THE BUTCHER’S BLADE Review: Liu Wenpu’s Sharply Entertaining Wuxia Thriller
Starring Liu Fengchao!
Reviews
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.
G.I. SAMURAI – Arrow Video Blu-Ray Review: Sonny Chiba Leads An Epic, Foreshadowing Tale Of Future Men Out Of Time
Now available from Arrow Video
TACFEST 2026: LUGER Review: A Gritty Spanish Road Movie Charging into the Toledo Action Film Festival”
Bruno Martín’s directorial debut is, quite simply, a revelation. If talent were measured by commercial success, this film would be dominating the domestic box office. However, we live in a world as imperfect as the one reflected in this frantic road movie. The story puts us in the passenger seat with two peculiar friends who make a living “fixing” problems on the wrong side of the law. What starts as a simple search for a stolen car quickly spirals, complicating their lives in the worst ways imaginable. Luger is a showcase of raw talent that completely overshadows its modest budget. Featuring a screenplay that never stops surprising and relentless direction that gives the audience no room to breathe, the film is anchored by a perfectly synchronized cast that brings total credibility to the chaos. The film is gritty, hilarious, violent, and above all, hypnotic—it hooks you from the […]
Streaming Sleepers: In THE NEXT BIG HIT, Offbeat Laughs, Stylish Action, And A Touch Of Romance In Pat Battistini’s New Indie Romp
Starring Pat Anzilotti, Zak Lee Guarnaccia, Cerina Vincent and Christopher Wolfe
THE WANDERING GINZA BUTTERFLY COLLECTION – Arrow Blu-Ray Review: A Sterling Collectible For Meiko Kaji Fans
Now available from Arrow Video.
MORTAL KOMBAT 2 – A Violent, Thrilling, Blood Soaked Smash!
OFFICIAL MORTAL KOMBAT 2 POSTER COURTESY OF WARNER BROS PICTURES UK Official Mortal Kombat 2 Trailer – In 2021 film fans and gamers were introduced to the reboot of “Mortal Kombat” on the big screen. Unfortunately, as many game adaptations do, it fell short of expectations with missed opportunities for characters, catch phrases, fight scenes and just the plot alone wasn’t imaginative. Five years on have Warner Bros learned from their mistakes and hit the reset button on their hot property franchise? I was invited to the European Fan Event in London and was one of the first to see the sequel in IMAX. This is what I thought of it. THANKS TO WARNER BROS PICTURES UK FOR THE INVITE AND AN AMAZING EVENING! The recent trailers got me very excited for the second attempt at the MK universe. A bonus for me is that I personally know one of […]
TACFEST 2026: NAK MUAY (Short Film) Review: The Truth Behind the Clinch
I spent the entire twenty minutes of this short film wondering if the protagonist was indeed the one and only Yod Suablak. The final credits confirmed it: the Muay Thai Warrior now competing in ONE Championship was the face on screen. While I respect the big-name Western fight promotions, there is something uniquely captivating about the blend of styles and the raw energy ONE brings from Asia. As a lifelong devotee of Muay Thai, Nak Muay (the Thai term for a Muay Thai practitioner) struck a chord from the very first frame. Suablak, maintaining the same stoic expression he wears when entering the cage, plays a fictionalized version of himself: a fighter caught in the “victory trap.” He depicts a world where a human being is reduced to a commodity, circled by predatory “hyenas” waiting to exploit his success. Suablak may not be aiming for an Oscar, but he delivers […]
Streaming Sleepers: In TIMUR, Iko Uwais Levels Up His Brand With An Even-Handed Crisis Actioner
Available to rent or own on digital from Cineverse.
TACFEST 2026: SUPER COURIER Review: From Kazakhstan to Hong Kong, Timur Baktybayev Revives the Jackie Chan Spirit
With Kung Fu Rookie, Timur Baktybayev introduced himself to the world via an undercover remake of Jackie Chan’s classic RUMBLE IN THE BRONX. It was a humble take on the classic, yet it captured the right essence, with the Kazakh actor mimicking the “Hong Kong Tornado” by replicating his every move and camera mannerism. There is no doubt that Chan is his idol and that Baktybayev knows his filmography by heart. However, despite that film’s indisputable quality, there is little virtue in pure imitation. It is difficult to carve out a name for yourself while standing in the shadow of a legend—especially someone like Chan, who acts as a total eclipse to anyone standing before him. That is why Super Courier feels like a genuine step forward for Baktybayev, who not only stars in the film but also serves as its producer. The influence of Jackie Chan and classic Hong […]
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.
JFF Theater: CONFETTI Review: A Delicate and Moving Portrait of Youth, Tradition, and Hidden Love
Yuki is a high schooler living a nomadic life, tied to his family’s traveling classical theater troupe. Constantly switching schools has made him introverted and weary of making connections—until he meets Ken, a bright classmate who breaks through his shell. While Ken is more obsessed with idol culture than traditional stagecraft, Yuki’s only goal is to have his new friend see him perform just once. It’s a shame the international release didn’t stick with the original Japanese title, Mabuta no Tenkousei (“The Transfer Student’s Eyelids”), as it perfectly captures the soul of the film. The movie wraps its tribute to Taishu Engeki (Japanese popular theater) in a story of innocent friendship that, beneath the surface, reveals itself as a delicate tale of adolescent queer love. It’s told with quintessential Japanese subtlety, avoiding the heavy-handed tropes or “message-first” approach often found in Western productions. The final scene is a […]
ASSASSIN Review: Zhou Jiuquin’s Kinetic Historical Potboiler Spy Actioner Gets The Job Done
Coming to VOD and Digital this week!
RISE OF THE CONQUEROR Review: A Promising Historical War Epic With A Few Caveats
The film arrives on Digital beginning April 14.
BEAST Review: Dan MacPherson And Bren Foster Go To War In Tyler Atkins’ New MMA Thriller
The movie stars Dan MacPherson, Russell Crowe, Kelly Gale, Luke Hemsworth, Mojean Aria, and Bren Foster, and opens in theaters on April 10.
Streaming Sleepers: In REDUX REDUX, When Is Revenge Enough?
Starring Michaela McManus
CRUEL TALE OF BUSHIDO – Eureka Blu-Ray Review: Tadashi Imai On How To Save A Life
Starring Kinnosuke Nakamura, and now available on Blu-Ray
BLAZING FISTS Review: Troubled Youths Trade Blows For Brotherhood in Takashi Miike’s Latest Delinquent Basher
Arriving on home mediums this week from Well Go USA!
ANDERSON SPIDER SILVA Paramount+’s miniseries Review: The Burden of being The Best
In 2013, after losing his long-held UFC middleweight title to Chris Weidman, Anderson Silva described the immense pressure of his 2,457-day reign as a “burden.” It is precisely within this psychological weight that the 2023 Pródigo Filmes miniseries for Paramount+ gravitates. Contrary to what fight fans might expect, this five-episode miniseries is not merely an epic chronicle of a fighting career; it is a poignant family drama. Here, the former UFC champion reveals the side of himself that remained hidden from the spotlight: a human approach to a man struggling to hold together something far more sacred than a championship belt—the family that remained by his side from poverty to stardom. As an executive producer, Silva clearly didn’t intend to create a vanity project to stroke his ego, but rather a tribute to his roots. The series kicks off with his legendary first bout against Chael Sonnen before diving into […]
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