Dr. Lamb | Blu-ray (Unearthed Films)

Dr. Lamb | Blu-ray (Unearthed Films)

Dr. Lamb | Blu-ray (Unearthed Films)

RELEASE DATE: August 9, 2022

On August 9, 2022, Unearthed Films is releasing the Blu-ray (Region A) for Dr. Lamb, a 1992 Hong Kong film starring Simon Yam (Final Run), and directed by both Danny Lee Sau Yin (The Killer) and Billy Tang Hin Sing (Run and Kill).

Official details:

The infamous and legendary CAT III atrocity in its full uncut form from the 2K master, Dr. Lamb is coming from Unearthed Films in 2022!

A mentally disturbed taxi driver lusts for blood every rainy night, and several young women are brutally murdered. He likes to take photos of the victims’ dismembered bodies as his special mementos after has sex Continue reading

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

Wind Blast (2010) Review

"Wind Blast" Theatrical Poster

“Wind Blast” Theatrical Poster

Director Gao Qun-Shu
Cast: Duan Yi-Hong, Ni Da-Hong, Jacky Wu Jing, Zhang Li, Francis Ng Chun-Yu, Yu Nan, Xia Yu, Charlie Yeung, He Tiehong, Wang Shuang-Bao, Chi Qiang
Running Time: 114 min. 

By Paul Bramhall 

If any movie is representative of Chinese mainstream cinema being at a crossroads, then the case for Wind Blast being it is a strong one. Made in 2010, it was a time when China’s rapid economic development saw hundreds of cinemas being opened around the country, and the likes of both Hong Kong and Hollywood came to realise the box office potential a population of over a billion could bring. At the same time, while censorship was a given in Mainland cinema, it was still a world away from the path that would be set in 2014, when President Xi Jinping famously urged the film industry to make “patriotism the main theme of literary and artistic creation”. It was a statement that ushered in the era of ‘main melody’ movies, kick started the following year with Wolf Warrior, the sophomore directorial feature of Beijing native Wu Jing, a production that unashamedly branded itself as jingoistic propaganda to the tune of box office success.

Wu Jing had spent the majority of the mid-1990’s to late-2000’s in Hong Kong being branded as the next big kung fu star. While he worked with some of the best, including Yuen Woo-Ping, Lau Kar-Leung, and Donnie Yen, he never really stuck as leading man material despite his best efforts. In 2010 he released a statement revealing that he was tired of the celebrity culture that working in Hong Kong came with, and wished to head back to his homeland. Wind Blast was the first movie he’d work on having returned to the Mainland, and giving little indication to the stardom that would await him just 5 years later, here he’s unceremoniously cast in a supporting role (which may explain Continue reading

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Kung Fu Stuntmen, Yuen Biao, Jet Li, Cynthia Rothrock and more! Here’s what’s on Hi-YAH for the month of April!


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 April, 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 Continue reading

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Hard Hit (2021) Review

"Hard Hit" Theatrical Poster

“Hard Hit” Theatrical Poster

Director: Kim Chang-Ju
Cast: Jo Woo-Jin, Lee Jae-In, Jin Kyung, Kim Ji-Ho, Jun Suk-Ho, Ji Chang-Wook, Haerry Kim
Running Time: 94 min.

By Henry McKeand

The best Korean thrillers are successful because they push traditional genre elements to new extremes, creating violent psychodramas that value intensity above all else. These films often have runtimes of at least two hours, but there’s almost zero room for Hollywood sentimentality or warmed-over narrative conventions. 

Not only does last year’s Hard Hit, written and directed by Kim Chang-ju, boast a relatively short runtime of 94 minutes, but it also embraces thriller cliches at an almost alarming rate. There are a few bold twists and an underlying message about class divides, but this is a stripped-down suspense film above all else. At best, Chang-ju’s efficient and unpretentious approach is a breath of fresh air. At worst, it feels like a two-dimensional riff on a now-familiar thriller setup: a claustrophobic game of cat and (trapped) mouse. 

The film tells the story of Seong-gyu (Jo Woo-jin), a successful bank manager who is taking his children to school when he receives a call from an unknown number. The man on the other line tells Seong-gyu that there are pressure-sensitive bombs under the seats that will blow if anyone tries to leave the car. The caller wants money, and it becomes clear that he’ll do whatever it takes to get it. This is all established within the first 15 minutes, and the rest of the film is essentially one long set piece that forces Seong-gyu to race through Busan trying to save his family. In the process, he must Continue reading

Posted in All, Korean, News, Reviews |

Jimmy Wang Yu: March 28, 1943 – April 5, 2022

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Bloody Muscle Body Builder in Hell | Blu-ray (Visual Vengeance)

Bloody Muscle Body Builder in Hell | Blu-ray (Visual Vengeance)

Bloody Muscle Body Builder in Hell | Blu-ray (Visual Vengeance)

RELEASE DATE: July 19, 2022

On July 19, 2022, Visual Vengeance (New sister label of Wild Eye Releasing) will be releasing a Collector’s Edition Blu-ray release for 1995’s Bloody Muscle Body Builder in Hell, directed by and starring Shinichi Fukazawa (Violator), Masaaki Kai, Masahiro Kai, Aki Tama Mai and Asako Nosaka.

Official details:

Alternately known as The Japanese Evil Dead, this legendary, sought after Super 8 independent Japanese cult film will enjoy its first ever North American release in any format and features new bonus content.

Trapped inside a haunted Continue reading

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

Coffin Homes (2021) Review

"Coffin Homes" Theatrical Poster

“Coffin Homes” Theatrical Poster

Director: Fruit Chan
Cast: Siu Yam-Yam, Paul Che, Tai Bo, Rachel Lee Lai-Chun, Cheung Tat-Ming, Wong Yau-Nam, Peter Chan Charm-Man, Candy Wen Xue-Er, Ai Wai
Running Time: 91 min.

By Paul Bramhall

As a director, Fruit Chan has always had the ability to take what appears to be standard genre fare, and give it his own unique off-kilter twist. This was on display in efforts as early as 1993’s Finale in Blood, and has continued to serve him well – from his feature length segment Dumplings in the horror anthology Three…Extremes, to more recent productions like The Midnight After. However that same approach resulted in a catastrophic misfire in 2019 when Chan decided to dip his toes into the action genre with Invincible Dragon, an incomprehensible mix of kung fu and fantasy that pitted Max Zhang against UFC legend Anderson Silva. Invincible Dragon was the kind of movie that makes you question if the director behind it would ever work again or, if they did, how on earth would they follow-up such an outlandish piece of work?

Thankfully for Fruit Chan the question has already been answered, and it comes in the form of 2021’s Coffin Homes. The title is a reference to the slang term commonly used for the tiny, subdivided apartments that provide a home for those squeezed out of Hong Kong’s fiercely competitive and expensive property market. Usually consisting of tiny cubicles fashioned out of makeshift partitions, and with only one bathroom to go around, the standard of living in such conditions is far from enviable. Of course it’s not the first time for Hong Kong’s property market to provide cinematic inspiration – in 1992 Jacob Cheung’s Cageman cleaned up at the HK Film Awards, a drama focusing on the lives of those living in caged apartments, which were very much Continue reading

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Tattooed Dragon, The (1973) Review

"The Tattooed Dragon" Theatrical Poster

“The Tattooed Dragon” Theatrical Poster

Director: Lo Wei
Cast: Jimmy Wang Yu, Sylvia Chang Ai Chi, Sam Hui Koon Kit, James Tien Chun, Dorian Tan Tao Liang, Lee Kwan, Tong Tin Hei, Pipop Pupinyo, Nai Jia
Running Time: 94 min.

By Ian Whittle

After two less than stellar features lensed in Japan, A Man Called Tiger and Seaman No.7, the Lo Wei/Jimmy Wang Yu/Golden Harvest team finally achieve some success with their third collaboration.

In Thailand, a mysterious fighter known only as The Dragon discovers some crooks with stolen charity money. Beating the living daylights out of them, he flees injured with the loot and is taken in by a farmer (Sam Hui) and his fiancée (Sylvia Chang). Meanwhile, the crook’s boss (James Tien) hatches a scheme to get hold of mineral-rich land by opening a casino, and getting the land cheap by obtaining the local’s houses to settle their gambling debts. 

And there’s an adorable dog named Lassie…I mean Lanni, stealing scenes left right and centre!

There is a sense of the guard changing when you have Jimmy Wang Yu and Sam Hui sharing the screen. The former was on his way down from the days when he was a superstar in Shaw Brothers’ wu xia films, and as far as kung fu films went he was being eclipsed by Bruce Lee. One year on from this film, Sam Hui and his brothers would star in Golden Harvest’s box office Continue reading

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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

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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.

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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

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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.

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