While harmless and not altogether without its minor pleasures, Vanguard is instantly forgettable, and if one wants to see Chan at the height of his creative powers I suggest re-watching the original Police Story trilogy instead of this.
Henderson and his crack stunt team choreograph some exquisite chase-escape-fight-flight sequences, not the least of which is a suitably chaotic showdown in a secluded jungle village.
John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum is a highflying ballet of bloodshed and carnage that’s altogether remarkable, the adrenaline rush I got while watching it a euphoric high I wish I could bottle and sell at the neighborhood store.
Shadow is a masterful spectacle of human frailty and intellectual dishonesty that only grows in resonance as it goes along, its haunting final image of a pained decision in the process of being made one that will stick with me for quite some time to come.
In typical Hammer fashion the actual climax is a bit sudden (and, in this instance at least, slightly underwhelming), and I can’t say all of the East-meets-West storytelling elements work as comfortably as I frequently wanted them to. None of which makes The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires any less entertaining, discovering this Hammer/Shaw Brothers production a true joy and am glad the folks at Scream! Factory took the time dig this one out of the vaults for all of us to see.
The Street Fighter films have stood the test of time for a reason as Sonny Chiba’s magnetic ferocity simply cannot be denied. Shout! Factory’s three-disc set features magnificent presentations of all three motion pictures, and while special features are relatively sparse, what is here is still pretty great. A collection that fans of the series certainly will want to add to their personal libraries.
They keep things intimate, personal and close to the vest, events revolving around Logan’s battles with his inner demons above all else. The Wolverine isn’t interested in the big or the audacious, instead choosing to turn inward whenever it can, in essence making it one of the more anachronistic Marvel superhero epics to grace the multiplex up to now.
Tai Chi Zero is a bad movie, and I honestly don’t think there’s anything left for me to say.
While the action choreography is impressive, emotionally I’m finding it difficult to care, The Raid: Redemption never quite connecting on anything more than a purely visceral level and nothing more.