Yearly Archives: 2011

Prachya Pinkaew readies ‘The Kick’ with ‘Chocolate’ star JeeJa Yanin

The trailer for the new film from “Ong Bak” director Prachya Pinkaew, the Thai martial arts film “The Kick,” should arrive any day now. In the meantime, Twitch Film has a look at the poster art and some new promotional photos. “The Kick” follows a Korean family of Tae Kwon Do experts who run a martial arts gym in Bangkok, Thailand and encounter all sorts of trouble with some treasure … Continue reading

Posted in News |

City of God aka Cidade de Deus Blu-ray (Lionsgate)

RELEASE DATE: December 13, 2011 The gangster classic has arrived on Blu-ray! Celebrated with worldwide acclaim, this powerful story of crime and redemption has won numerous prestigious awards around the globe! Directed by Fernando Meirelles and Katia Lund, and starring Alexandre Rodrigues, Matheus Nachtergaele, Leandro Firmino, Douglas Silva and Alice Braga. I think it’s time for you to watch the trailer once again.

Posted in DVD/Blu-ray New Releases, Other Notable Titles |

Champions aka Duo Biao (Lionsgate)

RELEASE DATE: December 13, 2011 Lionsgate is releasing Tsui Siu Ming’s (Bury Me High) 2008 action film Champions, which is about an underdog wushu athlete (Dicky Cheung) whose dream is to represent China in a martial arts performance at the Olympic Games so as to win the heart of a national sprinter, the girl he’s in love with. Also starring Xie Miao, Priscilla Wong Chui-Yu, Debbie Goh, Yu Rong-Guang, Xu … Continue reading

Posted in Asian Titles, DVD/Blu-ray New Releases, Martial Arts Titles |

Blu-ray and DVD Releases for 9/20/11

Wondering what’s coming out on blu-ray/DVD this Tuesday that would be of interest to your average fan of Asian and genre cinema? Read on because once again City on Fire has you covered with our handy list: ASIAN CINEMA Blades of Blood (DVD) – Lionsgate releases this 2010 Korean historical actioner that is, appropriately enough, “Rated R for bloody violence” The Sword With No Name (blu-ray/DVD) – Funimation releases this … Continue reading

Posted in News |

City Under Siege Blu-ray & DVD (Funimation)

RELEASE DATE: December 27, 2011 Funimation continues their string of live action Asian releases with City Under Siege, a sci-fi/martial arts flick directed by Benny Chan (New Police Story) and starring Aaron Kwok, Shu Qi, Collin Chou and Jacky Wu. The plot follows a group of circus performers who go on a rampage after they’re exposed to chemical gas, which has given them superhuman abilities. Check out the trailer.

Posted in Asian Titles, DVD/Blu-ray New Releases, Martial Arts Titles |

Ip Man: Legend is Born Blu-ray & DVD (Funimation)

RELEASE DATE: December 13, 2011 Ip Man: Legend is Born (aka The Legend is Born – Ip Man) is based on the teenage life of Wing Chun master Ip Man. Even though the film was openly marketed as a prequel (and sometimes as Ip Man 3) to the Donnie Yen/Wilson Yip movies, Ip Man: Legend is Born is not officially attached to those titles. Directed by Herman Yau (Untold Story) … Continue reading

Posted in Asian Titles, DVD/Blu-ray New Releases, Martial Arts Titles |

Street Battle Los Angeles aka A Better Place DVD (Pathfinder)

RELEASE DATE: November 22, 2011 Japanese gangs, Korean gangs, the Mafia, and every type of criminal imaginable gets involved in what turns into the most massive street fight you’ll ever witnesses; and Kenji (Masashi Odate) is caught right in the middle. Starring Masashi Odate (The Last Samurai) and Hidetoshi Imura (Akira’s Hip Hop Shop). Street Battle Los Angeles is a American/Japanese co-production.

Posted in Asian Titles, DVD/Blu-ray New Releases, Martial Arts Titles |

Saki The Killer aka Saki DVD (Pathfinder)

RELEASE DATE: November 22, 2011 When Saki’s grandfather (Hidetoshi Imura) visits Saki (Sachiko Kokubu), he also brings trouble, in the form of an evil Yakuza. Saki uses her artistic demons to fight the gangsters and killers who infiltrate her life, threatening everything in sight. Saki The Killer is a American/Japanese co-production.

Posted in Asian Titles, DVD/Blu-ray New Releases, Martial Arts Titles |

Ninja Assassin (2009) Review

"Ninja Assassin" Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: James McTeigue Cast: Rain, Naomie Harris, Ben Miles, Rick Yune, Sho Kosugi, Sung Kang, Randall Duk Kim, Linh Dan Pham, Ill-Young Kim, Yuki Iwamoto, Stephen Marcus Running Time: 99 min. By Mighty Peking Man If any of the following statements apply to you, then chances are, you definitely went through a “ninja phase” in the 1980s: 1. You had a copy of Revenge of the Ninja playing religiously in … Continue reading

Posted in Asian Related, Ninja, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , |

True Legend (2010) Review

"True Legend" Blu-ray Cover

Director: Yuen Woo Ping Cast: Vincent Chiu Man Chuk, Zhou Xun, Andy On, Jay Chou Kit Lun, Michelle Yeoh, Leung Kar Yan, Jiang Lu Xia, Gordon Liu, David Carradine, Guo Xiao Dong, Feng Xiaogang, Jacky Heung Cho, Cung Le Running Time: 116 min. By HKFanatic Tell me again why Vincent Zhao never became as big as Jet Li? Despite starring in movies like Tsui Hark’s cult classic “The Blade” and … Continue reading

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Branded to Kill Blu-ray & DVD (Criterion)

RELEASE DATE: December 13, 2011 When Japanese New Wave bad boy Seijun Suzuki delivered this brutal, hilarious, and visually inspired masterpiece to the executives at his studio, he was promptly fired. Branded to Kill tells the ecstatically bent story of a yakuza assassin (chipmunk-cheeked superstar Joe Shishido) with a fetish for sniffing boiled rice who botches a job and ends up a target himself. This is Suzuki at his most … Continue reading

Posted in Asian Titles, DVD/Blu-ray New Releases |

Tokyo Drifter Blu-ray & DVD (Criterion)

RELEASE DATE: December 13, 2011 In this jazzy gangster film, reformed killer Phoenix Tetsu’s attempt to go straight is squashed when his former cohorts call him back to Tokyo to help battle a rival gang. This onslaught of stylized violence and trippy colors got director Seijun Suzuki in trouble with Nikkatsu studio heads, who were put off by his anything-goes, in-your-face aesthetic, equal parts Russ Meyer, Samuel Fuller, and Nagisa … Continue reading

Posted in Asian Titles, DVD/Blu-ray New Releases |

Night Train Murders Blu-ray (Blue Underground)

RELEASE DATE: January 31, 2012 It was released as Second House on the Left, New House on the Left and Torture Train. The ads screamed, “Most movies last less than two hours! This is one of everlasting torment! It remains one of the most graphically fiendish films in exploitation history, the story of two teenage girls traveling through Europe, forced into a nightmare of sexual assault and sadistic violence. Irene … Continue reading

Posted in DVD/Blu-ray New Releases, Other Notable Titles |

13 aka 13 Tzameti Remake, Russian Roulette, Blu-ray/DVD (Anchor Bay)

RELEASE DATE: November 8, 2011 13 is a remake of the 2005 French film 13 Tzameti. It’s directed and written by Géla Babluani, who directed and wrote the original film. A naive young man assumes a dead man’s identity and finds himself embroiled in an underground world of power, violence, and chance where men gamble behind closed doors on the lives of other men. Starring Jason Statham (“Blitz“), Alexander Skarsgard … Continue reading

Posted in DVD/Blu-ray New Releases, Other Notable Titles |

Hong Kong Godfather (1985) Review

"Hong Kong Godfather" International DVD Cover

AKA: Hong Kong Godfathers Director: Wang Lung Wei Cast: Leung Kar Yan, Norman Chu Siu Keung, Pomson Shi, Richard Cheung Kuen, Shum Wai, Chui Suk Woon, Kong Lung, Paulo Tocha, Shih Kien, Huang Pa-Ching Running Time: 94 min. By HKFanatic Arriving in 1985, “Hong Kong Godfather” is one of the later era Shaw Brothers flick and it’s not necessarily one of their best either. However, this tale of Triad brothers … Continue reading

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