Fukushima 50 | Blu-ray (MPI)

Posted on February 10, 2021 by JJ Bona
Fukushima 50 | Blu-ray (MPI)

Fukushima 50 | Blu-ray (MPI)

RELEASE DATE: April 13, 2021

On April 13, 2021, MPI Home Video will be relaxing the Blu-ray for Fukushima 50, a 2020 disaster film directed by Setsuro Wakamatsu (The Unbroken) and starring Ken Watanabe (Rage, Shanghai) and Koichi Sato (Samurai Resurrection). This edition will feature two audio track options: English Dub and Japanese with English subtitles.

March 11, 2011 – 2:46 PM – Japan’s Tohoku Region: at a magnitude of 9.0, the strongest earthquake in the country’s history strikes,  triggering a huge tsunami and carnage that would end up injuring thousands of people and displacing many more. It mercilessly engulfs the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Fukushima prefecture, causing a crippling station blackout. Unable to be cooled, the nuclear reactors quickly turn into hydrogen bombs at the brink of explosion. If the power plant is abandoned, Japan’s destruction is assured.  Facing a life or death Continue reading →

Posted in Asian Titles, DVD/Blu-ray New Releases, News |

Here’s what’s streaming on Hi-YAH! for the month of February

Posted on February 9, 2021 by JJ Bona

Hi-YAH!, Well Go USA’s very own Asian/martial arts streaming channel has just announced their New Release line up for the month of February, which includes a New film added to Hi-YAH! every Friday! Keep on reading for the full list!

February 5th | Double Tap – Former shooting-range instructor Nick goes on a killing rampage when his girlfriend Colleen is arrested and the only one who can stop him his sharp-shooter cop Miu. Double Tap is directed by Bruce Law (Extreme Crisis) and stars Leslie Cheung, Alex Fong and Ruby Wong.  Continue reading →

Posted in News |

Space Sweepers (2021) Review

Posted on February 8, 2021 by Paul Bramhall
"Space Sweepers" Theatrical Poster

“Space Sweepers” Theatrical Poster

Director: Jo Sung-Hee
Cast: Song Joong-Ki, Kim Tae-Ri, Jin Sun-Kyu, Yu Hae-Jin, Park Ye-Rin, Richard Armitage, Kim Moo-Yul, Oh Ji-Yul, Kim Hyang-Gi, Nas Brown, John D. Michaels
Running Time: 136 min.

By Paul Bramhall

The marketing material for Space Sweepers proudly boasted the production to be “Korea’s first sci-fi film project”, a claim which does somewhat of a disservice to the film industries frequent dabbling with the genre during the early days of the Korean Wave. 2001’s 2009 Lost Memories, 2002’s Yesterday, and 2003’s Natural City were all flawed but ambitious attempts at sci-fi world building, but for whatever reason it’s never been a genre thats stuck. It’s never entriely disappeared though, with more recent offerings going down the dystopian route thanks to the likes of 2018’s Illang: The Wolf Brigade, and 2020’s double offering of Peninsula and Time to Hunt. So while billing director Jo Sung-hee’s latest as Korea’s first foray into sci-fi isn’t quite the case, it is at least the countrys first foray into sci-fi that takes place in space, and the associated tropes that go along with it.

As a director Sung-hee has been one of the most consistently original voices in Korean cinema over the last decade, even if it feels like he flies somewhat under the radar. His debut, 2010’s End of Animal, was an impressively atmospheric piece of filmmaking (and made it into Our Top 15 Watched Movies of 2015), which was followed up in 2012 with his breakthrough sophomore feature A Werewolf Boy. Since then, Sung-hee helmed the comic book noir Phantom Detective in 2016, and with Space Sweepers he once again switches up genres, working with his biggest Continue reading →

Posted in All, Korean, News, Reviews |

Newest and English subtitled earlier Trailer for Wang Baoqiang and Stanley Tong’s ‘Rising Shaolin: The Protector’

Posted on February 6, 2021 by JJ Bona
"Shaolin Temple: Legend of Debao" Theatrical Poster

“Shaolin Temple: Legend of Debao” Theatrical Poster

Wang Bao Qiang (Kung Fu Jungle, Iceman 3D) is returning to Monk Comes Down the Mountain-mode in Rising Shaolin: The Protector (aka Shaolin Temple: Legend of Debao), an upcoming martial arts actioner that has some obvious nods to old-school kung fu films from the 70s and 80s.

Although we’re not sure what to make from its plot, it’s apparent that Rising Shaolin: The Protector is a reflection of Wang Baoqiang’s real-life account of entering the Shaolin Temple at the age of 8, after having seen Jet Li’s groundbreaking 1982 film, The Shaolin Temple.

The film is directed by frequent Jackie Chan-collaborator Stanley Tong (Vanguard, Police Story 3: Supercop) and co-stars Liu Haoran (Detective Chinatown Trilogy), Ni Dahong (The Trough) and Ng Man Tat
(Shaolin Soccer).

If anything, Rising Shaolin: The Protector will give Wang Bao Qiang another reason to show off his kung fu repertoire, just as he did in Iceman 3D, its sequel and Kung Fu Jungle – and judging from the Trailer below, he does just that.

Domestic audiences can catch Rising Shaolin: The Protector on IQIYI/VOD on February 12. The rest of us can at least enjoy the film’s latest Trailer, as well as earlier Trailer, now subtitled:

Posted in News |

Deal on Fire! Enter the Fat Dragon | Blu-ray | Only $7.99 – Expires soon!

Posted on February 6, 2021 by JJ Bona
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 Brother, 14 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 (Legend of Seven Monks), 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 →

Posted in Deals on Fire!, News |

Bruce Willis Dies Hard in space for an Edge of Tomorrow with Frank Grillo, Luke Wilson and C.J. Perry in ‘Cosmic Sin’

Posted on February 5, 2021 by JJ Bona
"Cosmic Sin" Theatrical Poster

“Cosmic Sin” Theatrical Poster

While we anxiously wait for another Die Hard sequel to come out, Bruce Willis will soon die hard in space in Cosmic Sin, a sci fi actioner directed by frequent collaborator Edward Drake (Willis is developing somewhat of a Scott Adkins/Isaac Florentine-like working relationship with the filmmaker, as they both worked together in Breach, Apex and the upcoming American Siege).

Joining Willis for the ride are Frank Grillo (Jiu Jitsu, Wolf Warrior 2), Brandon Thomas Lee (Sierra Burgess Is a Loser), Luke Wilson (Bottle Rocket), professional wrestler C.J. Perry, Johnny Messner (Kill ’em All) and Costas Mandylor (Fist of the North Star).

Cosmic Sin involves seven rogue soldiers who launch a preemptive strike against a newly discovered alien civilization in the hopes of ending an interstellar war Continue reading →

Posted in News |

Watch Tak Sakaguchi and Hideo Sakaki return for what’s essentially a sequel to Ryuhei Kitamura’s ‘Versus’

Posted on February 3, 2021 by JJ Bona
"Musou: Subliminal War" Theatrical Poster

“Musou: Subliminal War” Theatrical Poster

If you’ve been waiting for a sequel to Ryuhei Kitamura’s cult action hit Versus, then the next bit of news will definitely put a smile on your face…

Hideo Sakaki (Daruma) has pulled off a 47-minute sequel to Versus, titled Violence Musou: Subliminal War (roughly translated). For this mini film, Sakaki not only directs, but also appears alongside the original’s star, Tak Sakaguchi (Re:Born), who also serves as an action director.

According to FCS: Versus actors Kenji Matsuda (Kamen Rider Hibiki), Chieko Misaka (The Burning) and Hoshimi Asai (Last Bronx – Tokyo Bangaichi), along with a one-handed Shoichiro Masumoto (Judas), and Minoru Matsumoto (Wild 7) are among those on board.

Here’s hoping for a U.S. release (in some shape or form). Until then, don’t miss the film’s promo Continue reading →

Posted in News |

Great Battle, The (2018) Review

Posted on February 2, 2021 by Paul Bramhall
"The Great Battle" Theatrical Poster

“The Great Battle” Theatrical Poster

Director: Kim Kwang-Sik
Cast: Jo In-sung, Nam Joo-Hyuk, Park Sung-Woong, Bae Sung-Woo, Um Tae-Goo, Seol Hyun, Park Byung-Eun, Oh Dae-Hwan, Jung Eun-Chae, Sung Dong-Il, Jang Gwang, Stephanie Lee, Yeo Hoi-Hyeon, Jung In-Gyeom
Running Time: 135 min.

By Pau Bramhall

The Korean historical blockbuster became particularly heavy handed under the years Park Geun-hye was president, with her policies and influence on the film industry resulting in a number of jingoistic productions which rivalled some of Mainland China’s most bombastically patriotic efforts. The likes of The Admiral: Roaring Currents, Northern Limit Line, and Ode to My Father all ensured the audience walk away knowing how self-sacrificing and tenacious their Korean heroes are, even if being imbued with that knowledge felt like being constantly hit over the head with it for 2+ hours. When Geun-hye was impeached in 2017 and Moon Jae-in took over as president, a politician keen to bridge ties between the North and South, the historical epic largely dropped out of favour from Korean multiplexes, and was replaced by the theme of North and South collaborating (see the likes of Confidential Assignment and Steel Rain).

The Great Battle felt like somewhat of an anomaly then when it was released in 2018, being the true story of how a few thousand soldiers defended the strategically important Ansi Fortress from hundreds of thousands of the invading Tang Army, keen to make the Goguryeo Dynasty a part of the Tang Dynasty. The parallels with The Admiral: Roaring Currents are blatant, with the only difference on paper being that this particular battle will take place on land rather than sea. Thankfully, on paper are where the Continue reading →

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

Is ‘Counter Attack’ Vincent Zhao’s answer to ‘Wolf Warrior’? Watch the English-subtitled Trailer and see for yourself…

Posted on February 1, 2021 by JJ Bona

"Counter Attack" Martial arts star Vincent Zhao (Kung Fu League, Unity of Heroes) has demonstrated his skills in countless film and TV projects – both traditional kung fu and modern day action – and while The Blade, Black Sheep Affair and True Legend have been his highlights, he’s often been shortchanged by many projects and at times fallen foul of politics such as his departure from Donnie Yen’s Special ID.

With that said, Zhao is taking a sizable amount of control with Counter Attack, a project he’s not only starring in, but also directing. Co-stars include Jiang Yiyi (Once Upon a Time in Shanghai) and Continue reading →

Posted in News |

When West Meets East: 25 Hollywood Stars in Asian Cinema

Posted on January 29, 2021 by Paul Bramhall

When West Meets East: 25 Hollywood Stars in Asian Cinema

We all know there have been plenty of Asian stars who have tried their hand at Hollywood, with the likes of Jackie Chan, Lee Byung-hun, Ken Watanabe, and even Tony Jaa all having varying degrees of success in Tinseltown. But what about those Hollywood stars who attempted their hand at the Asian film market?

Those who have ventured to the East have done so for reasons as broad as the movies they appear in – maybe they’re washed up stars from yesteryear, they’re offered a chance to work with an acclaimed director, or perhaps lost a bet (it’s as good an explanation as any for some of the appearances in these movies!).

Below we take a look at 25 familiar faces from Hollywood who have appeared in Asian productions since 2000, and 1 who didn’t (it’ll make sense once you get to it). The criteria is a little fast and loose when it comes to things like co-productions, but essentially if a movie has a predominantly Asian cast, is filmed in Asia, and has an Asian director (The Great Wall for example), then we’re including it. If a movie has more than one Hollywood star in it, then we choose one of them and give the other an honourable mention in the text (The Great Wall, again, as an example). We hope you enjoy reading, and if we’ve missed anyone, give them a shout out in the comments! Listed in alphabetical order Continue reading →

Posted in Features, News |

Yuen Biao, Ray Lui, Kathy Chow and Raquel Xu are called into action in New Characters Posters for ‘Heroes Return’

Posted on January 29, 2021 by JJ Bona

We’ll soon see the return of kung fu movie legend Yuen Biao (knockabout, On The Run) in the suitably titled Heroes Return (read our review), from director Hu Guo.

Sure, we’ve seen the 3rd famous Seven Little Fortune return in semi-recent films like Sifu vs. Vampire and The Bodyguard, but hopefully with Heroes Return, he’ll be used to his fullest potential (yeah, yeah, we know he’s not the same young guy from Wheels on Meals, but we’re sure he still has some tricks up his sleeve).

Heroes Return also stars a handful of known Hong Kong actors like Ray Lui (To Be Number One), Ken Tong (Chasing the Dragon), Ng Man Tat (Shaolin Soccer), Kathy Chow (Cheap Killers) and Raquel Xu (Chasing the Dragon).

Heroes Return releases domestically on January 30, 2021. Don’t miss the Trailer Continue reading →

Posted in News |

New English-subtitled Trailer for Andy Lau and Xiao Yang’s action-comedy ‘Endgame’

Posted on January 29, 2021 by JJ Bona
"Endgame" Theatrical Poster

“Endgame” Theatrical Poster

It’s a case of mistaken identity for Hong Kong superstar Andy Lau (Shockwave, Chasing the Dragon, The Adventures), as he returns to the big screen in Endgame, a dark, action-comedy from director Rao Xiaozhi (The Insanity, A Cool Fish), which releases domestically on February 25, 2021.

According to AFS, the upcoming film centers around a jobbing actor who is mistaken for a world-class hitman. The film is a remake of Kenji Uchida’s 2012 Japanese film, Key of Life, that starred Masato Sakai, Teruyuki Kagawa and Ryoko Hirosue.

Joining Lau for Endgame is Xiao Yang (Dragon Blade, Detective Chinatown) and Regina Wan Qian (Butterfly Lovers, God of War).

Don’t miss the film’s New English-subtitled Continue reading →

Posted in News |

Russian Raid | Blu-ray (Well Go USA)

Posted on January 28, 2021 by JJ Bona
Russian Raid | Blu-ray (Well Go USA)

Russian Raid | Blu-ray (Well Go USA)

RELEASE DATE: March 9, 2021

Denis Kryuchkov’s debut feature, Russian Raid – a Russian production inspired by Gareth Evans’ 2011 cult martial arts hit The Raid (what action movie isn’t?) – will finally be getting U.S. release on Digital & Blu-ray on March 9, 2021 from Well Go USA.

Long after the murder of his father—a secret agent killed in a missile factory raid—former special forces operative Nikita (played by renowned stuntman Ivan Kotik) returns to Russia as a mercenary. He leads an elite team on a top-dollar heist targeting the same facility, but no one else knows his true objective is revenge.

The film also stars Powerlifting world record holder Kirill Sarychev, world heavyweight kickboxing champion Vladimir Mineev, as well as “the best-known MMA fighters in Russia”.

Don’t miss the film’s U.S. Trailer Continue reading →

Posted in DVD/Blu-ray New Releases, Martial Arts Titles, News |

Deal on Fire! Master Z: Ip Man Legacy | Blu-ray | Only $9.96 – Expires soon!

Posted on January 28, 2021 by JJ Bona
Master Z: Ip Man Legacy | Blu-ray (Well Go USA)

Master Z: Ip Man Legacy | Blu-ray (Well Go USA)

Today’s Deal on Fire is the Blu-ray for Master Z: Ip Man Legacy, starring Max Zhang, the rising star of The Grandmaster, S.P.L. II and Ip Man 3 and The Brink. This Ip Man 3 spin-off directed by legendary martial arts choreographer Yuen Woo-ping (The Thousand Faces of Dunjia).

Zhang reprises his scene-stealing role as Cheung Tin-chi from Ip Man 3. The film also stars Michelle Yeoh (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny), Tony Jaa (xXx: Return of Xander Cage) and Dave Bautista (Kickboxer: Vengeance).

After defeated by Ip Man, Cheung Tin Chi (Zhang) lives a depressed life and stays low profile. While Tin Chi tries to stay out of trouble, he gets himself into a fight Continue reading →

Posted in Deals on Fire!, News |

Bloody Brotherhood (1989) Review

Posted on January 25, 2021 by Paul Bramhall
"Bloody Brotherhood" Theatrical Poster

“Bloody Brotherhood” Theatrical Poster

Director: Wang Lung Wei
Cast: Andy Lau Tak Wah, Michael Chan Wai Man, Irene Wan Pik Ha, David Lam Wai, Shum Wai, Ku Feng, Dick Wei, Philip Ko Fei, Tin Ching, Wong Hap, Cheung Gwok Wa, Ken Lo Hui Kwong, Sham Chin Bo, Lee Sau Kei, Cho Wing
Running Time: 95 min. 

By Paul Bramhall

While Wang Lung-Wei is perhaps most synonymous for his various villainous turns during his tenure at the Shaw Brothers studios, I’ve always considered him to be an underrated director. Sure, he only helmed 9 movies, all made between 1985 – 1992, and none of them can be said to break the mould or offer up anything particularly innovative. But regardless, the guy knew how to crank out lean no nonsense action movies that didn’t skimp on the violence, and contained the kind of frantic high impact fight scenes that audiences today can only dream of. This is the guy who even managed to make Michael Wong look like a bad ass thanks to 1988’s Fury (although it is, admittedly, the weakest of his oeuvre).  Many (including myself) consider Lung-Wei’s sophomore feature, 1985’s Hong Kong Godfather to be his masterpiece (although Angry Ranger comes close), thanks in no small part to its no holds barred blood-soaked finale. 

It’s understandable then that when Lung-Wei secured the talents of HK megastar Andy Lau for 1989’s Bloody Brotherhood, he tried to combine what made his best work so popular with one of HK’s most bankable stars. Lau gets a lot of flak for his performances in the 80’s, with common criticisms being that he looks like a pretty boy teenage popstar (which was half true) and couldn’t act (also open to debate). Personally, I may have been blind to both critiques due to my love of action cinema, and regardless of not being a legitimate martial artist, onscreen Lau looked like the real deal. From his tussle against Lu Feng in The Shanghai Thirteen, to holding his own alongside Jackie Chan Continue reading →

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