Will Mark Wahlberg travel to Japan to reclaim ‘The Sword’?

Posted on June 7, 2012 by Z Ravas
"The Shooter" Japanese Theatrical Poster

"The Shooter" Japanese Theatrical Poster

You may or may not have caught the Mark Wahlberg action-vehicle The Shooter when it landed in theaters back in 2007. The movie came across as something like a Southern-fried spin on The Bourne Identity but it was actually an adaptation of a novel by author Stephen Hunter, who has a whole slew of books about the gun-toting hillbilly named Bobby Lee Swagger.

Now the Hollywood Reporter gives word that New Regency has tapped frequent Luc Besson collaborator Robert Kamen (co-scriptor on The Transporter and Taken) to pen a sequel to The Shooter titled The Sword.

This time around, the story – based on the Stephen Hunter novel titled The 47th Samurai – sees Bobby Lee Swagger traveling to Japan to return a katana his father received during World War II.

A stranger in a strange land, Swagger finds himself besieged by the Yakuza underworld and other shadowy forces when he realizes the katana is actually a priceless relic.

Movies about Westerners fighting the Yakuza seem to be quite popular these days. While Robert Kamen seems like a natural fit for this kind of material, it remains to be seen whether the project will be developed as a true sequel to The Shooter. If Mark Wahlberg chooses not to return to the role of Bobby Lee Swagger, we imagine it won’t be too difficult for the studio to alter the script to fit a new character. After all, how many movies have there been about tough ex-marines who find themselves in over their heads? And John Cena can’t be too busy these days…

Posted in News |

Freelancers Blu-ray & DVD (Lionsgate)

Posted on June 7, 2012 by JJ Bona
Freelancers Blu-ray & DVD (Lionsgate)

Freelancers Blu-ray & DVD (Lionsgate)

RELEASE DATE: August 21, 2012

Lionsgate presents the Blu-ray & DVD for Freelancers, starring Robert De Niro, Forest Whitaker and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson. The son of a slain officer joins the force, where he falls in with his father’s former partner. His new boss, Sarcone, will see if he has what it takes. When the truth about his father’s death is revealed, revenge takes over him. Check out the trailer.

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

‘Moss’ weaves a web of intrigue on DVD this August 21, 2012

Posted on June 6, 2012 by Z Ravas
Moss: Special Edition 2-Disc Set (Bayview Entertainment)

Moss: Special Edition 2-Disc Set (Bayview Entertainment)

Cityonfire.com has received the following press release from 5 Points Pictures for their August 21st, 2012 release of the Korean film Moss on a  2-Disc DVD set.

Film distributor 5 Points Pictures is pleased to announce the special-edition 2-Disc DVD release of Moss will be available on August 21, 2012.

Based on the award-winning web comic by Yoon Tae-ho (2007 Korea Cartoon Awards, 2008 Bucheon Cartoon Awards)!

Also known as Iggi, this critically acclaimed, box-office smash features direction by Kang Woo-suk (Public Enemy, Silmido), plus an all-star cast including Jung Jae-young (The Divine Weapon), Park Hae-il (War of the Arrows), Yoo Hae-jin (Public Enemy), and YOO Sun (Black House).

SYNOPSIS: A mystery-thriller from KANG Woo-suk, the director of the PUBLIC ENEMY films! Hae-guk (PARK Hae-il) receives word that his estranged father has passed away, so he travels to the remote village where the older man lived to attend the funeral. However, when Hae-guk starts asking questions about his father’s life – and unexplained death – the residents and their charismatic Chief (JUNG Jae-young) exchange mysterious looks and seem anxious to rush him out of their village. Something isn’t right, and Hae-guk is determined to uncover the truth… at any cost!

BONUS FEATURES: “The Making of Moss,” “The Beginning of the Story – The Comic Behind the Story,” art and set design documentary (“The Birth of the Village”), make-up and effects featurette (“Come Out to the Real World”), poster shoot video, original South Korean teaser and trailer, cast and director bios, and 5 Points Pictures trailers.

SPECIFICATIONS: Includes the feature film – plus almost 90 minutes of video extras – all with on/off English subtitles! Format: DVD (Region 1), Street Date: 8/21/2012, Feature Runtime: 163 minutes, Genre: Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Drama, Suggested Rating: 17+

TRAILER: Check out the new English-subbed trailer from 5 Points Pictures!

Posted in News |

It’s ‘High Kick Girl’ vs. ‘Dead Sushi’ in new Japanese splatterflick

Posted on June 6, 2012 by Z Ravas

"Dead Sushi" Japanese Theatrical Poster

I love sushi. Chances are, you do too. But how does our sushi feel about us? If the new film from director Noboru Iguchi (The Machine Girl, Robogeisha) is any indication, they’re pissed off and tired of being eaten.

Yes, the premise of Iguchi’s new ultra low-budget splatterflick Dead Sushi appears to be that the sushi of Japan has become sentient – and now they’re out for revenge.

Fortunately, on humanity’s side we have martial arts expert Rina Takeda of High Kick Girl fame. Anyhow, I doubt all my rambling is going to do Dead Sushi justice so just check out the wild ‘n crazy trailer over at Beyond Hollywood.

Update: It looks like we’ve got a brand new trailer, courtesy of Far East Films.

BREAKING NEWS: A whole slew of crazy new images. At least Rina Takeda is still super cute.

Posted in News |

Just Heroes | aka Tragic Heroes (1987) Review

Posted on June 5, 2012 by JJ Bona
"Just Heroes" Chinese Theatrical Poster

“Just Heroes” Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: John Woo
Co-director: Ng Ma
Cast: David Chiang, Danny Lee, Chen Kuan Tai, Stephen Chow, Lo Lieh, Cally Kwong, Wu Ma, Shing Fui On, Zhao Lei, Tien Niu, Alan Chan, Fung Hak On, Philip Ko Fei
Running Time: 97 min.

By Numskull

This is the John Woo “gun fu” movie that nobody has seen. It’s listed on the filmographies, but nothing much is ever said about it. It simply gets nestled between A Better Tomorrow 2 and The Killer.

So I watched it hoping I’d be able to write a rave review of it, saying how criminally unfair it is that it doesn’t get more attention and how it deserves to be ranked right up there with Woo’s best.

Sorry, folks. No can do.

Just Heroes is just so-so. John Woo turned out a chain of seven films during his HK golden era: A Better Tomorrow, A Better Tomorrow 2, Just Heroes, The Killer, Bullet in the Head, Once A Thief, and Hard Boiled. This, friends, is the weak link.

One might say that the absence of Chow Yun-fat (who appeared in five of the seven films listed above) harms this movie and keeps it from attaining the brilliance of A Better Tomorrow or The Killer. And one would be wrong, because there’s no shortage of talent among the cast here, and not even an actor as good as Chow Yun-fat can single-handedly save a movie from totally sucking (Replacement Killers, anyone?). I’m not saying that Just Heroes sucks, but it doesn’t mesmerize you like other Woo flicks do.

The story concerns the murder of a mob leader by an unidentified assassin and the subsequent chaos among his underlings as his chosen successor has doubts about his ability to fill his boss’s shoes and the search for the killer indicates an inside job. The gang splits into factions. Some guys are honorable, others are pricks. Violence ensues.

Don’t expect a thrill a minute. Just Heroes is no more story driven than any other John Woo film since the mid 1980s, but it’s definitely less adrenaline-charged. After the initial shootout, the better part of an hour passes before we see anything that resembles an action sequence again. What’s there is good, but more would have been nice since the plot and characters aren’t exceptionally interesting.

Ng Ma is credited as co-director and I’m given cause to wonder if he directed more of this movie than “they” would have us believe. At times it really does seem more like a John Woo imitation than a John Woo film. There’s one character who repeatedly makes references to A Better Tommorrow, reciting Chow Yun-fat’s urine-drinking speech and planting handguns in potted plants (get it? PLANTING handguns? Potted PLANTS? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA… ha… heh… um… never mind).

Seriously… Just Heroes is worth watching once, but it’s hardly touched by greatness. If you’re a Woo completist, it is, of course, required viewing; if not, don’t beat yourself up for skipping over it. To my knowledge it is not available on DVD. Tai Seng has released full-frame and (barely) letterboxed videos. Both have blurry white subs burned onto the print; in the full-frame version, which sould be avoided at all costs, the text constantly runs off the edges of the screen and gets chopped off at the bottom. Nothing new there. Watch it letterboxed or not at all.

Oh yeah, and the ending is very abrupt.

Numskull’s Rating: 5/10

Posted in All, Chinese, News, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , |

Asian horror fans, get ready to experience ‘Any Other Side’ on Import DVD

Posted on June 5, 2012 by Z Ravas

"Any Other Side" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Mainland China has seen a sudden surge of gruesome horror movies within the last year or so, a renaissance of new fright flicks with high production values and attractive casts. 2012’s Any Other Side continues this trend with an anthology-style film about five friends who meet at a bar on Halloween and decide to see who can tell the most terrifying story.

Right now you can snag Any Other Side on Region 3 DVD from trusted retailer DDDHouse for the low price of $14.10. The disc has English subtitles but be advised that you will need an Import or All-Region DVD player in order to run a Region 3 DVD.

The spooky tales of Any Other Side include mysterious killers, time travel, abandoned hospitals, zombies, and more. The trailer for the film doesn’t appear to be online but we’ll link it as soon as possible.

Posted in Asian Import Titles, News |

‘God Bless America’ parades onto Blu-ray and DVD July 3rd

Posted on June 5, 2012 by JJ Bona
"God Bless America" Theatrical Poster

"God Bless America" Theatrical Poster

Cityonfire.com has received the following press release from Bender/Helper Impact on June 5th: Experience the takedown of American culture gone awry this Independence Day when God Bless America parades onto Blu-ray and DVD July 3 from Magnolia Home Entertainment Under the Magnet Label.

Infamous black comedy director Bobcat Goldthwait (World’s Greatest Dad, Sleeping Dogs Lie) is bringing “something special” (eFilmCritic) to the picnic table this Independence Day. Starring Joel Murray (The Artist, Mad Men), Tara Lynne Barr (The Suite Life of Zack and Cody) and Mackenzie Brooke Smith (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles), “the energetic fantasy that favors capital punishment for all of society’s vulgarities” (MovieWeb.com), God Bless America, will be available on July 3 from Magnolia Home Entertainment under the Magnet Label.

“God Bless America is a violent movie about kindness and Bobcat Goldthwait is an American hero.”
– Film School Rejects

“Bobcat’s road odyssey of violence is one of the funniest films of the year.”
-JoBlo.com

“Full of punchy energy and a sense of catharsis about getting away from all the stupid places pop culture can take us.”
– Cinema Blend

Divorced, recently fired and possibly terminally ill, Frank (Murray) has had enough of the downward spiral of American culture. He sees America as overrun with cruelty, stupidity and intolerance. Finding himself with nothing to live for, he decides not to take his own life, but instead buys a gun to take out his frustration on the cruelest, stupidest, most intolerant people he can imagine—reality television stars. On his journey, he finds an unusual accomplice in a high-school student named Roxy (Barr), who shares his sense of rage and disenfranchisement. Together they embark on a nation-wide assault on our country’s dumbest, most irritating celebrities.

Posted in News |

‘Wind Blast’ explodes on Blu-ray and DVD July 3rd

Posted on June 5, 2012 by JJ Bona
Wind Blast Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

Wind Blast Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

Cityonfire.com has received the following press release from Well Go USA on June 5th: Director Gao Qunshu follows up his breakout hit The Message with the action-packed martial arts western Wind Blast, debuting on Blu-ray & DVD July 3rd from Well Go USA Entertainment.

Starring national wushu fighting champion Wu Jing (Kill Zone, Legendary Assassin), newcomer Zhang Li, Yihong Duan (The Message), and Francis Ng (Exiled, Infernal Affairs II), this fast paced, shoot-em up western follows a group of elite policemen on the trail of a hitman and his pregnant girlfriend as they try to elude two hired killers sent by his former employer to silence them. Bonus features include a making of featurette, behind the scenes footage and trailers.

Wind Blast has a runtime of approximately 118 minutes and is not rated.

“Wind Blast to stand as probably the best modern action film to come from Mainland China to date, delivering a non-stop onslaught of action scenes.”
–  James Mudge, Beyond Hollywood

Synopsis: Cold blooded killer Zhang Ning sneaks back into China to blend in. He is quickly pursued by two fierce and brutal bounty hunters. A grisly battle ensues between the killer, bounty hunters and cops. After a flurry of gunfights, martial arts combats, car chases, equestrian acrobatics, and pyrotechnic extravaganza, many a life will be lost and much honor and glory won in this grimly exciting Chinese Martial Arts Western that should not be missed.

Posted in News |

‘Butterfly Swords’ slices onto DVD July 10th‏

Posted on June 5, 2012 by JJ Bona
Butterfly Swords DVD (Well Go USA)

Butterfly Swords DVD (Well Go USA)

Cityonfire.com has received the following press release from Well Go USA on June 5th: Hong Kong’s number one action star Donnie Yen (Ip Man) headlines an all-star cast in Butterfly Swords, on DVD July 10th from Well Go USA Entertainment.

Donnie Yen, Michelle Yeoh (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) and Tony Leung (Infernal Affairs) combine amazing martial arts with high flying wire work as members of an elite group of assassins loyal to the king. When a group of Rebels threaten to take down the empire, they must infiltrate the organization in order to stop them. The bonus features includes brand new English subtitles.

Butterfly Swords has a runtime of approximately 87 minutes and is not rated.

Synopsis: Siblings who are also assassins infiltrate a group of rebels to prevent them from overthrowing the king’s empire. Utilizing amazing martial arts fighting and sword play, can they save the empire?

“An adrenaline-charged swordplay fantasy that starts out over the top and blasts its way through the roof”
– Joey O’Bryan, The Austin Chronicle

“Butterfly Swords was everything I expected and, at times, a real jaw dropper.”
– J. Doyle Wallis, DVDTalk.com

Posted in News |

Lost Bladesman, The (2011) Review

Posted on June 4, 2012 by Z Ravas
"The Lost Bladesman" Chinese Theatrical Poster

“The Lost Bladesman” Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Felix Chong
Co-director: Alan Mak
Cast: Donnie Yen, Jiang Wen, Chin Siu Ho, Andy On Chi Kit, Betty Sun Li, Dong Yong, Alex Fong Chung Sun, Calvin Li Zong Han, Shao Bing, Wang Bo Chieh, Nie Yuan
Running Time: 107 min.

By HKFanatic

Hong Kong’s biggest superstar Donnie Yen teams up with the filmmaking duo behind the “Infernal Affairs” sequels, Felix Chong and Alan Mak, for this Three Kingdoms-era action romp. While “The Lost Bladesman” lacks the epic scope and ‘cast of thousands’-style appeal of John Woo’s “Red Cliff” films, it more than makes it for it with Donnie Yen’s top-notch action choreography and a compelling performance from Jiang Wen (“Let the Bullets Fly“) as the brilliant military strategist and real life historical figure, Cao Cao.

Donnie Yen himself steps into the role of the fearsome God General Guan Yu. Some Chinese audiences criticized Yen’s casting since Guan Yu has always been thought of as a giant of a man, but such quibbles seem silly when you consider that, no matter his real size, Donnie has always dominated the big screen. He’s perfectly adept at bringing Guan Yu to life, even if you might grow weary of just how ridiculously stoic and righteous the character is. Yes, this is another role where Donnie plays a character who has no discernible flaws whatsoever. It’s almost like one of those old 80’s Chuck Norris movies – Donnie is so invincible here that the bad guys are constantly trying to drug or poison him just to level the playing field.

If Guan Yu comes across as frustratingly one-note, then that’s exactly why Jiang Wen is in the film. The qualified character actor brings Coa Cao to life in a multi-faceted performance. Cao Cao knows how to work the room with snake-like charm, and at the same time you can never truly tell if what he’s doing is for his own personal interest or for the greater good. Without Jiang Wen’s presence, “The Lost Bladesman” would have likely been a simple fist-pumping action movie, but his role gives the film much needed dimension and intrigue. There is a complexity to his character that is rarely explored in these Chinese historical pictures.

Of course, if you just want to tune out and enjoy the action, then “The Lost Bladesman” delivers in spades. I’d complain about two particular sequences – one bathed in darkness, the other set behind closed doors – where the fighting is obscured, except that the rest of the flick is so stuffed to the gills with action that I didn’t even mind. Donnie Yen is listed as Action Choreographer and the fights here bear his imprint all over them. Impossibly wide camera angles cover every inch of the action, no matter how constrained the environment becomes. A scene late in the film features Donnie literally dodging arrows as they’re fired and recalls the World War I battle that opened “Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen.” But the real highlight here is the fight between Donnie and Andy On (“Black Mask 2: City of Masks,” “King of Triads“). Their showdown is destined to go down as one of the finest bouts of either man’s career.

When it comes to “The Lost Bladesman,” it’s likely that the presence of Donnie Yen and the promise of spear-slicing action are what will get most people to park themselves in front of the TV. However, I’d wager that Jiang Wen’s superb acting and Felix Chong and Alan Mak’s multi-colored cinematography will prove equally as memorable for viewers by the time the credits have rolled. Donnie Yen has been enjoying a career renaissance as of late, there’s no doubt about that, but “The Lost Bladesman” stands out as one of his finer efforts. Even if you think you’ve seen every Chinese historical epic under the sun, Donnie’s unrivaled flair for action direction ensures that “The Lost Bladesman” has plenty of impact.

HKFanatic’s Rating: 8/10

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

Blood Money Blu-ray & DVD (Anderson Merchandise)

Posted on June 4, 2012 by JJ Bona
Blood Money Blu-ray & DVD (Anderson Merchandise)

Blood Money Blu-ray & DVD (Anderson Merchandise)

RELEASE DATE: August 28, 2012

Anderson Merchandise presents the Blu-ray & DVD for Blood Money, which is also available in a special 2-Disc Blu-ray Set .

Here’s an interesting one: An American-made martial arts movie starring Shaolin Warrior’s Zheng Liu, recording artist Pitbull and 36 Chamber of Shaolin’s Gordon Liu. It doesn’t look bad (doesn’t look great either). Check out the trailer.

Plot Description: A powerful warrior from the Shaolin Dynasty in China turns to crime after his parents are killed and his sister kidnapped, the drug cartels of America, Australia, and Hong Kong are about to feel the sting of the world’s most dangerous hit man!

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

In ‘Hindsight,’ CJ Entertainment has ‘No Mercy’ for American audiences

Posted on June 3, 2012 by Z Ravas
"Hindsight" Korean Theatrical Poster

"Hindsight" Korean Theatrical Poster

Over at Beyond Hollywood, Todd Rigney reports that CJ Entertainment America, the US branch of Korea’s biggest movie studio, is planning to release a couple of its films in North America. No Mercy and Hindsight will both hit DVD in North America on July 31st, 2012. A Blu-ray release for both titles is expected to follow shortly thereafter.

Traditionally, Asian movie studios have licensed out their films to American distributors. Perhaps this is a sign of things to come: soon enough, Asian studios with enough money behind them could bypass the middle man and put their movies directly in North American consumers’ hands.

If you’re can’t wait another month to see No Mercy, the medical-themed Korean thriller is already streaming in HD on Netflix. We’ve previously discussed Hindsight over here.

Posted in News |

Blu-ray and DVD Releases for 6/5/2012

Posted on June 3, 2012 by Z Ravas
13 Assassins DVD (Animeigo)

13 Assassins DVD (Animeigo)

June is upon us. There’s not much happening this month in regards to Asian cinema but at least the one film being released is a good one. Meanwhile, Universal continues to shuffle out their back catalog via Blu-ray+DVD+digital combo packs. Here are your Blu-ray and DVD releases for the week of 6/5/12:

ASIAN CINEMA

13 Assassins (The Thirteen Assassins) (DVD) – the great folks from AnimEigo offer this 1963 samurai film on DVD. Yup, this is the movie that Takashi Miike’s recent blood-soaked epic was based on

FOREIGN CINEMA

Desire (DVD) – this 2012 French-language film explores the sexual lives of several twenty-somethings living in a seaside town. Oh, those French. Always so erotic

Tomboy (DVD) – an acclaimed 2012 French film about a 10 year-old girl who is able to pass herself off as a boy when she moves to a new town

Declaration of War (DVD) – in this 2011 French-language movie, a young couple pulls together when they discover their newborn son has a brain tumor

Hate Story (DVD) – a 2012 Bollywood erotic thriller that is said to be based on a true story

Queen of Hearts (DVD) – a 2010 French comedy about looking for love in the big city

Life Ki Toh Lag Gayi (DVD) – this 2012 Indian film follows four people in Mumbai, each with a different mission – some for vengeance, others for love

MAINSTREAM

John Carter (Blu-ray/DVD) – I still contend that this pulp-y, fun, heart-tugging 2012 adventure film is superior to Joss Whedon’s “Avengers.” It didn’t set the box office on fire but maybe it’ll find some love on home formats

Act of Valor (Blu-ray/DVD) – hoo-rah! This 2012 action movie starring real life Navy SEALs comes to home formats

Safe House (Blu-ray/DVD) – this underrated 2012 Bourne-esque thriller starring Ryan Reynolds and Denzel Washington comes to Blu-ray

Machine Gun Preacher (Blu-ray/DVD) – Gerard Butler finds redemption as a machine gun-toting preacher (or something like that) in this 2011 film

U.S. Marshals (Blu-ray) – Tommy Lee Jones, Wesley Snipes, and Robert Downey Jr. star in this 1998 sequel to “The Fugitive.” Man, what I wouldn’t give to see those guys do a movie together now

Bad-Ass (Blu-ray/DVD) – Danny Trejo is one senior citizen you don’t want to $#%& with in this 2012 direct-to-video feature. Inspired by true events!

The Town: Ultimate Collector’s Edition (Blu-ray) – Ben Affleck’s surprisingly great 2010 bank heist flick gets an Ultimate Collector’s Edition

Missing in Action 2: The Beginning (DVD) – Chuck Norris stars in this 1985 action flick that pretends Vietnam never really ended. Be advised that this DVD is not in Widescreen

Act of Vengeance (Blu-ray/DVD) – Danny Glover, Gina Gershon, and Robert Patrick star in this 2010 direct-to-video action/thriller about U.S. anti-terrorist policy

Knockdown (DVD) – this 2012 direct-to-video action/thriller features Casey T. Evans, Tom Arnold, and Bai Ling. The one review on Amazon says the fight scenes are good!

Champion Road: Arena (DVD) – a low-budget 2012 action movie about an underground fighting circuit. The fight choreography looks promising from the trailer

The Color of Money (DVD) – Martin Scorsese directs Paul Newman and a young Tom Cruise in this 1986 pool shark tale

Sea of Love (Blu-ray) – Al Pacino plays a cop who’s in over his head in this steamy 1989 thriller

Blood Work (Blu-ray) – a 2002 thriller from director/actor Clint Eastwood, in which Eastwood plays a retired FBI profiler

Ransom (Blu-ray) – Mel Gibson famously shouts “Gimme back my son!” in this 1996 thriller

REISSUES

Smokey and the Bandit (Blu-ray + DVD) – Universal Pictures gives this 1977 film a re-release for the studio’s 100th anniversary

Spartacus (Blu-ray + DVD) – Stanley Kubrick’s 1960 masterpiece also gets a re-release for Universal’s 100 anniversary

The Mummy (Blu-ray+DVD) – Universal keeps the hits rolling with a re-release of this 1999 summer blockbuster starring Brendan Fraser

The Fast and the Furious (Blu-ray + DVD) – go back to the innocence of the early 00’s with Universal’s re-issue of the 2001 action movie starring Paul Walker and Vin Diesel

Earthquake (DVD) – Universal also offers this 1974 disaster epic starring Charlton Heston, for shame that it’s not in hi-def

The Sting (Blu-ray+DVD) – Robert Redford and Paul Newman team up in this beloved 1973 film

Casino (Blu-ray+DVD) – Martin Scorsese’s 1995 film features Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone, Joe Pesci, and a baseball bat

Warrior Quad Volume 1 (DVD) – four martial arts-themed films in one DVD set: “Kung Fu Master,” “The Assailant,” “Wushu Warrior,” and “Fight Night”

Natural Born Killers/Any Given Sunday/JFK (Blu-ray) – it’s a triple threat of Oliver Stone in this 3-film Blu-ray set

CLASSICS

Yellow Submarine (Blu-ray/DVD) – the 1968 animated film from The Beatles gets a hi-def release

Hondo (Blu-ray) – this 1953 Western stars John Wayne and remains a fan favorite

Zorba the Greek (Blu-ray) – Anthony Quinn brings Zorba the Greek to life in this 1964 film, now in hi-def

HORROR

The Awakening (DVD) – Charlton Heston fights off a mummy in this 1980 Egyptian-themed horror flick

Dear God No! (DVD) – with a title like that, how can you go wrong? This grindhouse-style flick promises “Bikers, boobs, blood, and bigfoot”

The Collapsed (DVD) – a 2011 post-apocalyptic film from Anchor Bay about a family trying to escape the confines of the city

Rogue River (DVD) – a direct-to-video torture cheapie starring Bill Mosely of “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2”

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 |

Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

Posted on June 2, 2012 by JJ Bona
Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

RELEASE DATE: August 7, 2012

Well Go USA is proud to present the Blu-ray and DVD for Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale. Directed by Cape No. 7’s Wei Te-Sheng and produced by The Killer’s John Woo, this massive Taiwanese epic is about the Seediq tribe’s upraising against Japanese colonists some eighty years ago. Check out the trailer.

The film stars Umin Boya, Masanobu Ando, Landy Wen, Irene Luo and Vivian Hsu.

Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale is the most expensive production in Taiwanese cinema history. The film has been compared to Braveheart and The Last of the Mohicans by the media in Taiwan.

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

Find Yoji Yamada’s ‘The Hidden Blade’ on June 19th!

Posted on June 2, 2012 by JJ Bona
The Hidden Blade Blu-ray (Palisades Tartan)

The Hidden Blade Blu-ray (Palisades Tartan)

Cityonfire.com has received the following press release from Palisades Tartan on June 1st: Nominated for 12 Japanese Academy Awards, Yoji Yamada’s slow-burning, character driven samurai drama, The Hidden Blade, is being released for the first time on Blu-Ray in a special edition Blu-Ray/DVD Combo package.

Based on a series of best-selling stories by Japan’s premier historical fiction writer, Shuhei Fujisawa, Yamada’s period study picks up right where his 2002 masterpiece, The Twilight Samurai, left off. Starring award winning Japanese actors, Masatoshi Nagase (Mystery Train) and Takako Matsu (Confessions), The Hidden Blade transports the viewer into the thrilling world of the historic samurai with a mesmerizing tale of honor, loyalty and love in mid-19th-century Japan. Palisades Tartan is proud to bring you the special edition Blu-ray/DVD combo of The Hidden Blade, available on June 19th (SRP of $29.98).

“An old-fashioned Hollywood western…loyalty, honor and virtue carry the day.”
 – Stephen Holden, The New York Times

”A brilliant movie.”
 – Harry Knowles, Ain’t It Cool News

“Yamada has performed a minor miracle…He has managed a portrait of
goodness and virtue that is neither cynical nor contrived.”
– Kirk Honeycutt, Hollywood Reporter

Yoji Yamada has long been regarded as one of Japan’s most popular and critically-lauded filmmakers. Most well-known for directing the phenomenally popular Tora-San movies, Yamada has achieved nearly equal fame for his sensitive portraits of poor people struggling to maintain their lives in the midst of often convulsive social upheaval. Yamada has won the Japanese Academy Award for Best Picture four times (The Yellow Handkerchief – 1977, My Sons – 1991, A Class to Remember – 1993, The Twilight Samurai – 2003) and his film Twilight Samurai was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2003 Academy Awards. Hidden Blade is his 78th film.

Bonus Features: Behind The Scenes With Director Yoji Yamada, Berlin Film Festival Premiere, Director Press Conference, Japanese Theatrical Trailer, US Theatrical Trailer and Upcoming Release Trailers

Blu-ray/DVD Specs: Language: Japanese, Subtitles: English & Spanish, Running Time: 132 min, Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1, Blu-Ray Aspect Ratio: 1080p High Definition Widescreen 1.85:1, DVD Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1/DTS 5.1 Surround Sound, Blu-Ray Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

Posted in News |
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