Martial Club | Blu-ray (88 Films)

Martial Club | Blu-ray (88 Films)

Martial Club | Blu-ray (88 Films)

RELEASE DATE: July 19, 2022

On July 19, 2022, 88 Films is releasing the Blu-ray (Region A) for Lau Kar Leung’s 1981 kung fu film, Martial Club (aka Instructors of Death), starring Kara Wei (My Young Auntie) and Gordon Liu (The 36th Chamber of Shaolin).

Official details:

Martial Club is a fast-paced, cleverly choreographed piece of martial arts fun combining many elements that lovers of this kind of cinema will be more than appreciative of. Rival fight schools, an old master and beautifully designed set pieces tumble together in a colourfully kinaesthetic unceasing parade of flying fists and action set pieces.

This title will soon be available at The Goodie Emporium, a U.S.-based online store Continue reading

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Deal on Fire! Invincible Dragon | Blu-ray | Only $4.99 – Expires soon!

Invincible Dragon | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

Invincible Dragon | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

Today’s Deal on Fire is the Blu-ray for Invincible Dragon, a martial arts actioner starring Max Zhang (Master Z: The Ip Man Legacy, The Brink), Annie Liu (Hungry Ghost Ritual), Richard Ng (The Pilferer’s Progress) and UFC champ Anderson Silva.

Formerly known as both Made in Kowloon and The Man with the Dragon Tattoo, this martial arts thriller is directed by Fruit Chan (Made in Hong Kong).

When a brilliant but trigger-happy detective is outsmarted by a serial killer, he pays a high price for his momentary lapse in judgment. Robbed of both his fiancée and his job, he soon spirals out of control and goes back to what he knows best: fighting. Unbeknownst to him, a serendipitous reunion with an old rival (Silva) may Continue reading

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Bloodmoon (1997) Review

"Bloodmoon" DVD Cover

“Bloodmoon” DVD Cover

Director: Tony Leung Siu Hung
Cast: Gary Daniels, Darren Shahlavi, Michael Depasquale Jr, Keith Vitali, Rob Van Dam, Chuck Jeffreys, Frank Gorshin, Ken Kensei, Jen Sung, Joe Hess
Running Time: 102 min.

By Henry McKeand

“It’s never enough!”

These words are spoken by Bloodmoon’s villain in the opening fight scene, but they could double as the unofficial mantra of this maximalist martial arts buddy cop flick. The funny detective being simply eccentric wouldn’t be enough, so the script makes him an amateur magician as well. The serial killer baddie being an unassuming sadist wouldn’t be enough, so he’s a theatrical computer expert (AKA a guy in the late-90s who understands email) dressed like a WWE heel. The trope of the innocent young woman who can actually take care of herself? That’s not quite enough, so it turns out that she’s a national martial arts champion. There’s no room for subtlety in Keith W. Strandberg’s script, but anyone interested in a Gary Daniels movie isn’t looking for subtlety. 

What really matters is that crafting passable action sequences wasn’t enough for director and choreographer Tony Leung Siu-Hung, who instead constructed some of the finest no-nonsense brawls you’ll see in a 90s DTV flick. It’s just a shame there aren’t a few more of them.

The plot involves a serial killer, played by the late Darren Shahlavi, who is targeting martial artists and taking them out in hand-to-hand fights. Chuck Jeffreys plays the aforementioned magician cop who is assigned to the case. His long-suffering chief (Frank Gorshin, whose most famous role is The Riddler in the Adam West Batman series), teams him up with a troubled, retired cop played by Daniels. The two men initially each hate other, and egos do more clashing than fists at times. The threat of more killings should give the plot a ticking clock element, but Shahlavi is off screen for long stretches of the film, and lighthearted buddy cop scenes make it easy to forget that Continue reading

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Can betta fish eat tropical flakes?

Are you curious about betta fish-eating tropical flakes? Well, you’re in luck! In this article, we will discuss what tropical flakes are, what they are used for, and some of the benefits that betta fish may find useful. 

So whether you’re looking to add some flavor to your betta’s diet or just want to learn more about this interesting addition to your fish tank, keep reading.

What are tropical flakes?

Tropical flakes are a very popular and common type of fish food that is made from coconut meat and flakes. They are used as a general dietary supplement for other types of fish, such as bettas, but they can also be used to feed betta fish in some cases. 

We should also note that there are different types of tropical flakes available, so be sure to check the product description on the packaging before you buy.

Betta Fish Can Eat Tropical Flakes?

Yes, betta fish can eat tropical flakes. In fact, due to their high protein content, betta fish are able to metabolize them more efficiently than other types of fish food. 

As a result, these flakes can provide your betta with a healthy source of nutrition and help your pet stay strong and healthy throughout the years.

What are the benefits?

Betta fish can benefit from the various nutritional properties that tropical flakes have to offer. For example, they are high in protein (a very important nutrient for betta fish), low in fat content, and contain plenty of vitamins and minerals that your pet may need to stay healthy. 

In addition, betta fish price is not so high and they have been shown to improve digestion and help ease constipation in some cases. This is not only good news for bettas but also for their owners who prefer keeping their pets in good health.

There are many more benefits that tropical flakes can provide your pet. By taking a look at the various types of flakes you can choose from, you will notice that some are made from different types of ingredients such as freeze-dried shrimp and vegetable protein. 

These flakes may be more beneficial for different types of fish, so be sure to check the product description before purchasing.

Why add tropical flakes to your betta fish’s diet?

As we mentioned above, betta fish are able to metabolize tropical flakes more efficiently than other types of fish food. This means that they will be able to eat less food, which is a great thing for your pet.

In addition, betta fish enjoy the taste of tropical flakes, which can make them quite happy. Finally, by adding these flakes to your betta’s diet you may save money in the long run as they can last a long time and provide your pet with nutrients for a considerable amount of time.

Conclusion

As you can see, betta fish can benefit a lot from eating tropical flakes. In many cases, they will be able to eat less food and get a lot of nutrition from the same amount of food. 

Furthermore, by adding these flakes to your betta’s diet you may save money in the long run as they can last a long time and provide your pet with nutrients for a considerable amount of time.

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The Seventh Curse | Blu-ray (88 Films)

RELEASE DATE: July 4, 2022

On July 4, 2022, 88 Films is releasing a Deluxe Collectors Edition Blu-ray (Region B) for Nam Lai-Choi’s 1986 feature, The Seventh CurseThis martial arts, horror and fantasy mix stars Chin Siu Ho (Tai Chi Master), Chow Yun-fat (Project Gutenberg) and Maggie Cheung (Police Story 3: Supercop).

Official details:

When Dr Yuen (Chin Siu-ho) attempts to rescue a girl about to be sacrificed by the Worm Tribe in the middle of a Thailand jungle, he is damned with seven ‘Blood Curses’. Though he finds a temporary antidote this will only last a year and he must return to the jungle to find a permanent cure.

The Seventh Curse is an adventurous story of lost tribes and deadly magic. Featuring strange Continue reading

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Foolish Plan (2016) Review

"Foolish Plan" Theatrical Poster

“Foolish Plan” Theatrical Poster

Director: Sen Dao
Cast: Jordan Chan Siu-Chun, Deng Jia-Jia, Jiro Wang Dong-Cheng, Lee Beom-Su, Lawrence Ng Kai-Wah, Zhang Xiao-Jue, Xu Ou-Yi, Piao Wen-Xi
Running Time: 88 min. 

By Paul Bramhall 

Before the relationship between China and South Korea deteriorated in 2017, which resulted in China imposing an unofficial ban on all things South Korean – including importing Korean movies and all things K-pop – China enjoyed using Korea as a backdrop for some of its mainstream cinema outings. Specifically the countries popular honeymoon destination of Jeju Island, of which the local honeymooning couples are likely only outnumbered by Chinese tourists, for a brief period (and when I say brief, I mean 2016) it looked like Chinese studios had found a new go-to formula.

Said formula usually involved a quirky caper like plot, comedic and/or attractive Mainland stars, and of course the obligatory Korean cast members to give it some local flavour. So it was we got movies like Bounty Hunters, which paired Wallace Chung with Lee Min-ho, and Bad Guys Always Die, which saw Wilson Chen acting alongside the likes of Son Ye-jin and Shin Hyun-joon. Joining their ranks to make what I like to call the 2016 Jeju Trilogy is Foolish Plan, which sees Hong Kong’s Young and Dangerous luminary Jordan Chan (Fox Hunter, Golden Job) acting along Continue reading

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Exploring the Continued Presence of Bruce Lee in Pop Culture

Bruce Lee will forever be remembered as one of the most influential movie stars of his time – even though he only made five films – as well as a master of martial arts who had a tremendous impact on popular culture. Still, it’s a rarity for someone who passed away nearly 50 years to still have a presence in the contemporary space of pop culture, especially given how much entertainment media has been transformed.

It just speaks to the profound force that Bruce Lee was at the time of his rise. Still an instantly recognizable figure, his work in film transformed the depiction of Asian characters in western media. He introduced a true style of real on-screen action, and his blend of styles is widely credited as paving the way for the mixed martial arts scene. So, perhaps it isn’t a surprise that modern creatives are still drawing from Lee’s work and legacy.

Lee is present in even the newest forms of entertainment

Most famed for his on-screen choreography and distinct martial arts style, it won’t come as a surprise that much of Bruce Lee’s influence in the world of video gaming is in the fighting genre. He is the inspiration behind Maxi in Soulcalibur, Liu Kang in Mortal Kombat, and Fei Long in Street Fighter. You can also find several character skins across gaming to create a Bruce Lee character, as is the case in the latest collaboration for skins in Naraka: Bladepoint.

Most distinctly, however, Marshall Law in Tekken is the character who is the complete embodiment of Bruce Lee in gaming. From fighting style to available outfits and vocals, Marshall Law is the most akin to Bruce Lee, until you get to the icon himself. Even in the new space of online casino gaming and free spins no deposit offers, there is a Bruce Lee slot game at the ready. Found on Casumo Casino, a highly rated platform offering 20 spins on Book of Dead, you can find the official Bruce Lee game, featuring signature weapons and the star himself.

Lee’s works continue in scripts for the screen as well

Two years before his death, Bruce Lee was shopping his concept for a series entitled Ah Sahm, which was rejected by major studios in 1971. In 2015, however, his daughter successfully revived the idea, with the result being the show Warrior. Shannon Lee is the show’s executive producer, with the showrunner being Jonathan Tropper, who crafted the superb Cinemax show Banshee.  

Having recently completed its second season, with a third on the way, it was billed as Cinemax’s primary show and now ranks highly on the streaming platform HBO Max. In fact, shortly after its arrival there in 2021, the two-season-old program quickly climbed into the upper echelons of the platform’s most-viewed shows. The series is certainly unique in American media, both in its focus, delivery, and representation, with the protagonist, played by Andrew Koji, taking on a distinctly Bruce Lee-esque persona and style.

In an age of entertainment media where audiences want to see stories from different communities to those who have dominated the screen for decades, Bruce Lee’s concept looked perfect on paper. Throw in a real dedication to his work by his daughter, and a showrunner who proved to be a nuanced supporter of representation and diversity in Banshee, and Warrior looks to be the perfect show for modern TV.

Bruce Lee wasn’t just an icon of his era, but clearly, he’s still a pop-culture favorite even 50 years later.

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Running Out of Time I and II | Blu-ray (Eureka)

Running Out of Time I and II | Blu-ray (Eureka)

Running Out of Time I and II | Blu-ray (Eureka)

RELEASE DATE: August 1, 2022

On August 1, 2022, Eureka is releasing the Blu-ray (Region B) for Johnnie To’s 1999 thriller, Running Out of Time, as well as its 2001 sequel, Running Out of Time 2.

Official details:

Johnnie To’s Running Out of Time 1 & 2; two slickly made cat-and-mouse thrillers, and starring Andy Lau (Infernal Affairs), Lan Ching-wan (A Hero Never Dies) and Ekin Cheng (The Storm Riders); scanned and restored in 2K and available for the first time on Blu-ray in the UK as part of The Masters of Cinema Series.

Acclaimed director Johnnie To helms this visually dazzling and nail-bitingly intense action thriller that became one of Hong Kong’s biggest box Continue reading

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Drive My Car (2021) Review

"Drive My Car" Japanese Theatrical Poster

“Drive My Car” Japanese Theatrical Poster

Director: Ryusuke Hamaguchi
Cast: Hidetoshi Nishijima, Toko Miura, Reika Kirishima, Park Yu-rim, Jin Dae-yeon, Sonia Yuan, Ahn Hwitae, Perry Dizon, Satoko Abe, Masaki Okada
Running Time: 179 min.

By Paul Bramhall

It’s perhaps a testament to how much inspiration Japanese author Haruki Murakami is capable of instilling in those who read his work, when you consider that Drive My Car is the second of his short stores in recent years to be adapted into an epic piece of cinema. Korean director Lee Chang-dong adapted the short story Barn Burning from The Elephant Vanishes omnibus into 2018’s Burning, clocking in at 2 & ½ hours, and in 2021 Japanese director Ryûsuke Hamaguchi’s adapted the short story Drive My Car from the omnibus Men Without Women. Despite the source material being less than 40 pages, transferred to screen Drive My Car transforms into a 3-hour meditation on loss, identity, and what it means to come to terms with a past that can never be fully understood.

Only the 2nd Japanese movie to win the Best International Picture Academy Award after Departures in 2008, Hamaguchi plays with the narrative structure of Murakami’s original work in a way which allows it to connect with audiences more coherently, and promises a richer experience on repeated viewings. Hidetoshi Nishijima (Casshern, Dolls) and Reika Kirishima (Heaven’s Door, Norwegian Wood) are a happily married couple involved in the arts, with Nishijima a successful stage actor and director, and Kirishima a script writer. Nishijima is invited to Vladivostok as a judge at a festival, however when his flight is delayed by a day due to bad weather he returns home, only to find his wife Continue reading

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Sony enlists Marvel’s ‘Hawkeye’ series director Rhys Thomas to helm live-action adaptation of ‘Robotech’

"The Super Dimension Fortress Macross" Japanese DVD Cover

“The Super Dimension Fortress Macross” Japanese DVD Cover

After years of development hell, Sony is moving forward – slowly but surely – with a big screen, live-action adaptation of Robotech, a popular animated TV show that aired in the United States in 1985.

Robotech will chronicle three generations of humans and the giant transformable robots they pilot as they defend earth from an alien invasion.

Previously, James Wan (The Conjuring, Furious 7), Nic Mathieu (Spectral) and Andy Muschietti (It, Mama) were attached to direct, but now Robotech is now in the hands of Rhys Thomas (Marvel’s Hawkeye).

According to Deadline: After helping steer the ship as the main director on Marvel’s Continue reading

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Breathing Fire (1991) Review

"Breathing Fire" Theatrical Poster

“Breathing Fire” Theatrical Poster

Director: Lou Kennedy
Co-director: Brandon De-Wilde
Cast: Ke Huy Quan, Eddie Saavedra, Ed Neil, Jerry Trimble, Bolo Yeung, Wendell C. Whitaker
Running Time: 85 min.

By Henry McKeand

How’s this for an early-90s time capsule? Breathing Fire is a film so dedicated to its Xtreme teenage aesthetic that the plot revolves around a group of kickboxing bank robbers searching for a slice of pizza. Just when you think it couldn’t get more radical, the two young heroes turn out to be martial arts prodigies who turn even boring chores into electro hip-hop dance competitions. These are Power Rangers characters filtered through a sun-soaked DTV action filter—Chuck Norris acolytes with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle personalities. 

These characters exist in a movie that belongs to the unofficial “evil henchman played by Bolo Yeung” subgenre of American action cinema. Everyone’s trying to kick like JCVD and the whole thing is shot like a Fat Boys music video. It’s a visual celebration of yuppie American excess, but it worships at the altar of HK action and uses a Taiwanese crew to craft bold, workmanlike fight sequences. It’s clearly shot in contemporary California, but there’s something alien about its world—dialogue delivered by native English speakers is stilted to the point of sounding dubbed. 

The plot revolves around Tony, played by Eddie Saavedra, and his adopted Vietnamese brother Charlie, played by Ke Huy Quan. Unbeknownst to them, their father Michael, played by Jerry Trimble, is a ruthless criminal who has stored the loot from a major gold heist in a vault that requires two keys to enter. Naturally, he and his gang encrust the keys into a plastic pizza and then cut the pizza into several slices, meaning they need each other to access the gold. Through a series of misadventures, Tony and Charlie are introduced to Annie (played by Laura Hamilton), the daughter Continue reading

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Clementine (2004) Review

"Clementine" Theatrical Poster

“Clementine” Theatrical Poster

Director: Kim Doo-young
Cast: Lee Dong-jun, Steven Seagal, Kim Hye-Ri, Eun Seo-Woo, Ki Joo-Bong, Kim Jung-Tae, Lim Ho, Lim Hyeok-Pil, Simon Rhee, So-yeon Kim, Jun Won-Joo
Running Time: 100 min.

By Paul Bramhall

The likelihood is you’ve never found yourself asking if there’s a Korean version of Don ‘The Dragon’ Wilson, but just on the off chance that you have, then let me put forward the case for Lee Dong-jun. A three-time taekwondo world champion and regular member of the Korean national team in the 1980s, similar to Wilson he converted to acting once his competitive career had run its course, turning up in various tough guy roles to dispense precision timed kicks to the face. It would be 1996’s Charisma that arguably offered up the best opportunity for Dong-jun to show off his skills, one of many direct-to-video taekwondo gangster flicks that Korea cranked out throughout the 1990’s, and the directorial debut of Kim Doo-young.

Doo-young would only go on to direct 2 more movies after his debut, the first being 2003’s Dying or Live about a restaurant delivery driver who’s obsessed with Bruce Lee, and the second coming a year later in the form of Clementine. His final feature is noteworthy because it finally gave Dong-jun star billing in a taekwondo movie, and to top it all off, the selling point was that his main opponent would be Steven Seagal! The master of mumbling and Aikido had his final cinematic outing just a couple of years prior with 2002’s Half Past Dead, and in 2004 many were still dazed and confused as to what direction Seagal’s career was headed in (including me!). DTV seemed to be the order of the day, and while The Foreigner was unwatchable dreck, Belly of the Beast saw legendary Hong Kong director and choreographer Ching Siu-Tung at the helm. So, Steven Seagal Continue reading

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Drive My Car | Blu-ray (Criterion)

Drive My Car | Blu-ray (Criterion)

Drive My Car | Blu-ray (Criterion)

RELEASE DATE: July 19, 2022

On July 19, 2022, Criterion is releasing the Blu-ray and DVD for Drive My Car (read our review), a 2021 film from co-writer (with Takamasa Oe) and director Ryusuke Hamaguchi. This award-winning, critically acclaimed film stars Hidetoshi Nishijima (Mozu: The Movie), Masaki Okada (Rage) and Toko Miura (Silent Rain).

Official details:

Only Ryusuke Hamaguchi—with his extraordinary sensitivity to the mysterious resonances of human interactions—could sweep up international awards and galvanize audiences everywhere with a pensive, three-hour movie about an experimental staging of an Anton Chekhov play, presented in nine languages and adapted from Haruki Murakami stories. With Continue reading

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Okja | Blu-ray (Criterion)

Okja | Blu-ray (Criterion)

Okja | Blu-ray (Criterion)

RELEASE DATE: July 5, 2022

On July 5, 2022, Criterion is releasing the 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD for Okja, from Bong Joon-ho (The Snowpiercer), the acclaimed director of the 2006 Korean monster masterpiece The Host, as well as the 2019 sensation, Parasite.

Read the official details below:

Master genre exploder Bong Joon Ho swirls pathos, dark satire, action, and horror into an exhilarating twenty-first-century fairy tale. An all-star cast including Tilda Swinton, Paul Dano, Steven Yeun, and Jake Gyllenhaal is led by An Seo Hyun as Mija, a South Korean girl growing up on an Edenic mountainside with her grandfather and best friend: Okja, a giant, empathetic “superpig” created as part of a secret GMO experiment. When Continue reading

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Deal on Fire! The Karate Kid Collection | 4K UHD + Blu-ray | Only $41.99 – Expires soon!

The Karate Kid Collection |

Today’s Deal on Fire is the 4K + Blu-ray + Digital set for The Karate Kid Collection, which includes The Karate Kid, The Karate Kid II and The Karate Kid III (The Next Karate Kid is absent from this collection).

Read on for the official Continue reading

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