Secret Executioners | aka Trouble-Solving Broker (1982) Review

"Secret Executioners" Theatrical Poster

“Secret Executioners” Theatrical Poster

Director: Lee Doo-Yong
Co-director: Godfrey Ho
Cast: Shin Woo-chul, Hwang Jang Lee, Jim Norris, Kwon Il-soo, Min Bok-gi, Park Dong-ryong
Running Time: 90 min.

By Paul Bramhall

It remains one of the greatest travesties in Korean cinema that director Lee Doo-yong’s The Trouble-Solving Broker is referenced in 99% of English language content as “another one of those Godfrey Ho cut and paste jobs.” The real tragedy is that it’s also true, with (as of the time of writing in 2024) no known surviving prints of Doo-yong’s original version in its native Korea, making the re-named Secret Executioners Filmark version that has Godfrey Ho’s name slapped on it as director a double-edged sword. On the one hand its a horrendously modified version of the original – clocking it at 90 minutes compared to the original runtime of 108, which when you factor in the newly inserted gweilo fight footage means there’s likely close to 30 minutes missing. On the other, it’s also the only available way to watch it. The perils of attempting to watch many of the entries in Korea’s taekwon-action genre!

In my feature Fists, Kicks, & Kimchi, I’d stated that “if it’s possible to choose one title which could be interpreted as the last of the ‘pure’ taekwon-action movies, then it would likely be The Trouble-Solving Broker.” Made during an era when the taekwon-action style was increasingly being incorporated into more traditional kung-fu themed settings thanks to the success of 1978’s Drunken Master, Secret Executioners acts as a kind of snapshot of the other direction the genre could have gone in. The 1980’s in general are considered a grim period for Korean Continue reading

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A hunk, a hunk of ‘Burning Blood’! ‘Young and Dangerous’ stars Jordan Chan, Michael Tse and Jerry Lamb fire it up!

"Burning Blood" Theatrical Poster

“Burning Blood” Theatrical Poster

A Young and Dangerous reunion? Not quite, but close! Director Wilson Chin (Special Female Force) is back with Burning Blood, an upcoming actioner about an anti-narcotics team and their mission to bring a drug lord to justice.

Much like 2018’s Golden Job, Burning Blood banks in on the nostalgia of bringing the original stars of the Young and Dangerous franchise: Jordan Chan (Foolish Plan), Michael Tse (Wild City), Jerry Lamb (Enter the Fat Dragon) and Jason Chu (The Blade). Unfortunately, Ekin Cheng (Twins Effect) is noticeably absent.

Back before Infernal Affairs became a global success and spawned an award-winning Hollywood remake, the Young and Dangerous series was arguably the most popular franchise to come out Continue reading

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Deal on Fire! Legacy of Rage | Blu-ray | Only $26.99 – Expires soon!

Legacy of Rage | Blu-ray (88 Films)

Legacy of Rage | Blu-ray (88 Films)

Today’s Deal on Fire is the Deluxe Blu-ray (Region B) for Legacy of Rage, a 1986 revenge thriller from noted Hong Kong director Ronny Yu (The Bride with the White Hair) and star, Brandon Lee (The Crow).

Ronny Yu is doing what he does best here, delivering a breath-taking, action-packed, fist-flying tale of vengeance which stars Brandon Lee. Hardworking Brandon Ma (Lee) is loving life with his girlfriend May (Regina Kent) but his drug dealing best friend Michael (Michael Wong) has sights on May and sets Brandon up for murder. Soon Brandon is on the hunt to save his girl and exact brutal revenge in this stylish flick which is packed with stunning fight choreography and cool dialogue.

The film also stars Continue reading

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James Bond-sploitation meets Shaw Brothers? Eureka’s Blu-ray for ‘Super Spies and Secret Lies’ out next week!

 Super Spies and Secret Lies | Blu-ray (Eureka)

Super Spies and Secret Lies | Blu-ray (Eureka)

On November 18, 2024, Goodie Emporium will be releasing the Blu-ray (Region A/B) for Super Spies and Secret Lies, which will include 1966’s The Golden Buddha, 1967’s Angel with the Iron Fists and 1969’s The Singing Thief.

Following the enormous international success of Dr. No and From Russia with Love, Bondmania swept the globe and initiated a cycle of Bondsploitation movies. Studios all over the world sought to capitalise on James Bond and the concept of the super-spy – including Hong Kong’s venerable Shaw Brothers, who began producing tales of intrigue, espionage, and grand theft in the mid-1960s. Eureka Classics presents three of their best in this special-edition set: The Golden BuddhaAngel with the Iron Fists and The Singing Thief.

In The Golden Buddha, businessman Paul (Paul Chang Chung, Police Story) finds Continue reading

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Film Safari Ghana (2024) Review

"Fim Safari Ghana" Theatrical Poster

“Fim Safari Ghana” Theatrical Poster

Director: Andrew Leavold
Cast: Andrew Leavold, Samuel K. Nkansah (aka Ninja), Joseph Osei, Emmanuel Afriyie 
Running Time: 86 min.

By Paul Bramhall

While in his native Australia Andrew Leavold may be known for many things – former cult video store owner, punk band frontman, Filipino cinema historian, sometime actor, and documentary filmmaker – internationally he’s likely to be remembered as the guy who directed 2013’s The Search for Weng Weng. A feature length documentary that chronicled Leavold’s 7-year odyssey to uncover the fate of the Philippines shortest action star, his audacity and enthusiasm to shed light on a corner of the Pinoy film industry that had been all but forgotten about was as endearing as it was revelatory. While we continue to wait for Leavold’s next passion project on Filipino cinema, a history of the bomba genre titled The Most Beautiful Creatures on the Skin of the Earth, it turns out another corner of the planet had caught his attention in recent years – Ghana.

Specifically, a director by the name of Samuel Nkansah, or as he’s more popularly known – Ninja. While Nigeria’s Nollywood film industry and Uganda’s infamous Wakaliwood studio may have been heard of by film aficionados with a taste for the more obscure (and were both part of Leavold’s own movie “mash-up”, Flying Baptists Over Nollywood), less is known about Ghana’s film output, or at least it was until Ninja came along. In the early 2010’s Ninja’s DIY approach to making out-there action movies caught the attention of Conan O’Brien, when the trailer Continue reading

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Netflix ‘n KILL! Streaming giant awakens the English-language remake of Kim Jee-woon’s 2005 hit ‘A Bittersweet Life’

"A Bittersweet Life" Korean Theatrical Poster

“A Bittersweet Life” Korean Theatrical Poster

Back in 2012, it was reported that Albert Hughes, one half of the Hughes Brothers (Book of Eli), was tapped by Fox to do an English-language remake of Kim Jee-woon’s 2005 Korean film A Bittersweet Life.

In 2017, the studio shifted to Jennifer Yuh Nelson (Kung Fu Panda 2-3) helming the remake with Michael B. Jordan (Creed) attached to star. These plans, also fizzled.

Now, nearly 8 years later, the remake is back in motion, this time with Netflix and Chernin Entertainment steering the ship. Deadline reports that Kevin McMullin has been tapped to script a remake of A Bittersweet Life. The writer is perhaps best known for his short story Bomb, which 20th Century Fox is adapting into a Ridley Scott film. There is currently no director or stars attached Continue reading

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Deal on Fire! Casino Raiders | Blu-ray | Only $15.99 – Expires soon!

Casino Raiders | Blu-ray (Eureka)

Casino Raiders | Blu-ray (Eureka)

Today’s Deal on Fire is the Blu-ray (Region B) for Casino Raiders, an early entry in the Hong Kong gambling film cycle of the ‘80s and ‘90s that injects the genre with a dose of bloody mayhem courtesy of directors Jimmy Heung and Wong Jing.

Con-artist/gambler Crab (Andy Lau) gets out of prison and joins his childhood friend and partner Sam (Alan Tam) to work for a casino magnate to expose a group of Japanese card-players who have cheated their way to a fortune. The pair find themselves in the cross-hairs of the Yakuza, leading to a series of escalating acts of violence that test the bonds of loyalty to their limit. When their luck runs out, they make one final gamble: a game of poker with the highest of stakes.

Filled with surprises Continue reading

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Watch the Trailer for ‘Yokohama BJ Blues’ from director Eiichi Kudo ’13 Assassins’ and star Yusaku Matsuda ‘Black Rain’

Yokohama BJ Blues | Blu-ray (Radiance)

Yokohama BJ Blues | Blu-ray (Radiance)

On December 16, 2024, Radiance is releasing the Blu-ray (Region A/B) for Yokohama BJ Blues, 1981 Japanese thriller from acclaimed filmmaker Eiichi Kudo (13 Assassins).

When his police detective best friend is killed, down-at-heel private eye and part-time blues singer BJ (Yusaku Matsuda, The Game Trilogy) gets the blame. He must start his own investigation to clear his name, but what he uncovers is a tangled web involving crooked cops, drug-dealing gangsters, the city’s underground gay and biker scenes, and even his own past.

A loose remake of Robert Altman’s The Long Goodbye that also draws from Visconti’s Death in Venice, this was Matsuda’s break with his action hero image. Samurai movie veteran Continue reading

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The final ‘Mission Impossible’ we reckon? Watch the action-packed Teaser for ‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’

"Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning" Theatrical Poster

“Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning” Theatrical Poster

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning – the 8th entry in the long running Mission Impossible franchise – will be exploding to theaters on May 23, 2025.

Christopher McQuarrie (Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, Mission: Impossible – Fallout) is back in the director’s chair, continuing from the events in 2023’s Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One.

Originally meant to be titled Dead Reckoning Part Two, the film underwent significant changes following some disappointing box office results from its predecessor. The adjustments include not only the new title but also enhancements made to the storyline after the production delays stemming from industry-wide strikes (via PTG).

Don’t miss the New Continue reading

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Danger always strikes when everything seems fine! Akira Kurosawa’s ‘Seven Samurai’ now on 4K Ultra HD

Now available from Goodie Emporium is BFI’s (British Film Institute) 4K Ultra HD for Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai, one of the greatest films of all time. The film has influenced the work of directors from George Lucas to Steven Spielberg, and spawned remakes, most notably John Sturges’ acclaimed The Magnificent Seven.

When 16th-century farmers whose village is repeatedly attacked by merciless bandits ask an elderly, masterless samurai (Takashi Shimura) for help, offering nothing but food in return, he hesitantly agrees and assembles a band of warriors to defend Continue reading

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How Does Player Feedback Influence Game Development?

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Player feedback, by long odds, is today a major driving force that guides how today’s games are designed and developed. Video game creators and designers depend on such input to practically redesign, introduce fresh features, and resolve issues.

On the other hand, when games are supported by feedback, then they end up being more entertaining and fun and do well in meeting the expectations of players. Below, we discuss in detail the importance and impact of players’ feedback and how it heavily contributes to leveraging the burgeoning gaming industry.

Creating Games Players Love

Players’ feedback essentially matters to game developers because it provides them with an understanding of what their players consider or dislike. With such information, developers are able to make necessary adjustments to gameplay, graphics, controls, etc., thus achieving the needs and preferences of the target audience for the game.

This feedback loop enables the developers to help create a game that feels rewarding and engaging to play. For example, if players discuss new-level ideas, new characters, or features to include in their games, then developers can include them in subsequent updates or versions. 

Such an approach allows for the inclusion of as many necessary features as possible from the player base directly into each subsequent update.

Improving Game Mechanics and Balance

Another salient aspect of balancing game mechanics is the reception of players themselves. Most games, especially those that involve competition, require constant commentary to ensure players are balanced. Everyone can understand that feedback enables developers to determine what is too simple, too complex, or even too unfair.

Most illustrious gaming platforms, for example, 66lotterry.club, are invariably in need of players’ feedback so that they can improve the gaming process accordingly. By sharing players’ feedback, developers on this platform can easily improve the game’s fairness and gaming experience for all participating players. That said, you can feel more confident and excited to spin to win at 66lotteryy make good money and have the ultimate gaming experience! 

Faster Identification of Bugs and Glitches

  • Real-Time Reporting: Players who witness bugs in the app or website can submit the issue to its developers, and they will shortly fix the problem once and for all.
  • Reduced Downtime: Providing feedback on time saves time in problem-solving because users want the experience to be as seamless as possible.
  • Improved Updates: Information is received constantly, and consequently, each update is made with more effectiveness and fun for players.
  • Enhanced Testing: Players’ feedback serves an early testing of the game, where various nasty bugs, which escaped the initial testing and internal phases, can be easily encountered.

The Fun of Hosting a Loyal Gaming Community

If developers take time to reciprocate a player’s comments, it will enhance the relationship between the game and its community members. Participants appreciate it when they know their feedback is valuable, and when they do, the loyalty and engagement levels rise. This makes gaming a process that is feedback-driven in a way that creates a sense of customer camaraderie as gamers work together.

Conclusion

Players’ opinions cannot be overestimated in the development of games, as they affect everything ranging from design updates to changes to fix bugs. It is useful information that developers use to improve a game’s entertainment and make it less biased. 

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What Role Does AI Play in Shaping Online Games?

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The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is now increasingly integrated into the online gaming industry, and it is making games intelligent, realistic, and tailored to the unique tastes of individuals as never before. Whether designing strategic challengers or developing new narratives, AI is revolutionizing the game space in ways gamers failed to dream of a decade ago. Here, you will learn how AI facilitates the experience of online games and how it helps players at the present time. 

Improving the Game Play and Experience for Players

AI is improving gameplay by creating better, more realistic ‘NPCs’ (Non-Player Characters) within games. The AI NPCs continue from their prior encounters with players, thus creating a livelier and more riveting experience.

In general, there are lots of leading online gaming apps, for example, the basant club app, which  gives the user an opportunity to play various games for as little as a deposit to have an amazing feel of the whole betting system without having to use a lot of cash.

Such AI-optimized platforms provide multiple amazing games for people of different levels – a beginner and a professional. Irrespective of your gaming level, simply access basant-club.club to start playing various games according to your preferences and win money at times.

AI in the Design and Development of Games

AI technology enables game operators to create games that are dynamic in the sense that they can change according to players’ behaviors and preferences. Using data collected on players, one can apply smart algorithms in the gameplay to customize the experience for various players, and the game itself adapts to the player’s growth in sophistication.

Another benefit derived from AI applications is that they reduce development time through such things as level generators and character animation. This efficiency will let the developers concentrate on adding those value propositions that are crucial for users coming back to play.

AI-Driven Personalization in Online Games

  • Customized Experiences: AI analyzes player choices and can provide suitable suggestions based on them, including individual challenges, personalized rewards, and more.
  • Real-Time Adaptation: With the help of AI, it is possible to set the game to a certain rating and therefore allow every player to make the best of the game.
  • Player Analytics: AI gathers gamers’ information and enhances players’ gaming experiences while suggesting additional games or an additional level that is suitable to him or her or them or whichever players desire.

AI in Game Protection and Game Integrity

AI is also crucial for ensuring fair play and enhancing security on games that are played over the internet. Algorithms also work effectively in detecting cheaters, finding violations, and preventing cheating, thereby making the games more secure. To some extent, this application of AI contributes to the players’ trust knowing that fair gameplay is being kept tab on.

Final Thoughts

AI plays a critical role in the development of online games, including NPCs, and in improving the interaction with personalized content. AI is becoming increasingly integrated into online gaming, and as these systems expand, they will enhance the immersive options present in such gaming.

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Tai Chi Master, The (2022) Review

"Tai Chi Master" Theatrical Poster

“The Tai Chi Master” Poster

Director: Lin Zhenzhao
Cast: Wu Yue, Zhang Kai, Zhang Ming Can, Ada Liu, Zhang Chunzhong, Yu Hai, Lemon Li
Running Time: 90 min.

By Paul Bramhall

During the Chinese web-movie boom of the 2010’s many of them were regarded as cheap and disposable entertainment, often justifiably so, with most of them falling either into the category of cheap kung-fu flick, or even cheaper monster movie. However it’s not an industry which has stood still, and in the 2020’s the output has reached a certain level of respectability, so much so that the term ‘web-movie’ seems to have become obsolete, with the same movies now being referred to as China’s equivalent of direct-to-streaming. Not a significant upgrade, but an upgrade none the less! It’s the kung-fu flick which has led the charge, with new blood directors like Qin Pengfei, Huo Suiqiang and Bingjia Yang upping the ante of what can be done on a limited budget, populating their productions with recognisable names like Andy On, Xia Miao, Xing Yu, Tony Jaa, and Iko Uwais.

One director who’s successfully continued to crank out the heady mix of kung-fu flicks and monster movies that populated the 2010’s is Lin Zhenzhao, who’s lasting legacy will likely be the (so far) quadrilogy of Snake movies spanning 2018 – 2023 (and if you’re wondering, I recommend Snake 3: Dinosaur vs. Python). Zhenzhao was also responsible for reviving Vincent Zhao into the role of Wong Fei Hung in 2018’s Unity of Heroes, and in 2022 he gave Wu Yue Continue reading

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We always thought they looked alike! Scott Adkins joins Ben Affleck and Matt Damon in Joe Carnahan’s thriller ‘RIP’

Martial arts star Scott Adkins (John Wick: Chapter 4, One More Shot, Ip Man 4: The Finale) is joining Matt Damon and Ben Affleck in RIP, an upcoming Netflix actioner from Joe Carnahan (Boss Level, Smokin’ Aces). Adkins will be playing the brother of Affleck’s Continue reading

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Tony Jaa will make America great again! Well Go USA is giving ‘Striking Rescue’ a U.S. theatrical release in December

Martial arts action star Tony Jaa (Ong-Bak, Triple Threat, Paradox, xXx: Return of Xander Cage) is teaming up with Xing Yu (Flashpoint, Super Bodyguard, Ride On) in Striking Rescue.

Directed by Cheng Siyi (The Paper Man Returns, Desperado), Striking Rescue tells the story of a retired veteran who is framed after his wife and daughter were killed. After being wanted, he tracked down the mastermind behind the murder, but falls into a darker vortex during the process.

The film also stars musician Kaho Hung (Son & Father), Philip Keung Hiu-Man (Shock Wave), Peng Bo (Drug Hunter) and Yu Bolin Continue reading

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