United Red Army, the 2007 Japanese-language film that Sight & Sound magazine called “one of the best films of the decade” is now streaming on Netflix Instant in HD. Director Koji Wakamatsu’s (Caterpillar) epic docudrama explores the political unrest of 1960′s Japan, when mass student uprisings coincided with the beginnings of the far-left United Red Army group, which tortured and murdered its ”deviant” members during a 1972 training session. An … Continue reading →

This week leaves us with plenty to talk about so I’ll cut my speech short and get started. Here are your Asian and genre movie blu-ray and DVD releases for the week of 1/17/12: Gantz II: Perfect Answer (blu-ray/DVD) – Viz Media presents the final installment in the live-action Gantz series! This 2011 film is based off the popular – and very dark and violent – anime The Coast Guard … Continue reading →

Looking to add a little excitement to your life? Well, you know that producer extraordinaire Luc Besson always has you covered in that regard. As of today, his 2010 film “District 13: Ultimatum” has been added to the Netflix Instant catalog and is available in HD. Like it’s predecessor it’s another mix of high-octane martial arts and death-defying parkour, set in a near-future Paris that’s not unlike the world of … Continue reading →

“… one helluva chase movie.” – Kirk Honeycutt, The Hollywood Reporter “… nonstop action and excitement.” – Richard Kuipers, Variety “Character development in writer-director Kim Han-Min’s thrilling War of the Arrows … is economic, precise and efficient, grounding whirlwind action sequences in an emotional connection to the characters. “ – Ernest Hardy, LA Weekly A Hero is Born. The Legend Begins. WAR OF THE ARROWS The $40MM International Box Office … Continue reading →

It’s a sad sign of the times: Anime News Network posted the exclusive report that Media Blasters has laid off 60% of their full-time staff. This means they’re down from fifteen to 5 or 6 full-time employees. Some of the fired staff will be asked to work for the company on a freelance basis, if they are so inclined. CEO John Sirabella says: “All of the small publishers are going … Continue reading →

Distributor Well Go USA via Indie Wire announced today that they’ve obtained the rights to the Korean war drama The Front Line which is Korea’s submission to the Academy Award category of Best Foreign Picture. The film tells the story of the fierce struggle to establish a border between North and South Korea at the end of the Korean War and is currently a box office smash in its native … Continue reading →

Welcome to the new year! Finally, a week that’s got a decent variety of Asian films to choose from. Anyone picking up Jackie Chan’s 100th movie just cause it’s his 100th movie? Well, here are your Asian and genre movie blu-ray and DVD releases for the week of 1/10/12: ASIAN CINEMA 1911 (blu-ray/DVD) – Jackie Chan marks his 100th film with this tale of the Chinese public’s revolt against the … Continue reading →

If you need further proof that a Superman movie directed by Tim Burton and starring Nicolas Cage would have been a disaster of epic proportions during the late 90’s, look no further than this recently released concept art from Hasbro. The preliminary designs for their Superman Lives toyline reveal a gaunt-faced Superman with a receding hairline. This is one comic book movie that fanboys can be happy was never made. … Continue reading →

Triple Tap is the latest Hong Kong thriller from acclaimed director Derek Yee (Shinjuku Incident, One Night in Mongkok). The film stars two of Hong Kong’s most popular actors in Louis Koo and Daniel Wu, as well as Li Bingbing (from the upcoming Resident Evil: Retribution) and Charlene Choi of The Twins Effect fame. Action fans can expect a plot full of twists and turns, credible performances, and a whole … Continue reading →

Welcome to the first week of the new year! As far as blu-ray and DVD retail goes, 2012 is off to a slow start, with just one Asian film on the slate for this week. But hey, Warner Home Video is going crazy with a selection of 3-disc blu-ray sets, which combine three loosely related films in one package for only $22.49. Not too shabby. Just forgive me for repeating … Continue reading →

Bunraku is a one of a kind film, a genre mash-up that combines elements of the Western, the noir, and the classic kung fu movie. The 2009 film, directed by Guy Moshe and starring Josh Hartnett, Japanese rock god Gackt, Woody Harrelson, and Ron Pearlman, is now streaming on Netflix Instant in HD. Check out our review here and queue up the movie if you’re in the mood for a … Continue reading →