Author Archives: JJ Bona

EXCLUSIVE: Interview with the writer/producer of the ‘No Retreat, No Surrender’ series, ‘King of the Kickboxers’ and ‘Bloodmoon’

In 1985, Hong Kong film mogul Ng See Yuen handpicked an aspiring writer named Keith W. Strandberg to produce a screenplay to No Retreat, No Surrender, a film that went on to become a cult classic, spawned two sequels, introduced Corey Yuen’s groundbreaking choreography to Hollywood and jump-started the career of Jean-Claude Van Damme. Keith also produced No Retreat, No Surrender 3: Blood Brothers, The King of the Kickboxers, American Shaolin, Superfights … Continue reading

Posted in News |

Check out the trailer for ‘A Muse’… just like the old man in that book by Nabakov!

Be sure and check out the trailer for the new South Korean film A Muse. According to The Chonsunilbo, A Muse is an adaptation of celebrated author Park Bum-shin’s sensational novel Eun-gyo. It follows a 70-year-old poet (Park Hae-il) who has an affair with a high school student (Kim Go-eun) and is inspired to write a book about her. But his star student (Kim Mu-yeol), who is jealous of the relationship, steals his … Continue reading

Posted in News |

Devilman DVD (Tokyo Shock)

RELEASE DATE: June 12, 2012 Tokyo Shock presents the DVD for Devilman, which is based on the popular manga by Go Nagai. Best friends Akira and Ryo (played by real-life twins Hisato & Yusuke Izaki) are just your average high school students until they receive word that Ryo’s father has accidentally unleashed a horde of demons while conducting experiments in Antarctica. Check out the trailer.

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

My Tutor Friend 2 DVD (Pathfinder Home Entertainment)

RELEASE DATE: June 12, 2012 Pathfinder Home Entertainment presents the DVD for My Tutor Friend 2. Japanese-Korean girl Junko travels to Seoul as an exchange student in hopes of seeing a Korean student whom she had fallen in love with in Japan. Instead, fate leads her to a guy named Jong Man. Starring The Good, the Bad, and the Weird’s Lee Chung-ah and War of the Arrows’ Park Ki-woong.

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

Barbarella Blu-ray (Paramount)

RELEASE DATE: July 3, 2012 Barbarella is finally making its way on Blu-ray! In the far future, a highly sexual woman is tasked with finding and stopping the evil Durand-Durand. Along the way she encounters various unusual people. Based on Jean-Claude Forrest’s French Barbarella comics, this 1968 classic is bound to satisfy you in more ways than one. Check out the trailer (you won’t be sorry!).

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

Paradise DVD (Pathfinder Home Entertainment)

RELEASE DATE: June 12, 2012 Pathfinder Home Entertainment presents the DVD for Paradise, directed by Stairway to Heaven’s Lee Jang Soo and written by Bambino’s Okada Yoshikazu. A woman (Kim Ha Neul) recently released from prison gets on a boat to an island called Paradise. She meets a kind-hearted teacher (Ji Jin Hee), who accepts her for who she is despite knowing her past.

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

Danny Pang’s ‘Fairy Tale Killer’ starring Lau Ching Wan – final trailer now online!

At a recent press conference in Beijing, Forest of Death’s Danny Pang (of the “Pang Brothers”) discussed details about his upcoming film Fairy Tale Killer, which releases in May. This crime/thriller – reminiscent of David Fincher’s Seven and Yoon-Hyun Chang Tell Me Something – stars Full Alert’s Lau Ching Wan and A World Without Thieves’ Wang Baoqiang. The screenplay is written by Szeto Kam Yuen, who is best-known for penning some of the most … Continue reading

Posted in News |

Iris: The Movie DVD (Cinema Asia Releasing)

RELEASE DATE: July 24, 2012 Cinema Asia Releasing presents Iris: The Movie on DVD. This feature is derived from the action-packed Korean TV series. Additional scenes were shot that expanded upon the original storyline, including an all-new extended ending. Iris: The Movie stars I Saw The Devil’s Byung-hun Lee and The Restless’ Kim Tae-hee. Check out the trailer.

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

Heartbeat DVD (Cinema Asia Releasing)

RELEASE DATE: July 24, 2012 Cinema Asia Releasing presents the DVD for Yoon Jae-Keun’s thriller, Heartbeat. A woman finally has a heart donor lined up for her young daughter; however, the good news doesn’t exactly go as planned. Heartbeat stars Shiri and Lost star Yun-jin Kim and War of Arrows’ Hae-il Park. Check out the trailer.

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

Double Feature: Ninja Champion & Weapons of Death DVD (Screen Magic Films)

RELEASE DATE: June 19, 2012 Screen Magic Films presents two “classics” in this martial arts Double Feature: The first is Ninja Champion, a Godfrey Ho cut ‘n paste flick that stars Richard Harrison, Bruce Baron and Pierre Tremblay. The second is Paul Kyriazi’s English language kung fu flick Weapons of Death, which stars Eric Lee and Gerald Okamura. Check out the trailers for Ninja Champion and Weapons of Death.

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

Father’s Day Blu-ray & DVD (Troma Entertainment)

RELEASE DATE: June 12, 2012 Troma Entertainment presents Father’s Day on Blu-ray/DVD Combo. This “new” grindhouse flick revolves around the urban legend known as The Father’s Day Killer. Fangoria says it’s “Destined to become a midnight movie classic.” We’ll see. Check out the trailer.

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

Intruders Blu-ray & DVD (Millennium Entertainment)

RELEASE DATE: July 17, 2012 Millennium Entertainment presents the Blu-ray & DVD for Intruders. Though no one can see him, Hollow Face lurks in the corners, desperately desiring love but only knowing how to spread fear and hate. This psychological thriller is directed by 28 Weeks Later’s Juan Carlos Fresnadillo and stars Closer’s Clive Owen and Ella Purnell. Check out the trailer.

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

The Devil’s Feast DVD (Switchblade Pictures)

RELEASE DATE: July 31, 2012 Switchblade Pictures presents the DVD for The Devil’s Feast. This erotic thriller is written by the late Oniroku Dan (Flower and Snake) and directed by Kenji Hanyu. The film stars Cruel Restaurant’s Chihiro Koganezaki, Zombie Hunter Rika’s Yuya Matsuura, Rinko 18’s Hitoshi Kajiki and AV model Arisa Matsumoto.

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

The Kunoichi DVD (Sentai Filmworks)

RELEASE DATE: July 24, 2012 Sentai Filmworks presents the DVD for The Kunoichi (which means female ninja). This bloody martial arts film is directed by Seiji Chiba (Alien Vs. Ninja) and stars Karate Girl’s Rina Takeda as the title female ninja character. Check out the trailer.

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

Exclusive: Interview with Keith W. Strandberg

Keith W. Strandberg Interview

In 1985, Hong Kong’s Seasonal Film Corporation, a company that was responsible for making Jackie Chan a star with 1978′s Drunken Master, started producing American productions that blew viewers away; particularly, those who wanted the flavor of world-famous Hong Kong action. Ng See Yuen, Seasonal Film’s founder, handpicked an aspiring writer named Keith W. Strandberg to produce a screenplay to No Retreat, No Surrender, a film that went on to become … Continue reading

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