On December 4, 2018, Shout! Factory is releasing the Blu-ray & DVD for In Harm’s Way (aka The Chinese Widow), a war/drama directed by Bille August (1998’s Les Misérables). The film stars Emile Hirsch (Speed Racer) and Liu Yifei (Outcast), the star of the upcoming live-action adaptation of Mulan.
In 1940s, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor destroyed Americans’ morale. President Franklin D. Roosevelt decided to risk it all to bomb Tokyo, raising the public’s hopes. Bombardment air crafts led by U.S lieutenant colonel Jimmy Doolittle took off from a massive aircraft carrier. However, after completing their missions, the bombardment air craft pilots had to bail out at the coastal areas near Zhejiang due to shortage of fuel. A young pilot, Jack Turner (Hirsch), was saved by a young local widow named Ying (Liu), who risked her life as she hid the injured American pilot in her house.
Making your house walls look appealing is something that most of us do. Sometimes we try handing some paintings, while sometimes we prefer sticking wall sticker. All these things make the walls appear attractive, but it leaves your wall damaged. This is something that most of you do not pay heed to and that is why when you remove any of these decorative items from your walls, you have to spend money on painting again. In order to help you out with all these problems, Wallpics appears to be the best option among the other alternatives.
Scroll down to learn about the reasons that make Wallpics customized pictures the best option over other wall decors.
Wallpics – the best wall décor option
It is unique
Everyone wants their home to look unique and different from the others. Whether you reside in a flat or have a house, it doesn’t matter, all you need is a high-quality stylish wall decorative piece to make your home appealing.Interestingly, this is what Wallpics do to your abode. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that it uses your personal photographs to create a view that attracts others. It weaves a story from your images and makes it appear intriguing to others.
It is elegant
You know the most difficult part of decorating your home is that the chances of overdoing it are quite high. You might end up making your home look like a roadside salon.In fact, it has happened with many people when they just place paintings on the walls without really knowing much about it, huge clocks that instead of enhancing the beauty of the room makes it look small, thereby deteriorating its grace. However, when you opt for Wallpics, it gives an elegant look to your walls. You have something related to your life on the walls of your home that unfold many memories some sweet and some bitter. This all makes the photographs elegant in a real sense.
It is customized
At a time when you want everything customized, then why to opt for wall decorating items which are common and general. This is one of the reasons why it is recommended to select Wallpics. Here, you get a chance to place different pictures of 8”x8” square photo boards stick together in a shape and size which suits the walls of your rooms and meets your requirements. There are many who prefer Wallpics images in their living room, but there are others who want it beside the stair steps. You can get whatever you want with the help of Wallpics and this is something which is hard to expect from any other wall decorating alternatives.
It is easy to order
The whole process of getting all this customized Wallpics is quite simple. You just need to download Wallpics App and then place the order after uploading the picture on the mobile application of Wallpics. Surprisingly, in order to help both the Android and iOS users, Wallpics roll out to your mobile app for both Android phones as well as iPhones. You can download it and then receive the images within the stipulated time.
It is simple to place on the wall
When you buy a mirror or a painting, you face one problem for sure and that is to hang these things with the help of a nail. This is not as simple and easier as it appears too. Even with wall stickers, you face this type of problem. Most of the stickers do not involve simply sticking it, as in many of these the different parts are numbered and you have to stick all these parts together so that it looks like the one that you saw online while buying it. Perhaps that is why when you place these stickers these things most of the times do not appear the same. However, when you opt for Wallpics, you do not face such problems. You just need to stick it and it will appear the same way as you expected. It will look appealing and definitely garner compliments from your visitors.
Decorating your walls doesn’t mean damaging it. However, most of the wall decorating items end up damaging your walls. Usually, the wall stickers when peeled off it never come out clean. It carries away some of your wall paints exposing the wall of your home and making it look uglier. Even the same thing happens when you take off the painting or a mirror, you can see nails coming out of the wall and damaging your concrete wall. It is only Wallpics that takes care of these issues as it is prepared with the help of special sticky double-sided adhesives that leaves no marks on your walls. Further, it never peels off the wall paints.
It instills positive energy in your home
When you decorate your home, it is not just to make it look beautiful and attractive, but also to instill it with positive energy, love, and warmth. It should reflect that you live life to the fullest. Wallpics do all these things for you. When you place customized pictures from Wallpics, it ensures your home become lively with the energy that you experienced in the selected photos. For instance, if you place a photograph of you playing with your dog, then this picture creates an atmosphere of warmth and positivity in your house. This is something which you cannot find in any other wall décor.
Your house is made of bricks and mortar, but your home is built with your memories of love, fight, laughter, etc. All the feelings that you experience in a home with your family members, your friends, and your pets make your residence a home. Any decorative wall hanging or wall paintings will not reflect that thing other than Wallpics photos. These customized snaps come to life from your album when you place them on your walls. This is what makes it special among all the other wall decorating alternatives.
Is this “Brueploitation” for the new age? We’re not sure what to make of this project, but we are definitely impressed with Abb Li (aka “Afghan Bruce Lee”). For what it’s worth, check out the official press release for He is Back below:
Chitah Yajnesh Shetty (Krishna, Sainik) makes his directorial debut with the Hollywood film titled He is Back. The film is weaved around martial arts, and honors the legacy of Bruce Lee. Presented by Showtime Sinema & SBM Pvt Ltd in association with Ninjoor Pictures, He is Back is being produced by Suresh Sharma & Suresh Babu Malge.
Starring newcomer Abb Li – a martial artist discovered in Afghanistan – He is Back is about a poor young man from Afghanistan who has devoted his life to helping his village. Within him is a special power that will help him fight an encroaching evil that threatens not just his home, but also the world.
The unveiling ceremony for He is Back was launched at Armani Burj Khalifa, introducing Abb Li (popularly known as the Afghan Bruce Lee) and Alina Lliumzhinova.
In attendance at the ceremony was Her Royal Excellencey of Thailand Mom Luang Rajadarasri Jayankura, Ex-President of Kalmakiya (Russian Federation) Mr. Kirsan, Prince Firoz, member of Royal Institute of British Architects from England,Thomas Fung, Chairman of City Credit Capital (UK) ltd UK, Edmond Nercez from Belgium, Edmond Avakian CEO Avakian Group of Companies GENEVA; they all supported the film overwhelmingly.
Dr. BR Shetty, an eminent personality of UAE graced the Film Muhurath by switching on the Camera, and the clap was given by blockbuster film producer Mr. Rockline Venkatesh, along with Hollywood cinematographer Ross Clarkson (Undisputed III, Ninja II: Shadow of a Tear), action director Keecha Kempkadee in presence of the film’s partner Mr XU from China and others dignitaries.
He is Back is a film By Chitah Yajnesh Shetty, Co produced by Amarjit Shetty and executive produced by Mr. William Bond (Hong Kong).
He is Back is set to shoot in Kosovo, Cambodia, Thailand, Russia, and the USA. Filming officially begins on January 28th, 2019.
On November 6, 2018, Well Go USA will be releasing a Limited SteelBook Blu-ray Edition of Train to Busan (read our review).
Directed by Yeon Sang-ho (The King of Pigs), this 2016 thriller stars Gong Yoo (The Suspect), Ma Dong-Seok (Veteran), Jung Yu-Mi (A Bittersweet Life), Choi Woo-Sik (Big Match), Kim Soo-Ahn (The Net) and Ahn So-Hee (Hellcats).
Train to Busanfollows a group of terrified passengers fighting their way through a countrywide viral outbreak, trapped on a suspicion-filled, blood-drenched bullet train ride to the Safe Zone…which may or may not still be there.
There are currently no official details if this Limited SteelBook version will also include any New supplemental features, but as of now, Amazon has the following listed:
Director: Atsuko Hirayanagi Cast: Shinobu Terajima, Josh Hartnett, Kaho Minami, Shiori Kutsuna, Koji Yakusho, Megan Mullally, Reiko Aylesworth, Suzuka Ohgo, Hajime Inoue, Leni Ito Running Time: 95 min.
By Kelly Warner
Setsuko is a depressed, lonely middle-aged woman working in a joyless office job with nothing to come home to but a big mess of an apartment. Her family – a bitchy sister and a niece that was the result of the man her sister stole from Setsuko – don’t think very highly of her and Setsuko knows it. We do not need to have walked in Setsuko’s shoes to recognize the pain of depression that’s eating at her soul. Change is needed and Setsuko goes a little overboard in her pursuit of that change, leading her on a comical culture clash adventure with its fair share of heartbreak.
Setsuko’s niece, Mika (Shioli Katsuna, Deadpool 2), is in need of money and has a proposition for her aunt; buy off Mika’s English class lessons and go in her place. Setsuko is reluctant but the place is conveniently located (though clearly run by yakuza), so she drops by. She’s surprised by a livewire English teacher named John (Josh Hartnett, Bunraku) who barely speaks a word of Japanese, believes that good spirits and lots of hugs are the best way to achieve the American attitude, and orders Setsuko to go by the name of ‘Lucy’ during all their classes. This is absurd enough, but then he drops a blond wig on her head. John is grinning ear to ear, Setsuko is staring on in disbelief, and I’m laughing my ass off. It’s clearly not what Setsuko was expecting. But when John notes her stiffness in a farewell hug, he asks her to ‘just hug me,’ and she relaxes into his arms. Something happens, something clicks, and Setsuko (or is it Lucy now?) rediscovers joy in the company of another. Maybe she even rediscovers herself – or a new version of herself – and she decides she needs this in her life. Setsuko returns to her next class, but John has abruptly quit and is heading off to America with Setsuko’s niece, Mika. Depression comes creeping back in, but Setsuko decides to fight it by tracking John (and Mika, but she’s secondary to her needs) to Los Angeles.
I like road movies but I’m especially fond of road movies seen through the eyes of a foreigner. Setsuko, who is joined by her sister in their hunt for John and Mika, observes everything without disappointment or fear. When a tattooed man on the streets of LA offers Setsuko help in the middle of the night, she does not recoil but rather accepts his assistance and notes his tattoo parlor so that she may return to it later. America, as seen by the Japanese born but San Francisco residing writer/director Atsuko Hirayanagi, is not a beautiful place. Our fast food joints and seedy motels take up more space in California than seemingly anything else. But this is okay. This is honest. And honesty is key in the story of Setsuko. For while this is a very funny movie, it’s no feel-good comedy. The humor can be dark, Setsuko is clearly not in a healthy mental state, and the hand of death looms over much of the film.
In the very first scene, Setsuko is waiting for the train to take her to work when a stranger gropes her, says goodbye, and steps out in front of the train to commit suicide. When she is late for work, a coworker asks if she was really present to see the incident. “I haven’t seen one yet,” says the coworker, apparently disappointed and suggesting that it is a common occurrence. From then on, death and the idea of suicide are never far from our minds. Certain scenes are fake-outs – you think this is gonna get bloody, but nope. And other scenes seem safe, only to go horribly wrong as that dark specter visits the film again. You can be laughing one second and then gasp the next. It’s a disquieting piece of comedy but it works.
Shinobu Terajima (R100) plays Setsuko/Lucy in what is one of the finest performances you will see this year. Terajima puts on a masterwork of comedy, inner torment, and human longing. Setsuko is not all right. We don’t get a full sense of this until she arrives in America but looking back it was pretty clear from the start. She wants to find something with John as Lucy but it’s a fantasy and she’s not ready to accept that.
Josh Hartnett, who I have always liked despite the fact that many of his most well-known roles as a leading man are some of his weakest movies, is really good here. Like Terajima, Hartnett gets to go to two different extremes in playing English teacher John. Terajima’s Setsuko is withdrawn whereas Lucy is more outgoing. For John, he was outgoing and warm in Japan, but he was playing a part. In America, they find the real John, whose life is in pieces and is not nearly as full of good humor as we would’ve expected. It’s a good role for Hartnett, one that lets him play with both comedy and drama.
Kaho Minami (GMK) plays Setsuko’s sister. It’s not an easy character to like – partly because we are naturally drawn to take Setsuko’s side – but it’s another great performance. Minami plays the sister as so superior to everyone else. She doesn’t care that her kid has run off to America; best to think of her as dead. But then she basically plays a private detective in a foreign land trying to find her. Japanese superstar Koji Yakusho (13 Assassins) has a small but important role as another student in the English class. Like the rest of the cast, Yakusho’s performance is very charming, and splits time between comedy and drama.
Oh, Lucy! is the feature directorial debut of writer/director Atsuko Hirayanagi. The film is actually a remake of a 21-minute short film she made in 2014 starring Kaori Momoi (Izo) in the Setsuko/Lucy role. The short won some prizes and a good deal of attention (I haven’t seen it). By happy circumstances, Adam McKay and Will Ferrell came on to executive produce the feature-length retelling of the story. Hirayanagi doesn’t waste time before you realize you’re watching something made by a special new talent. The script, co-written by Borin Frumin, is especially good. The humor is sharp, the drama is unflinching, and the pace is near perfect. It’s the sort of film that makes me take note of a young artist’s name so that I can keep up with whatever they’re up to next.
Oh, Lucy! would make for a fine double feature with Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter, which also saw a Japanese woman looking for something grand in America but finding the end of her journey less beautiful than she’d hoped. Take Kumiko, then add a side of Please Teach Me English and a pinch of Nurse Betty and maybe you’ve come close to describing the messed up, laugh out loud road trip into pain that is Oh, Lucy!
A dark comedy about a lonely lovesick middle-aged woman is not the sort of movie that’s frequently covered here at City on Fire. But I figured with the cast of recognizable names, it would be worth sharing some love for the movie and maybe inspiring someone to check it out. Like the title character, Oh, Lucy! is charming, funny, lovable, and definitely a little fucked up. Highly recommended.
Mel Gibson (Blood Father) has been recruited by Warner Bros to direct a remake of Sam Peckinpah’s The Wild Bunch. Gibson is also co-writing the script with Bryan Bagby (via Deadline). The 1969 western, which has influenced popular filmmakers like John Woo and Quentin Tarantino, is known for its graphic violence and slow motion imagery.
The idea of a Wild Bunch remake/reboot has been lingering for some time. At one point, Warner hired David Ayer (Training Day) to write the script. Tony Scott (True Romance), who was set to direct, wrote about half of the screenplay with Brian Helgeland (L.A. Confidential) before his death in 2012. There was even a moment when Will Smith was in talks to star and produce a modern day reboot.
The original – which starred William Holden, Ernest Borgnine, Robert Ryan, Edmond O’Brien, Warren Oates, Jaime Sanchez and Ben Johnson – involved an aging group of outlaws who look for one last big score as the “traditional” American West is disappearing around them. According to The Wrap, the remake is expected to follow a disgraced D.E.A. agent who assembles a team to go after a Mexican drug lord and his fortune.
Stay tuned for more updates regarding this project. In the meantime, we will next see Gibson in front of the camera in Dragged Across Concrete, The Professor and the Madman, War Pigs – and his next directing gig will be Destroyer, a WWII drama starring Mark Wahlberg (The Big Hit, The Corruptor).
Director: Andrzej Bartkowiak Cast: Alexander Nevsky, Danny Trejo, Tom Arnold, Kelly Hu, Mark Dacascos, William Baldwin, Alphonso McAuley, Matthias Hues, Keith Powers, Bai Ling, Eric Roberts, Brian Kirchoff, Liliya May, Odin Lund Biron Running Time: 110 min.
By Paul Bramhall
Let me start by saying that I’m a guy who’s all for giving second chances. I mean if I wasn’t, then I’d never have bothered checking out a movie like Wolf Warrior 2, and then I’d never have known it’s possible to stop an RPG mid-flight with just your bare hands and some wire mesh (plus I’d have missed out on a fantastic sequel to a lacklustre original). My point is, whether it be a franchise or an individual, you can never write off the action genre, because the adrenaline rush that audiences are looking for could be just around the corner. After telling myself the above several hundred times, I found myself apprehensively sitting down to watch bodybuilder (cum advocate for Russians being good guys in Hollywood movies) Alexander Nevsky’s latest showcase, Maximum Impact.
How there’s never been an action movie (specifically, a Steven Seagal action movie) called Maximum Impact before I’ll never know, but somehow it took us until 2018 for it to happen. I confess to not being the biggest fan of Nevsky’s last big screen adventure, Showdown in Manila, which I found to be atrocious on every conceivable level. But like I said, second chances, and this time Nevsky has brought on-board director Andrzej Bartkowiak to take the helm. Yes, as in that guy who was responsible for the early 00’s fad of pairing martial artists with R&B or rap stars. He sat in the director’s chair for Jet Li’s first starring role in Hollywood, Romeo Must Die, which paired Li with the late Aaliyah. He temporarily got Steven Seagal back into cinemas again with Exit Wounds, by pairing him with rapper DMX. Then thanks to some dark alchemy, he took Jet Li and DMX and threw them together for Cradle 2 the Grave, which was horrible.
Bartkowiak hasn’t really done anything of note since then, unless you count Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li, so I’m sure it didn’t take too much convincing for him to say yes to his latest gig. He’s even worked with some of the cast before, with Mark Dacascos (who directed Nevsky in Showdown in Manila), Kelly Hu, and Tom Arnold all being reunited from their time on Cradle 2 the Grave. Of course, being a Nevsky production, the usual who’s who of “why the hell are you in this movie?” faces are also present and accounted for – Matthias Hues, William Baldwin, Danny Trejo, Eric Roberts, and Bai Ling all turn up with varying amounts of screen time. In fact the only person who stands out as missing is Cary Hiroyuki-Tagawa. I guess some other ex-USSR funded movie must have been in production at the same time.
The plot, for what it’s worth (which isn’t much), is explained in some onscreen text that reads “Relations between Russia and the USA are at their worst since the Cold War. In hope of a breakthrough, top diplomats will hold a secret summit in Moscow.” Said diplomat is played by Eric Roberts, however when former German TV star turned international terrorist Mark Dacascos (you read it correctly), decides to kidnap his daughter and hold her for ransom, Russian agent Nevsky will have to do all he can to save the day. Or something like that, I can feel the vein in my forehead starting to pulsate, due to the sheer effort of trying to summarise the series of inconsequential events that take place into a few concise sentences. From the moment the onscreen text appears, set to ear bleedingly bad rap music, I knew things were going to be bad. Just how bad, not even I was prepared for.
We’re actually supposed to believe that Nevsky is a desk agent, who assists his partner in the field, played by fellow Russian Evgeniy Stychkin, to capture the bad guys from behind his computer screen. Sound familiar? That’s because we’re watching a Russian male version of the Melissa McCarthy vehicle Spy, and Nevsky is playing McCarthy (there’s even a similar scene with a scooter). The only difference is this version is minus any laughs and, well, everything else that made Spy kind of enjoyable. In fact the only laugh to be had from Maximum Impact is how it ever got made in the first place, and how Nevsky continues to be able to convince likeable actors to appear in his almost unwatchable ego reels.
The comedy is cringe inducing to sit through. One running joke has people frequently mistake Dacascos for other famous Asian celebrities. Try to stop your sides from splitting as he gets taken for Jet Li, Lou Diamond Phillips, Kato, the Hangover guy, and Harold from Harold and Kumar. It’s terrible. Dacascos himself gives a slightly manic performance that looks like he may be under duress, randomly bursting out moves straight from Dancing With the Stars, and blurting out dialogue in a mix of German and English. His character is revealed to have once been the lead of a successful German TV show, called Shaolin Cop (we even get to see clips from it, which are the highlight of the movie), however how he came to be a criminal mastermind is never explored. To be honest I’m actually ok with that, as it would only have extended the runtime. Perhaps his role here is punishment for Showdown in Manila not turning Nevsky into a megastar.
There’s also a strange undertone of pandering to the current US administration. A paparazzi photographer is given a hard time throughout, at one point being called a “smelly little rat bastard” (an insult worthy of any dubbed old-school kung-fu movie!), and a discussion about the media by government officials refers to them as “maggots and cockroaches”. If Nevsky is gunning for a role in Trump’s office, it wouldn’t surprise me if this is the way he’s trying to do it. The whole script is unbearably vulgar and offensive. Nevsky’s partner Stychkin plays a sex obsessed cop who’s supposed to be funny, but only manages to come across as a creep. If you want to watch a short Russian guy telling Kelly Hu that he’s on his way to boner-ville just from looking at her, Maximum Impact is the movie for you. When not listening to Stychkin’s A-Z of How to Get Embroiled in a #metoo Scandal, we’re subjected to some truly lurid product placement.
It’s explained that Eric Roberts’ daughter was adopted from Russia (of course she was), so she naturally jumps at the opportunity to visit, not least because it’ll provide the chance to meet with her rock star Russian boyfriend. The irony is that the ‘actor’ (I use the term loosely) playing her boyfriend is actually playing himself, as he’s a member of Russian rock outfit Multiverse (expect to see posters of the group frequently). It gets better, the daughter is played by Russian pop star Polina Butorina, the same annoying girl that interrupts a chase scene in Showdown in Manila just to say how much she’s loving the Philippines. Anyway, I digress. In one scene, believing that she’s being tracked by her phone, Multiverse guy throws it into a river, to which Butorina exclaims “But I love my 6!” Cue Multiverse guy presenting her with a freshly wrapped gift, accompanied by the line “You’ll love your 8+ even more.” I punched myself in the face.
Speaking of Kelly Hu, she plays a CIA agent sent as part of Eric Roberts delegation to Moscow, and unlike so many of the other familiar faces peppered throughout, thankfully she’s front and center for most of Maximum Impact. I’ve been a fan of Hu’s ever since she starred alongside Sammo Hung in Martial Law (ok, I admit it, The Scorpion King helped as well), and while her role here is hardly a career highlight, her presence at least makes proceedings slightly more bearable. She’s even given some Seagal-esque treatment when taking part in a boxing match, when she starts making quips against her opponent which have clearly been added in post, because the ADR sounds awful. Unfortunately a lot of her dialogue is solely there to give lip service to Nevsky, with a script that has almost every character somewhere along the way pointing out what a gentleman he is
To be honest, he may very well be a gentleman, but what he’s not is a thespian. Nevsky is the kind of guy who makes someone like Steven Seagal look like they have the range of Robert De Niro, with his acting pushed to the limits in a particularly awkward scene which sees him tickled by a bevy of Russian whores. By the time we’re given a Nevsky vs Dacascos finale, choreographed by a slumming it James Lew, you’ll just be grateful at how mercifully short it is (and that hopefully, after John Wick 3, Dacascos never has to appear in one of these movies again). In a comedy sequence that plays over the end credits in the form of a newsroom interview, Kelly Hu responds to one of the questions asked by the host with “I mean, shit just about sums it up.” I have a feeling she was probably trying to tell us something.
Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff may get to star alongside Jackie Chan, Chuck Norris and Bruce Lee’s daughter, Shannon Lee, in an upcoming film project.
Shroff is a rising star in India who has been cast in the Hindi remake of Rambo. According to the report, Hollywood producer Lawrence Kasanoff (True Lies, Mortal Kombat) has recently flown to Mumbai to hold the final round of discussions about the project with Shroff.
This won’t be the first time for Jackie Chan to share the screen with Bollywood stars. Mallika Sherawat is one of the female leads in The Myth, and more recently, Sonu Sood, Disha Patani and Amyra Destur star in Kung Fu Yoga.
Details about the untitled film are sketchy at the moment, but we will bring you updates as soon as we learn more.
The future of the DC Extended Universe is filled with uncertainty, and fans of DC should have tempered expectations for their characters on the movie screen in the next few years. The good news for Batman aficionados is that in Batman Ninja they have a thrilling and unique interpretation of the character to tide them over until the live-action movies get their act together. Released earlier in 2018, Batman Ninja sees the superhero transported to the unfamiliar environment of Feudal Japan to deal with some very familiar foes.
The English voice cast brings together staples of the animated world, with Tony Hale (Arrested Development and Veep) adding his comedic pedigree to the role of The Joker. Casual Batman fans may be slightly surprised to see a Batman adventure set in Feudal Japan; most recent cinematic outings of the character have emphasised how the hero has abilities and threats that are feasible in the real world. Other than the otherworldly threats in the DC Extended Universe, Batman has largely found himself in gritty situations that pose questions of morality transferable to our world.
Yet Batman is, well, Batman. If you could rely on any superhero to be transported to a world of ninja and samurai to pull off a convincing and gripping adventure, then it would be Batman. Iron Fist may have more natural ties to martial arts, but Marvel’s depiction of him in their Netflix show thus far wouldn’t encourage you to rely on him to do anything convincingly. The imagery of ninjas has always appealed to fans of action. The Lego Ninjago Movie brought ninjas to a new audience, while the unique style of ninjas attracts players in the world of gaming. The top-ranked casino bonus of September at Gambling Metropolis comes from Mr Play Casino, whose slot game Ninja Fruits transports players to a distant land in a similar manner to Batman’s experience in Batman Ninja. Legendary video games Street Fighter and Tekken also utilise characters versed in the art of the ninja.
Batman Ninja may well be the best thing that DC are involved in this year. It is fair to say that life has not exactly gone too smoothly for those behind the DC Extended Universe. Criticised for shrouding movies in an overtly dark tone and for trying to do too much too soon to match Marvel, the DC Extended Universe has so far provided more disappointment than excitement. Wonder Woman suggested that DC had found a more suitable tone, while Justice League was flawed but hinted at a more promising future for some of the most famous characters of all time. The last thing DC needed was to lose its actors for the two most iconic superheroes, with Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill rumoured to be hanging up their capes as Batman and Superman respectively.
The uncertainty surrounding the future of the DC Extended Universe will likely take time to subside, so fans of Batman should not hesitate to explore the rich world of his animated adventures. Taking Batman out of Gotham City gives the character a new dynamic and a new set of problems to solve, a refreshing means of escaping from the problems that plague the movies of the DC Extended Universe.
On November 13, 2018, Film Movement will be releasing the Blu-ray for the award-winning thriller, Third Murder(read our review), from director Hirokazu Koreeda (Shoplifters).
In Third Murder, Tomoaki Shigemori (Masaharu Fukuyama of John Woo’s Manhunt) is a lawyer tasked with defending a client (Koji Yakusho of The World of Kanako), who faces the death penalty if found guilty, in a murder trial. Misumi has previous convictions for murder and has confessed to the crime, but evidence in the case leads to Shigemori having doubts about what really happened.
Third Murder also stars Suzu Hirose (Rage), Yuki Saito (Bandage), Kotaro Yoshida (Wild 7), Shinnosuke Mitsushima (Blade of the Immortal), Mikako Ichikawa (Shin Godzilla) and Isao Hashizume (Space Battleship Yamato).
Lionsgate will be releasing the Blu-ray & DVD to I Am Vengeance, a 2018 actioner directed by Ross Boyask (Warrioress). This acclaimed revenge-thriller stars former WWE star Stu Bennett (Eliminators).
When John Gold (Bennett), an ex-Special Forces soldier turned mercenary, learns of the murder of his best friend, Dan — and Dan’s parents — he heads to their hometown, seeking justice. Gold soon discovers Dan and his father were murdered while investigating a Special Forces unit led by an enigmatic, highly decorated soldier named Hatcher who went rogue in Afghanistan. Gold’s vengeance is unleashed, as he sets out to take down the killers in this suspense-filled thrill-ride.
I Am Vengeance also stars Anna Shaffer (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows), Bryan Larkin (Chasing the Dragon), Gary Daniels (Cold Harvest) and Keith Allen (The Others).
Amazon may have axed Jean-Claude Van Johnson, but this hasn’t stopped Jean-Claude Van Damme (Kill ’em All, Pound of Flesh) from looking forward to an action-packed future that may bring some exciting new projects to the table.
Van Damme and his production company, Rodin Entertainment Ltd., has a string of in-development films, which include Lionheart 2, The Quest 2and other titles that have been brewing for years, like The Tower and the completed, but still unreleased, Full Love (aka Eagle Path) – not to mention Van Damned and a TV show simply called JCVD TV.
Also, at the recent 2018 Cannes Film Festival, Van Damme presented a promotional poster for Double X2 Action (looks like he’ll be playing three characters, in the same vein as Double Impact) and a Western titled Three Coyotes, which has his children – Kris and Bianca – in co-starring roles (see marketing Teaser below).
Another one Van Damme recently added to his in-development list is Falconman, which has the tagline: “The New Superhero Who Challenges an Artificial Intelligence Drone Predator.”
We’re crossing our fingers that some of these projects will see the light of day, but at the same time, we’re not holding our breath (The Monk? Karate?…anyone?). One thing’s for sure: Van Damme has definitely been keeping his graphic designer busy.
As for Van Damme’s upcoming movies that are actually completed? We know of two: We Die Young, an upcoming thriller that’s currently in post-production; and the aforementioned Full Love.
We’ll keep you updated on everything Van Damme as more news arrives. Until then, don’t miss our reviews for his latest two films, Black Water and The Bouncer.
AKA: Kung Fu Boxer Director: Lee Chiu Cast: Cliff Lok, Tsai Hung, Yueh Hua, Sun Yueh, Goo Chang, Lee Chiu, Chu Siu-Wa, Ma Chin-Ku, Wynn Lau Chun-Fai, Danny Chow Yun-Kin, Chen Shu-Chu Running Time: 77 min.
By Martin Sandison
Those who know the name Cliff Lok usually worship at the alter of old school kung fu. It’s really a shame he was not a bigger star, as he has the screen presence and boyish charm of someone like Alexander Fu Sheng, and the physical abilities approaching the elite group of those such as Jackie Chan. Interestingly before he was a bona fide leading man he choreographed 18 Bronzemen and Return of the 18 Bronzemen, an unusual way for one who is known as an actor to break in to the Hong Kong film industry at the time. In the late 70’s and early 80’s he starred in a number of Independent movies, one of those being the all-time classic Choi Lee Fat Kung Fu, which recently reaffirmed my love of old school kung fu. An unfortunately lesser example of his skills, but one that is not without its charms, is Crippled Kung Fu Boxer.
Lok stars, in very clumsy opening section, as the son of a rich man who only wants to learn kung fu. He meets a master by chance, and begins to train. However two dastardly villains plans to kill his master as they were crippled by him in a previous fight, and Lok must aid his master in a fight to the death.
A terribly edited and structured opening really detracts from the films plus points, with exposition handled so amateurishly I almost turned it off. It’s a complete mishmash of storylines and characters, which thankfully do work out in the end. Once the story and action gets going the film improves somewhat, despite some tired tropes on show. It’s a standard narrative that holds no surprises, with Low as the mollycoddled young lad who only wants to study kung fu, much to the chagrin of his father. However, the presentation of the films villains and Lok’s aforementioned attributes haul the film slightly out of mediocrity.
The director himself Lee Chiu as the titular crippled boxer is worth the piece of admission alone, one of the most strange and hilarious baddies in kung fu movie history, intentionally and unitentionally it would seem. Visually the ineptitude of his costume made me burst out laughing whenever he’s onscreen, the most amusing element being a bald cap with sprouts of hair protruding from the front that looks like it’s been salvaged from a corner store. He moses around chewing the scenery, and the use of his hunchback in the fights has to be seen to be believed. Tsai Hung (Shaolin Temple) as the token second crippled boxer, while not as memorable in appearance, uses his crippled hands in a way that is pretty offensive (by todays standards), and to be honest not very effective in the final battle.
As a showcase for Lok, the viewer is really better served by watching classics such as Duel of the 7 Tigers and Choi Lee Fat Kung Fu, both in which he faces off against the irrepressible Phillip Ko Fei in two of the unsung classic fights of the golden age. The action here is slow and flappy, unusual for the talent involved and the time the film was made. The fights do get better, but not by much. At times there are moments of sweet spot shapes brilliance and complex acrobatics, but more often than not they are off-centred by bad sections of unsatisfying handwork. Lok’s onscreen persona is a delight at times, and he gets to break loose and play around with his character.
Director Lee Chiu also helmed two great movies in Two on the Road and Cantonen Iron Kung Fu, both starring Leung Kar Yan and Phillip Ko Fei. The end fight of the former is known as one of the best of all time, and had a choreographer with real pedigree, namely Addy Sung, one of the unsung heroes of kung fu cinema. To see him in action check out The Incredible Kung Fu Master and Buddhist Fist. Chiu chose to choreograph Crippled Kung Fu Boxer himself, and the action is a huge step down from the previous two films mentioned.
While not a total piece of crap, Crippled Kung Fu Boxer is not one to seek out, unless you’re a big fan of the cast and crew involved. It is worth watching, however, for the crippled boxer. Beware of the hunch.
A savage murderer is on the prowl in Japan. One by one, his victims fall but what is he searching for? The same thing a murderess is looking for. We are all looking for that special love of our lives and sometimes, we’re willing to kill everyone to find that special someone.
The action movie is the bread and butter of the movie industry. It’s the genre that box office blockbusters are made from. You don’t see Meet the Fockers smashing records or Forgetting Sarah Marshall becoming huge franchises.
But that’s exactly what becomes of action movies, and what’s more it’s kind of expected these days.
Alongside movies such as the Marvel lot, we see TV shows, toys, video games and themed slot machines, all pushing the film and emulating their success.
Movie-themed slot games have been rising in popularity for several years, and many online slot sites are taking advantage of the trend.
The slots will usually include the best characters, scenes, and music from a major motion pictures to create a gaming experience second only to the movie itself.
But which action films have gone on to become some of the biggest franchises in history? Well, we’ll tell you…
Indiana Jones
With one of the most iconic theme tunes in movie history, it’s no wonder Indiana Jones is up there with the biggest and best in action movie history.
With four movies to its name, it’s spawned a number of video games, board games and casino games, because after all even Indy and his father were after hidden treasure.
Originally released in 1989, the franchise has made almost $2billion worldwide at the box office alone.
Die Hard
Can we say the Die Hard franchise offers up the best Christmas movie of all time?
Yes, of course we can because it’s true. Just one of five great action movies, which have taken $1.4billion combined across the planet.
The Bruce Willis franchise has also gone beyond the silver screen into video games, where it has eight different games, including an app for iOS and Android. That’s not to mention comics, toys and almost everything you could think of.
Mission: Impossible
Mission: Impossible continues to thrill audiences with the latest in the series, Fallout, making $765million at the box office, the franchise’s highest earner.
It’s been with us since 1996, with the character Ethan Hunt, played by Tom Cruise featuring in all sorts of merchandise and memorabilia.
Video games are of course the franchise’s biggest earner outside movies, although there have also been an incredible amount more.
Bourne
Similarly, the Bourne franchise has also been a top-earner for Hollywood, making a combined. $1.64billion at the box office between its five movies.
The latest came in 2016, 14 years on from original. Between that time it’s won numerous awards, spawned a number of video games and franchising opportunities, while it was also recently announced the Bourne franchise is to get a TV series on USA network.
Terminator
The Terminator famously said he’d be back and that really does occur on regular occasions thanks to the power of Arnie’s performance and that incredible franchise.
The first movie came in 1984 and has since gone on to appear in a further four films, with another due in 2019, as well as comics, novels, computer games and even theme park attractions.
There has been a huge number of video games made of the Terminator across all platforms and various genres from strategy games, slot games, and action games based on the movies. It’s continuing to thrive and the 2019 movie has confirmed it will star Arnie. He will be back.
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The action movie is the bread and butter of the movie industry. It’s the genre that box office blockbusters are made from. You don’t see Meet the Fockers smashing records or Forgetting Sarah Marshall becoming huge franchises.
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