The Iron Claw (2023) - Movie Trailer

 Way late to the party on this one, but here is the trailer for The Iron Claw, a biopic about the Von Erich wrestling family. Here is the synopsis:

The true story of the inseparable Von Erich brothers, who make history in the intensely competitive world of professional wrestling in the early 1980s. Through tragedy and triumph, under the shadow of their domineering father and coach, the brothers seek larger-than-life immortality on the biggest stage in sports.

If you are a wrestling fan, you've heard of the Von Erichs. If you've heard of the Von Erichs, then you know what kind of movie this is going to be. Not trying to spoil this movie at all, but it might be a tough watch. I do wonder if they will cover every tragic thing that happened to that family, or is there some stuff that is too dark to put on screen? Regardless, after seeing this trailer, I am all in on watching this one. It looks incredible, actually! Also cool that current AEW wrestler (and, as of this writing, world champion) MJF has a role in this, too!

The Iron Claw comes out in theaters December 22, 2023.

 

Cassandro (2023) - Movie Trailer

 Check out the trailer for Cassandro, a biographical movie about the legendary lucha libre star. It stars Gael Garcia Bernal and Bad Bunny and is directed by Roger Ross Williams. Here is the synopsis:

Saúl Armendáriz, a homosexual amateur wrestler from El Paso, Texas, rises to international stardom when he creates the character Cassandro, the "Liberace of Lucha Libre." He upends not just the macho wrestling world, but also his own life.

Of course, I am very interested in this movie because Cassandro is from my hometown of El Paso, Texas. I have seen Cassandro wrestle on shows here in El Paso, as well. I think it's amazing that an awesome (and well-respected) actor like Gael Garcia Bernal is playing him in this movie. I think it's so cool that Cassandro is having his story told in this way. It seems like lucha libre (and the wrestlers in it) will be treated with respect, and not like a joke like it usually is in Hollywood media. Cassandro comes out in theaters September 15, 2023 and then on Amazon Prime Video on September 22, 2023.

 

BLUE BEETLE (2023) - OFFICIAL FINAL TRAILER

 Here is the official final trailer for Blue Beetle, the latest DC comics superhero movie. Here is the synopsis:

Recent college grad Jaime Reyes returns home full of aspirations for his future, only to find that home is not quite as he left it. As he searches to find his purpose in the world, fate intervenes when Jaime unexpectedly finds himself in possession of an ancient relic of alien biotechnology: the Scarab. When the Scarab suddenly chooses Jaime to be its symbiotic host, he is bestowed with an incredible suit of armor capable of extraordinary and unpredictable powers, forever changing his destiny as he becomes the Super Hero BLUE BEETLE.

As I've said before, I have high hopes for this movie. It looks like it could be really good! You can see the sentai/tokusatsu influence in the action scenes, too. I am also biased towards this movie because Jaime Reyes is from my hometown (and they did film some scenes here). Blue Beetle comes out August 18, 2023!

 

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

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

Mortal Kombat (2021) - A Review

 

Mortal Kombat (2021) ushers in a new era in the MK movie franchise.

Mortal Kombat is a fantasy martial arts movie released in the United States in 2021 and stars Lewis Tan, Joe Taslim, Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Ludi Lin, Mehcad Brooks, Max Huang, Chin Han, Hiroyuki Sanada, and Tadanobu Asano. This reboot of the Mortal Kombat movie franchise was directed by Simon McQuoid, with fight choreography by Chan Griffin.

Ludi Lin (as Liu Kang) and Lewis Tan (as Cole Young). Cole is the main character in this one.

In Mortal Kombat, Lewis Tan plays Cole Young, a former champion mixed martial arts fighter who has seemingly lost his fighting spirit. After losing an MMA fight, Cole is visited by Jackson Briggs ("Jax", played by Mehcad Brooks). Jax is interested in Cole's birthmark (the Mortal Kombat logo) and reveals he has the marking as well. While Cole is out with his wife and daughter, Sub-Zero appears and tries to kill Cole and his family (seemingly). Jax saves them, and tells Cole to find Sonya Blade (played by Jessica McNamee). Cole puts his family into hiding while he searches for Sonya.

Cole does find Sonya, who has Kano (played by Josh Lawson) held captive in her home. There, Cole finds out that the birthmark means he is one of the chosen warriors to defend Earth against Outworld's fighters in the Mortal Kombat fighting tournament. One thing leads to another, and Cole, Sonya, and Kano are on their way to Raiden's temple.

At Raiden's temple, Cole and the others meet the Earth Realm's champions and Raiden (played by Tadanobu Asano) himself. Cole and the other new recruits must train to unlock their 'arcana', their personal super technique, in order to stand a chance against the Outworld's fighters and their leader, Shang Tsung (played by Chin Han). Can Cole and his fellow Earth Realm warriors unlock their arcana, defeat the Outworld warriors, and survive Sub-Zero's onslaught?

Some of the Outworld fighters. Yes, that's Nathan Jones on the left.

I must admit, I am not a fan of the Mortal Kombat video games. I am, however, a fan of the first Mortal Kombat movie, the animated series (Mortal Kombat: Defenders Of The Realm, 1996), and the TV show (Mortal Kombat: Conquest, 1998-1999). The whole story and the backstories of the characters are interesting to me, but the actual video game is just not fun to me. So, when I heard a new Mortal Kombat movie was coming out, I was intrigued, but also worried it wouldn't be as good as the first one. I finally watched it on Tubi (a free, ad-based streaming site), and I was pleasantly surprised.

The movie starts out with a battle between Bi-Han (played by Joe Taslim) and Hanzo Hasashi (played by Hiroyuki Sanada), and the choreography was good, and it got pretty violent (much more violent than the 1995 movie). This fight is important and integral to the plot. The movie is all about these two characters, though they actually aren't in it that much. This is not a bad thing, but if you were hoping Liu Kang would get his moment in the spotlight again, you'll have to settle for him being a side character in the spotlight. Then we meet Cole Young, and unfortunately, he is not a very interesting character. The writing totally failed Lewis Tan, as he has very little lines (compared to, well, everyone else), and what he says is very cliched and basic. The character with the most character in this movie is Kano. He is an a-hole, and he never shuts up. Ludi Lin is great as Liu Kang (and I wish the movie focused on him a lot more). Sonya (she gets her own moment to overcome and shine) and Jax are cool, Kung Lao is awesome, and Shang Tsung is a schemer. Overall, the cast is pretty good. The plot is interesting, and I feel like this was a reintroduction to the Mortal Kombat universe, and this was just part one of a huge story. The places the sequels could go are intriguing! Hope everything turns out well on that front.

The fight scenes in Mortal Kombat are violent and bloody.

The action is good in Mortal Kombat. For those that complained that there wasn't blood or fatalities in the 1995 movie, there is plenty of that in this one! There are quite a few actors skilled in martial arts in this movie, and they all performed well. It was great to see Hiroyuki Sanada in a martial arts fight scene again, and he's still got it. Ludi Lin as Liu Kang is awesome, and he does some of Liu's patented moves. Same with Max Huang as Kung Lao; he is probably the most bad a** fighter in Mortal Kombat. Joe Taslim as Sub-Zero is incredibly skilled and cruel as a fighter. He is pretty scary, too! As for the actors who do not seem to have martial arts skills, you can tell by how the fight goes (it is more of a brawl than a martial arts battle). Even so, there are a lot of fight scenes, and they're all entertaining. Not meaning to compare the two Mortal Kombat movies, but there isn't a fight in this one that even compares to the Liu Kang vs. Reptile or the Johnny Cage vs. Scorpion fights in the 1995 movie.

So, should you watch Mortal Kombat? I would say yes; especially if you are a fan of the games. There are a lot of Easter eggs in the movie referencing things from the games, so watch out for those. This movie is grounded, yet highly fantastical. There is a lot of CGI in this, some things looking better than others (a certain character is full CGI; the design is good, but it doesn't move realistically. It moves too smoothly, and it looks like a cartoon... I say this as someone who does not like CGI, for the most part). You root for the main characters and hope the villains get their butts kicked. It does have humor, but it's not quip city. Plus, there's lots of blood and fatalities. This movie is a good introduction to this version of Mortal Kombat, but I think the sequel could be even better. Check it out, it's a pretty good time!

Reviewed by David Williams

The Price We Pay (2023) - Official Trailer

 Check out the trailer for The Price We Pay, the latest movie from director  Ryûhei Kitamura and starring Stephen Dorff, Emile Hirsch, Gigi Zumbado, and Vernon Wells. Here is the official synopsis:

From the director of Midnight Meat Train comes this gripping thriller starring Emile Hirsch (Into the Wild) and Stephen Dorff (Blade). After an intense holdup at a pawnshop, Grace is taken hostage by the thieves. Forced to take refuge at a remote farmhouse late at night, they discover a secret dungeon with evidence of sadistic violence—and when “Grandfather” comes home, all hell breaks loose. Can Grace muster the courage to escape the gut-wrenching fates that befall her criminal companions?

Ryûhei Kitamura has directed many popular films in Japan, so it will be interesting to see how this one came out! The Price We Pay will be released digitally and on VOD January 10, 2023 and in select theaters on January 13, 2023.

 

Coherence (2013) - A Quick Review

I heard this was a good movie. It lived up to the hype!

 Coherence is an American psychological thriller/sci fi movie released in 2013 starring Emily Foxler, Maury Sterling, Nicholas Brendon, Elizabeth Gracen, Lorene Scafaria, Hugo Armstrong, Alex Manugian, and Lauren Maher. Coherence was written and directed by James Ward Byrkit.

Emily Foxler plays Em. She figures out what's going on...

 In Coherence, eight friends (four couples) have a dinner party the night a comet is passing through the sky. Things start going weird when Em's (played by Emily Foxler) cell phone screen cracks by itself. We soon find out that this comet has weird effects, including the phone screen cracking. The house loses power (as well as all the houses in the neighborhood, except one), and things get even stranger. Two of the friends go out to try and make a phone call at the house with power, but they return shaken; one has been injured and the other has a metal box. Inside the metal box is a ping pong paddle and pictures of each of the friends with a number on the back. Em tries to figure out what the numbers mean, as the other friends cope with the situation and each other... Their friendships and trust of one another is put to the test on this night. All I can say is, things get weird, dark, and mind-bending...

The party goers all have their own agendas... and secrets.

 Coherence is another movie where explaining the plot more thoroughly will spoil a lot of things about it. Here is what I can say about it: This movie's dialogue was mostly improvised, so the characters talk and act a bit more natural than in other movies. It annoyed me at the beginning of the movie, but as the story progresses, it feels a bit more believable. The story or plot, is very interesting. As long as you are paying attention, everything will make sense. This is a movie where multiple viewings is a must; you may find different clues you never noticed before. Coherence is very unsettling, and can be eerie and dark. It is a movie where you are not sure who or what you are seeing is the trustworthy.

Things get pretty dark...

 So should you watch Coherence? I say absolutely! The story, the characters, the situation, and the tension is top notch. This is a movie that will leave you thinking about it long after you've watched it. Then you'll want to watch it again! This movie is awesome!

 

 

 

 

Reviewed by David Williams

3 Ninjas (1992) - A Review

 

Classic 90s family movie. Underrated, I think.

3 Ninjas is an American family comedy martial arts movie released in 1992 and starred Victor Wong, Michael Treanor, Max Elliott Slade, Chad Power, Kate Sargeant, Rand Kingsley, and Professor Toru Tanaka. 3 Ninjas was directed by Jon Turteltaub, with Rick Avery as stunt coordinator and Monty Cox as second stunt coordinator.

Michael Treanor as Rocky, Chad Power as Tum-Tum, and Max Elliott Slade as Colt: The 3 Ninjas!

In 3 Ninjas, Victor Wong plays Mori Tanaka, a master in the martial art of ninjutsu who is taking care of his three grandsons over the summer. At the end of the summer, Mori gives them nicknames based on their personalities: The oldest brother, Samuel Douglas Jr., (played by Micheal Treanor), is named Rocky; the second oldest, Jeffrey Douglas (played by Max Elliot Slade) is named Colt; and the youngest brother, Michael Douglas (played by Chad Power), is called Tum-Tum. Before the kids head back home, Mori is visited by an old friend, Hugo Snyder (played by Rand Kingsley), who wants Mori's son-in-law Sam, the kids' father, to stop investigating him. Snyder threatens Mori's family if he doesn't get Sam off his back...

Hugo Snyder was almost caught by Sam and the FBI previous to this, in a sting selling illegal warheads. Mori doesn't help Snyder, so Snyder decides to kidnap the kids. He sends his assistant's bumbling nephew (and his two friends) to kidnap them. For the kidnappers, their mission doesn't go so good, as the 3 Ninjas are able to defend themselves. Unfortunately, Snyder's bodyguard (played by Professor Toru Tanaka) shows up and kidnaps them anyways. Sam must trust Mori to confront Snyder and help get the kids back. The 3 Ninjas, must find a way out of their situation while keeping faith that their grandfather isn't a bad guy...

Victor Wong as Mori Tanaka, the 3 Ninjas' grandfather. He rules in this!

I'll just say it, and it's been said before: 3 Ninjas is basically Home Alone with martial arts. This isn't a bad thing, though! 3 Ninjas is still funny and entertaining in it's own right, after all these years. It's good clean fun for the whole family (though there are two instances of offensive words in regards to handicapped people used; unfortunately, that is how kids talked back then...and even now). Yes, most of the comedy is kid humor, but there's nothing wrong with going back to your childhood and enjoying what was funny to you back then (if you are an adult reading this review). Kids reading this review, just go watch the movie!

I like the relationship between the three brothers: Rocky is steady and unshakeable, Colt is hotheaded, and Tum-Tum is...a little kid that loves to eat. Rocky and Colt don't always include Tum-Tum in their celebrations, and Tum-Tum repeats what his older brothers says a lot. Rocky calms Colt down when he's fired up, but Colt always backs up his brothers. Tum-Tum is the funniest of the brothers, I would say. The brothers are confident in themselves and in their skills. The brothers love their grandpa, as well as their parents; so the conflict between their father and their grandpa (Sam doesn't approve of Mori teaching the kids ninjutsu) has an effect on them throughout the movie.

The three kidnappers, lead by Fester (played by Patrick Francis Labyorteaux) are three of the dumbest surfer/skater dudes you'll ever see! Think Bill and Ted, but way, way dumber. When I was kid, they annoyed me so much (and I loved Bill and Ted), but watching it now, I think they are hilarious! The main villain, Snyder, is quite the bombastic jerk! He is rich, greedy, and an expert martial artist. Rand Kingsley gives a good performance as Snyder, but he is not a really memorable kids movie villain. Victor Wong as Mori/Grandpa is great in this. You can tell through his performance that he loves his grandchildren. He is a bit stubborn, in a good way and in a bad way, but he is willing to compromise. Victor Wong rules!

The 3 Ninjas don't hold back in their fight scenes!

The action in 3 Ninjas is pretty good...for a kids movie. Nothing too violent to worry about. At first, the 3 Ninjas fight their enemies using their surroundings (what Jackie Chan is famous for in America). It is very comedic, and it's funny to see the enemies flying around like ragdolls after getting hit by the kids. Later on in the movie, we get to really see the ability of the kid ninjas. They definitely have the skill! The best fights involving the kids is at the end when they are trying to escape being kidnapped. Mori also fights quite a bit in this, but it is obviously a stuntman. It's fine, though. There actually are some scenes where you can't tell if it's Victor Wong himself or a stuntman, so kudos to the stunt team and the editor! The early fights are fun and silly, the later fights are a bit more serious with higher stakes.

I do recommend 3 Ninjas, for sure! It's just an enjoyable, funny movie safe for the whole family. I will say, the version I watched (which was on the streaming site Tubi) was the international version. This version is a little longer and has some things changed from the original 'American' version I watched as a kid. To say what the differences are would spoil the movie, but it doesn't change the movie as a whole. Anyways, 3 Ninjas is really underrated nowadays, and I think people should give it a chance in the 2020s.

(ROCKY loves EMILY, by the way.)

Reviewed by David Williams

The Crow (1994) - A Review

 

The Crow lives up to the hype, but is also underrated nowadays.

The Crow is superhero action thriller movie released in America in 1994, and is based on the graphic novel/comic by James O'Barr. It stars Brandon Lee, Ernie Hudson, Rochelle Davis, Michael Wincott, Bai Ling, Tony Todd, Michael Massee, and Jon Polito. The Crow was directed by Alex Proyas, with fight choreography by Jeff Imada and Brandon Lee.

The avenging angel. Brandon Lee rules in this.

In The Crow, Brandon Lee plays Eric Draven, a musician who gets ruthlessly murdered on Devil's Night after walking in on his fiance Shelly getting raped and beaten by a gang. Police Sergeant Albrecht (played by Ernie Hudson) is on the scene of the crime when a little girl, Sarah (played by Rochelle Davis) tells him that Eric Draven and his fiance were her friends and took care of her. Albrecht has to tell her that Eric Draven is dead and Shelly is in really bad shape...

One year later Eric Draven rises from the grave, and goes back to his apartment (where his murder took place). He gets flashbacks of his murder and the torture of his fiance, and vows to seek revenge on the gang that did this to her. Guided by a crow, he discovers that any wounds he sustains heals immediately. He can also see what the crow that is guiding him sees, so he is able to find every gang member involved and kills them in the way that they hurt his fiance.

Sarah and Albrecht are the only ones who Eric Draven trusts. Ernie Hudson is awesome in this, by the way.

The police begin investigating the murders of these gang members, and Albrecht (who got demoted) gets the heat for not immediately finding the culprit. Eric Draven makes himself known to Sarah and later Albrecht, who he explains what's going on with him to. The gang leader, Top Dollar wants this year's Devil's Night to be the biggest one ever, but is also intrigued by the presence of Eric Draven. As things unfold, Eric Draven must finish his quest for revenge and face off with Top Dollar...

First off, The Crow is amazing! I had no expectations, really, about this movie but man, this movie rules. The story, mood, the music, the cinematography, the editing, the acting, and especially the performance of Brandon Lee make this movie a classic. The movie is dark and brooding, yet psychedelic in some scenes. The music is classic early 90s grunge rock (which I am a fan of) and fits the movie; it doesn't feel out of place or inappropriate. The look of the city in this movie, in particular, the architecture, is amazingly gothic. So many cool shots of the buildings in this city. It really is a visual treat. This is definitely a 90s movie, yet it is timeless at the same time.  

Top Dollar and Myca are one brother/sister duo you do not want to mess with.

Brandon Lee is just amazing in this. He plays Eric Draven as a poetic avenger; he shows no mercy to the criminals who killed his fiance, but shows he still cares about Sarah and certain others. He is dark and brooding, yet he has an angelic quality about him. Brandon Lee is charismatic as heck in this. Every time he is on screen, you cannot look away. He is graceful, whether he is walking the rainy, crime ridden streets or mowing down gangsters with powerful weaponry. Lee does get to show off some of his fighting skills, but it was shot in the 90s Hollywood way, so you don't get the full picture of what he can do. Brandon Lee is the man in The Crow, and is the main reason you should watch it. Excellent performance from him.

I first heard of The Crow when I saw the news reports of Brandon Lee's death on set. I was shocked and depressed that this could have happened to Bruce Lee's son. After that, I wanted to see the movie, but I was hesitant about it as well. Turns out, I never would be able to watch it back then. It never came on the TV channels I had, I never seemed to find it at the video rental stores or in retail stores. I couldn't see it in theaters because it was rated R. Finally, in May of 2022, I found it on a streaming site (Pluto TV), and I finally watched it. I loved it. I think I would have loved it back then, too. It is good to know that so many people love this movie, and love Brandon Lee's performance in it.

So yes, you should watch The Crow. It may not be the best movie ever made, but Brandon Lee's performance makes it a must see. The Crow may not be comic accurate, but it is still a good adaptation. It is also a very influential movie, with pro wrestler Sting and even The Punisher, and The Dark Knight Rises taking inspiration from it. Watch The Crow, you won't be disappointed. You will wonder why a rising star had to be taken so soon, though.

The man.

Reviewed by David Williams

Searching (2018) - A Review

 

Searching is a compelling, modern mystery.

Searching is an American mystery thriller movie released in 2018, and stars John Cho, Debra Messing,  Michelle La, and Joseph Lee. This movie was written (along with Sevak Ohanian) and directed by  Aneesh Chaganty in his directorial debut.

John Cho makes you feel for him in this movie, with just his face visible throughout most of it.

 In Searching, John Cho plays David Kim, the single father of  teenage daughter Margot Kim (played by Michelle La). They seem to have a pretty good relationship, with Margot being focused on school and playing piano while David also hangs out with his brother Peter Kim (played by Joseph Lee). One night, Margot goes to study with her friends; as David sleeps, Margot calls three times, but he doesn't answer. The next morning, David finds the call notifications and tries to call her back. Margot doesn't respond. Worried, he contacts Margot's piano teacher, who tells him some surprising news. After this, David calls the police for help in finding his missing daughter, and Detective Rosemary Vick is in charge of the case. David goes through all of Margot's social media profiles to find info to help Detective Vick with the case. He soon finds out that he doesn't really know his daughter at all...

Michelle La as Margot Kim. Margot is a typical teenager... or so it seems.

 Searching takes place all on a computer screen. Dave Kim goes through real web sites like Google and Facebook to find info about his daughter and her last known location. It is actually very similar to the movie, Unfriended in that way. Where that was an over the top horror movie, Searching is more of a tense thriller. You really feel for Dave Kim throughout this movie, and John Cho does a great job showing the frustration, desperation, and drive in finding his daughter. It's amazing, as most of his performance is focused on his face. Michelle La plays Margot as a normal teenage girl, who is going through some things... Debra Messing as Detective Vick is a tough, no nonsense cop who is dedicated to resolving the case. Since this is a mystery movie, I am keeping this review vague, but trust me there are some twists and turns in this one!

It was very cool to see Debra Messing in this kind of role.

So, should you see Searching? I would say yes. It's really good! It had me interested and involved throughout its runtime. I mean, it's pretty cool seeing a story unfold on a web browser. It has some good red herrings, but everything is hinted at throughout the film (I figured it out by the middle of the movie). I will say, to me, it seemed a little too easy to get into profiles, things are a bit too coincidental, and the ending can be considered a bit far-fetched (but it could still happen as it does in the movie), but this is to be expected in a Hollywood film. This movie will make you think about what you share online and in real life, and it will make you thankful and a bit fearful of the interconnected technological world we live in. Check out Searching, it's quite the ride!

Reviewed by David Williams

Passenger 57 (1992) - A Review

 

Passenger 57 is a really good action movie!

Passenger 57 is an American action movie that came out in 1992 and stars Wesley Snipes, Bruce Payne, Tom Sizemore, Alex Datcher, Elizabeth Hurley, and Ernie Lively. The movie was directed by Kevin Hooks.

In Passenger 57, Wesley Snipes plays John Cutter, a highly decorated former police officer, soldier, and Secret Service agent who now works as an airline security specialist. We first meet him during a training class, where a flight attendant 'goes off script' in a hostage scenario. Cutter is firm (some would say being a straight up jerk) with this flight attendant, Marti Slayton (played by Alex Datcher), about doing whatever the hostage taker asks, for the safety of everyone on board. Not a good first impression for either of them...

Cutter's friend, Sly Delvecchio (played by Tom Sizemore), offers him the position of vice president of a new anti-terrorism unit for his airline company. Cutter is reluctant, but he accepts the job. He takes a flight on the plane, as passenger 57, to officially accept the job. Also on this plane is Charles Rane (played by Bruce Payne), an international terrorist who earlier tried fleeing from the police in a daring escape, but got caught. He is handcuffed and flanked by two FBI agents. Ironically, Marti Slayton is a flight attendant on this plane, as well as a rookie flight attendant (played by Elizabeth Hurley).

Wesley Snipes as John Cutter is cool as ice. Snipes is the man in Passenger 57!

After the plane takes off, and Cutter and Marti have an awkward conversation, Rane makes his move (with the help of henchmen disguised as plane passengers and flight crew) to take the plane hostage. He even kills one of the pilots! As this is happening, Cutter is in the restroom on a phone call with Sly. Cutter tells Sly that the plane is hijacked and everyone onboard is taken hostage. Cutter also takes down one of the henchmen in the restroom area. Cutter goes to confront Rane, using the henchman as a shield. Rane takes a passenger hostage at gunpoint, and kills him in cold blood. Cutter escapes to the cargo hold with Marti, where he comes up with a plan to force the plane to land somewhere other than Rane's intended destination. To get through this, they must work together.

Passenger 57 is one of those movies I always heard of, but never watched. It wasn't until recently that I learned it had some martial arts fight scenes in it, and it became a movie I had to watch. This movie is good, I must say! It is good to hear that it was a hit when it released in 1992. The movie is fast-paced and never boring, as it is only 84 minutes long. Despite such a serious plot, there is some comedy in this as well.

Wesley Snipes plays John Cutter with confidence, and a bit of an edge. He is a bit gruff with others, especially with Marti the flight attendant. With his police and military background, that is to be expected, but there is an underlying reason that he is so hard on Marti at the beginning. He mentally and physically fights through this trauma in the movie. Wesley Snipes is also cool as heck in this movie. He is always under control, and is stylish while doing his thing. After watching this movie, I wonder why there couldn't have been more movies following the John Cutter character. There is so much they could've done with that character!

Charles Rane is evil personified. Bruce Payne does a great job!

Bruce Payne as Charles Rane is one of the most calculatingly evil villains ever put on film. Rane is smart (with a British accent, naturally), menacing, and cruel. Not only is he mentally capable, he is physically capable as well. Every time he appears on screen, you dread what he's going to do next (and you just want John Cutter to kick his butt). In one of his most evil scenes, he sexually assaults Marti. He is despicable through and through. There is nothing redeemable about Charles Rane (though I am sure there are Charles Rane cosplayers out there). Great performance by Bruce Payne in this movie.

It is always great to see Wesley Snipes in action!

There are a few fight scenes in this! His fight with the henchman in the restroom area is quick and to the point. The fight in the cargo area is pretty good, but the fight scenes are shot in the Hollywood way: A lot of cuts, a lot of unnecessary close ups, and weird angles. There's a lot of Wesley Snipes throwing punches and kicks towards the camera (literally facing the camera, we are seeing him from the point of view of the bad guys), and then you see the guy reacting to the hits. Sometimes all you see is Wesley Snipes' hand punch or block something. It was 1992 Hollywood, what are you going to do? (Though I must say, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies were out by this time, and they had good filmed fight scenes. I think Golden Harvest had a lot to do with that...) We do get to see Wesley Snipes throw some sweet kicks as well. I wonder what audiences thought back then seeing Wesley Snipes being a proficient martial artist for the first time. The final fight scene is a brawl, and when you think it's going to be like the airplane fight scene in Royal Warriors, it goes another way!

In conclusion, Passenger 57 is a good movie! It has good action, interesting characters, some humor, and a familiar plot done in an exciting way. Should you see this movie? I would say, yes! It's awesome to see Wesley Snipes get to strut his stuff before he became Blade. We need more big budget Wesley Snipes action movies!

Reviewed by David Williams

Twisting Tiger (2022): First 5 Minutes - Teaser

 Check out the first five minutes of Twisting Tiger, the latest short film from Team Red Pro! It is directed by Joseph Le, and the Martial Club guys are involved with the action design as well. This looks very promising! I can't wait to watch the whole thing!

The official synopsis: After committing to a life of zen, a Black Shaolin Disciple with PTSD must break his vow of nonviolence and save his students from a bloodthirsty Asian gang.

(Language warning!) 

 

Better Luck Tomorrow (2002) - A Review

 

Incredible movie directed by Justin Lin.

Better Luck Tomorrow is an American drama/crime drama released in 2002. It stars Parry Shen, Karin Anna Cheung, Jason Tobin, Sung Kang, Roger Fan, and John Cho. The movie was written (along with Ernesto Foronda and Fabian Marquez) and directed by Justin Lin.

The movie follows Ben Manibag (played by Shen), an intelligent high school student who is working hard on making his high school transcripts look appealing to the Ivy League colleges he wants to apply to for college. He's on the basketball team, the debate team, he translates Spanish at a hospital, he works at a fast food place, and he indulges in petty crime. Being bored and having the perfect cover of being an over achieving student, he takes part in petty theft and vandalism with his friends Virgil (played by Tobin) and Han (played by Kang). 

Another over achieving student, Daric (played by Fan) spotlights Ben in a school newspaper story about being a bench warmer on the basketball team. Ben does not appreciate the attention, as he is fine with his position. Later on, Daric convinces Ben to make a cheat sheet for an upcoming test, paying him for his efforts. This becomes the group's money making scheme, until they start doing more risky crimes. Ben and his group become infamous at their school.

Ben also has a crush on Stephanie, who he begins getting close to. Unfortunately, Stephanie already has a boyfriend, Steve (played by Cho). Steve goes to private school, comes from a rich family, and is on a rival debate team. Ben and Steve have a complicated relationship. All of this comes to a head on New Year's Eve, and it is shocking, to say the least.

This is a great movie. The story it tells is fascinating, and it's never boring. Even though it is a drama, there are little bits of comedy here and there.The cinematography is nice, a bit understated, but there are some amazing shots in there. This movie has a good soundtrack, too. The film score is good, and the soundtrack rules. The song playing in the school dance scene is so good. This movie is truly underrated, I feel.

The characters are fully formed. They are believable. Ben, as the main character, is the 'every guy' you root for. You want him to be a good person, and you still root for him when he makes bad decisions. Virgil is basically the try-hard character who is a bit unhinged. Jason Tobin is a tour de force as Virgil. He kills it in his role. Han is the strong, silent type. He is the most mysterious character. He may do bad things, but he has a conscience. Daric is one of the most manipulative, self-centered jerks in cinema history. He knows just what to say to make characters do what he wants. I hate Daric. A lot. Stephanie has a bit of a complicated backstory, but she is great. Her motivations are believable, and even though she is a straight arrow, even she gets influenced by Ben's rebellious side. Steve is an arrogant, troubled rich kid. He is cool, but he has problems. John Cho plays him perfectly. Arrogant, awkward, and aloof. The performances in this movie are top notch!

If you've never seen Better Luck Tomorrow, see it! NOW! I highly recommend it! I watch this movie every New Year's Eve. It is one of my all-time favorite movies. Though it has a dark ending, it is somehow optimistic as well. You never know how life is going to go, you just have to hope for the best.

DVD I watched for the review.

Back cover of DVD.

The DVD disc that I watched. I really need this movie on Blu-Ray!

Reviewed by David Williams