"Welcome to the Punch" Theatrical Poster

Wanted star James McAvoy his back with a new action-packed thriller in which he’s called on to dive over countertops, dodge bullets in slow motion, and other such heroic stuff. Welcome to the Punch is a slick-looking movie and it should be, as it’s executive produced by none other than Ridley Scott. McAvoy headlines a topnotch cast that also includes Mark Strong (Kick-Ass), David Morrissey (TV’s The Walking Dead), and Andrea Riseborough (Never Let Me Go).

In the film, McAvoy plays a determined cop who’s driven to the edge in his quest to catch a career criminal (Strong). When Strong returns to London to retrieve his injured son, McAvoy finally gets the chance to take him down…until he realizes things are not as they seem. The first trailer for Welcome to the Punch is online now, and promises icy blue visuals and plenty of Bourne-style action.

Update: The film already opened in the UK to mixed reviews but still has to make its way to North American markets at the end of this month (March). So here’s the latest trailer via YouTube.

"Angels" International Theatrical Poster

Thai film director Wych Kaosayananda (Fah), mostly known for his 2002 American film debut Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever, is back with a new action-thriller called Angels, starring Sahajak Boonthanakit (Streetfighter: Legend of Chun Li), Dustin Nguyen (The Rebel), Gary Daniels (City Hunter) and Ammy Chanicha (The Hangover 2).

Angels, an English-language/Thai production, follows two friends: one a cop in Thailand, the other special forces, who hunt down the murderer of the police officer’s beautiful daughter.

Angels is currently playing in Vietnamese cinemas, but will most likely be picked up for international distribution, due to its international star power. Until then, check out the trailer.

"Ninja Masters" DVD Cover

Lionsgate Home Entertainment brings the kick-ass martial arts film Ninja Masters (aka Coweb) to DVD, Digital Download and Video on Demand June 11. Ninja Masters features Kane Kosugi (Ninja 2), Luxia Jiang (King of Triads), Sam Lee (Beast Cops) and Eddie Cheung (Kings of Triads).

Ninja Masters follows the story of a newly recruited bodyguard who fights her way to find the kidnapped couple she protects. The Ninja Masters DVD includes a “making of” featurette and will be available for the suggested retail price of $26.98.

A martial arts instructor is recruited as a bodyguard for an extremely powerful couple. On her first day of duty, her employers are kidnapped. As she searches for the couple, cryptic messages from the kidnappers lead her into a deadly world of underground fighting.

As the culprits put her in the ring, her martial arts skills are tested, and she gets steps closer to freeing her clients. The next opponent that enters her ring will have her facing the ultimate challenge with hopes of getting out alive! Click here to Pre-order the DVD.

Cityonfire.com received the above press release from Lionsgate.

"Resident Evil: Retribution 3D" Teaser Poster

Some movie franchises continue to generate large amounts of cash for their prospective studios, no matter how many fans and critics complain about it online. Case in point: Resident Evil: Retribution, the latest entry in Paul W.S. Anderson’s Resident Evil movie saga, grossed a solid $221 million worldwide. While the RE films have received poor reviews and diminishing box office returns in the States, they continue to do bank overseas.

So it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that Resident Evil 6 has been given a September 12th, 2014 release date. It’s speculated that Paul W.S. Anderson may not return to the director’s chair since he’s preparing to film the big-budget disaster flick Pompeii. However, the last word from Anderson’s mouth was that he had several ideas in mind for a sixth entry in the RE series and that this might just be the movie to close out the entire franchise.

Update: Reportedly, Chinese actress Li Bingbing will reprise her role as the popular game character Ada Wong. And this time around, her character will be granted more screentime to appease gamers.

The Great Magician Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

This week is reltiavely light on releases but nearly every title is a heavy hitter, from “The Great Magician” to Hollywood films like “Zero Dark Thirty” and “The Hobbit.” 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 3/19/13:

ASIAN CINEMA

The Great Magician (Blu-ray/DVD) – distributor Well Go USA presents this crowdpleasing 2011 Chinese adventure, featuring superstars Tony Leung Chu Wai (“In the Mood For Love”), Zhou Xun (“Painted Skin: The Resurrection”), and Lau Ching Wan (“The Bullet Vanishes”)

Jackie Chan: Beginnings – The Killer Meteors / New Fist Of Fury (DVD) – Shout! Factory offers a double feature of early Jackie Chan kung fu, including Jackie’s rare turn as a bad guy in 1976’s “The Killer Meteors” and the would-be sequel to Bruce Lee’s “Fist of Fury” from the same year

The Suicide Forecast (DVD) – a 2011 quirky Korean dramedy, starring Ryu Seung-beom (“Arahan,” “The Unjust”) as an insurance salesman with a powerful streak of bad luck

FOREIGN

Rust and Bone (Blu-ray/DVD) – Marion Cotillard of “The Dark Knight Rises” and “Public Enemies” fame takes the spotlight in this dark but powerful 2012 French drama

The Big Picture (Blu-ray/DVD) – this 2010 French character drama is said to be full of impossible-to-predict plot twists and turns

Other Son (Blu-ray/DVD) – in this provocative 2012 drama filmed on in Israel and the West Bank, two boys from Israel and Pakistan discover they were switched at birth

MAINSTREAM

Zero Dark Thirty (Blu-ray/DVD) – this pulse-pounding 2012 thriller from director Kathryn Bigelow follows the real world manhunt for Osama Bin Laden

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (3D Blu-ray + Blu-ray/DVD) – Peter Jackson’s 2012 blockbuster fantasy is the first in a new trilogy based around J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic novel

Les Misérables (Blu-ray/DVD) – the 2012 blockbuster musical arrives on home formats, with Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway in tow

Badlands (Blu-ray) – your friends at the Criterion Collection present acclaimed director Terrence Malick’s 1973 debut in hi-def. Starring Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek

Action Packed Movie Marathon (DVD) – Shout! Factory presents 360 minutes of Eighties exploitation/action fun with Garey Busey and more, featuring the films “Cyclone,” “Alienator,” “Eye Of The Tiger,” and “Exterminator 2”

The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (Blu-ray/DVD) – the Criterion Collection also inducts this critically praised 1943 film from the directors of “The Red Shoes”

Price Check (DVD) – Parker Posey stars in this 2012 dark comedy set in the world of supermarket pricing

CULT

Gorgo (Blu-ray/DVD) – check out the UK’s spin on the “Godzilla”-style genre of giant monster movies with this 1961 B-Movie romp

The Jitters (DVD) – James Wong of “Big Trouble in Little China” fame co-stars in this forgotten 1989 film that tried to bring the Hong Kong style of ‘hopping vampires’ to Hollywood

Timerider: The Adventure of Lyle Swann (Blu-ray) – Fred Ward stars in this 1982 time travel adventure movie, in hi-definition from Shout! Factory

Zeta One (AKA The Love Factor): Remastered Edition (Blu-ray) – Redemption Films presents this 1969 sci-fi sex romp in the tradition of “Barbarella”

Creepy Creature 1 (DVD) – a low-priced double feature containing the old-school, low-budget monster movies “Creature From the Ocean Floor” and “Serpent Island”

Creepy Creature 2 (DVD) – another slice of low-budget monster movie fun with “The Crawling Hand” and “The Slime People”

HORROR

Schoolgirl Hitchhikers (Blu-ray) – experience director Jean Rollin’s unique brand of exploitation cinema with with this 1973 effort, full of nudity and mild torture sequences

Edgar Wallace Collection Vol.1 : Mad Executioners (DVD) – this double feature of German horror films is based off the work of prolific writer Edgar Wallace. The set includes 1963’s “The Mad Executioners” and 1959’s “Fellowship of the Frog”

Edgar Wallace Collection Vol.2: Curse of the Yellow Snake (DVD) – the madness continues with another double feature of German chillers, 1964’s “The Phantom of Soho” and 1963’s “The Curse of the Yellow Snake”

Grave of the Vampire (DVD) – this 1972 horror film starring William Smith (“Maniac Cop,” “Red Dawn”) has been remastered in anamorphic widescreen

Shadow People (Blu-ray/DVD) – Anchor Bay releases this 2012 horror flick about a sleep study that goes horribly wrong when the volunteers begin to see mysterious ‘shadow people’

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!

"Conspirators" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Against all odds, Oxide Pang – one half of The Eye filmmakers The Pang Brothers – has managed to turn his 2007 Aaron Kwok vehicle The Detective into something of a franchise. While the original film was released Stateside by Tai Seng, the 2011 sequel saw no such release. Perhaps things will change for The Detective 3 AKA Conspirators, which adds some big name talent by pairing Aaron Kwok with Nick Cheung (The Stool Pigeon, Nightfall).

In the latest entry in the series, Aaron Kwok is investigating his parents’ mysterious death when he himself becomes the suspect in a murder case. Nick Cheung’s detective might be the only one who can clear his name. At least, that’s what we’re assuming from the first trailer for the film. You can hop on over to Far East Films for the detailed plot synopsis.

Update: Chinese Films has some new posters from the film, including this one. Conspirators opens in China on April 4th, 2013.