Blu-ray and DVD Releases for 11/15/11

Posted on November 13, 2011 by Z Ravas
Infernal Affairs Blu-ray (Lionsgate)

Infernal Affairs Blu-ray (Lionsgate)

A diverse range of titles will be available for purchase this Tuesday. A little something for everyone, as they say. So here are your Asian and genre-related blu-ray and DVD releases for the week of 11/15/11:

ASIAN CINEMA

Infernal Affairs (blu-ray) – ignore the gun-toting cover art and enjoy this 2002 Andrew Lau film starring Andy Lau and Tony Leung, now in glorious hi-def

Treasure Hunter (blu-ray/DVD) – a 2009 Taiwanese action-adventure film in the “Mummy” mold, starring Jay Chou of “The Green Hornet” fame and Eric Tsang. Released by Funimation

The Warring States (DVD) – a 2010 Chinese historical epic with a dash of romance and slapstick, co-starring the great Francis Ng

What Women Want (DVD) – it’s hard to believe Andy Lau would need magic powers to know what women want – he’s Andy Lau! – but that seems to be the case in this 2010 Chinese language remake of the American film, this time starring Lau and Gong Li

Ninja Triple Feature (DVD) – Switchblade Pictures presents three Japanese ninja’sploitation movies on one disc. Expect plenty of AV idols from the looks of it. Movies include: Ninja She-Devil, I Was a Teenage Ninja, and Ninjaken: the Naked Sword

FOREIGN CINEMA

Three Colors: Blue, White, Red (blu-ray/DVD) – Krzysztof Kieślowski’s trio of films, in French and Polish, starting from 1994 are released on blu-ray by the Criterion Collection

The Rules of the Game (blu-ray) – Jean Renoir’s classic 1939 black-and-white French film about class and social codes arrives on blu-ray from the Criterion Collection

CULT

Bellflower (blu-ray/DVD) – this controversial 2011 film that divided critics and viewers alike with its tale of love and homemade flame-throwers finally arrives on blu-ray and DVD

Giorgio Moroder Presents Metropolis: Special Edition (blu-ray/DVD) – the legendary composer and synth-pop pioneer presents his 1984 rock opera vision of Fritz Lang’s classic silent film “Metropolis,” now on blu-ray from Kino Video

Griff the Invisible (DVD) – your friends at Indomina release this charming 2010 indie superhero movie from Australia

Despair (blu-ray) – a 1978 adaptation of the novel by “Lolita” author Vladimir Nabakov, directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder and now on blu-ray

Fist 2 Fist (DVD) – a 2011 low-budget fight movie starring Jino Kang and Bill Duff

Neverwhere (DVD) – the BBC presents the 15th Anniversary edition of this live-action adaptation of Nail Gaiman’s novel

Fading of the Cries (DVD) – a 2011 demon-slaying, vampire and zombie kind of low-budget flick, co-starring character actor Brad Dourif

Red 71 (DVD) – Variety says this 2008 film is “a highly stylized noir puzzle”

MAINSTREAM

The Big Lebowski (blu-ray) – previously only available as a deluxe limited edition package, you can the 1998 Coen Brothers film on single disc blu-ray this week

Gettysburg (blu-ray) – the director’s cut of this acclaimed 1993 Civil War film

Adrenalin – Fear the Rush (DVD) – a low-budget Miramax film starring Christopher Lambert and Natasha Henstridge

Warriors of Virtue – Return to Tao (DVD) – unbelievably enough, Miramax must have funded a low-budget, PG-rated sequel to Ronny Yu’s “Warriors of Virtue”

Best of the Best – Without Warning (DVD) – Miramax continues their string of low-budget releases this week with a sequel to the Eric Roberts “Best of the Best” series

CLASSICS

West Side Story (blu-ray) – the 50th Anniversary Edition of the 1961 classic musical

My Fair Lady (blu-ray) – the 1964 film starring Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison, now in hi-def

TELEVISION

Crime Story: The Complete Series (DVD) – we don’t usually cover TV releases on here but I figure this 1988 series deserves special mention as it was created by Michael Mann of “Heat” and “Public Enemies” fame

HORROR

Evil Dead 2 (blu-ray/DVD) – Sam Raimi’s 1987 horror-comedy classic is now available on blu-ray as a 25th Anniversary Edition

Prophecy (blu-ray) – the 1995 apocalyptic movie starring Christopher Walken and Viggo Mortensen, now on blu-ray

Humongous (DVD) – the Katrina’s Nightmare Theater imprint offers this 1982 slasher movie, rare and uncut on DVD

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 |

Sinners and Saints Blu-ray & DVD (Anchor Bay)

Posted on November 13, 2011 by JJ Bona
Sinners and Saints Blu-ray & DVD (Anchor Bay)

Sinners and Saints Blu-ray & DVD (Anchor Bay)

RELEASE DATE: January 10, 2012

Serious buzz alert for action fans! Beleaguered Detective Sean Riley is trying to cope with the death of his young son and his failed marriage. Facing a probable suspension from the department, Riley is teamed with a young homicide Detective, Will Ganz, to help solve a series of brutal murders that have plunged the city into a major gang war. Sinners and Saints is directed by William Kaufman (The Hit List) and stars up and coming action star Johnny Strong (no relation to Arnold Strong). Check out the trailer here.

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

Well Go USA takes you on an apocalyptic zombie road trip with ‘Helldriver’

Posted on November 10, 2011 by Z Ravas
Helldriver Blu-ray/DVD (Well Go USA)

Helldriver Blu-ray/DVD (Well Go USA)

“Helldriver explodes with goodness!” – Cole Abaius, Film School Rejects

“Plenty of gore, comedy and carnage to go around!” – Colleen Wanglund, CinemaKnifeFight.com

Welcome to Zombie World!

HELLDRIVER

Japanese Splatter King Yoshihiro Nishimura

Delivers a Blood-Soaked Gore Fest

on Blu-ray™ + DVD Combo Pack and DVD November 22

Extensive Bonus Materials Include Three Spinoff Short Films Set Within the Helldriver Universe:  Helldriver Dokata, Catch Me If You Can! and Bailout!

From director Yoshihiro Nishimura (Tokyo Gore Police, Vampire Girl Vs. Frankenstein Girl) comes the  epic, apocalyptic Zombie-fighting road movie Helldriver, featuring non-stop, over-the-top splatter action debuting on Blu-ray™ + DVD Combo Pack and DVD November 22 from Well Go USA. The latest cult film from the prolific Japanese production company Sushi Typhoon, Helldriver takes place in a Japan where half the population has become not-so-sexy flesh eaters and the economy has gently withered away … until Kika (Yumiko Hara) arrives. A stunning high school girl armed with an artificial heart-powered chainsaw sword, she leads a motley crew of desperados on a secret mission into the zombie-infected wilds to exterminate zombie queen Rikka (Eihi Shiina, Tokyo Gore Police) and put an end to the plague of the living dead.

The extensive bonus features include three exclusive short films set within the Helldriver universe: Helldriver Dokata (directed by Helldriver First Assistant Director Jun Shiozaki),   Catch Me If You Can! (directed by Lighting Director Hiroshi Ota), and  Bailout! (directed by poster designer Yoshiki Takahashi). Additional added value includes an in-depth interview with the Japanese splatter king himself, Yoshihiro Nishimura and two behind-the-scenes featurettes: “The Making of Helldriver,” directed by Helldriver actor Demo Tanaka that not only details the making of the film, but also the literally hellish conditions under which the film was shot (two-week shooting schedule, bad weather) and  “Sushi Typhoon: Tokyo Invasion!,” featuring interviews with many of the Sushi Typhoon team while launching the Sushi Typhoon festival, where four films were screened for a month in the Ginza area of Tokyo.  Helldriver will be available in the Blu-ray + DVD Combo Pack for $29.98 SRP and on DVD for $24.98 SRP.

Synopsis:

A meteorite crashes into Japan, releasing a toxic ash that turns inhabitants in the northern half of the country into bloodthirsty zombies. Some time later, with the north now walled off from the rest of Japan, a young woman (Yumiko Hara) is charged with leading a group of ragtag soldiers into the infected region to kill the “zombie queen” (Shiina) – who also happens to be her homicidal mother.

Bonus Features Include:

–  Director Interview with Yoshihiro Nishimura
–  “The Making of Helldriver” featurette
–  “Sushi Typhoon: Tokyo Invasion!” featurette
–  Short Films
o   Helldriver Dokata
o   Catch Me If You Can!
o   Bailout!
–  Trailers

Helldriver has a runtime of approximately 114 minutes and is not rated.

Posted in News |

Who Saw Her Die? | aka The Child (1972) Review

Posted on November 10, 2011 by Z Ravas
"Who Saw Her Die?" German DVD Cover

“Who Saw Her Die?” German DVD Cover

AKA: Chi l’ha vista morire?
Director: Aldo Lado
Cast: George Lazenby, Anita Strindberg, Adolfo Celi, Dominique Boschero, Peter Chatel, Piero Vida, José Quaglio, Alessandro Haber, Nicoletta Elmi
Running Time: 90 min.

By HKFanatic

“Who Saw Her Die?” is a 1972 giallo from director Alan Aldo that stars George Lazenby in a rare post-James Bond leading role. Unfortunately, Lazenby looks quite unflattering here, with a thick handlebar mustache and a gaunt, almost sickly physique. IMDB claims the actor lost 35 lbs to play the character of a sculptor but for the life of me I can’t imagine why that would be necessary for this run-of-the-mill Italian horror flick. Far from the handsome image of an international superspy, Lazenby appears emaciated and unhappy in a thankless role.

The story follows an estranged husband and wife as they seek to uncover the mystery of their daughter’s death in Venice. Horror fans will notice that this set-up bears more than a superficial resemblance to the Nicholas Roeg film “Don’t Look Now,” which was released just a year later. Whether or not Reog was influenced by (or even saw) this film feels almost inconsequential to me since “Don’t Look Now” stands tall as a classic of the horror genre while “Who Saw Her Die?” is instantly forgettable. With “Don’t Look Now,” British director Reog managed to beat the Italians at their own game, crafting a giallo-like film superior to many “authentic” efforts.

All the cliches of the genre are present in “Who Saw Her Die?”: a black-gloved killer, wobbly POV shots from the killer’s perspective, more red herrings than you can shake a stick at, and jabs at the Catholic church. Even the gimmick of having a question in the title is familiar, the much superior “What Have You Done to Solange?” being released the same year.

This film does at least feature a worthwhile soundtrack from genre mainstay Ennio Morricone. The composer made clever use of a child’s choir to echo the “children in peril” theme of the film, which also makes the soundtrack resemble some of Danny Elfman’s early 90’s work. However, the music is implemented haphazardly into the film, with the score at times starting and stopping in an abrupt fashion. Actually, the opening credits play with absolutely no musical accompaniment; the dull aerial footage of a ski slope in France is the first warning that the viewer is in for a sleep-inducing cinematic experience.

That’s really all I can imagine “Who Saw Her Die?” would be good for: curing insomnia. Thrill as George Lazenby walks, bony shoulders haunched, through the gloomy streets of 70’s Venice, banging on windows and searching for clues as to the killer’s identity. The story moves at a snail’s pace and features very little onscreen violence, which any giallo fan knows is the opposite of Dario Argento or Lucio Fulci’s films of this era. If all you’re after is nudity you’ll get to see Dominique Boschero (“All the Colours of the Dark”) and Anita Strindberg (“The Case of the Scorpion’s Tail”) in the buff frequently enough, but you’d have to be seriously hard up for a date to find the awkward sex scenes in this movie erotic.

Lazenby’s character isn’t even sympathetic or relatable. At one point he abandons his daughter with the other local children then saunters off to have sex with his mistress. Once he’s gotten his rocks off, he heads to his studio to work on a sculpture and knock back a few drinks. That’s when he finally pauses to wonder, “Now wait a minute, where’s my daughter?” Sorry, pal, you practically deserve all the crap that’s coming your way in this horror film.

Off the top of my head, I could probably think of a dozen giallo’s I’ve seen that are superior to “Who Saw Her Die?” There’s really no reason to watch this movie unless you’re out of sedatives. I’d recommend listening to the isolated Morricone soundtrack by CD for a much more entertaining experience. George Lazenby fans – I know you’re out there – are most likely to be aghast at the sight of the actor looking so ill and malnourished. Not to mention that 70’s mustache he’s sporting. Hey, I thought he was great in “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” too but this is not one of his shining moments. Horror buffs are better served by watching “Don’t Look Now” instead; it takes the same premise but makes visual poetry out of it. Though, fair warning, Donald Sutherland sports a mustache in that one too.

HKFanatic’s Rating: 3/10

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

Azumi (2003) Review

Posted on November 9, 2011 by JJ Bona
"Azumi" Korean Theatrical Poster

“Azumi” Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Ryuhei Kitamura
Cast: Aya Ueto, Shun Oguri, Hiroki Narimiya, Kenji Kohashi, Takatoshi Kaneko, Yuma Ishigaki, Tak Sakaguchi, Yoshio Harada, Kazuya Shimizu
Running Time: 124 min.

By Alexander

Strip the Power Rangers of the space-age outfits and crappy-looking rubber-suited monsters and place them in say, feudal Japan, and what you’re left with is the swordplay epic-lite Azumi. Because like their weekday afternoon brethren, the kids in Azumi say things like “that’s cool!” and “creeps me out”; they’re all teen idol cute; and their costumes are, well, costumes, not authetic looking period pieces. And like the Power Rangers television show, the sets are obviously sets with each town seemingly owning a single street. Toss in a few colorful and colorfully costumed villains and voila, you’ve got the Power Rangers, 15th century-style.

But despite the pop star sheen and the limited martial artisty of its cast, Azumi is a load of fun, especially in its latter half when character development has been tossed aside in favor of bloody mayhem and copious close-ups of hottie Aya Ueto as Azumi. Although Ueto’s martial arts skills are obviously limited (she’s about a tenth as athletic as Uma Thurman, who pulled off HER fight scenes with surprising believability in Kill Bill), she more than makes up for it by looking super hot in feudal Japan’s version of the traditional schoolgirl outfit, replete with a pair of swords perfect for slicing up scores of ninja and samurai. There’s blood galore, a severed body part or two, ocassional comic relief and a pair of super-interesting baddies in Bijumaru (the pasty white one with the red eye shadow) and “Monkey-face,” the Wolverine-like ninja.

Azumi is too long (and I watched the 124-minute Korean version, not the full-length 148-minute Japanese release). Its length could easily have been trimmed had some of the less important plot threads been axed along with some of the sillier character development. But despite its length, Azumi entertertained me from start to finish. After all, it’s tough not to enjoy a flick that doesn’t take itself too seriously, features two cool villains, has a host of ninja and showcases the um, acting talents of Ueto.

Recommended.

Alexander’s Rating: 8.5/10

By Equinox21

I’m really not sure what to say about Azumi, other than that if you liked Versus AT ALL, you’ll LOVE Azumi. The style, the action and the body count all make this a fun, fantasy flick for the whole frickin’ family.

A group of orphans are raised by their master to be excellent swordsmen. They are trained to be assassins and to carry out their mission at all costs. That mission is to kill any warlords around the country who refuse to stop waging war. It almost plays out like a Guns & Talks, from Japan, with sword fighting, that takes place 400 years ago and centers on a girl named Azumi. It’s stylishly shot, it’s got interesting characters (very reminiscent of all the ninja from the anime Ninja Scroll) and it actually got a plot (unlike Versus, which was just fun, plot-less action).

If I had to come up with any complaints about the movie, at all, I would list two. One was when a lot of the characters would strike with their swords, it looked like the actors intentionally missed or they slowed way down before the strike. It simply made the fighting look more like movie fighting than like ACTUAL fighting. But, as this WAS a movie, I’ll let it slide.

The other complaint was when a character gets his head chopped off and, even as the head is falling to the ground, he’s continuously screaming. Now, here’s the thing about screaming· due to evolution, we’re able to control our breathing. So, when the diaphragm rises it forces air out of the lungs, and past the larynx. The larynx then vibrates, creating sound, which is then controlled through movement of the lips and tongue. Now, if a head is not attached to the body, then the larynx (which is in the neck) doesn’t get air passing over it, allowing it to vibrate and allowing the person to scream. Oh well. As they say, it’s just a movie.

Check out Azumi. Then check out the sequel when it comes out. It’s just a cool movie with cool action and enough blood to make everyone happy.

Equinox21’s Rating: 9/10

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

Blu-ray and DVD Releases for 11/8/11

Posted on November 9, 2011 by Z Ravas
A Better Tomorrow (Korean remake) Blu-ray/DVD (Well Go USA)

A Better Tomorrow (Korean remake) Blu-ray/DVD (Well Go USA)

This is a pretty jam-packed so let’s get right into it. From masters like Terry Gilliam and David Lynch on blu-ray to a Korean remake of one of John Woo’s best loved flicks, there is plenty to discuss. Here are your Asian and genre-related blu-ray and DVD releases for the week of 11/8/11:

ASIAN CINEMA

A Better Tomorrow (blu-ray/DVD) – a stylish, 2010 Korean language remake of John Woo’s classic 1986 heroic bloodshed film “A Better Tomorrow.” Produced by Woo himself!

Destroy All Monsters (blu-ray/DVD) – can you handle this much kaiju action? This classic 1968 Godzilla flick pits every monster under the sun against each other for your viewing enjoyment. Now on blu-ray from Tokyo Shock!

The Greatest Love (DVD) – this 2011 Korean TV is a romantic comedy about a fledgling pop star looking to revive her career and what happens when she finds love along the way

Zombie Triple-Feature (DVD) – three Japanese zombie flicks in one DVD collection! For your money you get: Zombie Self-Defense Force, Attack Girls’ Swimteam vs. the Undead, and Zombie Hunter Rika

FOREIGN CINEMA

Fanny and Alexander (blu-ray) – the Criterion Collection releases this seminal 1983 film from legendary director Ingmar Bergman in hi-def

In a Glass Cage (blu-ray) – delayed from last week, this 1987 Spanish language shocker arrives on blu-ray

The Sleeping Beauty (DVD) – from Catherine Breillat, the acclaimed director of “Fat Girl,” comes this 2011 dark and erotic French-language take on the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale

CULT

Blue Velvet (blu-ray) – David Lynch’s modern 1986 classic arrives on blu-ray for the first time. To say that I’m excited to watch this disc would be an understatement

Fisher King (blu-ray) – Terry Gilliam’s 1991 urban fantasy features two of Jeff Bridges’ and Robin Williams’ best performances. Now on blu-ray

Boy Wonder (DVD) – this 2011 dark superhero film has built solid buzz due to its uncompromisingly gritty vision of a vigilante in the real world

ANIMATION

Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva (DVD) – the 2009 animated adaptation of the popular puzzle-solving Nintendo DS series finally arrives on Western shores

MAINSTREAM

Mortal Kombat: Legacy (blu-ray/DVD) – the popular 2011 web series based on the video game, starring martial artist extraordinaire Michael Jai White, Darren Shahlavi, and Matt Mullins, now arrives on home formats

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, Part 2 (blu-ray/DVD) – the final, 2011 installment of the Harry Potter saga can now be viewed from the comfort of your own home

13 (blu-ray/DVD) – the original director of “13 Tzameti” also directs this 2010 remake starring Mickey Rourke, Ray Winstone, 50 Cent, and Jason Statham

Executive Decision (blu-ray) – this lukewarm 1996 terrorist thriller starring Kurt Russell is probably most remembered for killing off Steven Seagal within the first twenty minutes. Now on blu-ray

To Die For (blu-ray) – Gus Van Sant’s 1995 dark comedy won Nicole Kidman a Golden Globe for Best Actress. Now on blu-ray

Cannonball Run (blu-ray) – this 1981 goofy American comedy managed to combine the considerable talents of Burt Reynolds, Roger Moore, and Jackie Chan

Atlus Shrugged Part 1 (blu-ray/DVD) – considering how “Part 1” performed at the box office, I wouldn’t expect a Part 2 to this 2011 adaptation of Ayn Rand’s novel

CLASSICS

Mutiny on the Bounty (blu-ray) – this classic 1962 film stars Marlon Brando in his prime, now on blu-ray

One-Eyed Jacks (blu-ray) – the 1961 film starring Marlon Brando, now on blu-ray

Little Big Man (blu-ray) – the 1970 film starring Dustin Hoffman from director Arthur Penn of “Bonnie and Clyde” fame. Now in hi-def

The Collector (blu-ray) – this 1964 film is in the vein of “Psycho” and stars Terence Stamp of “Superman II” fame

Absence of Malice (blu-ray) – the 1981 film about journalistic integrity stars Paul Newman and Sally Field, now on blu-ray

HORROR

Frankenhooker (blu-ray) – this 1990 horror cult classic from the director of “Basket Case” is now uncut and in hi-def, courtesy of Synapse Films

Zombie 4: After Death (blu-ray) – the fourth installment in the Italian language horror series is now on blu-ray from Shriek Show

Satan’s Blood (DVD) – the Katrina’s Nightmare Show imprint presents this 1978 Spanish shocker about sex and Satanic rituals

The Carpenter (DVD) – Katrina’s Nightmare Show presents Wings Hauser in the uncut version of this 1987 horror flick

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 |

R.I.P. Ricky Hui

Posted on November 8, 2011 by JJ Bona
Ricky Hui

Ricky Hui

Ricky Hui Koon-Ying died of a heart attack on November 8, 2011 at the age of 65. Ricky Hui often acted with his brothers Michael and Sam (the trio were dubbed “The Hui Brothers”). He and his brothers made several comedy blockbusters in the 1970s and 1980s, their most famous title being 1976’s Private Eyes.

Posted in News |

Punished aka Abduction, Retribution DVD (Vivendi)

Posted on November 8, 2011 by JJ Bona
Punished aka Abduction, Retribution DVD (Vivendi)

Punished aka Abduction, Retribution DVD (Vivendi)

RELEASE DATE: January 24, 2012

When a tycoon’s daughter is found dead of a cocaine overdose after being rescued from abduction, he will stop at nothing to avenge her death! Another quality Milkyway Image film from producer Johnnie To (Fulltime Killer). Punished stars Anthony Wong and Richie Ren. Check out the trailer. Also, be sure and check out DiP’s review.

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

Straw Dogs 2011 Remake Blu-ray & DVD (Sony)

Posted on November 7, 2011 by JJ Bona
Straw Dogs 2011 Remake Blu-ray & DVD (Sony)

Straw Dogs 2011 Remake Blu-ray & DVD (Sony)

RELEASE DATE: December 20, 2011

A Hollywood screenwriter (James Marsden) and his actress wife (Kate Bosworth), return to her small hometown in the deep South to prepare the family home for sale after her father’s death. Once there, tensions build in their marriage and old conflicts re-emerge with the locals, including Amy’s ex-boyfriend Charlie (Alexander Skarsgard), leading to a violent confrontation. Straw Dogs is a remake of Sam Peckinpah’s 1971 ultra-violent classic of the same name. Check out the trailer.

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

Caterpillar DVD (Lorber)

Posted on November 7, 2011 by JJ Bona
Caterpillar DVD (Lorber)

Caterpillar DVD (Lorber)

RELEASE DATE: January 17, 2012

A masterpiece. — The Hollywood Reporter — Set during the time of the Second Sino-Japanese War, Caterpillar tells the story of a Japanese soldier who returns home horrifically mutilated. Liutenant Kurokawa is literally nothing but a human torso: he has lost both his arms and legs, and with burns covering half his face, he is also unable to speak. From acclaimed director Koji Wakamatsu (United Red Army).

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

United Red Army DVD (Lorber)

Posted on November 7, 2011 by JJ Bona
United Red Army DVD (Lorber)

United Red Army DVD (Lorber)

RELEASE DATE: January 17, 2012

One of the best films of the decade! – Sight & Sound – Koji Wakamatsu’s (Caterpillar) epic docudrama United Red Army explores the political unrest of 1960’s Japan, when mass student uprisings coincided with the beginnings of the far-left United Red Army group, which tortured and murdered its ”deviant” members during a 1972 training session. An uncompromising piece of filmmaking from one of Japan’s most controversial filmmakers, with a score by former Sonic Youth member Jim O’Rourke. Check out the trailer.

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

Killer Bride’s Perfect Crime DVD (Pathfinder)

Posted on November 7, 2011 by JJ Bona
Killer Bride's Perfect Crime DVD (Pathfinder)

Killer Bride's Perfect Crime DVD (Pathfinder)

RELEASE DATE: December 27, 2011

Goro Kishitani’s Killer Bride’s Perfect Crime is a killer comedy about very bad things. Hiroko spent 25 years failing at everything, but for the first time, luck is on her side. She’s about to marry the man of her dreams: the rich, handsome and charming Kenichi. However, on the day before her wedding, she ends up accidentally killing her landlord. Determined to go through with her wedding as planned, she resorts to the unthinkable. Check out the trailer.

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

Nude Nuns with Big Guns Blu-ray & DVD (Image)

Posted on November 7, 2011 by JJ Bona
Nude Nuns with Big Guns Blu-ray & DVD (Image)

Nude Nuns with Big Guns Blu-ray & DVD (Image)

RELEASE DATE: February 14, 2012

Who says nunsploitation is dead? After deciding to take her vows at a convent, Sister Sarah becomes enslaved and victimized by the drug-pushing predators within the church walls and, on the verge of death, receives a divine message – to seek revenge! Packed with sex, violence, and wall-to-wall mayhem, this outrageous modern cult favorite in the tradition of the greatest drive-in action classics proves that hell hath no fury like a nude nun scorned! Check out the trailer.

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

Azumi 2: Death or Love (2005) Review

Posted on November 7, 2011 by JJ Bona
"Azumi 2: Death or Love" Theatrical Poster

“Azumi 2: Death or Love” Theatrical Poster

Director: Shusuke Kaneko
Cast: Aya Ueto, Yuma Ishigaki, Chiaki Kuriyama, Shun Oguri, Kenichi Endo, Kai Shishido, Eugene Nomura, Tak Sakaguchi, Shoichiro Masumoto
Running Time: 102 min.

By Equinox21

While Azumi 2 wasn’t as good as its predecessor, it was still enjoyable. It certainly didn’t add anything new or interesting to the samurai-era film genre, and it almost seemed like a simple play off the original’s success. The strangest parts were those involving the actors whose characters died in the first film.

Azumi 2 picks up a little while after the end of Azumi, with Azumi and Nagara on the hunt of the last of their targets. They need to kill just one more of the men responsible for the previous war and then their mission will be finished. There are a lot of things that stand in their way, however. There’s a group of ninjas that belong to no ninja school, there’s a bodyguard looking for revenge (for the killing of Lord Kato at the end of Azumi 1), a spy, some doppelgangers, and just all around large hoards of baddies.

The problems I had with Azumi 2 related to some of the plot points they were trying to implement. There were some characters introduced that were played by actors whose characters were killed off in Azumi 1. For example, there’s a Robin Hood-like bandit who looks exactly like Nachi, Azumi’s friend that she had to kill in the first film. Everything that revolved around his character lead to Azumi simply looking confused most of the time, instead of yielding emotional situations for her. Her confused looks translated more to boring acting. Boring acting leads to a less quality movie. A less quality movie leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.

There were a few other situations that the characters were thrown into that were painfully predictable. This didn’t make them bad, but they weren’t surprising and didn’t have the impact they should have. The one unpredictable thing about most of the film was the numerous fights and how they’d end. There was one big bad ninja dude who carried a large two bladed sword that he’d throw like a boomerang, exactly like the large stone ninja guy in the anime Ninja Scroll. Because the character was almost exactly like the one from the anime, I half-expected him to die the same way. Thankfully, he didn’t. Neither did the other characters that had big fights. That was nice, but it wasn’t enough.

If you see Azumi, you’ll probably want to see Azumi 2. I only hope they don’t make an Azumi 3, as one mediocre sequel would be enough for such a great original film. After all, her mission is completed (what, did you REALLY expect her to lose?).

Equinox21’s Rating: 6/10

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

Former John Woo collaborator brings home ‘Cold Steel’ for the Holidays

Posted on November 6, 2011 by JJ Bona
Tony Leung Ka-Fai in "Cold Steel"

Tony Leung Ka-Fai in "Cold Steel"

A new action drama directed by former John Woo collaborator David Wu and starring Tony Leung Ka-Fai, Peter Ho, Song Jia, Angeles Woo (John Woo’s daughter) and Yu Rong-Guang.

The film is going to utilize lots of sniper rifles and other firearms in the action scenes, which will make this one of the most action-packed Chinese films this year. Release date is set to December 2.

David Wu is a prolific director, editor, producer, actor, writer and musician, who first established his name in his native Hong Kong before bringing his impressive talents to the North American film and television industry. Wu directed and co-wrote the fantasy romance, The Bride with White Hair II. His collaborations with John Woo include The Killer, Bullet in the Head, Hard Boiled and Once A Thief (TV series); as well as doing the music for A Better Tomorrow and its sequel.

For more photos, please visit the source. – Thanks to DiP for the heads up!

Update: Twitch Film has your first look at the teaser trailer.

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