Category: Home Entertainment

I Am What I Am 2, Does Changing The Title To The Kung Fu Kid Hit Harder When ‘A’ Isn’t Used?

Well Go USA’s The Kung Fu Kid is actually I Am What I Am 2 (雄狮少年2), although neither the original title nor its status as a sequel is acknowledged. The film works as a standalone, but is altogether more powerful when Liu Jiajuan’s earlier life in the village is taken into account.

The Kung Fu Kid (I Am What I Am 2)Well Go USA
Now Streaming on Digital
Coming to Home Video on Sept 15

Fans of the Chinese animated film I Am What I Am (雄狮少年) may well be confused by the executive decision to release the second film in North America as The Kung Fu Kid. My theory is that some board of distributors believes a new and familiar-sounding title will draw in viewers who don’t know the franchise. As a standalone movie, it works, and newcomers may never realise they’re watching a sequel. But without knowledge of the first film, some of Liu “Gyun” Jiajuan’s motivations and character development are going to be lost.

That’s particularly noticeable because I Am What I Am 2 directly continues his story. The first film doesn’t magically solve this lad’s problems after the lion-dance competition. He still has to face reality, and that leads him to Shanghai, where earning money to help pay for his father’s medical treatment becomes one of his primary concerns. Strangely, according to China Daily, his name has become Ajuan, which can lead to momentary confusion.

Continue reading “I Am What I Am 2, Does Changing The Title To The Kung Fu Kid Hit Harder When ‘A’ Isn’t Used?”

Aachi and Ssipak, Now Playing on Darkroom! Don’t Let This Punk Rock Epic Slide Away

In a dystopian city where human waste is the only remaining energy source, Aachi and Ssipak are two street-smart thugs get caught in a chaotic, ultra-violent turf war between the government, mutated addicts, and a girl with a new-found power everyone wants

Aachi and Ssipak Title Card
Also available to stream on Crunchyroll and Apple TV+

Now playing on the streaming platform Darkroom is Aachi and Ssipak, and this action film is sure to cause some waves. Directed by Jo Beom-jin and originally released in 2006, what’s special about it is its cult status and that this release arrives just in time to honour its 20th anniversary! Since it’s highly regarded for its punk rock roots and over-the-top action sequences, yes, it’s on the must see list for the weekend! Just be warned, this work is not made for kids to watch.

And best of all, this service is affordable. Memberships are only $2.99.

Synopsis:

In a dystopian future where all natural resources have been depleted, human waste has become the city’s sole source of energy. To maximize energy production, the government incentivizes defecation by rewarding citizens with “Hard” – which are highly addictive, hallucinogenic popsicles. Before long, a group of mutated outcasts known as the “Bojagi Gang” emerges. Having lost their ability to defecate due to severe “Hard” addiction, they are brutally exiled from the city for being “unproductive.”

Continue reading “Aachi and Ssipak, Now Playing on Darkroom! Don’t Let This Punk Rock Epic Slide Away”

All Hail The Metal Messiah! Vividly Restored to 4K, at Fantasia Film Festival and Coming to Home Video Too!

Canadian International Pictures screened the 4K restoration of Tibor Takács’ Metal Messiah at Fantasia Film Festival, and if you missed it, fret not. A Blu-ray release is expected to be announced later this year.

Metal Messiah 1978 Movie Poster
Played at Fantasia Film Festival on July 25, 2026 at the Salle J.A. De Sève

Because I wasn’t born in time and be of the right age to witness Metal Messiah back in 1977, whether in theatres, if it ever reached Victoria’s Roxy or Vic Theatre, or later on VHS, discovering it now feels surreal. With it’s recent 4k remaster, some scenes only look that much more cosmic when considering the how well it’s been colour balanced. Although some video artifacts remain, this movie would not be what it is, a product of the times. Even today, I wasn’t sure what to expect from a story so deeply rooted in an era still firmly rooted in The Cold War.

Today, it’s a cult film that embodies the raw spirit of Toronto’s early punk movement. And when looking back at my own discovery of the stylings of Iggy Pop and Ziggy Stardust, I’m sure either would’ve appreciated what writer-director Tibor Takács (The Gate, Sabrina the Teenage Witch) accomplished here. What he made feels like hard-boiled detective fiction colliding with This Is Spinal Tap, only with a far more philosophical edge.

Continue reading “All Hail The Metal Messiah! Vividly Restored to 4K, at Fantasia Film Festival and Coming to Home Video Too!”

Top 5 DiscoTek Deep Cut Picks for August! And We Promise A Devilish Good Time!

DiscoTek Deep Cuts is loading up August with Lupin the Third releases, the complete Symphogear collection, and a stacked run of Go Nagai adaptations, from Go Nagai World to the two-volume Mazinger Z set.

Go Nagai World Blu-ray DiscoTek Deep CutWith more Lupin the Third original video animations and television series releases than I can count, DiscoTek Deep Cuts is happily grinding out the hits for this IP in August, along with other series! While a lot more love is being offered for the complete magical girl series release of Symphogear (including G and GX; and available to stream on Crunchyroll), which is considered a musical wonder set in a futuristic world, I have to focus on my top picks from what’s been adapted from Go Nagai’s works. Yes, I’m a fan of his worlds than anything else, and that’s why the first item on this list is tops.

Go Nagai World Blu-ray

This one’s a fun oddity from Go Nagai’s massive catalogue: a three-episode OVA from 1991 that takes his famous creations and turns them super deformed. Akira Fudo wakes up with his body all wrong, and along with Miki and Ryo he’s got to figure out how to fix it while running into a bunch of familiar faces from other Nagai works.

Continue reading “Top 5 DiscoTek Deep Cut Picks for August! And We Promise A Devilish Good Time!”

Is Virtuix’s New Omni One Virtual Reality Treadmill Ready for You?

Virtuix’s Omni One may help virtual reality feel more physical with its open-air treadmill design, harness support, and growing list of compatible VR games.

Omni One in UseOne of the greatest hurdles to making virtual reality mainstream is its interface. There needs to be more than just a headset and controllers to create a convincing sense of immersion. When tracking movement and tricking the human body into believing it’s in motion, what’s needed is more than an oversized hamster ball. That’s where the Omni One may fix all that. Instead of placing someone inside a confined space, its open-air design and harness may be exactly what’s needed to prevent falls while helping users feel like they’re truly part of the program.

Ready Player One had the right idea. The interface must be compact and portable enough that the hardware can be moved easily. Without that freedom, changing locations may feel awkward.

Continue reading “Is Virtuix’s New Omni One Virtual Reality Treadmill Ready for You?”

Vampire Princess Miyu, Back From The Dead … But For How Long?

40 long years (or two decades resting) won’t matter much for Vampire Princess Miyu! MediaOCD/AnimEigo’s next release brings back the original video animation that introduced this young girl to anime fans in the 90s. An Interview with a Vampire’s Claudia better look out!

Vampire Princess MiyuAnimEigo and MediaOCD

The resolution bump required to bring Vampire Princess Miyu back to home video is certainly needed to showcase why the original still matters. This latest rerelease features the classic U.S. and UK dubs alongside the original Japanese stereo track. However, it arrives without extensive extra features, largely due to the strict licensing time constraints parent company MediaOCD faced to get prints out to the masses.

That time crunch extended to the packaging, which utilizes a pure white case reminiscent of GKIDS’ release of Evangelion: 3.0+1.11 Thrice Upon a Time. This minimalist design works beautifully. It represents a canvas of purity before corruption can taint anyone’s soul, a visual metaphor that feels entirely apt when considering the tragic background of the titular character.

Continue reading “Vampire Princess Miyu, Back From The Dead … But For How Long?”