Alt. Ep. Title: “Johnnie Camel-To = Brutal Bro-Mance!”

Johnnie To has got to be one of the more consistently solid Hong Kong directors still working. To has a great deal of really entertaining films under his belt but Exiled has definitely got to be one of his more memorable movies to date. The strange back and forth combination of camaraderie, extreme violence, humor, loyalty, and gangster politics is unique and deftly handled.

Blaze, Fat, Cat, Wo, and Tai are all fun/quirky characters with a strong sense of history. It was a pleasure to watch all these old-school gangsters interacting with one another. The cinematography and visual style is extremely controlled and well thought out especially during the frenetic shootout sequences. The action scenes were handled with playful creativity and stylish flair. The soundtrack is also very atmospheric and greatly adds to the overall western/Mexican stand-off vibe that permeates much of the film. An extremely competent cast of To veterans consisting of Anthony Wong, Lam Suet, Simon Yam (This bitch is in everything!), and Francis Ng. Highly recommended to action junkies and HK fans alike, especially if you’re looking for something a little different!

The Hard Cast and the Billy Bob Thornton of Asia (Anthony Wong) are on a mission to rekindle old friendships and wrap up that last big score. Unfortunately, Boss Fay and his bloody misty balls are after us and no matter how many times we flip a coin, shoot red bull cans, spit out bullets, and take goofy pictures we just can’t seem to shake him!

PARTICIPANTS:

• -CHRIS: 8.5
  
• -VICTOR: 8.7
  
• -SPANISH: 8 (The Ocho!)
  

Episode Length: 35:53
Exiled Trailer
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Amazon: Exiled DVD

P.S. Exiled is available on Netflix streaming in HD!

Alt. Episode Title: “Wing Chun Causes Non-Stop Vibration!”

The Yen-meister is yet again the subject of another episode. This time it’s all about the truly awesome Wilson Yip directed film known as Ip Man. A semi-biographical martial arts film based on the life of a grandmaster of wing chun in the town of Foshan during the Sino-Japanese war. A gripping tale full of turmoil, drama, as well as a heaping dose of extreme pummeling.

Marking the fourth collaboration between Donnie Yen and director Wilson Yip. Ip Man also stars veteran Hong Kong actor Simon Yam and lists Sammo Hung as action director which makes sense since the fight choreography was definitely a sight to behold. Probably Donnie’s finest performance to date.  Solid acting, believable characters, and elegant storytelling throughout that should appeal to not only fans of kung-fu films but to anyone who can appreciate quality filmaking. We can’t wait to get our hands on the sequel!

The Hard Cast is here to try and settle the age-old score between kung-fu and karate. Which fighting form will come out on top? After watching Ip Man all we can say is that we’re no martial arts experts… but it was nice. Everybody wing chun tonight!

PARTICIPANTS:

• -CHRIS: 9
  
• -VICTOR: 9
  
• -SPANISH: 8.2
  

Episode Length: 26:36

Ip Man Trailer (UK)
Ip Man 2 Trailer

Support The Hard Cast by purchasing through our referral links:

Amazon: Ip Man [Blu-ray]
Amazon: Ip Man DVD

Alternate Ep. Title: “Honorable Lion Dancing Chores!”

The first episode of our new Shaw Bros. Before Hoes segment is all about the very entertaining Martial Club from 1981. Directed by the master himself Lau Kar Leung and starring the amazing Gordon Lui and the lovely Kara Hui. We will hopefully be doing even more Shaw Bros. classics and will try and get more members on board for future episodes so keep your five fingers of death crossed.

Although a bit long for a Shaw Brothers film (107 min.) the story is fairly solid and tends to focus on elements of honor, discipline, friendship, and integrity rather than the standard revenge plots that are so common. Gordon Lui, Kara Hui, and all the main players acquit themselves quite well once the fists start flying and there is definitely no shortage of elaborate/long fight sequences. The alleyway fight at the end being the highlight of the movie. The overuse of slapstick humor does sometimes feel out of place but fortunately not enough to detract from the overall viewing experience. Recommended to all old-school martial arts fans!

The Hard Cast is judging this years Lion Dance and needs to know that all participating martial artists have the required cloth checking and rice carrying skills. Humility and proper Kung-Fu etiquette are absolutely essential if you don’t want to get impaled on a bamboo pole!

PARTICIPANTS:

• -CHRIS: 7.85
  
• -PATRICK: 7.5
  

Episode Length: 27:35

Support The Hard Cast by purchasing through our referral links:

Amazon: Martial Club DVD
 
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Beware the subtle technique of Eye Rapeage!

Alternate Ep. Title: “The Bitter Taste of Space Dildo!”

Lots of cheesy creature effects (tentacles!), imaginative character designs, goofy sidekicks (comic relief), over-the-top transformation sequences (NIPPLES!), a unique soundtrack, a very lovely female protagonist (Hubba Hubba!) who happens to be an intergalactic ass-kicking bounty hunter with a massive arsenal, and a cynical talking computer named Bob.

The original Zeiram was released in the early 90′s back when anime and manga was really starting to gain a foothold in the US. This probably contributed greatly to it’s semi-cult following. Of course the very enjoyable prequel anime known as Iria also had a lot to do with the popularity of the iconic characters. Director Keita Amemiya’s fusion of classic eastern visual styles with traditional western sci-fi elements is unique and memorable despite the obvious budget constraints. Yuko Moriyama’s portrayal of the stoic Iria is certainly solid and her physical prowess as well as her sex appeal improved significantly in the subsequent sequel. Unfortunately the same cannot be said for the lackluster story which seemed to be mostly an afterthought. The SFX are varied and include animatronics, stop-motion-animation, rubber suits, CGI, and standard pyrotechnics. Overall, both movies are worthy of their semi-cult status and deserve to be in any Sci-Fi B-Movie fan’s collection.       

Zeiram is on the loose again and about to terrorize the feeble inhabitants of Earth. The Hard Cast needs sexy female bounty hunters who can kick alien ass and chew space dildo. There’s also a couple openings for some human sidekicks. Just try not to get raped by any meatball tentacle monsters and don’t be afraid to kick a mutant dog minion, especially if you’re going to be a father!

PARTICIPANTS:

• -CHRIS: 6.85 (Z1) 7 (Z2)
  
• -LUIZ: 6.9 (Z1) 7.25 (Z2)
  

Episode Length: 43:15

Support The Hard Cast by purchasing through our referral links:

Amazon: Zeiram Duology (Zeiram 1&2 Double Feature)
Amazon: Iria: Zeiram The Animation (The Complete Collection)

Zeiram Trailer
Zeiram 2 Trailer

PS: Let us know if you’re interested in hearing us review/discuss any of Keita Amemiya’s other work such as Moon Over Tao or Mechanical Violator Hakaider.

Alternate Ep. Title: “Tony the Tiger is an Archer Who Loves MMA!”

Our third Donnie Yen martial arts movie review/discussion. I guess the old Yenster has grappled his way into your hardened hearts. Certainly a solid followup to the highly-praised Killzone (SPL) at least in terms of the fight choreography and highly-ballistic gun-play. Definitely bringing the goods with the modern day MMA style no-holds-barred street brawling.  

While the story and characters weren’t as compelling as they were in Donnie and Yip’s previous Hong Kong cop actioner, Killzone. The highly evolved free-flowing modern day martial arts fight choreography almost made up for the other areas that were lacking. Louis Koo and Collin Chou, of Matrix Reloaded fame, both acquit themselves fairly well. Especially Chou who almost manages to go toe to toe with the Yenster himself. Highly recommended to martial arts fans who can tolerate a very straight-forward/derivative storyline. Trust us, the fight scene at the end has to seen to be believed!

The Hard Cast is looking for some hardcore listeners who are willing to straddle the line between right and wrong! There are those who may accuse us of giving out unfair reviews but there’s a job to do and you better not make it personal or we might have to bust some heads!

PARTICIPANTS:

• -CHRIS: 7.5
  
• -VICTOR: 7.2
  
• -SPANISH: 7
  

Episode Length: 27:05

PS: Flash Point is available on Netflix streaming!

Support The Hard Cast by purchasing through our referral links:

Amazon: Flash Point DVD

Alternate Ep. Title: “Victim of the Sneaky Angry God Reach-Around!”

Bringing down the roof with this underground samurai kaiju cult classic! Often labeled as the premier Japanese art-house monster movie but that description comes across as being kind of snobbish so we’ll just say that it’s an extremely solid entry into our Asian Cinema category. A fairly simple tale that blends many of the best elements of both samurai films and giant monster movies.

Actually more of a period samurai epic than a standard monster movie. This film had considerably above-average production values. Appropriately authentic looking sets and costumes. Along with believable performances and sympathetic characters. A story that emphasizes the age-old mantra that those who continue to do evil will eventually get their comeuppance. Except in this case the punishment is doled out by a wrathful demon god who seems to have an unnatural hatred for roofs and chains. Highly recommended to all kaiju/samurai movie lovers!

The Hard Cast invites you to the annual sacred appease-an-angry-god ceremony! We promise it will be a night to remember with lots of geishas and plenty of sake bombs to go around. Just remember, don’t be wasteful because Daimajin is always watching….

PARTICIPANTS:

• -CHRIS: 8
  
• -LUIS: 8
  

Episode Length: 28:31

Support The Hard Cast by purchasing through our referral links:
Amazon: Daimajin DVD
Amazon: Daimajin 2: Wrath of Daimajin DVD
Amazon: Daimajin 3: Return of Daimajin DVD
Amazon: The Complete Daimajin Collection DVD
 
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Alternate Episode Title: “Daigoro is a Gangsta for Life!”

The mother of all samurai cult classic flicks! Responsible for introducing most of the western world to the incredibly violent and blood drenched world of Lone Wolf & Cub. They don’t get much more over-the-top crazy/cool then this folks. Even three decades later you’d be seriously hard-pressed to find a more entertaining slice of Japanese samurai cult cinema.

Despite the fact that this version was edited and compiled from the first two movies in the Lone Wolf & Cub series it’s actually quite coherent and even manages to improve upon the original films in a couple areas. First of all there’s quite a bit more insanely visceral carnage going on and they also replaced the soundtrack with mostly synthesizer compositions. Something that makes the music stand out a bit more in a late-night-retro-grind-house sort of way which I really dug.  The biggest improvement though would have to be the addition of Daigoro’s narration which was extremely well written and performed. If you somehow missed this one and you think samurai’s kick ass then definitely seek this DVD out. You can thank us later.

The Hard Cast is putting you on baby cart duty! Watch out for sharp vegetables and arrogant kunoichi lady ninjas who can jump out of their clothes while running backwards at incredible speeds. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

PARTICIPANTS:

• -CHRIS: 8.5
  
• -STEVEN: 9
  

Episode Length: 45:02

Support The Hard Cast by purchasing through our referral links:

Amazon: Shogun Assassin DVD
Amazon: Shogun Assassin: 5 Film Collector’s Set
Amazon: Lone Wolf and Cub Box Set
Amazon: Lone Wolf & Cub Vol. 1: The Assassin’s Road

Alternate Episode Title: “Don’t Underestimate Fat People!”

The triumphant return of Hong Kong’s ultra-violent martial arts cop flick! Killzone (SPL) hits with such force that it can cause instant retardation if you’re not careful. Solid story with plenty of procedural cop drama, decent acting as well as memorable characters, and of course some insanely intense fight scenes that will have you on the edge of your seat.

The cast for this movie is martial arts lover’s wet dream come true. You’ve got Donnie Yen, Wu Jing (up and comer at the time) and the legend himself, Sammo Hung. It doesn’t get much better than this especially with Donnie handling the choreography. The fights are extremely fast and brutal especially the knife vs. baton alley showdown which is amazing. The mixture of different martial art styles is also a nice change and was definitely unique at the time. Very solid acting from Simon Yam and especially Sammo Hung who just oozes menace in every scene he’s in.

Sometime the judicial system just isn’t enough to bring down the Kingpins of the world but thankfully The Hard Cast isn’t afraid of bending a few rules as long as justice is served!

PARTICIPANTS:

• -CHRIS: 8.5
  
• -VICTOR: 8
  
• -STEVEN: 9
  

Support The Hard Cast by purchasing through our referral links:

Amazon: Kill Zone DVD

Alternate Episode Title: “Stop strangling me with your Intestines!”

One of the biggest Asian Cult Classics EVAR!!! For good reason too because Story of Ricky is one hell of an over-the-top roller-coaster ride. Words cannot even begin to describe this movie and nothing can prepare you for the massively brutal carnage that unfolds. All the elements come together to create an incredibly violent mash-up of orgasmic proportions!

We watched Story of Ricky with the English dub which is so ridiculously bad that it manages to push the absurdity level through the roof. Even though the action is extremely hard-hitting (just like Ricky) don’t expect complex fight choreography from this movie. The entertainment value comes from the insane amounts of gore that looks so fake that you can’t help but laugh your ass off but still somehow manages to leave you staring in complete and utter awe. It is beyond all comprehension that a movie like this even exists. Trust us when we say that you will never be the same once you’ve experienced Story of Ricky.

Not everyone shares our love and enthusiasm for this movie but we ask that those people tell that to our faces and in return The Hard Cast will spit razor blades in theirs!

PARTICIPANTS:

• -CHRIS
• -STEVEN
• -VICTOR

Support The Hard Cast by purchasing through our referral links:

Amazon: Riki-Oh – The Story of Ricky DVD

Alternate Episode Title: “Long Overdue Recognition!”

It’s finally here, the much talked about Assemby Review. Better late than never is what I always say. Probably one of my all time favorite war movies. Better than Taeguki and Saving Private Ryan combined which is saying a lot since I actually like both of those movies. The story, the action, the acting, the drama, the camerawork, the editing, the music, everything is just super solid in this film.

This movie has it all in spades. The action sequences are extremely visceral, in your face, and totally believable. Everything feels very authentic and this adds to the immersion factor. Even without the action, which is superb, this would still be an amazing movie. The story of a lone surviving soldier who is trying desperately to gain recognition and honor for his fallen comrades is very compelling and quite an emotional roller-coaster ride. On top of that all the performances are heartfelt and ring true. This also happens to be on those rare movies that manages to be very personal and intimate as well as epic when the situation calls for it. If you’re a fan of war movies then there’s no reason why you haven’t seem this film yet. Trust us, you won’t regret it.

If you’re ready to make your stand against insurmountable odds till you hear the Assembly call then The Hard Cast is here to document and record it for posterity. Your courage and perseverance will not be forgotten by future generations.

PARTICIPANTS:

• -CHRIS
• -STEVEN
• -PATRICK
  

Support The Hard Cast by purchasing through our referral links:

Amazon: Assembly DVD

Alternate Episode Title: “A Duffel Bag full of Grenades!”

Pick your poison ’cause this one’s got em all! Crazy martial arts, over-the-top stunts, generous amounts of gun play, and I think I might have noticed a couple explosions as well. This movie’s action sequences are balls to the wall. No screw that, the balls went through the wall, smashed through a plate glass window that was on fire, then got dropkicked mid-air and exploded! Suffice to say Invisible Target is an action junkie’s wet dream come true.

Wu Jing is in top form as the criminal gang leader and snatches the spotlight by force in practically every scene he’s in. The last fight scene between him, Nicholas Tse, Shawn Yue, and Jaycee Chan has to be seen to be believed. The rest of the cast acquit themselves admirably with the possible exception of Jaycee Chan whose altruistic goody-two-shoes attitude gets a bit grating at times. In conclusion: if you dig HK style action this title needs to be in your collection.

If you think there’s a traitor in your midst and you don’t know who to trust then The Hard Cast is here to back you up.

PARTICIPANTS:

• -CHRIS
• -STEVEN
• -VICTOR

Support The Hard Cast by purchasing through our referral links:

Amazon: Invisible Target DVD

Alternate Episode Title: “Homo Haircuts=Bad-Ass Kung-Fu!”

Another successful collaboration between Donnie “The Man” Yen and Wilson Yip that delivers an ass-kickingly good time in the form of DTG! If only these guys had been in charge of the live action Dragonball movie. You can’t beat this movie for over-the-top comic book style martial arts action. The story is somewhat basic/simplistic, the characters don’t really have much depth and don’t even get me started on those haircuts.

Where DTG shines is the intense kung-fu action and the incredibly fluid fight choreography provided by the master himself Donnie Yen. There’s some wire-fu going on but it’s done so well that it barely detracts from the experience. If you consider yourself a martial arts fan you owe it to yourself to check this one out. The picture and audio quality are superb for the Blu-Ray release and will definitely give your home theater setup a workout.

If you think you’re ready to learn the deadly arts then let the masters at The Hard Cast begin your training!

PARTICIPANTS:

• -CHRIS
• -STEVEN
• -VICTOR

Support The Hard Cast by purchasing through our referral links:

Amazon: Dragon Tiger Gate [Blu-ray]
Amazon: Dragon Tiger Gate DVD

Alternate Episode Title: “Lone survivor of a police massacre!”

The latest and greatest in the long running line of Police Story films. An ambitious film for Jackie Chan that manages to engross the viewer on several different levels. Unlike most of Jackie’s other movies New Police Story has a very strong emotional core that manages to make you care about the characters more so than you would have otherwise. At times it does get bit too sentimental and overly dramatic for my tastes but I do believe that the payoff is worth it in the end. Typical of a Jackie Chan movie the action scenes are fast, fun, and inventive. Especially watch out for the fight scene in the Lego room.

If you think you’re ready to get drunk, puke, and pass out with Jackie then precede to The Hard Cast and listen to our take on New Police Story.

PS: The Blu-Ray was just recently released and goes for only $11.99 on Amazon right now which is a steal if you ask me.

PARTICIPANTS:

• -CHRIS
• -STEVEN
• -VICTOR

Support The Hard Cast by purchasing through our referral links:

Amazon: New Police Story [Blu-ray]
Amazon: New Police Story DVD
Amazon: Black Mask/New Police Story DVD

Alternate Episode Title: “You can’t keep a bad cyborg down…”

A big budget Korean sci-fi action flick that didn’t really live up to it’s potential but was still fairly entertaining. A solid attempt from a technical and SFX point of view. Story/characters were lacking in some key areas and the obvious attempts at ripping off Bladerunner were a bit too derivative for my tastes. Plot also reminded me a bit of the 80′s cult classic Cherry 2000 but not as much fun. Basically I’d say that it’s worth checking out if you’re a big sci-fi fan who happens to be into Asian Cinema too.

Get jacked into The Hard Cast if you think you’re ready to take on the unrelenting horde of assassin cyborgs. Remember to aim for the head.

PARTICIPANTS:

• -CHRIS
• -STEVEN
• -VICTOR

Support The Hard Cast by purchasing through our referral links:

Amazon: Natural City DVD

Alternate Episode Title: “Don’t Know What You Got (Till It’s Gone)”

One of the first titles to introduce me into the world of Korean cinema and what a doozy it was. A film rich with strong emotions and heartfelt sentiment all held together by Cecilia Cheung’s amazing performance. You just can’t help but feel for this girl. Choi Min-sik’s portrayal of Kang-jae’s profound journey of redemption and self-discovery is also noteworthy and memorable.

If you think you’re ready to experience an unrequited  love that reaches from this world into the next then take a listen because she’s waiting.

“Love here on earth
Love beyond the grave
There are no roads
My love for you can’t pave.”
T. Sachs

PARTICIPANTS:

• -CHRIS
• -STEVEN

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Alternate Episode Title: “Shiny Things Go Boom!”

Much more ambitious than your typical Kamen Rider/Power Ranger movie. Casshern yearns to be so many things at once bouncing back and forth between action, sci-fi, and drama. Sometimes it succeeds and is quite mesmerizing when it does but even when it doesn’t it’s still a beautiful mess to behold. The massive budget (by Japanese standards) ensures that the visuals are always memorable, exciting, and epic. Overall a positive experience. Let’s hope that the director’s second movie Goemon is even better.

There’s no time to waste! Slide into your armored suit of justice and unleash the righteous fury of The Hard Cast!

“We cloak ourselves in cold indifference to the unnecessary suffering of others–even when we cause it.” – James Carroll

PARTICIPANTS:

• -CHRIS
• -STEVEN
• -LUIS

Support The Hard Cast by purchasing through our referral links:

Amazon: Casshern: Director’s Cut DVD