News

88 Films Dips Back Into The SHAW BROTHERS Vault For Three New Blu-Ray Releases

It’s a great time to be alive if you’re a Hong Kong cinema fans. 88 Films have announced three new Blu-Ray releases for September 10th, including an unsung gem of kung fu cinema. The announcement includes TO KILL A MASTERMIND, THE SHADOW BOXING and THE GOLDEN LOTUS. As a genre fan, it’s incredible to see these Blu-Ray companies picking up some of the more obscure Shaw Brothers titles. To Kill a Mastermand, in particular, has only previously been available via shoddy bootleg DVD, so for that one to finally get a release really is something special. You can read the synopsis and view the cover art for these upcoming releases below: Although most famous for their kung fu movies, Hong Kong’s legendary Shaw Brothers studio made more than just chop socky; taken from a (famously saucy) classic novel, Golden Lotus is an epic tale of a passionate – and sometimes destructive – love […]

Arrow Video Unleashes Wuxia Heavy SHAWSCOPE VOL. 3 In November

Shaun Williams

If you find a very, very quiet spot today – maybe a closet or a bathroom – and listen carefully, you can hear the agonizing shrieks of kung fu cinema fans’ wallets as today’s the day Arrow Video officially announced the release of SHAWSCOPE VOL. 3, their third Blu-Ray box-set of classic Shaw Brothers films. But genre fans need not empty their bank accounts just yet, as the set will be releasing on November 26th. Plenty of time to scrape together the necessary funds. Early buzz among Blu-Ray enthusiasts suggested Volume 3 may be a horror-centric set but that doesn’t seem to be the case at all. This time around, Arrow is focusing on swordplay with films like The Sentimental Swordsman and the iconic One-Armed Swordsman trilogy. You can see the full ist of fims below: One-Armed Swordsman trilogy Lady Hermit Intimate Confessions of a Chinese Courtesan The 14 Amazons The […]

Fantasia XXVIII: Swords, Sorcery, Salutations And More In The Second Wave!

Lee B. Golden III

Fantasia Festival 2024 is looking better and better. The second wave is here listing a new raft of titles to shore up excitement from folks looking to attend the twenty-eighth edition. The 2nd wave news also enlists a Canadian Trailblazer award for Vincenzo Natali whose 1997 debut, Cube, is getting a 4K-restored world premiere courtesy of the Canadian Film Center. As for the rest of the announcement, take a gander at the gallery below and additonal title announcement beneath. . Oof, this curtain raiser is gonna be a doozy. Check it all out below, and catch up on the first wave if need be, and do stay tuned for the full line-up and then some! ADDITIONAL SECOND WAVE TITLES: 100 YARDS (China) – Dirs. Xu Haofeng and Xu Junfeng Family secrets, demimonde politics, and romantic entanglements complicate the rivalry between two skilled martial artists in the 1920s. The latest from […]

A LEGEND Trailer: Jackie Chan Returns In Sequel To The Myth

Shaun Williams

If you’d have asked me “Shaun, what sequel do you think Jackie Chan will make next?” I would have answered with “Another Police Story” or “Are we finally getting Rush Hour 3?” I did NOT see Jackie making a sequel to his less-than-stellar 2005 trip-through-time film, The Myth. Alas, it’s 2024 and here we are. Jackie returns to Chinese big screens on July 7th with A LEGEND, a collaboration with long-time friend and frequent Director, Stanley Tong. Distribution Workshop has the international rights and has the official synopsis as: A LEGEND sees Professor Chen, an archaeology expert, notice that the texture on the artifacts discovered by his students during a glacier expedition, is strikingly similar to a jade pendant he had seen in his dreams. The pendant is connecting the realm of dreams to reality. Filled with curiosity, Chen leads a research team on a journey deep into the Glacier […]

ESCAPE: Koo Kyo-Hwan Makes A Run For The Border In The Official U.S. Trailer

Lee B. Golden III

Just shortly after announcing a July 5 release in the states, Well Go USA is keying folks in with a look at the official trailer for director Lee Jong-pil’s new survival thriller, Escape. Koo Kyo-hwan, Lee Je-hoon, and Hong Xa-bin star in the pic which also releases a few days earlier in South Korea from Megabox Plus M. After completing his required decade of military service and being honored as a hero, a North Korean sergeant makes a sudden shocking attempt to defect to the South, risking life and limb for the chance to finally determine his own destiny. Check out the trailer below:

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HEROES SHED NO TEARS: Eddy Ko Is Trapped Behind Enemy Lines In An Exclusive Clip

Lee B. Golden III

Making its streaming debut at Film Movement Plus on June 7 is John Woo’s 1986 war thriller, Heroes Shed No Tears. The film features Eddy Ko and Lam Ching-Ying in a film that once remained shelved until Woo’s subsequent A Better Tomorrow was released, making Woo a hit director and allowing the previous flick to get some screentime before audiences. In this explosive precursor to his breakout film A Better Tomorrow, director John Woo demonstrates the genesis of his trademark style of hyperkinetic action and violence in the thriller he identified as his “first real film”, breaking a string of low-budget slapstick farces, and building the foundation for his over-the-top genre films that would follow. Making its exclusive North American streaming premiere on Film Movement Plus, HEROES SHED NO TEARS sports a brilliant 2K digital restoration for an optimal viewing experience. Hong Kong action veteran Eddie Ko (The Mission, Lethal […]

DAN DA DAN Is All The Rage As GKIDS Stages North American Release With First Teaser And Poster

Lee B. Golden III

The first poster and trailer are here for Dan Da Dan, the new supernatural romantic thriller fantasy anime acquired by GKIDS as of Tuesday. Fūga Yamashiro (Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!, The Heike Story) makes his directing debut on the animated series from a script by Hiroshi Seko. DAN DA DAN follows Momo, a high school girl from a family of spirit mediums, and her classmate Okarun, an occult freak. The two of them start talking after Momo rescues Okarun from getting bullied. However, an argument ensues between them – Momo believes in ghosts but denies aliens, and Okarun believes in aliens but denies ghosts. To make the mutual deniers believe in each other, Momo goes to an abandoned hospital known for its UFO sightings, and Okarun goes to a tunnel that is said to be haunted. In each place, they encounter overwhelming paranormal activity that transcends comprehension. Amid these predicaments, […]

LIKE A DRAGON: YAKUZA Prime Video Live-Action Drama Hails October Launch

Lee B. Golden III

I’ve never seen Takashi Miike’s Like A Dragon adaptation based on the hit game. Maybe that will change one day with the possibility of Tubi streaming, particularly now that the game franchise is back in the headlines. Alas, shout out to Cesar Alejandro Jr. for looping me in on news that broke yesterday with 100 Yen Love and Underdog director Masaharu Take announced to direct Like a Dragon: Yakuza, for Prime Video. More verbiage on the game and its legacy below: Released in 2005 by SEGA, the ‘Yakuza’ game series was positioned as an entertaining game for adults, which found massive fanfare amongst its target audience. The series depicts the lives of fierce yet passionate gangsters and people living in a huge entertainment district, Kamurochō, a fictional district modeled after the violent Shinjuku ward’s Kabukichō, that acts as the backdrop of the gameplay. Like a Dragon: Yakuza showcases modern Japan […]

JAPAN CUTS XVII: Shadow Of Fire, Shin Godzilla ORTHOchromatic, And So Much More As The Full Line-Up Is Revealed!

Lee B. Golden III

The 17th edition of Japan Cuts: Festival Of New Japanese Film is locked in for the summer of 2024. Alas, the full line-up is now available on the official website with tickets and availability, and we’ve got some exciting details to help share. Set for July 10–August 21 in New York City, this year’s edition will present over 30 films spanning 12 days across Feature Slate, Next Generation, Classics and Short Film sections. Among the festival’s lineup are five International Premieres, 10 North American Premieres, four U.S. Premieres, two East Coast Premieres and seven New York Premieres. Additionally, JAPAN CUTS will welcome over eight actors and directors as special guests and host three parties. This edition will mark this site’s fifth effort to remote-cover Japan Cuts since 2019. I’ve managed to screen a wide array of features and shorts in that time – a few of which have yet to see […]

88 Films Bombards Us With Action With Their June/July/August Slate

Shaun Williams

British Blu-Ray distributor, 88 FILMS, have been delivering the goods with their martial arts action releases for years now and they’re showing no signs of stopping any time soon. Physical Media fans have a lot to look forwards to over the next few months as 88 Films are set to hit us with a veritable avalanche of classic Hong Kong action flicks. Check out their slate below: JUNE Fist of Legend (6/24) – Everyone and their dog knows this film. Considered Jet Li’s best by many, it tells the story of Chen Zhen (also portrayed by Bruce Lee in Fist of Fury) fighting off the evil Japanese. Features fight choreography from Yuen Woo Ping and a fantastic villain in the form of Billy Chow. Availaiable on both Blu-Ray and 4K UHD. To Kill Wih Intrigue (TBD) – While a date hasn’t been set in stone for this one, most people are leaning […]

SHADOW GHOST Promo Image via Kickstarter

SHADOW GHOST Taps Andy Cheng To Helm Live-Action Adaptation Of Crowdfunded Indie Hit Comic

Lee B. Golden III

Crowdfunding is still a viable source for creators to help get their ideas off the ground. Sifu Kurtis Fujita took note last January when he launched his own campaign for indie comic book Shadow Ghost, successfully achieving 263% of its funding goals. With the first print in toe, it was las November when Fujita signaled fans of a feature/TV adaptation in the works, partnering with Atchity Productions, the studio behind The Meg films. Fast forward six months into the new year and the now-reported movie in question has found a director in renowned stunt-multihyphenate and filmmaker, Andy Cheng. “We are thrilled to have Andy Cheng on board to direct the Shadow Ghost film,” said Atchity Productions CEO, Dr. Ken Atchity. “His unparalleled experience and passion for martial arts cinema make him the ideal choice to capture the essence of the Shadow Ghost saga. We are confident that this collaboration will […]

Terror Vision Gives Kung Fu Cinema Lovers A Rare Gift – AN OLD KUNG FU MASTER On Blu Ray!

Shaun Williams

Terror Vision is doing the Lord’s work. Not only are they releasing a steady stream of rare horror gems; they’ve well and truly dipped their toes into kung fu cinema. Two months ago they released the quirky Barry Chan flick, Game of Killers, and this month we get a Blu Ray of the Yuen Siu Tien (Drunken Master, Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow) starring old school gem, AN OLD KUNG FU MASTER. In full remastered glory, no less. Those that don’t know Yuen Siu Tien may have head of one of his sons – legendary direction and fight choreographer, Yuen Woo Ping (The Matrix, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Drgon). In fact, all of his sons are established names in Hong Kong action cinema and, collectively, are known as the Yuen Clan. Yuen Siu Tien starred in almost 350 films during his lengthy career, including countless kung fu classics. Sadly, An Old Kung Fu Master was the […]

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OWL GIRL: Johnny Yong Bosch Hoots For Crimefighting Thrills In This Newest Proof-Of-Concept Short!

Lee B. Golden III

Don’t rule Johnny Yong Bosch out. His latest out of Vox Rocket Studio, Spades, is still in toe as the actor and ex-Power Ranger-cum-seasoned filmmaker also set his sights on Tidewater Comic-Con last week with proof of concept, Owl Girl. Following the loss of the Parliament of Owls, Skyway City’s greatest super heroes, a young girl named Lina Lopez rises up to defend the city from villains new and old. Zeke, the lone survivor of the Owls, must reluctantly take her under his wing and teach her what it takes to truly be a superhero. Not just the sky highs, but the lows as well. The series is intended for teen audiences and features a mix of serialized and episodic storytelling that reveals more upon rewatch. Bosch is shepherding the concept with Mike Federali and pairing Vox Rocket with Kamen Ramen Studios. Owl Girl is played by actress and industry […]

BEFORE DAWN: Catch The Trailer For Jordon Prince-Wright’s New WWI War Flick

Lee B. Golden III

July 19 will see the theatrical and digital release of Jordon Prince-Wright’s new war drama, Before Dawn. The film stars Levi Miller, Travis Jeffery, Myles Pollard, Tim Franklin, Jordan Dulieu, and Peter Sullivan, along with Ed Oxenbould and Stephen Peacocke. After leaving his family’s sheep farm in the Australian outback, a young man joins his countrymen on the western front of World War I with hopes of helping expedite an end to the bloody conflict. But as war rages on, he is forced to grapple with the brutal realities of trench warfare, including a near-constant battle to keep himself alive—without leaving another man behind. Prince-Wright and Jarrad Russell created the characters and storied on which Russell’s screenplay is based. Peep the trailer below from Well Go USA.

THE RAID In 4K Hits Australia And New Zealand Cinemas This Week!

Lee B. Golden III

Nope, I don’t live in Australia or New Zealand, but I am here to help promote a good time. That goes for anyone residing in either region who is curious to immerse themselves in Gareth Huw Evans’ 4K renewal of 2011 crime pic, The Raid in cinemas on May 30 from Umbrella Entertainment The movie shot its leading screen talents to genre acclaim with the likes of Iko Uwais and Yayan Ruhian reaching global stardom after Evans’ tastemaker hit, Merantau. The two are joined by heavy hitter Joe Taslim and Donny Alamsyah as the story culminates the events of a botched tower block raid that pits brother against brother amidst machinations of police corruption, and a landlord crime boss’s violent reprisal with an army at his disposal. Evans, who is also in post-production on Netflix’s Havoc with Tom Hardy, touted his retinkering with The Raid in the last few years, […]

THE KILLER: John Woo’s Remake Of His 1989 Hong Kong Hit Has Already Wrapped Filming

Lee B. Golden III

Remakes and reboots are the center of Rebecca Leffler’s Cannes market coverage over the weekend at Screendaily. Buried in her editorial is the news that John Woo’s revival of The Killer has already wrapped production in Paris. Matthew Stuecken and Josh Campbell, and Eran Creevy adapted the script which centers on an assassin’s efforts to make amends by earning money to help restore the eyesight of a beautiful singer be blinded in a gunfight. Chow Yun-Fat starred in the 1989 original opposite Danny Lee, Sally Yeh, and Kenneth Tsang. Woo’s root flick shot to acclaim through his signature gritty allure and stylish action, becoming part of a staple of golden age Hong Kong films that continue to influence and inspire audiences and creatives to this day. Multiple hands and individuals tinkered with visions for a remake for more than two decades before Woo decided to stake his claim at the […]

Film Masters Release The Controversial Kung Fu Classic, THE CRIPPLED MASTERS, This July

Shaun Williams

Controversy isn’t really something one might associate with the kung fu cinema genre. The infamous “Cantonese comedy” found in the classics of yesteryear may be a little on the distasteful side, but it’s easy to say “It’s a product of its time” and move on with your day. However, one martial arts film sticks out like a sore thumb when it comes to distastefulness – 1980’s THE CRIPPLED MASTERS. Over the years, this one’s only been accessible on VHS and DVD’s that were basically shoddy VHS rips, but now, for the the first time, it gets a crisp, remastered Blu Ray from Film Masters. Why the controversy? The Crippled Masters stars Frankie Shum (Shun Chung-Chuen) and Jack Conn (Thomas Hong Chiu-Ming), two disabled martial artists as the titular “masters” and focuses heavily on their impairments. Whether the film celebrates inclusivity or not is purely up to the viewer, but it’s safe to […]

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Ryoo Seung-Wan’s VETERAN 3 In The Works

Lee B. Golden III

Director Ryoo Seung-wan is plotting a threequel follow-up to 2015’s Veteran and his latest, I, The Executioner, which just screened Out Of Competition at Cannes. Ryoo confirmed the preliminary details in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter’s Patrick Brzeski on Sunday. “I’m actually already in talks with the actors. A third one will happen. I already have a spin-off story. I’d like to expand this universe and I feel like there are many more stories that I can tell. Of course, there’s a very important precondition for all that though. If Veteran 2 flops, none of this will happen. If you want to see a third one, please give this film your support!” I, The Executioner reunites Ryoo with the prime cast of the first film led by Hwang Jung-min (12.12: The Day). The two previously collaborated on Ryoo’s hit award-winning 2010 crime thriller, The Unjust. Ryoo also dove a […]

TACFEST 2024: ‘I’ll Crush Y’all’, ‘Shadow Fist 3’, ‘Kigurumi Blade’ And More Splash Big For Spain’s Second-Year Genre Festivities

Lee B. Golden III

The International Toledo Action Films Festival & Expo wrapped its goings-on in Illescas last week. The second-annual festival launced on May 15, kicking off a weeklong spell of film fandom and martial arts fanfare with expos, panels and seminars host to topical discussions on industry and the craft, stunts and much more within the first three days. The latter half of TACFEST II saw a plethora of events rolled into one at the Guillermo Plaza Pavilion in Yuncos in Toledo. Expos, training and exhibition segments, mini-cinema and merchandising were all on hand with over a dozen booths on display, including a photo booth where everyone could share their own Dragonz Magazine cover. The weekend also saw more than twenty martial arts seminars held with Grandmasters of Martial Arts such as Sebas Deibe, Paulino Martín, César Alonso, José Torres II (Killer-Ex), and Musical Kata World Champion Jan Sykora from the Czech […]

New X-MEN Movie In The Works, Lands ‘Hunger Games’ Writer

Lee B. Golden III

Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes scribe Michael Lesslie will write the next X-Men movie, according to the trades on Tuesday. A new film in the franchise had been the talk for some years now but things are finally inching a little closer after the end of last year’s strikes. The Marvel property launched in the comic pages in the 1960s from creators Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, chronicling the efforts of a band of superheros to mitigate diplomacy in a world then-discovering the existence of mutants. Led by telepath Charles Xavier who founded his School for the Gifted, those efforts often resulted in battling foes both human and mutant alike. The franchise elevated into screen success in the 90s, as well as the most recent revival on Disney+, “X-Men ’97”. On the live-action front, 20th Century Fox got the ball rolling with X-Men in 2000, landing twelve […]