Destroy All Monsters aka Charge of the Monsters Blu-ray/DVD (Tokyo Shock)
RELEASE DATE: October 25, 2011
Tokyo Shock presents Destroy All Monsters (1968), the 9th in Toho Studios’ Godzilla series. Directed by Ishirō Honda with special effects by Sadamasa Arikawa (supervised by Eiji Tsuburaya). The plot involves aliens who take control of Earth’s monsters and begin using them to destroy the human race. Check out the trailer here.
Lessons for an Assassin Blu-ray (1-2-3-4 GO)
RELEASE DATE: October 11, 2011
This 2003 action/martial arts movie stars Shannon Lee (Enter the Eagles, and daughter of you-know-who) and the fight sequences were directed by Koichi Sakamoto (Drive, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers). Most of the reviews for this movie have been negative, but that doesn’t mean you won’t have a good time watching it. Check out the trailer here.
The Butcher, The Chef And The Swordsman DVD (Fox)
RELEASE DATE: September 27, 2011
A tale of revenge, honor and greed follows a group of misfits that gets involved with a kitchen cleaver made from the top five swords of the martial arts world in this wild and brash action comedy. This Hong Kong/China/United States production is directed by Wuershan and stars Kitty Zhang (CJ7), Masanobu Ando (Sukiyaki Western: Django), You Benchang, Liu Xiaoye, Ashton Xu and many more. Check out the trailer here.
Gamera Triple Feature Blu-ray set (Mill Creek)
RELEASE DATE: September 27, 2011
Join Dr. Nagamine, Inspector Osako and the lovely Asagi Kusanagi as they attempt to unravel the mysterious and deadly monster attacks of both the Gyaos and the Legion. With the “help” of the military, the survival of the human race depends on them. And the fate of the world depends on a gargantuan, aeronautic and flamably breathed reptile – Gamera, the guardian of the universe!
This limited edition box set includes all 3 feature films from the Heisei [90s] Gamera trilogy, all beautifully remastered in stunning high definition. Also included is a wealth of Bonus Features!
Trailers: Guardian of the Universe | Gamera 2: Attack of the Legions | Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris
Features:
– All 3 movies are presented together in one deluxe Blu-ray package!
– Highly-praised, critically acclaimed films available in stunning High Definition!
– LOADED WITH BONUS FEATURES including Behind the Scenes with the Special FX Crew, Interviews with the Cast and Crew and more!
– Well known film franchise similar to Godzilla, King Ghidorah, Mothra and more!
[Edit: Also of note is that the director, Shusuke Kaneko, was involved with the live-action Japanese Death Note movies.]
Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris Blu-ray (Mill Creek)
RELEASE DATE: September 27, 2011
Still reeling after the hard-fought battle to repel Legion, Japan is now reminded of a deadly foe from the past. The Gyaos have returned, and this time the ornery man-eating birds have not only increased their numbers, but also added a menacing new member, Iris, to their destructive little club. Raised by a young girl whose parents Gamera accidentally squished, the flying blood-sucking squid monster Iris takes her learned hatred and goes out on the warpath. Dr. Nagamine and Inspector Osaka are reunited to help Gamera in his relentless quest to protect and save the human race. Can Gamera ground the Gyaos? Can the turtle tie up the terrible tentacles? Do the hapless humans and the rowdy reptile have what it takes to thwart the revenge of Iris? Check out the trailer here.
– LOADED WITH BONUS FEATURES including Behind the Scenes with the Special FX Crew, Interviews with the Cast and Crew and more!
– Highly-praised, critically acclaimed film available for the first time in stunning High Definition!
– Brand-new high-def transfer from the original film elements!
– Well known film franchise similar to Godzilla, King Ghidorah, Mothra and more!
– One of the most anticipated new Blu-ray releases hundreds of inquiries via customer support emails and social media postings!
2011 J-Pop Summit Festival
An explosion of colorful artists and pop culture music, fashion, art, and film takes over San Francisco in only 16 DAYS when the 2011 J-Pop Summit Festival will be held the city’s Japantown. The annual is newly expanded to two days and will take place Saturday and Sunday, August 27th- 28th.
The weekend-long festival is highlighted by live bands and DJs, fashion shows, a vocaloid music conference, several theatrical film premieres, dance workshops and performances, and assorted arts, crafts and food vendors. NEW PEOPLE, the dynamic entertainment destination showcasing the latest examples of Japanese popular culture, presents the annual event and also welcomes several Guests of Honor to this year’s J-Pop Summit.
A dedicated web site with full details and event schedules is now available at J-pop.com.
The Last Circus Blu-ray/DVD (Magnolia)
RELEASE DATE: October 18, 2011
The Last Circus (aka ”Balada triste de trompeta” or “Sad Trumpet Ballad”) is a 2010 Spanish film by Director Álex de la Iglesia. It’s critically acclaimed and noted for it’s brutal and bloody content. The plot involves two generations of circus clowns who do a little more than just clowning around. Check out the trailer here. It looks amazing!
Action Double Feature: 99 and 44/100% Dead/The Nickel Ride DVD (Shout!)
RELEASE DATE: November 22, 2011
Two obscure classics in one package from Shout! 9 and 44/100% Dead is a 1974 action film directed by John Frankenheimer (ever see 1966’s Seconds? No? Shame on you!) and starring Richard Harris as Harry Crown, a stylish professional hit man with a pair of Browning Hi-Power 9mm pistols. Also included is 1974’s The Nickel Ride, a gangster film directed by Robert Mulligan (To Kill a Mockingbird). It was selected by Quentin Tarantino for the First Quentin Tarantino Film Fest in Austin, Texas, 1996. No trailers needed (or found). Trust me on these.
The Cannonball Run Blu-ray (HBO)
RELEASE DATE: November 8, 2011
Produced by Raymond Chow’s Golden Harvest, this 1981 action/comedy, which stars Burt Reynolds, Roger Moore, Farrah Fawcett, Dom DeLuise, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. and Jackie Chan will street on November 8th with a SRP of $14.98. Check out the trailer here.
“Source Code” Japanese Theatrical Poster
Director: Duncan Jones
Writer: Ben Ripley
Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga, Jeffrey Wright, Cas Anvar, Russell Peters, Michael Arden, Scott Bakula, Craig Thomas
Running Time: 93 min.
By HKFanatic
Director Duncan Jones made a sizable impact in 2009 with his film “Moon” – an intelligent science-fiction thriller for an era that hasn’t seen very many of them, featuring practical production design that harkened back to the work of Stanley Kubrick and an amazing performance from actor Sam Rockwell. It was the kind of auspicious debut that would have garnered attention for Jones even if he wasn’t the son of legendary rocker David Bowie. While 2011’s “Source Code” isn’t exactly the next evolution of Jones’ style that critics and fans were hoping for, it is at the very least an interesting sidestep into commercial filmmaking and proof that Jones can stand shoulder to shoulder with more mainstream directors.
“Source Code” remains firmly rooted in science fiction territory but whereas “Moon” channeled films like “2001: A Space Odyssey” and “Alien,” the script from Ben Ripley takes influence from “Groundhog’s Day,” “12 Monkeys,” and the little-seen Tony Scott/Denzel Washington movie “Deja Vu” from a few years back. Through some advanced near-future psuedo-science, our main character (played by Jake Gyllenhaal) is able to experience the last 8 minutes of a recently deceased person’s life. In this case, the person is a victim of a terrorist bombing on a Chicago commuter train. Jake is repeatedly sent back into this “simulation” by his military handlers since he’s the only one who can utilize those 8 minutes to discover who the bomber is before an even bigger terrorist attack is launched on downtown Chicago. Expect plenty of twists and turns along the way.
Jake Gyllenhaal gives what has to be one of his best performances since his “Donnie Darko” days. Jake ably steps up as a leading man and commanding physical presence (he has to beat up a lot of people in his quest to find the terrorist). Though “Source Code” isn’t as dependent on its central actor as the one-man show of “Moon” was, it’s clear that the movie wouldn’t have nearly worked as well without Jake giving his all in the lead. Seriously, he’s so good that I’m almost willing to forgive him for “Prince of Persia.”
If only the rest of the cast held up so well: Vera Farmiga does just fine in her supporting role but Duncan Jones and his director of photography somehow found a way to make an actress as lovely as her look homely through their use of unflattering sci-fi lighting. The biggest offender, though, is Jeffrey Wright – I don’t know what went wrong here since Wright (“Casino Royale,” “W.”) is a supremely talented actor, but his performance in “Source Code” is a disaster. He plays his character like a limping parody of Orson Welles in his later years, you know, when he was showing up drunk to the set of wine commercials. It’s an embarrassingly over-the-top turn in a film that needed its actors to keep the story grounded amidst all the heady sci-fi concepts.
Crisply photographed (it’s seriously one of the nicest looking blu-rays I’ve seen) and well-scored, “Source Code” had me hooked right up to the end. And I mean that literally – besides Jeffrey Wright’s hammy acting, the ending is what cripples this film. There’s a perfectly staged freeze-frame sequence that, if the credits had rolled there like the I was expecting, would have concluded the film on the perfect note.
Instead, “Source Code” keeps going…and going, straining credibility as it pulls together a cliche happy Hollywood ending. Very rarely does a film bungle its conclusion this spectacularly: not only did the ending make me gag from the Hallmark card corniness of it all, but it made my brain hurt as it pushed the film’s science fiction conceits to their breaking point. Seriously, Hollywood screenwriters: I shouldn’t need a PHD in String Theory or to have seen every alternate reality episode of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” in order to make sense of your film.
Despite a limp conclusion, “Source Code” is an interesting thriller from a director with a bright future ahead of him. Jake Gyllenhaal plays a likable hero, Ben Ripley’s script is full of compelling twists (not bad for a guy who got his start writing “Species III”), and, frankly, we need more movies like this: smart thrillers with modest budgets. With “Source Code” Duncan Jones proves he can play in the Hollywood big leagues without compromising what makes him such a talented filmmaker – and that’s no small feat.
HKFanatic’s Rating: 7/10
"Gantz" coming to DVD and Blu-ray in August!
NEW PEOPLE Entertainment, a film division of NEW PEOPLE, Inc. that focuses on the licensing and distribution of Japanese films and media, will delight sci-fi, action and anime/manga fans across North America with the release of GANTZ on DVD (SRP $24.92) and Blu-ray/DVD combo-pack(SRP $29.99) on August 30th. The film, which is unrated, features both English and Japanese dialogue options and a bonus disc with an exclusive director’s interview and film trailers.
To celebrate the film’s release, a special screening of GANTZ is scheduled for Friday, August 26th at 7:00pm in San Francisco at NEW PEOPLE’s Cinema as part of the 2011 J-Pop Summit Festival. The film will be shown in Japanese with English subtitles. Get a great deal by purchasing a ticket bundle that also includes the brand-new DVD or Blu-ray plus a poster. Tickets and more information are available at HYPERLINK “http://www.newpeopleworld.com/films” http://www.newpeopleworld.com/films.
In addition, the San Francisco theatrical premiere of GANTZ II: Perfect Answer will also take place during the J-Pop Summit Festival on both Saturday, August 27th and Sunday August 28th. The film will also be shown in Japanese with English subtitles. Complete details on the J-Pop Summit are available at: HYPERLINK “http://www.J-Pop.com” www.J-Pop.com.
GANTZ is based on a hit manga series created by Hiroya Oku and stars leading Japanese actors Kazunari Ninomiya (Letters from Iwo Jima) and Kenichi Matsuyama (Death Note, Detroit Metal City). The film tells the story of two childhood friends that are accidentally killed while trying to save another man’s life. Rather than find themselves in the hereafter, however, they awaken in a strange apartment in which they find a mysterious black orb they come to know as “GANTZ.” Along with similar abductees, they are provided with equipment and weaponry and manipulated into playing a kind of game in which they are sent back out to the greater world to do battle with alien beings, all while never quite knowing whether this game is an illusion or their new reality.
“GANTZ first thrilled domestic audiences when we presented the film theatrically in a special one-night-only premiere at over 300 movie theatres nationally earlier this year that was attended by thousands of people across North America,” says Seiji Horibuchi, President and CEO of NEW PEOPLE, Inc. “Anticipation has risen steadily since then and fans now have the exclusive opportunity to own the film on DVD and Blu-ray with our release on August 30th. GANTZ features two of the biggest stars in Japanese cinema and remains true to the innovative storyline from the original manga series. Fans won’t want to miss this exciting release and stay tuned for news coming soon on the upcoming release of the film’s action-packed sequel, GANTZ II: Perfect Answer!”
Check out the trailer here.
Kazunari Ninomiya, best known in America for his role in Clint Eastwood’s 2006 blockbuster, Letters from Iwo Jima, is both an actor and a singer. He is also world-renowned as a member of the Japanese boy band “Arashi,” which topped Japan’s music charts in 2009 with the three best-selling singles.
Kenichi Matsuyama is currently one of the most sought-after actors in Japanese film and he has won several awards including Japanese Academy Awards Best New Actor (2007) and Most Popular Actor (2009). Matsuyama is widely recognized for his part as L in Death Note (2006), Death Note II: the Last Name (2006) and Death Note: L, change the WorLd (2008) and also for his portrayal of Johannes Krauser II in the outlandish rock and roll comedy, Detroit Metal City (2009).
About NEW PEOPLE, Inc. Based in San Francisco, California, NEW PEOPLE, Inc. offers the latest films, art, fashion and retail brands from Japan through its unique entertainment destination as well as through licensing and distribution of selective Japanese films. NEW PEOPLE Entertainment ( HYPERLINK “http://www.newpeopleent.com” www.newpeopleent.com), a film division of NEW PEOPLE, Inc. strives to offer the most entertaining motion pictures straight from the “Kingdom of Pop” for audiences of all ages, especially the manga and anime generation, in North America. Some titles include DEATH NOTE, GANTZ, KAMIKAZE GIRLS, and THE TASTE OF TEA.
A Horrible Way to Die Blu-ray/DVD (Anchor Bay)
RELEASE DATE: September 6, 2011
Forget everything you’ve ever seen in a serial killer movie and get ready for the chiller that stunned festival audiences around the world. Check out the trailer here.
Island of Lost Souls Blu-ray/DVD (Criterion)
RELEASE DATE: October 25, 2011
“If you’ve ever thought old movies were boring, this is the one to watch. It’s like Apocalypse Now from 1932 with monsters.” – Joe909 Island of Lost Souls is a cautionary tale of science run amok adapted from H. G. Wells’s novel The Island of Dr. Moreau. Charles Laughton is a mad doctor conducting ghastly genetic experiments on a remote island in the South Seas, much to the fear and disgust of the shipwrecked sailor (Richard Arlen) who finds himself trapped there. Check out the trailer here.
Double Feature: Incredible Hulk Returns/The Trial of the Incredible Hulk DVD (Image)
RELEASE DATE: October 11, 2011
Ang Lee’s version made you angry. Edward Norton’s portrayal came and went. And now we have to wait a full year to see Mark Ruffalo as The Hulk? Lame. It isn’t The Hulk without Lou Ferrigno, Bill Bixby, a duffle bag, and a depressing piano score. Got that?
Trailers: Incredible Hulk Returns | The Trial of the Incredible Hulk
Secret Garden DVD Set (Ya Entertainment)
RELEASE DATE: August 30, 2011
Winner of Best Drama at the 47th Baeksang Arts Awards, fantasy romance Secret Garden is the hottest Korean TV drama series of 2011. The topsy-turvy love story turns the modern fairytale romance on its head with hilariously eccentric characters, body swapping, and an emotional roller coaster that will have you laughing and crying the whole way through. Starring Ha Ji-Won and Hyun Bin! Check out the trailer here.
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