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Legend has unveiled its packed May 2025 premiere schedule, delivering an ambitious run of science fiction, fantasy, and action classics that stretch across time, space, and genres.

At the top of the pile is James Cameron’s rarely broadcast deep-sea thriller The Abyss, which makes a rare UK television appearance on Sunday 25 May at 9pm. This underwater epic about alien intelligence, nuclear paranoia, and human resilience remains one of Cameron’s most visually arresting and emotionally charged films.

But for those who prefer their sci-fi terrain a little more subterranean than subaquatic, Legend has curated a trio of matinee premieres that mine classic adventure with gusto. Kicking off with Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959) on 5 May, followed by Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1961) and disaster milestone The Poseidon Adventure (1972), the channel dives deep into cult cinematic archaeology.

The month also marks the arrival of Highlander III: The Sorcerer,...

An action icon is all set to return to screens after being away for five years. Despite announcing his retirement, the martial arts legend and star of such action classics as Once Upon a Time in China, Fist of Legend, Kiss of the Dragon, Fearless, The Expendables franchise, and many, many more, Jet Li is all set to once again demonstrate his particular set of skills in the upcoming live-action adaptation of the comic, Blades of the Guardians.

After rumors began circulating, it has now been confirmed by Chinese Entertainment News that Jet Li will make a triumphant return to screens in Blades of the Guardians, which will adapt the Chinese manhua "Biao Ren," which in turn was given the anime treatment in 2023. Not only will the historical, fantasy, martial arts, action movie feature Li’s return, it is also being helmed by renowned Hong Kong filmmaker and action choreographer Yuen Woo-ping,...

In the mid-2000s, you could be forgiven for thinking action films had gotten a little stale. The genre tends to go in waves; whenever something hits in a big way, you get derivative, increasingly stale copies. Think about all the Die Hard rip-offs or the way every movie tried to copy The Matrix with bullet time and wire-work post-1999. Heck, we’re experiencing it right now with superhero movies and John Wick clones. Whenever this happens, it’s more-or-less left to international cinema to come along and shake us up with something different, done far outside the mainstream, to revitalize the genre. That happened in 2004, when a small movie from France, District 13, introduced Parkour to mainstream audiences.

So, what’s Parkour? Think of it as free running in an urban setting mixed with acrobatics and martial arts. It was founded by the star of District 13, David Belle, a Parisian...

Streaming platforms have a habit of reviving long forgotten or hardly spoken about movies from the past, and that is true of the 2001 Kung-Fu action movie Kiss of the Dragon entering the Top 10 on Tubi after landing on the platform. Starring Jet Li, in what some regard as his best English-speaking movie, the film did not score highly with critics, but like many action movies, it delivers some intense and crowd-pleasing fights that are enough to make it worth a watch for die-hard fans of the genre.

Kiss of the Dragon was written and produced by director Luc Besson, who also helmed The Fifth Element and Scarlett Johansson action movie Lucy, and, along with Li, starred Bridget Fonda, Burt Kwouk, and Tchéky Karyo. The synopsis of the movie reads:

“Jet Li plays Liu Jiuan, China's top government agent, who arrives in Paris from Shanghai to carry out a sensitive, top-secret mission.

Schwarzenegger. Stallone. Van Damme. Gibson. Snipes. Ford. When you make a list of the most popular action heroes of all time, there’s another name that needs to be added to that list – Liam Neeson. Over the last sixteen years, he’s headlined a neverending series of action thrillers that have propelled him to a much higher echelon of fame than he’d ever been on before, with him only ever becoming an action star once he was fifty-six. Ultimately, it was all due to a low-budget, European-financed action flick, which came very close to going direct-to-video and reached theatres in Europe a full year before it opened in North America. That movie is Taken, and we’re going to tell you how it revitalized the career of a man who – at the time – was generally considered a top-tier character actor with limited box office appeal. That’s right – it...

From ‘Bad Boys’ to ‘Fargo,’ Tubi is bringing a few great titles to streaming in January 2025. All titles below begin streaming for free on January 1 unless otherwise noted:

Originals Action Don’T Mess With Grandma (1/24):

A drunk Army ranger must fight off the vicious robbers who plan to loot the cabin belonging to his sweet, oblivious grandmother.

Documentary TMZ Presents: UFO Revolution S2 (1/15):

Embed with UFO journalist Jeremy Corbell on his mission for transparency culminating in the explosive November 13, 2024 UFO congressional hearing.

Thriller Sugar Mama (1/3):

When a businesswoman pursues a relationship with a sugar baby for research purposes, her curiosity with him spirals into obsession.

A Kill For A Kill (1/17):

A deceptive motivational speaker becomes entangled in a deadly game with a fan who suggests they kill each other’s spouses.

Happy Anniversary (1/31):

A young woman assumes three identities to prey upon the men who...

Tubi, Fox’s free streaming service, has announced its list of January titles. The Tubi January 2025 slate features new Tubi Originals, TV series, and numerous action, art house, Black cinema, comedy, documentary, drama, horror, kids and family, romance, sci-fi and fantasy, thriller, and Western titles.

As a leading ad-supported video-on-demand service, the company engages diverse audiences through a personalized experience and the world’s largest content library of over 250,000 movies and TV episodes, a growing collection of exclusive Originals, and nearly 250 live channels.

You can watch the Tubi January 2025 lineup for free on Android and iOS mobile devices, Amazon Echo Show, Google Nest Hub Max, Comcast Xfinity X1, and Cox Contour.

You can also watch the service on connected television devices such as Amazon Fire TV, Vizio TVs, Sony TVs, Samsung TVs, Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, Android TV, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and on the Tubi site.

Tubi Originals...

There’s no denying that The Fast and the Furious was inspired by a plethora of vehicular heist films that preceded it, but it also ended up being a source of inspiration for many action films that came after it. If we look at the North American market, after the success of the Ff franchise, films like Torque, Need for Speed, and Baby Driver were greenlit. Russia jumped on the trend with Street Racers. So did Malaysia with Evolusi Kl Drift and its sequel Evolusi Kl Drift 2; yes, they weren’t hiding their love for Tokyo Drift. India launched the massively popular Dhoom franchise. The Norwegian film industry also spawned a franchise inspired by the Ff films, i.e., the Borning trilogy. While the French were ahead of the curve with the two Taxi movies, they eventually expanded it into a five-film franchise after the demand for vehicular mayhem increased in the 2000s.

After yesterday’s rumors and confusion, we now know that Hong Kong director and cinematographer Corey Yuen has died. Interestingly, according to the Federation of Hong Kong Filmmakers, Yuen passed away in 2022, but the media kept his death a secret at the request of his family. While the Federation did not reveal a date of death, we know the Righting Wrongs, The Transporter, and Doa: Dead or Alive director died of complications from Covid-19. On Monday, news about Mr. Yuen’s death was revealed on Chinese-language social media by action legend Jackie Chan, who trained alongside Yuen under Sammo Hung Yuen Wah, Yuen Qiu, and Yuen Biao at the Peking Opera School.

Corey Yuen started as an actor, contributing to 114 projects and playing roles in films like The Jade Raksha, Long ya Jian, Ai Nu, Brutal Boxer, and more. He worked alongside cinema’s greatest martial artists, including Chan, Michelle Yeoh,...

Corey Yuen, the actor, action choreographer and director of “So Close” and “Doa: Dead or Alive,” died in 2022, the Federation of Hong Kong Filmmakers confirmed to Variety.

Local and English-language reports say that Yuen died of Covid-19 on an undisclosed date in Hong Kong. He was born on Feb. 15, 1951 as Ying Gang-ming.

His death was initially kept private at the request of his family. But on Monday, the news was revealed on Chinese-language social media by fellow action star Jackie Chan, who paid tribute to Yuen and others in the industry who had died.

Yuen and Chan were contemporaries and trained together with Sammo Hung Yuen Wah, Yuen Qiu and Yuen Biao at the Peking Opera School. Together, they were sometimes referred to as the Seven Little Fortunes or The Lucky Seven and made their mark during the heyday of Hong Kong cinema from the late 1970s to the early 1990s.

Jet Li's mastery of Wushu, a Chinese fighting style focusing on precision and artistry, propelled him to stardom in action films. Li's training in Wushu, baguazhang, tai chi, and xingyiquan brings a unique and varied martial arts approach to his performances. The discipline of Wushu, with its emphasis on forms and grace, perfectly complements Li's wuxia action movie roles, making him an iconic star.

Though versed in multiple forms of martial arts, action star Jet Li is a master of a particular Chinese fighting style. While actors like Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan brought kung fu to the forefront of martial arts movies, not all Chinese actors practice this fighting style on screen. Li, who is a national champion in his central style, practices a form of martial arts that is perfect for flashy action movies of the wuxia genre. Since these seem to be the actor's preferred projects,...

To celebrate the release of Dogman starring Caleb Landry Jones – out 11th March on Blu-ray, DVD & Digital – we have a Blu-ray up for grabs!

The latest film from Luc Besson – the visionary filmmaker The Fifth Element, La Femme Nikita and the Transporter series – Dogman won the Graffetta d’Oro for Best Film at the 2023 Venice Film Festival. It’s extraordinary, intense and heartfelt – everything you’d expect from the unique and uncompromising mind of Besson.

Caleb Landry Jones (Cannes winner for Best Actor for Nitram) stars as Doug, a troubled man who finds salvation through his canine friends. The cast also includes Jojo T Gibbs (Fresh), Christopher Denham (Billions), Clemens Schick (Das Boot), and Marisa Berenson (Barry Lyndon). Featuring an emotive score by Besson’s longtime collaborator Éric Serra (Léon), and exquisitely filmed by Colin Wandersman (Pandemonium), Dogman features production design by César award winner Hugues Tissandier (The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec...

Jason Statham's best action scene can be found in his 2002 film The Transporter, where his eight-minute martial arts fight stands out as electrifying. The bus fight scene in The Transporter is creative and showcases Statham's adaptability in different environmental circumstances, with inventive choreography throughout. The Transporter demonstrates Statham's natural talent for Hong Kong-style action movies, with its John Woo-style gun-fu and clear influences, making it his crowning achievement as an action hero.

Jason Statham has had a long and exhilarating career in action movies, yet his 2002 vehicle The Transporter is still home to his best action scene. Statham first gained attention in Guy Ritchie's 1998 gangster movie Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels before achieving further notoriety opposite Jet Li in 2001's sci-fi action movie The One. Statham fully broke out as an action hero in The Transporter, with the actor reprising his role as the movie's antihero...

Bridget Fonda reaffirmed that she will remain retired from acting in a rare on-camera appearance on Monday.

In a video obtained via The Daily Mail, the 59-year-old was approached by paparazzi at Los Angeles International Airport on Monday and simply said, “No” when asked about staging a potential Hollywood comeback. After further prodding, she declined the idea once again, saying, “I don’t think so,” then gave the greatest explanation for why she wouldn’t give another go for the glamorous life: “It’s too nice being a civilian.”

You heard it from Fonda first: fame isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, and she would certainly know as a third-generation member of the elite Hollywood acting family that includes her grandfather Henry Fonda, father Peter Fonda, and aunt Jane Fonda. Bridget Fonda made her first screen appearance in 1969’s Easy Rider, and eventually became an icon in...

With his role as the main villain in Richard Donner’s fourth installment in the popular “Lethal Weapon”-series, Jet Li entered a new era in his career as he would star in many international productions in the years to come. Apart from the new level of fame he received with mainstream audiences who would get to see him in such features like “Cradle 2 the Grave”, “Romeo Must Die” and “Unleashed”, it also gave Li the opportunity to work with actors and directors outside of Hong Kong, the most notable of which would be French filmmaker and producer Luc Besson, whose projects like “Leon: The Professional” and “La Femme Nikita” had gained him a reputation among cinephiles and especially fans of the action genre. Their first collaboration called “Kiss of the Dragon”, produced by Besson and directed by Chris Nahon, was a blend of martial arts and action, which,...

From time to time, I like to do features about my favorite top 10 movies for certain actors, and this time, it’s kung fu legend Jet Li. I hope you enjoy my top 10 list and remember, these are only my choices, everyone will have a different top 10.

10: Fong Sai Yuk (1993)

Director:Corey Yuen

Cast:Michelle Reis, Vincent Chiu, Josephine Siao, Peer Chan, Adam Cheng, Sibelle Hu

9: The Warlords (2007)

Director:Peter Chan

Cast:Andy Lau, Kaneshiro Takeshi

8: Kiss Of The Dragon (2001)

Director:Chris Nahon

Cast:Bridget Fonda, Sam Wong Shum

7: Once Upon A Time In China II (1993)

Director:Tsui Hark

Cast:Donnie Yen, Rosamund Kwan, David Chiang, Hung Yan Yan, Max Mok

6: Last Hero In China (1993)

Director:Wong Jing

Cast:Gordon Liu, Leung Kar Yan, Nat Chan, Chung Fat

The article continues in the next...

From brand new series and documentaries to blockbuster movies, there's something for everyone in the family this July on HBO Max. Max Originals landing on the platform include the three-part documentary series Expecting Amy, an unfiltered and intimate view into comedian Amy Schumer's life on tour creating a stand-up special during her difficult pregnancy, adult animated comedy Close Enough from J.G. Quintel, creator of the Emmy-winning Regular Show, and multi- generational family docusoap House of Ho, chronicling the daily lives of patriarch Binh Ho, matriarch Hue Ho, and their family. To top it off, HBO Max will debut Cartoon Network Studios' animated children's series Tig n' Seek with the U.S. premieres of the scripted comedy Frayed and the unscripted heartwarming British animal rescue series The Dog House.

A-list films such as Dumb & Dumber, Get Smart, Kill Bill: Volume 1 and Kill Bill: Volume 2, Music and Lyrics, National Lampoon's Vacation,...

HBO Max is out with its list of everything coming and going from the new streaming service, and the list includes the 2019 film “Harriet” starring Cynthia Erivo as Harriet Tubman.

The HBO Originals coming next month include season four of “Room 104,” HBO Europe’s “Foodie Love,” and documentaries like “Stockton on My Mind” and “Showbiz Kids.” Other films joining include “Motherless Brooklyn,” “Midway,” and “Last Christmas.”

Leaving at the end of the month are “Aquamarine,” “Crazy Rich Asians,” “Long Shot,” “Crimson Peak,” “The Sun Is Also a Star” and “X-Men.”

Also Read: iHeartMedia, WarnerMedia to Co-Produce Companion Podcasts for HBO Max Shows

Here is the full list of everything new and leaving in July:

July 1

Absolute Power, 1997

The Adventures of Pinocchio, 1996

The Amazing Panda Adventure, 1995

American Graffiti, 1973 (HBO)

American History X, 1998

Angels in the Outfield, 1951

Angus, 1995

August Rush, 2007

The Bachelor, 1999

Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero, 1998

Batman and Harley Quinn , 2017

Batman vs.

HBO Max is set to enter into its second month of existence. And you know what that means: it’s Christmas in July!

HBO Max’s list of new releases for July 2020 is highlighted by one prominent Christmas movie: last year’s Emilia Clarke-starring Last Christmas. But the real cause for Christmas in July is all the exciting animated DC content coming our way on the first of the month. July 1 sees the arrival of just about every animated Batman project ever created. July 1 also features the arrival of just about every Justice League animated series ever created as well.

If that weren’t enough, July 1 is also when every live-action Superman movie (save for Man of Steel) makes it streaming debut. July is starting to look like a month where HBO Max establishes its real potential and geek culture bonafides…despite an at-times difficult rollout.

The HBO original...

When HBO Max launched last month, DC fans hoped it would be the premiere place to go to watch all their favorite DC content. While the streaming service did have an impressive array of films and TV shows available on launch, there were a lot of notable missing titles, too, due to pre-existing licenses getting in the way. As time goes on, though, more DC properties will end up on the site. Case in point: this July will see a whole heap of superhero content go up on HBO Max.

Below you can find the full list of every movie and TV series coming to HBO Now, Go and Max next month, broken down by day of release. It includes an enormous amount of DC animated movies, mostly featuring Batman, the Justice League and Green Lantern. All of the Christopher Reeve Superman films will be up on HBO Max as of July,...

Welcome to The B-Side, from The Film Stage. Here we talk about movie stars and not the movies that made them famous or kept them famous, but the ones they made in between.

Today we dig deep into the surprisingly eclectic career of action star Jet Li. Yes, Disney’s live-action remake of Mulan (in which Li appears) has been delayed. But we decided to go ahead and record anyway, virus be damned!

Now, although the Wushu legend made a name for himself stateside with an effective villain role in 1998’s Lethal Weapon 4, he had helped revitalize the martial arts film in China a half-a-decade earlier.

Our B-Sides for this episode include: Kiss Of The Dragon, Cradle 2 The Grave, War, and The Forbidden Kingdom. Despite our focus on Li’s Hollywood output, we encourage our listeners to seek out stuff like Once Upon A Time In China, Hero,...

Exclusive: Veteran television executive Scott Nemes has been hired as Evp Development and Current Programming at Ucp, where he will oversee all programming for the NBCUniversal-owned studio. His new role reunites him with Dawn Olmstead, President, Ucp and Wilshire Studios, to whom he reports, and with whom he worked when he ran the film division of Olmstead’s Adelstein/Parouse Productions. Additionally, Ucp veteran Garrett Kemble has been promoted to Svp Head of Development, reporting into Nemes. The moves follow the April departure of Svp of Development Elise Henderson who became President of TV at Mrc.

Nemes most recently headed the television arm of Brad Weston’s Makeready, where he oversaw all aspects of television for the startup studio. He sold a number of projects to cable networks and streaming platforms and recently completed production on Hombre pilot for Showtime and executive produced Snapchat’s first scripted series Class Of Lies.

There may not be any more eggnog to drink or mistletoe to stand under, but don’t despair — Hulu is coming in clutch with over 200 new titles arriving to the streaming service next month.

Ease into the new year by rewatching classics like “Beetlejuice,” “Heathers” and “Rain Man,” or snuggle up with a bowl of popcorn for family movies like “Shrek,” “Surf’s Up,” and “The Twilight Saga.” If reality TV is more your style, then you’re in luck, as a slew of favorites are set to make their Hulu debut this month including Season 7 of “Dance Moms,” Season 2 of “90 Day Fiancé,” and Season 10 of “American Pickers.” Starting out this year’s slate of Hulu originals, Season 2 of “Future Man” drops Jan. 11.

Find the complete list of this month’s new arrivals below and stream now on Hulu.com. Right now, the streaming service is knocking its monthly price...

Hulu’s slate of new titles arriving on the platform in January is here.

The second season of Hulu original “Future Man” will arrive on the service Jan. 11, while the Natalie Portman-Tessa Thompson science fiction film “Annihilation” will be available to stream on Jan. 4. The film is Alex Garland’s follow-up to “Ex Machina” and starred Portman, Thompson and Jennifer Jason Leigh as a group of scientists investigating a strange environmental phenomenon known as “the shimmer.”

Here’s the full list of what’s coming and going in January.

Also Read: Here's What You Can Stream With Your Amazon Prime Membership in January

Available Jan. 1

Atlanta: Complete Season 2 (FX)

The Detectorists: Complete Season 3 (Drg)

Dot.: Complete Season 2B (Universal Kids)

Saints & Sinners: Complete Seasons 1-3 (Bounce TV)

X Company: Complete Seasons 2&3 (Sony)

54 (1998)

10 Years (2011)

2 Days in the Valley (1996)

9 to 5 (1980)

A Charlie Brown Valentine (2002)

A Simple Plan (1998)

A...

Jet Li’s manager, Steven Chasman, has issued a statement to The Washington Post clarifying that the actor is not in poor health. Li’s health was called into question following the circulation of a photograph online in which the actor appears frail and unrecognizable. The photo caused many fans to pray for Li’s health on social media, but Chasman says Li is in good spirits and the photograph is just an unfortunate one.

“He has hyperthyroidism that he’s been dealing with for almost 10 years,” Chasman told The Post. “It’s nothing life-threatening and he’s dealing with it.”

Li was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism around 2010. The illness is a thyroid condition that causes fatigue and weight loss. The Post explains that hyperthyroidism occurs when “the thyroid gland makes more thyroid hormones than your body needs.” These hormones “control the way the body uses energy, so they affect nearly every organ in your body,...

0:00 – Intro 14:40 – Review: Transformers: The Last Knight 1:05:25 – Review: 47 Meters Down 1:41:35 – Headlines: Avatar 2, 3 and 4 to Feature Glasses-Less 3D, Ron Howard Confirmed for Han Solo Movie 2:15:00 – Other Stuff We Watched: The Great Wall, Wonder Woman, Spirited Away, Thor, Kiss of the Dragon, The Martian, […]...

Stars: Amy Johnston, Muriel Hofmann, Jenny Wu, Kathy Wu, Jet Tranter, Mayling Ng, Sunny Coelst, Rosemary Vandebrouck, Lisa Cheng, Chalinene Bassinah, Lauren Rhoden, Lisa Henderson, Isa Sofa Chan Kwan Nga, Nathalie Ng, Kirt Kishita, Happy Ma | Written by Bey Logan | Directed by Chris Nahon

Question: Are you a fan of Bloodsport, Kickboxer, King of the Kickboxers, or any of the many similar “fighting championship” movies that were released around the time Van Damme’s film hit it big? You are? Then stop reading any firther and go out and buy Lady Bloodfight. Right now. Go on. You can come back here later to read what I think…. Shop’s are shut? Go buy it digitally. Now.

Why? Because Lady Bloodfight is The female equivalent of Bloodsport. It may have taken 28 years but we’ve finally got one. It’s just as badass, just as packed with top-notch martial arts and...

Vertical Entertainment has released the first trailer from their upcoming action-thriller Lady Bloodfight, which is set for a theatrical release on May 5. The studio has also provided us with the first poster that takes us closer into the action, showcasing the characters who square off against each other in a brutal fighting tournament known as The Kumite. While this tournament bears the same name as the tournament portrayed in the 1988 classic Bloodsport, this upcoming action-thriller showcases an all-female tournament.

Lady Bloodfight centers on Jane (Amy Johnston), a beautiful but troubled American girl backpacking her way through Hong Kong. When she successfully fends off three thugs trying to rob her, she draws the attention of Shu (Muriel Hofmann), a Wudang champion, who is impressed by her raw street fighting abilities. Shu recruits Jane and trains her to fight in the vicious, all-female, underground martial arts tournament known as "The Kumite" in...

Movies like The Accountant used to be a dime a dozen, or at least they felt like that, a simple action movie with a low-a-list or high-b-list actor just filling time in the schedule. Now it feels like all of these movies have become franchise entries instead, a safer attempt at the same money as star power has become less important and licenses have become king. The Accountant is a by-the-books action movie with a gimmick, the main character is supposed to have Asperger syndrome, and it relies on that gimmick and the charm of the cast. It’s an exceptionally charming cast, and it’s capable of pushing a rather cliché movie through all of the rougher parts. I like The Accountant despite the things it does badly and, maybe a little bit, because of them.

I’ve seen some variation of The Accountant’s story a million times.

Whenever I went to Memphis with my parents, my time was divided between staying with my two grandmothers. How I thought about that time with them was defined, not surprisingly, by what sort of movie experiences I had with each. My dad’s mom was the one who had cable, and she liked to go to bed early, meaning I learned all sorts of things at night. My mom’s mom was the one who took me to the theater more often, and she’d take me to see pretty much anything as long as the rating was okay. One afternoon, she told me to get in the car because there was something special playing. I was ten years old, and I only knew The Pink Panther as a cartoon character. That afternoon, though, I saw The Return Of The Pink Panther, The Pink Panther Strikes Again, and Revenge Of The Pink Panther...

Burger Fiction is back with part 2 of their "Improbable Weapons Used in Movies" supercut series. To catch up on the first entry, click here. This second edition features some pretty ridiculous items used as weapons, including a Razor scooter in Kiss of the Dragon, barstools in both The World's End and Foxy Brown, and many, many others. Check out the full list below the video:

Daredevil - Paper Clips

Aliens - Power Loader

An Eye For An Eye - Telephone

Hellboy - Payphone

Beverly Hills Ninja - Fish

Austin Powers - Toothpaste

Hot Shots! Part Deux - Chicken

Hot Fuzz - Wet Floor Sign

Kill Bill: Vol. 1 - Frying Pan

Tangled - Frying Pan

Walking Tall - Frying Pan

Kiss of the Dragon - Chopsticks

Machete - Meat Thermometer

Nacho Libre - Corn

Sleepwalkers - Corn

Project A - Chili Peppers

Hancock - Candy Bar

Law Abiding Citizen -...

It's funny how someone can have a day in the press that's both terrible and terrific. Take Luc Besson, for example. Today's first story about him is thrilling because I've been waiting for him to get back to science-fiction for a while. Last April, he told me during a conversation at WonderCon that he felt like he made "The Fifth Element" at the wrong time. "We had digital, but it wasn't like it is now. We still had to build everything first," he told me, and having seen some of the "Fifth Element" models in person at Digital Domain, I know what he meant. They used digital compositing and digital mattes more than almost any film made before that moment, but it was still largely a model-based shoot, and all of the aliens in the film were on-set suits and make-ups. I think it's a beautiful movie, but Besson talked...

How do you rank perfection? Duncan has a go, as he lists the top 25 Jason Statham films...

For regular Den Of Geek readers, it will come as little surprise to see this list come round. We've chosen our favourite Statham films before, but such is the productivity of the great man, it was decided that a mere top ten was no longer large enough to contain his ever growing body of work. Last time I mentioned updating this piece to the man himself back in 2012 due to his insane workload, he cracked up and responded, “My productivity is overwhelming! 'Have a fucking day off!'”

Since this list has now expanded to encompass 25 of his movies, it seemed only right to include multiple sequels, with his big trio of action franchises all spawning some thoroughly entertaining fare worthy of mention, though I’ve tried to exclude the personal bias that...

This week annoyed by a loudmouth blogger of some repute, who declared anime for paedophiles and insulted more or less the whole of Japanese culture, I decided to watch Netflix original anime Knights of Sidonia. His comments have widely been circulated and condemned by many people and he’s just made himself look a fool, and all this just because Gus Van Sant might be directing a Death Note movie. I recognise that anime is not for everyone but still, by dismissing all of it you are missing out on an awful lot of classic work and influential stuff.

Knights of Sidonia has been billed as a Netflix original but it’s quite hard to imagine that they would have been involved in the production of something like this, it’s pretty far out there even for anime and its more likely that Netflix have done what they did with...

In a manner similar to what happens with the television schedules, the streaming services suddenly go quiet in the summer. For true cinema fans this is pretty good news because the art house stuff comes along as well as some of the better catalogue titles that might have appeared elsewhere before.

It will probably be September before any subscription winning blockbusters are added again but the smart money is on one of the big ones adding The Avengers and (fingers crossed) the last season of Breaking Bad.

By the time you read this, the new Netflix exclusive series Orange is the New Black from the creator of Weeds, will be available on Netflix. Early word is that it’s actually the best Netflix exclusive title so far, which is good news after the horrendous Hemlock Grove. I will weigh in with an opinion next month.

Films

Holy Motors (2012)

Starring: Denis Lavant,...

Like so many international film stars (and filmmakers) before him, Jet Li came to America looking to conquer Hollywood but found that his best work remained the movies he made back home. He hit our shores in 1998 as the sole bright spot in Lethal Weapon 4 before heading up some films of varying quality including Romeo Must Die, Kiss of the Dragon and the woefully underseen Danny the Dog (aka Unleashed). Nine years later though and he was apparently done making movies on this side of the pond (aside from supporting roles in Sylvester Stallone’s Expendables trilogy). Unsurprisingly his best film in that period was the Chinese production of Hero. Li’s worked steadily back in China since then averaging up to two films per year, but aside from the Stallone flicks they’ve all been period pieces. That’s set to change this summer with the release of Badges of Fury, and...

From the lobby scene in The Matrix to Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader squaring off in The Empire Strikes Back, the most effective movie fight scenes generally rely on objects designed for inflicting harm.

Every once in a while though, a gun runs out of bullets, a knife gets kicked out of reach, or a screenwriter becomes bored. The result is an impractical, yet effective use of a common object as a weapon.

"Did he really just beat that man to death with a dildo?" He sure did -- and that's not even the weirdest improvised weapon in our supercut above. Enjoy!

In order of appearance:

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) - Dildo

Samson and Delilah (1949) - A donkey's jawbone

The Boondock Saints (1999) - Toilet

Deadly Friend (1986) - Basketball

Nacho Libre (2006) - Corn

Single White Female (1992) - Stiletto

Grosse Pointe Blank (1997) - Television

Sleeper (1973) - Bleu cheese

Hot Shots!

I’ve railed before about the over-abundance of period martial arts films and the lack of their modern-day counterparts especially when it comes to truly talented screen fighters like Donnie Yen and Jet Li. It looks like that drought is coming to an end though thanks to the recent announcement that Yen has wrapped production on a film called Special Identity. And now the news gets even better. Li is in post-production on Badges of Fury from director Wang Zi Ming, and the icing on the ass-kickery-flavored cake is that he’s joined by Wu Jing and Collin Chou in the tale of detectives hot on the trail of a serial killer. Like Yen and even Jackie Chan, Li has been on a period kick making movies set in long ago times celebrating Chinese history and whatnot. Kiss of the Dragon and Danny the Dog (aka Unleashed) are his last really good ones, but...

Jet Li fans, this is the cue to commence rejoicing.

His fantastical kung fu venture The Sorcerer and the White Snake (a.k.a. It’s Love or Madame White Snake) lands on home entertainment January 3, 2013! The movie is also slated for theatrical release February 8.

The Sorcerer And The White Snake will be available on VOD and iTunes January 3 and will open in theaters February 8, 2013.

Directed by Ching Siu-Tung (Naked Weapon), the movie follows a young herbalist (Raymond Lam of Highs and Lows) who falls in love with a beautiful woman (Dragon Squad star Huang Shengyi); who unbeknownst to him is only an incarnation of a legendary thousand-year-old white snake. Jet Li (The Expendables) plays the sorcerer who is in knowledge of this fact, and waves an epic-proportioned battle against the snake in order to redeem the herbalist’s soul.

Li has previously imported another Chinese title to Us theaters...

More of the same, but that’s not necessarily a good thing.

There’s a simple reason why Taken connected with audiences when it hit screens a few years ago. Any parent could identify with Liam Neeson’s Bryan Mills, a man desperately hoping to locate his daughter after she is kidnapped by human traffickers in France. It was easier for parents to connect with Neeson’s character, a former CIA operative, with “a unique set of skills”, but anyone with common sense could understand that primal need to protect one’s children no matter what the cost. With Taken, arriving thirty plus years after Neeson’s entry into the movie biz, the former mentor of Obi-Wan Kenobi, Bruce Wayne, and the boy who would become Darth Vader, found his career redefined as a middle-aged action hero that would rival much younger chaps like Jason Bourne and James Bond. The problem is,...

Blood: The Last Vampire is the story of Saya, a half-human half-demon, who to the outside world looks 16, but is in reality centuries old. Descended from a line of vampire hunters, Saya is the last of her kind. Armed only with supernatural strength and her father’s powerful sword, she works for a mysterious organisation known as “The Council,” hunting down demons in 1970?s Tokyo. All the while searching for her father’s killer: the demon they call Onigen. When reports come in of mysterious deaths on an American military base in Tokyo, the council send Saya in to investigate and despatch any demon prescence. It’s at the military base that Saya save,s and and later teams up with, American teenager Alice McKee, daughter of the base’s commanding officer. Together they take on Tokyo’s demon underworld, leading them to a showdown with the demon matriach Onigen.

Other names: 李连杰

Li Lianjie

Jet Li Lian Jie

Birth date: 26/4/1963

Nationality: China

Workplace: Hong Kong, USA

Selected Filmography:

1982:Shaolin Temple

1991:Once Upon A Time In China

1993:Tai Chi Master

1993:Fong Sai Yuk

1994:Fist Of Legend

2002:Hero

2005:Fearless

Jet Li has been making movies now for 30 years, this time in 1982, he was at the beginning of his journey starring in a movie called The Shaolin Temple (1982), which would make him an over night superstar. Thousands of people back then would travel for miles to get a chance to see Jet training, with his lightening fast punches and flexibility.

Wushu Years

Li was eight when his talent for wushu was noticed at a summer course at school, and he began his practice there. Li participated in the sport of wushu in the non-sparring event. He began on the Beijing Wushu Team, an athletic group organized to perform...

5.Corey Yuen

Other names: 元奎

Yuan Kui

Yuan2 Kui1

Cory Yuen

Don Yuen

Yuen Fooi

Nationality: Hong Kong

Workplace: France, Hong Kong, USA

Cory Yuen as been choreographing movies since 1973, is first movie was Chinese Hercules, starring Bolo Yeung. He was a member of the Peking Opera Schools and one of the Seven Little Fortunes. In July 1981, Yuen made his Hong Kong directorial debut in 1982 film Ninja in the Dragon’s Den, along with Hiroyuki Sanada, Conan Lee and Hwang Jang Lee. In June 1985, Yuen made his American directorial debut in 1986 film No Retreat, No Surrender, which marked the film debut of Belgium martial artist actor Jean-Claude Van Damme.

n 1993, he began an alliance and good friendship with action star Jet Li. He directed several of Li’s films, beginning with Fong Sai-yuk and Fong Sai-yuk II, and continuing through The Bodyguard from Beijing, The New Legend of Shaolin and My Father Is a Hero,...

A wrongly convicted man is offered his freedom if he can rescue the president's daughter from space prison rioters.

Luc Besson's adventures in producing have thrown up several technically accomplished but oh-so-guilty pleasures over the years, especially in the action arena, with the likes of Jet Li's Western career highlight Kiss Of The Dragon, a pair of parkour-showcasing District 13s and the Statham-establishing Transporter series. He's even cannily...

Andrea Riseborough in James Marsh's Shadow Dancer Robert Pattinson/Bel Ami, Michael Fassbender/Haywire: Berlin Film Festival 2012 Below is the list of the latest movie additions to the Berlin Film Festival's Official Competition line-up: À moi seule (Coming Home). France. By Frédéric Videau (Le fils de Jean-Claude Videau, Varieté Française). With Agathe Bonitzer, Reda Kateb. World premiere. Bel Ami, Great Britain. By Declan Donnellan, Nick Ormerod (feature debut). With Robert Pattinson (The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1, Breaking Dawn Part 2, Eclipse, New Moon, Twilight, Remember Me, Water for Elephants, Cosmopolis), Uma Thurman (Henry & June, Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill: Vol. 1, Kill Bill: Vol. 2, Gattaca, Playing the Field), Kristin Scott Thomas (The English Patient, Dans la maison, Sarah's Key, Love Crime, Nowhere Boy, Tell No One, Gosford Park, The Horse Whisperer, Mission: Impossible), Christina Ricci (Speed Racer, Fear and the Loathing in Las Vegas, The Opposite of Sex,...

Oscar® -winning composer Hans Zimmer and Grammy® Award-winning songwriter and producer Pharrell Williams will serve as music consultants for the 84th Academy Awards, telecast producers Brian Grazer and Don Mischer announced today. This will be the first time the composers have worked on the Oscar show.

“Hans is one of the most accomplished and creative film composers of our time, and Pharrell is a phenomenal songwriter with an amazing list of credits,” said Grazer and Mischer. “This is an exciting and prestigious collaboration that promises to take the audience on a musical journey.”

“It is a great privilege to serve the Academy in this role and to help celebrate and honor this year’s incredible artistry,” stated Zimmer.

“I am honored to work with my mentor and teacher, Hans Zimmer and I have wanted to collaborate with Brian Grazer on something for years,” said Williams. “I cannot believe I will...

'Game Of Thrones' Star Emilia Clarke Circling Female Lead Thanks to "Leon" director Luc Besson, the French have proved in recent years that they're able to produce English-language action-movies just as slam-bang and stupid as anything that Hollywood can come up with. Kicking off with the Jet Li vehicle "Kiss of the Dragon" and the Jason Statham series "The Transporter," Besson and co. have nailed the art of making a cheap, quick actioner, chucking in a few B-list American names, financing it through pre-sales, and making a tidy sum of money, helping to launch the careers of directors Louis Leterrier…...

With HBO sibling Cinemax rapidly ramping up its original primetime series development and production, the channel is now getting a dedicated programming executive. Former Film Department exec Scott Nemes will shepherd the development and production of original series for Cinemax, reporting to HBO Miniseries president Kary Antholis, who has been overseeing Cinemax's original programming efforts. Nemes, a former child actor, was most recently Svp production and development at film financing/production company The Film Department, which folded in May. He previously worked at at Immortal Entertainment, where he co-produced My Baby’s Daddy for Miramax and developed the films Kiss of the Dragon for Fox, Life Without Dick for Columbia and Searching for Debra Winger for Showtime. Cinemax's first primetime original series, Strike Back, launched on Friday to solid ratings. The channel, primarily known for its latenight erotic programming, has 2 more series in the pipeline, The Sector and The Transporter,...

Stargate Universe ends, Luther returns, The Shadow Line concludes, and there are some terrific films coming up on UK TV too...

This week is predominantly filled with finales of shows we've been following, with only one brave face reappearing in the telly schedules.

Monday brings the end of the precious weekend and the finish of a show that won't be returning to our screens, except in repeats. Stargate Universe concludes its second and final season on Monday, June 13th, at 8:00pm on Sky 1, in an episode entitled Gauntlet. We're sorry to see it go, but quite impressed with the way it leaves, gracefully, and wrapping up as best it can, while keeping the door ever so slightly ajar for further treatments, even if they're wishful thinking on our part. We'll say no more, except farewell to another quality sci-fi show.

The new and returning entry this week is Luther,...

Phillip Noyce is a fine filmmaker, always going about his work in a quiet and inoffensive fashion – directing perfectly fine studio actioners that are always worthy of your $10 and importantly for him always make the studio money but may not be completely memorable. Films like Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger and most recently Salt all played well on first viewing and long may this continue.

Having flirted with a few projects since Salt opened last year (he has also since refused to make a sequel) – Screen Daily reports that Noyce will direct a ‘reinvention’ of Bloodsport - the 1988 martial arts movie that made Jean Claude Van Damme a star.

Does that mean a remake then and could Van Damme be involved?

It’s not yet clear but we do know action screenwriter Robert Mark Kamen (Taken, The Transporter, Kiss of the Dragon) has been hired to write it and...