Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008) Review

"Hellboy II: The Golden Army" Japanese Theatrical Poster

"Hellboy II: The Golden Army" Japanese Theatrical Poster

Director: Guillermo del Toro
Writer: Guillermo del Toro, Mike Mignola
Cast: Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Doug Jones, Jeffrey Tambor, Luke Goss, Anna Walton, John Hurt, Seth MacFarlane
Running Time: 120 min.

By JJ Hatfield

In some ways Hellboy II: The Golden Army surpasses the first movie especially when it comes to creatures of all sizes and personalities. Director Guillermo del Toro deserves much of the credit for making the movie such a success. From this work and others it is quite clear del Toro loves creating fantastical beings and over-the-top action. And fans love the result!

As the film unfolds we are treated to an amazing array of acrobatic fight sequences and dazzling special effects. In the first movie we learn of Hellboy’s origins therefore no need to go over that ground again. Well okay, so there may be some of you who missed Hellboy the first time around. His origin is from, uh Hell. He’s big, red, has filed down horns, one arm made of stone – or should that be brimstone? And he has a long tail. His friends call him Red and fortunately for the world he’s a good guy, with a soft heart although the bad guys would vehemently disagree.

The Golden Army begins with the young Hellboy watching Howdy Doody on television. When his kind and nurturing adoptive father insists it’s time for bed he demands a bedtime story. His father acquiesces and tells him the tale of early times when humans and supernatural creatures fought endlessly and viciously. The Royal ruler commanded an undefeatable army be built to destroy the humans. A glittering crown consisting of three interlocking pieces was used to control the massive legion of 70×70; the  Golden Army. After many humans had been slaughtered the King regretted his actions and sent the undefeatable army into hibernation and allowed mankind to possess the cities while the mystical beings inhabited the forests. To ensure lasting peace the King gave one piece of the crown to the humans while keeping two in the royal family.

After the bedtime story the movie shifts to modern day. Prince Nuada  never agreed with his father in allowing humans the cities, indeed he never felt the humans should be allowed to live at all. His sister Princess  Nuala  believes her father was right and will not help the Prince with his evil plan. The Prince is in Manhattan looking for the crown. Nuada is white-haired, unearthly pale and really old. Despite that he is an expert fighter and very good with sharp objects. His first attempt to find the crown brings out some of the most vicious yet coolest creatures in the movie-the Tooth Fairies. Tiny little winged creatures they feed on calcium which doesn’t sound too bad except that humans have an awful lot of calcium and the little critters seem to prefer their food warm and fresh. This nasty attack calls for Hellboy and his buddies from the Paranormal Research and Defense organization. Our talented friends fare better than the humans who accompany them.

During another crisis created by Prince Nuada Hellboy and his friends come out to the public while saving the day. It isn’t really intentional just something that happens during the call of duty. Even though he saves the city from a giant plant Hellboy is nearly killed by the authorities for his trouble. He even receives taunts from the crowd including a mother who wants to know what he’s done to her baby when in reality he saved the child’s life. In a moment of self-deprecating humor Hellboy says to someone in the assembled throng that he knows he’s ugly.

One of the greatest scenes in the whole film comes when the heroes visit the Trolls Market. There they encounter a huge assortment of various creatures, bizarre merchants with even more bizarre wares to sell. A viewer could spend a considerable amount of time just looking at the creatures including a talking tumor. Not since the tavern scene in Star Wars has there been such an assembled group of fascinating beings the likes of which you find in Hellboy II. It Isn’t done as the act of stealing but rather an homage. Even the music occasionally is reminiscent of Star Wars. This in no way detracts from the film but accents the style of action.

Ron Perlman reprises his role as Hellboy. His crime fighting friends include Abe Sapien played by Doug Jones. Abe is rather a gentle spirit, making his friendship with Red seem unlikely. However the viewer gains some insight into their relationship as they become intoxicated and sing a duet of a Barry Manilow love song. It may sound absurd but it’s really quite touching. Red’s lady love, the fiery Liz Sherman  is played by Selma Blair. Everyone in the cast turns in a believable performance, considering this is a comic book turned film. Hellboy II is not exactly a cerebral experience but it is a hell of a lot of fun.

JJ Hatfield’s Rating: 8/10

Posted in Other Movies, Reviews | Tagged , , , , |

Better Tomorrow, A (2010) Review

"A Better Tomorrow" Korean Theatrical Poster

"A Better Tomorrow" Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Song Hae-Seong
Cast: Joo Jin-Mo, Song Seung-Heon, Kim Gang-Woo, Jo Han-Seon, Kyeong-yeong Lee, Ji-yeong Kim, Hae-gon Kim, Hyeong-jun Lim, Tae-hwa Seo, Sin-seong Lee
Running Time: 124 min.

By HKFanatic

Considering Hong Kong cinema’s rich history, particularly during the New Wave of the 80’s and early 90’s, it’s surprising that producers haven’t indulged in more remakes. Then again, the Hong Kong film industry has changed so much during the last decade, any such endeavors would probably end up as remakes in name only. Actors have been replaced by pop stars, slow-motion and squibs traded for shakycam realism, and gritty Triad tales have fallen by the wayside in favor of CGI fantasy confections. I don’t think anybody wants to see Edison Chen and Nicholas Tse in a “Hard Boiled” remake directed by Gordon Chan. Thus, it falls to South Korea’s booming film industry to remake the 1986 John Woo movie “A Better Tomorrow.”

And what a risky proposition that is. “A Better Tomorrow” is, after all, the movie that put John Woo on the map, almost single-handedly created the heroic bloodshed genre, and turned Chow Yun Fat into the biggest star in Hong Kong. As a die-hard film buff, you have to wonder: just what could “Failan” and “Rikidozan” filmmaker Hae-sung Song add to this story that John Woo didn’t already make legendary? But with Woo onboard as producer, we must dismiss the notion that this is a mere cash-in on the “Better Tomorrow” brand name like Wong Jing’s 1994 “Return to a Better Tomorrow.”

In the interest of full disclosure, it’s been ages since I’ve seen the original film. I wanted to approach this remake with an open mind and judge it on its own merits. What I kept with me was my unshakable love for all things Woo – the slow motion, the doves, the blood-splurting bullet holes, the intense male friendships. As it turns out, the remake jettisons most of these elements. It is, instead, very much a modern Korean drama: handsomely produced, proficiently acted, but a bit overly long and cold in its approach. With his glossy style, Hae-sung Song keeps the audience at arm’s length and never truly involves us in the story.

Before I sat down to watch the film, I anticipated Woo-style operatic gun battles with slick Korean production values and a lot of pouting bad boys. I got the production values and the bad boys but not the slow-mo gun fu. The main focus here is drama, with plenty of over-the-top emoting and an almost homoerotic take on brotherly love. When we do get to the action, it’s delivered in a very unglamorous and matter-of-fact style, though it is still exciting to watch.

Once again, as in the work of director Dante Lam, we see the influence that Michael Mann has had on Asian action cinema during the last 7 years: the final shootout in this “A Better Tomorrow” arguably owes more to the climactic gun battle in Mann’s big screen “Miami Vice” picture than it does Woo’s original. The ending, with its grenade-launching pyrotechnics, is certainly the highlight of a film that could have benefited from a whole lot more action during its two hour runtime.

The actors are decent across the board, though it’s perhaps to be expected that Seung-heon Song comes nowhere close to the natural charisma and screen presence of 80’s Chow Yun Fat. His character is still pretty cool, though, with his brown trenchcoat and ridiculously over-sized sunglasses. The only time he falls flat is when he engages in some “What about me!”-style whining during crucial moments in the story.

Is “A Better Tomorrow” a bad movie? No, not at all. It looks and sounds great, and the actors do their job. Perhaps wisely, director Hae-sung Song sidesteps John Woo’s signature style altogether and delivers slick contemporary Korean melodrama instead. Granted, Woo’s films were always about melodrama too – but he tempered it with bloodshed and turned it into high art. This “Tomorrow” is probably best visited by fans of Korean blockbusters who haven’t seen Woo’s original. Some films are just untouchable.

HKFanatic’s Rating: 6/10


By Mighty Peking Man

“A Better Tomorrow” is one of the most influential movies to come out of Hong Kong. It put John Woo on the map as one of the greatest action film directors of our time. It also made Chow Yun-fat a superstar.

This brings us to the 2010 “A Better Tomorrow” remake by South Korean filmmaker Hae-sung Song (Failan). It’s a lavish joint production between South Korea, Japan and China. The project officially has John Woo’s blessing, since he – along with Terence Chang – served as an executive producer.

Before I checked out the remake, I wanted to watch John Woo’s original, which I haven’t seen for a good 10 years. However, I decided not to for a couple of reasons:

1) I wanted to avoid writing a review that would consist of nothing but a bunch of useless comparisons. What’s the fun in that? Besides, I wanted to get the most entertainment out of the remake that I possibly could.

2) I don’t own the original. How can a guy have 99% of Bruce Li’s films on DVD, yet not have a copy of “A Better Tomorrow.” Sad, but true.

Let me get one important fact out of the way before I get on with the review: The remake is not better than the original. I thought this before I even watched the remake.

I’m not a film snob who is totally against remakes. I actually don’t mind them at all. There are a lot of remakes that I prefer over the originals: “Vanilla Sky” (2001) was better than “Abre los ojos” (1997); “The Hills Have Eyes” (2006) was better than “The Hills Have Eyes” (1977); “The Ring” (2002) was better than “The Ring” (1998).

I wouldn’t be against the idea of anyone remaking “The Godfather,” one of my all-time favorites. Why? Because I’d be curious to see how it turned out, and whatever the outcome, at least I still have the original to go back to.

I have the same exact attitude towards the “A Better Tomorrow” remake:

Not that it should be a surprise to anyone, but the remake has the same exact plot outline as the original: Two brothers on opposite sides of the law; one’s a gangster (Joo Jin-Mo taking Ti Lung’s role), one’s a cop (Kim Gang-Woo taking Leslie Cheung’s role). Then there’s the second gangster (Song Seung-Heon taking Chow Yun-fat’s role), the unpredictable noble partner. Lastly, we have the innocent entry-level gangster (Jo Han-Seon taking over Waise Lee’s role), who turns out to be not-so innocent.

There are some drastic differences within the story. Some of the changes are clever, others are questionable; but at the risk of spoiling anything, I won’t get into any details. I must say, a couple of the changes did catch me off guard.

The overall movie is slick. It’s shot beautifully with high standards every step of the way. There’s lot of drama (which should be expected if you’ve seen the original), but when the action kicks in, the sequences are exciting, bloody and staged just right.

The performances are all good, but I have to give main props to Song Seung-Heon (Calla). Talk about having to fill some heavy shoes. In my opinion, he nearly succeeds in matching the charm and charisma that Chow yun-fat brought to the same role.

Towards the end, I grew a little sick of Kim Gang-Woo’s (Marine Boy) sobbing. They could have toned all that down a bit. Joo Jin-Mo’s (Musa) performance is basically a carbon copy of what Ti Lung gave us. Jo Han-Seon seemed to have the most fun and leeway, mostly due to his character’s change from the dork who opens doors for the higher up gangsters, to the ruthless villain he later becomes.

All in all, the remake is enjoyable and fun to watch. Most likely, I’ll never watch it again, but I’m sure I’ll watch the original many more times.

Mighty Peking Man’s Rating: 7/10

Posted in Korean, Reviews | Tagged , |

Flying Guillotine Parts 1 and 2 beheads to retail stores on November 29th!

Arc Entertainment & Dragon Dynasty have just released 2 more classic Shaw Brothers films that represent the absolute cream of the crop of Kung Fu cinema! Flying Guillotine and Flying Guillotine 2 hit retail stores November 29th and are available in Wal Mart, on Amazon and from other fine retailers. Both films have been beautifully re-mastered and include both Chinese and English audio tracks.

These are the last two of 10 Shaw Brothers classics released by Arc/Dragon Dynasty this year, which also included Avenging Eagle, Blood Brothers, Executioners of Shaolin, Five Shaolin Masters, Golden Swallow, Killer Clan, Mad Monkey Kung Fu and Martial Arts of Shaolin.

Flying Guillotine DVD (Dragon Dynasty)

Flying Guillotine DVD (Dragon Dynasty)

Flying Guillotine

“The wonderfully outlandish title weapon is irresistible…” – Hong Kong Digital

“Pure camp fun” – cityonfire.com

The film that started it all! Hong Kong kung fu cinema is filled with all types of inventive weaponry, but few are as original, iconic or over-the-top as Flying Guillotine, and this was the first film to use it. The corrupt Emperor wants to dispatch of subordinates who dare disagree with his evil rule. Unable to publicly execute popular and decent officials, he commissions a new deadly weapon to clandestinely carry out these killings. Enter the Flying Guillotine and the elite squad trained to use the new, seemingly invincible weapon. When top squad member Ma Teng (Chen Kuan Tai, Executioners of Shaolin) can no longer stomach these immoral killings, he goes on the run, pursued by his former comrades. Now our hero must protect his family and create a counter-weapon that can defeat The Flying Guillotine!

Flying Guillotine 2 aka Flying Guillotine Part II DVD (Dragon Dynasty)

Flying Guillotine 2 aka Flying Guillotine Part II DVD (Dragon Dynasty)

Flying Guillotine 2

“Flying Guillotine 2 is one sequel worthy of its predecessor” – Kung Fu Cinema

Few sequels match the original, especially one that brought us a weapon as iconic as Flying Guillotine, but Flying Guillotine 2 ramps up the action to a new level. The heroic Ma Teng (Ti Lung, Avenging Eagle) has developed a counter to the Flying Guillotines attack, but when word reaches The Emperor, who is more bloodthirsty than ever, he creates a new deadlier version and trains a squad of female assassins to use it! Now Ma must help the gang of rebels trying to overthrow the evil tyrant and create a new counter-weapon to defeat the improved Guillotine. With frantic martial arts action and weapons that “…would be the envy of James Bond for their ingenuity” (KungFuCinema.com) Flying Guillotine 2 is bloody good fun for kung fu fans!

Trailers: Flying Guillotine Part 1 | Flying Guillotine Part 2

Posted in News |

Shaolin Soccer (2001) Review

"Shaolin Soccer" Japanese DVD Cover

“Shaolin Soccer” Japanese DVD Cover

Director: Stephen Chow
Co-director: Lik-Chi Lee
Cast: Stephen Chow, Lee Wai, Vicki Zhao, Ng Man-Tat, Cecilia Cheung, Cheung Ming Ming, Law Kar-Ying, Karen Mok, Karen Morris, Alan Tam, Patrick Tse
Running Time: 112 min.

By Vic Nguyen

Overtaking From Beijing With Love as the best introduction to the work of Stephen Chow to western audiences, this big budget, FX laden production more than lives up to the hype, injecting enough comedy and action to satisfy all comers. Although Chow receives star billing, this is one of the few productions in which he is (almost) overshadowed by his supporting cast. Special nods go to Wong Yat-fei (whose blithering, chain-smoking Iron Head is one of the most memorable Stephen Chow supporting characters in recent memory), Vicky Zhao Wei (making the most out of an underwritten role), and _______ (delivering one of the best Bruce Lee impersonations you will ever see). Additionally, Ching Siu-tung’s much heralded (deservedly so) soccer sequences are groundbreaking, effortlessly combining completely respectful, cartoon-like CGI effects with Hong Kong Cinema’s trademark physical grace.

Cementing Stephen Chow as Hong Kong Cinema’s all time box office king (raking in well over $60 million HK in it’s hefty run) and nominated for multiple HK Film Awards, Shaolin Soccer is Stephen Chow’s finest accomplishment as an actor/director.

Note- Cameos include frequent female costars Karen Mok Man-wai and Cecilia Cheung Pak-chi (as male soccer players, no less!) and long-time collaborator Vincent Kok Tat-chiu (as another opposing player). In another related tidbit, co-star Patrick Tse Yin is the real life father of pop idol Nicholas Tse Ting-fung.

Vic Nguyen’s Rating: 9/10


By Alexander

I haven’t seen a soccer movie this good since Sylvester Stallone and Pele escaped occupied France in the vastly underrated Victory. Victory features an international cast of actual soccer stars and a post-First Blood Stallone who saves a couple dozen POWs from Nazi imprisonment by his ability to stop penalty kicks fired from the foot of a scowling German striker named Dieter or Max or something. Sure, the soccer-as-metaphor-for-war isn’t exactly ground-breaking and the sight of Nazi general Max Von Sydow clapping in slow motion after witnessing Pele’s bicycle-kick heroics is pretty cheesy, but with a rousing score and incredible soccer action, Victory is timeless B-movie fun.

Shaolin Soccer also has a rousing score and the soccer action IS incredible (albeit CG enhanced). The premise is wickedly original: A misfit band of brothers who studied with a Shaolin master unite under the leadership of a crippled former soccer star and enter a tournament in hopes of scoring a million dollar prize. Admittedly, their journey to the tournament is pretty dull, with the exception of an innovative scene involving a disfigured Vicki Zhao Wei and some really cool bread making, Shaolin style. But once the games begin during the latter half of the film, Shaolin Soccer shines. Stephen Chow and his teammates perform astonishing feats using their Shaolin talents to vanquish a series of foes (including one featuring an oddly mustached Cecilia Cheung). Soccer balls scream towards the goal like meteorites and players leap implausibly high. The final “battle” between the Shaolin and Evil teams is brilliant in its absurdity. It’s one of the more fun and imaginative sequences I’ve ever seen in a movie.

In addition to the blazing action, there’s also plenty of humor. Some of the more notable scenes involve a bald Vicky Wei, some sly allusions to Bruce Lee, a singing Stephen Chow, and an absolutely hilarious bit near the beginning that attempts to explain the practical uses of Shaolin.

Despite its excellence, my wife astutely observed that this movie would be a hard sell in the U.S. While tens of millions of American children play soccer, it’s doubtful even a fraction of them would clamor to see a Chinese produced film about the sport, no matter how funny or advanced the special effects. Baseball and basketball movies arrive in theaters in droves, but the last soccer oriented film to grace American screens was Ladybugs, starring Rodney Dangerfield. Remember that one? Didn’t think so. Miramax would be wise to offer the film uncut in a few select theaters then roll out the DVD INTACT to the American market, ala Shiri and Time and Tide.

Alexander’s Rating: 8.5/10


By Numskull

So this is what all the fuss is about? Hmm…good thing I didn’t believe the hype. Shaolin Soccer is an amusing diversion, but it’s hardly God’s gift to Hong Kong cinema.

I’m sure there will be no shortage of people who will gladly refer to the Miramax release (“Kung Fu Soccer”) as “dope” and not without some justification, but the film spends a little too much time reveling in its big budget and special effects, and the romantic subplot between Stephen Chiau and Vicki Zhao Wei is nothing but bullshit.

The humor is mostly visual, and it works more often than it doesn’t. Stephen Chiau elaborating upon the practical merits of learning Shaolin kung fu to Ng Man Tat produces some funny moments, and the “war movie” scene is hilarious in its out-of-place-ness. Too bad it occurs in the middle of one of the film’s worst segments…the Shaolin soccer team’s match against the bullies from the bar where First Big Brother “Iron Head” works. In this scene as well as earlier ones, that particular character is such a pathetic fucking WIMP that it’s impossible to muster any sympathy for him. When he put that guy’s underwear on his head, I wanted to kick the living shit out of him. Similarly, I find it hard to believe that all these former Shaolin students would just sit there and let the opposing team beat them half to death until their great and benevolent leader Stephen Chiau stands up to show them the way. Then, the two teams join forces in a ridiculous manner which vaguely reminded me of those crappy Saturday morning cartoons that I watched when I was a little shit of perhaps six years while stuffing my face with Froot Loops, back when they only came in three colors. Then there’s the big championship game, where the identity of the relief goalie can be seen a mile (or 1.609 kilometers) away and the reappearance of Stephen Chiau’s shitty old pair of sneakers should surprise no one.

The Universe DVD includes a 20 minute “making of” documentary, a brief feature which illustrates the implementation of some of the computer effects, a photo gallery, an outtakes segment, and two additional “director’s cut” scenes (I hated them both, but it’s nice that you’re given the option to watch them…something which Miramax isn’t likely to do for their release).

I guess I’m riding this movie pretty hard. It’s not bad, but I have an inherent hatred for the game of soccer due to growing up in a town (Agawam, MA; a.k.a. Yuppie Central) where it was less a sport than a religion, with lots of SUV-driving, fashionable cause-supporting, last name-hyphenating bitches shuttling their brats to and fro at uncivilized rates of speed and at all hours of the day. But that’s not what it’s about. We all know that soccer is REALLY about Latino countries becoming the sites of looting and rampaging after their team loses some big important match. (Or is it after they WIN?)

There, I’ve made a few more enemies. Time to call it quits.

Numskull’s Rating: 6/10


By Joe909

Stephen Chow looks like a thinner, goofier Bruce Lee throughout this crazy movie. The basic plot is that Chow is a down on his luck Shaolin student. A former soccer champion enlists Chow, after a lot of shenanigans, to form a soccer team, and finally Chow gets together his former Shaolin brothers and fashions them into his teammates.

I would say that this is one of those movies where the special effects dominate everything, but luckily they’re done well, and, more importantly, they complement the movie. It isn’t crap like “Phantom Menace:” all special effects and no story. Some of the effects are downright impressive, such as the long shot of Chow kicking a soccer ball toward a far-off brick wall.

There isn’t much real soccer in the movie, especially in the game against the Evil Team. Mostly it’s just people flying around and burning up. But regardless, the games are just as exciting as any swordplay or wire-fu fights I’ve seen in years.

One thing I would’ve liked to have seen more of was the Bruce Lee-lookalike goalie, who isn’t in the movie very much. He has the best scene in the film, in his solo stand against a team of villainous females. But he doesn’t last very long in the climactic game against the Evil Team, and is escorted off the field; though this does provide us with another funny gag, as he slips on a pair of big Bruce Lee-style sunglasses.

Shaolin Soccer has some hilarious moments, some unfunny moments, some downright exciting moments, some boring moments, and the sexiest actress I’ve seen in years: a young woman who trips over a banana peel in the beginning. Not sure of the actress’s name, but judging from the making-of documentary, she’s new to the acting business. All in all, though, Shaolin Soccer is a mixed bag.

Joe909’s Rating: 7/10

Posted in Chinese, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , |

Palisades Tartan titles expiring soon from Netflix Instant

Carved: The Slit-Mouthed Woman DVD (Palisades Tartan)

Carved: The Slit-Mouthed Woman DVD (Palisades Tartan)

Just a heads up that a few Asian films released by distributor Palisades Tartan will be expiring from Netflix Instant at the end of the month (11/30/11). Most of them are Asian horror movies, but if you’re interested in watching any of them you might want to do so in the next few days!

KOREA

Face (2004), Address Unknown (2001), The Coast Guard (2002), Sorum (2001), Bloody Reunion (2006), Whispering Corridors (1998)

JAPAN

Carved: The Slit Mouthed Woman (2007), Pray (2005)

THAILAND

The Victim (2006), Ghost of Mae Nak (2005), Dorm (2006)

HONG KONG/CHINA

The Heirloom (2005), The Maid (2005), A World Without Thieves (2004), The Heroic Duo (2003), Divergence (2005)

Posted in News |

Happy Thanksgiving!

Posted in News |

Flight of the Living Dead: Outbreak on a Plane (2007) Review

"Flight of the Living Dead: Outbreak on a Plane" American DVD Cover

"Flight of the Living Dead: Outbreak on a Plane" American DVD Cover

Director: Scott Thomas
Writer: Sidney Iwanter, Mark Onspaugh, Scott Thomas
Producer: David Shoshan
Cast: David Chisum, Kristen Kerr, Kevin J. O’Connor, Derek Webster, Dale Midkiff, Erick Avari, Richard Tyson
Running Time: 94 min.

By JJ Hatfield

In the mood for a scary flick instead of watching some of my perennial favorites I decided to catch up on some films I have purposely passed by. Flight Of The Living Dead happened to be one of those films. After watching approximately nine minutes I wished I had continued to pass this one by.

I had hoped that this might be one of those movies that is so bad it’s actually entertaining. However this was not to be. Flight of the Living Dead is not entertaining it is simply bad. How bad? Well let me tell you about the plot. Some sort of scientists and/or military creators of bigger and better weapons of nasty war toys devised an evil potion that had the potential to keep the enemy continually attacking their own or allow the good guys to fight on even after death. In other words zombies. Nifty, huh? Remember though this is a bad movie. And like all bad movies the writers launch into utter stupidity in a futile attempt to keep the audience engaged. Which brings us back to the plot. Someone sneaks an infected subject aboard an airplane bound for Paris. Paris, France. As the writers would have it during some turbulence shit happens and the infection starts to spread to the hapless unaware passengers aboard the plane.

As anyone familiar with zombies knows having them on board your plane flying at 35,000 feet is a bit more problematic than if you were on terra firma. And these are not typical zombies these are supercharged horrors that move quickly and easily over all obstacles. These are also not your typical passengers. They are slow dolts who seem to want to become victims of the zombies. Men and women, girls and boys, people from different cultures and different beliefs are all equal in their ineptitude. The passengers also share other similarities. They are unattractive physically and mentally. They also have in common wearing ugly apparel. And did I mention they are all idiots? For example when dealing with the evil zombie’s victims tend to stand or sit and scream or look  terrified instead of oh, I don’t know perhaps trying to fight or run away, at least as much as possible on a 747. When someone does fight back they do so with such tools such as explosives, handguns, machine guns and a couple of golf clubs. Now while it would take some pretty extreme effort to damage the shell of an aircraft with golf clubs the same cannot be said for explosives and guns. The basic principles of aerodynamics hint that piercing the skin of an aircraft while flying at high altitude would create a significant hazard to both passengers and craft. Nevertheless the fools merrily fire away at approaching zombies without a thought of merrily causing the aircraft to crash. Gunfire pierces the air but miraculously does not pierce the plane. No matter how many shots were fired only zombies and those who are about to become zombies are hit.

Unfortunately there are more problems with Flight of the Living Dead. Idiot behavior with guns and golf clubs has been covered but alas that is only the beginning. Not only do the zombies behave as if they are on speed and impossible to take out even if you take off most of their zombie bodies they simply do not look good. I don’t mean they look gross in fact just the opposite-they don’t look convincing at all. The makeup is shoddy the blood looks like cough syrup and they don’t look dead. This all makes for some pretty sad looking undead creatures. So much for the zombies.

The other glaring problem with Flight of the Living Dead is the wretched acting by all concerned. There are two or three who could be accused of over-acting but for the most part no one seems to care. Given the script this is completely understandable. However the so-called actors did know what they were getting into with Flight of the Living Dead. Unless a close family member or friend needed life saving surgery whatever salary was garnered wasn’t worth it. I predict the actors will not be seen in any grand production in the near future. So save your time and avoid a painful experience by avoiding this movie. If you really want to see a laugh out loud pseudo-scary flick they aren’t that hard to find… but then that’s another review.

JJ Hatfield’s Rating: 1/10

Posted in Other Movies, Reviews | Tagged |

The Dead Blu-ray & DVD (Anchor Bay)

The Dead Blu-ray & DVD (Anchor Bay)

The Dead Blu-ray & DVD (Anchor Bay)

RELEASE DATE: February 14, 2012

When the last flight out of war-torn Africa crashes off the coast, Lt. Brian Murphy (Rob Freeman) is the sole survivor in a land where the dead are returning to life and attacking the living. When he crosses paths with local solider Daniel Dembele (Prince David Osei), a man frantically searching for his son, they join forces. “The Best Zombie Movie of the Year” – Aintitcoolnews.com

Check out the trailer.

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

Chinese historical epic ‘The Warring States’ now on Netflix Instant

The Warring States aka Jin Gok DVD (New Video)

The Warring States aka Jin Gok DVD (New Video)

“The Warring States” is a 2010 Chinese historical epic, co-starring Francis Ng, that combines elements of romance, comedy, and action. The film just arrived on DVD last week but you can watch it streaming on Netflix Instant, along with a host of other Asian titles.

Recent additions to the Netflix streaming catalog include the 1990 Ultraman TV series and the Andy Lau/Anita Mui fantasy epic “Saviour of the Soul.” As always, you can check out our Netflix Instant Asian Film Roundup here.

Posted in News |

Mandrill Blu-ray & DVD (Magnolia)

Mandrill Blu-ray & DVD (Magnolia)

Mandrill Blu-ray & DVD (Magnolia)

RELEASE DATE: February 28, 2012

The tagline to Ernesto Díaz Espinoza’s (Kiltro) Mandrill is Cooler than Shaft, Hotter than Bond, Faster than Lee. Chilean action star Marko Zaror (Mirageman) plays Mandrill, a badass who gets revenge on a gang of thugs who murdered his parents. Judging from the trailer, this looks like a slick flick with a retro kick!

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

Well Go USA inks deal with upstart streaming service ‘Japan Flix’

"Negative Happy Chainsaw Edge" Japanese Theatrical Poster

"Negative Happy Chainsaw Edge" Japanese Theatrical Poster

Via Far East Films, Asian film distributor Well Go USA has signed a deal with upstart streaming website Japan Flix to make their catalog of Japanese films available on streaming. The first titles available will include the splatterpunk zombie movie “Helldriver” and the teen martial arts romance “Negative Happy Chainsaw Edge.”

This is a major boost for Japan Flix as Well Go USA is arguably the finest distributor of Asian cinema in the West. Expect more titles to be added in the coming months. Japan Flix is free to join and allows users to rent or purchase movies. Explore their website here.

Posted in News |

Legend is Born – Ip Man, The (2010) Review

"The Legend Is Born – Ip Man" Japanese Theatrical Poster

“The Legend Is Born – Ip Man” Japanese Theatrical Poster

Director: Herman Yau
Cast: Dennis To, Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao, Fan Siu-wong, Huang Yi, Ip Chun, Kenya Sawada, Betty Huang Yi, Bernice Liu Bik Yi, Lam Suet, Chen Zhi Hui, Kenya Sawada, Sire Ma Sai, Hins Cheung Ging Hin, Louis Cheung
Running Time: 100 min.

By HKFanatic

Viewers would be forgiven for thinking that “The Legend is Born” is a legitimate prequel to Donnie Yen’s “Ip Man” series. Not only was it erroneously marketed as “Ip Man Zero” in order to capitalize on the success of Yen’s films but it also stars Sammo Hueng and Fan Siu-Wong (“Ricky-Oh: The Story of Ricky“), who both had major roles in the “Ip Man” movies. However, “The Legend is Born” is not part of the same series.

The temptation, then, is to see this as a cash-in on the part of director Herman Yau, a way to make a profit off the newfound popularity of Bruce Lee’s mentor Yip Man; and this film is at least part of the reason why Donnie Yen has abandoned development on “Ip Man 3” for the time being. But after watching the film myself, I can say it’s actually pretty good. To put it another way: I doubt Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao, two martial arts legends in their own right, would have signed on for this movie if they thought it was crap.

I don’t envy any actor who has to fill Donnie Yen’s shoes. But that’s just what young martial artist and actor Dennis To has to do in “The Legend is Born,” as he steps into the role of a young Ip Man. Dennis acquits himself rather nicely in the film’s many fight scenes but his acting leaves something to be desired. He comes across as a bit flat and unemotional, but then again there’s a point in the movie where another character actually compares him to a wooden training dummy so perhaps his stiff manner was intentional. He simply lacks the charm and warmth of Donnie Yen in the role but I wouldn’t write this kid off just yet.

“The Legend is Born” traces another fictionalized arc in the Yip’s life, following his first journey to Hong Kong for educational purposes and the development of his Wing Chun skills. I’m not sure if the real Yip Man had a half-Japanese brother – probably not – but this angle is played up for maximum conflict. The real problem with the film’s screenplay is that it often feels like a montage of Ip Man’s early life, a ‘cliff notes’ take on its protagonist, whereas Donnie Yen’s films excelled at choosing a period in Ip Man’s life and telling a complete story from there. There are times when “The Legend is Born” feels entirely superficial in comparison to the first “Ip Man,” and the low production values certainly don’t help.

But fortunately “The Legend is Born” excels where it counts: the fight scenes. Despite a slow stretch towards the start of the third act, this film is fairly packed with action. The choreography is by Tony Leung Siu Hung, an underrated action director who has worked on many classic Hong Kong films and helmed the 90’s Gary Daniels flick “Bloodmoon.” Dennis To practiced Wing Chun for six years before his break into acting (he even had a brief appearance in “Ip Man 2“), while anyone who’s seen “The Story of Ricky” or the first “Ip Man” knows that Fong Sai Hung can kick ass. Toss in some fight scenes for Yuen Biao and a surprise cameo from the actual Yip Man’s real life son, Ip Chung, and “The Legend is Born” has the chance to win over even the most staunch Donnie Yen fan.

This is not the first movie about Ip Man and it won’t be the last – Wong Kar-Wai has his own take on Master Yip coming sometime next year. Donnie Yen’s achievements may tower over “The Legend is Born” but there’s enough about this would-be prequel to recommend. Even with a slightly un-involving performance from Dennis To, supporting turns from HK veterans like Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao help color the film, and the fight choreography from Tony Leung Siu Hung is topnotch. If you’re curious to learn more about the life of Ip Man, albeit in a highly fictionalized and exaggerated context, then “The Legend is Born” should prove enjoyable.

HKFanatic’s Rating: 7/10

Posted in Chinese, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , |

Blu-Ray and DVD Releases for 11/22/11

Helldriver Blu-ray/DVD (Well Go USA)

Helldriver Blu-ray/DVD (Well Go USA)

Not a lot on the table this week but cinema buffs should still be able to find something to enjoy, whether you’re craving a gory Japanese flick or a Criterion Collection blu-ray. So here are your Asian and genre-related blu-ray and DVD releases for the week of 11/22/11:

ASIAN CINEMA

Helldriver (blu-ray/DVD) – a 2010 post-apocalyptic zombie road movie from the director of “Tokyo Gore Police.” For fans of Japanese splatterpunk!

Saki the Killer (DVD) – an art teacher to prison inmates takes on the Yakuza in this 2011 low-budget Japanese film. Tagline: “Her paint is her enemy’s blood!”

Street Battle Los Angeles (DVD) – an ex-Yakuza seeks peace in Los Angeles. What he finds is an all-out gang war between the Yakuza, Korean gangs, and the Mafia in this 2011 film

ANIMATION

Tekken: Blood Vengeance (DVD) – I don’t really understand the point of releasing a computer-generated film and not putting it on blu-ray, but you still may want to check out this 2011 animated feature based on the popular “Tekken” video game series

The Adventures of Tintin: Season One (DVD) – the early 90’s Tintin animated series is released on DVD, just in time for Steven Spielberg’s big screen adaptation

Coicent/Five Numbers (blu-ray/DVD) – two anime features on one disc from Sentai Filmworks. Total runtime: 60 minutes

CULT

Devil’s Double (blu-ray/DVD) – Dominic Cooper stars as the double for one of Sadam Hussein’s evil sons in this critically-acclaimed 2011 film that has drawn comparisons to “Scarface”

Rushmore (blu-ray) – the Criterion Collection releases Wes Anderson’s 1998 breakthrough hit on blu-ray, starring Jason Schwartzman and Bill Murray

MAINSTREAM

Super 8 (blu-ray/DVD) – J.J Abrams’ 2011 ‘kids and aliens’ thriller is an homage to the 80’s era of Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment

Conan the Barbarian (blu-ray/DVD) – the 2011 remake of the classic Arnold Schwarzenegger film didn’t exactly slay at the box office but now you can watch it on home formats

12 Angry Men (blu-ray) – the Criterion Collection releases this classic 1957 film on blu-ray, starring Henry Fonda

Three Amigos (blu-ray) – the beloved 1986 comedy starring Steve Martin, Chevy Chase, and Martin Short, now on blu-ray

Hollywood Man (DVD) – it’s a biker gang vs. the Hollywood mafia in this 1976 action flick

Carjacked (blu-ray/DVD) – Maria Bello (“A History of Violence”) and Stephen Dorff (“Blade”) headline this 2011 direct-to-video thriller from the director of “The Marine”

Jean Claude Van Damme 3 Pack (DVD) – need some more Van Dammage in your life? Now you can procure “Death Warrant,” “Double Impact,” and “Cyborg” in one DVD set

HORROR

Scream 4 (blu-ray) – Wes Craven’s 2011 horror film is now available as a standalone blu-ray disc instead of a combo pack

Naked Massacre (DVD) – a 1976 horror movie based on the Richard Speck murders

Interested in any of these movies? If so, we hope that you’ll consider ordering from our affiliate to help support this site. Thank you!

Posted in News |

Donnie Yen to star in a heist film produced by Jackie Chan

Donnie Yen

Donnie Yen

Twitch Film is reporting that Donnie Yen is set to star and choreograph the actions sequences in an upcoming heist film called Ultimate Codebreak. The movie will be produced by Jackie Chan, who will have a small role in the film. Also starring is Wu Chen (14 Blades). A director has not been named at this time but shooting is already set to begin next month.

Posted in News |

World on a Wire Blu-ray & DVD (Criterion)

World on a Wire Blu-ray & DVD (Criterion)

World on a Wire Blu-ray & DVD (Criterion)

RELEASE DATE: February 21, 2012

World on a Wire is a gloriously paranoid, boundlessly inventive take on the future from German wunderkind Rainer Werner Fassbinder. With dashes of Stanley Kubrick, Kurt Vonnegut, and Philip K. Dick, as well as a flavor entirely his own, Fassbinder tells the noir-spiked tale of a reluctant action hero, Fred Stiller (Klaus Lowitsch), a cybernetics engineer who uncovers a massive corporate conspiracy. At risk? (Virtual) reality as we know it. Originally made for German television, this recently rediscovered, three-and-a-half-hour labyrinth is a satiric and surreal look at the weird world of tomorrow from one of cinema’s kinkiest geniuses.

Check out the trailer.

Features: New high-definition digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition; ; Fassbinder’s “World on a Wire”: Looking Ahead to Today, a fifty-minute documentary about the making of the film by Juliane Lorenz; New interview with German-film scholar Gerd Gemünden; New English subtitles; Trailer for the 2010 theatrical release; PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by film critic Ed Halter

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