SILVER SCREAMERS Review: A Documentary With Heart And A Pension
Now streaming on Bloodstream from The Horror Collective
Now Streaming
DEAD MEDIA Review: The Format Might Be Dead but The Horror Lives On
Dead Media is available now on VOD at Amazon Prime from Antenna Releasing Dead Media is the story of three 20 something roommates Maggie (Sammi-Jack Martincak), Brenda (Jessica Fenton), and Daniel (Antonio Teodoro) who decide to stream Night of the Lurchers, a campy cult classic horror movie from the 90’s, but when Maggie invites her hipster Gen X uncle Heppy (Sam Landman) over to join them, he brings over his rare DVD copy of the movie and things take a unexpected turn. The disc contains a cursed hidden special feature that when activated breaks down the wall between the world of the movie and their reality, unleashing a nightmare they struggle to survive & escape from. Full disclosure: I am a Gen X physical media obsessed uncle who loves to share movies with my nieces and nephews, so take that into consideration that I may be biased in how much […]
WARRIORS OF THE WASTELAND Review: Director Nemanja Ceramic Wears His Influences On His Sleeves And Travels An Often Familiar Path In The Post Apocalyptic Folk Tale
Warriors of the Wasteland is now available for rental or purchase on VOD. Originally released in Serbia as Son’s Will in 2024, Warriors of the Wasteland is an epic adventure set in a dystopian future after a nuclear war, centered on a fabled sword a lone stranger and his journey to fulfill his destiny told through a series of flashbacks as if it were a campfire legend handed down over generations. Fans of the Mad Max franchise or the various post apocalyptic tales it spawned like Fist of the North Star will recognize numerous borrowed elements both visually and thematically. In addition, there are noticeable spaghetti western and samurai film influences throughout with the lifted touches all handled with loving care and affectionally executed. That passion for genre cinema is also evident in the ambitious and impressive scope and scale of the production design and story with detailed lore as well […]
SPADES Review: Aces Go Some Dark Places In Johnny Yong Bosch’s Scintillating New Action Thriller
The film is now available on Prime Video
PREY OF WRATH Review: Tatiana Neva Steadies As Notable Lead Heroine In Clichéd, Myopic Indie Actioner From ‘Syndicate Smasher’ Duo
Now streaming for free on Xumo Play.
HARD REDEMPTION Review: Jino Kang Takes Gangsters To School In A Passable Indie Actioner With Some Hard Lessons
Starring and directed by Jino Kang, and co-directed by Christine Lam.
Tech Driven Anthology “Merge” Hits Prime
A Technology themed anthology film has just been released on Amazon Prime in the UK titled “Merge” check out the trailer here -Here is what we thought of the unique and somewhat intriguing combination of short films brought into one.”Merge” brings together five individual short films between 15-20 minutes in duration each all with a connection to Technology. As filmmaker myself I always praise anyone who tries to think outside the box and try something unique and different from the rest of the crowd. With that in mind I will give perks to the filmmakers behind “Merge” Bela Baptiste, Dalano Barnes and Richard Fenwick for their originality . However this is a pure case of huge ambition outgrowing their realistic budget. When you are relying heavily of the use of VFX the money really does speak on the screen and at times these short films felt very student like. With […]
JFF Theater: THE SCOOP Review: Blending School Drama with Timely Journalism Lessons
Set in a prestigious high school, The Scoop follows Yui Tokoro, a literature-obsessed teenager determined to uncover the identity of a mysterious writer rumored to be a student at her school. To achieve her goal, Yui joins the school’s unofficial press club, led by its eccentric leader (played by Akari Takaishi, known for her standout role in Baby Assassins). As Yui delves deeper, she uncovers corruption within the school, learning the vital lesson that true journalism is about uncovering the truth. This engaging film tackles timely themes such as press freedom and systemic corruption, seamlessly woven into a compelling school drama. Director Keiichi Kobayashi starts with a deliberate, slow pace that gradually builds momentum as the story’s layers unravel, culminating in a powerful climax where only the truth prevails—not just the truth of the mysteries presented by the plot, but also a sincere and evocative message that resonates with the […]
THE RAID: Fight Film Fanatics Makes Its Podcast Debut With A Look At The Indonesian Action Hit Film
Fight Film Fanatics is hosted by Lawson Leong and Katie Rose Leon
JFF THEATER: I AM WHAT I AM Review: An ode to individualism
Kasumi is a thirty-year-old single woman who is pressured by her family to find a husband and get married. However, she has no interest in following social patterns and wants to live without being subject to social conventions of any kind. Shinya Tamada, through a script by Atsushi Asada, reflects on the screen an ode to individualism that challenges social norms and traditional conventions, building a story heavily influenced by social movements promoted in the world of Western entertainment. In the end, the film seems to advance in fits and starts, having a clear message, but digressing too much to express it in interesting subplots that do not end up taking off. The final result is an enjoyable film, although lacking in hook, where the ideological subtext eclipses the plot and the main character. Available in Japanese foundation free streaming service JFF Theater https://es.jff.jpf.go.jp
JFF Theater: PROJECT DREAMS: HOW TO BUILD MAZINGER Z’S HANGAR Review: An ode to enthusiasm driven by Go Nagai´s legacy
Based on true events, this crazy film tells us in a light-hearted and comedic tone the story behind the Japanese construction company Maeda, and the project they carried out to design the hangar to store the Mazinger Z robot and replicate his epic exit to the surface. Showing a lot of love for Go Nagai’s legacy, and featuring a multitude of references to it, the film moves at a frenetic pace, even allowing itself to include a shy little romance between two of its characters, giving the plot large doses of comedy and a few touches of inevitable nostalgia, gradually building up an ode to enthusiasm so energetic and contagious that it makes you feel like Koji Kabuto at the controls of Mazinger Z. Along with the characters, we participate in the gestation of the project and the many obstacles they had to overcome to turn their crazy idea into […]
JFF Theater: MY BROKEN MARIKO Review: The Everlasting Bond of True Friendship.
Shiino is a sullen office worker exploited by her boss, who discovers through the news that her best friend, Mariko, has just committed suicide. After the initial shock, Shiino decides to steal her friend’s ashes from her abusive father, to embark on a journey with her and discover the reasons behind her death. Based on the manga of the same name written by Waka Hirako, My broken Mariko is an emotional story of friendship in the form of road movie, which delves into the complicated intricacies of the human psyche, showing the strong bond of friendship between the two main characters through multiple flashbacks, which lead us through the unstable fractures in Mariko‘s soul, after a life of suffering, towards that fatal outcome that not even the strong bond of friendship that united her to Shiiro could avoid. “My Broken Mariko” ends up being a moving story to which its […]
JFF Theater: KIMBA, THE WHITE LION Review: The Tezuka´s classic that inspired The Lion King
The Japanese foundation continues spreading Japanese culture on their free streaming platform, offering from February, 1 until May, 1, a wide variety of films that comes from intimate dramas such as “My Broken Mariko” or “I am what am”, to stories with gluttony as their central axis, such as “The God of Ramen” or “School´s meals time of graduation” or delicious tales as “Bread of happiness” to funny comedies as “Project Dreams- How to build Mazinger Z´s hangar“, this month including animes such as Ozamu Tezuka´s classic, “Jungle Emperor Lion aka Kimba, the white Lion.” The movie I will comment on in this review The success of Osamu Tezuka‘s manga and its subsequent animated adaptation for television led to Kimba making the leap to the big screen in Japanese cinemas with this adventure that is basically a montage in the form of a 70-minute feature film of the television series. […]
JFF THEATER: UNDER THE OPEN SKY Review: Inspiring tale about the importance of a second chance.
After 13 years of imprisonment for murder, Misao Mikami, a middle-aged former yakuza, is released from jail, finding himself in a hostile society that treats him like a left-over, however, Misao will gather all his determination to put in good use this new opportunity that he has been granted in order to reach his redemption. “Under the Open Sky“, is an inspiring tale about the importance of second chances and the good use we put on them. The director and writer, Miwa Nishiwaka, lures the audience into the story of a conflicted man aware that the wasting time will never be retribuited, but who has been graced with a second chance to make the most of the time he has left. The film navigates into the dark instincts of someone who has been cursed by a past of violence, who this new opportunity will teach to be blessed by the […]
JFF THEATER: KEY OF LIFE: A touching trip of laughs and emotions
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, […]
Spanish action comedy BULLETS & KATANAS load the guns and sharpens the blades to land on US and UK streaming
After a successful run through international festivals, and a limited release on spanish theatres, Nacho Serapio´s directorial debut finally found its way to reach a wider audience finding a home in Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV and Microsoft Store. BULLETS & KATANAS is a project that we’ve been supporting from this site since the very beggining, but if you missed it, you can check our review on the link below:
A Case For Better Action Movies: KNIGHTS OF THE ZODIAC, Like The Cosmos, To Each Their Own
I’m a little biased when it comes to some films. I’m especially keen on adaptations of Japanese mangas, given the fascinating source material and their cultural sway they’ve earned in the last century. Knights Of The Zodiac is just the latest to come out of the woodwork of Sony Pictures/Stage 6 Films, and comes with the exciting arrival of Japanese actor Mackenyu who nowadays can be seen reveling in the success of his most recent streaming episodic, Netflix’s “One Piece“. Knights Of The Zodiac, directed by Tomek Bagiński, wasn’t exactly the most critically or commercially well received. It was a box office bomb and fans of the original IP from mangaka Masami Kurumada didn’t take too kindly to the film for each their own reasons, citing anywhere from its derivative treatment of the manga and anime to the overall delivery in scripting and visual effects. The same has been said […]
ROBODOC: THE CREATION OF ROBOCOP Docuseries Now Available On U.S. VOD And Streaming
RoboDoc: The Creation Of RoboCop is now playing on VOD and streaming, with the first of its four-part retrospective docuseries available through Cinedigm’s Screambox platform. All four parts will be released weekly through September 19, with an official Blu-Ray release slated for October 17. A UK release remains in the works. Directed by Christopher Griffiths and Eastwood Allen, RoboDoc: The Creation Of RoboCop is a crowdfunded project that launched nearly seven years ago, aimed at covering the phenomenon that began with the R-rated 1987 sci-fi action thriller. The extensive documentary is billed as “an immersive 4+ hour journey into the making of the seminal sci-fi movie” that will include over 60 cast and crew interviews, including the original star of the inaugural film and Irvin Kershner’s 1990 follow-up, Dr. Peter Weller. Also starring Nancy Allen, Kurtwood Smith and Ronny Cox, RoboCop launched a box-office hit spawning a multi-media franchise including […]
BLOODHOUNDS Review: Loansharks Versus The Little Guy In Jason Kim’s Story Of Bromance And Ballistic Fight Action
Bloodhounds is now streaming on Netflix The fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic saw plenty of reports emerge spotlighting criminals taking advantage of people during desperate times. A little research on my end made me realize just how real this was in South Korea – something to consider with Netflix series Bloodhounds, and the 2019 webtoon that the series is inspired by. The series is directed by Jason Kim (a.k.a. Kim Joo-hwan) whose treatment sets things in motion during late 2020. I can’t quite pinpoint where this fits in the webtoon since I’ve never consumed it, and so I can only gauge the series on its own merits. To start, however, I can earnestly state that the first episode delivers a fine, brisk introduction to both sides of the series. Kim Gun-woo (Woo Do-hwan) is one of the first characters we meet. He’s humble, virtuous and soft-spoken, and typically a good […]
POWER RANGERS: ONCE AND ALWAYS Review: Finding Power In Forgiveness
Power Rangers: Once & Always is now streaming on Netflix. As restless as the mid-90s were for me like most kids my age, it was shows like Mighty Morphin Power Rangers that kept me situated, and with a concept and a brand that stood on something far bigger than most of us in the Western world would realize until the advent of the internet and galvanization of fandom made things so much more possible. Fast forward thirty years since the Fox Kids program took off and the show’s legacy remains as fresh as it did then for its target audience, including its latest commemorative induction with Netflix’s one-hour special, Power Rangers: Once & Always, featuring most of the cast of the franchise. Charles Haskell directed the special which centralizes franchise vets Walter Emmanuel Jones and David Yost back into the thick of things in the respective roles of Zack and […]
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