"Rurouni Kenshin" Japanese Teaser Poster

If you’re anything like us, you might have grown a little tired lately from waiting for the next big Asian action epics to make their way to North America. Well, trusted retailer DDDHouse has you covered with a slate of new releases available now and in the next month on Import Blu-ray and DVD.

Titles available now include Wong Kar-wai’s highly anticipated martial arts film The Grandmaster, about Bruce Lee’s legendary teacher Ip Man, on All-Region Blu-ray or All-Region DVD.

Action buffs will also want to look into Warner Brothers Japan’s live-action adaptation of the popular anime Rurouni Kenshin, which has earned rave reviews for its samurai violence. It’s available on Region A Blu-ray or Region 3 DVD as well.

Bear in mind that Region A Blu-rays will play on any North American hi-def player but Region 3-coded DVDs will only play on Import-compatible players.

You also won’t want to miss the new special FX-infused blockbuster Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons, a tale of the Monkey Kong from producer/co-director Stephen Chow (Kung Fu Hustle). This movie broke box office records all over Mainland China and is now available on Region A Blu-ray or Region 3 DVD.

What to look forward to in the weeks to come? The Chinese historical epic Saving General Yang, which is the latest from Fearless and The Bride With White Hair director Ronny Yu, is making its way to All-Region Blu-ray on May 23rd, 2013. It will also be available on All-Region DVD on the same date.

On May 30th, 2013, you’ll be able to experience A Lesson of the Evil. This grisly new thriller, about a beloved teacher who is secretly a psychopath, arrives from Japanese shock master Takashi Miike. Anticipate it on Region A Blu-ray and Region 3 DVD.

Looking for something you don’t have to wait for? The Korean disaster movie The Tower is on Region 3 DVD while Jackie Chan’s CZ12 skydives onto Region A Blu-ray. We happen to have a review for that one right here. Not matter what kind of Asian film you’re interested in, the past two months have surely delivered a wide range of entertainment.

Back to 1942 Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

Hello folks. It’s never a lazy Sunday around here 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 5/14/13:

ASIAN CINEMA

Back to 1942 (Blu-ray/DVD) – one of the most lavishly-mounted Chinese epics of 2012 was this emotional drama, co-starring Hollywood actors Adrien Brody and Tim Robbins, about a terrible drought that struck in the Henan Province

Jet Li Double Feature (DVD) – Image Entertainment presents two vintage early 90’s Jet Li martial arts pictures, including Tsui Hark’s “Once Upon a Time in China” alongside “Legend of the Red Dragon,” AKA “The New Legend of Shaolin” co-directed by Corey Yuen and Wong Jing

Spellbound (DVD) – this unique 2011 Korean film is billed as a ‘horror romantic comedy’! On DVD from the folks at CJ Entertainment

Colorful: The Motion Picture (Blu-ray/DVD) – this 2010 Japanese animated feature about the transitory state between life and death won the 34th Japanese Academy Prize for Excellence in Animation

Chanbara Beauty: Movie Vortex (DVD) – this 2009 movie in the “Chanbara” series is based on a hack-n-slash video game series spotlighting, what else, but bikini-clad zombie killers

MARTIAL ARTS AND ACTION

Universal Soldier: The Return & Second in Command – BD Double Feature (Blu-ray) – Jean-Claude Van Damme takes the spotlight in this hi-def double feature, offering two of his more recent action movies for only $6.99

4 Action-Packed Movies Collection (DVD) – in this set, you’ll witness Steven Seagal in Ching Siu-tung’s slightly underrated “Belly of the Beast”; Jackie Chan in “The Medallion”; Steven Seagal in “Half Past Dead”; and wrestler Goldberg in “Half Past Dead 2”

Money Train / The Big Hit (DVD) – an action double feature starring Wesley Snipes in “Money Train” and Mark Wahlberg in the Hong Kong-inspired “The Big Hit,” which was “Crime Story” director Kirk Wong’s break into Hollywood

FOREIGN

French Masterworks: Russian Emigres in Paris 1923-1929 (DVD) – distributor Flicker Alley presents 5 films, ranging from 1923 to 1929, from Ivan Mosjoukine, a Russian-born director who made his claim to fame in France

Escape (Blu-ray/DVD) – despite a cover that makes it look like a shameless rip-off of “The Hunger Games,” this 2012 Norwegian film is a thriller about a young girl trying to escape a prison camp shortly after the Black Death. From the director of the “Cold Prey” series

MAINSTREAM

Cloud Atlas (Blu-ray/DVD) – the Wachowskis of “The Matrix” fame teamed up with the director of “Run Lola Run” for this 2012 far-reaching science-fiction film

Tomorrow You’re Gone (Blu-ray/DVD) – this 2012 direct-to-video thriller stars two actors whose work usually goes to theaters, Michelle Monaghan (“Mission: Impossible III”) and Willem Dafoe (“Boondock Saints’), as well as “Blade’s” Stephen Dorff

Nicolas Cage Double Feature (DVD) – these days actor Nicolas Cage tends to be the butt of industry jokes, but this set will remind you that he can be a great actor when he wants to be. Look for director Spike Jonze’s mind-bending “Adaptation” alongside the very David Lynch-esque early 90’s thriller “Red Rock West”

Offender (Blu-ray/DVD) – this 2012 British thriller in the “Death Wish” vein follows a young man out for revenge after his girlfriend is viciously attacked by a gang

MASTERED in 4K

Spider-Man (Blu-ray) – this 2002 comic book blockbuster from “Darkman” director Sam Raimi turned the superhero genre into Hollywood’s #1 moneymaking avenue

Taxi Driver (Blu-ray) – this 1976 gritty thriller from Martin Scorsese needs no introduction. Starring Robert De Niro in his most iconic role

Glory (Blu-ray) – the 1989 Civil War drama starring Matthew Broderick and Denzel Washington is brought to Blu-ray with a stunning new transfer

The Amazing Spider-Man (Blu-ray) – actor Andrew Garfield assumes the role of everyone’s favorite web-slinger in this 2012 blockbuster

Battle: Los Angeles (Blu-ray) – a 2011 film about U.S. soldiers fighting alien invaders in the streets of L.A. From the director of “Wrath of the Titans”

Totall Recall (Blu-ray) – director Len Wiseman presents his 2012 high-tech, poe-faced remake of the 1990 Paul Verhoeven classic

Angels & Demons (Blu-ray) – Tom Hanks tries to get to the bottom of a Biblical conspiracy in this 2009 sequel to “The Da Vinci Code”

The Other Guys (Blu-ray) – Will Ferrel and Mark Wahlberg play two bumbling detectives in this 2010 comedic riff on buddy cop action movies

CULT

Crimewave (Blu-ray + DVD) – this goofy 1985 crime/comedy, co-starring Bruce Campbell, arrives from none other than “Evil Dead” creator Sam Raimi himself

The Unbelievable Truth (Blu-ray/DVD) – Olive Films offers this early 1989 effort from indie auteur Hal Hartley, about a college girl preoccupied with the thought of nuclear armageddon

CLASSICS

3:10 to Yuma (Blu-ray/DVD) – the 1957 original Western arrives in hi-definition, courtesy of the fine folks at the Criterion Collection

Jubal (Blu-ray/DVD) – the Criterion Collection also releases this other Western starring “3:10 to Yuma’s” Glenn Ford, this time from 1956. Co-starring Ernest Borgnine and Charles Bronson

Land of the Pharaohs (DVD) – legendary Hollywood director Howard Hawks (“The Big Sleep”) helmed this 1955 Cinemascope epic set in Ancient Egypt

Three Faces West (Blu-ray/DVD) – cinema icon John Wayne plays against type as a gifted surgeon in this 1940 drama

The Miracle of the Bells (Blu-ray/DVD) – Fred MacMurray (“Double Indemnity”) and Frank Sinatra star in this 1948 heartwarming tale

Command Decision (DVD) – a 1949 picture about the heavy decisions made by high-ranking officers in World War II. Headlined by Clark Gable

HORROR

Texas Chainsaw (3D Blu-ray/DVD) – the latest addition to the venerable “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” series is this 2013 flick

Mr. Sardonicus & Brotherhood of Satan – BD Double Feature (Blu-ray) – two old-school horror films, including William Castle’s 1961 chiller “Mr. Sardonicus,” are available together for $6.99

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!

"The Thing" Japanese Theatrical Poster

John Carpenter, the director behind genre classics like Halloween, The Thing and Escape from New York, wants to make a movie based on EA’s Dead Space videogame. In an interview with Game Informer, he said: “I maintain that Dead Space would just make a great movie because you have these people coming onto an abandoned, shut-down space ship and they have to start it up and something’s on board. It’s just great stuff. I would love to make Dead Space [into a film], I’ll tell you that right now. That one is ready-made.”

If you’re not familiar with Dead Space, it’s an acclaimed video game that puts the player in control of an engineer who battles Necromorphs (reanimated human corpses) aboard an interstellar mining ship. The original spawned two sequels and two animated movies. Despite the weak sales of Dead Space 3, it’s rumored that EA has started pre-production for Dead Space 4.

If it was the late 70s/early 80s when Carpenter was at the top of his game, I’d say he would be the perfect guy for the job. Since then, he has sort of lost his juice. But hey, maybe a Dead Space movie could be his great comeback. Whatever the case, we’ll keep you posted.

"Dungeons & Dragons" Theatrical Poster

Decades since its creation, Dungeons & Dragons remains one of the most beloved fantasy properties in the world, spanning every medium from tabletop RPG to novels and video games. Despite its stellar reputation among fans, the brand has never been able to make a successful transition to the big screen.

2000’s Dungeons & Dragons movie was a dud of colossal proportions – even respected names like Jeremy Irons and, uh, Marlon Wayans couldn’t save it from being labeled one of the worst flicks of the new millennium.

Regardless, the Dungeons & Dragons name still carries enough goodwill that Warner Brothers is rolling the die once again, in the hopes of turning D&D into a fantasy movie for the ages. The studio has secured a screenplay from writer David Johnson (TV’s The Walking Dead, Wrath of the Titans); now all Warner needs is a filmmaker with a vision.

Assassin's Blade Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

Welcome to the month of May. Let’s get cracking. 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 5/7/13:

ASIAN CINEMA

The Assassin’s Blade (Blu-ray/DVD) – distributor Well Go USA presents this 2008 Chinese fantasy/romance – a sort of “Romeo & Juliet” with swords!

Bunohan: Return to Murder (DVD) – it’s a blend of Thai kickboxing with arthouse drama in this innovative 2011 Malaysian film

Dragon Lord (Blu-ray) – while it’s appearing on Blu-ray in its dubbed and slightly edited form, this 1982 effort from Jackie Chan is still one of the best martial arts movies of its era. Only $5.99 from Echo Bridge

FOREIGN

Id: A (DVD) – Shout! Factory releases this 2011 Danish thriller about a woman who wakes up with no memory, a duffel bag full of money – and a stalker on her trail

The Rabbi’s Cat (Blu-ray/DVD) – the popular graphic novel of the same name is brought to stunning life in this 2011 animated French-language film

The Condemned (DVD) – this 2012 creepy chiller about a mansion with hidden secrets arrives from Puerto Rico

MAINSTREAM

Jack Reacher (Blu-ray/DVD) – Tom Cruise tries to do his best “Dirty Harry” routine in this gritty 2012 thriller set in Pittsburgh

Upstream Color (Blu-ray/DVD) – this 2013 sci-fi film is the latest mind-bending feature from the writer/director behind 2004 cult favorite “Primer”

Mark 2: Redemption (Blu-ray/DVD) – martial arts icon Gary Daniels (“City Hunter,” “Bloodmoon”) co-stars in this 2013 apocalyptic thriller with a Biblical theme

NEW TO BLU-RAY

Band of Outsiders (Blu-ray) – the Criterion Collection offers this beloved 1964 effort from French New Wave director Jean-Luc Godard in hi-def for the first time. A must-see for fans of the director

The Great Escape (Blu-ray) – an all-star cast, including Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, and James Garner, headlines this 1963 classic about prisoners escape from a WWII prison camp

Saboteur (Blu-ray) – from the master of suspense himself, Alfred Hitchcock, comes this 1942 thriller. Now in hi-def

Shadow of a Doubt (Blu-ray) – the inimitable Joseph Cotton stars in this 1943 thriller from Alfred Hitchcock, considered one of Hitch’s own personal favorites

Fortress (Blu-ray) – Echo Bridge releases this 1992 Christopher Lambert vehicle in hi-def for only $5.99. From the director of “Re-Animator”!

One Hour Photo (Blu-ray) – Robin Williams headlines this creepy 2002 thriller receiving a belated hi-def release

Grifters (Blu-ray) – John Cusack  stars in this 1990 action/comedy, co-starring Anjelica Huston

Gamer 3D (Blu-ray) – the 2009 action movie from the filmmakers behind “Crank” and “Crank 2” is unleashed on Blu-ray once again, this time in 3D

Best of the Best: Without Warning (Blu-ray) – also known as “Best of the Best 4,” underrated action star Phillip Ree directs and stars in this explosive action flick

Bounty Hunters 2: Hardball (Blu-ray) – the “American Ninja” Michael Dudikoff is back in this 1997 action B-movie

COMPILATIONS

Face/Off (Blu-ray Steelbook) – a host of beloved films are available this week in new Blu-ray Steelbook editions, including John Woo’s 1997 action masterpiece. Also look for “Batman,” “Batman Returns,” “Gladiator,” “Heat,” and more

Comic Books 5 Film Set (Blu-ray/DVD) – Miramax and Lionsgate team up for this Blu-ray set containing “Conan the Barbarian” (Jason Momoa version), “The Spirit,” “Kick-Ass,” “The Punisher” (Thomas Jane), and “The Crow”

3 Mega-Monster Movies (Blu-ray) – Echo Bridge presents this 3-film collection of marginally related ‘monster movies,’ including the excellent “Godzilla vs. Biolante” alongside “Monster” and “Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus”

CULT

The Dungeon Of Harrow + Death By Invitation (DVD) – the latest double feature release from the cult and drive-in movie purveyors at Vinegar Syndrome

HORROR

Mama (Blu-ray/DVD) – produced by Guillmero Del Toro (“Pacific Rim”) and starring Jessica Chastain (“Zero Dark Thirty”), this horror flick was an early 2013 hit

Hellraiser VII: Deader (Blu-ray) – the 2005 installment in the popular “Hellraiser” series, now in hi-def from Echo Bridge

Teaching Mrs. Tingle (Blu-ray) – “Scream” writer Kevin Williamson took to the director’s chair for this 1997 horror/comedy set in high school. Featuring Helen Mirren as the teacher from hell

Return Of The Vampire/Revenge Of Frankenstein/Mr Sardonicus/Brotherhood Of Satan (DVD) – a low-budget release compiling these 4 separate horror movies

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!