Yearly Archives: 2011

Secret Pleasures: Four Asian Films about Love, Longing and Fishhooks DVD Set (First Run)

RELEASE DATE: March 20, 2012 First Run Features presents Secret Pleasures: Four Asian Films about Love, Longing and Fishhooks. This DVD set contains the following films: Kim Ki-Duk’s The Isle: The erotic arthouse thriller that caused a sensation at the Sundance, Toronto, and Venice Film Festivals, The Isle tells the tale of a beautiful woman who lives on an eerie, remote lake selling food to fisherman by day, and her … Continue reading

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

Blu-Ray and DVD Releases for 12/20/11

The releases are slowing down a bit this week, perhaps in preparation of the holiday, but there’s still plenty to enjoy. I imagine Asian film fans will be most excited about “Love Exposure” finally making its way to American shores. I know I am! Here are your Asian and genre movie blu-ray and DVD releases for the week of 12/20/11: ASIAN CINEMA Love Exposure (DVD) – it’s finally here! From … Continue reading

Posted in News |

My Kingdom DVD (New Video Group)

RELEASE DATE: February 14, 2012 Directed by Gao Xiaosong, My Kingdom is a martial arts film that takes place in Shanghai in the 1920s. It stars actor-singer Wu Chun (14 Blades), tarlet Barbie Hsu (Reign of Assassins) and Chinese pop music sensation Han Geng in his film debut. Also stars Hong Kong heavies Yu Rong-Guang and Yuen Biao. The film is produced by Andre Morgan and the legendary Sammo Hung, … Continue reading

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

Elite Squad: The Enemy Within Blu-ray & DVD (New Video Group)

RELEASE DATE: February 14, 2012 “A must-seea cross between The Departed, The Wire and The Godfather” – Slashfilm From acclaimed director José Padilha (Bus 174) and the Academy Award®-nominated writer of City of God comes the highest-grossing film of all time in South America. The sprawling slum that surrounds Rio de Janeiro is one of the most dangerous places on earth, so as the head of Rio s Special Police … Continue reading

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

The Last Temptation of Christ Blu-ray (Criterion)

RELEASE DATE: March 13, 2012 The Last Temptation of Christ, by Martin Scorsese, is a towering achievement. Though it initially engendered enormous controversy, the film can now be viewed as the remarkable, profoundly personal work of faith that it is. This fifteen-year labor of love, an adaptation of Nikos Kazantzakis’s landmark novel that imagines an alternate fate for Jesus Christ, features outstanding performances by Willem Dafoe, Barbara Hershey, Harvey Keitel, … Continue reading

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

Crying Fist (2005) Review

Director: Ryoo Seung-wan Cast: Choi Min-Sik, Ryu Seung-Beom, Im Won-Hee, Cheon Ho-Jin, Seo Hye-Rin, Byeon Hee-Bong, Na Mun-Hee, Gi Ju-Bong, Kim Su-Hyeon, Lee Jun-Gu Running Time: 134 min. By Equinox21 The problem with most, if not virtually all, sports movies is that you can tell who is going to win the big “game” at the end. Not so with Ryu Seung-wan’s latest movie, Crying Fist. This is a movie focusing … Continue reading

Posted in Korean, Reviews | Tagged , , |

Taxi Hunter (1993) Review

Director: Herman Yau Cast: Anthony Wong, Yu Rong Guang, Fung Woo, Ng Man Tat, Athene Chu, Chan Fai Hung, Lam King Kong, Lam Chiu Wing, James Ha Chim Si Running Time: 88 min. By Numskull Cabbies beware! Stop rigging those meters! Curb those sloppy driving habits! Don’t snap at those passengers and then expect a generous tip! There’s a new force in town to be reckoned with, and he’s got … Continue reading

Posted in Chinese, News, Reviews | Tagged , , , |

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol | aka M:I-4 (2011) Review

Director: Brad Bird Cast: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Paula Patton, Michael Nyqvist, Vladimir Mashkov, Samuli Edelmann, Anil Kapoor, Josh Holloway, Léa Seydoux, Tom Wilkinson, Ving Rhames, Ivan Shvedoff, Pavel Kríz Running Time: 132 min. By HKFanatic Defying age and box office results, Tom Cruise is back with another entry in his venerable “Mission: Impossible” series. Although the second installment threatened to turn the franchise into a Cruise vanity … Continue reading

Posted in Other Movies, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , |

Sion Sono’s Asian horror masterpiece ‘Cold Fish’ arrives on Netflix Instant

From Sion Sono, the acclaimed director of Suicide Club, comes a new vision of Asian horror. Cold Fish is a dark, disturbing, and strangely humorous look at one dysfunctional Japanese family and the lengths they will go to in order to make their tropical fish shop successful. The film is now streaming on Netflix Instant in HD and comes highly recommended from City on Fire. Check out our review here, … Continue reading

Posted in News |

Reindeer Games Director’s Cut Blu-ray (Lionsgate)

RELASE DATE: March 6, 2012 Not sure why everyone knocks this film, but I personally love John Frankenheimer’s Reindeer Games! Upon release from prison, Rudy (Ben Affleck) poses as his old cell mate Nick in order to meet Nick’s sexy pen pal Ashley (Charlize Theron). But things heat up for Rudy when he’s forced into an armed robbery plot being hatched by Ashley’s evil brother (Sinise)! Check out the trailer.

Posted in News |

‘Corman’s World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel’ in selected theaters December 16th

Corman’s World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel is a tribute to Roger Corman, Hollywood’s most prolific writer-director producer, and seminal influencing force in modern moviemaking over the last 60 years. Featuring interviews with Hollywood icons and cinematic luminaries, some who launched their careers within Corman’s unforgettable world of filmmaking, including Paul W.S. Anderson, Peter Bogdanovich, Robert De Niro, Peter Fonda, Pam Grier, Ron Howard, Eli Roth, Martin Scorsese, William Shatner … Continue reading

Posted in News |

Drive Blu-ray & DVD (Columbia/Tri-Star)

RELEASE DATE: January 31, 2012 A Hollywood stunt performer who moonlights as a wheelman discovers that a contract has been put on him after a heist gone wrong. Drive is directed by Nicolas Winding Refn (Bronson) and stars Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston and Albert Brooks. Drive has been praised by critics and moviegoers alike; it even took home the prestigious Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Director. Check … Continue reading

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

Forest Warrior Blu-ray (Brainy Baby)

RELEASE DATE: March 6, 2012 A group of kids, who call themselves the Lords of Tanglewood, have built a clubhouse high on Tanglewood Mountain. Suddenly, their tranquil paradise is shattered when greedy businessmen threaten to destroy their mountain – thankfully, the guidance of a mysterious tough guy named John McKenna (Chuck Norris) lends them a hand! Check out the trailer. This is some hardcore shit!

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

Lost World, The: Jurassic Park (1997) Review

Director: Steven Spielberg Writer: David Koepp Producer: Kathleen Kennedy, Gerald R. Molen, Colin Wilson Cast: Jeff Goldblum, Julianne Moore, Vanessa Lee Chester, Pete Postlethwaite, Arliss Howard Running Time: 129 min. By HKFanatic When we’re first introduced to Jeff Goldblum’s character in “The Lost World: Jurassic Park,” he’s yawning in front of a fake painted backdrop. Clearly something is amiss: if the acclaimed thespian can’t even muster any excitement for this … Continue reading

Posted in Other Movies, Reviews | Tagged , , |

Blu-Ray and DVD Releases for 12/13/11

This week is jam-packed with releases leading up to the holidays so let’s get cracking. Here are your Asian and genre movie blu-ray and DVD releases for the week of 12/13/11: ASIAN CINEMA The Legend is Born – Ip Man (blu-ray/DVD) – this 2010 martial arts film, sometimes erroneously marketed as a prequel to Donnie Yen’s “Ip Man” series, isn’t the lazy cash-in you might expect. It’s actually pretty good! … Continue reading

Posted in News |