The Shaolin Plot | Blu-ray (Eureka)

The Shaolin Plot | Blu-ray (Eureka)

The Shaolin Plot | Blu-ray (Eureka)

RELEASE DATE: June 20, 2022

On June 20, 2022, Eureka will be releasing a Blu-ray (Region B) for the 1977 classic Golden Harvest kung fu film, The Shaolin Plot.

The film is directed by Huang Feng, who is perhaps best known for 1972’s Hapkido, 1972’s Lady Whirlwind, 1973’s When Taekwondo Strikes and 1974’s Stoner.

The Shaolin Plot features an all-star cast that includes Chan Sing (New Fist of Fury, Amsterdam Connection), James Tien (Hand of Death, Seaman No. 7), Casanova Wong (Ninja in the Claws of the CIA, The Iron-Fisted Monk) and Sammo Hung (The Skyhawk, King Swindler), who also serves as fight choreographer.

After his work directing the action Continue reading

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

A Touch of Sin (2013) Review

"A Touch of Sin" Theatrical Poster

“A Touch of Sin” Theatrical Poster

Director: Jia Zhang-Ke
Cast: Jiang Wu, Wang Bao-Qiang, Zhao Tao, Luo Lan-Shan, Zhang Jia-Yi, Vivien Li Meng
Running Time: 130 min.

By Henry McKeand

At its most extreme, cinematic violence can serve either as a satisfying catharsis or a stark reminder of real-world suffering. The bloodshed in Jia Zhangke’s A Touch of Sin accomplishes each, sometimes simultaneously. The film is both a seething commentary on exploitation in present-day China and an uncharacteristically bloody exercise in tension from a director who isn’t known for high body counts.

A Touch of Sin is one of Zhangke’s most acclaimed films in the West, and it was selected as one of the top 25 films of the decade according to The New York Times. It also happens to contain several “genre” elements, although it would be a mistake to brand it a thriller or action film. At its core, this is an honest piece of filmmaking from a director who has long been interested in stories of China’s current reality. 

The film is comprised of four loosely connected stories about everyday people pushed to acts of violence, each one inspired by true events. These are disaffected, lost characters struggling with the weight of modern life, and the market economy looms large over each narrative. Zhangke is particularly interested in how ideas and images from the past work their way into the present. This interest manifests itself visually throughout, such as a small moment when women dressed in traditional, bright attire walk past a group of people wearing dark modern clothing. Zhangke and cinematographer Lu Lik-wai also find incredible beauty in China’s natural countryside, and the majestic Continue reading

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

Execution in Autumn | Blu-ray (Eureka)

Execution in Autumn | Blu-ray (88 Films)

Execution in Autumn | Blu-ray (88 Films)

RELEASE DATE: June 20, 2022

On June 20, 2022, Eureka Entertainment is releasing a Blu-ray (Region B) for Lee Hsing’s 1972 film, Execution in Autumn. The upcoming release stars Hui-Lou Chen (The Shaolin Avengers), Shao-Ching Chou (Purple Darts), Bi-Hui Fu (Royal Fist), Su Han (The Last Duel), Hsiang-Ting Ko (Deadly China Doll) and Hsiang Li (Men of the Hour).

Official details:

Referred to as “the godfather of Taiwanese cinema”, the films of director Lee Hsing (who passed away in 2021 at the age of 91) combined Western realism with the neo-Confucian ideals advocated by the nationalist government in Taiwan. Director of a number of masterpieces, presented here is the film he considered his personal favourite of all his films — and certainly his most Continue reading

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

A True Ethereum Rival: The Rise of Solana

The crypto market is booming. What started with bitcoin back in 2009 has evolved into an entire market made up of thousands of different cryptocurrencies.

Bitcoin is still king with the largest market cap. And in the number two slot is Ethereum.

The Ethereum network was built as the foundation on which other developers could come and build their decentralized applications. Unfortunately, Ethereum’s success in many areas has led to failures in others.

This has led to the rise of Ethereum rival Solana to soar in recent months. But what is this new cryptocurrency and how does it beat out the king of Defi? Keep reading below to find out now.

Problems With Ethereum

Ethereum is a popular cryptocurrency that saw massive gains in recent years. It’s a network that prioritizes security and decentralization. Unfortunately, the immense popularity of Ethereum has caused some major flaws.

Since so many people are using the network to make Ethereum-based transactions, the network is congested. This means that transactions take much longer to confirm. Often minutes (or even longer) just to make a transfer or NFT purchase.

But the biggest problem is the transaction fees. People complained about transaction fees back when they were $5 and $10. Today, it’s very normal to drop over $100 on a single transaction.

Moving funds around on Ethereum blockchain technology is too expensive for many users.

Ethereum Centralization

Ethereum on its own is decentralized in nature. No one controls it. It’s governed by the community. However, many people claim it’s centralized simply because it dominates a large share of the market.

The world of decentralized finance exists primarily on Ethereum. And the bulk of the NFT industry lives on Ethereum, in excess of 80%.

Because so much is happening on Solana, it feels like many of the users and funds in the crypto world are stuck in Ethereum. Supporters of Solana and other Ethereum killers claim that these rival networks are essential to a healthy crypto market as a whole.

The Rise of Ethereum Rival Solana

The Solana blockchain and network were created as a direct alternative to Ethereum. Built years later, Solana and SOL coin has some major upper hands as it develops its network.

The team behind Solana was able to learn what Ethereum did and what led to the major problems it’s experiencing today.

The result is a crypto network that is insanely fast, and able to handle thousands of transactions per second. And each transaction is incredibly cheap, often fractions of a penny.

The user experience on Solana is very positive. The only negative about it is that it’s still new. There’s not as much development on Solana yet, so options for using various apps are still limited.

But that is going to change as more and more developers move to the Solana ecosystem. And as that happens, you can expect the Solana price to soar.

Competition Makes Everything Better

Solana is still relatively new. But it’s clear that this Ethereum rival and many others like it are here to stay.

Ethereum will likely be king for a long time. But alternative networks like Solana and Avalanche are crucial to creating a truly decentralized, competitive marketplace that ultimately benefits users and investors.

Looking for more crypto tips and tricks? Head over to our blog now to keep reading.

Posted in News |

Real (2017) Review

"Real" Korean Theatrical Poster

“Real” Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Lee Sa-Rang
Cast: Kim Soo-Hyun, Sung Dong-Il, Sung-Min, Sulli, Jo Woo-Jin, Lee Kyoung-Young, Han Ji-Eun, Kim Hong-Fa, Jung In-Gyeom, Choi Kwon, IU, Ahn So-Hee
Running Time: 137 min.

By Paul Bramhall

Once in a while a production comes along whose reputation for being a complete train wreck precedes it. Who can forget Andy Lau apologising for appearing in the 007-inspired spy caper Switch, or Jackie Chan battling an Australian Borg rip-off on a spaceship in Bleeding Steel? In 2017 Korea unleashed Real onto the world, a movie that piled up so many negative reviews (only equalled by the number of memes it generated) even before it was officially released, that in some publications it was dubbed as the worst Korean movie ever made. Topped off by lead Kim Soo-hyun crying at one of the promotional events while he was introducing a screening (ok, so the incident was later explained that he was overwhelmed by remembering how hard it was to film, but the jury’s still out on that one), and it’s easy to see why Real rarely gets mentioned when discussing Korean cinema.

Looking back with the benefit of 5 years hindsight, Real remains just as mind boggling today as it did when it was initially released. A starring vehicle for Kim Soo-hyun (Secretly, Greatly, The Thieves), who at the time was still hot off the success of My Love from the Star – a 21-episode Korean drama that aired across 2013 and 2014 (notably its popularity in China resulted in Alibaba coming onboard to co-produce Real) – the production itself was just as rocky as its critical reception. Scripted by Lee Jung-sub (The Best Romance, Lost in Love), Real was also set to be his directorial debut, however for reasons which remain unknown to this day, he stepped down at some point after filming had started. He was replaced by Lee Sa-rang (which in English, literally translates to Love Lee), Soo-hyun’s cousin, and owner of the company in charge of the production. Real remains Sa-rang’s one and only film credit.

It’s difficult to describe Real with only the limits of language to play with – is it an Avant Garde psychological neo-noir, an overly stylish gangster flick, or a misguided character study into addiction and identity? I’d daresay it’s all of these things, and in the hands of a director with zero experience armed with a sizable budget, the end result is such a singularly unique experience that it’s highly unlikely something like Real will ever grace Korean cinema screens again. Dig out any of those reviews from the time of its release, and the one thing that’s immediately noticeable is that the plot description is inconsistent across all of them. It’s understandable, as attempting to fathom exactly what’s happening at any given time in Real’s epic 137-minute runtime is a daunting Continue reading

Posted in Korean, News, Reviews | Tagged , |

Jacky Cheung, Karena Lam and Francis Ng join Nicholas Tse in Herman Yau’s upcoming crime thriller

"Raging Fire" Teaser Poster

“Raging Fire” Teaser Poster

With dozens of credits as a cinematographer and director, Herman Yau (The Untold Story, Ebola Syndrome) is one of the most prolific filmmakers ever to have worked in Hong Kong cinema. Considering that he’s gone all respectable with historical action pictures like The Legend is Born: Ip Man and The Woman Knight of Mirror Lake – not to mention edge-of-your-seat blockbusters like Shock Wave and Shock Wave 2 – it’s easy to forget that Yau got his start in the grimy, nasty world of Category III.

Now, Yau is going to venture somewhere in-between with Hai Guan Zhan Xian (literally “in front of the customs”), an upcoming crime-thriller that’s set to be headlined by Nicholas Tse (Raging Fire, Time and Tide) and Cya Liu (Limbo).

Update: According to AFS, Jacky Continue reading

Posted in News |

CBD Flower vs. THC Flower: What Are the Differences?

Did you know that in the United States alone more than one-third of people have tried CBD products at some point?

When people think of cannabis, they tend to think of THC flower that people smoke. However, what people don’t know is that there is also CBD flower with many of the same benefits but also some unique characteristics.

So, which should you choose when it comes to CBD flower vs. THC flower? The answer depends on what kind of effects you want to experience when smoking.

Keep reading and learn more about the difference between these two types of flower.

What Is THC Flower?

What is THC flower exactly, you might ask? THC flower is often called by simpler names such as weed, cannabis, bud, or marijuana. It comes from the cannabis plant and is rich in the cannabinoid THC. If you have ever seen THC flower up close, you may have noticed that it has a unique appearance.

It tends to look like a compressed chunk of small leaves with a fuzzy, frosted appearance. This fuzz that covers THC buds is actually made up of very small hair-like appendages called trichomes. These trichomes have very high concentrations of THC.

THC, in contrast to CBD, is the cannabinoid that allows people to experience a psychoactive high. Without the trichomes on cannabis buds, people wouldn’t be able to experience a high when smoking cannabis flower.

THC flower comes in many different strains, but there are two main types: sativa and indica. Indica strains tend to allow people to unwind and relax after a long day (or week). On the other hand, sativa strains produce more energetic effects.

There are also hybrid strains that combine the effects of the sativa and indica strains. Hybrid strains are great for beginners who are unsure whether they should try sativa or indica first.

There are many ways you can use THC flower. Many people prefer to smoke it because that is one of the easiest ways to consume it. To do this, you may use a bong, use a pipe, or roll it into a joint.

However, if you don’t like the idea of smoking, you can also crumble the flower up and put it in certain foods such as brownies or cookies. You can do this when you grind up the flower very finely so you don’t bite into any chunks of leaves.

What Is CBD Flower?

When asking, “What is CBD flower exactly?” you will find that the answer is somewhat similar to the answer for THC flower. However, there are a few important differences. The most important difference is that CBD flower does not produce a high as THC flower does.

That’s because CBD is not psychoactive and therefore affects the brain in a different way. But don’t ditch the idea of trying CBD flower for sale just because it won’t get you high. There are still quite a few reasons to try this type of flower.

However, you should be careful when you try products labeled “hemp flower” or “CBD flower.” That’s because hemp and CBD flower are not always the same, even though some brands may try to use the terms interchangeably. Even though CBD often comes from the hemp plant, hemp and CBD are two different products.

Hemp flower may not actually have any CBD in it, so keep that in mind. When it comes to CBD flower, it can have up to 0.3% of THC, but this is not enough to get you high. However, smoking CBD can still provide you with a great experience.

You can enjoy the aromas CBD flower has to offer thanks to its terpenes. You may catch hints of citrus, lavender, and cloves. You can experience similar flavors as well as other, spicier flavors.

When you smoke CBD flower, you won’t get high, but you may find that the process of smoking can relax you. More than that, CBD is able to affect the endocannabinoid system in your brain. By doing this, CBD can influence your body’s levels of inflammation and may be able to soothe your body overall.

CBD Flower vs. THC Flower

If you are unsure how to decide between these two types of flower, you should think about what you want to experience when you smoke flower. Do you want to experience a THC high and see how it makes you feel? Or do you want to avoid THC and instead reap the general benefits of cannabinoid consumption?

Some people prefer to only use THC flower because they like how it makes them feel. On the other hand, some people prefer to only smoke CBD flower because they don’t like the way that THC flower makes them feel. When in doubt, you can always try both.

There is no harm in trying either THC flower or CBD flower as long as both are legal in your state. If anything, you will be benefiting yourself because of how great these two cannabinoids can be for your health. If nothing else, both CBD flower and THC flower can help you unwind after a long day at work.

Just be sure that you have all the tools you need to use the flower such as rolling papers, a pipe, or a grinder.

All about CBD and THC Flower

When it comes to CBD flower vs. THC flower, there’s really no reason to choose one over the other. You can try both and experience the unique effects they have to offer. This way, you can find out which type of flower might be best for you.

To learn more, don’t hesitate to explore our website.

Posted in News |

Spiritwalker (2021) Review

Spiritwalker | Blu-ray (Well Go USA)

Spiritwalker | Blu-ray (Well Go USA)

Director: Yoon Jae-Keun
Cast: Park Yong-Woo, Lim Ji-Yeon, Park Ji-Hwan, Yoo Seung-Mok, Lee Sung-Wook, Seo Hyun-Woo, Baek Do-Gyum, Woo Kang-Min
Running Time: 110 min. 

By Paul Bramhall

It’s fair to say the body-swap plot device has been a recurring theme in cinema over the years. While more often than not the gimmick has been used for comedic purposes, thankfully there are filmmakers out there who have been willing to apply it to further afield. Movies like the 1998 thriller Fallen spring to mind, in which Denzel Washington attempts to catch the spirit of a serial killer who can take over people’s bodies, as does the pulpy Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday, in which the spirit of everyone’s favorite hockey mask wearing psycho takes on similar abilities. Joining the ranks in 2021 is Yoon Jae-geun’s Spiritwalker, which sees the director and writer returning to the screen for the first time since his debut with 2010’s Heartbeat.

Opening with Yoon Kye-sang (The Outlaws, Poongsan) slumped against the door of a recently crashed vehicle and nursing a gun shot wound, things seem amiss when the reflection he sees of himself in the car window isn’t his own, and to confound matters further he has no recollection of who he is. Embarking on a mission to uncover his identity, matters aren’t helped by the fact that whenever it hits 12:00 (both noon and midnight), his spirit shifts into the body of someone else. The loss of memory and 12-hour body swap cycle make up the crux of what keeps Spiritwalker propelling itself forward, and it’s easy to imagine the Blu-ray cover containing the quote “The Bourne Identity meets The Beauty Inside!” Taking the amnesia plot device of the former, and the timed body-swapping gimmick of the latter, Jae-geun has created one of the more unique entries in Korea’s recent Continue reading

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

New Trailer for ‘Man on the Edge’ starring Richie Jen, Simon Yam, Sammo Hung, Danny Chan, Patrick Tam, and Jerry Lam

"Man on Edge" Theatrical Poster

“Man on Edge” Theatrical Poster

Actor and action choreographer Sam Wong, who co-directed 2011’s Choy Lee Fut, is re-teaming with Hong Kong great Sammo Hung for Man on the Edge (aka Edge Walker), an upcoming crime thriller that’s set for a domestic release on April 15th.

Man on the Edge revolves around a character named Lok, a Hong Kong undercover policeman, who struggles in the conspiracy between gangs and the police in order to investigate the truth of gangs’ drug trafficking.

Sammo Hung (14 Blades, The Bodyguard) will be part of an all-star cast that includes Richie Jen (Punished, Trivisa), Simon Yam (Run and Kill, Mrs K), Danny Chan Kwok Kwan (Kung Fu League, Ip Man 4), Alex Fong (Guns of Dragon), Karena Lam (Integrity), Patrick Tam (Port of Call: Director’s Cut, Master Z: Ip Man Legacy) and Jerry Continue reading

Posted in News |

Rouge | Blu-ray (Criterion)

Rogue | Blu-ray (Criterion)

Rouge | Blu-ray (Criterion)

RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2022

On June 21, 2022, Criterion Collection is releasing the Blu-ray and DVD for Rouge, a 1988 film directed by Stanley Kwan (Centre Stage), produced by Jackie Chan (Vanguard) and starring Anita Mui (Drunken Master II) and Leslie Cheung (Double Tap).

Official details:

Cantopop superstars Anita Mui and Leslie Cheung display the androgynous magnetism that made them icons as doomed lovers in this emblematic film of Hong Kong’s Second New Wave, directed by pioneering queer melodrama master Stanley Kwan. Rouge bridges past and present in its tragic romance between a humble courtesan and the wayward scion of a wealthy family, who embrace death by suicide pact amid Continue reading

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

The Killer Meteors | Blu-ray (88 Films)

The Killer Meteors | Blu-ray (88 Films)

The Killer Meteors | Blu-ray (88 Films)

RELEASE DATE: June 6, 2022

On June 6, 2022, 88 Films is releasing the Blu-ray (Region B) for the 1977 Lo Wei film, The Killer Meteors, a wuxia-style martial arts feature that brings two legends – Jimmy Wang Yu and Jackie Chan – together in an explosive kung fu cult classic.

Official details:

Known as “Killer Meteors”, local hero Mei Xing He (Jimmy Wang Yu) is invincible due to his ‘secret weapon’. However, when his services are sought by another powerful figure, Hua Wu Bin (Jackie Chan), he finds himself drawn into the deadliest challenge of his life.

From the golden age of kung fu features, this epic movie delivers a killer plot Continue reading

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

Dynamite Shaolin Heroes, The (1977) Review

"The Dynamite Shaolin Heroes" Theatrical Poster

“The Dynamite Shaolin Heroes” Theatrical Poster

Director: Lee Hyeok-Su
Co-director: Godfrey Ho
Cast: Lo Lieh, Kim Young-In, Choi Sung-Kyu, Kim Ki-Bum, Choe Bong, Kwan Yung-Moon, Roman Lee Kang-Jo, Kwon Il-Soo, Kim Wang-Kuk, Kim Min-Jeong
Running Time: 77 min. 

By Henry McKeand

It’s not always easy to find behind-the-scenes information on the more obscure martial arts flicks from the 70s, but it’s almost impossible when Godfrey Ho is involved. Ho is perhaps best known for his low-budget ninja films in the 80s, such as Ninja Terminator and Ninja The Protector, but his filmmaking techniques are what have turned him into a source of fascination for Asian film fans. For those who don’t know, Ho would purchase small or unfinished films before splicing in his own scenes and recording an English dub to tie the patchwork narrative together. The results were sometimes better than others, and it would be almost impossible to get your hands on all the movies he was involved in (iMDB lists 153 director credits alone). 

It’s difficult to think of a more brazenly cynical way to make movies, so why are there still fans who seek out Ho’s Frankenstein Monster creations? Probably because there’s a certain level of perverse ingenuity to Ho’s cut-and-paste technique, and admirers of low-budget movie magic can’t help but respect his ability to release three or four movies for the price of one. So while some may label Ho as an opportunist who viewed cinema as soulless corporate product, it’s not entirely a stretch to compare him to a hip-hop producer creating something new by sampling the dusty records hiding in the local record shop. Think of him like Roger Corman meets RZA (who I’m sure has seen more than Continue reading

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

Watch Well Go USA’s New Trailer for Yoon Jae-Keun’s South Korean fantasy action thriller ‘Spiritwalker’

Spiritwalker | Blu-ray (Well Go USA)

Spiritwalker | Blu-ray (Well Go USA)

On April 12, 2022, Well Go USA is releasing the Blu-ray for Spiritwalker (read our review), a 2021 South Korean thriller written and directed by Yoon Jae-Keun (Heartbeat) and starring Yoon Kye-Sang (Golden Slumber, The Outlaws).

Spiritwalker is a fantasy action film that revolves around a man who loses his memory and subsequently wakes up in a new body every twelve hours.

The film also stars Park Yong-Woo (Say Yes), Lim Ji-Yeon (Tazza: One Eyed Jack), Park Ji-Hwan (Beasts Clawing at Straws), Yoo Seung-Mok (Tunnel) and Lee Sung-Wook (Tazza: The Hidden Card).

Watch Well Go USA’s New Trailer Continue reading

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Watch the Trailer for ‘Wolf Hiding’ starring Nick Cheung, Ethan Juan, Darren Wang and Danny Chan “Bruce Lee” Kwok Kwan

"Wolf Hiding" Teaser Poster

“Wolf Hiding” Teaser Poster

Actor Marc Ma (Shock Wave 2, Wild City) will be making his debut as a film director in Wolf Hiding, an upcoming thriller that’s being headlined by Nick Cheung (The Trough, Integrity).

Plot details are currently non-existent, but considering the actor/directors track history, you can expect the usual crime/triad brotherhood/bloodshed tale of revenge and/or retribution.

Appearing alongside Cheung are Ethan Juan (Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings, The Assassin), Darren Wang (Railroad Tigers, A Better Tomorrow 2018), Paul Chun (The Drug Addict, In the Line of Duty 3), Andrew Lin (Infernal Affairs 2) and Danny Chan Kwok Kwan (Ip Man 4: The Finale, Kung Fu League), AFS.

Wolf Hiding releases domestically Continue reading

Posted in News |

Michelle Yeoh goes back to her kung fu roots in the New Poster for the sci-fi thriller ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’

"Everything Everywhere All At Once" Poster

“Everything Everywhere All At Once” Poster

Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (Swiss Army Man), the writer-directors collectively known as “Daniels”, will soon releasing their newest film, Everything Everywhere All at Once (read our review), a sci-fi actioner starring for Michelle Yeoh (Boss Level, Master Z: The Ip Man Legacy, Yes, Madam).

The film’s plot – revolving around the multiverse – is being kept a mystery, but Deadline describes the film as being about an exhausted Chinese American woman (Yeoh) who can’t seem to finish her taxes.

Everything Everywhere All at Once also stars Stephanie Hsu (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings), James Hong (Big Trouble in Little China), Jamie Lee Curtis (Halloween), Jenny Slate (Venom), Harry Shum Jr. (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny) and Andy Continue reading

Posted in News |