Another IP Man Tale
For the third time, martial artist Dennis To portrays legendary Wing Chun grandmaster Ip Man in director Liming Li’s Ip Man: Kung Fu Master. Li also handles scripting duties for the film, which focuses on Ip’s early days before the Communist Revolution.
Flashback Friday Movie Review : Step
Dance movies can be hit or miss, as I generally only see them for the dancing unless it is a documentary. Fox Searchlight Pictures highlighted “Black Girl Magic” to significant effect with their 2017 release, Step. With Step, I expected a documentary along the lines of Rize or Planet B-Boy.
Hydra is a quick action romp
Action coordinator Kensuke Sonomura makes his directorial debut with Hydra from Well Go USA Entertainment. First things first, the film is not an adaptation of the Marvel Comics fictional terrorist organization.
Comedy & lupine lore mix in Werewolves Within
Director Josh Ruben adapts a video game for his sophomore film with Werewolves Within from IFC Films. After a proposed pipeline creates divisions within the small town of Beaverfield and a snowstorm traps its residents,
Summer of Soul from first time director Questlove is a much needed history lesson
The music extraordinaire Ahmir Khalib Thompson, better known as Questlove, makes a stunning directorial debut with Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised). A documentary from Searchlight Pictures, Summer of Soul
Audiences shouldn’t bet on Lansky for a good gangster flick
Meyer Lansky, the historical figure who carried the moniker the “Mob’s Accountant,” receives another biopic on Lansky. Arriving from Vertical Entertainment, the film is written and directed by Eytan Rockaway.
Siberia is strictly for Dafoe and Ferrara fans
Willem Dafoe reunites with director Abel Ferrara in the psychological thriller Siberia from Vertical Entertainment. Partially inspired by Carl Jung’s The Red Book, Siberia introduces the audience to Clint (Dafoe), an English speaker who has abandoned his former life and now runs a bar in Siberia.
Simplistic story aside , Luca is another winner for Disney/Pixar
Disney and Pixar unleash their latest animated tale in Luca. Enrico Casarosa makes his directorial debut with the film, which follows Luca Paguro (Jacob Tremblay), a 13-year-old sea monster who resides in the waters next to the Italian coast. Lucas spends his days herding goatfish with his parents Daniela (Maya Rudolph) and Lorenzo (Jim Gaffigan).
Rogue Hostage is a miss for Tyrese
Tyrese Gibson attempts his version of Die Hard in director Jon Keeye’s Rogue Hostage from Vertical Entertainment. Single father and former Marine Kyle Snowden (Tyrese Gibson) must save his daughter Angel (Zani Jones Mbayise) and other hostages from a dangerous criminal by the name of Eagan (Christopher Backus), who has trapped them inside a neighborhood store owned by Kyle’s polarizing stepfather, Congressman Sam Nelson (John Malkovich).
Decent action, not much else in Undercover Punch & Gun
Action and martial arts take center stage in Well Go USA’s Undercover Punch & Gun from directors Lui Koon Nam & Frankie Tam. Xiao Wu (Philip Ng) is a cop deep undercover who has constructed a comfortable niche for himself in the criminal underworld.
Friendship and martial arts go hand and hand in The Paper Tigers
Director Quoc Bao Tran creates a successful cinematic concoction of martial arts and friendship in The Paper Tigers, from Well Go USA Entertainment. Danny (Alain Uy), Hing (Ron Yuan) and Jim (Mykel Shannon Jenkins) were thick as thieves growing up and shared a love of martial arts.
Clayne Crawford delivers a career best performance in The Killing of Two Lovers
Director Robert Machoian tapes into the effects of martial separation in NEON’s The Killing of Two Lovers. Primarily known for his shorts, Machoian’s third feature film stars Clayne Crawford as David a man who has recently separated from his wife Nikki (Sepideh Moafi).