Mission: Impossible Extreme Blu-ray & DVD Collection (Paramount)

Posted on October 4, 2011 by JJ Bona
Mission: Impossible Extreme Blu-ray & DVD Collection (Paramount)

Mission: Impossible Extreme Blu-ray & DVD Collection (Paramount)

RELEASE DATE: December 6, 2011

Just in time for Brad Bird’s (The Incredibles) Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol! I don’t know about you guys, but I’m a fan of every single one of these films. They’re highly entertaining and full of quality action. Due to having different directors for each movie (Brian De Palma, John Woo, J. J. Abrams), each one has a style of its own.

This new “Extreme” DVD and Blu-ray set contains Mission: Impossible, Mission: Impossible II and Mission: Impossible III. No word on what’s so extreme about them, but check back for details.

Trailers: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 (obviously part 4 is not included with the set)

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

Budget Martial Arts DVD Sets (Pop Flix)

Posted on October 4, 2011 by JJ Bona
Budget Martial Arts DVD Sets (Pop Flix)

Budget Martial Arts DVD Sets (Pop Flix)

RELEASE DATE: November 8, 2011

Who says budget martial arts DVD sets are dead? Most – if not all – of these old school titles (ranging from Bruce Li to Sonny Chiba) have already been released before. At least they feature nice minimalist DVD packaging and they’re super cheap. They’d make excellent stocking stuffers for sure! Click here for more details.

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

Double Feature: Return of the Kung Fu Dragon & Ninja Empire DVD (Screen Magic)

Posted on October 4, 2011 by JJ Bona
Double Feature: Return of the Kung Fu Dragon & Ninja Empire DVD (Screen Magic)

Double Feature: Return of the Kung Fu Dragon & Ninja Empire DVD (Screen Magic)

RELEASE DATE: December 6, 2011

This 2-flick set contains: Yu Kong’s Return of the Kung Fu Dragon – A generation passes and a brave prince, a fearless princess and a foolish dwarf with the powers of invisibility team up to return a kingdom to its people as they wrest it from the hands of the evil tyrant. It stars Chan Sing (New Fist of Fury) and Cheung Lik (Enter Three Dragons)

Also included is Ninja Empire – A modeling school has become the recruitment center for a prostitution ring led by a local crime boss. I believe Ninja Empire is a Godfrey Ho flick, so expect spliced films featuring Richard Harrison and other white guys in lime-green ninja suits and headbands with the words “Ninja” on it. I could be wrong, but sadly, I speak from experience.

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

Tai Chi Master | aka Twin Warriors (1993) Review

Posted on October 4, 2011 by JJ Bona
"Tai Chi Master" Chinese DVD Cover

“Tai Chi Master” Chinese DVD Cover

AKA: Tai Chi
Director: Yuen Woo Ping
Cast: Jet Li, Chin Siu Ho, Michelle Yeoh, Fennie Yuen Kit-Ying, Yuen Cheung Yan, Lau Shun, Yu Hai, Sun Jian Kui, Chow Gam-Kong, Yu Yan-Kai
Running Time: 94 min.

By Numskull

Note to Yuen Wo Ping: Stop renting out your justly famous talent as a fight choreographer to other directors and make more of your own movies. They may not be as polished or as sophisticated but, in this era of fecal matter smeared on celluloid getting passed off as entertainment, they’re great fun (“fun” being something that far too many “popcorn” movies fail rather miserably to provide).

Additional note to Yuen Wo Ping: Stop selling the rights to your movies to Disney if it is within your power to do so. Maybe you liked their treatment of Iron Monkey, but what they have done to THIS movie… releasing it dubbed only, under the false title of “Twin Warriors”… is a slap in your face.

Note to the reader: See this movie in its untainted form or not at all.

Ahem.

Two kids, Tianbao and Junbao (“Tempo” and “Jumbo” according to the DVD package) become inseperable while studying at the Shaolin temple. Tianbao (Chin Siu Ho) is ambitious and competitive; Junbao (Jet Li) is more relaxed, but still a devoted student. During a kung fu tournament, Tianbao’s opponent brazenly cheats, but the Sifu does nothing about it. Tianbao is understandably perturbed and proceeds to kick the cheater’s ass. The Sifu then decides that Tianbao is too vicious to study at Shaolin and expels him. Junbao tries to intervene, but the Sifu shoves him aside and attacks Tianbao. He underestimates the youngster and orders all of the other disciples to demolish him. I’d say the man has a problem with double standards, wouldn’t you?

At this point, you know this movie is gonna be cheesy, but way cool. Junbao and Tianbao have to fight their way out of the room with about 50 guys armed with staves trying to stop them. That done, they flee the temple and get a taste of civilization (which is usually anything BUT “civil”, but let’s not nit-pick). As they acquaint themselves with city life, they get involved with a number of rebels who hang out in an inn, including a girl named…get this…Little Melon. Can you fucking believe that? Little Melon. I mean, what’s her brother’s name, Big Banana? Yeesh.

(If you’re wondering whether or not Little Melon does, in fact, have little melons, you’ll just have to see for yourself. It’s a good movie so you’ll thank me anyway.)

Our two exiled monks part ways when Tianbao decides to sell out and start working for the tyrannical eunuch who controls the region. While elaborating on “his” position and how “he” attained it, this eunuch says: “I’m successful because I don’t need a woman.” Amen, sister! Uh…brother! Uh…whatever the hell you are!

Junbao prefers to keep his scruples and his dignity. You can see the showdown coming a mile away (actually there are two of them) but you don’t watch movies like this for plot twists. You watch them for the fighting, and that by God is something The Tai-Chi Master has in spades. There are some half-assed “every other scene must be a fight scene” flicks out there, but THIS film doesn’t sacrifice quality for quantity. Every battle is a keeper, especially the one where Junbao and his handful of allies take on about 200 soldiers at once. No shit!!!

“What about those damn wires?” you ask. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the term “wire fu” is insufficient to describe “accentuated” fighting because it’s not all the same. There are some clueless individuals out there who think it’s a good idea to have people in a so-called martial arts movie effortlessly floating in the air and all sorts of other ridiculous shit, and then you’ve got Yuen Wo Ping, who uses wires WITH RESTRAINT and does not allow them to overshadow the raw combative prowess on display. They’re two entirely different styles and in my opinion, this is far and away the superior one. You need not worry about excessive, limp-wristed cartoon super powers. Good, solid action here, and in generous portions to boot.

The presence of Michelle Yeoh can benefit any movie, and although she doesn’t get second billing here based solely on the selling power of her name, I couldn’t shake the feeling that her role could have had a bit more impact. She plays Qiushe, a wine-guzzling musician who is befriended by Junbao. She certainly does her share of the ass-kicking, but, disappointingly, she only gets to hold the head eunuch hostage for the film’s finale, leaving Jet to fend for himself in a one-on-one duel (which is as it should be, but it would’ve been nice if she could have taken on a head crony or a second-in-command or something).

As usual, Yuen Wo Ping inserts bits of humor here and there, some of which work (Tianbao letting people hit him for money), others of which don’t (Junbao going temporarily insane…for too long…after being betrayed by his former best friend). There are also a few things to laugh at that weren’t intentional, like the huge amount of dust that covers everything (watch the powder fly when the fight in the temple breaks out) and the breakneck pace at which Junbao and Tianbao get their hair back. Plus, there’s this little exchange:

“I had to pee.”

“I wanna pee too.”

“Together?”

“OK.”

By the way, the 1996 Yuen Wo Ping film Tai Chi II is a sequel to this one in name only; the two movies have no major cast members or plot elements in common.

A strong film on many levels for three of the biggest names in Hong Kong cinema. Recommended for anyone who feels like going out and hitting somebody but doesn’t want to get beaten up.

Numskull’s Rating: 8/10

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

My Father is a Hero | aka The Enforcer (1994) Review

Posted on October 4, 2011 by JJ Bona
"My Father is a Hero" Theatrical Poster

“My Father is a Hero” Theatrical Poster

AKA: Letter to Daddy
Director: Corey Yuen
Writer: Wong Jing
Cast: Jet Li, Anita Mui, Tse Miu, Blacky Ko, Bonnie Fu Yuk Jing, Yu Rong Guang, Ken Lo, Damian Lau, Thorsten Nickel, Paul Rapovski, Henry Fong Ping, Corey Yuen
Running Time: 100/105 min.

By Numskull

You know, for someone whose fame is based on his martial arts skills, I’m not seeing a whole lot of martial arts in Jet Li’s movies. I don’t deny that he has legitimate talent, but the Jet Li films I’ve seen have averaged one solid fight scene each. Maybe I’m just watching all the wrong ones. I hope so.

My Father Is A Hero is one of the more polished Hong Kong action films I’ve seen, and it’s also a bit longer than most (they usually run between 85 and 100 minutes, in case you hadn’t noticed). Unfortunately, the extra handful of minutes here doesn’t mean more carnage or better character development… it just means slower pacing (something which Corey Yuen’s films definitely do NOT need). The story flows smoothly enough and is not without its moments, but for the most part, it just makes you itch for the next action sequence (they’re few and far between, but not as sparse as in certain other flicks from the same director).

Jet Li plays an undercover cop (unbeknownst to his family) who is intentionally imprisoned, then must escape with his cellmate. The actual getting out of the cell part is ridiculously easy, but he then has to deal with vicious dogs, trigger-happy guards with live ammo, and an electrified barbed wire fence (after his superior simply tells him: “I’ll let you escape.”). Then, for a large chunk of the movie, his character takes a back seat to his dying wife, his confused son, and Anita Mui’s take-charge police woman. It’s safe to assume that body doubles are used in Anita’s action scenes (I’m not a person who scrutinizes every frame looking for this stuff), but there are some shots where it is indeed her doing the beating and dodging and so forth. I don’t recall having seen her in such a physically active role before. For some reason, it doesn’t really seem to suit her. Yu Rong-Guang makes a very unconvincing villain (take those fucking shades off!!!) who does little to add to our desire to see Jet beat the hell out of him.

In typical Corey Yuen fashion, the lion’s share of the action is saved for the end of the movie, where Jet Li and his kid take on the baddies and the kid gets used as a human yo-yo. One would think that this would cause more harm to the kid than to the people he’s fighting, but at this point, the fact that people are actually DOING stuff is reason enough to just enjoy it.

My Father Is A Hero receives higher marks for effort than most Jet Li movies I’ve seen, but I fear that’s not saying a whole lot. At least, for once, a movie featured a child character who DIDN’T annoy the living sh*t out of me.

Numskull’s Rating: 5/10

By James H.

This Jet Li film has been re-released on video in North America as “Jet Li’s The Enforcer”. It is a good thing that this movie went straight to video, because if it went to the theatres, it would not have made any money. I don’t even think it is a good choice to have it released on video here.

Jet Li stars as an undercover cop with a family. His son is a martial arts champion of some sort too. One day Jet is assigned to go undercover in prison, bust out a gang member and infiltrate his gang (a la “Supercop”). The leader of this gang is this big, pseudo-threatening guy who looks like Wesley Snipes in “Blade”. But don’t be fooled by his pseudo-threatening looks, he is a bad ass, y’know, the kind that always wears sun glasses, even at night.

Things get complicated when another cop (Anita Mui) starts following Li’s character around, not knowing he is an undercover cop.

To be honest, the story did not grab my attention at all. It was uninteresting, and the characters aren’t very good or well developed, or even smart for that matter. Example: A gang of criminals is going to sell some passports to Li, no one brings a gun, but one of them has the good sense to bring a hatchet. A hatchet?!?!

Cory Yeun’s directing is nothing special here, and the fight scenes are about average. They seem pretty standard and uneventful, even for a Jet Li movie, with the exception of the final fight between Li, his kid and the baddie. Li ends up using his kid as some sort of human yo-yo, an idea that may have looked go on paper, but ends up looking ridiculous.

James H’s Rating: 4/10

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

Project S | aka Supercop 2 (1993) Review

Posted on October 4, 2011 by JJ Bona
"Project S" Chinese Theatrical Poster

“Project S” Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Stanley Tong
Producer: Barbie Tung
Cast: Michelle Yeoh, Yu Rong Guang, Emil Chau, Fan Siu Wong, Dick Wei, Athena Chu, Bill Tung Biu, Bowie Lam, Alain Guernier, Ailen Sit Chun Wai, Chan Man Ching, Joe Cheung, Mars, Yukari Oshima, Jackie Chan, Eric Tsang
Running Time: 98 min.

By Numskull

It seems that “they”… whoever they are… really don’t want us North American types to see this movie. The DVD and VCD from Hong Kong are both inexplicably devoid of English subtitles, and the Dimension release is… well, it’s a Dimension release. Dub only, false title, stuff missing, you know the routine. It also has a quote on the package from some peabrained critic calling Michelle Yeoh “the female Jackie Chan.” Good God, how demeaning. That just leaves the Region 2/PAL DVD from the Hong Kong Classics label, which is complete with good English subtitles but will set you back a pretty penny. Is it worth it? I think not. After all, Stanley Tong directed it.

Despite what the Dimension dickheads would like you to think, this is not a true sequel to Police Story 3 (“Supercop”). It takes place in the same universe, and Michelle Yeoh once again plays mainland Chinese cop Yang Chien Hua (NOT “Jessica Yang”), and Uncle Bill is here, and Jackie Chan makes a cameo appearance as Chia Chu in a scene that barely has anything to do with the story where he has a fake pair of laughing tits, and Eric Tsang is in that scene too, and there’s a girl named May who is not the same May (Maggie Cheung) from the Police Story movies, and…what was I talking about? Oh yeah…this isn’t a “true” sequel. Whatever that means.

Yang Chien Hua’s boyfriend (doesn’t really seem like the type to have one, does she?) is played by Yu Rong Guang, not Michael Wong as the UK DVD package states. He relocates to Hong Kong to make his fortune doing all sorts of illegal shit, and she gets teamed up with two marginally competent cops named Lung and Ming (Fan Siu Wong and Emil Chow, respectively) to stop him…only she doesn’t know it’s him at first. The eye-rolling melodrama can be seen miles away.

There’s one bad guy who goes by the name of Mr. Explosive. His specialty is…damn, what was it? Narcotics? Firearms? Forged documents? Pirate versions of Street Fighter video games where Chun Li fights naked? No, wait a minute…wait…oh yeah, right, it was explosives. What I want to know is, how does one conduct day-to-day business with a name like Mr. Explosive? And, for that matter, what about pleasure? I can see it now. He’s sitting in a nightclub, and some scantily clad woman takes the stool (I mean the thing you sit on, not fecal matter) next to his, and he says: “Hey there, gorgeous. My name’s Mr. Explosive. What’s yours?” Would she think he was joking? Would she think he was on drugs? Would she immediately make her excuses and remove herself from the premises? Would she assume that his moniker was an indication of his sexual prowess and that, should she decide to play “hide the salami” with him, she would end up with a fist-sized hole in her back due to some ungodly degree of ejaculatory pressure the likes of which has never been seen before? This is the kind of thing you’ll think about during the film’s boring parts, and, sorry to say, there are quite a few of them.

One of the film’s saving graces, however, is that Lung and Ming aren’t complete boobs, as one might expect. When they are first paired up with Hua, an unwritten formula pops into your mind, indicating that she’s going to have to bail these two f*ckwits out of trouble time and again, but…while she’s clearly more seasoned than they are…they actually manage to do something right once in a while. The film’s other saving grace is the ending, which teaches us (“us” meaning those who aren’t smart enough to figure it out for themselves) that love is a crock, so don’t even bother.

Action scenes are few in number and somewhat lacking in intensity. The best ones are the hostage rescue scenario at the very beginning, which constantly gets interrupted for film credits on an otherwise blank screen (bra-fucking-vo), and Michelle’s fight with a white guy who looks to be about a foot taller and a hundred pounds heavier than her. Apart from that, it’s mostly Police Story 3-style shooting and stunts, which is not to say it’ll put you to sleep, but c’mon, Michelle’s real talents lie in KICKING ass, not blowing it away.

I recommend Project S to anyone looking for an action movie that fails to leave any lasting impression on the viewer, with the possible exception of Michelle Yeoh performing the splits while wearing a knee-length skirt. It doesn’t suck, but it’s not great either.

Numskull’s Rating: 5/10

By James H.

“Supercop 2″ is not so much a sequel, but a spin-off. It stars Michelle Yeoh of Police Story III: Supercop” fame. Supposedly, she plays the same character as in “Police Story III”, but I’m not too sure of that. Her character doesn’t seem to exhibit the same characteristics as in “Police Story III”. Anyway, the plot of “Supercop 2” concerns Inspector Jessica Yang (Yeoh) travelling to Hong Kong to aid a pair of rather inept police officers crack a case. To make things worse, Jessica’s boyfriend, David, is somehow involved as well.

Stanley Tong’s direction shines in this film. It has some very nice action set pieces, and some decent fights. These are definitely the highlights of the film. There is a very nice car chase, and the flooding of the tunnel was pretty damn cool too.

The film is marred mainly from the acting and the lack of characterization. Yeoh’s screen time is cut short because she has to share the screen with the two aforementioned inept cops. Also, the writers could have developed the relationship between Jessica and David more and the issues that followed.

Basically a good movie. Could have been better, could have been worse. It ends up as being a standard action flick. Oh yeah, lest we forget Jackie Chan’s cameo. It has no relation to the story at all, and looks like a scene cut from one of the “Police Story” movies. However, it is worth it to see Jackie in drag.

James H’s Rating: 5.5/10

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

PTU | aka Police Tactical Unit (2003) Review

Posted on October 4, 2011 by JJ Bona
"PTU" Chinese Theatrical Poster

“PTU” Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Johnnie To
Cast: Simon Yam Tat Wah, Lam Suet, Ruby Wong Cheuk Ling, Raymond Wong Ho Yin, Maggie Siu Mei Kei, Eddie Ko Hung, Wong Wa Wo, Lo Hoi Pang
Running Time: 88 min.

By Alexander

PTU certainly isn’t one of Johnnie To’s best efforts, but it does manage to offer up a few surprises, and another excellent performance by Simon Yam (Bullet in the Head). The film meanders a lot during the first hour and it’s easy to lose patience with what amounts to little more than a police tactical unit walking through the dimly lit streets of Hong Kong. The plot advances here and there, primarily in the bits involving Lam Suet’s bumbling anti-crime sergeant as he searches for his missing gun, but PTU doesn’t really kick into gear (albeit a low one, like…second) until the last half hour. The snail-paced advancement of the plot is somewhat redeemed when the various threads begin to converge, but even this enjoyment was tempered by a deluge of coincidences and what-the-f*ck moments.

While PTU is one of the better Hong Kong films of the past few years (the creative use of lighting and the atmospheric score alone set it apart), I couldn’t shake the feeling that this movie would have been great (and on par with other fantastic crime dramas like The Blood Rules and the To-produced The Longest Nite) had it aimed to be a short film instead. At sixty minutes, this would have been a classic.

Alexander’s Rating: 7.5/10

By Equinox21

I can’t begin to tell you what a relief it is to see Johnny To back doing a cops vs. gangsters movie. It’s been two years since his brilliant Fulltime Killer came out, and I’ve been anxiously waiting for PTU since the day I heard about it. If one were to make a movie like his terrific 1999 piece, The Mission, but instead focus it on members of the Hong Kong Police Tactical Unit and not the bodyguards of a gang boss, you’d get 2003’s PTU.

The movie’s events all take place over one night. It begins when Sergeant Lo Sa (Lam Suet [The Mission, Running Out of Time 2, and tons of other Johnny To films]), head of the Anti-Crime Division, is ambushed by a bunch of punks under the leadership of Ponytail and left beaten and bloody in an alley. When the PTU arrives to help him, his friend Sergeant Mike Ho (Simon Yam [Fulltime Killer, oh… you know who he is!]) alerts him to the fact that his gun is missing. Thinking the punks must have taken it, Sergeant Lo asks Mike to help him track down the missing gun and not to report it to the superintendent until the morning, if they can’t find it by then. Mike agrees and they split up and begin to search. At the same time that Sergeant Lo is being beaten in the alley by Ponytail’s men, Ponytail himself is stabbed and dies. Enter CID investigator Leigh Cheng (Ruby Wong [Expect the Unexpected]), who is trying to figure out who killed Ponytail. All the threads of the movie come together at the end, in a terrifically satisfying way. Great acting all around!

While I don’t know how realistic this movie is, it really blew me away in the same way The Mission did. While The Mission had more action through the entire movie, there isn’t a shot fired through most of PTU. But it felt more real, in the sense that the firing of guns was not taken lightly in this movie. It wasn’t a situation where there’s a shoot-out every few minutes between cops and gangsters, it’s a much more realistic. Human life is not simply thrown away at the pull of a trigger as it is in so many other Hong Kong films.

The mood of PTU is established through the excellent lighting and the amazing music. Since the entire movie takes place at night, all the lighting comes from street lights, lighted signs and, on occasion, overhead lighting when people are inside. This makes it feel more tense, as you can’t see what’s around the next dark corner and neither can the police. The movie moved very slowly, but not in a bad way. It more sauntered through than rushed head long. This was really felt through the slow walking of the groups of PTU officers on patrol, overlaid with terrific music. The score, done by Chung Chi Wing (composer from The Mission), was absolutely perfect for this movie. Johnny To has a habit of using really great music in his movies, and he sure knows how to pick his composers to get the biggest bang for the buck. This all set a really unique feel for a cop movie.

PTU is a perfect compliment to The Mission. Both are similar in a way, but take opposite looks at the criminal/law enforcement world. I’d heard many good things about PTU before it came out, and they were all warranted. Don’t expect a big action movie, but another Johnny To piece that you simply have to feel to enjoy.

Equinox21’s Raiting: 9/10

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

Sexy Rangers DVD (Cinema Epoch)

Posted on October 3, 2011 by JJ Bona
Sexy Rangers DVD (Cinema Epoch)

Sexy Rangers DVD (Cinema Epoch)

RELEASE DATE: December 6, 2011

Evil has met its match! Five ordinary high school girls turn into fighter rangers when a gigantic monster shows up to terrorize their town. Giant robots and cute Japanese chicks? I’m there. Directed by Shinji Nishikawa and starring Marie Sukegawa and Yuzuki Aikawa. Check out clip 1 and clip 2.

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

Love Exposure DVD (Olive Films)

Posted on October 3, 2011 by JJ Bona
Love Exposure DVD (Olive Films)

Love Exposure DVD (Olive Films)

RELEASE DATE: December 20, 2011

Four hours of love, family, lust, religion and the art of upskirt photography. Love Exposure is written and directed by Sion Sono (Cold Fish) and stars Takahiro Nishijima, Hikari Mitsushima and Sakura Ando. The film took home the Caligari Film Award and the FIPRESCI Prize at the Berlin International Film Festival. Check out the NSFW trailer.

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

Kill A Dragon DVD (MGM)

Posted on October 3, 2011 by JJ Bona
"Kill a Dragon" American Theatrical Poster

"Kill a Dragon" American Theatrical Poster

RELEASE DATE: November 1, 2011

When a dangerous load of TNT lands on a beach near Hong Kong, the islanders claim it as their own. The owner wants it back and threatens to blow up the island. To the rescue: Jack Palance and a group of martial arts experts! 1967’s Kill a Dragon stars Jack Palance, Fernando Lamas and Aldo Ray. Check out the trailer.

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

Blu-Ray and DVD Releases for 10/4/11

Posted on October 2, 2011 by Z Ravas

Once upon a time, Jet Li kicked ass in China and America

And we’re back! Check out our handy list of Blu-ray and DVD releases for the coming week of 10/4/11. Be advised that a few of the titles on this list are Imports but we have labeled what Region they are whenever possible. Most of you guys have All-Region players anyway, right?

ASIAN CINEMA

Once Upon a Time in China & America (blu-ray) – a hi-def release for Sammo Hung’s 1997 martial arts movie starring Jet Li, which drew the ire of Jackie Chan when he felt Sammo had stolen his idea for “Shanghai Noon.” The disc is listed as an IMPORT but it’s Region A/1 and with English subtitles

Harakiri (blu-ray) – the Criterion Collection presents a hi-definition transfer of this 1962 Japanese samurai film, which won a Special Jury Prize at the ’63 Cannes Film Festival

Higanjima: Escape From Vampire Island (blu-ray + DVD Combo) – Funimation releases this 2009 Japanese action-horror film from the Korean director of “Volcano High,” about an island overrun by vampires

I’m a Cyborg, But That’s OK (DVD) – the director of “Oldboy” presents this 2006 quirky love story set in a mental institution, finally on DVD from Pathfinder Pictures

Deep Gold (blu-ray/DVD) – this 2011 deep sea action-thriller from the Philippines was released in 3D over there

Space Battleship Yamato (blu-ray) – Amazon will have an IMPORT (Region currently unlisted) available of this 2010 Japanese science-fiction movie, with a hefty price tag of $47.49

FOREIGN

Phase 7 (DVD) – this 2011 Spanish language chiller set in a quarantined building won rave reviews in the festival circuit

Amer (blu-ray/DVD) – this 2009 French film is presented as an homage to 1970’s Italian horror movies from directors like Dario Argento and Lucio Fulci. Released by Olive Pictures

Salo (blu-ray) – impress your friends with a hi-definition release of Pier Pasolini’s 1975 most shocking and disturbing film of all time, courtesy of the Criterion Collection

Cinema Paradiso (blu-ray) – this 1988 nostalgic classic of Italian cinema from director Giuseppe Tornatore arrives on blu-ray for the first time

Julia’s Eyes (blu-ray) – Amazon will have a Region B/2 IMPORT of this 2010 Spanish language horror film, presented by “Pan’s Labyrinth” director Guillermo Del Toro

MAINSTREAM

Fast Five (blu-ray/DVD) – this 2011 box office smash features one of the best onscreen tussles since Godzilla vs. King Kong when Vin Diesel and The Rock throwdown

Pulp Fiction (blu-ray) – Quentin Tarantino’s 1994 modern crime movie masterpiece gets the hi-def treatment. You can bet John Travolta will be picking up a copy

Jackie Brown (blu-ray) – Tarantino’s lesser regarded but still great 1997 crime flick will also see a blu-ray release this week

Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure (blu-ray) –  Tim Burton first made a name for himself with this 1985 zany comedy, now on blu-ray

The Lion King (blu-ray + DVD Combo) – Disney’s massively popular 1994 feature animated film arrives on blu-ray for the first time

Being John Malkovich (blu-ray) – Amazon will be selling the All-Region IMPORT blu-ray of this 1999 cult film from director Spike Jonze

Johnny English (blu-ray) – if you must have your Rowan Atikson fix on blu-ray, Amazon will be selling this 2003 film as a Region 2/B IMPORT

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (blu-ray) – perhaps even more disturbing than “Salo” is Tim Burton’s 2005 blasphemy against a children’s classic

ANIMATION

Daft Punk: Interstella 555 (blu-ray) – Daft Punk dance their way onto blu-ray with this hi-def release of their anime musical

Legend of the Millennium Dragon (blu-ray + DVD Combo) – Sony releases this 2011 anime feature film, which won praise for its beautiful animation

HORROR

Scream 4 (blu-ray/DVD) – Wes Craven’s 2011 entry in the arguably tired “Scream” franchise is released on multiple formats

Dead Alive (blu-ray) – Peter Jackson’s beloved 1992 zombie splatterfast makes it way to blu-ray this week

Friday the 13th: The Ultimate Collection (DVD) – you can procure “Friday the 13th” Parts I-VIII in this box set, just don’t go expecting any new-fangled blu-ray technology

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 |

Flaming Brothers, The | aka Dragon and Tiger Fight (1987) Review

Posted on October 1, 2011 by Z Ravas
"The Flaming Brothers" Chinese Theatrical Poster

“The Flaming Brothers” Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Joe Cheung
Writer: Wong Kar Wai
Cast: Chow Yun Fat, Alan Tang, Pat Ha Man Jing, Jenny Tseng Yan Lei, Patrick Tse, Philip Chan, James Yi Lui, Norman Chu, Fong Yau, Cheung Chok Chow, Chan Laap Ban
Running Time: 101 min.

By HKFanatic

Chow Yun Fat made this heroic bloodshed film in 1987, smackdab in the middle of “A Better Tomorrow” and “A Better Tomorrow II.” That fact alone will most likely set viewers’ expectations too high. Fans hoping for an action film as good as Chow Yun Fat’s collaborations with John Woo will end up sorely disappointed. While it’s not without its moments, “The Flaming Brothers” lacks the polish and character depth one associates with Woo’s entries in the genre.

Things start off well enough: the first 30 minutes are actually pretty damn good as Chow Yun Fat and Alan Tang play two Triad brothers who grew up together penniless and on the streets. As the film starts, they’re pretty low-level gangster just looking to start a nightclub. Unfortunately, Norman Chu (“The Dragon Family“) comes calling and whenever Chu shows up in a gangster movie you know some bad shit is about to go down. Turns out that Chu works for Mr. Kao (Patrick Tse, father of Nicholas), a top dog in the Triads who wants to use Chow and Alan’s nightclub as a front for his drug operation. Alan Tang turns him down since, much like Don Corleone in “The Godfather,” drugs are the one area of business he wants no part in. The duo’s snubbing of Mr. Kao sets into motion a series of events that will turn everybody’s lives into a living hell.

“The Flaming Brothers” is excellent when it sticks to depicting the glamor and danger of the Triad lifestyle. But during the second half of the story, the two brothers split up and engage in romantic subplots and the film flounders as a result. At first I thought Alan Tang was going to steal this movie from Chow Yun Fat – a seemingly impossible task but Tang is smooth, cocky, and fearless as a Triad gangster and he looks like he was born to wear a tailored suit. Unfortunately, once Tang makes a detour to Thailand and has an embarrassing incident with two Thai prostitutes (“Oh, you Superman!” says one of them in bad English), his character lost his edge and never recovered it for me. Tang spends the rest of the movie being an ass to his love interest (Jenny Tseng), even going so far as to lock her in a closet for no reason.

Once Tang no longer possesses the audience’s sympathy, it’s up to Chow Yun Fat to carry the film. However, he’s saddled with a syrupy love story and doesn’t get to wield a gun until the very end of the movie. It just so happens that one day Fat runs into an old childhood friend (Pat Ha), who now teaches at a Catholic school in Macao when she’s not working at a 7-11 back home in Hong Kong (what?!). The two strike up a relationship, mostly the result of a baby-faced Chow doing his best to make Pat Ha fall for him despite her knowledge that he’s a gangster. These scenes aren’t terrible but they sure are predictable, and all the 80’s fluff (like Chow Yun Fat dressed as Boy George and miming some Cantopop for an old folk’s home) clashes with what is supposed to be a hardcore Triad flick. Just when you think everyone is going to ride off happily into the sunset, Mr. Kuo rears his head. People die, oaths of revenge are sworn, and you know Someone Must Pay.

“Flaming Brothers” really is ‘just another Chow Yun Fat gangster movie’ but it is notable for the fact that it was an early script from future auteur Wong Kar-Wai (“Chunking Express“), who incorporates a surprising amount of Catholic religion into the story. However, there’s little in the script that suggests how great a storyteller Wong Kar-Wai would become. The plot and the way it unfolds are completely routine except for a few lively bits of action, and it all concludes on a note of nihilism for the sake of nihilism. Instead of earning its tragic ending like “The Killer,” this movie just left me feeling unfulfilled after the story’s denouement.

If you’re watching “Flaming Brothers” solely for the shootouts, you’re more likely to get some entertainment value out of it. There’s a sequence in Thailand that features more squibs and bullet-holes than a Paul Verhoeven movie, and the climax is a terrifically violent ‘heroic bloodshed’ finale with the bonus of taking place in the novel location of a horse stable. Director Tung Cho ‘Joe’ Cheung (“Pom Pom & Hot Hot”) makes judicious use of slow motion, letting us know he’s a John Woo disciple. “Flaming Brothers” is not the best Triad flick out there but it offers enough visceral thrills that fans of old-fashioned Hong Kong shoot-outs will want to sit down and watch it at some point. Just make sure you’ve seen Chow Yun Fat’s work with John Woo first…though on second thought, that might make “Flaming Brothers” even more underwhelming.

HKFanatic’s Rating: 6.5/10

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

Trailer for the South Korean action film ‘Countdown’

Posted on September 29, 2011 by JJ Bona
"Countdown" Korean Theatrical Poster

"Countdown" Korean Theatrical Poster

A debt collector finds out he has liver cancer. In order to live, he must get a liver transplant in the next 10 days from an ex-convict woman, who apparently has a matching organ. The woman agrees to donate part of her liver only if the debt collector tracks down the one responsible for putting her in prison.

Countdown is directed by Heo Jong-ho and stars Jeon Do-Youn (The Housemaid) and Jung Jae-Young (Public Enemy Returns).

Check out the trailer.

Posted in News |

Prachya Pinkaew’s ‘The Kick’ Trailer

Posted on September 29, 2011 by JJ Bona
"The Kick" Korean Theatrical Poster

"The Kick" Korean Theatrical Poster

The Kick is a Thailand/South Korean co-production directed by Prachya Pinkaew (Tom Yum Goong). The film is about Korean family of Taekwondo experts who immigrate to Thailand. The film stars Cho Jae-hyun (Bad Guy), Yea Ji-won (Hanji), Yanin Vismistananda (Chocolate) and Petchtai Wongkamlao (Ong Bak 3). The Kick marks the first movie ever to be produced between Thailand and South Korea.

Check out the trailers here. – Thanks to The Amazing Psycho Per for the tip!

Posted in News |

Dragon Family, The (1988) Review

Posted on September 29, 2011 by Z Ravas
"The Dragon Family" Chinese DVD Cover

“The Dragon Family” Chinese DVD Cover

Director: Lau Kar Wing
Cast: Alan Tam, Andy Lau, Max Mok Siu Chung, Ken Tong Chun Yip, Norman Chu, Michael Miu Kiu Wai, William Ho Ka Kui, Lisa Chiao Chiao, Stanley Fung, Kent Cheng, Ku Feng, Lau Kar Wing, Shing Fui On, Philip Ko Fei, Wayne Archer, Charlie Cho, Kara Hui Ying Hung, Blacky Ko
Running Time: 88 min.

By HKFanatic

Andy Lau and Alan Tam must have had a good offscreen friendship during the late 80’s or 90’s, or maybe the same agent, since they managed to star in at least three movies together in that period. Thankfully, the two actors made for quite the dynamic duo, especially in action films. Much like in their ’91 collaboration “The Last Blood,” Andy and Alan are two of the only ones left standing for the heroic bloodshed-style finale at the end of “The Dragon Family.”

And what an ending it is: “Dragon Family” features what has to be the one of the earliest instances of gun fu as Alan Tam, Andy Lau, and Max Mok take on a warehouse of evil Triad scum with guns blazing, martial arts fighting, and even some fencing, all choreographed by Lau Kar-leung (“36th Chamber of Shaolin,” “Mad Monkey Kung Fu“). Kar-leung has a small supporting role and the film itself was directed by his younger brother, Lau Kar-wing. Although “Dragon Family” isn’t exactly heralded as a classic, the climax is one of the best Hong Kong shootouts I’ve seen outside of a John Woo movie.

By its release in 1988, “Dragon Family” was probably the 100th retelling of Coppola’s “The Godfather” in a Triad setting but, you know what, it works. The script takes its time setting up the story which means the film moves at a slower pace, but it also means we get to know the characters well enough that we actually care about them when the shit does hit the fan. Ko Chun Hsiung plays the head of the Dragon Family, a true Don Corleone figure if there ever was one. Hsiung is a the most kind and fair Triad leader you could possibly imagine – he even forgives his accountant for losing track of $4 million HK dollars. He’s also a loving father, despite being immersed in the underworld.

Hsiung has only one rule: if you’re part of his Triad family, you can’t deal in drugs. Anyone caught dealing in drugs will be executed, no questions asked. Early in the film we see Alan Tam, one of Hsiung’s surrogate sons and and enforcers, march into a crowded office complex and murder a man in cold blood with the emotional detachment of Arnold Schwarzenegger in the first “Terminator.” Turns out the portly fellow, now deceased, had been dealing drugs. Shortly after the killing, Alan Tam is shuttled off to Taiwan to lay low; he’ll be absent for most of the film but come back in a big way during the ending.

Unfortunately, Hsiung’s harsh stance against drugs will be his downfall. The execution of ‘Golden Teeth Shing’ upsets one of the other four leading Brothers in the Dragon Family, played by Ku Feng. Ku Feng teams up with the Family’s accountant (William Ho), a spineless worm of a man, to plot Hsiung’s demise. Once their associate played by Norman Chu returns from the Phillipines, having spent two years there negotiating heroin traffic into Hong Kong, the three men set in motion a dark plan that will lead to the downfall of Hsiung and his sons. Soon the stage is set for a bloody tale of revenge, including a shocking moment at a funeral that has to be seen to be believed.

If there’s a downside to “Dragon Family” besides its slow pace, it’s the fact that the Region 1 DVD’s subtitles are horrendous. I can deal with a faded, scratchy image as long as the aspect ratio is correct; however, half the subtitles don’t make any sense and read like they were translated backwards. You really have to pay attention to be able to follow the story at all. I believe the disc was put out by Tai Seng in 2004; this has to be one of their worst efforts. Hardcore fans might be better off springing for the Hong Kong all-region DVD, just to see if the subtitles on that version are remotely readable.

Performance-wise, “Dragon Family” is excellent. Ko Chun Hsiung is a natural as the honorable patriarch of the Family. Alan Tam may be more popular as a singer than a movie star but he was one of the most charismatic Hong Kong actors of his era. His unconventional good looks are at home in front of the camera and he clearly took to Lau Kar-leung’s action choreography as well, from the scenes of him rolling backwards off crates and diving onto the floor, pistols blazing. Andy Lau was still early in his career here but he manages to give a more subdued and natural performance unlike in “The Last Blood.” During the final battle there’s a shot of him leaning back on the floor, firing away with a pistol in his bandaged hand, that has to be the most bad-ass Andy has ever looked.

At first glance, there’s not much to differentiate “Dragon Family” from the dozens of other Triad flicks from the 80’s. But much like “Tiger on Beat,” also choreographed by Lau Kar-leung, it has a showstopper of an ending that’s worth waiting for. There might not be an ideal way to view “Dragon Family” for English speakers, but for my money it’s worth putting up with gibberish subtitles just to get to the finale. It’s cliche but true: ‘They don’t make ’em like this anymore.’ If you have any passion for heroic bloodshed or ‘bullet ballet’ films, then “Dragon Family” is a must see.

HKFanatic’s Rating: 7.5/10

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