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Charlize Theron says Kill Billstar Uma Thurman should have won an Oscar for her work in Quentin Tarantino's martial arts epic. Thurman played Beatrix "the Bride" Kiddo in the 2003 film.

During an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Theron discussed the impact Thurman had on her own career at the time. "We knew each other kind of offhand, but I knew her from being a massive fan, just watching her work, and always wanted to do something with her," she explained. "Because when I came into the action world, she was really, to me, like, the sensei. She was the Og."

When asked if Thurman should have been awarded an Oscar for her work on Kill Bill, Theron responded with, "A hundred percent." She went on to note that it's usually only "men who get a lot of credit" for hardcore action movies. "What she did in that film was just so unbelievable,...

It can’t be denied that as far as martial arts movies go, the best ones come from Asia, particularly Hong Kong during their action heyday, which was arguably the 70s, 80s and first half of the ’90s. It’s tough to compete with the likes of the Shaw Brothers and the drunken master known as Jackie Chan. That said, martial arts movies were also making a foothold in the States decades ago, thanks mainly to Bruce Lee-mania following the release of Enter the Dragon. Before that movie, very few actors in Hollywood seemed like they were credible martial artists, except maybe James Coburn, a student of Lee’s, who pulled off some pretty good-looking moves in the otherwise silly Our Man Flint movies. Steve McQueen also had training but didn’t use martial arts on screen. Up to then, though, the most notable uses of martial arts in movies usually revolved around Judo,...

Even at their most fantastical, high-concept blockbusters can prompt audiences to contemplate what might happen if their circumstances took place in real life. Frequently, the question is as simple as what would “actually” happen or how an individual would react if presented with a larger-than-life situation. But after watching local, national or even worldwide forces respond to an emergency or incident, it becomes easy — even natural — to compare that effort to what the characters in a movie do when they leap into action.

In that regard, “Bullet Train Explosion” meets a believability threshold that feels virtually unparalleled. Like his previous film “Shin Godzilla,” director Shinji Higuchi’s follow-up to the 1975 Japanese film “The Bullet Train” explores with meticulous and realistic detail what a bureaucratic response might be to, well, a scenario that’s likely only to happen in the movies. Even without a movie star fighting his way up and...

Like every other ‘90s kid who was just getting into the action genre, Speed was (and still is) my go-to movie when I was in the mood for some thrills and chills. Nowadays, so many movies have strapped bombs to locomotives ready to be triggered if said locomotives fail to maintain a certain velocity that the concept won’t exactly surprise anybody. But back then, watching Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock maneuver a public bus while trying to figure out ways to thwart the bomber was nerve-wracking and exciting. Later on, when I was in the mood for some ‘80s Bollywood movies, I watched The Burning Train. It was undoubtedly one of the best action movies of the era and continues to give a lot of modern Hindi films a run for their money. With all that said, it was only recently that I learned that both of them were...

Mackenyu Arata, who One Piece fans know as Roronoa Zoro, gave one of the most stellar performances in the epic One Piece live-action adaptation on Netflix. His portrayal of the Straw Hat swordsman was so great that fans discuss his performance to this day and appreciate him for bringing such an iconic and powerful character to life.

He was one of the most anticipated actors for the One Piece live-action series because he has also played many other popular anime characters in other live-action adaptations. It truly explains his dedication towards his profession and his love for the Japanese anime culture. However, understanding and getting hold of the Japanese culture was not so easy for him in the beginning.

During one of his exclusive interviews, Mackenyu disclosed the challenge of living a bicultural life and then including it as one of the main aspects of his acting career. He even...

It is certainly no secret the 1960s and 1970s were a golden time for samurai movies. If you are a movie fan and often frequent Asian Movie Pulse, you will surely have no problem coming up with a list of at least some really impressive features of the time. At the same time, it was a great time for leading men such as Shintaro Katsu and Sonny Chiba, but Tomisaburo Wakayama has to be part of this particular list, for his performance as Itto Ogami, the former executioner to the shogun turned ronin, who walks the path of the dead, along with his son Daigoro. While each of the six entries into the “Lone Wolf and Cub”-series is must-see in its own right, there is one quality which makes them stand out: the execution of the fight scenes and duels.

After he and Daigoro survived the cowardly attack of the Yagyu clan,...

Pop quiz, hot shot: There’s a bomb on a bullet train. If the Shinkansen drops below 100 kilometers per hour, it blows up. What do you do? What do you do!?

Well, one thing you don’t do is confuse “The Bullet Train Explosion” for a “Speed” remake set in a country with a functional public transportation system. For one thing, this sleek Netflix spectacle is actually a remake of the 1975 Ken Takakura/Sonny Chiba vehicle that inspired “Speed,” even though “The Bullet Train” was itself a response to American disaster films like “Earthquake” and “The Towering Inferno” (pour one out for free trade).

For another thing, Shinji Higuchi’s glossy new version — as fawning toward the East Japan Railway Company as the “Shin Godzilla” director’s kaiju movies have been skeptical of the Japanese government — isn’t fueled by unleaded suspense so much as it is by the sheer...

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This April, Tubi is bringing you a lot of entertainment, from the thrilling crime action film Play Dirty to the beloved animated series The Looney Tunes Show. However, for this article, we are only including the films that are coming to Tubi in the next month and have an 80% or higher Rotten Tomatoes score. So, check out the thirteen best movies coming to Tubi in April 2025 with an 80% or higher Rotten Tomatoes score.

Kill Bill: Volumes 1 & 2 (April 1) Rotten Tomatoes Scores: 85% & 84% Credit – Miramax Films

Kill Bill is a two-part martial arts action film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. The 2003 and 2004 films follow an assassin known as the Bride who wakes up from a coma and swears revenge against the people who tried to kill her and her unborn child. Kill Bill stars Uma Thurman, Lucy Liu, Vivica A. Fox,...

Eiichiro Oda is credited with creating the world wherein we find Monkey D. Luffy and the Straw Hats. Oda's One Piece has become a brilliant hit in whatever guise one encounters, be it manga, anime, and most recently, Netflix's live action series. After a recent break, the anime returns from its hiatus on April 5, but eyes still remain fixed on when the second season of the live-action might premiere. Having already wrapped filming, it is no surprise that the longing for a premiere date has only intensified. Mackenyu, who plays Roronoa Zoro in the Netflix show, has only recently teased what the future holds for his character in upcoming episodes.

Dashing, athletic and brave, Mackenyu's Zoro is easily one of the most adored characters on the show. His prowess and skill with swords also set him apart as one of the strongest as well. Looking ahead to the coming season,...

Quentin Tarantino’s iconicKill Bill franchise will be heading to a brand-new streaming home for the month of April. Both Volume 1 and 2 were led by Academy Award nominee Uma Thurman as Beatrix “The Bride” Kiddo, who’s hellbent on seeking revenge against the members of the assassination squad she was once a part of.

Beginning on April 1, Kill Bill: Volume 1 and Kill Bill: Volume 2 will officially start streaming for free on Tubi. The franchise centers around The Bride, a vengeful former assassin whose chance to have a complete family gets taken away after her former squad, The Deadly Vipers, suddenly attacked her and her groom during their wedding rehearsal. After waking up from a four-year coma, she embarks on a revenge-fueled quest to hunt down the ones responsible for the wedding massacre and the loss of her unborn child. Prior to working on the Kill Bill films, Thurman...

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This March, Peacock is bringing you a lot of entertainment, from the highly anticipated streaming release of Wicked to Amanda Seyfried‘s crime drama series Long Bright River. However, for the purposes of this article, we are only including the films that are coming to Peacock this month and have an 84% or higher Rotten Tomatoes score. So, check out the seven best films that are coming to Peacock in March 2025 with an 84% or higher Rotten Tomatoes score.

The Hurt Locker (March 1) Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96% Credit – Summit Entertainment

The Hurt Locker is a war action thriller film directed by Kathryn Bigelow from a screenplay by Mark Boal. The 2008 film is set during the Iraq War, and it follows a bomb disposal team training under Sergeant William James, whose intense training methods and ideologies force the team to revolt against him.

As a narrator explains during the opening of Fukusaku Kinji’s Hokuriku Proxy War, over images of the rough coastal region of Japan’s Hokuriku province, a hard land breeds a similar kind of criminal—so violent that even yakuza from other parts of the country blanch at the brutality that plays out here. Indeed, one swiftly gets the impression that the local gangsters scarcely have time to shake down civilians because they’re too preoccupied with their internecine conflicts. The Hokuriku yakuza operate along a power principle akin to that of Ottoman Empire sultans, of each potential boss rising the ranks by eliminating every possible competitor. That approach leads to a degradation of the talent pool and breeds leaders capable of nothing but wanton, self-destructive violence.

Fukusaku’s 1977 crime film homes in on one such would-be boss, Kawata Noboru (Matsukata Hiroki), who’s embroiled in a war with rival...

Tonight brings the first full moon of 2025, and it happens to be the Wolf Moon. Not so coincidentally, this Friday brings the release of Leigh Whannell’s Wolf Man. That means this week’s streaming picks are themed accordingly; we’re howling at the full moon over werewolves.

Only this time, we’re venturing beyond many of the essentials like An American Werewolf in London (Pluto TV), The Howling (VOD), Dog Soldiers, or Ginger Snaps to spotlight lesser celebrated lyncanthropes.

The five werewolf movies offer everything from foundational classics to gonzo ’70s action and everything in between. Here’s where you can stream them this week.

For more Stay Home, Watch Horror picks, click here.

Bad Moon – AMC+, Peacock, Prime Video, the Roku Channel, Screambox, Shout! TV, Shudder

This adaptation of the novel Thor by Wayne Smith uniquely pits a werewolf against a dog. Photojournalist Ted Harrison (Michael Paré) returns...

The vibes on your media shelves are about to get very cool, as Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill Vol. 1, Kill Bill Vol. 2, and Jackie Brown will all receive 4K Ultra HD SteelBook releases on January 21st, 2025.

The third and “fourth” films made by Tarantino represent the director truly coming into his stride as an auteur. Jackie Brown, adapted from the Elmore Leonard novel Rum Punch, featured Pam Grier as a flight attendant drawn into a criminal enterprise. It was a career-revitalizing role for Grier, alongside an ensemble cast including Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Forster, Bridget Fonda, Michael Keaton, and Robert De Niro.

The Kill Bill saga featured Tarantino paying homage to some of his favorite genres, including martial arts movies, blaxploitation, spaghetti westerns, and more. Uma Thurman stars as The Bride (aka Beatrix Kiddo), a woman out for revenge after losing everything on her wedding day. The two-volume epic also starred Lucy Liu,...

Quentin Tarantino, best known for his supporting turn in "Destiny Turns on the Radio," has never been shy about his taste in movies. Tarantino has long been drawn to aggressively masculine genre films, Westerns, war pictures, martial arts films, and anything one might have seen at a run-down grindhouse theater in 1977. He also likes very terse, tense movies, and has listed Martin Scorsese's "Taxi Driver," William Friedkin's "Sorcerer," and Sergio Leone's "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" as his favorites. He's likewise admitted to having fond feelings for "The Great Escape" (who doesn't?) and thinks very highly of Christopher Nolan's "Dunkirk." It's easy to guess that he similarly loves "Rio Bravo" and "Apocalypse Now," and he often recommends the Sonny Chiba vehicle "The Street Fighter" from 1974.

Despite his tastes, however, Tarantino remains cinematically omnivorous, taking in hundreds of movies a year, sussing out the pop...

FX’s Shogun extended its reign over the 2024 Emmys on Sunday night. Going into the evening, the hit samurai series already held the record for the most wins by any show in a single year, having bagged 14 trophies at the Creative Arts Emmys a week ago. But the show further cemented its rule inside the Peacock Theater at the Primetime Emmys, winning an additional four awards, including the top categories of best drama series, best actress in a drama series for Anna Sawai, best actor in a drama series for Hiroyuki Sanada and best drama directing for Frederick E.O. Toye.

Shogun’s triumph is momentous on several fronts. The historic awards haul represents a huge win for FX and parent company Disney for a pricey series that took nearly 10 years to bring to fruition and once looked like a very uncertain bet. It’s also a major moment for Asian representation and non-English-language television.

If you were waiting for The Crow film series reboot, then the wait is finally over. Directed by Rupert Sanders from a screenplay co-written by Zach Baylin and William Schneider, The Crow is based on a superhero comic book series created by James O’Barr, the gothic superhero film follows the story of Soulmates Eric Draven and Shelly Webster, and both are brutally murdered. Draven returns from the dead to seek revenge. The Crow stars Bill Skarsgård and FKA twigs in the lead roles with Danny Huston, Isabella Wei, Laura Birn, Jordan Bolger, Dukagjin Podrimaj, and Sami Bouajila starring in supporting roles. So, if you loved the brutal action, intense characters, and gothic vibes of The Crow, here are some similar movies you should check out next.

The Crow Credit – Dimension Films

The Crow is a gothic action horror superhero film directed by Alex Proyas from a screenplay co-written by David J. Schow and John Shirley.

The official website for the upcoming live-action film adaptation of Tsubasa Yamaguchi's coming-of-age manga Blue Period released a final trailer today. The two-minute clip features the film's insert song "Doukeiga" ("Longing Picture") performed by singer Yujin Aramaki . The song was newly co-written by Aramaki and the film's soundtrack composer, Yaffle (composer/arranger Yuki Kojima's solo project). Additionally, a "Making of 'Blue Period'" clip, which includes interviews with the cast, is now available on Warner Bros. Japan's official YouTube channel . Related: Blue Period Live-Action Film Releases Main Trailer Featuring Theme Song by WurtS Main poster visual The Kentaro Hagiwara ( Tokyo Ghoul live-action film)-directed film is set to open in Japan tomorrow, August 9, 2024. Gordon Maeda , a son of Japanese martial art actor Sonny Chiba, is cats as the protagonist, Yatora Yaguchi. The original Blue Period manga has been serialized since 2017 in Kodansha's Monthly Afternoon seinen manga magazine,...

The British Film Institute (BFI) is set to make waves with its upcoming “Art of Action” season, anchored by a re-release of Kathryn Bigelow’s 1991 cult classic “Point Break.”

The U.K.-wide celebration of action choreography in cinema will run from October to December, offering audiences a high-octane journey through the evolution of the genre.

BFI Distribution will bring “Point Break,” starring Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze, back to U.K. cinemas on Nov. 8. The film’s return to the big screen after years of limited theatrical showings is expected to be a major draw for both nostalgic fans and new viewers alike.

The “Art of Action” season, presented by the BFI Film Audience Network using National Lottery funds, aims to showcase the artistry behind action sequences that have kept audiences enthralled for decades. The program will feature a diverse array of films, including silent era classics like Buster Keaton...

Stars: Vic Morrow, Sonny Chiba, Etsuko Shihomi, Philip Casnoff, Peggy Lee Brennan, Tetsurô Tanba, Mikio Narita, Makoto Satô, Seizô Fukumoto, Hiroyuki Sanada | Written by Kinji Fukasaku, Shotaro Ishinomori, Hirô Matsuda | Directed by Kinji Fukasaku

Message from Space, directed by Kinji Fukasaku, is a Japanese science fiction film that blends traditional space opera tropes with unique cultural elements, delivering a visually captivating yet narratively uneven experience. Released in the wake of the monumental success of Star Wars, this film ambitiously seeks to carve out its own niche within the genre.

One of the standout features of Message from Space is its visual presentation. The film showcases an impressive array of special effects for its time, with meticulously designed spacecraft and vibrant alien landscapes that reflect a distinctively Japanese aesthetic. The miniature models and practical effects, though not as polished as those in Hollywood blockbusters, possess a charming quality that adds to the film’s retro-futuristic appeal.

Well, it was 2004 when Godzilla, our beloved colossus, marked his 50th thunderous anniversary with an epic, monumental clash in Godzilla: Final Wars. For those who do not know, Ishirō Honda helmed and co-wrote the 1954 Toho release of Godzilla, the first flick in the franchise.

Despite the box office stumble of Godzilla: Final Wars, today we stand almost two decades later, celebrating the film’s transformation into a cult phenomenon. And as a seasoned Kaiju enthusiast who has followed Godzilla’s career from the depths of the Pacific to the climactic showdowns on the big screen, it’s informative to delve into the little-known stories behind the making of such a fan-favorite film.

Godzilla Final Wars | Toho Pictures

In a riveting encounter with Kaiju United, director Ryuhei Kitamura shared a candid account of the unconventional casting of former Mma titan Don Frye as Captain Gordon in his 2004 flick.

Casting Captain Gordon:...

The official website for the upcoming live-action film adaptation of Tsubasa Yamaguchi's coming-of-age manga Blue Period released a 90-second main trailer today on May 28. It is also announced that the film's theme song "Noise" is provided by solo artist WurtS , and the song is featured in the trailer for the first time. WurtS began experimentally releasing songs on YouTube and TikTok in 2020, and has gained immense popularity among young people, with over 400 million total streams. "Originally, 'Noise' was born from a feeling of wanting to break out of my shell that I had when I first started my music career. When I received the offer from the Blue Period film, I felt a link between this feeling and Yatora's state of mind, and started to write the song," said WurtS. "I also had the time when what started as a 'like' somehow turned into an expression of myself,...

Hiroyuki Sanada has been honing his acting skills for over fifty years, having started when he was six years old. He landed his first role opposite the celebrated Japanese actor and martial artist Sonny Chiba in Game of Chance. Since then, the Tokyo-born actor, 63, has barely decelerated.

Hiroyuki Sanada in Shōgun (Credit: FX)

That being said, we cannot overlook the brilliant performance he gave in Rachel Kondo & Justin Marks’ Shōgun. As Lord Yoshii Toranaga, he practically steals every scene of the FX series. Unfortunately, the 10-episode series is over, but he has starred in a number of similar flicks that are well worth your time.

Nevertheless, Sanada’s résumé includes a number of stellar but lesser-known roles. Rest assured, if you enjoy his portrayal of Lord Toranaga, here are three must-see films starring the talented actor that will satisfy your craving for more of his compelling performances.

1. The Twilight Samurai...

[This story contains major spoilers from the season finale of FX’s Shōgun.]

It’s easy to picture Japanese actor Hiroyuki Sanada gazing toward the horizon with a beatific sense of satisfaction over everything he has achieved with FX’s smash-hit miniseries Shōgun. His character, Lord Yoshii Toranaga, enjoys several such moments in the show’s 10th and last episode, A Dream of a Dream, as his patient, masterful strategizing finally yields precisely the outcome he desires: absolute power for himself and peace for all of Japan.

Sanada’s moment of career triumph is not dissimilar in its decade-spanning tirelessness (at least, in entertainment industry terms). He began performing nearly 60 years ago as a child in Japan, apprenticing under the legendary actor Sonny Chiba on the way to becoming a major local star, before breaking into Hollywood with roles in projects like The Last Samurai, Lost, The Wolverine, Avengers: Endgame, Bullet Train, John Wick: Chapter 4 and many others.

But now,...

Cinematic language can be universal. Visual images and styles can be reused and interpreted for different audiences quite easily with film fans quick to pick up on the influences. Take for example the Western. John Ford influenced Akira Kurosawa; Kurosawa influenced Sergio Leone who in turn inspired a number of Italian filmmakers in creating the whole Spaghetti Western genre. This visual language then proceeded to be imported across the globe. “Yakuza Wolf” is one such beneficiary of this transnational use of cinematic language. A blending of Yakuza action with a western flourish it's now available through “Eureka Entertainment” on Blu-ray. With its lead Sonny Chiba being rediscovered we have an opportunity to look back at a role that set him on course for bigger stardom.

on Amazon by clicking on the image below

Gosuke Himuro (Sonny Chiba) is out for revenge. His father is dead and his sister Kyoko (Yayoi Watanabe) kidnapped.

Jackie Chan has plenty of movies, but there are a few non-Jackie Chan movies that feel like lost additions to his filmography thanks to their tone and style. For example, Tiger Cage 2, starring Donnie Yen, feels like a lost Jackie Chan movie with its stunts and Ong Bak and others pay homage to Jackie Chan's physicality with bone-crunching fights and free-running sequences.

While Jackie Chan has a lot of classic movies, there are also a lot of great martial arts movies that feel like lost additions to the actor’s oeuvre for a variety of reasons. Alongside Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan is one of the most influential martial artists in cinema history. The screen veteran’s earliest starring roles date back to the late ‘70s, when the popularity of Bruce Lee’s work led to a huge demand for martial arts movies. Chan starred in 1978’s Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow,...

Beyond the fact that both films star Sonny Chiba taking revenge against the Yakuza, Yakuza Wolf 2: Extend My Condolences (Ôkami Yakuza: Tomurai Ha Ore Ga Dasu) has almost nothing to do with Yakuza Wolf 1: I Perform Murder.

While imprisoned, Ibuki (Chiba) befriends Goro Yuki (Tatsuya Fuji). Ibuki and his new buddy plot escape and a heist that will avenge his betrayal by the Yakuza. On the cusp of the prison break the pair are comically and unexpectedly released. Shortly after gaining their freedom, they are saved from assassination by an old friend. Undeterred, they go about putting together a crew for the heist.

As a movie, Yakuza Wolf 2 feels somewhat confused as to what it is. Is it a buddy comedy, a crime caper or a WW2 style men on a mission film? It tries to cram in a bit of everything. The film's construction is also a.

Stars: Frank Grillo, Mekhi Phifer, Amaury Nolasco, Dermot Mulroney, Jaime King, Paul Sloan, Donald Cerrone, Erica Peeples | Written by Chad Law, Garry Charles, Brandon Burrows | Directed by Christian Sesma

Michael ‘Duffy’ Duffield was a soldier, now he’s a drifter, dealing with Ptsd and living on the move. As Lights Out begins, he gets off a bus, and it’s not even five minutes before he finds himself in a card game and accused of cheating. The ease with which he dispatches the other players and takes his money catches the eye of Max Bomer.

Max is just out of jail and looking for a way to make some money, and he sees Duffy’s skill with his fists as the way to do it. He just has to convince him to take part in some illegal underground fight clubs like the one run by Fosco. And, since Duffy could use some cash himself,...

Yakuza Wolf 1: I Perform Murder is a 1970s Japanese action film staring Sonny Chiba as Gosuke Himuro. The film is a rip of of Django which is a rip off of A Fistful Of Dollars which is a rip off of Yojimbo which is a licensed remake of The Glass Key (1942). Seeking revenge for his murdered father and kidnapped sister, Gosuke Himuro pits two rival Yakuza factions against each other. The filmmakers steal from other films with abandon. If it's not nailed to a solid slab of copyright law, it's filched. This is your intellectual property? You must have drooped it somewhere.

Yakuza Wolf opens with Gosuke Himuro performing a black gloved giallo murder of a couple in coitus. It could have come straight out of Bava's Blood And Black Lace. The colour palette is Argento. Chiba wears...

“Only ignorant fools say ‘ninja.’” So claims Taki, the mysterious matron of the Tawara family, as she sternly corrects her grandson in the old ways. Played by veteran actress Nobuko Miyamoto, there’s much more to Grandma Taki than meets the eye. Such is the way of the world in Netflix’s new series, House of Ninjas. The proper term is “shinobi.” It’s what was used historically.

House of Ninjas is a new action dramedy that follows a modern-day shinobi family who has forsaken the lethal trade of their ancestors for a “normal” life. And like in every dramedy, the Tawaras are comically and tragically dysfunctional. The family patriarch, Soichi (Yosuke Eguchi) struggles to maintain a low-key profile whilst his wife Yoko (Tae Kimura) and daughter Nagi (Aju Makita) succumb to their old devious habits, stealing stuff just for the rush. Their thievery goes from grocery store shoplifting to museum art object theft.

Stars: Julia Nagano, Yuichi Nakamura, Kohshu Kirano, Shun Nishime, Kanon Miyahara | Written by Junichiro Ashiki | Directed by Kôichi Sakamoto

With a title like Ninja vs Shark you might think this is another Mark Polonia film along the lines of Sharkula or Shark Encounters of the Third Kind. Or maybe one of the more bizarre Chinese kaiju films such as Land Shark. But you’d be wrong, it’s actually a Japanese film written by Junichiro Ashiki and directed by Kôichi Sakamoto.

During Japan’s Edo Period, Sayo, a pearl diver from the village of Okitsu, swims back to shore only to find the remains of one of her fellow divers washed up on the beach. This has been happening a lot since Lord Koshiro Mizuchi of the Crimson Devil Clan demanded the villagers hand over their pearls to him. When they refused he used sorcery to turn the sharks into living weapons.

The world of One Piece is filled with fun and weird characters, but none of them are as cool as swordsman Roronoa Zoro. He's already great in the manga and the anime, wielding three katanas simultaneously, and actor Mackenyu manages to make him even cooler in the Netflix live-action series. He has a lot of experience in adapting anime characters into live-action and is already establishing himself as one of the busiest stars in Japanese entertainment, following in the footsteps of his father; Mackenyu is the son of legendary martial artist Sonny Chiba, one of Japan's greatest action stars of the 1970s. If the name doesn't ring a bell, his work and legacy probably will.

Pictures: Universal Pictures

Netflix kickstarted the year as normal by rotating its library of movies. Among the movies that came to Netflix on December 31st and January 1st were 15 movies from the 1970s considered classics. Here’s a rundown of all those movies that dropped.

The movies seem to come to Netflix through a range of different distributors, including Paramount and Universal Pictures. It comes as Netflix has seemingly been getting greater access to some of the biggest Hollywood studios’ back library of IPs as of late. We’ve seen almost all providers step up their licensing to Netflix in various forms, whether that be through licensing newer movies, older movies like the ones below, or titles from their vast TV catalog.

In alphabetical order, then, here’s a rundown of all the new movies that recently touched down that were first released in the 1970s. Descriptions of each movie...

Arrow Video is excited to announce the January 2024 lineup of their subscription-based Arrow platform, available to subscribers in the US, Canada, the UK and Ireland.

Arrow kicks off the New Year on January 5 with a deep dive, courtesy of the star of The Stylist and After Midnight as well as the director of 12 Hr Shift and Torn Hearts.

Brea Grant Selects (UK/ Ire/ US/CA): “I am thrilled to be teaming up with Arrow to share some of my all-time favorite horror movies with you. From the delightful to the horrifying, these movies remind me of why I wanted to make movies in the first place.”

Titles Include: Ringu, The Stylist, The Leech.

Also on January 5, audiences in every territory can discover a new short homage to the Spaghetti Westerns of years gone by.

They Call It… Red Cemetery (UK/Ire/US/Can): Among the crosses of an old cemetery,...

Mackenyu's role as Roronoa Zoro in Netflix's live-action adaptation of One Piece has brought him global fame and has been praised for its accuracy to the anime and excellent casting. While Mackenyu has been in many anime adaptations throughout his career, some projects like Knights of the Zodiac have missed the mark. Mackenyu's performance in Rurouni Kenshin: The Final as the villain Yukishiro Enishi showcases his ability to bring depth to his characters and steal the show in action-adventure films.

Mackenyu Arata, known as Mackenyu, has starred in many live-action anime adaptations throughout his career, but some of these movies and TV shows are more memorable than others. Despite his father being Sonny Chiba, a Japanese action movie star, Mackenyu's acting inspiration was Haruma Miura. Mackenyu dedicated his life to acting at the age of 17 and got his first role in the feature film Take a Chance in...

Golden Bat, the first Japanese superhero, predates even the iconic Superman, with his debut in 1931. While the character had several adaptations in movies, manga, and anime, he is mostly irrelevant in Japanese and global popular culture. The influence of Western heroes like Superman and Batman on Japanese superheroes is evident, but characters like Golden Bat are often overlooked and forgotten.

Superheroes are many times seen as a "Western" concept, namely because of the success of characters published by Marvel Comics and DC Comics. The superhero comic book genre was itself started by DC's Superman, who was created by two young men from Cleveland, Ohio. There have since been several Japanese heroes in anime and manga, but the character who's perhaps the first "true" superhero actually predates the Man of Steel himself.

The Golden Bat is considered by many to both be the first Japanese superhero and the first superhero in general.

Mackenyu, who played Roronoa Zoro in Netflix's live-action adaptation of One Piece, has won the hearts of fans all around the world. His cool demeanor, coupled with impeccable swordsmanship, brought Zoro to life perfectly. Born in Los Angeles with the legendary actor Sonny Chiba as his father, Mackenyu has made a name for himself thanks to his solid, geeky filmography.

The creator of One Piece was closely involved in the production of the show and the casting for the Straw Hat crew. The casting of the main characters has contributed significantly to the show's success. The actors, Iñaki Godoy, Mackenyu, Emily Rudd, Jacob Romero and Taz Skylar, embody their respective characters and bring them to life with their talents and dedication.

Netflix's live-action One Piece has surpassed expectations and seemingly broken the live-action anime curse by not only being popular with audiences who are fans of the anime and newcomers but also by landing itself a second season. One Piece is outlandish with its unique settings, colorful and bizarre characters, and spectacular fights.

Successfully bringing the world of One Piece to life was going to be a difficult task, especially given Netflix's track record with other live-action anime adaptations. But given the reception, it's safe to say that at...

One Piece is one of the world’s most popular animes and is the best-selling manga series of all time. It’s even the best-selling comic book internationally with a higher-grossing media franchise than Superman. And now Netflix has made it into a live-action anime. As we know, Netflix has a capable cast lined up and has the series creator Eiichiro Oda executive producing. Hopefully, it will be a show that sticks to the real tenets of what makes One Piece good and such a mainstay in pop culture in the first place.

One Piece has maintained sincere popularity in the United States since it debuted. And it has had an even greater following in Japan, where the manga originated. The series has over 1,000 episodes and a fan base that refuses to quit. It follows the story of Monkey D. Luffy on his journey to become King of the Pirates...

Written and directed by Quentin Tarantino from a story he co-developed with Roger Avery, this is among the most famous films of all time. Many scenes, quotes, images, and characters from Pulp Fiction (1994) have become synonymous with the medium itself. And among the more fan-favorite sequences in this critical darling would be the apartment scene toward the beginning of the film.

Starring Samuel L. Jackson, John Travolta, Uma Thurman, and Bruce Willis, its plot follows three interconnected storylines that play out through a nonlinear narrative. And one of the primary plots features two hitmen named Jules Winnfield and Vincent Vega who enter an apartment early in the film. Up to this point, these characters had only been discussing hamburgers and foot massages. Their goal within this apartment is unknown to the audience as they knock on the door and enter.

Setting the Scene in the Apartment

They arrive to visit Brett,...

Sadao Nakajima passed away from pneumonia on 11th June, 2023. He was 88 years old. Active as a director until just four years before his passing, Nakajima left behind legacy of work that most directors would dream of. Alongside Kinji Fukasaku and Junya Sato, he is credited as being one of the main names to define the Yakuza genre, with some of his greatest works coming within that genre for Toei Studios, showcasing a range of styles and narrative complexities while at it. Outside of the yakuza genre as well though, Nakajima made a number of terrific features, mixing a range of genres and filmmaking styles effectively over an illustrious career that lasted a little under 60 years, starting from his debut in 1964 all the way until his swansong in 2019.

Without further ado, we list 12 essential films by Sadao Nakajima that are not in the Yakuza genre, in chronological order.

1. Female Ninja Magic...

The Film

When Battle Royale came out in 2000, I was 19 and just really getting into foreign language films. Like many of my generation of cinephiles, it was an early part of my DVD collection. While I enjoyed it though, I have to confess that I’ve not been back to it for over 15 years, and I never used it as a jumping off point to discover more of its director Kinji Fukasaku’s work. On this evidence, that was an error.

After a failed rebellion in which 37,000 Christians are massacred, their leader Amakusa Shiro (Kenji Sawada) returns from the dead, pledges his soul to the Devil and becomes a demon who can resurrect others to join him in his quest for vengeance. This is an interesting jumping off point for the film, because for much of the opening half hour, as Shiro gathers his band of demons (including swordmaster Miyamoto Musashi...

Sadao Nakajima passed away from pneumonia on 11th June, 2023. He was 88 years old. Active as a director until just four years before his passing, Nakajima left behind legacy of work that most directors would dream of. Alongside Kinji Fukasaku and Junya Sato, he is credited as being one of the main names to define the Yakuza genre, with some of his greatest works coming within that genre, showcasing a range of styles and narrative complexities while at it. Having joined Toei Studio in 1959, he worked primarily at Toei's Kyoto studio, despite running his contract out and going independent in 1967. In fact, the majority of the titles we list here are productions from after he left Toei as a contracted director and yet continued to work for the Studio as a freelancer, likely because of the freedom it provided him and his relationship with their existing roster of actors and crew,...

While 2013’s 47 Ronin might be a fun fantasy action movie, there are many more movies dedicated to the story of these masterless samurai and their legendary quest. 47 Ronin sees Keanu Reeves, Hiroyuki Sanada, Rinko Kikuchi, and Ko Shibasaki star in a story of betrayal and revenge. 47 Ronin’s plot concerns the eponymous group of samurai who are left without a master when their daimyo is killed. This story finds its inspiration in the true story of the 47 Ronin, a masterless samurai clan who avenged the death of their former lord. A work of chūshingura, 47 Ronin heavily fictionalizes the story with golems, witches, and supernatural elements.

While 47 Ronin was a massive box office bomb, the cult classic found its audience in the decade since its release. Thanks to its striking style, lush visuals, and action-packed storyline, 47 Ronin earned many fans when the movie hit streaming services.

Stream Asian cinema on your Android TV

Search “Terracotta” under apps on your Android TV, or Google Chromecast device, and install their Android TV app dedicated solely to Asian films.

Choose between subscription or pay-per-film options, or take advantage of the promo “annual subscription at 10 months cost”.

(Note: not all films are available on the subscription tier).

The app comes with better navigation – browse by Genre, Country, Director and Detailed Genre (horror comes in different flavours!).

New films being added regularly.

If you don’t have an Android TV, you can use their web browser version which has the same content and you can view the films on your laptop, desktop, mobile, tablet: https://stream.terracottadistribution.com

Available in UK and Eire only.

Terracotta Blu Ray & DVD Store

The Skyhawk (Eureka Entertainment)

Jump into an epic martial arts adventure with The Skyhawk, a 1974 version of the Wong Fei Hung story.

By Earl Jackson

In 1939, Sadaho Maeda was born in Fukuoka, the third of five children to an Imperial Army pilot and a retired track-and field runner. While still a toddler, the family moved to Chiba Prefecture where Sadaho grew up. Perhaps that location was the inspiration of the publicity people at Toei in 1960 to rename this “new face” – Shin'ichi Chiba. He became a teen favorite as a “funky hat” detective in a series directed by Kinji Fukasaku, and then gained another fan base with his pursuit of serious martial arts training. Chiba was already a powerhouse by the time the three “Street Fighter” films in 1974 introduced him to the world as Sonny Chiba.

If the world had granted him more time, Toru Murakawa's “Game Trilogy” in 1978-1979, might have done the same for Yusaku Matsuda. Although it was always already too late for Matsuda, we now have time to...

Major Spoilers For Fast X In The Article Below!

Proceed At Your OWN Discretion

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It’s amazing how The Fast and the Furious franchise has essentially become its own version of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The globe-trotting, high-octane, ensemble action films that originated from a street racing movie has developed a lore throughout the series and each sequel attaches some connected tissue to a former character or plot in one way or another. Fast X is now in theaters and the plot involves a figure from the past in the form of Jason Momoa. Momoa is a character who is retconned as the son of the villainous Reyes from Fast Five.

With a series as long as this one, it’s natural to have a revolving door of characters played by both known or upcoming actors at the time. This series has featured the likes of Eva Mendes, Sonny Chiba,...

By Earl Jackson

For a long time, Japanese cinema of the 1980s was a closed book to me. I just could not engage with the soft-focus, candy-pastel dreamscapes, the ubiquitous permed hair for both sexes, the relentless innocence of the idols who seemed to have learned acting from hostage ransom videos, and the ramshackle macho veneer concocted with crayons and a bullhorn. But in 2004 I attended an immense and beautifully curated 1980s retrospective sponsored by the Japan Foundation held in an upscale shopping mall in Seoul. That intense exposure was a real education which included an introduction to the almost preternatural, haunting countercharm of Yusaku Matsuda, amplified by the devoted Korean Matsuda fans I met there.

In recent years, international attention to the work of Shinji Somai and Nobuhiko Obayashi has filled in vital pieces of the 1980s, however Matsuda's cult status in Japan has yet to spread beyond domestic screens.

Plot: When a goddess of war reincarnates in the body of a young girl, street orphan Seiya discovers that he is destined to protect her and save the world. But only if he can face his own past and become a Knight of the Zodiac.

Review: Live-action adaptations of anime films and series have succeeded in Japan, but few have overcome the transition to Hollywood. For every Alita Battle Angel, there is a Ghost in the Shell, Dragon Ball Evolution, and Death Note. The cultural barrier aside, there has never been the right balance between ambition and execution. Sony’s Knights of the Zodiac is a valiant attempt to bring the Saint Seiya anime to life with a modest budget and recognizable actors just below the A-list. The result is a visually impressive movie with some franchise potential that ends up being squandered by a bland screenplay that barely scratches...

Knights of the Zodiac is the 2023 live-action adaptation of the popular Saint Seiya manga and Knights of the Zodiac anime series. The film follows Seiya, who lost his sister when she was tragically taken away from him at a young age. He is on the hunt for her, and will never stop, when he suddenly realizes he has hidden powers deep inside of him.

Mackenyu stars as the lead character, Seiya, who must decide if he wishes to protect a reincarnated goddess, Sienna (Madison Iseman), or continue to look for his long-lost sister. The manifestation of his powers throws him into a world he isn't sure he wants to be a part of. Mackenyu is the son of Japanese actor Sonny Chiba, and is following in his footsteps with his acting career.

Related: Knights Of The Zodiac's Cast & Character Guide (2023)

Screen Rant spoke with Mackenyu about what he is...