Category Archives: Asian

Dancing Village: The Curse Begins—Horror from Indonesia

Posted on April 26, 2024 by admin

Unfolding like a folk tale that’s only dimly remembered, Dancing Village: The Curse Begins is a prequel to KKN Di Desa Penari, an Indonesian blockbuster released in 2022. This slow-burn thriller sends cousins and friends to a remote jungle village … Continue reading →

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Life under a microscope: A Brief History of a Family

Posted on March 27, 2024 by admin

Classmates, one rich, one poor, are thrown together by accident. The poor one worms his way into the wealthy family, winning over the parents through deceit and subterfuge. An event changes the lives of all involved. No, it’s not Saltburn, … Continue reading →

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The plight of test pilots in Born to Run

Posted on March 24, 2024 by admin

Released theatrically last year, Born to Fly follows pilots undergoing rigorous training in order to test mainland China’s experimental stealth fighter jet. Deeply patriotic and extremely silly, it’s propaganda devoid of suspense, humor, and credible characterizations. The screenplay by Gui … Continue reading →

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Tak Sakaguchi is the One-Percenter

Posted on March 19, 2024 by admin

For several years Well Go USA has been one of the best distributors of genre films in the country. But the company finds itself in a bind with One-Percent Warrior (aka One-Percenter), a martial arts adventure starring Tak Sakaguchi. Sakaguchi … Continue reading →

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Owning up to darkness in The Breaking Ice

Posted on January 24, 2024 by admin

Quiet and unassuming, The Breaking Ice follows three dissatisfied twenty-somethings navigating a world that hasn’t turned out the way they expected. Written and directed by Anthony Chen, and featuring excellent lead performances, it is a delicate but beguiling film that … Continue reading →

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Andy Lau stars in I Did It My Way

Posted on January 10, 2024 by admin

Andy Lau continues his remarkable resurgence in the crime thriller I Did It My Way, yet another variation on Infernal Affairs. Lau plays George Lam, lawyer for a drug ring so powerful it has evaded legal consequences for its crimes. … Continue reading →

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Shah Rukh Khan’s Jawan: Blockbuster is the latest stage in his comeback

Posted on November 1, 2023 by admin

Shah Rukh Khan is the whole show in Jawan, his second blockbuster adventure in less than a year. Despite a strong supporting cast, Khan dominates the film, performing the kind of over-the-top heroics that have made him a box-office favorite. … Continue reading →

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The lost dreams of Past Lives

Posted on May 30, 2023 by admin

Quietly devastating, Past Lives follows two childhood friends as they face the paths their choices have left them. Made with remarkable skill and precision, it is a wrenching account of how dreams die. Childhood friends in Seoul, Nora and Hae … Continue reading →

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Donnie Yen’s Sakra: a wuxia epic

Posted on April 17, 2023 by admin

A passion project from one of cinema’s greatest martial artists, Sakra is a wuxia of epic proportions. Adapted from Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils, the film unfolds on a tremendous scale, with towering sets, scores of extras, and phenomenal action set pieces. … Continue reading →

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Ride On: a new Jackie Chan film

Posted on April 13, 2023 by admin

Thirty years ago Jackie Chan was the biggest movie star in the world. Films like Police Story, Project A, and Supercop were international blockbusters. They changed the face of action films everywhere. Now pushing 69 (I only know because we … Continue reading →

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