You remember Rain, don’t you? He’s the Korean singing and acting sensation who crossed over into American cinema with roles in the Wachowski Brothers’ big screen Speed Racer (2008) and the bloody good guilty pleasure Ninja Assassin (2009). Well, he’s back in his native country and ready to hop into the cockpit of a sleek fighter jet for the summer blockbuster Soar Into the Sun. A teaser trailer is online here. The production … Continue reading →

You thought America had it bad when Steven Soderbergh unleashed his Contagion on an unsuspecting populace? Korean director Park Jung Woo might just be upping the ante with his new film Deranged, which is set to be released in theaters over there this July. In the film it seems that some ne’er-do-wells have dumped the bodies of dead dogs in the river – dogs infected with a new strain of … Continue reading →

This week features a host of familiar Asian horror titles being re-released on DVD by Palisades Tartan with all new cover art and, in some cases, all new titles. In addition, Blue Underground is repackaging several great Italian genre films in affordable DVD sets. Here are your Blu-ray and DVD releases for the week of 7/31/12: ASIAN CINEMA No Mercy (DVD) – CJ Entertainment brings this taut 2010 Korean serial … Continue reading →

The first trailer for a new Chinese-language espionage film The Silent War is now online. The movie was previously revealed under the title Windseekers but this new moniker seems more appropriate, as it appears the plot of the movie utilizes Morse Code quite a bit. The Silent War features two big name stars in Tony Leung Chiu Wai and Zhou Xun, who previously exhibited romantic chemistry in The Great Magician. … Continue reading →

We don’t typically cover video games here at Cityonfire.com but publisher Square-Enix has gone out of their way to hire some high-profile Asian talent as voice actors in their new game, titled Sleeping Dogs. In this open world action title, you play as an undercover cop working to rid the streets of Hong Kong of organized crime. Naturally, this involves going deep undercover in the Triad. Fans of Asian cinema … Continue reading →

Cityonfire.com has received the following press release from Well Go USA: “… fans of Iguchi and Nishimura’s brand of madness will be delighted … ” – Ard Vijn, Twitch Film “… a triumph of popcorn-crunching entertainment. ” – Matthew Sorrento, Film Threat Part Motorcycle, Part Karate Expert, ALL ROBOT! KARATE-ROBO ZABORGAR The Exciting, Over-the-Top Action-Comedy From Sushi Typhoon and Director Noboru Iguchi Debuts on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital September 11th Bonus Materials … Continue reading →

Brigitte Lin was one of the most charismatic and screen-dominating presences of 80’s and 90’s Hong Kong cinema, with star-making turns in films like The Bride With White Hair and New Dragon Gate Inn. And like many actresses of that era, she chose to retire in her prime, marrying wealthy and disappearing from the acting game. However, it appears that internationally acclaimed director Zhang Yimou, of Hero and House of … Continue reading →

Chinese Films has the scoop on a new Hollywood independent film called Paranoia, which – perhaps in a sign of things to come – is funded by Chinese company E Stars Entertainment and the Indian-owned Reliance Entertainment. The techno-thriller boasts a high-profile cast that includes Liam Hemsworth (The Expendables 2), Harrison Ford (Indiana Jones & the Crystal Skull), Amber Heard (The Ward), Julian McMahon (Fantastic Four), Josh Holloway (TV’s Lost), and … Continue reading →

What do you know, it’s another great week of releases for fans of Asian cinema. So without any fuss, let’s get started. Here are your Blu-ray and DVD releases for the week of 7/24/12: ASIAN CINEMA My Way (Blu-ray/DVD) – distributor Well Go USA brings this 2011 sprawling, big-budget World War II movie to America. From the director of Korean blockbusters such as “Shiri” and “Tae Guk Gi” Iris: The … Continue reading →

French director Pascal Laugier made a big impression on horror fans worldwide with his 2008 effort Martyrs. The boundary-pushing film took the ‘torture porn’ genre to new heights – or was it new lows? – but actually managed to transcend its Hostel-like trappings thanks to a metaphysical spin on the story. Along with Inside, there’s no denying that Martyrs remains one of the key films of the New French Extremity, … Continue reading →

The Four is a new wuxia film from director Gordon Chan (Fist of Legend), based on author Wan Ray-an’s famous novels about four detectives in ancient China. The cast includes Deng Chao, Ronald Cheng, Collin Chou, and Crystal Liu. Gordon Chan and the cast were in Beijing yesterday to promote the film, which is considered one of the most anticipated Chinese films of 2012. They unveiled the trailer, which will … Continue reading →

The King of the Streets is a new Chinese-language action film produced, written, directed, and starring martial artist Yuen Song. Very little is known about the movie, including the plot or even a release date, but this new trailer at Chinese Films speaks for itself. Although most of the fighting is rapidly edited, there’s no denying that the trailer itself has more action than many recent Hong Kong movies in their … Continue reading →

It’s a light week for Asian cinema but any Tuesday that sees the release of vintage Chuck Norris and Steven Seagal movies in hi-def can’t be all bad, right? So let’s get cracking. Here are your Blu-ray and DVD releases for the week of 7/17/12: ASIAN CINEMA Finding Mr. Destiny (DVD) – 5 Points Pictures presents this winsome 2010 Korean romantic comedy about one woman’s quest to reunite with her … Continue reading →