5 comments about Dragon Tiger Gate.

1. ...buy this film. If you loved the Double Dragon arcades & Double Dragon II for the NES and you were just hurt at the approach of Double Dragon in theaters especially casting a member of Patry Of Five to play Billy a.k.a. Bimmy...you need this film to be complete again! If you love martial arts films in the modern day dress attire minus the traditional robe wear, this is for you. Except it was weird that in the flashback to when they were kids they still had the same wardrobe...I mean, who dressed like they do in present day back in the day?...sorry but parents rarely give their kids exactly what they will look like 10 or 14 yaers in the future at the moment...weird. BACK ON TRACK NOW! Those who love martial arts action including the fantasy special power moves, this one is great for you. (Super Sentai fans will enjoy) If you like anime you love that this film is based off of a comic and they have hair in their face when they are talking and fighting but still that will not limit their much needed vision! (most non-anime people will adjust or not) I'm glad this is a Tai Seng release and not some bigger release label because then they might slap on some dumb down advertiser on it like "if you liked Kill Bill or Iron Monkey", or even a "Quentin Tarantino Presents..." (sorry QT fans but QT had little to do with Hero unlike Guillermo Del Toro presenting the Orphanage and actually taking part in its make) then you will pleased with this release.
   
   Tai Seng rocks, Dragon Dynasty peops are almost as good. Martial Arts fans get or check out this film!



2. Martial arts fans have been searching and searching... waiting for a GOOD movie to come out that has that perfect mix of storyline AND action. Where choreography and plot are prioritized. In Dragon Tiger Gate, Donnie Yen does a comic-turned movie where there is a perfect blend of story and martial arts. The mixture of fighting styles in this movie is superb and executed with finesse. Donnie is his usual "cool" self and proves once again, why he is the "underground" martial arts movie master!



3. Dragon Tiger Gate goes down easy. It doesn't ask a lot (except in the middle) and delivers a pleasing visual aesthetic and plenty of action.
   
   Here we have all the features of a typical Hong Kong martial arts film: a school of Kung Fu caught up in the feuding between rival clans of gangsters, a conflicted lead with a true heart, an emphasis on action, and only the most rudimentary elements of plot, character, or theme. The middle section plods along wearily connecting the dots of the story, but really, no one is watching this for the romance or the drama, and that's just as well because the script and the acting don't manage to evoke even a hint of empathy for its characters.
   
   Where the film shines is in its sets, costuming, direction, and choreography. There's probably not much here that hasn't been done before, except perhaps for the bird's eye view of a three-room fight, with the camera panning back and forth across the rooms and down the hallway, and in making the head gangster of Hong Kong a comic-book villain in a cape and mask who lives in castle-like fortress with suitably moody lighting. The leads are coiffed and dressed in the androgynous style popular across East Asia, and hang out in trendy looking homes and neighborhoods.
   
   See this one with your brain turned off, a beer in one hand, and the remote (for skipping through the middle chapters) in the other.
   
   #



4. His fight scene on the football field is SICK!! Also the guy with the nunchucks (spelling?) was cool to. The end scene got a little to cartoonish for me, but overall I give the movie five stars it was awesome!



5. It's action scenes are exciting and beautiful. It's fun to watch due to it's comic-like tone.
   
   It's one of interesting films starring Donnie Yen. Others are Kill Zone, Flash Point and Iron Monkey. I own it.

No comments about Shogun Assassin 5: Cold Road to Hell.

5 comments about Samurai Jack - The Premiere Movie.

1. Cartoon Network shows tend to be very, very cool -- at the very least, fascinatingly weird. But their most "righteous" show has to be "Samurai Jack," a dryly hilarious show with a righteous hero, his magic sword, and a truly loathsome villain.
   
   "Samurai Jack: the Movie" is nothing new, merely the first few episodes of the series. Nevertheless, it's a good introduction to anyone who is just checking out this clever little series.
   
   The evil Aku (Japanese for... "evil") has risen again, and lays waste to Japan. But the empress manages to smuggle away the young prince, and over the years he becomes a brave warrior. He returns, frees the enslaved people, and goes off to kill Aku with a magic sword forged by the gods.
   
   But during the battle with Aku, the young samurai is flung thousands of years into the future (think a grimier "Jetsons"). Aku rules the future with an iron fist, and the world is full of volatile aliens, speeding aircars, and talking dogs. Now the samurai -- known as "Jack" -- must free the enslaved dogs from Aku's rule, and find a way back to his own time so this future will never happen.
   
   Of course, he won't find it right away, because otherwise there wouldn't be a story. There's a bonus episode in the extras menu: Jack walks over a miles-long bridge, and encounters a psychotic Scotsman who ends up getting handcuffed to him. Will they escape backwater bounty hunters together, or strangle each other first?
   
   Certainly "Samurai Jack" isn't like anything you've seen before, with its simplistic drawing style and clever scripting. The animation style is reminiscent of classical Japanese artwork, and their movies get a nod in the quiet, relatively slow pacing of the episodes.
   
   And as it entertains you with evil robots and shapeshifting demons, it also throws in a subtle message about honor, kindness, and "righteousness." For a series with no character development, its hero is a pretty lovable guy. He's morally upright, righteous and kind, but somehow it isn't annoying.
   
   And it's fairly cool to see him training with Vikings, Olympic wrestlers, Cossacks, Zen monks, and even with Robin Hood. And when he gets to the future, we get to see him deal with all sorts of bizarro things. (Robot alligators with machine guns?) And surprisingly, Jack adjusts very quickly to his surreal new surroundings.
   
   Though it has nothing that people with the other "Samurai Jack" DVDs won't have, "Samurai Jack: the Premiere Movie" is a good intro for people who are just getting introduced to this clever series.



2. My son and I both love Samuarai Jack. I bought him the complete first three seasons for Christmas, but I also bought the premier movie. Now, I realize I should have caught on with the title, "Premier" Movie, but I thought it was just the first full length movie of Jack, not what it actually is - the premier episode that was an hour long. There could be worse things than having two copies of the same episode, right?



3. I recently had the urge to watch this again. It was in heavy rotation for me a few years ago, and now I think it's high time it returned! Seeing how the series progressed, and remembering the first few episodes struck me, it's no mystery why SJ impressed me!
   
   The art style is unlike anything else I've ever seen in animation from any country. Amazing backgrounds, fun dialogue, and action-action-action!
   
   The DVD's inclusion of a bonus episode from the show is odd, in light of having the complete sets of seasons, but welcome. The sketches and interviews are good.
   
   My favorite part of the movie would be the rush through his youth, a tour of the world, and kind of a preview of his entire life, as he tours the world again during the seasons to fight Aku. Watch it again!



4. An entertaining and different style of animation. If you have a few dollars to spare, go nuts.



5. Was not properly advertised, therefore I bought Season 1 twice. The movie is also Season 1.

5 comments about Ultimate Fighting Championship, Vol. 64: Unstoppable.

1. Do yourselves a favor and DO NOT buy this DVD. I think ever since the UFC switched to a different DVD distributor, the quality of their DVD's has gone through the floor. The picture is almost unwatchable because it is so blurry. I'm amazed that they even release stuff that basically has bootleg quality. I bought this DVD to enjoy watching Silva/Franklin over and over and over again, but I started getting a headache two minutes into it. Stay away from this. The UFC needs to do something about this because it's unacceptable for a company so successful to release such low quality garbage.



2. Anderson Silva has arrived in the UFC, and dominated the champ. One of the worst title defenses in history. I respect Franklin but wow, shows holes in his game. Rest of card is good, not the best but solid. Anyways the picture is not that bad actually it looks pretty dope on my TV. In the end if you enjoy mma this is worth purchasing.



3. This was a good card with two title fights and a solid undercard. Ignore the other reviewer who gave it one star because of the image quality. It is fine and he probably got a bad copy of it.



4. So, Anderson Silva smeared Chris Leben in a Fight Night in about 49 seconds, right? You take out Leben like that, you've got to be pretty good, or are you? Let's just give the man a title shot to see how good he really is. Doesn't sound too fair, does it? Anderson Silva taking on a seasoned champion such as Rich Franklin. How long could this possibly last? But Rich Franklin admits that this will be his toughest test. Anderson Silva really has no doubts. But then again, neither did Nate Quarry in UFC 56, and Franklin knocked him out, and Quarry was O-U-T! So Franklin is prepared to defend his Middleweight Championship belt. And for the first time in a little while, the UFC is prepared to give a Lightweight Championship to one of two contenders. Sean Sherk and Kenny Florian want that victory! Sherk simply claims that he isn't about to take Kenny lightly, because he is fighting for a world championship title. And with Sherk's experience, he's only lost twice. But in UFC 56, he was TKO'd by none other than GSP, and quite decisively! Kenny Florian, on the other hand, hasn't lost since the first Ultimate Fighter Finale when it went rather quickly against Diego Sanchez. But since then he's shown he isn't one to be messed around with. His elbows are lethal, and fighters such as Alex Karalexis found that out. Kenny sums this fight up pretty easily by saying, "That first mistake he makes, he's cooked." But will it really be that easy?
   
   This is a pretty good night. There are 8 fights total, and I'll list them below.
   
   Kurt Pelligrino vs. Junior Assuncao: Two quick and scrappy lightweights. This doesn't take too long and finishes in the first round.
   
   Clay Guida vs. Justin James: Both men ready to get it on! Wild and wooly Guida against an opponent with some fights under his belt. Both are making UFC debuts, and one wins in round two!
   
   Yushin Okami vs. Kalib Starnes: This features two veterans, both seasoned in the game of MMA. Starnes comes off some great TUF #3 time, while Okami knows his game and knows how to win. This is a decent battle that ends before the third round comes to a close.
   
   Spencer Fisher vs. Dan Lauzon: When big brother Joe, KO's Jens Pulver in UFC 63, then little brother, Dan, gets to take on Pulver's teammate. And just like the Pulver fight, this ends in the first round as well. Good start or bad start for 18 year old Dan Lauzon? YOU watch the fight!
   
   Cheick Kongo vs. Carmelo Marrero: Kongo has knock-out power, that's obvious! But newcomer Marrero has some great ground n' pound. This goes to a split decision that is well earned. The right man won the fight.
   
   Jon Fitch vs. Kuniyoshi Hironaka: This is a great battle! It goes to a unanimous decision.
   
   Sean Sherk vs. Kenny Florian: Well, this is a battle, and it goes to a decision. One man gets the title, while the other still put up a great fight the whole way through!
   
   Rich Franklin vs. Anderson Silva: This was by far the surprise of the night! Needless to say, it doesn't make it past a round. WOW!!!
   
   A night full of fights, some quite surprising! So if you haven't seen this yet, go for it! Not disappointing at all. By the way, meet Anderson Silva!



5. UFC 64
   UNSTOPPABLE
   
   This was a very historic event in my mind, mainly because of the huge upset that regardless of what people say now was not expected.
   
   1.KURT PELLEGRINO VS JUNIOR ASSUNCAO-this was a quick opening fight to the event with a great rear naked choke applied by Kurt. Junior did the best he could in this one but he was over come early by Kurt. A great quick opening bout.5/5
   
   2.CLAY GUIDA VS JUSTIN JAMES-the first round of this fight was amazing, both of these guys came to fight and win. It was back and forth between these two the entire round, Clay even gets caught in a deadly arm bar yet slips out. The second round was just as exciting as it went back and forth until it had 20 seconds left in the round. That is were it ended with Clay getting the win with a nice rear naked choke.5/5
   
   3.YUSHIN OKAMI VS KALIB STARNES-good enough first round between these two as most of it is just a feeling out process. Other then a few kicks and punches, and a take down that almost ends it there isn't much in this round. The second round is less active as it is mostly in the clinch the whole round, there is a good take down though. Round 3 more exciting as Okami not only mounts Kalib but also pounds his way to a victory.3.5/5
   
   4.SPENCER FISHER VS DAN LAUZON-this is another quick yet exciting fight as Dan gets two great take downs and even supplies some good ground and pound. But Spencer ends this towards the end of the first with a great knock out, it was obvious that Dan wanted no part of that.5/5
   
   5.CHEICK KONGO VS CARMELO MARRERO-round one was real good as Marrero who I thought at the time was going to get destroyed completely dominated Kongo. He took Cheick down and pounded on him the entire round, Kongo really had no answer for it. Round two was exactly the same except without all the ground and pound, although Kongo almost ended it with a guillotine choke. Round three was a little different because it was almost entirely on the feet, except for a little while with Kongo on top this time. Carmelo takes a split decision, although it should have been unanimous in my opinion.3.5/5
   
   6.JON FITCH VS KUNIYOSHI HIRONAKA-the first round of this fight is amazing as Fitch spends almost all of it inside a deep triangle. He comes back at the end of the round and almost stops it him self. The second round sees Fitch deliver some great kicks and when these two go to the ground it is nothing short of a chess match between these two warriors. In round three both are bloody both are tired and both are still in it giving it all they have. This is by far one of the best fights on an over all good card, Fitch takes a well deserved decision.5/5
   
   7.SEAN SHERK VS KENNY FLORIAN-this was the fight that would crown the first Lightweight champion after years of the title laying dormant in the UFC. Once the fight started Kenny was taken down, but then it got even. These two battled the entire time on the ground, both on offense and defense against each, usually it is one or the other. The second round is a bloodier version of the first, both just battle on the ground for the most part. The third is just like the first two, but with a great explosion from each at the end. The following round followed the same formula as the previous, but it was never boring. The final round went the distance looking just like the others, but like I said this fight never seemed boring. In fact to me it felt pretty epic. Sean Sherk wins by decision and becomes the new Lightweight champion.5/5
   
   8.RICH FRANKLIN VS ANDERSON SILVA-this is that fight I was talking about earlier, I don't care what you say everybody thought Franklin was going to take this. Even if some one thought Silva was going to win this I bet no one saw a first round domination coming. I remember watching this live and thinking no way Rich just got it put on him that bad. Of course looking back now I' am sure every one can believe it and even say they knew it would happen. But at the time it was unbelievable. Still to this day one of the best beat downs in history, right up there with GSP destroying Matt Hughes. Silva just killed Rich's body with some vicious knees and then landed a killer head kick.5/5

5 comments about A Force of One.

1. This is one of Chuck's best! He plays a champion karate instructor who's been asked to help teach self-defense classes to a class of police officers on the trail of a cop-killer they believe is a skilled martial artist. There's fun dialogue (listen to that offscreen cop muse about baseball mit prices while he and his partner search for clues at a sporting goods store!), good fight scenes (Wallace's kicks and Norris's spinning back fist look very sharp during the tournament matches), involving scenes of suspense (run, Charlie, run!), and Chuck dialogue at its best ("Whoever did this, is as good as dead.") It's got a low budget feel (because it WAS a low budget pic) with some extended long shots (not a lot of different camera angles and fancy framing), but that adds a little realistic touch and some extra charm to the film as well. Highly recommended for fans of Chuck! (Other top-notch Chuck Norris films would be CODE OF SILENCE and WAY OF THE DRAGON-also known as RETURN OF THE DRAGON. And I also recommend SLAUGHTER IN SAN FRANSISCO which is a REALLY low budget Hong Kong movie starring Don Wong-also known as Wong Dao-where mouths don't match the words and Chuck plays a really good bad guy!)



2. `He hears the silence. He sees the darkness. He's the only one who can stop the killing.' That's the tagline for the drama action thriller A Force of One (1979), starring Chuck Norris. I have no idea what it means to `hear the silence', or `see the darkness', but I suppose it has something to do with being a karate man (martial artists in the late 70's apparently had yet to earn the distinction of being known as `martial artists', often referred to as `karate men', as illustrated within this film) ...or maybe some promotional person just thought it sounded cool. While this wasn't Chuck Norris' first starring feature (most accept 1979's Good Guys Wear Black to have that distinction), it was the first, decent film he starred in, and, along with his ever growing fan base, helped turn this 6-time World Karate champion an internationally known film star. Based on a story by Ernest Tidyman (Shaft, The French Connection), A Force of one was directed by Paul Aaron, whose previous credits at the time included A Different Story (1978) and the made for television version of The Miracle Worker (1979), starring Patty Duke. The film stars Chuck Norris (Lone Wolf McQuade, Missing in Action 2: The Beginning) and the always-lovely Jennifer O'Neill (Summer of '42, Scanners) with one of the most unattractive, butch haircuts I've ever seen on a female. Also appearing is Clu Gulager (The Last Picture Show), Ron O'Neal (Superfly, Red Dawn), and martial artist Bill `Superfoot' Wallace in his silver screen debut.
   
   The film takes place in a relatively small California community, which is being overrun by the drug trade. As the film begins, we witness the death of two undercover detectives at the lethal hands of a mysterious, masked karate man. The detectives were investigating a lead, and met their fate while searching a local business (without a search warrant, I might add...which happens a number of times throughout the film, leading me to believe California has some of the most lax search and seizure laws in the nation). Anyway, the police are baffled by the deaths of two of their own, and soon come to the conclusion it must have been a karate man. This prompts them to seek out local karate expert and trainer Matt Logan (Norris) not only for possible leads, but also for training. Logan's hesitant to get involved, as he's busy training to defend his karate man title, but his conscience compels him, and he ends up helping out (which is good because everyone knows if you want to beat a karate man, you need a karate man). This ends up leading to one of the more cliché plot devices in films, where the bad guys harm one of Logan's kin, so now it's personal, forcing Logan to issue the declaration I used for the title of my review.
   
   This wasn't a bad little independent action flick, certainly formulaic, aided marginally by some decent performances by O'Neill (the scene where she reacts to the deaths of a couple of colleagues was pretty strong) and even Norris himself (whom, incidentally got his training as an actor from Jonathan Harris, better known as Dr. Smith, from TV's Lost in Space). Director Paul Aaron seemed like an odd choice, given his non-action film work, but he did reasonably well on all counts. The supporting cast did well, but their characters weren't given a whole lot to work with, and it shows. This is especially true of Gulager's character of Chief Dunne, who seemed to know very little about what his detectives were investigating, and so when they turned up dead, there were virtually no leads to follow...great job keeping track of your people...I guess keeping you informed, reporting in, calling for back up and such, wasn't a priority (neither was the appropriation of search warrants, but I already mentioned that). I really liked the scenes where Norris' character is training the detectives in karate, as they provided a nice bit of levity in an otherwise a serious film. I also enjoyed the interaction between Norris' character and that of his adopted son as it felt natural, despite the character of the son turning into an obvious plot device later in the film (he was also in danger of becoming a comic relief character, but thankfully it never crossed that threshold). The real treat here is the fight scenes, choreographed by Norris himself and his younger brother Aaron. There's a feel of realism that's sometimes lacking in other action films. Director Aaron made a wise choice avoiding a lot of quick cuts and close-ups during these scenes, rather letting the scenes play out in lengthy wide shots. And is it me, or does the head bad guy Melrose, played by actor Clint Ritchie, look a heck of a lot like Gil Gerard, from TV's Buck Rogers in the 25th Century? And Melrose...if you're going to commit a crime, don't wear a t-shirt emblazoned with the logo of the store you work at while doing it (yeah, I know, he was wearing a blazer over it, but it was still visible)...
   
   The film on this DVD is presented in full screen, and the picture is sharp and clear. I would have preferred the inclusion of a wide screen version, but what are you gonna do? The audio came through clearly, and gives the option of 5.1 Dolby Digital, along with 2.0 Mono in English, Spanish, or French. Special features include two featurettes titled `The Making of A Force of One' (16 min), and `How American Cinema Changed Hollywood Forever' (28 min) which details the rise and fall of American Cinema Group (the independent production company that originally released this film), and how their unique, innovative ideas and methods for making and marketing films eventually got co-opted by the larger studios, along with the company itself. Also included are cast and crew bios, along with a trailer and television commercial for the film.
   
   Cookieman108



3. Brillant Movie. I loved watching Bill Wallace Fight Chuck Norris I saw this movie many years ago and still love the film. This is not like other Hollywood Martial Arts Movies full of crappy stunts. The Action is brillant.



4. The police have seen a rise in drug crimes, and they suspect that a killer trained in karate is killing their narcotics officers. Karate expert Chuck Norris is called in to catch the killer and also to train the officers in karate. Chuck Norris plays a kickboxer in the movie, and he finds out that his toughest oppenent in the ring is the karate killer the cops are looking for. This leads to a showdown between Chuck Norris and the villain. It starts in the ring, and ends out of the ring.
   
   Th final fight is extremely short and so are all the other fights. I may be able to excuse the bad fight scenes if the story was good, but it isn't even close to good. There isn't any development put into ANY of the characters and this is where the movie really fails. The most enjoyment I got out of this movie was when it finally ended.
   
   1.5/5
   
   The DVD from Trinity Home Entertainment is full screen, but doesn't block out any of the action. Sound is good.
   
   There is a great 15 minute making of featurette that includes interviews with the president of American Cinema, the director of the movie, the composer, and many others. One thing the director talks about is the casting. Unfortunately he doesn't talk about casting Bill "Superfoot" Wallace as the villain.
   
   The other special feature is a 28 minute documentary on "How American Cinema changed Hollywood forever". This talks about how Chuck Norris was the film company's main star and how their company got started. It is the same documentary that is on Trinity's release of The Octagon



5. I am a huge fan of Chuck Norris' movies before his Walker TV show. A Force of One was a title that was hard to find, either on DVD or VHS, and in the last 10 years, has only been shown on cable TV where I live once.
   This is a film about a karate master (Norris) enlisted by the local PD to teach some narcotics cops karate, because a "karate killer" is killing off cops that get too close to a drug ring.
   It's great to see a pre-mustache and beard Norris. I think this was movie geared more toward exposing the public to who Norris was, and what karate was all about. There's really no story or thick plot, or even interesting characters, but -- this is a Chuck Norris movie! Good movie to kill a Saturday afternoon on.

5 comments about Missing in Action 2: The Beginning/Braddock: Missing in Action III.

1. these two movies are chuck at his worst! not once in these two movies is there and dose of humor or anything that passes for the laws of nature. and while i do like mr.norris and his movies these two are not even worth his or our time. between the first three chuck has saved his men,himself,and his son,so if they do anymore i guess he'll be going back to get his comb he droped in the bush!!
   SKIP IT!!!!!!!!!!



2. This product was brand new and the picture and image quality was clear and easy to understand. Thanks for a job well done and I look forward to do more business in the future with you and once again, thanks for a job well done and keep up the good work.



3. Both Chuck Norris Movies were very good. I liked the action, and Chuck's acting. My double feature movie came quickly and I was pleased.



4. Missing In Action II: The Begining. What a prophetic title for this unintentional comedy classic. It was the begining of many things. It is the trailblazer in explosions occuring behind guys, and having them jump off a springboard to appear as if they're getting blown away. It started the template for every WWF match of the late 80's(it even featured Mr. Fuji as one of the evil henchmen)in the way that Chuck and his co-star Soon-Teck Oh Yeah obviously got together just 5 minutes before the final fight scene to rehearse their slow motion punches and kicks. The film is really a thing of beauty. And as far as we, Sid the Elf know, it was the first film in which a flamethrower was used. Read that again. Yes! Awesome! Major bonus points here.
   
   Sid was nearly moved to tears when the evil Col. Yin placed a bag containing a provoked rat on a bound Chuck's head. The cruelty was alarming. But, a simple rhodent going up against the all-knowing, all-powerful Chuck was no competition at all. Sid called it when he said, "Chuck's going to eat the rat and have the tail hanging out of his mouth when they pull the bag off." This is the kind of knowlwdge gained by THE B expert from his vast experiance. We knew Chuck was eating the rat. And we wouldn't have it any other way. Well, now that Chuck had nourished his body with the high protein content of Vietnimeese rat meat, he was as strong as a POW could ever be.
   
   Still, Chuck was keeping his cool against the provocation of his captors all while never rebuking US and A, greatest country in the world. That is, until he was pushed over the edge. Then evil Col. Yin and his crew of flunkies were like a cobra's prey, ready to be pounced upon and struck at a moment's notice. At this point in the film, Sid found himself saying, "May Chuck Norris drink the blood of every man, woman, and child of Vietnam." And fortunately, Norris is a better man than Sid. He only drank the blood of all of his captors! He rescued his men, sent them away in a stolen drug chopper(don't ask) and stayed behind.
   
   Why, you ask? Then you obviously don't know the Chuck formula. It goes like this: always be loyal, take the bad guys and finish them, and stay behind at a prison camp of which nobody knows the location and noone knows you are there to have a final showdown with the main bad guy, throw away your gun so you can fight him fair eventhough he has been tourturing you and your comrades long enough for you to grow a horrific 70's porn beard, kick the wontons out of him while saying, "This is for (fill in name of fellow inmate). Then, a split second before you press the button to blow his lair to pieces, say, "And this is for me." Huge explosion (just one of the many in the film). And roll closing credits.
   
   If you remember to abandon logic like with all unintentional comedy you should love this film. It is legitamately good. It really doesn't matter that they made a prequel that ignored all the flashbacks from the first movie right? Well, at least Sid thinks it can be made up for with some good old-fashioned American propoganda and a flamethrower.
   
   Chills, right? Your goosebumps' goosebumps have goosebumps don't they? Exactly. Take Sid the Elf's word for it and see Missing in Action II. Oh, yeah you will freaking love it.



5. These movies are classics and I enjoyed these dvd's alot, I would recommened them to anyone who likes Vietnam movies and Chuck Norris as an actor.

5 comments about Kung Pow! Enter the Fist.

1. Really Really funny ! Some scenes could go a little faster - but is a primo movie.



2. This may be funny for the regular fan of comedies but for kung fu fans, this hits a totally new level of funny. Personally, I don't think I would've enjoyed this movie nearly as much if I hadn't been watching kung-fu for so long. But not just kung-fu, bad kung-fu. I only own the good stuff but I've seen enough bad ones to get alot of the jokes going on in this movie. Basically, this movie almost killed me. I laughed so hard for so long, I almost couldn't breath. I hadn't seen anything so funny in a long time and it's been almost as long since.
   
   Suprisingly though, I didn't see this in the movie theater. I remember the previews for it and thought it was just going to be stupid. I was dead wrong. I ended up renting it shortly after it came out on video and still didn't expect much. Not long into it, I was in tears. My girlfriend thought I had lost my mind as she had never seen me lose it like that. I agree as it's rare that anything can crack me up like this movie did. Coincidentally, the next movie on my list that has such an effect on me is 'Ace Ventura:When Nature Calls', which is also directed by Steve Oedekerk who stars in and directs 'Kung Pow'. Although Jim Carrey was fantastic in the last 'Ace', I think the teaming of the 2 made it comedy magic.
   
   The funniest things about this film are that Oedekerk really knows and gets kung-fu films. He knows exactly what's funny about them. The things that all kung-fu movie watchers chuckle at when watching a particularly bad one. Even the better ones have some, what?, moments in them that can only be explained as bad writing or bad translation. Here, Oedekerk focuses on those and makes them the focus of almost all the characters dialog and personalities. I guess as most any spoof goes, you have to know the original material for it to hit on that deeper level and 'Kung Pow' is an absolute bullseye shot at kung-fu.
   
   For me, one of the better aspects about Oedekerks' films is that they're basically clean. He doesn't indulge in cussing to make dialog funnier or gratuitous nudity for cheap thrills like today's comedies. No, he just sticks close to the source of silliness and doesn't get side tracked. Kung Pow never tries to be serious or anything other than an 81 min. joke. Because of that, this movie totally succeeds.
   
   The audio and video aren't really worth mentioning here as it's not the type of movie that you'll care as long as it works and it does. The picture is clean, colorful and bright and the audio is clear and discernable on all levels. You'll be having so much fun, you'll forget to check anyways. Personally, I don't think I could watch it just to check the sources. Other than that, the graphics and edits are cheesy but perfect here for what it's doing. Even though it looks fake, the cow is hilarious!!! The dubbing over the old film footage is also crazy funny. It reminds me of an old show called 'Putting on the Hits', where actors would improv voice overs for old films. It used to crack me up and it works here too as the majority of the movie is an old kung-fu movie dubbed with new dialog.
   
   I'm not sure how well this movie will do for people who don't watch kung-fu but I can positively guarantee that it'll have the fans in stitches. So for the casual fan of comedies, give it a rent. For the kung-fu fan, buy it now and watch it immediately. If you don't laugh, check your pulse cause your probably dead.



3. I have seen this movie about 25 times and its still funny every time.
   My kids love it and were crushed that number 2 never came out.
   It's great for boys, they find it hysterical.



4. This has to be one of the strangest, funniest spoofs of martial arts I've ever seen. I watched Kung Fu Hustle, but really didn't find it especially funny. Kung Pow, on the other hand, had us laughing just about from beginning to end.
   
   The long and short of it, for people who don't know the schtick, is that the movie's creator basically found an old 1970's kung fu movie and either used green screen or reshot parts of the movie to put himself into the action. He also revoiced much of the dialogue to completely remake the movie into his own twisted vision of a kung fu spoof. The end result is occasional hilarity, occasional groans, a few slow moments but an overall great spoof.
   
   If you love kung fu movies, you'll probably appreciate this spoof of the 70's revenge genre. If you haven't watched any good martial arts movies, why are you watching this? Go rent Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, House of Flying Daggers, Hero, Iron Monkey or The Forbidden Kingdom.



5. Kung Pow- Enter the Fist
   This is a parody movie. Wait...do not run away just yet. Unlike the mass of crappy parody movies that are produced these days, this movie is actually very funny. If you are into the Japanese Martial Arts genre, you need to pick this one up. This movie is a parody of that specific genre. Luckily, you do not actually have to known anything about the movies it is spoofing to find this movie laugh-out-loud funny. Even if you hate martial arts movies, you will enjoy this one.
   
   The movie starts in a small village. Master Pain and his group of thugs enter a home looking for a baby. The baby could affect their evil plans in the future if he is not stopped now. After the baby takes down most of the gang, Master Pain burns down the home in hopes to kill the child. Unfortunately, the baby narrowly barely escapes the flames. His family has been killed, so he is raised by the local wildlife.
   
   The baby would become known as "The Chosen One." Chosen One will be forced to fight off Master Pain's henchmen for the rest of his life. However, after growing into an adult, he encounters Pain in a nearby village. Chosen One now seeks revenge on Pain, who will change his name to Betty. "Isn't Betty a woman's name" is the question running through your and Chosen One's mind. Betty is still a force to be reckoned with despite his feminine name.
   
   This is not a intelligent comedy. Kung Pow expects you to lose about 20 IQ before viewing it. There is nothing wrong with a stupid (in a funny way) comedy every now and then. Some of the jokes are insanely humorous; other jokes are lukewarm stupid comedy. All of it mixes fairly well together. You will see references to The Lion King and The Matrix at certain points of the movie that will make you laugh. The other idiotic characters will have you laughing for a long time.
   
   The only problem with this film is that the video quality is low sometimes. Kung Pow takes pieces from other Japanese movies that originally played in the 70s. I enjoy this idea, but some might get annoyed by it. The ending credits show how they achieved this in more detail.
   
   I wish a sequel were made for this movie. There is plenty of reference to the making of a sequel in this film, but no sequel has been made to my knowledge. This movie has become a Cult Classic and the sequel would probably ruin this movie anyway. I want you to pick up this movie right now if you enjoy a fun spoof every now and then.

5 comments about Dynamite Warrior.

1. Where to begin? Dynamite Warrior is the story of a young man on a quest for vengeance against the man that killed his parents... sounds pretty unoriginal right? Well let me assure you that everything beyond the basic premise is quite fresh. Our hero Zieng is played by Dan Chupong is his second starring role after the action film Born to Fight. Here he is given a more interesting character to work with and is likeable as the "man of few words" vigilante type. His main weapon is his fantastic Muay Thai moves that have him rolling and somersaulting into bone crunching knee and elbow blows... but that's not all! You see he also utilizes rockets (in fact he even rides on one for a scene or two?!)... this is one of THOSE movies. The kind where each character you meet is a little more bizarre than the last (Takashi Miike would be proud of this eclectic group)and the situations aren't far behind. It uses these characters and the aforementioned plot to jump from one action setpiece to the next while keeping the viewer amused and interested. If you are an action fan than this works out great... others may be rolling their eyes by the second fight. Put together by the same group involved with other Thai action exports Ong Bak, The Protector, and Born To Fight (stunt coordinator Panna Rittikrai even stars as the Black Wizard) you know what to expect, slick direction and lots of exciting action. Wizards, cannibalistic barbarians, virgins-menstration-tipped-rockets(?!), and lots of fighting make this a highly entertaining and recommended release!



2. Dan Chupong ("Born To Fight") plays a vengeful young hero in Thai action film "Dynamite Warrior." The film is set in countryside of Thailand in 1920s and our hero dressed like a cowboy is looking for the murderer responsible for the deaths of his parents while taking away buffalos from the rich (after fighting the "bad" cow keepers) and giving them to the poor. The story is confusing and jokes often misfire, but probably you would not care much.
   
   First this is not "Ong-Bak" where no CGI is used. "Dynamite Warrior" uses plenty of them during the action scenes, but this is only necessary because of the nature of the weapons the protagonist uses against the villains (please see below). Fortunately Dan Chupong can do action stunts and some of them are impressive, but the film and its repetitive actions obviously need more time to let him show what he really can do. This is regrettable for Panna Rittikrai, who plays the arch-villain in this film, is actually stunt coordinator of "Ong-Bak." Dan Chupong is one of his protégés and hence the importance of the final battle scene, but the film takes too much time to go there.
   
   The daredevil hero uses one unique weapon - huge firecrackers (not exactly dynamites as the title says). Dan Chupong's hero even rides one like surfing, which is quite silly but funny, but this idea does not develop much. Like many other visual tricks and martial arts stunts in "Dynamite Warrior," director seems content with using his ideas repeatedly in simplest way. Each action scene is decent, but few of them are truly exciting.
   
   It is worth watching, to be sure, kind of mindless fun. But "Dynamite Warrior" could have been more fun with tighter pace and less repetitious actions.



3. The first 15 minutes of this movie are a little silly and boring, but the movie get better and turns out to be very entertaining. The special effects with the fireworks flying the air are amazing!!! And the fight scenes are very well done. Some of the characters have special magical powers, and that adds an interesting mix to the fighting.



4. I have a huge Kung-fu movie collection and after watching this movie I had to sell it. There is too much B.S. in this movie. I gess it is good for A laugh!



5. Dan Chupong ("Born to Fight") plays Jone Bang Fai, a young fighter who searches for his parents' killer in this strange, funny, and fairly enjoyable fantasy flick from Thailand. It's clearly influenced by (but not quite as "out-there" as) other Asian martial arts/fantasy films like "The Bride With White Hair", and "A Chinese Ghost Story".
   
   Lord Wang (snicker) is trying to get farmers across the country to get some modernity by having them sample the peppy new invention known as the tractor, and dispense with the smelly cattle that they have used for centuries. Most men are impressed until they see the lofty price tag. When Lord Wang can't sell any, he hires a (sometimes) cannibalistic brute to beat the living snot out of the farmers and swipe their livestock. This behemoth likes to wait until his victims sit down for a nice meal before attacking as he gets tougher when he's hungry. Our hero, unaware of who Lord Wang is, repeatedly knees Wang's subordinates in the chest and returns the farmers' property. When our hero finds the man he is looking for, and cannot defeat his magical fighting skills, he enlists the help of Lord Wang and a demon whose GORGEOUS daughter's fecundity holds the key.
   
   This is an interesting movie. Not a great film, but definitely entertaining. Funny characters and dialogue help keep it moving between action scenes, which is where the film (ironically) is a little bit of a letdown. The fights are all wire-enhanced Muay-Thai, and everyone not struck with a blunt, wooden object, takes a knee or an elbow to the head or chest. Oh, and some get hit by rockets too! The choreography starts getting repetitive after a while, though it does get bloodier, so that helps. The fights and stunts are fairly well done, I just wanted to see a little more variety. Do not expect "Ong-Bak"
   
   One thing I will say about the movies I have seen from Thailand, which really only consists of this, and two of Tony Jaa's flicks, is that the camerawork is always beautiful and impressive. The use of landscape and angles are certainly the work of consummate photographers. Not the jerky, grainy, claustrophobic work seen in American action films. I want to see what's going on, not have a seizure.
   
   I would hesitate in recommending this film only because it's not for all tastes. If you like fantasy and martial arts, you'll presumably enjoy it. I'm really not that big on fantasy and I still dug it. In fact, the more I'm thinking about it, the harder it is not so smile. In Thai with English or Spanish subtitles, or English dubbed. Widescreen too. 3.5/5.
   
   2006. aka: Five Warriors; Tabunfire

5 comments about 3 Ninjas Knuckle Up.

1. This movie sucked. I enjoyed Three Ninjas Kick Back, and the first one, but i couldn't stand this one. The music in this movie was possibly the worst in history and the plot is too slow for anyone to stay interested. I would suggest anyone thinking of seeing this, find something more interesting to do with your time. The Jokes were horrible...... F-



2. I thought it was dumb and so did everyone I know. The fighting was not realistic and the acting was horribel.



3. Before I start reviewing the movie itself, I feel it is important to note that the first 3 Ninja movies were released out of order. 3 Ninjas Knuckle Up was in fact shot back to back with the original which also had the original three actors from the first movie. Both 3 Ninjas and Knuckle Up came out in 1992 but for some reason Knuckle Up did not get released to the public until a year after 3 Ninjas Kick Back(1994-1995). So what I'm saying is that 3 Ninjas Knuckle Up is in fact the second of the original 3 Ninjas trilogy. Moving on to the movie itself, Knuckle Up takes place the next summer after the first movie. Rocky, Colt, and Tum-Tum help defend the land of Native Americans from a greedy land lord and his goons. This movie while good did not make it to the theaters even though it has the three kid actors and the same grandfather actor from the first 3 Ninjas. I'll admit that it was a bit weak with over-the-top humor from time to time but the large amount of action/fight scenes make up for it. Still, if you are a fan of the original 3 Ninjas trilogy like myself then you will pretty much find Knuckle Up to be worthwhile. Like the first 3 Ninjas, the DVD has no bonus features to offer.



4. I didn't care for this one as much as the original and Kick Back,which was actually made after this one,but released before(I don't know why.). Maybe I just wasn't into Cowboys and Indians.The whole culture never really caught my interest as much as the Asian culture as a kid...and still now.It wasn't completely bad though.Alot of people will be happy to see the original 3 actors,but it didn't do much for me.One plus was to see Colt have a fling with a girl.There was just something missing in this one.Maybe it got too preachy with the environmental issues.I always hated when cartoons or movies talked down to me as a kid.



5. And embarrassing. It's not a total loss, no because it can be entertaining...but only once in a while. Sure, the kids will probably like it , and even worse, try to imitate it but really, if you're not 6, 7 or younger, I wouldn't waste your time. That's what this was - a BIG waste of time.
   
   And it's so over exaggerated...Ugh.
   
   Not recommended.

5 comments about Jet Li's Fearless (Combo HD DVD and Standard DVD) [HD DVD].

1. I love chinese action movies and this movie was good and action scene was very exciting. Jet Li was my favorite chinese star. Also the story was good.



2. The Director's Cut of Jet Li's Fearless, which runs 37 minutes longer and is generally regarded as the definitive version, is finally being released on official Region 1 DVD. At 141 minutes, it fleshes out the story more, makes some points more clear, and includes several more minutes of martial arts action, most notably a scene where the hero battles a Thai fighter. A subplot featuring Michelle Yeoh is restored.
   
   The upcoming release isn't a special edition, and there won't be many special features. The two-disc set will include the Director's Cut, the PG-13 US theatrical cut (103 minutes), and the only slightly different unrated US version (104 minutes). The last two are already available on the current Region 1 DVDs. The special features are similar to those on the current DVDs, the featurette "A Fearless Journey" (16:04) and some cut scenes (reportedly more than one--there was only one deleted scene on the previous Region 1 releases).
   
   It will be in 2.40:1 anamorphic widescreen, with English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround, Mandarin Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround, and optional English subtitles.
   
   Fearless is the highly fictionalized story of the real-life Huo Yuanjia (or Yuan Jia), a hero of Chinese martial arts who died almost a century ago. The son of a wise martial arts champion who refuses to teach him, Huo teaches himself by, among other things, watching his father train. Lacking his father's humility, he is a most skilled fighter but commits shameful acts that, when he finally sees their devastating consequences and recognizes his failings, drive him to become an aimless wanderer. Through the kindness of humble people he recovers and eventually redeems himself in several dramatic ways.
   
   This is a high-budget, beautifully produced martial arts film that will be enjoyed by more than the usual martial arts fan. Though it doesn't have quite the same pretensions, those who enjoyed Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon or Hero and don't mind a fair amount of violence will probably also enjoy this.
   
   If you don't have Fearless on DVD yet and can wait until July, you'll probably want to get the Director's Cut, especially since the shorter US cuts are also included.
   
   No Blu-ray edition has been announced, but it will undoubtedly arrive eventually.
   
   The Amazon page to pre-order the Region 1 Director's Cut is here.



3. This was by far my favorite Jet Li film. It really was great. The action had (of course) some rather unrealistic parts, but that is rather inevitable. But the storyline is actually quite good. Predictable to a certain degree, but still very good. The progression of the character of the protagonist was laudable. I thoroughly enjoyed this film. With this version you get the original film, and the Unrated version. The unrated version is the same as the original except that there is more blood and violence. Several shots of blood gushing or arms actually snapping. So whether you want the gore or not, this DVD has both, great buy!



4. This is a fun and well written story as far as I'm concerned, Jet Li has been challenging himself in many styles of movies and he's come out on top in each.
   
   I found him to really become the character but still add his level of skill and style to the movie at the same time. I don't think I've really seen hardly any movies of his that I haven't liked. This being one of the top movies I think he's done. Even friends who haven't liked him in other movies have said that they would watch this one again.
   
   If you still have an HD DVD player get this one, it's worth it in HD.
   
   HD quality: 4.5 stars, I did notice a couple dark areas here and there that had some noise in them, looked as if they were taken with a lower quality camera and or transfered from film wrong.
   HD audio: my 5.1 system still kicks out great sound and this movie had me looking over my shoulders a couple times, lol. Will make you wonder sometimes.



5. This is a great film, loaded with martial arts, and the true understanding of them. This film contains a well made storyline that keeps you watching to the end.