9th Old School Kung Fu Fest: Joseph Kuo Edition coming December 6-13

Museum of the Moving Image and Subway Cinema

In association with
Taipei Cultural Center in New York, Ministry of Culture, Republic of China (Taiwan)
Present

9th Old School Kung Fu Fest: Joseph Kuo Edition!
December 6-13, 2021

The Old School Kung Fu Fest is back, and this time Museum of the Moving Image and Subway Cinema will co-present eight newly restored films and one fan favorite classic by Kuo on glorious 35mm — four titles available exclusively online, December 6–13, and another five films for in-person big-screen viewing at MoMI, December 10–12.

Whether you know his name or not, when someone says “Old School Kung Fu” the first image that flashes across your brain is probably from a Joseph Kuo movie. Taiwan’s ultimate independent filmmaker, Kuo put his stamp on the Seventies as his own boss, writing, producing, and directing dozens of movies through his production company, Hong Hwa International Films, which he founded in 1973.

Kuo’s credo was simple: “I cannot let down the person who buys my works.” He learned to deliver maximum impact on minimum budgets, taking the latest trends of the day and turning them into hard-hitting spectacles boasting unlimited mayhem. To make his movies rock the hardest on the smallest of budgets he assembled a rotating cast of charismatic action stars that included Wen Chiang-lung (who looks like Bruce Lee after a Cantopop makeover), the musclebound Carter Huang, the puckish Li Yi-Min, the underrated female fighter, Jeanie Chang, the versatile Jack Long and Mark Long. Working with action choreographers like Corey Yuen, one of the Seven Little Fortunes, and Yuen Cheung-yan, brother of Yuen Wo-ping, his flicks feature wall-to-wall fight scenes, and in an attempt to please every single audience member these fight scenes go on, and on, and on, continually changing location and upping the stakes, so that just when you think you’ve seen every possible variation on two guys standing in a field kicking the stuffing out of each other, Kuo takes it to another level.

Full of funky editing tricks that momentarily turn his movies into experimental flicks, Kuo hooks eyeballs with convoluted storytelling structures packed with frenetic flashbacks that force viewers to pay close attention. Everyone is related to everyone else, everyone has a secret identity, there’s almost always a last minute revelation popping up out of nowhere, usually with evil laughter on its lips, and every movie single revolves around revenge. While the first half hour of any Joseph Kuo film takes some patience while he clears his throat and gets down to business, once things kick off it’s a non-stop roller coaster ride that ends in an apocalyptic beatdown that leaves the main characters doling out a galaxy-shattering finishing movie before confronting the futility of vengeance. Delivering martial arts mayhem and a moving moral message in 90 minutes or less, Joseph Kuo gets in, delivers the goods, makes his point, then gets out, leaving you hungry for more. And in this year’s Old School Kung Fu Fest we’re offering plenty more.

For complete information about the 9th Old School Kung Fu Fest: Joseph Kuo EditionI, click here.

ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA 2 to screen on Sunday, November 28th

 

The Criterion Collection recently released a Once Upon a Time in China box set and to celebrate, Subway Cinema scheduled screenings of the 4K restorations of ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA 1 & 2!!!!

The organization  screened Part 1 last Sunday and had a huge crowd that rocked the room with cheers and applause from the moment the Golden Harvest logo appeared until the last bad guy got done in.

Now, Subway Cinema is doing it again with OUATIC Part 2 screening at the Nitehawk Prospect Park on Sunday, 11/28 at noon. No familiarity with Part 1 is required.

Tickets for Part 2 are on sale now! 

Founded in 1999 in New York City, Subway Cinema is a not-for-profit volunteer-run organization dedicated to the exhibition and appreciation of Asian popular cinema and preservation of America’s Asian film exhibition heritage.

THE PAPER TIGERS reviewed; available tomorrow on Blu-ray and DVD

Well Go USA

Entertainment
Presents

The Paper Tigers
Written and directed by Tran Quoc Bao
Starring Alain Uy (True Detective), Ron Yuan (Mulan), 

and Mykel Shannon Jenkins (Undisputed III),
USA, 2020, 108 minutes

 

The Paper Tigers is a very fine martial arts action comedy that puts some interesting twists on the traditional "You killed my master!" revenge tale. It will be available on Blu-ray and DVD starting tomorrow, Tuesday, June 22nd.

 

Jim (Mykel Shannon Jenkins), Danny (Alain Uy), and Hing (Ron Yuan)

When they were teenagers, Danny, Hing and Jim were  the only disciples of their kung fu master. Twenty-five years later, now in their forties, they have grown apart and are no longer practitioners of the martial art they once loved so much. They pretty much have changed into washed-up middle-aged men dealing with such issues as weekend visitation with their teen-age kid, bad knees, annoying former classmates, and middle aged spread.

 

Upon learning that their elderly master has been murdered, Hing reestablishes contact with Danny and the two of them then seek out Jim. Determined to avenge their sifu, they have to muster all the skill and bravado they can in an effort to identify the assassin and exact retribution.

Disc Specs:
  -- Audio
    -- DTS-HDMA 5.1
    -- Stereo
  -- Subtitles
    -- Off
    -- English SDH
    -- Korean
    -- Traditional Chinese
    -- Simplified Chinese
    -- Vietnamese
  -- Bonus
    -- Behind the Scenes
      -- A Look Behind the Film
      -- Tai Tung Restaurant
      -- Production Design
    -- Deleted Scenes
    -- Bloopers
    -- Trailer
  -- Previews
    -- Silat Warriors: Deed of Death
    -- Undercover Punch & Gun
    -- Deliver Us from Evil

Watch the trailer here.

AsianCineFest Rating: 3.5 out of 4 stars; very highly recommended, a film that's very well worth seeing.

THE PAPERS TIGERS is coming to Blu-ray and DVD on June 22nd

Well Go USA
Entertainment
Presents

The Paper Tigers
Directed by Tran Quoc Bao
U.S./2020/11 minutes

Certified “Fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes and critically-acclaimed around the world, The Paper Tigers , an homage to feel-good martial arts films like The Karate Kid, debuts on Blu-ray™ and DVD June 22 from Well Go USA Entertainment. The audience-pleasing film shows how three dedicated kung fu disciples grew into washed-up, middle-aged men—now one kick away from pulling their hamstrings. But when their master is murdered, they must juggle their dead-end jobs, dad duties, and old grudges to avenge his death. The award-winning feature film debut of Director Tran Quoc Bao, The Paper Tigers stars Alain Uy (“Helstrom,” “True Detective”), Ron Yuan (Mulan, “Marco Polo”), and Mykel Shannon Jenkins (The Gods, Undisputed III: Redemption). The film is currently available to watch in theaters and on digital.

Following its world premiere at the Fantasia Film Festival, The Paper Tigers played numerous festivals around the world, winning the Audience Award for Best Narrative Film at the Boston Asian American Film Festival and the Grand Jury Prize for Best Feature Film at the Seattle Asian American Film Festival.

Bonus Content Includes Behind-the-Scenes Material, Deleted Scenes & Bloopers.

Synopsis:
As teenagers, kung fu disciples Danny (Alain Uy), Hing (Ron Yuan) and Jim (Mykel Shannon Jenkins) were inseparable. Fast forward 25 years, and each has grown into a washed-up middle-aged man seemingly one kick away from pulling a hamstring—and not at all preoccupied with thoughts of martial arts or childhood best friends. But when their old master is murdered, the trio reunites, soon learning that avenging their sifu will require conquering old grudges (and a dangerous hitman still armed with ample knee cartilage) if they are to honorably defend his legacy.

THE PAPER TIGERS reviewed; in theaters, virtual cinema & on demand today, Friday, May 7th

Well Go USA

Entertainment
Presents

The Paper Tigers
Written and directed by Tran Quoc Bao
Starring Alain Uy (True Detective), Ron Yuan (Mulan), 

and Mykel Shannon Jenkins (Undisputed III),
USA, 2020, 108 minutes

 

The Paper Tigers is a very fine martial arts action comedy that puts some interesting twists on the traditional "You killed my master!" revenge tale.

 

Jim (Mykel Shannon Jenkins), Danny (Alain Uy), and Hing (Ron Yuan)

When they were teenagers, Danny, Hing and Jim were  the only disciples of their kung fu master. Twenty-five years later, now in their forties, they have grown apart and are no longer practitioners of the martial art they once loved so much. They pretty much have changed into washed-up middle-aged men dealing with such issues as weekend visitation with their teen-age kid, bad knees, annoying former classmates, and middle aged spread.

 

Upon learning that their elderly master has been murdered, Hing reestablishes contact with Danny and the two of them then seek out Jim. Determined to avenge their sifu, they have to muster all the skill and bravado they can in an effort to identify the assassin and exact retribution.

 

 

Find tickets by clicking here to go to the film's official Well Go USA Entertainment webpage, then scroll down a bit.

Watch the trailer here.

AsianCineFest Rating: 3.5 out of 4 stars; highly recommended, a film that's very well worth seeing.

Martial arts film BLOOD HUNTERS coming to digital on March 17th

DarkCoast

presents

Blood Hunters

Directed by Vincent Soberano

USA, 2019, 70 minutes

DarkCoast will release the award winning martial arts film, Blood Hunters (a.k.a. Blood Hunters: Rise of the Hybrids) onto digital platforms (Amazon, Vimeo on Demand, FlixFling, Vudu, FANDANGO) on March 17th.

Starring Mayling Ng (Suicide Squad, Wonderwoman) and international Chinese-American martial arts champion, Sarah Chang, Blood Hunters follows Gabriella on a trail of vengeance, teaming up with a group of monster hunters called the “Slayers”, hoping they can save the world from the Monster Queen.

Watch the trailer here.

WARRIORS OF THE NATION reviewed; available today on Digital and Blu-ray

Well Go USA

Presents

Warriors of the Nation / Huang Fei Hong: Nu hai xiong feng

Directed by Marco Mak
Starring Zhao Wenzhuo, Li Lubing,
Miya Muqi, and Kenya Sawada

China, 2018, 92 minutes

Warriors of the Nation, a period kung-fu action film, debuts on Digital and Blu-ray™ today, February 18th, from Well Go USA Entertainment. The film is a squeal to Lin Zhenzhao's The Unity of Heroes (2018), which also starred Zhao Wenzhuo as the Chinese martial artist, physician and folk hero Wong Fei-Hung. My review is based on watching the Blu-ray.

The film is set just after the end of the first Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895). The Japanese army hires a secret organization, The White Lotus Society, to kidnap Zhang Zhidong, a top Chinese military minister. Wong Fei-Hung (sometimes spelled Huang Fei-hung) and his disciples must rescue Zhang and prevent another war from starting.

With Warriors of the Nation and its predecessor The Unity of Heroes, Zhao Wenzhuo has joined an illustrious list of martial artists/actors who have portrayed Wong. These have included: the Hong Kong actor Kwan Tak-hing who starred as Wong in over 70 films between the 1940s and 1980s and earned himself the nickname "Master Huang"; Jet Li in the Once Upon a Time in China film series; and Jackie Chan in Drunken Master and Drunken Master II. Zhao not only does a fine job handling the martial arts sequences, but also imbues his character with dignity and depth.

One of the aspects of the film that greatly appealed to me was the significant extent to which Huang is assisted by his disciples, friends and other Chinese patriots in fighting both The White Lotus Society and the Japanese military agents. Thus Zhao, capable as he is, doesn't have to handle all the "heavy lifting" in the action sequences, but has considerable help from others. This results in a greater variety of martial arts on display than there would be with only the main protagonist confronting the bad guys, and gals.

Disc Specs:
-- Audio
    -- Mandarin DTS-HDMA 5.1
    -- Mandarin Stereo
-- Subtitles
    -- English
    -- Off
-- Warriors of the Nation Trailer
-- Previews
    -- Ip Man 4: The Finale
    -- Ne Zha
    -- Kung Fu League

Warriors of the Nation is a solid, kung fu, action flick and a worthy addition to the pantheon of Wong Fei-Hung films.

Asian CineFest Rating: 3.5 out of 4 stars; highly recommended 

Martial arts comedy KUNG FU LEAGUE coming to Blu-ray, DVD and digital on September 17th

Well Go USA

Entertainment

Presents

Kung Fu League / Gong fu lian meng

Directed by Jeffrey Lau

China, 2018, 103 minutes

Four legendary Kung Fu masters are summoned to help a shy man get the girl he loves in Kung Fu League, debuting on Blu-ray™ Combo, DVD and Digital September 17 from Well Go USA Entertainment. Directed by Jeffrey Lau (Kung Fu Hustle), the martial arts comedy Kung Fu League stars Yu-Hang To (Ip Man, Ip Man 2), Wenzhuo Zhao (The Unity of Heros, God of War), Jay Chou (The Green Hornet) and in his cinematic debut, Ashin.

Synopsis:
When his manager prevents Fei Ying Xiong from getting the girl he loves, he summons the help from four legendary Kung Fu masters to learn the highest level of martial arts from the best in history and to defeat his enemies who stand in the way of the things he wants most.

BROKEN SWORD HERO debuts on digital, Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and DVD on October 31st

Well Go USA

Presents 

 Broken Sword Hero / Thong Dee Fun Khao

Directed by Bin Bunluerit

Thailand, 2017, 122 minutes

The latest feature by renowned Thai director Bin Bunluerit (The Elephant Boy) and starring Muay Thai superstar Buakaw Banchamek,  Broken Sword Hero debuts on digital, Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and DVD October 31 from Well Go USA Entertainment.

The martial arts epic introduces to a variety of fighting styles practiced in Thailand, including Muay Thai, and recounts the story of Thongdee, a real warrior from Thailand’s Ayutthaya period who later became a national hero for continuing to fight despite having a badly broken sword.

Synopsis:
Based on a real warrior from Thailand’s Ayutthaya period, Broken Sword Hero follows the heroics of legendary military general Thongdee. From the disparity as a young runaway to the toughest warrior among his people, a legendary fighter with unparalleled skills in Muay Thai and swordplay, fights for the freedom of his people.

BEYOND REDEMPTION debuts on Blu-ray & DVD on February 7th

Well Go USA

Entertainment

Presents

Beyond Redemption

Directed by Bruce Fontaine

Canada, 2015, 89 minutes

Martial arts expert and actor (Once Upon a Time in China) Bruce Fontaine makes his feature film directorial debut with the action-packed thriller Beyond Redemption, which will become available on Blu-ray™ and DVD next Tuesday, February 7th, 2017 from Well Go USA Entertainment. (It's been available on digital since January 3rd.)

In this fast-paced drama featuring high-impact fight sequences, a weary undercover cop (Brian Ho, X-Men: Days of Future Past) must maintain his cover while trying to save the daughter of a notorious Triad boss (Don Lew, Godzilla) from becoming collateral damage in a sting operation gone wrong. Beyond Redemption also stars Osric Chau (Killing Poe), Hong Kong cinema legend, Eddy Ko (Heroes Shed No Tears), newcomer Linna Huynh, Tony Towe, Paul Wu (Blade: Trinity), Johnson Phan (Shadow of the Lotus), Vicky Huang (Shadow of the Lotus), Darren E. Scott (Game of Assassins) and Patrick Sabongui (“Homeland,” “The Flash”).

Synopsis:
After successfully passing an initiation test to join the upper ranks of the Ching Tau Gang, undercover cop Billy Tong (Brian Ho) is brought in on a plan for a home invasion against a wealthy Chinese businessman that will give Billy the evidence he needs to bring down the gang. As plans are proceeding, Billy learns that his ex-wife is pregnant and begins questioning his career choices. Although Billy realizes the need to put things right and prepare for his new family, his checkered past as a police officer complicates his decision to simply be reassigned. Things become complicated when he is forced to protect the daughter of a rival gang leader’s daughter when he learns both sides are planning to strike an important deal.

Bonus Materials go behind-the-scenes on two of the exciting action sequences of the film:
-- “Hallway Fight”
-- “Mauler Opening Fight”

BEYOND REDEMPTION coming to digital on January 3, 2017 and to Blu-ray & DVD on February 7

Well Go USA

Entertainment

Presents

Beyond Redemption

Directed by Bruce Fontaine

Canada, 2015, 89 minutes

Martial arts expert and actor (Once Upon a Time in China) Bruce Fontaine makes his feature film directorial debut with the action-packed thriller Beyond Redemption, hitting digital January 3 and Blu-ray™ and DVD February 7 from Well Go USA Entertainment. In this fast-paced drama featuring high-impact fight sequences, a weary undercover cop (Brian Ho, X-Men: Days of Future Past) must maintain his cover while trying to save the daughter of a notorious Triad boss (Don Lew, Godzilla) from becoming collateral damage in a sting operation gone wrong. Beyond Redemption also stars Osric Chau (Killing Poe), Hong Kong cinema legend, Eddy Ko (Heroes Shed No Tears), newcomer Linna Huynh, Tony Towe, Paul Wu (Blade: Trinity), Johnson Phan (Shadow of the Lotus), Vicky Huang (Shadow of the Lotus), Darren E. Scott (Game of Assassins) and Patrick Sabongui (“Homeland,” “The Flash”).

Synopsis:
After successfully passing an initiation test to join the upper ranks of the Ching Tau Gang, undercover cop Billy Tong (Brian Ho) is brought in on a plan for a home invasion against a wealthy Chinese businessman that will give Billy the evidence he needs to bring down the gang. As plans are proceeding, Billy learns that his ex-wife is pregnant and begins questioning his career choices. Although Billy realizes the need to put things right and prepare for his new family, his checkered past as a police officer complicates his decision to simply be reassigned. Things become complicated when he is forced to protect the daughter of a rival gang leader’s daughter when he learns both sides are planning to strike an important deal.

Bonus Materials go behind-the-scenes on two of the exciting action sequences of the film:
-- “Hallway Fight”
-- “Mauler Opening Fight”

THE FINAL MASTER reviewed; opens today in New York and Los Angeles

United Entertainment Partners

Presents

 

 The Final Master

Written and Directed by Xu Haofeng

Starring: Liao Fan, Song Jia, Jiang Wenli, Jin Shi-Jye,

Song Yang and Huang Jue

China, 2015, 109 minutes

In Mandarin with English Subtitles

The Final Master is a terrific martial arts film that opens today in New York and Los Angeles, with a wider release to follow. It was written and directed by Xu Haofeng, who wrote the award winning screenplay for Wong Kar-wai’s The Grandmaster (2013).

The film is set in the early 20th Century, after the last emperor was deposed and the Republic of China was established. Liao Fan (Black Coal, Thin Ice) plays Master Chen, a Wing Chun practitioner who travels from southern China to Tianjin, then the mecca of martial arts, in the north. There he hopes to establish a school.

Liao Fan as Master Chen

Chen must face the seemingly insurmountable obstacles that the heads of Tianjin's established schools place before all newcomers. To succeed, Chen not only trains the local youth who will represent his school against eight opponents, but also secretly trains Zheng Shanao (the Taiwanese actor Jin Shi-jye who known for his roles in The Grandmaster, Brotherhood of Blades and The Guillotines). Shanao is the lead practitioner of all the various martial art schools in Tianjin.

There's action aplenty, particularly knife fights. Because of the intricate footwork and steps, Xu has said that "rather than following the common Hong Kong action films style of quick edits and flashy dance-like moves, The Final Master is filmed with long, full-body shots." This permits one to really see what's going on and to appreciate the high degree of kung fu on exhibit.

AsianCinefest rating: 3.5 out of 4 stars; very highly recommended.

Here's the list of the cities, theaters and opening dates where The Final Master is scheduled to play:
- New York (June 3): Court Street UA, AMC Empire, Village East Cinema, College Point Multiplex (Flushing), AMC Stoneybrook.
- Los Angeles (June 3): AMC Century City, Landmark, Burbank AMC Town Center, Arclight Hollywood, Arclight Pasadena and more.
- New Jersey (June 10): AMC Starplex and AMC New Brunswick
- Boston (June 10)-Manchester Boston Common
- Washington DC (June 10): AMC Rio

RISE OF THE LEGEND reviewed; available today on Blu-ray & DVD

Well Go USA

Presents

 

Rise of the Legend / Huang feihong zhi yingxiong you meng

Directed by Chow Hin Yeung

Hong Kong/China, 2014, 132 minutes

Rise of the Legend is the latest entry in the huge filmography of movies about the martial artist folk hero Wong Fei Hong. The film will debut on Blu-ray™ and DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, May 24th from Well Go USA Entertainment.

Over a roughly thirty year period, Hong Kong actor Kwan Tak-hing starred as Wong in over 70 films. Jet Li portrayed him in several films in the mid- and late-1990s. In this new origins story, Eddie Peng (Unbeatable) has the honor of playing Wong, and he acquits himself quite well.

Eddoe Peng as Wong Fei Hong

Hong Kong action legend Sammo Hung stars as Wong's nemesis Master Lei, the leader of the Black Tiger Gang who seeks to defeat the rival North Sea Gang for control of the Hunagpu Doc in Guangzhou in the late 1860s. While the foreign tade at the pier is lucrative, of equal or greaater importnace are the Black Tiger Gang's opium dens, gambling houses and brothels, each controlled by one of Lei's three adopted sons.

Wong, a supremely righteous martial artist, infiltrates the gang to bring back to his native town. Aiding him are friends from his childhood: Fiery (actor Jing Boran, The Guillotines) and Chun (actress Wang Luodan, The Continent). Angelababy (Tai Chi Zero) plays Orchid, a courtesan who also provides assistance.

Sammo Hung as Master Lei

Rounding out the cast are Tony Leung Ka-Fai (Tai Chi Hero) as Wong's father, a doctor, who seen in some flashback scenes, and Jin Zhang (Kill Zone 2) as Wu Long, the son of the boss of the North Sea Gang.

There are numerous, fine action scenes. In separate scenes both Peng as Wong and Jing as Fiery each have one-against-many battles. The opening fight is one of these, as Peng fights many opponents in a narrow street. (This scene takes place in the rain and reminded me of the opening fight in Wong Kar Wai's The Grandmaster, although that one took place at night and this one occurs in daylight.)

Angelababy as Orchid

Corey Yuen served as the film's action director and the only thing that I was a bit unhappy about was his rather excessive use of wire-work. This especially was the case with Sammo Hung's fight scenes. Now I love Sammo, but his girth has only increased in recent years, and I find it a bit upsetting to see him flying through the air as he often does here.

Still, this is a minor complaint and doesn't change the fact that Rise of the Legend is a very satisfying and well-crafted film overall.

Blu-ray & DVD Disc Specs:
-- Audio
  -- Mandarin DTS 5.1 HDMA
  -- Mandarin 2.0 Stereo
  -- English DTS 5.1 HDMA
  -- English 2.0 Stereo
-- Subtitles
  -- English
  -- Off
-- Bonus Features Include:
  -- Five part “Making of” Featurette
    -- Characters (2:11)
    -- Eddie Peng (1:51)
    -- Injuries (2:11)
    -- Cinematography (2:19)
    -- Special Effects (2:10)
  -- Trailer
-- Previews
  -- Kill Zone 2
  -- Ip Man 3
  -- Kung Fu Killer

AsianCineFest Rating: 3 out of 4 stars; a solidly recommended martial arts action film.

THE FINAL MASTER opens theatrically in U.S. on June 3rd

United Entertainment Partners

Presents

The Final Master

Written and Directed by Xu Haofeng

Starring: Liao Fan, Song Jia, Jiang Wenli, Jin Shi-Jye,

Song Yang and Huang Jue

China, 2015, 109 minutes

In Mandarin with English Subtitles

Theatrical Release Date: June 3, 2016 in New York and Los Angeles

and major cities with a wider release to follow.

2016 Seattle International Film Festival *** Official Selection ***

52 Taipei Golden Horse International FF ***WINNER of Best Action Choreography***

In award-winning director Xu Haofeng’s film adaptation of his acclaimed short story, The Final Master, the last torchbearer of Wing-Chun seeking to pass down his art is caught in a power struggle with local officials and must choose between what is right and what is expected in order to fulfill his destiny.

Xu Haofeng is a Chinese director, producer, screenwriter, professor and writer. He is best known for his best-selling novel, Monk Comes Down the Mountain, and his award-winning screenplay for Wong Kar-wai’s The Grandmaster. The film won Best Screenplay in the 33 Hong Kong Film Awards, and was selected as Hong Kong’s submission for the Best Foreign Picture in the Academy Awards. In 2014, Xu published a critically acclaimed novella The Master, which became the basis for his 2015 film The Final Master. The film is the official selection of 2016 Seattle International Film Festival and was nominated for 2015 Golden Horse Awards Best Screenplay, Best Supporting Actress and Best Action Choreography. The film won Best Action Choreography.

Cities/Theaters:

- New York (June 3): Court Street UA, AMC Empire, Village East Cinema, College Point Multiplex (Flushing), AMC Stoneybrook.

- Los Angeles (June 3): AMC Century City, Landmark, Burbank AMC Town Center, Arclight Hollywood, Arclight Pasadena and more.

- New Jersey (June 10): AMC Starplex and AMC New Brunswick

- Boston (June 10)-Manchester Boston Common

- Washington DC (June 10): AMC Rio

THE ASSASSIN reviewed; debuts on home video today

Well Go USA

Presents

 The Assassin / Nie yin niang

Directed by Hou Hsiao-hsien

Taiwan/China/Hong Kong/France, 2015, 105 minutes

The Assassin, Hou Hsiao-hsien's award winning martial arts themed art house film, debuts today on Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital HD from Well Go USA Entertainment. The film is based on a Tang Dynasty short story by Pei Xing entitled Nie Yinniang (the assassin's name) and earned Hou the Best Director award at last year's Cannes film festival, where it also received the Soundtrack Award for composer Gong Lim, who also contributed to the soundtrack to Hou's Millennium Mambo (2001). At the 2015 Golden Horse Film Festival, The Assassin was nominated in ten categories and received prizes for Best Director, Best Feature Film, Best Cinematography, Best Makeup & Costume Design and Best Sound Effects. It was Taiwan's official entry to the 2015 foreign-language Oscar race, but was not nominated.

I first saw the film last November at the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center of the Film Society of Lincoln Center (where it is still playing) and recently watched the Blu-ray release from Well Go for this review.

Set in the ninth century, the film revolves around Nie Yinniang (Taiwan-born actress Shu Qi, who also starred in Hou's Millennium Mambo and Three Times) , a young woman who was taken from her family when she was ten years old and raised by a nun, Jiaxin, who trained her to be a master assassin who would righteously slay corrupt officials. After a twang of conscience stopped her from completing an assignment, Jiaxin takes Nie Yinniang back to Weibo, the land of her birth, and tasks her with killing Tian Ji'an (Chang Chen, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and The Grandmaster), to whom she was betrothed as a child. Will she complete her assignment or once again question the righteousness of her task?

Hou is not concerned with narrative and hence there is little dialogue. What the director and Mark Lee Ping Bin, Hou's director of photography, have produced in a visually stunning film, that comes close to being pure cinema, that is, a work devoted almost exclusively to the visual. It is pretty much all about the mood produced by lush images. Coherent story-telling is of little or no concern.

The golden-masked warrior (left) and Yinniang

Thus the film is often quite enigmatic. For example, after Nie Yinniang has reveled herself to Tian one night, there is a brief scene -- shot in daylight -- in which a female warrior with a golden mask is seen. One gets the impression that she is in the employ of Tian, but this is only an impression. Later this warrior and Yinniang meet in a forest and engage in combat. Just who this warrior is and why she confronts Yinniang are matters that Hou leaves to the viewers imagination; the film is about showing, not explaining.

Since this is nominally a wuxia ("martial hero" story, some attention must be paid to the fighting scenes. These tend to be brief, explosive bursts of energy that punctuate the slow pace that marks the vast bulk of the film. His actors and actresses are not really trained in the martial arts so extensive, complicated segments were not possible. Consequently the fight scenes tend to be marked by frequent and rapid editing. There is even one confrontation in which Yinniang fights several opponents that has an extensive portion filmed in an extremely long shot shot with much of the action taking place behind the trees seen in the distance!

For this reason, it seems that many viewers -- expecting a martial arts film at least along the lines of Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) or even Wong Kar-wai's The Grandmaster (2013) -- have come away disappointed.

So if you're after a martial arts slug-fest, you'd best look elsewhere.

But if you're in the mood for a visually stunning film that will transport you to an ethereal vision of ancient China, The Assassin will more than satisfy you.

Bonus Features Include:
-- Behind-the-Scenes (four short featurettes)
  --  Nie Yinniang
  -- The Actors: No Rehearsals
  -- The Fights Between Masters
  -- A Time Machine To The Tang Dynasty
-- Trailer

AsianCineFest Rating: 4 out of 4 stars as an art house movie; 2.0 out of 4 as a martial arts film

IP MAN 3 reviewed; opens tomorrow

Well Go USA

Presents

Ip Man 3 / Yip Man 3

Directed by Wilson Yip

Starring Donnie Yen and  Mike Tyson

Hong Kong, 2015, 105 minutes

Action star Donnie Yen and director Wilson Yip are back with the third -- and last? -- installment of their Ip Man series which began with Ip Man in 2008 which was followd by Ip Man 2 in 2010. The Wing Chun master was also the subject of two films by Herman Yau, The Legend is Born: Ip Man (also 2010) and  Ip Man: The Final Fight (2013) and of Wong Kar-wai's The Grandmaster (also 2013).

Beginning in Hong Kong in 1959, the film finds Ip Man facing two opponents. One is Frankie, a ruthless real estate developer played by Mike Tyson (! More on that later.) He sends his minions to "convince" the principle of the school that Ah Ching, Ip Man's younger son, attends to sell him the property. Led by Ma King Sang (Patrick Tam) they use any and all means to achieve their assignment, including beatings, setting fires and kidnapping children. As a result Ip Man and his students guard the school.

Ip Man's other opponent is Cheung Tin-chi (Zhang Jin), a rickshaw driver whose son also attends Ah Ching's school. Cheung is also an expert in Wing Chun. If I understand the genealogy correctly, his teacher and Ip Man's teacher both studied with the same master. Because of differences in the Wing Chun of their two teachers, Cheung is convinced that his is the true, and therefore superior, Wing Chun as compared with Ip Man/s

There are plenty of fine action scenes, which is what one would expect with Yuen Woo-Ping serving as action director and Donnie Yen and Yuen Shun-Yee serving as action choreographers. We're talking multiple fight scenes of both the one-against-many and one-on-one variety. There is staff fighting, knife fighting and unarmed combat.

So action aficionados need not worry; there's plenty here to keep you happy.

On the other hand, there were several things about the film that didn't work for me. First off, I found Mike Tyson's presence (billed in the credits as a "Special Appearance") a cheap gimmick that suggests how bereft of ideas the filmmakers were. We're talking about the ludicrousness of a black man with a huge facial tattoo as a ruthless real estate developer and promoter of an illegal fight ring in Hong Kong in 1959. Not even his being protected by the other "foreign devils" (i.e., the British) can make this remotely believable.

The second problem is with the two main fights, the first with Ip Man against Tyson, the second with him against Cheung, both end in what I consider a lame and unsatisfying manner, as if the film was promoting political correctness, or maybe that should be "kung-fu correctness."

Lastly, the film does a real number in putting down Bruce Lee. This is not the first time this has happened in a recent Ip Man movie (see Herman Yau's Ip Man: The Final Fight), but it's pretty harsh here. Fortunately Bruce is slightly redeemed by his teaching Ip Man how to dance so he can please his wife, Cheung Wing Sing, again played by actress Lynn Hung.

If it's action you're after, Ip Man 3 will totally satisfy you. Just don't expect to learn much about the real Ip Man.

AsianCineFest Rating: 3.5 out of 4 stars for the action, 2 out of 4 for story.

Ip Man 3 opens tomorrow, Friday, January 22nd. For information about the cities and theaters where it will open on the 22nd and in its subsequent wider roll-out, go to the Ip Man 3 Official Website.

Hou Hsiao-hsien's THE ASSASSIN coming to home video January 26

Well Go USA

Presents

The Assassin / Nie yin niang

Directed by Hou Hsiao-hsien

Taiwan/China/Hong Kong/France, 2015, 105 minutes

The Critically-Acclaimed Martial Arts Drama from

Legendary Director Hou Hsiao-hsien Arrives on

Blu-ray™, DVD & Digital HD January 26

Back with his first film in eight years, award-winning Taiwanese director Hou Hsiao-hsien (Flight of the Red Balloon, Three Times) wowed this year’s Cannes Film Festival (where he won Best Director) with his awe-inspiring The Assassin, debuting on Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital HD January 26 from Well Go USA Entertainment.

Rich with shimmering, breathing texture and punctuated by brief but unforgettable bursts of action, The Assassin is a martial arts film like none other. The visually stunning film blends tragic historical drama with thrilling swordplay and martial arts in this story of an exiled assassin (Shu Qi, Tai Chi Hero, The Transporter) who must choose between love or duty when she receives orders to kill a man (Chang Chen, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and The Grandmaster) from her past. With a Certified Fresh rating of 83% on Rotten Tomatoes, The Assassin also stars Zhou Yun (Let the Bullets Fly) and Tsumabuki Satoshi (The Vancouver Asahi).

In addition to winning Best Director at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival, The Assassin also won the Cannes Soundtrack Award for Composer Giong Lim and was nominated for the prestigious Palme d’Or. At the 2015 Golden Horse Film Festival, the film was nominated in 10 categories, taking home prizes for Best Director, Best Feature Film, Best Cinematography, Best Makeup & Costume Design and Best Sound Effects. The Assassin is Taiwan’s submission for Best Foreign Language Film at the 88th Academy Awards®.

Synopsis:
In 9th-century China, Nie Yinniang is a young woman who was abducted in childhood from a decorated general and raised by a nun who trained her in the martial arts. After 13 years of exile, she is returned to the land of her birth as an exceptional assassin, with orders to kill her betrothed husband-to-be. She must confront her parents, her memories, and her long-repressed feelings in a choice to sacrifice the man she loves or break forever with the sacred way of the righteous assassins.

Bonus Features Include:
- Behind-the-Scenes
-  Nie Yinniang
- The Actors: No Rehearsals
- The Fights Between Masters
- A Time Machine To The Tang Dynasty

THE GOLDEN CANE WARRIOR debuts today on Blu-ray™, DVD & Digital HD from Well Go USA

Well Go USA

presents

 The Golden Cane Warrior / Pendekar Tongkat Emas

Written and directed by Ifa Isfansya
Indonesia, 2014, 111 minutes

The Golden Cane Warrior is a very fine martial arts drama from Indonesia. It debuts today, Tuesday, November 3rd on Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital HD from Well Go USA Entertainment.

The film begins with a voice-over  describing the true use of a warriors skills. Not to be able to kill, but "to be able to defend the weak and powerless." In other words, the true warrior uses his -- or her -- skills to benefit mankind.

Merah Dara (Eva Celia Latjuba

The speaker, we soon learn, is Cempaka (Christinne Hakim, Eat Pray Love and Merantau). She is the elderly and highly respected woman who heads Golden Cane House. (Note that the "cane" is what would more commonly be described as a staff.) She has four students. Merah Dara (Eva Celia Latjuba, Jamila and the President) is the younger of two females. Day Gerhana (Tara Basro, Killers) is the older female. Kala Biru (Reza Rahadian, The Mirror Never Lies) is the oldest of the four, and he is regarded as the most able student. These three were the children of rivals Cempaka was forced to kill. The final student is Angin (Ariia Kusumah), a young boy who had been abandoned and who reminds Cempaka of her greatest sin, which is eventually revealed.

Feeling the approach of death, Cempaka announces her choice of a successor and takes this student away from the small compound to pass on the ultimate move, Golden Cane Encircles the Earth. She also takes along one of the other disciples.

Kala Biru (Reza Rahadian)

But the remaining two are not at all pleased by Cempaka's decision and both agree that one of them is them should receive the Golden Cane. They plot to kill their master, obtain the Golden Cane and blame the two for these dastardly deeds.

The two students who went with Cempaka must seek the knowledge of Naga Putih, who knows how to perform the Golden Cane Encircles the Earth move, overcome their own limitations, avenge their master's death, and regain possession of the Golden Cane.

Angin (Ariia Kusumah)

Thus, The Golden Cane Warrior is another revenge film that utilizes the "you killed my master" trope. But it is a very superior one, and not just because of the fine work by action director Xiong Xin Xin. More to the film's credit is Ishansya's fine script, which truly has heart.

Disc Specs:
Audio - Indonesian 5.1 DTS-HDMA or Stereo 2.0
Subtitles - English / Off
Extras - trailer fo the film and "previews of three other Well Go USA releases (Kung Fu Killer, Vengeance of an Assassin, and Muay Thai Warrior)

AsianCineFest Rating: 3.5 out of 4 stars; very highly recommended

THE GOLDEN CANE WARRIOR to debut on home video November 3rd

Well Go USA

presents

The Golden Cane Warrior / Pendekar Tongkat Emas

Written and directed by Ifa Isfansya
Indonesia, 2014, 111 minutes

The Hero’s Journey Begins On Blu-ray™, DVD & Digital HD November 3

Written and directed by Ifa Isfansya (The Dancer), the action-packed, Indonesian martial arts drama The Golden Cane Warrior will debut on Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital HD November 3rd from Well Go USA Entertainment.

In a tribute to the wu xia comics and novelettes popularized in Southeast Asia, The Golden Cane Warrior tells the story of two student fighters who, after their master is killed, set out to find the Golden Cane relic before it falls into the wrong hands.

The film stars Christine Hakim (Eat Pray Love, Merantau), Nicholas Saputra (What They Don’t Talk About Love), Reza Rahadian (The Mirror Never Lies), Tara Basro (Killers) and Eva Celia Latjuba (Jamila and the President).

Synopsis:

The well-respected Cempaka (Hakim) holder of the mighty and powerful Golden Cane relic weapon and its ultimate deadly moves, was expected to announce her succession to one of her most talented students. Murder and betrayal take over before the announcement is made public putting the Golden Cane in danger of falling into the wrong hands.

The only person who can help restore order is the long lost Naga Putih (The White Dragon), the last warrior who still possesses the ultimate moves of the Golden Cane. Two betrayed students, hurt and angry, must find the warrior before it’s too late.

KUNG FU KILLER to open on April 24

Well Go USA

Entertainment

Presents

Kung Fu Killer / Yi ge ren de wu lin

Directed by Teddy Chan

China/Hong Kong, 2014, 100 minutes

This terrific martial arts action film, which follows a serial killer who targets top martial arts masters, will open this coming Friday, April 24th. I've watched a screener and can attest to its greatness. Look for a review here at AsianCineFest on or shortly before Friday.

Synopsis:
A vicious serial killer is targeting Hong Kong's top martial arts masters. Convicted criminal and kung-fu master Hahou (Donnie Yen) is the only one with the skills to stop him. His insight into the killer gets him released from jail and into police custody. However, the cops soon have their doubts about Hahou’s true allegiance after a series of mysterious events. Hunted by a seemingly unstoppable killer (Wang Baoqiang) and by the entire police force, Hahou finds himself on his own, leading to a final battle in this action-packed, kung fu crime thriller from director Teddy Chen (Bodyguards & Assassins, The Accidental Spy).