Uprising (2024) Review

"Uprising" Netflix Poster

“Uprising” Netflix Poster

Director: Kim Sang-man
Cast: Gang Dong-won, Park Jung-min, Cha Seung-won, Jung Sung-il, Kim Shin-rok, Jin Sun-Kyu
Running Time: 126 min. 

By Paul Bramhall

Much of the publicity for Uprising has leant into the fact that it’s co-scripted by Park Chan-wook, the director who gave us such modern-day classics like Decision to Leave and The Handmaiden. It’s an understandable approach, as while Chan-wook is most well known for the times he’s sat in the director’s chair, he’s also penned a number of classics where the directorial reigns have gone to someone else. From Lee Moo-young’s A Bizarre Love Triangle, to his protégé Lee Kyoung-mi’s Crush and Blush and The Truth Beneath, even when not directly involved in the production his touch is still felt.

For Uprising directorial duties have gone to Kim Sang-man, who worked on a number of Chan-wook’s productions in the 2000’s, primarily in the marketing department. In 2007 he’d make his own directorial debut with the action-comedy Girl Scout, going on to helm Midnight FM in 2010 and 2014’s The Tenor Lirico Spinto, before pulling that distinctive trait Continue reading

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Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In’ on Blu-ray, DVD and 4K Ultra HD arriving on November 19 from Well Go USA

Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In | 4K Ultra HD (Well Go USA)

Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In | 4K Ultra HD (Well Go USA)

Director Soi Cheang Pou Soi (SPL II: A Time for Consequences, The Monkey King) – and producers Wilson Yip (Paradox, Ip Man Franchise) and John Chong (The Invincible Dragon) – join forces for Media Asia’s Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In (formerly Kowloon Walled City), which hits Blu-ray, DVD and 4K Ultra HD November 19th from Well Go USA.

This all-star martial arts actioner (read our review), stars Louis Koo (Organized Crime and Triad Bureau), Sammo Hung (King Swindler), Richie Jen (Trivisa), Raymond Lam (Line Walker) and Philip Ng (Undercover Punch and Gun), and with action by Kenji Tanigaki (Enter the Fat Dragon).

Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In is an adaptation of the cult manhua (Chinese comicbook) series City of Darkness by Andy Seto. Set in the eighties Continue reading

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The East meets WEST! Watch the New Trailer for October’s Hi-YAH! Original ‘Westbound Inn’

Hi-YAH!, Well Go USA’s very own Asian/martial arts streaming channel has just announced their New Releases for the month of October.

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

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Pray for Death | Blu-ray (Kino Lorber)

Pray for Death | Blu-ray (Kino Lorber)

Pray for Death | Blu-ray (Kino Lorber)

RELEASE DATE: December 10, 2024

On December 10, 2024, Kino Lorber is releasing a Blu-ray for Pray for Death (read our review), a 1985 actioner directed by Gordon Hessler (Rage of Honor). This two-disc special edition includes both the R rated and unrated versions of the film.

They Shattered His American Dream. The Ninja Master himself, Sho Kosugi (9 Deaths of the Ninja), stars as Akira, a Japanese immigrant who starts a new life with his family in America, only to stumble onto the headquarters of a bloodthirsty gang of criminals. When the gangsters begin a rampage of murder that takes the lives of his two sons, Akira must step out of his quiet, peace-loving life and reveal his hidden identity, that of a perfectly skilled Ninja, the most lethal and mysterious of all martial artists. He has sounded his warning to top thug Limehouse (co-star/screenwriter James Booth, Avenging Force) and his henchmen: “Stay away from my family, or you will Pray for Death.” It’s time Continue reading

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Rage of Honor | Blu-ray (Kino Lorber)

Rage of Honor | Blu-ray (Kino Lorber)

Rage of Honor | Blu-ray (Kino Lorber)

RELEASE DATE: December 10, 2024

On December 10, 2024, Kino Lorber is releasing a Blu-ray for Rage of Honor (read our review), a 1987 actioner directed by Gordon Hessler (Pray for Death).

International action icon Sho Kosugi (9 Deaths of the Ninja) unleashes a devastating display of martial arts virtuosity as the forces of evil push him over the edge…and into a Rage of Honor.

When his best friend is slain by a vicious drug ring, undercover agent Shiro (Kosugi) vows revenge. Warned by his superiors to drop his vendetta, Shiro pretends to comply, traveling to South America with girlfriend Jennifer for a long overdue “vacation.” Picking up the villains’ trail in Brazil, Shiro forces a confrontation—but it backfires when Jennifer is kidnapped by the drug-runners. Pushed to the limit, Shiro’s mission of vengeance explodes into a bone-crushing Continue reading

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Seire (2022) Review

"Seire" Theatrical Poster

“Seire” Theatrical Poster

Director: Park Kang
Cast: Shim Eun-woo, Seo Hyun-woo, Ryu Abel, Ko Eun-Min, Kim Woo-Kyum, Jeon Woon-Jong
Running Time: 100 min.

By Paul Bramhall

Taking its name from a traditional Korean custom that follows childbirth, Seire refers to a newborns first 21 days, during which time the entrance of a property has a protective rope hung on it to ward off evil spirits, and the baby should have minimal interaction with those outside immediate family. The reason behind the custom is that newborns are believed to be at their most vulnerable to bad luck and curses during their first 3 weeks. In the opening we meet a new mother played by Shim Eun-woo (The Closed Ward, Each), who thanks to her mother is a firm believer in sticking to tradition, while the restrictive rules of the custom see her husband, played by Seo Hyun-woo (Escape, Thunderbird), looking forward to getting it over with.

Despite being supportive of his wife’s beliefs, Hyun-woo is clearly exhausted by the challenge of being a new father while balancing a busy job, and finds himself increasingly haunted by dreams of rotten apples and a woman who’s not his wife. The woman turns out to be his ex-girlfriend of 6 years, played by Ryu Abel (Young Adult Matters, A French Woman), and when he wakes up one morning there’s a text revealing she’s passed away. Invited to the 3-day funeral Continue reading

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Deal on Fire! The Last Blood | Blu-ray | Only $19.99 – Expires soon!

The Last Blood | Blu-ray (88 Films)

The Last Blood | Blu-ray (88 Films)

Today’s Deal on Fire is the Blu-ray (Region A/B) for The Last Blood (aka Hard Boiled II), a 1991 Hong Kong actioner directed by Wong Jing (Return to a Better Tomorrow) that stars Andy Lau (Saving Mr. Wu) and Alan Tam (Armour of God).

The Last Blood is definitely one to watch for anyone who looks back fondly at the late 80’s, early 90’s heyday of Hong Kong action cinema. Wong Jing’s ill-advised humor gets in the way, the supporting characters grate at times, and there may be a slow patch or two, but when Jing shuts up and lets action director Blackie Ko take the reigns, the movie kicks into overdrive and delivers in a big way. This is action movie junkfood of the highest caliber.

Andy Lau is out Continue reading

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Kickboxer | 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray (Lionsgate)

RELEASE DATE: December 3, 2024

On December 3, 2024, Lionsgate is releasing a 3-Disc SteelBook for Kickboxer on 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray, which will also include the rarely-seen International version of film. Directed by Mark DiSalle (The Perfect Weapon) and David Worth (American Tigers), this 1989 cult martial arts hit further elevated the career of Jean-Claude Van Damme (Black Water), and was responsible of the sparking the kickboxing boom of the 80s and 90s.

In the film, kickboxing champ Eric Sloane (Dennis Alexio) is crippled in the ring by the evil Tong Po (Michel Qissi). Eric’s younger brother, Kurt (Van Damme), seeks Continue reading

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Underworld Beauty | Blu-ray (Radiance)

Underworld Beauty | Blu-ray (Radiance)

Underworld Beauty | Blu-ray (Radiance)

RELEASE DATE: January 25, 2025

On January 25, 2025, Radiance is releasing the Blu-ray (Region A/B) for Underworld Beauty, a 1958 thriller from director Seijun Suzuki (Pistol Opera, Branded to Kill).

Retrieving the diamonds he stashed before his arrest, thief Miyamoto hopes to help his old partner Mihara, crippled during the heist. Their former boss, crime lord Oyane, offers to mediate with a foreign buyer, but secretly wants the stones for himself. The deal goes awry when gunmen appear on the scene. Mihara swallows the diamonds but dies in the chase, leaving a valuable corpse in the police morgue. Miyamoto forms an uneasy alliance with Mihara’s wildcat sister Akiko to keep the gems away from gangsters, cops and even Akiko’s greedy boyfriend.

This wildly inventive Continue reading

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Live. Die. Repeat. Watch the New International Trailer for Bong Joon-ho’s ‘Mickey 17’ starring Robert Pattinson

“Mickey 17” Theatrical Poster

“Mickey 17” Theatrical Poster

Bong Joon-ho (Okja, The Host, The Snowpiercer) – the acclaimed South Korean director of the 2019 masterpiece Parasite – is going to space with Warner’s thriller, Mickey 17. The upcoming film is based on Edward Ashton’s novel, Mickey7 (spelled slightly differently with a “7”).

In the Mickey 17, an unlikely hero, Mickey Barnes (Robert Pattinson) has found himself in the extraordinary circumstance of working for an employer who demands the ultimate commitment to the job… to die, for a living.

Mickey 17 stars Naomi Ackie (Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker), Mark Ruffalo (Windtalkers), Toni Collette (Hereditary) and Steven Yeun (Burning).

Mickey 17 hits theaters Continue reading

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Welcome to bonus stage! ‘Extraction’ director Sam Hargrave to take on a live-action adaptation of Sega’s ‘Shinobi’

"Shinobi" Videogame Poster

“Shinobi” Videogame

Action filmmaker Sam Hargrave (Unlucky Stars), who is widely known for 2020’s Extraction and 2023’s Extraction 2, is directing a live-action adaptation of Sega’s Shinobi videogame franchise for Universal Pictures.

Hargrave is part of the stunt team for many of the Marvel movies (usually doubling for Chris Evans as Captain America). If you’re a die hard martial arts cinema fan, chances are you’ll know him more for his work on the likes of Blood and Bone (in which he acted as fight choreographer and fought against Michael Jai White) and Unlucky Stars (in which he played the main villain, and was  also one of the fight choreographers). It was thanks to Hargrave’s talents that Wu Jing’s Wolf Warrior 2 turned out to be so entertaining, leaving the forgettable original in the dust, so to see what he can Continue reading

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Let us rejoice! A look at ‘Revelations’ from ‘Train to Busan’ helmer Yeon Sang Ho arriving to Netflix next year

"Revelations" Webtoon

“Revelations” Webtoon

Next year, Netflix is set to stream Revelations, the latest from writer/director Yeon Sang Ho (Psychokinesis), the visionary filmmaker behind the 2016 hit Train to Busan and its 2020 follow up Peninsula.

Revelations follows a pastor and a detective, each driven by their own beliefs while dealing with a missing-person case. The upcoming thriller is based on the 2022 comic of the same name by frequent collaborator Choi Kyu-Seok, who worked with Yeon on the Hellbound Netflix series (via Variety).

Revelations stars Ryu Jun-yeol (Believer) and Shin Hyun-been (Take Point).

We’ll be on the lookout for the Trailer. Until then, here’s a couple of Continue reading

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Grab a shovel and start diggin’! ‘Exhuma’ starring ‘Old Boy’ star Choi Min-sik is now on 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray

Exhuma | 4K Ultra HD (Well Go USA)

Exhuma | 4K Ultra HD (Well Go USA)

Now available is Well Go USA’s Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD and DVD for Exhuma (read our review), a South Korean thriller from writer/director Jang Jae-Hyun (Svaha: The Sixth Finger, The Priests).

When a renowned shaman (Kim Go-Eun, The Advocate: A Missing Body) and her protégé (Lee Do-hyun, Sweet Home) are hired by a wealthy, enigmatic family, they begin investigating the cause of a disturbing supernatural illness that affects only the first-born children of each generation.

With the help of a knowledgeable mortician (Yoo Hai-jin, Confidential Assignment 2: International) and the country’s most revered geomancer (Choi Min-sik, Old Boy), they soon trace the affliction’s origin to a long-hidden family grave located on sacred Continue reading

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I, The Executioner | aka Veteran 2 (2024) Review

"I, the Executioner" Theatrical Poster

“I, the Executioner” Theatrical Poster

Director: Ryoo Seung-wan
Cast: Hwang Jung-min, Jung Hae-in, Oh Dae-hwan, Oh Dal-soo, Jang Yoon-ju, Kim Shi-Hoo, Jeong Man-Sik, Shin Seung-Hwan, Jin Kyung, Kwon Hae-Hyo
Running Time: 118 min.

By Paul Bramhall

When Veteran hit the screens in 2015 it struck the perfect balance as an action comedy, and director Ryoo Seung-wan promised audiences there’d be more, revealing in interviews at the time how it was the first in an intended trilogy. Almost a decade later, and it’s safe to say many had given up on the chances of a sequel ever happening, however in 2024 Seung-wan returned to the director’s chair for I, The Executioner (simply called Veteran 2 in its native Korea), delivering a 2nd dose of Hwang Jung-min (Mission: Cross, The Point Men) as the grizzled veteran cop of the title.

To his credit, Seung-wan has reunited all of Jung-min’s colleagues from the original, with an opening action sequence involving an illicit gambling den reintroducing us to the likes of team leader Oh Dal-soo (The Wild, Tunnel) and the high kicking Jang Yoon-ju (Ballerina, One Win). Swapping out Blondie’s Heart of Glass for Baccara’s Yes Sir, I Can Boogie, it’s not long before bodies are hanging precariously off air conditioning units several floors up, and flying kicks fall comedically Continue reading

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Back to the shadows! New Trailer for Netflix’ ‘Shadow Strays’ from ‘Night Comes for Us’ filmmaker Timo Tjahjanto

“The Shadow Strays” Netflix Poster

“The Shadow Strays” Netflix Poster

Indonesian director Timo Tjahjanto (The Big 4, The Night Comes for Us) – of the “Mo Brothers” directing duo (Killers, Headshot, Macabre) – is ready to unleash The Shadow Strays, which will premier on Netflix on October 17th.

In the film, a young assassin defies her mentor and organization, hell-bent on rescuing a boy who lost his mother to a powerful crime syndicate. Timo describes the film as having Abel Ferrara’s crime sleaze, a bit of Kinji Fukasaku and a dash of Mamoru Oshii’s Wolf Brigade.

The Shadow Strays stars Aurora Ribero (Like & Share), Hana Malasan (Ben & Jody), Ali Fikri (Nussa), Adipati Dolken (Posesif) Kristo Immanuel (The Big 4), Andri Mashadi (The Big 4), Chew Kin Wah (Kopitiam) and Continue reading

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