Mike Garcia

About Mike Garcia

Born in Spain and raised on countless meters of celluloid dreams, I have lived through cinematic memories while surviving the most putrid film swamps. Now, I’ve been granted the chance to write about my dream and nightmare ventures in front of movie screens, right here at Film Combat Syndicate."

Posts by Mike Garcia:

JFF THEATER: KEY OF LIFE: A touching trip of laughs and emotions

Mike Garcia

Since August 1, 2024, Japanese film fans are in luck as the Japan Foundation has launched a new streaming website, “JFF Theater,” through which they distribute Japanese films and other works worldwide, with multilingual subtitles and free of charge, with the intention of promoting Japanese culture and language learning. “Key of Life” is one of the films included in the platform, which will be available until February 1, 2025 and is part of a new collection on the platform that´s been called: “The twist and turns of life” that includes other films such as “Under the Open sky”, or “Her love boils water”, in a collection that according to the site, explores the unpredictable journey of human existence marked by moments of joy, sorrow, struggle and acceptance. The film, released in 2012, and directed by Kenji Uchida, with a cast made up of Masato Sakai, Teruyuki Kagawa and Ryoko Hirosue, […]

MEGALOPOLIS Review: Was it worth it?

Mike Garcia

The pillars of the history of the seventh art have been cemented by dreamers with a vision doomed to failure. Men and women who persevered in bringing their vision forward so that their ideas would become reality, even at the cost of great sacrifices. Throughout the more than one hundred years since the creation of cinema, the industry has been nourished by these stories of overcoming and perseverance that have enriched the epic and legend surrounding the films. Without a doubt, Francis Ford Coppola belongs to a generation of filmmakers where taking a vision forward was synonymous with great deeds and sacrifices. The director has written his name in gold letters in the Olympus of filmmakers, and despite having achieved the immortality that only the world of cinema can grant to mortals, his image in the modern world has been left as that of a filmmaker from the past, who […]

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CHINESE HERCULES: THE BOLO YEUNG STORY Unleashes trailer ahead of release in 2025

Mike Garcia

Yang Sze, better known as Bolo Yeung, has become one of the most iconic villains martial arts cinema has ever produced. Having shared the screen with martial arts icons such as Bruce Lee or Jean Claude Van Damme, taking part in two of the most iconic films of the genre such as Enter the Dragon or Bloodsport. however, the he former Hong Kong bodybuilding champion film career wasn´t limited to those two classics and managed to spawned a prolific career or more than forty years by his own right most of the times taking advantage of his menacing physic to play the villain that the hero always had to defeat, however, he not always was the villain, and later on his career he was granted the chance to have some leading roles in productions such as the the Shootfighter duology, or films such as Ironheart. Despite of his antagonist cinematic […]

THE FINAL GAME OF DEATH Review: A trip back in time through the unreleased footage Bruce Lee left behind

Mike Garcia

Last year, fans of the little dragon were delighted with the magnificent 4K UHD/Blu-ray box set released by ARROW covering Bruce Lee´s iconic films for Golden Harvest. However, one of the highlights of the boxset was undoubtedly the documentary, “The Final Game of Death”, a 223-minute documentary that speculates on what Bruce Lee‘s vision on his unfinished project, “The Game of Death”, could have been. Summoning all two hours of footage left that was stored in the archives of Golden Harvest, including never seen before footage, as countless of outtakes, outdoors filming or the log fight scene, following the trend that previous documentaries as “A warrior’s journey” or the Japanese “G.O.D” already did years ago, but this time, having the footage restored in top quality, also assembling a new montage including a newly filmed credits scene and introduction that reimaginates what it could have been. The documentary drags the viewer […]

Spanish upcoming actioner HARD COIN (EL DURO) Conquers New York in the 12th Edition of the URBAN ACTION ACTION SHOWCASE.

Mike Garcia

After a successful run in prestigious spanish films festivals such as the 33rd Madrid International Film Festival and the 57th Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival, Nacho Serapio´s second directorial effort, Hard Coin (El Duro) starring uprising action hero, Alberto Hidalgo, has landed in US soil with strentgh and success, within the framework of the 12th URBAN ACTION SHOWCASE, one of the most important action and martial arts film festivals in the USA, and therefore, in the world. The past November 9th, the 12th edition of the well-known URBAN ACTION SHOWCASE was held at the REGAL cinemas in Times Square, in the heart of Manhattan. The event began at 10 a.m. with a film and pop culture EXPO, packed with stars of yesterday and today from this genre of cinema, who were signing autographs and taking photos with the fans. Among them were actors such as Taimak, known for the film […]

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THE QUEEN OF VILLAINS Review: A Fascinating Trip to the 80´s Japanese Pro Wrestling Scene

Mike Garcia

The Queen of Villains is a ticket to the past that gives the viewer the opportunity to delve into the Japanese pro wrestling scene of the eighties, hand in hand with the greatest villain who back then sowed fear in the AJW rings, in brutal confrontations against what is possibly the most famous female tag team in the history of Japanese wrestling, The Crush Gals. During five exciting episodes, we discover the ins and outs behind the AJW wrestling promotion, while we accompany a young Kaoru Matsumoto in her transformation into the fearsome Dump Matsumoto, genuinely embodied by Yuriyan Retriever, her uncanny performance is just a gift for the audience. However, the series is not limited to simply recounting Dump Matsumoto‘s journey to stardom, but becomes a thorough recreation of that unforgettable era of wrestling in Japan, being also a perfect portrait of the reign of the Crush Gals, a […]

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MR.MCMAHON Review: Vince McMahon faces his character, Mr.McMahon, in a documentary where fiction and reallity collides seeking for the truth

Mike Garcia

Vince McMahon has always been a peculiar figure hard to distinguish from the character he played on television from the man who hid behind all that facade, however, his success as entrepreneur cannot go unnoticed. Following his father´s footsteps Vince took the reins of the Proffesional Wrestling organization then called WWF, turning a regional business into a multi-global phenonemon that generates billions of dollars and has captivated worldwide audiences for more than forty years, trespassing the boundaries of sport and entertainment, This 6 episodes Netfllix documentary, chronicles the reign of McMahon from its origins as his father subordinate, until taking the reins of the company breaking all the established boundaries, changing the Wrestling landscape forever. Unveiling his ability to create characters that became icons, not looking away from his problems with justice, including the accusations that incriminates him of sexual misconduct and traffic. Throughout interviews with McMahon, -after the late […]

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HUNT THE WICKED Review: Relentless action of insane pace

Mike Garcia

“Hunt the Wicked” presents itself as a fast-paced succession of ballistic action with martial arts and even insane car action stunts that goes to the extreme, not giving the viewer a second of rest. The film becomes a dizzying succession of emotions where we have as main attraction, two stars like Xiao Mie and Andy On facing each other in a martial arts confrontation that is not to be missed. On the other hand, the plot is very simple, and as many films of this type nowadays, it suffers from the lack of a memorable soundtrack to associate it with. But anyhow, it has better production values than most of Iqiyi productions despite the abuse of some cheap special effects on its action sequences. The plot revolves around Huang Mingjin (Xiao Mie), a police officer from the narcotics squad who is investigating a drug trafficking ring that is shaking his […]

KILL ‘EM ALL 2 reveals the trailer for the unexpected sequel

Mike Garcia

In 2017, Jean Claude Van Damme teamed up with friend and occasional collaborator Peter Malota (The Quest, The Order) for his directorial debut. The result was a direct-to-video film with some good action moments but an overall somewhat uneven result that failed to satisfy the Belgian actor’s fans. Nobody could have expected that seven years later we would have a direct sequel to that film, this time with Bulgarian Valeri Milev (Code Red, Bullets of Justice) replacing Malota in the directing duties, for a sequel that at first glance and judging by its trailer, seems to offer a more refined product that may manage to make up for the shortcomings of its predecessor. This direct sequel sets the story seven years later from its predecessor, the plot follows Phillip (Jean Claude Van Damme) after his retirement as spy, living a peaceful life in Italy, but peace won´t last long when […]

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FIGHT AGAINST EVIL Review: Xiao Mie fights crime in an intense action thriller

Mike Garcia

Xiao Mie (As God, Fighting for the Motherland) grew up in movie sets in company of film deities such as Jet Li (My Father is a Hero, Legend of the red dragon) or Chow Yun Fat (Hard Boiled, The killer) and being directed at a very young age by legendary filmmakers such as Corey Yuen (Above the Law, Ultraforce) or Wong Jing (God Of Gamblers, City Hunter), is undeniable that there´s no better film school than have been blessed with the chance of learning the craft from the best, This, combined with his exceptional qualities and overwhelming charisma, has made Xiao Mie become, in his own right, one of the most visible faces of action cinema coming from China. FIGHT AGAINST EVIL, was small production released in 2021 highly influenced by the forays into cop films by Wilson Yip (Ip Man, SPL) with Donnie Yen (Flash Point, Kung Fu Jungle) […]

TAKE COVER Trailer rumbles the screen with the promise of a good action spectacle

Mike Garcia

Signature Entertainment has launched the trailer of the next adventure starred by who is possibly nowadays the most beloved action star by all those fans who long for the older style of action cinema in which problems were resolved using the the fists and throwing kicks and bullets flew all over the screen barely hurting anyone. The trailer promises to the fandom a good dose of good action entertainment with Scott Adkins in good shape, soon fans will have the chance of enjoying his efforts on “DEATH MARCH” by Louis Mandylor, a story set in Philippines during World War II, or the expected “DIABLO” by Ernesto Diaz Espinosa, in which is expected a new epic showdown between the British actor and Marko Zaror. On TAKE COVER, Adkins is well accompanied by Alice Eve (Bombshell), in a plot that revolves around Sam Lorde (Scott Adkins) a hitman who after a hit […]

TULSA KING SEASON 2 Trailer: The hit series returns to Paramount+

Mike Garcia

The series created by Taylor Sheridan (Yellowstone) and Terence Winter (Boardwalk Empire) was a pleasant surprise for audience and critic on its first season for its undeniable high quality standards. Tulsa King took up the baton from other popular series set in the underworld such as “The Sopranos” or even the underrated “Boardwalk Empire” Bringing to the screen an ingenious gangster story set in an unusual setting, with a brilliantly crafted script, and characters that work perfectly as a counterpart to the main character of the plot. Sylvester Stallone, in his first leading television role, plays a veteran NY gangster who has fallen on hard times, ending up in Tulsa where he begins to expand a new criminal empire. After some controversies in which the actor was accused of belittling some extras during filming, the shooting of this second season went ahead ignoring all those accusations that always end up […]

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THE QUEEN OF VILLAINS Trailer: Get to know Dump Matsumoto, the greatest villainess in the Japanese Pro-Wrestling scene

Mike Garcia

Kaoru Matsumoto, later known with her Ring stage name , Dump Matsumoto, was the biggest villainess in the Japanese pro-wrestling scene from the 80´s. Her ruthless extravagant personality and feuds over the rings with other wrestling personalities, turned her a sensation that sold-out arenas and skyrocketed the audience of her televised wrestling matches. Her venture into Proffessional Wrestling played an important part in the boom of Female Pro-Wrestling in the country of the rising sun, but there´s never a great story if it lacks of a great villain, and Matsumoto took that role with overwhelming personality, and knack for cajoling the public with her chaotic character in the ring. The Queen of Villains lands in Netflix as a semi-autobiographical 5-episodes series, that explores the journey that Kaoru Matsumoto experienced until becoming a cult personality into the rising scene of female proffessional wrestling in the 80´s. The Series starts streaming worldwide […]

SUPER/MAN: THE CHRISTOPHER REEVE STORY Trailer offers the portrait of a tragedy full of hope

Mike Garcia

From all the actors that have incarnated Superman, is undeniable that Christopher Reeve is largely considered the fan favorite. Since 1978 when he first made his first portrayal of the character in the long appreciated on Richard Donner´s first adaptation to be big screen, his image has been associated to the character, an association between actor and character that lasted for many years spawning 3 sequels that despite were not always accompanied by the desirable quality, helped to ciment a legacy that sill live on today… However, his off-screen struggles became as heroics as his adventures as the Man of Steel, when an unfortunate incident in 1995 struck his life forever, after suffering a horse riding accident that left him paralyzed for the rest of his life. The man who once portrays an invincible Superman on screen, was now a disable person unable to move a finger, however, and despite […]

In Memoriam: ALAIN DELON (1935-2024)

Mike Garcia

Still from Blazing Sun (Plein soleil, 1960) The passing of Alain Delon, symbolizes the slowly fading of an era of cinema that will no longer return, however, there´s no need of mourning, because in the magic of cinema, Delon will forever be young and beautiful in the more than 100 credits that he left behind his back throughout almost six decades of work… Alain Delon was born November 8th, 1935 in Sceaux, France, after a problematic childhoold where he developed an unruly behaviourdue the lack of attention of his divorced parent, he was expelled of school several times and at the age of 17, the future French cinema icon enrolled in te French Navy, serving as paratrooper during 1953 to 1954 fighting to maintain the French Indochina, before being dishonourably discharged for theft… Nobody is perfect, folks. On his return to France he had to do some odd jobs to […]

SUPERMAN & LOIS Releases epic trailer for its fourth and final season

Mike Garcia

Superman and Lois returns for a one last flight to enclosure what it was known as the Arrowverse, before James Gunn launches the new DC cinematic universe, with the upcoming film, Superman Legacy that he´s now filming. However, and despite the show can be considered part of the CW, TV universe, Superman and Lois escaped form the very beginning form that spandex and cape soap opera tone that most of the Arrowverse shows had, to settle a higher quality more mature tone, establishing itself on its own ficticional universe apart from the rest, delivering one of the most interesting approaches that the character has ever had in cinema or television , with a plotline mostly based in the 90´s comic-book era adapted into this new universe. This final 4th season, continues with the thrilling clifhanger that ended the previous season, with superman battling Doomsday in the moon. The trailer unveils […]

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ONLY 3 DAYS LEFT (3 jours Max) Review: “Le Bande a Fifi” in their latest explosive spoof action-comedy

Mike Garcia

Since I discovered the cinema of the group of comedians known in France as “La Bande a Fifi“, each new project they have announced has raised great expectations in me. The group formed in 2005 as part of “Le Grand Journal”, a successful entertainment television program, soon successfully transitioned into the world of theater and cinema with films such as the “Babysitting” and “Alibi.com” duologies, or the excellent live-action adaptation of the “City Hunter” manga, “Nicky Larson et la parfum de cupidon”, all directed and starring by the ineffable Philippe Lacheau. “Only 3 days left” (3 jours Max) is the sequel to “30 jours Max”, both directed and starred by Tarek Boudali, supported by the rest of the “Le Bande a Fifi“, the film continues with the misadventures of Rayane (Tarouk Boudali), a clumsy police officer from Paris, who after the unexpected success of his adventure in the previous film, […]

First Look at CAT’S EYES Trailer: The New Miniseries That Passes Tsukasa Hojo’s Manga Through The French Filter

Mike Garcia

Unlike some colleagues of his profession, mangaka Tsukasa Hojo has always been blessed with interesting adaptations of his work in his transitions to the audiovisual media. In 1993, we had the the first of the adaptations of his most famous manga, the iconic City Hunter, a Hong Kong production in which HK director and producer Wong Jing teamed up with Jackie Chan for a hilarious adventure that, despite not being completely faithful to the original material, It retained much of its essence, and gave us a fun visual spectacle that fans still remember with nostalgia. Three years later, Michael Chow starred in “Mr. Mumbles”, an unofficial adaptation, in which the names and part of the plot were changed but which maintained the original concept of the story. It was a year later when Cat’s Eye had its first live-action adaptation, in a Japanese production directed by Kaizo Hayashi, with Yuki […]

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BEVERLY HILLS COP: AXEL F Review: Amusing and charming revival that tries to ignite the spark of its glorious past

Mike Garcia

Thirty years have passed since the last film of the series hit theaters, since then, the world have changed a lot, the habits of consuming media are not the same and most of the entertainment is consumed through streaming platform, which is a limited window for profit, if we compared with the multiple options that producers had in the past, to make their products profitable. That has created an insufferable wave on nonsense remakes and late revivals, with the only intention of cash in already exploited sagas, in an attempt of invest in safe bets, that not always goves the awaiting results… It was the perfect scenario for Eddie Murphy to finally being able to carry out this sequel project that he´s been trying to make since the 90´s… This fourth installment is a late revival that is true to its 80´s/90´s essence, with the wisdom of rejecting adapt itself […]

YOLO Review: The path of seeking the best version of oneself

Mike Garcia

On this past Chinese New year, “Yolo” came out triumphant as a Box-Office knockout becoming the second highest grossing film on the international box office, and the first on the chinese market turning into a sensation for chinese moviegoers. Actress comedian Jia Ling puts herself in front and behind the cameras for an impressive deed in which she exposed herself undergoing into a surprising physical transformation that is worthy of admiration, going from an obese unhealthy body to a slim phisyque on perfect boxing shape, losing 50 kilos in the process, throughout a filming that lasted for a year and that is summarized during the final credits, showing that there were no artifices in the process to which the actress underwent, beyond a lot of discipline, a lot of training, an appropiate diet, and even getting into the ring competing in amateur boxing matches in order to prepare for the […]