Here is the trailer for Jackie Chan's latest movie, The Shadow's Edge! Here is the synopsis (according to Variety):
Set against the neon-lit backdrop of Macau, the film stars Chan as a veteran surveillance expert pulled out of retirement by the local police force. He’s tasked with mentoring a crack team of young detectives to hunt down an elusive gang of thieves that has been running circles around law enforcement.
Jackie Chan is working with Ride On (2023) director Larry Yang again on this one, and he once again co-stars with Tony Leung Ka-fai, who he starred with in TheMyth (2005). I don't know, this movie looks pretty good! What we see in the trailer is certainly promising. I'm holding out hope this is a good one! TheShadow's Edge releases in China on August 16, 2025. Hopefully it'll come to America unedited soon after that!
Here it is, the full official trailer for Superman (2025)! Here is the synopsis:
The film explores Clark Kent / Superman's journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his adoptive human family in Smallville, Kansas.
Superman is my number one favorite superhero, so I am very excited for this movie (as you would expect)! I like this trailer mainly because you can't really tell what the movie's actual plot is. I remember that last Batman v. Superman: Dawn Of Justice (2016) trailer just giving everything away, leaving no surprise. With this one, there is a lot going on, but I am not sure how they are all connected together.
I just hope this movie is good! Can't wait to see Mr. Terrific, Hawk Girl, and Guy Gardner in action on the big screen, too! Superman comes out internationally July 9, 2025 and on July 11, 2025 in America!
Here is the trailer for the South Korean action thriller, The Old Woman With TheKnife (also known as Pa-gwa) (2025). Here is the synopsis:
Aging assassin Hornclaw has seen it all, but she never expected to mentor a reckless rookie like Bullfight. As their unlikely bond deepens, cracks form in the underworld they navigate together. When Hornclaw discovers someone wants her dead, she’s thrust into a deadly game of deception. With enemies closing in and trust in short supply, survival means staying sharp—both blade and mind.
The Old Woman With The Knife is based on the book (with the same name) written by Gu Byeong-mo. It was directed by Min Kyu-dong, and stars Lee Hye-young, Kim Sung-cheol, Yeon Woo-jin, and Kim Mu-yeol.
This movie looks very interesting to me! Really can't wait to see this one! The OldWoman With The Knife comes out in movie theaters in the United States on May 16, 2025!
It's finally here! The teaser trailer for Superman, directed by James Gunn, has been released. If you haven't been following the news, Superman is the first movie in the DC Universe (DCU). Here is the current synopsis:
Superman embarks on a journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as Clark Kent.
After watching this teaser multiple times today, I am very optimistic about it. I hope it is amazing, and shows what's so great about Superman (it's not just his super powers). As much as I loved the Zack Snyder DC movies, there were things in them I didn't necessarily agree with. It's way too early to say, but this new movie may show the hope, optimism, and selflessness that Superman represents more overtly. Also, so cool to see Hawkgirl, Mr. Terrific, and Guy Gardner (Green Lantern) in live action!
Superman comes out July 11, 2025. I will be there!
I'm sure you've seen it by now, but here is the latest trailer for The Prosecutor, Donnie Yen's latest movie! Here is the synopsis:
A poor young man is wrongly charged with drug trafficking after being deceived. An ex-prosecutor investigates the case, uncovers a corrupt lawyer team's scheme, and restores justice despite obstruction from evil forces.
Donnie Yen, Kent Cheng, Julian Cheung. Ray Lui, and Francis Ng star in the movie. After a year and a half of work it's finally coming out. To say I am excited for this movie would be an understatement!
The Prosecutor opens on December 27, 2024. Hopefully a U.S. release comes soon after that!
Check out the trailer for Life After Fighting; written by, directed by, produced by, choreographed by, and starring Bren Foster. Here is the synopsis:
A martial arts instructor is confronted with the disappearance of two of his students, leading him into a direct confrontation with a group of international child traffickers.
I barely found out about this movie today, so it's been off my radar, but dang the action in this looks awesome! I need to see this right now!
Life After Fighting is out now in selected theaters, and you can watch purchase it on places like YouTube and Google Play!
Check out the English-subtitled trailer for Baby Assassins 2, finally coming out here in the United States in a couple of months. Here is the synopsis:
Chisato and Mahiro must pay four years of overdue fees or lose their membership in their assassin guild. They take part-time jobs, but find themselves in the middle of an armed robbery and being hunted by other assassins.
I loved the first Baby Assassins (2021) movie (which I reviewed here), and this looks to be more of the same, but even better! Can't wait to watch this one! Baby Assassins2 comes out on digital & Blu-ray April 2, 2024 in the U.S., and streaming on Hi-YAH! July 5, 2024!
Jim Kelly struts his stuff in The Tattoo Connection.
The Tattoo Connection (also known as Black Belt Jones 2: Tattoo Connection and The Hong Kong Connection) is a martial arts crime movie released in Hong Kong in 1978 and stars Jim Kelly, Dorian "Flash Legs" Tan Tao-Liang, Chan Sing, Tony Leung Siu-Hung, Lee Hoi-Gei, Bolo Yeung Sze, Chiang Tao, Norman Wingrove, and Lee Hoi-Sang. The movie was directed by Lee Tso-Nam, with martial arts directed by Bruce Leung Siu-Lung.
Jim Kelly as Lucas. He is one cool dude in this. He even dubbed his own voice for this movie.
In The Tattoo Connection, Jim Kelly plays Lucas, an ex-CIA agent hired by an insurance company to retrieve a stolen diamond stolen by a tattooed gang in Hong Kong. Once the gang boss (played by Chan Sing) finds out Lucas is there to take back the diamond, he does everything he can to stop him, including killing people who have info, and putting a bounty on Lucas's head. Lucas plows ahead, destroying everybody that gets in his way. The gang is dangerous, but there is one member, Dong Ho (played by Dorian "Flash Legs" Tan Tao-Liang), who is a bit honorable. He wants to leave the gang with his girlfriend (played by Lee Hoi-Gei). Will Lucas get the diamond back, and will Dong Ho be able to leave the gang?
Dorian "Flash Legs" Tan Tao-Liang as Dong Ho. An underappreciated martial arts movie star nowadays. This guy could kick!
Like many people who are fans of him, I've liked Jim Kelly ever since I first saw him in Enter The Dragon (1973). I've never seen him in any other movies, though I knew he was in some blaxploitation films. So, I finally found one of Jim Kelly's movies (considered one of his best) on a free streaming site (Tubi). Unfortunately (or fortunately...) it was the edited for television version of the movie. When that showed up in the opening credits, I had to decide if I still wanted to watch it, or wait until I had access to the unedited version. I decided to watch it anyway, and here are my thoughts...
The Tattoo Connection is one weird movie! Though this is billed as a Jim Kelly movie, in reality, it is more of a Jim Kelly/Dorian "Flash Legs" Tan Tao-Liang movie. In fact, I would say Tan gets a bit more screen time in this one! Jim Kelly plays the cool, cocky, expert martial artist while Flash Legs Tan plays the honorable, yet conflicted gang member who can kick like no one else. Both are likeable in their roles, and of course, they both have excellent martial arts skills. It is mainly Jim Kelly who has the cool lines, but Tan has some zingers as well.
The plot is pretty basic, maybe a little too basic. As was the case back then, there is some weird pacing issues and let's say inappropriate humor. Unfortunately, there is a little bit of racism in this as well. From what I've read about this movie, there is apparently a lot of gratuitous nudity throughout The Tattoo Connection. You know it's too much unnecessary nudity when reviews from regular people (not critics) complain about it! The version I saw was edited, so there was absolutely no nudity shown. Of course, the scenes with nudity were edited in such a way that it made it even more weird and creepy! You have to see those edits to believe it! The music in The Tattoo Connection is also very funky, or dare I say, fonky (the pinnacle of funkiness). Really good music throughout.
The Tattoo Connection has some nice fight scenes. Considered to be Jim Kelly's best movie that showcases his martial arts skills.
While the plot of the movie is nothing special, the action is really good! Jim Kelly is one awesomely cool butt kicker in this! He is fast, precise, and hits hard in his fight scenes. Kelly even gets to finally have his one on one fight with Bolo Yeung in this movie (which he was supposed to have in Enter The Dragon). Flash Legs Tan starts off the movie with a fight scene, and there (and throughout) he gets to show off his awesome kicking skills. There are a lot of good fights in this movie, with the final fight being the best, in my opinion. This is classic 70s martial arts choreography, not as intricate as Lau Kar Leung, Sammo Hung, or Yuen Woo-ping's, but still entertaining.
I am not sure if I can recommend The Tattoo Connection. It does have entertaining fight scenes and fonky music, but the plot is basic and there is rampant nudity (in the unedited version). I guess I will recommend the movie for its fight scenes only... and the fact that Jim Kelly is cooler than a cucumber in this. Where else can you find a movie where Bolo Yeung sings his heart out in mockery of his fellow gang member? It happens in this movie, and you will not be prepared.
Also, though my feelings are mixed on this movie, I would love if The TattooConnection got a remastered HD blu-ray release in the future. I think it would look pretty good in high definition.
Here is the trailer for Monkey Man, an action movie written, directed by, and starring Dev Patel. Here is how the YouTube description describes this movie:
Oscar nominee Dev Patel (Lion, Slumdog Millionaire) achieves an astonishing, tour-de-force feature directing debut with an action thriller about one man’s quest for vengeance against the corrupt leaders who murdered his mother and continue to systemically victimize the poor and powerless.
Inspired by the legend of Hanuman, an icon embodying strength and courage, Monkey Man stars Patel as Kid, an anonymous young man who ekes out a meager living in an underground fight club where, night after night, wearing a gorilla mask, he is beaten bloody by more popular fighters for cash.
After years of suppressed rage, Kid discovers a way to infiltrate the enclave of the city’s sinister elite. As his childhood trauma boils over, his mysteriously scarred hands unleash an explosive campaign of retribution to settle the score with the men who took everything from him.
Not going to lie, I hadn't heard anything about this movie before seeing this trailer on Instagram. I was actually surprised to see Dev Patel being in a movie like this. It will be cool to see Dev Patel using martial arts in a movie since playing Zuko in The LastAirbender (2010) (Patel is a Taekwondo black belt). I am quite excited for this one, that's for sure!
Monkey Man comes out April 5, 2024 in the United States.
Baby Assassins is a really funny, yet violent, movie!
Baby Assassins (also known as Baby Valkyrie , Baby Walküre, and BeibiWarukyure) is an action comedy film released in Japan in 2021 that stars Izawa Saori, Takaishi Akari, Mone Akitani, Yasukaze Motomiya, Uekiya Satoshi, and Mimoto Masanori. It was written and directed by Sakamoto Yugo, with Sonomura Kensuke in charge of the fight scenes.
Perfect shot of Mahiro's (left) and Chisato's (right) personalities.
In Baby Assassins, Fukagawa Mahiro (played by Izawa Saori) and Sugimoto Chisato (played by Takaishi Akari) are two young women about to graduate from high school... who are also assassins. The assassin agency they work for tells them they must get part-time jobs after they graduate (to not arouse suspicion of where their income is coming from), and arranges for the both of them to live in an apartment together. Things go fine between Mahiro and Chisato at first, but things get tense between them later. Mahiro is more of an introvert, while Chisato is an extrovert. They both have trouble finding and holding jobs. Then they get mixed up with a Yakuza family, and their lives become even more complicated! Can Mahiro and Chisato get on the same page and deal with the Yakuza together?
The Yakuza family having a heartwarming gun lesson.
Baby Assassins had a lot of hype when it came out in 2021, with many people raving about the action scenes in it. With Sonomura Kensuke in charge of the action (he did the awesome fight scenes in Hydra, 2019), my expectations were pretty high for this movie. Did this movie live up to the hype? For me, it totally did!
First off, there are only two major fight scenes, one at the beginning and one at the end of the movie. A lot of people who did not enjoy this movie expected more action, so please have your expectations in check. Even though the movie isn't full of action, there is a lot of violence (involving guns mainly), and the violence can get pretty brutal. To me, the best thing about Baby Assassins is the characters. Mahiro and Chisato have great personalities, and they play off each other so well. Their relationship evolves throughout the movie, and you can see where both characters are coming from (point of view-wise) Some of the situations they get in are hilarious. It is interesting to see these two young women trying to live a normal life in Japan while also being ruthless assassins. This movie is very funny! Despite the comedy, there is a sense of danger throughout, especially involving the Yakuza family. These characters are horrible people, but even they have some comedic scenes. The Yakuza father, Hamaoka Ippei (played by Yasukaze Motomiya) is especially cruel and irredeemable.
You've got to watch the fight scenes in Baby Assassins!
The action in Baby Assassins is awesome! Sonomura Kensuke really went all out with his choreography in this movie. The fighting is fast, hard-hitting, and relentless. The fights involve knives, guns, punches, kicks, and throws. Izawa Saori (Mahiro) is a stunt woman-turned actress, and she does the most intricate fighting in the movie. She is really good! I hope we see her in more starring roles in action movies. The final fight is the best fight, where Mahiro fights a Yakuza enforcer in a duel to the death. Really great stuff in this one; I don't want to spoil it, but it is a must-see fight scene. Though this movie doesn't have a lot of action, the action it does have is top-notch!
In conclusion, Baby Assassins is a fun, creative, incredibly violent comedy that I highly suggest watching. I know comedy is highly subjective, but I think this movie is really funny (especially if you understand current Japanese culture). If you don't like the comedy, stay for the action. A lot of creative stuff happens in the fights, and the fights are highly enjoyable. Besides all that, there is a message about friendship, understanding, and mental health throughout. Check this movie out, it's amazing!
Baby Assassins movie trailer (be careful, it basically spoils the whole movie):
Here is the trailer for Alienoid 2: Return To The Future! This is a sequel to Alienoid (2022), in which certain people in the distant past are looking for a sword that can 'control' time, and certain people from modern times are looking for an alien! Here is the synopsis:
Ean (KIM Tae-ri) has a critical mission to return to the future to save everyone. However, she becomes trapped in the distant past while trying to prevent the escape of alien prisoners who are locked up in the bodies of humans. Meanwhile, Muruk (RYU Jun-yeol), who helps Ean escape various predicaments, is unnerved when he begins sensing the presence of a strange being in his body. Traveling through the centuries, they are trying to prevent the end of the world...
Alienoid 2: Return To The Future released already in South Korea on January 10, 2024. It is releasing in America in theaters on January 26, 2024. I've got to watch these movies!
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.
Here is the official trailer for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, the sequel to Aquaman (2018). Jason Momoa returns as Arthur Curry/Aquaman, and James Wan returns as director. Here is the synopsis:
Having failed to defeat Aquaman the first time, Black Manta, still driven by the need to avenge his father’s death, will stop at nothing to take Aquaman down once and for all. This time Black Manta is more formidable than ever before, wielding the power of the mythic Black Trident, which unleashes an ancient and malevolent force. To defeat him, Aquaman will turn to his imprisoned brother Orm, the former King of Atlantis, to forge an unlikely alliance. Together, they must set aside their differences in order to protect their kingdom and save Aquaman’s family, and the world, from irreversible destruction.
I am actually looking forward to this one, and not just because I'm a DC fan! Aquaman was the last DC movie I watched in theaters, and it was the movie I watched in theaters as well (before the pandemic started). My life sucked at the time (terrible job and terrible health caused by the terrible job) so taking the time out to actually watch that movie was an awesome experience. From what the trailer is showing, it looks like it could be a good one! Of course, I wonder how everything is going to go now that the DCEU is no more, and the problems with Amber Heard (who plays Mera) are seemingly over with. I guess we have to watch it for ourselves and see!
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom comes out in theaters on December 20, 2023!
Toho has finally released the official trailer for Godzilla Minus One (Gojira MainasuWan) the latest movie being released on Godzilla's 70th anniversary. Here is the synopsis:
After the war, Japan's economic state has been reduced to zero. Godzilla appears and plunges the country into a negative state.
I have been a Godzilla fan most of my life, so I am always interested in the latest movie being released in the franchise. Unfortunately, I haven't seen every Godzilla movie (I still haven't been able to watch Shin Godzilla, let alone the latest American movies), but Godzilla Minus One is definitely on my radar! After reading director Takashi Yamazaki's pitch for it, I am ready for this one:
"Postwar Japan has lost everything. The film depicts an existence that gives unprecedented despair. The title Godzilla Minus One was created with this in mind. In order to depict this, the staff and I have worked together to create a setting where Godzilla looks as if "fear" itself is walking toward us, and where despair is piled on top of despair. I think this is the culmination of all the films I have made to date, and one that deserves to be "experienced" rather than "watched" in the theater. I hope you will experience the most terrifying Godzilla in the best possible environment."
Godzilla Minus One comes out in Japan on November 3, 2023 for the 70th anniversary, and on December 1, 2023 in North America. I need to see this one!
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.
Check out the trailer for 100 Yards, director Xu Haofeng's latest martial arts epic. It stars Andy On (yes, the actor from Black Mask 2 (2002) and New Police Story (2004)), Jacky Heung, Li Yuan, Tang Shiyi, and Hayden Kuo. Here is a synopsis:
100 Yards is set in 1920s Tianjin, northern China, and centers on the rivalry between the son of a martial arts master and his most talented apprentice. When the old master dies, the two face off to take over his prominent martial arts academy. But rather than obey the rule of settling disputes behind closed doors, they take their fight to the street.
This movie looks amazing, I must say. It should be noted that Xu Haofeng's martial arts movies have action that is much more realistic than most martial arts movies of today. No wirework or stylized fights. Some people like it, some people don't. I haven't seen any of his movies yet, but two of them are on my list: The Master (2015) and The Sword Identity (2011). Anyways, I hope 100 Yards ends up being good. It comes out in 2024, so keep an eye out for it!
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!
Here is the trailer for Revolver Lily, an action movie from Japan directed by Isao Yukisada, based on the book written by Kyo Nagaura. Here is the synopsis:
Yuri became a spy at the age of 16. She killed 57 people over a period of 3 years. Now, in 1924, she runs a small bar in Tokyo. Shinta is a boy whose family was murdered. He holds a key to the missing funds left by his father that belonged to the Imperial Japanese Army. Shinta asks Yuri for help and soon they become the target of 1,000 soldiers.
I must say, this movie looks really good! Let's hope this gets an international release! Revolver Lily comes out August 11, 2023 in Japan.
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.
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!
