I’ve been writing about martial arts movies for 31 years and have seen 10,000+ films (collected 7000+), and the one thing I’ve discovered is that every film has its moments. Though a movie might not be a game-crashing carnival, if there’s a few instances of glorious genius, then that film is a worthy watch just […]
SciFi
F9: THE FAST SAGA – From Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Shaw Brothers to Car Fu
When The Fast and the Furious (2001) sped into the psyche’s of illegal street racing enthusiasts, with a penchant for danger and the psychotic insanity of arrant automotive adventure, the brusque bearish, quasi-hero rebel, Dominic “Dom” Toretto was caustic yet salvationally portrayed with the power of a train using a Vin Diesel engine. Justin Lin’s […]
MADE IN CHINATOWN: Finding Love, Culture and Heritage
What’s crazier than sending your horse to audition for The Godfather, wackier than two parrots saying, “Are you talking to me?” in a Mexican pet shop that are on sale for two deniros and wilder than when after Oz’s Scarecrow introduced Toto to the Wizard by stating, “Say hello to my little friend,” he become […]
SHADOW: Zhang Yimou’s Brolly Blades In Ancient China
In Zhang Yimou’s latest wu xia drama set during China’s Three Kingdom Period (AD 220-280), Shadow (mandarin Ying, translation Shadow), Zhang’s palace intrigue twisted tale of lies, deceit, power plays, doppelgangers and a wonky love triangle, features two purposely chosen kung fu weapons, da dao (a long handled big sword blade) and umbrellas that makes […]
EL CAPITAN MARVEL: A Mountainous Movie with Cliffhanger Acclaim and Waterfall Fights
By Drs. Craig and Silvia Reid. Of all the superhero movies I’ve seen as a film critic/fan, through a martial artist and fight choreographer’s eye, what started off as a poorly shot, jumbled, non-linear perfunctory directorial method approach to the first 40-minutes, with fight scenes akin to a local martial arts school putting them together […]
UPGRADE – The Psychosis of Symbiosis
By Dr. Craig D. Reid Directed by Leigh Whannell, Upgrade is a futuristic, revenge-filled, dystopian, sci-fi horror thriller that makes a great argument for today’s society to steer away from Tesla robo-cars…computer hacking is nothing compared to the bloody human hacking that results when technology goes more than awry. When old school, born to be […]