If you’re a fan of most Japanese movies that get brought over to the West, you’re probably used to what normal folks might deem ‘outrageous’ or ‘offensive.’ Hell, Takashi Miike made his name with us foreign film buffs on the backs of titles like Ichi the Killer and Visitor Q – movies that would likely send your parents running from the room in hysterics. Even then, I don’t think I … Continue reading →

Great news for Korean film fans! Courtesy of Asian Movie Pulse, the Korean Film Council is reporting 2011 as a record-breaking year for the domestic box office in South Korea. Even though Korean movies faced stiff competition from Hollywood blockbusters like Harry Potter and Transformers, they managed to perform exceedingly well at theaters. Among the top box office contenders last year were historical action epic War of the Arrows, Sunny, … Continue reading →

Top Korean directors Kim Jee-Woon (A Tale of Two Sisters, I Saw the Devil) and Yim Pil-Sung (Antarctic Journal, Hansel & Gretel) are collaborating on a science-fiction anthology film titled Doomsday Book. The movie will weave together three high concept stories – one directed by Jee-Woon, the next by Pil-Sung, with the two directors collaborating on the final tale – that deal with topics like robots, zombies, and the end … Continue reading →

Color me intrigued by the trailer for How to Kill a Young Adult Novelist, a forthcoming  Japanese thriller that opens in select theaters in that country on April 19th. Only trouble is it’s impossible to find out anything about this movie’s plot, so for now the trailer will have to speak for itself. At the very least we know it stars Asao Norihiko, Ishibashi Shinji, Jeison Nami, and Matsunaga Minori. … Continue reading →

Hello, dear readers. There’s not much in the way of Asian cinema this week but no doubt there are some interesting releases, whether it’s a ’96 Chuck Norris environmental action movie or Danny Trejo and Steve Austin teaming up for some direct-to-video goodness. So here are your Blu-ray and DVD new releases for the week of 3/6/12: ASIAN CINEMA Blade of Kings (Blu-ray/DVD) – your friends at Well Go USA … Continue reading →

Writer/director Yang Jung-ho (assistant director on 2007’s Hellcats) is ready to unleash a dark vision into Korean theaters on March 8th. That’s when Mirage makes its debut and, from the looks of the trailer over at Beyond Hollywood, it’s going to be a wild and Lynch-ian ride. The film follows a writer who wakes up drunk during the subway ride to his hometown to accept a literary award. Back on … Continue reading →

Here’s some unexpected but welcome Asian cinema news. The Korean Film Archive has announced a partnership with Google that will see several classic Korean films streaming on Youtube with English subtitles in May. The selection on Youtube will include a range of Korean movies released from the years 1958 to around 1996, including “A Flower in Hell” (1958), “Woman of Fire” (1971), “The Day a Pig Fell in the Well” … Continue reading →

We’re a day late but never a buck short here at City on Fire with your new releases list. There’s some great stuff for Asian film fans this week, whether it’s finally being able to see “The Yellow Sea” with subtitles or Andy On and Luxia Jang kicking ass in “King of Triads.” So, let’s get cracking. Here are your Blu-ray and DVD releases for the week of 2/27/12: ASIAN … Continue reading →

If you’ve seen Toshiaki Toyoda’s film Blue Spring, you know the director has a knack for exploring the casual nihilism at the heart of many of today’s young people. With his forthcoming film Monsters Club, his characters are a bit older but they maintain a deep current of dissatisfaction with society. The plot follows a man Ryoichi named who lives in complete isolation on a snow-covered mountain. He spends his … Continue reading →

The Korean thriller Howling is slated to hit theaters in its native country on February 9th, 2012 and today Beyond Hollywood has the new poster for the film. Howling is about two detectives trying to unravel the murder mystery surrounding a killer “wolfdog” and stars Song Kang-ho, one of the most recognizable faces in Korean cinema thanks to his turns in films like The Host, Thirst, and Memories of Murder. … Continue reading →