Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours from all your friends (and enemies) at Cityonfire.com!… And don’t forget about this Bruceploitation book…

Posted on November 27, 2019 by JJ Bona
"Dynamo" US Theatrical Poster

“Dynamo” US Theatrical Poster

If you recall straight-to-video titles like To Be the Best, Final Impact, Fists of Iron and Isaac Florentine’s U.S. Seals II, then there’s a chance you might remember a martial artist named Michael Worth.

Worth is mostly known for his action film resume in the 90s, but over the years, he has branched out to writing and directing a number of indie films in multiple genres.

But now, Worth is bringing his personal collection into the limelight with Martial Art: A Pictorial History of Bruceploitation Posters, a beautiful limited edition book preserving a 40 year collection of original artwork posters.

Want a copy of Martial Art by next February? Visit the project’s Indiegogo page.

(Psst! From what we hear, Worth is ALSO working on some other Bruceploiation projects that are guaranteed to knock your yellow Asics off! Let’s just say he’s been hanging out – in person – with a lot of Bruce’s ‘n a bunch of Ho’s… )

Posted in News |

Deal on Fire! Flying Swords of Dragon Gate | Blu-ray | Only $9.99 – Expires soon!

Posted on November 23, 2019 by JJ Bona
Flying Swords of Dragon Gate | Blu-ray (Indomina)

Flying Swords of Dragon Gate | Blu-ray (Indomina)

Today’s Deal on Fire is the Blu-ray for Flying Swords of Dragon Gate (read our review), starring martial arts superstar Jet Li, and directed by legendary Hong Kong filmmaker, Tsui Hark (The Taking of Tiger Mountain).

The tale continues at the infamous Dragon Inn three years after it was left in ruins. A new gang has taken control of the inn as they secretly search for the nearby lost city of gold. Threatening to expose their search is the arrival of a beautiful fugitive from the palace accompanied by the swordsman who would die to protect her, and a group of assassins who will stop at nothing to find her.

Order Flying Swords of Dragon Gate from Amazon.com today! 

Posted in Deals on Fire!, News |

Dragon Chronicles, The: The Maidens of Heavenly Mountain (1994) Review

Posted on November 18, 2019 by Paul Bramhall
"The Dragon Chronicles" DVD Cover

“The Dragon Chronicles” DVD Cover

Director: Andy Chin
Producer: Jimmy Heung
Cast: Brigitte Lin, Gong Li, Sharla Cheung, Frankie Lam, Norman Chu, Ku Tin-yi, Liu Kai-chi
Running Time: 97 min.

By Paul Bramhall

Convoluted plots, a dizzying cast of characters, and breakneck pacing are all some of the defining characteristics of many a wuxia movie. From the Chor Yuen directed Gu Long adaptations during the 70’s Shaw Brothers heyday, through to the wire-filled extravaganzas of the early 90’s new wave, as a viewer unacquainted with the source material (if indeed there was any) such productions where often a test of mental agility for western audiences. Despite all of these factors though, I have a soft spot for wuxia flicks. They have an undefinable coolness to them, whether it be watching a poncho adorned Ti Lung slicing through opponents with a twirling blade, or Jet Li fending off multiple projectile swords whilst gliding through the air, there’s a poetic quality that transcends the boundaries of the standard kung fu flick.

Most importantly of all though, no matter how complex the plot gets, generally I find myself able to follow along enough to know what’s going down. Rival clans, dominance of the martial arts world, mystical weapons, and forbidden love – stick them all in a blender, and even if the portions are different every time, you’ll end up with some semblance of what to expect from a wuxia flick. Which brings me to The Dragon Chronicles: The Maidens of Heavenly Mountain. I provided this background partly as a pre-emptive excuse, partly as a cry for help, as in my 20 years of watching these movies, this 1994 slice of wuxia madness is the first time I honestly found myself having no clue as to what on earth was going on.

Less than 5 minutes in I was at a loss, and 85 minutes later things hadn’t improved. From an incomprehensibly complicated spiel that kicks things off via voice over, through to the moment the end credits appeared onscreen, the last time I felt this confused involved downing a few beers before entering an escape room. I suspect most of the blame lays with Charcoal Tan – not the name of the latest shade of fake tan – but the man behind the script, which I use in the loosest possible way. TDC:TMOHM (as I’ll refer to it from here on in) is based on the famous wuxia novel Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils by Jin Yong. You’ve probably guessed already, but to enjoy TDC:TMOHM as a coherent experience makes pre-reading the novel a must, preferably several times over followed by the CliffsNotes companion piece.

The novel has been adapted into a TV series more times than you can shake a stick at (including one being screened at the time of writing), however squeezing such a sprawling storyline into a single 90 minute movie is a daunting task. In 1982 director Siu Sang attempted to do so under the same title, which notably shares a cast member of TDC:TMOHM in the form of Norman Chu, which has long since disappeared into the annals of wuxia history. It would take 12 years for another director to step up to the table, and that director came in the form of Andy Chin Wing-Keung. Almost all of Chin’s unremarkable directorial efforts fall in the 10 years spanning 1989 to 1998, with 1994 being his most prolific year. Apart from sitting in the director’s chair for TDC:TMOHM, he’d also helm the long forgotten Hong Kong flicks Victory, Crazy Women, How Deep Is Your Love, and Why Wild Girls.

After 1998’s The Lord of Hangzhou he’d drop off the map, randomly popping up 10 years later to co-direct the Donnie Yen fantasy remake of Painted Skin, before fading into obscurity again. Out of all the titles in his filmography though, it’s TDC:TMOHM that provided Chin with his most impressive cast, offering up a trio of leading ladies that would make any Hong Kong director of the era green with envy. Taiwanese starlet Brigitte Lin would round off her bevvy of early 90’s wuxia appearances here, clocking in what would become her final appearance in front of the camera. She’s joined by Gong Li, here just a year after her critically acclaimed turn in Chen Kaige’s Farewell My Concubine, and the trio is rounded off with Sharla Cheung Man, who is probably the only actress who can claim to feature in more new wave wuxia movies than Lin, even if she wasn’t always playing the star.

Having these three actresses share the screen together in a genre such as this is largely what makes TDC:TMOHM remain watchable, even during its most head scratching moments, and there’s many. At one point a guy is brought out on a tray whose body has been cut off from the shoulders down, and is being kept alive by Lin’s evil mystical powers purely to suffer through a life of misery. Imagine a wuxia version of Basket Case, and you won’t be far off. While 1994 heralded Lin’s last year onscreen, it’s easy to imagine she never changed out of her wuxia wardrobe for the entire year. In addition to TDC:TMOHM, she also appeared in Three Swordsmen, Ashes of Time, Fire Dragon, and Deadful Melody. I was going to say she must have been so busy her feet didn’t touch the ground, then realised that considering the amount of wire-work that went into these new wave wuxia flicks, actually that statement is probably true.

Lin plays dual roles, one of an evil twin and one of a good twin, albeit the good twin barely makes an appearance due to being comatose. At this point, let me an issue a warning, that yes I’m going to attempt some sort of synopsis. With Lin playing two of the pivotal three maidens, the other role goes to Gong Li, who from what I could tell was in love with the good twin. All of them are keen to gain the trust of a martial arts master whose been fatally poisoned, but refuses to kick the bucket until his killer is exposed, and he can transfer his power to someone worthy of receiving it. That person isn’t Norman Chu, who plays the power hungry leader of an evil sect, however it could be a naive Shaolin monk (Frankie Lam) that finds himself befriended by Sharla Cheung Man. She’s a part of the evil clan, but seemingly has a good heart, and somehow in the end the monk, the maidens, and Cheung Man team up to defeat Norman Chu.

I won’t spend any more time detailing the plot, as honestly, the above description could be entirely wrong. If anyone needs to clarify any details, the good news is that Charcoal Tan is still around, having most recently contributed to the scripts for the likes of League of Gods and Legend of the Naga Pearls. There’s a certain Zu: Warriors of Magic Mountain vibe to TDC:TMOHM, from the other worldly mountain setting to the presence of Brigitte Lin and Norman Chu. Like Tsui Hark’s classic, there’s also an abundance of animated effects involving laser beam shooting and colourful twirls of energy. Indeed Zu: Warriors from Magic Mountain may have been made over 10 years earlier, but the effects on display make TDC:TMOHM appear like a product of the same era.

The abundance of energy blasts, and techniques such as the Melting Stance (self-explanatory) and Shifting Stance (the ability to teleport like a ninja in a Godfrey Ho movie), are likely there due to our three leading ladies lack of martial arts training. The action is orchestrated by Poon Kin-Kwan, who frequently co-action directed with Benz Kong To-Hoi, but here marks one of the few times he’d strike out on his own (other instances include Black Cat II and Out of the Dark). It’s unremarkable stuff for those expecting the intricate wire-work infused with acrobatics and martials arts that the likes of Tony Ching Siu-Tung would come to perfect, but remains serviceable. There’s not many flicks where you can watch Gong Li and Brigitte Lin chasing each other through the air while firing off laser beams, so for that visual alone I can’t be too hard on Kin-Kwan. It kind of felt like a more beautiful version of a TIE fighter versus an X-wing battle.

Despite the simple pleasure of seeing three of Hong Kong cinemas most iconic actresses sharing the screen together, there can be no denying that TDC:TMOHM is more than anything, an unfathomable mess. Compared to the wistful glances that both Brigitte Lin and Gong Li frequently indulge in, Cheung Man’s wacky character appears to have walked straight off the set of a Stephen Chow movie (which may have been the case, she featured in Hail the Judge the same year), and any semblance of a coherent plot is nowhere to be found. TDC:TMOHM feels like it should have been spread across at least two movies, although maybe the failure to continue the previous years Kung Fu Cult Master made producers reluctant to take the risk. Whatever the case, if you’ve seen every other new wave wuxia flick out there, TDC:TMOHM may still be worth your time, just leave your brain at the door, it’s safer that way.

Paul Bramhall’s Rating: 4/10

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

Deal on Fire! The Great Wall | Blu-ray | Only $4.99 – Expires soon!

Posted on November 17, 2019 by JJ Bona
The Great Wall | Blu-ray & DVD (Universal)

The Great Wall | Blu-ray & DVD (Universal)

Today’s Deal on Fire is the Blu-ray for The Great Wall (read our review), starring Matt Damon, Pedro Pascal (Game of Thrones), Willem Dafoe (John Wick), Andy Lau (Infernal Affairs), Jing Tian (Special ID), Zhang Hanyu (The Assembly), Eddie Peng (Rise of the Legend).

Acclaimed filmmaker Zhang Yimou (Shadow, Hero, House of the Flying Daggers) directs this 15th century period flick revolving around an elite force making a valiant stand for humanity on the world’s most iconic structure.

The film also stars Lu Han (Miss Granny), Lin Gengxin (Young Detective Dee), Zheng Kai (The Running Man), Chen Xuedong (Tiny Times 3), Huang Xuan (Blind Massage), Wang Junkai, Yu Xintian and Liu Qiong.

Order The Great Wall from Amazon.com today!

Posted in Deals on Fire!, News |

Steven Seagal and DMX re-team in the Trailer for ‘Beyond the Law’ also starring Johnny Messner

Posted on November 15, 2019 by JJ Bona
"Beyond the Law" Theatrical Poster

“Beyond the Law” Theatrical Poster

It’s been almost 20 years since Steven Seagal (Cartels) and DMX (Romeo Must Die) joined forces in 2001’s Exit Wounds, but we’ll soon be seeing the pair re-unite for Beyond the Law, an upcoming action-thriller directed by James Cullen Bressack (Deadly Reunion) that also co-stars Johnny Messner (Kill ’em All).

Here’s the official plot: Beyond the Law is about one man’s quest for justice in a corrupt city. When a former detective learns of the murder of his estranged son, he ventures back to the darkened streets he once knew so well. Armed, dangerous and with nothing to lose, he must take on the ruthless local mob in his mission for revenge.

According to MB, Beyond the Law hits select theaters and VOD/Digital on December 6, 2019. Don’t miss the film’s Trailer below:

Posted in News |

Bookies is one of the most underrated gambling thrillers ever

Posted on November 15, 2019 by JJ Bona
"Bookies" Theatrical Poster

“Bookies” Theatrical Poster

When it comes to movies about “sports and gambling”, we tend to see the same list of films mentioned. Typical ones like The Hustler (1961), The Color of Money (1986), Eight Me Out (1988), Let it Ride (1989), Diggstown (1992), Hardball (2001) and Two for the Money (2005) – but if there’s one movie that’s considered an unappreciated gem within the most realistic movies of gambling, it has to be Bookies, a 2oo3 thriller directed by Mark Illsley (Happy, Texas).

Bookies centers on four college buddies who become small-time bookies. But when their antics give them a taste of success, things take a turn for the worse when their operation gets the attention of dangerous mobsters.

With names like Nick Stahl (Terminator 3, Sin City), Rachael Leigh Cook (She’s All That, Josie and the Pussycats), Johnny Galecki (The Big Bang Theory, Rosanne), John Diehl (Stripes, Mo’ Money), Julio Oscar Mechoso (Bad Boys, Little Miss Sunshine) and David Proval (Mean Streets, Sopranos), we can only wonder why the film never made it to U.S. theaters after its Sundance premier in 2003, but thankfully the film was discovered by a lucky audience on DVD and cable.

It’s a shame Bookies never hit the big screen, because like some of the more well-known movies of the same subject, the film features a plot that’s just as engaging and fast-paced. And don’t let the poster fool you, because this isn’t a teeny-bopper flick, it’s more along the lines of something more gritty like 2001’s Blow. Pay attention to the scene where one player turns a basketball team around. It’s a brilliant sequence!

Bookies mainly revolves around basketball, which begs the question: What if a movie was made around the subject of online Betting Sites? Let’s face it, with technology growing at such a fast pace – and people not having to to leave their house to visit a smoke-filled casino – a movie that centers around Online Gambling would be a blast!

The past, present and future of gambling movies has always been a success for moviegoers all around the world. Just look at recent ones, such as Aaron Sorkin’s Molly’s Game, which grossed a worldwide total of $59.3 million (the film is based on the true story of Molly Bloom, played by Jessica Chastain, an Olympic-class skier who ran the world’s most exclusive high-stakes poker game).

I personally look forward to more of these types of film. Who doesn’t like a roller-coaster ride filled with ups, downs and every type of cinematic thrill you can think of. After all, it’s human nature to get entertainment out of someone else’s conflict and comprising situation. It’s a sub-genre where the ending isn’t always happy and where the hero doesn’t always win.

Don’t miss the original Trailer for Bookies below. Who knows? Maybe it’s time to take that gamble (its DVD couldn’t be that expensive. Heck, maybe its even streaming on one of your subscription services).

Posted in News |

First action-packed Trailer for Ding Sheng’s actioner ‘S.W.A.T.’

Posted on November 13, 2019 by JJ Bona
"S.W.A.T." Chinese Theatrical Poster

“S.W.A.T.” Chinese Theatrical Poster

Ding Sheng – the acclaimed director/writer of Little Big Soldier, Police Story 2013, Railroad Tigers, Saving Mr. Wu and A Better Tomorrow 2018 – is putting final touches on his latest thriller, S.W.A.T. (Special Weapons and Tactics).

The story of S.W.A.T. centers on the Chinese Special Police Unit, from their hard training to their first mission.

The film stars Jerry Jia (Once Upon a Time in the Northeast), Jin Chen (Million Dollar Crocodile), Ling Xiaosu (Painted Skin TV series) and Zhang Yunlong (The Dreaming Man), via AFS.

S.W.A.T. releases on domestically on December 29th, 2019. Don’t miss the film’s Trailer below (via AFS):

Posted in News |

This holiday, we wish you a ‘Karate Christmas Miracle’

Posted on November 13, 2019 by JJ Bona
A Karate Christmas Miracle | Blu-ray & DVD (KDMG)

A Karate Christmas Miracle | Blu-ray & DVD (KDMG)

We know there are some Eric Roberts (Maximum Impact) and Martin Kove (Cobra Kai) fanatics out there – plus, it is the holiday season – so we couldn’t help but spread the word about A Karate Christmas Miracle, a martial arts movie “with a message” (you know, The Martial Arts Kid-type shit).

A boy (Mario Del Vecchio) believes that if he earns a black belt by Christmas Day his father, who went missing one year earlier, will return. A roller coaster thriller ensues, where a mystery that no one expected is unraveled – and just maybe all will witness the delivery of a miracle that can only happen on Christmas.

A Karate Christmas Miracle is being released on both Blu-ray & DVD from KDMG on November 15, 2019. The same company is also re-releasing Diana Lee Inosanto’s The Sensei on Blu-ray & DVD on the same date (it’s streaming Amazon Prime if you want to get down and dirty right now!).

Without further ado, here’s the Trailer for A Karate Christmas Miracle:

Posted in News |

The Divine Fury | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

Posted on November 12, 2019 by JJ Bona
The Divine Fury | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

The Divine Fury | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

RELEASE DATE: November 19th, 2019

On November 19th, 2019, Well Go USA is releasing the Blu-ray & DVD for The Divine Fury (read our review).

This supernatural thriller (laced with martial arts) is directed by Kim Joo-Hwan (Midnight Runners), and stars Park Seo-Joon (Parasite), Ahn Sung-Ki (The Divine Move), Woo Do-Hwan (Save Me), Choi Woo-Sik (The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion), Jung Ji-Hoon (Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days) and Kim Si-Eun (Golden Slumber).

After losing his father at a young age in a terrible accident, Yong-hu (Park) abandons his Christian faith and chooses to only believe in himself. Now as an adult, Yong-hu is a champion fighter and has everything he has ever wanted, that is until mysterious wounds appear in the palms of his hands. He solicits help from a local priest Father Ahn (Ahn), hoping the priest can help relieve him of the painful markings only to find himself in the middle of a dangerous fight against otherworldly evil forces seeking to wreak havoc on the human world.

Pre-order The Divine Fury from Amazon.com today! 

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

Gamble with the Greats: 6 of the Top Casinos in the U.S.

Posted on November 12, 2019 by JJ Bona

Are you putting some of the top casinos in the U.S. on your road trip agenda?

Feel like gambling with the greats? Here are the seven best in America.

Planning a trip to a casino this year? You’re not alone. More than 50 million people visit casinos in the US each year.

If a trip to a casino for a little gambling is in your future, surely you’ll want to check out one of the top casinos in the US. While Las Vegas is what most people think of when great casinos come to mind, you can hit up some great locations all over the country.

Here are 6 of the top casinos in the US to include in your next gambling adventure.

1. The Wynn, Las Vegas

The Wynn Las Vegas has been winning awards and getting 5-star reviews since it opened in 2005. It features over 2,700 hotel rooms and also has a second, even more luxurious resort, The Encore, attached to it.

The casino is full of flowers, sky-lit art, and state-of-the-art gaming. Whether you want to gamble poolside, in a high-limit salon, or at their large and comfortable sportsbook, the Wynn has something for everyone.

When you need a break from the tables, check out one of the restaurants at the Wynn. They have more Michelin 4-star restaurants than any other resort in North America. From Italian to steakhouse to Chinese, the Wynn has many options to choose from.

After you fill up, check out the indoor botanical garden, visit the spa, or golf. The Wynn boasts the only 18-hole golf course on the Las Vegas Strip.

2. The Borgata, Atlantic City

The Borgata opened in Atlantic City in 2003 and spurred other developers to build large, Vegas-style casinos in the city. Since it opened, the Borgata has led Atlantic City casinos in revenue.

The casino has every gambling option you could want, including a sportsbook to bet on sports games and horse racing, since it was legalized across the country in 2018.

It has all of the luxuries of a Las Vegas casino, like 5-star restaurants by Bobby Flay and Wolfgang Puck, nightclubs, and a massive two-story spa that has a barbershop, fitness center, pool, and salon.

If you’re an avid TV watcher, you might have seen the Borgata on shows like The Real Housewives of New Jersey, The Sopranos, or Impractical Joker.

3. Peppermill Resort Spa and Casino, Reno

We’re heading back to Nevada for the next casino on our list. The Peppermill Resort in Reno offers you the luxury of a Vegas casino in a smaller environment. From slot machines to table games to a sportsbook, the casino has what you’re looking for.

The spa is spectacular, with three stories, the only Caladarium in Northern Nevada, an indoor pool, sundeck, and salon. After relaxing in the spa, head outside to one of the pools or jetted spas and then enjoy a meal at one of their 10 award-winning restaurants.

The Peppermill is also committed to sustainability and has a number of Green initiatives, including geothermal heating energy, water recycling, paperless Human Resources department, and participation in Clean the World’s Hotel Recycling Program.

4. Foxwoods Resort Casino, Connecticut

Head east again to visit the Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut. The Foxwoods used to be the largest casino in the world, and while it isn’t the largest any longer, it still is one of the best.

In addition to the traditional casino games, Foxwoods also offers the PLAY Arena, which allows you to play all of your favorite games from one station. You can pick the lighting, music, video, and mood of your playing experience. Foxwoods also has 35 different restaurants, from quick service, casual dining to fine dining.

When you want a break from gambling, take a ride down the road from the casino to the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center, one of the largest Native American museums in the world.

5. Horseshoe Casino, Mississippi

If Atlantic City is the east coast equivalent of Las Vegas, Tunica, Mississippi is the southern counterpart to Vegas. The Horseshoe Casino has a luxurious tower with over 300 suites and a hotel with over 500 standard rooms that are anything but ordinary.

From table games to slots to the poker room to the sportsbook, The Horseshoe has all of the gaming you could want, all at the best odds around.

Tunica is a short 30-minute drive from Memphis, so it attracts big-name entertainers, including bands, singers, and comedians like Tracy Morgan.

6. Caesars Palace, Las Vegas

Caesars has been around since the 1960s, building a casino empire in Las Vegas and beyond. Their flagship casino, located in Las Vegas, is instantly recognizable. You’ve probably seen it in movies like Rocky III, Rain Man, Ocean’s Eleven, Iron Man, and all three Hangover movies.

The casino has all of the standard amenities, but if you’re looking for other things to do, take a dip in one of the pools designed to look like a Roman bath, check out the Pussycat Dolls Lounge, or spend your winnings in the Forum Shops, which offers over 630,000 square feet of shopping. From Louis Vuitton to Sephora, the Forum Shops have a wide range of stores.

And, in traditional Vegas style, it has big-name performers, like Celine Dion, Elton John, Frank Sinatra, and Rod Stewart.

Before you head out to your next casino, be sure to give these demo slots a go-to practice your slot betting strategy without risk.

The Top Casinos in the US for Your Next Gambling Trip

This list is the surface of the top casinos in the US. There are countless more if you really want to expand your casino adventures. Whether it’s a high-end hotel, high stakes tables, or a personalized experience you’re looking for, from California to Connecticut, you can have a great casino experience across the US.

If you liked this post, be sure to explore our site and check out some of our other blog posts as well.

Posted in News |

Driver, The (2019) Review

Posted on November 11, 2019 by Paul Bramhall
The Driver | DVD (Lionsgate)

The Driver | DVD (Lionsgate)

Director: Wych Kaosayananda
Cast: Mark Dacascos, Julie Condra, Noelani Dacascos, Jeremy Stutes, Adam Zachary Smith, Charlie Ruedpokanon, Kane Kosugi, Milena Gorum
Running Time: 90 min. 

By Paul Bramhall

The Driver is the final installment in director Wych Kaosayananda’s thrilling apocalyptic zombie trilogy, and no doubt the one that fans have been waiting for! If that sentence has you scratching your head in bewilderment, then the good news is you’re not alone. In fact, the first and second installments have yet to be released. Two of Us, which is the first part, was shot prior to The Driver and is currently in post-production, while the second installment, titled The Rider, hasn’t even started filming. So what’s the deal? Well, most likely thanks to Mark Dacascos being the lead hot on the heels of his role in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, it made sense to fast track The Driver. With each movie planned to work as stand-alone stories connected by the same characters and universe, you could almost say the decision makes sense.

After his leading man debut in 1993’s Only the Strong, over the next decade Dacascos was one of the brightest martial arts talents to grace the screen, with many considering Drive, his 1997 collaboration with director Steve Wang and Alpha Stunts, as the best martial arts flick to come out of the U.S. His action career would culminate in facing off against Jet Li in 2003’s Cradle 2 the Grave, however in the 15 years since his filmography has made for increasingly depressing reading, with his most recent roles prior to Mr. Wick dedicated to working with Russia’s self-styled action hero, Alexander Nevsky. For many fans who still hope for Dacascos to return to the roles he was known for in his heyday, appearing as the main foe for Keanu Reeves to face off against in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum was seen as a golden ticket. Lamentably, if not entirely unexpected, The Driver proves that the ticket in question is already null and void. 

I imagine that for many, like myself, the first twinges of uneasiness came when it was announced Wych Kaosayanada would be directing. Kaosayanada made his Hollywood debut directing Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever in 2002, then disappeared for 10 years. In 2012 he re-emerged with Angels, a gritty thriller starring Dustin Nguyen and Gary Daniels. In the lead up to its release, the narrative around Kaosayanada was that the disastrous Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever was never his fault, and that the finished product was drastically altered by the studio. Angels would show us what he was really capable of. Except, it remains unreleased to this day. It was eventually re-cut and re-shot, before being unleashed onto the world in 2015 as Zero Tolerance, an appalling excuse for an action movie. In-between, Kaosayanada hit us with Tekken: Kazuya’s Revenge, which is what watching it felt like – being hit in the face, repeatedly, for 90 minutes.

Normally I apply a 3 strikes and you’re out rule to any director that’s consistently cranked out back-to-back crap, so call it good will towards Dacascos that I allowed myself to go into The Driver with an open mind. The tale of a former assassin who’s now become a family man, the twist here is that the trope is played out against the backdrop of a zombie apocalypse. So there’s your hook, it’s Dacascos vs. zombies! Except he’s made this movie before, when he starred in 2007’s I Am Omega, The Asylum studios riff on the Will Smith vehicle I Am Legend from the same year. I Am Omega was (as are all of The Asylum productions) completely derivative, however comparative to The Driver, with the power of retrospect it’s actually quite fun.

Frankly, Kaosayanada’s latest is a chore to get through, as are every other one of his movies. Adding to the sort of low budget ridiculousness of everything, is that Dacascos has brought on-board his wife and daughter to play, you guessed it, his wife and daughter. Honestly, if my only memory of seeing Dacascos and Julie Condra onscreen together was in 1995’s Crying Freeman (the movie where they met), then I’d have been a happy man. Here they’ve brought their unicorn obsessed daughter Noelani Dacascos along for the ride, and as an audience we can look forward to a montage of them happily eating salad together in slow motion, and other saccharine moments which probably would have been better left on the cutting room floor. 

The plot is woefully underdeveloped and frequently drops the most interesting elements before they’ve even begun. In a nutshell it can be summarised as Dacascos and co. live in a fenced off compound with other survivors of the zombie apocalypse, then one day it’s attacked by a group of bandits (the leader of which brandishes a baseball bat, that feels a bit too much like an obvious nod to Negan, the character from The Walking Dead). Leaving the compound in ruins and overrun by zombies, Dacascos and his daughter escape in their BMW, and head north to find a place called Haven, which is believed to be one of the last bastions of humanity. Cue a relentless number of scenes consisting of Dacascos and his daughter driving (although the ‘driving’ in question has clearly been done in front of a green screen), and occasional run ins with completely unthreatening zombies.

Potentially interesting sub-plots, like the fact the compound is being run like a cult by a religious maniac, and Dacascos’ former life as an assassin, are simply there as lines of dialogue, and are given no further exploration other than the words that are spoken. Other moments are simply bizarre. When it turns out the raid on the compound was an inside-job, Dacascos confronts the guilty party to ask him why he’s sold out, to which he receives the response, “Because you never let me drive!” Ummm, ok. The interactions with the broader group of characters are so stilted, that it becomes a relief once the plot strips itself down to just Dacascos and his daughter talking to each other, the fact that they’re family in reality I’m sure contributing a more natural feel to their conversation.

Exactly what genre The Driver is aiming for is difficult to ascertain, or perhaps more feasibly, the low budget hasn’t allowed for any genre to particularly shine through. Selling itself as an action movie would be setting itself up for failure, as there’s so little of it. Brahim Achabbakhe is responsible for the action direction, and comes with a resume that’s far from shabby – having fought against the likes of Tiger Chen in Man of Tai Chi and Scott Adkins in Boyka: Undisputed, to being a part of the action team on the likes of Ninja: Shadow of a Tear and Abduction. Here he also throws in a screen appearance which allows him a brief scuffle with Dacascos, delivering the only fight scene of the whole movie, with the rest being reliant on pedestrian gunfights.

As a horror it’s even less successful, with virtually no blood-letting, and a scarcity of zombies that results in them never really feeling like a legitimate threat. A zombie movie where the zombies don’t deliver any sense of danger essentially renders itself dead in the water before it’s even left the gates. Without the promise of any action, no zombie thrills to looks forward to, and a plethora of driving scenes that threaten to make even the most patient viewer catatonic, The Driver quickly becomes a journey into monotony and refuses to change gear.

In the closing scenes we’re introduced to a pair of zombie hunting femme fatales in the form of Milena Gorum and Alice Tantayanon, who play the pair that the Two of Us title refers to, before proceedings close with a cameo from Kane Kosugi, credited as The Rider, that the 2nd installment is also billed as. Whether either production will see the light of day is a debatable one, but it’s hard to image anyone getting to the end of The Driver and caring about what happens next, or in this case, what happened before. In the opening line Dacascos states “I need to sleep”, which was a statement I frequently echoed throughout the mercifully short 90 minute runtime. Chances are, if I had, I’d have enjoyed it more.

Paul Bramhall’s Rating: 3/10

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

New Trailer for Terence Chang-produced ‘Wings Over Everest’

Posted on November 10, 2019 by JJ Bona
"Wings Over Everest" Theatrical Poster

“Wings Over Everest” Theatrical Poster

Looks like Wu Jing’s The Climbers has some stiff competition: Wings Over Everest, an upcoming crime thriller set amid the snows of Everest. The film stars Koji Yakusho (The World of Kanako) and Zhang Jingchu (Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation).

When a plane carrying important documents crashes in the Death Zone of Mount Everest, two men claiming to work for India’s research and analysis department offer a large sum of money to Team Wings to take them up to recover them.

Wings Over Everest is executive produced by Terence Chang (Once a Thief) and written and directed by Yu Fei, a former vice president of Paris-based gaming giant Gameloft, who is also an experienced explorer, diver and mountain climber (via SD).

The film releases domestically December 12th. Don’t miss its Newest Trailer below:

Posted in News |

Deal on Fire! The Host | Blu-ray | Only $8.86 – Expires soon!

Posted on November 9, 2019 by JJ Bona
"The Host" Blu-ray Cover

“The Host” Blu-ray Cover

Today’s Deal on Fire is the Blu-ray for The Host (read our review), directed by Bong Joon-ho (Parasite, Snowpiercer). This South Korean Blockbuster won several awards including Best Film at the Asian Film Awards and at the Blue Dragon Film Awards.

A creature plunges from the Han River Bridge into the river emerging on its shores for a feeding frenzy upon onlookers. When a young girl (Ah-sung Ko) is snatched in the melee, her family (headed by Song Kang-ho and Bae Doona) set off to recover her from the monster that the government claims to be a host of an unidentified virus.

Order The Host from Amazon.com today!

Posted in Deals on Fire!, News |

Action-packed Trailer for ‘Bad Boys for Life’ (aka ‘Bad Boys 3’)

Posted on November 5, 2019 by JJ Bona
"Bad Boys 2" Japanese Theatrical Poster

“Bad Boys 2” Japanese Theatrical Poster

Fans of the Bad Boys franchise, rejoice! Directing duo Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah (the pair responsible for the Dutch-language cult action flick, Gangsta) are prepping Sony’s Bad Boys for Life (aka Bad Boys 3) for a January 7th, 2020 release.

Bad Boys for Life is written by Joe Carnahan (Smokin’ Aces) and Chris Bremner (Sick Day), with story input by Peter Craig (Blood Father). Jerry Bruckheimer (Top Gun), who produced the original Bad Boys and its sequel, is once again backing the 3rd film.

The Bad Boys franchise (previously directed by Michael Bay) revolves around two hip detectives who fight criminals in the mean streets of Florida. This time around, Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence) is now a police inspector and Mike Lowery (Will Smith) is in a midlife crisis. They unite again when an Albanian mercenary, whose brother they killed, promises them an important bonus.

Hong Kong Cinema fans will always remember Bad Boys 2 for one of its key action scenes – involving automobiles driving down hill through a residential village – that was “borrowed” from Jackie Chan’s Police Story (1985).

Don’t miss the Newest Trailer for Bad Boys for Life below:

Posted in News |

Dangan Runner | aka Non-Stop (1996) Review

Posted on November 4, 2019 by Paul Bramhall
"Dangan Runner" Theatrical Poster

“Dangan Runner” Theatrical Poster

Director: Sabu
Writer: Sabu (as Hiroyuki Tanaka)
Cast: Tomorowo Taguchi, Diamond Yukai, Shinichi Tsutsumi, Akaji Maro, Ren Osugi, Sabu
Running Time: 88 min. 

By Paul Bramhall

The world of V-Cinema remains a criminally overlooked one when it comes to being released on either Blu-ray or (are we still allowed to say it in 2019?) DVD. A uniquely Japanese phenomenon, V-Cinema refers to the name given to the DTV style of filmmaking, that could be seen filling the shelves of the mostly male dominated VHS rental stores of 1990’s Japan (for a more detailed overview, check out the opening to my review of 1995’s Score). A heady mix of macho violence and female nudity, V-cinema was to the male VHS rental store crowd of the 90’s what Instagram is to modern day millennials – a quick fix that entertains for a brief moment, before happily moving along. Oh, and yes, the irony isn’t lost on me that none of the V-Cinema titles actually made it to the cinema.

With that being said, as fleeting as many of the movies may be by design, many of them were also undeniably entertaining. The previously mentioned Score immediately springs to mind, and the most notoriously popular entries in director Takeshi Miike’s filmography are from his V-Cinema era. Which brings us to the 1996 directorial debut of the man simply known as Sabu, Dangan Runner. 1996 was a particularly good year for V-Cinema, with the likes of Miike Takashi’s Fudoh: The New Generation and Takashi Ishii’s Gonin 2 both hitting the shelves the same year (an expression which, when talking about this particular genre, can be taken literally).

Sabu is the directorial alias of Hiroyuki Tanaka, who started his career in the film industry as an actor, and remains acting to this day (most recently, he can be seen briefly in Martin Scorsese’s Silence). Having focused on acting throughout the early to mid-1990’s, taking on roles in the likes of Miike Takashi’s Shinjuku Triad Society, Tanaka developed the script for Dangan Runner as an opportunity to stretch his acting muscles. The idea was that someone else would direct, and he’d play one of the main roles. A great plan it may have been, except he couldn’t find anyone willing to direct it, and in the end was given the advice that, since he wrote it, he should also direct it as well.

So Sabu the director was born, and the Japanese film industry is a better place for it. The plot of Dangan Runner introduces us to a down on his luck loser, played by Tomorô Taguchi (Tetsuo: The Iron Man), who’s decided the only way out of his miserable life is to rob a bank. Taguchi’s done his preparation – he has a gun and has spent time scoping the bank out – but when it comes to actually pulling off the robbery for real, he forgets to bring a face mask. Running out to the nearest convenience store, the fact that he also doesn’t have any cash means he has to steal one (and to make matters worse, the store only has child size masks left). Quickly proving the theory of everything that can go wrong will go wrong, the clerk notices the attempted theft, causing Taguchi to bolt from the store mask in hand, with the clerk in hot pursuit.

That’s the last we ever hear about the bank robbery, and instead the narrative changes direction completely, to become about a failed bank robber being pursued on foot through the streets of Tokyo by an angry convenience store clerk. The clerk is played by the frontman of Japanese rockers Red Warriors, Diamond Yukai (Lost in Translation), who also provides parts of the soundtrack (along with Daisuke Okamoto). We learn that his character is a failed rock star who’s become a junkie, both in and out of work, making him not the most stable character to end up in possession of Taguchi’s fumbled gun. It’s while the pair are running that Yukai crosses paths with a low-level yakuza who he owes money too. Played by Shinichi Tsutsumi (One Missed Call), who’d become a Sabu regular, seizing the moment he also joins the chase in hot pursuit of the store clerk, and so the trio embark on a relentless chase for the next hour plus.

Essentially, Dangan Runner can be seen as a kind of feature-length yakuza version of Forest Gump’s famous line, “I just felt like running.” The narrative incorporates a number of flashbacks to flesh out our 3 protagonists and provide them with a backstory. Taguchi’s spent most of his life as a push-over who’s been constantly taken advantage of and belittled, Yukai’s failed career and subsequent drug addiction has made him a lousy boyfriend, and Tsutsumi’s hesitation during a previous confrontation with a rival yakuza has him looking for redemption. As serious as their predicaments may sound, Sabu show’s a lightness of touch in the style of his direction, and a flair for understated comedy which really works. Taguchi never lets go of his children’s face mask throughout the whole pursuit, with the handgun wielding Yukai still in his convenience store apron, and a fully suited Tsutsumi brandishing a dagger not far behind.

At a brisk 80 minutes in length, Sabu has stated in interviews that this was the minimum length in Japan for a production to be classified as a movie, and looking back he’d probably have edited more out of it if he had the choice. We tend to be our own worst critics, and personally I feel Dangan Runner works perfectly in its current form. The cost of filming three people running around Tokyo may have been minimal, and lent itself well to the budget of a debut director, however there’s something undeniably kinetic about capturing it on camera that feels reflective of what action cinema should be. There’s a reason why Tom Cruise has at least one scene of him running at full sprint in all of his recent action flicks – it looks good onscreen. While I wouldn’t say Dangan Runner is an ode to running, it’s the one constant throughout.

The editing and music, which work hand-in-hand to constantly change the perspective, timeline, and scenarios, are easily one of the productions biggest strengths, combined with the performances of the key trio. As the movie progresses we gradually begin to see hints that really they’re not all that different from each other. This is highlighted when they pass a lady during their pursuit, then the perspective changes to show how each of them begins to fantasise about her. While scenes like this one are unlikely in more recent times, it’s important to remember that V-Cinema was very much filmed from the viewpoint of the male gaze. The concept of using what characters are imagining (or in some cases hallucinating) is used more than once as the trio run into the night, and acts as an effective plot device to give us an insight to the characters thoughts.

Taking us through narrow alleyways, shopping arcades, pachinko parlours, and construction sites, the landscape of 1990’s Tokyo feels just as much an integral part of Dangan Runner as the characters themselves, giving it a uniquely Japanese aesthetic. It’s worth mentioning that back when it first hit western shores in the late 90’s, a lot of comparisons were made to 1998’s Run Lola Run, the German crime thriller that also incorporated running to drive its narrative. However it was Sabu’s debut that came out a full 2 years before, so if anything it’s likely that the initial assumption back then is actually the other way around.

Knowing the story has to come to a close in some way (unless we want to get really existential), Sabu incorporates a yakuza war sub-plot which Tsutsumi’s earlier faux pas was partly responsible for causing, and acts as a pressure cooker scenario for the trio to run directly into the path of. It’s the part of the plot which feels like it’s had the least attention paid to it, but at least allows for the introduction of a hilarious detective who’s obsessed with guns and yelling lines from Hollywood cop flicks. The face-off between the rival yakuza gangs, cops, and our trio caught in the middle brings proceedings to a fitting close, and ultimately leaves a surprisingly reflective and completely unconventional action flick in its wake.

Dangan Runner represents everything that a V-Cinema flick should be. It’s brisk, contains the required amount of machismo, and is never anything less than entertaining. The fact that it also incorporates a healthy dose of comedy and gives us characters that we care about is a welcome bonus. I mentioned in the opening paragraph how most V-Cinema strived to be a quick fix and nothing more, so perhaps the biggest achievement of Sabu’s debut, was the way I still found myself thinking about it long after it finished. Both a tale of 3 guys chasing each other around Tokyo, and also how it’s only when we’re pushed to our limits that we really gain clarity on what’s important, Dangan Runner is worth chasing down. Pun intended.

Paul Bramhall’s Rating: 8/10

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