Asian Cult Cinema

I Am Bruce Lee Trailer

2012-01-18T09:28:00.000Z

Yet another Bruce Lee documentary is about to hit cinema's in America in February called I Am Bruce Lee. Director Pete McCormack has assembled a vast array of individuals, from those who knew Bruce intimately to modern celebrities who have been influenced by him, to discuss his life and legacy.
While its great that Lee's name is kept in the limelight, this looks like another one of those talking head documentaries that get very boring after a while. It would be nice to see some new or rare footage, but i will not pass anymore comment until i see it. Trailer below.

Monkey King 2012 Poster and Stills

2012-01-11T10:48:00.000Z

Here are some stills and the poster for the upcoming action fantasy film Monkey King. Great cast which includes Donnie Yen, Chow Yun Fat and Aaron Kwok.

Action Packed Trailer for Black and White : Episode 1 The Dawn Of Assault

2011-12-16T10:27:00.004Z

Below is the new trailer for Taiwanese action movie Black and White Episode 1 Dawn of Assault. Released in January the film shows that that there is a nuclear crisis in Taiwan and a hero cop played by Mark Chao and a small-time gangster played by Huang Bo try against all the odds to prevent the terrorist threat. Looking forward to seeing this.

Fisrt Footage of Jackie Chan's Chinese Zodiac (Armour of God 3)

2011-12-12T10:07:00.001Z

Below is the first footage of Armour of God 3 aka Chinese Zodiac starring and directed by Jackie Chan.
From the footage shown it looks like this might be a full blown action film, something Jackie hasnt done in a while, although the release date isn't set for another year, Dec 2012!

The Bruce Lee Chronicles: An inside look at Way of the Dragon. Now Available.

2011-12-05T11:59:00.000Z

Now available to download for the Kindle and other devices such as the IPAD, is the first volume of two, in a series on Way of the Dragon. Filled with fantastic pictures it takes you to the making of the film with hundreds of rare and unseen pictures.
Great price at under £7 also..
CLICK HERE TO GO TO AMAZON AND SEE MORE DETAILS

The Kick : New Trailer

2011-11-30T14:00:00.000Z

Here is a new trailer for the Thai action / comedy The Kick directed by Prachya Pinkaew.
Synopsis : Couple and former Taekwondo champs Moon (Jo Jae-hyeon) and Yun (Ye Ji-won) settle down in Thailand and open a Korean restaurant and Taekwando school. Their three kids are interested in different things; the teenage boy is crazy about Kpop, the girl loves football and Thai dance and only the youngest boy shows any interest in Taekwando. There, the family made friends with Mum and his niece Wah Wah (Jeeja Yanin), a talented muay Thai boxer. Their live changes when the family and their friends become involved with Korean mobsters who've stolen some ancient daggers.

Blood Letter : Vietnamese Period Action

2011-11-25T10:19:00.000Z

I have not seen many films from Vietnam, Johnny Nguyen's The Rebel is one that springs to mind but here is the first trailer for a traditional action film called Blood Letter from director Victor Vu.
Release date is early 2012 and it looks like its worth keeping an eye on.

Tai Chi Master & Legend Of Fong Sai Yuk UK Blu Ray Reviews

2011-11-18T13:55:00.006Z

Cine Asia have recently released these two Jet Li classics onto Blu ray in the UK and below is a small capsule review of both. Both are ALL REGION.

Tai Chi Master stars Jet Li and Chin Siu Ho as two shaolin disciples and friends who grow up in the temple together. After a fight goes wrong both are expelled and they take different paths one as an army general the other a sympathizer to the rebels. When a fearless female freedom-fighter (Michelle Yeoh) is captured and condemned to death, the two men will meet on the battlefield for one last life-or-death confrontation.
Yuen Woo Ping does very well with the action scenes even if there is a lot of wire-work involved. Jet and especially Chin Siu Ho are great in there roles and the film is a satisfying martial arts movie.
The Blu ray is 1080p and the transfer is good if a little grainy in places. Colour are much more pronounced than the dvd and overall its a pretty good transfer.
The sound is given as Cantonese or English dubbed Dolby Digital 5.1 and it says an original Cantonese mono track. This is clearly not true as this track is just a downmix from the 5.1 with all the annoying added sound fx present. Disappointing. Extras which are in SD are ported over from the dvd release which includes a good audio commentary from Bey Logan and an Interview with Chin Siu Ho.
PICTURE: *** SOUND: ** EXTRAS: ****
BUY TAI CHI MASTER BLU RAY AT AMAZON..CLICK HERE

Legend Of Fong Sai Yuk or just Fong Sai Yuk to give it its original title was made in 1993 and is one of the better kung fu comedy films made in that period.Sai Yuk gets involved with a government official's daughter just as he discovers his family is part of a rebel resistance movement. Now he must battle to save his family from the ruthless officials in a fight to the death. Enjoyable film which uses lots of wire-work and with great performances from Jet Li and Josephine Siao as his mother. Look out for a blistering fight between Jet and the then unknown Chiu Man Chuk who went on to play Wong Fei Hung in the Once Upon A Time In China films after Jet Li left the role.
Again the Blu ray is 1080p but it is a disappointing transfer. it is very grainy and soft although the colours are very well represented especially in close up shots. Audio is Cantonese 2.0 mix and thankfully is not tampered with even though it is very weak. An English 5.1 track is also included. But the bad thing about this release is that it is cut. They have used the original American edit which removes some comedy and a little of the violence. While this does not spoil the film it is sad that they could not have got an uncut print to release.
Extras are again the same as the dvd and in SD. These include another great audio commentary by Bey Logan and interviews with Corey Yuen and Jeff Lau. Overall a good disc just a pity they could not have got an uncut version.
PICTURE: *** SOUND: *** EXTRAS: ****
BUY LEGEND OF FONG SAI YUK FROM AMAZON CLICK HERE

The Flying Swords Of Dragon Gate: New Trailer

2011-11-14T09:42:00.003Z

Here is a new trailer for Flying Swords Of Dragon Gate starring Jet Li and directed by Tsui Hark.
A little too much CGI for my liking but we dont have to wait long to see, as the release date in Hong Kong is in December.

Classic Trailer: Hapkido (1972)

2011-11-13T21:26:00.002Z

The first of a series of classic trailers. Here is one for Hapkido from 1972 starring Angela Mao, Cater Wong and Sammo Hung. Way ahead of its time in choreography it still stands up as a great film even today.
DVD releases of this are hard to find. It was released re-mastered by Hong Kong Legends in the UK and Australia but soon went OOP but you can still find it on Ebay or Amazon.
HAPKIDO DVD EBAY CLICK HERE....
HAPKIDO DVD AMAZON UK CLICK HERE

1911 and Sorcerer and The White Snake Pre-Orders

2011-11-09T14:43:00.000Z

Both Jackie Chan and Jet Li's latest films are on DVD and Blu Ray Pre-order at Yes Asia.

1911 starring Jackie Chan and Li Bing Bing is available on DVD (R3) and Blu ray (RA) Click Here...

Sorcerer And The White Snake starring Jet Li and Eva Huang is also on DVD (R3) and Blu Ray (RA)...Click Here...

Will review both discs soon....

Legendary Amazons : First Trailer

2011-11-04T15:26:00.001Z

Below is the first trailer for Legendary Amazons the new film from director Frankie Chan (Prodigal Son, Outlaw Brothers) and based on the legendary story of the widows and daughters of the Yang family who lived during the Song Dynasty. The legendary woman warrior family has been used before most notably in The Shaw Brothers movies 14 Amazons and Eight Diagram Pole Fighters.
The action choreographer is veteran actor Fung Hak-On best remembered for roles in Police Story, Magnificent Butcher and more recently Ip Man 2. No release date yet.

Mural : New Trailer

2011-11-02T10:42:00.001Z

Here is the trailer for the latest film from director Gordon Chan called Mural, which has been a big hit in Mainland China. Action fans will be pleased to know that Collin Chou and Andy On have prominent roles and while it is a special effects film it does look entertaining.

Region Free DVD Player : Under £17!!

2011-10-27T14:19:00.000+01:00

For those of you that dont yet have region free playback on your DVD player then this Xenta player is a steal at under £17! It can be made region free by just putting the following into the remote.

To make this player region-free, do the following:

1. Press 'setup' on the remote

2. Type '9735' on the remote

3. The current region will appear at the top right

4. Press left/right on the remote to change the region to '0' then press setup again.

No need to be locked out by region coding again!!

CLICK HERE TO GET THIS PLAYER AT A SILLY PRICE..LIMITED QUANTITY

The Guillotines : First Poster

2011-10-25T12:08:00.000+01:00

Here is the first poster for the new film directed by Andrew Lau, The Guillotines a remake of sorts of the classic Shaw Brothers movie The Flying Guiilotine.The film will star Huang Xiaoming, Ethan Juan, Shawn Yue, Li Yuchun and Boran Jing.
Here is the synopsis:
During the Manchurian-ruled Qing Dynasty, Emperor Yong Zheng established a secret assassination squad known as the Guillotines to eliminate all who opposed him. Once heavily favored by the Emperor, the Guillotines are deemed expendable once Emperor Qian Long ascends to the throne and adopts Western ideas and technology. To consolidate his power under a new regime, the Emperor continues to use the Guillotines to persecute the conquered Han Chinese in a reign of terror and oppression.

Led by master fighter Leng, the top ranked guillotine squad consists of five young warriors: Mu, San, Tai, Hutu and Buka. Serving the Qing Court unquestioningly, they have never failed in 348 missions to eliminate their targets. But their success has made them arrogant and complacent.

Their next mission is to eliminate Wolf and his Shepherd gang. During the operation, the squad manages to trap Wolf. Just as they are about to execute him, the squad commander orders that he be captured alive. He secretly plans to use Wolf as a pawn in his bid for power. Wolf's gang of rebels ambushes the Guillotines in their moment of hesitation. Wolf escapes, taking Mu hostage.

With reports that Wolf has fled to the outer frontiers, the squad tracks him to a remote village outpost. On the other hand, the Emperor has sent his most trusted agent Du for the same mission and most importantly, to end the era of the Guillotines by replacing cold weapons with firearms. If only they make one false move, they will become the hunted. Facing annihilation, Leng and his Guillotines must outfight and outwit enemies from both sides.

The Bruce Lee Chronicles : An Inside Look At The Way Of The Dragon. Vol 1

2011-10-24T12:43:00.001+01:00

Coming soon and written by Steve Kerridge is this fantastic E-Book for use on the Kindle and other devices, on the making of the Bruce Lee classic Way Of The Dragon. The Bruce Lee Chronicles: An Inside Look At The Way Of The Dragon has hundreds of fantastic never before seen photos and details on the making of the movie, this is a must for Lee fans everywhere...As soon as we get a release date and link you will find it on here, for now watch the promotional video below...

Wu Xia (2011) Review

2011-10-17T15:10:00.002+01:00

Donnie Yen has been one of the busiest actors in Hong Kong in recent years and this new film Wu Xia sees him team up with director Peter Chan for a different take on the Martial Arts action genre.

A simple paper mill owner (Donnie Yen) lives in a village with his wife (Tang Wei) and two children. One day he is in a shop that was being robbed, and in defending the store owners, he managed to kill the two robbers. A detective (Takeshi Kaneshiro) is assigned to investigate the case and using his skill as a scientist, begins to suspect that the defender of the shopkeeper is not all that he seems.
Fans of the Wuxia genre will be somewhat puzzled by the title, that's not to say that this is not a good film, it is, a bit frustrating at times and some of it does not work but overall this is a very skilled piece of film making and the director should be applauded for willing to be so daring and different.
Donnie Yen again shows that he is a good actor here showing a brewing calmness which you know can explode at any time. Takeshi Kaneshiro is good as the detective who uses a scientific approach to investigating the murders, it comes across as a sort of CSI Chinese style!
The films cinematography is very impressive but you should go into this film as a drama not a full blown martial arts movie. The action when it comes is excellently choreographed, exciting but brutal at the same time. There are only really three action set pieces throughout the film but they add to the tension and move the story along dramatically.

Kara Hui, well known to Shaw Brothers fans, has a great cameo as an assassin, her fight with Donnie Yen is the action highlight of the film, as does fellow Shaw veteran Jimmy Wang Yu who shows great menace and screen presence as the assassins leader who will stop at nothing to keep the clan in order.
The film is a definite slow burner and it could have done with a bit more action to speed up the pace.
Overall a satisfying film but one which you think with a little more attention could have been a classic.
The film has been picked up for distribution in the USA and re-titled Dragon (wow they must have spent a long time thinking of that title!). You dont have to wait, see the full uncut dvd (R3) or Blu ray (RA) available from Hong Kong.
7 OUT OF 10.
The film is available on DVD and Blu ray from Hong Kong now...Click Here for details

The Viral Factor : New Trailer

2011-10-11T11:00:00.001+01:00

The Viral factor is the new thriller from one of my favourite directors Dante Lam. The film stars Jay Chou and Nicholas Tse as estranged brothers on opposite sides of the law, the action goes from the Middle East to Malaysia and back to Hong Kong as Chou leads an anti-terrorist unit to track down Tse's character before he can unleash a deadly virus. Below is the trailer. Due for release in 2012.

The Kick : First Official Trailer

2011-09-30T10:30:00.000+01:00

Here is the first trailer for The Kick, looks impressive with some amazing if unrealistic moves...

My Father Is A Hero: Hong Kong Blu Ray Review

2011-09-23T10:52:00.001+01:00

My Father Is A Hero (1995)
Released by Kam & Ronson this is one of Jet Li's better offerings for the period. Li plays an undercover cop who is assigned to go to Hong Kong to infiltrate a gang of thieves. Even his young son and sick wife do not know his true story and both think he has turned bad. When a HK cop (Anita Mui) starts to uncover the truth both Li and his son face great danger from the gang and there ruthless boss. This has great chemistry between Li and his young son (Tze Miu) and the fight scenes are very well choreographed by Corey Yuen.
In the US, My Father Is A Hero was re-edited/scored/dubbed and released as The Enforcer in 2000. No option for the original Cantonese audio was included. This same version was released by Dragon Dynasty.

Thankfully this is one of Kam & Ronson's better efforts when it come to Blu ray releases. It is true HD 1080P and the print used , although worn in places is very good. A little DNR but nothing distracting and overall a very filmic transfer. The sound although Dolby True 7.1, is just the original mono spread about the sound stage, thankfully no added foley sound effects are present which has marred many of K&R's Blu ray releases of classic titles. Cantonese or Mandarin language option are available as well as English and Chinese subtitles, a few grammatical errors but nothing too bad.
There are no Extra's and the disc is locked to region A, so you will need a region A or multi region player to play this disc. Lets hope K&R continue to release proper HD titles with the original sound intact.
PICTURE : 3.5 OUT OF 5
SOUND : 2.5 OUT OF 5
EXTRAS: 0 OUT OF 5
Available here from YES ASIA

The Kick : Teaser Trailer

2011-09-21T10:52:00.000+01:00

Director Prachya Pinkaew is bringing Korean Taekwondo to the stage in his new film The Kick.
Below is the first teaser trailer (thanks to Twitch) and the kicking is very impressive. Lets hope it has a decent story unlike the recent Bangkok Dangerous.

My Father Is A Hero DVD Winner

2011-09-21T10:47:00.000+01:00

The winner drawn at random for the dvd of Jet Li in My Father is A Hero is Lee Mason. Congratulations to him, the dvd will be on its way to him soon and thanks to everyone who entered..another contest soon.....

Win My Father Is A Hero DVD!

2011-09-13T11:25:00.000+01:00

You can win a copy of the Jet Li classic, My Father Is A Hero uncut on DVD by entering our free competition. The film is a great action drama, starring Jet Li, Tze Miu and Anita Mui and the DVD is REGION FREE so will play on any dvd player worldwide.
The disc is anamorphic widescreen, Cantonese or Mandarin language with English subtitles.
To be in with a chance of winning just answer the following question via Email :

In what other film did Jet Li star with Child actor Tze Miu.
A. Once Upon A Time In China
B. Last Hero In China
C. New Legend Of Shaolin

Send your answer to accinema@hotmail.co.uk

Winner with the correct answer will be notified and announced on this site on the 20th of Sept. (All entries will be subscribed to our newsletter of news and updates of action movies from the Far East).

The Raid : Amazing New Trailer

2011-09-10T18:00:00.000+01:00

The Raid is the new film from director Gareth Evan's who did Merantau a few years back. Looks like a John Woo type bullet fest, lets hope the film lives up to the trailer!

The Sword Identity : New Trailer

2011-09-06T09:43:00.000+01:00

Xu Haofeng, the script writer for Wong Kar Wai's The Grandmasters, is about to premiere his directorial debut The Sword Identity in Venice and Toronto. Here is the synopsis for the film.

Once upon a time in the Southern Chinese city of Guancheng, there lived four families, each of them faithful keepers of martial arts. Anyone who wanted to establish a new school, or a new form of kung fu, had to fight his way through the family's gates.

Two swordsmen enter the city to request a competition and start their own school, their strange new weapons are mistaken for Japanese swords and therefore forbidden by purist Chinese masters as a foreign fighting device. They are accused of being Japanese pirates by the masters of the martial arts schools.

Facing arrest, the swordsmen must prove the value of swordsmanship by defeating the masters and a living legend who has returned from exile in the mountains.
Looks interesting and am looking forward to seeing this soon. Trailer Below:

1911 : Jackie Chan New Trailer

2011-09-04T19:35:00.001+01:00

Here is the latest trailer for the film 1911 starring Jackie Chan. 1911 tells the story of the Xinhai Revolution that led to the overthrowing of the Qing Dynasty and founding of the Republic of China 100 years ago. It is premiering at the Tokyo International Film Festival this year.
Chan is co-directing 1911 with Zhang Li, who previously worked as RED CLIFF's cinematographer. The cast includes Jackie Chan, Li Bing Bing, Winston Chao, Joan Chen and Jaycee Chan (Jackie's son).

Kim Tai Chung Dies in Korea

2011-08-30T10:59:00.000+01:00

Korean actor Kim Tai Chung, who was best known for starring as Bruce Lee's double in Game Of Death, Tower Of Death and No Retreat No Surrender has died in Korea aged 58. It is reported that after 1 week arriving in Korea, he fell down with stomach-ache, went to the hospital, he seemed to be recovering fine, but his sudden over bleeding caused his death.

No matter what your opinion is of the Bruce Lee exploitation genre, he was a very talented martial artist and our condolences go out to friends and family.

Legendary Amazons : Poster and First Pictures.

2011-08-25T12:02:00.001+01:00

Currently in production, Legendary Amazons is a remake of the classic Shaw Brothers film 14 Amazons. Directed by Frankie Chan it has an all star cast which includes Cheng Pei Pei, Yu Na, Yakira Oshima and Jin Qiaoqiao.
The film is a joint production by Xian Film Studio and Shanghai Film Group among others with U$$20 million budget. Below is the poster and some stills from the production.

Cine Asia Pick Up Yamada : The Samurai Of Ayothaya

2011-08-24T15:07:00.001+01:00

UK distributor Cine Asia have picked up the Thai movie Yamada ,The film, which stars Bangkok-based Japanese actor Seigi Oseki, is inspired by the legend of a samurai warrior who found fame in Siam.
Devotees of Thai action will enjoy this high impact blend of Tony Jaa style martial artistry and bloody 'Bang Rajan' style period combat. The film also stars Sorapong Chatree, who genre fans will remember from his role in 'Ong Bak 2 & 3'.
This one passed me by somehow, the trailer, see below, looks great.... review coming soon....

Rumour Mill: Expendables 2

2011-08-23T10:27:00.000+01:00

While not an Asian film as such, The Expendables was an action fans dream with 80's icons filling the screen as well as Jet Li as the Far Eastern gun for hire. Sadly Jet Li has turned down a role in the sequel so who will fill his shoes? With John Travolta, Chuck Norris and Jean Claude Van Damme already signed up who will be the face from the Orient?
Donnie Yen apparently has been offered the role but wants to see the script and it depends on scheduling conflicts as he is probably one of the busiest actors in Hong Kong at the moment. But who else?
Jackie Chan is the obvious candidate, him being a longtime friend of Stallone. Sammo Hung?, Michelle Yeoh?, Tony Jaa?...It will be interesting who does end up in this blockbuster action sequel.

Tom Yum Goong 2 Starts Filming!

2011-08-19T10:34:00.001+01:00

Tom Yum Goong 2, the sequel to the Thai action blockbuster (known as The Protector in the US and Warrior King in the UK!) has started filming in Thailand with an all star cast. Joining Tony Jaa will be Jija Yanin (Chocolate), Dan Chupong (Born To Fight), Marrese Crump, Kazu Tang and Petchtai Wongkamlao.
In the Opening Ceremony to kick off production earlier today, Panna Rittikrai, who reprises his position directing the action, has stated he is very excited to be working with Marrese Crump, Tony Jaa and the rest of the action lineup, while Prachya Pinkaew directs and produces.
Opening ceremony pictures below:

Flying Swords Of Dragon Gate : Tsui Hark. Jet Li. New Teaser

2011-08-18T12:48:00.000+01:00

Here is a new teaser trailer for Tsui Hark's Flying Swords Of Dragon Gate, starring Jet Li and which opens December 2011.

Five Element Ninjas Coming To Blu Ray

2011-08-16T11:37:00.001+01:00

Great news for Shaw Brothers fans, the Chang Cheh directed Kung Fu classic 5 Element Ninjas (aka Super Ninjas) is getting a Blu ray release in the USA thanks to distributor Media Blasters.
They have already released a superb quality dvd of the title so the Blu ray should be well worth the wait. No release date as yet.

Jackie Chan in 1911 : New Japanese Trailer

2011-08-15T11:13:00.000+01:00

1911 starring Jackie Chan, has been selected as a Special Opening Film for this year's Tokyo International Film Festival, The historical epic tells the story of the Xinhai Revolution that led to the overthrowing of the Qing Dynasty and founding of the Republic of China. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the revolution.
New Japanese trailer below.

New Release on DVD and Blu Ray

2011-08-05T11:50:00.002+01:00

Here are the new releases this week on DVD and Blu ray from UK, USA and Hong Kong. Click on the links for more details.

UK
LOST BLADESMAN : DVD (Region 2 PAL) and Blu Ray (Region B) Donnie Yen
BLACK BELT : DVD (Region 2 PAL) Japanese Action Drama
POLICE STORY : DVD (Region 2 PAL) HK Legends Re-release. Jackie Chan.
POLICE STORY 2 : DVD (Region 2 PAL) HK Legends Re-release. Jackie Chan
NEW POLICE STORY : DVD 2 Disc Set (Region 2 PAL) HK Legends Re-release. Jackie Chan

USA
13 ASSASSINS : DVD (Region 1) and Blu ray (Region A) Samurai Action.
FIVE SHAOLIN MASTERS : DVD (Region 1) Shaw Brothers Classic.
EXECUTIONERS FROM SHAOLIN : DVD (Region 1). Shaw Brothers Classic.
MARTIAL ARTS OF SHAOLIN : DVD (Region 1) Jet Li.
CLASH : DVD (Region 1) Vietnamese Action.
TWIN DRAGONS : Blu ray (Region B). Jackie Chan . English Dubbed only.
MAD MONKEY KUNG FU : DVD (Region 1) Shaw Brothers Classic.

HONG KONG
RUNNING OUT OF TIME : Blu Ray (Region A) Andy Lau.
A BETTER TOMORROW 1,2 AND 3 : Blu ray (Region A) Chow Yun Fat.
PEACOCK KING : DVD (All Region). Yuen Biao.
CRAZY SAFARI : DVD (All Region). Lam Ching Ying.
IRON FISTED MONK : DVD (All Region). Sammo Hung.
THROWDOWN : DVD (Region 3) Blu ray (Region A). Johnnie To.

Classic Trailers: A Better Tomorrow Trilogy

2011-08-01T15:54:00.002+01:00

The three Better Tomorrow films are getting a Blu ray release in Hong Kong this month. Below you can view the trailers for all the films. The first two are classic John Woo and should be in everyone's collection, the third directed by Tsui Hark is a different beast but worth a look.

The Sorcerer And The White Snake - Trailer

2011-07-20T09:59:00.000+01:00

Here is the trailer for The Sorcerer And The White Snake, starring Jet Li, Vivian Hsu, Charlene Choi and directed by Ching Siu Tung. Looks interesting even if there is CGI overkill.

The Grand Master : First Trailer

2011-07-19T11:02:00.000+01:00

Finally the first short trailer for Wong Kar Wai's film about Wing Chun Master Yip Man.
While im not a great fan of the director the rain soaked trailer does look impressive. No release date as yet.

Detective Dee And The Mystery Of The Phantom Flame: UK Blu Ray Review

2011-07-13T14:03:00.005+01:00

Director Tsui Hark has been absent from the screens for a while and many thought his best days were behind him, but with the release of Detective Dee it sees him back on form and shows what a great director he can be.
When a series of mysterious murders prevents the inauguration of China's first Empress, Detective Dee, the greatest investigative mind of his generation, is brought back from exile to embark on a manhunt that will explore the reasons for the strange deaths and uncover a plot that goes right to the top.
Firstly the film is beautiful to look at, the set design and costumes are all first rate even if CGI is used extensively to achieve the look. The actors are very good in the roles, Andy Lau again gives a great performance as Detective Dee and also adapts himself very well in the action scenes, choreographed by the great Sammo Hung. Also there are very good performances by Tony Leung and Li BingBing in a role not to dissimilar to her one in Forbidden Kingdom.
The first half is the best as far as action goes, the finale tends to overdo it on the CGI for my taste which takes you out of the movie slightly.
The story is engaging, someone said it reminded them of a Chinese Sherlock Holmes / Miss Marples and i can see why.
Overall a very good film and a return to form for Tsui Hark. This could well turn into a series of Detective Dee films, and if it does i would look forward to the next installment with great anticipation.

The Blu ray from Cine Asia is stunning, probably one of the best transfers they have done yet, the gorgeous 1080p transfer really shines, blacks are solid and colours really stand out.
Audio is served by a very impressive Mandarin DTS Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, English subtitles are clear and legible with no grammatical errors. Extras as aways with Cine Asia are plentiful, There is the usual information packed audio commentary by Bey Logan, Interview Gallery with Andy Lau, Tsui Hark, Sammo Hung, Carina Lau and others, Behind The Scenes footage and a very nice Intro Into Cine Asia- a promo piece with great highlights from CineAsia's catalog and various short comments from notable critics and Asian cinema fans. (NOTE: This Blu Ray is REGION FREE but the extras are in PAL format).
Overall a good film, and lets hope director Tsui Hark can continue to give us more classic movies in the future.
The disc gets a 5 out of 5 for presentation and is highly recommended.

DETECTIVE DEE AMAZON
DETECTIVE DEE EBAY

Lost Bladesman : UK DVD / Blu Ray August 8th

2011-07-11T12:52:00.000+01:00

The Donnie Yen Action film The Lost Bladesman gets a UK DVD and Blu Ray release on August the 8th from Icon Home Entertainment. Yen stars as the legendary warrior Guan Yun Chang, sworn brother of the great warlord Liu Bei, who, on becoming separated from his friend during the tumultuous warring period of the Three Kingdoms, is taken prisoner by and agrees to fight temporarily alongside Liu Bei’s enemy and rival warlord, Cao Cao.

Guan’s heroism on the battlefield is rewarded with the title of Marquis of Hanshou and promotion to the rank of lieutenant general in Cao Cao’s army. The position allows him the freedom to escort Liu Bei’s concubine, Qi Lan, who is being held hostage by Cao Cao, back to her lord and master. But the journey is fraught with danger as Guan and Qi Lan must make their way through a number of mountain passes, all of which are occupied by enemy generals and their armies.

Great weapons work from Donnie Yen and a tight and gripping story make this a must see for fan's of Donnie Yen or Martial Arts cinema in general. Extra features to be announced.

You Can Pre-order from Amazon. The DVD will be PAL region 2, The Blu Ray probably Region B ( TBC)

LOST BLADESMAN DVD

LOST BLADESMAN BLU RAY

Gallants : UK DVD Review

2011-07-04T17:23:00.001+01:00

Gallants shocked everyone at the 2011 HK Film awards by coming away with the prize for best film, beating out stiff competition such as Tsui Hark's impressive Detective Dee. It also won Best Supporting Actor (Teddy Robin), Best Supporting Actress (Susan Shaw) and Best Original Film Score.
The film now reaches the UK, thanks to distributor MVM.
Harking back to the good old days of Kung Fu Cinema, Gallants centres around master Law, who has been in a coma for many years, but is still looked after by his two loyal pupils, Dragon and Tiger. Meanwhile geeky office worker Cheung (You-Nam Wong) is sent to a remote village to negotiate property rights for his real estate company.
These characters cross paths which results in the master awakening from his deep sleep and to his anger discovers the kung fu school is now a tea shop. He thinks Cheung is both Dragon and Tiger and with there help sets about training him for an upcoming Martial Arts tournament. But things take an unexpected turn and they must fight for the honour of the school above all else.

It is great seeing the fantastic old school martial arts actors strutting there stuff yet again, Chen Kuan Tai as Dragon is good and shows some great technique, Bruce Liang as Tiger is amazing, his kicking skills are still fantastic and he definitely steals the show as far as the action goes. Look out too for Shaw Brothers star Lo Meng (here billed as Turbo Law!) and Chen Wai Man in a non-fighting role.
Teddy Robin is hilarious as Master Law, coming out of his coma as if only a few days have passed, slapping his students about and still chasing the ladies!
The choreography is refreshing in that it is totally ground based and very well done, full marks to action designer Yuen Tak.
The music is also very old school, together with the opening montage it gives a real 70's feel (just look at the poster) but done with tongue firmly in cheek. Overall a fun way to spend 90 minutes and watching the old guys show that they have still got it!
The dvd from MVM is very good, a solid anamorphic widescreen picture and decent 5.1 sound in original Cantonese with easy to follow English subtitles. Its sadly a very bare bones disc with just a trailer as an extra. Also it is DVD only no Blu ray, so fans wanting this in HD will still have to wait.
Gallants is released in the UK on July the 25th. Pal format, Region 2.
Available BELOW

The Beast: New Korean Action

2011-07-01T13:08:00.001+01:00

From Twitch.com,here is the poster and teaser trailer for the new Korean action film The Beast which stars Jeong Seok-won. Looks promising.

Wuxia : New Trailer (Updated now with subtitles)

2011-06-28T10:17:00.001+01:00

Here is a new trailer for Wuxia, Great to see Jimmy Wang Yu back in action!

New Poster and Stills From Wuxia

2011-06-23T10:07:00.003+01:00

Here are some new pictures from Wuxia starring Donnie Yen and directed by Peter Chan who has made a new cut which is 10 minutes longer than the version shown at Cannes.

Shaolin Temple (1976) Review

2011-06-17T19:36:00.001+01:00

Our reviews are staying at Shaolin with the retrospective review of the Shaw Brothers classic from 1976, Shaolin Temple. The Mighty Shaw studios were at there peak around this time and decided to make the ultimate Shaolin Kung Fu movie with a cast of many famous actors from the studio.
The film starts with three disciples kneeling outside the temple waiting to be allowed in to learn martial arts, these three are Fong Sai Yuk (Fu Sheng), Hung Hsi Kwan (Wai Wang )and Hu Hui Chien (Chi Kuan Chun).
After days of torturous waiting they past the endurance test and are allowed in , but to there frustration are set about menial tasks such as working in the kitchen and drying out scriptures. What they dont know is that these tasks are actually shaping them for there future training.Elsewhere, escaped Ming soldiers including Tsai Te-cheng (Ti Lung), Hu Te-ti (David Chiang ) also seek refuge at the temple to train to once again battle the Qing.

But there are plans to destroy the temple when it is discovered that rebels are hiding there and with the help of an insider spy the time comes for an almighty battle to save Shaolin.
This is in my opinion the quintessential Shaw Shaolin movie. Director Chang Cheh sets about telling an epic tale and with a bigger budget and superb cast succeeds admirably. This is almost a crossover movie for many of the stars who worked for the director, David Chiang, Ti Lung, Fu Sheng and Chi Kuan Chun have leading roles but also look out for future venoms stars Kwok Choy, Chiang Sheng, Lu Feng and even Lo Mang in a small role.
The film is really split up into sections, the middle concerns the training involved, Fu Sheng learns the Tiger and Crane, Chi Kuan Chun Five Animals style, Ti Lung learns close quarter combat from monk Ng Mui (the founder of Wing Chun). In fact Shi Szu has a small cameo as Wing Chun who has yet to be taught the art by the female monk. Every sort of skill is explored including light kung fu , Kwok Choy has metal plates strapped to his legs and trains by jumping from a pit over and over.
The last 30 minutes is where the epic battle is staged and it is shot and paced brilliantly. Each student gets to fight using the skills taught to him and the film reaches a very satisfactory conclusion. The action direction was not this time Lau Kar Leung, he had gone his own way at Shaws by this time, but it was shared by Hsieh Hsing, Chiu Wai , Chen Jih Liang and Chan San Yat. But to there credit they do a fine job, crisp empty hand combat and excellent weapons work.

Unlike Chang Cheh's earlier movies there is very little bloodletting in this film compared to his earlier works, probably because censorship was more strict by the mid seventies but the fights are fine without it.
I first saw the film in the 80's on VHS when Warner Brothers released a batch of Shaw films, it was fullscreen, dubbed and slightly cut but i have loved the film ever since.
Celestial released a fantastic remastered dvd (region 3) 20 years later and it was fantastic seeing it widescreen and remastered although sadly this early dvd release was not anamorphic and is now OOP.
The film has also been released in Germany and France in beautiful anamorphic versions (Pal format, region 2), the German dvd even has English subtitles, so i would seek this version out if possible. Dragon Dynasty have it on there books for a USA release but no-one knows when. Also it has been rumoured to be on a list of Blu ray titles to be released in the Far East next year, lets hope so. If you havent seen the film or were put off for whatever reason dont be, this is Shaw Brothers at there best, good storytelling, great acting and superb action. See it as soon as possible!
SHAOLIN TEMPLE HK R3 DVD HERE
SHAOLIN TEMPLE GERMAN R2 DVD HERE

Shaolin (2011) Review

2011-06-09T11:36:00.001+01:00

Shaolin is the much anticipated period action drama from director Benny Chan and starring Andy Lau, Nicholas Tse and a guy named Jackie Chan.
Set in early 20th century China, the film stars Andy Lau as General Hou Jie, a power hungry warrior whose love of violence and material possessions leads to his downfall and the destruction of his family.
Broken in body and spirit, Hou Jie is taking in by a cooking monk (an excellent supporting role for Jackie Chan), and turns to the guidance of Buddhist monks in the Shaolin Temple, who as a General he tormented and ridiculed.

But then his former sidekick (Nicholas Tse) who is now the warlord comes looking for him and with the help of foreign powers a battle is set at Shaolin.
Production values are fabulous as well as the set design and cinematography. All the actors give excellent performances, Andy Lau as the former general broken by tragic circumstances (a role similar to the one played by Jet Li in Fearless and Gordon Liu in 8 Diagram Pole Fighters), Nicholas Tse as the power hungry soldier who will stop at nothing to get his way and by Jackie Chan who plays a small but pivotal role as the cooking monk.
Action by Corey Yuen is very well done, mostly grounded with the occasional use of wirework to enhance the action. The fights are realistic and sometimes brutal getting the balance just right in my opinion. A couple of things did niggle me a little bit one of which was the usual Gwailo bad guys and its the first i have heard of Shaolin temple being destroyed by powerful canon fire from foreign soldiers!.
Look out also for Wu Jing and Hung Yan Yan in the mix of the action and overall you have a very satisfying movie, one of the best so far in 2011.
The film has been released on dvd (region 3) and Blu ray (region A) in Hong Kong by Vicol Entertainment and both dvd and blu ray are 2-Disc Editions and both come with 130 minutes of special features, including trailer, interviews, making-of, behind-the-scenes, deleted scenes, poster and stills gallery, and production featurettes. (All with English subtitles).
The picture quality on the Blu ray is excellent, 1080p, it does look a little flat at times and the colours are subdued but this matches the feel of the film perfectly. You have a choice of sound options, 7.1, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio in Cantonese and Mandarin and also English or Chinese subtitles.
The sound is mainly front channel based but when the action kicks in the surrounds are given a healthy workout, altogether a good sound mix.
I can recommend Shaolin to anyone who is a fan of Hong Kong martial arts cinema, the film has a good story with a message attached and action fans will not be disappointed.
8.5 out of 10
BUY SHAOLIN DVD AND
BLU RAY HERE.....

Jackie Chan in 1911 : Japanese Teaser Trailer

2011-06-01T12:09:00.000+01:00

Below is the Japanese teaser trailer to Jackie Chan's 100th film 1911.
1911 tells the story of the founding of the Republic of China when Sun Yat-sen's forces overthrew the Ming Dynasty. Sun is played by Chinese actor Zhao Wen Xuan. Li Bingbing and Joan Chen also star. The film will be released in October 2011.

Sector 7 : New Korean Horror

2011-05-27T16:42:00.000+01:00

Here is the first trailer for a new Korean monster movie Sector 7. Released in 3D this looks like a lot of fun, similar in tone to the other Korean monster hit The Host.

New Documentary : TARANTINO: THE DISCIPLE OF HONG KONG

2011-05-25T09:48:00.000+01:00

Many people have a love / hate relationship with Quintin Tarantino and his films but also a lot of people do not realise his love of Hong Kong cinema and the influence it has had on him.
Now two French directors, known as Jac and Johan are releasing a documentary on the man and his relationship with Hong Kong movies and is called Tarantino : The Disciple Of Hong Kong.
The documentary which will air on French TV in a couple of weeks time features interviews with people such as Ringo Lam, Gordon Liu, Simon Yam and Mike Leeder.
You can see the trailer below. Lets hope thre is an English friendly version available to see soon.

Tarantino, Le disciple de Hong Kong from jac & johan on Vimeo.

The Lost Bladesman : Review

2011-05-23T12:41:00.003+01:00

The Lost Bladesman stars Donnie Yen as the famous warrior General Guan Yunchang and based upon a classic novel translated as Guan Yu Crossing Five Passes And Slaying Five Generals . Fans will also remember the character from other films such as John Woo's Red Cliff.
General Cao Cao (Wen Jiang ) is the real power when it comes to the Emperor’s throne. He enlists the skills of the greatest warrior in the land, Guan Yu (Donnie Yen) to help him gain control over the land, although Guan is fiercely loyal to Liu Bei (Alex Fong). Cao Cao takes the beautiful Qi Lan (Betty Sun) hostage to ensure Guan Yu’s compliance. However, after General Cao Cao has ensured his victory, he decides that Guan Yu is too powerful and sets about his demise.
There have been many historical drama's in recent years set in these turbulent times in China's history and i think the genre is finally running out of steam.
Lost Bladesman is one of the better efforts with a less complex story and a compelling set up in which our hero must battle against the odds. Donnie Yen is again very good in the lead role, he seems to be maturing as an actor, although his sheer volume of work recently must be taking its toll. The film does feel disjointed in places and doesnt really do anything new in a genre which needs fresh ideas.

The action is very well staged as you would come to expect, with the one of best fights being in a narrow alleyway with Andy On, on horseback and off!
There are some frustrating aspects too. A fight in a watermill is lit so darkly that you cannot really see what is going on, which makes it very annoying to watch. Also another scenes has Guan take on a whole school of fighters but when the fight starts a big gate closes so you dont get to see anything, just hear it, then the gate opens again to show bodies everywhere. This might be a very "artistic" way of shooting the scene but it feels very frustrating for the viewer watching it!
Overall a good period action / drama, good performances from all involved with great hard hitting weapons based combat for action fans.
7 OUT OF 10

Tom Yum Goong 2 Confirmed at Cannes

2011-05-18T10:31:00.003+01:00

Confirmation of Tom Yum Goong 2, the sequel to Tony Jaa's second starring feature (called Warrior King in the UK and The Protector in USA!). He will co-star with Chocolate star Jija Yanin and it will be shot in 3D. No plot details yet, lets hope the script is a bit better.
Below is a pic taken at Cannes at the Sahamongkol Film International booth.

Top 10 : Sammo Hung. Part 2

2011-05-17T13:20:00.002+01:00

Here are the other five Sammo Hung movies i put in my top 10 list. It was a very difficult decision as he has made and been involved with so many great films.(Click on the pictures or the titles if you wish to purchase these films from Amazon.).

Dragons Forever (1988)

This is the last film the three little fortunes have worked on together and it is there best, especially in the action department. There was rumours of conflict on the set which led to the parting of the ways for a few years which was a great shame. Sammo directs the fight scenes the only way he can and he used Yuen Wah again as the villain as he did with Eastern Condors. Jackie has a re-match with Benny Urquidez and the whole film is great entertainment.

Warriors Two (1978)

The first of Sammo's films to be based on the Wing Chun system of Kung Fu. Here he uses super kicker Casanova Wong as the hero who battles a gang and corrupt officials trying to take over the town. Fantastic choregraphy has Wing Chun used excellently but also the great Korean's kicking ability is shown to great effect, especially in the final battle. Typical Golden Harvest film of the time and a genuine classic.

Magnificent Butcher (1979)

Wong Fei Hung movie with Sammo playing Butcher Wing and Kwan Tak Hing as the great Fei Hung. Butcher Wing is always getting into trouble and while his master is away he comes into conflict with a rival school and trouble rears its ugly head. Yuen Woo Ping did the choreography and with the help of Sammo gives us some of the best traditional fights scenes put onto film. Lee Hoi San plays the main villain and its great to see Sammo use the five animal Hung Gar style to beat his opponents. Fantastic film and a must for any fan of the genre.

The Victim (1980)

Leung Kar Yan was a great kung fu star in the 70's and 80's and it was Sammo who took him under his wing and gave him great roles in a number of films mainly Warriors Two and this independent production The Victim. Sammo plays a happy go lucky Martial arts practitioner who tests other fighters to see who can beat him and become his master. After being beaten by Leung Kar Yan he soon becomes embroiled in his family feud with tragic consequences. Truly amazing fight scenes throughout the movie and a finale which will leave you breathless with its complex choreography and brutality. One of the best independent kung fu movies made during the heyday.

Skinny Tiger Fatty Dragon (1990)

Sammo was first spotted by Western audiences fighting Bruce Lee at the start of Enter The Dragon and was a friend of the little dragon before his death. In this film and in Enter The Fat Dragon, Sammo fights just like Bruce, and he is definitely the best Bruce imitator out there! The film itself is a bit of a mess story wise with comic interludes but the end warehouse fight is a classic with Sammo using fist feet and nunchuku to devastating effect. Seek it out you wont be disappointed.

My Kingdom : Yuen Biao, First Trailer

2011-05-13T19:30:00.000+01:00

Below is the first trailer for My Kingdom, Hong Kong veterans Andre Morgan and Sammo Hung are producing the film, look out for a release later in 2011.
My Kingdom starring: Yuen Biao, Wu Chun, Barbie Hsu and Han Geng.

Wu Xia : First Trailer

2011-05-11T09:58:00.002+01:00

First trailer to Peter Chan's Wu Xia starring Donnie Yen.

The Anonymous King : The Search For Hwang Jang Lee. Trailer

2011-05-10T12:26:00.000+01:00

If your a fan of kung fu cinema then you know the name or at least the face of super-kicker Hwang Jang Lee. He starred in many classic films including Drunken Master, Secret Rivals, Hitman In The Hand Of Budda and Snuff Bottle Connection.
This new documentary follows the search for "the king of the leg fighters"and tell his life story which is full of triumphs and tragedy. Trailer below, no release date yet.

The Anonymous King Trailer #2 from J Hodson on Vimeo.

Top 10 : Sammo Hung. Part 1

2011-05-09T11:41:00.004+01:00

Sammo Hung is one of the most influential people in Hong Kong Cinema over the past 30 years. He has worked with all the greats including Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Donnie Yen. What follows is 5 of my top 10 of his films, in no particular order in which he has a major role. This was not easy has he has starred and directed so many great films. (Click on the pictures or the titles if you wish to purchase these films from Amazon.).

Eastern Condors (1987)

Amazing Eastern version of the Dirty Dozen has a group of Asian American ex-con GIs, dropped into post-pullout Vietnam to destroy a cache of weapons the Americans forgetfully left behind. What follows is an amazing array of actions scenes especially one in the jungle and the 20 minute finale in a weapons dump which has some of the best bone crunching action Sammo has ever done.

Pedicab Driver (1989)

Set in beautifully recreated Macau in the 1930's Sammo is a Pedicab Driver who comes face to face with an evil crime lord and when his close friend is murdered he sets out to get revenge at any cost. Fantastic directing and acting make this a fan favourite and its easy to see why, The action is what you expect especially the brutal finale but also his fantastic duel with Shaw Brothers veteran Lau Kar Leung in a gambling den. Amazingly this is not officially available on dvd anywhere as the rights were bought up by Warners who have sat on it ever since. A disgrace as this is action cinema at its finest.

Painted Faces (1988)

A recreation of the childhood of the Peking Opera Troup the Seven Little Fortunes and there daily training routines and how the changing face of Hong Kong in the sixties makes opera more and more obsolete.

Sammo plays his own master in the film Yuen Jim Yuen, a stern teacher who often beat his students if they did wrong. This is a great insight into the early days of training that Sammo and his famous class mates Jackie Chan and Yuen Biao went through. Sadly this is not available on dvd anywhere at the moment.

Prodigal Son (1981)

The quintessential Wing Chun movie stars Yuen Biao as Leung Jaan, who believes he is the best fighter in town. However, an encounter with a Chinese Opera performer named Leung Yee-Tai (played by the late great Lam Ching-Ying) soon has him thinking differently. After an encounter with another kung fu expert Ngai Fai (Frankie Chan) Yee Tai decides to teach Leung Jan Wing Chun and the time will come for him to face Ngai Fai for one final battle. One of the finest traditional kung fu movies ever made from the story to the intricate choreography this film has it all. A must have.

Encounters Of The Spooky Kind (1980)

Sammo has made trends in Hong Kong cinema happen and he did it with this effort, brilliantly blending horror, comedy and action. He stars as Cheung the Brave, whose specialty is to spend the night in haunted houses. When his cheating wife hires a Taoist priest to lure him into a trap which will either scare him to death or bring about his demise, he teams up with a rival priest to do battle with deadly opponents from both this world and the next. Hopping corpses, battles on top of alters and being possessed by fighting spirits they all blend perfectly in this hugely enjoyable film.

Wuxia : Premiere At Cannes

2011-05-06T13:18:00.001+01:00

Peter Chan's new swordplay epic Wu Xia, starring Donnie Yen, Takeshi Kaneshiro and Jimmy Wang Yu will premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on May 13th.
The director said "Cannes first saw a wuxia (swordplay) film in 1975 when King Hu's A Touch Of Zen premiered at Cannes. In 2000, Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon launched in Cannes and took the world by storm. Having my first wuxai film showcased in a magical place that discovers this unique genre, I hope Wu Xia can show the world a whole new universe".
Below you can see the poster art and some stills from the film.

1911 Fight Choregraphy. New Jackie Film

2011-05-05T10:02:00.000+01:00

Here is a short clip of Jackie mapping out a fight scene for his new picture 1911.

STARRING: Jackie Chan, Li Bing Bing, Zhao Wen Xuan, Joan Chen, Jaycee Chan

DIRECTOR: Jackie Chan, Zhang Li

RELEASE DATE: October, 2011

An historical epic based on the 1911 Xinhai Revolution. The film tells the story of the founding of the Republic of China when Sun Yat-sen’s forces overthrew the Qing Dynasty.

Tony Jaa : Tom Yum Goong 2?

2011-04-26T16:59:00.002+01:00

Reports are around that Tony Jaa will now re-unite with director Prachya Pinkaew and fight choreographer Panna Rittikrai for Tom Yum Goong 2.!
They seem to have patched things up after the split up with Jaa going on to direct Ong Bak 2 + 3 and Panna grooming a new female star in Jija Yanin with Chocolate and Raging Phoenix. Another shock is that Jija will have a substantial role in Tom Yum Goong 2 as well!
This comes soon after it was rumoured that Jaa would work with legendary Sammo Hung in Hong Kong, lets hope that still comes about also.
Pinkaew's Chocolate 2 is scheduled to go in to production mid May and will need to be completed before this can begin, so don't expect Tom Yum Goong 2 any time soon.

The Lost Bladesman : Trailer 3

2011-04-22T17:34:00.002+01:00

Here is another trailer for the historical epic starring Donnie Yen.

Cine Asia Blu Ray Bargains: £6.99 At Amazon.co.uk

2011-04-21T15:09:00.001+01:00

Amazon are doing a great deal on a range of Cine Asia blu ray titles all at £6.99. The great thing about these is that they are packed with special featiures and are REGION FREE so will play on any BD player or PS3 worldwide (some extras may be PAL format).
Limited stock on some titles. Click on titles for more info....

Hong Kong Film Awards 2011

2011-04-18T11:20:00.000+01:00

Biggest winner was Tsui Hark's Detective Dee winning 6 awards including Best Director. Sammo Hung won best action award for Ip Man 2. Surprise of the night Best Picture going to low budget martial arts comedy Gallants. Here is the list:
Best Picture:

GALLANTS

Best Director:

Tsui Hark - DETECTIVE DEE AND THE MYSTERY OF THE PHANTOM FLAME

Best Actor:

Nicolas Tse - THE STOOL PIGEON

Best Actress:

Carina Lau - DETECTIVE DEE AND THE MYSTERY OF THE PHANTOM FLAME

Best Supporting Actor:

Teddy Robin - GALLANTS

Best Supporting Actress:

Susan Shaw - GALLANTS

Best Screenplay:

Pang Ho Cheung, Heiward Mak - LOVE IN A PUFF

Best New Artist:

Hanjin Tan - BRUCE LEE, MY BROTHER

Best Cinematography:

Peter Pau - CONFUCIUS

Best Editing:

Cheung Ka Fai - IP MAN 2

Best Art Direction:

DETECTIVE DEE AND THE MYSTERY OF THE PHANTOM FLAME

Best Costume Design & Make-Up:

DETECTIVE DEE AND THE MYSTERY OF THE PHANTOM FLAME

Best Action Direction:

Sammo Hung - IP MAN 2

Best Score:

Teddy Robin - GALLANTS

Best Song:

"Here To Stay" - MERRY-GO-ROUND

Best Sound:

DETECTIVE DEE AND THE MYSTERY OF THE PHANTOM FLAME

Best Visual effects:

DETECTIVE DEE AND THE MYSTERY OF THE PHANTOM FLAME

Best Asian Film:

CONFESSIONS (Japan)

Best New Director:

Felix Chong - ONCE A GANGSTER

Professional Achievement Award:

Willie Chan Chi-Keung

Lifetime Achievement Award:

Terry Lai Siu-Ping

Bangkok Knockout : Review

2011-04-15T10:34:00.000+01:00

Bangkok Knockout shows all that is right and wrong with Thai action cinema at the moment.
Martial arts clubs compete for a Hollywood movie audition, The pure-hearted club, led by a taekwondo artist named Pod, wins. But all is not what it seems, the group wake up in an abandoned housing estate, surrounded by gunmen and is wired with closed-circuit video.Its a set up for a illegal gambling ring who bet on the fighters for vast sums of money. Its up to the fighters to survive and battle there way out of the complex.
That's it really, not much of a plot as expected in these sort of films, but the set up is ok for plenty of action and stunt work. The problem lies with the acting, the fighters are talented stuntmen who've been doubles and extras in director Panna Rittikrai past productions. The other "actors" are a mix of western and Thai and are truly awful. The dialog when spoken is a mix of badly delivered broken English and Thai and it really does bring the film down a level or two.
The action is amazing, even by Panna Rittikrai's past standards and the stuntmen / fighters really get to show there stuff, but there is so much fighting that towards the end you just become numb to it. Characterisation is zero and the film has no "emotional content" as Bruce Lee used to say. Comedian "Sena Hoi" is a musician who turned up at the dinner and ends up stranded with the fighters. If you get annoyed at Dean Shek's performances in Hong Kong movies wait until you get to see this guy! At certain points i wanted to throw things at the screen he was so annoying! It ends up like a show reel for the stuntmen. That is fine, but if you want to watch a movie with a story give this one a wide berth. If you want an action fix then rent the film and be amazed.
If someone could give these guy a good script and decent actors to work with then you could some day get a classic, but otherwise Thai action cinema will stay just an action curiosity which would be a great shame.
ACTION 10 - 10
FILM 3 - 10

Tony Jaa and Sammo Hung!!

2011-04-08T17:50:00.000+01:00

Breaking news over at Twitch.com is that Tony Jaa is considering his comeback with a film in Hong Kong with Sammo Hung! Here is the Twitch report:

If you're Tony Jaa and you're looking to rebuild your career after the very public meltdown and collapse that was the production of Ong Bak 2 - find the details on that here - how do you go about doing it?

Well, one possible solution - a very good possible solution - is to get the hell out of Thailand to a nation where memories are a little shorter and where the masses did not witness your televised breakdown. Then pair yourself up with an acknowledged master, cut out all the outside distractions and focus on simply doing what you do best. And that appears to be exactly what Jaa is now doing.

Details are sketchy but according to reliable sources, with Jaa now out of the Buddhist monastery he took refuge in following the release of Ong Bak 3 and with his exclusive contract with Sahamongkol expiring, there is a new project for Jaa now doing the rounds of the Hong Kong industry looking to nail down the last pieces of needed finance to roll into production. Though we do not know the title or story details we are told that the legendary Sammo Hung is attached as fight choreographer.

A Hong Kong based project has long been rumored for Jaa and this seems the right move at the right time. It will allow Jaa to get back on form away from the media spotlight and pressures of home and, if it turns out, leave him free to ride back into Thailand as a conquering hero after it is completed. A number of companies are in active talks to come on board this one so it would appear that it is not a question of 'if' but of 'when'.

Lets hope this is true, sounds like a combination made in heaven!

13 Assassins : UK Trailer

2011-03-31T17:22:00.001+01:00

Here is the UK trailer for 13 Assassins directed by Takashi Miike. Showing at cinema's all over the UK from the 6th of May.

Man From Nowhere : UK DVD Review

2011-03-31T11:57:00.004+01:00

An ex-special agent, Cha Tae-shik's runs a pawnshop in a complex where a little girl named So-mi lives with her mother. The two have a silent friendship and the girl sees him as her only friend. Her mother, Hyo-jeong smuggles drugs from a drug trafficking organization and entrusts Tae-shik with the product, without letting him know. The traffickers find out and kidnap both Hyo-jeong and So-mi. The gang promises to release them if Tae-shik makes a delivery for them, however its actually a double cross to eliminate him and the rival gang boss.
When Tae Shik finds out he sets out on a one man mission to save the girl and find redemption from his tragic past but the police too are on his tail.
The Man From Nowhere has been praised as one of the finest action drama's to come out of Korea in recent times and its hard to argue. The plot may have been done a thousand times before, Taken and Leon spring to mind, but the film moves at such a breakneck pace and you find yourself rooting for him to succeed against all the odds. Won Bin is excellent as the silent shop owner who only wants to forget his past. But when he does go into action no-one will stand in his way. The little girl is also excellent giving Cha Tae Shik something to live for and there are some very touching scenes between the two.
The action is very hardcore and bloody, it certainly deserves its 18 certificate. The fights and gun play are more Steven Segal than Jackie Chan, short sharp and to the point, the knife fight scene at the climax is brilliantly done with him taking out the gang with no nonsense precision. See this movie and find out that Korean action cinema is still alive and kicking!
The UK dvd by EOne is ok, if nothing special. It has the usual anamorphic widescreen presentation (PAL) nothing to complain about as the picture is very good. The sound gives you Dolby Digital 5.1 in Korean language with optional English subtitles. The sound is mixed well with some great surround effects especially during the action and chase scenes. Extras are just a trailer, very disappointing. Also disappointing is no UK Blu ray release.
The film has been released on Blu Ray in Korea and the USA and both are region free.

MAN FROM NOWHERE UK DVD HERE
USA BLU RAY HERE
KOREAN BLU RAY HERE

FILM : 8.5 OUT OF 10

The Making Of Lost Bladesman

2011-03-28T09:10:00.000+01:00

Here is a video of the making of Lost Bladesman starring Donnie Yen.
Synopsis: During the warring period of the three kingdoms, ancient China is in turmoil. To unify the country general CAO CAO, the real power behind the emperor, enlists the aid of the greatest warrior in the land GUAN YUN CHANG (Donnie Yen). However, Guan Yun Chang is a loyal friend of CAO CAO's enemy LIU BEI. To persuade the peerless warrior to fight, Cao Cao takes his beloved QI LAN (Sun Li) hostage.

After leading Cao Cao's forces to victory Guan Yun Chang sets out with Qi Lan to rejoin Liu Bei. But now Cao Cao has deemed him too great a threat to live, and on the journey he must face all the forces at the emperor's command sent to destroy him.

Wushu : UK DVD Review

2011-03-21T12:23:00.001Z

Released on the 18th of April Wushu is the tale of five students who join a Wushu acadamy in China and train hard to be the top in there groups. But all will be put to the test after they and a former student stumble into a child kidnapping ring and have to fight for real to save the kidnapped children and there friends.
Made in 2008, Wushu was shot at an actual martial arts school in China using real martial arts students as its stars, Sammo Hung brings his expertise as the father of two of the students and gets to display some excellent bone crunching action in his one major action scene. The actors who play the Wushu troup are very good in there roles and director Antony Szeto brings some charm to the characters as well as the amazing Wushu performances. Overall a feel good film and definitely worth checking out and its nice to see some genuine martial arts expertise shown without the need for quick cutting or CGI.
The UK dvd is released by MVM and it has a very good anamorphic widescreen picture, but the problem is its not in the correct ratio, its zoomed in to 1:85-1 so the original 2:35-1 ratio is compromised. This means it all looks a little cramped and during the competition sequences when the name of the practitioners and what he is performing is shown, it is cropped off at the end. The directors inventive use of split screen is also destroyed because we don't get to see a lot of what is going on. This is unforgivable in this day and age, there is no need whatsoever to crop the picture, especially as the HK dvd release is in the correct ratio.

Sound is ok but again they have the lame English dubbed track in 5.1 surround but the original Mandarin in only 2.0 , again a big mistake. Subtitles are provided with good grammar. Extras are just a UK trailer.
If you have not already seen Wushu then i recommend you check it out. I would say go for the HK dvd as the UK one is compromised with a poor cropped presentation which is a pity.

MOVIE: 7.5 OUT OF 10.
UK DVD: 5 OUT OF 10.

BUY THE HK DVD ON EBAY
BUY THE UK DVD ON AMAZON.....

A Chinese Ghost Story (2011) Trailer

2011-03-19T11:10:00.000Z

Here is the trailer to the new remake of the classic Chinese Ghost Story. This version stars Louis Koo, Liu Yifei, Yu Shaoqun, Fan Siu-Wong, Kara Hui and Lin Peng. This film is one of my all time favourites so it will be interesting to see what they do with the remake. Release Date is April 22nd in Hong Kong.

Choy Li Fut : Official trailer

2011-03-19T10:59:00.001Z

Here is the official trailer to the new martial arts action movie Choy Li Fut, starring Sammo Hung and Yuen Wah. Release date is 31st March in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong Legends To Return To UK Stores

2011-03-18T14:42:00.002Z

Showbox Media Group have announced the re-birth of the celebrated Hong Kong Legends dvd label. Under the new releasing banner, 'CINE ASIA presents HKL', Showbox is set to bring the label back to life, and will re-release the best of its Asian film catalogue, including Jet Li's Once upon a time in China series, Jackie Chan's Police Story 1 + 2 and Donnie Yen's world-famous, Iron Monkey.
Also set for re-release are four Bruce Lee Classics, Big Boss, Fist Of Fury, Way Of The Dragon and Game Of Death all as 2 disc special editions. No news of Blu ray yet.

The Lost Bladesman : 2nd Trailer

2011-03-17T10:07:00.000Z

Here is the latest trailer for The Lost Bladesman starring Donnie Yen as legendary warrior, Guan Yun Chang.

Mini Reviews

2011-03-16T13:02:00.003Z

Find below some short reviews of Asian dvd's that i have seen lately.

Beach Of The War Gods (1973) 6 out of 10
Wang Yu starred in and directed this swordplay epic in which an isolated Chinese coastal village finds itself overun by the Japanese invaders. Hsiao Feng (Wang Yu) decides to help and recruit skilled swordsmen to help rid the town of the Japanese once and for all.Similar in tone to The Magnificent Seven / Seven Samurai, The fighters are an eclectic bunch, a knife fighter, spear fighter etc. The choreography is typical of the period but the epic end battle does stand out as the highlight of the film. If your a fan of Wang Yu and his swordplay movies seek this out. The Joy Sales dvd from Hong Kong is anamorphic widescreen (all region), not remastered so grainy and battered in a few places. It is in original Mandarin with English and Chinese subtitles.
BUY BEACH OF THE WAR GODS HERE.

Five Shaolin Masters (1974) 7.5 out of 10
Shaw Brothers classic in which the Shaolin Temple is destroyed and five surviving masters must train to get revenge on those responsible. Great cast which includes Fu Sheng, Ti Lung, David Chiang and Chi Kuan Chun. Director Chang Cheh and choreographer Lau Kar Leung get to show a variety of styles and weapons and the film builds to a fantastic climax after the obligatory training sequences. The dvd released in Hong Kong (Region 3) is now going oop but well worth getting as it is superbly remastered with fantastic picture and sound. Mandarin language with English and Chinese subtitles. reccomended.
BUY 5 SHAOLIN MASTERS DVD HERE

Kickboxer (1993) 6.5 out of 10
No not the Van Damme movie but a Wong Fei Hung type martial arts film starring Yuen Biao and Yuen Wah. Spoilt young Chow Fat (Yuen Biao) gets into trouble and is framed as an opium smuggler. He then goes undercover to break up the real operation run by Chairman Wah (Yuen Wah).
Good to see Yuen Biao in a traditional kung fu epic and he gets to show his kicking skills very well. A bit of a low budget Once Upon A Time In China but still worth a look and a great end fight with Yuen Wah also.
The HK dvd is widescreen (all region) in original Cantonese with English subtitles. A good nights viewing.
BUY KICKBOXER DVD HERE

Bodyguards And Assassins: Blu Ray Review

2011-03-11T15:11:00.004Z

Released last year Bodyguards And Assassins tells the story of Sun Yat Sen, who played an instrumental role in the overthrow of the Qing dynasty, and his arrival in Hong Kong to meet the 13 district representatives to discuss his revolution plans. But there are others who are desperate to get him assassinated. A group of rebels are gathered together and set out to protect Sun as he travels to the meeting place. The scene is set for an all out battle between the assassins and those trying to protect him.

Firsty the film is fantastic to look at, the set design is wonderful and technical credits across the board are strong, including cinematography by Arthur Wong (Warlords) and production design by Kenneth Mak (Fearless).
Many fans complained about the lack of action in the first half, but i think this helps thestory as we get to know the characters, the background they come from and the reasoning behind supporting the rebellion.
When the action shifts into gear it is excellently done, fast paced, brutal and exciting. Donnie Yen although prominent on the poster is just one of many rebels but he does get to show his stuff in one fantastic chase scene.
An excellent supporting class includes Tony Leung, Simon Yam, Nicholas Tse, Wang Xueqi and Leon Lai.
Watch the film as a drama and you will be rewarded with a great film, a little nationalistic of course considering the subject matter but overall an enjoyable and very well made production and full marks to director Teddy Chen.

The film has been released on Blu ray in Hong Kong by Megastar with a fantastic 1080p transfer. Fine detail is very good with terrific depth. Sound has a wide choice of Cantonese DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1, Cantonese Dolby TrueHD 7.1, Cantonese Dolby Digital 5.1 and Mandarin Dolby Digital 5.1. English and Chinese subtitles are provided.
Extras include a making of (with subtitles), trailers and tv spots (HD 1080i).
The blu ray is Locked to REGION A, so you will need a region A or multi region player to play this disc.
Available from YES ASIA..CLICK HERE...BODYGUARDS AND ASSASSINS BLU RAY

Jet Li in The Sorcerer And The White Snake

2011-03-10T10:17:00.001Z

New picture have emerged of the new film starring Jet Li and directed by Ching Siu Tung. The Sorcerer And The White Snake is currently shooting more news when we get it.

Wushu Coming To The UK!

2011-03-10T10:12:00.001Z

Martial Arts movie Wushu is getting a UK DVD release thanks to MVM on 18th of April.
Produced by Jackie Chan and starring Sammo Hung , Wushu is a “Karate Kid”-style coming-of-age, martial arts action-adventure directed by former martial arts student and stuntman-turned-director Antony Szeto (DragonBlade).
DVD review soon....

Kung Fu Panda 2 : New Trailer

2011-03-07T12:10:00.000Z

Here is the new trailer for Kung Fu Panda 2, with the voice talents of Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman and Jackie Chan. Looks fun.
The film hits theaters on May 26th.

Another Choy Li Fut Film!

2011-03-04T13:46:00.001Z

Spotted by Frank Bolt over at the Kung Fu Cinema forums here is another movie featuring this southern Kung fu style coming out this year titled Choy Lee Fut Master.
Looks like a mainland Chinese production and stars Shi Hong Bo and directed by Ke Zhou.
Trailer below :

New DVD Compare Sites

2011-03-02T11:00:00.001Z

Just a quick mention for two sites which will be of great help to fans of Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee when it comes to finding the best dvd or blu ray versions of there movies.
The first is Jackiechandvds.co.uk which lists every movie Jackie Chan has starred in and more importantly the various dvd versions available with links where to buy. The other which does the same thing is dedicated to Bruce Lee at bruceleedvds.co.uk
Again it lists all the movies as well as documentaries about the little Dragon and where to purchase them.
An invaluable resource for the collector.
HTTP://JACKIECHANDVDS.CO.UK
HTTP://BRUCELEEDVDS.CO.UK

New Jet Li Tai Chi Movie

2011-03-01T11:03:00.000Z

Announced by Huayi Brothers Media at a press conference recently were a few new films which will be of interest to fans of Hong Kong cinema. Announced were Painted Skin 2, a prequel to Detective Dee, Chinese Zodiac starring Jackie Chan, which was proposed to be another Armour Of God film a while back.
Also announced was a film to star Jet Li called for now Tai Chi. Slated to direct will be Stephen Fung (House Of Fury) who said Li would probably do the action choreography as well.
Jet Li last played a Tai Chi disciple in Yuen Woo Ping's Tai Chi Master back in 1993 and it will be interesting to see what direction this film takes.

The Clash : Review

2011-02-23T14:33:00.002Z

After seeing Johnny Ngeyen in Tom Yum Goong opposite Tony Jaa and in the excellent The Rebel, i was looking forward to his next project which was The Clash another Vietnamese action movie which was the highest grossing film in Veitnam in 2010.
The lead figure is Phoenix, played by the lovely Ngo Thanh Van. She leads a posse of bad boys all given nick names to hide there real identity, and set out to recover a missing laptop for a feared mob boss named Black Dragon (played by Hoang Phuc, and looking a lot like Hong Kong actor James Tien!). Phoenix's principal recruit is Tiger (Johnny Nguyen), a recruit who is more than he seems. Phoenix also has another motive, to get back her daughter kidnapped by the mob boss. When things dont go according to plan it is left to the two of them to bring the mob boss to justice, but the cost may be higher than they think.

The look of the film is very grim,the characters are not really given much back story and most, apart from the lead female are not very likeable. Ngo Thanh Van is very sultry and deadly when needed. Tiger is a chain smoking brooding anti-hero not exactly a great role model but when he does let loose is excellent, using a mixture of Muay Thai and MMA takedowns. Action highlights are the finale and the section where our two leads take on a gang of French hitmen in a hotel room.
The problem with the film is you never really care about what is happening and its all very depressing. For an action fix its ok, just dont expect much of a compelling story. The two leads have great potential, lets hope its shown a bit more in there next projects.
THE REGION 2 PAL DVD IS AVAILABLE FROM AMAZON
5 out of 10

Choy Li Fut : First trailer

2011-02-19T12:59:00.000Z

Here is the first trailer to Choy Li Fut and movie based on that Southern Chinese style of Kung Fu. The movie stars Sammo Hung, Kane Kosugi, Lau Kar Wing, Yuen Wah and Timmy Hung. No specified release date yet.

How Shaw Brothers Remaster There Catalog Of Films

2011-02-17T10:03:00.001Z

With the Shaw Brothers catalogue out on dvd and now coming to Blu ray i thought it might be interesting to show you how the remastering process is done, painstakingly going through every frame, removing dust , dirt etc and full colour restoration.

Move Over Kung Fu Panda...Here's The Legend Of A Rabbit!!

2011-02-16T09:53:00.005Z

With Kung Fu Panda 2 scheduled for release this year, China has stepped in to produce there own animated 3D martial arts adventure film, Legend Of A Rabbit!
The action comedy has been in production for over three years ans is directed by Sun Yijun, president of the animation school in the Beijing Film Academy. The seven fight scenes are choreographed by Tai Chi master Jing Jian Jun while the film's score is composed by Peter Ka. Looks fun. Teaser below.

Bruce Lee My Brother: Review

2011-02-14T17:34:00.002Z

Not another Bruce Lee biographical movie, i hear you shout, yes but this is done with the help of the Lee family in Hong Kong namely his Brother Robert and sister Phoebe.

It starts with the birth of the Little Dragon in America and the amusing way in which he got his English name. It then shows the family in Hong Kong , his father working as a successful opera singer and movie actor and his mother looking after the extended family during and after the Japanese occupation. Bruce grows up to be a mischievious youngster getting into trouble fighting with rival gangs, it shows his childhood movie career and has him entering a boxing competion in his school to get revenge for a fight which he had earlier. The film then progresses to show him learning Wing Chun, falling in love and his ultimate exile to America.
Firstly the production values on the film are excellent recreating 50's and 60's Hong Kong with accuracy. The cast are also very good Tony Leung and Christy Chung stand out as his father and mother , and newcomer Aarif Lee is very good as the young Bruce, having a striking resemblance.. Chin Kar Lok has a great cameo as movie star Shek Ken who Bruce admired as a youngster.
The film does get a little melodramatic at times and seems a bit like a TV movie but any fan of the Little Dragon should see this movie to get a balanced view on his life. There are some questionable events, such as Bruce learning Wing Chun kung fu just to enter the school boxing match, he actually started at 13, but overall
is an enjoyable look at the birth and childhood of a cinematic legend, told in a non sensationalistic way.
Watch the film as a drama and dont expect bags of action, there is only two major fight scenes and you will have much to enjoy. Watch out for an amazing fall stunt towards the end of the film.
The film is available on DVD and Blu ray in Hong Kong. A UK release re-titled Young Bruce Lee is scheduled for release by Cine Asia in May.
BRUCE LEE MY BROTHER DVD AND BLU RAY BUY HERE

6.5 OUT OF 10

Classic Shaw Brothers on Blu Ray

2011-02-11T11:02:00.000Z

It seems as if the classic Shaw Brothers martial arts movies are going to be released on Blu ray in Hong Kong, starting with the Wang Yu Classic, One Armed Swordsman.
Regarded as the first blockbuster swordplay movie the film was painstakingly remastered for the dvd release and the same quality should transfer over to HD. Release date is March 4th.
ONE ARMED SWORDSMAN BLU RAY CLICK HERE.....

Trailer For The Lost Bladesman

2011-02-06T12:39:00.000Z

Here is the first trailer for the new film starring Donnie Yen The Lost Bladesman. Looking good.....

Clash: DVD Release

2011-02-03T10:48:00.001Z

Clash (Bay Rong) is being released on DVD in the UK on the 21st of February by Revolver Entertainment. This is the Vietnamese action film starring Johnny Nguyen and Veronica Ngo who last starred together in the excellent The Rebel.
Anamorphic widescreen PAL format Region 2. Good price of only £7.99.at Amazon UK.
Review to follow soon...

The Killer : 3D Remake On The Way

2011-02-01T20:43:00.000Z

Arguably John Woo's best film is getting the remake treatment in 3D no less, The new film is to be directed by Korea's John H Lee, shot in English and produced by Lion Rock Productions, the company controlled by Terence Chang and John Woo, director of the 1989 original film. South Korea's Jung Woo-sung will star.
The picture is now in pre-production and will be a contemporary retelling of the story in which an elite assassin who risks everything to protect a beautiful singer that he unintentionally blinded. But he can only do so with the help of an LAPD detective who is trying to catch him.
Terence Chang has been seeking for many years to prepare a remake of the film with Lee as director. In 2007 he was quoted as saying that the remake will use the streets of Los Angeles to take the action further than the original film.
"While all my films are special to me, The Killer is truly one of my favourites. We are thrilled to reinvent it as an English-language film and know it's in capable hands by the incredible visual style and tender emotion John H. Lee brings to all his films," Woo said in a prepared statement.
Why?...
Is there no new ideas for films anymore?....i cannot see this being anything but a re-hash of a classic original and a total waste of time and money. I hope im wrong.

My Kingdom (Da Wu Sheng)

2011-01-29T17:22:00.000Z

A new production from Celestial Picture featuring Yuen Biao and Sammo Hung got my interest with this latest press release. Due out late 2011.

Filming is continuing in Shanghai on My Kingdom (Da Wu Sheng), a multi-million martial arts epic which Celestial Pictures is co-producing with mainland Chinese studio Skyland Films (Beijing) Company Limited and production company DW Films Limited. Based on an original script by acclaimed writer Zou Jingzhi (Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles), My Kingdom is directed by Gao Xiaosong, a visionary filmmaker and music composer embraced by Chinese youths and intellectuals as one of the fresh new voices of the nation. Bringing Gao’s vision to life is acclaimed Hollywood and Chinese film producer Andre Morgan (The Warlords, The White Countess) and action director and Hong Kong movie legend Sammo Hung (Ip Man, Ip Man 2). My Kingdom stars three of the hottest young Chinese idols today, Wu Chun (14 Blades), Barbie Hsu (Reign of Assassins), and pop sensation Han Geng in his feature film debut. The film is set for release in the second half of 2011.
“We are thrilled to be collaborating again with the creative talents of producer Andre Morgan on a movie which blends the best of martial arts action with an intensed love story set in turn-of-the-century Shanghai. We have all rights outside of China to this exciting film and are delighted to be able to bring this story to our global network of theatrical, home video and television licensees as well as viewers of Celestial’s Chinese movie channels.” said Ross Pollack, Chief Executive Officer, Celestial Pictures.

My Kingdom is a tightly-woven tale of two brothers’ quest for fame, love and revenge, back dropped by the Shanghai opera stage during its 1920’s heyday. The story blends martial arts onstage and offstage with a suspense-filled love story defying the genre of martial arts epics today. Playing the two brothers are Taiwan-based, Brunei-born actor and singer Wu Chun, who rose to fame as a member of Taiwan’s biggest male group ‘Fahrenheit’ and Han Geng, one of the hottest young idol in China today and an original member of Korea’s super group ‘Super Junior.’ Playing the starlet at the center of the story is leading Taiwanese actress Barbie Hsu, who has demonstrated a wide range with her roles in movies from top filmmakers such as John Woo and Benny Chan.

My Kingdom continues Celestial Pictures’ relationship with veteran producer Andre Morgan after the highly acclaimed and multiple-award winning drama Perhaps Love. Prior to developing My Kingdom, Andre Morgan’s last Chinese production was 2008’s The Warlords which was both a critical and box office success, garnering numerous awards including Best Picture at the Hong Kong Film Awards.
“After spending the past four years to assemble the script, creative elements, the best cast, and appropriate financing, we are excited to finally bring this very fresh story to Chinese audiences.” said Andre Morgan.
To bring a level of authenticity and exciting action to the fighting scenes, Sammo Hung, who recently won a Golden Horse Awards for his action choreography in Ip Man 2, was invited to stage and direct My Kingdom’s action scenes. Sammo also trained the young actors for three months to prepare them for the films’ intense martial arts sequences.
“My Kingdom started with an amazing script and a unique vision from director Gao which is, frankly, a breath of fresh air. With Sammo’s involvement and three of the hottest young stars in Asia, we are confident this will be an amazing film, further adding to our vast library of Chinese cinematic gems.” said Ross Pollack.
In addition to co-producing the film, Celestial Pictures will be responsible for worldwide sales excluding mainland China. Skyland Films will be handling sales and marketing within China.

Kung Fu Wing Chun: Review

2011-01-24T12:45:00.003Z

The fascination with the art of Wing Chun Kung Fu continues with this China production from our old favourites Seasonal Films who produced such classics as Drunken Master and Invincible Armour.
Yim Wing Chun is a young vibrant girl, tomboy in her attitude and always getting into trouble in and around the restaurant which her father owns and she works.
A local villain, Gao Shing want to marry Wing Chun and after a fight which he almost wins, sets a date in which to return and claim his bride. Also in town is Shaolin nun Ng Mui, who has fled the temple after it was destroyed by the government. The two women meet , become friends and after witnessing her fight with Gao Shing she decides to teach Wing Chun her style of Kung Fu and help with her upcoming challenge. On the big day she wins, but there is a new threat in town as government officials track down Ng Mui and there follows a fight to the death, with Wing Chun trying to save her teacher and family.
Directed by Joe Cheung, Kung Fu Wing Chun is a strange hybrid of a film, solid cinematography and an ok budget the film does tend to have the look of a tv movie at times and some of the CGI used is very obvious (mainly for scenery as opposed to the fight scenes).

Bai Jing is excellent as Wing Chun (she was trained in the art for the film by Ip Chun, Ip Man's son), feisty but beautiful she brings a sense of fun to the movie and i hope we see her in more roles in the future. Its great to see some old faces return to the screen, Kara Hui play nun Ng Mui and she still looks as she did in the old Shaw Brothers classics My Young Auntie and Martial Club! There is a small cameo by Yuen Wah and the main villain is played by Colin Chou from Bodyguard From Beijing and The Matrix sequels. He still has some great moves and almost steals the show.
The choreography is very good, ground based with very little wirework and the Wing Chun style depicted is mostly genuine with some theatrical moves used for cinematic effect. What does detract is the sudden shift in tone from the jovial comedic first half to the bloody and very violent climax.
If you enjoyed the recent run of Wing Chun based movies then you should enjoy this too, a slightly different take on the Kung Fu legend and its origins.
Surprisingly, no dvd release date as yet.
6 out of 10

Bai Jing with Ip Chun

Were Now On Facebook

2011-01-21T14:23:00.000Z

We have decided to catch up with the modern age and have our own facebook page at
ASIAN CULT CINEMA FACEBOOK.
We will be adding pictures, trailers, videos and all sorts of stuff to the page and hope you will join us there to give us opinions etc.

The Legend Is Born: Ip Man. Blu Ray Review

2011-01-17T13:29:00.004Z

The Wing Chun kung fu master Ip Man has been well represented recently in Hong Kong cinema with the two successful films starring Donnie Yen as the title character.
This time Dennis To steps into his shoes and plays Ip Man in his young years, how he was introduced to the style and subsequent adventures. We see him introduced to master Wha Shun (Sammo Hung in an extended cameo), along with his adopted brother Tin Chi (Fan Siu Wong). After the master dies the school is taken over by his top student Chung So (Yuen Biao) who is a staunch traditionalist and will not change his teaching methods which he calls true traditional Wing Chun.
After travelling to Hong Kong to study Ip Man come across Leung Bik (played by Ip Man's real son Ip Chun!), another Wing Chun practitioner who has taken the art in a different direction. After a friendly encounter Leung Bik teaches Ip Man his method of Wing Chun saying things have to change to progress. When Ip Man goes back to his school in Foshan he is eager to show what he has learnt but by doing so enrages Chung So and a rift comes between them.
The plot then takes a turn when the Japanese turn up intent on taking over the area and there is one surprise left which means they have to band together to fight the Japanese and save the school.
The final third really goes into fantasy territory, as far as how accurate the film is is any ones guess, but apart from that, it turns out to be an entertaining and exciting film from director Herman Yau.
Dennis Ho does ok as Ip Man, not having Donnie Yen's martial arts skills does show at times but he adapts well in the fight scenes. It was great seeing Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao together on screen again the highlight being there blindfold sparring match. Fan Siu Wong does well as the adopted brother and again shows what a good martial artist he is.
Overall a good film and if your a fan of Kung Fu or Wing Chun it should not be missed.

The movie has been released on Blu ray in Hong Kong with a very good 1080p transfer, no signs of damage or DNR seem present and like a lot of recent Hong Kong movies on HD is excellently presented.
There is a choice of Cantonese DTS 7.1 or Mandarin Dolby Digital 5.1 languages, English and Chinese subtitles are provided, there were some grammatical errors but nothing too bad.
Extras include: Making of and a trailer. The other extra is an audio commentary from director Herman Yau and Wing Chun master Ip Chun. The commentary is subtitled in English and offers an intersting insight into the history and making of the movie.
The Blu ray is all region so will play on any BR player or PS3 worldwide.

THE LEGEND IS BORN IP MAN BLU RAY YES ASIA
THE LEGEND IS BORN IP MAN EBAY

Mr And Mrs Incredible: First Trailer

2011-01-14T10:48:00.002Z

Due for release Chinese new year, this action / superhero/ comedy film stars Louis Koo and Sandra Ng, directed by Peter Chan.
Synopsis:
Love is never meant to be an easy matter - especially for superheroes. Gazer Captain (Louis Koo) falls in love with Red aka Aroma Woman (Sandra Ng). Getting tired of their lifestyle, they decide to retreat to a small village and start a family. Five years pass, Gazer and Red live a quiet and happy life. One day an official announces that an upcoming martial arts tournament will be held in their tranquil village. Hundreds of kung fu masters and fanatics arrive for the ultimate championship, then trouble really kicks off.
Looking at the trailer all i can say is ive not seen anything so bizarre in a long time!

Retro Review: The Odd Couple

2011-01-10T11:17:00.003Z

Sammo Hung needs no introduction to fans of Asian cinema as he is one of the greatest and most influential directors of the last 30 years. Made in 1979, The Odd Couple is about two masters of the martial arts, played by Sammo Hung and Lau Kar Wing - one an expert with the spear, the other an expert with the broadsword. They decide to meet every ten years to test each others skill to determine who is the best.
Each time it ends in a draw, so they decide to each take on a new student so they can continue the rivalry. The cool thing about this is that Sammo's student is played by Lau Kar Wing and Lau's student is played by Sammo!
When an old adversary turns up seeking revenge, both masters and students will have to use all there combined skills to survive.
Noted by fans as one of the best weapons films ever made, it showed star Sammo Hung and director Lau Kar Wing at the height of there careers with amazing displays of weapons skill. What may put some people off is the use of very broad comedy, especially in the middle section, which does not translate very well to western audiences.
But when the action does start it is breathtaking, all of the choreography is done without wire work and shows the real skills of the actors involved. If your a fan of old school martial arts films then this is a must have film in your collection and ranks as one of Sammo's finest kung fu movies.
There have been a few dvd releases through the years, the original release in Hong Kong was ok, wide screen but not anamorphic and the title sequence was incomplete. The best release was from the UK label Hong Kong Legends (PAL REGION 2). The disc is remastered , anamorphic wide screen and uncut. Cantonese language with English subtitles or English dubbed options available. It had some good extras including interviews with Lau Kar Yan who plays the main villain and Lau Kar Wing. Audio commentary is provided by Bey Logan.
The dvd is now rare and out of print but can be found on Ebay and other places (See link below).
9 out of 10
THE ODD COUPLE AMAZON
THE ODD COUPLE EBAY

Bruce Lee My Brother: DVD and Blu Ray January 10th

2011-01-04T13:11:00.001Z

The recent bio-pic on the Little Dragon, Bruce Lee My Brother is getting a DVD and Blu ray release in Hong Kong on January 10th.
Synopsis: The film world pays tribute to the legendary martial arts superstar with a biographical film based on the memoir of his younger brother Robert Lee. Unlike most other biopics about him, Bruce Lee, My Brother takes viewers back to his formative years. Robert Lee himself produced and participated in the creation of the script, which endeavors to make known the true stories of his world-famous sibling when they grew up together in Hong Kong.
The dvd will be region 3 and the Blu ray is Region A (To be confirmed). Review coming soon.

New Bruce Lee Figure : HD Masterpiece

2010-12-20T16:04:00.002Z

Enterbay are the most prominent artist who do figures of famous movie stars and the latest is of Kung Fu superstar Bruce Lee.
Amazing detail on these limited edition figures very expensive but very collectable.
Available from YES ASIA and EBAY....
See pics below....

Reign Of Assassins: Blu Ray Review

2010-12-20T12:01:00.004Z

Megastar in Hong Kong have released the Blu ray of Reign Of Assassins in a glorious 1080p transfer and amazing Dolby True HD 7.1 sound. I have reviewed the film a few weeks ago on this blog so i wont go into much detail here but i have to say after watching the film again on Blu ray it is definitely one of my favourite films of 2010.
Michelle Yeoh stars as Drizzle, a member of the Dark Stone, a group of deadly assassins. She manages to obtain a sacred man's remains (Bodhidharma, the originator of Chinese Kung Fu), which rumor has it could grant one the power to rule the martial arts universe. She decides to run away and find a new life and is immediately followed by Lei Bin (Shawn Yue), the Magician (Leon Dai), and the Wheel King (Xueqi Wang), leader of the Dark Stone clan. To avoid certain death, Drizzle gets a new face and becomes Zeng Jing but she cant hide forever and after finding love, the past comes back to haunt her.
Everything about this film works well from the characterisation , the choreography (by Tung Wei) and the cinematography (the great Arthur Wong).

The Blu ray is a fantastic release, 1080p HD transfer with no artifacts or DNR noticeable. You have a choice of Mandarin Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (The preferred option), Mandarin Dolby Digital 5.1, Cantonese Dolby TrueHD 7.1, and Cantonese Dolby Digital 5.1. The Bass especially is strong and the surround fx are well mixed especially as you would expect during the fight scenes. English and Chinese subtitles are provided.
The extras are not much, just a trailer, with English subtitles and a short making of with only Chinese subtitles provided. John Woo is credited as producer but many are saying he had a bigger hand in the production and co-directed it. I did not notice anything that i would call John Woo trademarks so find it hard to tell.
Whatever this is a must have disc if you have HD capability, unfortunately it is locked to region A , so you need a region A or multi region player to play it. It is also available on dvd (Region 3).
BUY REIGN OF ASSASSINS BLU RAY OR DVD HERE...

Shadowless Sword: Blu Ray Review

2010-12-15T11:26:00.001Z

Made in 2005, and partly funded by New Line, Shadowless Sword is the Korean take on well known classic Chinese swordplay pictures. The story is about Dae Jeong-hyun, a prince of the Balhae royal family living in exile who unwittingly becomes the heir to the kingdom when warring Georan forces successfully kill off everyone ahead of him in succession. The remaining Balhae loyalists quickly send master swords woman Yeon So-ha to both retrieve and protect the reluctant heir. The Georan's in turn enlist the Killer Blade Army, led by the bloodthirsty Gun Hwa-pyung and his beautiful and deadly chief lieutenant, Mae-Yung-ok to capture or kill the prospective King. Reluctant at first to go back the two quickly develop a bond fighting the Killer Blade Army and doing anything to protect one another.
While the story has nothing really new to add, it is extremely well done with good Characterisation and fantastic choreography, grounded but also high flying and reminiscent of the great Ching Siu Tong.
The acting is first class, from the beautiful Yoon So Yi and Shin Hyeon Jun both from Arahan and Lee Ki Yong as the deadly female assassin. If your a fan of swordplay films then this gets a big thumbs up and along with the same director's Bichunmoo is one of the better fantasy action films to come from Korea.
The Taiwan Blu ray release is from Bitwel is a good one. The 1080p transfer is excellent, crisp with little grain, some minor edge enhancement but nothing to worry about. The sound gives you LPCM and Dolby Digital 5.1 tracks in Korean with excellent surround definition. Subtitles in English and Chinese are provided, very few grammatical errors were noticed. The disc is Region Free so will play on any DVD or PS3 player worldwide.
An excellent film on a great disc and recommended.
SHADOWLESS SWORD BLU RAY YES ASIA

Battle Royale: Blu Ray Review

2010-12-07T12:14:00.003Z

Arrow have pulled out all the stops to give fans a 3 disc Special edition of the cult classic Japanese film Battle Royale.
In future Japan things are not well, unemployment is sky high, students are boycotting school and the crime rate has soared. To combat this the government introduce the " Battle Royale Act".
Every year one ninth grade class is selected to participate in the programme and Shiroiwa Junior High School’s Class B are selected. The forty-two students are taken to an uninhabited island and forced to fight to the death. If after three days of combat a winner has not emerged, the electronic collars fitted to each student will explode, killing them all. But amid the killings there are plans among some students to escape and get off the island alive.
Huge controversy erupted when this film was first released and this movie has never had a theatrical or dvd release in the USA. It is a brutal and sometimes satirical look at Japanese society and the way it treats its youth and crime but it is also a fantastic piece of action cinema.
The Blu ray release from Arrow is a 3 Disc SE and is limited to 10,000 copies on its initial run.
The set has two HD versions of the film, the theatrical cut and the extended directors cut. The main differences between the two are as follows (as far as i could see):

Flashbacks to a basketball game which is used as a framework for the story.
Added reaction shots in the classroom, and extensions to existing shots.
Extra CGI used throughout the film
A flashback that explains Mitsuko's personality.
Three epilogues. The first is an extension of the basketball scene. The second is a vision of Nobu telling Shuya to take care of Noriko. The third is a scene between Kitano and Noriko, who talk casually by a riverbank
Added shots of the lighthouse after the shoot-out
Added reaction shots in the classroom.

Personally i prefer the original theatrical cut. It just seemed pointless going back and adding stuff that isn't really needed, it seems to be a trend started by George Lucas and Star Wars and sadly happening more and more. Sure "improve" it if you so wish, but at least let us have the chance to still see the original, it is a capture of that time in cinema and should not be messed with. Rant over.
The great thing is Arrow have given us the choice of both so kudos to them.

The transfers on both discs are 1080p and are a great improvement over the dvd. There is DNR used but not overly done, there is dirt and specs still present on the disc but not distractingly so. I think if there is a problem it is that the film never looked that great to start with and Arrow have done the best they can with the sources Toei gave them. Sure its not a reference quality Blu ray but as mentioned it is a vast improvement over any release on dvd and is a must buy if your a fan of the film.
The sound is superb with a DTS MA 5.1 and 2.0 soundtrack in Japanese. The music sounds amazing with the classical score giving your speakers a great workout.

The extras are a mixed bag but plentiful!
Disc 1: Trailer original theatrical and The Making Of Battle Royale The Experience of 42 High School Students (both HD). The making of is just short of an hour long and shows behind the scenes footage, interviews and candid shots which make it more interesting than most making of features found on releases these days.
Disc 2: Special Edition Trailer, TV Spots, Shooting The Special Edition, Takeshi Kitano Interview, Conducting Battle Royale With The Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra.(Great if your into film music!), Tokyo International Film Festival Presentation.(All HD)
Disc 3: Premier Press Conference, Opening Day At The Marunouchi Movie Theatre, The Slaughter of 42 High School Students, tv spots, Royale Rehearsals, Masamichi Amano Conducts Battle Royale, Special Effects Comparison, Behind The Scenes Featurette, Filming On Set, Trailer Gallery. (All SD).
And don't forget the retail version comes with a thirty-two page comic, a thirty-six page booklet, the other sixteen page conceptual artwork booklet, the 5x7” stills postcards, or the fold-out reversible poster of original artwork!!
The extras are good but sometimes repetitive, you feel as if they could have fitted most of them on 2 discs as opposed to 3, but that is just nit picking really. How often you would watch the extras is debatable but its great to see a company like Arrow going that extra mile to give fans something special as this box set is.
Don't forget its region free also so can be played anywhere which is another bonus.(Note: Extras on disc 3 are region free but PAL format).

Recommended....

BATTLE ROYALE LIMITED EDITION AT AMAZON..CLICK HERE