Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023) - Official Trailer

 Here is the official trailer for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, the latest Ninja Turtles movie coming out! Here is the synopsis:

After years of being sheltered from the surface world in the sewers of New York City, four Turtle brothers set out on a quest to be accepted as normal teenagers through acts of heroism. With the aid of their human friend April O'Neil, the brothers' biggest challenge puts them in the crosshairs of a mysterious crime syndicate and an army of mutants.

I... I don't know how I feel about this one. It is cool that the Turtles are voiced by actual teenagers, and it is very cool that Jackie Chan is the voice of Splinter... but I'm not liking the visual style (I am not a fan of CGI in general, though I did like TMNT that came out in 2007). I will have to see it for myself. This does look a lot better than those Michael Bay Ninja Turtles movies, though (I am assuming, I refuse to watch those ones). I am a huge Ninja Turtles fan since the cartoon show in the 80s, so I gotta see if they did my guys justice. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem comes out August 2, 2023.

 

HIDDEN STRIKE (2023) - OFFICIAL TRAILER

 The official trailer for Hidden Strike, starring Jackie Chan and John Cena has finally appeared online! The movie finished filming five years ago, and it's finally coming out this year. Here is the synopsis:

When a China-run oil refinery is attacked in Mosul, Iraq, a Chinese private security contractor (Chan) is called in to extract the oil workers. He learns, however, that the attackers’ real plan is to steal a fortune in oil, and teams up with an American former Marine (Cena) to stop them.

After all the trouble and controversy, it's good that Hidden Strike is coming out. No official release date yet, but some are saying it's coming out July 7, 2023...in Turkey. I think this movie looks entertaining; let's hope it is!

Red Sun Rising (1994) - A Review

 

One of Don 'The Dragon' Wilson's better movies.

Red Sun Rising is a martial arts action movie released in the United States in 1994 and stars Don 'The Dragon' Wilson, Terry Farrell, James Lew, Mako, Soon-Tek Oh, Michael Ironside, Edward Albert, Peter Vasquez, Stoney Jackson, Jacqueline Obradors, and Yuji Okumoto. Red Sun Rising was directed by Francis Megahy, with fight choreography by Don 'The Dragon' Wilson and Art Camacho.

Terry Farrell (left) as Karen and Don 'The Dragon' Wilson (right) as Hoshino make quite the combo.

In Red Sun Rising, Don 'The Dragon' Wilson plays Thomas Hoshino, a Japanese American cop whose partner (played by Yuji Okumoto) gets murdered by a mystical Yakuza assassin, Jaho (played by James Lew) in service of Yakuza boss Yamata (played by Soon-Tek Oh) in Japan. Jaho is a master martial artist, and he is an expert of the 'Touch of Death', which he uses to disable Hoshino momentarily and then kill his partner. As you can imagine, Hoshino is determined to get Yamata and Jaho, no matter the consequences.

Hoshino goes to Los Angeles, California in the United States on the trail of Yamata, a few months later. There he meets up and gets partnered with Karen Ryder (played by Terry Farrell), a tough, no nonsense police detective working on a brewing gang war in the city. Hoshino and Karen also meet up with his martial arts master, Iga (played by Mako), who helps train Hoshino in the same art that Jaho uses. Hoshino checks in with a federal agent (played by Edward Albert) on the Yamata case, while Karen checks in with her captain (played by Michael Ironside) to keep Hoshino out of trouble. Everything all ties together, so will Hoshino be able to catch Yamata and Jaho, and be able to stop the impending gang war?

James Lew is one menacing assassin!

Looking online for what Don 'The' Dragon Wilson's best movies are, Red Sun Rising kept making the lists; and since that movie is on free streaming services, I decided to check it out. I really didn't know what to expect with this movie, since I had never heard of it before. Of all the Don 'The Dragon' Wilson movies I've seen, I would consider Red Sun Rising one of his best. Saying that, the movie is flawed.

It is cool that Don 'The Dragon' Wilson got to play a character that shared the same ethnic background as him (Japanese and Caucasian), and it plays a major part in the plot of the movie. Don kind of plays a fish out of water in this, his character not having been in America for many years. There's even a scene very similar to Rush Hour (1998), that I feel has to be copied from this movie. Don has great chemistry with Karen (Terry Farrell), and they even have some comedic scenes together. Terry Farrell is great, as she plays a strong woman on the police force who can get things done. Mako also has a great performance as Hoshino's master, and he plays against type (he's almost like Master Roshi from Dragon Ball). James Lew as the assassin is also an intimidating force, not only being a master of the death touch, but also being able to 'hypnotize' women, seemingly. This movie has a multiracial cast, but unfortunately, there are a lot of stereotypes in this.

The racism and racial slurs are abundant in Red Sun Rising. The movie takes place in America, Los Angeles to be exact, and deals with the L.A. police force, so it is accurate, unfortunately. Even Karen, the co-protagonist, is pretty racist to Hoshino. The only Latino and African-American characters in this movie are in rival gangs (though there are two high ranking or important Latino and African-American characters that are not in gangs but get killed off). Usually, this would give me a very negative view of the movie, but it is integral to the plot and the story it's trying to tell. Everything makes sense by the end of the movie. It was surprising how thought out this aspect of the movie was.

The action in Red Sun Rising is very 90s American style, but it is decent enough.

As you can imagine, since this a low budget martial arts movie made in America during the mid-1990s, the action is not so good. The choreography (by Don 'The Dragon' Wilson and Art Camacho) is decent, but the way it was filmed and edited totally ruins it. The camera angle are too close up most of the time, and contact from the strikes are rarely ever shown. I don't know why fight scenes are edited like this, it makes them so unsatisfying. Despite that, Don 'The Dragon' Wilson and James Lew get to show off their martial arts skills to a decent degree. The fights are entertaining enough, just don't go in expecting Hong Kong style action.

I am conflicted on whether I recommend Red Sun Rising; it is not the best movie in the world, but it is entertaining and has a message. Apparently, Red Sun Rising is Don 'The Dragon' Wilson's favorite movie that he's done. For that alone, I will recommend watching it. The story is interesting, the characters are memorable, there is a lot of action, and there is even a lesson to be learned. Check it out, it's one of Don 'The Dragon' Wilson's best!

Reviewed by David Williams

[Fight Scene Friday] FIST OF FURY (2020)

 This week's Fight Scene Friday™ scene is a short film from the Martial Club crew. Fist Of Fury (2020) is an homage to Fist Of Fury (1972) and to the character of Chen Zhen, most notably played by Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan (New Fist Of Fury, 1976), Jet Li (Fist Of Legend, 1994), and Donnie Yen (Fist Of Fury TV show, 1995; and Legend Of The Fist: The Return Of Chen Zhen, 2010). Andy Le plays Chen Zhen in this one, and he embodies the rage and fight for justice that Zhen is all about. Brian Le plays the General (from Fist Of Legend) as an impenetrable wall Chen Zhen must get through. The fights are fast and hard-hitting, and there is a lesson to be learned at the end. There are homages to the Bruce Lee, Jet Li, and Donnie Yen versions of Chen Zhen throughout. Check it out!

FARANG (2023) - Official Trailer

 Here is the trailer for FARANG, an action movie directed by Xavier Gens and starring Nassim Lyes, Olivier Gourmet, Vithaya Pansringarm and Loryn Nounay. Here is the synopsis (from the YouTube description):

Sam is a professional boxer about to get released from prison. While on parole, his past catches up with him and he has no choice but to flee. Five years later, he has rebuilt a simple life on an exotic island in Thailand with his wife and her daughter, but when he gets blackmailed by a dangerous local godfather, he must embark on a dangerous drug smuggling mission which results in a tragedy. Now has only one purpose: to seek merciless vengeance.

Xavier Gens is the director of Hitman (which I haven't seen) and Gangs Of London (which I have seen). If the action in FARANG is going to be like the action in Gangs Of London, then I think this movie will be quite the wild ride! Jude Poyer (former Hong Kong stuntman in charge of Reel Power Stunts) is responsible for the action in this, so I think we have nothing to worry about fight scene-wise. FARANG comes out June 28, 2023 and I absolutely cannot wait for this one!

 

Shadow Master (2022) - A Review

 

Shadow Master is a horror martial arts movie that you've got to see to believe.

Shadow Master (also known as Hanuman: Shadow Master) is a martial arts horror movie released in the United States in 2022 and stars D.Y. Sao, Craig Ng, Luciana Faulhaber, Eric Gay Jr., Anna Harr, Brian Le, Daniel Mah, Layton Matthews, Dominique Swain, and Pearry Reginald Teo. Shadow Master was written and directed by  Pearry Reginald Teo, with stunts and choreography by D.Y. Sao and Martial Club (Andy Le, Brian Le, and Daniel Mah).

D.Y. Sao as An Voaen. Sao has some major martial arts skills!

In Shadow Master, D.Y. Sao plays An Voaen, a mysterious man with a violent past looking for a job as a night watchman at a building that has many colorful characters. Boon-Nam (played by Craig Ng) is in charge (it seems) and tells An that children are being abducted from this building. An keeps an eye out for this, especially after he befriends Janett (played by Luciana Faulhaber) and her wheelchair-bound son, Benison (played by Eric Gay Jr.).

An encounters the group that has been kidnapping the children, and dies in a battle against them. He is resurrected by his newfound friends in the building, but when Benison is kidnapped, An makes the decision to give his body to Hanuman, the Monkey King God of Death (played by Pearry Reginald Teo), to gain the otherworldly power he needs to defeat Mephisto and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (yes, you read that right). Can An defeat them and get Benison back safe and sound, and prevent the end of the world?

Brian Le (left) as the most dangerous fighter of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

Shadow Master is a dark, brooding, post-apocalyptic movie that combines horror and martial arts. The story is told in quite a nontraditional way, which seems to have confused a lot of people who have watched it. Well, all I can say about that is: this is the type of movie where you shouldn't look too deeply into the story. Just take everything at face value. To me, everything is explained well enough. An, after violent encounters in his past, wants to avoid using violence. Of course, he has to fight in order to protect the children in the building he lives in/works at. The mysterious group is kidnapping the children in the building to give themselves enough power to bring about the end of the world. Hanuman will give An the power to defeat them, but at the cost of his (An's) life. I liked the story, and how it combined several religious cultural icons, but some may find this nonsensical or even offensive. D.Y. Sao plays An as a very conflicted man trying not to succumb to his violent past, having to, to save the world.

The fights are the best part of Shadow Master!

The absolute best part of Shadow Master are the fight scenes. With D.Y. Sao and Martial Club in charge of the action, you know the fights will rule, and they do not disappoint. The fight choreography is a mix between Hong Kong style and Panna Rittikrai's Muay Thai-based style. So not only is there fluid, fast, and intricately choreographed moves, but there is also the hard-hitting strikes of Bokator (which D.Y. Sao is an expert of). The best fight is the final fight (obviously) between D.Y. Sao and Brian Le (of Martial Club). This fight is so fast and hard-hitting; it's worth the price of admission alone! The fights in this movie can get very violent and gory, so watch out for that!

So, do I recommend watching Shadow Master? I would say, yes! The story is dark and foreboding, the characters are interesting, and the action is top notch. D.Y. Sao has a promising career ahead of him, hopefully he will be given more chances in Hollywood and beyond. It is really unfortunate that director Pearry Reginald Teo passed away this year (2023), as I think he could have gone on to make more cult classics and mainstream hit movies. Shadow Master isn't the best movie ever made, but it really is entertaining!

Reviewed by David Williams

The Forbidden Royal Meow Room Trailer (PV)

 Did you know China makes animated content? Here is the PV for The Forbidden Royal Meow Room (literal translation), a Chinese anime coming to iQIYI. The character design, art design, and animation quality looks really good! I hope it turns out as good as this looks!

[Fight Scene Friday] Rudimentary

 It's Friday, and that means it's Fight Scene Friday™! This week's scene comes from the Sloyer Stunts crew, and they really outdid themselves with this one! The action is fast and hard-hitting, with a lot of innovative choreography. That fall at the end was brutal! Really creative stuff in this one. Check it out!

 

The Farewell (2019) - A Review

 

The Farewell is a must-see movie.

 The Farewell is a drama/comedy (dramedy) movie released in the United States in 2019 starring Awkwafina, Zhao Shu-zhen, Tzi Ma, Diana Lin, Lu Hong, Jiang Yongbo, Chen Han, and Aoi Mizuhara. The Farewell was written, directed, and produced by Lulu Wang.

Zhao Shu-zhen as Nai Nai (left) and Awkwafina as Billi. Their relationship is absolutely believable.

In The Farewell, Awkwafina plays Billi Wang, a Chinese-American writer living in New York. She is very close with her grandmother, Nai Nai (played by Zhao Shu-zhen), who lives in China. After being rejected for a prestigious fellowship, Billi finds out from her parents, Haiyan (played by Tzi Ma) and Lu Jian (played by Diana Lin), that her grandmother has terminal lung cancer and she has only three months left to live. Nai Nai does not know that she has lung cancer or that she is dying because the whole family is hiding her diagnosis from her. The family has set up a wedding for Billi's cousin Hao Hao (played by Chen Han) and his girlfriend Aiko (played by Aoi Mizuhara) as an excuse to see Nai Nai one last time. Billi is not invited, though, as the family feels she will expose the truth about Nai Nai's health condition.

Billi goes to China anyway to see her grandmother. The whole family is shocked to see her there, especially Nai Nai. As the wedding nears, the mood is solemn, and Nai Nai suspects something is wrong, judging by Billi and her father's behavior. Billi promises to keep the secret from Nai Nai, but she is conflicted throughout. She questions the morality of keeping the truth from Nai Nai, but she learns that this is a difference between Chinese and American/western culture. Billi and Nai Nai spend a lot of time together and learn a lot about each other. Can Billi keep the secret from her grandmother, and will the wedding go off without a hitch?

The love of a family prevails.

The Farewell is based on director Lulu Wang's grandmother, and what she and her family went through after the terminal cancer diagnosis. The movie is very moving and emotional, and nothing feels fake or melodramatic. Awkwafina (whose comedy I am a fan of) is really understated in her portrayal of Billi. Really, everyone is pretty solemn in this movie, except for Nai Nai. Since she does not know that she is dying, she is the one full of life and not holding back emotionally. Really good performance by Zhao Shu-zhen as Nai Nai. Also great is Lu Hong playing herself as Nai Nai's younger sister. Though the movie is a bit solemn and sad, there is some nice comedy in it as well (nothing over the top, though). The visuals are great, the acting is excellent, and the story is interesting. It makes you ask yourself: What would you do in this situation?

Nai Nai supports Billi in ways Billi's parents may not have.

As you can imagine, I highly recommend watching The Farewell. It is a touching, emotional story that also makes you think. There are questions of morality and a clash of American/western and Chinese culture. It is the story of a family that really loves their grandmother/mother/aunt/sister, and the things they go through to protect her. Awkwafina and Zhao Shu-zhen were perfectly cast in their roles. I cannot wait to see what other stories Lulu Wang has to tell.

Reviewed by David Williams

Blackbelt (1992) - A Review

 

Another classic Don 'The Dragon' Wilson movie.

Blackbelt is an American martial arts/action movie released in the United States in 1992. It stars Don 'The Dragon' Wilson, Deirdre Imershein, Matthias Hues, Alan Blumenfeld, Richard Beymer, Jack Forcinito, and Barbara A. Graham. Blackbelt was directed by Charles Phillip Moore and Rick Jacobson, with fight choreography by Don 'The Dragon' Wilson and Paul Maslak.

Don 'The Dragon' Wilson plays Jack Dillon, a tough, no nonsense ex-cop.

In Blackbelt, Don 'The Dragon' Wilson plays Jack Dillon, a former cop who runs a martial arts school (and also helps those in need... with his martial arts skills). Jack's former partner, Will Sturgess (played by Alan Blumenfeld), tells an up and coming singer, Shanna (played by Deirdre Imershein) to ask Jack to be her bodyguard. Shanna was sent a box of roses with a playing card...and a severed finger with a ring on it. Jack at first rejects the job, but after seeing the results of a prostitute who was killed the previous night, along with another room full of dead men, he accepts.

It turns out the prostitute and the men were killed by a serial killer (played by Matthias Hues); a big, hulking, psychotic murderer who is also after Shanna. Jack also has to deal with Shanna's abusive boyfriend (played by Jack Forcinito) and shady music producer Eddie Deangelo (played by Richard Beymer). Jack will have to show no mercy in order to protect Shanna and make it out alive!

Shanna (played by Deirdre Imershein) is an up and coming singer with attitude.

I have mixed feelings about Blackbelt. The story, a bodyguard protects a singer from a serial killer, is pretty interesting but the execution is a bit off. I'll just say it: this movie is sleazy! This is the kind of movie where after the hero and his love interest brutally murder their enemies, they have a gratuitous sex scene right after. This was the state of martial arts movies in America in the early 1990s. Despite that, there are some good things about it. Don 'The Dragon' Wilson plays the unflappable hero. Don is just a really likeable guy, so it's easy to root for him. Richard Beymer as the sleazy music exec Eddie Deangelo gives the best performance. He is one of the most obnoxious villains ever put on film. There are scenes where he is threatening people while he's eating dinner, and all the chewing and lip smacking he's doing in between saying his lines irritated the heck out of me. Great performance! Matthias Hues gives a memorable performance as the serial killer. He is basically a monster, but he never screams or yells. He is very quiet and subdued. That guy has serious mental problems!

The structure of the movie is pretty good, giving us clues as to why Shanna is being targeted by the serial killer. In fact, the reason the killer is after Shanna is kind of similar to the movie Red To Kill (1994). I wonder if the writer and director of Red To Kill saw Blackbelt first and were inspired to make their own, sleazier, version of it. We will never know. Don and Deirdre Imershein (Shanna) have good chemistry together throughout the movie, whether they hate each other or they like each other. Deirdre is a pretty good singer as well.

The action in Blackbelt is decent, but filmed and edited terribly.

Blackbelt has a lot of action, both of the fighting and gunplay variety. Don 'The Dragon' Wilson choreographed the fights (along with Paul Maslak), and they did a decent job, for the most part. Once again, this is not Hong Kong style choreography, so the action is pretty slow and light-hitting. Unfortunately, you can tell that the fighters were holding back their strikes big time so they wouldn't really hurt each other. The camera angles and editing don't help with the presentation, either. What makes the action worse is the fact that Blackbelt was actually considered too violent, so the more extreme shots had to be edited out. This makes the fight scenes (especially) and the shoot-outs lack a rhythm and flow; and there are a lot of abrupt edits. I will say, though I did not like this movie, I have to see the unedited version. Maybe the fight scenes will be a little better?

As you can imagine, I can't, in good conscience, recommend watching Blackbelt. I will say, the story is interesting and there are some good actors in this, but the action is not that good and the movie itself is pretty sleazy. Only watch this movie if you are a huge fan of Don 'The Dragon' Wilson or you want to watch a violent martial arts version of the the Kevin Costner/Whitney Houston The Bodyguard (1992) movie. As a Don 'The Dragon' Wilson fan, it always pains me to pan his movies, but he was one of the few actors we could depend on for martial arts movies in the United States back then. Martial arts movies have come a long way since then!

Reviewed by David Williams

[Fight Scene Friday] Comic Con Brawl: Jay vs. Shaun

 This week's Fight Scene Friday™ scene is one of the earliest fight scenes I ever saw Fernando 'Jay' Huerto in. Watching this really brings back memories of me looking for indy fight scenes, and how to make them. This fight scene may be a little rough around the edges, but it is still entertaining. Jay and Shaun Finney make great rivals/opponents! Check it out!

Minari (2020) - A Review

 

An American classic.

 

Minari is an American drama movie released in the United States in 2020. It stars Steven Yeun, Han Ye-ri,  Alan Kim, Noel Kate Cho, Youn Yuh-jung, and Will Patton. Minari was written and directed by Lee Isaac Chung.

Han Ye-ri as Monica Yi (left) and Steven Yeun as Jacob Yi (right).

In Minari, Steven Yeun plays Jacob Yi, the patriarch of the Yi family. The Yi's are an immigrant family from Korea who have just moved from California to Arkansas in the United States in the early 1980s. It is Jacob's dream to run a farm and make a living from it. His wife, Monica (played by  Han Ye-ri) is not so into his dream, but she supports him. They have two kids, Anne (played by Noel Kate Cho), the oldest, and David (played by Alan Kim), who has a heart condition (heart murmur). Monica worries about David a lot, and the others stop him from over-exerting himself. David just wants to be a kid.

Monica struggles in Arkansas, not only at work, but also with loneliness. They go to church to make new friends, with some people being more welcoming than others. Jacob gets help starting his farm from a rather strange and religious man named Paul (played by Will Patton), who is very enthusiastic about helping Jacob any way he can.

After a huge argument with each other, Jacob and Monica decide to bring Monica's mother to their trailer home in Arkansas. Soon-ja (played by Youn Yuh-jung) arrives, and David is not a fan. He says she doesn't look or act like a grandma, so he avoids her or plays pranks on her. After Soon-ja's arrival, things take a turn for the worse for the family. Can Jacob and Monica's marriage survive the bad times, and how will David's next doctor appointment go?

Alan Kim as David Yi.

Minari is an excellent movie, straight up. This is a semi-autobiographical tale about the director, Lee Isaac Chung's life. This makes the movie feel more real, and in turn, makes you more immersed in the story and in the characters. The movie portrays real life: there are ups and downs. When you finally succeed at attaining a goal, something happens to tear it all down. You just got to to keep persevering. The movie is not somber all the way through, though. There are a lot of light and comedic moments as well. Alan Kim as David brings a lot of the lightness (and does a great job at it).

The movie is spoken in a mix of Korean and English, as immigrants from Korea would probably really talk like. This doesn't bother me, as I grew up in a bilingual household, but it bothers others for some reason. Even though the movie is spoken mainly in Korean, with a majority Korean/Korean American cast, the story is an American one. Jacob and Monica Yi are striving for the American dream, but in different ways. Every actor in this movie gives an incredible performance. Will Patton is particularly memorable as the weird, and at first off-putting, Paul. Steven Yeun as Jacob is determined to get his farm started and keep everything else (including his family) in working order. Han Ye-ri as Monica is not a fan of Arkansas, or their trailer home, or her job; she just wants to go back to California where David will get better health care. Alan Kim as David is just a kid who wants to be a kid, but is held back by his chronic health condition (I can relate). Noel Kate Cho as Anne Yi is the one who deals with the most overt racism, and she realizes the state of her parents' marriage. Youn Yuh-jung as Soon-ja is a very nontraditional grandmother, but she tries (she likes pro wrestling, so she can't be all bad). The director and actors made these people feel like a real family. Great job all around.

Youn Yuh-jung as Soon-ja (left), David's grandma. David is not a fan.

I highly recommend watching Minari! This movie is just so good. The acting is impeccable, the characters are deep and memorable, the story is involving and relatable, the cinematography is exquisite, and the musical score is mesmerizing. It's an emotional story that you'll never forget. Lee Isaac Chung made a modern classic, that's for sure. Minari shows us that to achieve the American dream, you need faith, perseverance, and family.

Reviewed by David Williams

Ping Pong Playa (2007) - A Review

 

Ping Pong Playa is quite the hilarious movie!

Ping Pong Playa is a sports comedy movie released in the United States in 2007 and stars Jimmy Tsai, Khary Payton, Andrew Vo, Jim Lau, Elizabeth Sung, Roger Fan, Kevin Chung, Javin Reid, Smith Cho, Peter Paige, Scott Lowell, and Stephnie Weir. The movie was co-written by Jessica Yu with Jimmy Tsai, and directed by Jessica Yu.

Jimmy Tsai plays C-Dub (Chris Wang). Dude can talk some trash!

In Ping Pong Playa, Jimmy Tsai plays Christopher Wang (though he prefers to go by C-Dub), a young man in his twenties who still lives at home with his parents. His dream is to become a big time NBA (basketball) player. He thinks very highly of his skills and routinely beats little kids in basketball games at the park. His friend, JP Money (played by Khary Payton) has more ambitious goals and is working toward them (he is even studying how to speak Chinese). JP likes and believes in Chris, but he feels Chris needs to realize where his basketball skills are actually at.

When Chris's brother, Michael (played by Roger Fan)  and mom (played by Elizabeth Sung) get injured in a minor car accident, he has to take over teaching his mom's ping pong class. Being a slacker, Chris does not take this very seriously, but the young students Felix (played by Andrew Vo), William (played by Kevin Chung), and Prabaka (played by Javin Reid) really look up to him. It turns out that the annual ping pong tournament is coming up, and Chris's parents want him to enter it. The tournament is how Chris's parents make their money: Michael enters and wins the tournament, which makes people want to learn how to play ping pong from the tournament winner's mother and buy sports goods at the tournament winner's father's store. Chris is really not into this, until some racist ping pong players (played by Peter Paige and Scott Lowell) entered in the tournament start trying to steal the ping pong students from his mom's class. Chris begins to take things seriously and trains with his father (played by Jim Lau) and his ping pong students to get ready. Can Chris get serious enough about his future and win the tournament?

C-Dub is a hero to his ping pong class.

Ping Pong Playa is a really funny sports movie! Though this is basically a family comedy, there is a bit of an edge to it (profanity is censored using funny sound effects, though). Chris is a guy that talks like a gangsta and doesn't really take anything seriously. He has no pressing motivation, though he wants to become a famous NBA player, and wants to get with Felix's older sister, Jennifer (played by the incredible Smith Cho). Even though he is kind of a jerk, he is still very likeable. Jimmy Tsai kills it in this role. When Chris realizes the stakes at hand and starts taking things seriously, you root him on. He comes to find out that being in this tournament is all about him and how he handles things, not about winning. There is a lot of funny shenanigans in this, and the little kids in this movie are great. In fact, all the actors in this movie are great. Though the story might be a little cliched, it is still really fun and entertaining to go through.

C-Dub is quite good at ping pong!

I highly recommend watching Ping Pong Playa. It is a slice of life sports comedy showing the life of an Asian-American man in his 20s living in southern California in the late 2000s. The movie is very funny without being offensive or corny. This is a pretty good movie for the whole family, but there are some edgy jokes in here. The actors are great, the story is interesting, it's actually funny, and the whole movie is entertaining. What more could you want? Check Ping Pong Playa out, it's really underrated and it's really good!

Reviewed by David Williams

[Fight Scene Friday] DV2

 It's Fight Scene Friday™, and this week's fight scene is an homage to Jackie Chan's Armor Of God (1986) from Andy Long and the Mag-Fighters crew! I really enjoyed this one! That 80s Jackie Chan Hong Kong flavor is in full effect here. There's even a little nod to Wheels On Meals (1984). I of course appreciate the music from Armor Of God used here as well. I wish movies like this were still made nowadays. Anyways, check it out!

 

Bloodfist (1989) - A Review

 

Don 'The Dragon' Wilson's first starring role, and it set him up for American action movie stardom.

Bloodfist is a martial arts movie released in 1989 starring Don "The Dragon" Wilson, Billy Blanks, Michael Shaner, Joe Mari Avellana, Riley Bowman, Kris Aguilar, Vic Diaz, and Marilyn Bautista. Bloodfist was directed by Terence H. Winkless, with stunts coordinated by Fred Esplana.

Don 'The Dragon' Wilson as Jake Raye.

In Bloodfist, Don "The Dragon" Wilson plays Jake Raye, a retired kickboxer who co-owns a gym in California. One day he finds out his brother (also a kickboxer) has been murdered in Manila. Jake goes to the Philippines to retrieve his brother's remains, but decides to stay and find the killer. He meets Baby Davies (yes, that's his name, played by Michael Shaner), an American martial artist and his sister Nancy (played by Riley Bowman), an exotic dancer, and stays with them at their apartment. He also meets Kwong (played by Joe Mari Avellana), who tells Jake about the martial arts tournament his brother was involved in before being murdered, and offers to train him for it. Jake agrees, and he goes through some grueling training.

While Jake is training, he is searching for clues and witnesses to his brother's murder. He finds out that the murderer is entered in the tournament, and this drives Jake's will to fight him and get revenge. Jake also finds out Kwong has a personal reason for helping him train for the tournament. Along the way, tragedy and betrayals occur, along with brutal fights to the death. Will Jake be able to get revenge for his brother?

Kwong trains and guides Jake Raye.

In the late 80s and throughout the 90s in the United States, the king of straight-to-video martial arts action movies was Don "The Dragon" Wilson. He was a legit champion kickboxer who became a martial arts movie star. I found out about him from my mom, who is also a martial arts movie fan. She thought Don was a "hunk". I saw a few of his movies on cable TV channels like HBO and Showtime back in the day. I liked Don, but I always felt his movies were lacking something. It has been decades since I've seen Bloodfist, so I thought it would be interesting to watch it again with more experienced eyes.

Bloodfist was Don "The Dragon" Wilson's first starring role, and what a debut it was. Don got to go to Manila, have some cool fight scenes (for 1989 Hollywood, at least), and make out with Riley Bowman. There was no turning back for him after that! This movie was obviously influenced by Bloodsport (1988), as many American martial arts movies were at that time. It is cool that there are quite a few legit champion martial artists in this movie, including Billy Blanks and Rob Kaman. This movie also stars Marilyn Bautista, who you may remember as the beautiful prostitute in The Big Boss (1971), in a comedic role.

The story is kind of basic; Jake is looking for his brother's killer so he can avenge his death. It's fine. The acting is... okay. Nobody is horrible or anything, but Riley Bowman gives the best acting performance in this movie. Don, as Jake, gives a more stoic performance. He is very charismatic, and you root for him throughout the movie. Michael Shaner, as Baby, gives a more comedic performance and is very likeable in the role. This movie has some twists and turns, with a shocking revelation at the end. For what it is, Bloodfist is very well written. My only problem with the movie is the sound design. It is very hard to hear Kwong's dialogue for some reason. When you can hear him, he's perfectly understandable, though. The sound in this movie was mixed weird.

The action is... not the best. It's just okay.

The fighting in Bloodfist is... okay. The fights in this movie are not the best, but they are not the worst, either. Frankly, the fights in this movie are ruined by the camera angles and the editing. The fighters could be doing some cool moves, but the camera is too close up to see the full movement, and the contact or connection of the hit was not filmed or edited out. Just terrible. The best action shots are when the fighters are kneeing each other in a clinch. You see everything there, and it looks painful. The fights get bloody as well, so if you're into that, you won't be disappointed. Don"The Dragon" Wilson is a great martial artist, and you can see some of his greatness despite the editing and camera angles. Don and Billy Blanks face off, and is one of the best fights in the movie. The final fight partly takes place in the rain, and that makes it stand out. Basically, Bloodfist has American style fight scenes, so don't watch this expecting Hong Kong style brilliance, unfortunately.

It pains me to say, but I can't recommend watching Bloodfist. I can only recommend watching it if you are a fan of Don 'The Dragon" Wilson or if you want to see what American martial arts movie fans had to watch before Hong Kong movies became more widely available in video stores. Don is a likeable leading man, and he does have the martial arts skill to carry an action movie. Unfortunately, the choreography, camera angles, and editing fail him. The story is pretty interesting, too. I have always wondered what it would be like if Don "The Dragon" Wilson starred in a Hong Kong movie. How would he have been showcased with Hong Kong style choreography. Nonetheless, Don is a legend and deserves respect for all that he has done in the movie business.

Reviewed by David Williams

The Outlaw Johnny Black (2023) - Official Teaser Trailer

 The official teaser trailer for The Outlaw Johnny Black dropped today! Michael Jai White wrote and stars in this action comedy, brought to us by the people behind Black Dynamite (2009)! Here is the synopsis:

Hell-bent on avenging the death of his father, Johnny Black vows to gun down Brett Clayton and becomes a wanted man in the process. He goes into hiding, posing as a preacher in a small mining town that's been taken over by a notorious Land Baron.

I first heard of this movie seemingly years ago on Michael Jai White's Instagram. I remember him saying it was going to be more of a family film, at the time. I'm cool with that, as long as we see Michael kicking butt, as only he can, in it! The Outlaw Johnny Black comes out, only in theaters, on September 15, 2023. Can't wait to see this one!

 

The Paper Tigers (2020) - A Review

 

Trust me when I say, this movie is great!

The Paper Tigers is a martial arts comedy movie released in the United States in 2020 and stars Alain Uy, Ron Yuan, Mykel Shannon Jenkins, Yoshi Sudarso, Peter Adrian Sudarso, Gui DaSilva-Greene, Matthew Page, Jae Suh Park, Joziah Lagonoy, Andy Le, Brian Le, Ken Quitugua, Roger Yuan, and Yuji Okumoto. It was written and directed by Tran Quoc Bao, with action directed by Ken Quitugua.

From left: Hing, Danny, and Jim; the Three Tigers.

In Paper Tigers, Alain Uy plays Danny, a middle aged father dealing with a high-pressure job, his young son Ed (played by Joziah Lagonoy), and his ex wife Caryn (played by Jae Suh Park). On the day he has custody of his son, he finds out his former kung fu master (played by Roger Yuan) has died. Danny meets up with an old friend he hasn't seen in years, Hing (played by Ron Yuan), who has gained weight and has a bum knee. When Danny, Hing and their friend Jim (played by Mykel Shannon Jenkins) were younger, they were the best of friends, and they all studied kung fu together under Sifu Cheung, their master. They were the best fighters in the city, beating other martial arts challengers with ease. Danny was the best of the three fighters, and their sifu chose him to carry on the legacy of his style. One cocky challenger, Carter (played by Matthew Page) kept being defeated and made a fool of by Danny. Thirty years later, Danny, Hing, and Jim are older and haven't kept up practicing kung fu (Jim is now a mixed martial arts coach and is the only one still in fighting shape).

Danny and Hing find out from Carter that their sifu was murdered. Carter gives them some leads on finding people who may know who killed their sifu. They get Jim involved, even though Danny had a falling out with him years back. The three friends have a reputation, and they have to live up to it against some younger martial artists. We then find out why the friends became distant from each other and from their sifu. Danny has to deal with his ex-wife and being a good father and role model for his son. We also learn that the person who killed their sifu has a reputation of his own, and Danny has to be the one that faces him to avenge their master's death...

The Three Tigers face off against Martial Club?!?

I first heard about The Paper Tigers from a Martial Club post on social media saying they had roles in the movie. From then on, it has been on my radar. I did see it being sold in stores, but I was (and still am) broke, so I couldn't buy it and watch it. I randomly found it on Tubi, and I finally watched it. Did it live up to my expectations? It more than lived up to my expectations! I love this movie, as a matter of fact!

The Paper Tigers is a drama with a lot of comedy in it. The movie mainly focuses on Danny and how he deals with his daily obligations as a middle-aged man, and how he left martial arts behind. Danny, along with Hing and Jim, not only left kung fu behind, but they dishonored their master as well. This dishonor is basically what causes everything that happens in this movie. The character of Carter does bring a lot of the comedy, along with Hing, and it is very funny and not mean-spirited. There is a lot of heart in the story and in the characters; you root for the three tigers to overcome their obstacles and honor their master. The performances of the actors are excellent and very natural and believable. This is just a very well-made, enjoyable, and fun to watch movie.

The action in The Paper Tigers is excellent!

Though The Paper Tigers is a modern day kung fu movie, there are more styles displayed in the fight scenes. Andy Le and Brian Le (of the Martial Club stunt crew and Everything Everywhere All At Once stars) use more of a high-flying, acrobatic, yet powerful fighting style. It's always great to see them unleash in a movie! Since Jim (played by  Mykel Shannon Jenkins) is an MMA coach (and practitioner, I would guess) he uses more wrestling and Brazilian jiu jitsu type of moves. Hing is out of shape with an injured knee, so he can't fight to his greatest ability (but he is still pretty good). Danny, the best of the three tigers, is just out of fighting shape and has seemingly lost his fighting spirit. Trust me, though, he still has the skills deep within him. Carter (played by Matthew Page) is their childhood rival and is still in fighting shape. He is really good! If you ever wanted to see Master Ken (yes, that Master Ken) in a Hong Kong style fight, here is your chance! The final boss, played by Ken Quitugua (and the fight choreographer of the movie), is a martial arts killer and seemingly unstoppable. The fight scenes are very Hong Kong style, exciting, with a little comedy in them. The action is great in this one!

As you can imagine, I highly recommend The Paper Tigers! It has drama, it has comedy, it has awesome action, and it has heart. What more could you want in a movie? I loved every minute of it, and I hope you will, too. The film makers and actors in this movie should be really proud of the work they created. It is really good. I hope these guys all team up again one day, I need more of their movie magic in my life!

Reviewed by David Williams