She Shoots Straight (1989) Review

Posted on November 4, 2011 by JJ Bona
"She Shoots Straight" Theatrical Poster

“She Shoots Straight” Theatrical Poster

Director: Corey Yuen
Cast: Joyce Godenzi, Carina Lau, Tony Leung Ka Fai, Sandra Ng, Sammo Hung, Chi-Wing Lau, Pik-Wan Tang, Yuen Wah, Agnes Aurelio, Bill Tung, Bruce Fontaine
Running Time: 87 min

By Numskull

She shoots, but does she score? Yes and no. This film benefits from some good ass kickin’ and fairly impressive stunts (many performed by women, others performed by stuntmen with wigs), and suffers from a soapy sap opera (yeah, you read it right) background plot and a birthday party/restaurant scene that goes way, way, WAY too long.

The lead character, Mina, doesn’t make a very convincing woman. Sure she’s female, but she only acts it when it’s time to shed some tears. Basically, she’s a man with breasts and a husband. That’s not why her sisters-in-law (like, five of them) dislike her, though. They don’t like the fact that she holds a higher position than they do in the police force, and that she places her career before making another damn baby to turn into a cop 18 years later. Despite that fact, it is later revealed…in a scene where she must undergo surgery without benefit of anesthetic…that Mina IS pregnant. You think she lets that slow her down? Of course not. She recovers from life-or-death surgery in about 20 minutes and immediately resumes her supercop routine, jumping all over the place and getting kicked in the abdomen several times during the final fight scene. The film avoids the unresolved issue of whether her womb contains a fetus or baby powder (dear God I’m a sick bastard) by simply ending the movie right after said fight. Sheesh.

The eldest Huang sister, Ling, is Mina’s most vocal adversary, until her brother’s death unites the women. Their common enemies: Yuen Wah, Agnes Aurelio, and their Vietnamese partners in crime. Those of you who are sensitive to high body counts will just love this: in one of the early scenes, a machine gun-toting Yuen Wah mows down quite a few rivals and bystanders…by pointing the weapon straight ahead and holding the trigger. His victims, you see, don’t flee for cover as common sense would dictate…they deliberately jump INTO his line of fire instead. I guess they wanted to absorb as many bullets with their bodies as they could so that he couldn’t lay waste to their marketplace stalls without changing clips. Mission accomplished, people. Well done.

Later on, there’s another shootout which is partially shot in infrared, as seen through the goggles of the bad guys. Well, that’s sorta cool. I guess.

Best scene in the movie: Mina and Ling storm a ship full of bad guys in a furious battle involving axes, machetes, chains, lead pipes, and sledge hammers. One particularly good spot here has Ling being attacked from both ends in a narrow hallway, with no room to maneuver left and right. When the two women emerge from the ship, it’s full daylight, despite the fact that it was pitch black outside about five minutes ago. To top things off, Joyce Godenzi and Agnes Aurelio go one-on-one (and roll around in the dirt a little bit, for those of you who are into that kind of thing) in a scene that recalls Cynthia Rothrock vs. Karen Shepard from Righting Wrongs…Corey Yuen directing two women of less than 100% Asian heritage (for Aurelio I’m just assuming based on her name, but Godenzi definitely looks part gwailo) and giving them a good amount of room to strut their stuff. Let it never be said he’s not an equal opportunity kinda guy. This fight does not suffer from the “close quarters” photography for which Yuen took heat in “Kiss of the Dragon”…probably because it takes place outside. Godenzi emerges triumphant by polishing Aurelio off with the devastating Tit Kick. Cool.

If movies were like meals, this one would be like an extra value meal from McDonalds or Burger King or one of those artery-clogging joints…sufficiently filling, but not exactly a feast. Sammo Hung only has a supporting role and the film definitely would have been better off if he had done more than a few seconds’ worth of fighting. Also, much like Corey Yuen’s “Yes, Madam”, the action isn’t spread evenly enough. We all love a slam-bang finale, but She Shoots Straight really could have used some spicing up in the first half.

Oh yeah, and the Huang matriarch (a gentle woman who looks to be in her late 50s, maybe 60) gives some guy the finger. Cool again.

Numskull’s Rating: 6/10

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

Gamera Trilogy (1995-1999) Review

Posted on November 4, 2011 by Z Ravas
"Gamera Trilogy" American Blu-ray Cover

“Gamera Trilogy” American Blu-ray Cover

Director: Shusuke Kaneko
Cast: Shinobu Nakayama, Ayako Fujitani, Yukijiro Hotaru, Ai Maeda, Toshiyuki Nagashima
Running Time: 100/100/108 min.

By HKFanatic

In the mid-90’s, director Shusuke Kaneko (later responsible for the live-action “Death Note” films) was tasked with rebooting the “Gamera” franchise. Gamera originally appeared in the 1960’s as a giant monster, or kaiju, to rival Godzilla: a space turtle who was known as “The Friend of All Children.” Although Gamera caused plenty of destruction in his 1965 debut film, there wasn’t much in the original, kid-friendly series to suggest the dark direction Kaneko would take with his trilogy, starting with 1995’s “Gamera: Guardian of the Universe.”

Kaneko had the brilliant idea of revamping Gamera as a remnant of the lost civilization of Atlantis; this time the turtle is a massive bio-weapon built to defend the earth against future threats. In “Guardian of the Universe” that threat is the Gyaos, a bird-like species also constructed by Atlantis to keep the planet’s population in check. When man begins wrecking the environment and altering the surface world with carbon emissions and such, the Gyaos hatch from their slumber and take flight. Only Gamera can save us, adding a timely environmental message to the entire trilogy that especially rings true in light of Japan’s current nuclear anxieties.

To be honest, I’ve only seen a handful of giant monster movies, mostly from the “Godzilla” franchise, but I can’t imagine a kaiju film being much better than “Guardian of the Universe.” The movie moves a good clip, contains innovative camera angles and snappy colors, and the monster costumes and model cities are incredibly detailed. The final battle takes place during daylight hours so we witness Gamera and Gyaos going at it in all their glory. This includes an amazing POV shot from Gamera’s perspective as he soars down the streets of Tokyo, a cinematic flair that would make Sam Raimi jealous. The ending even made me want to tear up a little, especially when the composer lifted a motif from John Williams’ “Jurassic Park” score for maximum emotional impact. This “Gamera” has everything I could want from a film about two monsters duking it out over Tokyo.

“Gamera 2: Attack of Legion,” released a year later in 1996, registers as something of a disappointment. It’s entertaining enough for a kaiju flick but the main problem is that Gamera himself is missing in action for most of the film’s runtime. The extraterrestrial threat of Legion isn’t all that threatening either; the bug-like monster looks like something Casper Van Dien would have wiped off the bottom of his shoe while filming “Starship Troopers.” Legion is not exactly the coolest foe for Gamera to be fighting and the script plays into the kaiju movie cliche of laboriously following human characters and the military, only giving the monsters their due screentime at the end. The fact that Legion in no way ties into Gamera’s Atlantean origins also detracts from what made the first film so unique.

Released three years later in 1999, “Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris” rectifies this by bringing the story full circle. The Gyaos are back as well as a Gyaos mutation known as Iris, who instead of merely controlling the population is designed to wipe us out and and restart civilization. Iris is controlled mentally by a young girl whose parents were collateral damage in Gamera’s original battle with the Gyaos. As you can probably tell from this synopsis, “Gamera 3” is much darker than the previous films and this is even reflected in the costume for Gamera, who appears spikier and more menacing than he did before. Some fans will no doubt appreciate this ‘adult’ take on the kaiju genre but altogether I found the plot too depressing and cryptic for its own good, with the final battle descending into a bloody mess of severed limbs and tentacles.

Unfortunately, the subtitles on Mill Creek Entertainment’s blu-ray release of “Gamera 3” don’t make the impenetrable story any easier to follow; there are times when the subtitles seem to skip over entire sentences, giving one the feeling that they’re missing out on key dialogue exchanges. This is especially true during the climax of the film when several characters – including a nihilistic video game developer and a girl who can hear Gamera’s thoughts – are standing around a train station. Halfway through this scene, I realized I couldn’t tell you why these characters were together or how they felt about each other. Part of it is the subtitles, part of it is the script. A quick trip to the IMDB message boards will shed some light on “Gamera 3’s” plot but it begs the question: do I really want to watch a movie about men in rubber suits that’s so dense I need a crib sheet just to understand the story?

ADV Films originally released the Gamera Trilogy on DVD way back in 2003. Once ADV became defunct, Mill Creek Entertainment obtained the rights. To the delight of fans, Mill Creek has decided to release the trilogy on blu-ray in an extremely affordable package. The presentation of these films is close to perfect but just misses the mark in a few ways. The transfer on “Gamera: Guardian of the Universe” looks fantastic but onscreen text like newspaper headlines and subway flyers are not translated by the subtitles. “Gamera 2’s” picture appears a bit softer but it rectifies the mistake of not translating headlines. “Gamera 3,” being the most recent film, looks superb in terms of visual quality but, as I mentioned, the subtitles are severely flawed, skipping over entire sentences at times. Although it’s understandable if hardcore fans are disappointed by such flubs, if one can overlook these few flaws then the “Gamera Trilogy” is undoubtedly a great package and a must purchase for kaiju fans.

 

HKFanatic’s Rating: 9/10

Posted in Japanese, Reviews | Tagged |

Baba Yaga aka Kiss Me Kill Me, The Devil Witch Blu-ray (Blue Underground)

Posted on November 3, 2011 by JJ Bona
Baba Yaga aka Kiss Me Kill Me, The Devil Witch Blu-ray (Blue Underground)

Baba Yaga aka Kiss Me Kill Me, The Devil Witch Blu-ray (Blue Underground)

RELEASE DATE: February 28, 2012

Legendary sex symbol Carroll Baker (Baby Doll, The Watcher in the Woods) stars as a mysterious sorceress with an undying hunger for sensual ecstasy and unspeakable torture. But when she casts a spell over a beautiful young fashion photographer (the gorgeous Isabelle De Funes), Milan’s most luscious models are sucked into a nightmare world of lesbian seduction and shocking sadism. Are these carnal crimes the result of one woman’s forbidden fantasies or is this the depraved curse of the devil witch known as BABA YAGA?

George Eastman (The Grim Reaper, Horrible) co-stars in this provocative EuroShocker (also known as Devil Witch and Kiss Me Kill Me) written and directed by Corrado Farina and based on the notorious S&M comic Valentina by Guido Crepax. Blue Underground is now proud to present BABA YAGA newly transferred from pristine vault materials and presented in kinky High Definition! Check out the trailer.

Extra include: Farina and Valentina – Interview with Director Corrado Farina, Freud in Color – Guido Crepax Documentary, Deleted and Censored Scenes, Theatrical Trailer, Comic Book-to-Film Comparison

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

The Boys in Company C Blu-ray (Hen’s Tooth)

Posted on November 3, 2011 by JJ Bona
The Boys in Company C Blu-ray (Hen's Tooth)

The Boys in Company C Blu-ray (Hen's Tooth)

RELEASE DATE: January 17, 2012

Raymond Chow’s Golden Harvest presents The Boys in Company C, one of the very first Vietnam war films appear after the Vietnam Era. This 1978 cult film follows the lives of five young Marine inductees from their training in boot camp in 1967 through a tour in Vietnam in 1968. Directed by Sidney J. Furie (Iron Eagle) and starring R. Lee Ermey (Full Metal Jacket), Stan Shaw and Andrew Stevens. Check out the trailer.

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

Warrior Blu-ray & DVD (Lionsgate)

Posted on November 2, 2011 by JJ Bona
Warrior Blu-ray & DVD (Lionsgate)

Warrior Blu-ray & DVD (Lionsgate)

RELEASE DATE: December 20, 2011

“Powerful, moving and brilliant!” – Dan Jolin, Empire

The youngest son (Tom Hardy) of an alcoholic former boxer (Nick Nolte) returns home, where he’s trained by his father for competition in a mixed martial arts tournament — a path that puts the fighter on a collision corner with his older brother (Joel Edgerton).

Warrior is directed by Gavin O’Connor (Pride and Glory) and stars Tom Hardy, Joel Edgerton, Nick Nolte and Jennifer Morrison.

Check out the trailer.

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

A Matter of Size DVD (Menemsha Films)

Posted on November 2, 2011 by JJ Bona
A Matter of Size DVD (Menemsha Films)

A Matter of Size DVD (Menemsha Films)

RELEASE DATE: December 6, 2011

A Matter of Size is fun-filled comedy from Israeli! Four overweight friends are fed up of dieting. When Herzl (155 kilos), the main protagonist, loses his job as a cook and starts working as a dishwasher in a Japanese restaurant, he discovers the world of Sumo where large people such as himself are honored and appreciated. Through Kitano, the restaurant owner and former Sumo coach – Herzl trains to become a Sumo wrestler himself! Check out the trailer.

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

Flash Point Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

Posted on November 2, 2011 by JJ Bona
Flash Point Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

Flash Point Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

RELEASE DATE: January 24, 2012

From actor Donnie Yen and Director Wilson Yip, the now-legendary duo behind Ip Man and Ip Man 2, comes the 2007 hit Flash Point.

Previously released on DVD by The Weinstein Company (as part of Dragon Dynasty’s collection), Flash Point is now in the hands of Well Go USA, in a newly presented Blu-ray and DVD edition.

Flash Point also stars Louis Koo, Collin Chou, Lui Leung-Wai, and Xing Yu.

Trailers: U.S. Trailer | Hong Kong Trailer

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

Bunraku (2009) Review

Posted on November 1, 2011 by Z Ravas
Bunraku DVD (ARC Entertainment)

“Bunraku” American Theatrical Poster

Director: Guy Moshe
Cast: Josh Hartnett, Woody Harrelson, Gackt Camui, Kevin McKidd, Ron Perlman, Demi Moore, Shun Sugata, Jordi Molla, Emily Kaiho, Mike Patton (voice)
Running Time: 118 min.

By HKFanatic

2009’s “Bunraku” is nothing if not ambitious. Shot in four weeks on soundstages in Romania for a minuscule (by Hollywood standards) budget of $20 million, the film tells the tale of a “cowboy without a gun” (Josh Hartnett) and a “samurai without a sword” (Japanese rock star Gackt) who team up to take down the “most powerful crime lord East of the Atlantic” (Ron Perlman). During its high points, the film recalls the dizzying blend of genres of movies like “Kill Bill” and “Sin City.” At its worst, the wooden dialogue and staged quality of “Bunraku” echoes Frank Miller’s other directorial effort, 2008’s much-maligned “The Spirit.”

“Bunraku” was written and directed by Guy Moshe, based on a story by Boaz Davidson. The film is clearly a labor of love for the Israel-born Moshe, who has stated he is keen on exploring a different genre with each project he does. The plot is set in a far-flung future after our war-torn civilization reached the brink of destruction and had to start over again. Now guns are outlawed, global cultures have meshed, and old-fashioned gangs rule the streets.

Creating an inventive new world is just one part of telling a story – you’ve got to be able to communicate your vision to the audience. Unfortunately, “Bunraku” relies on a near constant voice-over narration from alternative rocker Mike Patton during the first 30 minutes, doling out exposition faster than the viewer can process it. Screenplay conventions like “character motivation” are almost an annoyance to Moshe, who would prefer we learn just why these people are constantly fighting once all the fighting is over. The voice-over track is also over-bearing in its message that conflict is the natural state of mankind.

If you’re going to make a movie where the characters routinely engage in choreographed battles, you might as well hire the best; and Moshe managed to land choreographer Larnell Stovall, whose previous credits includes the fan favorite “Undisputed III” with Scott Adkins and the upcoming “Universal Soldier: A New Dimension.” Larnell himself actually gets in on the action, playing one of Ron Perlman’s trained killers, as do a few of his frequent collaborators. Keep an eye out for Fernando Chien, who starred in “Fast Five” and choreographed the action on Michael Jai White’s “Blood and Bone.” Also present is character actor Mark Ivanir, who played a key role in “Undisputed II” and “III.”

I wouldn’t say the fight scenes in “Bunraku” are as jaw-dropping as something like “Undisputed III” but most of the cast here are actors, not martial artists, and Larnell brings out their best. The film comes closest to greatness during a lengthy prison break sequence presented as one long camera take and a later close-quarters fight between Josh Hartnett and Razvan Gheorghiu, where the two actually punch each others’ fists in slow motion. Other highlights include a brawl on a trapeze net and a CGI car chase that utilizes pinball-like sound effects.

This is the kind of movie that asks a lot from its cast. You can almost sense Josh Hartnett and Gackt throwing caution to the wind and going along with Guy Moshe’s vision, trusting that it all will somehow come together in the editing bay. Fans of Gackt (I know there are many) will be happy to know the androgynous J-Rock god gets almost as much screentime as Hartnett. Surprisingly, Woody Harrelson ends up being the glue that holds the film together; his seasoned acting style creates chemistry with nearly everyone in the cast and he comes across as the down to earth voice of wisdom in the film, sort of a hipper version of Peter Parker’s Uncle Ben. He even gives a variation of the same “with great power comes great responsibility” speech.

Ron Perlman plays a dreadlocked and gravely-voiced bad guy, the kind of role he could do in his sleep, although his part is curiously overwritten. Perlman is saddled with a few long monologues that attempt to build sympathy for the character but just end up diluting his strength as a villain. He’s the kind of crime lord who’s become so powerful and constantly challenged, he can barely even leave his secret base. Thus, he’s been reduced to a life of boredom and regret.

Overall, “Bunraku” is a film that takes pleasure in shuffling its influences across the screen: Sergio Leone Westerns, samurai movies, “The Warriors,” video games, Dick Tracy, kung fu flicks, Spider-Man comic books, and more. I got the impression that if “Sin City” and “Kill Bill” hadn’t come before it, this movie might not even exist. But hey, there’s no law saying filmmakers can’t play with those same conventions, whether it be noir-ish voice over as the camera moves through a computer-generated cityscape or a bloody sword fight under a cherry blossom tree. And I applaud anyone who attempts to make a movie this epic in scope on such a limited budget.

But with its very stylized, exaggerated style of acting and dialogue that may or may not make sense, there’s a lot to “Bunraku” that leaves the viewer at arm’s length. You add a 125 minute run time to that and the film might just be asking too much of casual viewers. Frankly, Demi Moore’s entire role as Ron Perlman’s concubine could have been edited from the film with almost no bearing on the plot.

“Bunraku” attempts to be the next great genre mash-up, the kind of title that could unite lovers of both martial arts and genre cinema. It doesn’t quite succeed but it’s still worth a look as long as you have the patience for a movie where scenes and lines of dialogue don’t always hit the mark. Fans of action choreographer Larnell Stovall should find plenty to enjoy since Stovall actually gets to appear onscreen for once and exercise his fight design talent in a diverse range of set-pieces. Derivative but still entertaining, “Bunraku” is proof that sometimes it’s better to aim high and miss than merely sit on the fence.

HKFanatic’s Rating: 6.5/10

Posted in Asian Related, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , |

Tales of an Ancient Empire aka The Sword and the Sorcerer Sequel DVD (Lionsgate)

Posted on November 1, 2011 by JJ Bona
Tales of an Ancient Empire DVD (Lionsgate)

Tales of an Ancient Empire DVD (Lionsgate)

RELEASE DATE: January 24, 2012

Swords clash and destinies collide in this epic story of bloodlust and vengeance from Albert Pyun, the cult director of The Sword and the Sorcerer, Cyborg and Nemesis. Tales of an Ancient Empire stars Kevin Sorbo, Michael Pare, Sarah Ann Schultz and Whitney Able.

Check out the trailer.

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

Hunted By Night DVD (MTI)

Posted on October 31, 2011 by JJ Bona
Hunted By Night DVD (MTI)

Hunted By Night DVD (MTI)

RELEASE DATE: January 31, 2012

With its John Woo-inspired shoot-outs and bone-crunching martial arts sequences, Juan C. Bofill’s Hunted By Night seems to have what action film nuts are hungry for! Three men are hunting when an airplane drops bails of drugs in their vicinity. The men must decide whether to report the drugs or sell them for millions of dollars. Their decision to take the drugs leads them on a deadly confrontation with vicious drug dealers . Check out the trailer.

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

Well Go USA invites you to ‘A Better Tomorrow’ on November 8

Posted on October 31, 2011 by Z Ravas
"A Better Tomorrow" Korean Theatrical Poster

"A Better Tomorrow" Korean Theatrical Poster

“A remake that’s on the money.” – The Hollywood Reporter

“A classic unto itself.” – Film Critics United

Brothers.  Enemies.  Killers.

A BETTER TOMORROW

From Executive Producer John Woo Comes the Stylish Action Drama Starring Jin-mo Ju and Seung-heon Song.

The accent is on action when Jin-mo Ju (A Frozen Flower, The Warrior) and Seung-heon Song (So Close, Ghost) star in the remake of John Woo’s 1986 cult classic A Better Tomorrow, debuting on Blu-ray™ + DVD Combo Pack and DVD November 8 from Well Go USA. Double-dealing among rival Thai and Korean mob syndicates provide the fuel for this fast-paced crime thriller that also stars Kang-woo Kim (Marine Boy) and Han Sun Jo. Bonus materials include deleted scenes, a photo gallery, behind-the-scenes interviews with director Hae-sung Song and the film’s actors, and a 30-minute interview with executive producer John Woo. A Better Tomorrow will be available in a Blu-ray + DVD Combo Pack for $29.98 SRP and on DVD for $24.98 SRP.

Synopsis:

Kim Hyuk (Joo Jin-Mo) lives the fast life as a high ranking mobster in the port city of Busan, South Korea. His closet friend is fellow mobster Lee Young-Choon (Song Seung-Heon). Even though Kim Hyuk seems to be on top of the world, he is haunted by the memory of leaving behind his younger brother Kim Chul (Kim Kang-Woo) and mother as they attempted to flee into South Korea from North Korea. Kim Hyuk’s mother was beaten to death and Kim Chul imprisoned after they were caught by North Korean authorities.

Kim Hyuk then travels to Thailand with new gang recruit Jung Tae-Min (Jo Han-Seon) for a meeting with Thai gangsters. The meeting turns out to be a set-up, planned in part by Jung Tae-Min. Kim Hyuk is able to shoot his way out the meeting, but he is later caught by the Thai police and imprisoned. When good friend Lee Young-Choon hears of what happened to Kim Hyuk in Thailand, he goes to the Thai gang’s holdout in Pusan to kill their boss. During the shootout Jung Tae-Min is shot in the leg.

Three years later, Kim Hyuk is finally released from prison and travels back to Busan. He finds his close friend Lee Young-Choon washing cars now and has a limp leg. Jung Tae-Min, the man that betrayed him, has climbed up the mob ranks and is now a feared crime boss. Furthermore, Kim Hyuk’s younger brother Kim Chul has arrived in Busan and works for the Busan Police Department. Meanwhile, Kim Chul keeps close tabs on Jung Tae-Min as he attempts to take down their gang.

Bonus Features Include:

– 30 minute interview with John Woo
– Deleted Scenes
– Actor and Director interviews
– Theatrical Trailer
– Photo Gallery

A Better Tomorrow has a runtime of approximately 124 minutes and is not rated.

Posted in News |

Netflix Instant Asian Horror Spooktacular

Posted on October 30, 2011 by Z Ravas
"Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl" Japanese Theatrical Poster

"Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl" Japanese Theatrical Poster

Looking for a bloody good time? In the spirit of the Halloween season, we spotlight a few Asian horror movies now streaming on Netflix Instant:

Thirst (2009) – the director of “Oldboy,” Chan Wook-Park, presents his unconventional take on the vampire myth

Retribution (2006) – arguably the master of Asian horror, director Kiyoshi Kurosawa, weaves a bleak ghost story with apocalyptic ramifications

Infection (2005) – a fan-praised Japanese horror film set in a hospital where something is not quite right

Meatball Machine (2005) – a gruesome Japanese splatterpunk film in the tradition of “Tetsuo: The Iron Man” and “Versus”; a must-see for those who like their horror movies with a healthy heaping of gore

Noriko’s Dinner Table (2005) – acclaimed Japanese director Sion Sono presents this nearly three hour long prequel to his own “Suicide Club”

Three…Extremes (2005) – an Asian horror anthology featuring three distinct tales from Hong Kong director Fruit Chan, “Oldboy” filmmaker Chan Wook-Park, and the legendary Takashi Miike

Dumplings (2004) – Fruit Chan expands his “Three…Extremes” piece into a macabre full-length film

Tokyo Zombie (2005) – a zany zombie comedy based off the manga and starring Tadanobu Asano of “Ichi the Killer” fame

Ab-Normal Beauty (2004) – one half of the Pang Brothers directs this creepy Hong Kong horror movie starring Ekin Cheng

Spider Forest (2004) – this unsettling Korean horror film deals with the notion of a fractured mind a la “Fight Club” or “Memento”

Doppleganger (2003) – Kiyoshi Kurosawa directs this decidedly offbeat tale of a man who meets his evil double

Ju-On 2 (2003) – internationally acclaimed director Takashi Shimizu continues the “Ju-On” saga that made him famous

Visible Secret (2001) – Hong Kong critical darling Ann Hiu directs this rare horror outing, starring Eason Chan, Shu Qi, Anthony Wong, and Sam Lee

Barking Dogs Never Bite (2000) – a pitch black Korean comedy from Joon Ho Bong, the world-renown director of “The Host” and “Mother”

Demon Warriors (2007) – this dark Thai thriller is more of an action movie than a horror flick but it features plenty of blood ‘n gore. Imagine Clive Barker directing an X-Men movie and you’re halfway there

Hellavator: The Bottled Fools (2005) – an ultra low-budget sci-fi horror movie made by Japanese film students. What’s not to love?

Epitaph (2007) – a Korean horror anthology centered around a haunted, war-time hospital

Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl (2009) – from the director of “Tokyo Gore Police” comes this Japanese splatterfest that probably explains itself from the title [dubbed]

Goth (2008) – based on a popular manga, this Japanese horror movie follows two death-obsessed high school girls trying to track down a serial killer

The Machine Girl (2008) – the movie that started it all for the “Tokyo Gore Police” team and arguably still their best, it follows a teenage girl with a machine gun attachment looking to get revenge on the Yakuza [dubbed]

Robogeisha (2009) – another ultra-violent Japanese treat from the makers of “Tokyo Gore Police” [dubbed]

Tokyo Gore Police (2008) – a blood-splattered Japanese film set in a near future where mutants and other societal outcasts have run amok [dubbed]

Posted in News |

Blu-ray and DVD Releases for 11/1/11

Posted on October 30, 2011 by Z Ravas
Machete Maidens Unleashed DVD (MPI)

Machete Maidens Unleashed DVD (MPI)

Not a whole lot for Asian film buffs to choose from this week but martial arts fans will probably want to check out “Bunraku” and perhaps there’s an older catalog title you’d like to upgrade to blu-ray on. Alright, let’s get cracking!

ASIAN CINEMA

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (blu-ray/DVD) – from Wayne Wang, the director of “Joy Luck Club,” comes this tale of lifelong friendship starring Li Bingbing, Gianna Jun, Vivian Wu, and Russell Wong

FOREIGN CINEMA

Going Places (blu-ray/DVD) – this 1974 French comedy features plenty of wanton sexuality and amoral living, and made an overnight star of actor Gerard Depardiu

CULT

Bunraku (blu-ray/DVD) – director Guy Moshe presents a dizzying blend of influences in this 2009 genre mash-up starring Josh Hartnett and Japanese rock god Gackt. Fans of martial arts movies and weird cult flicks should find plenty to enjoy here but, chances are, the average viewer will be left scratching their head

The Adventures of Prince Achmed (DVD) – this movie from 1926 is considered the oldest remaining animated film, made by Lotte Reiniger using her innovative silhouette technique

Survive! (DVD) – Amazon has this 1976 survivalist film arriving on DVD this week, delayed from several weeks ago

Machete Maidens Unleashed (DVD) – this documentary examines the crazy world of Filipino genre cinema in the 70’s and 80’s. Also streaming on Netflix Instant!

Darkening Sky (DVD) – an extremely low-budget alien abduction film starring Rider Strong of “Boy Meets World” and “Cabin Fever” fame

MAINSTREAM

Hook (blu-ray) – if you grew up with this 1991 Steven Spielberg film like I did, you probably love it. Anyone who saw this when they were older seems to hate it. Either way, it’s now on blu-ray!

Cop Land (blu-ray) – before he reinvented himself as a post-millennial action god, Sly Stallone stretched his acting chops for one last time in this 1997 dark cop drama. Now in hi-def!

Scrooged (blu-ray) – everybody loves Bill Muarry, so why not upgrade to the blu-ray version of his 1988 take on “A Christmas Carol”?

Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (blu-ray) – before “Moon” made him a household name, Sam Rockwell starred in this dark drama loosely based on a true story. Now on blu-ray

Trespass (blu-ray/DVD) – there are some who will tell you this 2011 Joel Schumacher film received a limited theatrical release but I still say this is Nicole Kidman’s first true direct-to-video flick. Hey, it happens to everyone. Nicolas Cage is also here for the paycheck

The Philadelphia Experiment (DVD) – this 1984 sci-fi adventure film starring Michael Pare (“Streets of Fire”) and Nancy Allen (“Dressed to Kill”) gets a DVD re-release, which is probably a good thing since the transfer on the previous DVD was supposedly terrible

Black Moon Rising (DVD) – a DVD re-release for this 1986 science fiction film, written by John Carpenter and starring Tommy Lee Jones and Linda Hamilton

HORROR

Phantom of the Opera (blu-ray) – the classic 1925 silent film starring Lon Chaney, still full of terror and awe, arrives on blu-ray for the first time

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Posted in News |

The Hellstrom Chronicle Blu-ray & DVD

Posted on October 29, 2011 by JJ Bona
The Hellstrom Chronicle Blu-ray & DVD

The Hellstrom Chronicle Blu-ray & DVD

RELEASE DATE: January 10, 2012

This 1971 movie combines elements of documentary and science fiction to present a gripping depiction of the Darwinian struggle for survival between humans and insects. Several cinematographers photographed this film using stop-motion photography with microscopic and telescopic lenses. The Hellstrom Chronicle’s trailer resembled an announcement for a science fiction movie.

The Hellstrom Chronicle took home an Academy Award (Best Documentary Feature), a Cannes Film Festival Grand Prize (Technical) and the BAFTA Award (Best Documentary feature).

If you’re not intrigued after watching this clip, then you’re not human and the insects will win!

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

Zen DVD (Festival Media)

Posted on October 29, 2011 by JJ Bona
Zen DVD (Festival Media)

Zen DVD (Festival Media)

RELEASE DATE: November 29, 2011

Zen is a biopic of Dogen Zenji, a Japanese Zen Buddhist teacher and the founder of the Soto school of Zen in Japan after travelling to China. Directed by Banmei Takahashi and starring Kantarou Nakamura, Yuki Uchida, Ryushin Tei, Jun Murakami and Tatsuya Fujiwara. Check out the trailer here.

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