The Sniper (2009) Movie Review

“The Sniper” is a film which hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons, thanks to the all-consuming nude photo scandal surrounding star Edison Chen, resulting in a long delay to its release and an apparently drastic cutting down of his role. However, for once this may actually have been a good...

June 6th, 2009 | Read More

A Very Short Life (2009) Movie Review

With Hong Kong cinema not always being known for its sensitive side, a category III rated drama about child abuse and murder may not initially sound like a particularly appetising prospect. Thankfully, “A Very Short Life”, which was written and directed by “Fatal Move” helmer Dennis Law, takes...

June 6th, 2009 | Read More

Wushu: The Young Generation (2008) Movie Review

As a film which is actually about martial arts, it is hard to fault the pedigree of “Wushu – The Young Generation”. Aimed at introducing a new and highly talented bunch of experts, the film also stars the legendary Sammo Hung, and was produced by none other than Jackie Chan. It was directed by...

June 6th, 2009 | Read More

I Know How Many Runs You Scored Last Summer (2008) Movie Review

No doubt because the fans demanded it, the world can now bask in the glory of the first ever cricket themed comedy horror in the form of “I Know How Many Runs you Scored Last Summer”. The Australian film marks the feature debut of husband and wife team Doug Turner and Stacey Edmonds, who had previously...

May 30th, 2009 | Read More

Macabre (1980) Movie Review

“Macabre” was originally released back in 1980 and marked the debut of Italian horror director Lamberto Bava. The son of the legendary Mario Bava, who was responsible for countless influential genre classics including “Black Sunday” and “Black Sabbath”, his works were always somewhat overshadowed...

May 30th, 2009 | Read More

Martyrs (2008) Movie Review

As Hollywood horror slowly drowns in a mire of teen friendly remakes, over the last few years, it is arguably the French who have given genre addicts their much needed fixes, including such gruesome gems as “Switchblade Romance”, “Frontiers” and “Inside”. Following these comes “Martyrs”,...

May 30th, 2009 | Read More

Sleepless (2001) Movie Review

“Sleepless” was originally released in 2001 and saw legendary horror director Dario Argento returning to the Giallo form in an attempt to reverse what had seemed for many years to be the irreversible decline of his once glorious career. Perhaps inevitably receiving mixed reactions from critics and...

May 30th, 2009 | Read More

Pixar’s Up (2009) Movie Review

Pixar goes about making movies in a different way than the vast majority of movie studios do these days. For one thing, these movies take a very long time to make. Pixar says that “Up” took five years to put together and of course, “Up” cost a fortune. Because Pixar only puts...

May 30th, 2009 | Read More

Drag Me to Hell (2009) Movie Review

It doesn’t pay to be a nice guy (or gal) in a Sam Raimi horror movie. The “Spider-Man” director likes to torture people, especially the really nice ones. Just ask Ash from the “Evil Dead” films. Sam Raimi’s latest plaything is Christine Brown (Alison Lohman), a bank loan officer in “Drag...

May 28th, 2009 | Read More

The House by the Cemetery (Uncut, 1981) Movie Review

UK gore and horror fans have real reason to rejoice as Lucio Fulci’s 1981 gut muncher “The House by the Cemetery” has at last been passed uncut by the dreaded BBFC. The film now returns to DVD in all its gruesome glory via Arrow Video as part of their Masters of Giallo series, and comes complete...

May 24th, 2009 | Read More

Cutie Honey (2004) Movie Review

A live action version of the enduringly popular Japanese manga and anime series, “Cutie Honey” was directed by Hideaki Anno of “Neon Genesis Evangelion” fame. Originally released back in 2004, the film now arrives on region 2 DVD via MVM Entertainment, finally giving fans a chance to revel in...

May 24th, 2009 | Read More

Kill Switch (2008) Movie Review

Formerly one of the top action movie stars of the ’90s, Steven Seagal has spent the last several years phoning it in, starring in a stream of direct-to-DVD movies which, with only a few exceptions, are all terrible. “Kill Switch” is not one of those few exceptions, but it is a rare...

May 24th, 2009 | Read More

Zombie Virus on Mulberry Street (2006) Movie Review

“Zombie Virus on Mulberry Street”, the first feature from writer director Jim Mickle, picked up a number of plaudits and prizes on its initial release back in 2006 with a successful tour of genre festivals. Now with a new and not entirely necessary expanded moniker (the original title was the simpler...

May 24th, 2009 | Read More

Lesbian Vampire Killers (2009) Movie Review

It’s obvious to anyone who doesn’t have his head stuck up his ass that you don’t go into a movie called “Lesbian Vampire Killers” expecting the second coming of “Citizen Kane”. While the threshold for “success” is undoubtedly set very low as a result, there are nevertheless expectations...

May 24th, 2009 | Read More

Driven to Kill (2009) Movie Review

“Driven to Kill” is Steven Seagal’s second direct-to-DVD film this year. Yes, his second movie released on DVD in the year 2009, and movie #3 is already in the can. There’s really no way to keep track of all the DTV films Seagal has made since his career in theatrical releases...

May 20th, 2009 | Read More

Angels And Demons (2009) Movie Review

“Angels and Demons” holds a niche position in one kind of movie watching hell. I could not let my mind wander while watching it and still follow the tangled intricacies of Robert Langdon’s fascinating professors tour of Rome and simultaneously, I really wanted my mind to wander. So...

May 17th, 2009 | Read More

The Sniper (2009) Movie Review

Hong Kong’s “The Sniper” appeals to me because it’s about those mysterious guys who you never see, but who can kill you from three football fields away, and you’d never know it. When done right, like the 1993 Tom Berenger movie “Sniper” or 2001’s “Enemy at the Gates”, sniping is an...

May 17th, 2009 | Read More

Summer Whispers (2007) Movie Review

“Summer Whispers” marks the debut of first time writer director Kim Eun Joo, and offers a pleasingly understated take on the usual Korean romance. The title is certainly appropriate and evocative, as the film has a bright, though almost ethereal feel, dealing not only with love, but also with life...

May 16th, 2009 | Read More

Iris Chang: The Rape of Nanking (2007) Movie Review

“Iris Chang – The Rape of Nanking” is a documentary produced in 2007 by the Toronto based ‘Association for Learning and Preserving the History of WWII in Asia’ to mark the 70th anniversary of the Nanking Massacre. The film is based upon Chang’s bestselling 1997 book “The Rape of Nanking:...

May 16th, 2009 | Read More

China White (1989) Movie Review

“The China White” was originally released back in 1989 and was the first international film from Hong Kong director Ronny Yu, who has since gone on to helm the likes of Jet Li’s “Fearless” and the forthcoming anime adaptation “Blood: The Last Vampire”. Having been surrounded by controversy...

May 16th, 2009 | Read More