Star Wars: The Complete Saga Blu-ray (Fox)

Posted on September 1, 2011 by JJ Bona

RELEASE DATE: September 16, 2011

First time on Blu-ray with three different sets to choose from: Star Wars: The Complete Saga (Episodes I-VI), Star Wars: The Prequel Trilogy (Episodes I – III) and Star Wars: The Original Trilogy (Episodes IV – VI).

Update: A Comic-Con teaser with deleted scenes can be seen here.

Update 2: The latest trailer for the set can be seen here.

Update 3: A clip of the new TPM Yoda, courtesy of Rotten Tomatoes and Movieline.

Update 4: Don’t say I didn’t warn ya.

Update 5: If it makes you feel better, Funny or Die has got you covered. Thanks to Digital Bits for the link.

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

BKO: Bangkok Knockout (2010) Review

Posted on September 1, 2011 by Z Ravas
"BKO: Bangkok Knockout" International Theatrical Poster

“BKO: Bangkok Knockout” International Theatrical Poster

Director: Panna Rittikrai
Cast: Gitabak Agohjit, Speedy Arnold, Supakson Chaimongkol, Sorapong Chatree, Virat Kemgrad
Running Time: 105 min.

By HKFanatic

Director and fight choreographer Panna Rittikrai has stated his goal in cinema is to push the human body to its limit. “BKO: Bangkok Knockout,” then, is his magnum opus. Panna builds on style of his 2004 free-for-all stunt spectacular “Born to Fight” and unleashes a film that either pays tribute to Thai stuntmen or delivers their bone-crushing punishment – I’m still not sure which. If you’re looking for great performances, a complex plot, or character development…keep walking. “BKO” is not for you. This is a film for those who get off on the jaw-dropping, “Holy shit, I can’t believe they just did that” thrill of watching an action movie from Thailand, where brave stuntmen put their lives on the line and pay no heed to Hollywood insurance policies.

The premise of “BKO” is fairly bare bones, with a team of martial artist friends waking up after a night out on the town and realizing they’ve been drugged and brought to an unfinished housing project. There they are forced under penalty of death to fight against skilled opponents, all for the amusement and financial gain of some wealthy criminals who are betting on the action from a remote location. As per usual with these Thai movies, the few English-speaking actors deliver ridiculous performances. The man in charge of the gambling action is played by an actor named Speedy Arnold and the math he gives his associates makes absolutely no sense. “Bet $300,000 on this next fight,” he says with a smile and a Southern-fried accent, “and you stand to make $100,000.” What? I’m no business major but I can’t see why anyone would invest more than they stand to make. This happens about four times during the movie and by the final instance I was just dying of laughter.

If you could cut out the English-speaking actors (some of whom can just barely speak the language) and sped up the talky first 40 minutes, “BKO” would be close to perfect. As it stands those are the elements you have to endure to get to the good stuff. But it’s worth the sacrifice: once “BKO” gets rolling, the action rarely lets up. The cast features a bunch of young and talented martial artists from all over Asia. Stick around for the credits and they detail which style the actors specialize in: from Tai Chi to Tae Kwon Do, from free-running to Commando Krav Maga, even gymnastics.

The film is designed from the ground up to allow these gifted performers to show their stuff. If anything, “BKO” tips its hat a little too early: the first real fight scene set in a caged room is arguably the most amazing fight in the entire film, as the opponents cling to and fly off of a caged fence in acrobatic fashion. At the same time I can’t overlook the fight scene where the Thai Chi practitioner wields a giant metal rod, reminding me of Jet Li in his heyday; or the fight between lead hero Pod and the character the credits list as a “ninja samurai.” Director Panna Rittikrai himself gets in on the action at one point, starring as a bad guy who plays for keeps. He’s the kind of fighter who immediately goes for your weaknesses, seeking pressure points on the body or gouging out your eyes if he has to.

There’s also fight scenes involving a hulking, unstoppable killer with a Slipknot-type mask – it’s like seeing what would happen if a bunch of martial artists went up against Jason in a “Friday the 13th” movie. And then there’s a Death Race-style car that drives into crowds of people and smashes through concrete walls in spectacular fashion. This is not even mentioning the final act, which features plenty of stunts with a moving semi-truck and a bunch of dirtbikes.

The fact that there are so many characters is this film’s blessing and its curse: everybody gets to show off their moves but nobody really gets to make a lasting impression or deliver a memorable performance. There are so many actors I wish you could pluck from this film and give their own starring vehicle to see what they could do with the spotlight solely on them from 90 minutes. Tony Jaa continues to be the most popular Thai star abroad because he has charisma to burn. The cast in “Bangkok Knockout” doesn’t really get the chance to win the audience over besides leaving us in awe of their physical abilities. I also would have liked a woman martial artist in the film – the female characters mostly serve as damsels-in-distress to drive the story forward, though they do get a few kicks in. The presence of Jeeja Yanin (“Chocolate”) is sorely missed here.

Truly, “BKO: Bangkok Knockout” is a nonstop showreel of blistering, intense fight choreography and stunts so brutal you can’t believe people actually walked away from them. I’d say that the film sets the bar for action and stunts so high that it won’t be topped for quite some time except that I’m certain that Panna Rittikrai is dreaming up ways to outdo himself as I type. Panna is the mad scientist of martial arts cinema and “Bangkok Knockout” is his Frankenstein monster. Action fans the world over, get ready to rejoice.

HKFanatic’s Rating: 9/10

Posted in Reviews, Thai | Tagged , , |

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan Blu-ray & DVD (Fox)

Posted on August 31, 2011 by JJ Bona
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan Blu-ray & DVD (Fox)

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan Blu-ray & DVD (Fox)

RELEASE DATE: November 1, 2011

Fox Entertainment has announced that it will release on Blu-ray critically acclaimed director Wayne Wang’s (Chinese Box) Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (2011), starring Li Bingbing (Detective Dee), Russell Wong (The Sanctuary), Gianna Jun aka Jun Ji-Hyun (My Sassy Girl), and Vivian Wu (The Last Emperor). Check out the trailer here.

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

Death Weapons of the East & Ancient Secret Agents DVD (A&E)

Posted on August 31, 2011 by JJ Bona
Death Weapons of the East & Ancient Secret Agents DVD (A&E)

Death Weapons of the East & Ancient Secret Agents DVD (A&E)

RELEASE DATE: September 20, 2011

The oldest known weapon is the staff. Watch with surprising results a comparison test between a staff and a shotgun. Learn about the ermei–a deadly Chinese underwater attack weapon. Which is more powerful, a meteor hammer or a punch? Can Chi Warriors really kill a man with a single touch? Investigate the ability of eastern warriors to withstand pain such as smashing concrete on live human heads. Finally, ancient Chinese crossbows are examined, including one small enough to fit up your sleeve.

Investigate the systems by which ancient intelligence services transmitted messages over thousands of miles–the fire beacon, the horse and the pigeon. This episode sets up a great race between these three systems to see which communicates the swiftest. Learn how ancient spies sent secret messages using invisible ink made of human sperm and how they wrote on the inside of a raw egg. Discover how Japan’s covert assassins, the ninja, used more than darts and poisons–they were pretty good with explosives as well. Find out how a Roman James Bond used a suit made of cork to support him in full armor during a covert operation across a river.

This is the perfect opportunity to learn about all those cool weapons and warriors we’re used to seeing in martial arts movies. It’s good to educate ourselves. Besides, you’ll never know when you might come across these guys.

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

The Piano in a Factory DVD (Film Movement)

Posted on August 30, 2011 by JJ Bona
The Piano in a Factory DVD (Film Movement)

The Piano in a Factory DVD (Film Movement)

RELEASE DATE: December 6, 2011

To fight for custody of his daughter who loves playing the piano, a steel factory worker decides to forge a piano from scratch. A delightful Chinese film that artfully blends music, romance, comedy and just a little social comment a thoroughly enjoyable movie experience! – Mark Adams, Screen Daily Check out the trailer here.

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

BKO: Bangkok Knockout Blu-ray/DVD (Magnolia)

Posted on August 30, 2011 by JJ Bona
BKO: Bangkok Knockout Blu-ray/DVD (Magnolia)

BKO: Bangkok Knockout Blu-ray/DVD (Magnolia)

RELEASE DATE: August 30, 2011

Bangkok Knockout is a 2010 Thai martial arts film, directed by Panna Rittikrai (Ong-Bak 2). It revolves around a group of martial arts students who are enjoying a reunion party when a bomb goes off in the building. When they wake up, some of their friends have been kidnapped and they soon find a group of assassins coming after them. Check out the trailer and also be sure to read our review.

Update: A clip from the film can be seen here.

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

Rammbock: Berlin Undead | aka Siege of the Dead (2010) Review

Posted on August 30, 2011 by Z Ravas
"Rammbock" American DVD Cover

"Rammbock" American DVD Cover

Director: Marvin Kren
Writer: Benjamin Hessler
Producer: Sigrid Hoerner
Cast: Michael Fuith, Theo Trebs, Anka Graczyk, Brigitte Kren, Emily Cox
Running Time: 64 min.

By HKFanatic

“Rammbock” is a 2010 German-language zombie film that takes its cues from “28 Days Later”: the dead aren’t coming back to life, it’s the living that are being infected by a virus that turns them into rabid flesh-eaters. The filmmakers obviously didn’t have access to the large budget of something like Zack Snyder’s “Dawn of the Dead” remake, so they wisely kept costs down by keeping the action confined to a large apartment building and its courtyard. This actually works in their favor as the focus of the film is turned away from zombie bloodshed and placed squarely on the characters. Though “Rammbock” clocks in at a scant 60 minutes, its emphasis on human drama over blood ‘n gore means it’s still one of the better horror flicks to come down the pike in some time.

Main character Michael is not your typical hero. He’s pudgy, balding, and kinda homely. He also has a severe case of co-dependency on his ex-girlfriend Gabi. When she requests he returns his set of keys to her apartment, he gets the bright idea to travel all the way to Berlin and try to win her back. As soon as he arrives, the zombie apocalypse intervenes.

Michael must hunt the apartment building for Gabi all while contending with rabid humans and neighbors who might not have his survival in mind. He soon teams up with a young plumber apprentice named Harper, who soon turns out to be rather fearless and resourceful. He’s the kind of kid who can make a weapon with a few forks and a rubberband. Together, they might just have a fighting chance of getting out of Berlin alive. Expect a few twists and turns along the way, or as many as the filmmakers can toss at you in an hour’s runtime.

There’s a little bit of gore in “Rammbock,” I suppose just enough to secure a “R” rating, but Germans are notorious censors of violence in films. Instead this is a story about the human characters: how they dig in to this apartment, scavenge for food and supplies while fending off zombies, and try not to lose hope. A survivor’s story. All the while Michael pines for his ex-girlfriend, Gabi. At least he gets closure there – but probably not in the way you’d expect.

With a bigger budget and an increased runtime, I get the feeling that “Rammbock” director Marvin Kren could pull out all the stops. The actor who plays Harper, Theo Trebes (Michael Heneke’s “The White Ribbon), also emerges as a young talent to watch. If you rent this film expecting a bloodbath, you might be disappointed. This is not “Dead Snow” or “The Horde” – but I actually enjoyed it more than either of those. If you’re looking for a character study with a few new twists on the zombie formula, then “Rammbock” fits the bill.

HKFanatic’s Rating: 7/10

Posted in Other Movies, Reviews | Tagged |

Well Go USA to release two films from Grudge director Takashi Shimizu

Posted on August 29, 2011 by Z Ravas

Takashi Shimizu on the set of "Shock Labryinth"

Well Go USA has preemptively acquired all North American distribution rights including theatrical, DVD, Digital, VOD and Television to the upcoming 3D horror thriller TORMENTED from Hong Kong/Netherlands-based Fortissimo Films.  They have simultaneously also acquired all rights to the 2010 horror classic THE SHOCK LABYRINTH. Both films were directed by edgy auteur Takashi Shimizu, best known for the original 2002 Japanese hit The Grudge (Juon) and the 2003 sequel The Grudge 2 (Juon 2) as well as the US remakes of both films. The original film and the English language remakes grossed over $270 million worldwide.

TORMENTED will premiere at the upcoming Venice Film Festival in Official Selection Midnight. It has just been announced that it also has been selected for Official Competition at the Sitges Film Festival, the world’s foremost fantasy and horror film festival to be held in October this year.

The deal was brokered between Doris Pfardrescher, President, Well Go USA Entertainment and Winnie Lau, EVP, Sales & Acquisitions, Fortissimo Films.

“We are looking to push the envelope and bring unique filmed entertainment from all corners of the world to the North American market,” said Doris Pfardrescher. “We are excited to have secured rights to these films directed by the very talented, visionary director Takashi Shimizu that will no doubt resonate with the huge and passionate genre fan base.”

Fortissimo’s Lau added, “ In the last few years Well Go has established a very strong reputation in North America for its exciting selection of films combining great marketing with great distribution. We are thrilled that Fortissimo’s first two 3D titles will be in their excellent hands and we are looking forward to strong results across all media.”

TORMENTED 3D

Tormented...by cats!

TORMENTED centers on a young boy whose family seems to be unraveling around him.  His sister is grappling with the reality of life or death, while his storybook illustrating father walks a line with insanity. The situation intensifies when the boy manifests a dangerous friendship with a stuffed toy rabbit that comes to life.  Is he crazy or are they all delusional?  Shimizu ventures once more into the terrifying corners of the mind where the lines between fact and fiction are blurred. This film marks his first collaboration with award winning director of photography Christopher Doyle who has previously worked with many other noted Asian directors including Wong Kar Wai.

THE SHOCK LABYRINTH 3D

Let's hope these Shock Labryinth kids don't hold a Grudge

THE SHOCK LABYRINTH (2010) marked Japan’s first foray into the world of live-action 3-D feature films. The story follows a group of teenagers dealing with the disappearance of one of them, Yuki, at an amusement park’s ghost house. On a rainy day 10 years later, Yuki inexplicably returns. However, no sooner is she united with her former friends than she collapses, and the group rushes Yuki to a nearby hospital. But after checking in, they discover that things are not quite as they seem at the medical center. As the night wears on, the group sinks deeper and deeper into the events from a decade ago that led to Yuki’s disappearance.

Posted in News |

Executioners from Shaolin | aka Shaolin Executioner (1977) Review

Posted on August 29, 2011 by Z Ravas
"Executioners from Shaolin" Chinese Theatrical Poster

“Executioners from Shaolin” Chinese Theatrical Poster

AKA: Executioners of Death
Director: Lau Kar-leung
Cast: Chen Kuan Tai, Lo Lieh, Lily Li Li Li, Wong Yu, Kong Do, Hsiao Ho, Cheng Hong Yip, John Cheung, Shum Lo, Gordon Liu, Fung Hak On, Fung Ming, John Cheung, Wilson Tong, Peter Chan Lung, Lam Ching Ying, Lau Kar Leung, Lee Hoi San, Meng Hoi, Eric Tsang
Running Time: 96 mins.

By HKFanatic

Tonally, this film is all over the place even for a Shaw Brothers movie. The story opens ‘in medias res’ with the Shaolin Temple (which we never actually see) under siege. Dozens of soldiers are descending on the brave Shaolin warriors and Gordon Lui (“36th Chamber of Shaolin,” “Kill Bill“) gets a stand-out cameo where he fends most of them off. The film then turns its focus to Chen Kuan Tai and his bride-to-be and almost becomes a kung-fu romantic comedy. Chen Kuan falls in love with Lilly Li but his Shaolin brothers continually give him shit about it. His buddies even try to listen in on the happy couple’s wedding night! Chen Kaun has way more patience than me; I’d be unleashing my tiger fist on these guys.

All the while, Chen Kuan is training to get his martial arts skills up to snuff so he can take on the evil Pai Mei and avenge the death of his Master, which occurred during the opening credits. Chen Kuan has to wait 17 years to try and take revenge; this has to be be some kind of record for an action movie (they only imprisoned “Oldboy” for 15!). Things don’t go quite as planned and eventually Chen Kuan’s son, played by Wong Yu, must take up the mission to defeat Pai Mei.

Wong Yu is a naturally gifted and comedic performer who’s a lot of fun to watch; unfortunately, the costume department saddled him with one of the worst haircuts and wardrobes I’ve ever seen in a kung-fu movie. He basically has little buns or pigtails in his hair and is decked out in what looks like a Hawaiin tourist shirt. The fact that he still manages to be a bad-ass in the movie is a testament to his talent as a martial artist and actor.

I’m not sure if I responded well to the film’s various shifts in genre but I can’t deny that Pai Mei makes for one of the finest kung-fu movie villains of all time. He does that over-the-top, evil laugh you almost expect from a Shaw Brothers baddie but more than that he’s got a cool, emotionless look with those long gray eyebrows and incredible fighting skills. He’s practically invincible and he fears no one. Though I gotta say, it was weird how everybody kept trying to punch and kick him in the balls…and then Pai Mei would trap their limbs between his thighs…yeah, uh, quite odd. Chen Kuan and his son even go for the crotch area on their training dummy. This is a very testicles-focused martial arts film. I get that this region is a serious weak point on any dude’s body but in “Executioner From Shaolin” it’s a bit overdone. Fortunately, the ending kicks ass and concludes on an appropriately epic freeze frame.

“Executioner From Shaolin” is one of the quirkier Shaw Brothers movies I can think of. What begins as a tale of blood-thirsty revenge slows down to become at times a romantic comedy and domestic drama. But it still has the classic training sequences that you expect from director Lau Kar-leung (“36 Chamber of Shaolin,” “The 8 Diagram Pole Fighter“) and one of hell of a bad guy in Pai Mei. If you wondered where Quentin Tarantino took inspiration for Gordon Liu’s white-browed, crotchety martial arts instructor in “Kill Bill,” this is it!

HKFanatic’s Rating: 7/10

By Mighty Peking Man

Hung Hze-Kwan (Chen Kuan-Tai) is one of the lucky survivors who barely escaped Pai Mei’s (Lo Lieh) attack on the Shaolin Temple. When Hung Hze-Kwan finds out the high priest (Lee Hoi Sang) was killed during the raid, he dedicates his whole life to getting revenge on Pai Mei.

Soon after the events of the attack, Hung Hze-Kwan flees to Canton where he marries the girl of his dreams (Lily Li), and the two have a baby boy named Wen-Ding (Hsiao Hou). In between being a family man, Hung Hze-Kwan begins his Tiger Syle training and practices it for 10 long years.

Thinking he’s ready to take on Pai Mei, he heads over to his temple and prepares for the ultimate battle. To make a long story short, Hung Hze-Kwan loses. However, he gains more knowledge about his weakness, and observes that you have to hit certain areas, at certain times, in order to defeat him.

I first saw Executioners From Shaolin about 20 years ago. It was the dubbed, panned & scanned VHS version. The film stayed fresh in my mind throughout the years, but what really stuck in my head was how it broke the usual kung fu film mold: intead of your typical train, then take on the main bad guy and win routine, we get a train, then take on the bad guy, lose, train again, take on the bad guy again, then followed by a different guy trains, with a different approach, then takes on the bad guy… It’s a long and winding process, but you know what, it’s entertaining the whole way through.

I’m not sure if I can put the brilliance of Liu Chia-Liang’s filmmaking into words: You have the well-configured choreography, crazy techniques (what’s up with Pai Mei’s crotch hold?) and inventive training devices (I don’t know about you, but I never saw a training dummy filled with moving-metal balls in Black Belt Magazine) – not to mention slick production values, which is a norm for most Shaw Brothers flicks.

Then you have the pre-credit sequence… actually, no, it’s a fight scene that plays during the credit sequence. How cool is that? You get to see who’s in the movie while there’s some chunky action going on. James Bond flicks don’t even give you that.

Lo Lei’s portrayal of the indestructible Pai Mei became such a popular villain amongst fans, that the character was resurrected various times, in some way or another, in a handful of films – most notably in Fist of the White Lotus (where he’s called ‘White Lotus’). Pai Mei even appears in Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill Vol. 2 (played by Gordon Liu).

If you’re looking for a straight up kung fu flick with no bullshit, it doesn’t get any better than this. Yeah, some people will say it’s slow, dull or whatever; only someone who owns the Criterion Collection DVD of Armageddon would be dumb enough to say something like that.

Executioners From Shaolin is a must see.

Mighty Peking Man’s Rating: 10/10

Posted in Chinese, Reviews, Shaw Brothers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Leiji Matsumoto and Daft Punk: Interstella 5555 Blu-ray (Virgin)

Posted on August 28, 2011 by JJ Bona
Leiji Matsumoto and Daft Punk: Interstella 5555 Blu-ray (Virgin)

Leiji Matsumoto and Daft Punk: Interstella 5555 Blu-ray (Virgin)

RELEASE DATE: October 4, 2011

First time on Blu-ray! This Japanese animated musical film was produced by Daft Punk (features all their music from their album “Discovery”) along with Toei Animation, under the supervision of Leiji Matsumoto (Captain Harlock, Space Battleship Yamato). The film has no dialogue and minimal sound effects and features 1970s/1980s-style anime. Check out the trailer here.

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

Mad Monkey Kung Fu (1979) Review

Posted on August 27, 2011 by Z Ravas
"Mad Monkey Kung Fu" Chinese Theatrical Poster

“Mad Monkey Kung Fu” Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Liu Chia Liang
Writer: I Kuang
Cast: Hsiao Ho, Lau Kar Leung, Lo Lieh, Kara Hui, Ching Chu, San Sin, Lam Fai Wong, Lin Ke Ming, Chan Ling Wai, Wong Ching Ho, Cham Siu Hung
Running Time: 116 min.

By HKFanatic

This 1979 kung fu film starring Hsiao Ho and Lau Kar-leung is another minor masterpiece from the Shaw Brothers. At nearly two hours long, this movie stuffs in as much Monkey Fist-style martial arts as the audience can handle. Interestingly enough, this film was released the same year as Golden Harvest’s Yuen Biao vehicle “Knockabout,” which also prominently featured the Monkey form of kung fu. Both films exemplify their studios’ very different approach to making a martial arts picture. Now if you held me at swordpoint I’d have to confess that I prefer “Knockabout” but, hey, there’s no reason that fighting fans shouldn’t go out of their way to see both flicks.

Hsiao Ho was only 21 years-old when he took the starring role in “Mad Monkey Kung Fu.” He would later go on to become a contract player for the Shaw Brothers and star in numerous films such as “Legendary Weapons of China” and “My Young Auntie.” A talented performer, in “Mad Monkey Kung Fu” Hsiao displays his gift for both acting and martial arts. Beyond his skills as a fighter, his sheer athleticism is jaw-dropping: the guy does more somersaults in this flick than I’ve seen anyone do in my life.

Lau Kar-leung is arguably more well known as a director than an actor but here he takes a turn in front of the camera too. One thing I really like about “Mad Monkey Kung Fu” is that it’s one of the rare films where you get to see the master fight alongside the student. And since Kar-leung was still fairly young when he made this movie, he and Hsiao seem more like partners than teacher and student at the end. They make for one dynamic fighting duo.

The plot, like many Shaw Brothers movies, is concerned with revenge but also tosses in several unpredictable twists and turns. Animal lovers be warned that there’s one scene of violence against an animal that comes out of nowhere, and is quite realistic and difficult to stomach. Shaw Brothers movies are famous for their intense training sequences and “Mad Monkey Kung Fu” is no exception. There’s got to be a solid 30 minutes of martial arts training interspersed throughout this film. At the very least, these sequences are certainly unconventional, with Hsiao Ho forced to tie rocks to his wrists and sleep in the trees like a monkey.

It’s also a treat when Hsiao Ho and Lau Kar-leung spar against each other. You can tell that Kar-leung has years of experience on Hsiao but the young pupil still manages to keep up. The gorgeous-beyond-belief Kara Hui is on hand in a supporting role but she doesn’t get to do much except say “Brother!” in Cantonese about thirty times.

What I like about Monkey-style kung fu is that it tends to combine humor with martial arts without being obnoxious about it. The comedy always flows out of the fighting style itself, which is admittedly over the top. I enjoyed all the references to the Monkey King too. And while “Mad Monkey Kung Fu” explores the light-hearted element that comes with the monkey territory, the plot features plenty of tragedy too – more so than your usual Shaw Brothers film. In fact, the story can be downright depressing at times. But at least the finale is a rousing showstopper where the villains get what they deserve. Would you expect anything less from the Shaw Brothers? I don’t know if I’d put this film up there with “The 36th Chamber of Shaolin” but if you like Lau Kar-leung or the other actors involved, it’s definitely a must see.

HKFanatic’s Rating: 7.5/10

By Perkele

No question, Liu Chia Liang is one of the greatest kung fu directors of all time. His work had had an influence on the genre that only a selected few can equal. All-time classics such as “Executioners from Shaolin”, “Legendary Weapons of Kung Fu” and most importantly “The 36th Chamber of Shaolin” are definite milestones in HK cinema. So “Mad Monkey Kung Fu” can’t be a bad either, and it really is not.

It’s an epic showcase for Liu Chia Liang and, even more, for his protégé Siu Hou. The story is interesting, martial artistry pure excellence and it has the best training sequences ever captured on film! Liu himself is nothing but great as the crippled Monkey Fist master, but lets the awesome acrobatic Siu Hou steal almost the whole movie with his prefect monkey impression. Hell, these guys can move more like a monkey than a monkey itself! Acrobatics even overshadow the actual kung fu in a few scenes, making it look like some circus show (not so often thought that it could be consider as a bad thing). BUT (and that’s a major BUT) the fucking comedy sucks! Almost 80 % of the film’s fights have Siu Hou ‘fooling around’.

You know, after every fancy, perfectly executed kung fu move the action suddenly stops, bad guys pretend to be locked in ailing positions (while they easily could get loose or at least do something else than just make agony-filled faces), and then Siu Ho says (with an annoying dubbed voice) something like “Hey you guys are really stupid! And dumb too!” after which he hits them with an umbrella and the baddies back up to rub their wounds whining “We’ll fix you, you prick!” or something like that, you got the idea.

These irritating and idiotic ‘comedic touches’ nearly ruined the film for me so I was relieved when the final beating of Lo Lieh was almost dead serious. Lo Lieh? Well he’s that evil dude who was beaten by drunken Liu in the opening sequence, so Lo Lieh forced Liu’s sister (the ever-lovely Hui Ying-Hung) into prostitution and crippled his hands (which was in my opinion just a random revenge for the exact same kind of treatment HE received in the 1972’s classic “Five Fingers of Death”). After Liu’s misfortune continues and his pet monkey gets killed, he adopts a cheap substitute monkey imitator dude, Siu Hou, to whom he teaches kung fu. Revenge? You guessed it.

Perkele’s Rating: 7/10

Posted in Chinese, Reviews, Shaw Brothers | Tagged , , , |

Giorgio Moroder Presents Metropolis: Special Edition Blu-ray & DVD (Kino)

Posted on August 27, 2011 by JJ Bona
Giorgio Moroder Presents Metropolis: Special Edition Blu-ray/DVD (Kino)

Giorgio Moroder Presents Metropolis: Special Edition Blu-ray/DVD (Kino)

RELEASE DATE: November 15, 2011

In 1984, Giorgio Moroder, a music producer who specialized in soundtracks for motion pictures (Scarface, Midnight Express), made his own edit of Fritz Lang’s 1926 film (he included scenes which were deleted from the original release). The features songs performed by Pat Benatar, Billy Squier, Jon Anderson, Adam Ant, Bonnie Tyler, Freddie Mercury and Loverboy. Check out the trailer here.

Special Features:

”The Fading Image” Produced by Giorgio Moroder, this rare 1984 short subject documentary chronicles Moroder’s restoration of Metropolis (never before available on any home video format and not seen in 27 years), The Original Theatrical Trailer, Photo Gallery, and a special liner notes introduction written by Giorgio Moroder in 2011 for this special edition. New 5.1 audio mix (in addition to the original 2.0 stereo mix)

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

Tactical Force (2011) Review

Posted on August 25, 2011 by Z Ravas
"Tactical Force" American DVD Cover

“Tactical Force” American DVD Cover

Director: Adamo Paolo Cultraro
Cast: “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Michael Jai White, Candace Elaine, Lexa Doig, Steve Bacic, Michael Shanks, Michael Eklund, Darren Shahlavi
Running Time: 90 min.

By HKFanatic

If you rent a movie with “Stone Cold” Steven Austin dead center on the cover, you probably know what you’re in for. There’s gonna be low production values, Stone Cold is gonna spout off a few one-liners like “You can run but you can’t hide, sunshine” and wrassle a few bad guys, and then the credits are gonna roll. Expectations met, right?

But it’s a different story with “Tactical Force,” the 2011 direct-to-video action movie from Buena Vista. Glance at the cover again and you’ll notice that martial artist and actor extraordinaire Michael Jai White (“Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown,” “Blood and Bone“) receives second billing after Stone Cold. In addition, another great martial arts movie star, Darren Shahlavi (“Bloodmoon” and the British boxer in “Ip Man 2“), is in the cast. All of a sudden expectations are raised. Both White and Shahlavi have talent to burn; they’re amazingly skilled fighters and, with the right camera angles and choreography, they could easily deliver a fight scene for the ages. Might “Tactical Force” turn out to be a fun, guilty pleasure direct-to-video flick with just enough over-the-top action to make fans happy?

Sadly, no. “Tactical Force” is what happens when you have plenty of talent in front of the camera but no talent behind the camera. The film was written and directed by Adamo P. Cultaro, who has one previous feature length credit to his name – a Tom Sizemore movie called “Bad Ass” from 2009. I can’t really mince words: Cultaro stages scenes like a NBC sitcom and constantly undermines what could have been a good action movie with pedestrian camera angles. Way too much of the runtime is eaten up by filler content, like endless shots of SWAT team members and the bad guys going up or down stairs.

Worse than the directing is the editing, which was done by no less than three people. The editing constantly draws attention to itself with eye-straining “flashbulb” style transitions from scene to scene or aggressive screen wipes. They also commit the unforgivable sin of frequently cutting away from Michael Jai White and Darren Shahlavi’s big fight scene, which doesn’t occur until over an hour into the film. Filmmakers, please. If you tell a good story and deliver solid fight scenes, you won’t need to rely on flashy editing to make your film feel “edgy” or “modern.”

Michael Jai White has already publicly distanced himself from “Tactical Force” on Twitter, saying he’s happy if fans enjoy it but personally he disagreed with the direction of the film. Granted, I don’t blame him one bit but I wonder how a script this hokey got so many decent action stars to sign up for it. As a screenwriter, Cultaro mistakes profanity for poetry and peppers the dialogue with nonstop f-bombs. Maybe he was hoping that the sight of well-dressed criminals cursing in a warehouse would recall “Reservoir Dogs,” but there’s so much more to Tarantino’s language than dirty words.

There’s always the chance that the cast was roped in by the film’s simple but effective premise – a weapon-less SWAT team trapped in a warehouse with warring criminals – that recalls “Assault on Precinct 13.” But it’s difficult for the plot to generate momentum when it’s continually stalled by the self-serving monologues that the criminal characters always seem to give. I understand a low-budget film is hard-pressed to come up with any action scenes at all, but killing time with two or three villain speeches is one or two too many. Not even Bond bad guys wax philosophical this much.

I never could get into wrestling except for a few 16-bit WWF video games back in the heyday of Hulk Hogan and Jake the Snake, so the appeal of Steve Austin has always been lost on me. That said, he’s pretty funny in this movie. His delivery of normal dialogue is wooden at best but he knows how to talk shit, which I can always respect. “Who the hell are these guys?!” one of his men asks when the SWAT team comes under attack. “I don’t know but they’re fuckin’ dead,” Stone Cold replies matter-of-factly, like the villain’s deaths are already carved in stone.

Michael Jai White and the rest of the cast do their best to look good despite being saddled with some dumb lines. Poor Darren Shahlavi is an English actor playing an Italian gangster so his accent is all over the place during the entire film. “Tactical Force” is actually not the first time White and Shahlavi have faced each other; they had a fight in the initial episode of the “Mortal Kombat: Legacy” web series, in which White was the character Jax and Shahlavi played his rival Kano. After fans expressed disappointment at their battle, it was revealed that the entire production was on a rushed schedule and White was sick during filming.

Their fight in “Tactical Force” isn’t bad but it’s crippled by spastic editing, so fans are still left waiting for the definitive clash between the these two martial arts titans. Imagine if “Ip Man” director Wilson Yip flew to America to shoot a movie where Michael Jai White and Darren Shahlavi were able to square off with the kind of quality choreography, directing, and editing that such a fight deserves. Hey, I can dream, can’t I?

“Tactical Force” is a movie that is less than the sum of its actors. It proves you can have two of the most talented onscreen martial artists around – as Michael Jai White and Darren Shahlavi surely are – and the movie still won’t work if you don’t have the right filmmaking talent. You need a competent director able to evoke good performances and deliver the action onscreen in a compelling manner. Here a hokey script and amateur directing, both sloppily put together in the editing room, mean that “Tactical Force” loses what luster it might have had as a guilty pleasure DTV flick.

HKFanatic’s Rating: 4/10

Posted in Asian Related, Reviews | Tagged , , , |

Friday the 13th: The Ultimate Collection 8-Disc Limited Edition DVD Set (Paramount)

Posted on August 25, 2011 by JJ Bona
Friday the 13th: The Ultimate Collection 8-Disc Limited Edition DVD Set (Paramount)

Friday the 13th: The Ultimate Collection 8-Disc Limited Edition DVD Set (Paramount)

RELEASE DATE: October 4, 2011

I say this boxed set is worth it for Friday the 13th Part 6 alone! The best of the series no doubt! Even the trailer is a masterpiece.

This Limited Edition set (50,000 numbered copies) will contain the Deluxe Editions of FRIDAY THE 13TH (Uncut) through FRIDAY THE 13TH PART VIII: JASON TAKES MANHATTAN. Each movie will be packed with new extra features (including two pairs of 3D glasses for Part 3), a replica of Jason’s hockey mask and an 8-page Collector’s Booklet.

FRIDAY THE 13TH Uncut: Audio commentary by director Sean S. Cunningham with cast and crew, “Fresh Cuts: New Tales from FRIDAY THE 13TH”, “The Man Behind the Legacy: Sean S. Cunningham”, “FRIDAY THE 13TH Reunion”, “Lost Tales from Camp Blood—Part 1”, Theatrical trailer

FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 2: Inside “Crystal Lake Memories”, “FRIDAY’s Legacy: Horror Conventions”, “Lost Tales from Camp Blood—Part 2”, “Jason Forever”, Theatrical trailer

FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 3: 3D version of the film (with glasses), Theatrical trailer

FRIDAY THE 13TH: THE FINAL CHAPTER: Audio commentary by director Joseph Zito, screenwriter Barney Cohen and editor Joel Goodman, Fan commentary by Adam Green and Joe Lynch, “Lost Tales from Camp Blood—Part 4”, Slashed scenes, “Jason’s Unlucky Day: 25 Years After FRIDAY THE 13TH: THE FINAL CHAPTER”, “The Lost Ending”, “The Crystal Lake Massacres Revisited Part I”, “Jimmy’s Dead Dance Moves”, Theatrical trailer

Just think... you can wear the mask and the 3-D glasses at the same time!

Just think... you can wear the mask and the 3-D glasses at the same time!

FRIDAY THE 13TH PART V: A NEW BEGINNING: Audio commentary by director/co-screenwriter Danny Steinmann with cast and crew, “Lost Tales from Camp Blood—Part 5”, “The Crystal Lake Massacres Revisited Part II”, “New Beginnings: The Making of FRIDAY THE 13th PART V: A NEW BEGINNING”, Theatrical trailer

FRIDAY THE 13TH PART VI: JASON LIVES: Audio commentary by director Tom McLoughlin with cast and crew, “Lost Tales from Camp Blood—Part 6”, “The Crystal Lake Massacres Revisited Part III”, “Jason Lives: The Making of FRIDAY THE 13th PART VI: JASON LIVES”, “Meeting Mr. Voorhees”, Slashed scenes, Theatrical trailer

FRIDAY THE 13TH PART VII: THE NEW BLOOD: Audio commentary by director John Carl Buechler and actors Lar Park Lincoln and Kane Hodder, “Jason’s Destroyer: The Making of FRIDAY THE 13th PART VII: THE NEW BLOOD”, “Mind Over Matter: The Truth About Telekinesis”, “Makeover by Maddy: Need a Little Touch-Up Work, My Ass”, Slashed scenes intro, Slashed scenes, Theatrical trailer

FRIDAY THE 13TH PART VIII: JASON TAKES MANHATTAN: Audio commentary by actors Scott Reeves, Jensen Daggett and Kane Hodder, “New York Has a New Problem: The Making of FRIDAY THE 13th PART VIII: JASON TAKES MANHATTAN”, Gag reel, Slashed scenes, Theatrical trailer

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

Shaolin Temple 3 | aka Martial Arts of Shaolin (1986) Review

Posted on August 25, 2011 by Z Ravas
"Martial Arts of Shaolin" Chinese Theatrical Poster

“Martial Arts of Shaolin” Chinese Theatrical Poster

AKA: Shaolin North & South
Director: Lau Kar-leung
Cast: Jet Li, Wong Chau Yin, Hu Jian Qiang, Yu Cheng Hui, Yu Hai, Sun Jian Kui, Ji Chun Hua, Mak Wai Cheung, Wong Kwong-Kuen, Hu Mei-Jie
Running Time: 89 min.

By HKFanatic

Released in 1986, “Martial Arts of Shaolin” is the latest era Shaw Brothers film I’ve yet to see. I’m not an expert on the Shaw Brothers like many City on Fire staff members and readers are, but I believe it was at this point that the studio was making their eventual transition into television work. “Martial Arts of Shaolin” trades their usual studio-bound filmmaking style for location shooting. The production values take something of a hit as a result but instead of Shaw Brothers’ surreal-looking sets we get to marvel at the natural beauty of Hong Kong, so I’d say it’s a fair trade off. Interestingly enough, the first two “Shaolin Temple” movies were funded and made in Mainland China. For this film, part three in the series, Jet Li returns but the production moves to Hong Kong. Behind the camera is Lau Kar-leung, the legendary director of “36th Chamber of Shaolin” and “Drunken Master II” (he butted heads with Jackie Chan while making the latter). This would be his only collaboration with Jet.

“Martial Arts of Shaolin” is very nearly a classic Hong Kong movie of its decade but is undone by a few elements. The soundtrack is extremely corny and unfitting of the film; it plays the same exact same melody throughout the entire movie, just in different arrangements. Imagine schmaltzy, synth-y 80’s Cantopop played over intense Shaolin training exercises and you’ll get an idea of why the music doesn’t fit the film at all. It’s a shame.

The plot is your typical quest for revenge, only we don’t know the motivation behind the revenge until the movie is almost over. Characters keep trying to take the life of Lord He Suo and yet the audience doesn’t really know why. We figure he must be evil and deserving of death since he keeps stroking his beard and laughing maniacally like your typical Shaw Brothers baddie, but that’s about as far as the viewer’s immersion in the plot goes. I’m all for a classic revenge story well-told but you have to at least make me want to the bad guy to get his just deserts. In “Martial Arts of Shaolin,” you’re left to wonder why you should care until it’s nearly over.

Fortunately, this movie has a secret weapon: a 23 year-old Jet Li, at the the peak of his athletic prowess. Jet gives an earnest, wide-eyed performance and shows off his incredible martial arts skills. Even during dialogue scenes, Jet Li and his costar Hu Jianqiang are constantly moving. These guys are practically leaping off the screen with energy and enthusiasm! Whenever the two of them spar, it’s a joy to watch because as good as Jet Li is, Hu Jianqiang appears to be his equal. The way their Southern (Jet Li) and Northern (Hu Jianqiang) Shaolin styles clash is one of the highlights of the film.

The action scenes in “Martial Arts of Shaolin” are plentiful and extend far past the point where you’d think everyone involved would be exhausted (I know I was worn out just watching them). The finale on the evil Lord’s boat is a showstopper but the battle in and around a military checkpoint is great too. Bonus points for the scene where the Abbot of the Shaolin Temple shows up to smack a bad guy off a cliff and declares, “I’ll send you to Heaven!”

Jet Li utilizes several weapons throughout the film, like swords and bos, but also you do have to endure an extended scene of him in drag pretending to be a woman. Yeah, “Martial Arts of Shaolin” features a few forced attempts at comedy like that. And a lot of screentime is eaten up by a traditional Chinese dance celebration in the Lord’s court. Now I’m all for a classic Chinese lion dance, especially when Jet Li is playing part of the lion, but he’s barely the focus here. Instead it’s some lady performer who has nothing to do with the plot and is never seen again. It’s hard to tell if this whole segment is a tribute to Chinese dance or just a way to pad out the film’s runtime.

Overall, “Martial Arts of Shaolin” is worth a watch for Jet Li fans since you get to see the actor when he was first emerging as a star, fresh-faced and lightning fast. After about 30 minutes of training sequences, the excellently-choreographed battles kick in and rarely let up. Just be prepared to cringe whenever you hear that familiar music cue. Na na na na naaa…

HKFanatic’s Rating: 7.5/10

By Kenneth T.

I think this movie goes hand and hand with “Odd Couple,” “Legendary Weapons of Kung Fu,” and any other ‘weapons’ titles. I don’t think it was originally intended for it to be one, but Jet Li uses a ton of weapons in this film: Spears, double broadswords, tai chi swords, staffs (mainly), three sectional staffs and a little bit of rope darts.

The first 2 minutes of the movie makes you think it’ll be shit because Li starts off by punching the hell out of this tree; he had to have punched it like 300 times in a minute. Then it goes into a couple of really good training scenes where Li shows of his staff skills and how acrobatic he really is. From then on it’s non-stop action.

The big scene at the ruler’s party has a lot of acrobatics and a phenomenal fight were all, except Li, show off their skills. The final fight scene is the best fight in the whole movie. Bottom line: This is the best “Shaolin Temple” movie of all three and I suggest you watch the others first.

Kenneth T’s Rating: 9/10 (only reason for the 9 instead of 10 is because of the really annoying music that it plays throughout the whole movie.)

Posted in Chinese, Reviews, Shaw Brothers | Tagged , |
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