 1st off if you have never seen the Hong Kong Action film Cold War go do that right away. I say that because its a great film, and because Cold War II takes place immediately after part one ends.
Cold War 2 tells the story of the now commissioner of the police Sean Lau. His wife has just been kidnaped, and to save her he is told he must release Joe Lee, the son of Lau's former rival. The switch gets botched and Lee escapes. This leads to a series of gunfights, car chases, fight scenes, you name it. Its a plethora of action sure to please any fan of the genre With that said its also sure to please any fan of the drama/thriller genre as well as the story deals with, of course power, corruption, and even a social commentary on how Hong Kong is the safest city to live. The acting is top notch and the film features a star studded cast, that includes the legend himself Chow Yun-Fat as as a Lawyer who is assigned to the case as Sean Lau never had permission to make an exchange for his wife. He simply went ahead and did it, hence adding the element of corruption and power The villains are fantastic as it is basically a team of crooked cops and a few other nefarious individuals trying to bring down the new commissioner. Like I stated well acted, explosive action, and any fan of the modern Hong Kong Crime Dramas will no doubt love this film. Overall 4 out of 5 Stars
0 Comments
by AMOS LASSEN  I see a lot of movies but I do not think I have ever seen anything like “We are the Flesh” and that is not a good thing or a bad thing— it is simply a statement. It is a visionary and bizarre slice of Mexican art house cinema and an extraordinary and unsettling film experience that is a “sexually charged and nightmarish journey into an otherworldly dimension of carnal desire and excess, as well as a powerful allegory on the corrupting power of human desire”. In plainer language, it is an extreme Mexican fiesta of incest, cannibalism and explicit sex. A brother and sister seek refuge with a filthy old man who coerces the siblings into incestuous sexual intercourse, and thereafter into cannibalizing a luckless soldier in this demented portrait of humanity. Writer and director, Emiliano Rocha Minter brings us thoroughly arresting vision of what he sees as hell and this is by no means a regular movie. It is almost entirely inside a derelict apartment with Noe Hernandez playing a grotesque man who is demonically charismatic to the point that that other characters fall under his spell. Every narrative development in the film — from a young woman (Maria Evoli) dropping to her knees to perform explicitly shot oral sex on her brother (Diego Gamaliel), to a soldier relaxing to the point of near-acquiescence as his throat is slashed and drained into a bucket is driven by this unnamed antagonist. But them the word “antagonist” may be a poor choice of words for troll since there is no moral here and no concepts “right” and “wrong.” Much of its most vivid imagery is purpose-built to question the moral values society projects onto biological matter that include human meat ground to mush and in a bucket; a clitoral close-up; a pipette inserted casually into a hole in a boy’s temple; a sister’s droppings into her brother’s mouth. The picture’s primary pluses are visual since the script is sparse Yollotl Alvarado’s camera becomes the scalpel laying bare the meat of the movie. “We Are the Flesh” is also perversely erotic: Sex scenes are shot with delight and music selections are astute, with a rousing rendition of the Mexican national anthem immediately prior to an extreme bout of bloodletting that foregrounds the inherent violence of its patriotic lyrics. “We Are the Flesh” fits into the new wave of Mexican cinema not overly concerned with the audience’s comfort. It is not quite a horror film, although it is certainly horrific as a Grand Guignol carnival of every conceivable grotesquerie. It is filled with body fluids and perversion, this sexually graphic bad trip of a movie follows a brother and sister who stumble into the dominion of a crazed man who survives on malice and the grim-looking meat stews that he boils down into a highly flammable liquor and who offers them shelter at a cost. He. The acting style is almost as extreme as the subject matter and we see it as part performance, part seizure. The troll’s name is Mariano (“Miss Bala” star Noé Hernandez), his face is twisted into a demonic gnarl of primitive desire, and he’s ready to prove his point with vile depravities. The film is a Mexican response to “Saló,” as it takes the defining tropes of his country’s contemporary filmmaking, liberates them from narrative logic, and stretches them across the screen. Minter has created a psychedelic slipstream of obscenities that inserts brief moments of context between incest, cannibalism, and necrophilia. He seems determined to reflect, explain, and ultimately resist the plague of corruption and drug-related savagery that has swept across Mexico and is direct about it. “We Are the Flesh” is maddeningly abstract. It all begins with Mariano fidgeting around a decrepit apartment and we are introduced, slowly at first, to nausea. From there it is a spiral downward as the film sinks deeper into the darkness. New characters confuse any idea of a story and the film becomes ever less obvious and more narrow. Mariano yells, “The spirit does not reside within the flesh, the flesh is the spirit itself! So I kindly ask all your lowlifes devour me until nothing is left.” If we are to understand that this is a metaphor for Mexico eating itself alive, it is very difficult to watch. This is a movie for those who like their transgressive cinema with an equally extreme art house flavor. Hernandez’s performance as an impish freak is both captivating and repulsive. He is not such a silver-tongued devil but rather a conniving weirdo with a master plan to be reborn. Informing the young pair that morals don’t apply anymore, he coerces them into having sex with each other as while he kills the brother and the sister rubs her crotch against the corpse. Later, the brother magically reappears looking revitalized and all commanding, promising them he’ll never leave again. Those who take film seriously will be divided over this film especially since director Minter certainly doesn’t give the audience anything on a plate or spell things out, though its final scene is aimed entirely at Mexico’s propensity for social anarchy and that history doesn’t necessarily mean progress. But then again… maybe it isn’t. “We are the Flesh” is challenging, daring, provocative, disgusting yet it is superbly crafted and always visually compelling. There is a gorgeously photographed sex scene that resembles a Henri Matisse painting brought to life and shot in infrared, so that the heat signatures of two people literally radiate from the screen. It’s one of the most beautiful images you’ll see all year. But then you remember that you are watching a brother and sister having sex. Minter brings us a debasingly depraved, idiotically incestuous fever dream of a movie that has no real story points or plot turns to speak of. Some have written of the visual splendor of the movie as truly artistic, while other have irately walked out on it because of its graphic carnality. It is certainly meant to poke, prod, provoke and shock as it tries to explore and exploit the last real sexual taboos to be depicted onscreen. Whatever catharsis we’re supposed to feel never comes across. While it seems contrived and it is pseudo-pornographic. Have I contradicted myself several times in this review? You bet I have and if you can make it all the way through the film, you will do the same. BLU-RAY Special Features and Disc Specs:
* High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation * 5.1 surround and uncompressed stereo 2.0 audio options * Optional English subtitles * A new video essay by critic Virginie Sélavy * New interviews with director Emiliano Rocha Minter and cast members Noé Hernández, María Evoli and Diego Gamaliel * Two short films by Emiliano Rocha Minter; Dentro and Videohome * Theatrical trailer * Stills gallery * Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork DVD Special Features and Disc Specs: * High Definition digital transfer * 5.1 surround and stereo 2.0 audio options * Optional English subtitles * A new video essay by critic Virginie Sélavy * New interviews with director Emiliano Rocha Minter and cast members Noé Hernández, María Evoli and Diego Gamaliel * Two short films by Emiliano Rocha Minter; Dentro and Videohome * Theatrical trailer * Stills gallery * Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by critic Anton Bitel, and a note from the producer on the film.  In the 1970’s British cinema was taking things to another level, with the Hammer films being the most iconic and copied to this day. In 1973 Director Don Sharp made Psychomania, although not a Hammer film, this film has gone onto become a well-regarded cult classic. It even holds an 80% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which for what this is, is actually quiet astounding.
Psychomania is the story of Tom, a young man who leads a biker gang called The Living Dead. Kind of a punk rock type gang. They terrorize the town, sort of and they worship frogs, and they really like to have sex in graveyards. Turns out Toms dad was in a frog worshiping cult and he learned how to come back from the dead. Tom, having grown tired of his biker gang lifestyle wants to try something bigger. His mom, and her rather odd butler perform séances for the local free of charge. She’s a devil worshipper of some sort who explains the secret of rising from the dead during a wacked out mirror scene complete with a graveyard, and of course frogs. Tom hops on his bike drives off a bridge, and right after being buried by his gang, on his bike of course, he rises up from the dead and kills a couple people. He is very lucky that his gang buried him instead of his family, as they had him propped up on his bike instead of in a coffin making it that much easier to drive back to life. One by one he convinces his gang to commit suicide and come back to life, basically invincible. Only problem his is girlfriend sort of like the idea of being alive. I don’t know what to really say about this film. It’s considered a horror classic, but I’ve never figured out why. There is very little horror in the film. It’s not really a biker film either, its more so just weird. Really weird. Trust me, this review does not do the weirdness justice. From the bizarre scenes with his mom, to some laughable overacting. To the fact frogs can reanimate the dead, but only if you believe that before you kill yourself. Watching this play out is definitely entertaining. It was so far out and ahead of its time with the exception of some of the dialogue the film does not feel dated at all. Arrow Video has picked this one up and has given it a beautiful Blu-ray to say the lease. The colors are crisp, and the soundtrack, which I’ve always enjoyed sounds great. Plus they packed it with special features. · 2K restoration from preservation negatives · High Definition (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentations · Original 1.0 mono audio (uncompressed on the Blu-ray) · Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing · Brand-new interview with star Nicky Henson · Return of the Living Dead, an archive featurette containing interviews actors Henson, Mary Larkin, Denis Gilmore, Roy Holder and Rocky Taylor · Sound of Psychomania, an archive interview with composer John Cameron · Riding Free, an archive interview with Riding Free singer Harvey Andrews · Hell for Leather, a brand-new featurette on the company who supplied the film s costumes · Remastering Psychomania, a look at the film s restoration from the original 35mm black and white separation masters · Theatrical trailer · Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by the Twins of Evil FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Collector s booklet containing writing by Vic Pratt, William Fowler and Andrew Roberts  What’s the first thing that jumps at you before selecting a movie? For me it’s the title. I mean if it sounds boring I won’t watch it. Luckily we have companies out there like Troma who can always give us a great title and usually pretty great cover art. Who out there didn’t buy Killer Condom, or the classic Toxic Avenger. Well the other day I received there new masterpiece, Honky Holocaust.
Honky Holocaust is a pretty odd film. I won’t lie when I first turned it on I was not digging it, but as I hit the half way point I actually began to enjoy it. It’s the story of how the Manson family succeeds in their plan for Helter Skelter, a race war after they pull off the Tate Murders. They go into hiding after the crime and resurface years later to see their plan succeeded. Only problem is it kind of went south with the Honky’s, if you will being on the short end of the stick. Don’t worry though the Manson Family believed in using rape to repopulate so they have some numbers. Their lead by Danny, handpicked by Charlie himself to lead the group who along with Manson’s biological daughter has a basic plan of getting control back to the white people through violence. Yea, that’s his whole plan. Flying penis’s, maggots in vaginas, rape, gore, nudity, beyond tasteless jokes, it’s all there. Now I say it’s all there because this is from Troma. If you like Troma films then it’s for you. If you don’t stay away. I read a few pieces on this film stating how it was all about racism, and it had a hidden message, and it makes people think, and yada yada yada. No it doesn’t. It’s a campy Troma style grindhouse film. Nothing more nothing less. It does start slow, but eventually picks up and actually begins to take itself less seriously as it progresses. For that I will say its definitely worth a watch from Troma fans, or just people looking for something way off the norm to sit down and watch. Troma, to their credit does put out high quality Blu-Rays and DVD’s and this is no exception. Nice picture and audio and even the usual intro from Lloyd Kaufman himself are all present. Overall 2.5 out of 3 Stars  First off let me say if I misspell any of the character names I do apologize. Takashi Miike has always been a Filmmaker I liked. From his corny Full Metal Yakuza, to his haunting Audition his work has always been amazing. He films a violent and brutal as can be, but they focus more on gripping story telling that keeps viewers watching. His characters have a way of being compelling to the point you become emotionally invested in them, which is odd as for the most part they are total scum bags. 3 of Miike’s best films are known as The Black Society Trilogy. They consist of the following
Shinjuku Triad Society, which is the story of Tatsuhito, a half Japanese/half Chinese cop who is out to get the Wang Triad. As he lived in China and was half Japanese he was picked on as a child and now harbors great resentment for the Chinese people. To complicate things his younger brother has just graduated law school and now represents the Triad Leaders he is out to get. Beautifully filmed, incredibly acted this is a fantast piece of cinema. Full of violence, rape, and murder the graphic scenes seem to flow right along with the marvelous score and acting Rainy Dog tells the story of Yuuji, a former Japanese hitman who was kicked out of the Yakuaz and shunned by his friends and family. He wanders around as a killer for hire for a local Triad gang. One day a lady shows up and introduces him to his son from a night they once had together. The son ends up accompanying Yuuji on his hits and a bond form between them. The final film is Ley Lines is about brothers, Ryuichi, Shunrei and their friend Chang. They live in a small village and decide one day to go out to the bad part of Tokyo. It ends bad as they befriend a hooker and are forced into selling a drug called Toluene for money. The devise a plan to rob a local Yakuza boss and use the money to flee the country. The boss is known for being incredibly violent so needless to say the violence in this one is very graphic. All three of these films are well regarded by critics and fans alike. As I said I have always been a huge fan of Miike so when I heard Arrow Video had acquired the rights and were releasing this on blu-ray I could not wait. The picture and audio on all the films is incredible. To see a dank, dirty, washed out scene in full 1080p is a thing of beauty. Arrow is really the top Blu-ray distributor for genre films and this release proves that. Special Features include · High Definition digital transfers of all three films · Original uncompressed stereo audio · Optional English subtitles for all three films · New interview with director Takashi Miike · New interview with actor Show Aikawa (Rainy Dog, Ley Lines) · New audio commentaries for all three films by Miike biographer Tom Mes · Original theatrical trailers for all three films · Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Chris Malbon FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the films Overall this is a must own for any fan of cinema 4.5 out of 5 Stars!  Crown International Pictures was always a company I loved. For those unfamiliar think Cannon only more Grindhouse style. They had a hell of a run putting out everything from sex romps to slashers. One of the bigger, or at least more well know titles has always been a personal favorite of mine, Don’t Answer The Phone. A sleazy, slasher film from 1980.
It’s the story of Kirk Smith a Vietnam Vet/Bodybuilder/Photographer, who, when he’s not taking adult photos decides to practice his own religion, talk to his dead dad, and kill women then rape them, in that order. Actually sometimes it’s is a before and after, and during come to think of it. As this takes an emotional toll on him he decides to call into a radio psychologist Named Dr. Gail. He is clearly insane, complaining of head trauma, and blackouts. One night he even murders a girl while talking on the phone with the Dr. As the body’s are piling up 2 detectives are put on the case and one soon becomes romantically involved with Dr. Gail, who has been targeted by Kirk as his next victim. I watched this again last night and I must say it is still a fantastic film top to bottom. The acting is really well done and it has that nice not too creepy, not to sleazy feel. Plenty of blood for the gorehouds and that nice touch of 80’s slasher nudity. The final act featuring Smith and Dr Gail alone in her house while he terrorizer her is still just as effective today. It’s actually a scene that has been copies countless times over the years. The tension and acting during this act alone make this a must watch film. I watched this on VHS back in the day, but now Vinegar Syndrome has acquired the rights and have released it on a Special Edition Blu-ray/DVD combo pack, and like all there releases the quality both in video and audio are fantastic. The blue colors and the dark scenes play out especially well and the 4K transfer just further adds to the suspense. As its from Vinegar its also loaded with special features. Take a look • Scanned and restored in 4k from recently discovered 35mm original negative • All extras included on both Blu-ray and DVD • Commentary track with writer / producer / director Robert Hammer • Director introduction • “Answering the Phone” video interview with star Nicholas Worth • “For What It’s Worth” career retrospective with Nicholas Worth • Isolated soundtrack by composer Byron Allred • Original theatrical trailer • Multiple TV spots • Promotional still gallery • 16 page booklet with essay by Michael Gingold • Reversible cover artwork • English SDH Subtitles This is a must own for any horror fans collection Overall 4 out of 5 Stars  Peter Carpenter for those unfamiliar was a 70’s exploitation director. His films were often distributed by Crown Point International. 2 of his more well know one are Blood Mania, and Point of Terror. Both dealing with adultery murder, and blackmail, with a hint of Faust like elements.
Blood Mania is the story of Dr Copper a physician caring for a wealthy old man with a gold-digging daughter. Cooper is being blackmailed for some illegal abortions he did. When he tells Victoria, the old man’s daughter she seduces him and devises a plan to kill her father and get the inheritance with Dr Coppers help and then pay off his blackmailer. Things go according to plan until during the will reading its revealed that her sister Victoria is getting estate. So what else should Dr Copper due but begin seducing her for the money. Sleazy, tense, and well-acted this is a great almost Tales from the Crypt style film. It moves along with a good cast and has enough blood and sensuality for the horror, and exploitation crowd. The 2nd film is Point of Terror starring the always beautiful Dyane Thorne, who like to walk around topless. Carpenter once again plays the lead and directs. This time he is Tony Trelos, a singer who meets Andrea (played by Thorne) on the beach. Turns out her husband is in a wheelchair so she doesn’t mind male company. Also as luck would have it he’s a record producer. Andrea agrees to help Tony get a singing contract from her husband’s company as long as they keep having sex. Things get hairy when he dies in an accident and his daughter comes to the funeral and discovers what is going on. Point of Terror is a bit more formulaic than Blood Mania but still effective. It’s like an exploitation soap opera played out in 90min. It has the nudity, sex, and overall sleazy feel, but not the horror vibe that Blood Mania has. Its still a fine film and also well worth watching. Now as luck would have it Vinegar Syndrome has acquired the rights and have released these 2 together on a limited edition Blu-ray/DVD combo pack. The video and audio is outstanding as always. Vinegar does an amazing job of restoring these old films, I can’t stress that enough. Special Features include • LIMITED EDITION EXCLUSIVE: Bonus DVD featuring alternate TV versions for both films! (Limited to 3,000 units) • Region free 3-disc Blu-ray and DVD combo pack • Both films scanned and restored in 2k from 35mm camera negative • Commentary track on BLOOD MANIA with Robert Vincent O’Neill (Director), Leslie Simms (Actress) and Vicki Peters (Actress) • Video interview and introduction with director Robert Vincent O’Neill • Video interview with actress Leslie Simms • Theatrical trailers for both films • TV spots for both films • Promotional galleries for both films • Reverse cover artwork • English SDH Subtitles Overall this is a great one to add to your collection 3 out of 5 Stars  Although the story is simple, it’s also convoluted and confusing at times, but when said film is loaded with action it is very easy to overlook simple things like plot. Beyond Redemption is one of those films.
It’s the story of Billy Tong an undercover cop who has recently infiltrated a Triad Gang run by the vicious Big Brother Yuian. Billy is somewhat of a cop with a checkered past who does not want to go undercover, but as his wife is expecting their first child he agrees with the promise he will be transferred and promoted. Once in the gang he starts to almost enjoy the lifestyle. As he works his way up he goes along for a home invasion that involves kidnapping the daughter of a rival Triad boss. Billy believes this to be a simple ransom kidnapping but soon finds out that Big Brother Yuan is planning on killing the girl in front of her father so he can take control of an arms trade. When Billy learns of this he grabs the girl and decides to take the law into his own hands. The cast in this film is comprised mostly of stuntmen which for me is almost a plus in these types of films. The action scenes are amazing, and the final battle is jaw dropping to say the least. In fact director Bruce Fonataine is a former stuntman having worked along with greats like Jackie Chan, so he is able to deliver on well-choreographed action scenes. Beyond Redemption manages to blend the elements of a gangster drama and action film together very well. Lead and stuntman Brian Ho is very effective in the role of a cop struggling with his duel identity trying to do what’s right. Overall this is a top to bottom solid action film that fans of the genre are sure to love. Overall 3 out of 5 Stars!  Man run over in a phone booth buy a bulldozer. A park assassination courtesy of a bazooka. A horrified meter maid watches a guy get his brains beat in. A Kung Fu Fight to the death before a female crime lord in a bad wig. Sound amazing? It is, and to make it even better that all happens in like the first 10 minutes. That's right 10min there is still an hour and 15min left of DEATH MACHINES!
Death Machines is the story of Madame Lee a crime boss who want more power. She oversees the fights mentioned in the beginning paragraph and assembles a trio of 3 fighters she dubs her "Death Machines" She has them injected with a serum that makes them stronger and bulletproof. Things go according to plan until they kill everyone in a dojo except for Frank, the man with one hand. He teams up with the police who also know kung-fu and who are also out for revenge to take down Madame Lee and her Death Machines. This movie is amazing, it always has been a favorite of mine. Now as you can probably tell by reading the synopsis its not exactly high brow on plot, nor is it on budget. Its a cheaply made film that gained notoriety on the Grindhouse circuit. Quentin Tarantino has even professed love for this film. The fights are laughable in the old fashioned Kung Fu Theater way with overblown sound effects and poor dubbing but it works wonders in this. In fact had it have been made as a serious film it probably would have stunk. No this is a true tongue in cheek classic to say the least. Long sought after for years on video it has finally been released by our friends over at Vinegar Syndrome have released it in a full 4K transfer that is a must own for fans of 70's kung fu films. Special Features include • All extras on both disc formats • Region free Blu-ray and DVD combo pack • Scanned & restored in 4k from 35mm Techniscope camera negative • Commentary track with director Paul Kyriazi • Director introduction • Video interview with actor Michael Chong • Audio interview with actor Joshua Johnson • Trims / outtakes • Original theatrical trailer • Teaser trailer • Reversible cover artwork • English SDH Subtitles If you have never seen this before now is your chance, and if you remember it from the 70's here's your chance to own a perfect version of the film Overall 4 out of 5 Stars!  Coffin Joe is back in This Night I’ll Possess Your Corpse. Turns out he didn’t die at the end of the first film. He simply had to go to the local hospital to recover from blindness and mental trauma. This is the 2nd in a trilogy of Coffin Joe films from Brazil, the first being At Midnight I’ll Take Your Soul which I reviewed earlier. This is a very successful follow up released 4 years after the first film
Joe once again is on the search for the perfect woman and this time he even has an assistant. A hunchback named Bruno. Still in his quest to have an immortal child he this time kidnaps six woman and tortures all of them. He figures the one that does not break will be the one to bear his seed. One woman named Marcia does remain in the end, but she refuses to have anything to do with Joe after he throws the other 5 women in a pit of snakes. Luckily for Joe he catches the eye of another woman who happens to be the daughter of the local Colonel. Her name is Laura and she actually falls in love with Coffin Joe. Her father and brother want her to have nothing to do with Joe however so he brutally murders her brother. The Colonel soon rallies the villagers together to go after Joe for the brutal killing spree he has been on. This is another fantastic well-made film that never stops. Featuring one of the most mesmerizing dream sequences I have ever seen in which Joe is dragged to a graveyard and sent to hell only to find out he is the devil is not only chilling but effective in showing what a monster Coffin Joe truly is. The fact the sequence is in color only adds to the horrifying yet art house feel of the film. Murder, violence, and gore it has everything a horror fan would want. Even though it was made in 1967 it is still leaps and bounds better than most things currently out now. This one was also picked up by Synapse and features many special features 35mmNegative scan supervised by director Jose Mojica Marins The Making of This Night I’ll Possess Your Corpse A visit to the Coffin Joe Museum The Universe of Mojica Marins Interview with Jose Mojica Marins Introduction to the film by Coffin Joe Original theatrical trailer Photo Gallery Optional English subtitles and chapter selections Again this is a must own for any fan of the horror genre. Pick it up now. Overall 4out of 5 Stars |