NOC Review: ‘Love Hurts’ is a Sweet But Messy Valentine

February 6, 2025February 6, 2025 Mike Manalo

Last year I reviewed an action movie that I had incredibly high hopes for based on its cast and action-proficient filmmakers, called Argylle. While the movie had its moments, ultimately, it was a pretty big mess. A little over a year to the date at which that film premiered, I found myself about 70 minutes into Love Hurts thinking, “This is 2025’s Argylle; just only slightly better.” That is not really a great thing.

Interview, Martial Arts, Movies1 Comment

‘Love Hurts’ Star Daniel Wu on Asian Representation in Cinema

February 4, 2025 Mike Manalo

Love Hurts starring Ke Huy Quan is hitting theaters this Friday. In the film, Quan’s Marvin Gable finds the ultimate villain in Daniel Wu’s Alvin “Knuckles” Gable, Marvin’s brother. After all, you can’t have an epic series of stunts and fights from the team behind John Wick, without two incredible forces of action leading the charge. Recently we were given the tremendous opportunity to chat with Wu about his role in the movie, as well as Asian representation in cinema.

Martial Arts, Movies

Ke Huy Quan to be Immortalized at TCL Chinese Theater

January 31, 2025February 1, 2025 Mike Manalo

Despite its historic and ironic namesake, the TCL Chinese Theater has seen only a handful of hand and foot print ceremonies for Asian and Asian American actors. Naturally, this can be attributed to the lack of Asian and Asian American representation in cinematic history overall. However, with that now changing gradually, it fills us with joy to learn that on February 3rd, a new legend will join the ranks of Jackie Chan, James Hong, John Woo, and Justin Lin in this tremendous honor: Academy Award winner Ke Huy Quan!

Movies, Trailers

The Trailer for ‘Love Hurts’ Packs a Punch

October 22, 2024October 23, 2024 Mike Manalo

We previously reported that a new action movie, starring Ke Huy Quan and Ariana DeBose, was officially in the works from 87 North (John Wick, Nobody, The Fall Guy). Well happy to say that today we got our first trailer for the film, formerly known as With Love, now titled Love Hurts.

Movies

Why You Need to See ‘The Fall Guy’ at a Dolby Cinema

May 3, 2024May 6, 2024 Mike Manalo

When it comes to summer blockbusters, there’s so many choices in terms of formats which you can see big films in. IMAX is wonderful. D-Box is a hoot! But admittedly, sometimes you just want the most crisp picture quality and the best and most brilliant sound imaginable. And that’s where Dolby Cinema comes in. If you haven’t tried one out yet, there’s no better opportunity to do so than this weekend when you see The Fall Guy (and trust me, you really should see it!).

Movies, Reviews3 Comments

NOC Review: ‘The Fall Guy’ is a Heart-Racing, Rollicking, Ryan Gosling Ride

May 2, 2024May 3, 2024 Mike Manalo

I love summer movies! Ever since I was a kid, they gave me a reason to visit a cool air conditioned theater during summer vacation, to immerse myself in the exploits and explosions of action stars and spectacular spectacles. And while the definition of a summer blockbuster has evolved thanks to the dawn of the superhero film, every once in a while, a terrific throwback movie with practical stunts and a witty script will come along to remind you that blockbusters without superheroes can still be just as incredible. And that’s The Fall Guy!

Movies

Ryan Gosling Picks Up Guys in the New ‘The Fall Guy’ Promo

April 25, 2024April 25, 2024 Mike Manalo

Ryan Gosling is an expert at picking up men… stuntmen, that is! And for the latest marketing promo for the upcoming action romp, The Fall Guy, Gosling and director David Leitch are pulling out all the stops to deliver an unforgettable “Journey” to highlight the amazing stuntmen that worked on the film. How? Through the magic of carpool karaoke of course!

Movies, Theme Parks

‘The Fall Guy’ Live Stunt Show Comes to Universal Studios for a Limited Time

April 18, 2024April 19, 2024 Michael Lee

The Fall Guy is a love letter to stuntmen and all other below-the-line workers. As such, the dedication to the art and craft of stunts should be acknowledged. And Universal Studios Hollywood, in collaboration with Universal Pictures and 87North, presents “The Fall Guy Stuntacular Pre-Show,” inspired by the film, as part of the theme park’s popular “WaterWorld” attraction, beginning Saturday, April 27 through Sunday, May 19, 2024.

Movies

Production Officially Starts on Ke Huy Quan Action Vehicle ‘With Love’

April 3, 2024 Mike Manalo

We know Ke Huy Quan can kick ass. We’ve seen it in Everything Everywhere All at Once. So it’s only logical to give the man his own action role! And it’s exciting to hear that production has officially started on that action film, With Love!

Movies, Trailers

New Trailer for ‘The Fall Guy’ Packs a Punch

March 20, 2024March 20, 2024 Mike Manalo

Wow! Does anyone else think our newsfeed is starting to look like the ’80s? Between Ghostbusters, Alien, Star Wars, Beetlejuice, and now The Fall Guy, I honestly feel like I’ve been transported back in time, as nostalgia runs rampant across all of pop culture. But if the buzz from SXSW is any indication, at minimum, The Fall Guy is shaping up to be one of the most outrageous nostalgia blockbusters of the year!

Movies

‘The Fall Guy’ is Already Setting Records

March 15, 2024March 15, 2024 Mike Manalo

It’s been a heck of a week for Ryan “I’m Just Ken” Gosling! After unleashing perhaps the greatest musical performance in Oscar history, Gosling and his “Barbenheimer rival” Emily Blunt joined director David Leitch and co-star Hannah Waddingham at SXSW in Austin to debut The Fall Guy. And in addition to getting terrific reception, audiences discovered the movie has set a very unique Guinness World Record!

Movies, Trailers

New Super Bowl Trailer for ‘The Fall Guy’ Explodes

February 11, 2024February 11, 2024 Mike Manalo

He’s just Ryan./And he’s coming back to your screens./Doing stunts and looking mean./He is, the one they call The Fall Guy!

Movies

Ke Huy Quan to Star in Universal Action Flick ‘With Love’

January 4, 2024January 4, 2024 Mike Manalo

No one can deny how much of a badass Ke Huy Quan is! We saw him kicking so much ass in Everything Everywhere All At Once. And he’s also a big MCU star too, with the debut of O.B. in Loki Season 2! But now, it’s time for the Oscar-winning actor to headline his own action film.

Movies, Trailers

New Trailer: Ryan Gosling is ‘The Fall Guy’

November 2, 2023November 8, 2023 Mike Manalo

The ‘80s were a heck of a decade, with some of the cheesiest, but also most legendary TV shows ever. You had The A-Team, 21 Jump Street, Dukes of Hazzard, etc. Less known, but equally as popular to the decade, was a show called The Fall Guy. It ran for five seasons starting in 1981, and told the story of a Hollywood stuntman who moonlighted as a bounty hunter. Now The Fall Guy is coming back to the big screen courtesy of Universal Pictures and the Ken-of-the-Year himself, Ryan Gosling. Today we have the official trailer for the film!

Streaming, Television

Director Albert Hughes Sets the High Table for ‘The Continental’

September 21, 2023 Mike Manalo

John Wick may be done for now. But his world lives on in the epic three-part mini-series event, The Continental, streaming only on Peacock starting September 22. The Continental comes to us from director Albert Hughes, who brought us such classics as Menace II Society and Dead Presidents. But now, Hughes takes on the world of assassins and hotel management. We had a chance to sit down with Hughes about joining the world of John Wick.

Streaming, Television

Designing the Deadly with the Action Director and Production Designer of ‘The Continental’

September 20, 2023September 21, 2023 Mike Manalo

If there’s one thing a John Wick movie is known for, it’s the action. And when creating a show like The Continental, the latest project in the John Wick franchise premiering on Peacock September 22, it’s important to keep true to the look and spirit of that action.

Streaming, Television

Making ‘The Continental’ Look and Sound Epic

September 19, 2023September 20, 2023 Mike Manalo

The world of John Wick is just getting started. The Continental is premiering on Peacock September 22, and to make a show of this caliber takes a team of the most talented experts in the industry.

Streaming, Television

Checking In with the Director and Executive Producers of ‘The Continental’

September 18, 2023September 18, 2023 Mike Manalo

Earlier this year, we got to witness the final chapter of John Wick’s story. But we are far from over with his world. On September 22 only on Peacock, get ready to dive in further with The Continental.

Streaming, Television

‘The Continental’ Checks into Peacock

August 16, 2022August 16, 2022 Mike Manalo

Congratulations! The Continental’s services will now be available to you starting in 2023! The shadowy world of assassins that was first brought to life in John Wick is now coming to a streaming service near you soon.

Interview, Movies1 Comment

Hiroyuki Sanada Felt Respected in the Ending of ‘Bullet Train’

August 8, 2022August 8, 2022 Laura Sirikul

Bullet Train hit theaters this past weekend with a whopping $60 million at the global box office. The film, which stars Brad Pitt as Ladybug – an unlucky assassin who takes a job on the bullet train in Japan when there are other assassins at play – leading him to hilarious and action-packed situations. One of his unlikely allies turns out to be The Elder (played by Hiroyuki Sanada) and his foolish yet equally deadly son, Yuichi (Andrew Koji).

Movies, Reviews

‘Bullet Train’ is Able to Find Hilarity in the Chaos

August 4, 2022August 11, 2022 Laura Sirikul

If there is anything that director David Leitch is good at, it’s that he is brilliant at finding the hilarity in the chaos. In his new film Bullet Train, based on the popular Japanese novel Maria Beetle by Kōtarō Isaka, Brad Pitt plays Ladybug, an “unlucky” assassin who is assigned to steal a briefcase from other assassins while on a speeding bullet train in Japan.

Movies

Check Out the New Dolby Poster for ‘Bullet Train’

July 20, 2022July 28, 2022 Mike Manalo

The summer movie season is winding down, but it’s not dead yet! Bullet Train is still coming up ahead, and to celebrate the film’s release on August 5, Sony and Dolby have teamed up with artist 17th & Oak to bring you a new Dolby-exclusive poster for the film. Check it out here.

Movies

New Character Posters for ‘Bullet Train’ Arrive on Schedule

June 22, 2022June 22, 2022 Mike Manalo

Going to be honest, I have no idea what I mean by “on schedule” but I thought it would be a fun pun because… well… trains. Anyway, Sony Pictures has dropped new posters for the upcoming late summer action romp, Bullet Train! And wow, this is an attractive as hell cast! Check them out here!