Documentary fans have a lot to be excited about this month on HBO and Max. April begins with the premiere of The Synanon Fix, a docuseries that follows the rise and fall of the cult-like drug rehabilitation program Synanon. The documentary Brandy Hellville and the Cult of Fast Fashion takes a deep-dive into the controversial “one size fits most” clothing brand Brandy Mellville and the impact of fast fashion on the planet.
An American Bombing: The Road to April 19th looks at the surge of political violence and anti-government sentiment that led to the 1995 Oklahoma City Bombing, and the effects still felt nearly 30 years later. HBO is also returning with a second part to their popular docuseries The Jinx, with filmmakers continuing their investigation of Robert Durst.
But if documentaries aren’t your thing, there’s still plenty of popular films hitting Max in April, like Scott Pilgrim vs. The World,...
An American Bombing: The Road to April 19th looks at the surge of political violence and anti-government sentiment that led to the 1995 Oklahoma City Bombing, and the effects still felt nearly 30 years later. HBO is also returning with a second part to their popular docuseries The Jinx, with filmmakers continuing their investigation of Robert Durst.
But if documentaries aren’t your thing, there’s still plenty of popular films hitting Max in April, like Scott Pilgrim vs. The World,...
- 4/1/2024
- by Brynnaarens
- Den of Geek
It's a new month, and HBO and Max will be showering their subscribers with gifts all April long! This month, the Wbd properties will welcome the arrival of unscripted projects like the premiere of Conan O’Brien’s new travel comedy series “Conan O’Brien Must Go” and the fourth season of the Emmy Award-winning drag-centric “We're Here.” Plus, Park Chan-wook and A24’s “The Sympathizer” limited series and the highly anticipated continuation of “The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst” will all be available to stream throughout the month.
Find out everything coming to Max this April, including The Streamable’s top picks to add to your watch list!
Sign Up $9.99+ / month Max.com What are the 5 Best Shows and Movies Coming to Max in April 2024? “Alex Edelman: Just For Us” | Saturday, April 6
Filmed in front of a live audience at Broadway’s Hudson Theatre in August 2023, Alex Edelman brings his solo special,...
Find out everything coming to Max this April, including The Streamable’s top picks to add to your watch list!
Sign Up $9.99+ / month Max.com What are the 5 Best Shows and Movies Coming to Max in April 2024? “Alex Edelman: Just For Us” | Saturday, April 6
Filmed in front of a live audience at Broadway’s Hudson Theatre in August 2023, Alex Edelman brings his solo special,...
- 4/1/2024
- by Ashley Steves
- The Streamable
Filmmaker Andrew Jarecki continues his investigation of convicted murderer Robert Durst in The Jinx – Part Two, a six-episode documentary series premiering on Max on April 21, 2024. The streaming service’s April lineup also includes the seven-episode limited series The Sympathizer, based on Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel and starring Oscar winner Robert Downey Jr in multiple roles.
Comedian Alex Edelman hosts a brand new comedy special, and Conan O’Brien visits favorite fans from his podcast series in the four-episode unscripted series Conan O’Brien Must Go. The documentary series The Synanon Fix exploring the drug rehabilitation program joins Max’s lineup on April 1st. And the streaming service has set April premiere dates for the documentaries Brandy Hellville & The Cult Of Fast Fashion and An American Bombing: The Road To April 19th.
Series & Films Arriving On Max In April 2024
April 1
American Renegades (2018)
Basquiat (1996)
Black Swan (2010)
Body of Lies (2008)
Bridget Jones’s Diary...
Comedian Alex Edelman hosts a brand new comedy special, and Conan O’Brien visits favorite fans from his podcast series in the four-episode unscripted series Conan O’Brien Must Go. The documentary series The Synanon Fix exploring the drug rehabilitation program joins Max’s lineup on April 1st. And the streaming service has set April premiere dates for the documentaries Brandy Hellville & The Cult Of Fast Fashion and An American Bombing: The Road To April 19th.
Series & Films Arriving On Max In April 2024
April 1
American Renegades (2018)
Basquiat (1996)
Black Swan (2010)
Body of Lies (2008)
Bridget Jones’s Diary...
- 3/29/2024
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
Do you ever remember the old conduct of your adventure books that used to be so popular? You know, the ones where you select an option and have to go-to another page to continue the story. Watching “Dr Wai” brings back those memories given the wrap around narrative. Throw in a blatant nod to Indiana Jones and there is a lot of nostalgia at play. Continuing with the reviews of Eureka Entertainment's release of the “Heroes and Villains” Jet Li box set, it's time to dig out the explorer's hat, select follow-this-adventure and see if this feature is a lost treasure or deserves to be lost in the midst of time.
on Terracotta by clicking on the image below
Chow Si-kit (Jet Li) is the writer of the popular Adventure King series (also Jet Li). A messy divorce from his wife Monica Rosamund Kwan) has led to a drink problem,...
on Terracotta by clicking on the image below
Chow Si-kit (Jet Li) is the writer of the popular Adventure King series (also Jet Li). A messy divorce from his wife Monica Rosamund Kwan) has led to a drink problem,...
- 11/23/2023
- by Ben Stykuc
- AsianMoviePulse
Exclusive: Hong Kong-based producer Tsui Hark has boarded the ship as partner and co-producer of the Chinese pirate epic Shih, Queen of the Sea. Hark will partner with Anthony McCarten, Dakota Group and Facing East.
McCarten, whose biopic scripts range from Bohemian Rhapsody to The Theory of Everything, The Two Popes, Darkest Hour and numerous others, has here written the script about Shih Yang, aka Cheng I Sao, who dominated the South China Sea during the Qing Dynasty. Born into poverty, she worked on a “flower boat” brothel where she met the notorious pirate leader Cheng Yi, joining him at sea. Upon his death in 1807, she assumed full command of the fearsome Red Flag Fleet, commanding over 1,800 pirate ships and an estimated 80,000 pirates. By comparison, Blackbeard commanded four ships and 300 pirates within the same century. Shih instigated sweeping reforms to the rules of piracy, ordering execution for rape or marital...
McCarten, whose biopic scripts range from Bohemian Rhapsody to The Theory of Everything, The Two Popes, Darkest Hour and numerous others, has here written the script about Shih Yang, aka Cheng I Sao, who dominated the South China Sea during the Qing Dynasty. Born into poverty, she worked on a “flower boat” brothel where she met the notorious pirate leader Cheng Yi, joining him at sea. Upon his death in 1807, she assumed full command of the fearsome Red Flag Fleet, commanding over 1,800 pirate ships and an estimated 80,000 pirates. By comparison, Blackbeard commanded four ships and 300 pirates within the same century. Shih instigated sweeping reforms to the rules of piracy, ordering execution for rape or marital...
- 8/23/2023
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
There are Kung Fu movies. Then there are Hong Kong Kung Fu movies. Starting in the ’70s, Hong Kong filmmakers dominated the martial arts genre with a unique brand of Hong Kong ballistic action, white-knuckle stunts, and exquisite fight choreography. Towering Hong Kong studios like Shaw Brothers and Golden Harvest were the prolific grindhouses that brought us Bruce Lee and so many other action movie stars at an astonishingly bounteous rate.
If you’re already familiar with Bruce Lee’s work in Hong Kong cinema and aren’t sure where to go next on your martial arts movie journey, or which stars’ filmographies you should be checking out, here are five pivotal Hong Kong martial arts films worthy of your attention. Each of these movie either launched or are part of venerated Hong Kong franchises, so you’ll have plenty to watch once you dive in!
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin a.
If you’re already familiar with Bruce Lee’s work in Hong Kong cinema and aren’t sure where to go next on your martial arts movie journey, or which stars’ filmographies you should be checking out, here are five pivotal Hong Kong martial arts films worthy of your attention. Each of these movie either launched or are part of venerated Hong Kong franchises, so you’ll have plenty to watch once you dive in!
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin a.
- 8/9/2023
- by John Saavedra
- Den of Geek
I honestly never expected Steven Spielberg in a Criterion Channel series––certainly not one that pairs him with Kogonada, anime, and Johnny Mnemonic––but so’s the power of artificial intelligence. Perhaps his greatest film (at this point I don’t need to tell you the title) plays with After Yang, Ghost in the Shell, and pre-Matrix Keanu in July’s aptly titled “AI” boasting also Spike Jonze’s Her, Carpenter’s Dark Star, and Computer Chess. Much more analog is a British Noir collection obviously carrying the likes of Odd Man Out, Night and the City, and The Small Back Room, further filled by Joseph Losey’s Time Without Pity and Basil Dearden’s It Always Rains on Sunday. (No two ways about it: these movies have great titles.) An Elvis retrospective brings six features, and the consensus best (Don Siegel’s Flaming Star) comes September 1.
While Isabella Rossellini...
While Isabella Rossellini...
- 6/22/2023
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
The story of Wong Fei Hung can best be summed up by the adage taken from John Ford's “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance”. g”. For modern audiences this would apply to the seemingly endless variations on the life of Ip Man. Yet before him we had generations of audiences growing up to the feats of the master of the “No Shadow Kick” and member of the Ten Tigers of Canton, Wong Fei Hung. Over the years there have been numerous incarnations representing him at various aspects of his life. In addition, we have gained a supporting cast of familiar sidekicks, mentors, and comic relief. All alongside the familiar sound of the “General Marching Under Orders” theme that has become so associated with the character. It's not often we get to see a character grow up on screen and so here we present the life of Wong Fei Hung in several cinematic chapters.
- 6/1/2023
- by Ben Stykuc
- AsianMoviePulse
John Wick: Chapter 4 is marking yet another chance for the West to get to know Donnie Yen, one of Asia’s top leading men. He has already been in several other major Hollywood franchises. He played the scene-stealing Force-sensitive blind master Chirrut Îmwe in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, the lure for the Asian market role in XXX: Return of Xander Cage, and Commander Tung in the Disney live-action flop, Mulan. However, in that same period when these Hollywood films came out, Yen made 10 of his own Asian-produced films where he was the leading man.
Action films are Yen’s specialty, so Yen’s inclusion in John Wick is a perfect fit. His mother is Grandmaster Bow Sim Mark, a pioneer in the global dissemination of Wushu. Wushu is a flamboyant acrobatic style of Kung Fu, designed for competition. It’s the same style that produced Jet Li along...
Action films are Yen’s specialty, so Yen’s inclusion in John Wick is a perfect fit. His mother is Grandmaster Bow Sim Mark, a pioneer in the global dissemination of Wushu. Wushu is a flamboyant acrobatic style of Kung Fu, designed for competition. It’s the same style that produced Jet Li along...
- 4/2/2023
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
The impact of George A. Romero’s Dead movies reached far and wide. After 1968’s Night of the Living Dead defined the modern zombie as we know it, 1978’s Dawn of the Dead kick-started zombie cinema in earnest. Not only did it herald a horde of undead movies domestically, the infection spread internationally — although the outbreak took longer to reach some regions than others.
While Italy was first to strike with Lucio Fulci’s Zombie in 1979, Hong Kong wouldn’t get its first zombie movie until two decades later. A zombie film set in a mall, 1998’s Bio Zombie is a direct descendant of Dawn of the Dead. It also draws influence from the original Resident Evil game (which is featured in the film), although the zombie comedy plays more like a Return of the Living Dead sequel by way of early Kevin Smith (think Clerks or Mallrats).
Bio Zombie...
While Italy was first to strike with Lucio Fulci’s Zombie in 1979, Hong Kong wouldn’t get its first zombie movie until two decades later. A zombie film set in a mall, 1998’s Bio Zombie is a direct descendant of Dawn of the Dead. It also draws influence from the original Resident Evil game (which is featured in the film), although the zombie comedy plays more like a Return of the Living Dead sequel by way of early Kevin Smith (think Clerks or Mallrats).
Bio Zombie...
- 3/15/2023
- by Alex DiVincenzo
- bloody-disgusting.com
Jet Li may have become one of the most famous actors in the world. But the martial arts master has certainly seen his share of ups and downs, both in the industry and outside of it. In fact, one harrowing story helped him realize exactly how little all his fame would help him. Here’s what happened and how it had a profound effect on the course of Li’s life going forward.
Jet Li’s iconic movies include ‘Fearless,’ ‘Hero,’ and ‘The One’ Jet Li attends the premiere of Disney’s “Mulan” I Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
Right from his 1982 film debut in Shaolin Temple, Li left a major impression on audiences. Before long, the actor made his directorial debut in 1986’s Born to Defence. In the 1990s, he established himself as a regular star of period epics such as the Once Upon a Time in China series, Fist of Legend,...
Jet Li’s iconic movies include ‘Fearless,’ ‘Hero,’ and ‘The One’ Jet Li attends the premiere of Disney’s “Mulan” I Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
Right from his 1982 film debut in Shaolin Temple, Li left a major impression on audiences. Before long, the actor made his directorial debut in 1986’s Born to Defence. In the 1990s, he established himself as a regular star of period epics such as the Once Upon a Time in China series, Fist of Legend,...
- 2/6/2023
- by Robert Yaniz Jr.
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Jet Li is one of the most renowned martial arts stars of his generation. The actor has thrilled audiences for decades. And yet, even with a filmography as loaded with iconic films as is, there will always be a few that slip away. Such is the case with Li, who famously turned down a few big movies over the years. Here are some of the biggest movie roles he left behind.
Jet Li has appeared in countless beloved movies Jet Li attends the Premiere Of Disney’s “Mulan” I Gregg DeGuire/FilmMagic
Li made his Hollywood debut in 1998’s Lethal Weapon 4 opposite Mel Gibson and Danny Glover. In that movie, he played the villain. And it led to many other major Hollywood productions for the star, including Romeo Must Die, The One, Kiss of the Dragon, all three entries in The Expendables franchise, and most recently, Disney’s live-action Mulan.
Jet Li has appeared in countless beloved movies Jet Li attends the Premiere Of Disney’s “Mulan” I Gregg DeGuire/FilmMagic
Li made his Hollywood debut in 1998’s Lethal Weapon 4 opposite Mel Gibson and Danny Glover. In that movie, he played the villain. And it led to many other major Hollywood productions for the star, including Romeo Must Die, The One, Kiss of the Dragon, all three entries in The Expendables franchise, and most recently, Disney’s live-action Mulan.
- 2/5/2023
- by Robert Yaniz Jr.
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
For decades, Jet Li wasone of the most beloved martial arts stars in the world. But the actor has largely stepped away from the business in recent years to focus on his health. Still, his daughters convinced him to return for one small but pivotal role. Li has previously turned down major movies before, but this one felt different. Here’s why he signed on for one 2020 release.
Jet Li is an action movie legend Jane Li, Jet Li, and Jada Li attend the World Premiere of”Mulan” I Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney
Li is the kind of movie star with a filmography so deep that he’s ultimately turned down bigger movies than most actors could ever dream of. He made his film debut in 1982’s Shaolin Temple and went on to build a reputation for starring in a string of popular martial arts period epics. These...
Jet Li is an action movie legend Jane Li, Jet Li, and Jada Li attend the World Premiere of”Mulan” I Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney
Li is the kind of movie star with a filmography so deep that he’s ultimately turned down bigger movies than most actors could ever dream of. He made his film debut in 1982’s Shaolin Temple and went on to build a reputation for starring in a string of popular martial arts period epics. These...
- 2/1/2023
- by Robert Yaniz Jr.
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The saga of Ip Man has turned out to be a never ending one, with the adventures of Bruce Lee’s sifu having reached their tenth entry, not to mention that the tendency has already started being called Ipsploitation. This time the role of the iconic Wing Chun master is handled by Miu Tse, a rising wing chun specialist himself. Let us see how he fares.
on Amazon
A young Master Ip visits Hong Kong from Fosshan in the 30s, being quite cocky and sure of himself at the time, in contrast to the noble and utterly virtuous man he became later. Upon his arrival, he stumbles upon a kidnapping effort of a woman by a series of Chinese men inside a bus. Ip Man prevents them and beats them up, which results in him meeting the girl’s brother, Hu Bufeng, a man who works as a coolie,...
on Amazon
A young Master Ip visits Hong Kong from Fosshan in the 30s, being quite cocky and sure of himself at the time, in contrast to the noble and utterly virtuous man he became later. Upon his arrival, he stumbles upon a kidnapping effort of a woman by a series of Chinese men inside a bus. Ip Man prevents them and beats them up, which results in him meeting the girl’s brother, Hu Bufeng, a man who works as a coolie,...
- 6/5/2022
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
As a legendary Wushu champion and actor, Jet Li has played a notable number of Chinese martial arts and folk heroes. Some of his most well-known portrayals include Master Wong Fei Hung in the "Once Upon a Time in China" films and his "Fong Sai Yuk" series. When Li finally broke into the international scene with an appearance as the villain in "Lethal Weapon 4," an entirely new style of action films opened to the actor.
Throughout Li's career there's always been this distinction between the types of fighting he does in his films. It's what separates his roles in Wushu tales like...
The post Why Jet Li Wanted Fearless to Be His Last Martial Arts Movie appeared first on /Film.
Throughout Li's career there's always been this distinction between the types of fighting he does in his films. It's what separates his roles in Wushu tales like...
The post Why Jet Li Wanted Fearless to Be His Last Martial Arts Movie appeared first on /Film.
- 4/29/2022
- by Steven Ward
- Slash Film
Considering that it took up to five directors to finish filming the first “Swordsman” after King Hu left the project, it was indeed a miracle that it turned out to be a success and a trend setter for the many new wave wuxia movies to follow. This visually arresting sequel, again produced by Tsui Hark but now directed by Ching Siu Tung, it’s a different beast all together. However, the theme of swordsmen retiring from the jianghu (martial world) and live a peaceful life is still the main focus. The film went on to win William Cheung Suk Ping and Yu Ka On the Best Costume and Makeup Design award at the 12th Hong Kong Film Awards in 1993.
on Amazon
After roaming the jianghu for about a year, our swordsman hero Ling Hu Chung (played by Jet Li this time), and Yue Ling Shan, “Kiddo” (Michelle Reis...
on Amazon
After roaming the jianghu for about a year, our swordsman hero Ling Hu Chung (played by Jet Li this time), and Yue Ling Shan, “Kiddo” (Michelle Reis...
- 12/21/2021
- by David Chew
- AsianMoviePulse
The holidays are upon us, so whether you looking for film-related gifts or simply want to pick up some of the finest the year had to offer in the category for yourself, we have a gift guide for you. Including must-have books on filmmaking, the best from the Criterion Collection, Kino Lorber, and more home-video picks, subscriptions, magazines, music, and more, dive in below.
4K & Blu-ray Box Sets
There’s no better gift for a cinephile than a beautiful Blu-ray box set. Leading the pack in this regard is a collection that actually arrived much earlier this year: World of Wong Kar-wai, the long-awaited Criterion release that features the Hong Kong master’s most celebrated works, along with the first U.S. release of his short The Hand. Another must-own trio of sets from Criterion: Melvin Van Peebles: Essential Films, featuring four bold films from the late director, The...
4K & Blu-ray Box Sets
There’s no better gift for a cinephile than a beautiful Blu-ray box set. Leading the pack in this regard is a collection that actually arrived much earlier this year: World of Wong Kar-wai, the long-awaited Criterion release that features the Hong Kong master’s most celebrated works, along with the first U.S. release of his short The Hand. Another must-own trio of sets from Criterion: Melvin Van Peebles: Essential Films, featuring four bold films from the late director, The...
- 11/29/2021
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Trinity Cine Asia is releasing on Friday 19th of November, The Battle At Lake Changjin, the biggest worldwide box office hit of 2021, with more than $878 million in ticket sales to date, far ahead of No Time To Die, making it the second-biggest Chinese grossing film, only behind Wolf Warrior II (also released by Trinity Cine Asia). The UK will mark the first international territory release of the film outside of Asia in over 25 cities.
Billed as the most expensive Chinese film ever made, with a reported $200m budget, The Battle at Lake Changjin stars Wolf Warrior I & II and Better Days leading men Wu Jing and Jackson Yee, respectively; and is co-directed by three leading, acclaimed directors Chen Kaige (Farewell My Concubine), Tsui Hark (Once Upon a Time in China) and Dante Lam (Operation Red Sea).
Trinity Cine Asia co-founder and director Cedric Behrel says: “The Battle at Lake Changjin...
Billed as the most expensive Chinese film ever made, with a reported $200m budget, The Battle at Lake Changjin stars Wolf Warrior I & II and Better Days leading men Wu Jing and Jackson Yee, respectively; and is co-directed by three leading, acclaimed directors Chen Kaige (Farewell My Concubine), Tsui Hark (Once Upon a Time in China) and Dante Lam (Operation Red Sea).
Trinity Cine Asia co-founder and director Cedric Behrel says: “The Battle at Lake Changjin...
- 11/18/2021
- by Suzie Cho
- AsianMoviePulse
Trinity Cine Asia has acquired “The Battle at Lake Changjin” from Taipei-based sales firm Distribution Workshop and is set to release the war epic in the U.K. and Ireland on Nov. 19.
The film is currently the highest-grossing title in the world and in China so far in 2021, having earned $881 million in its home market alone — good news for the movie billed as China’s most expensive production of all time.
The U.K. and Ireland outings will occur in 25 cities. They will hit after the film’s Thursday’s release in Singapore, but day-and-date with North America and ahead of Australia (Dec. 2), where the movie is being distributed by China’s Cmc Pictures.
“It’s a privilege for us to be able to release the biggest box office story of 2021, when cinemas are just seeing the first real shoots of recovery,” said Trinity Cine Asia co-founder and director Cedric Behrel,...
The film is currently the highest-grossing title in the world and in China so far in 2021, having earned $881 million in its home market alone — good news for the movie billed as China’s most expensive production of all time.
The U.K. and Ireland outings will occur in 25 cities. They will hit after the film’s Thursday’s release in Singapore, but day-and-date with North America and ahead of Australia (Dec. 2), where the movie is being distributed by China’s Cmc Pictures.
“It’s a privilege for us to be able to release the biggest box office story of 2021, when cinemas are just seeing the first real shoots of recovery,” said Trinity Cine Asia co-founder and director Cedric Behrel,...
- 11/12/2021
- by Rebecca Davis
- Variety Film + TV
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“Citizen Kane” is being restored by the Criterion Collection in honor of the film’s 80th anniversary. Regarded as one of the greatest movies of all time, “Citizen Kane” follows the story of a reporter tasked with decoding the meaning of “Rosebud” — the final word uttered by Charles Foster Kane (Orson Welles) on his death bed. Kane, a fictitious newspaper mogul, was inspired by real-life tycoons William Randolph Hearst, Joseph Pulitzer, Samuel Insull, and Harold McCormick.
The Criterion edition of Welles’ 1941 feature film directorial debut will be released on November 23, but you can pre-order it now to make sure that you get a copy (in case they sell out during the Black Friday...
“Citizen Kane” is being restored by the Criterion Collection in honor of the film’s 80th anniversary. Regarded as one of the greatest movies of all time, “Citizen Kane” follows the story of a reporter tasked with decoding the meaning of “Rosebud” — the final word uttered by Charles Foster Kane (Orson Welles) on his death bed. Kane, a fictitious newspaper mogul, was inspired by real-life tycoons William Randolph Hearst, Joseph Pulitzer, Samuel Insull, and Harold McCormick.
The Criterion edition of Welles’ 1941 feature film directorial debut will be released on November 23, but you can pre-order it now to make sure that you get a copy (in case they sell out during the Black Friday...
- 11/4/2021
- by Latifah Muhammad
- Indiewire
Even though there are a number of award-winning films being released through streaming platforms, that isn’t stopping The Criterion Collection from making sure they get added to the esteemed library. And in December, Criterion adds another with Regina King’s “One Night in Miami,” as well as classics such as “The Learning Tree” and “The Red Shoes.”
Read More: Criterion Releasing First Batch Of 4K Discs & ‘Once Upon A Time In China’ Box Set In November
Released less than a year ago, “One Night in Miami” has a very short turnaround before being added to the Criterion Collection in December.
Continue reading Criterion Collection Adds ‘One Night In Miami,’ ‘The Learning Tree’ & ‘The Red Shoes’ In December at The Playlist.
Read More: Criterion Releasing First Batch Of 4K Discs & ‘Once Upon A Time In China’ Box Set In November
Released less than a year ago, “One Night in Miami” has a very short turnaround before being added to the Criterion Collection in December.
Continue reading Criterion Collection Adds ‘One Night In Miami,’ ‘The Learning Tree’ & ‘The Red Shoes’ In December at The Playlist.
- 9/15/2021
- by Charles Barfield
- The Playlist
Last week, it was revealed that The Criterion Collection would add a new disc format to its release schedule, announcing its first batch of 4K Uhd titles. And in November, the first wave of those titles, as well as a highly-anticipated box set, aim to lighten your wallets.
Read More: Criterion Announces First Slate Of 4K Uhd Releases Featuring ‘Citizen Kane,’ ‘Mulholland Drive,’ ‘Menace II Society’ & More
As for the big 4K Uhd releases in November, those are led by “Citizen Kane,” which is arriving on the new format, marking the first official Criterion Uhd release.
Continue reading Criterion Releasing First Batch Of 4K Discs & ‘Once Upon A Time In China’ Box Set In November at The Playlist.
Read More: Criterion Announces First Slate Of 4K Uhd Releases Featuring ‘Citizen Kane,’ ‘Mulholland Drive,’ ‘Menace II Society’ & More
As for the big 4K Uhd releases in November, those are led by “Citizen Kane,” which is arriving on the new format, marking the first official Criterion Uhd release.
Continue reading Criterion Releasing First Batch Of 4K Discs & ‘Once Upon A Time In China’ Box Set In November at The Playlist.
- 8/17/2021
- by Charles Barfield
- The Playlist
November’s a major month for Criterion, who round out 2021 with an induction into the 4K market. Surprising precisely nobody, all 2,160 pixels of their Citizen Kane release are so stacked that a home-video debut for Welles’ The Hearts of Age is nearly a footnote; while Mulholland Dr. is getting more or less the same packaging as before, a new transfer being the notable exception, Menace II Society‘s treatment further shows they’re not taking this new format lightly.
The biggest deal of all, though, might be a six-film box set for the Once Upon a Time in China series, marking Tsui Hark’s entry into the Criterion Collection and first time these films have had anything like a decent U.S. release. A Blu-ray upgrade of La Strada, one of their oldest titles, rounds out an exceptional month.
See artwork below and further details on all titles here:
The...
The biggest deal of all, though, might be a six-film box set for the Once Upon a Time in China series, marking Tsui Hark’s entry into the Criterion Collection and first time these films have had anything like a decent U.S. release. A Blu-ray upgrade of La Strada, one of their oldest titles, rounds out an exceptional month.
See artwork below and further details on all titles here:
The...
- 8/16/2021
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
Wtf Happened To This Celebrity? – The JoBlo series that examines the careers of stars and filmmakers who may have fallen out of the spotlight, and tells where they are now! Martial arts whirlwind Jet Li has kicked an incalculable amount of ass over his cinematic career, from his early Hong Kong hits like Once Upon a Time in China and Fist of Legend, through his Hollywood breakthrough in Lethal Weapon 4 and Romeo Must Die. His legendary status…...
- 4/23/2021
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
Displaying a winning combination with Tsui Hark as the director, Yuen Woo Ping as action director, Jet Li and Yuen Biao as the protagonists, and popular folk hero Wong Fei Hung as its main theme, this particular film had all the makings of a blockbuster and it delivered in astonishing fashion. It became a huge box office hit, was one of the main reasons for the wuxia craze of the 90s, and spawned six sequels.
Beyond the Dream is streaming on Focus Hong Kong
After an intro that sets the grandiose, impressively choreographed and performed, and slightly incoherent tone, we are introduced to Wong Fei Hung, a chiropractor, doctor and martial arts specialist, whose story takes place in Foshan, China, sometime in the late 19th century during the Qing dynasty. Wong is a calm man, but as the story progresses, he has to face corrupt politicians, triads, the extreme colonization...
Beyond the Dream is streaming on Focus Hong Kong
After an intro that sets the grandiose, impressively choreographed and performed, and slightly incoherent tone, we are introduced to Wong Fei Hung, a chiropractor, doctor and martial arts specialist, whose story takes place in Foshan, China, sometime in the late 19th century during the Qing dynasty. Wong is a calm man, but as the story progresses, he has to face corrupt politicians, triads, the extreme colonization...
- 3/24/2021
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
After the first edition successful run in February, when UK audiences celebrated Chinese New Year with a great selection of new and classic Hong Kong films, Focus Hong Kong is back.
This Easter edition of the festival runs online from 31st March to 6th April 2021 inclusive,giving audiences across the UK the chance to watch a carefully curated selection of some of the best new Hong Kong films of the last year along with much-loved classics.
This time too, Focus Hong Kong features a fantastic and diverse line-up of films, including 3 UK premieres, as well as another free selection of Hong Kong Fresh Wave shorts.
Here are all the titles:
Romance “My Prince Edward” (2019) by Norris Wong – UK Premiere
one of the most acclaimed Hong Kong films of recent years, starring Stephy Tang.
Inspirational sports drama “I Still Remember” (2021) by He Liheng – UK Premiere
following characters trying to become runners...
This Easter edition of the festival runs online from 31st March to 6th April 2021 inclusive,giving audiences across the UK the chance to watch a carefully curated selection of some of the best new Hong Kong films of the last year along with much-loved classics.
This time too, Focus Hong Kong features a fantastic and diverse line-up of films, including 3 UK premieres, as well as another free selection of Hong Kong Fresh Wave shorts.
Here are all the titles:
Romance “My Prince Edward” (2019) by Norris Wong – UK Premiere
one of the most acclaimed Hong Kong films of recent years, starring Stephy Tang.
Inspirational sports drama “I Still Remember” (2021) by He Liheng – UK Premiere
following characters trying to become runners...
- 3/18/2021
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
Time And Tide will be released on Blu-ray featuring a Limited-Edition Slipcase & Collector’s Booklet (First Print Run of 2000 copies only) as a part of the Eureka Classics range from 24 May 2021.
A streetwise young man becomes a bodyguard to score quick cash. He soon befriends a once disillusioned mercenary determined to make a fresh start with his new wife. Although the two men find themselves working together to foil an assassination attempt, their partnership is short-lived. Through uncontrollable circumstances, they will unknowingly be propelled toward the opposite sides of a deadly confrontation.
A noir infused Hong Kong action thriller from Tsui Hark (Zu: Warriors From The Magic Mountain; Once Upon A Time In China) starring Nicholas Tse and Wu Bai (who would later appear together in New Police Story), Time and Tide was nominated for six Hong Kong film awards and remains one of Hark’s most acclaimed features.
A streetwise young man becomes a bodyguard to score quick cash. He soon befriends a once disillusioned mercenary determined to make a fresh start with his new wife. Although the two men find themselves working together to foil an assassination attempt, their partnership is short-lived. Through uncontrollable circumstances, they will unknowingly be propelled toward the opposite sides of a deadly confrontation.
A noir infused Hong Kong action thriller from Tsui Hark (Zu: Warriors From The Magic Mountain; Once Upon A Time In China) starring Nicholas Tse and Wu Bai (who would later appear together in New Police Story), Time and Tide was nominated for six Hong Kong film awards and remains one of Hark’s most acclaimed features.
- 3/2/2021
- by Don Anelli
- AsianMoviePulse
With regard to the sheer amount of films he made in 1993, it is safe to say Jet Li was quite the success, especially after the first two parts of the “Once Upon A Time in China”-trilogy had been released in the years before. However, his career was just beginning to take off which is also due to his role on Corey Yuen’s 1993 box-office hit “The Legend of Fong Sai-yuk”, also known simply as “The Legend” in many countries, a feature which not only received positive reviews at the time of its release, but was also honored with a Hong Kong Film Award and a Golden Horse Award for its action choreography. Combining the elements of the period piece to action and martial arts, it delivered a very popular blend of these genres and also gave Li a chance to show his qualities as a leading man, playing the titular role of Fong Sai-yuk,...
- 1/17/2021
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
When A Chinese Ghost Story premiered in 1987, it was already part of a unique category – the fusion of horror, comedy, and Kung Fu. Asian horror films are known as jiangshi, which is the name of a specific spooky hopping ghost found in Chinese folklore that proliferates these films.
Part zombie, part vampire, jiangshi are corpses that are usually reanimated by demons or Daoist sorcerers. They hop along mindlessly with their arms outstretched like sleepwalkers, and feed on the life essence – or qi – of the living. Often a jiangshi is blind but can smell breath. This makes for great comic hijinks as hapless characters struggle to hold their breath while gruesome jiangshi shove their rotting noses close to their mouths trying to pick up the scent.
Comedy is a common horror film device. It releases tension and leaves the audience unguarded for the next jump scare. The addition of Kung Fu...
Part zombie, part vampire, jiangshi are corpses that are usually reanimated by demons or Daoist sorcerers. They hop along mindlessly with their arms outstretched like sleepwalkers, and feed on the life essence – or qi – of the living. Often a jiangshi is blind but can smell breath. This makes for great comic hijinks as hapless characters struggle to hold their breath while gruesome jiangshi shove their rotting noses close to their mouths trying to pick up the scent.
Comedy is a common horror film device. It releases tension and leaves the audience unguarded for the next jump scare. The addition of Kung Fu...
- 10/25/2020
- by Mike Cecchini
- Den of Geek
Search ‘Martial Arts Movies’ on Amazon Prime and you’ll get over a thousand results ranging from the classics to the campy, to the critically acclaimed. It’s an overwhelming library for the uninitiated and the mother lode for stalwart fans of the genre. There are so many gems buried in Amazon Prime that digging out the favorites is dirty challenging work but extremely rewarding.
When it comes to martial arts, Amazon Prime has a killer Kung Fu collection. The ‘80s were the ‘Golden Era’ of Kung Fu films when Hong Kong film studios cranked out films faster than any grindhouse ever. Many Hong Kong filmmakers put out up to half a dozen films a year, and most have hundreds of credits on IMDb. This glut of Kung Fu films spread to every Chinatown ghetto theater on the planet. And like with horror, American networks broadcasted late night Kung Fu...
When it comes to martial arts, Amazon Prime has a killer Kung Fu collection. The ‘80s were the ‘Golden Era’ of Kung Fu films when Hong Kong film studios cranked out films faster than any grindhouse ever. Many Hong Kong filmmakers put out up to half a dozen films a year, and most have hundreds of credits on IMDb. This glut of Kung Fu films spread to every Chinatown ghetto theater on the planet. And like with horror, American networks broadcasted late night Kung Fu...
- 9/14/2020
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
Welcome to The B-Side, from The Film Stage. Here we talk about movie stars and not the movies that made them famous or kept them famous, but the ones they made in between.
Today we dig deep into the surprisingly eclectic career of action star Jet Li. Yes, Disney’s live-action remake of Mulan (in which Li appears) has been delayed. But we decided to go ahead and record anyway, virus be damned!
Now, although the Wushu legend made a name for himself stateside with an effective villain role in 1998’s Lethal Weapon 4, he had helped revitalize the martial arts film in China a half-a-decade earlier.
Our B-Sides for this episode include: Kiss Of The Dragon, Cradle 2 The Grave, War, and The Forbidden Kingdom. Despite our focus on Li’s Hollywood output, we encourage our listeners to seek out stuff like Once Upon A Time In China, Hero,...
Today we dig deep into the surprisingly eclectic career of action star Jet Li. Yes, Disney’s live-action remake of Mulan (in which Li appears) has been delayed. But we decided to go ahead and record anyway, virus be damned!
Now, although the Wushu legend made a name for himself stateside with an effective villain role in 1998’s Lethal Weapon 4, he had helped revitalize the martial arts film in China a half-a-decade earlier.
Our B-Sides for this episode include: Kiss Of The Dragon, Cradle 2 The Grave, War, and The Forbidden Kingdom. Despite our focus on Li’s Hollywood output, we encourage our listeners to seek out stuff like Once Upon A Time In China, Hero,...
- 3/19/2020
- by Dan Mecca
- The Film Stage
Following on the success of The Unity of Heroes, Vincent Zhao returns to the iconic role of Chinese folk-hero Wong Fei Hong one more time for a thrilling old-school throwback martial arts epic. Employing prolific editor Marco Mak in the director’s chair after taking on the editing role for the original six movies in the “Once Upon a Time in China” series that explored the exploits of Fei Hong in the 1990s, this new effort arrives on DVD, Blu-Ray combo-pack Digital on February 18 from WellGo USA.
Caught in a state of political turmoil, Huang Fei Hong (Vincent Zhao) and his friend Liang Kuan (Li Lubing) find themselves dragged into the war between the Federal government and the dangerous White Lotus society. Attempting to intervene on behalf of the government, they find the Lotus society as a ploy for the invading Imperial Japanese army attempting to covertly...
Caught in a state of political turmoil, Huang Fei Hong (Vincent Zhao) and his friend Liang Kuan (Li Lubing) find themselves dragged into the war between the Federal government and the dangerous White Lotus society. Attempting to intervene on behalf of the government, they find the Lotus society as a ploy for the invading Imperial Japanese army attempting to covertly...
- 2/18/2020
- by Don Anelli
- AsianMoviePulse
After the Sino-Japanese War, the Japanese army tries to once again gain control in China by hiring a secret organization, The White Lotus Society, to kidnap the military minister. Wong Fei-Hung and his disciples must stop this attack to prevent another war from starting in the martial arts action epic Warriors Of The Nation, debuting on Digital and Blu-ray February 18 from Well Go USA Entertainment. Directed by Marco Mak (chief editor on the iconic film Once Upon a Time in China) featuring classic, over the top, old school martial arts, Warriors Of The Nation stars Wenzhuo Zhao, cinema newcomer Lubing Li, Miya Muqi (The Monkey King 2) and Kenya Sawada (Street Fighter).
Synopsis:
At the end of the Sino-Japanese War, a top military officer, Zhang Zhidong, is kidnapped in the middle of the night by a militant organization called the White Lotus Society. When he overhears a...
Synopsis:
At the end of the Sino-Japanese War, a top military officer, Zhang Zhidong, is kidnapped in the middle of the night by a militant organization called the White Lotus Society. When he overhears a...
- 1/16/2020
- by Don Anelli
- AsianMoviePulse
Hong Kong producer described her career from 1980s ’disruptor’ studio Cinema City to the present day during Pingyao film festival’s Forum platform.
Hong Kong producer Nansun Shi took a captivated audience of young cinephiles and budding filmmakers through her 38-year career of producing Chinese-language films in a Forum session at Pingyao International Film Festival (Pyiff).
Shi was in Pingyao to receive the ‘International Contribution to Chinese Cinema Award’ for helping give Chinese films an international profile. Her producing credits include the many iconic titles she has made through Film Workshop with her former husband Tsui Hark, to the Infernal Affairs...
Hong Kong producer Nansun Shi took a captivated audience of young cinephiles and budding filmmakers through her 38-year career of producing Chinese-language films in a Forum session at Pingyao International Film Festival (Pyiff).
Shi was in Pingyao to receive the ‘International Contribution to Chinese Cinema Award’ for helping give Chinese films an international profile. Her producing credits include the many iconic titles she has made through Film Workshop with her former husband Tsui Hark, to the Infernal Affairs...
- 10/21/2019
- by 89¦Liz Shackleton¦0¦
- ScreenDaily
After Jackie Chan’s success with “Drunken Master” (1978), Hung was scheduled to make a similar film featuring “Beggar So” character played by Yuen Siu Tien (aka Simon Yuen). As his elder, Sammo’s films were expected to surpass Chan’s in popularity. The film was “Magnificent Butcher”(1979), directed by Yuen Woo-ping, who also directed the aforementioned. However, during filming, Yuen Siu Tien died of a heart attack. He was replaced by Fan Mei Sheng and Yuen’s absence may have led to low ticket sales.
The film is based on the story of Lam Sai-wing, one of the students of the legendary Chinese folk hero Wong Fei-hung. Hung plays “Butcher” Lam Sai-wing and Kwan Tak-hing plays Wong Fei-hung, a role he had played before in over 70 films. The film also features Hung’s opera “brother” Yuen Biao as another of Wong’s students, Leung Foon, a role...
The film is based on the story of Lam Sai-wing, one of the students of the legendary Chinese folk hero Wong Fei-hung. Hung plays “Butcher” Lam Sai-wing and Kwan Tak-hing plays Wong Fei-hung, a role he had played before in over 70 films. The film also features Hung’s opera “brother” Yuen Biao as another of Wong’s students, Leung Foon, a role...
- 10/1/2019
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Based on a true story, Cine Asia is proud to present a new big-screen adventure with some of China’s biggest stars! The Climbers arrives in UK & Roi cinemas from 4th October, with previews and IMAX from 30th September.
From award-winning director Daniel Lee and produced by action cinema legend Tsui Hark The Climbers is a thrilling epic you won’t want to miss.
Synopsis:
Based on a true story, The Climbers is an all-new adventure featuring China’s biggest stars Wu Jing, Zhang Ziyi and a special guest appearance from action icon, Jackie Chan.
Set in 1960, it’s a cinematic retelling of the first Chinese climbers to summit Mount Everest – the first ever to do so from the North Ridge. Well-known as the most challenging side of the mountain, the perilous journey takes its toll on the mountaineers, physically and mentally, forcing them to make life or death decisions at every turn.
From award-winning director Daniel Lee and produced by action cinema legend Tsui Hark The Climbers is a thrilling epic you won’t want to miss.
Synopsis:
Based on a true story, The Climbers is an all-new adventure featuring China’s biggest stars Wu Jing, Zhang Ziyi and a special guest appearance from action icon, Jackie Chan.
Set in 1960, it’s a cinematic retelling of the first Chinese climbers to summit Mount Everest – the first ever to do so from the North Ridge. Well-known as the most challenging side of the mountain, the perilous journey takes its toll on the mountaineers, physically and mentally, forcing them to make life or death decisions at every turn.
- 9/29/2019
- by Don Anelli
- AsianMoviePulse
Iron MonkeyThe 18th New York Asian Film Festival kicks off this weekend with another eclectic roundup of films from East and Southeast Asia. The premier showcase for Asian film in North America, the Nyaff focuses on the three main production centers, Japan, China/Hong Kong/Taiwan, and Korea, while also showcasing films from the Philippines, Vietnam, and Malaysia. Most of the films are new releases, by a healthy mix of heretofore unknown filmmakers and established auteurs, and they range from international festival-type art-house films to glossy genre pictures. This year features as well a number of films that have already seen release in North American multiplexes, albeit in limited runs in major cities. This could either be a by-product of the increasing number, variety, and quality of such releases, or a result of the increasingly opaque and throttling censorship situation in Mainland China. The festival begins on the same day...
- 6/27/2019
- MUBI
Vincent Zhao (Once Upon A Time in China) reprises his role as legendary folk hero Wong Fei Hung in “The Unity Of Heroes,” debuting on digital, Blu-ray Combo Pack and DVD May 28th from Well Go USA Entertainment. In this action-packed adventure, a highly toxic drug has permeated the country and Wong Fei Hung and his students must stop the invasion. Directed by Lin Zhenzhao, the film also stars Vini Li Lubing (Fascinated Love), Chen Chen, Li Bingyuan, Wei Xiaohuan (The Grandmaster), Xu Zhengguo and Michael Tong.
Synopsis:
A shipment of a narcotic more dangerous than opium is about to be distributed across the country by a corrupt pharmaceutical company. In the face of foreign and domestic enemies, can Wong Fei Hung stop the spread of this dangerous narcotic and save lives in time?
Country of Origin: China
“The Unity Of Heroes” has a runtime of approximately 104 minutes and is not rated.
Synopsis:
A shipment of a narcotic more dangerous than opium is about to be distributed across the country by a corrupt pharmaceutical company. In the face of foreign and domestic enemies, can Wong Fei Hung stop the spread of this dangerous narcotic and save lives in time?
Country of Origin: China
“The Unity Of Heroes” has a runtime of approximately 104 minutes and is not rated.
- 5/19/2019
- by Don Anelli
- AsianMoviePulse
After decades lost in the darkest corners of video distribution, on samizdat VHS tapes haphazardly dubbed and cropped, or edited by companies like Miramax and even less reputable organizations, the 21st century has been pretty good for the classics of Chinese-language cinema. At least, for those films in the kung fu genre, kickstarted by Celestial Pictures remastering and restoring the original audio of much of the 60s and 70s Shaw Brothers library in the early 2000s. This has led in turn to a growing recognition in the West of the work of directors like Lau Kar-leung and Chang Cheh, thanks to quality releases through imprints like the Weinsteins' sadly defunct Dragon Dynasty label. Recently the U.K. company Eureka Video has picked up where they left off, releasing restored version of 80s and 90s classics like the Police Story (1985), Project A (1983) and Once Upon a Time in China (1991–7) movies,...
- 4/4/2019
- MUBI
In the 20 years since its debut, Warner Bros.-Roadshow’s “The Matrix” has remained a major influence on countless action and sci-fi films. When it premiered in Los Angeles on March 24, 1999, producer Joel Silver described the film as “the first movie of the 21st century.” Variety also reported that Warner Bros. execs were “gleeful, knowing they had a hit on their hands.” That was an understatement. In the March 29 review, two days before it opened wide, Variety described the film as a “shrewdly packaged head trip,” adding it was an “eye-popping but incoherent extravaganza.” Despite the reservations, the review predicted success, due to “ultra-cool visuals that truly deliver something new to the sci-fi action lexicon.” The film proved a major career jump for directors then known as Andy and Larry Wachowski, who had directed only the sexy heist thriller “Bound” before this. “Matrix” also owed a big debt to stars...
- 3/29/2019
- by Tim Gray
- Variety Film + TV
Displaying a winning combination with Tsui Hark as the director, Yuen Woo Ping as action director, Jet Li and Yuen Biao as the protagonists, and popular folk hero Wong Fei Hung as its main theme, this particular film had all the makings of a blockbuster and it delivered in astonishing fashion. It became a huge box office hit, was one of the main reasons for the wuxia craze of the 90s, and spawned six sequels.
After an intro that sets the grandiose, impressively choreographed and performed, and slightly incoherent tone, we are introduced to Wong Fei Hung, a chiropractor, doctor and martial arts specialist, whose story takes place in Foshan, China, sometime in the late 19th century during the Qing dynasty. Wong is a calm man, but as the story progresses, he has to face corrupt politicians, triads, the extreme colonization methods of westerners who seem to...
After an intro that sets the grandiose, impressively choreographed and performed, and slightly incoherent tone, we are introduced to Wong Fei Hung, a chiropractor, doctor and martial arts specialist, whose story takes place in Foshan, China, sometime in the late 19th century during the Qing dynasty. Wong is a calm man, but as the story progresses, he has to face corrupt politicians, triads, the extreme colonization methods of westerners who seem to...
- 12/18/2018
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Raymond Chow, the man credited with introducing the world to Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, has died at the age of 91, according to the Associated Press.
Chow, also responsible for bringing “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” to the big screen, was the founder and chairman of Golden Harvest Company, which released hundreds of martial arts films — especially during the golden era of Hong Kong filmmaking — including the seminal Lee-led “Enter the Dragon,” as well as Chan’s “Police Story.”
In a statement to the AP, Hong Kong secretary for commerce and economic development, Edward Yau, said that Chow “helped nurture a pool of Hong Kong talents and brought them to the international stage.”
Also Read: Quentin Tarantino Finds His Bruce Lee for 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood': How Mike Moh Honored Lee
Chow, who studied martial arts under the famed Lam Sai-wing, began his career as a journalist...
Chow, also responsible for bringing “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” to the big screen, was the founder and chairman of Golden Harvest Company, which released hundreds of martial arts films — especially during the golden era of Hong Kong filmmaking — including the seminal Lee-led “Enter the Dragon,” as well as Chan’s “Police Story.”
In a statement to the AP, Hong Kong secretary for commerce and economic development, Edward Yau, said that Chow “helped nurture a pool of Hong Kong talents and brought them to the international stage.”
Also Read: Quentin Tarantino Finds His Bruce Lee for 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood': How Mike Moh Honored Lee
Chow, who studied martial arts under the famed Lam Sai-wing, began his career as a journalist...
- 11/2/2018
- by Trey Williams
- The Wrap
Wong Fei Hung movies are a staple of Martial Arts Cinema going back to the Black & White era of Kwang Tak Hing, to Gordon Liu in “Martial Club” and even Sammo Hung in “Around the World in 80 Days”.So any new movie is automatically steeped in the lineage of the canon. In 2014, “Rise of the Legend” attempted a fresh take on the story of Wong Fei Hung, stripping it down to the bare parts and removing a lot of the elements familiar to regular watchers of Martial Arts Cinema. Whilst the success or failure of that movie is open to individual interpretation, at least it stood on its own merit. With “The Unity of Heroes”, we have a tale that returns all the elements that made the “Once Upon a Time in China” series so popular but by doing so, invites comparison with the past.
- 9/25/2018
- by Ben Stykuc
- AsianMoviePulse
Legendary director Tsui Hark returns to direct the third film in the immensely successful series, which has racked up over Usd$200m at the box office and bagged 20+ major award nominations with a star-studded cast that is just as award-worthy. “Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings” is coming to UK cinemas 27th July. Keep updated online: www.DetectiveDee3.com
Synopsis
Detective Dee (Mark Chao) is appointed by Emperor Gaozong to protect the Tang Dynasty from rival Empress Wu (Carina Lau) and is bestowed with the magical Dragon Taming Mace. Wu orders Yuchi Zhenjin (Feng Shaofeng) of the Golden Gard to recruit five mystics and task them with stealing the threatening Mace, the consequence of which is capital punishment for Dee.
Storming the Department of Investigation, Wu orders a demonstration of sorcery power which goes horrifically wrong with deadly consequences. In the confusion, Yuchi Zhenjin is seen killing colleagues of the Golden Gard.
Synopsis
Detective Dee (Mark Chao) is appointed by Emperor Gaozong to protect the Tang Dynasty from rival Empress Wu (Carina Lau) and is bestowed with the magical Dragon Taming Mace. Wu orders Yuchi Zhenjin (Feng Shaofeng) of the Golden Gard to recruit five mystics and task them with stealing the threatening Mace, the consequence of which is capital punishment for Dee.
Storming the Department of Investigation, Wu orders a demonstration of sorcery power which goes horrifically wrong with deadly consequences. In the confusion, Yuchi Zhenjin is seen killing colleagues of the Golden Gard.
- 7/12/2018
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
Continuing a summer of extraordinary Asian cinema programming in New York City, which has seen over the past two months retrospectives on Sylvia Chang and Chang Cheh, the New York Asian Film Festival and the upcoming Japan Cuts, comes a retrospective starting July 5th at the Museum of Modern Art on the films of Lau Kar-leung. A choreographer, actor, and director, Lau was the central figure in the Golden Age of martial arts cinema, a period which began in 1967 with the break-out success of The One-Armed Swordsman, reached its classical perfection with 1978’s The 36th Chamber of Shaolin and came to an end in 1994 with Drunken Master II. That Lau choreographed the former and directed the latter two is no coincidence. It was his commitment to verisimilitude in stunt choreography, in training the actors under his command, from the biggest stars to the most minor extras, in traditional kung fu fighting styles,...
- 7/4/2018
- MUBI
If one was to seek the quintessence of the Golden Harvest martial arts film (wuxia if you prefer), one would have to look not much further than “Iron Monkey”, a film that encompasses all the elements that made the genre so popular, starting with the people in charge, whose names include Yuen Woo Ping, Tsui Hark and Donnie Yen, among others. Let us take things from the beginning though.
In another episode from folk hero Wong Fei-hung’s life, whose heroics have been immortalized in films the “Once Upon a Time in China” series, “Drunken Master”, “Magnificent Butcher” etc, the very young at the time Wong meets Iron Monkey, as he travels with his father Wong Kei-ying.. Iron Monkey is actually the alter ego of a traditional Chinese medicine physician called Yang Tianchun, who, in a combination of Zorro and Robin Hood, dresses in black every night,...
In another episode from folk hero Wong Fei-hung’s life, whose heroics have been immortalized in films the “Once Upon a Time in China” series, “Drunken Master”, “Magnificent Butcher” etc, the very young at the time Wong meets Iron Monkey, as he travels with his father Wong Kei-ying.. Iron Monkey is actually the alter ego of a traditional Chinese medicine physician called Yang Tianchun, who, in a combination of Zorro and Robin Hood, dresses in black every night,...
- 6/9/2018
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
At the height of the studio’s success in the 1970s, the Shaw Brothers studio was churning out dozens of martial arts and kung-fu flicks that were completely out-of-fashion by the time the 1980s hit. Their beloved period-set swordplay and brotherhood movies were no longer in vogue, and instead offered up a few final stabs at the style while moving on to bigger and more elaborate fare with a series of grisly horror films and more fantastic martial arts pieces. Among those fantasy-laden kung-fu efforts was this stylish and ornate piece from director Lu Chin Ku originally titled ‘Wu lin sheng huo jin’ but known mostly as ‘Holy Flame of the Martial World.’
Finally having grown up, young Yin Tien-chu sets out to help the innocent and downtrodden, unaware of his destiny sent down years earlier from the death of his parents. Settling out into the world,...
Finally having grown up, young Yin Tien-chu sets out to help the innocent and downtrodden, unaware of his destiny sent down years earlier from the death of his parents. Settling out into the world,...
- 6/5/2018
- by Don Anelli
- AsianMoviePulse
iQiyi is also launching sales on two in-house productions – ’Welcome To Beartown’ and ’Spycies’.
WellGo USA has acquired North American rights to two titles handled internationally by China’s iQiyi – martial arts action title The Unity Of Heroes and fantasy action The Legend Of Zu.
The Unity Of Heroes, produced by and starring Vincent Zhao, also went to Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei (Clover Films), Hong Kong and Macau (China 3D), South Korea (My Way Films) and India (Ultra).
Directed Lin Zhen-zhao, the film is backed by Beijing Tmeng Network Technology and also stars Wei Ni and Michael Tong. Zhao is...
WellGo USA has acquired North American rights to two titles handled internationally by China’s iQiyi – martial arts action title The Unity Of Heroes and fantasy action The Legend Of Zu.
The Unity Of Heroes, produced by and starring Vincent Zhao, also went to Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei (Clover Films), Hong Kong and Macau (China 3D), South Korea (My Way Films) and India (Ultra).
Directed Lin Zhen-zhao, the film is backed by Beijing Tmeng Network Technology and also stars Wei Ni and Michael Tong. Zhao is...
- 5/14/2018
- by Liz Shackleton
- ScreenDaily
Stars: Anthony Wong, Gillian Chung, Jordan Chan, Eric Tsang, Marvel Chow, Chuchu Zhou, Timmy Hung, Luxia Jiang, Anita Yuen, Hung Yan Yan | Written by Erica Lee | Directed by Herman Yau
In postwar Hong Kong, Ip Man is reluctantly called into action once more, when what begins as simple challenges from rival kung fu schools, leads to him becoming face to face with the dangerous underworld of the Triads. To defend himself and those he cares about, Ip Man must stand and fight one last time. This masterful biopic proves essential viewing for anyone familiar to the Ip Man saga, encasing sensational action sequences within a compelling drama.
Ip Man: The Final Fight comes from director Herman Yau, who previously helmed Ip Man: The Legend Is Born, the prequel film released inbetween Ip Man 2 and 3. And like Yau’s previous Ip Man movie, this sequel, which follows on from the...
In postwar Hong Kong, Ip Man is reluctantly called into action once more, when what begins as simple challenges from rival kung fu schools, leads to him becoming face to face with the dangerous underworld of the Triads. To defend himself and those he cares about, Ip Man must stand and fight one last time. This masterful biopic proves essential viewing for anyone familiar to the Ip Man saga, encasing sensational action sequences within a compelling drama.
Ip Man: The Final Fight comes from director Herman Yau, who previously helmed Ip Man: The Legend Is Born, the prequel film released inbetween Ip Man 2 and 3. And like Yau’s previous Ip Man movie, this sequel, which follows on from the...
- 6/17/2017
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
The “Into the Badlands” set is a fascinating aural environment when the show’s epic fights are being filmed.
That’s thanks to the blend of accents amongst the crew — American, English, Irish — as well as the Cantonese instructions being barked out as The Widow (Emily Beecham), Tilda (Ally Ioannides), and their many stunt doubles spin about and spar with each other, filming action so in-your-face that before certain shots, cameramen have to put on lacrosse helmets.
Read More: ‘Into the Badlands’ Review: Season 2 Will Cure Your ‘Iron Fist’-Induced Martial Arts Blues
It’s a blend of sounds that echoes the show’s own eclectic nature. “Badlands” has stood out since its premiere in November 2015 as a show that blends genres and boasts one of the most bonkers narratives on television. Set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland where fighting ability might be the only thing that keeps you from a...
That’s thanks to the blend of accents amongst the crew — American, English, Irish — as well as the Cantonese instructions being barked out as The Widow (Emily Beecham), Tilda (Ally Ioannides), and their many stunt doubles spin about and spar with each other, filming action so in-your-face that before certain shots, cameramen have to put on lacrosse helmets.
Read More: ‘Into the Badlands’ Review: Season 2 Will Cure Your ‘Iron Fist’-Induced Martial Arts Blues
It’s a blend of sounds that echoes the show’s own eclectic nature. “Badlands” has stood out since its premiere in November 2015 as a show that blends genres and boasts one of the most bonkers narratives on television. Set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland where fighting ability might be the only thing that keeps you from a...
- 3/25/2017
- by Liz Shannon Miller
- Indiewire
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