Voice Without a Shadow (1958) Review

Posted on January 28, 2016 by Kelly Warner
"Nikkatsu Diamond Guys Vol. 1" Blu-ray Cover

“Nikkatsu Diamond Guys Vol. 1” Blu-ray Cover

Director: Seijun Suzuki
Cast: Hideaki Nitani, Yoko Minamida, Jo Shishido, Shinsuke Ashida, Kotoe Hatsui, Taketoshi Naito, Keisuke Noro, Toshio Takahara, Kaku Takashina, Kenjiro Uemura
Runnning Time: 92 min.

By Kelly Warner

In the old days, a film studio would have its contract actors who appeared in multiple releases each year and there was very little cross-pollination of actors working on films for other studios. Of course the bigger stars headlined the biggest films, while other contract players could appear in multiple films, sometimes up to a dozen films in a year. Over at Nikkatsu, they had the ‘Diamond Line,’ a group of their biggest stars who they made sure to put in their best films and provide with the best marketing. Tragedy forced the roster of the Diamond Line to change over time (for example: hot young star Keiichiro Akagi died at age 21 in a go-cart accident), and actors like Jo Shishido were integrated into the Diamond Line in their place.

This week Arrow Video is releasing Diamond Guys Vol. 1, their first in what I hope will be a long line of DVD/Blu-ray releases showcasing the talent from Nikkatsu’s golden age of action movies. First on the agenda is 1958’s Voice Without a Shadow starring Hideaki Nitani, Yoko Minamida, and Jo Shishido, under the direction of Seijun Suzuki.

As a film buff with a love for classic Japanese cinema, there are few things I enjoy more than the chance to see a recently unearthed film from a favorite director. There is a long list of classic Japanese films I want to see one day, some of which were made by Seijun Suzuki, but I must admit that Voice Without a Shadow was completely unknown to me. And that kind of made watching the film even more fun; I had no idea of what to expect, which can’t be said very often about a film that’s over fifty years old.

Voice Without a Shadow was made early in the director’s career. In fact, it’s the second earliest Suzuki film I’ve yet seen, released half a year after the film noir Underworld Beauty (that’s a good one. Check it out). At this point in his career Suzuki was not yet the enemy of the Nikkatsu studio executives, and so he was given good production values and a cast of big names. Still coming into his own as an artist, the visual flair that populates the director’s most well-known films is almost nowhere to be found here. This is a more restrained effort from Suzuki, but the style fits the story he’s telling.

Based on a mystery by one of Japan’s greatest writers, Seicho Matsumoto, Voice Without a Shadow is a very Hitchcockian tale of murder, paranoia, and whodunit. Told in an episodic nature, the film begins with Asako, a telephone operator played by Yoko Minamida (House), who dials the wrong number and hears the voice of a murderer. After police track the call to a crime scene in a pawn shop, Asako is tasked with helping the police identify the murderer by voice alone. Though she can differentiate voices with unrivaled accuracy, Asako is unable to help solve the crime and the case goes cold. Years later, Asako is a doting housewife tending to her husband’s needs. When her husband invites his clients over for endless games of mahjong, circumstances lead Asako to believe that the rowdiest client, Hamazaki (Jo Shishido), is the voice she heard all those years ago.

Another mysterious murder occurs and the mystery deepens, pulling Asako and her loved ones into a dangerous game of hidden truths. It’s at this point that reporter Ishikawa (Hideaki Nitani) takes over the film. He covered Asako’s story when she first heard the ‘voice without a shadow’ and he’s reinvigorated to solve the mystery now that another man has been killed.

While Asako’s storyline works as a paranoia thriller, Ishikawa’s is a noirish detective mystery. I enjoyed both sides to the story. It’s somewhat formulaic and it owes much to the thrillers of Alfred Hitchcock (nothing wrong with that), but it all works on at least some level.

Yoko Minamida is really good as Asako, the woman that nobody believes in. It’s not long before she also begins doubting herself. Minamida plays the conflicted character with gusto, taking Asako to the edge of sanity as the walls start closing in. In the role of Ishikawa, Hideaki Nitani (Tokyo Drifter) has less colorful material to work with but he makes the best of it. Ishikawa’s role in the story is essentially to connect the dots for the audience. Nitani is good in the role; you trust him instantly, which cannot be said about any other character in the film. Jo Shishido (Branded to Kill) makes a strong impression in his supporting role as the suspected murderer. I’m so used to seeing Shishido as an anti-hero, it’s refreshing seeing him play such a sleazy villain.

Those seeking an old-fashioned murder mystery with a good cast and confident direction will find just what they’re looking for here. Voice Without a Shadow may not be a signature film for director Seijun Suzuki but it’s a fine example of the director’s success working in the mystery/thriller genre. Suzuki, for all his acclaim, is not often known for his intricate storytelling. Voice Without a Shadow is a fairly complex film, one with enough plot threads and red herrings to satisfy even the diehard mystery and film noir fans.

Kelly Warner’s Rating: 7.5/10

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

Cityonfire.com’s ‘Zombie Fight Club’ Blu-ray Giveaway! – WINNERS ANNOUNCED!

Posted on January 28, 2016 by JJ Bona
"Zombie Fight Club" Blu-ray Cover

"Zombie Fight Club" Blu-ray Cover

Cityonfire.com and Shout! Factory are giving away 3 Blu-ray copies of Joe Chien’s Zombie Fight Club to three lucky Cityonfire visitors. To enter, simply add a comment to this post and describe, in your own words, the film’s trailer.

We will be selecting a winner at random. Be sure to include your email address in the appropriate field so we can contact you for your home address. Additionally, you must ‘Like Us‘ on cityonfire.com’s Facebook by clicking here.

The Blu-ray & DVD for Zombie Fight Club (read our review) will be officially released on February 2, 2016. We will announce the 3 winners on that day.

CONTEST DISCLAIMER: You must enter by February 2, 2016 to qualify. U.S. residents only please. We sincerely apologize to our non-U.S. visitors. Winners must respond with their mailing address within 48 hours, otherwise you will automatically be disqualified. No exceptions. Contest is subject to change without notice.

WINNERS: Opium, Eric V., and Ron R.

Posted in News | Tagged |

‘Hard Target 2’ director goes historical for ‘Admiral’

Posted on January 27, 2016 by JJ Bona
"Admiral" Theatrical Poster

"Admiral" Theatrical Poster

Netherlands-based filmmaker Roel Reiné is primarily known for making straight-to-DVD sequels to theatrical hits like, Death Race 2, The Man with the Iron Fists 2 and The Scorpion King 3. Considering budget constraints, Reiné is one of the very few B movie directors who manages to pump ’em out with quality in mind.

We’ve gotten word from XLrator Media that Reiné’s newest film, titled Admiral (no relation to the similar-themed Korean film of the same name), will be available on VOD and iTunes on February 23, 2016, in theaters (limited release) on March 11, and on Blu-ray and DVD on April 5th.

Here’s what you can expect from Admiral: When the young republic of The Netherlands is attacked by England, France and Germany and the country itself is on the brink of civil war, only one man can lead the county’s strongest weapon, the Dutch fleet: Michiel de Ruyter. The film stars Frank Lammers, Sanne Langelaar, Barry Atsma, Egbert Jan-Weeber, Rutger Hauer and Charles Dance.

Judging from the Admiral’s impressive trailer, it’ll be interesting to see how Reiné’s Hard Target 2 (with Scott Adkins taking over for Van Damme) comes out. It’s no wonder why producers keep coming back to this guy for more sequels.

Posted in News |

Well Go USA launches Asian action cinema channel ‘Hi-YAH!’

Posted on January 26, 2016 by JJ Bona
"The Heroic Ones" Chinese Theatrical Poster

"The Heroic Ones" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Well Go USA Entertainment has announced the launch of Hi-YAH!, an OTT channel dedicated to martial arts and Asian Action cinema. Read the official press release below:

Hi-YAH! will premiere on PlayStation VUE beginning January 26th, available as both a standalone subscription channel as well as offered through VUE’s “Elite” programming package. While the channel will premiere on VUE, Well Go will be syndicating Hi-YAH! across similar OTT services later this year.

Programmatically, Hi-YAH! plans to include films from action and martial arts stars that include Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee, and Donnie Yen from famed directors such as John Woo, Johnnie To, Tsui Hark and Park Chan-wook. According to Well Go USA management, the Hi-Yah! OTT channel offers a comprehensive collection of the absolute best in Asian Action content, which Well Go USA is known for bringing to the North American marketplace, refreshed each month so there will always be something new.

“We want our fans to enjoy martial arts and action films in every way they want to watch, and this is the next step in making sure they get that access,” said Jason Pfardrescher, SVP, Digital & Theatrical Distribution of Well Go USA Entertainment. He continued, “As the distribution landscape continues to evolve, it’s our responsibility to change with it.”

Click here to watch the trailer for Hi-YAH!

Posted in News |

Assassin, The | aka The Hidden Heroine (2015) Review

Posted on January 26, 2016 by Kelly Warner
"The Assassin" Theatrical Poster

“The Assassin” Theatrical Poster

AKA: The Lady From Tang
Director: Hou Hsiao-hsien
Cast: Shu Qi, Chang Chen, Satoshi Tsumabuki, Nikki Hsieh Hsin Ying, Chang Shao Huai, Zuo Xiao Qing, Ethan Ruan Jing Tian, Jiang Wen, Xu Fan, Zhou Yun
Runing Time: 105 min.

By Kelly Warner

Hou Hsiao-hsien won Best Director at 2015’s Cannes Film Festival for his exquisitely filmed Tang Dynasty drama The Assassin. Since that time, the conversation about The Assassin has split between two competing lines of thought, one calling the film a masterpiece and the other calling it a pretty looking bore. My own opinion of the film falls somewhere between those two polar opposites: it’s a special film but it is slow. If you have the patience, The Assassin rewards you with a quiet and often beautiful film experience. However, those looking for the typical martial arts action movie should look elsewhere.

Set in 9th Century China, the film follows the difficult life of the assassin Yinniang (Shu Qi). When faced with killing a father while he cradles his son, Yinniang walks away from the planned assassination, much to chagrin of her master. Though her skills are unmatched, Yinniang still has too much human compassion for a woman in her profession. In order to break Yinniang and mold her into a pitiless killer, her master sends Yinniang to kill the man she was arranged to marry in her youth, her cousin Lord Tian (Chang Chen). In the many years since Yinniang and Tian have been apart, the young Lord has risen to power and amassed the largest army in North China. Not only will his death be a personal one for Yinniang, it will also reshape the political landscape of the entire country.

When Yinniang returns to rejoin the family she’s not seen since her youth, she’s welcomed back with love. They don’t know her secret intentions. Shu Qi doesn’t speak often and rarely shows emotion. She brings the character of Yinniang to life through her actions and choices. Yinniang is neither hero nor villain. She stalks Lord Tian in the dark but you can sense her conflicted feelings as she draws out the confrontation as long as possible.

Though the main character is cold and keeps us distanced, the film has unexpected warmth to it, thanks in large part to its natural beauty. This is a gorgeous looking film. I’d almost say it’s worth seeing for the cinematography alone. Every shot breathes with life. Beautiful silk curtains flow in the background, smoke snakes across the screen, colorful fauna dances in the breeze. Heightened sounds of the environment act as the film’s primary score, making the scenes peaceful and also strangely haunting. Hou doesn’t move his camera often, preferring stillness while the world moves through his frame. There’s nothing fancy going on, just a practiced patience of a filmmaker that sees the world differently than most of us.

I haven’t worked through the entirety of Hou Hsiao-hsien’s filmography but I’ve seen enough to get an idea of what to expect from the director. Hou makes quiet, introspective films with subtle style. Commonly regarded as one of the world’s best living directors, Hou demands a certain level of patience from his viewers. His appeal may not go far beyond the art-house crowd in the West. The Assassin, like much of the rest of his work, is a slow-burn. And while I liked the film, I must admit that even I wanted Hou to pick up the pace from time to time. It’s not a movie for everybody – and that’s okay, it was never meant to be. For while Hou has stepped into the more marketable realm of martial arts cinema, The Assassin has much more in common with the director’s earlier work than anything you’ve seen martial artists Donnie Yen or Jet Li star in recently.

Hou uses the martial arts sequences like a knife to cut through the quiet drama. Shot fast, up close, and edited in a flurry of cuts, the fights seem to be intentionally at odds with the rest of the film. Though wirework is occasionally used to help the performers with a high jump here and there, the action is mostly well-grounded in reality. I liked the way they chose to depict Yinniang’s skills with a blade. Shu Qi isn’t nearly as skilled in martial arts as some of her contemporaries, but her character is never put in the position of showing off. She’s lethal like a cobra poised to strike, completely lacking in flair or showmanship. When three men charge at her with swords, Yinniang makes a few dodges and dispatches them all with quick slashes from her curved knife. Like Hou’s visual style, the fights aren’t fancy, they’re efficient and restrained.

Though the film would be incomplete without the martial arts, The Assassin is more of a historical drama than anything else. Those coming expecting an action film will no doubt be disappointed. It has more in common with Shakespeare than Jackie Chan. Though the film moves at a slow pace, it drew me in over time. It’s beautiful to behold, yes, but there’s something more going on in Hou’s creation. The Assassin has a dream-like quality to it; the film transports you somewhere beyond your screen in a way that only true cinema is capable of. Not everyone will feel the same, but I found the film to be very special indeed.

Kelly Warner’s Rating: 8/10

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

Pay Back | DVD (Lionsgate)

Posted on January 26, 2016 by JJ Bona
Pay Back | DVD (Lionsgate)

Pay Back | DVD (Lionsgate)

RELEASE DATE: On April 5, 2016

On April 5, 2016, Lionsgate is releasing Pay Back on DVD. This 2013 Chinese thriller stars Fan Siu-wong (Ricki-Oh), Francis Ng (Too Many Ways to be Number One), Cynthia Khan (In the Line of Duty 3, Eternal Fist) and Lam Suet (Monk Comes Down from the Mountain).

When mafia fall guy Zhang Jin finally gets released from prison, he’s nearly assassinated. In an effort to survive, Zhang becomes entangled in a conspiracy, linking his fate with unlikely allies and turning friends into enemies. Zhang must discover the identity of the assassin before he gets murdered, without plunging himself back into a life of crime | Trailer.

Pre-order Pay Back from Amazon.com today!

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

Exclusive: Interview with Ip Man 3′s Donnie Yen & Mike Tyson

Posted on January 26, 2016 by Zach Nix

I had the pleasure of participating in a round table interview amongst other journalists with the stars of Ip Man 3, Donnie Yen and Mike Tyson, at a press junket in Los Angeles, California. With only a limited amount of time at our disposal, me and the other journalists got to ask about two to three questions each to the actors. Along with myself, the other journalists present were Rachel Lee from Korea Daily, Greg Lynch from Kung Fu Tai Chi Magazine, and Laura Sirikulvadhana from Nerd Reactor. Afterwards, we all had the immense pleasure of taking pictures with the two stars, an opportunity and experience that I will never forget.

“When I always think of the Chinese culture, my ideas always come from the Shaw Brothers movies,” explained Tyson.

ZACH NIX: Donnie, you and fight choreographer Yuen Woo Ping go back as far as films such as Drunken Tai Chi and In the Line of Duty IV. What has it been like working with him through the years, and Mike, what was it like working with him for the first time?

MIKE TYSON: I was having a ball. Me and the director really couldn’t communicate much. Certain people can speak the language and understand the culture, and Donnie explained it to me.

DONNIE YEN: Vice versa. Also, trying to explain some of Mike’s commons and some of his input, I convert that to master Yuen Woo Ping. I was acting as a bit of a personal translator/middle person. But to answer your question, my first movie was directed by Yuen Woo Ping. He discovered me 33 years ago. And we haven’t worked with each other for twenty-something years. So this is kind of a reunion. For me, even though he’s in his 70s, he’s like a young kid, he wants to play, he wants to explore. He was so excited to not only work with me again but work with Mike. For him it was like he has some new toys here! (laughs)

MIKE TYSON: He’s a good guy. Fun, smart.

RACHEL LEE: I was wondering if you guys were fans of each other?

DONNIE YEN: I’m a big fan of Mike’s! I watch every single one of his fights.

“I recall watching every single one of Mike’s fights. At the time, they were on HBO, I would watch them in Hong Kong,” says Yen.

RACHEL LEE: What was your first reaction when you met each other?

DONNIE YEN: Just, overwhelmed! Because I recall watching every single one of Mike’s fights. At the time, they were on HBO, I would watch them in Hong Kong. The time difference, I had to stay up all night to watch him, but than he’d knock the other guy in two seconds! That’s it! (laughs)

MIKE TYSON: I thought it was like 18 years ago, but he said the first Ip Man was only eight years ago. A friend of mine, had told me about the movie, and he gave me the movie, and I watched it a few times, and I watched the second one, and than I told him I’m in part three, and he told me, “Oh man, I’m so happy!”

GREG LYNCH: For Mike, was this your first choreographed fight, and what was that like?

MIKE TYSON: No, I had another fight in Africa, no Algeria, a fight scene in a movie. But this was really a fight scene, good stuff. This was the real deal right here.

"Ip Man 3" Theatrical Poster

“Ip Man 3” Theatrical Poster

LAURA SIRIKULVADHANA: This was the third movie. What makes this movie different, and if you are deciding to say goodbye to the character, how does it feel to say goodbye?

DONNIE YEN: I have to give credit too the director, Wilson Yip. The three installments, are all surrounded by this person, who so happened to be a martial arts grandmaster. But the story talks about a family man, how he deals with problems that we all have. The first one was about survival during the Japanese occupation and how he dealt with the depression. The second one was all about making a living. The third one is more about depth. For me, I feel as an actor, we bring the maturity as we get older, to the character. Between this and the first one, there’s more wrinkles and white hair.

RACHEL LEE: What’s your favorite thing about acting?

MIKE TYSON: Being who I want to be. Being Frank [Tyson’s character in Ip Man 3]. I make more money when I play Mike Tyson, but I hate being Mike Tyson. I just like being someone else.

LAURA SIRIKULVADHANA: Did you guys learn anything from each other? Because you are a champion boxer and you a martial artist, during the scenes did you guys feel like you learned a lot from each other?

DONNIE YEN: I learned a lot. I was trying to get some secret tips from him. (laughs) But we unfortunately did not have enough time because we spent most of it filming.

Donnie Yen vs. Mike Tyson. What else is there to say?

MIKE TYSON: I was happy being with him. When I always think of the Chinese culture, my ideas always come from the Shaw Brothers movies. I’m African American, they’re always oppressed, they’re the weak man of the East, this and that. They over come all of these physical and emotional quagmires.

GREG LYNCH: I noticed in all three of the Ip Man films, you are a very gentle character. Is that on purpose?

DONNIE YEN: On purpose. Even though this is a person, from day one, we didn’t want to make a documentary. We wanted to create a screen hero that is so different from what we had previously in different films. Usually when you have a hero, the hero saves the world or teaches his particular beliefs and philosophies.

ZACH NIX: Donnie, after the release of Ip Man 2, there were several other adaptations based on Master Yip’s life. Did you see any of these, and if you did, did you or Wilson Yip take their success or model into account for Ip Man 3?

DONNIE YEN: Not at all. Of course, we made the first one. The only other different Ip Man movie that I saw, I didn’t even finish the film, was the Wong Kar Wai film [The Grandmaster], because I’m a friend of Tony Leung, and I want to see how they bring this together. Every filmmaker has their own vision, how they create the story and what message they promote. From day one, we knew this was our model and this is what we want to convey, and we want to stick with that.

The two legends sign posters for media guests.

MIKE TYSON: This is the face of Ip Man! That’s just what it is. The guy could be a better actor or perform better, but this is Ip Man. This is our champion.

GREG LYNCH: How did you get involved with this one?

MIKE TYSON: They said, “Hey, do you want to be in Ip Man?” and I was like, yeah! (laughs) I called my friend, and he was like, “Get the **** out of here!” I’m in Ip Man!”

LAURA SIRIKULVADHANA: They talk about this being the final film, or is it a potential for a fourth or Bruce Lee starring?

DONNIE YEN: There’s a potential for a fourth.

LAURA SIRIKULVADHANA: So you would come back?

DONNIE YEN: I don’t know. Maybe. So far, in Asia, we have broken a lot of records. Never say never.

LAURA SIRIKULVADHANA: Congratulations, by the way. It beat Star Wars.

MIKE TYSON: That’s why Star Wars called him! If you can’t beat him, join him! (laughs)

City On Fire’s Zach Nix is lucky these guys are on his side.

DONNIE YEN: It’s a blessing. I love Star Wars too. I’m very grateful to be in such a major intellectual property film.

ZACH NIX: From Ip Man to Star Wars. (laughs)

DONNIE YEN: Yeah, I can’t complain.

GREG LYNCH: Jackie Chan and Jet Li both said you are the best fighter in films.

DONNIE YEN: They’re great in their own ways. I don’t want to be compared to any body else. We are all different species.

Thanks again to Donnie Yen, Mike Tyson, Well Go USA, Alexandra Drapac and our very own Zach Nix for making this interview happen. Ip Man 3 is currently playing in theaters – and/or own it on Blu-ray and DVD on April 19th!

Posted in Interviews, News |

Flight 7500 | DVD (Lionsgate)

Posted on January 26, 2016 by JJ Bona
Flight 7500 | DVD (Lionsgate)

Flight 7500 | DVD (Lionsgate)

RELEASE DATE: April 5, 2016

From Takashi Shimizu, the director of the Ju-On: The Grudge series, comes Flight 7500. High up in the air, people can hear you scream – but that won’t help you.

On a flight from Los Angeles to Tokyo, a plane is shaken by severe weather. When the turbulence subsides, a passenger suddenly dies – and a supernatural force is unleashed…

Flight 7500 stars Ryan Kwanten (Blunt Force Trauma), Amy Smart (Crank: High Voltage), Leslie Bibb (Law Abiding Citizen), Jamie Chung (Sucker Punch) and Jerry Ferrara (Entourage).

Lionsgate Home Entertainment is releasing the film’s DVD on April 5, 2016 – watch the film’s trailer!

Pre-order Flight 7500 from Amazon.com today!

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

10 Best Hollywood Blackjack Scenes of All Time

Posted on January 26, 2016 by JJ Bona

Perhaps especially because of its simplicity, the classic game of Blackjack has found immense popularity at both traditional casinos and among players who play Blackjack online. Despite the simplicity of its premise, however, Blackjack can also be one of the most thrilling card games to win against the house.

Hollywood movies often feature this old favourite, usually as the prop for a scene, but also sometimes as the central premise. Here are ten such examples.

The Hangover

Shown reading a book on how to count cards on the drive into Vegas, Alan turns out to be the hero of the day saving his posse from an uncertain fate by winning $80,000 at the blackjack table.

Swingers

In a brief scene, the lead character starts off at the high stakes table with a minimum punt of $100 where he doubles down and loses. He promptly moves off to the more affordable tables.

Austin Powers

More an excuse for comedy than anything to do with gambling, the blackjack scene in this movie is the stuff that Vegas dreams are made of. Robert Wagner plays vice-Evil Genius equipped with an X-Ray eye-patch that allows him to ask for a hit when he is on 17.

Licence to Kill

No James Bond movie is quite complete without a visit to the casino, but this one is different in that Timothy Dalton playing the super spy breaks with traditional to play blackjack instead of the traditional 007 favourite of baccarat.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

Jack Nicholson’s brilliant portrayal of a hilariously rebellious mental institution inmate is impeccable, and the scene where he organizes a blackjack game for the other patients is one of the few times it has been depicted in such a morose and poignant manner.

Rain Man

Probably the most famous blackjack movie scene ever created, the scene from Rain Man brought the term card counting into popular culture. While not necessarily accurate, it has been universally acclaimed for its powerful yet humorous depiction.

21

Based entirely on the premise that it is possible, and indeed relatively simple, to count cards at a casino, the plot line of 21 centers on an MIT mathematics professor who picks his most brilliant students to rake in the money at blackjack. No shortage of blackjack scenes here.

Vegas Vacation

if you ever need a reason to stop playing blackjack online, the scene where Chevy Chase blows all his cash and exhausts every one of his credit cards by losing hand after hand at blackjack is the way to go.

Johnny Got His Gun

Released over four decades ago when playing blackjack online was unimaginable, this stark movie delivers one powerful and extremely authentic portrayal of the game of blackjack which is surpassed only by the magnitude of the performances of the actors at the table.

The Cooler

Based on Coolers, individuals employed by casinos for the rotten luck they seem to spread, this movie features several blackjack scenes. Of course, you need never fear a Cooler if you are playing blackjack online.

Croupier

Another casino-based movie, this one is different because it is depicted from the eyes of the croupier. Clive Owen plays the blackjack dealer teetering on the edge of self destruction and serves to show the less glamorous side to casinos.

Posted in News |

The Top 5 Most Memorable James Bond Scenes

Posted on January 23, 2016 by JJ Bona

EON Production’s highly popular James Bond franchise has produced a total of 25 movies over the course of 53 years and many memorable moments (not necessarily “action” based) to go with them, however, certain scenes have made more of an impact than others, so over a great variety of choice, here are the top 5 James Bond scenes of all time:

"License to Kill" Theatrical Poster

"License to Kill" Theatrical Poster

5. License to Kill (1989)
Blackjack game between Bond and Bouvier

Casino scenes are very much a recurring theme with regards to James Bond films, however, the 1989 Bond outing License to Kill goes in a more unique direction as it features a scene including a game of blackjack.

Blackjack is a game that has grown in popularity over the years and you can now play online blackjack at most online casino sites. Bond, portrayed by the underrated Timothy Dalton, steps up to challenge the primary antagonist of the film Franz Sanchez (Robert Davi) to a game of blackjack, sees Bond victorious and ends with him securing an astronomical winning figure of £250,000.

John Glen’s License to Kill is known for its more hard-edged approach with elements that mirror genre classics like Scarface, Die Hard and Lethal Weapon. In fact, we wouldn’t be surprised if music composer Michael Kamen (who did the scores for the latter two) was chosen to give the film an edgier vibe. | License to Kill trailer.

"Casino Royale" Japanese Theatrical Poster

"Casino Royale" Japanese Theatrical Poster

4. Casino Royale (2006)
Le Chiffe poisons Bond

Out of all actors who have played Bond, Daniel Craig’s portrayal is without doubt the most gritty. This is a possible reason why Craig’s Bond produces a rare moment where he’s seriously threatened not by any weapon, but by a poison.

It occurs during a very tense game of poker, where his in-game adversary and main movie antagonist, Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen) spikes his Martini with poison. At the first onset of the effects of the poison, Bond quickly goes to the bathroom to make an emetic of salt water to attempt to expel any remaining poison in his stomach. He then rushes back to his car in order to use the AED (Automatic External Defibrillator).

His connection team back at MI6 determine he has been poisoned with Digitalis. He is on the verge of perishing as he is unable to singly manage the defibrillation process and he collapses, however, he is revived as Vesper (Eva Green) arrives just in time to set the AED in motion. This was a very tense scene which gave the viewer the sense of Bond actually being in serious and mortal danger.

As whole, Martin Campbell’s Casino Royale is considered the most loved 007 film. Talk about a movie with top notch acting, a great script and a formidable Bond girl, played by the spectacular Eva Green. | Casino Royale trailer.

"On Her Majesty's Secret Service" Japanese Theatrical Poster

"On Her Majesty's Secret Service" Japanese Theatrical Poster

3. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969)
The death of Bond’s wife

On Her Majesty’s Secret Service marked the end of the 60s and the start of an entirely new Bond actor: George Lazenby. As the film’s original trailer advertises: It’s “Bigger, Better, Different.”

One of the most noticeable features of a Bond film is his talent for womanizing. 007 has had countless affairs over all of his movies, which is why when he finally marries a woman, her quick and untimely demise acts as such a massive moment.

At the beginning of the film, Contessa Teresa ‘Tracy’ di Vicenzo (Diana Rigg) is saved from attempted suicide by Bond, and over time the two fall in love, leading to their marriage in Portugal. Following the marriage, when Bond stops the Aston Martin to remove chain flowers from the roof, the main antagonist of the film, Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Telly Savalas) and henchwoman (Irma Brunt ) attempt to kill Bond in a drive-by shooting. Their attempt at this fails, however, they succeed in killing Tracy, who has taken a bullet to the head.

On Her Majesty’s Secret Service is often divided between Bond enthusiasts as being either the worst or best in the series. Perhaps director Peter Hunt’s rapid-style filming/editing-style may have been too ahead of its time in 1969. Another factor is the introduction of a new Bond, which didn’t help the series’ worldwide fanbase who saw Sean Connery as irreplaceable. | On Her Majesty’s Secret Service trailer.

"Goldfinger" Japanese Theatrical Poster

"Goldfinger" Japanese Theatrical Poster

2. Goldfinger (1964)
Goldfinger ‘expects Bond to die’

In his many experiences of taking on villains, Bond utilizes his wit and humor as a tool to get the better of his adversaries. However, Bond has this used against him in a manner sure to highly entertain viewers.

In this scene, Auric Goldfinger (Gert Fröbe) has Bond captured, laid on a table with arms and legs strapped and a laser beam coming between his separated legs. Goldfinger gives a stark warning to Bond, saying that his next remark must be carefully made, as it would probably be his last, to which Bond states: “Do you expect me to talk?”. Goldfinger’s reply to this is simply: “No, Mr Bond. I expect you to die!”

Director Guy Hamilton’s Goldfinger is the quintessential Bond movie: Connery is at his best, the villains are unforgettable, and the theme song, by Shirley Bassey and John Barry, is an undisputed classic. | Goldfinger trailer.

"Dr. No" Theatrical Poster

"Dr. No" Theatrical Poster

1. Dr. No (1962)
Bond introduces himself

The greatest Bond scene is seen in the very first movie, Dr. No.  This is the moment when 007 truly makes his mark and announces himself to the audience with his iconic introduction. In a casino, he is participating in a game of baccarat where he is impressed by another player who introduces herself as “Trench, Sylvia Trench”. She goes on to say “I admire your luck, Mr…”, but before she is able to finish, Bond strikes the baccarat table, flips open his cigarette case and replies “Bond, James Bond”.

Director Terence Young’s Dr. No sparked off a world-wide phenomenon that still moves audiences 53 years later. Even then-President John F. Kennedy, who was a fan of Ian Fleming’s original 007 novels, requested a private showing of Dr. No in the White House. The man had taste. | Dr. No trailer.

Stay tuned for another Top 5 Bond list – and feel free to post your own in the comments section below. Until then, just a reminder that the Blu-ray & DVD for SPECTRE hit retail outlets everywhere on February 9, 2016.

Posted in News |

The Most Memorable Villains in Martial Arts Film: Part II

Posted on January 21, 2016 by JJ Bona

Every film genre – action, science fiction, horror, comedy and even animated – has had a series of memorable villains that have stuck with us for most of our lives. Whether it be a sadistic teenager portrayed by James Spader; an emotionless cyborg represented by Arnold Schwarzenegger; a suave, humorous terrorist leader played by Alan Rickman; or even a scarred lion voiced by Jeremy Irons – it’s the bad guys who make the classics so great!

So what about villains in martial arts film?

Villains in martial arts film definitely don’t get enough attention, so we’re aiming to fix this right now. Remember: It’s not so much how they look or how many foes they’ve taken down, it’s more about their impact on modern pop culture.

In no particular order, we introduce The Most Memorable Villains in Martial Arts Film: Part II.

FUNG SHENG WU CHI

Played by: Kam Kong
Trademark: Blind guy with a grudge against one-armed men
Weapon: The flying guillotine

When his pupils die at the hands of the famed One-Armed Boxer (Jimmy Wang), blind man Fung Sheng Wu Chi goes on a killing spree in his pursuit of vengeance. It’s his weapon of choice that makes him such a memorable bad guy. Being a blind man, Fung Sheng must use his other senses to track his enemies. When he’s locked on target, Fung Sheng throws the flying guillotine (which looks like a funky hat on a chain) onto his opponent’s head. He then yanks back on the chain, taking the head clean off. It’s both shocking and kind of funny. – Kyle Warner

JACK

Played by: Wu Jing
Trademark: White suit, sunglasses, and blonde tints
Weapon: Knife

After gruesomely murdering in cold blood all but one of Donnie Yen’s team in Sha Po Lang, there are not many fans out there who don’t have the image ingrained into their minds of Wu Jing standing at the end of the alley way, waiting to dish out some serious hurt to Yen. Decked out in a white suit and armed with a deadly blade, the ruthlessness and speed of Wu Jing’s icy killer left an impression that the actor hasn’t been able to top since. – Paul Bramhall

SASAKI KOJIRO

Played by: Ken Takakura (also by Koji Tsuruta)
Trademark: An unusually long katana
Weapon: Katana

Miyamoto Musashi may be the most famous Japanese swordsman of all time but any telling of his story would be incomplete without the inclusion of his rival Sasaki Kojiro. Played by a young Ken Takakura in Tomu Uchida’s Miyamoto Musashi film series, Kojiro observes Musashi from afar for multiple films before finally facing him in Duel at Ganryu Island. Kojiro isn’t really an evil man but he becomes the primary antagonist for the hero Musashi as they both seek to master the sword. Kojiro had supposedly been undefeated until the bout on Ganryu Island and many historians suggest that Musashi had to cheat in order to win. When the greatest of all time has to cheat to win, you know Sasaki Kojiro was a man to be reckoned with. – Kyle Warner

BOYKA

Played by: Scott Adkins
Trademark: A mohawk and more tattoos than you can shake a stick at
Weapon: He is the weapon

How do you know Boyka is a top villain? Well, how many other characters can you think of that aren’t even in the first movie of a series, have a supporting role in the sequel, but go on to become the star of both the third and fourth!? Boyka is that character, and while he may not remain the villain for the whole series, he left enough of an impression after throwing down with Michael Jai White in Undisputed 2, that he definitely deserves an entry on this list. – Paul Bramhall

MAD DOG

Played by: Yayan Ruhian
Trademark: A ferocious temper
Weapon: A flurry of fists and feet

What Ruhian lacks in height, he more than makes up for in pure unadulterated rage. As the character of Mad Dog he was like a one-man army in the Indonesian action movie The Raid, tearing through key members of the SWAT team assigned to take out a crime lord with joyful abandon. What really remains in the mind about Mad Dog, is not only his wince inducing Silat skills, but also his love of inflicting pain on his hapless victims. A true villain in every sense of the word. – Paul Bramhall

THE KILLER

Played by: Darren Shahlavi
Trademark: A metal eye mask
Weapon: Furious feet

Long before Donnie Yen hunted kung fu serial killer Baoqiang Wang in Kung Fu Jungle, Gary Daniels was after the original kung fu killer in the 1997 Seasonal Films production Bloodmoon. Sporting a cape, metallic eye mask, and rock star hair, Shalvavi’s Killer was memorable for all the right reasons. When he wasn’t laying waste to hapless martial arts experts, he was spouting such memorable lines as, “Did you notice, there’s blood on the moon tonight?” A true Shakespearian villain in every sense. – Paul Bramhall

LO PAN

Played by: James Hong
Trademark: Big hat and long fingernails
Weapon: Dark magic

Lo Pan may not be the most formidable villain on this list but he’s probably the most quotable. The sorcerer lived for thousands of years waiting for the right girl with green eyes to lift his curse only to have a bumbling idiot like Jack Burton come along and mess up his plans. Played with comic glee by James Hong, Lo Pan and Jack Burton make for a perfect hero/villain duo in Big Trouble in Little China. – Kyle Warner

THE BEAST

Played by: Leung Siu-Lung
Trademark: Flip-flops and a tank top
Weapon: Superhuman fighting skills

When the Axe Gang is unable to defeat the landlady and landlord of Pig Sty Alley, they seek out the most dangerous man alive to do their dirty work for them. Meet the Beast, an unkempt, unimposing middle-aged man in flip-flops. But looks can be deceiving. A beating that would kill a normal man only gives the Beast a bloody nose and his skills as a fighter appear to be unmatched. When finally challenged by an unlikely hero in the film’s finale, the Beast takes on the attributes of a toad and starts hopping all around the place, destroying much of Pig Sty Alley in the process. Kung Fu Hustle plays like a live-action kung fu cartoon full of larger-than-life characters, and the villainous Beast is among the film’s most memorable. – Kyle Warner

If you missed it, be sure to check out Part I of this article. Until then, we’ll be working on The Most Memorable Villains in Martial Arts Film: Part III. Any suggestions?

Posted in Features, News |

Ip Man 3 (2015) Review

Posted on January 21, 2016 by Zach Nix
"Ip Man 3" Theatrical Poster

“Ip Man 3” Theatrical Poster

AKA: Ip Man 3D
Director: Wilson Yip
Cast: Donnie Yen, Zhang Jin, Lynn Hung, Patrick Tam, Karena Ng, Kent Cheng, Bryan Leung, Louis Cheung, Danny Chan, Mike Tyson, Lo Meng, Babyjohn Choi
Running Time: 105 min.

By Zach Nix

When Wilson Yip’s Ip Man was released in 2008, it brought great attention to its titular real life martial arts master and kicked off a string of films based around Master Yip’s life and accomplishments. Ip Man 2 followed in 2010, as well as several films not made by Yip or Donnie Yen, such as the unofficial prequel The Legend is Born: Ip Man, the Anthony Wong fronted Ip Man: The Final Fight, and the critically acclaimed and long delayed The Grandmaster. Now that the Ip Man craze seems to have died down, Yip and Yen have finally returned to the series that started it all with Ip Man 3, the supposed final installment. While it is unfortunate that Ip Man 3 is nowhere near as good as its predecessors, and in all honesty a weak conclusion as far as finales come, the third entry is still a thrilling and emotional martial arts film with amazing action sequences courtesy of fight choreographer Yuen Woo Ping (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Kill Bill).

Ip Man 3 picks up in 1959, several years after the previous film, as Master Yip and his family settle into life in Hong Kong. Yip’s son, Ching, is currently going to school. However, he and every other child’s education is threatened when Frank (Mike Tyson), a ruthless property developer, instructs triads to take over the school in order for them to develop upon the land. However, the triads find taking the school difficult as Ip fights back and helps defend it. As Ip continues to deal with the triads and their ruthless boss, his relationship with his wife, Cheung Wing-sing (Lynn Hung), is put to the test as she grows ill. Matters are further complicated when Ip meets Cheung Tin-chi (Zhang Jin), a rickshaw puller with ambitions to become a martial arts teacher. The tension within Ip’s life boils to a brim until he must physically confront Frank about the school and Cheung Tin-chi about who is truly the master of Wing Chun.

Although Ip Man 3 is the supposed conclusion to Wilson Yip’s Ip Man series, it pales as far as conclusions come. If anything, Ip Man 3 feels like just another Ip Man film as it continues to tell the story of Ip’s life without building too much upon his character. That being said, any Ip Man film is still something to celebrate, especially one featuring Yen in top form and fight choreography by Yuen Woo Ping. Regardless, it would have been nice for the film to be a more penultimate farewell to the character that Donnie Yen has become so famous for immortalizing. Therefore, one should prepare themselves for a light and small-scaled Ip Man story in contrast to an ultimate conclusion of sorts.

Much like the previous films in the series, Ip Man 3 interconnects several sub-plots that all result in various confrontations. Interestingly enough, the highly advertised fight between Donnie Yen and Mike Tyson does not close out the film, but instead comes towards the end of the second act. Wilson Yip closes out the film with a fight between Yen and The Grandmaster’s Zhang Jin, the true antagonist/opponent of the film. While one might mistakenly assume that Mike Tyson is the villain of the picture, his appearance is purely diversionary stunt casting, as he appears within only three scenes and adds little to the film beyond his marquee name. Therefore, one should have their sights on Zhang Jin as the film’s ever developing antagonist. Although, there is no harm in enjoying Tyson’s cameo, as it makes for fun fan service.

Speaking of fan service, the film opens with a charming scene where a grown Bruce Lee, portrayed by Danny Chan, comes to Ip and asks to become his student. Chan nails down Lee’s mannerisms quite well in the scene, such as brushing his thumb underneath his chin and yelling as Lee did during his kicks. He also appears later in the film when he offers to teach Ip how to dance in exchange to be taught how to fight himself. Although the Ip Man films have always kept their focus on Master Yip, it’s fun to finally see one give into Yip’s legacy and include some scenes with his famous pupil, Bruce Lee. In retrospect, it was a good artistic decision for the filmmakers to opt for a physical actor over the ditched computer generated Bruce Lee. After all, a computer animated Bruce Lee would have done nothing but conjure up uncomfortable feelings of uncanny valley.

Whereas the previous Ip Man films featured fight choreography by Sammo Hung, the third entry features choreography by the legendary Yuen Woo Ping. In comparison to the previous entries, the action is more brutal and faster paced, with punches and hits coming harder and faster than ever before. The lack of slow motion also attributes to this diminishing balletic and graceful quality that was especially apparent in the previous two films. However, the action flies by so fast at points, that I may have to watch the film a second to time to fully soak in Ping’s hard hitting fist fights. Ip Man 3 is a martial arts fan dream come true, as it is positively stacked to the brim with physical and melee fights galore.

Action highlights include a massive brawl against a gang of triads in a lumberyard as well as a tense close-quarters fight set within an elevator. In all honesty, no fight in the film is weak, as everyone brings his or her A-game throughout the entire film. It’s just that certain fights are better than others because they serve the story more naturally or offer up a concept not previously seen before. For example, the close quarters elevator fight thrilled me beyond belief because it had legitimate stakes to it. When Frank becomes frustrated with Ip Man, he sends a Thai martial artist after him. Fans of Nicolas Winding Refn’s Drive may experience a sense of Déjà vu during this scene, as Ip Man pushes his wife back upon realizing that a dangerous opponent has entered the elevator with them. What follows is a unique fight in which Ip Man must fight his opponent while moving his wife around and protecting her at the same time. Showy versus matches such as the Donnie Yen and Mike Tyson fight will always bring in action fans, but truly tense and original showoffs like Ip Man 3’s elevator brawl are the true treasures of martial arts cinema.

Ip Man 3 puts more of an emphasis on Ip Man’s relationship with his wife Wing-sing than the previous installments did, thereby also ditching the strong Chinese nationalistic themes that dominated the plots of the previous films. Although action fans will find themselves salivating at every punch and kick throughout the film, Ip’s marriage is what truly anchors the viewer throughout the picture, especially during the final act. In fact, after Ip’s anticipated fight with Frank, his marriage seems to be the only story element that will keep viewers invested. Both Yen and Lynn Hung get to participate in some charming scenes with one another where their natural relationship as a couple finally blossoms and allows us to learn how wonderful a lover Master Yip was, especially during his wife’s final days. If anything, Ip Man 3 covers the same philosophical and physical grounds as its predecessors, while expanding upon how great a husband Master Yip was.

Now that Ip Man 3 has finally arrived upon the scene, the film signals an end of an era for Donnie Yen. Yen has speculated that Ip Man 3 may be his last kung fu film, as he is now age 52 and may put less of an emphasis on his kicks and punches in film. He has also discussed that Ip Man 3 will most likely be the final installment in the series, as Yen feels now is the perfect time to say goodbye to the character. Ip Man 3 may also mark the end of the Ip Man craze, as all of the other Ip Man adaptations found themselves released in between the second and third installments. Plus, Yen will make his long awaited transfer to Hollywood this year with the release of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, easily the year’s biggest blockbuster. Therefore, Ip Man 3 finds Yen bidding farewell to arguably his most famous character at a distinct point in his career.

Ip Man 3 is certainly an event amongst martial arts movie fans, as few martial arts franchises are as big as Wilson Yip and Donnie Yen’s Ip Man series. While a far cry from its immensely dramatic and thematically satisfying predecessors, Ip Man 3 is still a solid martial arts drama, although not quite what a typical finale calls for in cinematic media. Yen’s Master Yip may be gone, but his legacy will live on forever.

Update: This review should be taken as an initial reaction at the time of Ip Man 3’s release. While it was never explicitly stated that it was the final film in the series, the film carried the weight and feeling of finality for several reasons: such as the over-abundance of Ip Man films already, the amount of time in between the second and third installment, and Yen’s ever growing plate of projects. I had always felt that Ip Man 3 seemed like just another installment anyways, and not a finale, but had convinced myself otherwise. Therefore, with the recent confirmation of Ip Man 4, I’d like to remind everyone about the state of both Yen and the Ip Man series at the time, and how I perceived the third film upon first watch, per my review.

Zach Nix’s Rating: 8/10

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

Fury in Shaolin Temple (1982) Review

Posted on January 19, 2016 by Paul Bramhall
"Fury in Shaolin Temple" Japanese VHS Cover

“Fury in Shaolin Temple” Japanese VHS Cover

AKA: Friendship Forged in Blood
Director: Choe Hyeon-min
Cast: Gordon Liu, Philip Ko Fei, Gam Kei Chu, Lee Fat Yuen, Bruce Lai, Jacky Chen, Lee Gang-jo
Running Time: 83 min.

By Paul Bramhall

The image of Gordon Liu as a shaven headed monk is one that’s inextricably associated with the kung fu movie genre. Starring as the monk San Te in Lau Kar Leung’s 1978 picture The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, Liu would keep his head shaved for a number of other productions. From Fists and Guts a year later, to Clan of the White Lotus and Return to the 36th Chamber, both from 1980. However while Liu became hugely popular with western audiences, on home soil he never attracted the same fan base as the likes of fellow Shaw Brothers actors like Ti Lung and David Chiang.

Perhaps most tellingly, unlike many Shaw actors, Liu didn’t have a contract which tied him into only making movies for the studio. So by the mid-80’s, while his work at the famous studio saw him either starring in lesser known productions (with the exception of The 8 Diagram Pole Fighter, which saw him take on the lead role after the untimely passing of the original star, Alexander Fu Sheng), or playing supporting roles in Lau Kar Leung movies (including returning to the role of San Te in 1985’s Disciples of the 36th Chamber), Liu took the opportunity to star in a trio of Korea and Hong Kong co-productions.

Making both Shaolin Drunken Monk and Raiders of Buddhist Kung Fu in 1981 on Korean soil, Liu returned there one more time a year later to make Fury in Shaolin Temple. Directed by Choe Hyeon-min, what makes his final effort in Korea unique is that it pairs Liu with occasional Bruce Lee clone Chang Il-do (aka Bruce Lai). Liu isn’t the only Hong Kong talent working on the production though, as it also comes with fight choreographer Chin Yuet-Sang. Yuet-Sang has always been an underrated fight choreographer, and has worked on everything from the likes of The Buddha Assassinator to John Woo’s Heroes Shed No Tears. The movie he’s most famous for though is most likely the Shaw Brothers production, Lion vs. Lion, which along with Hsu Hsia he also wrote and directed.

Yuet-Sang’s presence certainly leaves its mark on Fury in Shaolin Temple, as unlike many Korean productions of the era, the choreography is noticeably sharp and intricate, with Liu and Il-do getting plenty of chances to shine. Unfortunately the movie is let down by just about everything else. The story is extremely muddled, and seems to function only to try and squeeze in as many kung fu movie clichés as possible – we have murdered masters, secret kung fu manuals, monks, training scenes, revenge, bad wigs, and more styles than you can shake a stick at. What other movie crams in Drunken Eagle Claw, Drunken Mantis Fist, Shaolin Ghost Fist, and Dragon Fist all into a compact 90 minute run time!? Fury in Shaolin Temple is the answer.

The basic plot revolves around Liu and Il-do, who play the sons of two martial arts masters that wish for their offspring to combine each of their styles, and defeat a traitorous Shaolin abbot. To protect each other, the martial arts masters swap sons when they’re still babies. However as a child, Liu’s adopted father is framed for stealing a manual and taken away, leaving Liu to be taken in as an assistant cook by the temples chef. Or something like that, none of it really makes sense, and we also learn that Il-do has become a member of the Eagle Clan and is next in line to be the clan’s leader. Whatever, seriously, the plot hardly has an ounce of coherency to it.

Liu and Il-do don’t even appear until 20 minutes in, as proceedings open with one of the fathers battling off the villainous Shaolin monk and his gang. His gang by the way, consist of 18 monks decked out in full body black and grey leotards. I wish I was lying. The father, played by Lee Gang-jo, is possibly the least convincing kung-fu master I’ve ever seen. Slightly on the chubby side, his flailing against the rather uncoordinated and completely impractical moves of the leotard wearing monks is a sight to behold. The monks fighting formations tend to resemble more of a synchronized swimming rehearsal more than anything else, and bizarrely, the whole fight has a strange soundtrack of tigers growling. When Liu does appear, training under a beautifully picturesque waterfall, I let out an audible sight of relief.

During Liu’s training sequences he looks as legit as ever, his teachings from Lau Kar Leung no doubt making him the real deal, and it’s there onscreen to see. When he’s not, he looks bored. Ironically Il-do’s best scene appears to have been randomly inserted from a completely different movie. Suddenly sporting short hair and the same attire Bruce Lee wore in The Big Boss, while wondering through a field he’s confronted by two bandits, played by Philip Ko Fei and Lee Fat Yuen, who attempt to rob him. This leads to a fantastic fight between Il-do and the two assailants. While Fat Yuen is dispatched with ease, the chance isn’t wasted for a face off between Il-do and Ko Fei, as the two opponents use the previously mentioned Drunken Eagle Claw and Drunken Mantis Fist against each other to entertaining effect. It’s a shame the scene has zero relevance to anything else.

Fury in Shaolin Temple is the type of movie that for every scene of quality fight action, we seem to get bombarded by countless nonsensical and goofy scenes in return. At one point a baby is thrown into a tree, in another a bunch of bad guys get hit and roll down a hill, and roll, and roll, and roll, and in another Liu and Il-do are subjected to some hilarious wire work when they jump through the roof of a burning restaurant. That’s not to mention the return of the 18 monks, who do indeed make a comeback, however when they do they’ve lost the leotards, and are instead covered in either bronze or cobalt blue paint (which I think was supposed to look silver).

Despite all this though, Chang Il-do does get some solid fight action, which almost makes it seem like Liu was shoehorned in to the production at the last minute. Il-do’s fight against fellow Korean Shin Wu-cheol, armed with two swords, is a highlight, and he really gets to show off his Taekwondo kicks in these scenes. Of course the whole movie has been building up to when Liu and Il-do realize who the other is, and get together to combine their respective styles. They do meet, however once they’ve established their connection to each other, it seems to have been forgotten that they’re supposed to learn the others style and combine them, and it pretty much skips straight to the final fight with the abbot.

Again Liu seems to be shoehorned in here, as the fight is 90% Il-do, while Liu is left to battle the ridiculously painted monks. Eventually he does join in, throws no more than 3 kicks, and finishes off the abbot with a move which will draw moans from even the most forgiving kung-fu cinema fan. All in all Fury in Shaolin Temple shows all the signs of a movie that was being made up as it went along, and despite containing some decent fight action from Chang Il-do, the feeling of it being cobbled together in such a haphazard and careless manner just can’t be avoided. Needless to say, the only fury worth mentioning here, is what you’ll feel once you’re done watching it.

Paul Bramhall’s Rating: 4/10

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

Guardian (2014) Review

Posted on January 18, 2016 by Paul Bramhall
"Guardian" Theatrical Poster

“Guardian” Theatrical Poster

Director: Helfi Kardit
Cast: Sarah Carter, Tio Pakusadewo, Nino Fernandez, Dominique Agisca Diyose, Belinda Camesi, Kimi Jayanti, Ganindra Bimo, laudia Soraya, Naomi Zaskia
Running Time: 91 min.

By Paul Bramhall

When The Raid hit screens in 2011, it well and truly put Indonesia on the map in terms of action cinema. Much like Ong Bak did the same for Thailand back in 2003, many expected a wave of Indonesian action movies to come in its wake. However, surprisingly, it never really happened, with Gareth Evans and co. remaining unchallenged as the heirs to the Indonesian action cinema throne. Thankfully, to at least give them some competition, in 2014 director Helfi Kardit decided to throw his hat into the ring with Guardian.

Kardit, an Indonesia native, had up until Guardian been known for directing a number of low budget suspense and horror productions, with 16 movies to his name since his debut in 2006. In an interview regarding his decision to make an action movie, he explained that it was his belief that the action genre has an international appeal, and that he’d had the story for Guardian in mind for quite some time. Perhaps in a move to further promote its international appeal, one of the main characters in the movie was always intended to be a foreigner.

Indonesia, despite its faith being primarily Muslim, has developed quite the reputation for casting pornographic actresses in its movies, primarily as a way to try and increase their box office. Of course, said actresses never get even slightly close to any nudity, but that hasn’t stopped the likes of Sasha Grey (Pocong Mandi Goyang Pinggul), Sola Aoi (Evil Nurse 2), and Maria Ozawa (Menculik Miyabi) from making appearances in some of the worse movies you’re ever likely to see. Notably Menculik Miyabi even drew the ire of the Islamic Defenders Front, a radicalised group notorious for violence, who held protests demanding that Ozawa be cut from the movie all together.

Perhaps to avoid this type of controversy, Kardit decided to go with the more conventional approach, and cast Sarah Carter, an actress most famous for her roles in the likes of Final Destination 2 and DOA: Dead or Alive. Quite how Carter got the gig in Guardian is one of the movie world’s great mysteries, however it’s fair to say that she probably needs to look for a new agent. Carter isn’t actually the main focus of the movie though, that goes to the mother and daughter pair played by Indonesian actresses Dominique Agisca Diyose and Belinda Camesi respectively.

Diyose and Camesi don’t have the best relationship. Their issues stem from when Camesi witnessed her undercover cop father get brutally murdered as a child, and ever since then her mother has been forcibly teaching her martial arts. Camesi has a real chip on her shoulder, and constantly complains about having to learn how to fight, and all Diyose can do is throw clichéd lines at her like, “One day you’ll understand.” Of course, that day comes when a bunch of snarling villains arrive outside their house, and proceed to spend a whole minute blasting it to pieces with machine guns. Despite the residence being riddled with more holes than the plot, the sequence is amusingly finished off with one of the villains firing a couple of RPG’s at it as well, just for good measure. This is a bunch of bad guys who clearly have an overstock of ammunition, and somehow need to get rid of it.

This puts the pair on the run, from what’s eventually revealed to be more than one group of villains, of which Sarah Carter is included. The setup essentially makes up the movie – mother and daughter with closeness issues on the run from bad guys trying to kill them. Kardit does an applaudable job of filling the movie with a number of shootouts, all of which were clearly created to be watched with the sound turned up, however there’s a striking lack of coherency to them. Many times it’s not clear exactly who is shooting at what, as the rapid fire editing throws in so many cuts that all sense of distance and space is lost entirely.

To add some extra spectacle, what obviously couldn’t be covered by the budget has been attempted to be created by CGI. This leads to one of my favorite moments of the movie, which takes place during a street shootout. A truck with a large trailer attached ends up stationery in the middle of the street, and at one point a CGI car hurtles through the air, smashing right through the middle of it in an explosion of poorly rendered CGI flames. However it appears that Kardit didn’t communicate with the CGI team very well, as it’s revealed the bad guys have an SUV in the trailer, which they proceed to use as a getaway vehicle from the scene, driving it out completely damage free. Somehow the car that went straight through the middle completely missed the SUV, despite the huge smouldering hole leaving it all but completely destroyed.

After 50 minutes Tio Pakusadewo makes his entrance, who at this point, thanks to his role as Bangun in The Raid 2, is arguably the more recognizable star than Sarah Carter. It has to be said that until his arrival, in terms of plot there really hasn’t been any explanation as to what exactly is going on. All we know is that there’s a bunch of bad guys trying to kill Diyose and Camesi, but what their motivation is, beyond using their excess ammunition, remains unclear. Pakusodewo’s character rectifies this matter, who speaks in an awkward mix of English and Indonesian, and the reveal turns out to be the strong point of the movie. Told through a flashback scene, it does a good job of connecting the dots, particularly addressing the presence of Carter.

Of course Kardit’s intention wasn’t just to sell his movie on shootouts and a plot twist, with a mother and daughter who are both highly skilled martial artists (supposedly), Guardian comes with a promise of some lady’s kicking ass. Even now though, I’m unsure if that promise is fulfilled or not, as it’s almost impossible to tell what’s going on whenever a fight scene kicks off. Kardit has employed a truly bizarre technique which actually induces dizziness – during a fight the camera will be panning to the left, then after a second it cuts and it’s then panning to the right, then continues cutting left and right as the fight progresses. Unless the cameraman’s former job was filming tennis, I have no idea how this was considered to be an acceptable way of filming a fight. It becomes all but impossible to maintain focus on the actual combatants, and chances are you’ll involuntarily find your head moving from side to side while watching.

It’s a shame, as while the fights themselves are clearly performed by non-martial artists, amongst the flashes of arms and legs there is some nice stunt-work. One stuntman gets tapped in the face, and proceeds to run and throw himself down a flight of stairs, which is both hilarious and quite impressive. Another does a nice fall after smashing through a window. However the nano-second editing does its best to spoil everything, and there’s also another issue – no matter how many times the characters get punched or kicked, they remain completely unbloodied or bruised, seemingly impervious to the damage being dished out to them. It’s this lack or realism which further damages an already ropey production.

Kardit clearly has an enthusiasm for making action movies, one which sees him sticking with the genre for his follow-up, the 2016 movie Ten: The Secret Mission (which comes with the tagline – 10 Models Recruited by Intelligence), however his talent doesn’t match his ambitions. In a Q&A for Guardian he stated that his biggest influence is Tony Scott. However the best advice I could give him at this point would be to drop Gareth Evans a line, meet up for a coffee, and ask as many questions as possible. Maybe after that, he can come back and put what he’s learnt into practice. Until then though, no doubt there’s a tennis tournament out there somewhere that can put Kardit’s talents to good use.

Paul Bramhall’s Rating: 4/10

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

Mojin: The Lost Legend (2015) Review

Posted on January 16, 2016 by Paul Bramhall
"Mojin: The Lost Legend" Theatrical Poster

“Mojin: The Lost Legend” Theatrical Poster

AKA: The Ghouls
Director: Wu Ershan
Cast: Chen Kun, Huang Bo, Shu Qi, Angelababy, Xia Yu, Liu Xiaoqing, Cherry Ngan, Ng Man Tat
Running Time: 125 min.

By Paul Bramhall

The Mainland Chinese blockbuster is becoming a more and more common sight in recent years, as the local industry looks to satisfy a population that increasingly enjoys going to the cinema with its own big budget movies, rather than having to rely on Hollywood productions. So far the trend seems to be on little else other than fitting in as much spectacle as possible, with efforts such as Switch and Zhong Kui: Snow Girl and the Dark Crystal all too obviously trying to impress with their technical aspects, while paying little attention to almost everything else. Mojin: The Lost Legend was released to close out 2015 in China, and is the second adaptation of the web novel series ‘The Ghost Blows Out the Light’ in 12 months, the first being Lu Chuan’s Chronicles of the Ghostly Tribe.

Directed by Wu Ershan, an Inner Mongolia native, Mojin marks his third time in the director’s chair after 2010’s eclectic comedy The Butcher, The Chef and the Swordsman, and 2012’s fantasy adventure Painted Skin 2: The Resurrection, a sequel to the 2008 Donnie Yen starring original. Ershan studied oil painting at China’s Central Institution of Fine Arts, before attending the School of Directing at the Beijing Film Academy, and his eye for visual flair is certainly something which is reflected in his work so far.

Mojin marks Ershan’s first foray into making a movie that takes place in a modern day setting (1988 to be precise), and gives us Chen Kun, Huang Bo, and Shu Qi as a trio of tomb raiders, known as Mojin. Kun has worked with Ershan before, with a role in Painted Skin 2: The Resurrection (as well as the 2008 original, and the previously mentioned Zhong Kui), while Bo should be familiar as the unhinged Monkey King from Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons. Out of the trio, it’s unlikely that Shu Qi needs any type of introduction. She also recently starred alongside Bo in Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons, but 2015 will no doubt be remembered for her role in Hou Hsiao-hsien’s The Assassin, for which she was nominated for Best Leading Actress at Golden Horse Film Awards the same year.

The plot for Mojin is fairly simple. So simple that it sometimes glazes over important details. In a nutshell, the trio have made a vow to stop raiding tombs. The only time we ever see them raid a tomb is in flashback to 20 years earlier, so it’s never really defined how often they’re actually indulging in the tomb raiding business, but either way, they’ve vowed to stop. Why they’ve vowed to stop is never explained, however it’s a cause of tension for Bo. Kun and Qi have slept with each other (revealed just though talking unfortunately), so they’re happy to do their own thing, however 20 years ago Bo lost a girl (played by AngelaBaby) he had a crush on in a tomb raiding incident, and before she died he promised to find the Equinox Flower. The Equinox Flower is an ancient treasure said to have mystical powers, so when a shady organisation reveal they’ve found it and want to recruit Bo to extract it from the tomb, despite his principles he finds himself unable to say no.

Proceedings actually kick off in New York city (or ‘sick America’ as it’s referred to), before quickly moving to Ershan’s native Mongolia, the setting in which both the flashback scenes to 20 years earlier and the rest of the plot take place in. The Mongolian landscapes offer an opportunity for Mojin to really set itself aside from many of the recent blockbusters, with its unique vistas providing a refreshing change from the usual locales. However this chance is squandered by the rush to get into the tomb, which is where over a third of the movie takes place in, and is mostly made up of a subdued blue-grey palette in which many rock formations, rickety old rope bridges, and booby traps take shape.

Mojin looks to be aiming for a kind of The Mummy meets Lara Croft: Tomb Raider vibe, which western audiences will likely be of the opinion that neither productions are particularly great movies to aspire to. That being said, if Hollywood does ever decide to reboot the Tomb Raider series, Mojin leaves little doubt that it should be Shu Qi who steps into the shoes of Angelina Jolie. But then again, she’s Asian, so who are we kidding. For what it’s looking to aspire to though, the CGI effects are convincingly grand, proving that Mainland China is certainly getting ever closer to matching Hollywood productions in terms of effect work. The problem is that, convincingly grand doesn’t necessarily mean they’re exciting, and Mojin displays a certain over reliance on repetition to provide its thrills.

During the initial flashback sequence, the accidental tomb raiders are confronted by a horde of Japanese zombies, seemingly brought to life by some mysterious force. Later on in present day, the same thing happens, with hardly any variance from when the same event was shown earlier in the movie. The rickety rope bridge trope is also used several times, each one presenting a slightly different problem, but there’s never any getting away from the fact that again, characters are facing a precarious situation on a rickety rope bridge.

Western audiences will also find plenty to roll their eyes at in the flashback scenes to when Kun, Bo, and AngelaBaby were members of the Red Guard during Mao’s Cultural Revolution. The script sets up a love triangle between the trio, which never convinces, and further shoots itself in the foot later by never explaining how Shu Qi entered the scene. During the flashback scene the Mao era seems to be treated as a time of cultural purity, with plenty of patriotic songs being sung while riding on the back of a pickup truck, and members waving the Chinese flag around for no other reason than it’s probably in the script. When the group come across a series of statues that they believe go against what the Cultural Revolution stands for, they decide to destroy them while chanting, “We are materialists. True materialists are fearless!” Scenes like this translate poorly to a foreign audience, coming across more like propaganda than a coherent part of the story.

The awkwardness also applies to Mojin’s attempts at comedy, with a series of oddly timed comic dialogue which tend to result in a furrowing of the brow rather than the desired laugh. One aspect that definitely succeeds in drawing a laugh though is Bo’s hair. In a bizarre attempt to differentiate his character from what he looks like in the flashback scenes, the 41 year old actor has been given a hairstyle which looks like it belongs on a member of a Korean boy-band 20 years his junior. Think Donnie Yen’s hair on the promotional posters for Iceman 3D, then add some extra volume, and what’s left almost warrants its own credit. It’s a highpoint of the movie.

Other characters in Mojin don’t fare much better. Liu Xiao-Qing is decidedly one-note as the villain of the piece who wants the Equinox Flower for herself, while Cherry Ngan Cheuk Ling, playing her psychotic Japanese bodyguard, seems to have been designed on Wu Jing’s psychotic villain from Sha Po Lang. She could well be his characters female twin. Worst of all though is Xia Yu, who plays the broker between Xiao-Qing and the Mojin, and is essentially the comedy foil. Yu’s performance is guaranteed to make even the most jaded viewer more Dean Shek tolerant, as whenever he’s onscreen it’s an almost unbearable barrage of whining and gurning. If his job description was to play a character who has the irritating level turned up to 11, then he did an outstanding job.

Despite all the epic scale destruction on display, complete with explosions, zombies, collapsing bridges, and booby traps, in the final minutes it’s also unintentionally hammered home that we’re watching a Mainland China production. With a ban on showing anything considered supernatural, Kun is burdened with a clunky line in which he explains that he and Bo’s visions of AngelaBaby are due to their own guilt and obsession with her. As if that wasn’t enough, we get a double whammy as Shu Qi gets to explain away everything mystical that’s happened so far, with a completely throwaway line in which she reveals that the Equinox Flower is “just a meteorite, its light makes people hallucinate.” Passing off the zombie scenes as hallucinations is perhaps the movies best comedy moment. After watching Mojin, I now have to deal with my own guilt at witnessing such an inconsistent piece of filmmaking. I only hope the guilt doesn’t make me have visions of it, as once was enough.

Paul Bramhall’s Rating: 4/10

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