The Matrimony Blu-ray/DVD (Tartan)

The Matrimony Blu-ray/DVD (Tartan)

The Matrimony Blu-ray/DVD (Tartan)

RELEASE DATE: July 26, 2011

Directed by Teng Hua-Tao (Sky of Love), The Matrimony is a thriller/romance starring Leon Lai (A Hero Never Dies), Rene Liu (Happy Birthday) and Fan Bingbing (A Battle of Wits). Check out the trailer here.

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

Hobo With A Shotgun Blu-ray/DVD (Magnolia)

Hobo With A Shotgun Blu-ray/DVD (Magnolia)

Hobo With A Shotgun Blu-ray/DVD (Magnolia)

RELEASE DATE: July 5, 2011

Hobo with a Shotgun is a 2011 Canadian action exploitation film directed by Jason Eisener and written by John Davies. It is based on the Grindhouse trailer of the same name. It’s about a homeless vigilante (Rutger Hauer) blows away crooked cops, pedophile Santas, and other scumbags with his trusty pump-action shotgun.

Check out trailer here.

Posted in Other Notable Titles |

Running Out of Time 2 (2001) Review

"Running Out of Time 2" DVD Cover

“Running Out of Time 2” DVD Cover

Director: Johnnie To
Co-director: Law Wing Cheong
Cast: Lau Ching-Wan, Ekin Cheng, Kelly Lin Hsi-Lei, Hui Siu-Hung, Lam Suet, Ruby Wong
Running Time: 95 min.

By Ben Poppel

About ten minutes into this film you realize. Wait, a minute, I have witnessed this scenario before. Then you recognize you are watching the follow-up to the blockbuster film Running Out of Time. And what about the sequel? Does it live up to the hype? Is it as good as the first one? Well, Yes and No. It is hard to replace Andy Lau, he was just so good. But Lau Ching Wan returns with astonishing brilliance as always. And it is kind of nice to see Ekin in a role where he doesn’t rely on his quasar fighting skills to sell tickets.

Gripes: The story is definitely nothing we haven’t seen before. Man steals objects and wants ransom. The comedic mood is nice at times but can quickly get annoying (especially all the idiotness coming from the dumb nut chief, give it up will yea) And the somber music (basically a little different rendition of the first one, doesn’t mix well with the humor). Is this supposed to be a intriguing thriller or a comedy? At times it can’t make up its mind. But the most annoying thing of the whole movie was the damn eagle. This was the lamest excuse for CGI (even though the scene towards the end gives it a run for its money, you will see, all I will say is tightrope). The scenes with the eagle were ridiculous, stupid, lame, and just should not of been in this film. I hate that eagle. It was so fake looking, kick ass retarded and just bizarre for this movie. I can’t believe there was a whole chase scene involving the lovable eagle. Okay, enough about the charming bird.

Oh yeah, this film also had pretty Kelly Lin. Was she falling for Lau Ching Wan? He must be ten years older. But what do I know. Well, maybe I could see why she looked like she added ten years to her life with that terrible hair do at the end of the film (you will see what I mean if you watch the movie.)

Anyway, this movie entertained. In my opinion wasn’t near as good as the first one. The action-suspense scenes were just not as good, original or gripping, (I did like the chase scene on the bikes though). The comedy mix was good up to a point and the cast was pretty well rounded. A worthy sequel, but not spectacular.

Ben Peppel’s Rating: 8/10 (this is being a little generous)

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

Running Out of Time (1999) Review

"Running Out of Time" Theatrical Poster

“Running Out of Time” Theatrical Poster

Director: Johnnie To
Cast: Andy Lau, Lau Ching Wan, Yoyo Mung, Waise Lee, Lam Suet, Ruby Wong, Shiu Hung Hui
Running Time: 89 min.

By Joe909

A very stylish, slick movie in which Andy Lau finds out that he’s soon to die from cancer, and decides to get even with the gangster who killed his dad (Waise Lee), while at the same time using Lau Ching-Wan as a guinea pig. Johnnie To directed this, so it has his usual flash and craftsmanship, and on top of that he employs a few Guy Ritchie tricks, such as speeding up the film stock in accompaniment with fast-paced music, a la “Lock Stock & Two Smoking Barrels.”

One unusual thing about this script is that two of the three screenwriters have English names. Seeing this after the movie, I wasn’t very surprised, as ROOT has a definite Western feel to it. The plot is well-paced and doesn’t feature outlandish subplots that have nothing to do with the rest of the film. The characters are each fully-developed and have disparate personalities. Most importantly of all, the humor is genuinely funny and isn’t that slapstick Cantonese style that just doesn’t translate very well in the West.

It’s surprising that in a film which features a main character who’s dying of cancer that there are a lot of humorous moments. Lau Ching-Wan’s bumbling boss is funny throughout, and the scene in which he mistakenly believes that LCW is the cancer sufferer had me chuckling out loud. Funnier yet is a short scene that takes a jibe at kung-fu movies: Andy Lau, dressed in an SDU outfit and trying to escape a building, runs into a security guard. Andy starts throwing elaborate kung-fu punches, and the guard tries to block them. Lau abruptly stops swinging and just looks down at the guy for a few moments. The guard, still crouching in a defensive posture, looks back up quizzically at Andy. Then suddenly Lau lashes out with both hands and knocks the guy’s head into the wall.

It isn’t all perfect, though. The final confrontation with Waise Lee’s gangster character could’ve packed more of a punch, but I will say that it was cool to see a HK movie that didn’t feature a guns-blazing climax. Matter of fact, the violence and action setpieces are minimal in this movie, but the lack of them doesn’t detract from the movie’s impact. Actually, less action would’ve been better, as the worst, most implausible scene is one of the action setpieces. The two Laus keep running to and from each other’s car as a group of gunmen fire at them. Each time they’re outside of the cars, the bullets conveniently miss them entirely. It just comes off as pretty goofy, but since this film is mostly a comedy I guess it’s not so big a deal.

Also of note is Raymond Wong’s score, which is as great as all the others I’ve heard from him. One complaint though is that on the dvd (and possibly theatrical release as well) the music is distorted and blurry around the edges, making it sound like your speakers have blown. I don’t know if this is the way Wong intended the music to sound, or if it’s just another example of a poor print transfer.

Joe909’s Rating: 7.5/10

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

Delinquent Girl Bosses DVD Collection (Tokyo Shock)

Delinquent Girl Bosses DVD Collection (Tokyo Shock)

Delinquent Girl Bosses DVD Collection (Tokyo Shock)

RELEASE DATE: July 12, 2011

Gritty Pink (“a style of Japanese softcore pornographic theatrical film that dominated the Japanese domestic cinema from the mid-1960s through the mid-1980s”) classics in one collection. Beauty, gangsters and butt-kicking skills. More details to come.

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

Scarface Limited Edition Humidor Blu-ray (Universal)

Scarface Limited Edition Humidor Blu-ray (Universal)

Scarface Limited Edition Humidor Blu-ray (Universal)

RELEASE DATE: September 6, 2011

Limited edition (1,000 worldwide) set priced at $999.99. It will feature a hand-crafted Scarface-themed humidor. Created by the renowned Daniel Marshall, the humidor’s exterior is hand painted and polished with the Marshall’s trademark “1000 coat brilliant finish.” The interior – made with untreated Spanish cedar – will properly condition and age approximately 100 cigars at optimal humidity levels. Click here for more details. Standard Blu-ray also available.

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

Enter the Dragon | aka Blood and Steel (1973) Review

"Enter the Dragon" Chinese Theatrical Poster

“Enter the Dragon” Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Robert Clouse
Cast: Bruce Lee, Jim Kelly, John Saxon, Sek Kin, Ahna Capri, Bob Wall, Bolo Yeung, Betty Chung, Angela Mao Ying, Sammo Hung, Kok Lee Yan, Anthony Lau, Tung Wei, Wilson Tong, Pat Johnson, Meng Hoi
Running Time: 110 min.

By Tgushiniere

The best martial arts film to be produced by an American film company (Warner Brothers). It was made with the association of Raymond Chow (founder of Hong Kong’s Golden Harvest film company), who supplied Bruce Lee and a host of actors and stuntmen.

Finally, a kung fu film with high production values and an international cast. “Enter The Dragon” was written for Bruce and was intended to make him a star in America. Sadly, Bruce died before the film’s release.

Can you name an American-produced martial arts film better than this?

“Enter The Dragon” has a James Bondian theme and feel to it; mixed together with the best from the East. Lee (Bruce Lee) basically goes undercover to Han’s island to gather evidence for a Clandestine government agency. He is joined by Roper (John Saxon) and Williams (Jim Kelly) — both have reasons of their own for attending. Lee gets his evidence but is captured and is forced to a duel with Roper. Roper declines, but since he must fight someone to prove himself worthy of joining Han’s operations, he is put up against Bolo instead. The fight-filled finale has Lee and Roper vs. Han and all of his countless men.

In between the great choreographed fights (by Bruce Lee), there’s enough to hold your interest: Pretty women in the forms of Ahna Capri and Betty Chung; Good spy plot; Bruce Lee’s philosophy (ie “the art of fighting without fighting”); An opening fight with Sammo Hung; Angela Mao Ying vs. Han’s men; And the funky theme music with an Eastern feel by Lalo Schifrin!

What do I love about “Enter the Dragon”?

– Mr. Han! (Shih Kien) He has a steel hand and two other nasty interchangeable attachments – just like a Bond villain. Keep in mind that Shih Kien’s voice is dubbed with the voice of Keye Luke (Master Po) from the hit TV series “Kung Fu.”

– Two great henchmen: Bolo (Bolo Yeung aka Yang Sze) and O’Hara (Bob Wall). One has the muscles and the other, a nasty scar.

– Bruce’s display of awesome moves, including the use of weapons and slow motion.

– The fight between John Saxon and Bolo (Yang Sze adopted his “Enter” screen name of Bolo Yeung, so American viewers could easily identify him).

– Jim Kelly’s funky dialogue: “Bull shit Mr. Han man!” and “Man, you come right out of a comic book!” His appearance in this film made him the number one Blaxploitation martial arts star during the 70s!

It can be argued that “Enter The Dragon” – despite the horrible directing job of Robert Clouse – is not Bruce Lee’s best film, or the best martial arts film ever, but for the year 1973, it was!

Tgushiniere’s Rating: 10/10


By Numskull

All right, here goes…review #200.

You people are SO going to hate me for this one.

Enter the Dragon is considered by many to be the greatest martial arts movie of all time, and I think it’s a reasonably safe assumption that the majority of those “many” have seen no more than a half-dozen genuine, Bruce-free martial arts films in their lives and would pronounce “Yuen Wo Ping” three different ways if you asked them to name three different martial arts choreographers. Having just used the term “martial arts” thrice in one sentence, I suppose I should explain my stance on the subject as far as movies are concerned.

Yes, we know Bruce Lee was among the world’s all-time greatest martial arts practitioners. Yes, we know he could move just about fast enough to break the sound barrier. Yes, we know that the way he clobbers everybody on screen with minimal effort is pretty much what he could have done in reality. And yes, we know that Bruce’s non-violent victories, such as luring the guy from New Zealand into the rowboat and tossing the snake into the control room to cause the bad guys to flee, reflect a healthy martial arts philosophy in which unnecessary conflict is avoided.

BUT…is that what people really want to see in a martial arts MOVIE?

Judging by the number of obsessive Bruce Lee fanboys out there who know all of his movies inside and out while ignoring or turning their noses up at the talents and genre contributions of Sammo Hung, Gordon Liu, Yuen Wah, and any number of other martial arts movie personalities, the answer is “yes”. People would rather watch the good guy plow through an army of human punching bags than watch him fight for his life against skilled opponents and overwhelming odds. Not ALL people, of course, but enough of them to elevate Enter the Dragon to a level of renown and acclaim which it does not deserve. How very sad.

Naturally, Bruce Lee’s sudden passing shortly before the film’s release has helped to make it the stuff of legend. The Crow received the same bittersweet benefit thanks to Brandon Lee’s death in mid-production. The film is famous because of the names and the hype attached to it, not how good it is. I daresay that those who use the “swan song” excuse for lavishing praise upon Enter the Dragon should take Bruce’s advice (“Don’t think…FEEL!”), turn it around 180 degrees, and look at the film through unbiased eyes to see it as the otherwise unremarkable action-adventure it is. What we have here is reputation and reality out of balance.

Way, way, WAY out of balance.

No doubt the snotty, self-proclaimed elite audience of martial arts films would tell me I don’t know shit because I never studied any martial arts myself (hey, it ain’t my fault the town I grew up in had three golf courses and zero martial arts schools). Well, I at least know enough to realize that John Saxon beating Bolo Yeung into unconsciousness is an absolute farce, whatever that’s worth. (Hell, at least it took Mel Gibson AND Danny Glover working together to beat Jet Li in Lethal Weapon 4.)

Let’s say you’ve never had an acting lesson in your life, never been in a school play, never even played cops ‘n’ robbers as a kid. Then, you see a truly awful performance by someone who has the audacity to call him or herself an actor (insert Ekin Cheng joke here). By the line of reasoning described above, you would have no right to scorn their pitiful display, no matter how unconvincing they are, no matter how obvious it is that they’re reading off a cue card, because you yourself have no genuine acting experience.

No? Well, here’s another one: you’re in a restaurant, and you get served this really disgusting meal. The steak has the texture of shoe leather, the french fries are lukewarm and soggy, and the salad has freezer-burnt lettuce and moldy old croutons. You’re about to call your server over to your table and raise all sorts of hell. Ah, but wait…you didn’t get very good grades in Home Ec, did you? No. In fact, you can barely open a can of soup without losing a finger, and the last time you made toast the whole kitchen caught fire. If it weren’t for the existence of restaurants, the “not raw” portion of your diet would consist entirely of Hungry Man TV dinners. What right have you to critique the cuisine?

Still not convinced? How about this: a bunch of research scientists are developing a new kind of bomb, and they accidentally blow up the whole world, reducing every man, woman, and child to a handful of ash which drifts off into outer space. Putting aside the issue of whether or not you’d be able to say or do ANYTHING after such an event, it stands to reason that you’d be pretty pissed off at those scientists. But before you mosey on over to their cloud (or sulfur pit, or whatever) and tell them what a bunch of fuck-ups they are/were, consider this: how much do YOU know about nuclear physics? Not much, probably. THEY’RE the experts. So why don’t you stop pretending you know their business better than they do and get back in line for when St. Peter calls your name, eh?

In a martial arts ACTION (key word) movie, as Enter the Dragon is purported to be, it’s more important to generate excitement than it is to be realistic. It’s about what looks good on the screen, not what works well in real life. Movies are, after all, a form of escapism. And…in this case and in my opinion…the escape is not worth taking. This ain’t how we likes it.

Movies are also supposed to make you care about what happens (if not for the characters themselves) and it also fails on that account. The flashback scene in which Bruce’s sister flees from the bad guys is so drawn out and uninvolving that we don’t care when she offs herself. Williams is so thin as a character (anyone who refers to another person as a “cat” just can’t be taken seriously) that we don’t care how many women he bones at a time. The bad guys are so non-threatening and lacking in presence that we don’t care when Bruce beats the shit out of them. You can replace “we” with “I” if you want, but understand that I’m not the only one with this view.

The fucking point:

There was, perhaps, a time when Enter the Dragon was well and truly king of the martial arts hill, but for those of us who favor cinematic value over sentimental value, that time is long past. Love it if you like, venerate it if you must, put it in a fucking time capsule for all I care, but for God’s sake learn that martial arts movies did not die with Bruce Lee. They kept getting made, and they kept getting better. In terms of all-out fun factor, I’ll match this up against Crippled Avengers or Odd Couple or Last Hurrah for Chivalry or Invincible Pole Fighter and declare it the loser any day of the week, dubbing or no dubbing, OAR or no OAR. For those of you who don’t need to be told this (and I’m assuming that there are more of you than my pissing-in-the-wind stance here would indicate), heat up your Hungry Man TV dinners and get back to your regularly scheduled martial arts movie programming.

There…that’s review #200.

Not a “proper” review, perhaps.

But it’s all this movie is gonna get out of me.

Numskull’s Rating: 4/10


By James H.

Well to tell the truth I’m not a big fan of Bruce Lee. I’ve only seen “Enter the Dragon” and another that escapes me for the moment. When I first saw this movie in Grade 7, it was very cool, but I’ve matured since then. Watching it again 5 years later, it seems old and dated. Look at the cast, it joins Bruce Lee with John Saxon, to ease him into American culture. Then add token Black guy, Jim Kelly, as the jive-talkin’ mutha, who’s a sex machine with all the chicks. He’s even got his own Shaft-like theme music.

After that, add a villain with an island fortress and an underground lair. It just smells like a corporate cut out. The whole way it was filmed looks like the 70’s. Not because of the clothes or the hair styles, but just the film techniques that were used. Director Robert Clouse (who went on to do “The Big Brawl” and many other failures) uses the same type of pan shot every time he wants to establish the setting.

Don’t get me wrong here, it is fun to watch. For me though it’s the end fight that was the best part. It was brilliantly executed. But one must thank those corporate big wigs. If not for them, the kung fu genre may not exist. Yes it is a groundbreaking movie, only because it opened up a whole new genre to the mass public. Is it a timeless classic? No.

James H’s Rating: 6.5/10


By Stockton22

I remembered Jackie Chan years before I knew who the hell he was because of his scene in this movie. Ok, we all know the scene by now. Jackie gets his neck snapped during the “battle with the guards” sequence in the middle of the film. I always thought it was such a awful thing for Bruce Lee to do. Why’d he have to snuff that particular guard? He only seemed to be knocking out everybody else. And it’s not like the guards are evil or anything. They’re just doing their job for Christ’s sake! This guy probably grew up in a slum somewhere (after all, Williams made that comment about ghettos being the same everywhere), no job, no money, no prospects. One day he hears that the local druglord is hiring, and he thinks, “Finally a real job! No more digging through the garbage for fishheads, no more bathing in the river, I’m movin’ on up!” So he starts working, then one day some guy shows up, trips the alarm, and our buddy the guard thinks, “Ok, time to go to work. I want to do a good job. After all, I have to keep sending part of my paycheck home to my sweet silverhaired old mother. Oh yeah, and Bolo took the last guard who screwed up and crushed him to death with his bare hands. I don’t want that to happen. Oh wait, the guy’s back is turned, maybe I can grab him. Ok, here I go.” Then Bruce grabs the head, pulls back the arm, then comes the close-up on Bruce’s face, and CRRRRRUNCHHH! I don’t care if he is the hero, that is just plain cold.

Come on Bruce, of course the guy’s gonna try to guard the complex! HE’S A FUCKING GUARD!!! Give the guy a break! Well, ok, I mean, well you know what I mean. Moving on to the other 97 minutes and 53 seconds of the film, I gotta ask, and I do this at the risk of getting my ass kicked by scores of Jeet Kun Do experts, is anyone else tired of people assuming that everything Bruce did on screen is the cinematic manifestation of godliness? Yeah Bruce kicks ass, yeah he has presence, but I think that if you’re doing a scene where you take on several dozen opponents, who amazingly, attack you one at a time I might add, it’s not all that enthralling if it only takes a single blow to take care of the guy. One punch, down. One kick, down. Yeah, I’m down for the count too. Zzzzzzzzz. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a really good action movie. There are some terrific fighting moments and Bruce truly shows off his extraordinary skill (even though he feels the need to take his shirt off in front of the camera more than that Eric dude from the first season of “The Real World”). But anyone who feels that it’s the greatest Martial Arts movie of all time is deluded (and living in the past).

On the other hand, Jim Kelly as the Mac Daddy kung fu master Williams is a big plus, for both his good fighting and his bad acting. Somehow, when he picks out half dozen girls to bang, then turns to the remaining courtesans and says, “Sorry, it’s been a long day. I’m a little tired.” it works. And how can you top a bad guy with all those funky hands? Especially when they dubbed in the voice of the guy who did the leader of planet Spectra on “Battle of the Planets.” Another point, how come the prisoners look like old, dilapidated human refuse when they’re in the jail cells, but like young healthy kung fu fighters when released? Well, continuity was never a strong point of the genre. And let’s not forget, it was an American production. And to that end, let me ask another question. How badly to you think Bolo Yeung wanted to take John Saxon and pulverize him into the ground until he struck oil? John Saxon has about as much a chance of really beating Bolo Yeung in a fight as I have of winning the Powerball Lottery (The guy couldn’t beat Freddy Krueger for Christ’s sake. I know Freddy’s got the finger knives thing but you’re a cop! SHOOT HIM FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!) . There hasn’t been such wildly false outcome since, hmmm, I guess since the guest appearance of the Green Hornet and Kato on the old Batman tv show. Anyone remember that? Burt Howard as Robin holding his own against none other than Bruce Lee as Kato. Would everybody please care to join me in a huge, collective, “YEAH RIGHT!”

Stockton22’s Rating: 7/10


By Tyler

The film that brought Bruce Lee in the eyes of America, Enter the Dragon. A classic in my opinion, I first saw this film at the age of four (of course I didn’t understand a thing), and I loved it. The beautifully shot film and wonderful choreographed film with plenty of action, and great acting (by Bruce mostly) I mean, who can forget great quotes by Bruce such as, “Boards don’t hit back”. When Bruce uttered those words a chill ran down my spine. Jackie was an extra in this film too, he got his (his character’s) neck broken by Bruce (that’s the only minus in the film). When Bruce kicks it’s like a flash of lighting, it’s incredibly fast, you can hardly see his legs are move!

One thing I didn’t like was John Saxon, I really did not like his performance in the film, but I did enjoy Jim Kelly’s, he was kinda had a clean smoothness to him you know. The Battle between Bruce and Han was very memorable, the mirrors added a very eerie sense, like you didn’t know what was going to happen,but you weren’t sure something was. Another great scene is the big brawl between the prisoners and Han’s minions,great action. One scene that was ridiculous was the fight between Bolo Yeung (a.k.a. Yang Sze), and John Saxon – yeah I really believe that John Saxon could overpower a guy that looked like he could “bench” the whole Island (I mean Bolo is huge). The plot is a little weird,but then again it’s an American production.

Overall this film is pretty good, the colorful costumes and great cast really brighten the sets as well as the actors. Warner Brothers has released it remastered and uncut, so rent it. Take it from me it’s a good film even if it’s not a Jackie Chan film.

Tyler’s Rating: 9/10


By Dan-O

Whenever I take it upon myself to watch this movie for the umpteenth time, I am always deeply compelled to throw things (such as food or feces) at the screen whenever John Saxon flashes his balding, talentless head in front of the camera. Why was this awkward, freaky-lookin’ cracker ever allowed on the set of this otherwise pleasant, although cheesy, BRUCE LEE vehicle (NOT John Saxon vehicle). And don’t all you honkeys out there get your panties in a bunch; I’m whiter than John Boy, in fact I’m almost transparent. But come on, this guy has about half the martial arts know-how of David Carridene.

This movie is directed by Robert Clouse, who went on to direct……….um………that one about………no, wait, wrong movie. Well, China O’ Brian was one of his, right? Aaaah who gives a crap; the guy couldn’t direct a turd out of his rectal area (thanks for that image, Dan).

Bruce is the ONE and ONLY saving grace of this film. Watching him hit people is enough to give you chills all over the place. We miss ya Bruce. Why didja hafta go and croak on us like that. Why didja hafta leave us with all these wanna-be loser imitations of yourself. Oh, and if you are still alive, tell Andy Kaufman I said “Hi”.

Dan-O’s Rating: 7/10 (minus John Saxon: 10/10)


By Vic Nguyen

To me, Bruce Lee will always remain number one. Sure, Jackie Chan is great, but when it comes right down to it, Bruce Lee wins my respect. He is without a doubt, the best fighter the world has ever seen, and this film proves it. Bruce plays his normal ass kicking character, sent to an island to bust up a drug ring headed by Master Han, played by the great Shek Kin. He then enters Han’s kung fu tournament in order to stop the drug ring.

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is all the nostalga that surrounds the film. In the beginning of the film, Bruce is seen fighting a young Sammo Hung. When Bruce gets into a fight with many stuntmen in an underground cavern, Bruce breaks the neck of Jackie himself, and when Bruce does an incredible flip over some Buddist monks, the stuntman that performs the flip is veteren Hong Kong movie star and Peking Opera student Yuen Wah. Now thats entertainment.

The Hong Kong film industry owes much to Bruce because this film broke box office records for a kung fu film in America and planted that Hong Kong films are here to stay in the US. Rumors have circulated on newsgoups that Enter the Dragon will be rereleased. Hopefully rhese rumors are true and the film will be on the big screen where it belongs.

Vic Nguyen’s Rating: 10/10

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

14 Amazons, The | aka The Fourteen Amazons (1972) Review

"The 14 Amazons" Chinese Theatrical Poster

“The 14 Amazons” Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Cheng Kang
Co-director: Charles Tung
Cast: Lily Ho Li Li, Ivy Ling Po, Li Ching, Yueh Hua, Lisa Lu Yan, Tina Chin Fei, Karen Yip Ling Chi, Wong Ping, Ha Ping, Lam Jing, Chan Shen, Chen Yan Yan
Running Time: 117 min.

By JJ Hatfield

This is a wonderful old school film from the Shaw Brothers. Truly an epic, the plot and characters are a small part of the historic writings of “Yang Jia Jiang” (Generals Of Yang Family). After yet another attack on the Yang family those loyal to them formed a group of supporters that turns into a power to be dealt with by their enemies.

Some people refer to this movie as very early feminism. In fact it is another chapter from “Yang Jia Jiang”. This most popular account is found in one long story or written as novels spanning fewer years each. The Yangs were the Generals of the Song Dynasty during the later years of Northern Song. The story makes for an interesting read but it certainly is not required before you see the film. What exposition is required is there but the movie is all about action! The “Fourteen Amazons” takes place after the Yang family men are slaughtered in an ambush. The Seven Yang sons are dead and the father after being seriously injured and seeing his sons die in horrifying ways kills himself.

All of the women are widows who have nothing left to lose and the restoration of the Yang family name to regain, not to mention freedom. China, indeed many countries were not unaccustomed to having women fight. It was not a statement of equality it was a matter of life and death. When marauding armies and savage gangs used might, mostly simply outnumbering their victims, everyone who could fought. No doubt many women and children have found it necessary to fight to survive.

Highly trusted by the Emperor The Yang family was formally charged with defending the territory and maintaining experienced troops to deal with attacks from the Mongols and others who tried to invade China. They were said to be just rulers and beloved by their people.

The Yang family troops fought war after war for over four decades. They always won! Or so they held that reputation. It is difficult to describe the enormous amount of respect and honor accorded them. The Yangs were excellent fighters. It took betrayal and malice to bring down the Yang men. And some very careful planning involving people who claimed to be loyal but answered to those who wanted to annihilate the Yang influence once and for all. However the women of the Yang family had the same courage, skills and love of country as the men. The group is led by She Tai Chun (Yan Lisa Lu ), the General’s widow.

When the need arises the “Fourteen Amazons” go into action and I do mean action! Every one of the women fights with skill, ferocity and determination and they are not afraid of inflicting mortal wounds on invaders nor hesitant to spill their enemies blood. There is something for everyone! Martial arts, many different spears, unique swords, shields, archers, all kinds of axes, knives, even a rope dart or two. There is not much screen time when there is not a match or a battle being fought. When the screenplay slows for a few moments the participants are plotting strategy. The Yangs were known for their exceptional fighting skills however they also were quite brilliant in strategy. This allowed them to fight and win over enemies with greater numbers.

The fights are phenomenal and beautiful in their own way. No hint of pretend fighting because these were *girls*. For a film released in 1972 the physical moves look very realistic. Even the decapitations, amputations, etc. seem to indicate someone has taken some time with the props. Not all of them, some scenes just don’t show the same effort but things happen so quickly there is little time for acute assessment of one particular move or set. Fights are tight and surprisingly realistic for the film. It is somewhat confusing having so many women dressed virtually the same however you begin to see their style of fighting and it becomes much easier to identify the character.

Cheng Hsiao-tung/Siu-Tung hing and Hsiao Sung Liang are listed as the Stunt Coordinators. Fighting Instructors listed as Liang Shao Sung and Cheng Xiao Dong. With the massive number of people mostly fighting there were definitely many more people involved in the actual practice and coordination. There are fights that are more correctly considered multiple stunts. The only reason this movie worked was because most of the women had fought before or at least seen enough of it to look deadly serious. The use of weapons was a real treat. So many fighters with so many weapons will keep you glued to the screen.

The Yangs will be remembered as China’s finest, representing true nobility. Their love of country and self sacrifice for a better China has been used in many ways to inspire the people. They were not in search of glory. They felt it was their duty to defend the people and the land.

The cinematography is tight in the right places and shows off the actors skills though no one is acting hammy. The actors become their role and they stay there. The viewer forgets actors names and becomes invested in the individual characters. “Fourteen Amazons” is not small in any way. From the huge cast to the enormous amount of people required for sets, costumes, weapons, staging scenes this is a big movie! Some of the battle scenes are just incredible. Tremendous numbers of combatants filmed across gorgeous landscapes. The filming is excellent. The result of all those people and all that hard work is a damn good film!

There are a couple of… interesting tactics used that might seem a bit like wu xia or fantasy but again things are happening so fast there is no time to dwell on something so mundane. The editing was a bit odd in some places. It leads me to wonder if bits of the film master are not in good condition.

Although not a huge seller now this film was a box office goldmine and one of the top ten domestic films of the year. Quite a feat! The credit really lies with the entire group effort. Even the extras in town or the big battle scenes did a good enough job to make it seem there was a frickin war coming down on your head.

The directors, Cheng Kang and Shao-yung Tung are to be congratulated for pulling off an excellent epic tale of devotion, betrayal, honor and love of country.

JJ Hatfield’s Rating: 8/10 Highly Recommended

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

Dragon Fist (1978) Review

"Dragon Fist" Japanese Theatrical Poster

“Dragon Fist” Japanese Theatrical Poster

Director: Lo Wei
Producer: Hsu Li Hwa
Cast: Jackie Chan, Nora Miao, James Tien, Pearl Lin Yin Zhu, Yen Shi Kwan, Ko Keung, Hsu Hsia, Ou-Yang Sha Fei, Chui Yuen, Wong Kwong Yue, Chui Fat, Eagle Han Ying, Wang Yao, Wong Ching, Lam Ching Ying
Running Time: 92 min

By JJ Hatfield

This is one of Jackie Chan’s early films. It is also one of a handful or so produced and directed by the infamous Lo Wei. It remains a mystery how Lo Wei convinced anyone to give him financial support, especially since he could not transform Jackie into a new Bruce Lee. By this time in Jackie’s career he should have been a star. Lo Wei had no idea how to best use Chan’s talents. He still wanted Bruce Lee, with some Lo Wei humor tossed in.

Out of all the films Jackie did for Lo Wei this is the most straightforward and the most action filled. The story is realistic enough and quite serious. You never see Jackie smile but you do see him kick ass old school style on a whole lot of guys!

The story begins as a martial arts tournament is in process with Tang How-Yuen’s Master Kang (James Tien) After taking on all comers including his best student the Master beats them all. Master Kang is given a sign to declare his championship and he is overwhelmed with good wishes. The sign will be hung over the school entrance. With the tournament over Master Kang insists everyone should stay and partake of food and drink. After all this is a celebration!

Without warning a new arrival Cheung Chien-Kuen (Yam Sai Kuan) storms in and is arrogant and insulting. He insists the sign should come down because he is the best fighter. Everyone says it is too late, the Master reigns supreme but since it is so important Kang agrees to fight him but Cheung attacks without warning and fights as if it were a duel to the death! Everyone is shouting at Cheung to stop including Master Kang. He was not prepared for such a fierce onslaught this was a friendly contest! Master Kang tells Cheung he has won but the evil bastard just keeps beating him without mercy. How-Yuen and the others try to separate the two but are fought by Cheung’s henchmen. Only when it is obvious Master Kang is seriously wounded does Cheung stop. He takes the sign with him when he and his men leave laughing and congratulating Cheung. Master Kang’s wife, daughter and How-Yuen do all they can to heal him but his injuries are too severe. His last words are to How-Yuen. He tells him to train and avenge the school. He also tells him he is charged with taking care of Kang’s wife and daughter.

We next see Cheung being congratulated for his school’s success over the last three years. The school has a good reputation and plenty of students. Though Cheung has attained an honorable status and many students want to train there, everything is coming together perfectly when the Cheungs suffer a terrible tragedy. Cheung’s wife kills herself in the hope her death will make up for her husband’s vicious killing of Master Kang. Cheung’s wife and Master Kang used to see each other but it was long before marriage to Cheung. Still he has always held a grudge and had been planning on killing him for his former relationship with his wife. In emotional agony Cheung amputates his own leg to try and atone for his cruel and jealous deeds.

A number of people including Cheung are suspicious of the wicked Master Wei (Ko Keung) when dead bodies start to appear. Cheung has to get to the bottom of the killings and sends two of his most trusted and skilled students to discover the facts.

In the meantime Wei’s henchmen meet How-Yuen. When the gang starts to harass his two charges it is necessary to defend them. Naturally he dispatches them with quick brutal moves. Once Wei hears about How-Yuen’s amazing martial arts skills he starts to think of someway to get him to work for their gang.

When How-Yuen and Master Kang’s widow and daughter reach Cheung’s school they are treated as guests and escorted to see Cheung. How-Yuen is anxious to do his Master’s bidding and kill the bastard that murdered Master Kang. Just as How-Yuen is about to make mush of his sworn enemy he discovers Cheung has cut off his leg. It doesn’t make any difference to him and he is ready for revenge. How-Yuen only halts after the Mistress pleads with him to stop. He is red hot and ready for vengeance but how can he honorably defeat a one legged man?

With everything that has happened the Mistress falls ill. How-Yuen has her see a doctor who tells How-Yuen that she is very ill and there is only one thing that might help. Master Wei’s family has a unique potion that works like a miracle cure. How-Yuen goes to the Wei family and begs them for the herbal potion. This is just the opportunity Master Wei has been waiting for!

Wei cleverly agrees to give How-Yuen the herbs for his Mistress if he will help the Wei clan and their business. How-Yuen loves the Mistress like his own mother. How can he refuse to work for Wei when he needs the herbal medicine to save her very life?

It becomes obvious before long that the Wei family are all thieves, villains and possibly even murderers. How-Yuen loses face and enrages everyone around him except the Wei school. The so called martial arts school is really just a cover for their devious and deadly dealings. Word quickly spreads of this new gang member and eventually the Mistress learns of his actions. How-Yuen cannot tell her the truth or she would insist he quit working for Wei even though she needs the medicine.

For a Jackie Chan movie this one is really pretty dark. That certainly doesn’t make it a bad film. There is no humor and no one laughs except the cackling villains. Jackie’s facial expression ranges from sorrow to “piss off” and then “Die M—-F——!” It’s terrific! Sometimes you just need to watch the hero beat the hell out of the bad guys and this movie is perfect.

“Dragon Fist” is unique in several ways aside from being a dramatic film. There are no attempts at humor, for which viewers will be eternally grateful! Before How-Yuen goes off for revenge he apparently trains but there are no training scenes. And the story is actually fairly good with plot twists aplenty.

The fantastic finale is fighting on a massive scale. And it isn’t just How-Yuen! The whole screen is filled with fighting – the Cheung family and their school against Wei and his evil gang. There is a wide variety of fighting styles, weapons and even foes as one person goes to help another. How-Yuen is the one doing most of the beating and suffers injuries along the way but he never loses his ferocity or thirst for revenge.

“Dragon Fist” is an excellent old school style film that will keep you guessing while keeping you entertained. Highly Recommended.

JJ Hatfield’s Rating: 8/10


By Alvin George

“Dragon Fist” is yet another deadpan old-school kung-fu movie Jackie Chan made with Lo Wei way back when. For a Lo Wei film, this film has better-than-average plot developments (Jackie actually betrays his late master’s family at one point), better-than-average characters (one villain cuts off his own leg as a penance for his wrongdoing), and better-than-average fight scenes (especially toward the end). However, this film was nevertheless tough sledding for me. The dubbing was sloppy (as usual) and the dialogue was lame (again as usual); perhaps something got lost in the translation. As a Bruce Lee type, Jackie Chan is miscast, as he often was during the 1970s. If you can stand the dubbing and the dialogue, enjoy this movie and especially the fight scenes. As for me, I rather sit through Slayer’s “Show No Mercy” album.

Alvin George’s Rating: 5/10


By T-Man

This movie is based on the old (and much overused) ‘you killed my master, now you must die’ plot. But the movie offers enough plot twists to keep the average viewer mildly interested (if not confused). I must admit that I got a little confused at one point (I blame it on the bad dubbing). In the end, all questions are answered and it’s time for Jackie to kick some ass.

Jackie Chan plays a serious role, so there is none of the famous Chan comedy. The real reason to watch the movie is for the fighting. The choreography is fast and elegant (especially at the end). The fighting alone makes it worth a watch. I recommend double featuring this with ‘Young Master.’ Both have excellent (but different) fight choreography. One is serious, the other is down-right goofy. Regardless, if you’re a Chan fan, check it out!

T-Man’s Rating: 8/10


By Tigerlily

You can’t get much more serious than this among Jackie Chan movies. Dragon Fist has a good plot (when compared to his other movies). There are a couple of well choreographed fights, especially at the end. On a lighter note, the background music and some of the scenery (especially during a fight where Chung Chu Ping tells Chan to stop fighting) is very lovely. Although I like Chan’s comedic movies better, this movie was thoroughly enjoyed by this Chan fan!

Tigerlily’s Rating: 7/10


By Numskull

Lo Wei takes the standard “You killed my teacher/family member/best friend/boy-toy, now you must die” theme a step further with this one. It was the first oldie I saw starring JC and is still probably my favorite. The deceased master has a widow and daughter who accompany Jackie in his search for the killer. He gets involved with his target’s rival gang, which is run by three brothers who are a little too close if you ask me (I’m convinced they’re up each other when the camera’s not on them). The fighting is spread kinda thin, up until the excellent 15-minute finale, which features an incredibly long armed duel between Jackie (with a crutch) and…another guy (using a pair of tonfa).

Another major highlight is when Jackie re-starts the interrupted brawling by punching the most annoying villain about 50 times in 14 seconds. And, in the nifty ideas department, there’s a master who refuses to let the fact that he only has one leg keep him from joining the festivites. On the down side, none of the humor in this movie is intentional (gotta love that dubbing…”You’re a viscous, stinking BUNCH!!!”). Still, if a group of Iraqi terrorists strap you down and force you to watch a Lo Wei movie of your own choosing, you could very easily do worse than Dragon Fist.

Numskull’s Rating: 7/10

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

Bruce Lee, Sonny Chiba and Brandon Lee in 3-D!!!

Something tells me the only 3rd Dimension we'll experience will be an aspirin shooting right in our mouths.

Something tells me the only 3rd Dimension we'll experience will be an aspirin shooting right in our mouths.

Buyer beware! Even though it’s my duty to report releases like these, it’s obvious that these are the very low budget, public domain versions. No specs are given at all (Amazon.com doesn’t even list a a brand or distributor!). I doubt they’re even letterbox versions. Come to think of it, you might even have to supply your own 3D glasses (so run to your nearest 7-11!).

They even list “Chinese Connection” as having the AKA’s of “Fist of Fury” and “The Big Boss”; historically speaking, they’re unintentionally correct (when the films were originally imported here in the 1970’s, “The Big Boss” was supposed to be called “Chinese Connection,” hence “French Connection,” but a mix-up in the labeling screwed that up forever). The only way we’ll figure out if it’s Bruce’s 1st of 2nd Golden Harvest movie is if we buy that damn thing.

And as far as these releases being in 3D? Well, I’m not familiar with what kind of cheeesy alterations they’re able to pull for made-for-2D titles, but I’m pretty sure the 3rd dimension will be a disappointment.

Anybody wanna be the guinea pig?

Posted in News |

Kung Fu Dunk | aka Slam Dunk (2008) Review

"Kung Fu Dunk" American DVD Cover

“Kung Fu Dunk” American DVD Cover

AKA: Shaolin Basket
Director: Chu Yen Ping
Cast: Jay Chou, Eric Tsang Chi-wai, Wilson Chen, Charlene Choi, Ng Man Tat, Wang Gang, Huang Bo, Will Liu Keng Hung, Leung Kar Yan, Eddie Ko
Running Time: 98 min.

By Mighty Peking Man

From Chu Yen Ping (aka Kevin Chu), the director of Fantasy Mission Force (1982) comes Kung Fu Dunk

Since when did Chu Yen Ping become a hot shot director working with extremely famous stars like Jay Chou? What’s going on here? Does Jay Chou owe Jimmy Wang Yu a favor or something?

I’m not knocking Chu Yen Ping, but judging from his filmography, his career is bizarre. Every time the guy makes a movie with major talent (which has only been a few times out of his 60+ movies), they’re strange ensemble pieces.

Take Island of Fire (1991) for instance: It stars Andy Lau, Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung and Tony Leung Ka Fai. Of course we’re all aware of how Jackie took the role as a favor to Jimmy Wang Yu (he saved Jackie from Lo Wei, who wanted to kill Jackie, literally); It’s public knowledge that Jackie disowned Island of Fire. He also disowned Fantasy Mission Force. Both directed by Chu Yen Ping, both presented/produced by Jimmy Wang Yu. Go figure. As far as the other three stars, who knows? I’m sure they owed something to somebody.

After Island of Fire, Chu Yen Ping went back to making obscure films with either has-been stars or unknowns — that is until Kung Fu Dunk came along. Even Chu Yen Ping’s next movie was another big budget, effects-driven film called Treasure Hunter (2011), also starring Jay Chou…

Okay, now that I got that out of the way, I feel like I can officially start with this review…

I think if I was a corny 15-year old Chinese girl with red streaks in my hair, I’d have a little more appreciation for Kung Fu Dunk. I knew what I was getting into beforehand: Pop stars, guys with dumb hair and arm tattoos, Eric Tsang acting like his usual self (I’m getting sick of this guy), and useless Charlene Choi doing nothing but cheering the team on the whole time. What a stupid character. Speaking of which, what’s up with her marijuana-leaf cap? Shouldn’t she be in jail and sentenced to death for wearing that in a Chinese film?

As for Jay Chou, I was very impressed with him. I’ve never seen any of his movies before. I didn’t even know he existed until he got the part as Kato in The Green Hornet (2011) movie. When he did get that role, I was thinking to myself: “Why that guy? Who the hell is he?”…

Now that I’ve watched Kung Fu Dunk, I understand why the producers picked him.

I’m not saying he’s my current favorite star, but he is good. There’s something about his presence that most young stars lack these days. He’s different. Whether he’s fighting dozens of guys or flying around with a basketball in his hand, I was actually sold that his character was capable of doing those amazing things. I don’t mean to sound gay, but you know what, I like Jay Chou; and I’m officially looking forward to The Green Hornet because of his performance in Kung Fu Dunk alone.

Jay Chou aside, Kung Fu Dunk is average. It has a few hilarious moments, but as whole, I’m just not feeling it. Again, I knew what I was getting into, so I was expecting all the over-the-top basketball scenes dipped in a shit load of computer generated effects. Sure, the story has a sappy message but seriously, who cares? I can get the same message from watching an episode of Full House.

Considering Kung Fu Dunk is directed by Chu Yen Ping, it could have been a lot worse. Jay Chou definitely saves it from being unwatchable.

Or maybe I’m just getting too old for this shit.

Mighty Peking Man’s Rating: 6/10

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

Norwegian Ninja DVD (MPI)

Norwegian Ninja DVD (MPI)

Norwegian Ninja DVD (MPI)

RELEASE DATE: June 28, 2011

Norwegian Ninja is a 2010 Norwegian action comedy film, directed by Thomas Cappelen Malling. The film, based on a 2006 book, presents real-life espionage-convicted Arne Treholt as the leader of a ninja group saving Norway during the Cold War. Though most details of the movie have been kept secret, it is known that Mads Ousdal will play the part of Treholt.

Check out the trailer here.

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

Chinatown Kid (1977) Review

"Chinatown Kid" Chinese Theatrical Poster

“Chinatown Kid” Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Chang Cheh
Producer: Run Run Shaw
Cast: Alexander Fu Sheng, Shirley Yu, Siu Yam Yam, Philip Kwok, Lo Meng, Chiang Sheng, Sun Chien, Jenny Tseng, Wong Lik, Johnny Wang, Jamie Luk
Running Time: 120 min.

By Jeff Bona

After getting into trouble with both the Hong Kong police and the local crime syndicate (headed by Johnny Wang Lung-Wei), Tang Dong (Alexander Fu Sheng) heads to San Francisco to hide out and lead a normal work life. Upon his arrival, he gets a job at a Chinatown restaurant where befriends a co-worker named Yang Jian Wen (Sun Chien), a student from Taiwan.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t take long for Tang Dong to find himself in yet another predicament. While on a routine stop at a laundromat, Tang Dong notices men extorting money from the owners. With extreme ease, Tang Dong fights them off and scares them away. As it turns out, the men Tang Dong took on were members of the Green Dragon gang (headed by Lo Meng).

When word gets around that Tang Dong single-handedly beat up a pack of Green Dragon members, a rival gang called the White Dragon gangsters (headed by Phillip Kwok) decide to recruit Tang Dong. What follows is saga of struggle, wealth, betrayal, friendship and morality.

Chinatown Kid is one hell of a movie. It’s paced just right with a little bit of everything: comedy, gangsterism, kung fu and even some violent shoot out sequences.

The charismatic Alexander Fu Sheng shines throughout. His boyish charm works perfectly for his character’s tough, but naive personality. As for Sun Chien? I like the guy, but he plays an odd character who feels a little out of place. I keep all my reviews spoil-free, so you’ll have to watch this movie to see what I mean.

Along with The Brave Archer, Shaolin Temple and The Naval Commandos; Chinatown Kid features cast members who would be widely known as the “Venoms” a year later. It’s only Sun Chien, Lo Meng and Philip Kwok who have chunky roles; Lu Feng and Chiang Sheng are barely in the picture; Wai Pai is the only member who is absent. On an interesting note, this is the only film where you get to see the Venom members sport bell-bottoms and shoot firearms.

Chinatown kid also features a lineup of groovy babes: Shirley Yu Sha Li (Life Gamble), Jenny Tseng Yan Lei (Boxer Rebellion), Shaw Yum Yum (Human Lanterns) and last, but not least, a cameo from Kara Hui (My Young Auntie).

Chinatown Kid has been compared to Brian DePalma’s Scarface (1983). In fact, it’s easy to imagine Giorgio Moroder’s theme playing in the background as Tang Dong rises to power. I personally doubt DePalma drew inspiration from Chinatown Kid, but the two movies do share a lot of the same qualities, both visually and in plot. But then again, this is DePalma we’re talking about (he’s often criticized for ripping off everyone from Alfred Hitchcock to Sergei M. Eisenstein), so who knows?

WARNING: The Celestial DVD has a completely different “happy” ending with a chunk of violence cut out, as well as other changes here and there. What sucks is the Celestial version is the only legit version available (although it’s currently out of print). The only other options you have is to find an old Southgate VHS tape or purchase the shady Pan Media DVD. I’m not the biggest bootleg fan, but It’s situations like these where I’m totally for them. For more details about the difference between the two versions/endings, click here. Watch out for spoilers.

The Celestial DVD is a good way of viewing the alternative ending as an extra if you’re curious, otherwise it’s an unnecessary version that only hurts the film.

Jeff Bona‘s Rating: 9/10 (Celestial DVD edit: 5/10)

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

Heavy Metal Blu-ray (Sony)

Heavy Metal Blu-ray (Sony)

Heavy Metal Blu-ray (Sony)

RELEASE DATE: June 14, 2011

First time on Blu-ray! Based on the fantastical illustrated magazine Heavy Metal, producer Ivan Reitman enlists the help of some of Hollywood’s animation masters to create the otherworldly tale of a glowing green orb from outer space that spreads destruction throughout the galaxy.

Click here for more information.

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

Battle Beyond the Stars Blu-ray/DVD (Shout!)

Battle Beyond the Stars Blu-ray/DVD (Shout!)

Battle Beyond the Stars Blu-ray/DVD (Shout!)

RELEASE DATE: July 12, 2011

Battle Beyond the Stars is a 1980 Roger Corman-produced cult classic science fiction film, directed by Jimmy T. Murakami (Humanoids from the Deep). The film, intended as a “Seven Samurai in outer space.” The screenplay was written by John Sayles (Eight Men Out), the score was composed by James Horner (The Terminator), and the special effects were directed by James Cameron (Aliens).

Check out the trailer here.

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