3840 x 2160 pixels of punishment!!! Don Lee’s ‘The Roundup: Punishment’ arriving to Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD this week

The Roundup: Punishment | 4K Ultra HD (Capelight)

The Roundup: Punishment | 4K Ultra HD (Capelight)

This week, Capelight Pictures is releasing the Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD for The Roundup: Punishment (read our review), the fourth film in The Round Up franchise that started with 2017’s The Outlaws, 2022’s The Roundup and 2023’s The Roundup: No Way Out.

Directed by Heo Myung-Haeng (Badland Hunters), The Roundup: Punishment stars Don Lee (Unstoppable), Park Ji-Hwan (The Roundup: No Way Out), Lee Beom-Soo (The Roundup: No Way Out) and Lee Ji-Hoon (The Roundup: No Way Out) with the new cast additions Kim Moo-Yul (Ballerina) and Lee Dong-Hwi (Broker).

While investigating the operators of a drug trafficking app, Detective Ma (Lee) and his team discover a link between a murder case in the Philippines and an illegal online gambling organization. The Continue reading

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Holy sons of anarchy, Batman! Possible plot point for Adam Wingard’s sequel to John Woo’s ‘Face/Off’

"Face/Off" Japanese Theatrical Poster

“Face/Off” Japanese Theatrical Poster

It was originally planned as as reboot, but now a sequel to John Woo’s 1997 actioner Face/Off is currently in-development from Paramount Pictures.

Adam Wingard – of Death Note, The Guest and You’re Next – is attached to direct, with his frequent collaborator, Simon Barrett, to write. The film will be produced by Neal Moritz (Fast and Furious franchise) and executive produced by David Permut, who also produced the original (via Deadline).

According to World of Reel (via reputable industry insider Daniel Richtman), Travolta and Cage will be returning for the sequel as their respective characters, but more as supporting roles:

Face/Off 2 is apparently centered around the children of Castor Troy (Cage) and Sean Continue reading

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Watch an ‘Extended Look’ featurette for Len Wiseman’s John Wick spinoff ‘Ballerina’ starring Ana de Armas

"Ballerina" Theatrical Poster

“Ballerina” Theatrical Poster

If you’ve seen Ana de Armas’ butt-kicking capabilities in No Time To Die, and the upcoming Ghosted, you know she’s capable of leading her own action film. With that said, De Armas (Knives Out) is teaming up with Live Free or Die Hard director Len Wiseman for Lionsgate’s Ballerina, a spinoff of the expanding John Wick franchise.

Franchise stars including John Wick himself, Keanu Reeves, as well as Ian McShane (John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum), Anjelica Huston (John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum) and Lance Reddick (John Wick: Chapter 2) will have appearances as their respective roles from the previous films.

New co-stars include Norman Reedus (Walking Dead), Catalina Sandino Moreno (Maria Full of Grace), Gabriel Byrne (The Usual Suspects), Togo Continue reading

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Deal on Fire! Untold Story | Blu-ray | Only $24.99 – Expires soon!

Today’s Deal on Fire is the Deluxe Blu-ray (Region B) for The Untold Story (aka Bunman), a 1993 Hong Kong film from cult director Herman Yau (Shock Wave, Ebola Syndrome) that stars Danny Lee (Run and Kill) and Anthony Wong (Still Human).

In 1978 in Hong Kong, a grisly murder takes place. Eight years later on a Macao beach, kids discover the severed hands of a fresh victim. A squadron of coarse, happy-go-lucky cops investigate and suspicion falls on Wong Chi Hang, the new owner of The Eight Immortals Restaurant famous for its delicious pork buns. The hands belong to the missing mother Continue reading

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The Daredevils and Ode to Gallantry | Blu-ray (Eureka)

The Daredevils and Ode to Gallantry | Blu-ray (Eureka)

The Daredevils and Ode to Gallantry | Blu-ray (Eureka)

RELEASE DATE: March 24, 2025

On March 24, 2025, Eureka is releasing a Blu-ray (Region A/B) collection that will include two films directed by Chang Cheh: 1979’s The Daredevils and 1982’s Ode to Gallantry.

During his long and industrious career, the “Godfather of Hong Kong Cinema” Chang Cheh made several films with the celebrated “Venom Mob,” a group of skilled martial arts performers – including Lu Feng, Chiang Sheng, Philip Kwok, Sun Chien, Lo Mang, and Wai Pak – who rose to fame as the stars of his own Five Deadly Venoms. Here, Eureka Classics presents two of the Venom Mob’s best: The Daredevils and Ode to Gallantry.

Set in Republic era China, The Daredevils follows Yang Ta-ying (Lo Mang) as he sets out to avenge his father, a military commander who was Continue reading

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High-Flying Action: Exploring Aviation-Inspired Thrills in Cinema and Betting

Source: pexels.com

Aviation has, for a long time, remained in the mass imagination, from filmic thrilling experiences to an ever-growing industry of aviation-themed betting games. From those old flickering movies full of adrenaline-packed dogfights to high-stake gambles on games revolving around some aviation themes, the combo of aviation and entertainment still serves as an exciting thing for many.

With all these myriad facets in aviation-inspired action in film and betting, one thing has been certain: the audience is still hooked to the soaring heights and heart-pounding excitement that both industries bring.

The Thrill of Aviation in Cinema: A Look at High-Flying Action Films

Aviation has been the main theme in action movies for years, allowing viewers to see a great combination of speed, danger and spectacular visuals all put together. Perhaps one of the most iconic films that feature aviation’s great cinematic merit is Top Gun, which catapulted Tom Cruise into superstardom. This film brought into view not only the amazing aerial choreography but also defined the genre of high-octane military action films. The success of Top Gun spawned a sequel in 2022 entitled Top Gun: Maverick.

That sequel also showed aviation in all its glory, with grossing over $1.5 billion in the world. Its success is going to epitomize the enduring appeal of action movies with aviation themes. Apart from military aviation, films like Air Force One and Flight are made centering on flying from the point of view of dramatic and personal stakes: a hijacking on the president’s plane, which forces the man into action, or a troubled pilot tussling with his demons. These films offer a range of perspectives on aviation, balancing action with deep character development. For example, Flight de-emphasizes aspects of combat in a personal, psychological examination of a pilot who has endured a catastrophic event. Such mainly low-key themes stridently contrast with the high-stakes military air combat typified by Top Gun, but it still appears to revolve around a similar central theme: flight is at once powerful and dangerous.

Box office revenue for aviation-based action films has continued to surge globally in 2024. Industry reports say that the genre received a 12% increase in earnings compared to last year, where films with aerial combat, hijacking and high-flying heroism remained top-grossing box office films. The heady mix of full-blooded physical action, gaudy voluntaries and high-speed thrills secures aviation movies a permanent place in world cinema. These films – let’s say, Dunkirk 2017, The Aeronauts 2019, and Midway 2019-further realize the exciting possibilities of aviation and continue to attract not only the audience interested in history but also fans of action movies.

Aviation-Themed Betting: Where Sky’s the Limit for Exciting Wagers

Aviation-themed betting is gaining momentum in the online gaming casino sector. This new genre has rapidly risen due to its nature of fast-paced action and strategic gameplay. One aspect that stands out in this growing trend is games that incorporate mechanics from aviation into classic casino betting. This can be said about the Aviator game, which has swiftly become a favorite among players because of its dynamism and airliner graphics.

In Aviator, the players bet on the outcome of a virtual airplane’s flight path, where the goal is to cash out in time before the plane “crashes.” This high-stakes gamble creates tension with many rewards, just like the thrill of flight itself. The game’s mechanics blend the simplicity of classic casino games with the speed and agility of flight, offering a unique appeal for players looking for something new and different from the standard fare of slot or card games.

According to the statistics of 2024, games like Aviator have brought in a 25% increase in user traffic on aviation-themed betting platforms, hence increasing their popularity by the day. The fusion of conventional gambling with flying, edge-of-your-seat excitement gives this format a unique appeal to many action movie fans and online gamblers. Just pure flying-thrill-in-air instantly blended with the ability to place agile bets for high rewards is comparable to the general thrill one experiences while viewing aerial stunts or engaging in high-risk aviation manoeuvres onscreen.

This rise of aviation-based games across online betting platforms mirrors the wider trend in which themed gambling experiences are serving increasingly niche interests-aiding several in luring new audiences. The global online gaming market is set to top $100 billion by the end of 2024, partly driven by its aviation-themed games. Further, the online platforms offering such games make sure to include a variety of bets that can be placed, sometimes watching the competition live and even interactively. The aviation-themed games represent a new high-flying twist on classic betting experiences as online gambling continues to evolve through investing in incredible technologies.

Iconic Aircraft in Film: From Dogfights to Daring Escapes

Many of these films also have famous aircraft, which almost become as famous as the actors depicting them. The planes themselves often are center stage to the action and have become symbolic of power, speed and danger. In Top Gun, the F-14 Tomcat is a picture immortalized because of its sleek design and massive firepower. Similarly, the Supermarine Spitfire in the Battle of Britain, 1969, stands as much more than just an airplane; it is representative of a nation’s pride and strength during the Second World War. The way these iconic planes were depicted helped deepen the audience’s connection to the stories they were trying to tell.

In more recent films, such as Dunkirk, not only do the planes help to tell the story, but they also ratchet up tension and drama in the battle for survival. Here again, is where the Spitfire takes center stage, its high-speed dogfights making it an integral part of the cinematic experience. Similarly, Red Tails 2012 tells the tale of the Tuskegee Airmen, an African American group of pilots in World War II; again, the plane symbolizes both danger through air combat and personal courage.

Many of these films constitute specified flying combats combined with complicated choreography and visual effects. The technology of film productions has continued to push the boundaries of what is possible in regard to depictions of flight; now, digital effects finally allowed for the capture of the raw power of aircraft at high speeds. For example, in Top Gun: Maverick, the movie is shot while real jets are flying and aerial stunts are captured using cameras mounted on the aircraft itself, yielding some of the most authentic air shots to have ever been replicated on screen.

Soaring Above the Competition: Aviation-Inspired Casino Games and Bets

The axis intersection between aviation and wagering, however, has actually begun to increase aviation-themed casino games that inflect fast-paced thrill flight characteristics with more traditional mechanisms of wagering. Most of these games boast outstanding graphics, a simulation of either a single experience of piloting a plane or participating in an air race. Digital platforms are reproducing the thrill of aviation: aircraft, airstrikes and aviation icons have become the base for many slot machines and video poker games. Aviation-themed slot machines and video poker games have grown extremely popular in recent years, offering amazing bonus rounds and jackpots and even fun aviation graphics.

Games such as Aviator, along with many others using flying machines, have indeed been created for players who want to make gambling truly exciting and close to their love of aviation. Most of these games operate on aircraft symbols, airstrikes and aviation icons within their gaming mechanics to provide flying excitement right into the world of casinos. Indeed, industry reports show that aviation-themed casino games have seen a 17% market share increase in 2024, while more casinos and online platforms have taken up the inclusion of these sets of games in their lists.

These games offer unique, high-reward experiences that players return to time after time, often tapping into players’ yearning for high-stakes action and the thrill of flight. This means most embracing the online platforms, which add different sets of bets and increase the scope for aviation-themed gambling experiences. With the gambling industry continuing to innovate and include games of particular themes, aviation-themed games are very likely to remain in the spotlight. Fast-paced, strategic and exciting, these games bring into the real world the thrilling world of aviation as few activities have for seasoned and new gamblers alike.

The salvaging of aviation-inspired thrills – as much in movies as in a bet – continues to intrigue many audiences worldwide. Actions with packed air cinematography combined with high-stakes gambles create an intriguing experience as audiences watch on the edge of their seats. May it be watching a pilot’s thrilling dogfight in the latest blockbuster movie or making a bet on the way a virtual plane flies, the aviation thrill is a very robust and longstanding force in the fields of entertainment and gambling.

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Give ’em the gift of Kimchi western! Arrow’s 4K Ultra HD for Kim Jee-woon’s ‘The Good, the Bad, the Weird’ now shipping!

Now shipping is Arrow’s 4K Ultra HD for 2008’s The Good, the Bad, the Weird. Genre maestro Kim Jee-woon (I Saw the Devil) set his sights on new frontiers and spiced them up with his rollicking kimchi western!

Wrangling three of Korea’s biggest stars, he orchestrated an audacious action epic sweeping across the dusty Manchurian plains. In the 1930s, three gun-toting Koreans converge on a train with different objectives but after an explosive altercation they leave it with the same goal: track down a map leading to an unfathomable treasure. The ‘Good’ is bounty Continue reading

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Deal on Fire! Special ID | Blu-ray | Only $10.38 – Expires soon!

Special ID | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

Special ID | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

Today’s Deal on Fire is the Blu-ray for Clarence Fok’s Special ID (read our review), starring martial arts star, Donnie Yen (Kung Fu Killer).

The cops can’t control him. The mob wants him dead. And time is running out. Donnie Yen is Detective Chen Zilong – but the criminal underworld knows him as ‘Dragon’ Chen, a dangerous but effective enforcer. When rivalries explode with the reappearance of an old enemy and a brutal murder, the Triads close ranks and unleash a series of executions – with Chen at the top of the list. Undercover and under attack, he has no choice but to rely on a new partner (Jing Tian) and his knowledge of the streets to get out alive. It’s the only chance he’s got.

Special ID also stars Continue reading

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Shaolin Boxers | Blu-ray (Eureka)

Shaolin Boxers | Blu-ray (Eureka)

Shaolin Boxers | Blu-ray (Eureka)

RELEASE DATE: March 24, 2025

On March 24, 2025, Eureka is releasing the Blu-ray (Region B) for Shaolin Boxers. Directed by Ta Huang (Chinese Hercules) and released at the height of the 1970s kung fu craze, Shaolin Boxers offers a rare leading role to James Tien – who more often played supporting roles in films such as Fist of FuryThe Iron-Fisted Monk and The Magnificent Bodyguards – in an action-packed narrative that charges him with rescuing innocents from forces of corruption and evil.

In the village of Fukien, the people are terrified of the local security squad – led by Ho Yung (Chu Mu, The Invincible Iron Palm), who gained his position by bribing the referee in the village’s annual martial arts tournament. In order to wrestle control from this band of tyrants, Chuan Tai (Tien) – the master of the local Shaolin school – enters the competition to prove his dominance Continue reading

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Striking Rescue (2024) Review

"Striking Rescue" Theatrical Poster

“Striking Rescue” Theatrical Poster

Director: Siyu Cheng
Cast: Tony Jaa, Xing Yu, Kaho Hung, Philip Keung, Peng Bo, Yu Bolin, Wang Chenxin, Chen Duo Yi
Running Time: 110 min. 

By Paul Bramhall

Action cinema is always evolving, and whenever it’s discussed Hong Kong’s golden era deservedly casts a long shadow. For a long time fans have lamented the gradual decline of the territories output, an inevitability that’s down to a number of disparate reasons, but in recent years the Chinese DTV flick has gradually begun to scratch the itch many of us have. Sure, they’re never going to replace the Police Story’s and Fist of Legend’s, but when it comes to the many lower budgeted triad potboilers infused with that distinctive 1980’s kickboxing style, directors like Qin Pengfei are showing that the old HK style can still be recaptured for a modern audience.

While the Chinese DTV flick has been lucky enough to avoid requiring the jingoistic flag waving tone that comes as a prerequisite for mainstream productions, there are still some Mainland censorship laws that apply to everyone. One is that the Chinese authorities and businesses must never be portrayed as even showing a hint of corruption, with morally upstanding behaviour all round being the order of the day, which doesn’t exactly make for compelling Continue reading

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The young and the reckless! Martial arts star Scott Adkins teaming up with Vinnie Jones and Mark Strange in ‘Reckless’

Martial arts star Scott Adkins (John Wick: Chapter 4, One More Shot, Ip Man 4: The Finale) is currently hard-at-work on Reckless, an upcoming actioner that marks the full-length feature debut of director Elliott Montello, who is best known as a Second Unit Director and Camera Operator on movies such as 2021’s American Siege and 2023’s Mob Land.

Written by Matthew Robert Kelly (Way of the Wicked) and Stu Small (Accident Man: Hitman’s Holiday, Debt Collectors), Reckless revolves around Continue reading

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Cherie Chung gets it on! Blu-ray for Shaw Brothers’ 1984 erotic thriller ‘Maybe It’s Love’ heading to Blu-ray

Maybe It's Love | Bu-ray (Kani)

Maybe It’s Love | Bu-ray (Kani)

This month, Kani is releasing the Blu-ray for Maybe It’s Love, a 1984 Shaw Brothers erotic thriller that stars Cherie Chung (Walk on Fire), Kent Tong (Chasing the Dragon), and Elaine Jin (Mad World).

Following her parent’s separation, 10 year-old Marbles is sent to live with her grandmother in the outskirts of Hong Kong. Also new to town is the seductive pageant queen Rita (Chung) whose skin-tight leotards pique the interest of a dashing postman (Tong) already involved with the shopkeeper’s wife, Lin (Jin). Meanwhile, the curious Marbles, who has made it a habit of spying on her neighbours with her binoculars, witnesses a murder on a stormy night. A ragtag team of kid detectives comes together. Who Continue reading

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Hungry for murder? Ding Sheng’s black comedy ‘Nothing Can’t Be Undone By A Hot Pot’ on Blu-ray December 10th

Nothing Can't Be Undone By A Hot Pot | Blu-ray (China Lion)

Nothing Can’t Be Undone By A Hot Pot | Blu-ray (China Lion)

On December 10, 2024, China Lion will be releasing a Blu-ray for Nothing Can’t Be Undone By A Hot Pot, a 2023 comedy from Ding Sheng, the acclaimed director/writer of Little Big Soldier, Police Story 2013, Railroad Tigers, Saving Mr. Wu and A Better Tomorrow 2018.

Nothing Can’t Be Undone By A Hot Pot features an ensemble cast that includes Yang Mi (A Writer’s Odyssey), Yu Qian (The Old Dog), Tian Yu (1921), Ailei Yu (The Captain) and Li Jiu Xiao (The Sacrifice).

In a theater’s storage room, four individuals divide their spoils, along the way becoming unexpectedly entangled in a murder. When the individuals’ unique truths boil to the surface, a revelation in the face of deceit is uncovered. The fate of man with God Continue reading

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Devils Stay (2024) Review

"Devils Stay" Theatrical Poster

“Devils Stay” Theatrical Poster

Director: Hyeon Moon-seob
Cast: Park Shin-Yang, Lee Min-Ki, Lee Re, Won Mi-won, Yoon Jong Seok, Yoo Sun-ho, Shim So-young
Running Time: 95 min.

By Paul Bramhall

Ever since 2015’s The Priests Korean cinema has had bit of a thing going on with, well, priests. While Jang Jae-hyon’s debut served up its holy protagonists in the context of the exorcism genre, since then we’ve had MMA priests fighting demons in The Divine Fury, occult detective priests in Svaha: The Sixth Finger, and more exorcisms in Metamorphosis. Delve into the K-drama world and it would be remiss not to mention The Fiery Priest, The Guest, and don’t forget just plain old Priest. Needless to say if Asians in dog collars are your thing, then Korea has you covered. Almost 10 years later, and in 2024 its once more exorcism that’s on the cards for Lee Min-ki’s (For the Emperor, Monster) priest in Devils Stay.

The big screen debut of director Hyeon Moon-seob after helming the 2016 web-drama Nightmare Teacher, Devils Stay is another production in Korea’s seemingly inexhaustible backlog of movies that got pushed back from release during the COVID-19 pandemic. Filmed in 2020 (which aligns it much closer with the previously mentioned titles), it eventually Continue reading

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Sex and Zen | Blu-ray (88 Films)

Sex and Zen | Blu-ray (88 Films)

Sex and Zen | Blu-ray (88 Films)

RELEASE DATE: February 24, 2025

On February 24, 2025, 88 Films will be releasing the Blu-ray for Sex and Zen, a 1991 cult comedy Hong Kong film from director Michael Mak Tong Kit (Long Arm of the Law 2) that stars Lawrence Ng Kai Wah (To Be Number One) and Amy Yip Chi May (Miracles).

“Banned for 400 years!” screamed the original poster and you can see why as this erotic comedy is brilliantly bizarre, pretty sleazy and downright weird. Also known as The Carnal Prayer Mat’s Stash of Illicit Love and slightly based on the seventeenth century novel The Carnel Prayer Mat, we follow a desperate man who is convinced by his mentor that he needs to be “well equipped” to pleasure his wife, so he has a horses appendage transplanted onto him! From here on in it gets really Continue reading

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