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 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.

 

Mr. Vampire (1985) - A Quick Review

 

Classic Hong Kong movie!

Mr. Vampire is comedy/horror/martial arts movie released in Hong Kong in 1985 starring Lam Ching-Ying, Ricky Hui Koon-Ying, Chin Siu-Ho, Moon Lee Choi-Fung, Billy Lau Nam-Kwong, Pauline Wong Siu-Fung, Huang Ha, and Yuen Wah. Mr. Vampire was directed by Ricky Lau Koon-Wai, with martial arts directed by  Lam Ching-Ying and Yuen Wah. Sammo Hung was the producer of this movie.

Our heroes. From left: Ricky Hui, Lam Ching-Ying, and Chin Siu-Ho.

In Mr. Vampire, Lam Ching-Ying plays Master Kau, a Taoist priest who is an expert in the supernatural arts. He has two assistants, Man-choi (played by Ricky Hui) and Chow Chun (played by Chin Siu-Ho), who are both a bit immature. They get a case from rich businessman Yam Fat (played by Huang Ha), who arrives with his daughter, Yam Ting Ting (played by Moon Lee Choi-Fung); Mr. Yam wants to remove his dead father from his grave and rebury him to bring prosperity to the Yam family. When they unearth the body, they find that the corpse has barely decomposed, and the place where he was buried has bad feng shui. They bring the corpse back to their house, and the two assistants fail to properly seal it in its coffin. It escapes, eventually claiming several victims.

Though the victims bear the wounds of a vampire attack, the idiotic police inspector (played by Billy Lau) arrests Master Kau for their murders. While jailed, Master Kau sees one of the victims come back to life and attack the police chief! Chow Chun breaks him out and they battle the vampire until they subdue it. Meanwhile, the original vampire grows stronger every day it stays loose. Man-choi gets attacked by the vampire, and Master Kau has to give him a remedy to stave off becoming a vampire (as you can guess, things don't go according to plan). Throughout all of this, Chow Chun is seduced by a ghost (played by Pauline Wong Siu-Fung), who is taking his life force every time they "get it on". Master Kau has a lot to deal with in this movie!

One of the all-time classic scenes in Hong Kong cinema.

Mr. Vampire is one of the all-time classic Hong Kong movies. The success of this movie started the jiangshi trend in Hong Kong films, and many sequels and spin-offs came from this movie. This is the role Lam Ching-Ying is most remembered for, and he played it (and roles very similar to it) in many films after Mr. Vampire. Sammo Hung produced this movie, once again showing how influential he was in the history of Hong Kong film.

So, what do I think about the movie? I love it! It's definitely a classic! Lam Ching-Ying is great in this. He plays Master Kau with sternness, intelligence, strength, and a bit of empathy. He is always on top of the situation, and you can tell he cares about his assistants (and those he is hired to help). The story is interesting as well; they explain why the grandfather's corpse became a vampire, how they can stop it, and how to cure vampirism if you contract it. The comedy is good, too (though, humor is subjective). Billy Lau is so good as the idiotic police inspector. This is one of the best roles I've seen him in, actually. He is such a pompous jerk in this movie. The scene where he loses control of his body and the scene where he tries to fight off a vampire are great. There is a bit of tragedy in this as well (though it's not depressing or anything). Pauline Wong Siu-Fung as the ghost seducing Chow Chun is incredible. You end up feeling bad for her by the end. The way her character is introduced is so awesome and eerie. One of the best creepy introductory scenes ever filmed, in my opinion.

The action is wild and crazy in Mr. Vampire!

The action in Mr. Vampire is fun and crazy. There is not actually a lot of martial arts fighting in it. Chin Siu-Ho is the main fighter of the movie, and he does some awesome moves. Lam Ching-Ying gets to show off a brutal kick or two, as well. The incredible Moon Lee is in this movie, who is an awesome fighter in other movies, but she does not fight at all in Mr. Vampire. Kind of disappointing if you're a Moon Lee fan, but she is still great in this. She even helps out at the end! Otherwise, all the action mainly consists of crazy stunts. Lots of brutal falls, crashing through furniture, explosions, and magical mayhem. It's just a fun time!

I highly recommend Mr. Vampire. It's a classic that you need to see if you are into Hong Kong cinema or Asian cinema in general. Admittedly, Mr. Vampire is not that scary, and there are two scenes of animal cruelty (one involving a snake, the other one a chicken), but don't let that stop you from watching this great movie. Watch the movie that started the vampire craze in Hong Kong (and Japan) and gave Lam Ching-Ying his most beloved role. Maybe you'll get the bug and look for more jiangshi movies. It could happen!

The DVD I watched for this review. It's great, though the English dub calls the jiangshi/vampires "zombies". I need this on Blu-ray!

Back cover of the DVD case.

The DVD disc. Master Kau looks on with determination.

Reviewed by David Williams

Hansel and Gretel (2007) - A Quick Review

 

I heard Hansel and Gretel was really good. Let's just say it lived up to the hype!

Hansel and Gretel is a fantasy horror movie released in South Korea in 2007. It stars Chun Jung-myung, Shim Eun-kyung, Eun Won-jae, Jin Ji-hee, Park Hee-soon, Lydia Park, Jang Young-nam, and Kim Kyung-ik. Hansel and Gretel was directed and co-written by Yim Pil-sung.

Lee Eun-soo is not prepared for the family he meets...

In Hansel and Gretel, Chun Jung-myung plays Lee Eun-soo, a young man who is dealing with a lot concerning his girlfriend and his family. He argues on the phone with his girlfriend while driving, causing him to not pay attention to the road. At the last minute he swerves to avoid running over something laying in the road, causing him to crash his car. He safely gets out of the car, but is in a daze. A young girl named Kim Young-hee (played by Shim Eun-kyung) finds Eun-soo and brings him to her house. There, he meets Young-hee's older brother Kim Man-bok (played by Eun Won-jae) and their little sister Kim Jung-soon (played by Jin Ji-hee), and their parents (Kim Kyung-ik plays the father, Jang Young-nam plays the mother). He sleeps over night to recover from the car crash...

When Eun-soo wakes up, the family treat him to a huge breakfast of candy and cupcakes. Weird. He insists that he needs to call his girlfriend and family, but the family says their telephone line is not working. Double weird. Eun-soo decides to leave the house to look for his way back to town. The family warns him he might get lost in the forest (where the house is located). He leaves, and what do you know, he gets lost and comes back to the house. Eun-soo needs to leave, but the children (who now call him 'Uncle') are insistent that he stays. Man-bok starts showing threatening behavior towards Eun-soo and his parents...

The perfect, beautiful family... or so it seems.

Eventually the parents ditch the house, leaving Eun-soo in charge of the children. Eun-soo is baffled by the situation. He goes exploring around the house and the surrounding forest. He finds some very unsettling things that begin to explain what is going on. Things get weirder when two new guests come to the house, a deacon (played by Park Hee-soon) and his wife (played by Lydia Park). A snow storm occurs, trapping the new guests as well. The deacon doesn't mind, as he feels he was sent to the house by a 'higher power' to 'help' the children... Will Eun-soo escape the house, and will the deacon cleanse the house of 'evil'?

Hansel and Gretel is an amazing movie. There, I said it; upfront, too. This movie is weird, unsettling, and tragic. It is shot beautifully, and all of the actors and actresses portray their characters excellently. Until the reveal happens, you are always wondering what is going on with the children, their house, and the forest surrounding the area. Much like the classic fairy tales (not the Disney versions, I'm talking about the original stories), there is an underlying darkness to everything. As said before, the actors are great in this. Chun Jung-myung plays Lee Eun-soo as a sort of aloof young man who just wants to get home to see his family. He shows that he does care for the children, but he is also wary of them. Shim Eun-kyung plays Kim Young-hee as the most trustworthy of the kids (at least to Eun-soo), and she keeps Man-bok from getting too angry. Great performance from her in this. Eun Won-jae as Kim Man-bok is very angry and probably the most untrustworthy of the kids. That kid is scary, and his anger causes him to do... things (when you find out why he is the way he is, along with the other children... let's just say feelings will change). Finally, Park Hee-soon as the deacon is... unsettling. His attitude is totally different from his wife's and Eun-soo. To say more would be spoiling the movie, but the director cast perfect guy for this role.

Do not get Man-bok angry, or else...

I highly recommend Hansel and Gretel. It's not just a good horror movie, it's a good movie, period. This movie went places I wasn't expecting, and that made it all the more entertaining. This is one of the best movies I watched this year so far (not meaning to over-hype it, though). South Korea knows what it's doing when it comes to making movies, don't they? Hansel and Gretel is one fairy tale you won't forget any time soon! Check it out, if you can!

Reviewed by David Williams

Howling Village (2019) - A Quick Review

 

Howling Village is directed by Takashi Shimizu, so you know it'll be an experience!

Howling Village (also known as Inunaki Village) is a Japanese horror movie released in 2019 that stars Ayaka Miyoshi, Ryota Bando, Hinata Kaizu, Masanobu Takashima, Reiko Takashima, and Rinka Otani. It was directed by Takashi Shimizu (director of Ju-On: The Curse, Marebito, and Tomie:Rebirth among many other movies) and is a part of his Village Trilogy.

Ayaka Miyoshi as Kanade Morita. She has special abilities...

In Howling Village, Ayaka Miyoshi plays Kanade Morita, a clinical psychologist who can see supernatural things that others cannot (and she has other abilities). She gets a new patient, a little boy, who is having bad dreams. He does not want to talk to her about his bad dreams, because his "other Mama" will get mad... Before all this happened, though, Kanade's brother Yuma (played by Ryota Bando) and his wife Akina (played by Rinka Otani) went exploring a mysterious village and after coming back, Akina's behavior has drastically changed. Yuma wants Kanade's help with dealing with her. Of course, something tragic occurs, and Yuma decides to go back to the village to find out what is happening.

Kanade and Yuma's little brother, Kota (played by Hinata Kaizu) is interested in an urban legend about a mysterious village, so he sneaks into Yuma's car when he goes back there. When Yuma and Kota don't come back after a while, Kanade has to find out what is going on, and find a way to get to that village. She soon finds out everything is connected, and is determined to get her brothers back.

The truth hurts.

Howling Village is a very interesting horror mystery film. Throughout the movie, you wonder what exactly is going on. There is a lot of spooky, supernatural events going on along with some family drama within the Morita family. I must say, the child actors in this movie are really good, especially Hinata Kaizu as Kota. Ayaka Miyoshi as Kanade is great as well. You really empathize with what she's going through in the movie. The ghost effects are cool (reminds me of how the ghosts disappear/fade away in Fatal Frame: Maiden Of Black Water), and the makeup effects are good, too. The story is really engaging, and everything makes sense (for the most part, I mean it is a horror movie). Once again, you just have to pay attention, as the clues and information are given to you in the movie.  I would say the movie is more spooky than scary, though.

You see ghosts, you run!

Howling Village is a well made horror movie that is good, but it does not quite live up to the classic Japanese horror movies of the past. Still, it's an enjoyable movie that never gets boring. I do recommend it, or at least giving it a chance.

Reviewed by David Williams

Shadow Master (2022) - Movie Trailer

 Check out the trailer for Shadow Master, a martial arts horror film directed by Pearry Reginald Teo and starring D.Y. Sao, Brian Le, Layton Matthews, Anna Harr, and Craig Ng. The Martial Club crew does the choreography for this movie! Here is the synopsis:

 Slain during a ferocious fight and reborn with supernatural powers, one man stands between demonic forces bent on hastening the Apocalypse and a ragtag group of apartment dwellers protecting their children from certain peril.

Shadow Master comes out November 4, 2022 in select theaters and on November 8, 2022 for On Demand and digital services. This movie looks AMAZING, and I really want to see it!

 

La Nuit A Dévoré Le Monde AKA The Night Eats The World (2018) - A Quick Review

 

The Night Eats The World is an amazing zombie movie!

La Nuit A Dévoré Le Monde (also known as The Night Eats The World) is a French zombie movie released in 2018 starring Anders Danielsen Lie, Denis Lavant, Golshifteh Farahani, Sigrid Bouaziz, and David Kammenos. It was directed by Dominique Rocher.

Great performance by Anders Danielsen Lie as Sam.

In La Nuit A Dévoré Le Monde, Anders Danielsen Lie plays Sam, a musician who goes to a party in an apartment to get his cassette tapes back from his ex-girlfriend (played by Sigrid Bouaziz). Things are going bad at the party when he finally finds the case containing his cassette tapes. Dealing with a head injury (an accident that occurred on his way to the room containing the cassettes), he sits down and falls asleep. 

When Sam wakes up, the apartment is completely trashed, and there is no sign of any of the party goers. He opens the door to leave, and his girlfriend and others on the other side lunge at him...except now they are zombies! Sam looks outside, and the street is full of zombies! He seems to be the only survivor of a zombie apocalypse that has occurred in Paris, France!

There's some nice music in this movie!

Sam decides to stay in the apartment and set up base there. He goes through all the rooms looking for supplies. He plays a little music now and then. He listens to all the cassette tapes he can find. He lives a lonely life with no one to talk to...except a zombie (played by Denis Lavant) who is stuck behind an elevator door. Throughout the movie Sam does things intelligently, but it's when he messes up that things go very bad for him. Can Sam survive the zombie apocalypse by himself?

I've been interested in La Nuit A Dévoré Le Monde since I first found out about it, and I finally got to watch it this year. I enjoyed this movie very much. In fact, I loved it! It's a different kind of zombie movie, as there is not that much violence or gore (there is still plenty of that, but it's spread out and most of it is at the end). It's all about how one man is able to survive the apocalypse by himself, and how that solitude affects him. I like that Sam is a normal guy; he makes a lot of smart decisions, but he also makes some bad decisions based on his emotions. I also like that there is a musical element to the movie (as in, Sam plays music with what's around him, not that he's singing show tunes). I also like how the zombies are pretty quiet in this. If you couldn't smell them, you wouldn't know what's behind the next door! The special effects are good; there's some gross gory stuff in this. Really nice visuals in this, the Paris skyline is beautiful yet creepy, with no life around for miles (or kilometers).

A shot nightmares are made of!

I highly recommend watching La Nuit A Dévoré Le Monde! Really well made zombie movie. It may seem slow and even boring to some, but it all builds to something. I find the whole movie entertaining and fascinating. You really don't need a lot of words to tell a compelling story, and this movie is an example of that. If you were the last person left in a zombie apocalypse, how long do you think you could survive?

Reviewed by David Williams

Encounter Of The Spooky Kind (1980) - A Review

 

Classic and influential Hong Kong horror comedy movie.

Encounter of The Spooky Kind (also known as Encounters Of The Spooky Kind, Close Encounter Of The Spooky Kind, and Spooky Encounters) is a horror/comedy/martial arts movie starring Sammo Hung, Chung Fat, Huang Ha, Tai Bo, Peter Chan Lung, Leung Suet-mei, and Lam Ching-Ying. Encounter Of The Spooky Kind was directed by Sammo Hung, with martial arts also directed by Sammo along with Yuen Biao, Lam Ching-Ying, and Billy Chan Wui-Ngai.

Bold Cheung played by Sammo Hung. Cheung goes through some stuff in this movie!

In Encounter Of The Spooky Kind, Sammo Hung plays Bold Cheung, a very proud coachman married to a seemingly unhappy wife (played by Leung Suet-mei). Cheung drives Master Tam (played by Huang Ha), a very important person, to his "appointments". Trust me, these appointments aren't medical. One day, Cheung walks in on his wife cheating on him... but the man is able to escape before Cheung can fully see him. All that is left behind is the man's shoe. Of course, it is Master Tam that was with Cheung's wife. Master Tam doesn't want Bold Cheung (or the town) to find out what he's doing, so he decides Cheung needs to die. Tam's assistant (played by Tai Bo) has just the plan to get rid of Cheung.

Bold Cheung is dared to spend the night in a temple; if he can make it, he will be paid a lot of money. Unbeknownst to him, Tam's assistant hired the corrupt priest Chin Hoi (played by Peter Chan Lung) to raise a corpse in the temple from the dead and make it kill Cheung! Luckily, the priest's colleague Tsui (played by Chung Fat) overhears this plan and warns Cheung about it; he even gives him ways to fight off the jiangshi (the reanimated vampire corpse). 

Bold Cheung having an encounter of the spooky kind...

After Bold Cheung survives the temple twice, he comes home to find out he's been framed for murder! He gets arrested, escapes, but now the authorities (led by Lam Ching-Ying) are after him. Priest Tsui decides to take Bold Cheung as his apprentice, as Priest Chin Hoi has one last evil plan to kill him. Can Bold Cheung survive this last onslaught?

Encounter Of The Spooky Kind is a classic Hong Kong movie, and its success at the time started the trend of martial arts comedy horror films there. It was the first movie to showcase the jiangshi (hopping vampire). This movie was very influential (as was a lot of Sammo Hung's work), and it lead to other movies like Mr. Vampire, Vampire vs. Vampire and... Encounter Of The Spooky Kind II.

This movie is great! It's funny (though, humor is subjective), it's creepy, and it has great fight scenes. What more could you want? The movie is not gory (though there is a scene where Bold Cheung gets a chunk bitten out of his leg; it's bloody but not excessively so), and the scares are mild (though a young child might find it scary). The special effects are a mixed bag; some are good (like the leg bite), but some are more...low quality. I don't mind the special effects; they add to the charm of the film.

As for the story, it's pretty good. Everything makes sense. It has the kind of plot where one thing leads to another, which leads to another, and so on (which is why I had to abruptly end the plot summary, otherwise I would just describe the whole movie). Sammo Hung as Bold Cheung is a very likeable protagonist. He is not a bad guy, but his bravery gets him into trouble. Chung Fat as Priest Tsui is great as well. He is an honest priest trying to use magic for good, not for evil. Lam Ching-Ying as the Inspector trying to arrest Bold Cheung is also awesome. He brings humor along with the seriousness of law enforcement. The other actors do their parts well, but Sammo and Chung Fat are the best in this movie.

The fighting is fast, furious, hard-hitting, and spooky!

This being a Sammo Hung movie from the 1980s, you can bet that the action is great in Encounter Of The Spooky Kind! The fights are fast, hard-hitting, and executed to perfection. In Sammo's first fight against the jiangshi, we see him throw some hard strikes that connect for real against the vampire (including a brutal punch to its face). Another great scene is when the evil priest takes control of Bold Cheung's arm, causing a brawl in an outdoor restaurant. Sammo takes a brutal fall when trying to control his arm. From there we get some awesome fighting against a crew of police officers. In the final fight scene, Bold Cheung and his opponents get possessed by spirits who have very distinct fighting styles. The fighting is hardcore here, and is a real treat to watch. Also, watch for the almost botched stunt at the end where a flaming structure falls down and almost lands on Sammo, who moves away just in time. Crazy stuff!

As you can imagine, I highly recommend Encounter Of The Spooky Kind. It's a classic Hong Kong movie, a must watch if you are an Asian cinema fan. It's a fun, spooky, funny, action-packed movie. I will say, there are two scenes which may disturb viewers: a real chicken is decapitated in a ritual the evil priest performs, and the very end scene is very shocking. It's a spoiler, but man, it's pretty messed up. Despite those scenes, this movie is so good! Watch it!

The cover for the DVD I watched for this review.

Back cover for the DVD.

The DVD disc. Talk about spooky!

Reviewed by David Williams

The Tag-Along (2015) - A Review

A Taiwanese horror movie that will surprise you.

 The Tag-Along is a horror movie released in Taiwan in 2015 starring Hsu Wei-ning, River Huang, Liu Yin-shang, Chang Po-Chou, Pai Ming-hua, and Basang Yawei. It was directed by Cheng Wei-hao and is based on a Taiwanese urban legend.

Hsu Wei-ning (left) and River Huang (right) play a couple with different ideas about the future of their relationship.

 In The Tag-Along, River Huang plays Ho Chih-wei, a hard-working property agent who lives with his grandmother (played by Liu Yin-shang). He has a girlfriend, Shen Yi-chun (played by Hsu Wei-ning), who is a radio DJ. They love each other, but they have different goals in mind for their relationship. Yi-chun also seems to resent Chih-wei's grandmother.

 One day, Chih-wei's grandmother encounters something strange in her house, and seems to be affected by it. Chih-wei and Yi-chun go to his grandmother's house to find that she is acting strange. She leaves during the night and doesn't come back. Chih-wei is at his job worried about his grandmother when a package is delivered to him. It is a camera with a file showing his grandmother and other people walking through the forest. Chih-wei notices that they are followed by a little girl wearing red... Chih-wei asks the apartment security officer, Uncle Kun (played by  Chang Po-Chou) for help, and things go downhill from there.

Things get pretty gross in The Tag-Along...

 Chih-wei eventually disappears as well, and Yi-chun becomes determined to find him. She experiences a lot of horrifying events on her journey to find Chih-wei, and she also realizes what she's going up against. Can Yi-chun find Chih-wei and reconcile their differences?

 I did not know what to expect with The Tag-Along. I was pleasantly surprised with how good this movie was! Not only is the movie actually creepy and tense, but it has interesting characters as well. Chih-wei's and Yi-chun's conflict regarding their relationship is portrayed well. I, personally, could see both of their viewpoints, and that makes a really interesting dynamic to the story. As you can imagine, what the characters are going through with their emotions affects their reality. Hsu Wei-ning and River Huang give excellent, believable performances. The scares are pretty good, and the jump scares are effective. There is a lot of gross stuff that happens as well! The sound design in this movie is excellent. It really ratcheted up the tension and scares. The cinematography is also good, with everything looking dark and foreboding. The Tag-Along is a really well-made movie!

There are a lot of scares in this movie!

 As you can guess, I highly recommend The Tag-Along. The movie is well-made, scary, and very entertaining. Truthfully, this movie made me think about my life and my (very few) relationships. Maybe the day I watched it was just the perfect day to watch it, so it affected me more than I expected it would. Everyone's life is different (obviously) so it may not have an impact on you, or maybe it will. You might not even find it scary! Regardless, give it a chance. I loved it!

 

 

 

 

 

Reviewed by David Williams

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

The Labyrinth (2021) - A Quick Review

 

The Labyrinth is a horror movie based on a video game.

The Labyrinth is a fantasy horror movie released in South Korea in 2021. It stars Chani, Park Yoo Na, Lee Hye Ran, Kim Woo Rin, Jang Gwang, and Lee Seung Il, among many others. Song Woon directed The Labyrinth, which his based on the video game White Day: A Labyrinth Named School. .

Chani stars as Hee Min. Typical guy trying to get with a girl instead of fighting supernatural beings! (I'm kidding)

In The Labyrinth, Chani plays Hee Min, a taekwondo expert who just transferred to a new school. Arriving at the school, a girl catches his eye: So Young (played by Park Yoo Na). He becomes obsessed with her...while also noticing strange supernatural things around the school. He ignores them, but what he doesn't know is that he is the heir to a great exorcist. At the same time this is happening, a shaman is making plans that involve the school and certain students in it. Can Hee Min embrace his destiny and stop the shaman's plan, and will So Young reveal the secret she's hiding that has to do with everything going on at the school?

Park Yoo Na as So Young. She has a secret...

The Labyrinth, even though a movie based on a video game and aimed at teens, actually has a pretty serious aspect to the story, and it is treated with respect. There is tragedy in this, but it also won't leave you feeling down or depressed. The hero's story is a bit cliched, but even he has emotional stuff he has to deal with. The actors all play their parts well; and you will feel empathy for certain characters, and straight up hate for others (I can't stand the bullies). Chani does a good job playing the hero who only cares about the girl (and not realizing the power he has within himself). He is a total good guy, for sure! The special effects are really good in some scenes, and look more like a video game in others. This doesn't take away from the feel of the movie, though. A majority of the movie is dark, foreboding, and creepy (nice things to be in a horror movie). The movie is pretty entertaining throughout.

The Labyrinth does get pretty spooky!

So, should you watch The Labyrinth? Once again, it's not the best horror movie you'll ever see, and it's a movie geared towards the teenage audience (so no graphic violence, sex, or nudity). If you're hardcore into horror, I would skip it (but hey, you may like it anyway). If you like Korean drama TV shows, movies that have video game-like plots, or just a fun scary movie, check it out. I really enjoyed this one, maybe you will too. Hopefully my vague review steers you in the right direction.

Reviewed by David Williams

Ghost Mansion (2021) - A Review

 

Ghost Mansion is a decent Korean horror movie.

Ghost Mansion (also known as Grotesque Mansion and The Night Shift) is a South Korean horror movie released in 2021. It stars Sung Joon, Kim Hong-Fa, Kim Bo-Ra, Lee Chang-Hoon, Sojin, Seo Hyun-Woo, Kang You-Seok, Lee Suk-Hyeong, and Won Hyun-Joon. Ghost Mansion was written and directed by Jo Ba-Reun.

Sung Joon as Ji-Woo. He gets in over his head in this one!

In Ghost Mansion, Sung Joon plays Ji-Woo, a webtoon artist looking for inspiration for his horror comic. He goes to a creepy apartment complex where he meets Kwon Ri-In (played by Kim Hong-Fa), the person in charge (seemingly) of the place. Ji-Woo wants to hear some stories about the apartment, as it has a reputation for having paranormal incidents and missing tenants. Each story told is a chapter in the movie, and there are five chapters: The Writer, The Pharmacist, The Seller, The Student, and The Caretaker. Determined to make his comic a success, Ji-Woo delves deeper and deeper into the lore of the apartment complex...

Kim Hong-Fa plays a very...peculiar character.

Ghost Mansion is a horror anthology movie where every chapter is connected. Every chapter leads to the final chapter, which explains why the apartment complex is 'haunted'. The movie is moody and atmospheric, and there is a certain sense of dread throughout. This is especially apparent when Ji-Woo is at the apartment complex itself; the complex is dark, shadowy, and dank while his apartment is brightly lit and cozy. I will say, there are a lot of jump scares in this. Trying not to spoil the movie here, but there are many types of...paranormal entities in this movie. Some are spooky, some are weird, and some are gross. Whatever type of ghost creeps you out, it's in here.

One of the more intriguing chapters...

Each chapter features a flawed protagonist. Besides Ji-Woo and his girlfriend, every character is not a good person. Considering the history of the apartment complex, why these particular tenants are affected by the paranormal activity makes sense. The actors all do a good job, with The Writer (played by Lee Chang-Hoon) being a stand out. I hated his character at first, but I realized he was just a very impatient and frustrated person. Lee played that character a little too well! Sung Joon as Ji-Woo is a very sympathetic character; you want him to succeed with his webtoon, but you kind of want him to stay away from that apartment...

So, should you watch Ghost Mansion? I would say...it depends. If you are a hardcore horror movie fan who has seen almost everything, I would skip this one. If you want an introduction to Korean (or Asian) horror, this is a good one to start with. It's not gory, it's not graphic, there's no sex or nudity; it's all about the atmosphere and the ghosts. I liked this movie enough. It's not the best horror movie ever, but it's pretty entertaining. I will say, you have to pay attention because there are clues and characters that tie everything together at the end. Check it out and give it a chance!

Reviewed by David Williams

Sadako DX - Movie Trailer

 Check out the trailer for Sadako DX, the latest movie in the Ring/Ringu saga. Here is the synopsis:

People who watch a cursed video suddenly die. These deaths take place all over Japan. Ayaka Ichijo is an extremely smart graduate student with an IQ of 200. Her younger sister happens to watch the cursed video for fun. Ayaka Ichijo tries to reveal the mystery of the cursed video.

Sadako DX comes out October 28, 2022 in Japan. We shall see if it gets an international release, though. I hope this movie is good, as I quite liked the 1998 Ring/Ringu movie.

 

Contorted 뒤틀린 집 (2022) - Movie Trailer

 Here is the trailer for Contorted, also known as The Contorted House, a South Korean horror movie starring Seo Young Hee, Kim Min Jae, and Kim Mo Bin. The movie was written and directed by Kang Dong Hun. Here is the synopsis:

A family moves to a quiet and isolated place, but suffers from nightmares on their very first day in the new home. The wife is anxious about a strange sound she hears in the warehouse, but her husband ignores her concern. Meanwhile, the family’s nightmares are getting worse, to the point that they can hardly tell the difference between dream and reality. 

Contorted comes out July 13, 2022 in South Korea. I hope this gets an international release because this movie looks very intriguing. I need to see this!

 

The Untold Story (1993) - A Review

One of the more infamous Category III films. You are not prepared for this one!

 The Untold Story is a crime thriller movie released in Hong Kong in 1993, and stars Anthony Wong, Danny Lee, Emily Kwan, Eric Kei, King Kong Lam, Parkman Wong, Julie Lee Wa-Yuet, and Shing Fui-On. This movie was directed by Herman Yau, and is one of the most infamous Category III  exploitation films ever made.

Anthony Wong plays a MONSTER in this movie.

 In The Untold Story, Anthony Wong plays Wong Chi-hang, an extremely disturbed and determined man who runs The Eight Immortals Restaurant in Macau. He wants to transfer ownership of the restaurant to himself, but his lawyers will not help him without the signature of the previous owner, Cheng Lam. One day, kids find severed limbs on the beach, and the police are called to investigate it. While the cops are goofing off at work, they receive a message from a man seeking help in finding his missing brother...Cheng Lam. They ignore it at first, but after the identity of one of the severed arms is discovered, they become interested in Wong Chi-hang and the restaurant.

 The cops question Wong Chi-hang and Pearl (played by Julie Lee Wa-Yuet), his cashier. Wong is cooperative, and gives the cops fresh pork buns. Pearl is cooperative as well, but a little too cooperative to Wong's liking. The cops voraciously eat the pork buns at the police station, and that night Wong makes Pearl pay for being truthful with the cops in horrific fashion...

The bumbling cops on the case. They provide the comedy in this dark and grim movie.

 The cops put Wong under surveillance, and they catch him getting rid of evidence. They arrest him, but Wong does everything he can to escape the cops and being charged with murder. Basically, the lead officer (played by Danny Lee) gets his team to torture Wong to get him to finally confess. What he confesses to is... absolutely appalling...

 The Untold Story is based on a true story. Knowing that makes this movie that much harder to watch. This movie is brutal. It is definitely a Category III film (Category III films in Hong Kong would be classified as Rated X or NC-17 in America). This is a warning: there is an absolutely brutal rape in this, and some brutal, ruthless killing. This is not a movie to watch when children are around...

 Despite that, there is comedy in this. The bumbling cops are always joking with each other, and they are especially rude to Bo (played by Emily Kwan), the only woman on their team. The jokes are sexual and sexist, so be prepared for that! Their lead officer, Lee is also constantly bringing his dates to work...which is pretty weird. Despite being a womanizer, he is a good detective. Which is a good thing, because Wong is quite the elusive suspect.

The violence is extreme, bordering on offensive.

 Anthony Wong. His performance in this. Incredible. He plays one of the creepiest, sickest, most disturbing bastards I've ever seen in movies. I actually hate him in this! What makes his performance great is that you kind of have a little sympathy for him when he's getting tortured by the police. That's just the sympathetic/empathetic side to me, I guess. Then I remember what he did to get tortured, and my sympathy goes out the window. Anthony Wong is a monster in The Untold Story, plain and simple. He actually won the Best Actor award for his performance in this movie, and I have to say, it is well deserved.

 Should you see The Untold Story? Even though it is a classic Hong Kong movie, I can't fully recommend it. If you like cult classics, exploitation films, horror movies, or just extreme cinema, then you'll love this one. For everyone else, give it a try if you are very curious, but don't say I didn't warn you. You need to see Anthony Wong's performance at the very least. He is amazingly disturbed in this. As for myself, I just had to watch this at least once, after reading about it in a book on Hong Kong cinema. Decades after reading about it, I finally watched it, and I was actually hesitant to see it. Curiosity overpowered me, and you know what they say about curiosity: it killed the cat.

(The cat being my innocent soul in this case.)

 

 

 

 

Reviewed by David Williams