No comments about Enter The Game Of Death (Dubbed In English).

5 comments about Dark Assassin.

1. Combine a Bruce Lee look-alike, cheesy rap music, strained dialog and kickboxing and you have a recipe for a rank martial arts movie you can't sit through. It's nothing you haven't seen before and it's definitely not something you want to see again. I rented this for free and I still feel cheated. Gah!



2. I heard about this movie for a long time in the indie circuit and was happy to see it finally out. Jason Yee is one of my heroes in the martial arts world - he was champion of many international wu shu and kickboxing competitions.
   
   For an indie action film that he produced on his own dime with his students, it was surprisingly good. I love the guy's charisma and presence. Wonder what a polished studio film could do for him...



3. Was this a great movie?, by all means no, but self-finance
   for 80k$, which is like "one promo" for Hollywood movies this has
   to be considered "good" considering/budget/and the cost of a average film.



4. Jason Yee may be a great martial artist, but he is a horrible actor, writer and director. The dialogue is dull and wooden. The plot is almost nonexistent. Even the fight scenes are poorly filmed. This may be the worst move I've ever seen.



5. I just finished watching Dark Assassin and I was horribly dissapointed. I was expecting a bit more, the cover is so cool I really thought it would be more action less plot.
   
   I'll be honest, I am not happy with the majority of the fight scenes, and I didn't like the plot at all. But what won me over was the speical features and learning how they made the movie and the effort they put in. Jason Yee seemed like a really cool guy and very talented. With more production time and cheorgraphy, it could of been amazing. I give it 4/5, I would like to give it 5/5 based on work effort and budget alone, but I think 4/5 will reflect my full opinion more.
   
   Warning. If you find nothing respectible about other peoples hard work and effort to make a movie, and simply want to be entertained, I do not think this movie is for you. As mentioned, until I saw the special features, I was not a happy panda.

No comments about Tai Chi for Diabetes.

1 comments about My Lucky Star.

1. Feng Shui, the art of placing things to bring auspiciousness into one's life, is at the heart of "My Lucky Star", a comedy starring Tony Leung Chiu-Wai and Miriam Yeung.
   Miriam Yeung plays Yip Koo Hung, a young woman who won't start the day without first consulting horoscopes, tarot cards, and her luopan or compass. You see, she considers herself to be the queen of misfortune. Bad luck follows her as if it were her shadow. Yet she remains cheerful and determined to change her lot in life. After 3 years, she finally manages to get an appointment to see Lai Liu Po (Tony Leung), one of the top feng shui masters in Hong Kong. However, she has to change her name and trick her way into his office because he refuses to see anybody whose surname is Yip. Unbeknown to her, it was one of his ancestors who unintentionally lent a hand in breaking her family luck.
   The movie is at its best in the first half when it focuses on the budding relationship between Yip and Lai. Tony Leung makes a handsome and dapper Lai while Miriam Yeung's Yip is a combination of impulsiveness, kindness and naiveté. The second half of the movie revolves around Lai's solving his family motto (and riddle): "Know a Yip, make a loss" and in fighting the bad guys who are intent in cursing Yip although it is not very clear why they want to get rid of her in the first place since at the beginning of the movie she did not seem to be in anybody's way.
   "My Lucky Star" is lite fare, simple and feel-good. It is the kind of movie you may want to watch when you wish to call it a day with a smile.

1 comments about Wild Goose Qigong V - Soft Palms Qigong - Advanced.

1. I was very impressed and very happy with the quality and content of this instructional DVD.
   
   I am not a student of the Wild Goose lineage of Chi Kung. But I've been practicing various active and quiescent QiGong/"Chi Kung" forms for 12 years, and I've studied with some very famous and accomplished teachers. And I've had some good success with it - no one will ever mistake me for a Taoist mystic, but I've managed to resolve some chronic health problems and wean myself off anti-depressants and Xanax with some disciplined daily practice. So I like to think that I know a little about chi kung, and can tell the real stuff from the poseurs.
   
   This DVD definitely offers the real stuff. Master Hu's approach to Wild Goose QiGong is somewhat gentler and softer than some other teachers' practice of the Wild goose forms, and word has it from a friend who attended one of his seminars that Hu relies on standing meditation practice (Yi Chuan) to supply much of the internal power which is channeled and refined in forms like this. But there is no mistaking the man's skill and focus.
   
   The form itself takes only a minute or so to complete. But the instructional content of the DVD is over 30 minutes. That should give an idea of the exhaustive and thorough nature of the instruction on this product. The form is broken down into sections, and each section is shown multiple times from various angles, sometimes at various speeds and with sometimes with varying emphasis on hand movements, footwork, body actions, etc. The voiceover instruction is clear and easily understandable. The camerawork is professional and clearly shows everytning. The form is shown in a variety of settings, indoor and outdoor, which adds much to the pleasure of watching the form.
   
   As to the actual worth of the "Soft Palms" set, I have practiced sets with similar actions and footwork, and I can testify that a relatively simply form such as this, practiced with focus, and relaxed vitality (what the Chinese call 'sung') for 15-30 minutes, can have profound beneficial effects on energy circulation, stress reduction, mental clarity and overall wellness. So I have no doubt that this would be a worthwhile addition to any QiGong practioners reportoire.
   
   One caveat: "Soft Palms" is a fairly advanced form in the Wild Goose system. While anyone can benefit from it with dedicated practice, it may be more appropriate (and less frustrating) for experienced QiGong students, and for students who are familar with more foundational work in Wild Goose.
   
   In summary, this is a beautifully made DVD, and I am very glad to have it, especially for the relatively low price.

No comments about Joe Lewis The Art of Deceptive Penetration-D.

No comments about Filipino Martial Arts Vol 2: Single Stick Basic Training.

5 comments about Hitman in the Hand of Buddha.

1. Hwang, one of the premiere leg men in the history of the martial arts genre, is at his best in Hit Man in the Hand of Buddha. This film includes the usual fantastic leg work from Hwang, but also some of the better stick-fighting scenes I have ever seen. True fans of the genre should sit back and enjoy the work of one of the true greats to ever grace the martial arts screen. Well worth the watch, although I would recommend finding a copy with subtitles rather than the dubbed English.



2. This was a good movie, because it wasn't boring at all. Even with it slow beginning. But the end gets it's props. I like this movie as well, because it had meaning to. This was an ok movie. I'm buying more as we speak.



3. This was an okay flick - surely not included in my top 5%. The Martial Arts Theater copy had very poor sound quality - far too low and very crappy for a DVD. Maybe I got a bad copy - who knows.
   
   Pretty okay fighting scenes - I've seen much better. The plot was simple to follow and also very predictable. Overall, this is a decent flick to add to your old school Kung Fu collection.



4. An absolute must for fans of the great Hwang Jang Lee(and how can you not be?), Hit Man In The Hand Of Buddha is possibly the "king of the superkickers" finest moment... oddly enough though, it's due more in part to the amount of his screen time rather then the actual movie itself. The film features plenty of the usual trappings of martial arts cinema from the era(most notably the protagonist being beaten and nearly killed before heading to the Shaolin temple for training before the inevitable rematch), but what really makes this film such a joy is seeing Hwang in the role of hero for once. Up until this point(and ever since I believe?) he had only played the part of villian(most notably in The Drunken Master, Secret Rivals 1 and 2, and Snake In The Eagles Shadow) to which the opposing lead could always expect a near battle to the death from. So all it took for Hwang to finally get the role as a good guy... write, direct, and produce his own film of course(?!). The fact that he's a tad unconvincing in the role(although he does lose his trademark mustache... oh, you didn't know facial hair was evil? LOL!) isn't the important thing, the important thig is that it's a complete movie revolving aroung Hwang Jang Lee with every fight featuring him doing what he does best... booting goons in the head! An excellent cast(including Eddy Ko, Tino Wong, and Mei Sheng Fan), great musical score, plenty of old school intricate choreography, and Hwang as a hero make this a true gem of any self-respecting Kung Fu fans collection. The DVD from Tai Seng is typical... full-screen and featuring no special features or original language/subtitle options, though the picture is actually pretty clean and the vocal dub track is solid as well.



5. I dont see how this movie got good reviews. This was one of the corniest kung fu films I've ever seen. The fighting is corny, the plot is corny, the editing is just terrible. Everything stinks about this movie. I didnt even watch it twice.Omg its terrible. Not even worth a watch.

No comments about Masters Of Kung Fu 3 Disc Collector's Edition.

1 comments about The Martial Arts Essentials: The Films of Sammo Hung 6 Film Set.

1. INCREDIBLE KUNG FU MASTER (1979)- Steve Tung Wei stars as a young man named Kung Fu Chin. He really wants to be a great kung fu fighter and tries to learn as many styles as he can. The 2 teachers he is learning from have become rivals, and he has also found a 3rd teacher. Sammo Hung plays the 3rd teacher and tells Kung Fu Chin that kung fu is like food, eat all that you can as long as it's good. So while Kung Fu Chin is learning all the kung fu he can, Phillip Ko has a plan to kill the 2 rival teachers. He sends in 2 spies and says they are his sons.
   
   Nothing much happens in this movie, it is just your standard kung fu flick where a kid gets picked on, learns kung fu, and then takes revenge. The training sequences are some of the best I have ever seen. Tung Wei can do things with his body that made me cringe. I only wish I was a tenth as flexible as him.
   
   The final 25 minutes is non-stop action. It is missing the intensity, but the choreography is certainly there. It's a shame they didn't put much into the fighting unil the last few fights. At least it was a nice surprise to see so many good fights after so many average ones. Sammo looks brilliant, Phillip Ko looks as good as he always does, and Lee Hoi San and Steve Tung Wei also do great work. Lee Hoi San's performance comes close to matching his work in Magnificent Butcher. Austin Tin Chi Wai has a good cameo where he fights Sammo, but still, the kung fu is just lightweight. Only in Phillip Ko's fight did I get the feeling that someone may actually die. If you are looking for hardcore kung fu action with Tung Wei, then check out Killer Wears White (AKA Shadow Ninja) which can be found in the Martial Arts 50-Pack. Killer Wears White is fast, furious, and downright brutal. Incredible Kung Fu Master is just a walk in the park. This is a kung fu movie that the kids can watch.
   
   I reviewed this movie before on this site, and I gave it a 3/5. But after so many viewings I feel that it should get a 3.5/5. I'm just a sucker for good kung fu fights.
   
   Picture quality is decent and it's partly widescreen. Sound is a bit low.
   
   
   
   GAMBLING GHOST (1991)- Sammo has 3 roles in this movie. He plays a parking attendant who loves to gamble. Sammo is known for playing the common man, and it doesn't get much more common than this. Sammo also plays the man's father, and grandfather. His grandfather is dead, but his ghost comes back and wants Sammo to revenge for him. This movie is not very good, but enjoyable. Some decent jokes and some good action at the end. Bobby Samuels and Billy Chow show up, so you know it's worth a watch. 3/5
   
   Picture quality is pretty good, and it's widescreen. Sound is hard to hear at times.
   
   
   
   BURGER COP aka DON'T GIVE A DAMN (1995)- Sammo and Yuen Biao star in this buddy cop movie. Takeshi Kaneshiro also stars, but doesn't add much. The story has them tryin to stop a drug trade, and there really isn't much more to it. I found the entire movie pretty bad. None of the fights interested me much, except the finale. The finale has all kinds of fights going on, including a 1 on 1 on 1 fight between Collin Chou, Sammo, and Bobby Samuels. And be sure to look for cameos from Chin Siu Ho, Leung Kar Yan, Lau Kar Wing, and countless other recognizable actors. 2.5/5
   
   Picture quality is decent and it's widescreen. Subititles are easy to read for the most part. Only problem is that there are 2 audio tracks playing at the same time and it's really annoying.
   
   
   
   MANDARIN MAGICIAN (1974)- This is a bad movie about Larry Lee going to Thailand to help some old guy. It's really boring, but there is some decent action. The Muay Thai fights in the ring are ok, and the basher action outside of the ring is a little above average, especially the finale. Larry Lee truly is a magician with those nunchukas.
   
   This is the only movie in the 6-pack where Sammo doesn't have much of a role. He plays a thug and has a couple of fights, but they aren't worth talking about. Lam Ching Ying has a decent Thai boxing fight, and you can also spot Mars, Chan Lung, Yuen Wah and Billy Chan in the cast. 2.5/5
   
   Picture is letterboxed and the print is in pretty decent shape. English dubbed.
   
   
   
   RETURN OF THE FAT DRAGON aka KING SWINDLER (1993)- Sammo stars as a drunken gamboholic in this kids movie. He goes to jail because of his gambing, and when he comes out he wants to go straight. I guess by going straight you fight in underground boxing matches. The movie is really bad and full of stupid humor, and unfortunately the fights are nothing special. But, there is one fight scene that makes the movie worth watching. Sammo is in a bar and gets in a fight with a bunch of people and uses drunken style. It's not a great fight or anything, but not bad.
   
   So the movie is bad, but I have to admit that the little kid had me cracking up. He does some acting that I didn't think a 3 or a 4 year old was capable of doing. 2/5
   
   Picture quality is decent and it's full screen. It seems to be in its original language and all of the subtitles are easy to read.
   
   
   
   HIDDEN ENFORCERS (2002)- This is about as bad as it gets. Sammo raised a group of kids and is their Godfather. He has them kill people for him. So the real heart of the story that were left with is the interractions between this group of 20 year olds. Prepare to be bored out of your mind. I watched this with a friend and we had the sound down at the end and were doing our own dubbed voices. We had to do something, because the movie is unwatchable. Sammo gets some brief action at the beginning and end, but other than that the movie is a complete waste of time. 1/5
   
   Picture quality is very good and it's widescreen. Subtitles are easy to read.