Sailor Suit and Machine Gun | Blu-ray (Arrow)

Sailor Suit and Machine Gun | Blu-ray (Arrow)

Sailor Suit and Machine Gun | Blu-ray (Arrow)

RELEASE DATE: November 11, 2021

On November 11, 2021, Arrow Video is releasing the Blu-ray for Sailor Suit and Machine Gun, a 1981 Japanese actioner directed by Shinji Somai (Wait and See) and starring Tsunehiko Watase (Battles Without Honor and Humanity Vol. 1), Hiroko Yakushimaru (Never Give Up) and Rentaro Mikuni (Shinran: Path to Purity).

Read the official details:

A perky high-schooler takes on the mob in Sailor Suit and Machine Gun, a one-of-a-kind genre-bender that riffs on the yakuza film, coming-of-age drama and ‘idol movie’, inventively adapted from Jiro Akagawa’s popular novel by director Shinji Somai (Typhoon Club, Wait and See), a massively influential figure in Japanese cinema whose work has been little seen outside his Continue reading

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Commando Ninja | Blu-ray (ETR Media)

Commando Ninja | Blu-ray (ETR Media)

Commando Ninja | Blu-ray (ETR Media)

RELEASE DATE: September 28, 2021

On September 28, 2021, ETR Media is releasing the Blu-ray for Benjamin Combes’ Commando Ninja, a 2018 film that parodies actions films such as Commando and American Ninja (and practically every popular action flick of the 80s).

1986: John Hunter (Eric Carlesi) is a Vietnam veteran, half commando, half ninja, 100% American. He is forced back into action when his young daughter is kidnapped by a secret ninja organization, led by a Central American dictator who wants to create a new world order through time… Unfortunately for them, she is the only thing he would kill again for. Hunter will have to fight his way through an army of ninjas, vietcongs, punks, dinosaurs, mutants, one of his former commandos and a fully equipped private army. With Continue reading

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Sweet Girl (2021) Review

"Sweet Girl" Netflix Poster

“Sweet Girl” Netflix Poster

Director: Brian Andrew Mendoza
Cast: Jason Momoa, Isabela Merced, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Raza Jaffrey, Justin Bartha, Lex Scott Davis, Michael Raymond-James, Amy Brenneman, Reggie Lee
Running Time: 110 min.

By Paul Bramhall

For a long time it seemed like the musclebound hero was a thing of the past in Hollywood action cinema. The bombastic action movies that dominated the 1980’s filled with ripped six-packs and bulging biceps had long fallen out of favour, and to this day there’s only really 2 options – either 1. You’re Vin Diesel so your “family” has your back, or 2. you get cast as one of the more ripped superheroes in the MCU or DCU. It was option 2 that happened for Chris Hemsworth, who’s biggest claim to fame was playing Patrick Swayze’s role in a disastrous remake of Red Dawn, when he took on the role of Thor and nailed it. It’s a similar story for Jason Momoa, who took the ill-advised decision to step into Arnold Schwarzenegger’s shoes for a critically mauled reboot of Conan the Barbarian, until he found his groove as the nautically inclined Aquaman. Life was good, but what do you do in-between these super-heroic cinematic outings!?

One answer to the question comes in the form of Netflix. With the likes of Cannon Films and PM Entertainment long gone, the streaming service has taken it upon itself to provide a platform (and the funds) for the kind of straight up macho action flicks that the likes of Hemsworth and Momoa would be headlining if we were still in the 80’s. In 2020 we got the Chris Hemsworth vehicle Extraction, a movie that puts him front and centre as an archetypal grizzled action hero Continue reading

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Watch the Trailer for Well Go USA’s post-pandemic Swedish actioner ‘Last Man Down’ from Fansu Njie

Last Man Down | Blu-ray (Well Go USA)

Last Man Down | Blu-ray (Well Go USA)

On October 19, 2021, Well Go USA is releasing the Blu-ray for Last Man Down, a Swedish actioner from writer/director Fansu Njie.

Read the official details:

After civilization succumbs to a deadly pandemic and his wife is murdered, John Wood – a special forces soldier – abandons his duty and becomes a hermit in the Nordic wilderness. Years later, a wounded woman appears on his doorstep. Maria Johnson is an escaped lab rat, and her pursuers believe her blood is the key to a worldwide cure. Though John is hesitant to get involved, all doubts are cast aside when he discovers Maria’s pursuer is none other than Commander Stone, the man Continue reading

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Practical Tips To Make Savings On Gas Bills

An energy-efficient home or organisation uses its business gas more productively. It can be a good way to save money and the lower consumption of natural resources is better for society in general. Do you want to save money on your gas bills but don’t know where to start? Here we provide you some tips that you can use to lower your monthly gas consumption. 

  1. Installing A Smart Meter

A smart meter helps indicate where most of your energy consumption is taking place. You can help remedy the situation only if you can identify which areas of your premises that are using the most energy. With a smart meter installed you will know exactly where you need to make the changes in your gas consumption. 

  1. Roof Insulation

There are a lot of different places where heat can escape from in office premises or at home. The roof is the main place where the heat escapes from in any piece of property. Older properties are more prone to having worn out or no insulation at all on the roof. This means that more than a quarter of the gas consumed is used to heat the roof. 

Consider upgrading the insulation for your roof especially if your property was built before the ‘90s. The constant gas savings you will be able to make each month will easily justify any spending which needs to be made. 

  1. Changing Your Boiler

The average lifespan of a boiler is anywhere between 10 to 15 years. After that time, these machines might not run as efficiently as they should. This means that you could be incurring extra costs just to continue to let an older boiler function. You can achieve a higher level of energy efficiency with a more updated version of the boiler. 

Avoid purchasing excessively large boilers because they can also add to your gas expenses. Do not hesitate to find out from a professional which size of boiler will be the right choice in your specific scenario. 

  1. Installing Double Glazing

Glazing is a form of protection against losing the heat that is already in your premises. Most offices often have standard single glazed doors and windows. An easy way to ensure that less heat is lost over longer periods of time is to double glaze your doors and windows. Once the double glazing is installed you will begin to notice savings in your gas consumption.

  1. Insulating Hot Water Pipes

Having uninsulated hot water pipes means that these pipes will easily be affected by their surroundings. It also means that it will take longer to heat the same pipes if they do not have some kind of insulation around them. Once they reach the desired temperature, uninsulated hot water pipes will become cooler much faster. This means that a lot of energy will be wasted because the hot water pipes are not insulated. 

Insulating hot water pipes is an easy way to make savings on your energy bills. When choosing the insulation make sure you choose the right insulation based on the walls of your property.

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Chinese Boxer | Blu-ray (88 Films)

Chinese Boxer | Blu-ray (88 Films)

Chinese Boxer | Blu-ray (88 Films)

RELEASE DATE: November 9, 2021

On November 9, 2021, 88 Films is taking its first venture into Region A with the Blu-ray for The Chinese Boxer (aka Hamme of God), a 1970 martial arts film directed by and starring Jimmy Wang Yu (The One-Armed Swordsman) with Lo Lieh (Black Belt Karate) co-starring.

Read the official details below:

From the golden age of kung fu movies, the legendary Shaw Brothers bring you an action-packed tale of revenge, mayhem and flying fists. When his martial arts school is viciously attacked by a rival gang of Japanese thugs, Lei Ming swears to bring them down with violent justice. Written, starring and directed by Jimmy Wang Yu, The Chinese Boxer is a fabulously fast-paced feature full of exquisite set-pieces and Continue reading

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Burning Ambition (1989) Review

"Burning Ambition" Theatrical Poster

“Burning Ambition” Theatrical Poster

Director: Frankie Chan Fan Kei
Cast: Frankie Chan Fan Kei, Simon Yam, Yukari Oshima, O Chun Hung, Eddie Ko Hung, Michael Miu Kiu Wai, Seung Yee, Austin Wai Tin Chi, Lau Siu Ming, Kara Hui
Running Time: 104 min.

By Paul Bramhall

The final year of the 1980’s represented a peak when it came to the elements that had come to define Hong Kong action cinema during the latter half of the decade. Arguably kicked off by Jackie Chan’s Police Story in 1985, the high impact kickboxing style and brutal stunt work that made its action scenes so memorable soon became the go-to action aesthetic, and could be found in almost every corner of the genre. Determined to see out the 80’s with a bang, 1989 gave us triad potboilers like Bloody Brotherhood, Girls with Guns action with Devil Hunters, and even Phillip Ko Fei picked up his directorial game for Final Run. Featuring plentiful knocks and bumps, all of these productions looked to ensure that the stuntmen involved certainly earned their paycheque, and left a legacy of action that’s never been replicated before or since.

Another entry in the 1989 canon was Frankie Chan’s Burning Ambition. While Chan is most well known as being the composer for literally hundreds of Hong Kong movies dating back to the 70’s, he’s sat in the directors chair and appeared in front of camera in a respectable number of movies as well. For many fans of kung fu cinema it’s likely Chan will always be remembered as playing Yuen Biao’s nemesis in Sammo Hung’s seminal 1981 wing chun movie, The Prodigal Son. Despite only being his 2nd time onscreen after his acting debut the year prior in the comedy Read Lips, Chan’s Continue reading

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Sonny Chiba: January 22, 1939 – August 19, 2021

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What Defines Book-to-Film Adaptations’ Success or Failure?

What Defines Book-to-Film Adaptations’ Success or Failure?

What Defines Book-to-Film Adaptations’ Success or Failure?

The cinematic adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ “The Hunger Games” topped the box office when it debuted in the spring of 2012, grossing more than $155 million in its first three days in cinemas.

With novels, how the reader envisions events is totally reliant on the writer’s descriptive abilities. As a result, when descriptions are adapted from the novel to the big screen, the way these descriptions are converted into real visuals has a profound effect.

It’s not really about perfectly recreating a novel’s plot, as this will always have to be altered in some way to accommodate the change in medium. Nor is it about the casting, as there is rarely a perfect real-life match for a fictional character. 

Rather, it’s about delivering the story in the way that fans of the novel would have pictured it in their heads. Good adaptations can even exist between wildly different mediums — as in from movies and books to board games, video games, and even slot machines. Often, the more closely a film’s presentation lines up with readers’ and viewers’ expectations, the more well-received that film will be. Betway Insider will present their arguments below. 

Fidelity to the Source Material

Immediately, one’s mind goes to Peter Jackson’s adaptation of “The Lord of the Rings.” The film is critically acclaimed as one of the best book-to-film adaptations of all time — the book it’s based on is one that many have come to love. 

Jackson not only captured the scenery of Middle Earth, but he also used language straight from the novels to capture its essence. There’s a certain satisfaction in knowing the story ahead of time – there’s no suspense, and you know how it’ll end. You’re aiming for the visual experience, so hearing the dialogue that you’re familiar with just adds to the enjoyment of the experience.

Unrealistic Expectations

People will always be dissatisfied if they go in to see a film of their favorite book with the hope of complete fidelity to the source material — when they decide in advance that they won’t be satisfied unless the film exactly matches the book.

It should go without saying that books and films are two distinct forms of media. You’ll always be disappointed if you walk into the movie hoping to see everything from the book shown on screen.

Reader-viewers unhappy with the screen adaptations say that they wouldn’t mind having to sit through a 9-hour long movie if it meant everything from the book could be included in the film. But they forget screen adaptations of novels have to reach a very wide audience in order to be profitable.

The longer a film is, the more it costs. At the same time, the longer a film is, the fewer people are going to be able to spare the time to watch it. What’s more, it’s simply unfeasible — the Lord of the Rings is one book, with three movies actually totaling a run time of over 9 hours. The film adaptations still weren’t able to include everything from the books, not even remotely.

That said, Film adaptations do occasionally stray too far; the artistic direction of the film’s directors and producers may have a greater focus on aesthetics at the expense of the plot. For example, the Harry Potter films, particularly the latter ones: the graphics and effects are amazing, but the narrative’s intricacy has vanished, whereas the very first film has almost laughable graphical quality but is almost a perfect adaptation of the first Harry Potter book.

Takeaways

The mix of brilliance, inspiration and the popularity of the novel itself is required for box office success. Still, film directors and producers must also pair these aspects meeting reader and viewer expectations. The basic rule is to strive for the greatest production quality and the most detailed visuals, but never at the expense of the novel’s narrative and the overarching plot.

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Fatal Raid | Blu-ray (Well Go USA)

Fatal Raid | Blu-ray (Well Go USA)

Fatal Raid | Blu-ray (Well Go USA)

RELEASE DATE: August 24, 2021

On August 24th, Well Go USA is releasing the Blu-ray & DVD for Jacky Lee’s The Fatal Raid (aka Special Female Force 2: The Fatal Raid), the sequel to the 2016 flick, Special Female Force (read our review), which itself was a remake of the Jackie Chan-produced 1986 Golden Harvest classic, The Inspector Wears Skirts.

In The Fatal Raid (read our review), two elite police teams head up a secret operation following a dangerous smuggling ring across the Macau border, but when their presence is discovered, the mission ends in a deadly firefight. Twenty years later, an escort mission brings the survivors back to the scene of the tragedy — and fosters a highly unwelcome reunion.

The Fatal Raid debuted at the New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF) and includes Continue reading

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Sword of Desperation | Blu-ray (Animeigo)

Sword of Desperation | Blu-ray (Animeigo)

Sword of Desperation | Blu-ray (Animeigo)

RELEASE DATE: December 14, 2021

On December 14, 2021, Animeigo is releasing the Blu-ray for Sword of Desperation, a 2010 samurai actioner directed by Hideyuki Hirayama (School Ghost Stories) and written by Shuhei Fujisawa, author of the Oscar-nominated The Twilight Samurai.

In order to save his fief, an expert swordsman publicly assassinates his lord’s favorite concubine. Instead of being beheaded, he is sentenced to solitary confinement for one year, then ordered to serve as the lord’s bodyguard. This tale of honor, intrigue and deception inevitably ends in bloodshed and betrayal.

The film stars Etsushi Toyokawa (Love Letter, No Way Back), Chizuru Ikewaki (Looking for a True Fiancee), Koji Kikkawa (Kamen Rider W), Naho Continue reading

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Top 3 Iconic Roulette Scenes on the Silver Screen

Nothing lights up the silver screen quite like the glamour and excitement of a casino floor. We’ve seen many a palpably tense moment played out in all its glory against the backdrop of a stunning casino backdrop, such as the sophisticated ambience of an exclusive poker game or the mayhem of bustling room full of buzzing slot machines. But one game above all others perfectly elicits an atmosphere of drama worthy of Hollywood, and that game is roulette. 

You’ve probably played roulette before, so you know how crazy the vibe can get when a large group of gamblers are gathered around a roulette wheel, especially if someone is winning. If you haven’t had a chance to experience a game of roulette in the flesh, you can still pick up the vibe by playing online. You’ll find plenty of live casino roulette games at a real money online casino Canada – and you can easily find a real money online casino Canada from a reputable list of recommendations. You’ll enjoy the movies we’re about to mention a whole lot more if you’ve had some experience playing roulette. 

Let’s get down to business. There are three stand-out silver screen moments that feature the iconic roulette wheel. Each movie is completely different from the other, so you’re sure to find one that tickles your fancy. We think you should watch all three.

Run Lola Run

Run Lola Run is one of the best films ever produced for German cinema. The premise of the film centres on the idea that life has many probable outcomes, but the outcomes are all based on the choices that you make along the way. In the film, we follow the protagonist, Lola, as she desperately tries to find one hundred thousand Deutsche Mark within a 20-minute time frame, which she needs to do to save her boyfriend’s life. The film sets out three possible scenarios for Lola, and in one of the scenarios, Lola tries to win the money on a single game of roulette. The film is high-energy, and the scene at the roulette table is everything you would want it to be – but we won’t give away the ending.

Casablanca 

Casablanca is set during World War II, and the story is played out during one evening at bar called Rick’s Café. The main plot revolves around Rick, his ex-lover, Ilsa, and her new husband. Throughout the evening, a number of subplots play out, and we get to meet plenty of colourful characters. One of those characters is a man who desperately need to purchase a visa for himself and his wife so that they can escape war and persecution in Europe. The man, Jan, tries to raise the money he needs to pay for the visa by playing roulette. From a cinematic point of view, the scene at the roulette table is, perhaps, one of the most beautiful on the silver screen. And from a human point of view, the scene offers a beautiful expression of humanity and empathy through the actions of Rick. This film is must-see.

Diamonds are Forever

We couldn’t possibly write an article about casino moments on film without mentioning James Bond. Bond is, of course, better known for his antics at high-stakes card games, like poker and baccarat. However, in Diamonds are Forever, we meet Sean Connery’s Bond (some might say, the best Bond) at a roulette table. The scene unfolds at the Whyte House mansion, and it is here that we see Bond’s roulette strategy reveal itself – prompting many a roulette player to follow in Bond’s footsteps. Bond places a flat bet on the same numbers every time as a way of beating the odds. It’s a fantastic scene, and it sets up the rest of the film in true Bond fashion, but we wouldn’t recommend Bond’s strategy unless you have extremely deep pockets. 

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X-Cross | Blu-ray (Tokyo Shock)

X-Cross | Blu-ray (Tokyo Shock)

X-Cross | Blu-ray (Tokyo Shock)

RELEASE DATE: September 28, 2021

On September 28, 2021, Media Blasters is releasing a New Blu-ray (4K remastered) for X-Cross (aka XX), from Battle Royale 2 and Yo Yo Girl Cop director Fukasaku Kenta.

Based on the novel by Joko Noboyuki, this over-the-top slasher stars Matsushita Nao (Sand’s Chronicle), pop idol Suzuki Ami (Ouran High School Host Club) and Ikeuchi Hiroyuki (Space Travelers).

Shiyori is a young lady trying to mend a broken heart who travels with her best friend, Aiko, to a remote village known for its therapeutic hot springs. But what was planned to be a relaxing, quiet get away, turns into a nightmare! Unbeknownst to them, the seemingly quiet country village harbors a community of psychopaths that begin to prey on the two friends. Amidst the panic, Shiyori Continue reading

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Who is a better gambler in the casino: a man or a woman?

Who is a better gambler in the casino: a man or a woman?All people by nature crave for a thrill, and many people cannot even stop their gambling at the right time. Looking deeper, we can find out that men are more frequent visitors to gambling establishments. According to statistics, it is true that there are more males registered on betting sites, but this does not mean that women do not play roulette or spin the reels in slots, and there are those for whom playing online casino games has become a habit.

There are women gamblers, and there are quite many of them. It is an entertainment that is equally enjoyable for all people, so it is better to forget about stereotypes. Researchers from Harvard conducted an interesting study. For this, they attracted 40,000 players from different parts of the world. Each participant was given a starting capital, and they all played in the same casino. After some time, they compared the statistics and found that women were more likely to stay in the black.

Most would say that this is due to the caution of women, it turns out the opposite, they prefer an aggressive game. Success helps them to achieve a well-developed intuition, good money management and the ability to stop in time. Tests have shown that women are able to soberly assess the situation and they are less affected by winning or losing.

Gaming preferences and habits

Statistics show that the adult gaming community consists of 57% male players and 43% female players. Studies have shown that preferences and gaming habits differ between the sexes. Men tend to like risky games because of the excitement that comes with high returns, namely blackjack, poker and sports betting.

Women, on the other hand, prefer a relaxing gamble. Most of them prefer to:

  • play games that are more fun-oriented;
  • where there is less competition, such as slot machines;
  • devote more time to each gaming session than men;
  • by playing with lower stakes, they can maximize the length of each game by investing less in each spin!

At the same time, male players bet more per line, thus shortening their playing sessions. It follows that, men participate in more gaming sessions per year than their opposite sex. Among regular players, men spend an average of 115 days a year gambling at online casinos, more than women, who spend an average of 71 days a year.

Factors influencing statistics

It is instead impressive the percentage of female players on sports betting, almost doubled in the last two years: 58.5% of female players like to bet on various sporting events. The number of men who play online bingo, which has recently become very popular among gambling enthusiasts, is increasing: 42.2%, a really considerable percentage.

Actually, it is not only the gender that influences the statistics. We must also consider age as an important factor in determining which games are the favorites. Online poker is very popular among young people between 25 and 34, while sports betting attracts players over 55 years old, covering 70% of frequent players.

Although overall more than two-thirds would cash out their winnings immediately, women were far more cautious than men. In fact, 72.3% said they would cash it in without qualms compared to 61% of men, while only 9% of women are willing to re-invest that money to try to win even more. What about the men? 13% wouldn’t think twice about reusing that winnings to try their luck again. However, motivations can also be influenced by a variety of other reasons. For example, economic availability and even geographic location can influence them. Going by the risk factors inherent in gambling, winning is the one goal that both genders share. But an important part of gambling ability is the reaction when the real numbers come up.

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Black Belt | Blu-ray (Media Blasters)

Black Belt | Blu-ray (Media Blasters)

Black Belt | Blu-ray (Media Blasters)

RELEASE DATE: September 28, 2021

On September 28, 2021, Media Blasters is releasing the Blu-ray for Shunichi Nagasaki’s Black Belt (aka Kuro-Obi). This 2007 Japanese martial arts film (read our review) stars Akihito Yagi (High-Kick Girl!), Tatsuya Naka (Karate Girl) and Yuji Suzuki (Godzilla: Final Wars). For the first time, it will be presented from a new 4K scan.

If you ever decide to check this movie out, try not to watch it back-to-back with any other martial arts movies. If you do, Black Belt will expose just how light, unrealistic and cartoony those titles really are – all 99% of them.

The choreography in Black Belt consists of fights that appear to be as natural and realistic as they possibly could for the camera. As cut and dry as the sequences are, they’re so intense that you can feel Continue reading

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