Rashomon Blu-ray & DVD (Criterion Collection)

Autumn is upon us as we move into November. 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 11/6/12:

ASIAN CINEMA

Rashomon (Blu-ray/DVD) – Japanese director Akira Kurosawa gained international recognition with this 1950 samurai-era mystery, faithfully presented in hi-def by the Criterion Collection

Eleven Samurai (DVD) – a 1996 samurai film from Eiichi Kudo, director of the original “The Thirteen Assassins”

Incredibly Ever After (Blu-ray/DVD) – Funimation presents this 2011 Hong Kong/Chinese comedy about a husband and wife superhero duo facing retirement. Starring Louis Koo and Sandra Ng

I Wish (DVD) – a heartwarming 2011 Japanese family drama about two young brothers, separated by their parents’ divorce, who hope a new bullet-train system will reunite them

The Day He Arrives (DVD) – a low key, black & white 2011 Korean drama about a film director who finds himself living each day exactly like the last

The Vertical Ray of the Sun (DVD) – a 2000 Vietnamese-language drama from the director of “The Scent of Green Papaya,” about three sisters dealing with the anniversary of their mother’s death

Wu Tang Iron Fist Collection (Blu-ray) – purchase at your own risk: this collection claims to hold 25 ‘vintage kung fu films’ on a single Blu-ray disc, but makes no mention of whether they’re dubbed or not

FOREIGN CINEMA

Even the Rain (DVD) – this 2010 Spanish-language drama follows a filmmaker’s quest to create a revisionist take on Columbus’ conquest of the Americas

Corpo Celeste (DVD) – in this 2011 Italian-language film, a young girl searches for her own spirituality against a backdrop of organized religion

Kiss Me (DVD) – an engaged woman finds her life complicated when she falls in love with another woman in this 2012 Swedish-language film

Outskirts (DVD) – a 1933 Russian-language picture that has been heralded as a pioneer of early sound

By the Bluest of Seas (DVD) – although many films of the early Soviet era are considered propaganda, this 1936 picture is a comedy about love and friendship

MAINSTREAM

The Amazing Spider-Man (Blu-ray/DVD) – Spidey swings back into action in this 2012 summer blockbuster from “500 Days of Summer” director Marc Webb

Fire With Fire (DVD) – Bruce Willis and Josh Duhamel (“Transformers”) go the direct-to-video route with this 2012 crime thriller

Maximum Conviction (Blu-ray/DVD) – two titans of direct-to-video action movies, Steven Seagal and Steve Austin, collide in this 2012 prison-set feature

360 (Blu-ray/DVD) – a 2011 drama about how all lives are connected. Starring Anthony Hopkins, Jude Law, and Rachel Weisz

Hirokin: The Last Samurai (DVD) – Wes Bentley stars as the ‘last samurai’ in this 2011 post-apocalyptic tale

Fighting Sullivans (DVD) – this 1944 World War II picture is considered one of the ‘inspirations’ for Steven Spielberg’s “Saving Private Ryan”

Blue-Eyed Butcher (DVD) – Sarah Paxton stars in this 2012 drama about a suburban housewife who seems to have it all…until she murders her husband

Saints and Soldiers: Airborne Creed (DVD) – a low-budget World War II film made in 2012

CULT MOVIES

Gator Bait (DVD) – it’s some trashy Cajun exploitation with this 1974 redneck drama starring a Playboy Playmate of the Year

Gator Bait II: Cajun Justice (DVD) – the exploitation fun continues over a decade later with this 1988 sequel to “Gator Bait”

Running Cool (DVD) – this 1993 biker film is lauded by real-life bikers for its accurate depiction of the riding pasttime

NEW TO BLU-RAY

Sunset Boulevard (Blu-ray) – the classic 1950 Hollywood film noir starring William Holden and Gloria Swanson, now in hi-def 

Die Nibelungen: Kino Classics Deluxe Remastered Edition (Blu-ray) – Kino Films presents this 1924 Nordic epic from legendary director Fritz Lang (“Metropolis”)

Planes Trains & Automobiles (Blu-ray) – Steve Martin and John Candy headline this beloved 1987 comedy from director John Hughes, now in hi-def

Dark Star – Thermostellar Edition (Blu-ray) – John Carpenter’s 1974 sci-fi comedy makes its way to Blu

Von Ryan’s Express (Blu-ray) – a 1965 World War II adventure picture starring Frank Sinatra

The Client (Blu-ray) – Joel Schumacher directs this 1994 legal thriller starring Tommy Lee Jones

The Bonfire of the Vanities (Blu-ray) – Brian De Palma’s 1990 adaptation of the Tom Wolfe novel, starring Tom Hanks and Bruce Willis, was long considered one of Hollywood’s biggest bombs

ANIMATION

Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland (Blu-ray) – the long unavailable 1989 animated film based on the beloved comic strip comes to hi-def

HORROR

They Live (Blu-ray) – John Carpenter’s 1988 sci-fi/horror cult classic starring “Rowdy” Roddy Piper arrives in hi-def

Rec 3 (DVD) – the 2012 latest installment in the popular [REC] series comes to DVD

The Pact (Blu-ray/DVD) – a 2012 indie haunted house tale co-starring Casper Van Dien

American Nightmare (DVD) – Katrina’s Nightmare Theater presents this 1981 horror movie co-starring Michael Ironside

DeathShip (Remastered Widescreen Edition) (DVD) – Scorpion Entertainment offers this 1980 horror movie co-starring Richard Crenna of “Rambo” fame. The Blu-ray hits retail next month

Outpost: Black Sun (Blu-ray/DVD) – during the closing days of WWII, the Nazis are able to create a powerful zombie force in this 2012 flick

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 Crow" Japanese Theatrical Poster

According to the latest issue of BLR, Alex Proyas was in the process of releasing a definitive director’s cut of The Crow, but due to studio politics, his plans fell through.

This is what Proyas told BLR: “There’s a pretty good director’s cut of The Crow and I’d love to do it one day, but last time we tried to put something together, negotiations with the studio fell apart because they were not willing or able to give me the creative control over the project I had asked for. Until I can be assured that I will be allowed to make this in a correct and respectful manner, a definitive Crow will sadly never be done.”

To read the full, revealing interview, grab the October issue of BLR at the fanzine’s official website.

"Triad" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Online now is a trailer for Triad, a new Chinese movie that takes an in-depth look at the Hong Kong Triad. As of late, Chinese moviemakers have shied away from exploring modern organized crime in China and Hong Kong so as to not run afoul of censorship. Perhaps it won’t come as a surprise, then, that Triad is set in pre-1997 handover Hong Kong.

The story follows a college-educated young man (played by William Chan) who decides to give up the straight and narrow for a life in the Triads. He very quickly ascends the ranks, even as he offends his elders by operating extra-circular businesses. But his entire house of cards might come toppling down when he realizes someone close has betrayed him.

Hop on over to Far East Films to check out the trailer. The film appears to have a slightly low-budget aura but, who knows, this might be the throwback to old-school Hong Kong gangster movies we’ve been waiting for. At the very least, the movie is carrying a Category III rating – likely for violence and the fact that it takes a close look at Triad initiations.

Triad is directed by Daniel Chan, who reveals on his production blog that this is the first real gangster movie made in Hong Kong since 2007. Expect Triad in Mainland Chinese theaters on November 15th, 2012.

Update: Far East Films has the second trailer for the film.

"Wolfenstein 3D" PC Box Cover

Panorama Media and Samuel Hadida announced today the production of Castle Wolfenstein. The action-adventure film, inspired by the iconic game franchise, is written and will be directed by Academy Award® winner Roger Avary. Hadida will produce through his Davis Films Productions, and global sales will be handled by Panorama’s Marc Butan and Kimberly Fox. Talks with U.S. distributors are underway.

The story follows a young US Army Captain and a British Special Agent on a top secret mission to Castle Wolfenstein, where Hitler will be for the unveiling of a new secret weapon.

Hadida explained, “With Roger at the helm, we expect everyone will join us for a wild and fun cinematic ride that will grab contemporary film audiences with the same irreverent, hip, over the top approach that Roger brought to Pulp Fiction and the other films he has either written or directed.”

Avary noted, “I’ve been playing the Wolfenstein games since I was a kid, and feel that their outlandish sensibility has deeply influenced my own writing and directing throughout my career.”

The above press release is from Panorama Media, via Collider. For the full press release, please visit Collider.

"Bloodmoon" DVD Cover

Fleur De Lis Film Studios announced today that actor and martial artist Gary Daniels (The Expendables, Bloodmoon, Tekken) will lead the cast of the action-adventure Blackwater, to be directed by veteran stuntman and producer B.J Davis.

Davis, who has worked in stunts on a variety of action classics, including The Delta Force and Universal Soldier, says “Gary Daniels and I go back for decades. He is one of the best in the business. Blackwater will be a real showcase for him – as both a martial-artist and actor. ”

Daniels plays a Special Ops trooper who switches sides and sets out to seek justice for the oppressed he was hired to police.

Andrew Lawrence (Sniper 3) and Christopher Showerman (C.S.I Miami) have also been cast in the film, which action-movie vet John D.Schofield (Doom) is producing. The studio describes the film as All Quiet On The Western Front set in Afghanistan.

Cityonfire.com received the above press release from October Coast.

"The Last Supper" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Chinese director Lu Chuan first made waves internationally with his 2009 film City of Life and Death, a movie praised for its stark depiction of the 1937 massacre of Nanking by the Japanese imperial army. Now Lu Chuan is prepping his latest endeavor, The Last Supper, which takes audiences farther back in history to the end of the Qin Dynasty. The story focuses on the famous Hongmen Banquet, which was held in 206 B.C. by one warlord with the express purpose of assassinating his rival.

If the black-and-white realism of City of Life and Death made you think this new historical epic would be similarly gritty, think again. In a new interview with Film Business Asia, Lu Chuan explains his approach to the material: “I’ve tried to bring a new style to Chinese historical movies. An almost sci-fi look, with flying around and immortal characters.”

In addition, Lu Chuan reveals that this film won’t just be a dusty commentary on something that happened thousands of years ago. Says Chuan: “In China there are many topics we cannot touch openly. However, historical movies act like a cover, a camouflage, [and] obscures the director’s meaning.”

The Last Supper features an impressive cast, including Yu Liu (Curse of the Golden Flower), Daniel Wu (New Police Story), and Chen Chang (Crouching Tigger, Hidden Dragon). The film is expected to release sometime in 2012, though Lu Chuan says that he is not aiming to meet festival deadlines for Cannes or elsewhere, and that The Last Supper is meant for Chinese and global audiences to enjoy once it is completed. In the meantime, you can head over to Chinese Films for a Behind the Scenes video.

Update: Building on our coverage from yesterday, the hallucinatory first trailer and some character posters have hit the web. Here are some new stills from the film, featuring Daniel Wu and his character’s impressive battle armor.

Director Lu Chuan recently spoke about the challenge Chinese directors face in trying to compete with Hollywood. Says Chuan: “Hollywood makes dreams come true for audiences through cameras. Over the past one hundred years, their movies have been the quintessence of cinema aesthetics. Why do Chinese filmmakers always make movies for themselves rather than for our audiences? We should think about that…We should learn from them [Hollywood] and guard the dignity of the Chinese film industry together.”

The Last Supper has been delayed from its original July 5, 2012 release date. There is speculation that the producers did not want to compete with the deluge of Hollywood blockbusters coming this summer, while director Lu Chuan joked that his film simply hasn’t been approved or given a rating by the State Film board yet. A special director’s panel at the Shanghai Film Fest recently discussed issues of movie censorship and Hollywood competition in China. Director Lu Chuan became very emotional while addressing the delay on The Last Supper but would not go into details. Says Lu Chuan: “The year of 2012 is a very dangerous year for the Chinese film industry.”

BREAKING NEWS: After a long delay due to possible censorship issues, The Last Supper will arrive in Chinese theaters on November 29th, 2012. Here’s a new poster to celebrate.

"Punch" Korean Theatrical Poster

Cityonfire.com has received the following press release from 5 Points Pictures: Film distributor 5 Points Pictures is pleased to announce the two-disc, special-edition DVD release of Punch, which will be available on February 19, 2013.

A coming-of-age story with equal parts humor and humanity, Punch features direction by Lee Han (Lover’s Concerto, Almost Love) and standout performances from Yoo Ah-in (Sungkyunkwan Scandal, Antique) and Kim Yun-seok (The Thieves, The Chaser), along with Kim Sang-ho (Moss, City Hunter TV), Park Soo-young (Architecture 101) and Jasmine Lee.

Punch was one of 2011’s surprise box-office champs – with more than 5.3 million tickets sold in South Korea – and following its world premiere at the Busan International Film Festival, it went on to screen at the Berlin International Film Festival, Udine Far East Film Festival, Shanghai International Film Festival, and Fantasia Film Festival, as well as throughout North America.

Based upon a best-selling young-adult novel by Kim Ryeo-ryeong, Punch was produced by UBU Film and Another Pictures. It is presented by CJ Entertainment.

“Both moving and challenging, offering an appealing set of
offbeat characters, sly humour and honest human drama.”

– James Mudge, BeyondHollywood.com

“I was so invested in the film’s protagonists that I was sad
to be leaving them when the credits rolled.
This is the kind of film that reminds you why
Korean cinema is so well-regarded.”

– Pierce Conran, Modern Korean Cinema

Disc details: 5 Points Pictures’ release of Punch will feature an upgraded English translation of the film, plus nearly an hour and 15 minutes of translated and subtitled video extras from the South Korean limited-edition releases. Running time is 107 minutes, exclusive of bonus material.

Outlaw Brothers DVD (Dragon Dynasty)

Trick or treat? This week is short on releases but with half the country bracing for a hurricane that’s probably not a bad thing. 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 10/30/12:

ASIAN CINEMA

Outlaw Brothers (DVD) – only one Asian movie this week but it’s well worth a look. This 1990 Hong Kong action film was directed by and stars Frankie Chan. Fans of classic HK action like “Righting Wrongs” and “She Shoots Straight” won’t want to miss this

FOREIGN CINEMA

Polisse (DVD) – this critically acclaimed 2011 French drama follows the police unit charged with protecting the children of Paris

Elena (DVD) – in this Russian-language 2011 update of vintage noir, a window will go to any lengths to ensure she receives her inheritance. Soundtrack by Phillip Glass

Taxi for Tobruk (Blu-ray/DVD) – in this 1960 French film, a group of French soldiers and their German prison unexpectedly discover the meaning of solidarity

Brain (Blu-ray/DVD) – a 1969 slapstick comedy out of France starring David Niven, Jean-Paul Belmondo, and Eli Wallach

Greed in the Sun (Blu-ray/DVD) – French actor Jean-Paul Belmondo headlines this 1969 adventure about a stolen truck, in the vein of “Wages of Fear”

Americano (Blu-ray/DVD) – French director Matthew Demy directs and stars in this 2012 English-language drama about Frenchman who heads to Los Angeles to square away his mother’s estate

Raaz 3 (DVD) – “Black Swan” gets crossed with black magic in this 2012 Bollywood thriller

MAINSTREAM

Safety Not Guaranteed (Blu-ray/DVD) – the delightfully snarky Aubrey Plaza (TV’s Parks and Recreation) headlines this 2012 indie comedy about time travel – or the possibility of time travel

Ruby Sparks (Blu-ray/DVD) – writer Paul Dano finds out what happens when a character you create on the page comes to life in this 2012 indie romance

The Campaign (Blu-ray/DVD) – Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis square off as two political candidates in this 2012 election comedy

CLASSICS

Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection (Limited Edition) (Blu-ray) – this box set is a treasure trove for Hitchcock fans, 15 discs in all, including: “Rope,” “Rear Window,” “The Man Who Knew Too Much,” “Vertigo,” “The Birds,” and more

Long Day’s Journey Into Night (Blu-ray) – Katherine Hepburn stars in this 1962 film about an addicted, dysfunctional family

Max Fleischers Superman: Collector’s Edition (Blu-ray/DVD) – a collection of fully restored 1930’s animated shorts from legendary animator Max Fleischer

HORROR

Rosemary’s Baby (Blu-ray/DVD) – the Criterion Collection presents the definitive release of Roman Polanski’s 1968 horror classic

House of Dark Shadows (Blu-ray/DVD) – this 1970 film was made to serve as an introduction to the “Dark Shadows” television show

Night of Dark Shadows (Blu-ray/DVD) – the 1972 sequel to “House of Dark Shadows”

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!

"Dangerous Liaisons" North American Theatrical Poster

Shooting began on September 27th for Hur Jin-Ho’s Dangerous Liaisons, a Chinese/South Korean co-production based on the classic French novel Les Liaisons dangereuses by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos. It will be released in 2012 and stars Jang Dong-gun (The Warrior’s Way), Zhang Ziyi (Musa) and Cecilia Cheung (12 Nights).

Les Liaisons dangereuses has been made into feature films many times. One of the most popular takes is Stephen Frears’ Dangerous Liaisons (1988), followed by the modern day retelling Cruel Intentions (1999). South Korea even had an adaptation called Untold Scandal (2003). – Thanks to AlbertV for the tip!

Update: A teaser poster was revealed at the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival. Dangerous Liaisons is slated for release in winter 2012. Thanks to our source.

Some brand new posters for the film, courtesy of Chinese Films. Director Hur Jin-ho promises that this is not just a remake of Untold Scandal, a previous Korean adaptation of Liaisons. He also claims this will be the “cleanest” adaptation of the book yet, so you may not want to expect too many steamy scenes.

You’ve heard of character posters, well get ready for a ‘character trailer‘ for Dangerous Liaisons. Cecilia Cheung actually looks quite good in this and it’s nice to see Zhang Ziyi playing against type. The studio released some new stills of Zhang Ziyi from the film. Cecilia Cheung plays the seductress in new stills released from the movie.

Hot off the heels of their acquisition of Korean caper flick The Thieves, Well Go USA has announced they’ve obtained the rights to distribute Dangerous Liaisons in North America.

BREAKING NEWS: Apple Quicktime has the exclusive North American trailer. Meanwhile, Entertainment Weekly debuted the North American poster. Look for Dangerous Liaisons in limited release this November 9th, 2012.