Tag: Martial Arts

Thoughts on the Kung Fury 2 Leak And How to Save It

If you didn’t hear the news about the Kung Fury 2 leak, then I got a recap before the video got taken down and thoughts on who should help bring it to the masses.

Kung Fury 2 Temp PosterWild Eye Releasing should pick up the tab to deliver David Sandberg’s sequel to Kung Fury. This homage to various genres, ranging from 80s style tokusatsu to buddy cop to sci-fi is a godsend. Kung Fury 2 is a no hold barred bonkers as Last Action Hero! Thankfully, newcomers or those who haven’t heard of this cult film can find the original on YouTube (or scroll to the end of this article to see the short).

If you are a fan of Power Rangers or even TMNT, this indie movie is for you! It’s a wonderfully hilarious parody of 80s schlock cinema, and all those cheap budget exploitation films from the 70s even count too! Apparently, last Friday a sizzle reel of the sequel leaked online, and with no surprise, it’s no longer available. Other folks may have since reposted it, but there’s no word on when those will disappear too. Someone might attempt to put it online again on another, less vigilant service.

Continue reading “Thoughts on the Kung Fury 2 Leak And How to Save It”

When Kung Fu Rookie is Kazakhstan’s Latest Export to the Cinematic Market….

Being A Kung Fu Rookie in Kazakhstan isn’t Hard. When Lawlessness is Everywhere, It’s More Dangerous!

Kung Fu Rookie Movie PosterComing to VOD and Digital
Release Date: March 14

Kung Fu Rookie (or Super Courier) embraces the old school Jackie Chan style of storytelling. When the protagonist is from humble roots, he’ll have to become a zero to hero somehow. This film, set in the present, depicts Timuchin’s (Timur Baktybayev, the director) rapid transformation from country bumpkin to city slicker. And in this tale, this character is even being compared to this famous martial artist actor. That’s because he has some impressive acrobatic skills!

And while these action sequences don’t quite match the intensity, I am thrilled to learn this movie is finally coming to streaming services. I’m enjoying this film because this Kazakhstan production gives curiosity seekers a look at this world. It’s no different from any other big city; gangs rule part of it. Timu wastes no time showing he’s ready to fight when thugs constantly bother him and his uncle! Instead of being a vigilante, he wants to become a law enforcement officer!

Continue reading “When Kung Fu Rookie is Kazakhstan’s Latest Export to the Cinematic Market….”

A Retrospective on Detective Dee in the Cinema Front (and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame)

When there’s over 40 films featuring Detective Dee (Di Renjie), just where should a newcomer start? What’s offered here is a love letter to the franchise.

Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom FlameThe love for China’s greatest crime buster from the feudal age is strong, and while he’s better known as Di Renjie (狄仁傑), audiences worldwide better know him as Detective Dee. Although some of the original tales got translated over, that hasn’t stopped others from bringing life to this 7th century magistrate. And as for why he got a slight change in occupation, I suspect the new role rolls off the tongue better, and what he does sounds more intriguing.

I discovered him through Tsui Hark‘s films, but I’m glad to say I still have many more to view. The main reason other works didn’t get internationally distributed is because they were made for television or distributors from elsewhere didn’t understand his appeal. I became a fan because of the supernatural elements that he sometimes has to face. And after getting a huge gift package recently, it’s time to get caught up!

Continue reading “A Retrospective on Detective Dee in the Cinema Front (and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame)”

On Ne Zha 2, Cultivation and The Grander Plan

Although Ne Zha 2 was years in the making, the wait is worth it! This superhero style retelling of the Chinese novel Investiture of the Gods is all about the wow rather than being fully faithful to the source material.

Ne Zha 2 PosterSpoiler Alert

Anyone who loves the 2019 Chinese animated film about a spunky demon-child (no, not Lil’ Hellboy) will be glad to know Ne Zha 2 is finally here. Having some knowledge of the prior events (or reading my movie review from before and my past coverage) helps because this latest takes place moments after.

Both this kid (Lü Yanting) and Ao Bing (Han Mo) have no mortal shell, and if they don’t have a simulacrum to inhabit, they’ll soon dissipate. Thankfully, with Taiyi Zhenren (Zhang Jiaming) around, a possibility of getting their bodies back exists. However, all do not go according to plan. When the Sacred Lotus lacks the power to build, the result is ectoplasm! This leads to a hilarious intro, and I was in stitches.

Continue reading “On Ne Zha 2, Cultivation and The Grander Plan”

Top Three Choices to Hail In the Chinese New Year (2025 Edition)

Chinese New Year is almost here, and I offer my list on what I expect to be the top three films that’ll be big! And all the movie trailers I could find are also assembled here:

Creation of the Gods 2 Well GO USA Poster for Chinese New YearChinese New Year is coming! And for those folks who want to enjoy part of that day at the movies, five ‘official’ films are being released January 29th! What I offer here are my top three choices. Although I mentioned the sequel for Crazy Alien is coming in my review, it’s not a mandatory must-see.

And what I offer here are nearly every trailer for each of these films to get a sense of what’s going to be presented.

Creation of the Gods II:
Demonic Confrontation

This continuation of the epic fight between clans can spell disaster for all of China, if all parties aren’t careful. That’s because, after the ascension of the last ruler of the Shang dynasty, the transition is not quiet. When the fox-spirit Daji has a dastardly role to play, all will not be well.

As part two of a trilogy, what’s expected will be like Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings–to break the narratives down to smaller pieces. Part three is titled Creation Under Heaven. and that’s scheduled for release next year. As for this middle release,  Well GO USA has IMAX screenings available at select cities (please visit link) on Jan 29th, and will get a wider release at the end of the month.

Trailer 1 (International Release)

Trailer 2 (Chinese)

Behind the Scenes

Continued on page 2

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3

Where’s “The” Instead of “A Legend” Hiding in Stanley Tong’s Latest Action-Comedy-Adventure?

When there’s “A Legend” in the making, maybe the word “Chinese” needs to be added, in order to be recognized.

Box Art - A Legend Starring Jackie Chan
Available to pre-order on Amazon USA

Well GO USA
Minor Spoiler Alert

Chinese filmmaker Stanley Tong may well be running on fumes when it comes to coming up with fresh ideas. While there are minor elements to like in A Legend, which has been out for a while now and is finally available in North America, the people on the Internet have already spoken–this director relied on too much CGI tomfoolery to finish this movie. He really should have done a casting call to find a young-looking person who almost looks like Jackie Chan instead of relying on computers to de-age the actor.

Not only is most of the digital set design apparent in higher resolutions, but also pixels covered most of Jackie Chan’s screen time! As General Zhao Zihan in the flashbacks, he is 30 something years old rather than 70. We see this younger incarnation enjoying a moment in the grassy foothills of Central China, with Huajun (Lay Zhang) before a lady in distress arrives!

Continue reading “Where’s “The” Instead of “A Legend” Hiding in Stanley Tong’s Latest Action-Comedy-Adventure?”