Content Warning: Sexual assault and violence against women are heavy visual and narrative themes throughout the film. Actor Ngô Thanh Vân has been working for nearly two decades across genres and countries. She’s known more widely in the U.S. by… Read More ›
martial arts
Program your own Jet Li double-feature of “The Legend of Fong Sai Yuk 1 & 2” at home anytime, thanks to Ronin Flix.
Genre films are the only films that I personally will give a pass to if there isn’t a story but they succeed in the genre basis of what they’re striving for. An example of this is the SAW franchise and… Read More ›
“Legend of Gatotkaca” Blu-ray Giveaway
Well Go USA champions Asian cinema, bringing some form of action, adventure, drama, horror, and intrigue with each release. The latest feature is director Hanung Bramantyo’s Legend of Gatotkaca, an Indonesian martial arts superhero story that’s streaming on Hi-YAH! beginning February… Read More ›
Have your choice of four cuts in the Arrow Video restoration of the Sammo Hung-starred/directed action comedy “Millionaires’ Express.”
In the last few years, physical media boutique Arrow Video has restored many martial arts-centric films. These range from two Shaw Brothers collections totaling 22 films, Come Drink with Me (1966), and One-Armed Boxer (1972), to name a few, while… Read More ›
Michelle Yeoh’s 1986 historical actioner “Magnificent Warriors” gets a 2K restoration from 88 Films.
Before Oscar-nominee Michelle Yeoh (about damn time) traveled everywhere all at once, before she was a rich Asian, before she played a Chinese agent alongside 007, Yeoh was part of a heroic trio, a royal warrior, and, for the Hot… Read More ›
“The Grandmaster of Kung Fu” imagines Chinese historical figure Huo Yuanjin in a personal conflict during the first Sino-Japanese War.
Each country has their history and storytellers often find those histories ripe for the picking when trying to devise ways to entertain. In the U.S., for instance, audiences marveled at cinematic release The Patriot (2000) for its depiction of sacrifice… Read More ›
Shout! Factory’s “Jackie Chan Collection: Volume 1 (1976-1982)” showcases some of Chan’s early works.
When it comes to martial arts films, there are many great current actors who can pull off the action, but uncommon is the actor who can do so without the aid of a stunt double. Conversely, there are great martial… Read More ›
The “New Gods” cinematic universe expands with the visually stunning “Yang Jian.”
Animation studio Light Chaser Animation has released seven films with ones most likely known in North America being White Snake (2019), New Gods: Nezha Reborn (2021), and Green Snake (2021), the latter two likely because of their accessibility on Netflix…. Read More ›
“The Grandmaster of Kung Fu” Blu-ray Giveaway
There are plenty of films which have explored the life of legendary martial artist Ip Man, but few that do the same for creator of the Chin Woo Athletic Association, Master Huo Yuan Jia. Starring Du Yuhang (Kung Fu League)… Read More ›
88 Films issues the final Three Dragons film, “Dragons Forever,” in a worthy limited edition restoration release.
1988 is a significant year for martial arts fans as it’s the last time the trio known as the Three Dragons were captured on celluloid. The group comprised of Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, and Yuen Biao would make several films… Read More ›
“Dragons Forever” Blu-ray Giveaway
Originally released by 88 Films as part of their 88 Asia Collection in 2022, the 4K UHD restoration of Dragons Forever from directors Sammo Hung and Corey Yuen finally comes stateside January 10th, 2022. Due to the generosity of MVD… Read More ›
Before “Part Two” releases in 2023, catch up with Choi Dong-hoon’s sci-fi action fantasy “Alienoid” on home video.
If there’s one complaint that American audiences are prone to have, it’s that there’s never anything original hitting theaters. It’s all superhero stories, remakes, reboots, or some kind of sequel. It’s incredibly risky for studios to make original stories, so… Read More ›
“Preman: Silent Fury” Blu-ray Giveaway
If someone were to mention Indonesian action cinema, films like The Night Came For Us (2018), The Raid: Redemption (2011) and it’s amazing follow-up The Raid 2: Berandal (2014), as well as Merantu (2009) and newly released Vengeance is Mine, All Others Pay Cash (2021)… Read More ›
With Steve Wang’s sci-fi actioner hitting 4K UHD via 88 Films, all you’ve got to do is “Drive.”
There are movies that grab you because they take big swings, there are movies that grip you because they resonate with some aspect of your being, and there are some movies that simply tickle you for their absolute audacity. Director… Read More ›
Choi Dong-hoon’s “Alienoid” is a nearly seamless anarchistic sci-fi action comedy that’ll have you impatient for “Part Two.”
Whether it lands with the general public or not, there’s nothing like a big swing in art, something that extends itself perhaps farther than it should go, never quite breaking its own rules as it bites off more than it… Read More ›
Well Go USA unleashes action/comedy “Baby Assassins” upon a grateful home release audience.
Since its international premiere at Fantastic Fest 2021, writer/director Yûgo Sakamoto’s Baby Assassins hasn’t been far from mind. I discussed it on two Cine-Men episodes, gave it a highlight mention in the 2021 Sticky List, and made sure to include… Read More ›
“Ip Man: The Awakening” accomplishes anything but that for its audience.
There have been several actors who’ve personified the Wing Chun master Ip Man on the big screen. Ip Chun, Man’s son, portrayed Man as Bruce Lee’s mentor in the 1976 film Bruce Lee: The Man, The Myth. Wang Luoyong (Rollerball)… Read More ›
“Ip Man: The Awakening” Blu-ray Giveaway
Wing Chun Master Ip Man has been the source of many films and television programs over the years with notable performances from Donnie Yen and Tony Leung among them. Now taking on the mantle is My Father is a Hero actor… Read More ›
“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” Digital Code Giveaway
Of the Phase Four MCU films released thus far, Destin Daniel Cretton’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings remains my favorite of the bunch. As such, when the opportunity arose to snag the physical 4K UHD release on sale,… Read More ›
Jimmy Wang Yu’s 50-year-old film “One-Armed Boxer” gets rejuvenated with a brand-new 2K restoration from Arrow Video.
Beginning in 1965, actor Jimmy Wang Yu worked making films for the famous Shaw Brothers Studio operated by Run Run Shaw, making films like One-Armed Swordsman (1967) and Come Drink with Me (1966) sequel Golden Swallow (1968). It wasn’t until… Read More ›