Director – Stephen Chow Sing Chi – 2004 – China – Cert. 15 – 99m ***** Set in the 1940s, this is at once a comedy, a romance, an effects fest, an action movie, a violent gangster thriller and a treatise on Buddhist values – out in UK cinemas on Friday, June 24th, 2005 An hilarious treat from […]
Director – Jonathan Entwhistle – 2025 – US – Cert. 12a – 94m ***** Latest franchise entry plays by all the rules that you would expect, yet somehow manages to completely break the mould and come up with something fresh and original – out in UK cinemas on Wednesday, May 28th All a Karate Kid […]
Directors – Larry and Andy Wachowski – 1999 – US – Cert.15 – 136 mins ***** The Matrix combines tropes of Japanese animation with live action Hong Kong stunt choreography and groundbreaking ‘bullet time’ special effects. 25th Anniversary UK rerelease (4k remaster): Friday, June 8th, 2024; UK release: June 11th 1999; Article originally published in […]
Director – Daniel Lee – 1996 – Hong Kong – Cert. 18 – 99m ***** An experimentally created supersoldier without feelings revolts against his creators, even as they attempt to take control of Hong Kong’s drugs trade – on Blu-ray from Monday, April 22nd in the UK and Tuesday, April 23rd in the US and […]
Director – Wu Ma – 1982 – Hong Kong – Cert. 12 – 99m ***** A couple planning an inheritance swindle convince their victim to play along then kill him, after which he comes back as a ghost to take revenge – classic and seminal HK kung fu comedy is out on UK Blu-ray in […]
Director – Ricky Lau – 1985 – Hong Kong – Cert. 15 – 96m ***** The first ‘official’ Mr. Vampire film (i.e. to be made by Sammo Hung / Leonard Ho’s Bo Ho Films company). If your knowledge of vampire lore comes from Western movies about Dracula you’re in for some real surprises with the […]
Director – Anthony Chen – 2019 – Singapore – 103m ****1/2 A Singaporean schoolboy becomes obsessed with his Mandarin language teacher – from the BFI London Film Festival and the London East Asia Film Festival (LEAFF) 2019. It seems to be constantly raining in urban Singapore. Ling (Yeo Yann Yann) is forever sitting in her […]
Director – Ricky Lau – 1985 – Hong Kong – Cert. 15 – 94m ***** This review originally appeared in Manga Mania to coincide with the film’s UK VHS release from Made In Hong Kong. Running time as on VHS sleeve. See also my All The Anime review coinciding with the 2020 Eureka! Blu-ray. SCREEN […]