June has come and gone. But we’re still standing! And there’s plenty of Asian cinema to explore this week. So without any more stalling, here are your Blu-ray and DVD releases for the week of 6/26/12: ASIAN CINEMA The Samurai Trilogy (Blu-ray/DVD) – the Criterion Collection presents three classic 1950’s samurai films from director Hiroshi Inagaki and starring the indomitable Toshiro Mifune Sector 7 (Blu-ray/DVD) – this big-budget 2011 Korean creature feature … Continue reading →

Chinese director Chen Kaige is perhaps best known for his award-winning 1993 drama Farewell My Concubine, starring Gong Li and the late Leslie Cheung. However, Kaige made a detour into full-blown fantasy territory with 2005’s The Promise, a pastel-colored wuxia that left some viewers scratching their heads even as they appreciated Kaige’s impressive visuals. Now it looks like Chen Kaige is striking a balance between these two disparate modes of … Continue reading →

The filmmakers behind the new Taiwanese action film Black and White held a press conference yesterday to announce that the film will be released in Mainland China this summer. A 110-second preview of the movie was screened and included car chases, explosions, shoot-outs, and a plane crash. Directed by Tsai Yueh-Hsun, Black and White stars Mark Chao and Huang Bo (Design of Death). At the conference, director Tsai Yueh-Hsun revealed that the … Continue reading →

As long as people in Asian horror movies have dark secrets and repressed memories, there will always be a long-haired ghost waiting in the wings to hunt them down. At least that seems to be the case, and the upcoming Korean film Two Moons doesn’t look like it will mess with the formula too much, judging by the trailer and three posters now available. Direcotr Kim Dong-Bin helmed the 2004 … Continue reading →

Takashi Miike, the visionary director of 2010’s 13 Assassins, returns with a remake of the 1963 Masaki Kobayashi film Harakiri. In this harrowing samurai drama, a poverty-stricken young warrior seeks an honorable death through ritual suicide. Back in 2011 this was the first 3D film to be screened at Cannes. Updates: A clip from Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai can be seen here. A non-subbed trailer can be seen here. … Continue reading →

Over at 24 Frames Per Second, they’ve got the scoop on a new Japanese horror movie called Another. The film is based off an anime which was in turn inspired by a bestselling novel by author Yukito Ayatsuji. The story follows a 15 year-old protagonist who transfers to a new school and is assigned to Class 3-3. It doesn’t take long for him to realize that Class 3-3 is haunted … Continue reading →

It’s a dire week for Asian cinema lovers. We’ll keep on trucking, cause that’s the Chicago way, and maybe you’ll find something to enjoy. Here are your Blu-ray and DVD releases for the week of 6/19/12: ASIAN CINEMA The Hidden Blade (Blu-ray+DVD) – Palisades Tartan brings Yoji Yamada’s meditative 2004 samurai drama to Blu-ray Ninja Champion/Weapons Of Death (DVD) – the 36 Chambers of Wu Tang presents 172 minutes of ninja action. Be … Continue reading →