Machete Maidens Unleashed DVD (MPI)
Not a whole lot for Asian film buffs to choose from this week but martial arts fans will probably want to check out “Bunraku” and perhaps there’s an older catalog title you’d like to upgrade to blu-ray on. Alright, let’s get cracking!
ASIAN CINEMA
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (blu-ray/DVD) – from Wayne Wang, the director of “Joy Luck Club,” comes this tale of lifelong friendship starring Li Bingbing, Gianna Jun, Vivian Wu, and Russell Wong
FOREIGN CINEMA
Going Places (blu-ray/DVD) – this 1974 French comedy features plenty of wanton sexuality and amoral living, and made an overnight star of actor Gerard Depardiu
CULT
Bunraku (blu-ray/DVD) – director Guy Moshe presents a dizzying blend of influences in this 2009 genre mash-up starring Josh Hartnett and Japanese rock god Gackt. Fans of martial arts movies and weird cult flicks should find plenty to enjoy here but, chances are, the average viewer will be left scratching their head
The Adventures of Prince Achmed (DVD) – this movie from 1926 is considered the oldest remaining animated film, made by Lotte Reiniger using her innovative silhouette technique
Survive! (DVD) – Amazon has this 1976 survivalist film arriving on DVD this week, delayed from several weeks ago
Machete Maidens Unleashed (DVD) – this documentary examines the crazy world of Filipino genre cinema in the 70’s and 80’s. Also streaming on Netflix Instant!
Darkening Sky (DVD) – an extremely low-budget alien abduction film starring Rider Strong of “Boy Meets World” and “Cabin Fever” fame
MAINSTREAM
Hook (blu-ray) – if you grew up with this 1991 Steven Spielberg film like I did, you probably love it. Anyone who saw this when they were older seems to hate it. Either way, it’s now on blu-ray!
Cop Land (blu-ray) – before he reinvented himself as a post-millennial action god, Sly Stallone stretched his acting chops for one last time in this 1997 dark cop drama. Now in hi-def!
Scrooged (blu-ray) – everybody loves Bill Muarry, so why not upgrade to the blu-ray version of his 1988 take on “A Christmas Carol”?
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (blu-ray) – before “Moon” made him a household name, Sam Rockwell starred in this dark drama loosely based on a true story. Now on blu-ray
Trespass (blu-ray/DVD) – there are some who will tell you this 2011 Joel Schumacher film received a limited theatrical release but I still say this is Nicole Kidman’s first true direct-to-video flick. Hey, it happens to everyone. Nicolas Cage is also here for the paycheck
The Philadelphia Experiment (DVD) – this 1984 sci-fi adventure film starring Michael Pare (“Streets of Fire”) and Nancy Allen (“Dressed to Kill”) gets a DVD re-release, which is probably a good thing since the transfer on the previous DVD was supposedly terrible
Black Moon Rising (DVD) – a DVD re-release for this 1986 science fiction film, written by John Carpenter and starring Tommy Lee Jones and Linda Hamilton
HORROR
Phantom of the Opera (blu-ray) – the classic 1925 silent film starring Lon Chaney, still full of terror and awe, arrives on blu-ray for the first time
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