Three Outlaw Samurai Blu-ray & DVD (Criterion)
This Tuesday happens to be Valentine’s Day. What better way to celebrate than with a Criterion samurai film or a Jeff Speakman flick on Blu-ray, right? Here are your Asian and genre movie releases for the week of 2/14/12:
ASIAN CINEMA
Three Outlaw Samurai (Blu-ray/DVD) – the Criterion Collection presents director Hideo Gosha’s 1964 samurai film in hi-definition
Sword of Desperation (DVD) – AnimEigo offers this 2010 samurai film, which garnered 6 nominations at the 2011 Japanese Academy Awards, including Best Actor and Best Cinematography
Ocean Heaven (Blu-ray/DVD) – Well Go USA presents a different kind of Jet Li movie, as the acclaimed martial artist stretches his acting chops in this 2010 drama about a widower and his autistic son
My Kingdom (DVD) – a 2011 Hong Kong film set in the opera scene of 1920’s Shanghai, featuring action choreography by Sammo Hung
Yakuza Hunters: Final Death Ride Battle (DVD) – Tokyo Shock offers more fun with the Yakuza Hunters in this 2010 flick, featuring the duo of deadly ladies who live for the thrill of killing Yakuza
IMPORT ASIAN
Life Without Principle (Blu-ray/DVD) – Johnnie To’s 2011 film about the growing financial crisis in Hong Kong stars Lau Ching Wan, Richie Ren, and Denise Ho. Available on Region A Blu-ray for $23. 72 or Region 3 DVD for $11.54 at DDDHouse. Releases on February 16th
GP506 (Blu-ray/DVD) – also known as “The Guard Post,” this 2008 supernatural military thriller arrives from the Korean director of “R-Point.” Available on Region A Blu-ray for $16.03 or Region 3 PAL DVD for $12.56 at DDDHouse. Releases on February 16th
FOREIGN CINEMA
Elite Squad: The Enemy Within (Blu-ray/DVD) – the 2010 sequel to the 2007 Brazilian smash hit, about the police’s most elite unit who battle vicious drug lords for control of Rio’s slums
VIPs (DVD) – a 2010 Portuguese-language film based on the true story of a teenage con man who could impersonate anyone…except himself
Debt (DVD) – the 2007 Israeli picture that inspired the recent Hollywood remake “The Debt” starring Sam Worthington and Helen Mirren
Mozart’s Sister (Blu-ray/DVD) – a 2010 French film that is honestly all about the titular character
Tales From the Golden Age (DVD) – a 2009 Romanian film comprised of short stories detailing life under a Communist regime
Summer Holiday (DVD) – a 2008 Romanian slice-of-life film about a family who finds their relationships strained when they go on a seaside vacation
La Hora Cero AKA The Zero Hour (DVD) – a 2009 Spanish language film about a tattooed hitman who takes a hospital hostage
MARTIAL ARTS
The Perfect Weapon (Blu-ray/DVD) – at long last! Jeff Speakman’s classic 1991 action flick arrives in hi-definition. If you’re a fan of 90’s martial arts movies, you won’t want to miss this
The Assailant (DVD) – the Brazilian martial art of Capoeira gets its long deserved time in the spotlight with this 2009 action movie
CULT
Nude Nuns With Big Guns (Blu-ray/DVD) – it’s not what you think. Or maybe it is? This 2010 direct-to-video grindhouse-style flick features a nun wielding a big gun on the cover
Modus Operandi (Blu-ray/DVD) – this low-budget exploitation flick probably needs to be seen to be believed. Featuring appearances by Danny Trejo and Sasha Grey
Burning Moon (DVD) – this 1997 cult film is purported to be one of the goriest splatter flicks of all time
MAINSTREAM
The Rum Diary (Blu-ray/DVD) – Johnny Depp once again portrays the mad writer Hunter S. Thompson in this 2011 film
Take Shelter (Blu-ray/DVD) – soon general audiences will know him as General Zod but you’ll probably want to catch Michael Shannon first in this critically acclaimed 2011 film, about a man who becomes obsessed with building a storm shelter for his family
Tiny Furniture (Blu-ray/DVD) – the Criterion Collection offers this 2010 feature from writer/director/star Lena Dunham, who got her start making YouTube videos. This quiet indie drama explores post-collegiate malaise
CLASSICS
All Quiet on the Western Front (Blu-ray) – the classic 1930 film about the desolation of war, set in the trenches of World War I, now on Blu-ray
The Man in the Iron Mask (DVD) – the 1939 adaptation of the famous novel by “Three Musketeers” author Alexandre Dumas
Carve Her Name With Pride (DVD) – a 1958 film about the French Resistance during World War II
Last of the Mohicans (DVD) – a 1920 silent film adaptation of James Fenimore Cooper’s novel
HORROR
Paranormal Activity 3 (Blu-ray/DVD) – more ‘found footage’ demonic shenanigans, now on home formats
Friday the 13th the Ultimate Collection (DVD) – the upside to this 8-disc collection is that you get all of the “Friday the 13th” movies for only $35. The downside is that it’s not Blu-ray
The Dead (Blu-ray/DVD) – this 2010 zombie film was called “the best zombie movie” of that year by Ain’t It Cool News
Human Centipede II: Full Sequence (Blu-ray/DVD) – does the Blu-ray at least come with a barf bag? IFC offers the unrated director’s cut of Tom Six’s 2011 exercise in torture and cruelty
My Pure Joy (DVD) – this obscure, low-budget 2011 horror film about a deranged teenager supposedly features references to Takashi Miike and the current New Wave of French horror
The Devil’s Rock (DVD) – this 2011 horror film is set during World War II and hails from the peaceful land of New Zealand
Swinger’s Massacre (DVD) – Apprehensive Films offers this 1975 slasher flick that is limited to a pressing of just 500 units
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