Yearly Archives: 2011

Blu-Ray and DVD Releases for 11/22/11

Not a lot on the table this week but cinema buffs should still be able to find something to enjoy, whether you’re craving a gory Japanese flick or a Criterion Collection blu-ray. So here are your Asian and genre-related blu-ray and DVD releases for the week of 11/22/11: ASIAN CINEMA Helldriver (blu-ray/DVD) – a 2010 post-apocalyptic zombie road movie from the director of “Tokyo Gore Police.” For fans of Japanese … Continue reading

Posted in News |

Donnie Yen to star in a heist film produced by Jackie Chan

Twitch Film is reporting that Donnie Yen is set to star and choreograph the actions sequences in an upcoming heist film called Ultimate Codebreak. The movie will be produced by Jackie Chan, who will have a small role in the film. Also starring is Wu Chen (14 Blades). A director has not been named at this time but shooting is already set to begin next month.

Posted in News |

World on a Wire Blu-ray & DVD (Criterion)

RELEASE DATE: February 21, 2012 World on a Wire is a gloriously paranoid, boundlessly inventive take on the future from German wunderkind Rainer Werner Fassbinder. With dashes of Stanley Kubrick, Kurt Vonnegut, and Philip K. Dick, as well as a flavor entirely his own, Fassbinder tells the noir-spiked tale of a reluctant action hero, Fred Stiller (Klaus Lowitsch), a cybernetics engineer who uncovers a massive corporate conspiracy. At risk? (Virtual) … Continue reading

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

Ichi the Killer (2001) Review

"Ichi the Killer" Japanese Theatrical Poster

Director: Takashi Miike Cast: Tadanobu Asano, Nao Omori, Shinya Tsukamoto, Pauline Suen, Susumu Terajima, Toru Tezuka, Kee, Suzuki Matsuo, Jun Kunimura, Hiroyuki Tanaka, Yoshiki Arizono, Masataka Haji, Moro Morooka, Hideo Sako Running Time: 115 min. By Mighty Peking Man  Up to this point, this is my third venture into the ultra-morbid world of director Takashi Miike (“Audition” and “Fudoh – The New Generation” being the other two films of his … Continue reading

Posted in All, Japanese, News, Reviews | Tagged , , , |

Blue Velvet (1986) Review

Director: David Lynch Writer: David Lynch Producer: Fred Caruso Cast: Kyle MacLachlan, Isabella Rossellini, Dennis Hopper, Laura Dern, Hope Lange, George Dickerson, Dean Stockwell Runing Time: 120 min. By HKFanatic People who aren’t video or audiophiles will tell you that blu-ray isn’t much of an upgrade in quality and that they’re perfectly happy with their DVD collections. True AV geeks know the truth: that when enough care is put into … Continue reading

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

Poolboy: Drowning Out the Fury DVD (Screen Media)

RELEASE DATE: February 7, 2012 If anything, watch the trailer for this flick! A Vietnam Veteran Sal Bando (Kevin Sorbo), tortured by his past as a Poolboy returns home to Van Nuys, California, and a country he doesn’t recognize, in which it seems only Mexicans run pool-cleaning companies. Bando sets off on a brutal mission to reclaim his “rightful” vocation and enact revenge on the man (Danny Trejo) who killed … Continue reading

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

Left Handed DVD (Vanguard)

RELEASE DATE: February 21, 2012 Hiroshi, a disaffected teenage boy, is struggling at school and one day shuts himself away in his bedroom. For the next two years he refuses to come out or let anyone else in. Hiroshi’s parents are so ashamed by what has happened that they attempt to conceal his condition from friends and family. Inevitably, the household disintegrates. Brian Wilson, Howard Hughes… eat your heart out! … Continue reading

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

Farewell My Concubine (1993) Review

Director: Chen Kaige Writer: Lilian, Lee Lu Wei Cast: Leslie Cheung, Zhang Fengyi, Gong Li, Lu Qi, Ying Da, Yidi, Zhi Yitong, Lei Han, Li Chun Running Time: 156 min. By Ningen I don’t know what it is about Peking Opera that looks appealing in martial arts films, but which comes off dull in arthouse flicks. While it’s true that this is only the second film of this genre I’ve … Continue reading

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

Kung Fu Double Pack Vol. 1: True Game of Death & Incredible Kung Fu Mission DVD (Performance Syndicat)

RELEASE DATE: January 24, 2012 Performance Syndicat presents The Classic Kung Fu Double Pack Vol. 1, which includes True Game of Death, starring Bruce Hsao Lung; and Incredible Kung Fu Mission (aka Kung Fu Commandos), Alexander Lo. The cover art claims that both movies are digitally remastered and fully restored, yet there’s no mention of the movies being in widescreen. Sketchy if you ask me. Let’s hope Performance Syndicat proves … Continue reading

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

Kung Fu Double Pack Vol. 2: Bloody Fight & Story in Temple Red Lily DVD (Performance Syndicat)

RELEASE DATE: January 24, 2012 Performance Syndicat presents The Classic Kung Fu Double Pack Vol. 2, which includes Bloody Fight and Temple Red Lily. The cover art claims that both movies are digitally remastered and fully restored, yet there’s no mention of the movies being in widescreen. Sketchy if you ask me. Let’s hope Performance Syndicat proves us wrong.

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

Fistful of Bullets: Spaghetti Western DVD Collection (Mill Creek)

RELEASE DATE: January 10, 2012 Titles include Apache Blood, Between God, the Devil and a Winchester, Beyond the Law, Death Rides a Horse, The Fighting Fists of Shanghai Joe, Find a Place to Die, Fistful of Lead, God’s Gun, Grand Duel, Gunfight at Red Sands, It Can Be Done Amigo, Johnny Yuma, Sundance and the Kid, This Man Can’t Die, Trinity and Sartana & Twice a Judas! Just to get … Continue reading

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

The Assailant aka Besouro DVD (Phase 4)

RELEASE DATE: February 14, 2012 Based on the life of a legendary capoeira (a Brazilian art form that combines elements of martial arts, sports, and music) fighter from Bahia, Besouro spins a fantastic tale of a young Brazilian man (Aílton Carmo) of African descent in search of his mission. Let’s hope it’s better than Rooftops. Check out the trailer.

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

Three Outlaw Samurai Blu-ray & DVD (Criterion)

RELEASE DATE: February 14, 2012 This first film by the legendary Hideo Gosha (Sword of the Beast) is among the most canonized chambara (sword-fighting) films. An origin-story offshoot of a Japanese television series phenomenon of the same name, Three Outlaw Samurai is a classic in its own right. In it, a wandering, seen-it-all ronin (Tetsuro Tamba) becomes entangled in the dangerous business of two other samurai (Isamu Nagato and Mikijiro … Continue reading

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

Bullet Train (1975) Review

"Bullet Train" Theatrical Poster

Director: Junya Sato Cast: Ken Takakura, Sonny Chiba, Kei Yamamoto, Eiji Go, Akira Oda, Raita Ryu, Masayo Utsunomiya, Yumi Takigawa, Etsuko Shihomi, Takashi Shimura, Fumio Watanabe, Mizuho Suzuki, Ken Utsui, Tetsuro Tamba Running Time: 115 min.  By Sergio Martorelli It’s official: american action films sucks mammoth balls, even the ones directed by HK masters like John Woo and Tsui Hark. And do you wanna know why? I’ll tell ya. It’s … Continue reading

Posted in All, Japanese, News, Reviews | Tagged , , |

‘Voltron’ returns on Xbox Live and Playstation Network

Infracells are up, mega thrusters are go and the legendary robot hero is ready to make his resurgence in Voltron: Defender of the Universe, scheduled for release in October on Xbox LIVE® Arcade and PlayStation®Network. In this brand-new take on the classic Voltron animated adventure, players will find themselves teaming up to battle the evil forces of King Zarkon across the varied landscapes of Planet Arus. Interwoven with clips from … Continue reading

Posted in News |