Asian film distributor Indomina closes up shop in North America

Posted on February 5, 2013 by Z Ravas
Life Without Principle DVD (Indomnia)

Life Without Principle DVD (Indomnia)

Today bears some potentially distressing news from the Hollywood trades. Film distributor Indomina, who brought Asian titles like Flying Swords of Dragon Gate and Bodyguards & Assassins to North America, has closed up shop. More specifically, the US and Dominican Republic-based company is shutting down their North American operations.

Recently, Indomina had begun to branch out from its Asian and genre-based lineup with arthouse titles like the acclaimed documentary The Imposter and the experimental French film Holy Motors. Indomina’s new goal is to create commercially viable features out of its facilities in the Dominican Republic. In the meantime, you should be able to check out Indomina’s back catalog of top tier Asian titles – including Dante Lam’s Fire of Conscience and Johnnie To’s Life Without Principle – on Netflix streaming for the foreseeable future.

Posted in News |

Penthouse Playboys | DVD (Asian Media Rights)

Posted on February 5, 2013 by JJ Bona
"Penthouse Playboys" DVD Cover

"Penthouse Playboys" DVD Cover

RELEASE DATE: March 26, 2013

Asian Media Rights presents the DVD for Jeong Seung-Gu’s Penthouse Playboy (aka Searching for the Elephant, Penthouse Elephant). Three young professionals struggle with compulsions: sex addiction, infidelity, betrayal and schizophrenia. Starring Dong-Hyuk Cho, Jong-min Baek and Myeong-hee Go. Watch the trailer.

Posted in Asian Titles, DVD/Blu-ray New Releases |

A Simple Life | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

Posted on February 5, 2013 by JJ Bona
A Simple Life Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

A Simple Life Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

RELEASE DATE: February 26, 2013

Well Go USA presents the Blu-ray & DVD for Ann Hui’s A Simple Life. Ah Tao (Deanie Ip) has worked for Roger’s (Andy Lau) family as a nanny and maid over the course of four generations. After suffering a stroke, she (Deanie Ip) announces that she wants to quit her job and move into an old people’s home. Watch the trailer.

Posted in Asian Titles, DVD/Blu-ray New Releases |

Blu-ray and DVD Releases for 2/5/13

Posted on February 3, 2013 by Z Ravas
The Ballad of Narayama Blu-ray & DVD (Criterion)

The Ballad of Narayama Blu-ray & DVD (Criterion)

Welcome to February. Not much is happening yet in February for us Asian film buffs but we have a feeling that will change soon.

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 2/5/13:

ASIAN CINEMA

The Ballad of Narayama (Blu-ray/DVD) – the Criterion Collection presents a new 4K master for this haunting 1958 film based on a Japanese folk legend. From acclaimed director Keisuke Kinoshita (“Twenty-Four Eyes”)

Somewhere In Between (DVD) – this highly praised 2011 documentary takes a look at the experience of four young girls who were born in China but raised in the United States

FOREIGN

Little White Lies (Blu-ray/DVD) – a close-knit group of friends, including the lovely and talented Marion Cotillard (“Midnight in Paris”), embark on a yearly getaway when tensions arise in this 2012 dramatic French comedy from the director of “Tell No One”

The Pool (DVD) – Kino Films presents this 2007 Hindi-language film about a young hotel worker in India who dreams of the good life

My Worst Nightmare (DVD) – Isabelle Huppert stars in this 2011 French comedy as a woman who must deal with a roughneck man who is her ‘worst nightmare’ when he’s hired to remodel her apartment

MAINSTREAM

Flight (Blu-ray/DVD) – this 2012 recovery drama follows Denzel Washington as an alcoholic pilot who becomes a media sensation

Alex Cross (Blu-ray/DVD) – Tyler Perry puts down his Aunt Madea drag and picks up a  shotgun for this 2012 action/thriller

Deadfall (Blu-ray/DVD) – Eric Bana and Olivia Wilde headline this neo-noir as a brother and sister pair of outlaws who are caught unawares on their most recent getaway by a snow blizzard

A Late Quartet (Blu-ray/DVD) – a world renowned string quartet must face the music when one of their members is forced to retire. This 2012 drama stars Christopher Walken and Phillip Seymour Hoffman

Side by Side (Blu-ray/DVD) – none other than Keanu Reeves takes a look at the ‘film vs. digital’ cinematic debate by interviewing directors as famous as Christopher Nolan and Martin Scorsese in this 2012 documentary

Mafia (DVD) – this 1970’s set cops-and-gangsters direct-to-video thriller stars Robert Patrick (“Terminator 2: Judgment Day”) and Ving Rhames (“Dawn of the Dead” remake)

Hostage/Set Up (Blu-ray/DVD) – the underrated 2005 Bruce Willis actioner “Hostage” is paired up with one of Willis’ more recent direct-to-video excursions

NEW TO BLU-RAY

Laura (Blu-ray) – Gene Tierney and Dana Andrews star in this 1944 film, one of the most critically acclaimed and historically important film noirs of all time. Now in hi-def

Peter Pan (Blu-ray/DVD) – Disney’s 1953 animated classic is released in hi-def

Cabaret (Blu-ray/DVD) – the classic 1972 film, set in the Weimar Republic, arrives on Blu-ray

CLASSICS

Ambush At Tomahawk Gap (DVD) – this 1953 adventure film about a group of treasure seekers who must contend with a tribe of Apaches can be manufactured by demand on DVD-R by Amazon

Target Hong Kong (DVD) – a soldier of fortune is hired to keep Communist invaders from reaching Hong Kong in this 1953 action movie, manufactured on demand by Amazon

The Brigand (DVD) – a lookalike for the King is used to stop would-be overthrowers in this 1952 swashbuckling adventure, manufactured on demand by Amazon

Other films available on DVD-R this week from Amazon: Apache Ambush (1955), The Spanish Prisoner (1997), Ghost of the China Sea (1958), There’s Always a Woman (1938), The Bamboo Prison (1954), Five Golden Hours (1961), A Matter of Wife and Death (1976)

HORROR

Bela Lugosi: Scared to Death Collection (DVD) – this collection features over 20 films starring Bela Lugosi on DVD, including “White Zombie” and “The Phantom Creeps”

Bigfoot: The Lost Tapes (Blu-ray/DVD) – this 2012 feature is – you may have guessed by the title – a ‘found footage’ horror flick about the legendary Bigfoot

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!

Posted in News |

Bullet to the Head (2012) Review

Posted on February 3, 2013 by JJ Bona
"Bullet to the Head" Theatrical Poster

“Bullet to the Head” Theatrical Poster

Director: Walter Hill
Producer: Joel Silver
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Sung Kang, Sarah Shahi, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Christian Slater, Jason Momoa, Jon Seda, Holt McCallany
Running Time: 91 min.

By Mighty Peking Man

Walter Hill, the acclaimed director of some of the most greatest, testerone-filled films (Warriors, 48 Hours and Last Man Standing) of our time returns with Bullet to the Head, his first theatrical release in over 10 years.

Based on Alexis Nolent’s French graphic novel Du Plomb Dans La Tete, Bullet to the Head stars Sylvester Stallone as a tough New Orleans hitman who teams up with a by-the-book police officer (Fast Five’s Sung Kang) to bring down a ruthless enemy they want for their own reasons.

Have you ever woke up extra early for work to avoid traffic, only to realize your car keys have been misplaced, which in turn makes you more late than you’ve ever been? Or maybe instead of having a pizza delivered, you decide to cook yourself a healthy dinner, which resulted in your house being burnt to the ground? Well, that’s what Bullet to the Head is. It’s the blueprint for what should have been a nice little action flick, but the finished product is a complete disaster. What a waste of a perfect recipe: an in-your-face title based on a cool comic book; a prolific director who is worshipped by genre buffs around the globe; and a respected, tatted up action star who physically looks like he’s still on his peak of manhood, despite being 66 years old. It’s also R-rated for violence, which is always a positive thing.

Even though I was looking forward to Bullet to the Head, my expectations were moderately low. I wasn’t looking for originality or clever dialogue. I wasn’t expecting Hill to re-create the magic of 48 Hours or even Another 48 Hours. After watching The Expendables and its sequel, all I wanted was a decent action movie from Stallone. Basically, I wanted something along the lines of Tango & Cash.

The main problem with Bullet to the Head is everything. There’s not a single hair of chemistry between any of the actors no matter how you mix and match them. The plot is basic, yet the way it’s presented makes it a clusterf*ck that passes from one scene to the next. There’s a style with the way it was edited (sped up/slowed down panning with sound effects and more nonsense I’d rather not describe) that makes it appear as if it was filmed in the late 90s. After about 20 minutes in, I lost interest in the plot and I no longer cared for the characters or anything they were saying or doing. I was this close to walking out of the theater and I’ve never walked out of a theater before.

The only way I can recommend Bullet to the Head is if I told someone to fast-forward to the action scenes, which are tight and brutal (which is why I gave the movie a 3/10, instead of a 0/10). But then again, this isn’t exactly a Jackie Chan flick from 1985, nor is it The Raid, so the fight scenes alone aren’t worth your time. With that said, I can’t recommend it unless you’re in it for pure curiosity.

At this point of his “action” career, Stallone needs to star and direct another Rambo movie, because the last one he did was a flawless victory. Sung Kang needs to buy less v-necks and stick to minor roles in those Fast & Furious films, because his presence, at least in this movie, is that of a card board cut out of himself. I almost hate to admit this, but even though Jason Momoa’s (Conan the Barbarian) charisma lies closer to the Barbarian Brothers than Arnold Schwarzenegger, he’s the best thing about Bullet to the Head.

As for Walter Hill? I think Quentin Tarantino said it best: “I think directors are like boxers. They need to know when to hang up the gloves.”

Mighty Peking Man’s Rating: 3/10

Posted in Other Movies, Reviews | Tagged , , , , |

Scream Factory presents Collector’s Editions for both ‘The Burning’ and ‘The Town That Dreaded Sundown’

Posted on February 2, 2013 by JJ Bona
Scream Factory presents Collector's Editions for both 'The Burning' and 'The Town That Dreaded Sundown'

Scream Factory presents Collector's Editions for both 'The Burning' and 'The Town That Dreaded Sundown'

Disfigured and hooded mad killers are on the loose this spring as Scream Factory™ invites loyal fans and collectors to embark on a nostalgic trip filled with edge-of-your-seat suspense and terror!

On May 21, 2013, the gory summer camp slasher The Burning created and produced by Harvey Weinstein and features Fisher Stevens (The Cove), Jason Alexander (Seinfeld) and Holly Hunter (The Piano) in their early film roles and Charles B. Pierce’s long sought-after The Town That Dreaded Sundown starring Oscar®-winner Ben Johnson and Dawn Wells (Gilligan’s Island), arrive on home entertainment shelves everywhere from Shout! Factory.

Both movies debut for the first time on Blu-ray™. The Burning will be presented as a Collector’s Edition Blu-ray™ + DVD Combo pack that boasts insightful bonus content, and a reversible wrap with original theatrical key art. The Town That Dreaded Sundown Blu-ray™ + DVD Combo Pack contains director Charles B. Pierce’s rare cult movie classic The Evictors as a bonus movie presentation on the DVD plus more extras to be announced at a later date.

The Burning Collector’s Edition Blu-ray™ + DVD combo pack is priced to own at $29.93; The Town That Dreaded Sundown Blu-ray™ + DVD combo pack (including The Evictors on DVD) has a suggested retail price of $26.99.

Special Features for The Burning Collector’s Edition Blu-ray™ + DVD Combo Pack are currently in development. Preliminary bonus features include:

• Audio Commentary with director Tony Maylam, moderated by Alan Jones
• Blood n Fire Memories

Specs: Anamorphic Widescreen (1.85:1)/DTS-HD Master Audio Mono (BD)/Dolby Digital Mono (DVD)/1981/Color/91 minutes

Special Features for The Town That Dreaded Sundown Blu-ray™ + DVD Combo Pack are currently in development. Special Bonus Movie Presentation: Charles B. Pierce’s The Evictors (DVD Only): 1979/Color/92 minutes/PG

Specs: The Town That Dreaded Sundown (Blu-ray and DVD): 1977/Color/86 minutes/R
Blu-ray: 1080p High-Definition Widescreen (2.35:1)/DTS-HD Master Audio Mono
DVD: Anamorphic Widescreen/Dolby Digital Mono

Cityonfire.com received the above press release from Shout Factory.

Posted in News |

Are you ready for Andrew Lau’s ‘The Guillotines’ via Video on Demand?

Posted on February 1, 2013 by Z Ravas

"The Guillotines" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Via a company newsletter, Well Go USA has officially announced their acquisition of director Andrew Lau’s historical actioner The Guillotines. Andrew Lau, famous for helming the original Infernal Affairs and Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen, is back with a a new Chinese-language film that pays homage to the classic Flying Guillotine movies of old. Here’s the first plot synopsis:

During the Manchurian-ruled Qing Dynasty, Emperor Yong Zheng established a secret assassination squad known as the Guillotines to eliminate all who opposed him. Once heavily favored by the Emperor, the Guillotines are deemed expendable once Emperor Qian Long ascends to the throne and adopts Western ideas and technology. To consolidate his power under a new regime, the Emperor continues to use the Guillotines to persecute the conquered Han Chinese in a reign of terror and oppression.

Well Go USA is planning a unique release strategy for the film. While it receives a limited theatrical release on June 14th, 2013, The Guillotines will be available in advance via Ultra Video on Demand starting May 14th. Film Business Asia’s review describes the film’s action sequences as “gritty rather than flashy” and says to get ready for some “good-old-fashioned spectacle.” To tide you over while you wait for May 14th, here’s an English-subbed trailer.

Posted in News |

John Woo to remake the French classic ‘Le Samourai’…in Berlin?

Posted on January 31, 2013 by Z Ravas

"Le Samourai" French Theatrical Poster

Jean-Pierre Melville’s 1967 film Le Samourai remains one of the most influential genre movies of all time thanks to icy, existential cool. The French riff on gangster cinema has inspired filmmakers as diverse as Walter Hill (The Driver) and Johnnie To (Vengeance). Now it looks like legendary Hong Kong director John Woo is planning to tip his hat to Melville’s film – even moreso than he did in The Killer – by helming a remake.

In a recent interview translated by SlashFilm, Woo states that Le Samourai will be one of his next films as a director. The story is being transported to Berlin, thanks to German financiers putting up money for the budget, while the script is currently been worked on. Woo admits his Le Samourai will likely have to be shot in English.

Don’t forget that Woo supposedly has a remake of Youth of the Beast in the works as well. Either way, fans of the director are simply eager for Woo to get behind the camera again.

Posted in News |

Whatever you do, don’t call The Rock a ‘Snitch’ – Super Bowl TV Spot

Posted on January 31, 2013 by Z Ravas
"Snitch" Theatrical Poster

"Snitch" Theatrical Poster

THE MOVIE: After a lengthy detour into the world of family movies, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson is getting back to doing what he does best: action movies. Much fuss has been made over G.I. Joe: Retaliation‘s delay to March 2013, but The Rock has another movie to tide us over in the meantime.

Snitch is a gritty thriller from Summit Entertainment, featuring The Rock as a concerned father out to clear his son’s name of drug charges. In order to do so, The Rock has to go way, way undercover into the dangerous world of drug dealers and armed cartels.

Updates: The trailer for the film is online now. Sure, we wish Snitch was carrying an R rating instead of a PG-13, but with the focus on Fast and Furious-style convoy chases rather than The Rock filling goons with bullet holes, perhaps the rating won’t matter too much.

Either way, prepare for Snitch to spill everything to the feds in theaters this February 22nd, 2013. Introducing the first poster.

BREAKING NEWS: Check out the film’s Super Bowl TV spot.

Posted in News |

Bruce Lee Double Feature: Way of the Dragon & Game of Death | DVD (Shout! Factory)

Posted on January 30, 2013 by JJ Bona
Bruce Lee Double Feature: Way of the Dragon & Game of Death DVD (Shout! Factory)

Bruce Lee Double Feature: Way of the Dragon & Game of Death DVD (Shout! Factory)

RELEASE DATE: April 30, 2013

Shout! Factory presents the Bruce Lee Double Feature DVD, which contains two of Bruce Lee’s Golden Harvest films: 1972′s Way of the Dragon and 1978′s Game of Death, which was released posthumously. The DVDs will feature an anamorphic widescreen presentation of the original movies from new HD-transfer.

Posted in Asian Titles, DVD/Blu-ray New Releases, Martial Arts Titles |

Shout! Factory brings home Jackie Chan’s ‘Police Story 1 & 2’ on DVD & Blu-ray!

Posted on January 30, 2013 by JJ Bona

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

International superstar and cultural icon Jackie Chan is a master of action and comedy. Chan’s illustrious film career ranks as one of the most amazing success stories in the entertainment industry. His movies continue to have an enduring impact throughout the world.

On April 16, 2013, Shout! Factory will unleash Police Story I and Police Story II Double Feature deluxe Blu-ray™ and DVD.

Boasting world renowned international film stars and pulse-pounding action sequences, these two highly regarded world cinema classics debut in a double feature movie presentation on Blu-ray™ in North America. A must-have for loyal fans, collectors and movie enthusiasts, own two of popular Jackie Chan cult hits on Blu-ray at an attractive price of $19.97 SRP. The special double feature DVD has a suggested retail price of $12.99.

Pre-order for Police Story and Police Story II Double Feature Collection is available now on Amazon.com.

Features: Outtakes, Theatrical Trailers, Audio: English 5.1, Cantonese 5.1, Subtitles: English, 1985/1988/Color/Police Story – 100 mins./Police Story II – 122 mins.

Cityonfire.com received the above press release from Shout! Factory.

Posted in News |

Django Unchained | Blu-ray & DVD (The Weinstein Company)

Posted on January 29, 2013 by JJ Bona
Django Unchained Blu-ray & DVD (The Weinstein Company)

Django Unchained Blu-ray & DVD (The Weinstein Company)

RELEASE DATE: April 16, 2013

The Weinstein Company presents the Blu-ray & DVD for Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained. Django (Jamie Foxx) a former slave-turned-hired gun heads back to the plantation to free his wife, Broomhilda (Kerry Washington), from a tyrannical plantation owner Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio), with the help of a German bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz).

Posted in DVD/Blu-ray New Releases, Other Notable Titles |

Bleak Night (2010) Review

Posted on January 29, 2013 by Z Ravas
"Bleak Night" American DVD Cover

“Bleak Night” American DVD Cover

Director: Yoon Sung-hyun
Writer: Yoon Sung-hyun
Cast: Lee Je-Hun, Seo Jun-Young, Park Jeong-Min, Jo Seong-Ha, Bae Jae-ki, Lee Cho-hee
Running Time: 117 min.

By HKFanatic

Over the last decade, Korean cinema has made great strides into the Western market thanks to its tendency for big-budget commercial spectacle and ultra-violent revenge movies. “Bleak Night” is not one of those films. This nuanced and haunting story about three high school friends began as a film school project for writer/producer/director Yoon Sung-hyun, but soon gained global attention after appearing in international film festivals. And it’s no wonder why: “Bleak Night” is beautifully structured and powerfully acted. It’s not just one of the best films of the past three years but one of the best Korean films of all time. This is cinema that leaves a mark.

The plot focuses on three boyhood friends: Lee Je-hoon stars as the defacto leader Ki-tae; Seo Jun-young as his longtime confidant Dong-yoon; and Park Jung-min as ‘Becky,’ the relative newcomer to the group. While at first these three Junior year students seem thick as thieves, soon enough the cracks and strains begin to show. Their relationship is tested by schoolyard posturing, petty jealousy, and a general inability – or unwillingness – to express themselves. Through the lens of his high school setting, director Yoon Sung-hyun is able to tackle a wider array of issues including bullying, suicide, and the pressure society places on individuals to fit in.

“Bleak Night” shares some thematic lineage with Japanese films like “All About Lily Chou-Chou” and “Blue Spring,” which also focus on bullying and teenage violence. “Bleak Night” is perhaps more restrained than those films, at least in terms of what it depicts onscreen, but it is no less affecting. It’s clear that Lee Je-hoon is a young actor destined for greatness; while he’s serving his mandatory military service at the moment, “Bleak Night” and his supporting turn in “The Front Line” show he has the potential to be one of Korea’s leading actors. He takes a character who could have easily been loathsome in Ki-tae and makes him three-dimensional, even sympathetic. Likewise, it’s fair to expect great things from Seo Jun-young, who makes a strong impression as the ‘conscience’ of the group.

The screenplay to this film has a unique ‘middle/beginning/end’ structure that can be a little difficult to follow at first, but it’s one other reason why the film rewards multiple viewings. The unconventional structure helps to underline how tragedy and memory can make time impermanent; towards the end of the film, Seo Jun-young’s character seems to float between the past and present as he remembers the friendship he once had. As in “All About Lily Chou-Chou,” a vacation trip is both an oasis of happiness amidst the pain of the characters’ lives and the beginning of where it all went wrong for these young people. Director Yoon Sung-hyun’s use of post-industrial locations – slate gray apartment complexes, fuming smokestacks, and empty trainyards – depicts a different side of South Korea than we typically see in the movies. The extremely minimalist use of music throughout “Bleak Night” also adds to the film’s stark, sobering atmosphere.

5 Points’ Pictures DVD release includes the option for multi-colored subtitles, which helps in a film where characters’ dialogue frequently overlaps. In addition, there is a short essay from the director, detailing his inspiration for the movie, as well as bios for the director and cast. The picture quality is superb despite being in standard definition; it’s reassuring to see a prestige foreign film like this treated with a respectful localization. If you’re a fan of the ‘teen angst’ genre or simply in search of a good, thought-provoking drama, then “Bleak Night” should not be missed.

HKFanatic’s Rating: 10/10

Posted in Korean, Reviews | Tagged , , |

Freaky Deaky | DVD (Entertainment One)

Posted on January 29, 2013 by JJ Bona
Freaky Deaky DVD (Entertainment One)

Freaky Deaky DVD (Entertainment One)

RELEASE DATE: February 26, 2013

Entertainment One presents the DVD for Freaky Deaky, directed by Charles Matthau (son of Walter Matthau) and based on a novel by Elmore Leonard (Jackie Brown, Out of Sight). Set in 1974, a pair of ’60s radicals rely on their bomb-making skills on their way to becoming capitalists. Starring Christian Slater, Crispin Glover, Michael Jai White, Billy Burke, Roger Bart, Andy Dick and Bill Duke. Watch the trailer.

Posted in DVD/Blu-ray New Releases, Other Notable Titles |

Ryan Gosling gets another stunt gig in ‘The Place Beyond the Pines’

Posted on January 29, 2013 by JJ Bona
"The Place Beyond the Pines" Theatrical Poster

"The Place Beyond the Pines" Theatrical Poster

THE MOVIE: The Place Beyond the Pines is a crime film directed by Derek Cianfrance, written by Cianfrance, Ben Coccio, and Darius Marder. The film reunites Cianfance and Ryan Gosling, with whom he worked on Blue Valentine.

The plot centers around a motorcycle stunt rider (Ryan Gosling) considers committing a crime in order to provide for his wife and child, an act that puts him on a collision course with a cop-turned-politician (Bradley Cooper). Also starring Rose Byrne, Eva Mendes, Ray Liotta, Dane DeHaan and Bruce Greenwood. The Place Beyond the Pines made its debut during the Toronto International Film Festival on September 7, 2012.

Updates: Check out the film’s first footage. Nice Hall and Oates reference. The first trailer is now online.

BREAKING NEWS: Take a look at the new poster.

Posted in News |
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