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.

Daniel H. Wilson's "Robopocalypse"

Thor’s Chris Hemsworth is being handpicked by Steven Spielberg to star in Robopocalypse, a sci-fi story set in the aftermath of a robot uprising, based on the critically acclaimed novel of the same name by Daniel H. Wilson.

The novel’s description is as follows: When the Robot War ignites, humankind will be both decimated and, possibly, for the first time in history, united. Robopocalypse is a brilliantly conceived action-filled epic, a terrifying story with heart-stopping implications for the real technology all around us…and an entertaining and engaging thriller unlike anything else written in years.

Looks like Cyberdyne has finally met its match! We’ll be sure to keep you posted on any updates regarding Spielberg’s Robopocalypse, so stay tuned!

Updates: THR reports that Robopocalypse has been postponed indefinitely. Spielberg spokesman Marvin Levy says the project is “too important and the script is not ready, and it’s too expensive to produce. It’s back to the drawing board to see what is possible.”

"One on One" Coming in 2013

If The Raid taught us anything, it’s that the Indonesian martial art Silat looks amazing on camera and you don’t need a Hollywood-size budget to make a great action film. Twitch reports on a gritty new Malaysian film that looks to be taking these lessons to heart. Plot and cast details are scarce, but the title roughly translates to One on One. You won’t want to miss the first trailer.

The film appears to be a fusion of The Raid‘s kinetic action direction, the jaw-dropping stuntwork of Tony Jaa’s films, and the ‘anything goes’ energy of Jackie Chan’s fight scenes. If One on One can manage to live up to the promise of this trailer, it should be a martial arts film worth celebrating.

The Assassins Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

A New Year means New Releases, so let’s get cracking! There are plenty of films coming out this week on Blu-ray and DVD.

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 1/08/13:

ASIAN CINEMA

The Assassins (Blu-ray/DVD) – in this 2012 Chinese-language historical epic, Chow Yun Fat plays Cao Cao, a feared military leader who must contend with several plots against his own life. On Blu-ray and DVD from Well Go USA

FOREIGN

Stalingrad (Blu-ray/DVD) – this acclaimed 1993 German film follows the battle of Stalingrad, one of the most brutal conflicts of World War II. Now in hi-def

Sleep Tight (Blu-ray/DVD) – in this 2011 Spanish-language thriller, a disturbed doorman sets out to make a woman in his building miserable, as subtly as he can

Lapland Odyssey (Blu-ray/DVD) – this 2010 road movie is the highest-grossing comedy in the history of Finnish cinema

Found Memories (DVD) – a quiet character study out of Brazil comprises this 2011 Portuguese-language film

The Spirit of the Beehive (DVD) – the Criterion Collection delivers this 1973 Spanish drama, long considered the finest Spanish film of the 70’s

Bloody Flesh (DVD) – this ultra-obscure, low-budget 1983 horror movie from Spain receives a DVD release

MAINSTREAM

Dredd (Blu-ray/DVD) – the fan favorite British comic book character once portrayed by Sylvester Stallone returns to the big screen in this 2012 sci-fi/action flick

Frankenweenie (Blu-ray/DVD) – Tim Burton’s latest is this 2012 black-and-white claymation fable based on his early short film

Stolen (Blu-ray/DVD) – Nicolas Cage does the whole “Taken” shtick in this 2012 action/thriller, co-starring Malin Akerman and Josh Lucas

Compliance (Blu-ray/DVD) – this 2012 indie thriller, based on actual events, depicts the real life nightmare that occurred when a prank caller’s demands were taken seriously by the staff at a fast food restaurant

Seal Team Six: The Raid On Osama Bin Laden (Blu-ray/DVD) – impatient for Kathryn Bigelow’s “Zero Dark Thirty” to arrive on a screen near you? Maybe try this more low-budget 2012 offering, co-starring rapper Xzibit

Game Change (Blu-ray/DVD) – Julianne Moore and Ed Harris star in this 2012 dramatization of Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin’s rise to national infamy

Hit & Run (Blu-ray/DVD) – Kristen Bell and Dax Shepherd headline this 2012 car-themed action/comedy

Guns, Girls and Gambling (Blu-ray/DVD) – a 2011 independent action/comedy co-starring Christian Slater and Gary Oldman

Pathfinders: In the Company of Strangers (Blu-ray/DVD) – a 2011 World War II thriller based on a top secret paratrooper mission that launched prior to D-Day

CULT

Flatland (DVD) – a 99 minute cut of the obscure 2002 sci-fi/action television show, starring Dennis Hopper (“Blue Velvet”) and Francoise Yip (“Rumble in the Bronx”)

A Dangerous Place (DVD) – this 2012 indie thriller chronicles a young woman’s frightening ordeal when she discovers the pharmaceutical corporation she works for is intentionally poisoning the public

NEW TO BLU-RAY

Brothers Grimm (Blu-ray/DVD) – cult director Terry Gilliam made a brief stab at the mainstream with this 2005 fantasy thriller starring Matt Damon and Heath Ledger

Fear (Blu-ray) – Mark Wahlberg plays the boyfriend from hell in this popular 1996 thriller, co-starring Reese Witherspoon and William Peterson

Cape Fear (Blu-ray) – the gripping 1962 original that inspired Martin Scorsese’s 90’s remake. Starring Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchum

The Bone Collector (Blu-ray) – Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie star in this 1999 serial killer thriller

Two-Lane Blacktop (Blu-ray/DVD) – the Criterion Collection presents the hi-definition rerelease of the 1971 existential road movie, co-starring Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys

Scrooged (Blu-ray) – Bill Murray stars in this comedic 1988 spin on Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”

CLASSICS

The Jazz Singer (Blu-ray) – this 1927 feature is generally considered the first ever ‘sound’ movie

Mrs. Miniver (Blu-ray) – an Award-winning 1942 British melodrama about life during wartime

Grand Hotel (Blu-ray) – Greta Garbo stars in 1931’s Academy Award winner for Best Picture

HORROR

House at the End of the Street (Blu-ray/DVD) – Jennifer “Hunger Games” Lawrence headlines this 2012 horror/thriller

Jack & Diane (Blu-ray/DVD) – in this 2012 indie horror feature, a blossoming romance between two young women causes one of them to transform into a deadly werewolf

Ghoul (DVD) – three young kids might be the last defense between their hometown and an evil entity in this 2012 adaptation of Brian Keene’s horror novel

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!