new methodologies, new ethics, and new institutions. Whether raw war footage becomes history’s main source will depend less on the footage itself than on the systems built to interpret it. Independent platforms tracking these developments, such as The Chronicles, point to a future where the archive is not a place but a process – distributed, contested, and never quite complete.

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Bruce Lee is not the only Lee in town! Lee Byung-hun returns to action for the martial arts thriller ‘Nambeol’

South Korean superstar Lee Byung-hun (No Other Choice, G.I. Joe, I Saw the Devil), who has a background in Taekwondo, is venturing back to action for a martial arts film tentatively titled Nambeol (translates to “Northern Expedition” or “Northern Conquest”).

The project, which marks the directorial debut of veteran cinematographer Lee Mo-gae (Exhuma), is described as a “hard-boiled martial arts action flick Continue reading

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Story of Ricky | 4K Ultra HD (88 Films)

On July 20, 2026, 88 Films is releasing the 4K Ultra HD for Story of Ricky (aka Riki-Oh), a 1989 action-fantasy from director Nam Nai Choi (Saga of the Phoenix), which can pre-ordered today from Goodie Emporium!

Set in the year 2001 where all correctional facilities have been privatised, martial artist Ricky finds himself victim to the corrupt system when he is found guilty Continue reading

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Dragon Tiger Gate (2006) Review

"Dragon Tiger Gate" Poster

“Dragon Tiger Gate” Poster

Director: Wilson Yip
Cast: Donnie Yen, Nicholas Tse, Shawn Yue, Dong Jie, Li Xiaoran, Yu Kang, Chen Kuan-tai, Yuen Wah, Wong Yuk-long, Sheren Tang, Xing Yu
Running Time: 94 min.

By Z Ravas

I hadn’t seen Dragon Tiger Gate since it was new on DVD in 2007. It was released on disc in the States by Tai Seng, by the way, just in case you want a reminder of how long ago ’07 was—yes, before distributors like Well Go USA and 88Films got into the game, Tai Seng was more or less the only label for Hong Kong films in North America, and their releases often left much to be desired in terms of their picture quality. I remember I didn’t care for Dragon Tiger Gate when I first saw it—I think in a post-SPL world, the film’s reliance on wire work felt like a bit of a step back as far as Donnie Yen’s action design was concerned…

…or maybe it was the hair? I mean, just look at that cover art. They got a 43 year-old Donnie Yen wearing the wig from Little Nicky in this MFer!

After recently revisiting SPL recently, I was curious to return to Dragon Tiger Gate and see if I had perhaps been unfair to it in the past. What I will say is, this is the most bizarrely front-loaded action movie that I think I’ve ever seen. By that I mean: arguably the two best action sequences in the entire film occur within the first ten to fifteen minutes. If you see a fight scene from Dragon Tiger Gate clipped on Twitter, it’s almost guaranteed to be the sequence with Nicholas Tse Continue reading

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