Invitation Only (2009) Review

"Invitation Only" Blu-ray Cover

“Invitation Only” Blu-ray Cover

Director: Kevin Ko
Cast: Bryant Chang, Jerry Huang, Julianne Chu, Kristian Brodie, Maria Ozawa, Kao Ying-Hsuan, Lene Lai, Vivi Ho, Liz Ran Yang, Joseph Ma
Running Time: 95 min. 

By Paul Bramhall

Like every genre, horror is one that goes through phases. While in recent times we increasingly see horror being used as a theme to explore trauma, back in the 2000’s the genre was in a much more visceral place, the result of which saw the emergence of movies which came to be referred to as ‘torture porn’. At the forefront were titles like Eli Roth’s Hostel (and its sequel) and James Wan’s Saw (which would spawn a total of 5 sequels in the 2000’s alone), defined by how much gratuitous bodily harm could be inflicted on screen, and the assumed pleasure that viewers took from watching it. Of course the Hollywood movies in question were far from the pioneers of the genre, with arguably Japan being the originator of this specific niche, particularly movies like 1998’s Tumbling Doll of Flesh, which made their western counterparts seem like PG rated material in comparison.

What can’t be denied though is that in the 2000’s it was movies like Hostel and Saw which pushed this type of genre offering to the fore, and in Asia 2009 proved to be a fruitful year for those who liked their horror to be caked in blood and guts. Japan got in on the action with Koji Shirashi’s Grotesque (which remains banned in the UK to this day), in Indonesia the Mo Brothers made their feature length debut with Macabre, and another first-time director in the form of Kevin Ko unleashed Continue reading

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The Best Asian MMA Movies 

Source

When it comes to sporting cinema, there’s a plethora of options available. Modern streaming services such as Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney Plus have something for everyone. Each site offers up its own collection of boxing, basketball, and soccer movies, but MMA is something that is often overlooked. Following the boom of the UFC, the sport was documented more and more in the movie world, and Asian producers and directors have had their fair share of impressive martial arts-related spectacles over the years. And here are the best of them. 

Mortal Kombat (1995) 

Talk about a wild ride filled with jaw-dropping action scenes, killer special effects, and an iconic techno soundtrack that still gets stuck in your head for days. Mortal Kombat truly has it all. This flick managed to capture the essence of the legendary video game it was based on, propelling its memorable characters—Sub-Zero, Scorpion, and the thunder god Raiden—onto the big screen. It was one of those campy cult classics that took audiences on a non-stop adrenaline rush, cementing its place as the ultimate guilty pleasure for any ’90s kid seeking a nostalgia trip. Trust me, if you haven’t seen it or even if you just haven’t revisited it in a while, give Mortal Kombat another spin. 

Tekken (2010) 

Just like Mortal Kombat which came before it, Tekken — as we all know — is also a beloved video game that was turned into a classic movie. The fight scenes in this movie are jaw-dropping and guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat, as you follow the journey of Jin Kazama avenging the death of his mother. You don’t even have to be a fan of the game to enjoy it, because the storyline is enthralling and will have you rooting for Jin as he tackles various foes in the brutal Tekken tournament. Trust us, Tekken is a thrilling joyride that you definitely want to add to your must-watch list.

Warrior (2011) 

Okay, for this one we cheated. This isn’t an Asian movie, but it is simply brilliant, and it’s a must-see for MMA fans the world over. The movie stars British superstar Tom Hardy in his breakout role. He and his estranged brother both enter the same MMA tournament, a tournament which features former professional wrestler Kurt Angle (starring as a Russian behemoth named Koba) and former UFC middleweight title contender Anthony ‘Rumble’ Johnson. 

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Jason David Frank, Mark Dacascos and Johnny Yong Bosch gear up for the martial arts film ‘Legend of the White Dragon’

"Legend of the White Dragon " Teaser Poster

“Legend of the White Dragon ” Teaser Poster

We’ll soon see Jason David Frank’s final performance in Legend of the White Dragon, an upcoming fantasy-actioner from filmmaker Aaron Schoenke (Ninjak vs the Valiant Universe). The late martial arts actor is best known for playing Tommy Oliver in the popular Power Rangers franchise.

Legend of the White Dragon follows Erik Reed/The White Dragon (Frank), who after being a fugitive on the run for three years, has returned to the city he fought to protect. He must now clear his name and save the family he keeps in secret before the mysterious Dragon Prime (Aaron Schoenke) unleashes his own revenge (via Deadline).

The film also features martial arts sensations Mark Dacascos (One Night in Bangkok) and Johnny Yong Bosch (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers), along Continue reading

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Watch the Final Trailer for Netflix’ ‘Kill Boksoon’ from ‘Merciless’ director Byun Sung-Hyun starring Jeon Do-yeon

"Kill Boksoon" Netflix Poster

“Kill Boksoon” Netflix Poster

Arriving to Netflix on March 31 is Kill Boksoon, a Korean actioner directed by Byun Sung-Hyun (Kingmaker, The Merciless) that stars Jeon Do-yeon (Emergency Declaration, Beasts Clawing at Straws).

Kill Boksoon (read our review) centers on Boksoon, a woman who leads a double life – as a hired assassin and a single mother with a teenaged girl. When her contract with a top-tier killing agency is up for renewal, she decides to step away from the company to find out what is keeping her daughter shut away from her (via Deadline).

The film also stars Sol Kyung-Gu (Kingmaker), Esom (Possession), Koo Gyo-Hwan (Peninsula) and Kim Si-A (Miss Baek).

Don’t miss the film’s Final Trailer Continue reading

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Code of Assassins, Jackie Chan, Chen Kaige and more! Here’s what’s on Hi-YAH for the month of March

Hi-YAH!, Well Go USA’s very own Asian/martial arts streaming channel has just announced their New Release line up for the month of March, which includes a New title added to Hi-YAH! every Friday.

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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Well Go USA’s Blu-ray for Indonesian superhero martial arts film ‘Legend of Gatotkaca’ out next week

Legend of Gatotkaca | Blu-ray (Well Go USA)

Legend of Gatotkaca | Blu-ray (Well Go USA)

On March 21, 2023, Well Go USA is releasing the Blu-ray & DVD for the Indonesian superhero martial arts film, Legend of Gatotkaca (aka Satria Dewa: Gatotkaca).

Legend of Gatotkaca is described as “a universe that is rich with Indonesian tradition and culture, but reinvented with a present-day timeline for a modern day audience both in Indonesia and around the world.”

Directed by Hanung Bramantyo (Brownies) from a script by Rahabi Mandra (Night Bus), Satria Dewa: Gatotkaca launches the universe created by producer Rene Ishak and veteran producer Celerina Judisari, while Mike Leeder (whose credits include The Raid franchise, the Ip Man franchise, Chasing the Dragon and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story) serves as Continue reading

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Here’s a list of highlighted titles (and trailers) from the 2023 HK International Film and TV Market (Filmart) trade show

The following are highlighted titles that were presented at The 2023 Hong Kong International Film and TV Market (Filmart) trade show. The event, which is currently taking place on March 13th through March 16th, is Asia’s leading entertainment content marketplace. We’ll keep this list updated as the event unfolds!

New Police Story 2: Emperor Motion Pictures presents New Police Story 2, which will star Nicholas Tse (Raging Fire), Jackie Chan (Vanguard) and Charlene Choi (New Police Story). Tse is also directing and Chan is producing. New Police Story 2 is a direct sequel to Benny Chan’s 2004 film.

Breaking Point: Emperor Motion Pictures/Bona presents Breaking Point (爆裂点), a Dante Lam (Operation Red Sea) produced thriller starring Nick Cheung (Warriors of Future), William Chan (As the Light Goes Out) and Isabella Continue reading

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Watch the Trailer for the Johnnie To-produced ‘Mad Fate’ from ‘SPL II’ director Soi Cheang starring Gordon Lam

"Mad Fate" Theatrical Poster

“Mad Fate” Theatrical Poster

Filmmaker Soi Cheang Pou Soi (Limbo, SPL II) and producer Johnnie To (Trivisa, Running on Karma) return with Mad Fate, an upcoming mystery-thriller starring Gordon Lam Ka-Tung (Hand Rolled Cigarette, The Brink).

Mad Fate is the story is about a fortune teller who meets a young man who has this really strong desire to commit murder. So, whether it’s for his own redemption or to save the kid, he really wants to change the course of fate. And in that process, they end up sort of changing each other, said Cheang (via Variety).

The film also stars Peter Chan Charm-man (Tales from the Occult), Berg Ng Ting-yip (The White Storm), Wing Sze Ng (All U Need is Love) and Continue reading

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God of Gamblers | Blu-ray (88 Films)

God of Gamblers | Blu-ray (88 Films)

God of Gamblers | Blu-ray (88 Films)

RELEASE DATE: May 1, 2023

On May 1, 2023, 88 Films will be releasing a Blu-ray (Region B) for God of Gamblers, Wong Jing’s 1989 Hong Kong action-comedy classic that stars Chow Yun Fat (Hard Boiled, Project Gutenberg), Andy Lau (The White Storm 2: Drug Lords, The Last Blood) and Joey Wong (City Hunter, The Big Heat).

Ko Chun is the greatest high-roller in the world, king of the casino and as cool as only an in-his-prime Chow Yun-fat can be. But that’s before a nasty head injury renders him mentally disabled. After being befriended by unscrupulous hustler ‘Knife’ (golden-throated Canto-Pop king Andy Lau), it is discovered that, despite his other impairments, Ko’s unerring instincts for gambling remain intact. Knife thinks he’s on to a sure thing but Continue reading

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Deal on Fire! John Wick: Chapters 1-3 | 4K UHD | Only $24.99 – Expires soon!

John Wick: Chapters 1-3 | 4K + Digital (Lionsgate)

John Wick: Chapters 1-3 | 4K + Digital (Lionsgate)

Today’s Deal on Fire is for John Wick: Chapters 1-3 on 4K + Digital. This set includes Chad Stahelski’s John Wick, John Wick: Chapter 2 and John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum in one collection.

John Wick: When sadistic young thugs senselessly attack John Wick — a brilliantly lethal ex-assassin — they have no idea that they’ve just awakened the boogeyman. With New York City as his bullet-riddled playground, Wick embarks on a merciless rampage, hunting down his adversaries with the skill and ruthlessness that made him an underworld legend.

John Wick: Chapter 2: Legendary hit man John Wick is forced out of retirement again by a former associate plotting to seize control of a shadowy international assassins’ guild. Bound Continue reading

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Code of the Assassins (2022) Review

"Code of the Assassins" Theatrical Poster

“Code of the Assassins” Theatrical Poster

AKA: Song of the Assassins
Director: Daniel Lee Yan-Kong
Cast: William Feng Shaofeng, Gina Jin Chen, Zhang Hao, Hu Jun, Summer Xu Qing, Wang Qing-Xiang, Kenneth Tsang, Ray Lui, Norman Tsui, Jack Kao Kuo-Hsin
Running Time: 119 min. 

By Paul Bramhall

After a long and arduous journey, in 2022 Code of the Assassins finally made it to the screen. Filming started way back in 2017 with grand plans to include an accompanying drama series and multiple sequels proposed, however various strife inside production company Le Vision Pictures resulted in its release being delayed, confounded further by the CEO passing away in early 2021. The original plans for a theatrical release were ultimately canned, and in the end it debuted to minimum fanfare in the overcrowded VOD market 5 years after cameras started to roll. 

Director Daniel Lee likely needs no introduction to fans of Hong Kong cinema, having remained one of the most divisive talents since his debut with 1994’s What Price Survival, a re-imagining of The One Armed Swordsman. His preference for highly stylised MTV influenced editing often sees him accused of style over substance, and he’s hardly the strongest storyteller when it comes to an engaging narrative, however his name rightly comes up in any discussion Continue reading

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Tips on How to Budget for Beginners

Whatever your financial situation, budgeting can help you plan for the future and to ensure that you’re spending money wisely.

Sounds good, doesn’t it? Yet, as one of the foremost experts in personal finance, Dave Ramsey, puts it, “Budgeting takes more emotional strength than any other part of financial freedom.”

Budgeting isn’t easy, especially if you haven’t done it before. However, by putting a plan in place, you can start to see improvements in your financial situation pretty quickly.

If you’d like to know more, read our tips on how to budget below.

Establish Your Financial Goals

Without clear goals, you may struggle to stay on track and keep within your spending limits. To start, print or write out a list of your short and long-term goals.

Focus on concrete goals such as “save for a down payment on a house” or “launch my own business”. Figure out the timeline for reaching each goal, the estimated cost, and how much money can be saved each month. To make sure your goals are realistic, compare them to last month’s expenses.

Analyze Your Income & Expenses

Evaluate the sources of your monthly income, including wages, investments, rental income, etc. Then examine your expenses, including rent/mortgage, car payments, living expenses, etc. This will help you understand your financial situation and set proper goals to work towards.

Once you have a clear financial picture, you can develop a budget. Look for potential areas of savings and set up a plan for spending and savings that you can stick to.

To reduce your loan debt, avoid creating added debt and make sure you make on-time payments. If you’re struggling to pay off your loans, consider loan debt relief. There is also loan consolidation and refinancing to help reduce the amount of interest you are paying.

Track Your Spending Habits

Knowing where your money is going will help you stay on track and give you a better understanding of where you can cut back. To begin, write down everything you spend money on for one week. It doesn’t need to be in-depth. Just record the type of purchase, price, and merchant.

At the end of the week, look at how much you spent. If you’re over your budget, start coming up with strategies for reallocating your spending. Such as making your coffee rather than buying it at a shop. You can adjust your budget from there.

Utilizing Technology to Help Budget

Budgeting apps are great tools to help track spending, build budgets and set goals to stay within a budget. For larger expenses like car payments, credit cards, or home loans, try using automated payments to ensure that bills are always paid on time.

Try setting up alerts for your bank account or credit card balances so you can stay within the liquid limit or credit limits. As any money management will inevitably require some work, setting up calendar alerts or notifications for budget or spending-related tasks can help keep you focused and on track.

Use These Tips on How to Budget  Today

Budgeting should be easy. Following these tips on how to budget can help new budgeters understand the basics and get started on the right track. Don’t hesitate to investigate different budgeting methods.

Experiment with different strategies until you find one that works for you. Start taking control of your finances and start your journey to financial freedom today!

Keep scrolling to discover more tips on this blog.

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Manchurian Tiger, The (1974) Review

"The Manchurian Tiger" Theatrical Poster

“The Manchurian Tiger” Theatrical Poster

Director: Lee Doo-Yong
Cast: Han Yong-cheol, Kim Mun-ju, Bae Su-chun, Woo Yeon-jeong, Chang Il-sik, Park Dong-ryong, Sim Sang Chun, Gang Dong-gyu, Choe Sung-kwan
Running Time: 95 min. 

By Paul Bramhall

Looking back on the evolution of martial arts cinema over the years, there’s little doubt that it was the 1970’s when the genre evolved at such a rate that, if you put a production from 1970 and 1979 side-by-side, it looks like there’s far more than just 10 years between them. From both the complexity and style of the choreography, to the faces behind and in front of the camera, each year could be regarded as significant in its own way. 1974 was no different. In Hong Kong director Chang Cheh kicked off his Shaolin Cycle with the release of Heroes Two, while in Japan Sonny Chiba unleashed Takuma Tsurugi onto the world with The Streetfighter. One country that frequently gets overlooked when discussing the evolution of martial arts cinema though is Korea, and during the same year we’d also get what can be considered the first taekwondo based martial arts flick in the form of The Manchurian Tiger.

A whole 2 years before Hong Kong producer Ng See-Yuen would realise the potential of taekwondo’s aesthetically pleasing repertoire of kicks by introducing Hwang Jang Lee and John Liu to the world through The Secret Rivals, Korea was already cranking out its own brand of taekwondo-based action. For a fleeting time it looked like the Korean Continue reading

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Watch Cinedigm’s Trailer for Yasuhiko Shimizu’s Japanese remake of the 1997 cult thriller ‘Cube’

"Cube" Theatrical Poster

“Cube” Theatrical Poster

Later this year, U.S. label Cinedigm will be releasing the Blu-ray for Cube, a Japanese sci-fi thriller directed by Yasuhiko Shimizu (Vise). The film is a remake of Vincenzo Natali’s 1997 cult film of the same name.

In Cube, a group of strangers wake up in mysterious room inscribed with an unfamiliar code. Looking for ways to escape, they discover the room is riddled with lethal traps. As fear and distrust swirl around them, the group must work together to survive.

The film stars Masaki Suda (Gintama), Masaki Okada (Drive My Car), Takumi Saitoh (13 Assassins), Anne Watanabe (Tell It Like a Woman) and Kotaro Yoshida (The Third Murder).

Don’t miss the film’s Continue reading

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Ana de Armas and Chris Evans take on ‘Bruce Lee’ actor Mike Moh in the Trailer for ‘Ghosted’ from ‘Rocketman’ director

“Ghosted” Apple TV+ Poster

“Ghosted” Apple TV+ Poster

If you’ve seen Ana de Armas’ butt-kicking capabilities in the latest 007 film, No Time To Die – as well as her upcoming John Wick spinoff, Ballerina – you know she’s capable of leading her own action film, and that’s just what she does in Ghosted, an upcoming action-comedy from director, Dexter Fletcher (Rocketman).

Cole (Chris Evans) falls head over heels for enigmatic Sadie (De Armas) — but then makes the shocking discovery that she’s a secret agent. Before they can decide on a second date, Cole and Sadie are swept away on an international adventure to save the world (via Deadline).

Ghosted also stars Adrien Brody (The Pianist), Amy Sedaris (Elf) as well as martial arts star, Mike Moh, who portrayed Bruce Lee in Quentin Continue reading

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