Mutant Girls Squad Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

Mutant Girls Squad Blu-ray/DVD Combo (Well Go USA)

Mutant Girls Squad Blu-ray/DVD Combo (Well Go USA)

RELEASE DATE: May 22, 2012

Mutant Girls Squad (aka Fighting Girls: Legend of the Blood of the Iron Mask) is a Japanese film by Noboru Iguchi (“The Machine Girl”), Yoshihiro Nishimura (Tokyo Gore Police) and Tak Sakaguchi (“Yoroi: Samurai Zombie”). The film is about Rin, a sixteen-year-old mutant girl who meets a gang of rebel mutants who aim to take revenge on humans for persecuting their race. Check out there trailer.

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

Shout! Factory’s Roger Corman Cult Classics come to Netflix Instant

Battle Beyond the Stars Blu-ray/DVD (Shout!)

Battle Beyond the Stars Blu-ray/DVD (Shout!)

For decades, Roger Corman has been synonymous with low-budget but influential genre filmmaking. Through his production house he helped iconic American directors like James Cameron and Jonathan Demme get their start. Lately distributor Shout! Factory has been re-issuing many of Corman’s out-of-print films on blu-ray and DVD. Today several of these Roger Corman Cult Classics arrive streaming on Netflix. Celebrate the man, the legend, that is Roger Corman with these key films:

Rock ‘n Roll High School (1979) – the hit rock musical that launched The Ramones into the cultural lexicon

Battle Beyond the Stars (1980) – this science-fiction epic was no doubt produced to ride the “Star Wars” craze but its story structure actually takes inspiration from Akira Kurosawa’s “Seven Samurai.” Streaming in HD

Slumber Party Massacre (1982) – this tongue-in-cheek slasher movie was helmed by acclaimed screenwriter Amy Jones (“Mystic Pizza,” “Beethoven”)

Humanoids From the Deep (1980) – this horror flick is notorious for its skin-crawling premise involving mutant fish monsters wanting to mate with land-dwelling ladies. Streaming in HD

Caged Heat (1974) – possibly the most famous film of the entire ‘women in jail’ subgenre, this movie was an early effort from “Silence of the Lambs” director Jonathan Demme

The Big Bird Cage (1972) – another movie with a ‘women in captivity’ theme, this one stars Pam Grier and arrives from “Spider Baby” and “Switchblade Sisters” director Jack Hill. Streaming in HD

Women in Cages (1971) – are you noticing a pattern yet? Subjugated women sure were a popular theme in the 70’s. Also starring Pam Grier. Streaming in HD

Grand Theft Auto (1977) – before the popular video game there was this film, about a couple on the run from the mob in a hot car, which also happens to be Ron Howard’s directorial debut

Crazy Mama (1975) – Jonathan Demme directs this kitschy ode to the 1950’s involving three outlaw women

Carnosaur (1993) – released two weeks before “Jurassic Park” hit the big screen, this low-budget cheapie cashed in on the whole dinosaur fad

Bloodfist (1989) – yes, Roger Corman even tried to produce his own “Bloodsport.” This martial arts flick starring Don “the Dragon” Wilson spawned no less than eight sequels

Posted in News |

Badge 373 Blu-ray & DVD (Olive Films)

"Badge 373" Theatrical Poster

"Badge 373" Theatrical Poster

RELEASE DATE: April 24, 2012

Olive Films presents 1973’s Badge 373, an action thriller starring Robert Duvall. Eddie (Duvall) is a tough, no-nonsense, racist Irish cop who heads out on a one-man crusade to find out who killed his partner. Like 1971’s The French Connection, Badge 373 is based on Eddie Egan, a real life, tough-talking New York cop. Watch the trailer.

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

Tiger on the Beat (1988) Review

"Tiger on the Beat" Chinese DVD Cover

“Tiger on the Beat” Chinese DVD Cover

Director: Lau Kar Leung
Cast: Chow Yun Fat, Conan Lee, Nina Li Chi, Shirley Ng, Norman Chu, Gordon Liu, David Chiang, Philip Ko Fei, James Wong, Wayne Archer, Lau Kar Wing, Shing Fui On, Lydia Shum, Ti Lung, Wilson Tong, Wu Shih, Bill Lui Tak-Wai
Running Time: 89 min.

By Joseph Kuby

More watchable than Lethal Weapon 3 and 4 combined!

Although this irreverent film should really be compared to the overlooked classic Running Scared (which was a big hit in Hong Kong) than Lethal Weapon as the story borrows from Billy Crystal’s movie in key scenes (as does Sammo’s Skinny Tiger Fatty Dragon). The international success of Lethal Weapon convinced studio heads to produce Tiger on the Beat.

Lethal Weapon was a good film with sharp interplay between Glover and Gibson but the action lacked anything noteworthy in concept. The chainsaw and belt-buckle segments in this flick are beyond anything conceivable in the vast majority of American action movies of the ’80s. Credit has to be given though to Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 for providing obvious inspiration for the finale.

Tiger on the Beat is the sort of film which can be filed under the category of ‘only in Hong Kong’ and it’s a striking example of why Hollywood has never truly embraced the “anything goes” mentality of HK film making. The humor is a mixed bag as proves to be the case in a lot of HK films made around this period.

Chow Yun Fat and Conan Lee make for a delightful match-up which belittles the fact that they were skeptical of each other. Conan would get on Chow’s nerves a lot. Had they actually got along well, we would have seen them as a pair in Wong Jing’s God of Gamblers but Chow’s disregard of Conan meant that Jing decided to create a new commercial angle for his ’89 classic – HK’s biggest film star paired up with the HK’s biggest pop star.

Furthermore, Jing’s advocacy of fast-paced film-making was confronted by the possibility that the production would have slowed down and fallen apart due to the level of bickering that could go on between Chow and Conan.

If there had to be a sticky issue with this movie, it’s that Lau Kar Leung never wholeheartedly embraced contemporary martial arts thrillers in the same way Kwai, Sammo and Ping did. Lau was too stuck in his traditional ways to be renowned as a master of modern fighting styles. Metaphorically, he is akin to Wong Fei Hung’s rival in Once Upon a Time in China.

The action in this film has both +’s and -‘s. Many can argue that Lau is without equal when it comes to being a purveyor of unadulterated traditional martial arts action. Even so, he can never coordinate modern unarmed combat with the same ferocity that someone like Tony Leung Siu Hung could do. For all-round action, this film is reasonably enjoyable but for martial arts action, even an independent film like Angel can make mince meat of Lau’s contributions here.

Chow did not find it difficult to work with Lau. He claims all the ideas for the action in the film belong to Lau. When they were on the set, Chow learned how to manipulate various Chinese weapons. The part where Chow uses the knife at the end, they used a wire to tie the knife to his finger so he could twirl the knife.

The writer of this film, Tsang Kwok Chi, had also written Skinny Tiger Fatty Dragon – a film which owes its storyline to Running Scared no less than Tiger on the Beat does. The success of Tiger on the Beat had no doubt irked Lau Kar Leung’s younger brother. Lau Kar Wing was always envious of his brother’s success in the same way Sammo was of Jackie. The reason why Wing’s film was less successful was that Chow Yun Fat was a bigger star than Karl Maka.

The success of Running Scared may surprise people but the local audience in Hong Kong are more interested in comedies than action films (hence the mixing of genres that takes place in Hong Kong). Full-on action movies like Hard Boiled, Tiger Cage 2, Fist of Legend and Eastern Condors usually have relatively paltry box office results.

Tiger on the Beat made more money than the majority of Chow’s serious crime thrillers: A Better Tomorrow 2, City on Fire, The Killer, Flaming Brothers, Full Contact, Rich & Famous and Tragic Hero. As one might assume, Tiger on the Beat was big enough to have a sequel.

If the filmmakers of Running Scared realized just how big the film was in Asia, they could have gone ahead with making the sequel Still Running and releasing it for the Asian market. The size of Asia has always been perceived as a very good way to recoup costs. This explains why John Woo, Wong Jing and Jackie Chan have got away with making expensive films which proved to be troublesome for Hong Kong financiers.

In the case of Wong Jing, High Risk was made on a budget whose costs could not be covered in Hong Kong alone (where it made approximately US$ 1 million) thus the film went on to cover three times its cost after it made its mark in Japan, Thailand and Korea.

A lot of people have complained about the misogynistic attitude that Chow Yun Fat’s character conveys. I don’t mind it too much because it makes for a welcome departure from the usual congenial attitude one expects from a hero in a cop movie. Chow bashing a woman around beats the mandatory love scene you’d get in the American equivalent of a cop buddy movie.

My only complaint is that near the end of the film Nina Li likes him so much that she cries for him when she has to leave. Though this particular piece of plot development is nowhere near as implausible as the contrived final fight in Lethal Weapon.

Still, there was no plausible reason for her plight other than to make her more sympathetic. Something that was acknowledged as a marketing ploy by the producer to make her more likable for Asian audiences.

Prior to this film, a lot of movie goers were weary of Nina due to her coming from the Mainland and being perceived as a posh stuck-up diva. The perception is to do with Nina showing a lot of pride for her national heritage. Chow went as far to comment that Nina was less popular than the far-from-prestigious Amy Yip. According to Chow, the men in HK don’t like Nina because she’s not down-to-earth and she doesn’t have that ‘easy lay’ vibe that Amy has.

Nevertheless, Chow despised having to put Nina through all the misogyny. He felt sorry for her and, in his view, all the abuse lashed out on her should have been heaped on Conan. Chow was well aware of the fact that Conan was disrespectful to the people who made him a star in the first place. Chow was particularly appalled at the thought that any person working in the industry would be physically assaulted by a Triad in the hopes of acquiring Conan’s services.

Conan’s ego was such that he thought that he was brought in to make Chow a big star than vice-versa. It’s not hard to imagine Conan as someone in need of a reality check. In a ’90s issue of the American magazine Inside Kung Fu, he had the audacity to claim that Chow wouldn’t have been in Tiger on the Beat had Conan not accepted the role as his partner. Conan’s claim would have been credible if the film was made before A Better Tomorrow.

Conan is something of an enigma in HK cinema. In muscularity, Conan is to Jackie what Dragon Lee is to Bruce. Conan is so egotistical that he proclaims to be the only actor who has done his own stunts yet he lacks the finesse his lookalike has. Conan, to his credit, has the same mentality to do risky stunts.

Conan’s knowledge of English was never capitalized on when it came to distributing this film in English-speaking territories. This means his inclusion in the cast makes for a bizarre choice. I’m assuming the production team wanted Jackie so much that they were willing to settle on a poor man’s version to capture half of the effect.

Like how Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine has a tendency to mention Metallica in interviews, Conan never fails to convey disdain for Jackie when given the chance to talk with someone in the media. Upon the release of this film, Conan was quick to point out that his chainsaw battle was vastly impressive than Jackie’s encounter with a chainsaw-wielding crony in The Protector. Coincidentally, Jackie’s Peking Opera teacher had done a film in 1980 called The Old Master (with Bill Louie) which had chainsaw action.

The last thing that will be said about Conan will be a quote from Chow:

“Lee Yuen Bat is more Gwailo. He’s not Chinese! He’s really like a Hollywood star. He’s always…*mimes a sniffing action*”

The Lethal Weapon producer Joel Silver is a big fan of this film and got Conan to play Jet Li’s brother in Lethal Weapon 4. When he produced Exit Wounds with Steven Seagal and DMX, the rope trigger gag was reused along with a humble reference to the chainsaw encounter. Lamentably, Joel gave a disservice to Lau by siting John Woo for the rope-trigger bit.

If you’re bored with strait-laced heroics and want something that’s a bit more bohemian then Tiger on the Beat is recommendable, just don’t watch it with feminists.

Joseph Kuby’s Rating: 7.5/10


By Raging Gaijin

Chow Yun Fat and Conan Lee headline this action-packed 80’s Hong Kong flick. This is the kind of movie that the country seemed to mass produce during that decade: a melting pot of genres that tosses out wacky humor and gritty drama in equal measure, all held together by intense action sequences. If you’re anything like me, you thrive off these movies and will be pleased to know that this is one of the best.

Okay, so the plot isn’t very remarkable. It’s basically a riff on Lethal Weapon as Chow Yun Fat and Conan Lee play two mismatched partners on the Hong Kong police force. Chow Yun Fat is a womanizing rebel who ducks responsibility while Conan Lee is the stoic cop who”s always diving into action whenever duty calls. The two actors, while both excellent in their roles, don’t really have any charisma together; and neither character is developed all that much. As a result, this doesn’t exactly rank as a great heroic bloodshed movie or violent drama like The Killer.

However, none of that really matters as soon as the action lights up the screen. Although his character is rather flat and unappealing, Chow Yun Fat has undeniable screen presence. It’s always thrilling to watch him reload a shotgun as he holds the shells between his gritted teeth. You just know some bloody mayhem is soon to follow.

As cool as Fat is, I have to admit that Conan Lee steals the movie from him. Maybe it’s just that his character is more likeable (he doesn’t beat women up, for one thing) but I think it also has to do with Conan Lee’s charisma. He’s a talented actor who never seemed to become as popular as some of his contemporaries but his role in Tiger on Beat leaves a strong impression. He’s the real star of the show and his phenomenal action sequences are what make this movie worth watching. He comes across as a more buff, more serious Jackie Chan. He does a lot of exciting stunts and engages in the movie’s best choreographed martial arts battles. The climax of these bouts is a jaw-dropping chainsaw duel that, in my opinion, ranks as one of the greatest onscreen fights ever filmed. Conan Lee and his opponent wield the saws as though they were swords, exchanging blows in a shower of sprayed sparks and blood, almost like a Hong Kong Chainsaw Massacre.

Tiger on Beat is a relic of the Hong Kong film industry. Besides the fact that it’s dated by Chow Yun Fat’s dubious fashion sense and a few scenes set at an aerobics class, it’s the kind of movie that no one really makes anymore: a no-frills blend of humor, drama, and violence. Sometimes the jokes work, sometimes they don’t; same thing goes for the emotional content. It’s a shame that Chow Yun Fat and Conan Lee don’t exactly light up the screen together, but Tiger on Beat still has some of the most over-the-top and insane action ever in a Hong Kong movie. This alone makes it a must see for fans.

Raging Gaijin Rating: 7.5/10


By Numskull

Chow Yun-Fat is Sgt. Li, an undercover cop who owes his continued employment in the Hong Kong Police force to his influential Uncle Jim. Everyone needs a hobby; his is adultery. Nothing unique there.

Conan Lee is Michael Cho, an up-and-coming cop who possesses the awesome ability to beat people up faster than the speed of sound…he hits a guy and we hear the sound effect several seconds later. Wow!

Together, these two men form a…a…well, um…they form a team of two men. Their conflict in approaches to cracking the drug case to which they are assigned makes them…uh…makes them…makes them not get along too well. Unlce Jim pairs them up because…since…uh…due to the fact that…er…well, he just DOES, okay?

Integral to the story are a brother and sister who get involved with the wrong people. He works the drug market to send money to his poor mama. She makes deliveries on his behalf to help keep him out of danger and when she gets uppity with Li he has to show her who’s boss. Take THAT, bitch!

The siblings’ antics cause all sorts of headaches for Li and Cho. The kind cured with violence, not aspirin.

The Lethal Weapon comparison for this movie is fairly accurate. There’s a decent mix of action and humor with some drama mixed in. The problem is, none of these elements has a strong enough presence to really make you sit up and take notice. Li and Cho sacrificing their pants to keep a couple of schoolgirls from getting their pretty little heads blown off may be amusing, but that’s pretty much the height of the film’s comedic content. Similarly, you’re not too likely to be moved to tears when so-and-so dies or when such-and-such happens and the action sequences fall a bit short of genuine excitement, except for a very cool chainsaw duel at the end.

Worth mentioning is the fact that this is one of the very few HK films I’ve seen that makes reference to other HK stars…not just Bruce Lee, as can be expected, since he has ceased to be a “star” and has entered the realm of myth and legend, but also Jackie Chan, Ti Lung, and a cheap (but perhaps deserved) shot at Anita Mui (or, more specifically, at Anita Mui’s breasts).

It’s a decent HK flick in many ways, but it won’t make you write home to tell the folks about it. Worth watching, but not worth spending oodles of cash on.

Numskull’s Rating: 6/10

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

Shout! Factory to release Korean action films ‘Sector 7’ and ‘Quick’ on Blu-ray & DVD

"Quick" Korean Theatrical Poster

"Quick" Korean Theatrical Poster

Today, Shout! Factory announced a multi-year agreement with CJ E&M, the leading film distribution and production company in Korea, to be the exclusive North American home entertainment distributor for two widely popular Korean motion pictures. Under the multi-property alliance, Shout! Factory has secured the rights to distribute the Korean 3D creature thriller Sector 7 and action-packed adventure Quick for all packaged media (DVD/Blu-ray) home entertainment releases and digital distribution in the U.S and Canada.

Is this the beginning of an endless string of Asian entertainment from Shout! Factory? Let’s hope so! Check out the trailers for Quick and Sector 7.

Posted in News |

Jet Li fights for your soul in ‘The Sorcerer and the White Snake’ on Import Blu-ray and DVD

"The Sorcerer and the White Snake" Blu-Ray

It’s not an easy being a monk. You’ve got to abstain from earthly pleasures and stay focused on the holy path. And sometimes you’re called upon to kick demon ass. At least that’s what happens to Jet Li in The Sorcerer and the White Snake, the 2011 Chinese-language CG-infused blockbuster from acclaimed director Ching Siu Tung (Duel to the Death, Dr. Wai in the Scriptures With No Words).

The film is now available from online retailer DDDHouse on Region A Blu-ray for $22.44 and Region 3 DVD for $15.13.

The Hollywood Reporter praised the film for its “Fantastic visuals and non-stop action.” The story is based on the Chinese Legend of the White Snake, which also provided inspiration for Tsui Hark’s 1993 classic Green Snake. Production on The Sorcerer and the White Snake required so many fight scenes that Jet Li claimed it was the most exhausting shoot of his career. Check out the trailer here.

Posted in Asian Import Titles, News |

Lassiter DVD (Hen’s Tooth Video)

Lassiter DVD (Henstooth)

Lassiter DVD (Henstooth)

RELEASE DATE: April 24, 2012

Just like The Cannonball Run and High Road To China (also being released by Hen’s Tooth), 1984′s Lassiter is another U.S.-made film that Golden Harvest produced in the 1980′s. In this adventure, Tom Selleck plays a professional thief who is hired by the British law enforcement and the FBI to do a secret job. Also starring Jane Seymour, Lauren Hutton and Bob Hoskins. Check out the trailer.

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

‘Tetsuo’-style psycho-sexual body horror returns with ‘Henge’

"Henge" Japanese Theatrical Poster

"Henge" Japanese Theatrical Poster

The trailer for director Hajime Ohata’s upcoming film Henge is one of the most interesting trailers I’ve seen in ages. The film is about a husband and wife who must deal with the fallout when the husband is mysterious attacked and grows a strange, insect-like appendage as a result.

As a fan of director Shinya Tsukamoto and his Tetsuo: The Iron Man films, the premise feels immediately familiar. It will be interesting to see if Hajime Ohata adds to the body horror genre in a significant way or if he just delivers a lesser imitation of Tsukamoto’s greatness. For now, count me extremely intrigued by the trailer for Henge. The film is in Japanese theaters on March 10th.

Thanks to Far East Films for the scoop

Posted in News |

Korean monster movie ‘Sector 7’ on Import 3D Blu-ray and DVD

"Sector 7" Korean Theatrical Poster

Monster movie Sector 7 didn’t exactly earn glowing reviews last year but it did go on to become the highest-grossing Korean-language film of all time in China. How can you go wrong with a crew of workers trapped on an oil rig and besieged by a slimy, tentacled monster? That’s a golden premise.

Trusted retailer DDDHouse is now accepting pre-orders on the 3D Region A Blu-ray for $28.85. The disc contains the 2D version of the film so no need to fret if you don’t have a 3D television. DDDHouse also has the Region 3 DVD for only $13.08. The film releases on February 23rd.

Sector 7 stars Ha Ji-won, Ahn Sung-ki, Oh Ji-ho, Lee Han Wi, and Cha Ye Ryeon. Director Kim Ji-Hoon is hard at work on his next blockbuster, The Tower 3D. Check out the trailer for Sector 7 here.

Posted in Asian Import Titles, News |

New York Korean Film Festival 2012 is coming

"Hindsight" Korean Theatrical Poster

"Hindsight" Korean Theatrical Poster

Need another reason to pack up your belongings, cash a life insurance policy, and move to the Big Apple? The 10th Annual New York Korean Film Festival is fast approaching. On February 24th through the 26th, the Festival will play host to a slew of promising new Korean films.

Asian Movie Pulse has the full line-up but some of the highlights include the fast ‘n furious-looking Quick; mob love story Hindsight; period piece love triangle The Servant; and the dark mystery Moss. If you can’t make it to NYC for the festival, don’t fret: The Servant and Moss are currently streaming on Netflix Instant.

Posted in News |

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Blu-ray & DVD (Sony)

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Blu-ray & DVD (Sony)

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Blu-ray & DVD (Sony)

RELEASE DATE: March 20, 2012

Sony presents David Fincher’s 2011’s thriller, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Based on the the novel of the same name by Stieg Larsson, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is the story of a man’s (Daniel Craig) mission to find out what has happened to a girl who has been missing for 40 years.  Check out the trailer.

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

The Walking Tall Trilogy Blu-ray & DVD (Shout! Factory)

The Walking Tall Trilogy Blu-ray & DVD (Shout! Factory)

The Walking Tall Trilogy Blu-ray & DVD (Shout! Factory)

RELEASE DATE: May 15, 2012

If you’re looking for Dwayne Johnson or Kevin Sorbo, look elsewhere! Shout! Factory presents all three of the 1970’s Walking Tall revenge movies on Blu-ray and DVD: 1973’s Walking Tall, starring Joe Don Baker; 1975’s Walking Tall Part 2, starring Bo Svenson; and 1977’s Walking Tall: Final Chapter, also starring Bo Svenson. Check out the back-to-back trailers for Part 1 & Part 2.

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

Blu-ray and DVD Releases for 2/14/12

Three Outlaw Samurai Blu-ray & DVD (Criterion)

Three Outlaw Samurai Blu-ray & DVD (Criterion)

This Tuesday happens to be Valentine’s Day. What better way to celebrate than with a Criterion samurai film or a Jeff Speakman flick on Blu-ray, right? Here are your Asian and genre movie releases for the week of 2/14/12:

ASIAN CINEMA

Three Outlaw Samurai (Blu-ray/DVD) – the Criterion Collection presents director Hideo Gosha’s 1964 samurai film in hi-definition

Sword of Desperation (DVD) – AnimEigo offers this 2010 samurai film, which garnered 6 nominations at the 2011 Japanese Academy Awards, including Best Actor and Best Cinematography

Ocean Heaven (Blu-ray/DVD) – Well Go USA presents a different kind of Jet Li movie, as the acclaimed martial artist stretches his acting chops in this 2010 drama about a widower and his autistic son

My Kingdom (DVD) – a 2011 Hong Kong film set in the opera scene of 1920’s Shanghai, featuring action choreography by Sammo Hung

Yakuza Hunters: Final Death Ride Battle (DVD) – Tokyo Shock offers more fun with the Yakuza Hunters in this 2010 flick, featuring the duo of deadly ladies who live for the thrill of killing Yakuza

IMPORT ASIAN

Life Without Principle (Blu-ray/DVD) – Johnnie To’s 2011 film about the growing financial crisis in Hong Kong stars Lau Ching Wan, Richie Ren, and Denise Ho. Available on Region A Blu-ray for $23. 72 or Region 3 DVD for $11.54 at DDDHouse. Releases on February 16th

GP506 (Blu-ray/DVD) – also known as “The Guard Post,” this 2008 supernatural military thriller arrives from the Korean director of “R-Point.” Available on Region A Blu-ray for $16.03 or Region 3 PAL DVD for $12.56 at DDDHouse. Releases on February 16th

FOREIGN CINEMA

Elite Squad: The Enemy Within (Blu-ray/DVD) – the 2010 sequel to the 2007 Brazilian smash hit, about the police’s most elite unit who battle vicious drug lords for control of Rio’s slums

VIPs (DVD) – a 2010 Portuguese-language film based on the true story of a teenage con man who could impersonate anyone…except himself

Debt (DVD) – the 2007 Israeli picture that inspired the recent Hollywood remake “The Debt” starring Sam Worthington and Helen Mirren

Mozart’s Sister (Blu-ray/DVD) – a 2010 French film that is honestly all about the titular character

Tales From the Golden Age (DVD) – a 2009 Romanian film comprised of short stories detailing life under a Communist regime

Summer Holiday (DVD) – a 2008 Romanian slice-of-life film about a family who finds their relationships strained when they go on a seaside vacation

La Hora Cero AKA The Zero Hour (DVD) – a 2009 Spanish language film about a tattooed hitman who takes a hospital hostage

MARTIAL ARTS

The Perfect Weapon (Blu-ray/DVD) – at long last! Jeff Speakman’s classic 1991 action flick arrives in hi-definition. If you’re a fan of 90’s martial arts movies, you won’t want to miss this

The Assailant (DVD) – the Brazilian martial art of Capoeira gets its long deserved time in the spotlight with this 2009 action movie

CULT

Nude Nuns With Big Guns (Blu-ray/DVD) – it’s not what you think. Or maybe it is? This 2010 direct-to-video grindhouse-style flick features a nun wielding a big gun on the cover

Modus Operandi (Blu-ray/DVD) – this low-budget exploitation flick probably needs to be seen to be believed. Featuring appearances by Danny Trejo and Sasha Grey

Burning Moon (DVD) – this 1997 cult film is purported to be one of the goriest splatter flicks of all time

MAINSTREAM

The Rum Diary (Blu-ray/DVD) – Johnny Depp once again portrays the mad writer Hunter S. Thompson in this 2011 film

Take Shelter (Blu-ray/DVD) – soon general audiences will know him as General Zod but you’ll probably want to catch Michael Shannon first in this critically acclaimed 2011 film, about a man who becomes obsessed with building a storm shelter for his family

Tiny Furniture (Blu-ray/DVD) – the Criterion Collection offers this 2010 feature from writer/director/star Lena Dunham, who got her start making YouTube videos. This quiet indie drama explores post-collegiate malaise

CLASSICS

All Quiet on the Western Front (Blu-ray) – the classic 1930 film about the desolation of war, set in the trenches of World War I, now on Blu-ray

The Man in the Iron Mask (DVD) – the 1939 adaptation of the famous novel by “Three Musketeers” author Alexandre Dumas

Carve Her Name With Pride (DVD) – a 1958 film about the French Resistance during World War II

Last of the Mohicans (DVD) – a 1920 silent film adaptation of James Fenimore Cooper’s novel

HORROR

Paranormal Activity 3 (Blu-ray/DVD) – more ‘found footage’ demonic shenanigans, now on home formats

Friday the 13th the Ultimate Collection (DVD) – the upside to this 8-disc collection is that you get all of the “Friday the 13th” movies for only $35. The downside is that it’s not Blu-ray

The Dead (Blu-ray/DVD) – this 2010 zombie film was called “the best zombie movie” of that year by Ain’t It Cool News

Human Centipede II: Full Sequence (Blu-ray/DVD) – does the Blu-ray at least come with a barf bag? IFC offers the unrated director’s cut of Tom Six’s 2011 exercise in torture and cruelty

My Pure Joy (DVD) – this obscure, low-budget 2011 horror film about a deranged teenager supposedly features references to Takashi Miike and the current New Wave of French horror

The Devil’s Rock (DVD) – this 2011 horror film is set during World War II and hails from the peaceful land of New Zealand

Swinger’s Massacre (DVD) – Apprehensive Films offers this 1975 slasher flick that is limited to a pressing of just 500 units

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 |

Melancholia Blu-ray & DVD (Magnolia)

Melancholia Blu-ray & DVD (Magnolia)

Melancholia Blu-ray & DVD (Magnolia)

RELEASE DATE: March 13, 2012

Magnolia presents Lars von Trier’s 2011 sci-fi/drama movie, Melancholia. Two sisters find their already strained relationship challenged as a mysterious new planet threatens to collide with the Earth. Melancholia stars Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Kiefer Sutherland and Alexander Skarsgard. Check out the trailer.

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

Flash Point (2007) Review

"Flash Point" Korean Theatrical Poster

“Flash Point” Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Wilson Yip
Cast: Donnie Yen, Louis Koo, Collin Chou, Ray Lui, Xing Yu, Fan Bing Bing, Kent Cheng, Xu Qing, Ben Lam, Ha Ping, Ai Wai, Tony Ho Wah Chiu, Timmy Hung Tin Ming, Helena Law, John Salvitti, Kenji Tanigaki, Austin Wai
Running Time: 85 min.

By HKFanatic

Even as a huge fan of Donnie Yen, I wouldn’t try to argue that “Flash Point” is a great ‘film’ in the traditional sense. It suffers from uneven pacing, Louis Koo’s acting (or lack thereof), and a scene in which Donnie Yen gloats shirtless on the beach just because, well, he’s a perfect human specimen and that’s what he does. And yet I have watched “Flash Point” at least three times now. Why? Because it features some of the best and most hard-hitting action scenes of the past twelve years. Donnie Yen’s fight choreography is an exciting blend of MMA-style takedowns with traditional Chinese martial arts. The final bout between Donnie Yen and Collin Chou, which extends for over eight minutes long, is, simply put, a fight for the ages.

“Flash Point” is ostensibly a prequel to Donnie Yen and Wilson Yip’s 2005 collaboration “Kill Zone” (AKA “Sha Po Lang’); however, knowledge of that film is hardly a perquisite to enjoying or understanding “Flash Point’s” story. All you need to know is that is that Donnie Yen is a hard-boiled cop who will do whatever it takes to catch the bad guys. With “Kill Zone,” Donnie and Wilson managed to take the wrestling and submission techniques made popular by MMA events and incorporate those into traditional Hong Kong fight scenes. In “Flash Point,” they push this signature style to the next level. This is truly an action-thriller that has it all: blistering one-on-one combat, bloody gunplay, and even a brief chase scene with elements of parkour.

Unbeknownst to most fans, Wilson Yip is something like the Wong Kar-Wai of action movies. Donnie Yen revealed in an extensive English-language interview for “Flash Point” that Wilson likes to play his films ‘by ear’ – in other words, the script is not written in stone. Actors may arrive on the set and deviate from the screenplay, ‘riffing’ on what they want do in an action or dialogue scene. This creates some contention for Donnie, who is fond of the Hollywood way of filmmaking, and yet also seems to be one of the reasons why these two men work so well together. There’s no denying that the plot in “Flash Point” does not feel entirely thought out. Scenes seem to follow each other without a clear idea of what the story is about. Is Louis Koo the protagonist or is Donnie? The audience can’t really decide and neither, it seems, can the filmmakers.

As a result, the majority of the action in “Flash Point” – also known as the reason why most people are watching it – is crammed into the last thirty minutes. The third act is an orgy of violence, including a scene in which Donnie Yen wields a sniper rifle that’s almost as big as he is, that should satisfy any action junkie. However, getting to that point can be about as enthralling as a trip to the dentist. Louis Koo chain-smokes his way through the movie, occasionally waking up and realizing he’s supposed to act – to which he responds by yelling. Actress Fan Bing Bing, normally luminous, is photographed in an unflattering way in the rather thankless role of Koo’s love interest. Only the bad guys – played by Collin Chou, Xing Yu, and Ray Lui – seem to be having any fun with their parts, and it’s their colorful performances that help keep “Flash Point” entertaining during its more slow-paced moments.

Then again, once Donnie Yen and Collin Chou finally come face to face and get ready to throwdown…all your quibbles or criticisms of the film will fly out the window. What follows is one of the most bone-crunching, jaw-dropping, bloody-up-your-nose fight scenes in over a decade. Both Donnie and Collin put their all into this fight, and their stunt work and choreography has yet to be topped or even equaled in most of martial arts cinema. My hat is off to Donnie and his entire stunt crew, and to Wilson Yip for knowing how to expertly capture all the action onscreen. There’s no shakycam or quick cut editing here – camera work is fluid and, although you’ll notice the occasional stuntman stand-in on repeated viewings, everything looks painfully real.

Chances are the first “Ip Man” will remain the definitive collaboration for Donnie Yen and Wilson Yip. I’m willing to bet that “Ip Man” was also the first subtitled martial arts film that many casual American moviegoers had seen since “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.” If you have any friends or co-workers who were bowled over by “Ip Man” and are looking for their next Donnie Yen fix, “Flash Point” is the direction to point them in. As for die-hard action buffs and martial arts lifers like us, “Flash Point” deserves a place on our shelf. The good news is that Well Go USA’s new blu-ray looks and sounds great as well, warranting an upgrade even if you already have the Dragon Dynasty DVD. It may not be the most polished Hong Kong thriller out there but the Donnie Yen vs. Collin Chou battle alone certifies “Flash Point” as a must see for fight fans.

HKFanatic’s Rating: 7.5/10

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