Mermaid, The (2016) Review

"The Mermaid" Chinese Theatrical Poster

“The Mermaid” Chinese Theatrical Poster

AKA: Mermaid
Director: Stephen Chow
Cast: Deng Chao, Lin Yun, Show Luo, Zhang Yuqi, Kris Wu, Lu Zhengyu, Fan Shuzhen, Li Shangzheng, Bo Xiaolong, Pierre Bourdaud, Ivan Kotik, Kong Lianshun, Bai Ke, Chiu Chi Ling, Tin Kai-man, Tsui Hark, Wen Zhang
Running Time: 94 min.

By Ningen

Liu Xuan is a rags-to-riches Tony Stark-type flirt who has everything he could ever need, with the exception of a conscience. After pulling his latest land-grab, he teams up with fellow rich asshole Ruolan to murder the local sea life with sonar. The purpose? Artificially boost the economic value of the area to potentially make it ripe for tourist and housing deals. But unbeknownst to him, he’s also contributed to the massacre of a school of mermaids who plot to retaliate by killing him. The method? Catfish (Sorry, couldn’t resist) him with a female mermaid by the name of Shan, who poses as a human to get close to him.

As with Journey to the West, Stephen Chow once again chooses to be behind the camera for this picture. Though unlike Journey to the West, the production values are a lot higher and the story-line’s a little more focused and relatable. So I should appreciate it more, right? Well, the answer is yes and no.

The Mermaid’s definitely a message movie that goes down a lot less annoyingly than, say, Avatar. But at the same time, it’s a lot more gruesome than the typical Stephen Chow movie. So, if you’re expecting it to contain his trademark slapstick humour with a little bit of over-the-top violence thrown in, then you might be disappointed. Chow does not hold back in his depiction of the fishes being slaughtered, and the film rightfully earns its R rating because of that. The comedy’s also more satiric in tone, with Liu Xuan’s skirt-chasing antics being scrutinized in particular.

Personally, I don’t totally care for the lead character, even when he does change his colors a bit. He’s more akin to the wheeler-and-dealer you’d see in a Hollywood movie which places heavy emphasis on accounting, dropping stock, and trading and selling shares. I mean, he’s a little more noble than the soulless hunters with harpoons who work with him. But he still tries to resolve his problems with money in some form or another, and it makes The Mermaid come off more corporate than intended.

But as usual for a Stephen Chow movie, the female characters are played by attractive, but assertive, actresses who steal the show from the male lead. In some ways, they’re the main reason to see the film, because the male performers are sidelined into roles with a caricatured bent. You almost wish they were given longer scenes with Li Xuan to expand his one-note persona.

So, overall, The Mermaid is great, if you’re looking for the Chinese answer to a Hayao Miyazaki movie. But if you really just want a fun Stephen Chow movie, it might better to wait until he stars in one again.

Ningen’s Rating: 7/10

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

Xiao Zheng’s ‘Papa’ hits U.S. theaters on March 18!

"Papa" Chinese Theatrical Poster

"Papa" Chinese Theatrical Poster

On March 18, 2016, United Entertainment Partners (The Final Master) is releasing Xiao Zheng’s Papa, a new Chinese film that was shot mostly in Los Angeles. The film is a remake of the 2012 Korean film of the same name.

Papa stars Yu Xia, David Wu, Song Zuer, Yang Zi, Dennis Oh, as well as cameos from American talent, such as Macy Gray and Emily Kinney.

Here’s what you can expect from the plot: A bumbling Chinese talent manager, Huang, travels to L.A. to retrieve his singer who fled to elope mid-tour. Instead of retrieving his singer, his futile attempts land him an arranged marriage, five adopted kids and an angry boss demanding his investment back. In his quest to reclaim fame and fortune, Huang learns an important lesson in what it means to be a family…

Papa will be getting a North American limited release on March 18th, so check your local listings. Until then, be sure to catch the film’s new trailer.

Posted in News |

Sniper: Special Ops | DVD (Lionsgate)

Sniper: Special Ops | DVD (Lionsgate)

Sniper: Special Ops | DVD (Lionsgate)

RELEASE DATE: May 3, 2016

Lionsgate presents the DVD for Fred Olen Ray’s Sniper: Special Ops, starring the one, the only, Steven Seagal (Above the Law).

This time, Seagal teams up with pro-wrestler/actor Rob Van Dam (Black Mask II: City of Masks). Also appearing are Tim Abell and Dale Dye. Despite its title, the film is not related to the existing Sniper franchise.

In Sniper: Special Ops, a Special Ops military Force, led by expert sniper Sergeant Jake Chandler (Seagal), are sent to a remote Afghan village to extract an American congressman being held by the Taliban. The rescue mission is a success, but Jake, separated after a firefight with the enemy, stays behind to help an injured soldier. | Watch the trailer.

Pre-order Sniper: Special Ops from Amazon.com today!

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

Office | aka Design for Living (2015) Review

"Office" Chinese Theatrical Poster

“Office” Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Johnnie To
Writer: Sylvia Chang
Cast: Chow Yun-fat, Sylvia Chang, Eason Chan, Tang Wei, Wang Ziyi, Lang Yue-Ting, Cheung Siu-Fai, Tien Hsin, Wallace Chung Hon-Leung, Stephanie Che Yuen-Yuen, Timmy Hung Tin-Ming, Mickey Chu Kin-Kwan

Running Time: 117 min.

By Martin Sandison

Just after the Berlin Film Festival finished, the Glasgow Film Festival began. In 2012, the highly reputable Glasgow event screened a sold out show of The Raid that I went to – with Gareth Evans and Iko Uwais in attendance. On the very same day this yearSPL II: A Time for Consequences blew my mind for the second time, while the surreal musical comedy Office deflated me.

Office is written by, produced, and starring the legendary Sylvia Chang (Yellow Faced Tiger). Chang began her career back in the early 1970’s starring in kung fu bashers with the likes of Jimmy Wang Yu (The Tattooed Dragon) and Yasuaki Kurata (The Flying Tiger). In 1978, she directed her first film for Golden Harvest, Once Upon A Time. She also became a hugely popular singer while creating a burgeoning acting career.

The multi-talented Chang then acted in theatre productions in the 1980’s, and in 2008, she created the play Design for Living, which eventually became Office. It’s a real vanity project for Chang, one that threatens to take off into something spectacular, but ultimately fails to deliver despite some great elements. Office is directed by the ever-busy Johnnie To (A Hero Never Dies), and serves as a welcome ‘spin’ for him. The film also marks the reunion of Chang, To and Chow Yun-fat, for the first time since 1988’s All About Ah Long.

The plot follows two new starts at a huge office design company, as they climb the ladder and navigate the colourful and quirky world the film creates. All of the characters come from the business world, and their interrelations fuel the narrative. The two young upstarts are played respectably by Nick Wangwhose role in the interesting The Bullet Vanishes stood out for me – and Lang Yue Ting, who appeared in Johnnie To’s Blind Detective.

I was annoyed that the film was marketed as “a Chow Yun-fat film,” when he only has a bit part and isn’t involved in the song numbers. That indefinable Chow Yun-fat-feeling permeates every scene he’s in, and made me wish he was in the film more. He plays the chairman of the company, while Chang is the CEO. There is certainly some chemistry in their brief scenes together, but the male actor who gets most screen time is Eason Chan (he’s in one of my all-time favourite Hong Kong movie titles: Golden Chicken). Although he’s a decent actor, the lack of interesting motivation for his character means I really wasn’t concerned about what would happened to him. The same cane be said about Tang Wei (from Ang Lee’s taboo-breaking Lust, Caution and Peter Chan’s Wu Xia with Donnie Yen), who plays one of Chan’s love interests.

This is where Office fails: investment in character. Also, a lot of the comedy falls flat, with only a few moments when I tittered. On the plus side, the first half an hour is beautifully constructed and draws you in to a visually superb universe. This is not only due to To’s roving camerawork, but also to the set and production design, which is breathtaking. It’s some of the best I’ve ever seen on a Hong Kong film, no joke. The sets are as pivotal and arguably more important than the characters who inhabit them.

There is a boring mid-film lull where not much is happening. Here, too much time is spent on subplots and the songs become grating with their Cantopop leanings. The opening numbers are well done and are complimented by the aforementioned positives, with some superb long takes and beautiful cinematography.

It’s very unfortunate that Office does not succeed in a lot of ways, as there is so much to recommend it for. The aesthetic construction at times is fully immersive, but is let down by poorly drawn characters. It’s still worth a watch though.

Martin Sandison’s Rating: 6/10

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

Steele Justice | Blu-ray (Kino Lorber)

"Steele Justice" Japanese Theatrical Poster

"Steele Justice" Japanese Theatrical Poster

RELEASE DATE: May 3, 2016

Kino Lorber presents the Blu-ray for 1987’s Steele Justice starring Martin Kove (Karate Kid, Rambo) and Soon-Tek Oh (Missing in Action 2).

Steele (Kove) is ex-cop and Vietnam vet who is determined to bring down Kwan (Oh), a rich and powerful drug lord.

Robert Boris’ Steele also stars Sela Ward (Gone Girl), Ronny Cox (Robocop), Bernie Casey (Under Siege), Shannon Tweed (Electra) and Irene Tsu (Comrades: Almost a Love Story). | Trailer.

Pre-order Steele Justice from Amazon.com today!

Posted in DVD/Blu-ray New Releases, Other Notable Titles |

Kingdom of Blood | aka The Four III | DVD (Lionsgate)

Kingdom of Blood aka The Four III | DVD (Lionsgate)

Kingdom of Blood aka The Four III | DVD (Lionsgate)

RELEASE DATE: May 3, 2016

Lionsgate presents the DVD for Gordon Chan’s Kingdom of Blood (aka The Four III)… once again, retitled by the studio, just as they did with Lawless Kingdom (aka The Four II).

Explosive hand-to-hand battles and the dazzling spectacles of ancient China bring to life this thrilling epic saga. Follow Emotionless, Coldblood, Iron Hands, and Life Snatcher as they work to save the empire. Kingdom of Blood stars Chao Deng, Yifei Liu, Anthony Chau-Sang Wong, Collin Cho and Ronald Cheng. | Watch the trailer.

Pre-order Kingdom of Blood from Amazon.com today!

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

Rage of Honor (1987) Review

"Rage of Honor" Theatrical Poster

“Rage of Honor” Theatrical Poster

AKA: Way of the Ninja
Director: Gordon Hessler
Cast: Sho Kosugi, Lewis Van Bergen, Robin Evans, Richard Wiley, Ulises Dumont, Gerry Gibson
Running Time: 98 min.

By Zach Nix

After tearing up the streets of Los Angeles in Pray for Death, director Gordon Hessler and martial arts star Sho Kosugi reunited to crack down on drugs and destroy South America in the process with Rage of Honor, the lesser of their two collaborations. Whereas Pray for Death worked as a fun ninja take on the Death Wish formula, Rage of Honor tackles every action genre popular at the time and comes out a mish-mashed mess of a film in the process. Equal parts miscellaneous cop thriller, James Bond rip-off, Rambo: First Blood Part II, and ninja film, Rage of Honor is anything but focused or singular. It’s no doubt unintentionally hilarious, and charming for nostalgic martial arts fans, but Rage of Honor offers up little more than trademark Kosugi action.

Shiro Tanaka (Sho Kosugi), a federal agent, earns the chagrin of the mob when he busts them for drug trafficking. When his partner investigates into the matter further, the mob captures and kills him. After Tanaka barely escapes with his own life, he throws his badge to the curb and decides to go after the mob on his own terms in order to avenge his partner’s death. The stakes are further raised when Tanaka’s wife is kidnapped by the enemy, thereby leading him to the jungles of South America in an all out war against the mob and corrupt federal agents.

Although Kosugi is well known for his ninja centric films, Rage of Honor is a rare film of his with minimal ninja elements. It’s clear that Kosugi and Hessler wanted to reach a broader audience with the film as opposed to the niche crowds with a taste for ninja action. It’s also evident that the two wanted to ape the success of the James Bond films by decking out Kosugi in a tuxedo and placing him into more gun centric action scenes. Their desperation for foreign and blockbuster appeal is most apparent in the film’s ridiculous location changes, as the film makes a jump from the urban city to the jungles of South America for no natural reason other than to shake up the setting of the action sequences. I would put money down that Hessler thought that if they shot footage in front of a massive waterfall, than people would think that the film was “large” in scale, even though it isn’t.

However, the ninja elements still found a way to creep into the picture, and in the most hilarious of ways as well. For example, Kosugi may play a federal agent, but he still carries around ninja weapons and dresses in all black like a ninja. His varied arsenal includes not only spiked knuckles and a samurai sword, but even exploding ninja stars! I highly doubt those are regulation approved. The mob and government even use ninja assassins throughout the film, which is even more ridiculous. I understand why assassins would dress up like ninjas if it was a part of their fighting style and strategic to their assassination, but why would the government send soldiers in broad day light to kill Kosugi in ninja outfits? It’s absolutely hilarious, and one of the film’s funniest elements. Despite Kosugi’s attempt to get away from the ninja genre, the stuff still found a way into his wannabe Bond film.

In comparison to Pray for Death, arguably the greater of Hessler’s Trans World Entertainment productions, the exposition at the beginning of the film is especially rushed. The film moves into the plot far too quick and spends no time establishing Kosugi’s character before throwing him into the mix of the plot. At least Pray for Death gave you an idea of Kosugi’s character, down to his characteristics, motivations, and ambitions, before making him go ninja on his enemies. That minor attention to character made Pray for Death’s B-movie proceedings far more affective and compelling. Unfortunately, Rage of Honor offers nothing but B-movie fluff, as the film never takes the time to stop and give you a sense of Kosugi’s federal agent.

Another shame about Rage of Honor is that its plot is overly complex and completely ridiculous. Hessler and his screenwriters took what could have been a simplistic cop thriller about revenge and overly complicated it with double crosses and ever shifting villains. One minute Kosugi is fighting the mob responsible for killing his partner, and the next he’s in South America fighting Indigenous tribes with a crossbow while trying to save his wife. What the heck is going on? Imagine if Sylvester Stallone’s film Cobra suddenly shifted into Rambo: First Blood Part II, and you would have Rage of Honor. By the way, the grossly simplistic design of the Indigenous tribesmen in the film is especially racist and offensive to Indigenous persons. The action sequence in which Kosugi fights off several of them within the jungle also serves the plot in no way. However, part of this inane plot and unnecessary madness adds to the charm of the film. There’s definitely no denying that Rage of Honor is a mess of a narrative, but there is also no denying that the film is over the top in all areas and as entertaining as “so bad, it’s good” films can get.

While this inferior entry in Kosugi’s personal canon offers up next to no story, it still features the over the top action that Kosugi fans find nostalgic and eat up like junk food. The film may feature the most action of any Kosugi film to date, as Kosugi himself participates in a martial arts fight or shootout nearly every 10 minutes. Despite the film’s wonky plot and dull character interactions, Rage of Honor makes up for its inanity with more action than you thought was possible for a 1980s action film. A shootout early on in the film features some hilariously awesome acrobatic gun-fu in which Kosugi leaps through the air on trampolines while gunning down mobsters. Even the grand finale, which is set within the jungles of South America, features an insane amount of action, as Kosugi goes up against helicopters, ninja assassins, and a warehouse full of henchmen. By the time a once believed to be deceased character shows up for no other reason than to fight Kosugi again, you’ll probably find yourself laughing silly. Still, ninja fans eat this B-movie action up like candy, and those with a sweet tooth for it will find nothing but glee in Hessler’s schlock-tastic martial arts action sequences.

Rage of Honor comes to Blu-ray courtesy of Arrow Video U.S. While their previous Pray for Death disc looked fantastic, the transfer for this Kosugi flick pales in comparison. It is possible that the source for the film was weaker than the one available for Pray for Death, so take the transfer for what it is and be thankful that it is at least watchable.

The supplements on the disc are absolutely fantastic and range from an interview with composer Stelvio Ciprani, part two of Kosugi’s all-inclusive interview on his career, and a featurette on the history of ninja cinema. The short but sweet featurettes on Ciprani and ninja cinema are welcome additions and help inform one better about the film and its context in the history of action cinema. The interview with Kosugi picks up where the previous one left off as the ninja star delves more into his career as an actor post-Cannon’s Ninja Trilogy. He also covers films from the latter part of his career such as Black Eagle, Ninja Assassin, and a supposed future collaboration between Kosugi and his son Shane. If you were ever curious about Kosugi’s opinion on Jean-Claude Van Damme and the Wachowski Siblings, than check this one out. Action fans are definitely going to want to get their hands on this release if only for the fantastic supplements that reveal interesting personal stories about Kosugi and the history of his short lived but memorable career.

Although I mostly disliked Rage of Honor, your opinion of the film will most likely depend upon your own personal preference. If ninja action and B-movie thrills are your cup of tea, than Rage of Honor will more than please you with its non-stop action and ridiculous story. However, if you are like myself and prefer a slightly more defined protagonist and a legitimate story to go with your B-movie thrills or low budget action, than stick with Hessler and Kosugi’s previous collaboration, Pray for Death. All in all, Arrow’s release provides some absolutely stunning supplements that compliment a flawed, but highly entertaining action film that all action fans should revisit if only to see Kosugi play a federal agent whom dispatches his enemies with exploding ninja stars. Both of Arrow’s recent releases for Kosugi’s Trans World Entertainment films would make for a fantastic double feature as well.

Zach Nix’s Rating: 5/10

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

Herman Yau’s ‘The Mobfathers’ will make you an offer you can’t refuse…

"The Mobfathers" Chinese Theatrical Poster

"The Mobfathers" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Before Herman Yau (Taxi Hunter, Ip Man: Legend is Born) goes back to the horror genre with his recently announced The Sleep Curse, the cult filmmaker will first deliver triad goodiness with The Mobfathers, an upcoming Category III crime flick.

The cast includes Chapman To (Initial D), Gregory Wong (Iceman), Kathy Yuen (Shinjuku Incident), Philip Keung (SPL 2: A Time of Consequences) and Yau’s frequent partner-in-crime, Anthony Wong (The Untold Story).

The Mobfathers releases in Chinese theaters on March 31. Until then, don’t miss this recent featurette. A full trailer is expected soon!

Posted in News |

9 Deaths of the Ninja (1985) Review

"9 Deaths of the Ninja" Theatrical Poster

“9 Deaths of the Ninja” Theatrical Poster

Director: Emmett Alston
Cast: Sho Kosugi, Brent Huff, Emilia Crow, Blackie Dammett, Regina Richardson, Vijay Amritraj, Lisa Friedman, Kane Kosugi, Shane Kosugi, Ken Watanabe
Running Time: 94 min.

By Jeff Bona

After a string of successful martial arts films for The Cannon Film Group (Enter the Ninja, Revenge of the Ninja and Ninja III: The Domination), Sho Kosugi, the main face of the 80s phenomenon known as the “ninja craze,” hooked up with Crown International Pictures to make the campy cult classic, 9 Deaths of the Ninja.

Just like The Cannon Film Group, Crown International Pictures was primarily known for their exploitation film output. Crown, however, was a lot more “independent” than Cannon; meaning, their films were a few notches up in the B movie department (or would that be a few notches down?). With titles like Orgy of the Dead (1965), Blood Mania (1970) and Galaxina (1980) in Crown’s catalogue, it’s easy to see why 9 Deaths of the Ninja is closer to “drive-in” territory than his previous films.

The backstory to 9 Deaths of the Ninja is an interesting one. In 1981, Emmett Alston, a filmmaker known for New Year’s Evil (1980), was tapped to direct Cannon’s Enter the Ninja, but barely into production, Alston – along with the Enter the Ninja’s original star, karate expert Mike Stone – was fired by producer Menahem Golan, who took over directing duties, leaving Alston deranked to second unit director. Stone’s termination was for his lack of any decent acting ability (he was replaced by Django’s Franc Nero), yet he remained on the project as the film’s advisor and stuntman. Alston’s demotion is a mystery, but judging from Golan’s reputation for being an extreme “control freak,” creative differences undoubtedly played a factor.

4 years later, Alston would find ninja retribution with 9 Deaths of the Ninja, a film he not only directed, but also wrote. In addition, he – along with prolific producer Ashok Amritraj (Double Impact) – secured a deal with the ultimate ninja actor himself, Sho Kosugi. Oddly enough, Cannon’s Golan and Yoram Globus served as executive producers, which may explain Kosugi’s involvement. Whatever the case, this was Alston’s movie and he was determined to make it the way he wanted to, which is exactly what he did.

9 Deaths of the Ninja follows the adventures of Spike Shinobi (Kosugi), Steve Gordon (Brent Huff) and Jennifer Barnes (Emilia Crow); a trio of secret service agents who are sent on a mission to the Philippines to rescue a group of American hostages (amongst them, Kosugi’s real-life children, Kane and Shane) by a bunch of goofball terrorists, headed by Alby the Cruel (Blackie Dammett) and Honey Hump (Regina Richardson).

9 Deaths of the Ninja is certainly the red-headed stepchild in Kosugi’s filmography. Even Kosugi himself fails to mention its existence in interviews, which is a damn shame, because it’s arguably his most entertaining feature when viewed from a “so bad, it’s good” perspective.

Despite being an American production, 9 Deaths of the Ninja feels like a cheaply-made, third-rate Asian film. Its acting, pacing, editing – and pretty much everything else – is rough around the edges. In fact, it’s a few hairs away from being as outlandish as a Cirio H. Santiago (Future Hunters) flick; and it doesn’t help that 9 Deaths of the Ninja was shot in the Philippines with extras made up of mostly Filipino talent. To top it off, Kosugi’s voice is dubbed (to be fair, all of Kosugi’s movies at this point were dubbed by another actor, but 9 Deaths of the Ninja takes the cake for having the crudest voice work).

What makes 9 Deaths of the Ninja interesting is that it’s essentially Kosugi being Jackie Chan: he’s playful, he’s humorous, he makes funny faces – and like Kojak – he has a habit of sucking on lollipops, which he keeps tucked into his accessory belt next to his throwing stars. During one particular fight scene, Kosugi barely proves victorious after being held down and punched in the testicles by a gang of midget assassins. And just a heads up for some of you ladies (and maybe even some of you guys): 9 Deaths of the Ninja is the only chance for you to see Kosugi wearing speedos.

Kosugi must be a huge James Bond fan. Not only does 9 Deaths of the Ninja have a pre-credit action piece, it also has a 007-like credit sequence that shows a shirtless Kosugi swinging his ninja sword while a pack of sexy ballet performers dance around him. The scene is topped off by a poorly produced Bond-esque love song that’s not exactly Shirley Bassey or Carly Simon. There’s even a Richard Kiel-like villain, not to mention an appearance by former tennis player (and brother of the film’s producer), Vijay Amritraj, who, a couple of years earlier, co-starred in the actual Bond movie, Octopussy (1983). Kosugi would play around with yet another Bond-esque title sequence with Pray for Death, which was also released in 1985.

9 Deaths of the Ninja is often referred to as a parody, which I find completely false. Sure, the film never takes itself serious, but it’s not an exaggerated imitation of any particular character or movie, either. It’s basically a corny ninja flick that’s very light-hearted, despite its R-rating (which is probably more for the brief nudity than the violence). As with all Kosugi movies, the action is spotty, but there’s definitely some slick martial arts moves to be found.

9 Deaths of the Ninja was the last film Kosugi would appear in that had any connection to Golan or Globus. At one point, he was attached to American Ninja (the role eventually when to Michael Dudikoff), but due to creative differences, Kosugi signed a new deal with Transworld Entertainment to start production on Pray for Death (1985), followed by Rage of Honor (1987). As for Alston, the director, he went on to make Tigershark (1987), a film that re-united him with his fellow Enter the Ninja-firee, Mike Stone.

At the time of writing this review, 9 Deaths of the Ninja is the only Kosugi film – produced at the peak of his career – that hasn’t made its way onto Blu-ray. Considering the film’s original negatives are probably hidden in someone’s attic in Manila, I wouldn’t hold your breath. But don’t let a bad DVD transfer stop you from witnessing Kosugi’s wackiest hour.

Jeff Bona’s Rating: 6/10

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

Three more Golden Harvest DVDs from Warner!

"The Blade" DVD Cover

"The Blade" DVD Cover

On March 1st, 2016, Warner released three more Golden Harvest movies under their Warner Archive DVD Collection line: Tsui Hark’s The Blade (1995), Peter Chan’s He’s a Woman, She’s Man (1994) and Ching Siu-Tung’s A Terra-Cotta Warrior (1990).

The first wave, released late last year, consisted of Pedicab Driver (1989), Blade of Fury (1993), Big Bullet (1996) and Downtown Torpedoes (1997).

Note: As with all Warner Archive Collection titles, these movies are manufactured using DVD-R recordable media. According to Warner, DVD-Rs burn data patterns on an ink layer of the DVD. With traditional stamped DVDs, data patterns are molded within a texture layer of the DVD. So what does this mean? DVD-Rs are more sensitive to prolonged exposure to direct sunlight (so no leaving the DVD upside down on the dash board of your car). Also, unless you have a really old DVD player, DVD-Rs will play fine on standard DVD players.

Although exact details are limited, we’re assuming that all titles are anamorphic widescreen and in their original Chinese language with English subtitles.

All titles are currently available to order at Amazon.com.

Posted in News |

Violence is cool for Tony Leung Ka Fai in ‘Lost in White’

"Lost in White" Chinese Theatrical Poster

"Lost in White" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Synopsis details for Lost in White currently run cold, but judging from the thriller’s snowy setting, director Xu Wei uses brisk weather as a plot device, much like Tsui Hark and Diao Yinan did for The Taking of Tiger Mountain and Black Coal, Thin Ice, respectively.

Lost in White stars Tony Leung Ka Fai (A Better Tomorrow 3The Raid), Tong Dawei (Switch), Zhou Dongyu (Breakup Buddies), Deng Jiajia (Silent Witness), Vision Wei (China Idol Boys) and Cao Weiyu (Crimes of Passion).

Leung Ka Fai will also star alongside Chow Yun-fat in Cold War 2, which is currently in post-production.

Lost in White releases this year. Watch its trailer!

Posted in News |

Trivisa (2016) Review

"Trivisa" Chinese Theatrical Posters

“Trivisa” Chinese Theatrical Posters

Director: Frank Hui
Co-director: Jevons Au
Co-director: Vicky Wongi
Cast: Jordan Chan, Richie Ren, Gordon Lam, Lam Suet, Kwong Leung Wong, Yueh Hua
Running Time: 97 min.

By Martin Sandison

Berlin Film Festival, now in its 66th year, has the biggest audience attendance for any film festival in the world. The diversity of films showing can be overwhelming, but from an Asian perspective there was plenty to enjoy this year. One of these was Trivisa, an exciting-sounding Hong Kong gangster flick, produced by Johnnie To.

Johnnie To, one of the most prolific and diverse directors in Hong Kong and International cinema for the last 25 years, is near unmatchable. From comedies and dramas (All About Ah Long, Running on Karma) to martial arts films (Barefoot Kid, Throwdown), To never misses a beat. The action thriller/gangster genre is his forte, and titles such as Election, The Mission, Running Out of Time and Mad Detective, are known around the world. To has always been active as a producer, and Trivisa sees him back in that chair, introducing three new young directors: Frank Hui, Jevons Au and Vicky Wong.

The story centres around three true-to-life criminals and is set in ’97, just prior to the handover. Each director takes on the storyline of each different character; this reminds me of the glorious failure that was Triangle, wherein Johnnie To, Tsui Hark and Ringo Lam directed different portions of that film. Thankfully, Trivisa succeeds on every level, unlike Triangle’s stylistic mess.

Setting a Hong Kong film around the time of the handover in this climate is sure to spell trouble with Chinese Mainland censors, and the film makers must be given credit for this bravery. The recent success of the micro-budget film, Ten Years in Hong Kong, bolsters this, and reflects a culture at boiling point. Ten Years takes a much more direct approach, with stories about how Hong Kong may be in 2025. Recently it was announced that the Hong Kong Film Awards would not be screened in Mainland China because Ten Years is nominated. The eyes of the world are turning there, and it’s to filmmakers credit that they continue to reflect the precarious nature of Hong Kong society. Trivisa manages to be subtle yet cutting in regard to this, and intelligently weaves the three characters plot strands together.

The three actors portraying the infamous gangsters are very well cast. Richie Jen is Foon, who appears at first to be the most dangerous, and his character arc is well-designed. He began his career in the early 90’s, having a bit part later in Jackie Chan’s Gorgeous and of course in Johnnie To’s Breaking News and Life Without Principle, two films that provide a stylistic template for Trivisa.

Jordan Chan is the most flamboyant and unpredictable of the three, evidenced by an early scene where he nearly rips a lackey’s ear off. His performance reminded me of Simon Yam’s portrayal of the unhinged villain Judge in Ringo Lam’s impressionistic masterwork Full Contact. A very popular actor, Chan has appeared in everything from the Young And Dangerous series to Johnnie To’s Throwdown.

Rounding of the triumvirate is Gordon Lam Ka Tung as the most intriguing of the three, a seemingly small time crook whose real character reveal at the end is magnificent. Another seasoned veteran, he built up a strong body of work with appearances in all time classics from Infernal Affairs to Ip Man. He also produced one of my favourite HK films of the last ten years, the charming small scale martial arts film Gallants.

There’s even room for a cameo by that To veteran Lam Suet, wonderful as usual.

Narratively, Trivisa is seriously intricate and powerful, with each gangsters story building to a beautiful climax. The end of the film is edge of the seat stuff, with nail biting tension and escalating violence. Unfortunately, the handling of the gunfights is a little derivative and unexciting, which detracts from the positive aspects, which are plentiful. Stylistically, it is very consistent, with each director handling the material with respect to each other. It’s great to see To grooming them, adding to his reputation as one of the saviours of Hong Kong genre cinema. Of the three, Jevons Au Man Kit is the most experienced, having directed a segment of the aforementioned Ten Years. This guy is certainly taking the bull by the horns.

In terms of allegory, the filmmakers opt for subtlety, something usually lacking in Hong Kong cinema, and they pull it off with aplomb. There are no explicit references to the handover throughout until the end, with a television showing the handover as it happened that is echoed at the beginning. The journey of the characters and the stress and paranoia they feel as they know their lives are going to change immeasurably is enough to convey this sense of where everything started to go wrong. Jordan Chan’s character breaks this mould at the end, exclaiming ‘let’s blow up the Queen!’, a natural end to a tale full of mixed loyalties and reality-based concerns about one of the most special places in the world.

Coming out of the film I was overcome with feelings I have experienced many times before with Hong Kong cinema: euphoria, glee and passion. This time it was spiked with dread, about the future of the place of my dreams. The final masterful denouement is one that will stay long in my memory, and let’s hope films like this will incite more young film makers to rebuild Hong Kong genre cinema.

Highly recommended.

Martin Sandison’s Rating: 8.5/10

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

Exclusive Featurette: Zoë Bell fights dirty in ‘Camino’

"Camino" Theatrical Poster

“Camino” Theatrical Poster

XLrator Media (Close Range) has announced the U.S. release of the action-thriller Camino starring Zoë Bell (The Hateful Eight, Death Proof) and Academy Award®-nominated filmmaker Nacho Vigalondo (Timecrimes, Open Windows).

Camino is directed by Josh C. Waller, who previously collaborated with Bell on Raze, written by Daniel Noah (Max Rose), and produced by Waller, Noah, and Ehud Bleiberg (The Iceman). Nicholas Donnermeyer and Barry Gordon executive produce along with Bell and Vigalondo.

The film also stars Francisco Barreiro (Here Comes the Devil), Sheila Vand (Argo), Tenoch Huerta (The 33), Dominic Rains (How to Be A Gangster in America), Nancy Gomez (Deceitful), Jason Canela (Single in South Beach) and Kevin Pollak (Casino).

Set in 1985, war photographer Avery Taggert (Zoë Bell) has built a solid career with her stark and honest imagery, all the while remaining emotionally distant from her subjects. When she embeds in the jungles of Colombia with a squad of missionaries led by a beloved and charismatic Spaniard known as “El Guero” (Nacho Vigalondo), she finds herself in the middle of a conflict as violent as any she’s photographed. | Watch the trailer.

Camino will be released in theaters on March 4 and on VOD and iTunes on March 8. For now, click here for an exclusive behind-the-scenes “Fight Scene” featurette.

Posted in News |

Ken and Ryu vs. Kurt Sloan in ‘Street Fighter: Resurrection’

"Street Fighter: Assassin’s Fist" Japanese Poster

"Street Fighter: Assassin’s Fist" Japanese Poster

Writer/director Joey Ansah is back with more live-action fun with Street Fighter: Resurrection. Christian Howard and Mike Moh – the two leads from Street Fighter: Assassin’s Fist – return as Ken and Ryu. This time around, the two are up against the deadly Charlie Nash, played by Alain Moussi, star of the upcoming Kickboxer: Vengeance.

Here’s what you can expect from the plot: The long-presumed dead Charlie Nash is back, and is targeting legendary Street Fighter champions for mysterious reasons. Ken and Ryu must uncover his lethal plan and discover if he is ally or enemy.

The 5-episode Street Fighter: Resurrection launches March 15th on go90 and Machinima. Watch the newly released trailer.

Posted in News |

Deal on Fire! Unleashed | Blu-ray | Only $6.88 – Expires soon!

"Unleashed" Blu-ray Cover

"Unleashed" Blu-ray Cover

Today’s Deal on Fire is the Blu-ray for Louis Leterrier’s Unleashed (aka Danny the Dog), starring Jet Li (Hero), Morgan Freeman, Bob Hoskins and a brief appearance by Scott Adkins (Close Range).

Along with Kiss of the Dragon, this is easily the best of Jet Li’s English-language films (read our review).

It features fight choreography by Yuen Woo-ping (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon II: Sword of Destiny) and a downtempo soundtrack by trip hop group Massive Attack.

Order Unleashed from Amazon.com today!

Posted in Deals on Fire!, News |