2LDK (2003) - A Review

 

Incredible movie!

2LDK is a black comedy/thriller released in Japan in 2003, starring Eiko Koike and Maho Nonami, and was directed by Yukihiko Tsutsumi. This movie was made as part of the Duel Project challenge: Tsutsumi (and director Ryuhei Kitamura for his own film) had to make a feature length movie containing a duel, two actors, one setting, and it had to be filmed in one week. 2LDK was paired with Kitamura's Aragami when shown in theaters.

Eiko Koike as Nozomi.

Eiko Koike plays Nozomi, an aspiring young woman trying to make it as an actress in Tokyo, Japan. She is from a small town in Sado Island, and is a very prim, proper, and organized person. She is vying for a role in a movie, and is romantically interested in a man involved with that movie.

Maho Nonami as Lana.

Maho Nonami plays Lana, who is also an aspiring young actress trying to make it in Tokyo. She has had a few roles in movies already, but really wants this a part in an upcoming movie. She grew up in the city, so she is world weary, and she lives a bit more of an uninhibited lifestyle.

Lana and Nozomi in...happier times.

Nozomi and Lana live together in an apartment set up by their casting agency, and they are vying for the same role in the upcoming movie Yakuza Wives 4. On this night, they are eagerly awaiting a phone call to find out if they got the part. Throughout the night, they get to know each other a little better, and as a result, their underlying tensions come to a boil. Quite frankly, their apartment becomes a battlefield!

Things escalate between the two...

 This movie is hard for me to review because, when I review movies I try not to get too detailed about the plot or scenes; I want the reader to experience the movie with a vague understanding of the plot so they can enjoy all the twists and turns that occur along the way. With this movie, things build up and build up until... well, you'll see. Trust me when I tell you, go into this movie blind. It is quite the experience!

Both Nozomi and Lana are very interesting characters, with different backstories and motivations. They both want that starring role, though! They are both the hero and the villain of this story. 2LDK is quite funny as well, though it is a very dark comedy. The things the characters say and think are so funny. Even what happens when everything hits the fan is humorous (to a certain extent). Eiko Koike and Maho Nonami absolutely kill it with their performances in 2LDK.

In short, 2LDK is an absolute must see movie! The first time I watched this (after learning about it on an Asian cinema message board in the early 2000s), I was blown away. I could not stop watching it when I rented it back then. The movie still holds up. It's dark, it's funny, it's violent, and there is a bit of social commentary in there as well. I highly recommend it! If only I could get this on Blu-Ray!

Reviewed by David Williams

[Fight Scene Friday] CRAZIEST JACKIE CHAN STUNT

 Check out this fight scene, on Fight Scene Friday™, featuring the Martial Club crew and Andy Long working together! This scene is a tribute to Jackie Chan, and there are many homages to Jackie's movies and fight scenes! I like how the music from Jackie's Hong Kong movies are used throughout this as well. What do you think was the craziest stunt in a Jackie Chan movie?

 

The Shaolin Drunken Monk (1981) - A Review

 

The Shaolin Drunken Monk (also known as Drunken Martial Arts, Drunk 8 Blows, Crazy 8 Blows, or The 36th Chamber:The Final Encounter) is a Hong Kong/South Korean martial arts movie released in 1981. It stars Gordon Liu, Eagle Han Ying, Chang Mi-hee, Kim Jae Woo, Hyun Kil Soo, and Chin Yuet-Sang . The Shaolin Drunken Monk was directed by  Ulysses Au-Yeung Jun, with fight choreography by Chin Yuet-Sang.

The man himself, Gordon Liu.

In The Shaolin Drunken Monk, Gordon Liu plays Lau Chung, a young man who has had a pretty tragic life (as we find out through flashbacks) who kidnaps Ying Ying (played by Chang Mi-hee), the daughter of martial arts master Wong Kin Chung (played by Eagle Han Ying). He does this to lure Wong Kin Chung out, in order to get revenge for the things Wong and his henchmen have done to his family. We see Lau Chung's training in kung fu by a drunken master (played by Hyun Kil Soo) and we see another, unique form of training he goes through. Lau Chung fights through Wong's men, dealing with a ninja-like assassin (played by Chin Yuet-Sang) and a one-handed fighter (played by Kim Jae Woo) whose side he isn't sure of, before finally getting to Wong Kin Chung. Can he succeed and get revenge?

The bad guys in this movie are bastards.

First of all, I love The Shaolin Drunken Monk. I first found out about this movie from the documentary film, Top Fighter. This movie had some of the best action scenes in the documentary, and my brother and I really wanted to watch it after that. I finally found it at a specialty video store, and thankfully, it lived up to our expectations. Unfortunately, the VHS and DVD available in America was not in the correct aspect ratio and is only dubbed in English. So, this might not be the best representation of the movie available. 

The plot of the movie is the basic 'hero seeks revenge against those who have wronged him/her'. This is okay because the fight scenes are so good in this. Gordon Liu plays the stoic, driven hero who wants revenge, but has a moral compass. Because of the dubbing, you would think Gordon Liu is the villain of the movie at the start. His voice softens as the movie goes on, though. There is a bit of romance in this film as well, but I feel it's a bit unrealistic due to the situation (though, according to social media, women are very into what Ying Ying goes through in this movie...) Anyways... Eagle Han Ying plays a great villain. He plays a cool, collected bad guy determined to find the two fighters killing his men. The dubbing fails his performance, though. There is also a bit of comedy in this movie. During the flashback scenes of Lau Chung training with his master, there is some silly comedy. It may feel out of place in such a serious movie, but I appreciated it.

Eagle Han Ying plays a great villain. He also looks like Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson when he smiles.

I will admit, the low budget of this movie is very apparent. Gordon Liu's hair length changes quite a bit throughout the movie. The cinematography is basic (which is not a bad thing). There's even a scene where the camera's film is running out (there are red flashes on the screen). Still, it doesn't detract from the experience of the movie...unless you're not into low budget movies. There is great music in The Shaolin Drunken Monk. There is a piece of music from Jackie Chan's Drunken Master used in this...during a flashback with the drunken master in this movie! I thought that was cool (it's also my favorite piece of music from the Drunken Master soundtrack). The final fight takes place in a cool, picturesque location as well.

The fight scenes are so good in this movie!

The fight scenes in The Shaolin Drunken Monk are so good. Gordon Liu's fist forms are excellent, and they are put to good use in this movie. His drunken style is also very cool; it's a bit more rigid and powerful (when compared to Jackie Chan's more fluid drunken style). Eagle Han Ying is pretty incredible in this! He has powerful strikes and awesome kicks. A worthy final villain for sure. Kim Jae Woo as the one-handed fighter is really good. He show you can still kick butt despite any handicaps. Chin Yuet-Sang was the fight choreographer for this movie, and he really outdid himself in this one! All of the fights are fast, intricate, and hard-hitting. He also plays the ninja assassin in this movie, and of course his fights with Gordon Liu rock. There is not one weak fight in this movie!

In conclusion, The Shaolin Drunk Monk is a decently good martial arts movie. It's not the best kung fu movie in the world, but it is thoroughly entertaining. The fight scenes are top notch, and are the main reason to watch this movie. I mean, it stars Shaw Brothers superstar Gordon Liu! He never lets us down in a movie! Watch it, and hope a remastered version of it comes out some day.

The cover of the DVD I watched for this review. I really need this movie remastered on Blu-ray! I think it would look amazing remastered (and in the correct aspect ratio). The bottom scene on the cover is not in the movie, by the way.

The back cover. This DVD has audio commentary by Ric Myers. It is...not good. He makes fun of the low budget and gives rather dubious information about the movie, the actors, and Hong Kong cinema in general...

The DVD disc. Nice, simple design by Tai Seng.

Reviewed by David Williams

GOODBYE, DON GLEES! | Official Trailers

 Check out the the trailer for Goodbye, Don Glees!, an anime film from director Atsuko Ishizuka. Here is the synopsis:

Teen misfits Roma, Toto, and Drop call themselves the “Don Glees,” an informal name for their backyard adventures. One day, when the trio gets blamed for a nearby forest fire, they set off into the woods to prove their innocence. As disaster strikes their expedition, tensions flare between the friends as they realize that growing up has taken them on wildly different paths in life.

Goodbye, Don Glees! will show in American theaters in Japanese with English subtitles on September 14 and 20; and have a showing dubbed in English on September 18. This looks really good! I will have to check it out!

Here is the English dub trailer:

 Here is the Japanese language trailer:

Power Kids (AKA Force Of Five/Five Heart Heroes) (2009) - A Review

 

Power Kids is a children's movie not safe for children.

Power Kids (also known as Five Heart Heroes or Force Of Five) is a Thai action/martial arts/comedy movie released in 2009. It stars Nantawooti Boonrapsap, Sasisa Jindamanee, Paytaaai Wongkamlao, Nawarat Techarathanaprasert, Pimchanok Luevisadpaibul, Johnny Trí Nguyễn, and Darun Tantiwichitwech. Power Kids was directed by Krissanapong Rachata.

From left: Pong, Woot, Jib, and Cat.

 

In Power Kids,Woot (played by Nantawooti Boonrapsap), Cat (played by Sasisa Jindamanee), Pong (played by Paytaaai Wongkamlao) and Woon (played by Darun Tantiwichitwech) are friends who live together at their teacher's Muay Thai school. Woon, Woot's younger brother, has a heart condition which is worsening. After an incident with bullies sends Woon to the hospital, they find out he needs a heart transplant as soon as possible. Luckily (or unluckily, depending on your point of view) there is a donor at another hospital in the city. Things are set up and ready to go when terrorists invade the hospital where the donor is located, locking the whole place down. With the knowledge that the donated heart can only survive four hours after being taken out of the donor, Woot vows to get the heart for his brother. Woot, Cat, Pong, and Jib (played by Nawarat Techarathanaprasert) infiltrate the hospital to retrieve the heart before the four hours are up. Along the way they make unlikely allies and fight off gun-toting terrorists!

These terrorists are not messing around!

 

This is one peculiar movie! Though the tone of this film is of a family friendly type of movie...there are some violent scenes in here! Truthfully, this is one of the most violent kids movies I've ever seen! People are getting shot to death (with blood spraying realistically, at least), people falling to their deaths, people being set on fire; it's just wild! It's funny because the movie starts off like a typical kids movie. You don't expect it to go that far! The first sign that this movie is not safe for kids is when a drunk character enters the Muay Thai school cussing up a storm in English! The kids savagely beat him up, naturally. Actually, at the start of the movie there is a violent shoot out between soldiers, so...that would be the first sign this isn't a regular kids movie!

I actually did not like this movie when I first watched it. I usually don't mind a mixing of genres, but this one was a bit too far. On my second viewing of Power Kids (for this review), I actually liked it a lot! I don't know, I just went with it! The movie is a bit funny, at least (the best comedic scene is when Pong and Jib are in the hospital morgue). Though, there is some comedy based on child abuse... so be prepared. The kids are pretty good actors, especially Woon's actor. You really feel for him and hope everything turns out for the best for him.

Woot and Cat go hard on their opponents!

 

The action in Power Kids is pretty good! It's not Hong Kong style, it is based more on Muay Thai. Woot and Cat throw brutal knees and elbows at the heads and faces of their opponents. Sasisa Jindamanee, who plays Cat, is awesome in this. She can really kick some butt! Nantawooti Boonrapsap, who plays Woot, is great too. In one scene he knees a guy through glass, and he doesn't even cover his face while going through the glass! That kid is hardcore! Johnny Trí Nguyễn, who plays the second in command of the terrorists, is a great fighter. He does take a beating from these little kids, though! As for the other action in this, there is violent gunplay, stabbings, and explosions. It's got everything you would want in an action movie!

So, should you watch Power Kids? I have to say yes. This is a movie you have to see to believe! I would advise that you do not show little children this movie! 3 Ninjas this is not! The story is simple, but serviceable. The action is hard-hitting and surprisingly violent. There is some good comedy in this, and it can get sappy at times, but it's undeniably entertaining. Give it a shot!

The cover of the Blu-Ray I watched for this review. I bought it for $1 at Dollar Tree, can you believe it? A dollar for a martial arts movie? I'm there!

 

The back cover of the Blu-Ray. It even hints that this movie is not for kids!

The Blu-Ray disc itself.

 

 

 

 

Reviewed by David Williams

Wolf Pack (2022) Trailer

 Check out the trailer for Wolf Pack (also known as Career As A Mercenary), a Chinese action movie starring Max Zhang Jin, Aarif Lee, and Jiang Luxia. It is directed by Michael Chiang (in his directorial debut). This is the only synopsis I could find:

Wolf Pack/Career as a Mercenary tells the story of a soldier who wants to protect his country’s interests abroad.

Nevertheless, I think this movie looks like it could be really good! It comes out September 9, 2022. Let's hope it gets an international release!

 

[Fight Scene Friday] WARLIKE - Action Short Film

 It's Fight Scene Friday™, and this week's scene is from BIGFILMS! It stars Aurélia Agel, and is directed by Teddy Masson, with fight choreography by Jérôme Gaspard. This is a cool mix of fighting and gunplay. Check it out!

 

Ten Tigers of Guangdong: Invincible Iron Fist (广东十虎：铁拳无敌, 2022) trailer

 Check out the trailer for Ten Tigers of Guangdong: Invincible Iron Fist, starring martial arts legend and superstar Fan Siu-wong (also known as Louis Fan). You may know Fan Siu-wong from his roles in Above The Law (AKA Righting Wrongs), Riki-Oh: The Story Of Ricky, and Ip Man, among many other movies. This movie (or television series, I can't find anything about this; it seems to be a movie, though) seems to be about the Ten Tigers of Canton (also known as the Ten Tigers of Kwangtung), a real-life group of martial artists (of which included Wong Kei-ying, who was the father of Wong Fei-hung; and Beggar So, the legendary drunken fist master). 

All I can say is, I am very intrigued by this movie! I hope it gets an international release!

 

[Fight Scene Friday] Night Watch

 This week's Fight Scene Friday™ scene is an elevator fight by the Sloyer Stunts crew! This scene was directed by Bryan Sloyer, with fight choreography by Sloyer and Dominique Smith. It stars Nate Hitpas, Marc Canonizado, Brandon Shaw, and Ruben Maldonado. This is a very cool close-quarters fight scene, with some banging music. Check it out!

 

[Fight Scene Friday] Do the Damn Thing: West Coast Pop (Jay vs. Lester)

 Happy Fight Scene Friday™, everyone! This week's scene is a short film featuring the first meeting between Fernando 'Jay' Huerto and Leroy Nguyen! I loved this so much back when it first came out! I couldn't believe they actually made a short film together! I watched this one a lot back then, as you could imagine. Not only is the fight scene good, but the whole film is hilarious!

I must say, Jay and Lester are dude bros to the max in this, so there are some homophobic slurs used. I do not condone of that language, for the record. Despite that, it is still very funny. Check it out! If this scene offends you, I understand and I apologize wholeheartedly for hurting you; that was not my intention in sharing this scene.

 

PREMAN: SILENT FURY (2022) Movie Trailer

 Here is the trailer for Preman: Silent Fury, an Indonesian martial arts movie coming out soon! Here is the synopsis:

After his son witnesses a brutal murder committed by a notorious crime boss, a deaf gangster is pitted against his own mob organization and thrust into the fight of his life when he takes on his dangerous former allies - including a sociopathic assassin - in order to protect his child. 

This movie looks very interesting! Can't wait to watch it! Preman: Silent Fury premieres on August 5, 2022 exclusively on the martial arts streaming service Hi-YAH!, and will be released on Digital, Blu-Ray, and DVD on September 27, 2022 from Well Go USA Entertainment.