The good news: Titles from Johnnie To’s long-awaited Milkway Image film catalogue will finally be arriving on Blu-ray, thanks to French-based company Spectrum films.
And now, the bad news: As with the A Hero Never Dies Japanese Blu-ray, the Spectrum Blu-rays will not have English subtitles (only French subtitles) due to licensing issues.
But hopefully Spectrum’s release will open doors for other companies (Criterion, Arrow, Well Go USA, Shout, etc.) to see this as an opportunity to distribute these titles to meet consumer demands.
If you haven’t seen a late 90s-era Milkway film, you’re missing out on a great, unappreciated chapter in Hong Kong cinema, as evident in the Trailer below:
Director: Eric Tsang Producer: Stephen Shiu Cast: Andy Lau, Brigitte Lin, Sharla Cheung, Anita Yuen, Deannie Yip, Francis Ng, Michael Miu, Fung Hak On, Peter Chan, Timothy Zao, Chan Chi Fai, John Chang, Chang Kin Ming, Chow Hong Chiu, Lam Suet, Richard Ng Running Time: 102 min.
By Paul Bramhall
Back in the Shaw Brothers studios heyday, the writings of wuxia author Gu Long provided ample material for big screen adaptations. The tales of heroic swordsmen and dastardly villains that populated the martial world were frequently helmed by Chor Yuen, and on rare occasion in the years since, other directors have also had a crack at converting Long’s notoriously sprawling novels for the screen. Most recently Derek Yee directed Sword Master, a re-telling of the very movie he was the star of, in the form of 1977’s Death Duel. However it was the frantically paced wuxia new wave of the early 1990’s that provided the most fertile ground for such reinterpretations, with the likes of Butterfly and Sword taking its inspiration from Killer Clans, and A Warrior’s Tragedy providing a fresh take on Pursuit of Vengeance.
Handsome Siblings is another such production, putting a set of new wave threads on the 1979 Alexander Fu Sheng vehicle The Proud Twins, and stepping into Chor Yuen’s shoes is Eric Tsang. While Tsang will most likely be remembered for his roles in front of the camera, he’s also someone that’s proven himself to be a talented director behind it. Tsang helmed 2 of my all-time favorite kung fu movies, in the form of The Challenger (which marked his directorial debut) and The Loot, as well as being in the director’s chair for the initial entries in the Aces Go Places series. 1992 was a particularly busy year, as in addition to directing Handsome Siblings, he also co-directed and co-starred in Ghost Punting with Sammo Hung, along with acting roles in the likes of Once Upon a Time a Hero in China and The Days of Being Dumb.
As with any Gu Long adaptation, attempting even a concise version of the plot could easily threaten to take up the rest of the review, however the highly condensed in-a-nutshell version goes something like this. 8 out of the 10 Untouchable Villains are living in Villain Valley, a place where (you guessed it) villains go to repent for their sins. They used to be considered heroes, until 2 of them went rogue and ran off with a charity fund intended to help flood victims. So really, you’d be correct in thinking that the 8 left over aren’t actually villains at all, but stick with me. When the holder of the Warrants of Justice turns up, played by Sharla Cheung, to blow them to smithereens, her husband interrupts and demands she holds off until the truth comes out. Having none of it, she insists on slaying them, resulting in a lovers tiff that sees husband and wife facing off.
Not willing to admit defeat, Cheung eventually retreats, swearing to adopt and raise a child to return in 18 years, when the next tournament will take place that decides who’ll hold the Warrants of Justice. Unfortunately, after she leaves her husband reveals the injuries he sustained in the fight, and collapses into a vegetative state, leaving their baby son in the care of the 8 Untouchable (not really) Villains. As a thank you to him for sparing their lives, they decide to raise up his son themselves, teaching him everything they know about martial arts and tomfoolery. 18 years later, they consider the tournament as an opportunity to lure out the 2 rogues who stole the funds, and plan to use the now grown-up son to attend so that they can finally clear their name.
Considering the above 2 paragraphs make up just the first 10 minutes of Handsome Siblings, to delve into the story any deeper would be a fruitless exercise. The biggest selling point is not its highly convoluted plot, but rather the pairing of 2 of Hong Kong’s biggest stars of the era, Andy Lau and Brigitte Lin, as the fateful siblings in question. Thanks to roles in the likes of the God of Gamblers and Casino Raiders series, Lau was at the height of his popularity in the early 90’s, and during 1992 alone Handsome Siblings was just 1 of over 10 movies in which he’d feature, all in starring roles. No matter if you’re a fan of Lau or not (and let’s face it, who isn’t?), you can’t fault the man’s work ethic.
Of course when speaking about the new wave wuxia era, it’s only right that Brigitte Lin is mentioned in the same sentence. Despite becoming the face of the genre, her appearance in wuxia movies came at the tail end of her 20 year acting career, before she retired from the industry at the peak of her popularity in 1994. In a film industry which has become obsessed with youth, it’s difficult to believe that Lin was already 40 when she starred in the likes of Deadful Melody and Ashes of Time, a testament to an enduring beauty that saw her onscreen since the mid-70’s. While it was arguably her androgynous role in Swordsman 2 that made her a mainstay of the genre, it’s worth noting that Handsome Siblings was released the same year, and as a result doesn’t lean so heavily on her famous icy stare as many of its contemporaries soon would.
On top of Lau and Lin’s presence, Tsang fills his cast with a veritable who’s who of Hong Kong talent, both old and new. Frequent Stephen Chow collaborator Ng Man-Tat, and Pom Pom regular Deannie Yip, play a bickering couple within the Untouchables tasked with guiding Lau to the tournament. They make it worth clocking in based purely on their martial arts style – The Bitch and The Wolfs Sword stance. The always entertaining Francis Ng and legendary Fung Hak-On play the dastardly villain and traitorous monk respectively, while comedic genius Richard Ng and Wong Ching play the rogue Untouchables. Throw in small parts and cameos by the likes of Anita Yuen, Wong Yu, Josephine Koo, and Shing Fui-On, as a fan of Hong Kong cinema Handsome Siblings is an enjoyable experience just based on the amount of talent onscreen alone.
Tonally, Tsang opts for a madcap comedic approach rather than the whimsical musings that populate many a wuxia tale, and watching it over 25 years since its release, this approach comes across as a welcome breath of fresh air. The humor can often be as base as it comes, a not so gentle reminder of how un-politically correct the HK cinema of old was, with jokes about rotting dicks and rape thrown around like there’s no tomorrow. However, a surprising amount of the humor lands. When Ng Man-Tat accidentally inhales an aphrodisiac in a remote dwelling, Lau and Deannie Yip come to the rescue by hiring him a horse for the purpose of (according to the subtitle) “carry to town for hooking”. Man-Tat’s misunderstanding of the scenario results in one of the most grossly laugh out loud bestiality jokes in the history of cinema.
The action itself is handled by Venoms alumni Philip Kwok and Dang Tak-Wing. Kwok in particular had a lot on his plate in 1992, with Handsome Siblings being just 1 of 7 movies he action directed (including Hard Boiled and The Story of Ricky), and it was likely one of the productions in which he could take a breather. The action on display, while not frequent, displays all the prerequisites for a new wave wuxia – surprisingly graphic violence that always sounds worse on paper than it looks (a head explodes like a watermelon between one characters hand clap), billowing sheets of deadly silk capable of slicing people open, and plenty of airborne shenanigans. Of course, the blue tinted mist is a given.
As the finale looms, Lau and Lin realise they’re not technically siblings (well, the whole incestuous angle is never clearly addressed) so can fall in love, which allows them to combine their powers to master The Couples Sword (a technique that only couples truly in love can use!). The showdown pits them against the Iced Fire Palm of Francis Ng, and hilariously has Lau and Lin flying around in each other’s arms, while Lau frequently looks into her eyes and yells “Give me love!” If that doesn’t bring a smile to even the most jaded wuxia fan, then I don’t know what will. In many ways Tsang’s feature feels like a parody of the direction the genre was going in even by the time it hit cinema screens, and had it been made just a year later, I’m sure would be a very different movie. As it is though, Handsome Siblings stands as a reminder of just how much fun HK cinema used to be.
Longtime James Cameron fans who have watched his post-Titanic career with curiosity know that the director has long mulled over a live-action adaptation of Kishiro Yukito’s manga Alita: Battle Angel, but it was another case where Cameron was waiting for technology to catch up with his vision – that is – until it was announced that Robert Rodriguez (Machete) would be helming the project with Cameron producing.
Rodriguez is currently putting finishing touches on Alita: Battle Angel, which is due in theaters on February 14, 2019.
The film stars Rosa Salazar (Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials), Christoph Waltz (Django Unchained), Mahershala Ali (Luke Cage), Ed Skrein (Deadpool), Michelle Rodriguez (The Assignment), Jackie Earle Haley (Shutter Island), Jeff Fahey (The Lawnmower Man), Casper Van Dien (Starship Troopers) and martial arts star Marko Zaror (Redeemer).
According to THR, Alita: Battle Angel is about a female cyborg that is discovered in a trash yard by a scientist. With no memory of her previous life except her deadly martial arts training, the woman becomes a bounty hunter, tracking down criminals.
On August 2nd, 2019, Dwayne Johnson (The Rundown), Jason Statham (The Meg) and Idris Elba (The Wire) will explode on the screen for Hobbs & Shaw (aka Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw), a spinoff from the popular Fast & Furious franchise.
Directed by David Leitch (Atomic Blonde, and co-director of John Wick), Hobbs & Shaw takes place two years after the events of The Fate of the Furious. U.S. Diplomatic Security Agent Luke Hobbs (Johnson) must join forces with the guy he hates the most, mercenary man Deckard Shaw (Statham) to stop a new threat that’s emerging: international “super-human” terrorist Brixton (Elba), via Deadline.
A new action series starring martial arts star Scott Adkins (Accident Man, Incoming) is currently being shopped to buyers. The series, titled Ascenders, is to be directed by Adkins’ frequent collaborator Jesse V. Johnson (Savage Dog, The Debt Collector) and developed by Ehud Bleiberg (Close Range) and Gregg Bishop (Dance of the Dead).
Read on for the full the details (via Stanley White):
Ascenders is a ten-hour supernatural action-thriller epic series. The series is designed with worldwide appeal in mind, featuring an international ensemble cast. Drawing inspiration from The Terminator, The Walking Dead, and Lost, as well as the works from Agatha Christie, Ascenders combines fist-pumping action, gripping suspense, and deep character development, all against a dark and original supernatural backdrop.
A dead doctor escapes from Hell with a group of damned souls and returns to the world of the living to solve his own murder. However, the Netherworld sends a pack of demonic bounty hunters called Reapers, who are unstoppable gun-toting agents of death, to hunt them all down and bring them back to Hell.
Director: Chin Kar Lok Producer: Eric Tsang Cast: Ekin Cheng, Jordan Chan Siu Chun, Chin Kar Lok, Jerry Lamb, Michael Tse, Eric Tsang, Kurata Yasuaki, Billy Chow, Alan Ng, Sergej Onopko, Phil Chang Running Time: 100 min.
By Paul Bramhall
Hong Kong cinema has changed a lot since the 90’s, and it was during the opening of Golden Job that it hit me just how much. It was no big surprise for an early 90’s HK movie to joke about AIDS, usually involving one character ‘humorously’ wishing it on another, in a way which was so politically incorrect that, as a western viewer at least, you’d often question what you’d just heard. Times have changed a lot since then, and in the initial scenes of Chin Kar Lok’s latest directorial outing, our protagonists find themselves protecting a scientist who’s created a cure for AIDS. There’s not a single joke in sight, which I guess is a good thing, in a sign of the industries maturity towards understandably sensitive subjects. In every other aspect though, time hasn’t been kind to Hong Kong cinema.
I bring up 90’s HK cinema, because Golden Job looks to bank in on the nostalgia of a certain piece of that era, namely the Young and Dangerous series. Spanning across 9 instalments (ok, admittedly Born to Be King and Those Were the Days were released in 2000, which technically isn’t the 90’s anymore), the story of young triad punks rising up the ranks arguably did more to glorify the triad lifestyle than A Better Tomorrow could ever be accused of, and made stars out of Ekin Cheng, Jordan Chan, Jerry Lamb, and Michael Tse. Other have tried to capture the chemistry the quartet bring whenever they appear onscreen together, perhaps no more disastrously than Daniel Chan’s poorly conceived 2013 reboot, Young and Dangerous: Reloaded. So perhaps it’s only fitting that it’s one of the original Young and Dangerous alumnus who brings them back together for the first time since the closing chapter of the series.
Chin Kar Lok appeared in both Young and Dangerous 5 and Born to be King (also action directing the former), and here returns for only his 3rd directing gig in over 20 years, having last sat in the director’s chair for 2002’s HK/Japan co-production, No Problem 2. Golden Job heavily riffs on the underlying themes of loyalty and brotherhood that permeated the Young and Dangerous series, focusing on a group of 5 orphans (what else?) played by Kar Lok himself, along with the iconic quartet.
They’ve grown up as mercenaries with a moral compass (so it can be shown in China, obviously), under the guidance of a kind hearted triad played by Eric Tsang. As a last job, they take on a Robin Hood assignment in Budapest to rob a truck full of medicine (bear with me here) which they’ll then deliver to Ekin Cheng’s love interest – a humanitarian doctor saving the sick children in Africa, despite constantly dwindling supplies. Unfortunately, the truck turns out to be full of gold rather than medicine (hence the title), and its gold that belongs to a local gangster. Not only that, it turns out one of their own was in on the deal (it’s not a spoiler to say that it’s Michael Tse), cue lots of drama, shooting, and brotherly yelling. Eventually, proceedings clumsily relocate themselves to Japan, where the remaining 4 plot their revenge for the betrayal (while simultaneously remembering that there are dying kids that need to be saved in Africa).
Golden Job is an intriguing mix of the old and new. It continues to leverage China’s ongoing business interests in Africa as an excuse for ill-defined scenarios, in which they show how much they’re helping (see also Wolf Warrior 2 and China Salesman), while also heavily banking on the simple pleasure of seeing so many familiar faces onscreen together again. Time has been kind to Ekin Cheng, and with age he’s developed an easy going charisma, which is a welcome replacement to his dull as dishwater screen presence that plagued many of his older movies. We even get a reunion of Yasuaki Kurata and Billy Chow, last seen together in 1994’s Fist of Legend. While Kurata has remained a regular presence in Hong Kong movies, Chow hasn’t appeared onscreen for over 10 years, so it’s great to see him back, even if both of their roles amount to little more than extended cameos.
For the most part, it’s the latter that makes Golden Job an easy watch. The chemistry between Ekin Cheng and Jordan Chan is just as on point as it was back in the Young and Dangerous days, with Chan’s more emotive style of acting playing off well against Cheng’s cool headed posturing. Jerry Lamb makes for a nice counterpoint as the most down to earth of the crew, while Kar Lok kind of feels like he’s there just to make up headcount. In fairness he is pulling triple duty as co-star, director, and action director (along with comparative newcomers Alan Ng and Tang Shui-Wa), so he can’t be accused of slacking. But while Kar Lok is arguably one of the greatest stuntmen to ever grace the screen, the same can’t be said for his skills as a thespian.
Thankfully he has improved as a director, and Golden Job moves along at a brisk pace, never risking to outstay its welcome. There’s a couple of great examples of the ‘show don’t tell’ principle, when a flashback to the past occurs in the same shot, revealing a truth that impacts the scene taking place in the present, avoiding the need to go down the exposition dump route. Other areas are more problematic, such as when Cheng ends up imprisoned after the job in Budapest goes awry, it’s never clearly communicated exactly how long he’s been inside. All we know is that it’s just long enough to warrant a montage – Jordan Chan has become a homeless bum while awaiting his release (loyalty and brotherhood boxes – check!), Lamb has opened a hot spring inn in Japan, and Kar Lok – well, yeah, he’s still around as well.
Kar Lok (and his stunt team) do get to flex their action directing muscles frequently, and for the most part with solid results. The initial action opening at a conference in the middle of the desert is energetically executed, with the camera work enhancing the action rather than obscuring it, and involves a vehicle visibly branded with JCST, which I’m assuming was on loan from the Jackie Chan Stunt Team (Chan’s on-board as a producer). There’s also a thrilling car chase that takes place in Japan, which has Cheng stealing a supercar from a motor show exhibition to go in pursuit of Michael Tse. The scene acts as a calling card to announce that Golden Job isn’t afraid to get silly with its action spectacle, and in many ways it reminded me of a similar set up in Stanley Tong’s China Strike Force, which pits a Lamborghini against an F3 race car.
Unfortunately Kar Lok hasn’t learnt how to utilise CGI, so for all of the in-camera vehicle mayhem, it’s almost completely ruined by the inclusion of a poorly executed piece of CGI, that sees a car go airborne and smash into a streetlight. Action directors need to understand, that if you’re executing a scene that alternates between both live action stuntwork and CGI effects, the audience is more likely to question what else was CGI, rather than what else was real. It’s a discredit to the team that put their lives on the line to plan and execute such a high risk sequence. Back in the China Strike Force era, chances are if the same idea was presented to launch a car vertically through the air into a streetlight, it’d be ruled out as being too risky. The same principle should apply today, rather than adopting an “ok, we’ll just do that one part with CGI” attitude. That way the action maintains its integrity, and isn’t ruined by a few shoddy seconds.
Luckily the finale suffers no such issues, as the quartet coordinate an all-out assault on a military guarded island in Montenegro. Plenty of explosions and bullets are exchanged, culminating in a worthy conclusion to a movie that delivers on both the nostalgia of the past, while also distinctly being a product of the present. Complete with an end credits sequence featuring behind the scenes footage, played over the cast singing the theme song made up entirely of lyrics about brotherhood and loyalty (and a bizarre appearance by the Japanese mini-Bruce Lee clone, Ryusei Imai), the sense of familiarity is undeniably welcome.
In 2015 Ekin Cheng, Jordan Chan, Jerry Lamb, and Michael Tse made a cameo as the Young and Dangerous crew in the finale of the comedy Jian Bing Man, and many fans believed that the scene was as close as they’d get to a cast reunion, so in that regard Golden Job earns good will just for existing. In 2018 hearing Cantonese hip hop play over a scene feels like a throwback, rather than a reason to reach for the mute button (don’t worry, there’s no Edison Chen), and even Ekin Cheng’s acting seems to have improved. Perhaps it’s the passing of time from the era where Golden Job spiritually belongs which makes it an enjoyably breezy diversion, although it could certainly never be said to be anything more than that.
“JSA: Joint Security Area” Korean Theatrical Poster
Park Chan-wook’s 2000 thriller Joint Security Area (or JSA), is getting an English-language remake, which will be directed and written by David Franzoni, who is perhaps best known for penning the 2000 Ridley Scott film, Gladiator.
The remake, also titled JSA, will center on the love affair between a U.S. Marine and a female Spanish infantry lawyer who is sent by The Hague to investigate a shoot-out between Marines and Mexican special forces (via BD). Ana de Armas (Blade Runner 2049) and Demián Bichir (The Nun) are set to star.
Martial arts action star Michael Jai White (Blood and Bone), Josh Herdman (Harry Potter franchise), and Gina Gershon (Face/Off) are set to star in Cagefighter, an MMA-themed drama from writer-director Jesse Quinones (Calloused Hands).
In Cagefighter, an MMA champion Reiss (Herdman) unexpectedly loses a heavily promoted match. A downward spiral sends him to the brink of losing his wife (Michelle Ryan) and his best friend (Jason Maza). Deemed erratic and out of control, he alienates his long-time trainer (Jai White) and the biggest MMA promoter in the business (Gershon). He must dig deep to find a path back to victory (via Deadline/FCS)
Cagefighter is currently in pre-production phase. Stay tuned!
Ryoo Seung-wan’s box office hit Veteran has a Chinese language makeover from director Wu Bai. In the remake, titled The Big Shot, Wang Qianyuan (Brotherhood of Blades) plays the lead role originally performed by Hwang Jeong-min (The Wailing) and Bao Bei’er (Journey to the West: The Demons Strike Back) steps in for Yu Ah-in (Burning).
The original Veteran followed a seasoned police detective (Hwang) who immediately has a face-off with a young tyrannical heir (Yoo Ah-in) to an untouchable mega-corporation.
A U.S. Release date for The Big Shot is around the corner – until then, don’t miss the film’s latest Interational Main Trailer below:
Vincent Zhao (God of War, Unity of Heroes), who first burst onto the scene battling Jet Li in Fong Sai-yuk before replacing Li as Wong Fei-hong in the 4 and 5th chapters in the Once Upon a Time in China films and subsequent TV series, has long been a fan favorite but has never broken out the way he should.
Zhao 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 highlights, he’s often been shortchanged by many projects and at times fallen foul of politics such as his departure from Special ID.
The last year has seen him make a return to the spotlight, reprising his role as Wong Fei-hong in Unity of Heroes (and its sequel), he’ll be seen opposite Parkour legend David Belle in Invisible Tattoo, and gave a comedic turn as Wong Fei-hong in Kung Fu Big League.
Now he takes the role of Huo Yuan Jia, the role Jet Li played in Fearless, in the new 50-episode TV series also titled Fearless, which just wrapped after a lengthy 195 day shoot.
The series – directed by TV veteran Shan Bai and Feng Liu, written by Guo Jinyiu, who also serves as Exec Producer for China Internet platform Iqiyi – covers the life and times of the real-life martial arts legend, expanding upon situations seen in both Yuen Woo-ping’s Legend of a Fighter and Ronny Yu’s Fearless movie.
The series also stars Sik Seal-long (Shaolin Popey), Eddie Ko (The Mission), Mao linlin, Celine Lu and Lu Jianli, and while the finale does feature a tournament pitting Master Hua against the representatives of the foreign chamber of commerce in Shanghai, this time round they strangely didn’t ask me to reprise my role as Referee Randall!
The Fearless series will debut on Iqiyi later this year with an international release set to follow.
The bathroom – that one room where you should feel the most safe. Whether it be taking a hot shower at the end of the day, or relieving yourself from the mornings coffee intake, there’s an unwritten rule that we should feel safe in the bathroom. However, that rule doesn’t apply in the world of action movies. Bathrooms are the place where an assassin can sneak up when you least expect it, where shady deals go down, and bullets are calmly fired into each locked cubicle door. Needless to say, if you’re watching an action flick and a scene involves a bathroom, somethings about to go down (and it doesn’t involve flushing).
So what makes a good bathroom fight scene? Personally I look for 2 things – one is the level of collateral damage inflicted. Smashed porcelain and glass is essential (a couple of smashed urinals and a toilet is a healthy ratio). The other is for how the space is utilised, bathrooms can be big or small, but they always tend to fit within the frame of the camera. A lot can be done with space, especially when it involves people trying to beat the living daylights out of each other, and the bathroom is the perfect setting for a choreographer to show off their talents.
2018 has been a particularly good year for the bathroom, with the 6th entry in the Mission: Impossible series and the Korean movie The Outlaws both showcasing the versatility of it being a space to throw down. To celebrate the bathrooms place in the action genre, here at cityonfire we’ve decided to pull together our top 15 favorite bathroom beat downs for your enjoyment. Of course, considering the nature of such a topic, it felt only right to include a turd as well. Check them out below, listed by year of release. Washing your hands is optional.
The Outlaws (2018) – First of all let’s be clear, if you haven’t seen The Outlaws yet, you may want to avoid the below clip, as it’s the finale of a tale which sees grizzled cop Ma Dong-seok on the tail of a ruthless Chinese Korean gangster, played with relsih by Yoon Kye-sang. Taking place in one of Incheon Airport’s bathrooms, Dong-seok finally catches up with Kye-sang after spending most of the movie attempting to hunt him down, and when the two face off it doesn’t disappoint.
Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018) – Tom Cruise and Henry Cavill find out the hard way that stuntman Liang Yang isn’t one to stay unconcious for long, in a sequence that could well be argued to be the action highlight of the 6th entry in the Mission: Impossible franchise. Say what you want about Tom Cruise, but he always put in 100% when it comes to both his acting and his action performance, and this throwdown is the proof.
The Raid 2 (2014) – We’ve all been there, you retreat to a toilet cubicle for some quiet time and to gather your thoughts, only to be bothered by an unruly mob furiously beating down the door and looking for blood. Such was the scenario Iko Uwais finds himself in during an early scene in The Raid 2, one of the first sequences that answered the question of if the sequel was going to be as brutal as the original. After watching this fight, the answer was a clear yes.
Non-Stop (2014) – This one takes the award for staging the whole fight within the confines of an inflight bathroom. While most scenes involving 2 people in a bathroom 30,000 feet in the air usually involve a clumsy attempt to join the mile high club, here Liam Neeson stars as an air marshal, and in this particular scene confronts Anson Mount suspecting him to be a terrorist. What goes down may involve some awkward fumbling, but it’s definitely not of the friendly variety.
Death Grip (2012) – The StuntPeople’s Eric Jacobus’ sophomore full length feature in the directors chair constantly subverted audiences expecatations in unique and innovative ways, and the bathroom fight scene is a perfect example. When a priceless coin falls into an overly sensitive motion sensored toilet, the ensuing real time slow motion fight scene between Jacobus and Johnny Yong Bosch is a masterpiece of creativity and comic timing.
The Man from Nowhere (2010) – There’s not many Korean film fans out there that haven’t seen The Man from Nowhere, and in this pivotal scene Won Bin’s attempts to track down his kidnapped neighbors daughter finally bring him face to face with those responsible. What he didn’t count on was that they include a Vietnamese enforcer, played by Thai actor Thanayong Wongtrakul, who proves to be a worthy match for Won Bin’s special forces training.
Ninja Assassin (2009) – For some reason this fun and incredibly blood drenched ninja flick got a lot of hate when it was first released, but nobody can deny that the action is freqeuntly brutal. Here a teenage version of our main character, played by Joon Lee, is forced to test out his skills by retrieving a gold watch from a burly British Kingpin, played by Stephen Marcus. The ensuing brawl makes striking use of the red on white color palette, and is viciously entertaining to watch.
Blood and Bone (2009) – Arguably the best showcase for the skills of Michael Jai White, this scene in the prison bathroom establishes Jai White’s no nonsense demeanor from the get go, as he’s confronted by the late Kimbo Slice and his gang. Making quick work of 8 punks in little more than 20 seconds, what the confrontation lacks in length, is more than made up for by the impression it leaves that this guy is not someone to be messed with.
Casino Royale (2006) – If audiences were questioning how James Bond could possilbly be made relevant for a modern audience, then the opening of Casino Royale delivered the answer. Shot in the style of a film noir, new 007 Daniel Craig recalls how he made his first kill, and you guessed it – he made it in a bathroom. The black and white lensing does nothing to take away from the impact of the hard hitting scene, and arguably the subsequent entries have been struggling to match the intensity shown here ever since.
Mercenary for Justice (2006) – Somehow lists like these wouldn’t feel complete without an appearance from Steven Seagal, and sure enough, he secured his entry with the 2006 DTV feature Mercenary for Justice. At this point his career was already in the doldrums, however scenes like this show he was still capable of displaying that good old Seagal brutality when he wanted to. Plus, is there another movie where a character refers to Seagal as a ”poop hole”?
Unleashed (2005) – I’ll be controversal and say that some of Jet Li’s best grounded fight scenes in a contemporary setting are from his English languge flicks, and this is one of the best. With choreography handled by Yuen Wo Ping, this tussle (in an unexpecting residents bathroom) against stuntman Mike Lambert makes superb use of the confined space, and is staged in such a way that you can feel every blow. Both Li and Lambert compliment each others movements well, resutling in the perfect screen fight.
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003) – T3 may have lost the seriousness of the first 2, opting for a more tongue-in-cheeck approach, however it still delivered some fantastic action sequences in that era just before CGI started to take over. Here Arnie takes on the new T-X, played by Kristanna Loken (sadly now reduced to appearing in Alexandar Nevsky flicks), and their ensuing battle rips through a sleek corporate bathroom in the process. Special mention goes to the usage of a urinal as a baseball bat.
The Matrix (1999) – Yuen Wo Ping makes his second appearance on the list, this time for his work on the movie that essenitially redefined the Hollywood action movie aesthetic for years to come – The Matrix. Here Laurence Fishburne as Morpheus is forced into a fight with the super powered Agent Smith, played by Hugo Weaving, in the bathroom of a dusty old subway station. It’s a skillfully executed showdown, with the choreography reflecting Fishburne’s desperation against an unbeatable opponent.
True Lies (1994) – Yuen Wo Ping isn’t the only one to make two appearances, with Arnie also clocking in a second entry thanks to this bullet riddled bathroom showdown from James Cameron’s 1994 action classic True Lies. This time he’s not an unstoppable machine, but debatably still just as much of an unstoppable secret agent, and in this scene he tackles a couple of burly terrorists bare handed, all thanks to a pair of 007 inspired sunglasses.
Story of Ricky (1992) – The prison bathroom rears its head again for this scene, in Lam Nai Choi’s notorious splatterfest, adapted from the Japanese manga. As the new prisoner on the block, Fan Siu Wong finds himself targeted by the resident tough guys, who’s introduction is a punch to the face that sends him (literally) flying across the room. Clearly unaware of Siu Wong’s powers, his attackers soon regret their decision, with one in particular being on the receiving end of the most literal gut punch ever put onscreen.
The Turd –
Rocky Handsome (2016) – When it comes to shameless remakes, nobody does it quite like Bollywood does it. In 2016 director Nishikant Kamat remade the Korean classic The Man from Nowhere, casting John Abraham in Won Bin’s role, and Kazu Patrick Tang in the role of Thanayong Wongtrakul. A souless retread of its source material, with the added influence of The Raid movies, Rocky Handsome is as fun as a poke in the eye, and the bathroom fight is a stellar showcase of how not bring an ounce of originality.
In The Medallion (aka Highbinders), Chan plays Eddie, a Hong Kong detective who works with a lovely Interpol agent (Claire Forlani, Mall Rats) and the bumbling agent Watson (Lee Evans, The Fifth Element) to try to rescue a boy from the clutches of the villainous Snakehead (Julian Sands, Warlock).
In the mid-21st century, humankind has been forced to look to colonising other planets as a means of combating overcrowding on Earth – their first stop, Mars. With a population of cockroaches having been introduced on Mars some 500 years prior to help prepare the way for human colonization, a manned mission sets out to the red planet with the aim of clearing away the bugs. Upon arrival, however, they discover that the roaches have evolved to huge, vicious creatures capable of wielding weapons.
Based on the popular Manga series of the same name, Terra Formars is an action-packed space adventure brought to life by one of Japan’s most celebrated contemporary filmmakers.
Terra Formarsstars Hideaki Ito, Takayuki Yamada, Kane Kosugi, Emi Takei, Shun Oguri, Masaya Kato, Rinko Kikuchi, Tomohisa Yamashita, Eiko Koike, Mariko Shinoda, Rila Fukushima, Kenichi Takito, Rina Ohta and Tadayoshi Kobashi.
Blu-ray Special Features:
High-Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation
Original uncompressed Stereo and 5.1 DTS-HD MA options
Newly-translated English subtitles
The Making of Terra Formars – feature-length documentary on the film’s production featuring a host of cast and crew interviews and behind-the-scenes footage
Extended cast interviews
Footage from the 2016 Japanese premiere
Outtakes
Image Gallery
Theatrical and teaser trailers
Reversible sleeve featuring two artwork options
First pressing only: Fully illustrated collector’s booklet with new writing on the film by Tom Mes
While we’re anxiously waiting for the stateside release of Project Gutenberg (our U.S. distributors are slackin’), international superstar Chow Yun-fat (Cold War II, Hard Boiled) is currently shooting his next project: Glorious Years.
Plot details are thin, but according to AFS, the upcoming “drama” marks the sophomore effort of Fletcher Poon, who co-directed 2017’s Extraordinary Mission with Alan Mak (Infernal Affairs). Poon will once again collaborate with Felix Chong (The Lost Bladesman), who penned the storyline.
Director: Eric Karson Writer: S. Warren Cast: Olivier Gruner, Theresa Saldana, Frank Aragon, Tony Valentino, Peter Kwong, Mike Moroff, Mark Dacascos, Bruce Locke, Claudine Penedo Running Time: 102 min.
By Z Ravas
It’s a story as old as the Western: a stranger rides into a town plagued by violence and unrest. Boarding with a local, he soon finds that the town’s troubles become his own – and he’s forced to fight in order to establish peace. The twist in 1990’s Angel Town is that the stranger in question is Olivier Gruner, former French Navy Commando and 1986 Middleweight Kickboxing World Champion. In other words, “establishing peace” is going to involve more than a few well-placed roundhouse kicks.
Very much cut from the same cloth as other early 90’s martial arts films such as Jeff Speakman’s The Perfect Weapon and Jean-Claude Van Damme’s Nowhere to Run, Angel Town arrives from director Erik Karson. Karson is no stranger to the genre himself: in 1990, the same year as Angel Town, he produced the Van Damme fan favorite Lionheart. He was also responsible for directing 1980’s dated but entertaining Chuck Norris ninja flick The Octagon and the Sho Kosugi/Van Damme joint Black Eagle in ’88. I have no doubt Karson was selected for this project based on his experience working with JCVD, as Angel Town very much wants to position Olivier Gruner as “the next Jean-Claude Van Damme.” You almost can’t fault the producers for their shameless imitation of past successes: after all, Gruner speaks with a thick French accent and can do the splits.
But Olivier Gruner is not Van Damme – and why would we want him to be? Gruner’s onscreen persona is much more aloof. Whereas many of Van Damme’s early films like Bloodsport saw him flash his puppy dog eyes as much as his fists, Gruner comes across as a bit more world weary and cynical. As the film opens, his character – a French kickboxing champion, naturally – travels to Southern California to begin graduate school. However, he’s arrived so close to the start of the semester that no student housing remains. His only recourse is to rent a room in an East L.A. barrio, one that is currently being terrorized by a gang leader named Angel, who holds court with a submachine gun. As Gruner stands up for his landlord Maria (Raging Bull’s Theresa Saldana) and her son Martin, it’s only a matter of time before he’s put on a collision course with Angel and his violent cronies. Fortunately, he’s not alone: his old friend and trainer (played by Big Trouble in Little China’s Peter Kwong) maintains a gym in the area, and a disabled Korean War veteran named Frank (Mike Moroff, a staple of Robert Rodriguez films like Desperado and From Dusk Till Dawn) is impressed enough by Gruner’s kicks to aid in the brewing gangwar.
Fans of the genre would be forgiven for growing restless during the film’s first act, which features very little in the way of hand-to-hand combat and includes an utterly bizarre moment where Gruner’s girlfriend sexually propositions him in a cemetery(!) before he leaves France. We know Gruner’s acceptance into grad school was necessary to get him across the Atlantic Ocean, but did we really need scenes of him meeting the stuffy dean or wooing his classmate? Thankfully, even these introductory moments are enlivened by Gruner’s fish-out-of-water charm. If you’ve read any recent reviews of Gruner’s films, you’ve probably heard the actor’s accent compared to notorious B-Movie maker Tommy Wiseau of The Room fame (recently spoofed by James Franco in The Disaster Artist), and there is an uncanny similarity, particularly in Angel Town. My favorite moment in the entire movie comes when a classmate derisively refers to Gruner as a “frog” and he responds by grabbing the student’s tie in his fist and quipping, “That’s Mister Frog to you.”
It’s a good thing Gruner is a likable actor, as the screenplay saddles him with some truly unfortunate dialogue. You have to balk when his character asks the teenage Martin why he doesn’t just give up and join Angel’s gang; rather than suggest the boy pursue a path of community activism or police outreach, Gruner attempts throughout the film to convince him that violence is the only recourse against Angel’s posse. In reality, we all know a World Kickboxing title isn’t going to do jack when you’re caught in the crossfire of a Mac-10 machine gun, but hey – this isn’t reality, this is a low-budget kung fu flick. After the exposition-heavy first thirty minutes, which include some Perfect Weapon-style flashbacks to Gruner’s character’s troubled youth, the film settles into a martial arts movie groove, with a series of increasingly escalating fight scenes that come to include more and more of the crime-inflicted neighborhood. By the time the climax rolls around, Gruner has given up pulling his punches and has started breaking limbs and throwing fools through picket fences as the entire block watches. At only 30 years of age, Gruner is in peak condition here, and there’s no doubt he’s the real deal: somehow it never gets old watching him high-kick the same group of gangmembers into oblivion.
It must be said Angel Town is populated almost exclusively by stereotypes (along with a fresh-faced Mark Dacascos in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-him background part), with Angel and his enforcers representing the kind of violent Latino gang Ann Coulter imagines when she closes her eyes. In fact, an early theatrical screening of Angel Town at a drive-in theater in Westminster, California was reportedly marred by gang-related violence, which led to a much smaller than anticipated theatrical roll-out for the film. Would Olivier Gruner gone on to greater success, sharing the box office marquee next to Van Damme and Steven Seagal, if Angel Town had received its intended wide release? Somehow it’s doubtful, but if you’re the kind of person who visits City on Fire on a regular basis, chances are you’ll have a good time revisiting this 1990 guilty pleasure.
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The bathroom – that one room where you should feel the most safe. Whether it be taking a hot shower at the end of the day, or relieving yourself from the mornings coffee intake, there’s an unwritten rule that we should feel safe in the bathroom. However, that rule doesn’t apply in the world of action movies. Bathrooms are the place where an assassin can sneak up when you least expect it, where shady deals go down, and bullets are calmly fired into each locked cubicle door. Needless to say, if you’re watching an action flick and a scene involves a bathroom, somethings about to go down (and it doesn’t involve flushing).
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