Ip Man: Legend is Born Blu-ray & DVD (Funimation)
This week is jam-packed with releases leading up to the holidays so let’s get cracking. Here are your Asian and genre movie blu-ray and DVD releases for the week of 12/13/11:
ASIAN CINEMA
The Legend is Born – Ip Man (blu-ray/DVD) – this 2010 martial arts film, sometimes erroneously marketed as a prequel to Donnie Yen’s “Ip Man” series, isn’t the lazy cash-in you might expect. It’s actually pretty good! Check out our reviews
Detective Dee & the Mystery of the Phantom Flame (blu-ray/DVD) – uber-director Tsui Hark teams up with Andy Lau for this 2010 Sherlock Holmes-esque mystery with a dash of martial arts
Champions (DVD) – Lionsgate releases this 2008 martial arts film about Wushu martial artists striving to compete in the Olympics
Tokyo Drifter (blu-ray/DVD) – the Criterion Collection presents Seijun Suzuki’s eyepopping 1966 Yakuza thriller, now on blu-ray
Branded to Kill (blu-ray/DVD) – the Criterion Collection is also releasing Seijun Suzuki’s 1967 hitman thriller, now in hi-def
A Beautiful Life (DVD) – Shu Qi (“The Transporter,” “So Close”) stars in this 2011 Chinese-language romantic melodrama from director Andrew Lau (“Infernal Affairs”)
If You Are the One: Love & Marriage (DVD) – get a double dose of romance and Shu Qi as she appears in this 2010 romantic comedy
FOREIGN CINEMA
City of God (blu-ray) – the acclaimed 2002 Portuguese-language crime thriller, based on a true story, now in hi-def
Circumstance (DVD) – a 2011 film about the underground world of Iranian youth, a subculture filled with sex, drugs, and rebellion
CULT
The Rocketeer: 20th Anniversary Edition (blu-ray) – children of the 90’s, rejoice! Disney’s 1991 classic superhero film is on blu-ray for the first time
Velvet Goldmine (blu-ray) – Todd Haynes’ 1998 ode to glam rock stars Johnathan Rhys Meyers, Ewan McGregor, and Christian Bale. Now on blu!
Heavenly Creatures (blu-ray) – Peter Jackson’s 1994 chilling drama starring Kate Winslet, now on blu-ray
Sherlock Holmes: Kino Classics (blu-ray) – Kino presents the 1922 Sherlock Holmes film starring John Barrymore, now on blu-ray
Def-Con 4/Hell Comes to Frogtown: Double Feature (DVD) – you get a 1988 sci-fi chiller and “Rowdy” Roddy Pipper battling evil frogs in one double feature. What’s not to love?
99 and 44/100% Dead/The Nickel Ride: Double Feature (DVD) – two cult classic mid-70’s action flicks, one directed by John Frankenheimer, on one DVD
MAINSTREAM
The Expendables (Extended Director’s Cut) (blu-ray) – just in time to get us amped up for the sequel, check out Sly’s director’s cut of his 2011 film with 11 minutes of additional footage
Rise of the Planet of the Apes (blu-ray/DVD) – arguably the best blockbuster of summer ’11, now on home formats
Transformers Trilogy (blu-ray/DVD) – trilogy or travesty, you can pick up all three of Michael Bay’s “Transformers” films in one blu-ray or DVD set
HORROR
Fright Night (blu-ray/DVD) – the failed 2011 remake of the 80’s cult classic is now on home formats
Intruder – Director’s Cut (blu-ray + DVD combo) – Synapse Films presents the unrated director’s cut of this 1989 cult horror film set in a grocery store, featuring an appearance from Bruce Campbell
Interested in any of these movies? If so, we hope that you’ll consider ordering from our affiliate to help support this site. Thank you!
