Japanese cinema aims to shock and disturb once again with a cinematic ‘Miscarriage’

The poster children for the "Let's Make the Teacher Have A Miscarriage Club"

If you’re a fan of most Japanese movies that get brought over to the West, you’re probably used to what normal folks might deem ‘outrageous’ or ‘offensive.’ Hell, Takashi Miike made his name with us foreign film buffs on the backs of titles like Ichi the Killer and Visitor Q – movies that would likely send your parents running from the room in hysterics.

Even then, I don’t think I was prepared to read about today’s latest Japanese cinematic delight. Releasing in theaters over there on April 30th is a film called Let’s Make The Teacher Have a Miscarriage Club.

Let that sink in for a moment, and then realize that this tale of 7th grade girls out to make their poor teacher have a miscarriage is actually based on a true story.

Good God! And here I thought All About Lily Chou-Chou was disturbing. Over at Beyond Hollywood, you can check out two trailers and the full plot synopsis if you dare.

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2011 proved to be a record-breaking year for the South Korean film industry

"War of the Arrows" Korean Theatrical Poster

"War of the Arrows" Korean Theatrical Poster

Great news for Korean film fans! Courtesy of Asian Movie Pulse, the Korean Film Council is reporting 2011 as a record-breaking year for the domestic box office in South Korea.

Even though Korean movies faced stiff competition from Hollywood blockbusters like Harry Potter and Transformers, they managed to perform exceedingly well at theaters. Among the top box office contenders last year were historical action epic War of the Arrows, Sunny, and the socially conscious Silenced.

Asian Media Pulse relays: “More than 1.1 billion dollars were grossed, which represents more than a seven percent rise since the previous year.

The Korean box office already has plenty to look forward to with films like Doomsday Book and Snow Piercer on the horizon. Not to mention the already released Nameless Gangster and Unbowed making waves in theaters this year.  Yup, the future’s looking so bright for Korean cinema, audiences might just have to wear shades. (Okay, that was lame)

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The director of ‘I Saw the Devil’ dares you to open his ‘Doomsday Book’

"Doomsday Book" Korean Theatrical Poster

Top Korean directors Kim Jee-Woon (A Tale of Two Sisters, I Saw the Devil) and Yim Pil-Sung (Antarctic Journal, Hansel & Gretel) are collaborating on a science-fiction anthology film titled Doomsday Book. The movie will weave together three high concept stories – one directed by Jee-Woon, the next by Pil-Sung, with the two directors collaborating on the final tale – that deal with topics like robots, zombies, and the end of the world.

Doomsday Book arrives in Korean theaters this March but in the meantime Beyond Hollywood has the trailer and synopsis for what promises to be an intriguing and mind-bending movie. Here’s the same trailer…now with handy English subtitles!

Beyond Hollywood has two new pics from this highly anticipated flick.

Update: New 30-second teaser trailer.

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Does the ‘Chronicle’ director have ‘Venom’?

"The Amazing Spider-Man #316" written by David Michelinie and artwork by Todd McFarlane

"The Amazing Spider-Man #316" written by David Michelinie and artwork by Todd McFarlane

LA Times reported that Sony is negotiating a deal with Chronicle’s Josh Trank to bring Venom back on the big screen. The popular Marvel Comics villain – created by David Michelinie and Todd McFarlane in 1988 – made an uneventful appearance in 2007’s Spider-Man 3, leaving fans of the character disgruntled. Back in 2009, Gary Ross expressed interest in making a Venom movie, but one thing led to another and he ended up making the upcoming The Hunger Games instead.

27-year-old Josh Trank is currently celebrating the success of Chronicle, which has grossed over $60 million since its opening day. According to Wikipedia, Trank is one of the youngest directors to go #1 in the United States, followed by a 28-year-old Steven Spielberg with Jaws, and a 30-year-old James Cameron with The Terminator.

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‘Crazy Heart’ director to tackle revenge flick ‘Out of the Furnace’

Christian Bale

Christian Bale

Crazy Heart’s Scott Cooper has an exciting future ahead of him. He’s currently in pre-production stage to direct a revenge flick called Out of the Furnace, which will star Christian Bale and is being produced by Tony Scott and Leonardo DiCaprio. Zoe Saldana, Casey Affleck, Robert Duvall and Viggo Mortensen are supposedly in talks to co-star.

According to sources, the plot of Out of the Furnace involves a man (Bale) who has just been released from prison. Before he has a chance to enjoy his newly-found freedom, his brother is brutally murdered. The man then decides to hunt down the killers himself.

Updates: Total Film reports that Casey Affleck is officially in.

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Gantz II: Perfect Answer (2011) Review

"Gantz II: Perfect Answer" Chinese Theatrical Poster

"Gantz II: Perfect Answer" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Shinsuke Sato
Writer: Hiroya Oku, Yusuke Watanabe
Cast: Kazunari Ninomiya, Ken’ichi Matsuyama, Yuriko Yoshitaka, Takayuki Yamada, Gou Ayano, Kanata Hongo, Ayumi Ito, Tomorowo Taguchi
Running Time: 141 min.

“Perfect Answer” picks up right where the first live-action “Gantz” movie left off and does exactly what you’d hope a sequel would do. The plot is denser, the stakes are raised for our heroes, and the action is even more violent and impressive. If you didn’t enjoy the first film, “Perfect Answer” won’t change your mind – and if you didn’t see that one, the story here probably won’t make a lick of sense. Hell, this flick is enough of a head-scratcher for returning viewers. But it’s a wild ride to the end.

The best sequels toss our beloved characters into a pressure cooker that forces excruciating decisions and threatens great personal loss. In other words: the gloves are off. The first “Gantz” featured a heavy quotient of character death but, let’s face it, the aliens our protagonists faced in that movie were a bit on the “cute” side.

Not so in “Perfect Answer.” The foes here appear to be of a singular alien race, one that is determined to get revenge for the extraterrestrial homicides committed by the Gantz crew in the first movie. These aliens are seemingly able to take the form of any human – their only tell is their inky black eyes, like the aliens from “The X-Files.” Not only that but they’re able to materialize weapons such as swords from their bodies, similar to the T-1000 from “Terminator 2,” and they’re about as indestructible as him too.

We get our first taste of what these foes are capable of during a lengthy setpiece that takes place on a subway train. This sequence is the highlight of the entire film and, I dare say, one of finest action sequences of the past several years. This battle pushes the Gantz heroes to their full abilities as they engage in sword fights and gun duels with several black-eyed aliens. The fight choreography here is breath-taking, with some of the most ferocious sword-fighting I’ve ever seen captured on film, and it’s all brilliantly edited and directed so the audience doesn’t miss a beat of the action. And for the first time, our protagonists’ mission has a high human casualty rate as dozens of civilians are mercilessly slaughtered on the train. Yes, I’d say the stakes have been raised.

Even more so than the first film “The Perfect Answer” is a blockbuster sci-fi action movie. The high number of special effects sequences in this movie would be a rarity for a Hollywood movie, let alone a Japanese film. Although I noticed a shot here and there lifted from “The Dark Knight” or even “Twilight,” director Shinsuke Sato proves himself beyond suited for this kind of picture. The action here is epic in scale and requires a great deal of coordination – practical effects, computer effects, numerous characters, intense fight choreography.

Not many filmmakers in the world are capable of helming this kind of film and doing it so well. Shinsuke Sato has elevated himself to the level of the big leagues – there are times when I got a serious James Cameron-esque vibe from this film. Sato has come a long way from 2001’s “Princess Blade,” which seemed like a low-budget cash-in on the success of “Versus.” Sato’s next picture, which is currently in post-production, is about the disintegration of a marriage; but if he eventually decides to return to the realm of big budget spectacle, there’s no telling what he could do next.

“Perfect Answer” succeeds at being a bigger and better film than its predecessor. That said, it’s not without its flaws. The assorted human characters, who were nicely fleshed out in the first movie, don’t receive much development. In fact, main protagonist Kei almost doesn’t even seem like the same person from “Gantz” – apparently he’s managed to smooth over his personal flaws and raging hormones in the 5 months that passed between the two films. Similarly, the evil aliens don’t receive much explanation. Their motivation throughout the entire 140 minute movie is a blanket statement of revenge. The viewer is left to wonder: how are they connected to the aliens seen in the first movie? Not to mention the dozens of unanswered questions about who Gantz is and where he comes from. Considering how long the epilogue of this film goes on, you’ll be surprised at how many questions it leaves unanswered.

It takes “Perfect Answer” a good 20 minutes to set up its cryptic sci-fi plot. From there, the film is almost non-stop: kinetic fight scenes, excellent soundtrack cues, and a mind-bending story. The cast does an adequate job despite being saddled with the difficult task of being taken seriously while emoting in skin-tight black leather. Devotees of the “Gantz” manga or anime may take issue with the film and how it deviates from the source material, but on its own merits “Perfect Answer” is an entertaining sci-fi blockbuster and one of the best action movies I’ve seen in awhile.

HKFanatic’s Rating: 8.5/10

Posted in Japanese, Reviews | Tagged |

Once Upon a Time in Anatolia Blu-ray & DVD (Cinema Guild)

Once Upon a Time in Anatolia Blu-ray & DVD (Cinema Guild)

Once Upon a Time in Anatolia Blu-ray & DVD (Cinema Guild)

RELEASE DATE: June 24-26, 2012

Cinema Guild presents Once Upon a Time in Anatolia, on Blu-ray & DVD. A police commissioner, a prosecutor, a doctor and a murder suspect take a night drive through the Anatolian countryside, searching for a corpse. As night wears on, details about the murder emerge. Check out the trailer to this winner of the Grand Prize at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival.

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

It’s not a good day to be a Japanese ‘Young Adult Novelist’

How to Kill a Young Adult Novelist

"How to Kill a Young Adult Novelist" Trailer Image

Color me intrigued by the trailer for How to Kill a Young Adult Novelist, a forthcoming  Japanese thriller that opens in select theaters in that country on April 19th. Only trouble is it’s impossible to find out anything about this movie’s plot, so for now the trailer will have to speak for itself. At the very least we know it stars Asao Norihiko, Ishibashi Shinji, Jeison Nami, and Matsunaga Minori.

There are no English subtitles in the trailer and the production values appear admittedly low, but this looks like the kind of transgressive foreign thriller that tends to hit the sweet spot for certain horror fans like myself. Thanks to Beyond Hollywood for the story

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The Survivor DVD (Scorpion Releasing)

The Survivor DVD (Scorpion Releasing)

The Survivor DVD (Scorpion Releasing)

RELEASE DATE: April 17, 2012

The Survivor will now be available on widescreen DVD! A 747 jetliner, piloted by Captain Keller (Robert Powell), suffers an explosion just after take-off and 300 passengers are incinerated. Keller is found wandering from the wreckage unharmed and unable to understand how he has survived. Directed by Blow Up’s David Hemmings and written by The Fog’s James Herbert. Check out the trailer (they did a damn good job on the plane crash sequence).

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

Blu-ray and DVD Releases for 3/6/12

Blade of Kings aka The Twins Effect 2 Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

Blade of Kings aka The Twins Effect 2 Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

Hello, dear readers. There’s not much in the way of Asian cinema this week but no doubt there are some interesting releases, whether it’s a ’96 Chuck Norris environmental action movie or Danny Trejo and Steve Austin teaming up for some direct-to-video goodness. So here are your Blu-ray and DVD new releases for the week of 3/6/12:

ASIAN CINEMA

Blade of Kings (Blu-ray/DVD) – your friends at Well Go USA release this 2004 Hong Kong action/fantasy film starring Charlene Choi, Gillian Chung, Jaycee Chan, and featuring appearances by Jackie Chan and Donnie Yen. Also known as “Twin Effects II”

Jackie Chan 8 Movie Pack (DVD) – those crazy folks at Echo Bridge Entertainment are at it again. In this set you get: “Operation Condor,” “Operation Condor 2: Armour of God,” “Dragon Lord,” “Twin Dragons,” “Project A,” “Project A 2,” “Supercop,” and “The Accidental Spy.” Be advised that most of these are going to be the Miramax dubbed and cut versions, except maybe “Dragon Lord”

FOREIGN CINEMA

The Skin I Live In (Blu-ray/DVD) – director Pedro Almodovar presents this 2011 skin-crawling thriller starring Antonio Banderas and Elena Anaya

Before Your Eyes (DVD) – a 2011 film set in Kurdistan, about a young orphan on a mission of revenge against the man who murdered her parents

ANIMATION

Grave of the Fireflies (DVD) – a remastered version of the 1988 classic anti-war Japanese animated movie

MAINSTREAM

Immortals (Blu-ray/DVD) – from the director of “The Cell” and “The Fall” comes this 2011 Greek mythology flick

Forest Warrior (Blu-ray) – in this 1996 environmental action flick, Chuck Norris is a forest guardian who helps some kids battle evil land developers. $#%& yeah

Recoil (Blu-ray/DVD) – two titans of direct-to-video, Danny Trejo (“Machete”) and Steve Austin (“The Expendables”), collide in this 2011 action movie

Like Crazy (Blu-ray/DVD) – Anton Yelchin of “Star Trek” ’09 and “Terminator: Salvation” stars in this 2011 exploration of long distance relationships

Reindeer’s Games (Director’s Cut) (Blu-ray) – director John Frakenheimer gets his own cut of the 2000 action flick starring Ben Affleck, Charlize Theron, and Gary Sinese

The Town (Ultimate Collector’s Edition) (Blu-ray+DVD combo) – I guess this is a good week to be a Ben Affleck fan as his 2010 bank robber movie gets an Ultimate Collector’s Edition. This features an extended cut with an alternate ending

Kevin Smith Triple Feature (Blu-ray) – “Chasing Amy,” “Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back,” and “Clerks” all together in one Blu-ray set, leaving many to wonder why they didn’t just put “Mallrats” on here instead of “Strike Back”

9 and 1/2 Weeks (Blu-ray) – Mickey Rourke and Kim Basinger get hot ‘n heavy in the original uncut version of Adrian Lyne’s 1986 film

CLASSICS

The Deer Hunter (Blu-ray + DVD combo) – at last, Michael Cimino’s 1978 Vietnam War classic starring Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, and Meryl Streep is in hi-def

To Catch a Thief (Blu-ray) – Cary Grant and Grace Kelly star in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1955 romantic suspense film, now on Blu-ray

Plan 9 From Outer Space (Blu-ray) – Ed Wood’s 1959 magnum opus needs no introduction and now it’s on Blu-ray, although it looks like it’s been colorized

The Little Shop of Horrors (Blu-ray) – this is Roger Corman’s 1960 production of the musical, featuring Jack Nicholson

Monty Python and the Holy Grail (Blu-ray) – director Terry Gilliam’s classic 1975 comedy now in hi-def

The Blues Brothers (Blu-ray + DVD combo) – the 1980 comedy starring Dan Akroyd and John Belushi

Sullivan’s Travels (Blu-ray) – the 1941 screwball comedy starring Joel McCrea and Veronica Lake, now in hi-def

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!

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Ubaldo Terzani Horror Show Blu-ray (Raro Video USA)

Ubaldo Terzani Horror Show Blu-ray (Raro Video USA)

Ubaldo Terzani Horror Show Blu-ray (Raro Video USA)

RELEASE DATE: April 10, 2012

Raro Video USA presents Gabriele Albanesi’s Ubaldo Terzani Horror Show on Blu-ray. Alessio, a 25-year-old director, is commissioned to write the script for his first movie with Ubaldo Terzani, a well-known horror novelist. When Alessio moves into Terzani’s house to collaborate, a strange relationship of psychological dependence develops between them, which results in terror! Check out the trailer.

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

Quentin Tarantino Triple Feature 3-Disc DVD Set (Lionsgate)

Quentin Tarantino Triple Feature 3-Disc DVD Set (Lionsgate)

Quentin Tarantino Triple Feature 3-Disc DVD Set (Lionsgate)

RELEASE DATE: May 15, 2012

Lionsgate presents the Quentin Tarantino Triple Feature 3-Disc DVD Set, which contains Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction and Jackie Brown. Considering it’s a budget deal, I wouldn’t be expecting any special features (other than trailers); but even the standalone versions didn’t have any must-see special features (commentary tracks by Quentin would be nice).

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

Best of the Best 3: No Turning Back DVD (Echo Bridge)

Best of the Best 3: No Turning Back DVD (Echo Bridge)

Best of the Best 3: No Turning Back DVD (Echo Bridge)

RELEASE DATE: May 29, 2012

It’s “Bruce Lee meets Mississippi Burning!” Phillip Rhee stars and directs the 3rd chapter of the Best of the Best saga. This time, the highly underrated Phillip Rhee is up against the KKK. This movie has been out-of-print for years (copies are going for $50-$400 by 3rd party retailers on Amazon.com), but now, Echo Bridge is re-releasing it for $6.99. Also starring Bound’s Gina Gershon. Check out the trailer.

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

Dolph Lundgren and Steve Austin deliver ‘The Package’

"The Package" Blu-ray Cover

"The Package" Blu-ray Cover

Jesse V. Johnson, director of straight-to-video favorites Pit Fighter, The Last Sentinel and Green Street Hooligans 2, is currently filming The Package, which stars Steve Austin and Dolph Lundgren. According to imdb.com, the film centers around a gangster-employed courier (Steve Austin) who must deliver a mysterious package while being chased by a horde of unusual gangsters.

The Package also stars Ip Man 2’s Darren Shahlavi, The King of the Kickboxers’ Jerry Trimble, Flight of the Living Dead’s Kristen Kerr and Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters’ Monique Ganderton. The Package is currently filming and will most-likely be released late 2012/early 2013.

Updates: The Blu-ray & DVD are now up for pre-order. Also, check out the trailer.

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42nd Street Forever Blu-ray Edition (Synapse Films)

42nd Street Forever Blu-ray Edition (Synapse Films)

42nd Street Forever Blu-ray Edition (Synapse Films)

RELEASE DATE: May 8, 2012

Synapse Films presents 42nd Street Forever on Blu-ray. This colossal “best of” collection combines a selection of vintage theatrical trailers from the first two DVD volumes of the series and mixes them up with some all-new selections! Get ready for over three and a half hours of sex, exploitation, action, horror, martial arts and science-fiction advertisements from around the world.

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