Blu-ray and DVD Releases for 9/4/12

Posted on September 2, 2012 by Z Ravas
Quick Blu-ray & DVD (Shout! Factory)

Quick Blu-ray & DVD (Shout! Factory)

September is upon us. The first week is a little bare but there’s still plenty of Asian releases to go around, whether you’re looking for the modern day action of “Quick” or the old-school stylings of “White Vengeance.” So let’s get at it. Here are your Blu-ray and DVD releases for the week of 9/4/12:

ASIAN CINEMA

Quick (Blu-ray/DVD) – the 2011 Korean action blockbuster races onto Blu-ray and DVD from Shout! Factory. Be sure to check out our review

Sacrifice (DVD) – this 2011 Chinese historical epic arrives from the acclaimed director of “Farewell My Concubine”

White Vengeance (Blu-ray/DVD) – Well Go USA delivers this 2011 Chinese-language historical epic from the director of “Black Mask,” and starring Leon Lai and Anthony Wong

FOREIGN CINEMA

Umberto D. (Blu-ray/DVD) – the Criterion Collection delivers this 1952 classic of the Italian Neo-Realism movement

Lisztomania (DVD) – director Ken Russell’s 1975 follow-up to The Who’s “Tommy”

The Pinochet Case (DVD) – a 2001 Spanish-language dramatic retelling of General Augusto Pinochet’s trial for crimes against humanity

MAINSTREAM

Safe (Blu-ray/DVD) – Jason Statham does what he does best, kick people and punch heads, in this underrated 2012 action-thriller

MegaForce (DVD) – HensTooth video presents this 1982 cult classic about a team of rapidly deployed, futuristic soldiers fighting an evil dictator – it’s like a live-action adaptation of the G.I. Joe cartoon before there even was a cartoon!

For the Love of Money (DVD) – Edward Furlong, Paul Sorvino, and James Caan headline this 2012 direct-to-video drama about a former gangster looking to go straight

Amsterdam Heavy (DVD) – Michael Madsen co-stars in this 2011 direct-to-video look at the gritty underworld of Amsterdam

Ca$h: The Root of All Evil (Director’s Cut) (DVD) – Chris Hemsworth and Sean Bean co-star in this 2010 direct-to-video psychological thriller

RE-ISSUES

Resident Evil Set (Blu-ray) – in advance of the upcoming “Resident Evil: Retribution 3D,” you can own the previous four “Resident Evil” films together in a Blu-ray set

NEW TO BLU-RAY

Arachnophobia (Blu-ray) – the 1990 horror-comedy favorite crawls onto hi-definition formats this week

Child’s Play (Blu-ray) – the 1972 thriller co-starring James Mason and directed by the great Sidney Lumet (“Dog Day Afternoon”)

CLASSICS

The Dark Mirror (Blu-ray) – Olivia De Havilland plays twin sisters in this noir-ish 1946 psychological tale 

Pursued (Blu-ray/DVD) – one of Robert Mitchum’s first film was this gripping and introspective 1947 Western

Secret Beyond the Door (Blu-ray) – director Fritz Lang’s 1947 atmospheric film noir

HORROR

Piranha 3DD (Blu-ray/DVD) – just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water, this 2012 sequel strikes

Re-Animator (Blu-ray/DVD) – the 1985 horror cult classic comes to hi-def courtesy of Image Entertainment. You’ll never look at H.P. Lovecraft the same way again

Sleepwalkers (Blu-ray) – with cameos by Stephen King and Clive Barker, and a starring role for “Twin Peaks” beauty Madchen Amick, this 1992 horror flick is a slice of early 90’s nostalgia

Mother’s Day (Blu-ray/DVD) – the 1980 Troma flick that recently spawned a remake is now arriving in hi-def

It Came From Outer Space (DVD) – Universal celebrates the 100th anniversary of their studio with this 1953 sci-fi/horror flick

Classic Monsters Spotlight Collection (DVD) – featuring The Mummy (1932) / The Wolf Man (1941) / The Invisible Man (1933) / Phantom of the Opera (1943)

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 |

Quick (2011) Review

Posted on September 1, 2012 by Z Ravas
"Quick" Korean Theatrical Poster

“Quick” Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Jo Beom-goo
Writer: Park Su-jin
Producer: Lee Sang-yong, Yun Je-gyun
Cast: Lee Min-ki, Kang Ye-won, Kim In-kwon, Ko Chang-seok, Ju Jin-mo, Xu Fan, Yoon Je-kyoon
Running Time: 115 min.

By HKFanatic

2011’s “Quick” has frequently been billed as a Korean take on “The Fast and the Furious.” Truth be told, it’s more of a contemporary update on “Speed” – with Korean biker gangs thrown in for good measure – but genre-savvy viewers will notice scenes and sequences taken from various other Hollywood movies. Blink and you’ll miss a shot from “Die Hard With a Vengeance,” “Final Destination 2,” or “The Matrix Reloaded.”

All this scene-stealing could have easily made “Quick” feel like one big cinematic pastiche, but it’s to the filmmakers credit that the lack of originality doesn’t hold “Quick” back. It helps that the movie doesn’t take itself seriously at all. For all its explosions and high speed collisions, “Quick” is more of a broad comedy. Not every joke hits the mark but it’s obvious that the script is trying to entertain at all times.

In the film, a motorbike courier has his life turned upside down when he realizes today’s special delivery is a remotely armed bomb. Soon he’s forced to team up with an ex-girlfriend – now a singer in an all-girl Korean pop group – and race around Seoul at the orders of a madman, who communicates via headset in a menacing voice that sounds an awful lot like the killer from the “Saw” movies. This set-up soon gives way to frantic highway chases; Keystone cops trying to stop our duo; and a whole lot of bombs going off throughout Seoul.

Rather than try to build dramatic tension, most of “Quick” is played for laughs. Even in the midst of a reckless pursuit between our heroes and the police, the movie stops for a plate of noodles to fall in slow motion on an incompetent cop’s face. Of course, the comedic tone does hinder the movie at times: most of the dialogue is screamed rather than spoken, and our mop-topped protagonist seems to have as little regard for human life as the screenwriters. By the end of the movie, don’t be surprised if you feel more sympathy for the villain than our supposed hero.

The key to enjoying “Quick” is to not overthink it. An ending credits gag reel, not unlike those found at the end of Jackie Chan’s movies, reveals that more than one stuntman (and woman) was harmed in the making of the film. It’s a dangerous line of work for what frequently amounts to little more than inconsequential entertainment – but the least we can do is to kick back and enjoy their efforts. “Quick” takes off when the actors get out of the way and let the stunt people do their thing.

HKFanatic’s Rating: 7/10

Posted in Korean, Reviews | Tagged |

‘Quick’ careens onto Blu-ray and DVD this September 4th – catch some clips

Posted on September 1, 2012 by Z Ravas
Quick Blu-ray & DVD (Shout! Factory)

Quick Blu-ray & DVD (Shout! Factory)

Your friends at Shout! Factory are bringing the 2011 Korean action blockbuster Quick to North American shores this week. Quick lands on Blu-ray and DVD on September 4th with both an English and Korean language track.

Adrenaline junkies won’t want to miss this explosive film full of unbelievable motorcycle stunts, highway pile-ups, explosions, and more.

But don’t take our word for it. Shout! Factory has made several clips from the film available on their YouTube page: Clip 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Here’s the full trailer and be sure to check out our review of Quick!

Posted in News |

‘Flying Swords of Dragon Gate’ coming to an AMC theater theater near you

Posted on September 1, 2012 by Z Ravas

"Flying Swords of Dragon Gate" Hong Kong Blu-ray

Indomina, one of the top distributors of Asian cinema in North America, has scored a major coup: Tsui Hark’s The Flying Swords of Dragon Gate will be the first Chinese-language film to screen in North American IMAX theaters when it receives a limited 3D release this August.

This high-flying, special FX-infused 3D wuxia starring Jet Li was a major hit at the Chinese box office last year and now Western audiences will have a chance to see what all the fuss is about.

If you’re too anxious to wait till August, you can always order the Blu-ray now from our friends at DDDHouse.

Check out the North American trailer, courtesy of Apple Quicktime.

Update: Don’t forget that Flying Swords of Dragon Gate is now playing for one week in select AMC theaters across North America. Theater listings are here and you can check out a new trailer here.

Posted in News |

‘A Company Man’ looks to continue the tradition of Korean revenge flicks

Posted on September 1, 2012 by Z Ravas

"A Company Man" Korean Theatrical Poster

You’d be hard pressed to find bigger fans of the Korean revenge drama The Man From Nowhere than us folks here at Cityonfire.com. Lucky for us, a new film coming out of that country looks poised to carry on the bloody tradition. Twitch Film debuted the poster for A Company Man, an action thriller starring TV acting sensation So Ji-Sub.

The premise sounds simple enough but should offer plenty of opportunity for action: So Ji-Sub plays a contract killer who happens to be the best there is at what he does. But when this stone-cold hitman falls in love, he abruptly retires – drawing the ire of his former employers, who decide to hunt him down. Look for A Company Man in Korean theaters this Fall. We’ll be back with a trailer as soon as it’s available.

Update: Check out the first trailer for the film and a new poster.

Posted in News |

I Wish DVD (Magnolia)

Posted on August 31, 2012 by JJ Bona
I Wish DVD (Magnolia)

I Wish DVD (Magnolia)

RELEASE DATE: November 6, 2012

Magnolia presents the DVD for I Wish. 12-year-old Koichi separated from his brother Ryunosuke due to his parents’ divorce begins to believe that the new bullet train service will create a miracle when the first trains pass each other at top speed and enlists a group of friends on an improbable mission. From acclaimed director Hirokazu Koreeda (Nobody Knows). Watch the trailer.

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

Death Promise DVD (Apprehensive Films)

Posted on August 31, 2012 by JJ Bona
Death Promise DVD (Apprehensive Films)

Death Promise DVD (Apprehensive Films)

RELEASE DATE: October 23, 2012

Apprehensive Films presents 1977’s Death Promise on DVD. When Bonet’s father is murdered by typical street scum, the catalyst is set. It turns out the landlord had Bonet’s father snubbed out in order to demolish one of his slum houses. Bonet is now out for street justice. Limited edition and hand numbered to just 500 units! Starring Charles Bonet, Speedy Leacock and Bill Louie (Bruce vs. Bill). Check out the trailer!

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

Late Autumn DVD (CJ Entertainment)

Posted on August 31, 2012 by JJ Bona
"Late Autumn" Theatrical Poster

"Late Autumn" Theatrical Poster

RELEASE DATE: December 18, 2012

CJ Entertainment presents the DVD for Late Autumn, an english-language co-production between South Korea, Hong Kong, China and the United States. A woman imprisoned after killing her husband is allowed her release. On her way to Seattle, a man gets on the same bus. When the two meet again in Seattle, they feel an attachment to each other. Starring Lust, Caution’s Tang Wei and and Spin Kick’s Hyun Bin. Check out the trailer.

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

Red Trousers: The Life of Hong Kong Stuntmen (2004) Review

Posted on August 30, 2012 by ningen31
"Red Trousers: The Life of Hong Kong Stuntmen" DVD Cover

“Red Trousers: The Life of Hong Kong Stuntmen” DVD Cover

Director: Robin Shou
Writer: Robin Shou
Cast: Beatrice Chia, Keith Cooke, Hakim Alston, Craig Reid, Sammo Hung, Mike Leeder, Lau Kar-leung, Wong Chi Man, Leung Chi Ming, Monique Marie Ozimkowshi, Jude Poyer, Ng Wing Sum, Ridley Tsui
Running Time: 93 min.

By Ningen

This review is based on a special screening of Red Trousers: The Life of Hong Kong Stuntmen, where Robin Shou is the guest of honor. Before the screening began, Dr. Craig Reid, one of the stuntmen, introduced himself as the white guy who got beaten up in many kung fu flicks. He said Robin would be late.

So anyway, in terms of style, Lost Time – a short, which was part of the documentary, to illustrate how stuntmen prepare for and ultimately perform in modern martial arts films – came off like a low-budget Blade, and did not deliver in terms of acting. If it was longer, they might have had a better chance to flesh out the characters. Although they did manage to slip in some decent dialogue at times.

There were too many close-ups on fight scenes, most likely in an attempt to market it to an American market. A lot of the footage was re-looped, which made it tedious. While the Lost Time wasn’t anything to cry about, the behind-the-scenes segments for the short helped appreciate what the stunt people went through to get a decent action sequence. The meat of the film is the documentary, where you learn about the trials and tribulations and personal lives of the stunt-people of all ages. You come to admire them for wanting to achieve their dreams in the face of failure; and you wince in pain every time they screw up a take and get hurt.

The more amusing segments in Red Trousers were the ones with Lau Kar Lung, where he proudly reminisces about the “good old days” of stuntwork, while they skip to B&W clips of what I assume were wuxia films (a lot of the “effects” in those clips are reminiscent of Flash Gordon, but the fight scenes are something any chop-sockyphile can relate to; they’re as energetic and coordinated as anything today). Lau himself talks about the hardships of working on the set where they constantly challenge you, from making you wear clothes which weren’t washed, to fighting without any padding.

But those pale in comparison to the hardships that former students in Peking Opera had to endure, from not being able to cry when doing a particular acrobatic exercise, to attending to their teachers each morning. Ironically, since Peking Opera is now voluntary, the hardships are outside of the school, as today’s students use their skills to seek better employment opportunities in the movies. The actual Opera performances involve more than just fancy choreography, but singing as well (you have to admire a guy who can flip very fast and sing in a high-pitch voice).

After the film ended, the audience (which was 3/4 full) applauded, and some drummers came in to play during the credits. Robin Shou finally shows up, and is wearing a green and white plaid shirt and white pants, and talks about how he had wanted to do a movie like Red Trousers for years, because he wanted to focus on his humble beginnings as a stuntman which gave him his chance in Hollywood. He talked about how many of the stunt-people worked for very little money, and cared more about their work than being paid extra. Plus he wanted audiences to be aware of the origins behind today’s HK-influenced films such as The Matrix and X-Men.

When asked about where Bruce Lee fit into the film, Robin said that he didn’t recall Bruce doing any opera work. His expertise was Wushu, Wing Chun and salsa dancing.

I asked Robin about Mortal Kombat 3 and any future projects. He said he wanted to do Mortal Kombat 3, but he joked that they didn’t know where to go with it, since The Matrix went everywhere. But his next project would involve Filipino stick-fighting in a cage match.

Finally, when asked about the opportunities for children in Peking Opera, he said they have as much of a chance to get a job as anyone in L.A. (which he called a city where 99.9% of the people are non-working actors). But what mattered to the students was being able to do something which would make their parents proud. Shou’s philosophy is that even when one isn’t working or practicing, they’re still developing themselves. So all in all, the experience was a positive one, as is the film. In an industry where there’s a lot of back-stabbing to get ahead, it’s refreshing to see a group of performers working together to insure a decent film.

Ningen’s Rating: 7.5/10

Posted in Asian Related, Documentary, News, Reviews | Tagged , , , , |

Big Tits Zombie DVD (Funimation)

Posted on August 27, 2012 by JJ Bona
Big Tits Zombie DVD (Funimation)

Big Tits Zombie DVD (Funimation)

RELEASE DATE: November 20, 2012

Funimation presents the DVD for Big Tits Zombie. Adapted from the manga Kyonyu Dragon by Rei Mikamoto and directed by Japanese cult satirist Takao Nakano (Sexual Parasite: Killer Pussy), Big Tits Zombie stars many known Japanese adult stars, most notably Sora Aoi. Check out the trailer.

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

‘Bedevilled’ will have its revenge on Blu-ray and DVD this October 9th

Posted on August 27, 2012 by Z Ravas
Bedevilled Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

Bedevilled Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

Cityonfire.com has received the following press release from Well Go USA:

“One of the toughest and most powerful films from Korea. A must-see film for anyone brave enough.” – BeyondHollywood.com

“Chul-soo Yang’s directorial debut is a stellar first feature.” – TwitchFilm

BEDEVILLED

The Award-Winning, International Hit
Revenge Horror Film

Debuts on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital October 9th

Yeong-hie Seo (The Chaser) and Seong-won Ji (Harmony) star in Director Chul-soo Jang chilling first feature BEDEVILLED, debuting on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital October 9thfrom Well Go USA Entertainment.  When her pleas for help are ignored and cause her daughter’s death, a woman seeks revenge on the person she blames.

BEDEVILLED won the Audience Award for “Best Film” and Seo Yeong-hee was named “Best Actress” at Austin’s 2010 Fantastic Fest. In addition, the film was awarded the Grand Prize as Best Film at the 2011 Gérardmer Film Festival and Yeong-hie Seo won “Best Actress” at the 2011 Fantasporto International Fantasy Film Award. Bonus features include a behind-the-scenes featurette.

Synopsis:

A gorgeous woman takes a forced vacation to a strange, beautiful island. She befriends a pretty girl shocked to find out she is treated like a slave by locals and has attempted to escape the island. Can they both get off the island alive?

Bonus Features Include:

-Behind the Scenes
-Trailer

BEDEVILLED has a runtime of approximately 115 minutes and unrated.

Posted in News |

Unleashed by the creator of ‘Conan,’ ‘Solomon Kane’ cuts a bloody path to theaters

Posted on August 27, 2012 by Z Ravas

"Solomon Kane" Concept Poster

For years now, Solomon Kane has been one of those movies whispered about by the diehard film community but completely unknown to the general public.

An adaptation of the character created by Robert E. Howard of Conan fame, the film stars James Purefoy (Ironclad, John Carter) as the titular hero who renounces a life of war and killing, only to discover that he might just be England’s last defense against the forces of the underworld.

The movie was completed all the way back in 2009 by director Michael J. Bassett, who has since gone on to helm the next installment in the Silent Hill series, only to sit on the shelf due to a lack of distributor in North America. All of that is about to change.

Solomon Kane is currently available to watch via Video on Demand like iTunes and Amazon, and will receive a limited theatrical release on September 28th, 2012. The Weinstein Company’s new division called Radius is behind the film’s release. Apple is rolling out the red carpet on their Quicktime site with a trailer and clip available. Fans of Robert E. Howard and dark fantasy in general can rejoice now that Solomon Kane will finally get his day in theaters.

Posted in News |

Vietnamese director Victor Vu promises a ‘Scandal’

Posted on August 27, 2012 by Z Ravas

"Scandal" Vietnamese Theatrical Poster

A trailer is online for the latest film from Vietnamese director Victor Vu, titled Scandal. There are no English subtitles, unfortunately, but it’s a striking trailer nonetheless. The film appears to take place in the high-stakes world of fashion and celebritydom. A young movie starlet finds herself in danger when a psychotic figure from her past reappears, which leads her to consult with witches trained in the occult.

Or maybe that’s not what the movie is about at all. Watch the trailer and try to figure out for yourself. Either way, Scandal looks to be a promising new film out of Vietnam.

Posted in News |

Blu-ray and DVD Releases for 8/28/12

Posted on August 26, 2012 by Z Ravas
The Viral Factor Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

The Viral Factor Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

This Tuesday is jam-packed with releases, headlined by Dante Lam’s big-budget Hong Kong action flick “The Viral Factor.” But it doesn’t stop there, so let’s get started. Here are your Blu-ray and DVD releases for the week of 8/28/12:

ASIAN CINEMA

The Viral Factor (Blu-ray/DVD) – Dante Lam’s globe-trotting 2012 action blockbuster starring Nicholas Tse and Jay Chou comes to home formats, courtesy of Well Go USA

Zebraman (DVD) – Takashi Miike’s 2004 cult favorite superhero comedy receives a re-release as a Tokyo Shock Classic

Rooftop Prince (DVD) – in this hit 2012 Korean TV drama, an 18th century prince time travels to modern day Korea and hijinks ensue

Woman Knight (Blu-ray) – an All-Region Blu-ray edition of Herman Yau’s 2011 historical actioner “Woman Knight of Mirror Lake” will be available from Amazon on September 1st, 2012

FORIGN CINEMA

Headhunters (Blu-ray/DVD) – the critically-acclaimed 2004 Norwegian corporate thriller

Heineken Kidnapping (Blu-ray/DVD) – Rutger Hauer headlines this 2011 Dutch film based on the infamous kidnapping case

Monsieur Lazhar (Blu-ray/DVD) – this 2012 French drama tells the touching story of a teacher and Algerian immigrant who changes the lives of his students

MAINSTREAM

Battleship (Blu-ray/DVD) – the 2012 would-be summer blockbuster based on the board game comes to home formats. Starring “John Carter” himself Taylor Kitsch and pop singer Rihanna

JCVD: Bloodsport 3D (Blu-ray) – despite the confusing title, this is actually a documentary about the life of Frank Dux, the martial artist who “Bloodsport” was supposedly based on. Available on All-Region Import Blu-ray this September 1st, 2012

Death Watch (Blu-ray + DVD combo) – Harvey Keitel headlines this 1980 film that’s part drama, part futuristic cautionary tale

Blood Money (Blu-ray/DVD) – a violent action film co-starring rapper Pitbull and martial arts legend Gordon Liu (“36th Chamber of Shaolin”), of all people

Battleground (Blu-ray/DVD) – a 2012 survivalist action film out of Canada, distributed by your friends at Well Go USA

Fist of the Reich (DVD) – a 2010 film based on the true story of a German boxer and paratrooper who rebelled against Hitler’s regime

Quadrophenia (Blu-ray/DVD) – the Criterion Collection presents this 1979 teen angst film based on the music of The Who (but not a musical)

RE-RELEASES

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Extended Edition) (Blu-ray) – Peter Jackson’s first 2001 installment in the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy on individual Blu-ray

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (Extended Edition) (Blu-ray) – the Extended Edition of Peter Jackson’s 2002 continuation of the LotR saga

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (Extended Edition) (Blu-ray) – the LotR saga comes to a close with the Extended Edition of Peter Jackson’s 2003 finale

Midnight Movies Vol 5: Sci-Fi Double Feature (DVD) – Blue Underground gives you 70’s Italian horror/sci-fi films “Contamination” and “The Shape of Things to Come”

Midnight Movies Vol 6: Car Crash Double Feature (DVD) – Blue Underground continues with a release of “Cannonball,” starring David Carradine, and “Fast Company,” directed by David Cronenberg

Midnight Movies Vol 7: Crime Double Feature (DVD) – Blue Underground brings two vintage Italian crime flicks, “Grand Slam” and “Revolver,” together in one pack. Featuring several titans of the silver screen, including Fabio Testi and Klaus Kinski

ANIMATION

Starship Troopers: Invasion (Blu-ray/DVD) – a brand new 2012 computer-generated feature based on the popular film by Paul Verhoeven

Ergo Proxy: Classic (DVD) – a box set of the popular 2006 science fiction anime series

Texhnolyze: Complete Box Set (DVD) – the 2003 anime series that serves as a spiritual successor to “Serial Experiments Lain”

CLASSICS

Harvey (Blu-ray + DVD combo) – Jimmy Stewart stars in this beloved 1950 film about a man and his ‘imaginary’ giant bunny rabbit

Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein (Blu-ray + DVD combo) – the 1948 horror comedy that Quentin Tarantino has always regarded as one of his favorite films

Airport (Blu-ray + DVD combo) – the tense 1970 disaster film that set the precedent for all the spoofs that would follow

Lonesome (Blu-ray/DVD) – the Criterion Collection delivers this obscure 1928 feature that bridges the gap between the silent film and ‘talkie’ eras with a mix of silent and dialogue scenes set in NYC

HORROR

The Living Dead Girl: Remastered Edition (Blu-ray/DVD) – cult auteur Jean Rollin’s 1982 horror film receives the remastered treatment

Two Orphan Vampires: Remastered Edition (Blu-ray/DVD) – French director Jean Rollin continues his fascination with vampiric lasses in this 1997 feature

Fernando Di Leo’s Madness (DVD) – a sleazy 1980 Italian thriller that borrows heavily from the “Last House on the Left” formula, on DVD from the fine folks at RaroVideo USA

Moth Diaries (Blu-ray/DVD) – from the director of “American Psycho” comes this 2011 tale of vampires unleashed at an all-girl’s boarding school

Penumbra (DVD) – a 2011 Spanish-language thriller from the Argentinean director of “Cold Sweat”

Below Zero (DVD) – Edward Furlong (“Terminator 2”) and Michael Berryman (“The Hills Have Eyes”) headline this 2012 direct-to-video creeper

Lovely Molly (Blu-ray/DVD) – an evil haunting awaits a young woman moving into an empty country house in this 2011 horror film from the makers of “The Blair Witch Project”

Apartment 143 (Blu-ray/DVD) – the found-footage craze continues with this 2011 horror 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!

Posted in News |

Nightfall (2012) Review

Posted on August 25, 2012 by Z Ravas
"Nightfall" Chinese Theatrical Poster

“Nightfall” Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Roy Chow
Cast: Nick Cheung Ka Fai, Simon Yam Tat Wah, Janice Man Wing San, Kay Tse On Kei, Michael Wong Man Tak, Gordon Liu Chia Hui, Ken Lo, Mike Leeder
Running Time: 107 min.

By HKFanatic

“Nightfall” opens in a prison shower with actor Nick Cheung engaging in a brutal brawl – a sort of slow motion’d, abstractly-directed take on “Eastern Promise’s” infamous fight scene. The violent scuffle sets unrealistic expectations for the rest of the film’s action quotient as “Nightfall” settles in to become your standard police procedural.

The movie performed solidly at the Chinese box office, earning Nick Cheung (“The Stool Pigeon,” “The Beast Stalker“) kudos for his performance as a mute murder suspect. Cheung does what he can with a role that robs him of any dialogue but, ultimately, “Nightfall” feels too routine for what’s supposed to be a pulse-pounding thriller.

As it turns out, Simon Yam is actually main protagonist of the film. Yam is one of Hong Kong’s most reliable character actors, having played his share of crazy villains and gigolos over the past twenty years, but sometimes he turns in a performance so subtle you can barely tell if he’s acting. Such is the case here with Yam portraying a burnt out detective. We’ve seen this character before – the maverick cop with a passion for digging up cold cases everyone else has overlooked, whose commitment to his job leads to a strained relationship with his teenage daughter.

And his latest case isn’t helping any: a famous concert pianist (Michael Wong) has been murdered with nary a suspect in sight. It feels like ages since Michael Wong has shown his face in a Hong Kong production; one gets the impression he agreed to appear in “Nightfall” just for the chance to chew the scenery as an unhinged stepfather. Wong takes to his role with zeal but his blatant over-acting doesn’t help the entertainment factor of the movie at all.

Yam’s beleaguered cop tries to uncover the clues behind Wong’s death while Nick Cheung lingers in the shadows, constantly throwing suspicion on his involvement in the case. The truth is the audience will likely have the murder solved long before Simon Yam’s character puts all the pieces together, so the film often moves at a crawl while the viewer waits for the police to catch up to their theories. There’s not much action to keep us entertained in the meantime, despite the opening prison brawl and a later scuffle on a skytram, which leaves “Nightfall” about as exciting as your standard TV cop procedural.

In reality, this is the kind of movie that Hong Kong used to churn out en masse during the 80’s and early 90’s – a serviceable crime thriller – except now it has the added novelty of being an incredibly rare occurrence in today’s HK film industry and the glossy production values that come as a result. The allure of old-school Hong Kong cinema might be enough to convince some viewers to purchase a copy of the film, but “Nightfall” fails to make good on its promise.

HKFanatic’s Rating: 5.5/10

Posted in Chinese, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , |
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