Author Archives: JJ Bona

Tokyo Drifter Blu-ray & DVD (Criterion)

RELEASE DATE: December 13, 2011 In this jazzy gangster film, reformed killer Phoenix Tetsu’s attempt to go straight is squashed when his former cohorts call him back to Tokyo to help battle a rival gang. This onslaught of stylized violence and trippy colors got director Seijun Suzuki in trouble with Nikkatsu studio heads, who were put off by his anything-goes, in-your-face aesthetic, equal parts Russ Meyer, Samuel Fuller, and Nagisa … Continue reading

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

Night Train Murders Blu-ray (Blue Underground)

RELEASE DATE: January 31, 2012 It was released as Second House on the Left, New House on the Left and Torture Train. The ads screamed, “Most movies last less than two hours! This is one of everlasting torment! It remains one of the most graphically fiendish films in exploitation history, the story of two teenage girls traveling through Europe, forced into a nightmare of sexual assault and sadistic violence. Irene … Continue reading

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

13 aka 13 Tzameti Remake, Russian Roulette, Blu-ray/DVD (Anchor Bay)

RELEASE DATE: November 8, 2011 13 is a remake of the 2005 French film 13 Tzameti. It’s directed and written by Géla Babluani, who directed and wrote the original film. A naive young man assumes a dead man’s identity and finds himself embroiled in an underground world of power, violence, and chance where men gamble behind closed doors on the lives of other men. Starring Jason Statham (“Blitz“), Alexander Skarsgard … Continue reading

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

The Six Million Dollar Man 6-DVD Set: Season 1 (Universal)

RELEASE DATE: November 29, 2011 After an astronaut is practically left in pieces when his aircraft crashes, a secret organization rebuilds him and now he’s a bionic badass with unbelievable powers! This classic TV series has one of the coolest credit/pre-credit sequences ever. It also has a cool character with a cool name (Steve Austin), played by a cool actor with an even cooler name (Lee Majors). Formerly only available … Continue reading

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

Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams: Archive Collection DVD (Warner)

RELEASE DATE: October 18, 2011 Academy Award-winning director Akira Kurosawa (“The Seven Samurai,” “Ran”), whose cinematic genius has inspired such classic films as “Star Wars” and “The Magnificent Seven,” presents his 28th, and most personal, film. Visually splendid, Kurosawa’s film consists of eight powerful vignettes, one of which features acclaimed director Martin Scorsese as painter Vincent Van Gogh. “Breathtaking… dazzling,” says The New York Times.

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

The return of Hong Kong action films

In the mid-90s, the Hong Kong film industry ate itself alive. In 1993, it had produced a record 238 films and its doyen director, John Woo, was about to dive, twin guns aflame, through Hollywood’s doors. Six years later, production had crashed to just 40 films a year and not even the local triad gangs could prevent their own films from being pirated: there were bootlegs VCDs on sale everywhere … Continue reading

Posted in News |

Shogun Assassin (1980) Review

"Shogun Assassin" Japanese Theatrical Poster

AKA: Lone Wolf and Cub Director: Kenji Misumi Co-director: Robert Houston Cast: Tomisaburo Wakayama, Kayo Matsuo, Minoru Ohki, Akiji Kobayashi, Shin Kishida Running Time: 89 min. By Joe909 Shogun Assassin is one of those films that demands a recounting of its history, before you can actually review it. In 1980, a pair of producers with ties to Roger Corman got hold of the first two films in the Japanese Baby … Continue reading

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

Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame Blu-ray & DVD (Indomina)

RELEASE DATE: December 13, 2011 Tsui Hark’s (Knock-Off) epic mystery film Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame swept the 30th Hong Kong Film Awards for Best Director, Best Actress (Carina Lau), Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, Best Sound Effects, and Best Visual Effects. Nominations include: Best Film, Best Action Cherography (Sammo Hung), Best Original Score (Peter Kam), Best Supporting Actor (Tony Leung, Deng Chao), Best Cinematography … Continue reading

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

Dragon Dynasty Jet Li 3-Disc Blu-ray Set: Fist of Legend, Legend Fong Sai Yuk & Tai Chi Master (Weinstein)

RELEASE DATE: October 11, 2011 Together for the first time in one complete Blu-ray package: Fist of Legend, Legend of Fong Sai Yuk (first time on Blu-ray), and Tai Chi Master (with Michelle Yeoh). Trailers: Fist of Legend | Legend of Fong Sai Yuk | Tai Chi Master

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

Dragon Dynasty 2-Disc DVD Set: Legend of the Black Scorpion aka The Banquet & Empress and the Warrior (Weinstein)

RELEASE DATE: October 11, 2011 This set contains: Ching Siu-tung’s Empress and the Warrior starring Donnie Yen, Kelly Chen and Leon Lai; and Feng Xiaogang’s Legend of the Black Scorpion (aka The Banquet), starring Zhang Ziyi, Ge You, Daniel Wu and Zhou Xun. Trailers: Empress and the Warrior | Legend of the Black Scorpion

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

Boy Wonder DVD (Inception Media)

RELEASE DATE: November 8, 2011 “Robin Begins”? Not quite. But definitely a revenge/vigilante film. I’ve been reading many positive reviews about this indie festival favorite. It seems to be more like a drama than an action flick, but people seem to be talking about how realistic and brutal the fight scenes are. Boy Wonder is Michael Morrissey’s directorial debut. Check out the trailer.

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

Dragon Dynasty Jet Li 3-Disc DVD Set: Fist of Legend, The Enforcer aka My Father is a Hero & Tai Chi Master (Weinstein)

RELEASE DATE: October 11, 2011 Together for the first time in one complete DVD package: Fist of Legend, The Enforcer (aka My Father is a Hero), and Tai Chi Master (with Michelle Yeoh). Trailers: Fist of Legend | The Enforcer | Tai Chi Master

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

The Human Centipede 2: Full Sequence Trailer

“Human Centipede II (Full Sequence)” director Tom Six has a few words for the British Board of Film Classification, which has banned the sequel to Six’s “Human Centipede” film in the U.K. The BBFC claimed that the movie, about a man who gets “erotically obsessed” with the first film and gets the idea to create his own human centipede, was “sexually violent,” “potentially obscene” and a “real risk” to moviegoers. … Continue reading

Posted in News |

Pulse | aka Kairo (2001) Review

"Pulse" Japanese Theatrical Poster

AKA: The Circuit Director: Kiyoshi Kurosawa Cast: Haruhiko Kato, Kumiko Aso, Koyuki, Kurume Arisaka, Masatoshi Matsuo, Show Aikawa, Jun Fubuki, Shinji Takeda, Koji Yakusho, Shun Sugata Running Time: 119 min. By Numskull What Kairo sets out to do, it does superbly. However, not everyone will be happy with what it does, which is to sustain an eerie mood for two hours rather than simply tell a scary story. That’s not … Continue reading

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Magnificent Ruffians aka Destroyers DVD (Tokyo Shock)

RELEASE DATE: Early 2012 According to Tokyo Shock, this title has been delayed until early next year. 1979’s Magnificent Ruffians is a “Venoms” movie directed by Chang Cheh and starring Philip Kwok, Chiang Sheng, Lo Meng, Sun Chien, Lu Feng, Wang Li, Yu Tai Ping and Annie Liu. Check out the cityonfire.com review here.

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