Pray for Death | Blu-ray (Kino Lorber)

Posted on October 11, 2024 by JJ Bona
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 →

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

Rage of Honor | Blu-ray (Kino Lorber)

Posted on October 11, 2024 by JJ Bona
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 →

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

Seire (2022) Review

Posted on October 11, 2024 by Paul Bramhall
"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 →

Posted in All, Korean, News, Reviews |

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

Posted on October 10, 2024 by JJ Bona
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 →

Posted in Deals on Fire!, News |

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

Posted on October 10, 2024 by JJ Bona

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 →

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

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

Posted on October 8, 2024 by JJ Bona
"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 →

Posted in News |

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

Posted on October 8, 2024 by JJ Bona
"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 →

Posted in News |

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

Posted on October 7, 2024 by JJ Bona
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 →

Posted in News |

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

Posted on October 5, 2024 by Paul Bramhall
"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 →

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

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

Posted on October 3, 2024 by JJ Bona
“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 →

Posted in News, Top 4 Featured |

Don’t call it a comeback! Watch the Trailer for ‘Last Dance’ starring Hong Kong legend Michael Hui and Dayo Wong

Posted on October 3, 2024 by JJ Bona
"The Last Dance" Theatrical Poster

“The Last Dance” Theatrical Poster

Hong Kong film icon and comedian Michael Hui (All U Need is Love) is headlining the big screen with co-star Dayo Wong Chi-Wah (Legend of the Wolf) in Anselm Chan’s The Last Dance.

In this upcoming drama – an obvious departure from the comedic roles Hui is known for – a debt-ridden wedding planner inadvertently becomes a successful funeral planner. However, he must convince a traditional Taoist priest of his legitimacy to continue operating in the field.

The film sports an all-star, ensemble cast that includes Michelle Wai (Customs Frontline), Elaine Jin (Mad World), Paul Chun (The Trough), Michael Ning (Port of Call), Rachel Leung (Raging Fire), Vincent Kok (Gorgeous) and Continue reading →

Posted in News |

Deal on Fire! The Blue Jean Monster | Blu-ray | Only $21.99 – Expires soon!

Posted on October 3, 2024 by JJ Bona
The Blue Jean Monster | Blu-ray (88 Films)

The Blue Jean Monster | Blu-ray (88 Films)

Today’s Deal on Fire is 88 Films’ Blu-ray for The Blue Jean Monster, a 1991 Hong Kong film directed by Ivan Lai Gai Ming (Erotic Ghost Story 3, The Imp) that stars Shing Fui-On (Horrible High Heels), Pauline Wong (Mr. Vampire 2), Tse Wai-Kit (Fight Back to School), Kunimua Jun (The Wailing) and Gloria Yip (Miracles).

After a brave Hong Kong lawman is killed in a shootout, his body is reanimated by a Frankenstein style bolt of lightning. Provided he gets ‘Crank’-style regular jolts of electricity, he continues to fight crime as an invulnerable zombie cop…

Perennial Cantonese movie tough guy Shing Fui-on gets a lead of his own in this Hong Kong version of Dead Heat, with a supporting cast including Gloria Yip and Pauline Wong. The Blue Jean Monster blends gross out horror, comedy and action in a unique Hong Continue reading →

Posted in Deals on Fire!, News |

That woman deserves her revenge and we deserve 4K Ultra HD! ‘Kill Bill’ saga soon to be announced from Lionsgate

Posted on October 1, 2024 by JJ Bona
"Kill Bill Vol. I" American Theatrical Poster

“Kill Bill Vol. I” American Theatrical Poster

This year, Lionsgate Films will finally release 2003’s Kill Bill: Volume 1 & 2004’s Kill Bill: Volume 2 on the rising 4K Ultra HD format.

There’s some speculation if the long-awaited Whole Bloody Affair (Tarantino’s edit of both Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 as one film, complete with new footage not seen in the U.S. release) will be part of the release roster, but according to HD Movie Source, we’re expecting the usual, separate theatrical cuts.

Directed by Quentin Tarantino (Pulp Fiction), the Kill Bill saga revolves around a former assassin (Uma Thurman) who wreaks vengeance on a team of assassins (David Carradine, Darryl Hannah, Michael Madsen, Lucy Lui and Vivica Fox) who not only betrayed her, but also left her for dead.

The film also boasts Continue reading →

Posted in News |

Village of Doom (1983) Review

Posted on October 1, 2024 by Paul Bramhall
Village of Doom | Blu-ray (Unearthed Films)

Village of Doom | Blu-ray (Unearthed Films)

Director: Noboru Tanaka
Cast: Masato Furuoya, Misako Tanaka, Kumiko Oba, Isao Natsuyagi, Midori Satsuki
Running Time: 105 min.

By Paul Bramhall

The Tsuyama massacre remains one of the most harrowing mass murders in Japan, taking place on the night of 21st May 1938 in the rural village of Kamocho Kurami. After cutting off the electricity to the village shortly before midnight, a 21-year-old man named Mutsuo Toi proceeded to arm himself to the teeth, and after decapitating his grandmother with an axe, spent the next 30 minutes murdering 29 of his neighbours (roughly half the villages population), before killing himself at dawn. As a country whose cinematic output isn’t afraid of exploring the darker parts of the human condition, it perhaps shouldn’t be too surprising that, 45 years after the incident, in 1983 it was adapted for the screen in the form of Village of Doom.

What is a surprise is that Noboru Tanaka was chosen as the director, a filmmaker who was most well known for being part of the Nikkatsu studio’s stable of Roman Porno directors, essentially the studios own in-house brand of pink film. With a filmography full of titles like Sensual Classroom: Techniques in Love, Beauty’s Exotic Dance: Torture!, and Pink Salon: Five Lewd Women, Tanaka hardly stands out as the obvious choice to helm a slice of real-life crime that cost Continue reading →

Posted in All, Japanese, News, Reviews |

Die Hard in a bar unit? Watch action scenes from Scott Adkins’ latest thriller ‘Take Cover’

Posted on October 1, 2024 by JJ Bona
"Take Cover" Theatrical Poster

“Take Cover” Theatrical Poster

Martial arts star Scott Adkins (John Wick 4, Ip Man 4, Triple Threat) is teaming up with Alice Eve (Star Trek Into Darkness) in Signature Entertainment’s Take Cover, an upcoming film helmed by director Nick McKinless, who perhaps best known for his stunt work on Fast X, Gangs of London and Kingsman: The Golden Circle.

Take Cover revolves around a burned-out professional sniper who finds himself trapped in an all-glass penthouse by a lethal competitor and must find a way to survive and escape with little to no cover between him and the killer.

Written by Joshua Todd James (Pound of Flesh), the film also stars Billy Clements (Meg 2: The Trench), Jack Parr (Peaky Blinders), Madalina Bellariu Ion (Sacrificiul), Obie Matthew (Cruella) and Continue reading →

Posted in News, Top 4 Featured |
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