1. “Rise of the Legend (2014)” movie review.

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    "Rise of the Legend" asks the question of 'Can sheer entertainment value overcome any obstacle?'. There are so many problems with this movie and I still had a lot of fun with it, so...yes...it can...and in hindsight, that is a pretty stupid question considering that cinema mostly exists for our entertainment.
  2. “Warriors Two (1978)” movie review.

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    "Warriors Two" (directed and co-starring Sammo Hung) is a great- if flawed- kung fu flick, but it's only great as a kung fu flick. If you're aren't into the genre, you probably will spend more time hating on the script.
  3. “The Iron-Fisted Monk (1977)” movie review.

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    If you can accept the occasional tone whiplash (graphic rape), or at least endure it, then you will find “The Iron Fisted Monk” to be kung fu gold. It has a cast of colorful characters, lots of superb action and a sophisticated prowess which you don’t see accompany these kinds of movies very often.
  4. “Kill Zone- S.P.L (2005)” movie review.

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    I suppose that instead of criticizing “Kill Zone” for failing to reach its full potential, I should instead focus on how it somehow kept me invested despite sacrificing character development for kung fu, while not having enough kung fu. So I’m going to say that “Kill Zone” is a good movie because of its successes, while its failures keep it from being great.
  5. “The Prodigal Son (1981)” movie review.

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    I just can't bring myself to call "The Prodigal Son" great, even if it has greatness within it. The story is too disjointed, the comedy is a mixed bag and the kung fu...well, the kung fu is awesome. It's directed by Sammo Hung and stars Yuen Biao. IT BETTER BE FREAKING AWESOME. But it is and that's what we ask for, so "The Prodigal Son" is a success.
  6. “Detective Dee: Mystery of the Phantom Flame (2010)” movie review.

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    Hark Tsui genre-bends like mad crazy, so wrapped in this cinematic package is: Mystery, intrigue, thriller, kung fu, politics, horror, fantasy, comedy and even a dash of adventure, as well as romance. Erm, you know what? I think I'm also just going to say it's what happens when you cross "Sherlock Holmes" with "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"...Yeah, I know that makes me a hypocrite, but that's easier to say and I am incredibly lazy.
  7. “Fast Sword (1971)” movie review.

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    The main guy avenges his Father and we're supposed to be happy for him. Yet when the villains show up wanting their own vengeance, they are evil and go 'gurrr', so we must hate them. Granted, I suppose the primary antagonist doesn't help his case much when he spends the bulk of the movie throwing his head back and delivering that eeeeevil laugh.
  8. “The Legend is Born: Ip Man (2010)” movie review.

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    In some markets it's actually known as "Ip Man 3: The Legend is Born". Yet it is also a fairly well made film that opts to do its own thing. "The Legend is Born: Ip Man" almost feels like an authentic prequel. But don't get your hopes up either because while "Ip Man" and "Ip Man 2" are genre classics, this movie forgot to have a strong script along with the action. Actually, I think it just forgot to have a script in general...
  9. Kickass of Awesome: “Dragons Forever” review.

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    The final collaboration between Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao isn't necessarily their best work. But when the best work happens to be "Project A", one can only ask for so much. "Dragons Forever" isn't for everybody, but it is a stellar film that showcases all of their skills to the max.
  10. “Dragons Forever (1988)” movie review.

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    Nevertheless, I still believe that “Dragons Forever” isn't for everybody. Many will complain that it's slow paced or cheesy and they aren't wrong. You can definitely tell that Jackie and friends were trying to expand their horizons by playing against type and focusing a little more on the drama. But I don't believe they failed at it and it's not like they abandoned their kung fu roots either. There is still a fair amount of action and it delivers everything that I want out of a Jackie Chan action movie.