Journey to the West | aka Go West to Subdue Demons (1991) Review

Posted on December 2, 2021 by Paul Bramhall
"Journey to the West: Go West to Subdue Demons" DVD Cover

“Journey to the West: Go West to Subdue Demons” DVD Cover

Director: Chang Cheh
Cast: Tung Chi Hwa, Ku Wing-Chuen, Mu Li-Xin, Du Yu-Ming, Yu Jia, Chen Ji-Ming, Zhang Ke-Peng, Yao Yu, Wang Xiang-Wei, Wang Bing-Qiang, Chen Bing
Running Time: 86 min.

By Paul Bramhall

During the 2010’s the only character more popular than Ip Man was arguably the Monkey King. The iconic character got various big budget incarnations courtesy of Soi Cheang’s Monkey King trilogy, Stephen Chow’s pair of Journey to the West movies, and Derek Kwok’s Wu Kong. That’s without even touching on the various straight to streaming cash-ins, and a plethora of animated features to top everything off. Long before the Monkey King mania of the era though, in 1991 legendary director Chang Cheh would helm his penultimate movie in the form of Journey to the West: Go West to Subdue Demons.

Although Chang Cheh developed his reputation as the Godfather of the Kung Fu Film through the many bare-chested kung fu movies he made for the Shaw Brothers studio during his heyday, he was also no stranger to the story of Journey to the West. In 1974 he cast Alexander Fu Sheng as the title character of Na Cha the Great, and a year later he made The Fantastic Magic Baby which featured all of the most famous characters associated with the tale. While these detours into the fantasy genre were few and far between during Cheh’s time at Shaw Brothers (Heaven and Hell is the other title that stands out), by the time the studio was winding down movie production in the 80’s he seemed Continue reading →

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

Castle Falls (2021) Review

Posted on November 29, 2021 by Paul Bramhall
"Castle Falls" Theatrical Poster

“Castle Falls” Theatrical Poster

Director: Dolph Lundgren
Cast: Scott Adkins, Dolph Lundgren, Jim E. Chandler, Dave Halls, Kim DeLonghi, Kevin Wayne, Luke Hawx, Scott Hunter, Ida Lundgren, Bill Billions
Running Time: 87 min.

By Paul Bramhall

There was a moment there when it seemed like 2021 was going to manifest the incomprehensible thought of not delivering a single Scott Adkins movie. However in the closing weeks of the year the British thespian of the DTV action genre came out swinging, first with the continuous take action thriller One Shot, followed up by Castle Falls, which sees him sharing the screen with the Swedish thespian of the DTV genre, Dolph Lundgren, for the fourth time. Adkins’ lack of screen time for much of the year was of course due to the COVID-19 pandemic that the world continued to wrestle with, and Castle Falls was directly impacted when production was shut down after only one day in March 2020. It would be more than 7 months until cameras could start rolling again, with the finished product finally hitting screens in December the following year.

As well as being Adkins’s co-star, Lundgren is also in the director’s chair. After his collaboration with John Woo in 1998’s Blackjack failed to go any further than the feature length pilot, during the 00’s Lundgren took to directing himself in a number of DTV features. Kicking off with 2004’s The Defender and concluding with 2010’s Icarus, Lundgren’s directorial efforts saw him playing an eclectic selection of characters, from bible brandishing bikers (Missionary Man) to terrorist killing drummers (Command Performance). Comparatively his character in Castle Falls is much more strait-laced, playing a prison guard looking after his sick daughter, who’s played by his actual daughter Continue reading →

Posted in All, Asian Related, News, Other Movies, Reviews | Tagged , , |

World of Drunken Master, The (1979) Review

Posted on November 27, 2021 by Martin Sandison
"The World of Drunken Master" Theatrical Poster

“The World of Drunken Master” Theatrical Poster

Director: Joseph Kuo
Cast: Jack Long, Lee I Min, Chan Wai Lau, Lung Fei, Jeannie Chang Wing Wing, Lung Tien Hsiang, Yu Chung Chiu, Mark Long Kwan Wu, Simon Yuen Siu Tien
Running Time: 88 min.

By Martin Sandison

Around two weeks ago, I received Eureka’s Joseph Kuo boxset through the mail. I know a lot of you readers have received it too. In these heady days of incredible releases, every week or so I get a rush of euphoria waiting for the next one to come through. The Kuo set is something special, though; it’s the best any indie titles have looked so far, in 2K remasters. I have a real soft spot for Taiwanese independent kung fu, and have been waiting my whole life for them to look this good. I was awaiting the box with such anticipation, that when it came through the release of emotion was ridiculous. It brought me back to my teen years, when I would order VHS from Eastern Heroes and wait with bated breath. I remember receiving Incredible Kung Fu Mission one morning, and playing hooky from school so I could go back and watch it in my room, unbeknownst to my parents.

Despite the greatness of the box, all of us are disappointed that films such as the excruciating crapness of The Old Master have been included, yet all-time masterpieces such as Mystery of Chess Boxing are omitted. We can but hope it’s a rights issue, and we will see these other classics released from another company such as Pearl River. The holy grail of the set is of course 7 Grandmasters, a masterwork that needs no introduction. In the same vein, I was most looking forward to rewatching The World of Drunken Master. I had only watched it once previously, the usual full screen pan and scan, dubbed DVD release. I did remember liking it a lot, but boy this time I was blown away. While not Continue reading →

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

Ninja Condors (1987) Review

Posted on November 25, 2021 by Paul Bramhall
"Ninja Condors" Theatrical Poster

“Ninja Condors” Theatrical Poster

Director: James Wu
Cast: Alexander Lo Rei, Stuart Hugh, Richard Phillips, Mick Murray, Eugene Thomas, Lu Feng, Jack Long Shi-Chia, Li Hai-Hsing, Wang Te-Sheng
Running Time: 89 min.

By Paul Bramhall

When it comes to 1980’s kung fu cinema, there were 2 areas that Taiwan excelled at – the kids kung fu flick, and ninjas! The latter became synonymous with the talented Alexander Lo Rei, who came to headline the likes of The Super Ninja, Ninja Hunter, Ninja Kids, Secret of Ninja, Ninja in USA, and Ninja: The Final Duel to name just a few. As the 80’s came to a close, gradually the ninja craze also started to fall out of fashion, and what can be considered Lo Rei’s last ninja hurrah would come in the form of 1987’s Ninja Condors.

The usual suspects are all present and accounted for in Taiwan’s ninja-scene – we have James Wu in the director’s chair (who helmed the aforementioned Ninja Hunter, The Super Ninja, and Ninja in USA), the obligatory appearance by Eugene Thomas (who worked exclusively in Taiwan, and out of the 10 movies he appeared in, only 2 of them are missing the word ‘ninja’ in the title), and Ninja in USA alumni George Nichols is on hand as the villain of the piece. In short, for those familiar with 80’s Taiwanese ninja flicks, you should know exactly what you’re letting yourself in for with Ninja Condors.

Opening with a sequence which sees cameoing Venom alumni Lu Feng (The Five Venoms, Crippled Avengers) being pursued by a motorbike gang while behind the wheel of his vehicle, he’s soon captured and finds himself tied up, before being dragged along the ground by the vicious bikers. Eventually we get a modern-era Chang Cheh style death scene, where each of his limbs gets tied to a separate biker, resulting in him being drawn and quartered when they ride off in separate Continue reading →

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

Castle Falls | Blu-ray & DVD (Shout! Factory)

Posted on November 23, 2021 by JJ Bona
Castle Falls | Blu-ray (Shout! Factory)

Castle Falls | Blu-ray (Shout! Factory)

RELEASE DATE: December 28, 2021

On December 28, 2021, Shout! is releasing the Blu-ray & DVD for Scott Adkins and Dolph Lundgren’s Castle Falls (read our review).

It’s been over 8 years since Scott Adkins and Dolph Lundgren shared the screen together. In 2012, the two co-starred in The Expendables 2 and Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning; then in 2013, they re-teamed for the monster thriller Legendary.

Now the two reunite again for Castle Falls (read our review), an upcoming actioner that Lundgren also directs from a script by Andrew Continue reading →

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

Monkey Kung Fu | Blu-ray (88 Films)

Posted on November 22, 2021 by JJ Bona
Monkey Kung Fu | Blu-ray (88 Films)

Monkey Kung Fu | Blu-ray (88 Films)

RELEASE DATE: March 22, 2022

On March 22, 2022, 88 Films will be releasing the Blu-ray for John Lo Mar’s Shaw Brothers classic, Monkey Kung Fu. A UK (Region B) version of the film will also be available on March 21, 2022.

Not to be confused with Lau Kar-leung’s 1979 film, Mad Monkey Kung Fu, Monkey Kung Fu (made the same year) is directed by John Lo Mar (The Crazy Bumpkins, Boxer from the Temple).

The film stars Ching Siu-tung (Duel to the Death) as an underachiever Wei Chun, who is given the key to unlock the secret of the gibbon fists tactic. Ching would later gain acclaimed praise for directing his A Chinese Ghost Story film trilogy, and is also considered the father of Hong Kong’s highly popular and far-out Continue reading →

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

‘Train to Busan’ helmer Yeon Sang Ho’s horror series ‘Hellbound’ is now streaming on Netflix

Posted on November 21, 2021 by JJ Bona
"Hellbound" Netflix Poster

“Hellbound” Netflix Poster

Visionary filmmaker Yeon Sang Ho (Psychokinesis) – director of the 2016 hit Train to Busan and its follow up Peninsula – is back with Hellbound, a Netflix series based on the Korean webtoon, Hell.

According to SD, Hellbound tells a story of surviving under social chaos, when a group of supernatural beings appear and condemn people to hell. A new religious group interprets them as the will of the divine.

Hellbound is being produced by Korea’s Lezhin Studio with Illustrator Choi Gyu-seok (Songgot) collaborating with Yeon.

The series is currently available to watch on Netflix If you haven’t already, don’t miss its Final Trailer Continue reading →

Posted in News |

Classic slots and new slot machines – what to choose?

Posted on November 21, 2021 by JJ Bona

When you start playing online slots, one thing quickly becomes clear – there are a lot of games to choose from! In fact, most casinos, whether on or offline, are made up predominantly of slot machines, and there are many reasons for this. One of the main ones is that software providers are free to use any theme they like to colour a game, and math models can be tweaked to entertain practically any gambler type.

You might think then that providers are tripping over themselves to create the latest new craze to attract players. Since graphics are always improving, then new games must always look more advanced with each release, right? In some ways, this is true, and the aesthetics of modern slots is truly incredible. However, classic slots remain hugely popular as well and are certainly not going away any time soon. Here we’ll look at the benefits of new and classic slots in an attempt to help players pick the games that suit them best.

Classic Slots

While there is no one size fits all definition for the term ‘classic slot’, but usually, you’ll know one when you see one. Symbols are one of the giveaways and classic slots use icons that have been around since slot machines first burst on the scene over a hundred years ago in San Francisco. Symbols you can expect to find here include cherries, bells, diamonds, ‘7s’, BARS, and so on. There is a good reason for this, too, as some of the early slot machines used to reward players with fruit flavoured gum rather than money. Most players will be happy to know this has changed, and classic slots now offer massive potential wins! Take a look at these examples to get a feel for a classic slot:

  • Joker Stoker (Endorphina) – 5×4, 40 payline slot stacked with classic slot imagery.
  • Fruits Collection (Spinomenal) – Spinomenal do a range of these, so if fruit is your thing, they are worth taking a look at.
  • Hot Fruits 20 (Amatic) – for a taste of retro gaming, this online slot has you covered.
  • 243 Crystal Fruits (Tom Horn) – wild symbols transform this game from a 5-win line to 243 ways experience.
  • Fruit Million (Bgaming) – stacked symbols and expanding wilds go together to potentially blow doors off this fruit fiesta of a slot.

Another hallmark of classic slots is a tendency to be straightforward, no-nonsense games. Classic slots are often a bit simpler so players can enjoy them with ease and with a minimum of complication. However, this isn’t always the case, as some developers prefer to flex their creativity by dropping all sorts of innovation into the genre.

New Slots

Blazing away on the forefront of online gambling technology is a wave of new slots. These are games that operate under no restrictions. Makers are free to use whatever theme, graphics, sounds, or features they want. Often the only limit seems to be a studio’s imagination. As such, when you fire up new online slots, there is no telling where it will take you, and some players love the variety and suspense this sort of gaming can provide. Here are several fantastic newer slots to try:

  • Sweet Bonanza (Pragmatic Play) – matching symbols pay from any position in this tooth-achingly good slot.
  • Reactoonz 1 and 2 (Play’n GO) – crazily entertaining grid slot gaming from one of the pioneer studios in the field.
  • Divine Fortune Megaways (NetEnt) – an older slot drastically expanded by the power of BTG’s dynamic game engine.
  • Deadwood (Nolimit City) – there are tons of Western-themed slots out there, but for many, this is one of the best on the market.
  • Multifly (Yggdrasil) – harness the power of lizards and multipliers in this hugely colourful online slot.

As you can see, there is a wide range of slot types here. Fruit and classic imagery still appear in new slots, but there is also so much more going on as well. If you’re the sort of player who craves novelty, then the new slots category is probably the most suitable place to hang out.

Best of both worlds

All told, there is no clear winner when it comes to playing classic or new slots. Both have merits, and each category has something different to offer. The real winner really is the players, who are free to dip and dive at will into an old school classic fruit slot, or the latest high-powered hair-raiser from a cutting-edge studio. If you still aren’t sure which one to go for, take a demo, try games for free, and once you’ve got a few on the to-do list, feel free to switch to real money online gambling. Just be sure to do so responsibly, and it’s possible to have a blast no matter what sort of online video slot you prefer.

Posted in News |

Daggers 8 (1980) Review

Posted on November 20, 2021 by Ian Whittle
"Daggers 8" Theatrical Poster

“Daggers 8” Theatrical Poster

Director: Cheung Sam
Co-director: Wilson Tong
Starring: Meng Yuen-man, Wilson Tong, Lily Li, Peter Chan Lung, Alan Chui, Cheng Hong-yip, Chan Ming-Wai, Chen Yu-Wei, Billy Chan Wui-Ngai, Yeung Wah
Running Time: 90 min. 

By Ian Whittle

What starts out as another kung fu comedy with slightly too irritating Dean Shek style tomfoolery suddenly turns into something much more complex and intelligent.
Meng Yuen-man (The Master Strikes) plays an impulsive kung fu fan who drives his grandfather up the wall with it. When his brother is killed in a duel, Meng runs away from home rather than agree to give up learning kung fu. As he travels across the country, he learns new styles from 3 masters, all of whom have a nasty habit of turning up dead…

I found Meng rather overbearing in Hell’s Windstaff but he’s better here, and his acrobatic skills are astounding – sadly his career would end following a heart attack. Peter Chan Lung (Deadful Melody) makes for a fun master of cooking and kung fu, to the point where you actually miss him once he’s gone. Lily Li (Crazy Couple) is also very much at her best, demonstrating very good Continue reading →

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

A reboot of Steven Seagal’s ‘Under Siege’ in the works from ‘Night Comes for Us’ director Timo Tjahjanto?

Posted on November 18, 2021 by JJ Bona
"Under Siege" Theatrical Poster

“Under Siege” Theatrical Poster

Indonesian director Timo Tjahjanto (The Night Comes for Us) of the “Mo Brothers” directing duo (Killers, Headshot, Macabre), is helming a remake of the 1992 Steven Seagal film, Under Siege. He’ll be teaming up with writer Umair Aleem, who penned the recent Netflix actioner, Kate (read our review).

Deadline reports that Timo Tjahjanto and Umair Aleem collaborated and developed the pitch together with the movie being planned to stream on HBO Max.

The original hit film was directed by Andrew Davis (Above the Law) and starred Steven Seagal (Attrition, Cartels) as Casey Ryback, a former Navy SEAL operator turned chef who became famous for the line “I’m just a cook”. A sequel, Under Siege 2: Dark Territory, directed by Geoff Murphy (Young Guns 2), followed in 1995. Throughout the years, Seagal Continue reading →

Posted in News |

Therapist: Fist of Tae-baek, The (2020) Review

Posted on November 16, 2021 by Paul Bramhall
"The Therapist: Fist of Tae-baek" Theatrical Poster

“The Therapist: Fist of Tae-baek” Theatrical Poster

Director: Choi Sang-Hun
Cast: Oh Ji-Ho, Shin So-Yul, Jung Eui-Wook, Dong Zhang, Kim Kyeol, Bae Min-Jung, Park No-Kyeong, Jeon Hyun-Soo, No Young-Ju, Oh Kyung-Min
Running Time: 104 min.

By Paul Bramhall

Look past the A-list productions that make it onto the cinema screens of Korea (and increasingly overseas). Look past the many B-grade productions that look to emulate the success of the bigger budgeted counterparts that inspired them. Look past a further few layers that likely exist in-between, and eventually you’ll land on the Korean DTV action flick, a genre that cranks out an alarmingly high number of titles that remain relatively unseen not only overseas, but also in Korea. Usually fight flicks that give Korea’s stuntman community a chance to strut their stuff, if you’re wondering why you’ve never heard of recent flicks like Joseon Fist, God of the Fight: Shirasoni, and Real Fighter, don’t worry as you’re not alone.

With the likes of Hong Kong and Japan’s action scenes barely even shadows of their former selves, you’d think a whole genre dedicated to delivering low budget fight fests would be a no-brainer for those looking for a dose of high kicking taekwondo action, so just why do these flicks remain so unheard of and unseen? There could be several reasons. For a start it’s exceptionally rare for any of these titles to get the English subtitle treatment, limiting their appeal to overseas audiences. However I’d be willing to argue the answer is more straightforward. Much like the Japanese V-Cinema boom of the 90’s (or for a more recent example – China’s online cinema output), many of these fight flicks come with killer artwork that promises plenty of testosterone and violence, however the actual Continue reading →

Posted in All, Korean, News, Reviews |

Watch the Trailer for ‘Sheep Without a Shepherd II’ starring Xiao Yang, Simon Yam, Aarif Lee, Song Yang and Janice Man

Posted on November 16, 2021 by JJ Bona
"Sheep Without a Shepherd II" Theatrical Poster

“Sheep Without a Shepherd II” Theatrical Poster

Filmmaker/actor Dai Mo, who is perhaps best known for directing Detective Chinatown, is getting ready to release Sheep Without a Shepherd II, the thematic sequel to the hit 2019 film, Sheep Without a Shepherd. 

Sheep Without a Shepherd II stars Xiao Yang (Dragon Blade), Simon Yam (Run and Kill), Aarif Lee (Kung Fu Yoga), Chen Yusi (Mojin: The Worm Valley), Song Yang (The Final Master) and Janice Man (Nessun Dorma).

The film revolves around a married couple whose lives are changed when their son is involved in an accident.  Desperate to save their son, they choose a path that ultimately leads to a shocking result.

The first film – a remake of the 2013 Indian film, Drishyam – was directed by Sam Quah and Continue reading →

Posted in News |

Herman Yau’s ‘Death Notice’ starring Francis Ng, Louis Koo and Julian Cheung gets a New Trailer

Posted on November 15, 2021 by JJ Bona
"Death Notice" Theatrical Poster

“Death Notice” Theatrical Poster

Celebrated Hong Kong filmmaker Herman Yau (Shock Wave 2, Shock Wave, Ebola Syndrome) is currently prepping the long-awaited Death Notice (aka Death Notify), a cat ‘n mouse, cops vs killer thriller based on the popular novel of the same named by Zhou Haohui.

The film features an all-star cast that includes Louis Koo (of course), Francis Ng (Full Alert), Julian Cheung (The Suspect), Charmaine Sheh (Line Walker), Chrissie Chau (Men Suddenly in Love), Ray Lui (To Be Number One), Chan Kwok Kwan (Ip Man 3) and Simon Yam (The Mission).

Plot: In Hong Kong, a vigilante serial killer leaves death notices, stating when and how he will murder a victim. Even if the victim reports it to the police and receives protection, the killer can easily break through Continue reading →

Posted in News |

One Shot | Bu-ray & DVD (Screen Media)

Posted on November 14, 2021 by JJ Bona
One Shot | Bu-ray (Screen Media)

One Shot | Bu-ray (Screen Media)

RELEASE DATE: December 7, 2021

On December 7, 2021, Screen Media Films is releasing the Blu-ray & DVD for One Shot (read our review), the latest from martial arts star Scott Adkins (Ip Man 4, Triple Threat) and director James Nunn (Eliminators, Green Street 3: Never Back Down).

In this intense, non-stop action-thriller, relentlessly filmed in a single continuous take, an elite squad of Navy SEALs on a covert mission to transport a prisoner off a CIA black site island prison is trapped when insurgents attack, trying to rescue the same prisoner. Led by Lieutenant Blake Harris (Scott Adkins), the team, including Deputy Site Manager Tom Shields (Ryan Phillippe), must trust the secret intel of Junior Analyst Zoe Anderson (Ashley Greene) in order to deliver Continue reading →

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

Cliff Walkers (2021) Review

Posted on November 13, 2021 by Paul Bramhall
"Cliff Walkers" Theatrical Poster

“Cliff Walkers” Theatrical Poster

Director: Zhang Yimou
Cast: Zhang Yi, Qin Hailu, Ni Dahong, Zhu Yawen, Yu Hewei, Lei Jiayin, Liu Hao Cun, Yu Ailei 
Running Time: 125 min. 

By Paul Bramhall

As one of China’s most highly regarded fifth generation filmmakers it seemed like Zhang Yimou was impervious to the increasingly strict censorship laws that the government has imposed on its cinematic offerings in recent years. However in 2019 we learnt that not even a filmmaker of Yimou’s stature was above the states all-seeing gaze, when his latest feature One Second was pulled just days away from its premier at the Berlin Film Festival citing “technical reasons”, by now a common euphemism for censorship trouble. One Second was eventually released over a year later after reshoots to address the offending content, leaving a relatively short period until the release of his next feature with 2021’s Cliff Walkers, which much like 2018’s Shadow also sees Yimou working from his own script.

I bring up the background involving One Second, as Cliff Walkers very much feels like a movie from a filmmaker who’s been burnt by the need to censor his own work, and doesn’t wish to go through the same process again. So instead we get a movie that literally ends with the onscreen text “This film is dedicated to all of the heroes of the Revolution”, ensuring it favours good will when it goes in front of the board and makes it into theatres unscathed. Yimou isn’t alone in facing the need to compromise to fit into China’s new, heavily jingoistic cinematic landscape. Fellow fifth generation alumni Chen Kaige has the upcoming Battle at Lake Changjin on the horizon, a big budget battle epic that he co-directed with Tsui Hark and Dante Lam, which covers the courageous heroics of the People’s Volunteer Army in a decisive battle during the Korean War. If you’re thinking wasn’t China Continue reading →

Posted in All, Chinese, News, Reviews | Tagged , |
  1. Pages:
  3. 1
  4. ...
  5. 84
  6. 85
  7. 86
  8. 87
  9. 88
  10. 89
  11. 90
  12. 91
  13. 92
  14. 93
  15. 94
  16. ...
  17. 476