“Blade of the Immortal” was one of the more successful manga series that ever made it to U.S. production published by Dark Horse comics. It was a critically acclaimed series and of course, … more
I suppose being Bruce Lee's former teacher and someone who had made the martial art Wing Chun known around the world, the curiosity around his life became so strong that directors Wilson Yip and Herman … more
When I saw the first Flower and Snake film, I became impressed with the lengths Aya Sugimoto, a popular pop star/model would go to make that film. Despite its multiple scenes of sexual intercourse and … more
I saw bits and parts of this film last night on TV and decided to check it out again on dvd. It is quite surprising that a movie about a boy losing his bicycle can be compelling. It is a harrowing account … more
Marvel Anime: Iron Man was based on Marvel Comics Characters and definitely took more inspiration from the highly popular live-action movies starring Robert Downey Jr. The series wasn’t terrific, … more
There are Asian films that do not surprise me at all as to why and how they became so successful in their native country. However, there are those that do make me wonder why they became successful in … more
Being a fan of the anime series and the film “Samurai X: Trust and Betrayal”, I was ecstatic to learn that a live-action adaptation of “Rurouni Kenshin” became one of Japan’s … more
While I really got into the “Korean New Wave” because of directors Kim Ki-Duk, Park Chan-Wook, Lee Chang-Dong and Kim Ji-Woon, lately it seems like Korean movies also have their share of what … more
Remember what they say “Don’t bring a knife to a gunfight”? Well, these guys in “Muay Thai Warrior” bring “Fists to a Swordfight” in several scenes. Originally … more
The real events that took place in the Gwangju Inhwa school for the hearing impaired caused public outcry in South Korea. The sexual abuse of many deaf/mute students was just so horrific that such lenient … more
Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli are household names when it comes to Japanese anime and animated films in general. They have always managed to capture the essence of Japanese folklore-ish tales around … more
Soi Cheung's ultra-violent "DOG BITE DOG" is the antidote for people who are a bit tired of the usual stylish "bullet ballet" action films from Hong Kong. At first glance, it may … more
Manga/Manhwa-to-anime film is almost a done deal when it comes to Japanese and Korean comic book series. Such as the case once again with “Blade of the Phantom Master” (Shin Angyo Onshi translated … more
War is hell. Civil War may be worst than hell and much more ‘hellish’ than one realizes. At least, that is what director Jang Hoon may be trying to communicate with his Korean war epic “The … more
Often have I said that to understand and appreciate Asian cinema, one must be ready to ask for the motivation of a story or a scene. It operates differently than Hollywood movies when its narrative is … more
In this era of popular super-hero movies and the re-emergence of Chinese Wuxia films, it would be easy to predict that one day a filmmaker would try to mesh one with the other. This is what … more
Based on a series of novels written by Tow Ukubata which was later adapted into a manga series, “Mardock Scramble: Second Combustion” is the second part of an intended OVA trilogy directed … more
An official Chinese entry for “Best Foreign Language film” in the 84th Academy awards, but failed to make the cut, director Zhang Yimou’s (Hero) “The Flowers of War” is set … more
It has been awhile since I have had the privilege to watch a more modern Bushido tale that truly has the spirit of the genre that Kurosawa and Kobayashi had defined in their ‘classics’. … more
John Woo's "Red Cliff" saga ruled despite the absence of Chow Yun-Fat who chose to star in the American adaptation of the anime series "Dragonball Evolution". To make matters … more
Please note that “Tai Chi Zero” is the first part of a two-film story directed by Stephen Fung. As such, it is somewhat hard for me to judge where the film is headed or if it does manage to … more
True, when I reviewed the first 4 volumes of “Hellsing Ultimate” (click on link to see review) last week, I really wasn’t sure where and how it was going. There was a lot of foreshadowing … more
Korean horror may be more or less a mixed bag these days, but when it comes to the thriller genre, Korean cinema have yet to miss a beat. First-time director Jang Cheol-Soo’s (who had assisted … more
The manga by Kouta Hirano in the late 1990’s was so well-received that of course as with any other manga series that achieves success, it has been adapted into an anime series even when the manga … more
Nope, Korean director/screenwriter Yoo Ha’s “Howling” is in no way related to the American semi-classic, werewolf horror flick with the same name. Based on the novel written by Asa Nonami … more
The Resident Evil video game franchise has somehow grown into something that can be called under ‘iconic status’ since the first game debuted in 1996. Capcom introduced and defined the survival-horror … more
Martial Arts action movies are usually something that is seen for spectacle, jaw-dropping stunts and with a very simple plot. Most films always rely on the execution of the action with little development … more
BLACK KISS (original title: SYNCHRONICITY) is from Japanese director Makato Tezuka, son of anime legend Osamu Tezuka (Astro Boy, Kimba the White Lion). The son has yet to fill his father's shoes, … more
While adult themed Japanese anime have always been my preference because of their ability to bring out compelling stories, we all know that anime isn’t all about such things. There are several anime … more
Director Na Hong-jin’s “The Chaser” shattered several box-office records in Korea and even won two major film awards in the 2008 Grand Bell Awards (best director and best film). Now, … more
The South Korean film “Tae Guk Gi: Brotherhood of War” earned accolades from both international and domestic critics in 2004. It was director Kang Je-Gyu’s follow up to 1999’s … more
I never really got into the anime series “Trigun”, not because I thought it was bad (I cannot make this call since I only saw a few episodes) but I just had other things on plate when the … more
You can always count on U.S. distributors to falsely advertise Asian movie releases. They have gotten better through the years, but every now and then, they would falsely market a movie to get more sales. … more
Most of my friends and those who have followed my reviews know how rare it is that I award a perfect score to a film be it an American or foreign film. Such an honor means that a film had truly made an … more
Japanese films that have the label of “pink violence” are the kind of films that have that unique style that is aimed for a different kind of viewer. Granted, such films are not for everyone, … more
Seems like even South Korean filmmaking is getting into the 3D bandwagon. From the producers of “Tidal Wave”, comes the first 3D horror film to hail from South Korea. “Sector 7” … more
Tony Jaa had opened the doors to Thai Action cinema in America. Like his movies or not, one cannot deny that he paved the way for the not-so well known action stars from that country with the releases … more
Director Dante Lam’s filmmaking resume is more or less a hit or miss for me. I liked “Beast Stalker” but it wasn’t enough for me to take the plunge with “Fire of Conscience”. … more
Time travel movies can be a little challenging for filmmakers to execute. Most films usually spend a considerable amount of time trying to establish its groundwork, and by then, the whole time stream … more