The title makes it easy to figure out Pay Back is a revenge movie. Directed by Fu Xi, the movie is totally Hong Kong style and enjoyable if you like these types of movies. The style is choppy and unclear at times, which is, most likely, Fu Xi’s style.
The real reason this type of movie attracts people is the fight scenes. Pay Back scores big time with the fight scenes, but there are a couple of mediocre ones. The tongue and cheek aren’t too bad either with a jab at being good citizens. As good citizens, we are supposed to tolerate life as it comes. Not so true oh wise one, karate chop, and jab.
The story is about a decent man, who has a wife and child, but trouble comes along. His family is taken away from him by vicious gang members. Now, it is payback time, so the gang is hunted down and fight scenes ensue. The movie has potential, but a bit convoluted with scenes not relating to other scenes.
I am sure it is worth watching if you like martial arts.
Directed by Joe Menéndez,Ladrones follows a pair of modern-day hoods who rob the rich and give it to the poor. This is the sequel to the hit movie, Ladrón Que Roba a Ladrón. Starring two of Univision’s biggest stars, Fernando Colunga and Eduardo Yáñez, they play Toledo and Guzman. The hoods set out to steal the original 1848 Texas land grants and return them to their rightful owners. The grants were stolen from the lawful owners by Miranda Milroy, played by Jessica Lindsey. She plans to level the ranches to build a cultural center where she will sing opera. How these two pull off this caper is quite good.
The movie is in Spanish with English subtitles throughout. It feels like a TV movie, though. Comedy is mild, not raunchy, so I can’t figure out why it is rated PG-13. The storyline is simple, though the movie is slow at times due to a bit of action. On an upbeat note, Jackie, played by Cristina Rodlo, is funny and super intelligent, and her ranch hand boyfriend, played by Vadhir Derbez, is undoubtedly hired for just his looks. The characters keep the movie entertaining, but the plot is just too straightforward, with not enough hooks to keep me intensely interested.
Though you think this is a guy’s movie, it is not. Families with older kids can watch this movie without much flak. Some points in the story go unexplained or are so simple that they don’t bother me. Like when Toledo and Guzman nabbed the land grants. The situation should have been handled, but it wasn’t. The conflict kept going, which didn’t make sense.
Written and directed by Frans Cronjé, Born to Win is a Christian Faith movie based on a true story that will get believers inspired and follow one man’s journey to find his faith.
From the producer of the hit faith movie Faith Like Potatoes, which sold over 2.2 million DVDs in 17 languages worldwide, Born to Win is not quite as good, but still tugs at your heartstrings. The movie follows Leon Terblanche, played brilliantly by Greg Kriek (Momentum), a teacher at a school for children with disabilities. He finds himself confronted with the question: “Where is God?” This sets him on a journey in which he discovers that he has never been alone amid the hurt and brokenness of his past. Leon learns that no matter how broken you are, God is always our only living hope. Born to Win shows how God turns the hurt, frustration and emptiness of a man into hope, faith and victory to inspire people to be the winners they were born to be.
The movie is beautifully shot by Jorrie van der Walt with an endearing soundtrack by Simon Ratcliffe. Both set the movie’s rhythm and poise, creating intense, realistic, and heart-driven levels of pain with impossible odds. Leon goes through a failed relationship and circumstances beyond his control. What he experiences with the children is pure heartache.
The movie was theatrically released in South Africa in 2014 and received the Golden Crown Award for Best Evangelistic Film in 2015 (ICVM). The movie is poignant with very touching performances by other cast members, including Leoné Pienaar (Break Away), Nadia Beukes (Mooirivier), Cobus Venter (Skin), Marie Cronje (Faith Like Potatoes), Dorette Potgieter (Citizen Verdict), Anrich Herbst (Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom), Sylvia Mdunyelwa-Kobus (Tula Tula), Garth Collins (Zulu), Merlin Balie (Break Away), Tim Theron (Mooirivier) and Leandie Du Randt (Semi-Soet).
Directed by Daniel Lee, Dragon Blade is a fine example of the materialization of the growing motion picture market in China.
The industry is so dominant in Asia that Western stars are appearing in Chinese productions. Like Dragon Blade, the movies are cultural dramas on a grand scale of historical epics. Lee’s movie has been a moneymaker, grossing over $120 million in China.
The storyline is unique and pleasurable with Jackie Chan, John Cusack, and Adrien Brody. Cusack and Brody appear out of place in the empire of men swinging swords and wearing sandals, whereas Chan does a fine job of martial arts and plays a familiar role.
The movie transports the story back to 48 B.C., where Huo An, played by Chan, is a well-intended and compassionate leader of the Silk Road Protection Squad. His squad comes across as a dedicated group. Huo protects and fights altruistically to maintain harmony for the sanctioned Road.
Thereupon, Huo and his men are framed for gold smuggling and are banished to Wild Goose Gate. They are required to rebuild an entire city in two weeks or be put to death. Clearly an impossible task, something miraculous happens, and they connect up with a lost Roman army. Commanded by General Lucius, played by Cusack, is a scoundrel. He immediately picks a fight with Huo. After the brawl, they became fast friends with singing, parades, and drinking. Lucius confesses he is trying to avoid capture by the Romans and that he has a sick boy, Publius, played by Joey Jozef. The boy is the lawful heir to the Roman throne, and his evil brother, Tiberius, played by Brody, is out to assassinate him. He recently murdered their father, so we know he is serious. With that in mind, Lucius’ men and other local tribes, along with Huo, turn the city into a symbol of peace. Something Huo has desired for most of his life.
The visuals are not only majestic but also ambiguous. Seeing Chan in a sword fight with Cusack is conflicting. We are in Asia, and here is a Westerner. It is intriguing but unreal for an epic. The $65 million budget funded gigantic spectacles in which Lee effectively created a war-torn China during the Han Dynasty.
This is purely fictional with no regard for historical authenticity. True. The Romans and Asians shared commerce and the Silk Road, but nothing more. The many battle scenes are exceptional, with the combination of Roman fighting techniques and traditional Chinese martial arts. The movie is invigorating to watch as a friendship develops between Huo and Lucius.
Overall, Dragon Blade is a movie worth seeing, with Chan outshining his Western co-stars.
The movie takes place in New Zealand before colonial times when Maoris ruled New Zealand. Polynesian people are the ancestors of the Maori. They originated from Southeast Asia and migrated to New Zealand. The movie is about two Maori tribes that have an ancient rivalry. The conflict has been resolved, and the tribes live in harmony.
Until a young war chief, Wirepa, covets the glory gained in battle by rekindling the ancient rivalry. He violently attacks the other tribe. The Chief’s son, Hongi, survives with a few other members of his tribe. Hongi goes after them with full out assault on revenge.
As a strategic plan, they decide to cross through the `Dead Lands’, hence the movie’s name, The Dead Lands, where it is believed that a warrior spirit lies in wait. The spirit will devour any person who trespasses, adding a haunting tale to the storyline.
The rest of the movie is an action-packed outing, with a bunch of martial arts fighting, blood splattering and other violent plundering. The movie’s backdrop is a beautiful tropical forest, which provides a stark contrast to the story, and the music adds a fair amount of intensity. A standout actor in the upheaval is Lawrence Makoare as the Warrior, who drives his role with vim and vigor, emotion and pure charismatic presence.
The movie is entirely in Maori with English sub titles. Don’t get caught up in the subtitles, just watch the movie, and the story will unfold. I recommend this movie if you enjoy real violence in a rather barbaric fashion that gets under your skin.
If you like John Woo’s classics, you will enjoy this action-filled police tale. It’s the story of three police officers with striking personalities. One of the officers is undercover while the others are on the force. They make great efforts to bring down a major Asian drug lord. The movie is driven by its story with deceptions and betrayals, suspense and some major action.
Directed by Benny Chan, The White Storm is textured with characters who must prove their righteousness, similar to movies from the 80s like Tango & Cash or Lethal Weapon. The cops are in conflict over their personalities and how they handle the job. Like one bad cop and one good cop solving a crime together while competing against each other.
The story begins with a brotherhood put to the ultimate test when a narcotics sting operation fails. Three friends will fight to the end to escape the retaliation of the most dangerous drug lord in Hong Kong. They are working in the Hong Kong Police Department’s Narcotics Bureau and get caught up in a case with the drug lord. Their sting operation fails, and they are forced to make a devastating decision – two can live, but one must die.
Five years later, the two of them declare revenge for their fallen friend. But conflict arises, and they end up competing for their own lives. At this point, the story gets really interesting, and I couldn’t take my eyes off the movie.
Chan is an award-winning producer and director for the film New Police Storystarring Jackie Chan. He brings action-packed entertainment with cutting-edge storytelling.
I am impressed with 71since it had me on the edge of my couch the whole time. It was also a lesson about what was going in Belfast during the uprising.
The movie doesn’t let up, either, thanks to the fine direction by Yann Demange and the unbelievable performances by the entire cast. I am so impressed with the child actors in this movie. Sure. Jack O’Connell is fantastic. He reminds me of Steve McQueen, silent but powerful. The children were so heartwrenching, strong and innocent.
Demange throws the viewer into the grit and emotional torture these people went through during the civil unrest. The lesson is more of a concept of what it was like to be in Belfast. There is no backstory, which isn’t needed since we are at war now with civilians. Diabolical situation with just enough dialogue to keep us connected to the story.
The story concerns the very beginning of “The Troubles.” The violent 30-year conflict in Northern Ireland was rooted in the country’s constitutional status. The movie doesn’t explain “Troubles.” 71 is an experience, a slice of life that will forever be embedded in the souls of those who fought in this bloody war.
The story follows one soldier (O’Connell). His first maneuver is a nerve racking riot on the streets of Belfast. He accidentally gets separated from his unit and is abandoned without a weapon. He tries to survive the night alone in a maze-like landscape with people after him. He has no idea who he can trust, but is scared beyond imagination – it’s intense. The movie is so believable, I thought it was based on a true story. But I haven’t been able to determine whether that is true.
Demange challenges the audience at the outset by introducing the soldier’s son. They spend quality time together, so I was emotionally attached from the beginning and continued to have my fingers crossed throughout his ordeal. O’Connell’s breathtaking performance kept me in awe. He drives the whole movie. I encourage you to see this movie for the talented work of everyone involved.
The title makes it easy to figure out Pay Back is a revenge movie. Directed by Fu Xi, the movie is totally Hong Kong style and enjoyable if you like these types of movies. The style is choppy and unclear at times, which is, most likely, Fu Xi’s style.
