"Cold War" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Hong Kong superstar Andy Lau is presiding over the Jury at the 2012 Asian Film Awards. Today the jury announced the nominees, which include a number of genre films from all over Asia. Says Andy Lau: “Asian films are spreading across the globe because of their diversity and innovation.”

Nominees for Best Picture include Johnnie To’s “Drug War,” starring Louis Koo; Takeshi Kitano’s sequel to his violent Yakuza thriller “Outrage,” titled “Outrage Beyond”; and the latest from Korean badboy Kim Ki-duk, titled “Pieta.”

In addition, veteran Hong Kong actor Tony Leung Ka-Fai is up for Best Actor award for his role in the Chinese cop thriller “Cold War.” Korean mega-hits “The Thieves” and “Nameless Gangster” were up for plenty of Actor-related awards as well.

For the full rundown of nominees, be sure to check Chinese Films. The awards ceremony will take place in Hong Kong on March 18th, 2013.

"Gremlins" Japanese Theatrical Poster

Vulture reports that Warner is in negotiations with Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment to reboot the 1984 horror comedy, Gremlins. No details have emerged, but we expect to hear some major updates in the next few days.

Directed by Joe Dante, the original Gremlins is about a boy who unleashes a horde of malevolently monsters in a small town after he breaks three important rules concerning his mysterious pet. The widley popular film spawned a sequel in 1990 called Gremlins 2: The New Batch. Warner has been planning a third installment, but now that news of the Gremlins reboot has surfaced, say bye-bye to Gremlins 3.

"The Iceman" Theatrical Poster

THE MOVIE: The Ice Man is the true story of Richard Kuklinski, loving husband, devoted father, ruthless killer. He is believed to have killed 100 people between 1964 and 1986.

The Iceman is directed by Danika’s Ariel Vromen. It stars Michael Shannon, Winona Ryder, James Franco, Ray Liotta, Chris Evans, David Schwimmer, Stephen Dorff and Robert Davi.

Updates: New teaser poster. The official trailer is here.

BREAKING NEWS: Enjoy the newest trailer.

Jackie Chan Double Feature: Crime Story & The Protector Blu-ray & DVD (Shout! Factory)

A Jackie Chan Double Feature…a Bruce Lee documentary…and low-budget kung fu. It’s a good week to be a fan of Asian cinema! If you’re interested in any of the following 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 1/15/13:

ASIAN CINEMA

Jackie Chan: Crime Story/The Protector (Blu-ray/DVD) – it’s a Jackie Chan Double Feature from Shout! Factory, featuring Kirk Wong’s “Crime Story” (1993) and the American film “The Protector” (1985). Please note, only the Blu-ray version contains Jackie Chan’s Hong Kong cut of “The Protector” and it is in Standard Definition

I Am Bruce Lee (Blu-ray/DVD) – this 2012 documentary released by Shout! Factory speaks to popular athletes and martial artists about the one, the only, the legend that is Bruce Lee

China Heavyweight (DVD) – this riveting 2012 documentary explores China’s changing economic landscape as a former heavyweight champion canvasses the Chinese countryside for potential fighters to train

Shaolin Deadly Kicks/Chase Step By Step (DVD) – Screen Magic Films presents two obscure 1974 kung fu films on one disc. It’s 177 minutes of Wu Tang-style action, though we cannot vouch for the image quality of these releases

Shaolin Temple/Four Robbers (DVD) – more low-budget kung fu action from Screen Magic Films

FOREIGN

Farewell My Queen (Blu-ray/DVD) – Diane Kruger (“Inglourious Basterds”) and Lea Seydoux (“Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol”) star in this 2012 French-language costume drama about Maria Antoinette

The Tin Drum (Blu-ray/DVD) – the Criterion Collection presents this controversial 1979 German-language film about a 3 year-old boy who wills himself not to grow older in protest of the Nazis

17 Girls (DVD) – in this 2011 French-language film, seventeen teenage girls living in a small town become pregnant at the same time, baffling the community (and their boyfriends)

MAINSTREAM

Taken 2 (Blu-ray/DVD) – first they took his daughter, now they’ve taken his wife. Big mistake. Liam Neeson is back to make the bad guys pay in the 2012 sequel to the popular Luc Besson-produced original film

To Rome With Love (Blu-ray/DVD) – Woody Allen follows up “Midnight in Paris” with this 2012 romantic comedy set in Rome

Branded (Blu-ray/DVD) – what if all the advertising we see around us was part of an “Inception”-style physic conspiracy? Find out in this 2012 action/thriller

About Cherry (Blu-ray/DVD) – James Franco co-stars in this 2012 indie drama about an innocent small town girl who becomes pulled into the world of adult films

Allegiance (Blu-ray/DVD) – this 2012 military drama looks at a National Guard unit who is called to serve in Iraq circa 2004 and the decision one soldier faces when his friend goes AWOL

Love Me (Blu-ray/DVD) – in this 2012 thriller, a teenage girl discovers that her charismatic new boyfriend might be involved in a missing persons case

Counterpunch (DVD) – a promising young boxer looks to redeem himself after a stint in prison. This 2012 drama co-stars Steven Bauer (“Scarface”) and “Machete’s” Danny Trejo

NEW TO BLU-RAY

Wake in Fright (Blu-ray/DVD) – this obscure but acclaimed 1971 Australian thriller stars Donald Pleasance as a man who enters a world of moral degradation after becoming stranded in a backwoods Australian town

The Man Who Knew Too Much (Blu-ray/DVD) – Alfred Hitchcock would later remake this film as the more well-known version starring Jimmy Stewart, but Criterion Collection presents the 1934 original starring Pete Lorre, now in hi-def

Sleeper (Blu-ray) – Woody Allen’s 1973 comedy set in the far future, now on Blu-ray

Hannah & Her Sisters (Blu-ray) – the 1986 comedy from Woody Allen, considered by many to be one of his best films

CLASSICS

Gentlemen’s Agreement (Blu-ray) – in order to expose anti-Semitism, Gregory Peck’s journalist character poses as a Jew in this 1947 effort from Elia Kazan (“On the Waterfront”)

Wild River (Blu-ray) – Montgomery Clift stars in this 1960 film from acclaimed director Elia Kazan (“East of Eden”)

CULT

Black Cobra/The Big Fight (DVD) – Screen Magic Films presents two action movies on one disc, including Fred ‘The Hammer’ Williamson in 1987’s “Black Cobra,” an Italian-blaxploitation take on Stallone’s “Cobra”

HORROR

The Possession (Blu-ray/DVD) – Sam Raimi produces this 2012 possession-and-exorcism flick that performed surprisingly well at the box office

Lightning Bug (Blu-ray) – this 2004 coming-of-age film follows a teen who longs to become a make-up artist for horror movies but who first must overcome small town prejudices

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 Tower" Korean Theatrical Poster

I don’t know about you but here at Cityonfire.com we love a good disaster movie. From The Towering Inferno to The Poseidon Adventure, there’s nothing like seeing a bevy of celebrities forced to fight against the elements. I mean, that has to be the reason we paid good money to see 2012 in theaters, right?

Well, the booming Korean film industry is taking another stab at the genre, no doubt following on the success of 2009’s Tidal Wave. Their latest disaster epic, The Tower 3D, arrives from Kim Ji-hun, the director of Section 7. You’ll recall that movie was about a group of oil riggers beleaguered by a computer-generated sea monster. While Sector 7 failed to endear itself to critics, it cleaned up at the box office and went on to become the highest-grossing Korean movie in China.

Now Kim Ji-hun is back with a movie that looks to take a liberal influence from The Towering Inferno. Disaster strikes during a ‘White Christmas’ party at a luxurious high-rise building when the two helicopters sprinkling fake snow crash into each other. Rescue workers must race against time to get everybody out before it all goes up in flames. In 3D!

Beyond Hollywood has the full scoop, including pictures and a promo reel from the studio, CJ Entertainment. Expect The Tower 3D in Korean theaters sometime this year. The first teaser trailer is here, as well as the poster!

The new full-length trailer is now online for your viewing pleasure! Enjoy some impressive new posters for The Tower. Thanks to 24 Frames Per Second.

BREAKING NEWS: Apple has the North American trailer for The Tower available in glorious Quicktime. The film opens in limited release this weekend. Check this website for theatrical listings.