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Review: Neo-Western Crime Drama, SAVAGE, Paints By Numbers With Ample Chills And Suspense

If rural crime pics are your thing, you can expect plenty of this in writer and director Cui Siwei’s debut outing, Savage, produced by former John Woo cohort Terence Chang. Scenic mountainous views and wintry landscapes are the backdrop for key performances from a cast led by Chang Chen, and an otherwise taut and stylish feature endeavor. Toggling between two seperate moments, the film depicts the story of Wang, a cop contemplating life in a near-desolate town near Mt. Baekdu where life has ultimately slowed down. He otherwise shares a friendly rivalry with partner Han (Li Guangjie) over love interest, Dr. Sun (Ni Ni), who is set to transfer to Beijing. At the same time, a harrowing heist is underway highatop a snowy mountainous road, enacted by a trio of robbers led by Damao (Liao Fan), his kid brother, Ermao (Zhang Yicong), and sly sharpshooter, Zhou (Hu Jun). Wang is […]

SAVAGE: Cui Siwei’s New Chilling New Heist Thriller Nabs A U.S. May 3 Release

Lee B. Golden III

With Shadow in tow, Zhang Yimou’s wuxia epic won’t be the only title ready to command audiences as Cui Siwei’s neo-western crime thriller, Savage, stakes its claim for Well Go USA also on May 3. The wintery action crime thriller is led by co-star of Warner Bros.’s upcoming Dune, actor Chang Chen and also stars actress Ni Ni, and actors Liao Fan, Huang Jue, Liu Hua, Zhang Yicong and Li Guangjie. Buried by treacherous conditions at the top of Mt. Baekdu, a policeman must brave the extreme weather until his transfer comes through. When a group of thieves stumbles into the station in search of safe shelter, both sides must fight for survival in this stylish action-packed thriller.

The Official Trailer For SAVAGE Teases A Cold-Blooded Heist Thriller

Lee B. Golden III

Director Cui Siwei – screenwriter of Huang Bo’s The Island and Leo Zhang’s Jackie Chan sci-fi, Bleeding Steel – stirred a fair bit of attention with his latest scintillating and brutal heist thriller, Savage, after screening in Busan last year. It’s getting an April 26 release in China and for this, it’s got a great official trailer packed with chilling, pulsating neo-western flair to boot. Mt. Baekdu, heavy with snow in the middle of winter. It is said that many ethnic Koreans still live near the snow-covered mountain. A policeman waiting for his transfer and a group of criminals trying to escape from the area after finding stolen goods that were hidden will have a final showdown on the isolated peak. Starring are Chang Chen, Ni Ni and Liao Fan for its cast. Stay tuned!

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ASH IS PUREST WHITE: Don’t Miss The Official Trailer For Jia Zhangke’s Crime Epic

Lee B. Golden III

Chinese censors may be skiddish of director Jia Zhangke’s creative endeavors, but that hasn’t stopped him from moving forward. His newest, Ash Is Purest White, is still putting its best foot forward and with Cohen Media Group having acquired the film for U.S. release at Cannes last May, an official trailer is already online ahead of its March 15 due date in select theaters. Qiao is in love with Bin, a local mobster. During a fight between rival gangs, she fires a gun to protect him. Qiao gets five years in prison for this act of loyalty. Upon her release, she goes looking for Bin to pick up where they left off. One of a few fun facts here about this film is that parts of Zhangke’s application to this film are due to his affinity for actress Zhao Tao’s performance caliber in some of his previous work. The film’s […]

TIFF 2018: HIDDEN MAN Still Stands As One Of The More Exciting Titles This Year

Lee B. Golden III

HIDDEN MAN screens starting this Friday for the Toronto International Film Festival which kicks off on September 6 through 16.

The Teaser For Jia Zhangke’s ASH IS PUREST WHITE Gets Snappy

Lee B. Golden III

Recent review buzz on Jia Zhangke’s new film, Ash Is Purest White, partly highlights its nod to various musical gems from Hong Kong cinema history – most notably Sally Yeh’s Cantopop classic, Drunk For Life, as prolifically heard on the soundtrack of John Woo’s 1989 bullet ballet hit, The Killer; Granted Jia’s film doesn’t necessarily look that stylish but certainly garners its own appeal as a crime drama that resonates. At any rate, the acclaimed director’s new film also didn’t exactly go home empty handed following its in-competition premiere at this month 2018 festival at Cannes. The film is slated for a release in China on September 21 from MK2 and for this, we now have some trailer footage to share while cinephiles in the U.S. can look toward a small theatrical rollout from Cohen Media Group further on. Qiao is in love with Bin, a local mobster. During a […]

Jiang Wen’s HIDDEN MAN: Bullets And High Wire Acts Over China In The Newest Trailer

Lee B. Golden III

With most of the specific plot details off the radar for Jiang Wen’s martial arts-infused spy pic, Hidden Man, its interesting trying to look up certain bits of China’s 20th century history. What we do know, however, is that it’s got a revenge twist that culminates a trilogy following Wen’s previous Gone With The Bullets and its 2010 predecessor Let The Bullets Fly. Alas, we now tackle the third entry as it’s loosely based on a novel written by Zhang Beihai. Wen himself is front and center for the cast with actors Eddie Peng, Liao Fan, and actress Zhou Yun and Summer Xu. A July 13 release hails from Gravity Pictures while later market news should see what becomes of its rollout following Warner Bros.’s co-production attachment to the film earlier this week. A new teaser is out as well and while it looks a bit more narrative rustic than […]

HIDDEN MAN: Eddie Peng Is Gung-Ho In The Teaser For Jiang Wen’s Revenge Thriller

Lee B. Golden III

Sooner than the next Star Wars movie, news of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story co-star Jiang Wen’s latest return to the helm now sees Hidden Man emerging for a 2018 release. Adapted from Zhang Beihai’s own 1930s-set Wuxia novel and said to be the last installment of Jiang’s Bullets trilogy, the finale tells of a swords who returns home as a spy to avenge the death of his family. The teaser now running online is certainly brisk and slickly delivered for its desired affect and bet that action fans will gravitate around this one as soon as it releases in full with Eddie Peng and Liao Fan, and actresses Summer Xu and Zhou Yun also starring. The film itself has been a long time coming and available headlines indicates a casting change which should make this a bit more intriguing. Take a look!

THE FINAL MASTER: Win A Copy Of Well Go USA’s Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Pack Release

Lee B. Golden III

UPDATE: This contest has expired. Perhaps one of the best martial arts moviegoing experiences ever brought overseas has to be Xu Haofeng’s newest home release, The Final Master. An adaptation of one of his written anthological works, the film shimmers with action and drama with pure wit and charm from its main cast led by actor Liao Fan and acclaimed choreography by Haofeng himself. Its central highlight of Wing Chun (for a release as timely as this one as it came out in theaters just months after Well Go USA released Ip Man 3) is certainly one that I had never seen before in any particular film of this genre centered on its style and it’s hosted with such intensity and focus – Being my first foray into Haofeng’s work, I get him. I understand him. I’m proud to say how much I love this movie and I couldn’t be […]

Watch The Official Trailer For Well Go USA’s Home Release Of Xu Haofeng’s THE FINAL MASTER

Lee B. Golden III

Details and visual content remain pending for acclaimed martial arts action auteur Xu Haofeng’s upcoming adaptation, The Hidden Blade now circulating at Cannes. In the meantime, it’s been about a year and a half the director’s most recent celebrated release, The Final Master (as it was titled for the U.S.) hit limited screens from United Entertainment Partners and in the wake of much acclaim earned for its overall fight choreography. That said, I can honestly attest to my own experience of the film was pretty fantastic given its theater setting. The sound made it much more engaging to watch the fights whilst engaging the overall mood and dramatic tension with actor Liao Fan starring in the title role of a martial arts instructor who finds himself caught up in a deadly whirlwind of upheaval and miltary proliferation in the early 20th century. In 1930s China, unrest rules the nation. Chen, […]

Hey Los Angeles! The China OnScreen Biennial At REDCAT Is Hosting A Screening Of Xu Haofeng's THE FINAL MASTER This November

Lee B. Golden III

Did you miss this year’s North American limited release of Xu Haofeng’s The Final Master from United Entertainment Partners? Fear not, and peer over to the official website for Roy and Edna Disney/CalArts Theater (REDCAT) for this year’s China OnScreen Biennial on November 7. Co-presented with the China Onscreen Biennial, The Final Master – the third film by Xu Haofeng, famous as the novelist who co-wrote Wong Kar-Wai’s The Grandmaster – relocates its titular martial arts master from Southern China to 1932 colonial Tianjin. Xu’s sarcastic and elegant approach to cinema has been described as what martial arts movies would look like if directed by Straub-Huillet —or David Mamet. Echoing the film’s cultural hybridity is a rare Chantal Akerman short that captures the changing light as dusk creeps over Shanghai, its immemorial waters rippling under neon and gaudy ads, to a cover of “Nights in White Satin.” Events for the […]

Review: THE FINAL MASTER (2016) – A Thrilling Wing Chun Refresher

Lee B. Golden III

To date, I had never seen a Xu Haofeng-directed film. Thus, the weekend was glowing with opportunity for me in this instance – that is, getting to experience a genuine kung fu movie at AMC Empire 25 in the heart of Times Square, New York City, and you’re literally swimming in sound as you enter one of the zig-zagging corridors of the room, which really did this film justice for its theatrical entertainment value. Incidentally, this was also my second stab at a Liao Fan film since catching him in Jackie Chan’s CZ12 just last year on VoD – Frankly, I’ve forgotten that film, as forgettable as it is (save for its obvious star power), but its in films like Xu’s The Final Master that you’re not completely left wondering what happened in the breadth of an hour and forty minutes. Point in fact, it’s hard to forget and you’re […]

EXCLUSIVE: Xu Haofeng's THE FINAL MASTER Gets A Trio Of Posters

Lee B. Golden III

As obscure as a lot of Chinese cinema has been and continues to be, I was pretty relieved in the last several months as we were all informed of the upcoming North American release of author and filmmaker Xu Haofeng’s newest film, The Final Master. The film picked up a few good wins and nominations during recent award shows including a Best Choreography award at the Golden Horse 2015 ceremony and a Film Of Merit win in Shanghai this year, and even on those limited terms, it’s unimaginable to me, the prospect of this film not getting more attention. That kind of thing can be attributed to either censorship or the overall convoluted nature of how the film industry works and that’s a topic worth discussion at a later time. At any rate, I’m glad that The Final Master is getting the treatment that stateside martial arts fans deserve, and […]

Watch The Cutting Edge New Teaser For THE FINAL MASTER

Lee B. Golden III

Director Xu Haofeng’s The Master is largely one of the most highly anticipated movies going into 2016 for cinephiles alike apart from its prior audience in China. Thankfully, United Entertainment Partners has that covered with a U.S. release for its new title, The Final Master, pending following its acquistion late last year amid festivals in this, its second China title following its initial release, Saving Mr. Wu. SYNOPSIS: The Final Master is a martial arts film set in a transformational time period in China before World War II. Based on director Xu Haofeng’s best selling novel, The Final Master follows a Wing Chun practitioner’s adventure to open a martial arts school in the northern center to fulfill his master’s death wish. He has to secretly challenge eight martial arts schools with his apprentice, but he does not realize he’s been turned into a chess piece within the power game in […]

Xu Haofeng's THE FINAL MASTER Is Coming To North America

Lee B. Golden III

Author, screenwriter and filmmaker Xu Haofeng came full circle late last year with his newest martial arts drama, The Master. In it, the film sees actor Liao Fan in a role inspired primarily by one of three stories of Xu’s 2013 anthology, “Hiding Behind The Blade” – the first two being The Sword Identity in 2011 and 2014’s Arrow Arbitration (a.k.a. Judge Archer). Despite Xu’s credentials and publicity here, both films have remained largely obscure in their respective roll-outs at the time, thus making The Master something to truly appreciate nowadays, and not for nothing either. Hou Hsiao-Hsien’s The Assassin dominated Taipei’s 52nd Annual Golden Horse Awards back in December, while not counting out a handful of other titles for their acclaim, including The Master, which earned an award of its own for Best Action Choreography. All in all, The Master defines itself among others as a film to take heed to […]

You Might Cut Your Self With The Latest Trailers And Poster Slate For Xu Haofeng's THE MASTER

Lee B. Golden III

Following its teaser back in July, two new trailers have finally surfaced for acclaimed author and screenwriter Xu Haofeng‘s latest, The Master. Noted for his work behind such contemplative martial arts films such as Judge Archer and The Sword Identity, Xu’s new film doesn’t appear to steer too far from the same hard-edged tones in story and action which looks favorably good for fans thusfar. Rising star Fan Liao fan leads the film based on Xu‘s “Hiding Behind The Blade” anthology publication with a story centered on the early 20th century turmoil in China’s clandestined world of Wushu, and one man’s conflict of personal ethics with the rules of martial arts. All details aside, however, moviegoers are bound to enjoy some pretty thrilling martial arts sequences judging by the new trailers which clearly evokes just how serious Wushu was for its time. With weapons like these, everyone is playing for keeps. […]

It's An All-Out Kung Fu War In The New Teaser For Xu Haofeng's THE MASTER

Lee B. Golden III

Accomplished author, screenwriter and filmmaker Xu Haofeng has intrigued minds over the last several years with works relative to the wuxia genre, with a few in conjunction with his 2013 anthology publication, “Hiding Behind The Blade”. Having brought two of those short stories to the screen for regional approval, The Sword Identity in 2011 and the 2014 release of Arrow Arbitration (a.k.a. Judge Archer) all based on his earlier work, there’s no stopping Xu as he’s now ready to bring forth the latest of those works to the Mainland cinemas with The Master. CZ12 co-star, actor Liao Fan stars in the title role as a Wing Chun master from Canton eager to establish himself in Tienjin with an intricate plan to do so goes awry when military official moves in with a deadly campaign to systematically indoctrinate miltary training throughout each school. Actor Song Yang reunites with Xu and a […]