Elite Squad: The Enemy Within Blu-ray & DVD (New Video Group)

Elite Squad: The Enemy Within Blu-ray & DVD (New Video Group)

Elite Squad: The Enemy Within Blu-ray & DVD (New Video Group)

RELEASE DATE: February 14, 2012

“A must-seea cross between The Departed, The Wire and The Godfather” – Slashfilm

From acclaimed director José Padilha (Bus 174) and the Academy Award®-nominated writer of City of God comes the highest-grossing film of all time in South America.

The sprawling slum that surrounds Rio de Janeiro is one of the most dangerous places on earth, so as the head of Rio s Special Police Operations Battalion, Captain Nascimento has seen his share of intense situations. When a mission to stop a jail riot ends in the violent death of a gang leader, Nascimento finds himself accused of a massacre…but the citizens of Rio, tired of the crime and drugs that plague their city, embrace him as a national hero. Instead of being fired he finds himself promoted. In his powerful new position, Nascimento brings the gangs that rule the slum to their knees, but quickly discovers that he s only made things even easier for the dirty cops and corrupt politicians that are truly running the game. Now, Nascimento must confront his true enemies, who are much more dangerous… and sitting just down the hall.

Check out the trailer.

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

The Last Temptation of Christ Blu-ray (Criterion)

The Last Temptation of Christ Blu-ray (Criterion)

The Last Temptation of Christ Blu-ray (Criterion)

RELEASE DATE: March 13, 2012

The Last Temptation of Christ, by Martin Scorsese, is a towering achievement. Though it initially engendered enormous controversy, the film can now be viewed as the remarkable, profoundly personal work of faith that it is. This fifteen-year labor of love, an adaptation of Nikos Kazantzakis’s landmark novel that imagines an alternate fate for Jesus Christ, features outstanding performances by Willem Dafoe, Barbara Hershey, Harvey Keitel, Harry Dean Stanton, and David Bowie; bold cinematography by the great Michael Ballhaus; and a transcendent score by Peter Gabriel.

Check out the trailer.

Features: Restored high-definition digital transfer, supervised and approved by cinematographer Michael Ballhaus and editor Thelma Schoonmaker, with a 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack by supervising sound editor Skip Lievsay; Audio commentary featuring director Martin Scorsese, actor Willem Dafoe, and writers Paul Schrader and Jay Cocks; Galleries of production stills, research materials, and costume designs; Location production footage shot by Scorsese; Interview with composer Peter Gabriel, with a stills gallery of traditional instruments used in the score; Plus An essay by film critic David Ehrenstein.

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

Crying Fist (2005) Review

"Crying Fist" Korean Theatrical Poster

“Crying Fist” Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Ryoo Seung-wan
Cast: Choi Min-Sik, Ryu Seung-Beom, Im Won-Hee, Cheon Ho-Jin, Seo Hye-Rin, Byeon Hee-Bong, Na Mun-Hee, Gi Ju-Bong, Kim Su-Hyeon, Lee Jun-Gu
Running Time: 134 min.

By Equinox21

The problem with most, if not virtually all, sports movies is that you can tell who is going to win the big “game” at the end. Not so with Ryu Seung-wan’s latest movie, Crying Fist. This is a movie focusing on two main characters who never meet until they face each other in the boxing ring at the end of the movie. Each is in the ring for his own reason, each a reason that makes you care, and yet you don’t know who will actually win. It’s like watching the lead up to a real boxing event.

Tae-sik (Choi Min-sik) is a down on his luck former silver medalist boxer. Just to make ends meet he takes to the streets to be a human punching bag for people wanting to relieve stress. It costs them 10,000 won for 2 or 3 minutes and can try to hit him as much and as hard as possible. All these beatings take their toll on his body, yet he has no real choice but to continue as he tries to make money to keep his family together, which is harder than it sounds.

Sang-wan (Ryu Seung-bum) takes up boxing after he’s sent to prison for beating a man who dies of a heart attack, while trying to rob him. It’s difficult on his family, but his father continually visits him and tries to let him know that people still care for him. While in prison he gets beat up and humiliated by another prison boxer, so he starts to focus himself to be the best he can be.

Along comes an opportunity for each of these boxers to prove themselves to their families and the world. They square off and one of them wins the competition. But, in the end, they really both win in their own way, by making their families happy. It’s a very fulfilling ending to a really great movie. However, it wasn’t perfect in the way it was made. I was confused for a good part of the movie, with the story jumping between the two parts of the story. No explanation was given as to why we were watching two completely distinct parts of a movie, and it wasn’t clear that it would all come together until about 75% of the way through the film. This is just a minor complaint, however, because the rest of the movie was really entertaining.

This was a great follow-up to the Ryu brothers’ previous movies, No Blood No Tears and Arahan. All three of these movies are completely different genres and it’s nice to see how varied these two can be in their filmmaking. I highly recommend Crying Fist for everyone.

By Equinox21’s Rating: 9/10

Posted in Korean, Reviews | Tagged , , |

Taxi Hunter (1993) Review

"Taxi Hunter" International Theatrical Poster

“Taxi Hunter” International Theatrical Poster

Director: Herman Yau
Cast: Anthony Wong, Yu Rong Guang, Fung Woo, Ng Man Tat, Athene Chu, Chan Fai Hung, Lam King Kong, Lam Chiu Wing, James Ha Chim Si
Running Time: 88 min.

By Numskull

Cabbies beware! Stop rigging those meters! Curb those sloppy driving habits! Don’t snap at those passengers and then expect a generous tip! There’s a new force in town to be reckoned with, and he’s got his eye on YOU! He is…the TAXI HUNTER!!!

This film follows the exploits of Kin (Anthony Wong), a spineless paper pusher who appoints himself judge, jury, and, if need be, executioner on Hong Kong cabbies after two of them cost his wife and unborn child their lives. He goes around “testing” cab drivers and killing or commending them accordingly. His brother in law, Yu Kai Chung (Yu Rong Guang), a cop, is forced to put a stop to his one-man war on negligent cabbies once he (Kin) reveals his identity by hospitalizing an undercover detective. But will he have to kill him to do so?

No doubt somebody out there will call this movie a rip off of the classic Taxi Driver. It’s really just a bit of a spin on the basic concept; the vigilante is now stalking cab drivers instead of being one himself. There are bits and pieces which were obviously inspired by Scorcese’s film (like Kin working out in his apartment) but this movie is more than just a parody or knock-off of Taxi Driver and should be treated as such.

Anthony Wong is the perfect choice to star as Kin. This man is an ACTOR, by God. “Mild-mannered nobody goes berserk” has been done before, but rarely this well. Between Wong’s rock-solid performance and Herman Yau’s confident direction, this film boasts considerably more entertainment value than its silly-ass premise would indicate. The ending kind of leaves you thinking: “What…that’s it?” but no big deal. This is the kind of movie you watch when you’re by yourself and want to tell the whole world to fuck off and take its stipulations for “good” movies with it, and is recommended for such instances.

One last note: supposedly, this film was made as a sort of backlash against an actual Hong Kong cabbies’ strike. Mercifully, though, it’s not just an hour and a half of pissy propaganda.

Numskull’s Rating: 7/10

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

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol | aka M:I-4 (2011) Review

"Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol" Japanese Theatrical Poster

“Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” Japanese Theatrical Poster

Director: Brad Bird
Cast: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Paula Patton, Michael Nyqvist, Vladimir Mashkov, Samuli Edelmann, Anil Kapoor, Josh Holloway, Léa Seydoux, Tom Wilkinson, Ving Rhames, Ivan Shvedoff, Pavel Kríz
Running Time: 132 min.

By HKFanatic

Defying age and box office results, Tom Cruise is back with another entry in his venerable “Mission: Impossible” series. Although the second installment threatened to turn the franchise into a Cruise vanity project, “M:I” has been able to differentiate itself from both James Bond and Jason Bourne during its last two films: these movies may feature a globe-trotting adventure right out of any 007 film but the emphasis here is on teamwork. Oh, and Tom Cruise doing crazy things from incredibly tall heights.

This time around, animation director Brad Bird (“Iron Giant,” “The Incredibles”) is at the helm and he makes a seamless transition to live action. Bird puts other so-called big time directors like Michael Bay to shame with his kinetic action photography: everything is expert staged and filmed with an eye for clarity. We feel every punch and witness every stunt as it happens. Bird displays a keen understanding of the IMAX format as well. If he decides to stay the course in this genre, I can easily see him rubbing shoulders with the likes of James Cameron and Christopher Nolan in the future. His instinct for action is just that good.

After John Woo’s sequel turned Tom Cruise into an invincible superman, J.J. Abrams went to great lengths to make Ethan Hunt human and relatable in Part 3. Hunt was aged into a retired field agent who was ready to tie the knot and settle down in an attempt to add some much-needed heart to the series. For better or worse, most of these elements are jettisoned in “Ghost Protocol.” The focus here is on the mission. What does that mean? Action, action, action.

And when the movie isn’t hurtling some over-the-top stunt or chase sequence at us, it grinds to a halt. The script reveals itself as a flimsy excuse to string set-pieces together. Before the film’s release, the media speculated that Paramount was grooming Jeremy Renner to take Tom Cruise’s place at the head of the series. Watch “Ghost Protocol” and you’ll wonder how such an idea was even suggested: Renner’s character just doesn’t make enough of an impression to carry a movie, let alone a franchise. It’s nothing against Renner, who remains one of the best actors of his generation (see: “The Hurt Locker” or “The Town”). He’s just saddled with poor dialogue and a character who lacks confidence.

The rest of the IMF team is ably filled out by Paula Patton as the resident girl who can give just as good as the men and Simon Pegg as the token comic relief. I love “Shaun of the Dead” as much as anyone but I’m growing a bit weary of Pegg’s shtick. Whether he’s in “Mission: Impossible” or “Star Trek,” he’s always playing the same chirpy character who defuses each tense situation with a quip or understated reaction. Frankly, “Ghost Protocol” lets him go a bit overboard. I would have rather have seen Josh Holloway (TV’s “Lost”) given an expanded role, as he truly impresses what what little screentime he’s allotted. Léa Seydoux makes a similarly strong impression in her brief role as a female assassin.

Fortunately, Abrams (who remains onboard as producer) was able to retain the services of composer Michael Giacchino (“The Incredibles,” “Super 8”) who delivers an exciting up-tempo score that incorporates the classic “Mission: Impossible” theme at just the right moments. Once again, Giacchino has knocked it out of the park. From the opening zoom in to a rooftop in Budapest set to Giacchino’s fast moving strings, the music accentuates every setpiece and action-packed moment.

Besides an emotional pulse, Abrams also gave the series its first truly great villain with Phillip Seymour Hoffman in the third installment. Unfortunately, that’s another area where this film falters. Michael Nyqvist (the Swedish “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo”) just doesn’t have the athleticism required for this film. The scenes in which he out-runs or physically dominates Tom Cruise defy belief. The script really calls for a more able-bodied actor in the role, someone like Clive Owen who could match Cruise on a hand-to-hand level. Nyqvist doesn’t have that kind of action prowess and the screenwriters don’t allow him to be truly evil or diabolical to make up for it. He’s merely tight-lipped and insane.

Granted, most movie-goers who put down the money for a ticket to see “Mission: Impossible” probably aren’t too worried about script issues. Based solely on spectacle, “Ghost Protocol” more than delivers an entertaining night out at the movies. Over the course of its two hour runtime, we’re treated to more fight scenes than some martial arts movies manage to deliver – though the fights may be brief, they’re very brutal and well choreographed – and countless death-defying stunts.

The sequences shot in IMAX truly pop with an extra layer of crisp detail and a breath-taking sense of scope, particularly when Tom Cruise is climbing the world’s tallest building in Dubai or out-running a sandstorm. Someday some director is going to shoot an entire movie in IMAX, despite the unwieldy and noisy cameras, and it will be glorious. I can’t wait to see where Brad Bird goes next with his career but I’m personally hoping he stays within the action genre. He’s just too good at playing in this sandbox.

Although the script fails to deliver any kind of personal attachment to the characters or a credible villain, “Ghost Protocol” is about on par with previous installments in the “Mission: Impossible” series thanks to Brad Bird’s fantastic action photography and some brilliantly thought-out stunts. Let’s face it, this fall and winter season has been rather barren when it comes to blockbuster-sized spectacle. If you’re craving a summer movie in the dead of winter, “Ghost Protocol” fits the bill. It’s also definitely worth seeing in IMAX if you have the opportunity. I have to admit, as I walked out of the theater I was eager to see Tom Cruise continue to slow down his aging process via sheer willpower and deliver another spy thriller somewhere down the road.

HKFanatic’s Rating: 7/10

Posted in Other Movies, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , |

Sion Sono’s Asian horror masterpiece ‘Cold Fish’ arrives on Netflix Instant

Cold Fish DVD (Salient)

Cold Fish DVD (Salient)

From Sion Sono, the acclaimed director of Suicide Club, comes a new vision of Asian horror. Cold Fish is a dark, disturbing, and strangely humorous look at one dysfunctional Japanese family and the lengths they will go to in order to make their tropical fish shop successful. The film is now streaming on Netflix Instant in HD and comes highly recommended from City on Fire. Check out our review here, then queue up the movie!

Posted in News |

Reindeer Games Director’s Cut Blu-ray (Lionsgate)

Reindeer Games Blu-ray (Lionsgate)

Reindeer Games Blu-ray (Lionsgate)

RELASE DATE: March 6, 2012

Not sure why everyone knocks this film, but I personally love John Frankenheimer’s Reindeer Games! Upon release from prison, Rudy (Ben Affleck) poses as his old cell mate Nick in order to meet Nick’s sexy pen pal Ashley (Charlize Theron). But things heat up for Rudy when he’s forced into an armed robbery plot being hatched by Ashley’s evil brother (Sinise)! Check out the trailer.

Posted in News |

‘Corman’s World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel’ in selected theaters December 16th

"Corman's World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel" Theatrical Poster

"Corman's World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel" Theatrical Poster

Corman’s World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel is a tribute to Roger Corman, Hollywood’s most prolific writer-director producer, and seminal influencing force in modern moviemaking over the last 60 years.

Featuring interviews with Hollywood icons and cinematic luminaries, some who launched their careers within Corman’s unforgettable world of filmmaking, including Paul W.S. Anderson, Peter Bogdanovich, Robert De Niro, Peter Fonda, Pam Grier, Ron Howard, Eli Roth, Martin Scorsese, William Shatner and Jack Nicholson, along with many others, this documentary chronicles how Corman created his cult film empire, one low-budget success at a time, capitalizing on undiscovered talent, and pushing the boundaries of independent filmmaking. Check out the trailer.

Update: AICN interviewed Corman.

Update 2: Blu-ray & DVD release date for March 27th.

Posted in News |

Drive Blu-ray & DVD (Columbia/Tri-Star)

Drive Blu-ray & DVD (Columbia/Tri-Star)

Drive Blu-ray & DVD (Columbia/Tri-Star)

RELEASE DATE: January 31, 2012

A Hollywood stunt performer who moonlights as a wheelman discovers that a contract has been put on him after a heist gone wrong. Drive is directed by Nicolas Winding Refn (Bronson) and stars Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston and Albert Brooks. Drive has been praised by critics and moviegoers alike; it even took home the prestigious Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Director. Check out the trailer.

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

Forest Warrior Blu-ray (Brainy Baby)

Forest Warrior Blu-ray (Brainy Baby)

Forest Warrior Blu-ray (Brainy Baby)

RELEASE DATE: March 6, 2012

A group of kids, who call themselves the Lords of Tanglewood, have built a clubhouse high on Tanglewood Mountain. Suddenly, their tranquil paradise is shattered when greedy businessmen threaten to destroy their mountain – thankfully, the guidance of a mysterious tough guy named John McKenna (Chuck Norris) lends them a hand! Check out the trailer. This is some hardcore shit!

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

Lost World, The: Jurassic Park (1997) Review

"The Lost World: Jurassic Park" American Theatrical Poster

"The Lost World: Jurassic Park" American Theatrical Poster

Director: Steven Spielberg
Writer: David Koepp
Producer: Kathleen Kennedy, Gerald R. Molen, Colin Wilson
Cast: Jeff Goldblum, Julianne Moore, Vanessa Lee Chester, Pete Postlethwaite, Arliss Howard
Running Time: 129 min.

By HKFanatic

When we’re first introduced to Jeff Goldblum’s character in “The Lost World: Jurassic Park,” he’s yawning in front of a fake painted backdrop. Clearly something is amiss: if the acclaimed thespian can’t even muster any excitement for this “Jurassic Park” sequel, how can we, the audience? And, in truth, Goldblum spends the rest of the movie appearing quite bored in front of a lot of computer-generated scenery.

Rewatching “The Lost World” on blu-ray was a real eye-opener. Although the film was a favorite as a child (I saw it at least twice in theaters), I found that time has not been kind to this picture. In many ways, “Lost World” is just as abysmal as Spielberg’s much-maligned Indiana Jones sequel “The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,” though it doesn’t catch nearly as much flak from fans. Probably because this “Jurassic Park” sequel arrived just a few years after the original while Indy had twenty years of fan expectation riding on it.

Either way, “Lost World” is a stinker that finds Spielberg making the same mistakes he did with “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom”: the sequel trades in a darker aesthetic than the first but the humor is played much broader, granting the film an uneven tone. So while the overall look of the “The Lost World” is pitch black and rain-soaked, the foreboding atmosphere is ruined by cringe-worthy jokes and the sight of a child actress using gymnastics against a velociraptor.

Early in the film, John Hammond informs us that there is another island full of dinosaurs besides the one visited in “Jurassic Park,” this one named Site B. The filmmakers clearly don’t want us to to think about the logistics of such a thing since we’re whisked away to dinosaur territory much faster than in the original film, which actually took its time with characterization and plot development. The emphasis here is on action at the expense of nearly everything else. It’s just too bad that the entire production feels like Spielberg is merely going through the motions, with a dour color palette and uninspired location shooting. The background shots full of Redwood trees and other forestation straight out of the Pacific Northwest fail to sells us on the fact that this is supposed to be a tropical island off the coast of Costa Rica.

After a dreadfully slow first act, “The Lost World” receives a much needed shot in the arm from the emergence of the “evil” InGen Corporation. While Jeff Goldblum is trying to rescue his girlfriend (Julianne Moore) and some other researchers off Site B, Hammond’s smarmy nephew has assembled a team of ace hunters and dino experts to capture a few live specimens and return them to San Diego to open a new Jurassic Park in the city. InGen has been bleeding money due to lawsuits and the failure of the original park, so if they don’t pull this off the company will likely go under. Thus begins the most impressive sequence in the film as a fleet of helicopters carrying Humvee and other equipment soar over the island and then land to start rounding up dinosaurs as if they were nothing more than a pack of stray dogs. Some guy even has the balls to ride a motorcycle underneath a moving brontosaurus!

If the entire film had been about the InGen hunters, chances are “The Lost World” could have actually been pretty bad-ass. At the head of their team is the late, great Pete Postlethwaite, playing the kind of big game hunter who has seen and done it all; capturing a T-Rex dead or alive represents his one last shot at glory. His character is about the only interesting human being in the entire film and the script gives him all the best lines. Postlethwaite delivers a scene-stealing performance – I’m sure most people, even if they hate the film, remember his great quote: “Let’s get this moveable feast underway!”

Spielberg paints the InGen hunters as the bad guys but, really, there’s not much you can hold against them. They’re smart, professional, and they manage to round up most of the dinosaurs without hurting the animals or themselves. It’s only when our “heroes” Julianne Moore and Vince Vaughn intervene and free the dinosaurs from their cages that it all goes to hell. Dinosaurs get loose, people die, all of InGen’s equipment is destroyed, and now two angry T-Rex parents have their scent. Suddenly everyone, Goldlbum and InGen alike, is stranded on the island and with no way to contact the outside world. Wait a minute, remind me why Goldblum and company are the good guys again? Due to their terrorist action – or to be kinder, sabotage – everyone’s lives are in danger for the rest of the film. If they had left InGen to their own devices, chances are things would have worked out fine. InGen was only planning on bringing herbivore dinosaurs back to San Diego anyway!

As it turns out, Spielberg made the mistake of deleting two exposition-heavy but crucial scenes, now available on the blu-ray. These sequences were mostly likely cut to speed up the already slow first act but they go a long way in giving the audience an actual reason to care about the story and characters – something that’s missing from rest of the film. In one scene, we see Hammond’s nephew presiding over a meeting with InGen shareholders: in a cold, unsympathetic manner he details how InGen is bleeding money, his uncle is out of touch with reality, and how the company has the means to profit off Hammond’s work by raiding Site B for dinosaurs. He speaks with the kind of callous, manner-of-fact disregard for human life and ecological cost that has become synonymous with corporate greed in the wake of oil spills, bailouts, and other Recession-era problems. In other words, his speech gives you a reason to distrust InGen and root against them. Now why the hell wasn’t that in the movie?

The other deleted scene develops Pete Postlethwaite’s character and his friendship with the Indian hunter, Ajay. This scene is rather crucial because without it we have no sense why Postlethwaite is so distraught at Ajay’s fate in the film. The only issue with this scene is that it devolves into some facepalm-inducing physical comedy, including a gag where a drunken tourist has his balls smashed against an umbrella stand. This scene is so embarrassing and out of place with the rest of the film, it’s a wonder that Spielberg even filmed it. I suppose it’s a prelude to Shia LeBeouf’s vine-swinging antics in “Crystal Skull.” Still, “The Lost World” is in dire need of character development so some portion of this scene would have benefited the movie. Visually, it’s also rather similar to the scene in the first film when Dodson meets with Nadry in the cafe, giving a nice cyclical quality to the series.

As for the blu-ray itself, the picture quality sadly underwhelms. I could tell from the opening menu, which features a short clip of Site B coming into view, that the image would not be as vibrant or detailed as the first “Jurassic Park.” I suspect a large part of this has to do with the film itself. “The Lost World” is a dark, overcast, rainy kind of picture – not exactly the type of film that lends itself to a vibrant blu-ray transfer. Although “The Lost World” looks acceptable for a catalog title, this is not a disc you’ll be showing off to friends and neighbors; nor is it a blu-ray that will make you feel like you’re seeing an old film with new eyes like the first “Jurassic Park.”

If there’s an upside to “The Lost World,” it’s that special effects technology seemed to improve greatly in the four years since “Jurassic Park.” The dinosaurs are rendered with a lot more detail and the CG is generally stronger than in the first film, something that does come through on the blu-ray. Models are employed sparingly this time around but that’s mostly due to the fact that the action scenes in this movie call for many dinos to be in the same frame together while moving at high speeds.

The climax of the film is the now-lambasted sequence of a T-Rex stomping through downtown San Diego, considered the moment when the series jumped the shark. In my opinion, this is one of the only fun parts of the entire movie. It’s a guilty pleasure to watch clueless Californians reverse their cars through traffic at the sight of a T-Rex and the big dino slamming a bus through a video store window (look for a movie poster featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger as King Lear).

Although I am rather harsh in my estimation of this film, I have to admit that are several brilliant moments parsed throughout “The Lost World”: InGen’s initial round-up of the dinosaurs, the velociraptors stalking their prey through the tall grass at night, and the aforementioned T-Rex rampage in San Diego. Overall, the film is not without its charms, given the all out dinosaur action – why have one T-Rex when you can have two? – but a blu-ray purchase would be strictly for fans and apologists. This is an anti-capitalist film so poorly written that even in the age of Occupy Wall Street you’ll be rooting for the corporate shill “bad guys.”

The first “Jurassic Park” remains the epitome of a perfectly crafted summer blockbuster. Like the lab-grown dinosaurs of the series, each successive film has been a failed clone of the original.

HKFanatic’s rating: 5/10

Posted in Other Movies, Reviews | Tagged , , |

Blu-Ray and DVD Releases for 12/13/11

Ip Man: Legend is Born Blu-ray & DVD (Funimation)

Ip Man: Legend is Born Blu-ray & DVD (Funimation)

This week is jam-packed with releases leading up to the holidays so let’s get cracking. Here are your Asian and genre movie blu-ray and DVD releases for the week of 12/13/11:

ASIAN CINEMA

The Legend is Born – Ip Man (blu-ray/DVD) – this 2010 martial arts film, sometimes erroneously marketed as a prequel to Donnie Yen’s “Ip Man” series, isn’t the lazy cash-in you might expect. It’s actually pretty good! Check out our reviews

Detective Dee & the Mystery of the Phantom Flame (blu-ray/DVD) – uber-director Tsui Hark teams up with Andy Lau for this 2010 Sherlock Holmes-esque mystery with a dash of martial arts

Champions (DVD) – Lionsgate releases this 2008 martial arts film about Wushu martial artists striving to compete in the Olympics

Tokyo Drifter (blu-ray/DVD) – the Criterion Collection presents Seijun Suzuki’s eyepopping 1966 Yakuza thriller, now on blu-ray

Branded to Kill (blu-ray/DVD) – the Criterion Collection is also releasing Seijun Suzuki’s 1967 hitman thriller, now in hi-def

A Beautiful Life (DVD) – Shu Qi (“The Transporter,” “So Close”) stars in this 2011 Chinese-language romantic melodrama from director Andrew Lau (“Infernal Affairs”)

If You Are the One: Love & Marriage (DVD) – get a double dose of romance and Shu Qi as she appears in this 2010 romantic comedy

FOREIGN CINEMA

City of God (blu-ray) – the acclaimed 2002 Portuguese-language crime thriller, based on a true story, now in hi-def

Circumstance (DVD) – a 2011 film about the underground world of Iranian youth, a subculture filled with sex, drugs, and rebellion

CULT

The Rocketeer: 20th Anniversary Edition (blu-ray) – children of the 90’s, rejoice! Disney’s 1991 classic superhero film is on blu-ray for the first time

Velvet Goldmine (blu-ray) – Todd Haynes’ 1998 ode to glam rock stars Johnathan Rhys Meyers, Ewan McGregor, and Christian Bale. Now on blu!

Heavenly Creatures (blu-ray) – Peter Jackson’s 1994 chilling drama starring Kate Winslet, now on blu-ray

Sherlock Holmes: Kino Classics (blu-ray) – Kino presents the 1922 Sherlock Holmes film starring John Barrymore, now on blu-ray

Def-Con 4/Hell Comes to Frogtown: Double Feature (DVD) – you get a 1988 sci-fi chiller and “Rowdy” Roddy Pipper battling evil frogs in one double feature. What’s not to love?

99 and 44/100% Dead/The Nickel Ride: Double Feature (DVD) – two cult classic mid-70’s action flicks, one directed by John Frankenheimer, on one DVD

MAINSTREAM

The Expendables (Extended Director’s Cut) (blu-ray) – just in time to get us amped up for the sequel, check out Sly’s director’s cut of his 2011 film with 11 minutes of additional footage

Rise of the Planet of the Apes (blu-ray/DVD) – arguably the best blockbuster of summer ’11, now on home formats

Transformers Trilogy (blu-ray/DVD) – trilogy or travesty, you can pick up all three of Michael Bay’s “Transformers” films in one blu-ray or DVD set

HORROR

Fright Night (blu-ray/DVD) – the failed 2011 remake of the 80’s cult classic is now on home formats

Intruder – Director’s Cut (blu-ray + DVD combo) – Synapse Films presents the unrated director’s cut of this 1989 cult horror film set in a grocery store, featuring an appearance from Bruce Campbell

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 |

King of Triads DVD aka Bad Blood, Mie Men, Mit Moon (Lionsgate)

King of Triads DVD aka Bad Blood, Mie Men, Mit Moon (Lionsgate)

King of Triads DVD aka Bad Blood, Mie Men, Mit Moon (Lionsgate)

RELEASE DATE: February 28, 2012

As is tradition in the Hong Kong underworld, after the execution of a crime organization’s leader, a new boss is called. But after the new man in charge begins extorting the former crime head’s children for money to pay off debts, the family will stop at nothing to seek redemption and seize control of the triad. King of Triads (aka Bad Blood or Mie Men, Mit Moon) is directed by Dennis Law and stars Simon Yam, Andy On, Bernice Liu Bik Yi, Ken Lo and Michael Chan Wai Man.

Read cityonfire.com’s review. Check out the trailer.

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

New streaming website dedicated to Japanese movies: ‘Japan Flix’

In the mood for Japanese movies or are you in the mood to make some money on sports using betwinnereg.com/registration/?

This past July, a new video streaming website dedicated to Japanese movies and television called Japan Flix was launched. Japan Flix allows you to watch Japanese content immediately without leaving your home or waiting for a DVD to arrive in the mail. The catalog includes never-before-seen Japanese movies, anime, subculture, Pink Eiga and more! Recently, Japan Flix partnered up with Well Go USA, one of America’s biggest Asian Cinema distributors.

Japan Flix was started for the love Japanese culture and Japanese film. With their service, Japan Flix hopes to make it easier for Japanese film aficionados to find and watch Japanese movies and to encourage more companies to bring their movies outside of Japan.

For more information about Japan Flix, please visit their website.

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Man from Nowhere, The (2010) Review

"The Man from Nowhere" International Theatrical Poster

“The Man from Nowhere” International Theatrical Poster

AKA: Ajeossi
Director: Lee Jeong-beom
Writer: Lee Jeong-beom
Cast: Won Bin, Kim Sae-ron, Kim Tae-hoon, Kim Hee-won, Kim Sung-oh, Thanayong Wongtrakul
Running Time: 119 min.

By HKFanatic

“The Man From Nowhere” is probably the best blind buy I’ve ever made. I decided to pick it up during release week based on the little positive word-of-mouth I’d read online. I figured: hey, it’s a new gritty Korean revenge movie, it has to be good. Little did I know that “Nowhere” would go on to become one of my favorite films of all time. This is an immaculately crafted thriller with amazing performances, crisp cinematography, and fight choreography that genuinely hurts. For action buffs and thriller fans – or anybody simply craving an amazing cinematic knife fight – it doesn’t get much better than “The Man From Nowhere.”

The plot of the film could perhaps be described as a cross between a “Bourne” movie and Luc Besson’s “Leon/The Professional.” Won Bin plays an ex-spy with a tragic past now living alone in an apartment building. Although he has closed himself off from other people, he slowly forms a bond with the little girl who lives next door. She has plenty of time to spend with Bin as her mother is a neglectful drug addict who dances at a nightclub. Eventually, the child (Sae-Ron Jim) is kidnapped due to her mother’s shady dealings.

Little do her kidnappers know, they have literally signed their own death warrants: the bad-ass Won Bin will move heaven and earth to rescue his young friend. Half of the pleasure of the film is the way it executes this simple premise while fleshing it out with detailed subplots: the police trying to solve the case act as supporting characters, as does an older gangster looking to make inroads with the Chinese mafia. The practice of using small children as drug mules is a major theme too, while Won Bin’s mysterious past is slowly revealed through heart-wrenching flashbacks.

Anyone following Won Bin’s career knows that the model/actor has always showed promise but given that his previous role was in 2009’s “Mother,” where he played a slow-witted mama’s boy charged with murder, it would have been difficult to predict just how compelling he is as a bonafied action star in “Nowhere.” Talk about a complete 180. Won Bin’s performance here is compelling and completely in control; he ably handles himself during intense fight scenes and his lean frame looks great in well-cut black suits. Whether he’s playing the soft-spoken neighbor with bangs in his eyes or, later after he shaves his head, the unrelenting warrior out for revenge, he is a revelation in this film.

Special mention must be made of Sae-Ron Jim, who delivers an authentic-feeling turn as Bin’s tiny neighbor. Let’s face it, if Sae-Ron Jim didn’t come across as adorable and worth fighting for, we wouldn’t care about Won Bin killing people for two hours to try and rescue her. Fortunately, she’s a natural when it comes to acting and she very quickly garners the audience’s sympathy, especially when she tearfully tells Won Bin that he’s the only person in her life that she actually likes. Yeah, you better believe that anybody who tries to harm this kid is gonna have several arteries opened up by Won Bin’s deadly blade.

It’s amazing to think that director Jeong-beom Lee only has one other film to his credit, “Cruel Winter Blues,” which came out in 2006 and is not widely available in America. I wouldn’t be surprised if Hollywood studios were camped outside his door with bags of money but here’s hoping he continues to help the cinematic industry of his home country flourish with more great films like “The Man From Nowhere.” Expect an American remake of this movie any day now too, though it will be difficult to find a 20-something Hollywood actor with as much screen presence and sheer physicality as Won Bin. Sure, “Nowhere” itself owes more than a little to Hollywood fare – the close quarters fighting is filmed in a style highly reminiscent of the latter two Bourne films – but, frankly, this movie does its source material one better. If you thought “Taken” was the height of action-packed revenge movies, just wait till you meet “The Man From Nowhere.”

HKFanatic’s Rating: 10/10

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