Virgin Witch: Remastered Blu-ray & DVD (Redemption)

Posted on December 27, 2011 by JJ Bona
Virgin Witch: Remastered Blu-ray & DVD (Redemption)

Virgin Witch: Remastered Blu-ray & DVD (Redemption)

RELEASE DATE: March 13, 2012

British sirens Ann Michelle (House of Whipcord) and Vicki Michelle (‘Allo ‘Allo) star in this 1972 cult-classic! Christine gets her big chance at modelling when she applies at Sybil Waite’s agency. Together with Christine’s sister Betty, they go to a castle for the weekend for a photo shoot. Sybil has lured Christine to the castle for more than modelling: she’s recruiting a virgin for induction into a witches’ coven led by the owner of the castle, Gerald. To their surprise, Christine is more than eager to join the coven but begins her own secret battle for control! Check out the trailer!

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

Blu-Ray and DVD Releases for 12/27/11

Posted on December 27, 2011 by Z Ravas
City Under Siege Blu-ray & DVD (Funimation)

City Under Siege Blu-ray & DVD (Funimation)

The last week of 2011 is indeed a slow one. But if you’re a horror buff, take heart as there seems to be a surplus of scary flicks this Tuesday. Here are your Asian and genre movie blu-ray and DVD releases for the week of 12/27/11:

ASIAN CINEMA

City Under Siege (Blu-ray + DVD combo) – director Benny Chan’s special effects-laden 2010 film stars Aaron Kwok, Shu Qi, and a whole lot of angry mutants

Fish Story (DVD) – can an obscure Japanese punk rock song prevent the apocalypse? Find out in this critically-acclaimed 2009 Japanese film, also streaming on Netflix Instant

Killer Bride’s Perfect Crime (DVD) – this 2009 “bride on the run” tale from Japan adds murder to the usual formula

FOREIGN CINEMA

Love Crime (DVD) – Kristin Scott Thomas stars in this 2011 French language film about two corporate women engaged in a power battle

Tuesday, After Christmas (DVD) – a 2011 Romanian language film about a man who is forced to choose between his wife and his mistress

Brighton Rock (DVD) – Sam Riley and Helen Mirren headline this 2011 British film that adapts Graham Greene’s famous novel to the big screen

MAINSTREAM

In the Name of the King 2: Two Worlds (blu-ray/DVD) – this time around, Dolph Lundgren headlines Uwe Boll’s latest questionable direct-to-video endeavor with this 2011 fantasy film

Inside Out (blu-ray/DVD) – this 2011 direct-to-video effort stars Triple H as a reformed convict alongside Michael Rapaport, Parker Posey, and Bruce Dern. Gee, one of those names is not like the other

CULT

Sid & Nancy (blu-ray) – this classic 1986 film about punk love gone wrong stars Gary Oldman and is arriving in hi-def this week

HORROR

Final Destination 5 (blu-ray/DVD) – this 2011 entry in the venerable horror franchise arguably got the series back on track. If you enjoy clueless young people dying in the most gruesome and elaborate ways, you can’t go wrong here

Apollo 18 (blu-ray/DVD) – another one of those “found footage” horror films, this 2011 flick has the added novelty of being set in space, where no one can hear you…well, you know

Hostel: Part III (blu-ray/DVD) – since “Cabin Fever” got a direct-to-video sequel, I suppose “Hostel” deserves one too, although this 2011 entry is from director Steven Spiegel, a genuinely respected name in horror

Chop (DVD) – billed as a “horror comedy,” this 2010 film is being released by Bloody Disgusting Selects, who are usually right on with their releases. They’re the ones who put out “Cold Fish” over here, after all

Tunnel Movie (DVD) – this 2011 Aussie movie appears to be another “found footage”-style film, this time set in the subway tunnels of Sydney, where a strange creature lurks

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 |

‘Helldriver’ brings Japanese splatterpunk to Netflix Instant

Posted on December 24, 2011 by Z Ravas
Helldriver Blu-ray/DVD (Well Go USA)

Helldriver Blu-ray/DVD (Well Go USA)

If you enjoy Sushi Typhoon’s particular brand of gonzo Japanese cinema – think Machine Gun Girl and Tokyo Gore Police – then you’ll probably find something to enjoy in their latest splatterpunk epic, Helldriver. It’s a roadtrip movie set in a near-future Japan overrun by flesh-eating zombies. The good news is that it’s now streaming on Netflix Instant in HD. See the movie that Twitch Film says “blows all boundaries of decency, good taste and proper film making”!

Posted in News |

Dream of a Warrior (2001) Review

Posted on December 24, 2011 by JJ Hatfield
"Dream of a Warrior" Korean Theatrical Poster

"Dream of a Warrior" Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Park Hee-Joon
Producer: Kim Hyung-Joon
Cast: Leon Lai Ming, Lee Na-Young, Park Eun-Hye, Yoon Tae-Young, Kim Ji-Moo
Running Time: 84 min.

By JJ Hatfield

A tale of romance and time travel begins with action in a futuristic? form of Korea. Having a question mark in the first sentence should serve as a warning to the reader – there are many questionable aspects of this movie.

This film is billed as a Hong Kong – South Korean collaboration apparently due to Leon Lai speaking odd sounding Korean, if it really is Leon speaking. Lai plays a police officer who is good at martial arts and who has also been having strange dreams about a woman who seems somewhat familiar. He is assigned an extremely bizarre and dangerous mission that involves what is referred to as time travel and past lives however it might be more accurate to describe it as a parallel existence universe. Actually there isn’t much that is accurate about this movie. I’m not sure who created the subtitles but I don’t think they spoke Korean nor did they understand the plot. Not understanding the plot can be forgiven. I have to admit I cannot honestly say that I understood plot. Even if you speak Korean that really doesn’t help considering there isn’t much talking going on by any character.

Park Hee – Joon directed this muddled mess which is unfortunately nearly as bad as his 2008 Mandate: Mission From The Gods (Maen-de-i-teu: Sin-i-Joo-sin Im-moo). As far as a coherent plot is concerned it may actually be worse. Which brings us back to Lai’s task. A brilliant? scientist named Jang has created a time travel device which he used to send his young daughter Nam-hong to a past life/parallel world/someplace else. Unfortunately she seems to have gotten stuck in this other place where she is known as Rose (Park Eun-hye). Jang decides that Lai, Dean in the other place world would be the perfect guy to rescue his daughter. I was unable to fathom why Jang would make that decision unless he knew about Lai’s dreams however that was not included in the script apparently. In order For Dean to save Jang’s daughter he must first re-experience his time with Rose? Not only is it necessary to re-live this parallel other something love life with Rose before he can save Nam-hong this medieval-science fiction-futuristic otherworldish um, stuff takes up 90% of the movie. And that is a lot considering this flick clocked in At 90 minutes. However the Internet Movie Database website lists Dream of A Warrior with a runtime of one hundred minutes. What happened to the rest of that time? Who knows. Perhaps it went to that parallel universe. Or to be more correct at least according to the subtitles to the city of Dilmoon. I don’t know quite what the movie was going for with this city, but the result was something akin to a nuclear plant meltdown with backdrop mattes of pseudo-Star Wars.

Although the movie tagline is something about “fighting for love” the swirly love part takes up the majority of the screen time. The fights are few and far between and they are simply not special. Weapons include swords and guns that sort of come out of nowhere. The costumes are a schizophrenic mix of King Arthur-ish Camelot and wannabe S&M leather attire. This isn’t however a movie that reaches to bridge opposites, it simply doesn’t know what it wants to be.

Dean is a man of expression. Exactly one expression which he wears throughout the entire film. While this seems consistent with the movie it is odd for Leon Lai. Although perhaps more well known for his long career as a top Hong Kong pop singer Lai has been in a number of movies including Seven Swords, Infernal Affairs 3, and a Golden Horse award winning performance in Three. Having viewed many of his films I can only assume Dream of a Warrior rendered him as unenthusiastic as the audience. The character of Rose is even less interesting. If you do watch the film keep your eyes on Sho Sho (Lee Na-yeong) a leather clad warrior who fights for Dean. Sho Sho is by far the most interesting character in the entire movie who unfortunately doesn’t last through the entire movie. Far too lame to be considered a nightmare this movie is like many dreams that leaves only a dim recollection of confusing images.

JJ Hatfield’s Rating: 2/10

By Equinox21

Ouch. Ok, having just now sat down to write this review some 5 months after watching the movie, it is still no less painful to think about. So as not to lose my dinner, I will keep this short. The movie seemed to have elements of some of sci-fi’s least respected movies, such as Dune (which I personally enjoyed, however I hear that it’s not very widely enjoyed), Highlander TWO (yes, that abysmal piece of work seems to have been part of the inspiration for DoaW), and time travel (any time travel film you’ve seen). To put it mildly, this is by far the WORST Asian film I’ve ever had the misfortune to lay my eyes on. I’d really like my hour and a half back.

Leon Lai, what the hell were you thinking? His acting was stiff and uninspired (perhaps he realized the movie was going to be horrendous from the get go and never gave much effort, at least that wouldn’t surprise me). I don’t remember the character’s name, but the actress on the cover of the DVD has only a BIT part in the movie (so what is she doing on the cover? She either slept with the producer or she’s famous, I don’t know which).

Anyway, avoid this waste of time, money and sanity at all costs. You’ll be better off for it.

Equinox21’s Rating: 1/10

Posted in Chinese, Korean, Reviews | Tagged , |

Monster Brawl Blu-ray & DVD (Image)

Posted on December 21, 2011 by JJ Bona
Monster Brawl Blu-ray & DVD (Image)

Monster Brawl Blu-ray & DVD (Image)

RELEASE DATE: March 27, 2012

Eight classic monsters (Cyclops, Swamp Gut, Frankenstein, Lady Vampire, Werewolf, Mummy, Witch Bitch and Zombie Man) fight to the death in an explosive, bloody wrestling tournament set inside an abandoned and cursed graveyard. Starring Dave Foley (A Bug’s Life), Art Hindle, Robert Maillet (300), WWE’s Kevin Nash, Lance Henriksen (The Terminator), WWE’s Jimmy Hart, MMA star Herb Dean and many others! Check out the trailer.

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

Confucius Blu-ray & DVD (Funimation)

Posted on December 21, 2011 by JJ Bona
Confucius Blu-ray & DVD (Funimation)

Confucius Blu-ray & DVD (Funimation)

RELEASE DATE: March 27, 2012

Confucius is written, produced and directed by Hu Mei (On The Other Side Of The Bridge) and stars Chow Yun-fat (The Corruptor) as the titular Chinese philosopher. The film also stars Zhou Xun (True Legend), Chen Jianbin (Driverless), Ren Quan (Panda Express), Lu Yi (Stool Pigeon) and Yao Lu (Detective Dee). If you think this bio pic will be nothing but a bunch of philosophical mumbo jumbo, think again; the film is said to have a more action-oriented take on the man. Check out the trailer here.

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

Thou Shalt Not Kill… Except aka Stryker’s War Blu-ray & DVD (Synapse)

Posted on December 20, 2011 by JJ Bona
Thou Shalt Not Kill... Except aka Stryker's War Blu-ray & DVD (Synapse)

Thou Shalt Not Kill... Except aka Stryker's War Blu-ray & DVD (Synapse)

RELEASE DATE: March 13, 2012

Synapse Films presents 1985’s Thou Shalt Not Kill… Except in a new 2K high-definition transfer. Directed by Josh Becker, this “must-see” (Detroit Free Press) cult classic features many of the people responsible for The Evil Dead, including co-writer Bruce Campbell, writer/producer Scott Spiegel and actor Ted Raimi.

Vietnam. War is Hell. For Sergeant Jack Stryker, however, Hell is just the beginning. Trapped outside a Viet Cong village, Stryker takes two bullets to the leg. Sent home from the war, he discovers his ex-girlfriend has been kidnapped by a cult with a Manson-like leader (played by Spider-man trilogy director, Sam Raimi). Stryker teams up with some marine friends and gets back into action!

Check out the trailer.

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

Boys on the Run DVD (1-2-3-4 GO)

Posted on December 20, 2011 by JJ Bona
Boys on the Run DVD (1-2-3-4 GO)

Boys on the Run DVD (1-2-3-4 GO)

RELEASE DATE: February 28, 2012

Based on a comic book by Kengo Hanazawa, Boys on the Run is about Tanishi (Kanzunobu Mineta), a socially awkward 29-year old virgin who refills vending machines for a living. But things change when he meets Chiharu, a pretty co-worker who (gulp) might actually be into him. Unfortunately, he has competition for Chiharu’s affection from a handsome rival vending machine salesman! Check out the trailer.

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

Detective Dee & the Mystery of the Phantom Flame (2010) Review

Posted on December 20, 2011 by Z Ravas
"Detective Dee & the Mystery of the Phantom Flame" Chinese Theatrical Poster

“Detective Dee & the Mystery of the Phantom Flame” Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Tsui Hark
Cast: Andy Lau Tak Wah, Tony Leung Ka Fai, Carina Lau Kar Ling, Li Bing Bing, Deng Chao, Richard Ng Yiu Hon, Du Yiheng, Yao Lu, Teddy Robin Kwan
Running Time: 123 min.

By HKFanatic

As a longtime Tsui Hark fan, it’s great to see the master director return with a film that’s easier for audiences to latch on to. “Detective Dee & the Mystery of the Phantom Flame” has been billed as ‘Sherlock Holmes with martial arts,’ the kind of hook that your average Western viewer can wrap their head around and one that looks good slapped on the cover of a DVD.

This is a movie that travels better than, say, Hark’s failed multi-part epic “Seven Swords.” And “Dee” has managed to carve out a decently-sized fanbase online: check out IMDB and you’ll see that this movie routinely scores 8 or 9’s from reviewers. As a result, I expected to be quite taken with “Dee.” To be honest it left me strangely underwhelmed.

With “Dee,” we find Tsui Hark making the same mistakes he’s been making for the past ten years. The film is plagued with an impenetrable plot, an overabundance of wire fu, shoddy special FX work, and a laborious runtime. Hark seems out of touch with his audience. In an era when martial arts filmmakers are striving for authenticity and a sense of realism in their works, he continues to retreat into candy-colored CG worlds. Compared to recent Hong Kong films like “Wu Xia” or “Bodyguards & Assassins,” “Detective Dee” feels like it’s from another movie industry entirely.

“Detective Dee” opens in the year 690 A.D., when China’s first Empress was ascending the throne. Tsui Hark gives us a smidgen of historical context for the story that’s about to play out and then dives right into the thick of things. As a Westerner not familiar with the real life figure of Detective Dee (AKA Di Renjie) or this particular era of Chinese history, it’s easy to feel lost. Just who is Dee? We know he’s been in prison for eight years due to political dissidence but his life before then is a mystery to us. Detective Dee is a figure already popularized by literature, sure, but his background, characteristics, and personal history are barely even hinted at in this movie.

Alright, so what if you want to say ‘forget the plot’ and try to enjoy “Detective Dee” as a piece of popcorn entertainment? Even then, “Phantom Flame” is kind of a mess. The fight scenes are random snapshots of action, quickly cut and relying heavily on wires. Tsui Hark also seems to be employing the same special effects studio he used back in 2001’s “Zu Warriors” – and it looks like they’re using the same computer rigs they had back then. The special effects in “Dee” are horribly dated, whether it’s Andy Lau fighting a herd of CGI deer (I wish I was making that up) or Li Bingbing’s red cloak morphing into a blur across screen. It doesn’t take long for all the CGI to become overkill.

It’s great that most of the fan community has embraced “Dee” since Hark deserves to continue making movies. There are enough creative flourishes here, like the sequences set in the massive underground caverns known as the Phantom Bazaar, to remind viewers of Hark’s past glories. But watching this film makes one realize that Tsui Hark has become the George Lucas of Hong Kong – except he’s been making prequels for something like ten years now. Whether you look at “Black Mask 2“, “Seven Swords,” or “Detective Dee,” clearly some magic has been lost. Poor special effects, a disregard for what good actors can bring to a film, and stories that most human beings would trouble relating to.

As a longtime fan of the director, it saddens me that I haven’t outright loved a Tsui Hark film since 1999’s “Time & Tide.” Hark’s movies used to be the purest distillation of his imagination onscreen, as he tossed images and ideas at the audience faster than they could process them. Nowadays Hark is lost in computer trickery; his fight scenes don’t have any sense of impact and his films labor over their dense plots. Where’s the magic, Tsui? Now that’s a mystery I’m not sure even Detective Dee could solve.

HKFanatic’s Rating: 6/10

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

Secret Pleasures: Four Asian Films about Love, Longing and Fishhooks DVD Set (First Run)

Posted on December 20, 2011 by JJ Bona
Secret Pleasures: Four Asian Films about Love, Longing and Fishhooks DVD Set (First Run)

Secret Pleasures: Four Asian Films about Love, Longing and Fishhooks DVD Set (First Run)

RELEASE DATE: March 20, 2012

First Run Features presents Secret Pleasures: Four Asian Films about Love, Longing and Fishhooks. This DVD set contains the following films:

Kim Ki-Duk’s The Isle: The erotic arthouse thriller that caused a sensation at the Sundance, Toronto, and Venice Film Festivals, The Isle tells the tale of a beautiful woman who lives on an eerie, remote lake selling food to fisherman by day, and her body by night. When the woman becomes obsessed with a former police officer who is haunted by the murder of his unfaithful girlfriend, what develops is “a perversely intriguing (and intriguingly perverse) love story.” (San Francisco Examiner). Check out cityonfire.com’s review.

“A beautifully realized meditation on pain, pleasure and devotion, with a subtle dark sense of humor.” – IndieWire

Monika Treut’s Ghosted: German artist Sophie is trying to come to terms with the unsolved murder of her Taiwanese lover Ai-Ling. After a run-in with the seductive Mei-Li, a journalist investigating Ai-Ling’s death, Sophie flees back to Germany. But when Mei-Li turns up on her Hamburg doorstep, the mystery deepens.

“Thoughtful storytelling and a refreshingly matter-of-fact view of lesbian relationships.” – The New York Times

Xiao Jiang’s Electric Shadows: From one of China’s newest cinematic voices comes a charming tale set into motion by a disastrous encounter: delivery man Dabing crashes his bike into the mysterious Ling Ling. From her hospital bed, Ling Ling asks Dabing to go to her home and feed her fish; while there, Dabing discovers an astonishing diary. In its pages he reads stories of a little girl’s passion for the movies, which re-ignites his own longing for the days when the cinema enchanted China’s masses, and audiences breathed and dreamed as one.

“Movie love was never so engulfing, and rarely so sweet, as in this petite, elevating heart-warmer.” – Richard Corliss, Time Magazine

Chen Kuo-fu’s The Personals: An attractive and successful doctor places a personal ad in a newspaper to try to meet (and eventually marry) Mr. Right. From a tightfisted businessman to a shy writer who brings his mother to a shoe fetishist and a pimp looking for call girls, she meets them all and patiently listens to their stories. What they don’t know is that she has a mysterious ex-lover who may (or may not) be the man she truly seeks.

“Witty and poignant, Rene Liu is a delight!” – New York Post

Trailers: The Isle | Ghosted | Electric Shadows

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

Blu-Ray and DVD Releases for 12/20/11

Posted on December 19, 2011 by Z Ravas
Love Exposure DVD (Olive Films)

Love Exposure DVD (Olive Films)

The releases are slowing down a bit this week, perhaps in preparation of the holiday, but there’s still plenty to enjoy. I imagine Asian film fans will be most excited about “Love Exposure” finally making its way to American shores. I know I am!

Here are your Asian and genre movie blu-ray and DVD releases for the week of 12/20/11:

ASIAN CINEMA

Love Exposure (DVD) – it’s finally here! From the director of “Suicide Club,” Sion Sono, comes his 2008 four-hour masterpiece about love, sin, and upskirt photography

The Devil (DVD) – released by Apprehensive Films under their Grindhouse Gut Muncher label, this 1981 Chinese horror shocker promises “live insect vomiting”!

FOREIGN CINEMA

Julia’s Eyes (DVD) – produced by Guillermo Del Toro (“Pan’s Labryinth”), this 2010 Spanish-language horror film follows a woman suffering from a degenerative eye disease

Saint Nick (DVD) – just in time for the holidays, IFC FIlms releases this 2010 Dutch-language slasher comedy built around the Santa Clause myth

ANIMATION

Elfen Lied Complete Collection (DVD) – a personal favorite of mine, this blood-soaked and controversial anime is available in a 3-DVD set

MAINSTREAM

Warrior (blu-ray/DVD) – this 2011 MMA film didn’t light up the box office but it sure won rave reviews from the critics. Many called it the best fight movie since the original “Rocky.” Find out what all the clamor is about and check out what is likely another great performance from Tom Hardy, soon to be seen as Batman villain Bane!

Midnight in Paris (blu-ray/DVD) – Woody Allen’s 2011 comedic drama was a critical darling and provided one of his biggest successes at the box office. Check it out on blu-ray and DVD this week

Colombiana (blu-ray/DVD) – this Luc Besson-produced 2011 action movie makes its way to home formats in Unrated form, so perhaps it will be a bit more interesting than the tepid thriller I saw in theaters

The Tempest (blu-ray/DVD) – from “Frida” director Julie Taymor, this 2011 film offers  a bold new vision of the classic Shakespeare play

Catch .44 (blu-ray/DVD) – everybody goes direct to video sometimes, even Bruce Willis. The man sometimes known as John McClane stars in this 2011 Tarantino-esque crime thriller, also featuring Forest Whitaker, Malin Ackerman, and Nikki Reed

Blackthorn (blu-ray/DVD) – famous playright and actor Sam Shepherd brings the twilight years of Butch Cassidy to life in this 2011 Western

Underworld Trilogy (blu-ray) – maybe you really just love the sight of Kate Beckinsale in tight black leather. If so, you might want to purchase the “Underworld” trilogy on blu-ray this week

CLASSICS

Nothing Sacred: Kino Classics Edition (blu-ray/DVD) – the 1937 screwball satire is in hi-def from Kino

A Farewell to Arms: Kino Classics Edition (blu-ray/DVD) – Gary Cooper stars in this 1932 adaptation of the Ernest Hemingway novel, now in hi-def from Kino

HORROR

Straw Dogs (blu-ray/DVD) – the 2011 remake of Sam Peckinpah’s classic 70’s thriller arrives on home formats. This version stars James Marsden and Kate Bosworth so its box office failure could be chalked up to the “Superman Returns” curse

Burke & Hare (DVD) – director John Landis (“An American Werewolf in London”) marks his return to cinema after ten years with this 2011 pitch-black comedy about grave robbers turned mass murderers, starring Simon Pegg and Andy Serkis

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 |

My Kingdom DVD (New Video Group)

Posted on December 18, 2011 by JJ Bona
"My Kingdom" Chinese Theatrical Poster

"My Kingdom" Chinese Theatrical Poster

RELEASE DATE: February 14, 2012

Directed by Gao Xiaosong, My Kingdom is a martial arts film that takes place in Shanghai in the 1920s. It stars actor-singer Wu Chun (14 Blades), tarlet Barbie Hsu (Reign of Assassins) and Chinese pop music sensation Han Geng in his film debut. Also stars Hong Kong heavies Yu Rong-Guang and Yuen Biao. The film is produced by Andre Morgan and the legendary Sammo Hung, who also serves as action director. Check out the trailer!

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

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

Posted on December 18, 2011 by JJ Bona
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)

Posted on December 18, 2011 by JJ Bona
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

Posted on December 17, 2011 by JJ Bona
"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 , , |
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