RELEASE DATE: March 3, 2025
On March 3, 2025, 88 Films is releasing a Blu-ray (Region A/B) release for 1970’s Play it Cool, a little-seen gem by one of Japan’s most highly regarded directors of the 1960s, Yasuzō Masumura (Giants and Toys, Irezumi), a filmmaker known for his social satires and powerful portrayals of women.
Play it Cool is a chic and erotically charged drama starring popular Japanese singer of the day Mari Atsumi as a college girl negotiating her way through Continue reading
“Black Cat II” Theatrical Poster
Director: Stephen Shin
Cast: Jade Leung, Robin Shou, Zoltan Buday, Bob Wilde, Alexander Skorokhod, Tatiana Chekhova, Mike Miller, Jack Wong Wai-Leung, Wan Seung-Lam
Running Time: 90 min.
By Paul Bramhall
Despite Black Cat’s middling box office results, it wasn’t enough to deter D&B Films from continuing to push Jade Leung as a bankable action lead for the 1990’s, and just a year later we’d get a sequel in the form of Black Cat II – The Assassination of President Yeltsin. The production brought back D&B’s executive director Stephen Shin as director, and if anything doubles down on the globetrotting location shoots, keeping America as the setting (before being turned into an assassin in the original, Leung was a waitress at a New York truck stop diner), and having the primary plot play out in Russia.
As a sidenote, at the time of writing in 2024 the good folk at 88 Films released Black Cat II on Blu-ray during the same year, perhaps showing a sense of humour in their timing to put a movie out that shows the American government doing all it can to protect the Russian president. Times have certainly changed. The release is worth noting though as it’s one of the few times for the sequel to be made available with its original English audio, of which the majority Continue reading
The Crow | 4K UHD (Paramount)
Today’s Deal on Fire is the 4K Ultra HD for The Crow, a 1994 thriller from director Alex Proyas (I, Robot) that stars Brandon Lee (Legacy of Rage, Rapid Fire) and Ernie Hudson (The Ghostbusters). The film is often overshadowed by the death of Lee, who was tragically wounded on set.
Based on a series of cult comic books by James O’Barr, The Crow stars Lee as Eric Draven, a rock guitarist who is killed, along with his fiancée, on the eve of their wedding and returns from the dead as “The Crow” to seek revenge.
The Crow also stars David Patrick Kelly (Warriors), Michael Wincott (Nope), Rochelle Davis (Revenge of the Devil Bat), Bai Ling (Maximum Impact), Jon Polito (Miller’s Crossing), Laurence Mason (True Romance), Tony Todd (Candyman), Michael Continue reading
Only the River Flows | Blu-ray (Picture House)
Now available is Picture House’s Blu-ray (Region B) for Only the River Flows, a 2023 thriller directed by Wei Shujun (Ripples of Life) that’s based on Yu Hua’s popular short novel, Mistakes by the River. For U.S. audiences, the film will be released on DVD from KimStim.
1990s small town China. A woman’s body washes up in the local river. The chief of police, Ma Zhe, is tasked with heading up the investigation. An obvious perp leads to a hasty arrest, though the mystery lingers in Ma Zhe’s mind. What kind of darkness is truly at play here?
Director Wei Shujun’s murky throwback film noir, gritty, textured film grain captures the pulpy proceedings. Torrents of rain envelop the characters as they descend into madness in pursuit of the truth. Equal parts atmospheric tour-de-force and Continue reading
City on Fire’s trusted retail vendor Goodie Emporium has partnered with a very reputable company (we wouldn’t want it any other way) to bring you modified, high quality region-free UHD (Ultra-HD, or 4K), Blu-ray and DVD players so you can play your favorite import titles.
We tested these modified models, and they play every single UHD/Blu-ray/DVD from any region… guaranteed!
Presenting the region-free Sony UBP-X700. This player is equipped with plenty of features (picked by us, after all, we are Import film enthusiasts) to keep you entertained Continue reading
Yokohama BJ Blues | Blu-ray (Radiance)
Now available from Radiance is the Blu-ray (Region A/B) for Yokohama BJ Blues, 1981 Japanese thriller from acclaimed filmmaker Eiichi Kudo (13 Assassins).
When his police detective best friend is killed, down-at-heel private eye and part-time blues singer BJ (Yusaku Matsuda, The Game Trilogy) gets the blame. He must start his own investigation to clear his name, but what he uncovers is a tangled web involving crooked cops, drug-dealing gangsters, the city’s underground gay and biker scenes, and even his own past.
A loose remake of Robert Altman’s The Long Goodbye that also draws from Visconti’s Death in Venice, this was Matsuda’s break with his action hero image. Samurai movie veteran Eiichi Continue reading
RELEASE DATE: February 25, 2025
On February 25, 2025, Visual Vengeance will deliver a Blu-ray for Furious, a 1984 cult martial arts gem from filmmaker Tim Everitt (Too Fast Too Young).
Furious is the first film to star brothers Simon and Phillip Rhee (4 years before the pair found the greener pastures of Hollywood in the Best of the Best franchise).
The rest of the film’s cast consists mostly of the Rhees’ own students and friends, including a then-unknown Loren Avedon (No Retreat, No Surrender II), former World Continue reading
On January 21, 2025, Lionsgate Limited is partnering up with Quentin Tarantino for Remastered 4K SteelBook Editions of Kill Bill Vol. 1, Kill Bill Vol. 2, Jackie Brown, and a semi re-release of Reservoir Dogs.
There was some speculation if the upcoming 4K version of the Kill Bill films will include the long-awaited Whole Bloody Affair (Tarantino’s edit of both Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 as one film, complete with new footage), but judging from the newly released Continue reading
The Valiant Ones | 4K UHD (Eureka)
Today’s Deal on Fire is the 4K Ultra HD for Eureka’s The Valiant Ones, a 1975 film by celebrated Taiwanese filmmaker King Hu, an undisputed master of the genre!
Shot back-to-back with The Fate of Lee Khan (but not released until two years later), it stands as a worthy follow-up to his earlier works Come Drink with Me, Dragon Inn and A Touch of Zen.
During the reign of the Jiajing Emperor (Chao Lei), China’s coastal regions have come under attack by wokou – Japanese pirates under the leadership of the infamous Hakatatsu (Sammo Hung). To combat this threat, the Emperor tasks a trusted general, Zhu Wan (Tu Kuang-chi), with assembling a group of skilled warriors to find and eliminate the pirates. Under the command Continue reading
“Karate Kid: Legends” Teaser Poster
The highly successful motion picture franchise that spawned three sequels, a remake, and a series is getting another reboot – or should we say crossover?
Sony’s new Karate Kid film, titled Karate Kid: Legends, will be directed by Jonathan Entwistle, who has served as a director and executive producer on two popular Netflix original series including I Am Not Okay With This and The End of the F**ing World.
The upcoming film is a continuation of both 2010’s Karate Kid (Jackie Chan/Jaden Smith), and the original franchise (Pat Morita/Ralph Macchio) that took place in 1984’s The Karate Kid, 1986’s The Karate Kid Part II, 1989’s The Karate Kid Part III and in the events Continue reading
2023’s Kill Boksoon is getting the “expanded universe” treatment with Mantis, an upcoming spin-off that’s being helmed by newcomer Lee Tae-Seong, with co-writing writing help from Byun Sung-hyun (The Merciless), the writer and director of the original.
Mantis is set in the same contract killer world as Kill Boksoon. While the latter explores the story of Gil Bok-soon struggling to balance her life as a single mother and assassin, Mantis shifts the spotlight to a contract killer named Continue reading
Hi-YAH!, Well Go USA’s very own Asian/martial arts streaming channel has just announced their New Releases for the month of December
If you want to give Hi-YAH! a go, visitors of this site can use the promo code “CITYONFIRE” for a FREE 30 Day trial!
Read on for the full list of New and Exclusive Continue reading
“The Beheaded 1000” Theatrical Poster
AKA: The Executioner
Director: Ting Shan-Hsi
Cast: Jimmy Wang Yu, Chin Siu-Ho, Joey Wong Cho-Yin, Monica Chan Fat-Yung, Wu Ma, Pauline Wong Siu-Fung, Sun Ya-Tung, Shen Hai-Rong
Running Time: 105 min.
By Paul Bramhall
One of the more intriguing propositions to come out of the early 90’s, on the surface at least The Beheaded 1000 offers up a Taiwanese take on the Hong Kong blend of wuxia and fantasy that it did so well at the time. The blue lighting is prominent, there’s a wacky assortment of characters, and there’s even a raft of imported HK talent like Chin Siu-Ho, along with A Chinese Ghost Story luminaries Wu Ma and Joey Wong (ok, technically she doesn’t count because she is Taiwanese, but we’re going with it). However looks can be deceiving, and those clocking in expecting the typical new wave wuxia style madness involving ridiculously complex wirework, silk billowing in slow motion, and bodies exploding into colorful powder, may leave disappointed.
The Beheaded 1000 would mark the 10th and final collaboration between director Ting Shan-Hsi and star Jimmy Wang Yu, a partnership that had endured for more than 20 years. Not that their collaborations were necessarily well spaced out. After working together for the first time as director and star on 1972’s Furious Slaughter, over the course of the same year and 1973 they’d crank out 7 titles, including the classic Knight Errant. Continue reading
“The Gardener” Theatrical Poster
Steven Seagal was just a cook in Under Siege. Daisy Ridley is just a window cleaner in Cleaner. Now, Jean-Claude Van Damme is just a gardener in The Gardener (aka Le jardinier), a French action comedy from director from David Charhon, who worked with the “muscles from brussels” in 2021’s The Last Mercenary.
The film also stars Michaël Youn (Divorce Club), Carl-Philipp Wengler (Blutspur Antwerpen), Matthias Quiviger (Medellin), Nawell Madani (Stuck Together) and Kaaris (Rogue City).
The Gardener hits Amazon Prime Video France on January 10th, but we do expect the film to make its way to U.S. audiences soon. Until then, don’t Continue reading
on ‘The Raid’ and ‘Triple Threat’ star Iko Uwais launches action-focused film label with two upcoming titles already completedThis is great news. Let's hope that these turn out well, so he can go even bi…
on ‘The Raid’ and ‘Triple Threat’ star Iko Uwais launches action-focused film label with two upcoming titles already completedHope this goes well for him and his crew. They should get involved with The S…
on ‘The Raid’ and ‘Triple Threat’ star Iko Uwais launches action-focused film label with two upcoming titles already completedYes! He is wasted in the american movies he's been in on Revolver (2024) ReviewSounds like this is another one I should seek out. I thought I saw The Shamel…
on Hong Kong legends Jackie Chan and Tony Leung Ka-fai face off in the Poster for the upcoming thriller ‘The Shadow’s Edge’[…] SOURCE: City on Fire […] on Hong Kong legends Jackie Chan and Tony Leung Ka-fai face off in the Poster for the upcoming thriller ‘The Shadow’s Edge’Trust no 1 where 21st century chan is concerned
on Shaw Brothers Classics: Volume 6 | Blu-ray (Shout!)Finally, Black Tavern makes it to Blu-Ray!
on Hong Kong legends Jackie Chan and Tony Leung Ka-fai face off in the Poster for the upcoming thriller ‘The Shadow’s Edge’LOL, Most PoliceThrillers Don't! on Hong Kong legends Jackie Chan and Tony Leung Ka-fai face off in the Poster for the upcoming thriller ‘The Shadow’s Edge’Hopefully this film features no pandas or horses
on Slow-burning Hong Kong thriller ‘Love Unto Waste’ starring Chow Yun-Fat and Tony Leung on Blu-ray next week"Stanley Kwan" and "thriller", words that don't get well together. "Stanley K… on The reselling business is a boomin’! Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s action thriller ‘Cloud’ hits U.S. theaters this summerFinally Kurosawa back in business! Can't wait! on Just Beat it! ‘Outrage’ star Takeshi Kitano returns for more ultra-violence in the New Trailer for ‘Broken Rage’It's got pretty good reviews everywhere. It's 62' long and if the first half… on Mark Dacascos and Mickey Rourke break ‘Jade’ in the Trailer for Well Go USA’s martial arts actioner starring Shaina WestThis movie has been delayed for too long. The Killer’s Game only showed a sli… on ‘Hard Boiled’, ‘The Killer’, ‘A Better Tomorrow’ and many more Golden Princess titles arriving on Blu-ray from Shout!My blu-ray contributor is better than you're blu-ray contributor. Weird
on Imprint announces Blu-ray for Ho Meng Hua’s 1966 Shaw Brothers film ‘The Monkey Goes West’Only 1500 copies?! What's the point of such exclusivity when you're going thr… on ‘Hard Boiled’, ‘The Killer’, ‘A Better Tomorrow’ and many more Golden Princess titles arriving on Blu-ray from Shout!One doesn’t have to be smart to know that show business and any business is f…
on ‘Hard Boiled’, ‘The Killer’, ‘A Better Tomorrow’ and many more Golden Princess titles arriving on Blu-ray from Shout!Bey Logan has done questionable things but his commentaries are more informat…
on ‘Hard Boiled’, ‘The Killer’, ‘A Better Tomorrow’ and many more Golden Princess titles arriving on Blu-ray from Shout!I don't know irongod personally (to the point I don't even know his actual na… on Hong Kong legends Jackie Chan and Tony Leung Ka-fai face off in the Poster for the upcoming thriller ‘The Shadow’s Edge’Chan and Ka-fai also starred in 'The Myth' together, another candidate for a… on The origins of Sammo Hung, Jackie Chan and Yuen Biao revealed? Shout! to release Blu-ray for 1988’s ‘Painted Faces’I hope the extras go into detail about how this all came together. I wonder i… on ‘Hard Boiled’, ‘The Killer’, ‘A Better Tomorrow’ and many more Golden Princess titles arriving on Blu-ray from Shout!Who is that “Irongod” guy on the message board? If he’s hired for a big proje… on Hong Kong legends Jackie Chan and Tony Leung Ka-fai face off in the Poster for the upcoming thriller ‘The Shadow’s Edge’Curious how this will be. Although this should not be considered a reunion of…
on First look at futuristic martial arts film ‘Absolute Dominion’ starring Désiré Mia, Alex Winter and Patton OswaltIt's already complete. =)
on First look at futuristic martial arts film ‘Absolute Dominion’ starring Désiré Mia, Alex Winter and Patton Oswaltare they actually making it? on I see, said the blind man! Will the ‘John Wick’ spin-off be Donnie Yen’s Hollywood directorial debut?I would like to see more of a Chambara style from Yen in Caine. (Whatever it…
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