Judgment DVD (Pathfinder Home Entertainment)

There’s plenty to see and do this week, so let’s get started. If you’re interested in any of these titles, you can support the site by ordering through our affiliate. We appreciate it!

Here are your Blu-ray and DVD releases for the week of 4/23/13:

ASIAN CINEMA

Judgment (DVD) – this 2012 Japanese film from Pathfinder Entertainment is a ‘locked room’-style horror flick said to be in the tradition of “Saw” and “Battle Royale”

Penthouse Playboy (DVD) – also known as “Searching For the Elephant,” this 2009 dark Korean drama follows several friends who suffer from various maladies, including infidelity and schizophrenia

Secret Love (DVD) – a steamy 2010 Korean drama about a woman who falls in love with her husband’s twin brother while her hubby lies in a coma. Available now on Amazon’s Instant Watch service

Electric Button (Moon & Cherry) (DVD) – in this 2004 Japanese film, a writer of erotic fiction finds new inspiration in the form of a virginal young man

A Tale of Legendary Libido (DVD) – this 2008 Korean sex comedy is a “American Pie”-esque tale…set in feudal-era Korea, of all places

FOREIGN

Thale (Blu-ray/DVD) – this 2012 Norwegian chiller focuses on a woman with a tail who might just be a mythical creature

Cold Prey II (DVD) – the 2008 sequel to the popular Norwegian slasher series “Cold Prey,” available from Shout! Factory

Pierre Etaix (Blu-ray/DVD) – the Criterion Collection presents five 60’s-era films from the nearly forgotten French director/actor Pierre Etaix, considered a master of comedy

MAINSTREAM

Gangster Squad (Blu-ray/DVD) – popular actors Josh Brolin and Ryan Gosling take up arms to battle the gangs of a post-WWII Los Angeles in this 2012 action flick

The Impossible (Blu-ray/DVD) – in this acclaimed 2012 film from the director of “The Orphanage,” Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor star as a tourist family trying to survive the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami

Promised Land (Blu-ray/DVD) – Matt Damon headlines this 2012 environmentally-conscious small town drama from “My Own Private Idaho” director Gus Van Sant

Pawn (Blu-ray/DVD) – in this 2013 direct-to-video thriller about a robbery in progress, Forest Whitaker and Michael Chiklis reunite for the first time post-“The Shield”

Assassins Run (DVD) – direct-to-video mainstays Christian Slater and Cole Hauser team up for this 2012 action/thriller set in contemporary Russia

Any Day Now (Blu-ray/DVD) – Alan Cumming (“X2: X-Men United”) stars as one half of a gay couple who adopts an abandoned child in this 2012 family drama

NEW TO BLU-RAY

Jurassic Park 3D (3D Blu-ray + Blu-ray + DVD) – Steven Spielberg’s beloved 1993 film about rampaging dinos returns in 3D Blu-ray

The Great Gatsby (Blu-ray) – a 1973 adaptation of the acclaimed novel, starring Robert Redford and Mia Farrow. Now in hi-def

Flirt (Blu-ray/DVD) – this 1995 effort from beloved indie auteur Hal Hartley tells three stories of love in New York City, Berlin, and Tokyo

CULT

Mistress of the Apes (DVD) – this 1978 picture reportedly has to be seen to be believed, as the wife of a missing anthropologist heads into the jungle and discovers a bizarre world of ‘sexy jungle women’

CLASSICS

Richard III (Blu-ray/DVD) – the Criterion Collection presents actor/director Laurence Olivier’s 1955 adaptation of the famous William Shakespeare play

City That Never Sleeps (Blu-ray/DVD) – Olive Films offers this 1958 noir picture that’s set in Chicago

Champion (Blu-ray/DVD) – in this 1949 picture, Kirk Douglas stars as a champion boxer who alienates everyone around him in the way to the top

Magic Town (Blu-ray/DVD) – Jimmy Stewart headlines this Frank Capra-esque 1947 picture about life in a small American town

Wake of the Red Witch (Blu-ray/DVD) – cinema icon John Wayne plays a 19th century sea captain out for revenge in this 1948 picture. In hi-def from Olive Films

The Fighting Seabees (Blu-ray/DVD) – Olive Films presents this 1944 feature starring John Wayne as the head of a construction company building military sites for the Navy during World War II

Federal Agents Vs. Underworld, Inc. (DVD) – a 12-part Republic series from 1949, available on DVD for the first time

HORROR

Night of the Hunted (Blu-ray/DVD) – Redemption Films presents this 1980 effort from director Jean Rollin, the master of dreamy French horror. Now in hi-def

Grapes of Death (Blu-ray/DVD) – a fan favorite 1978 effort from French director Jean Rollin, now on Blu-ray from Redemption Films

Blu-Ray Twin Pack: Poor Pretty Eddie & Carnival Magic (Blu-ray) – HD Cinema Classics presents this double feature of two horror movies previously thought lost to time

A Haunted House (Blu-ray/DVD) – a 2012 horror spoof in the “Scary Movie” vein, featuring the Wayans Brothers

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!

"Sanguivorous" Theatrical Poster

Tidepoint Pictures LLC, a company that formed in 1996 to concentrate on bringing contemporary and cutting-edge Asian films to North American audiences, will use MVD Entertainment Group (click here for their current titles) for their exclusive title distribution. The company’s exceptional growth has been due to selective film production and acquisition, individualized marketing strategies and strong salesmanship.

“We are very excited to represent Tidepoint Pictures” said Ed Seaman, COO of MVD Entertainment Group. “They have a fascinating product line which has worldwide, mass-appeal.”

The first films to be released in the partnership is the Japanese erotic comedy Electric Button by Yuki Tanada, the experimental vampire horror Sanguivorous by Naoki Yoshimoto, and the Chinese/Japanese comedy drama New World (not to be confused with Well Go USA’s New World) by Lim Kah-Wai.

Says Tetsuki Ijichi, President of Tidepoint Pictures, “There is a much broader range of contemporary Asian cinema than what typically gets shown in the U.S. We’re excited to present these fresh voices of talented Asian directors to American audiences.”

Cityonfire.com received the above press release from MVD Entertainment Group.

Scott Adkins's "The Expendables 2" Character Poster

THR reports that Scott Adkins (Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning) and UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture (The Expendables) are set to star in Distant Shore, an action thriller from veteran indie producers Joseph and Jack Nasser.

The Nasser Brothers have previously produced a string of straight-to-video action movies, including Tactical Force (Steve Austin, Michael Jai White) and Dawn Rider (Christian Slater).

Distant Shore is being described as Phillip Noyce’s Dead Calm meets Joe Carnahan’s The Grey.

According to THR, the story centers around a couple who sails into the ocean to commit suicide but are interrupted by the arrival of another mysterious vessel. Before long these two people who were ready to die are fighting to stay alive.

Scott Adkins and Randy Couture recently worked together in The Expendables 2. They are both currently wrapping up their individual projects, Tomb of the Dragon and Rush, respectively (both co-starring Dolph Lundgren). Filming for Distant Shore will start this year.

Update: A Scott Adkins fan site reports that plans for Distant Shore have been cancelled. More details to come.

"Saving General Yang" Chinese Character Poster

Acclaimed director Ronny Yu was at the Hong Kong FilMart, promoting his forthcoming film Saving General Yang. A press conference occurred with most of the cast and crew, followed by a private screening of the trailer. The film is a historical action epic focusing on “the well-known story of four generations of warriors from a Northern Han family.” The budget is set at a whopping $31.7 million, making it one of this year’s biggest films in the Asian market.

The pedigree behind Saving General Yang is just as impressive: Ronny Yu (The Bride With White Hair) directs while Raymond Wong (Flash Point) produces and Stephen Tung (A Better Tomorrow) handles action choreography. The film stars Adam Cheng, Yu Bo, Vic Chou, Raymond Lam, Wu Chun, and Fu Xinbo.

Update: Seems like it’s been forever since we heard about this film – but the bloody and action-packed first trailer is here! | Don’t miss the new action-packed Taiwanese trailer for the movie. | Check out the multitude of character posters released to promote the film’s April 4th release in China.

After declining the offer to direct the sequel to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, director Ronny Yu has set his sights on his next project. He wants to reunite the ‘Seven Brothers’ of his Saving General Yang cast for a spiritual sequel of sorts. Set in modern times with plenty of globe-hopping locations, the movie would be China’s answer to Ocean’s 11 (or perhaps The Thieves!).

BREAKING NEWS: Website JayneStars reports that Ronny Yu’s Saving General Yang bombed at the box office, despite the presence of big name stars like Ekin Cheng, earning just 56 million RMB (about 9 million US dollars) after one week. That’s well behind Johnnie To’s recent crime thriller Drug War, which earned about US$16 million in its first week. This has led some to suggest that Chinese audiences are growing tired of period pieces. We can’t help but wonder if this will put an end to Ronny Yu’s plans for a ‘spiritual sequel’ to Yang.