Rush Hour 2 | Blu-ray (Warner)

Rush Hour 2 | Blu-ray (Warner)

Rush Hour 2 | Blu-ray (Warner)

RELEASE DATE: TBA

For the first time, Warner presents the Blu-ray for Brett Ratner’s Rush Hour 2. Detectives Carter (Chris Tucker) and Lee (Jackie Chan) team up to fight some more bad guys. This time around, the action takes place in Hong Kong where the two become embroiled in a counterfeit money scam. Rush Hour 2 is also notable for the appearance of Zhang Ziyi (The Grandmaster) and John Lone (Year of the Dragon).

Stay tuned for pre-order information.

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

Can Dialectics Break Bricks? | DVD (Occupie Filmwerx)

Can Dialectics Break Bricks? | DVD (Occupie Filmwerx)

Can Dialectics Break Bricks? | DVD (Occupie Filmwerx)

RELEASE DATE: June 17, 2014

Occupie Filmwerx presents the DVD for 1973’s Can Dialectics Break Bricks? Comrades, there is no better example of revolution on film than this hilarious spoof of politics, class warfare and consumption that still holds up in today’s advanced capitalistic world. Taking an obscure kung fu film (1972’s Crush starring Chen Hung-Lieh) and redubbing the entire movie, a group of situationists have created the perfect dada film, one rife with political sharpness and theoretical humor that is also a harsh critique of 20th Century work and life, while standing on its own as an avant-garde experiment in the absurd.

Order Can Dialectics Break Bricks? from Amazon.com today!

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

Macabre | aka Rumah Dara (2009) Review

"Macabre" Indonesian Theatrical Poster

“Macabre” Indonesian Theatrical Poster

Director: The Mo Brothers
Cast: Julie Estelle, Shareefa Daanish, Imelda Therinne, Arifin Putra, Ruli Lubis, Ario Bayu, Sigi Wimala, Daniel Mananta, Mike Lucock, Dendy Subangil
Running Time: 95 min.

By Jeff Bona

Thanks to Gareth Evans’ The Raid and The Raid 2, the exciting new wave of Indonesian cinema has found its way to a whole new audience. Although Evans is somewhat of the spokesman, it’s movies like 2009’s Macabre (aka Rumah Dara) that remind us how Indonesia was pumping out over-the-top, excessively violent, beautifully crafted gems before The Raid saga took us by storm. There’s been one hell of a film movement going on in Indonesia, and directors Kimo Stamboel and Timo Tjahjanto (aka The Mo Brothers) are part of the cause. Like Evans, these guys have a passion for blood and brutality, and they have a creative way of presenting it.

Without giving anything away, here’s how Macabre begins: An awkward group of friends and family – one pregnant – are enjoying road trip until they come across a frightened young woman who had just been robbed and left stranded on the side of the road. After much speculation, the group decides to give her a lift home. Once they arrive to her destination, the victim shows her appreciation by inviting them inside to meet her family. Once again, the group reluctantly takes her offer and this is where the fun begins…

Just like Kim Ji-woon’s I Saw the Devil, Macabre is visually explicit, possibly even moreso. It’s a movie that has no regard for the basic principles of right and wrong, even in the context of being an over-the-top horror movie. If you think it’s just a slash and dash-type of flick, think again. Some of the weapons showcased include samurai swords, bow and arrows, chainsaws, pistols, shot guns and much more. The film was actually banned in some countries because of its “excessive violence,” which is somewhat understandable. Let’s put it this way: it’s not exactly the type of movie you want to throw on the tube while giving candy to kids on Halloween night.

Julie Estelle (who is on her way to being known as “Hammer Girl” for the rest of her life) is the main character in Macabre. The minute you see her, you’ll fall in love with her sheer natural beauty and acting capabilities. After seeing the way she handles her job in a barbaric film like Macabre, it’s easy to see why she was cast as Hammer Girl in The Raid 2. Talk about a female who has no problem being drenched in blood, nor is she afraid to get down, dirty and physical. To put it simply, she’s a badass.

The Raid 2 fans will also be happy to notice the appearance of Arifin Putra, a charismatic actor who seems to have the knack for playing psychotic characters, despite his handsome features. Visually, Putra is a distinctive combination of Brandon Lee (The Crow), Terence Yin (New Police Story) and Tak Sakaguchi (Versus). If you liked his over-the-top performance in The Raid 2, you don’t want to miss what he has to offer in Macabre.

Macabre isn’t for everyone. I would easily recommend it to horror movie fans, especially those who like the sight of blood and gore. Sure, it’s not original and has its corny moments, but it’s still one of the best films I’ve seen of this kind. Maybe it’s the film’s excellent pacing or exciting build up – or just for the fact that it’s entertainment done right – but I feel like I’d be cheating it if I dismissed it as just another horror film. It surely deserves a lot more credit than that.

Give Macabre, give it a shot. You won’t be sorry.

Jeff Bona‘s Rating: 8/10

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

Millennium to release Ernie Reyes Jr’s ‘Ninja Apocalypse’

Ninja Apocalypse | Blu-ray & DVD (Millennium)

Ninja Apocalypse | Blu-ray & DVD (Millennium)

From visual effects director Lloyd Lee Barnett – known for his digital work in films like Avatar, Speed Racer and Spider-man – comes Ninja Apocalypse. This upcoming martial arts film sports an impressive cast that includes Christian Oliver (The Three Musketeers), Ernie Reyes Jr. (The Rundown), Les Brandt, West Liang, Kaiwi Lyman, Tara Macken, Isaac C. Singleton Jr., Antoinette Kalaj, Mark Heidelberger and Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa (Mortal Kombat).

According to Film Combat Syndicate, Ninja Apocalypse appears to have taken a few notes from 1979 classic, The Warriors, with a touch of heavy-hitting martial arts action and fantasy and zombies!

Updates: Millennium Entertainment will be releasing the Blu-ray & DVD for Ninja Apocalypse on August 5, 2014. Until then, check out the action packed trailer.

Posted in News |

Watch Tony Jaa’s ‘Protector 2’ aka ‘Tom Yum Goong 2’ now!

"The Protector 2" Teaser Poster

"The Protector 2" Teaser Poster

THE MOVIE: Once again, Kham’s pet elephant (Tony Jaa) has been abducted and he must fight anyone in his way to find him. Prachya Pinkaew (Tom Yum Goong) is directing, Panna Rittikrai handling fight choreography and Chocolate star Jeeja Yanin also stars. This is the first time Jaa has ever shared the stage with another marquee fighter.

Updates: Twitch is running an article that states Tom Yum Goong 2 will be the first Tony Jaa movie to make extensive use of CGI and wirework, supposedly necessitated because of the film’s 3D nature.

Tony Jaa is looking to return to the director’s chair for a different film. That project may involve callaboration with Bangkok Knockout director Panna Rittikrai and Fighting Fish director Julaluck Ismalone. | According to Tom Yum Goong 2’s English Facebook page, Magnet Releasing has secured North American rights to the film and should be releasing it under the title The Protector 2. | New poster for Tom Yum Gong 2. | The teaser with English subs.

Second teaser trailer. | Character posters. | Behind-the-scenes featurette with Jeeja Yanin. | Sahamongkol Film International has unveiled the final trailer for Tom Yum Goong 2. | It’s Jaa vs. RZA in a new character featurette. | New 3D clip plus new wallpapers. | New 3D clip, featuring Tony Jaa vs. Marrese Crump. | English subbed final trailer!

Tom Yum Goong 2, which will be released as The Protector 2, will be available on iTunes and OnDemand starting March 27th, and in U.S. theaters May 2nd. Check out the poster, courtesy of Collider. | Newest U.S. trailer.

BREAKING NEWS: Just a reminder that Tom Yum Goong 2 (aka The Protector 2) is currently available to watch on Amazon.com’s instant video service – just be sure to read our review for the film before you spend your hard earned bucks!

Posted in News |

Deal on Fire! Mad Max: Complete Trilogy | Blu-ray | Only $24.99 – Expires soon!

"Mad Max Trilogy" Blu-ray Cover

"Mad Max Trilogy" Blu-ray Cover

Today’s Deal on Fire is the Blu-ray set for the Mad Max: Complete Trilogy, which features 1979’s Mad Max, 1981’s Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior and 1985’s Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (presented on Blu-ray for the first time). Before Mel Gibson forged his place in Hollywood history, he fired up the screen in his now-iconic role as Max Rockatansky!

For $8 bucks a movie – plus a nifty case made of “high tensile steel” – it’s the perfect way to prepare yourself for the upcoming Mad Max IV: Fury Road.

Order the Mad Max: Complete Trilogy on Amazon.com today!

Posted in Deals on Fire!, News |

Watch the trailer for Lee Jung-ho’s revenge-thriller ‘Broken’

"Broken" Korean Theatrical Poster

"Broken" Korean Theatrical Poster

Fans of revenge flicks like Chaser, Death Wish and Edge of Darkness should check out the trailer for Lee Jung-ho’s Broken (aka Roving Edge), an upcoming South Korean thriller – based on Keigo Higashino’s 2004 novel The Hovering Blade – about a father (Jung Jae-young) who becomes a fugitive as he hunts down the two men responsible for his daughter’s rape and murder, in a timely exploration of justice in the digital era.

Roving Edge stars Jeong Jae-yeong (Guns & Talks) and  Lee Sung-min (Attack on the Pin-Up Boys). It was released in Korea last March, so hopefully will seen a North American distribution soon.

We’ll keep you updated if that happens.

Posted in News |

Cityonfire and Well Go USA are giving away 3 Blu-ray copies of ‘Confession of Murder’ – WINNERS ANNOUNCED!

Confession of Murder | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

Confession of Murder | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

Cityonfire.com and Well Go USA are giving away 3 Blu-ray copies of Confession of Murder to three lucky Cityonfire visitors. To enter, simply add a comment to this post telling us what your favorite crime-thriller is (from any country), along with a brief explanation of why it’s your favorite. We will be selecting three winners 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. Please read the disclaimer below.

The Blu-ray & DVD for Confession of Murder will be officially released on April 15, 2014. We will announce the 3 lucky winners on April 15th and ship out the prizes immediately.

CONTEST DISCLAIMER: You must enter by April 14th to qualify. Also, because Well Go USA holds the film’s U.S. rights, only U.S. residents may enter the contest. 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: Congratulations to Ben, Ronny and Sheila F. You have all been notified via email.

Posted in News | Tagged |

Universal’s ‘Timecop’ reboot gets two ‘Mysterious’ writers

"Timecop" Japanese Theatrical Poster

"Timecop" Japanese Theatrical Poster

THR reports that Universal is developing a remake of 1994’s Timecop. Directed by Peter Hyams (End of Days) and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, the original Timecop took place in the near future where special officers traveled through time to arrest those who used “time travel” to commit crimes.

According to THR, the studio is approaching the new Timecop as a reboot and a re-imagining of the concept and is being handed to writers. As with Phillip Noyce’s (Salt) proposed Bloodsport remake, Van Damme will not be involved with the Timecop reboot.

Based off the Dark Horse comic book of the same name, Timecop was one of Van Damme’s most successful films, both financially and critically. The film even spawned a short-lived 1997 TV series and the 2003 direct-to-DVD sequel Timecop 2: The Berlin Decision, which starred Jason Scott Lee (Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story).

If this news of a Van Damme-less Timecop gets you down, keep your head up. The “Muscles from Brussels” has a lot of projects coming out including Swelter, Soldiers and Pound of Flesh.

BREAKING NEWS: According to THR, the producers behind the upcoming Timecop remake have hired Mark and Brian Gunn to write the script. The duo is responsible for writing Journey 2: The Mysterious Island.

Posted in News |

Watch a new ‘Mud Fight’ action clip for ‘The Raid 2′!

"The Raid 2: Berandal" Cinemags Cover

THE MOVIE: Written and directed by Gareth Evans, The Raid 2: Berandal picks up right where the first film left off and follows Rama (Iko Uwais) as he goes undercover and infiltrates the ranks of a ruthless Jakarta crime syndicate in order to protect his family and uncover the corruption in his own police force.

Additional cast members include Arifin Putra, Oka Antara, Tio Pakusadewo, Alex Abbad, Julie Estelle, Ryuhei Matsuda, Kenichi Endo, Yahan Ruhian and Kazuki Kitamura

The Raid 2: Berandal opens in New York and Los Angeles on March 28th and everywhere else on April 11th.

Evans has stated there will be even more action in the sequel, with a total of eighteen action sequences planned. While it almost seems impossible for the team to top their efforts in The Raid, it’s clear they’re trying.

Updates: First official poster. | First trailer. | Second trailer is now available. | Gareth Evans hints that there will be a Raid 3: “The Raid 2 takes place 2 hrs after the first, The Raid 3 would start 2hrs before The Raid 2 ends.” | Collider has a new photo, which shows that Capoeira (Brazilian martial arts) will be featured. | Newest (and the best) trailer, courtesy of yahoo.

In case you missed it, please check out our interview with the writer/director of Raid 2, Gareth Evans. | Head over to Collider to catch an interesting interview with Gareth Evans, where he talks about the possibility of making a Marvel movie, John Woo and working with Hong Kong action director Bruce Law. | The new cover for Cinemags. | Newest poster. | 9 new images, courtesy of Collider! | Australian poster.

Check out the new U.S. poster, courtesy of EW.com. | Watch a bloody clip, featuring Julie Estelle (aka Hammer Girl). Clip courtesy of MTV | The latest trailer, courtesy of IGN. You can also check out this UK poster.

We also have links to two Raid 2 treats: The first is a clip of the “car” fight, courtesy of Collider (click here); the second is a deleted scene, courtesy of Film Combat Syndicate (click here). | Watch a new action clip, featuring “Baseball Man”.

BREAKING NEWS: Watch a new action clip, featuring the “Mud Fight,” courtesy of apple.com. If you haven’t yet, check out our review for The Raid 2, courtesy of our contributing writer, Paul Bramhall.

Posted in News |

Tom Yum Goong 2 | aka The Protector 2 (2013) Review

"Tom Yum Goong 2" Theatrical Poster

“Tom Yum Goong 2” Theatrical Poster

Director: Prachya Pinkaew
Cast: Tony Jaa, RZA, Mum Jokmok, Yanin Vismitananda, Petchtai Wongkamlao, Marrese Crump, Rhatha Phongam, Vince Makiling, Ujal Thapa, Jawed El Berni
Running Time: 103 minutes

By Paul Bramhall

Tony Jaa has had somewhat of a fall from grace since he was widely heralded as action cinemas shining saviour with the arrival of Ong Bak and Tom Yum Goong, released in 2003 and 2005 respectively. After an eventful production for his self-directed feature Ong Bak 2, things culminated with him reportedly running off into the jungle and disappearing for a couple of weeks. When he came back, things had gone massively over budget, resulting in his long time mentor Panna Ritikrai being brought on board to assist in finishing the movie (he gets a co-director credit in the final product), and a previously unplanned third installment in the form of Ong Bak 3, which was commissioned simply to make up for the amount of money which had been lost on the second one.

While for this reviewer at least, Ong Bak 2 delivered the goods despite its troubled production, Ong Bak 3 was met with almost universal disdain, and after its release in 2010, for several months word was quite on Jaa and co. It seems there were no future projects on the horizon and nothing to look forward to. Then, in 2011, it was announced that Jaa would be returning to the role of his sophomore feature as a leading man, for Tom Yum Goong 2. Not only that, but it would re-unite him with director Prachya Pinkaew, action choreographer Panna Ritikrai, and he’d be sharing top billing with his female equivalent, the star of Chocolate and Raging Phoenix, Jija Yanin. Thai action cinema was going to be back with a bang, and excitement was duly generated.

Banners were proudly displayed at various film markets showing Jaa and Yanin in high kicking poses above the bold lettering TYG2, and all seemed well with the world. However, the rest of 2011 then passed with barely a word. Then, 2012 proceeded in exactly the same manner. Rumbles began to start, what was taking so long!? Two years to make an action movie!? Finally, around the end of 2012 details began to slowly filter through – Jija Yanin had got pregnant stalling the production indefinitely, Jaa himself had got married, the decision had been made to film it in 3D, RZA was brought on board and worked into the script as the main villain. It all seemed very, well, disorganized.

Finally, close to almost 3 years since it was announced, at the end of October 2013 Tom Yum Goong 2 hit Thai cinema screens. Was the reaction a positive one? Or was it a negative one? Strangely, it was a non-reaction. The movie was finally out there, and no one was saying anything about it, even after it had been out for a couple of weeks, trying to find reviews or opinions on it seemed to be an unreasonably difficult task. So, skip forward to March 2014, and here in Australia the movie has just received a straight-to-DVD release with zero fan fare or marketing. It just quietly hit the shelves and was there. Some come back.

Now having watched it, it’s easy to see why. It’s a struggle to even call this a sequel, as it’s more of a re-boot, and a painfully inferior one at that. Events play out almost identical to the original – shady characters try to negotiate the sale of an elephant, Jaa refuses to sell, they steal it anyway in a truck, Jaa finds the person he left to look after it on the floor beaten. Even the motorbike scene comes in at almost the exact same moment. Story wise, there’s not even a single ounce of originality here, and the original was hardly ground breaking plot wise.

The cost of its labored 2+ year production is there onscreen for every second of its run time, and it’s a heavy cost indeed. We have fight scenes which are sloppily edited full of quick cuts, strange shots which don’t make any sense, a motorbike chase which drags on to the point you’ll find yourself slipping into a coma, some of the worse CGI you’ll ever witness in an action movie, and in the middle of it all is poor Tony Jaa. Say what you like about his acting ability, but he conveys what he needs to, even if that usually is blind rage.

In Tom Yum Goong 2 he’s reduced to an expressionless lump of muscle, I’d dare say a plank of wood could give a better acting performance than he does here. He just seems so, I don’t know what the word is – absent minded? If there was ever a more literal example of a performer phoning it in, then that’s what Jaa seems to be doing here. Remember the anger he oozes when ripping through the restaurant in Tom Yum Goong on the search for his elephant? Well here it’s stolen again, but it’s hard to believe he gives a crap.

Put simply he’s visibly slower and uninspired for the duration. It’s the same moves over and over again, and he actually spends a disproportionate amount of the run time having his ass handed to him. In the finale itself he doesn’t even get to do anything, except hold onto his precious elephants tusks which have been made into bombs that will detonate if he lets go, so it’s left to Jija Yanin to come out of nowhere and suddenly put the beat down on Marrese Crump, while Jaa stands there defenceless getting beaten up by RZA. Speaking of Yanin, her screen time has evidently been significantly chopped, so much so that she barely even registers as a supporting player. The dream double-billing of her and Jaa is a non-starter.

To add to the movies woes, even simple aspects of the story don’t make any sense. At the start we see Jaa with his elephant in the village teaching the local kids some moves, but it soon turns out he and his elephant are no longer welcomed like they once were, his elephant now being considered a nuisance and Muay Thai branded a waste of time. But that’s it, this seemingly important aspect of the plot never appears again. Likewise, when Jaa finds the guy who he knows was responsible for stealing the elephant, he’s dead in his office. At the same moment, two of the guys younger family members (one of which is Jija Yanin) also enter the office, and believing Jaa to be the murderer attempt to take him down. Not only do we never find out how he was killed, but over the course of the movie it seems to be forgotten that Yanin is actually connected to the guy who stole his elephant in the first place, and she and Jaa end up teaming up together! Top this all off with one of the most inconclusive final scenes you’re likely to witness, and it’s hard to be left feeling anything other than frustrated.

I could rant on about Tom Yum Goong 2 for a whole lot longer, but I won’t. All I want and have come to expect from Thai action cinema is a paper thin plot compensated with bone crunching action which comes thick and fast. I wanted it to be a big stupid action movie just like its predecessor, but in the end it was only one of those things – stupid.

Paul Bramhall’s Rating: 3/10

Posted in News, Reviews, Thai | Tagged , , , , |

Newest poster for Dante Lam’s ‘That Demon Within’

"That Demon Within" Chinese Theatrical Poster

"That Demon Within" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Dante Lam is arguably the leading action director in Hong Kong right now (sorry, Wilson Yip) thanks to movies like Fire of Conscience and The Stool Pigeon. Lam is a veteran of the industry going all the way back to 1998’s Beast Cops, but he’s managed to invigorate his career of late by taking well-worn Hong Kong action tropes and reenergizing them with an immediate, Bourne-esque visual style.

Dante looks to be continuing this trend with his latest project, That Demon Within, which will also reunite the filmmaker with his frequent leading man, Nick Cheung. This time around, Nick Cheung is joined by Daniel Wu (New Police Story) as a paranoid cop convinced he’s the only one who can see the dangerous crimes Cheung’s character is committing.

Not to hedge our bets but with a premise like that it sounds like That Demon Within will feature plenty of tense, beady-eyed stand-offs between our two leads and a gun fight or two.

Update: The teaser trailer is now online and it suggests the film may be more of a psychological thriller for director Dante Lam – with elements of horror! Is Nick Cheung’s character a literal demon? Guess we’ll have to wait and find out.

BREAKING NEWS: China Lion Film announces That Demon Within will get an April 18th limited theatrical release for U.S. and Canada audiences, which will be day-and-date with its Hong Kong release. In case you already haven’t, check out the latest trailer and the new poster.

Posted in News |

Deadly Eyes | Blu-ray & DVD (Shout! Factory)

Deadly Eyes | Blu-ray & DVD (Shout! Factory)

Deadly Eyes | Blu-ray & DVD (Shout! Factory)

RELEASE DATE: July 15, 2014

Shout! Factory presents the Blu-ray & DVD for 1982’s Deadly Eyes (aka The Rats), directed by Robert Clouse (Enter the Dragon). Hong Kong’s Golden Harvest studios teams up with Warner Bros. to produce this cult thriller about a scientist who genetically alters a colony of super rats. As they breed and multiply, they must seek ever increasing amounts of food. They soon find a new source of nourishment – human flesh. Deadly Eyes features a memorable scene where the deadly rats attack a movie theater while a Bruce Lee film is being shown. Watch the trailer.

Pre-order Deadly Eyes from Amazon.com today!

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

Action Adventure Movie Marathon | Blu-ray & DVD (Shout! Factory)

Action Adventure Movie Marathon | Blu-ray & DVD (Shout! Factory)

Action Adventure Movie Marathon | Blu-ray & DVD (Shout! Factory)

RELEASE DATE: July 15, 2014

Shout! Factory presents the Action Adventure Movie Marathon. These sets bring back the good ol’ memories of going to a video rental store; only now you can see these obscure titles without adjusting your tracking. The Blu-ray version includes 1973’s I Escaped from Devil’s Island and 1982’s The Final Option (aka Who Dares Wins); in addition to the films just mentioned, the DVD version also includes 1959’s Shake Hands with the Devil and 1983’s Treasure of the Four Crowns. For your enjoyment, here’s a trailer for Treasure of the Four Crowns. As the trailer states, it’s more groundbreaking than Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Arc combined.

Pre-order the Action Adventure Movie Marathon from Amazon.com today!

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

Jackie Chan’s ‘The Karate Kid 2′ to be directed by a ‘Crazie’

"The Karate Kid" Chinese Theatrical Poster

"The Karate Kid" Chinese Theatrical Poster

While promoting Police Story 2013 in Singapore last year, Jackie Chan revealed that one of his next films could be The Karate Kid 2, a sequel to 2010’s The Karate Kid, which also starred Jaden Smith.

In addition, Chan also mentioned the possibility of a sequel to 2012’s CZ12 (which would technically mean the 4th chapter of the Armour of God series).

Other Chan projects that are supposedly in the works are Skiptrace, Rush Hour 4 and Dragon Blade. Then there are the rumored titles – Wolf Flag, Manhattan and even a “silent movie” with Zhang Yimou – that are supposedly in early stages of development.

Update: Deadline reports that Breck Eisner (The Crazies remake) will be helming The Karate Kid 2.

Posted in News |