"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.

Captain America Blu-ray (Shout! Factory)

On May 21, 2013, Shout! Factory will unleash the long-awaited 1990 action sci-fi movie classic Captain America, starring Matt Salinger (What Dreams May Come), Ronny Cox (Total Recall), Ned Beatty (Superman), Darren McGavin (The X-Files), Michael Nouri (Damages) and Scott Paulin (JAG), in a special Collector’s Edition Blu-ray™.

Available for the first time on Blu-ray™, Captain America: Collector’s Edition features widescreen movie presentation in astonishing high-definition and insightful new interview with director Albert Pyun and actor Matt Salinger. A must-have for movie collectors, comic book enthusiasts and young aspiring heroes to complete their pop culture library, this definitive collector’s edition release of Captain America: Collector’s Edition Blu-ray has a suggested retail price of $14.97. Pre-order is now available at Amazon.com.

Bonus Content: Brand New Interviews: Looking Back At Captain America with Director Albert Pyun and actor Matt Salinger

Features: 1080p-High Definition Widescreen (1.78:1)/Stereo/1990/Color/97 minutes

Update: The release trailer for Shout! Factory’s Collector’s Edition of Albert Pyun’s Captain America Blu-ray is now online.

Jackie Chan Double Feature: Police Story 1 & 2 (Shout! Factory)

It’s a busy week with plenty of Asian film love to offer, so let’s get started.

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Here are your Blu-ray and DVD releases for the week of 4/16/13:

ASIAN CINEMA

Jackie Chan: Police Story / Police Story II (Blu-ray/DVD) – two of Jackie Chan’s most beloved action films are now in hi-def, thanks to distributor Shout! Factory

Dragon (Blu-ray/DVD) – the Weinstein Company is behind this release of the celebrated 2011 Donnie Yen martial arts film, also known as “Wuxia.” Beware that this 98min version has been cut compared to the 115min Chinese version. Co-starring Takeshi Kaneshiro (“Chunking Express,” “Red Cliff”)

Message From Space (DVD) – this campy 1978 science fiction movie from “Battle Royale” director Kinji Fukasaku has long had a reputation for being one of the best “Star Wars” rip-offs. Co-starring Sonny Chiba and Vic Morrow

Eclipse Series 38: Masaki Kobayashi Against the System (DVD) – the Criterion Collection’s Eclipse series continues with this selection of films from Japanese director Masaki Kobayashi. Look forward to the titles “The Thick-Walled Room,” “I Will Buy You,” “Black River,” and “The Inheritance,” dating from the 50’s to the early 60’s.

Girl$ (Blu-ray + DVD combo) – in modern day Hong Kong, several young girls have taken to performing “paid dates” for salary men as a way of making money. This 2010 film explores their risky lifestyle

Going By the Book (DVD) – this 2007 Korean comedy, on DVD courtesy of distributor 5 Points Pictures, follows a straight-laced cop who is forced to stage a bank robbery as a police training exercise

At the Gate of the Ghost (Blu-ray/DVD) – this 2011 Thai film is an adaption of the Akira Kurosawa classic “Rashomon”

Summer Wars (Blu-ray) – Funimation presents a 3-disc version of this popular 2009 anime feature film, which is something like a “Wizard of Oz” for the digital age. From the director of “The Girl Who Leapt Through Time”

Empire of Silver (DVD) – Hong Kong actor Aaron Kwok headlines this 2009 film, a sweeping drama and love story about a powerful bank heir during the end of 19th century China

MARTIAL ARTS/ACTION

Top Action Stars – 8 Movie Collection (DVD) – Jean-Claude Van Damme, Steven Seagal, and Dolph Lundgren share the spotlight in this 8 film collection that includes titles like “Knock Off,” “Universal Soldier: The Return,” and “Into the Sun” for only $12.99

Explosive Cinema – 8 Exhilarating Movies (DVD) – a diverse collection of genre entertainment is offered in this $12.99 set, including Tony Scott’s “The Fan,” Bruce Willis in “Hudson Hawk,” and Jamie Foxx in “Stealth”

Pulse-Pounding Flicks – 8 Intense Features (DVD) – see Chow Yun-fat in “The Replacement Killers,” Christopher Lambert in “The Point Men,” Wesley Snipes in “The Contractor,” and much more for $12.99

MAINSTREAM

Django Unchained (Blu-ray/DVD) – Quentin Tarantino’s 2012 Western – set in a slavery-era South – was a massive success at the box office when it opened last December

Iron Man: Rise of the Technovore (Blu-ray/DVD) – presenting a 2013 direct-to-video Marvel Comics animated adventure, featuring Iron man and the Punisher, done in an anime style

Spies of Warsaw (Blu-ray/DVD) – former Doctor Who David Tennant stars in this 2013 BBC production set in Poland, Paris, and Berlin in the years leading up to World War II

The Colombian Connection (DVD) – Robert Thorne and Tim Sizemore star in this 2013 direct-to-video actioner about a special missions team trying to escape the jungles of Colombia.

CULT

Repo Man (Blu-ray/DVD) – the Criterion Collection offers a new lease on life for this 1984 cult classic, starring Emilio Estevez and Harry Dean Stanton and featuring plenty of nihilistic punk attitude

Quentin Tarantino’s Rolling Thunder Pictures Triple Feature (DVD) – you can’t go wrong with this DVD collection of 3 films previously released by Tarantino’s Rolling Thunder label. The set includes: “The Mighty Peking Man,” “Detroit 9000,” and “Switchblade Sisters”

Samurai Cop (DVD) – the man with the chin that just won’t quit, Robert Z’Dar (“Maniac Cop”), stars in this 1989 cult favorite

The Indestructible Man (DVD) – horror icon Lon Chaney headlines this 1956 feature about a man who realizes he’s invincible after surviving the electric chair

HORROR

Bay of Blood (Blu-ray/DVD) – Kino Lorber has Mario Bava’s influential 1971 horror film, considered the prototype for the slasher genre, scheduled for a hi-def release. However, there’s no cover art available yet so it seems this title might be delayed. AKA “Twitch of the Death Nerve”

A Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia (Blu-ray/DVD) – this 2013 direct-to-video chiller is a sequel to the 2009 theatrical release “The Haunting in Connecticut”

H.P. Lovecraft’s The Dark Sleep (DVD) – this 2012 horror film is said to be an adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft’s “Dreams in the Witch House,” featuring stop-motion animation for the creatures

Escapee (Blu-ray/DVD) – Dominic Purcell of TV’s “Prison Break” plays a killer on the loose from prison in this 2011 slasher

Jacob: Director’s Cut (Blu-ray/DVD) – in this 2011 horror flick, a crazed hillbilly goes in a killing spree to avenge his little sister

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