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Sundream wants some DEAD SUSHI

2012-05-26T13:00:40+00:00

Cracked nutcase of a genius, Japanese director. Noboru Iguchi has brought us some of the best (‘Mutant Girls Squad,’ ‘The Machine Girl,’ to name bit a few) that cult/action/exploitation cinema has to offer and whilst he’s preparing to release his latest opus of insanity Dead Sushi, this October, news has come in for a possible early English subbed source. According to Screedaily, Hong Kong’s Sundream Motion Pictures have nabbed the local right to the Sushi turns killer horror flick. It’s pretty much a cert the film will get picked up for sale in either the U.S and or U.K but always to keep your options open for an early peak. More on a release, when we get it. In the mean time, crank up the trailer, and let Sushi ATTACK. Dead Sushi trailer

FrightFest The 13th artwork revealed

2012-05-25T16:07:01+00:00

The UK’s premiere horror festival the Film Four Fright fest is fast approaching and to help kick off the event this years rather spiffy poster has just been released. Top illustrator Graham Humphreys and designer Paul Johnstone – have come up with the design to help kick off another year of bloody and mayhem, this August. 2012’s opening and closing night films will be announced on Friday June 8, and the full-line up on Friday June 29. Keep-em-peeled on the official site for what’s in store.

Release date confirmed for THE GUILLONTINES!

2012-05-24T19:06:32+00:00

The long awaited date for Andrew Lau's wuxia film The Guillotines has been announced, and it hits China and Hong Kong theatres December 20th! Even better news, the film has been picked up for release in the U.S via the ever canny/shrewd Well Go U.S.A for north Amercian distro. Todays a good day. For more info on the news, head here. Or you can catch up on the back story to the flick....here, and here.

DEADBALL: DVD review

2012-05-24T17:36:01+00:00

Director: Yamaguchi Yudai. Review: Adam Wing. The opening moments will have you believe you’re watching a quirky Japanese drama. A young boy is playing catch with his father on a hot summer’s day as his brother looks on from the sidelines. It’s all very tasteful, innocent and sweet natured, or at least it would be, had it not been the latest shock-buster from Sushi Typhoon. Battlefield Baseball director Yamaguchi Yudai follows up his chaotic action blast with more of the same and then some. Teaming up with Sakaguchi Tak (Yakuza Weapon) for the second time in 2010, Deadball focuses on the superhuman pitcher Jubei, who is forced to lead a juvenile delinquents baseball team against a girls' high school team trained by a Caucasian Neo-Nazi. I kid you not. You can score points by killing your opponents, and the more OTT it is the better. Which is kind of lucky really, because OTT is what Sushi Typhoon specialises in. After discovering Jubei's pitching abilities, the reformatory's authority forces Jubei to join Pterodactyl's team The Gauntlets and lead them to victory at a national tournament. Their first opponents are the "psycho butcher girls" of St. Black Dahlia High School - because you can’t have a Sushi Typhoon production without a sprinkling of sex-ploitation. There’s more to the plot than that of course, but lets face it, nobody’s checking out Deadball for character development and award winning story arcs.

France set to enjoy a BANGKOK RENAISSANCE

2012-05-23T19:57:31+00:00

Whilst the rest of us are set to endure a horrific theatrical parade of rom-coms and mainly tame action flicks this summer, France knows where it’s at, as they’re set for some hard core fight action in the form of Jean-Marc Minéo’s Bangkok Renaissance, which stars martial arts expert and stuntman Jon Foo. This being a FIGHT pic they’ve gone for the old favourites (IE the ones that guarantee maximum carnage) on the plot front, it’s the old adages of; love, loss and bloody revenge. Bangkok Renaissance opens in France June 13th – Here’s hoping some bright spark picks it up for release nearer to home soon. Trail at the link. Synopsis: Manit, a boy of ten years witnessed the murder of his parents. Unrelenting, the killers decide to eliminate it. Shot in the head, the child survives miraculously from his injuries, but finds himself struck by ataraxia. The damage to his brain took away any emotion. Saved from certain death by an old martial arts master, Manit, 20 years later becomes a real war machine, returns to the place of his childhood ...Justice is going to fall...And men will die ... Bangkok Renaissance trailer

Sion Sono’s HIMIZU: Theatrical review

2012-05-23T17:34:31+00:00

Director: Sion Sono. Review: Adam Wing. If you thought Sion Sono might fancy a change of pace after disturbing the world with the likes of Cold Fish and Guilty of Romance you’ve got it all wrong. Himizu starts life as a teen romance but soon descends into bitterness, violence and madness. Sono had just finished adapting the hugely popular manga ‘Himizu’ into a screenplay when the largest earthquake in recorded history struck the coast of Japan. He put the project on hold to help with the volunteer effort in Fukushima, and as a result, changed the setting of his story in order to show the world what happened. Sumida (Shota Sometani) and his schoolmate Chazawa (Fumi Nikaido) are 15-year-old school kids living a dystopian existence. Sumida wants to live an ordinary life ‘quietly like a mole’, and Chazawa dreams of living with the man she loves, believing that they’ll protect each other from the world outside. Which would be fine if their useless parents didn’t keep getting in the way. Sumida’s father (Ken Mitsuishi) keeps coming round for a quick fix of cash - he’s an abusive drunk who beats on his son and wants him dead so that he can claim the insurance. Sumida’s mother isn’t much better; she runs away with another man and leaves her son to deal with the fallout.

U.S trailer for Soi Cheang’s crime thriller ACCIDENT

2012-05-22T18:23:04+00:00

It was way back in March that we first dropped news that Soi Cheang’s hard hitting thriller Accident was heading stateside, and with the release just around the proverbial corner, they’ve seen fit to throw us a U.S trailer to whet our appetite. Accident has top notch cast, stylish visuals, suspense and violence, all rolled around a fantastic premise and you can pick it up on DVD or Blu ...from June 12. Synopsis: A self-styled accident choreographer, Brain is a professional hit man who kills his victims by trapping them in well crafted accidents that look like unfortunate mishaps but are in fact perfectly staged acts of crime. He is perennially plagued with guilt, as the avalanche of memories of his lost wife does not make things any easier. After one mission inexplicably goes wrong, costing the life of one of his men, Brain becomes convinced that this accident has been choreographed: someone is out there plotting to terminate him and his team. He becomes increasingly paranoid, not knowing whether or not to trust his friends and accomplices. When he discovers that a mysterious insurance agent named Fong is somehow related to the last staged accident, Brain becomes obsessed that this man must be the mastermind behind a conspiracy to take him out. To regain his sanity and to save his life, he must stay one step ahead of Fong before he makes his next move. Brain rents an apartment below Fong’s, bugs the rooms, then becomes obsessed with the insurance man’s comings and goings. Eventually reality and delusion blur, culminating in a wickedly twisted ending.

Promo trail for new Genghis Khan epic AN END TO KILLING

2012-05-21T19:31:10+00:00

We were surprised to see that someone’s planning yet another historical epic based on the life of Genghis Khan – titled An End to Killing - so after a hunt around the web we’ve turned up a great looking (especially when you consider this is most likely unfinished footage) promo trailer for the film. Seems we aren’t the only ones who were impressed – according to Variety, Universal has already snapped up the rights to the film, even before it’s finished. An End to Killing is due for release in China late this year, with a bow set for other territories in 2013. Synopsis: The story is set against the backdrop of the later years of the reign of Genghis Khan. At a point when his power was at its peak and his empire had no equal, he decided to push westward wanting to enlarge his empire so that he could see it stretch from “the place where the sun rises to the city where the sun sets.” Smart, cunning, vicious and strategic; at that point in his life, no one could equal him and no one dared challenge him. That was until a master Daoist priest, Qiu Chuji came down from his mountain monastery, pursued Genghis Khan for three years and convinced him that immortality was only possible if he gave up violence and killing. Thus the mighty Khan was tamed. An End to Killing promo

Korea’s action-packed QUICK hits U.S Blu and DVD

2012-05-21T17:49:28+00:00

If spectacular street chases and non stop explosions galore are your thing (and who wouldn’t like that!?) then you could do a lot worse than cast your eye in the direction of the upcoming DVD release of Jo Bum-Gu’s Korean blockbuster, action-fest...Quick. Starring Lee Min-Ki, Kang Ye-Won and Kim In-Kwon it lands on Blu-ray™ and DVD. Both the BD and DVD have some extensive bonus content but the Blu-ray’s the one to go for, for some great exclusive bonus features. Either way, it’s OTT, ridiculously cool eye candy of the highest order – so natch we’re going to cover it. Quick hits the street Aug 21. Synopsis: While driving a female pop star to a live broadcast appearance, motorcycle-riding messenger Gi-su receives a mysterious call that there’s a bomb wired to the pop star’s helmet and will blow up if he fails to make a series of deliveries within a fixed time limit. Caught up in a terrorist attack on the grandest scale smack in a heavily populated city along with the police hot on his trail, he and his passenger must embark on a high-speed race against time that their very lives depend on. Quick trailer

4th annual Shinsedai Cinema Festival announces programme

2012-05-19T11:18:25+00:00

4th Toronto’s Shinsedai Cinema Festival has just announced the programme for 2012 and it a looks like Pinky violence, and sex galore, are the name of the game, as director Yu Irie’s film - ‘Ringing in Their Ears’ will have its Canadian premiere as the opening night film of the fourth annual festival on Thursday, July 12, 2012 at 7:00 p.m., at the festival’s new home, The Revue Cinema in Roncesvalles Village. ‘Ringing in Their Ears’ kicks off four days of Japan’s best new filmmaking talent for a new generation. Battle Girls & Bondage, Toronto’s first ever Pink Film Double Bill, starts on Saturday, July 14, at 9:30 p.m. and continues into the late evening with feature screenings of ‘Battle Girls’ and ‘New Tokyo Decadence: The Slave,’ plus an unforgettable mix of sexy performances, pageantry and kink. For a full list of the film son offer check out the fests official site here.

Full trailer for Singapore horror GHOST ON AIR

2012-05-19T10:34:57+00:00

It’s actually just opened but as we’ve just turned up another trailer online for the broadcast based Singapore horror flick....Ghost on Air we thought it worth a mention. A talk show DJ terrorized ghost stories made flesh are the name of the game in this one, and by all accounts the reviews have been pretty positive. Synopsis: Ping Xiao, a two-time "Most Popular DJ" award winner, is suddenly robbed of his successful morning show slot. Jealous at seeing a younger DJ taking his place, he forces himself to conquer painful recurring memories of his deceased girlfriend and tells the ghost stories that were written by her on air. With each painful memory he endures, he regains a small step to his superstardom. However, as he is about to claim his reward, he begins to realize that the stories were not works of fiction, and maybe it wasn't him telling the stories all along...

Korea action epic WAR OF THE ARROWS: UK DVD review

2012-05-18T21:50:35+00:00

Director: Kim Han Min. Review: Adam Wing. Korean cinema is well known for startling thrillers, but occasionally they put a little more emphasis on action and War of the Arrows is the result. Orphaned as a child, Nam Yi (Hae-il Park) overcame tragic loss to become the most accomplished archer of his generation. When Chinese forces attack Korea, he returns to discover that his sister - who he’s sworn to protect - has been taken into slavery on her wedding day by invading armies. Now he must prove himself against some of the greatest archers in history, shooting to thrill in a brave attempt to re-unite his family. War of the Arrows picked up 11 international awards on its way to DVD and it’s easy to see why. Park Hae Il (The Host) won Best Actor at the Daejong and Blue Dragon Film Awards for his screen-hugging portrayal of the lone archer that would put even Robin Hood to shame. Television starlet Moon Chae Won plays his put upon sister, without whom we wouldn’t be blessed with such an adrenaline pumping night in. Directed by Kim Han Min (Paradise Murdered), War of the Arrows is a fast-paced action epic blessed with thrilling chase sequences, electrifying combat and exquisite direction. Kim Moo Yeol crops up as Moon Chae Won's husband, Park Ki Woong plays a Manchu prince, and Ryu Seung Ryong (The Front Line) swaps gunfire for bows as the leader of the Manchurian archers.

MITSUKO DELIVERS: DVD Review

2012-05-17T10:09:48+00:00

Director: Yuya Ishii. Review: Adam Wing. “When the wind blows your way, go with it.” Mitsuko Delivers is the new film from Yuya Ishii (Sawako Decides), starring Riisa Naka (Love Strikes!), Aoi Nakamura (Quirky Guys & Gals) and Ryo Ishibashi (Audition). Yuya Ishii is certainly making a name for himself; Sawako Decides won the Best Director accolade at the Blue Ribbon Awards, and the Best New Director Award at the Yokohama Film Festival. Hikari Mitsushima led an impressive cast in an enjoyable comedy drama that encouraged you to embrace the mediocrity of life and overcome it. Flawed yet fruitful, Sawako Decides was overlong and inconsequential, but it was also blessed with enough quirky charm to see it through. His latest release, Mitsuko Delivers, takes similar themes and waltzes amongst the clouds with them. Mitsuko (Riisa Naka) is in the closing stages of her pregnancy to an African American guy she met in California. Her parents think she’s still in America but she’s actually back home, living in a rundown flat with no money and no friends. She’s a girl of simple pleasures; somebody that gets by on power naps, being ‘cool’ (doing right by people) and following clouds. That’s right folks; the clouds are what guide her in life apparently. So you wont be surprised to learn that she gets her flat cleaned up, jumps in a taxi (that she can’t afford to pay for), and follows a cloud back to the working class alley she grew up in.

THE RAID to explode across the UK

2012-05-16T09:02:13+00:00

We havent seen this kind of heavyweight theatrical support for an Asian film in a long time – Momentum Pictures, and Alliance Films Company, will release what film critics are calling “The Best Action Film of the Year”, THE RAID, in over 280 cinemas across the UK and Ireland on 18 May. The Raid stars the newest action movie superstar, Iko Uwais, was written and directed by Welshman, Gareth Evans and features a kick ass score by Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park and composer Joe Trapanese. An up to date list of all the cinemas playing THE RAID and show times is on the film’s Fan Hub page or the official UK Facebook page. Synopsis: Deep in the heart of Jakarta's slums stands an impenetrable apartment block; a safe house for the city’s most dangerous killers and gangsters and considered untouchable to even the bravest of police. Cloaked under the cover of pre-dawn darkness and silence, an elite SWAT team is tasked with raiding the safe house in order to take down the notorious drug lord that runs it. When rookie cop Rama is the last man standing, he must fight his way to the top of the building to complete the mission and escape with his life.

UK DVD cover art for Columbian horror film THE SQUAD

2012-05-14T10:16:41+00:00

Every once in a good while a South American country; ups and throws something bloody good into the international horror pot and this time around Colombia’s in the frame as Jaime Osorio Marquez's Military horror (‘El paramo’) The Squad is heading for a UK DVD bow. Part psychological thriller, part full-blown horror film, The Squad builds tension before delivering a final revelation that will “send faint-hearted viewers running screaming to the hills.” We’ll take that challenge...and for any others in the UK wanting to give it a go, June 18 is the date to look out for. Synopsis: When all communication with a remote military base situated in an area of intense guerrilla activity is lost, a unit of Colombian soldiers is sent on a mission to regain contact with their brothers-in-arms. Fearing the base has been taken over by enemy forces, they arrive to find the place seemingly devoid of life. Once power is restored to the outpost, the full horror of the situation is revealed – the place is littered with corpses, the walls daubed with blood and what appear to be magical symbols intended to ward off evil. Amidst the carnage the soldiers discover a woman buried alive behind one of the walls. The dead captain’s log reveals she had been captured in the area several days earlier and was being held on suspicion of being a guerrilla informant. Further interrogation of the woman reveals little, but soon leads to tensions amongst the men who are struggling to come to terms with the mysterious slaughter of their comrades. Confused and isolated, the soldiers find themselves gripped by inexplicable feelings of fear, mistrust and paranoia that leads them to question the nature and identity of their enemy. The Squad trailer

HELPLESS: Review

2012-05-12T07:37:42+00:00

Mun-ho (Lee Seon-gyun) and Sun-yeong (Kim Min-hee) are engaged to be married. They're actually on the way to visit Mun-ho's parents, but as Mun-ho stops for some coffee Sun-yeong receives a phone call that changes both of their lives forever. As Mun-ho returns to the car, Sun-yeong is nowhere to be found. He searches everywhere, calls her cell phone to no avail, files a police report, and even comes home to a house that looks like it has literally been turned upside down. Sun-yeong has disappeared without a trace and Mun-ho will stop at nothing to find her even if it means that the person he's looking for may not be the person he's grown to love over the course of the past year. Helpless is unique in the sense that it's more enjoyable than the movies it may remind you of. To a certain degree, it’s a lot like ‘Unknown’ with a little bit of gender swapping and more originality. The intimate scenes between Mun-ho and Sun-yeong were reminiscent of ‘The Vow,’ but doesn't feel overdone or leave you with the urge to regurgitate. Overall, Helpless is pretty well-crafted. Mun-ho becomes obsessed with finding Sun-yeong and will stop at nothing to not only find her whereabouts, but also what her true identity actually is. He puts everything on the line including his job as a veterinarian. He talks his former police detective cousin, Jong-geun (Jo Sung-ha), into helping him search for Sun-yeong. As Helpless progresses, it's as if Mun-ho's mental and emotional stability folds under learning who Sun-yeong actually is but he can't stop. Not until he hears it all from Sun-yeong herself.

SADAKO 3D heads for Hong Kong

2012-05-11T11:27:28+00:00

Where they’re next set to release the latest incarnation of ‘The Ring’ series - Sadako 3D - has been occupying a lot of our time, because we really want to see it and every new territory means a possible source to snap up an English subbed DVD. Last month Korea offered up hope for a possible purchase, but now that Hong Kong has just jumped on the Sadako bandwagon, we’ve now got a sure fire (and cheaper - we’re big Asian horror fans, but still always up for a bargain) source on the way. S3D opens in HK June 14. Synopsis: Akane is a high school teacher who hears a rumour from her students that there is actual footage on the Internet of someone's suicide. The footage is said to drive anyone who sees it to also commit suicide. Akane does not believe the rumour at first, but when one of her female students dies after viewing the footage, she and her boyfriend Takanori are fatefully drawn into the horror that has been created by the man who appears in the suicide footage, Kashiwada. Kashiwada's intention is to create chaos in the world by bringing back Sadako and the power of her curse. Now Akane has to fight against Sadako and Kashiwada to save the lives of herself and Takanori.

EMPEROR AND THE WHITE SNAKE: DVD review

2012-05-10T18:16:09+00:00

Director: Ching Siu Tung. Review: Adam Wing. Stop me if you’ve heard this one. Two beautiful girls live amongst the trees, frolicking in a CGI forest and talking to animals. They could be lovers, they might be sisters (very close sisters), but they frolic all the same - laughing, giggling and slithering through life. One of the girls becomes obsessed with a rather damp excuse for a human being, saves his life and then stalks him for a while. The other girl longs for companionship and befriends a dim-witted demon hunter. The dim-witted hunter is bitten by a giant bat demon and starts to transform, but the beautiful girl vows to teach him the ways of a human/demon hybrid – as you do I guess. Perhaps I should’ve mentioned that this is a Jet Li movie, with the martial arts legend appearing alongside a long line of CGI nastiness, playing the part of a demon slaying monk. Perhaps I should also mention that the two girls are snakes, one white and one green, and that not since the hit movie Splash have we witnessed such alluring scaly-skinned specimens. Welcome to the wonderful world of Emperor And The White Snake. That’s right folks, The Legend of the White Snake is born again, with Eva Huang (Kung Fu Hustle) starring as a lovelorn demon and action superstar Jet Li playing the part of a Buddhist monk – a Buddhist monk who belongs in another movie entirely, but we’ll let that go for now.

U.K theatrical release set for Sion Sono’s HIMIZU

2012-05-10T08:20:25+00:00

Auteur of the strange - all round genius - and huge favourite around these parts, Japanese director Sion Sono’s latest opus (and biggest box-office success to date) Himizu is set for a UK theatrical release next month, and we reckon its an opportunity not to be missed. Opening at the ICA, Prince Charles Cinema and selected regional sites, you can catch Himizu from June 1st. A real no brainer, that this is a must see for Sono fans...end of! Synopsis: Set after the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, all 14-year-old Yuichi Sumida wants to become is a regular boy and live a decent life. His environment though repeatedly drags him into the mud. He runs his parent's rental boat business, which is located next to a nondescript lake. His mother frequently comes home with different men and soon she leaves him entirely. His father only comes around looking for money. Whenever Yuichi's father is drunk he tells Yuichi "I wish you were dead." Keiko Chazawa is a classmate of Yuichi Sumida. She harbours a severe crush on Yuichi. Keiko's home life isn't much better than Yuichi's. Her mother builds a gallows with a noose in place for Keiko to take her own life. Her mother believes her life would be better off without Keiko.Under these circumstances, Keiko pays a visit to Yuichi's home. A group of people are lingering nearby who live in make shift tents on the property. Keiko tries to befriend Yuichi, but she is berated and even physically assaulted. She doesn't get deterred though and sticks around. One day, the yakuza come by Yuichi's home. They look for Yuichi's father who is nowhere to be found. The men then tell Yuichi that he has to come up with 6 million Yen by tomorrow to pay off his father's debt. Yuichi already heartbroken by his mother's abandonment and abuse from his father nears a tipping point. A string of incidents then occurs that brings Yuichi's world to a screeching halt. Is there light at the end of the tunnel for Yuichi? Himizu trailer

Full trailer for Lim Sang-soo’s THE TASTE OF MONEY

2012-05-09T18:22:51+00:00

After bringing us the highly acclaimed remake of the Korean 60s classic (hailed by some as the best Korean film ever made) ‘The Housemaid,’ director Im Sang-soo, is back with another tale of high society greed, sex and deceit - in The Taste of Money. A new trailer is out and if only goes to prove one thing it’s that Soo knows how make greed, sex and deceit look oh so very stylish. The Taste of Money opens in Korea May 17th. The Taste of Money full trailer The Taste of Money official site

Aussie horror THE LOVED ONES hits the U.S this June

2012-05-08T19:57:03+00:00

Great news for all you U.S gore fiends who are fans of unusual, quirky and shockingly bloody horror - Australian first time director Sean Byrne’s "Carrie"-meets-"Misery" flick The Loved Ones, is finally due for some theatrical releases in the U.S and the date to watch out for is June 1st! Details of which cities are lucky enough to get to see it first (plus there’s a tab to click to request further venues) are on the films official site. Prom night just got BLOODY...good. Synopsis: Brent (Xavier Samuel) has never really recovered from the night of his car crash. It's the crash that killed his father, the crash that he was responsible for, and his only solace is his loving girlfriend Holly. But there's another girl who yearns to comfort Brent, the quietest girl in school, Lola. Just when Brent thought his life couldn't get any worse, Brent turns down Lola's invitation to the school prom and enters a nightmare beyond imagining. Just hours before the dance, Brent is abducted and taken to Lola's home by her adoring, demented DADDY who's determined to make his lovelorn princess's dream come true, her own private prom night with her dream date. As the night wears on Brent discovers that Lola's feelings for him aren't the only thing she's been keeping a secret, and although beaten and broken, he must summon every ounce of will he possesses if he is to survive, escape, and prevent Lola and her father from extending her revenge to those he loves most. The Loved Ones official site Read our review of The Loved Ones

Poster for Indonesian horror comedy KAKEK CANGKUL

2012-05-08T17:45:36+00:00

We’re back in the weird and wonderful world that is Indonesian movie production, which this time raises the question - can you make a horror comedy that revolves around the premise of a scythe wielding, psychotic senior citizen? Whether they’ve found the answer might well remain a mystery, but they are giving it a good go all the same, with the upcoming slasher Kakek Cangkul aka (and this is a literal translation) ‘Grandfather Hoe’. Granted it all sounds more than a tad strange, until you realise the movie is actually the follow up to another hit Indonesian horror - from Movie Eight Studios - titled (no we’re not making this up) Grandmother Ladle, and there’s even a third film planned to round of the series. Maybe nothing about Indonesian cinema should surprise us any more? Kakek Cangkul opens locally in late May.

Korea becomes DERANGED this summer

2012-05-07T14:57:46+00:00

Summer is fast approaching, and as that means its horror season in Korea we’ve some new details on a big budget scare flick titled ‘Yeongasi’ (aka ‘Deranged’), the latest big budget offering from CJ entertainment. With this one we’re heading for Zombie (of the infected, rather than un-dead kind) territory, as a mass virus epidemic takes control of human brains turning the victim into a water-thirsty zombie obsessed with water!? Intriguing stuff. The movie is slated for release this coming July so no trailer as yet, but we have tracked down a detailed summary of the plot to be going on with. More soon..Synopsis: Jae-hyuk is an ordinary man in his 40s. He works as a medical supplies salesman and is hassled by doctors all day. His brother Jae-pil is a detective that is not all that interested in public safety and spends most of his time moaning about the stock market. The discovery of a series of floating, gruesomely skeletal bodies around the country sparks hysteria. The police commissioner is disturbed to see CCTV footage of people jumping into water as if they were possessed, and drowning themselves. Time passes and hundreds of similar cases are reported, leaving officials stumped as to the cause of the deaths. The government declares a national emergency. Jae-pil joins the massive investigation and meets the mayor of a small town who claims he witnessed several men in work uniforms dumping infected dogs into the streams and realizes that there is a conspiracy behind the outbreak. Meanwhile, Jae-hyuk’s wife and children are showing the same symptoms as the victims, leading to a frantic search for medicine. Through Jae-pil he learns of a warehouse containing a potential cure in thousands and thousands of doses and heads there with no idea of what he’s heading into.

IRON SKY - Invading UK Cinemas for ONE DAY ONLY

2012-05-06T10:15:56+00:00

Brought to life by Finnish Director Timo Vuorensola and producer Tero Kaukomaa, the cinematic phenomenon that is - the sci-fi, action, comedy mash-up - Iron Sky is finally coming to UK screens....But not for long! The window of opportunity for some Nazis from the moon action is pretty tiny, because for one day only (Wednesday 23rd May) Iron Sky will be shown at cinemas across the country, and then released on DVD on Monday 28th May. A confirmed list of the initial 15 theatres screening Iron Sky will be released next week, but in the mean time, if you want to see the film near home, get in touch with your local cinema to let them know there’s a demand. Interest can also be expressed and viewed on this interactive map within the Iron Sky website. Synopsis: In the final moments of World War II, a secret Nazi space program evaded destruction by fleeing to the Dark Side of the Moon. Over the next 70 years, in utter secrecy, the Nazis constructed a gigantic space fortress, amassing a veritable armada of flying saucers. When American astronaut James Washington) sets down his Lunar Lander a bit too close to the secret Nazi base, the Moon Fuehrer decides the glorious moment of retaking the Earth has arrived sooner than expected. Washington claims the mission is just a publicity stunt for the President of the United States but what else could the man be but a scout for the imminent attack by Earth forces? The Fourth Reich must act! Two Nazi officers, ruthless Klaus Adler and idealistic Renate Richter, travel to Earth to prepare for the invasion. In the end when the Moon Nazi UFO armada darkens the skies, every man, woman and nation alike must re-evaluate their priorities.

YAKUZA WEAPON: Blu-ray review

2012-05-04T21:15:34+00:00

Director: Tak Sakaguchi. Review: Adam Wing. Teaming up with cult actor/director Tak Sakaguchi (Versus) for another deliriously demented offering, it would seem that Sushi Typhoon is back in business. Co-directed by Yudai Yamaguchi, and featuring action direction by Yuji Shimomura (Death Trance, Versus, Shinobi), with special makeup effects provided by Sushi Typhoon regular Yoshihiro Nishimura (Tokyo Gore Police, Helldriver), Yakuza Weapon is based on an adult comic created by Ken Ishikawa, who also had a hand in Cutie Honey. I think it’s safe to assume that we’re not entering period drama territory here. It’s the usual drill. High-octane action, human weaponry, CGI bloodlust and yakuza gangster fodder, brought to you in glorious high definition - I mean really, what’s not to like? You either love this kind of thing or you don’t, and I doubt very much Yakuza Weapon will do enough to change your opinion either way. The yakuza underworld is ruled by chivalry and loyalty (you’ll hear that a few times in this one), otherwise known as ‘Jingi’. If a yakuza violates Jingi there is hell to pay, because the yakuza live and die by their principles.

5 Points Pictures announces MOSS

2012-05-03T20:07:58+00:00

Anime/Manga distributor Right Stuf Right Stuf Inc have just announced the creation of 5 Points Pictures a new division set to focus on live-action programming, and there’s going to be a ton of great Asian titles heading Stateside, from them very soon. Early on the cards to be released under this studio-label - as part of a multi-picture agreement with South Korea's CJ Entertainment - include critical favourites ‘Bleak Night’, ‘Punch’, recent hits ‘Finding Mr. Destiny,’ ‘Penny Pinchers,’ ‘The Suicide Forecast,’ and edge-of-your-seat drama Tazza: The High Rollers) But first up for the 5 Point treatment will be a special-edition DVD of MOSS the excellent murder-mystery-thriller, from Director Kang Woo-suk and its due to hit the streets this August Extra features: “The Making of Moss,” “The Beginning of the Story – The Comic Behind the Story,” art and set design documentary (“The Birth of the Village”), make-up and effects featurette (“Come Out to the Real World”), poster shoot video, original South Korean teaser and trailer, cast and director bios, and 5 Points Pictures trailers. Synopsis: Hae-guk receives word that his estranged father has passed away, so he travels to the remote village where the older man lived to attend the funeral. However, when Hae-guk starts asking questions about his father’s life – and unexplained death – the residents and their charismatic Chief exchange mysterious looks and seem anxious to rush him out of their village. Something isn’t right, and Hae-guk is determined to uncover the truth… at any cost!

CRIME OR PUNISHMENT?!?: DVD review

2012-05-02T17:45:03+00:00

Director: Keralino Sandorovich. Review: Adam Wing. Every day is pretty much like any other, that is of course, unless your name is Ayame (Riko Narumi) and you live in a world created by Keralino Sandorovich. With a pin-up career going nowhere fast, Ayame takes on the PR role of ‘police chief for the day’, a job that would normally require her to put on her best smile and act like she works for the police department. Unfortunately for Ayame, today is not a normal day. The staff at the police station insist on treating her like a real police chief and look to her for advice, enthusiasm and instruction. Which is bad enough in itself, but add to the mix an ex-boyfriend who works as a detective at the station, and you’re starting to have a very bad day indeed. Things are a little more complicated than that though, and there’s more to her ex Haruki (Kento Nagayama) than meets the eye. Not only is he playing at being her subordinate for the day, he also holds a dark and deadly secret that goes someway to explaining why they broke up in the first place. Situations take another unexpected turn when a major event takes place, and it’s down to Ayame to solve the case at hand. Crime or Punishment?!? is a slapstick comedy starring Riko Narumi (Bushido Sixteen), Kento Nagayama (Villain), Sakura Ando (Love Exposure) and Megumi Okina (Shutter), arriving on UK shores this month courtesy of Third Window Films.

Cult favorite LADY SNOWBLOOD headed to UK Blu-ray

2012-05-02T16:22:37+00:00

British distributors Arrow Video have announced that they'll be releasing both of the Lady Snowblood films on Blu-ray. Lady Snowblood (1973) and the sequel Lady Snowblood: Love Song Of Vengeance (1974) are due to hit shelves in the UK on September 24th in both a Dual Format Edition and SteelBook Limited Edition releases.

New Korean Film Festival coming to Hollywood

2012-05-01T18:11:58+00:00

Do you live in or near Southern California? If so, you're in luck. We just got word of a new Korean film festival making it's way to Hollywood. The Look East: Korean Film Festival will be occupying Hollywood the weekend of June 23-24! The lineup hasn't been announced just yet, but we do know that Korean film super star Lee Byung-hun (A Bittersweet Life, Joint Security Area) and Korean film legend Ahn Sung-ki (Musa The Warrior, Silmido) will be on hand and will be casting hand and foot prints in the concrete in front of Graumann's Chinese Theatre on the 23rd.The press release also promises "new and classic" Korean films from directors like Kwon Taek Im, Kim Jee-woon and Lee Chang-dong

Latest trail for MOONLIGHT SAVAGE makes a lot more sense

2012-05-01T18:10:36+00:00

Whilst a detailed summary of the plot Chinese action movie Moonlight Savage (aka ‘Mystery Robber’) is still eluding us, it’s good to see that - after the off the wall oddity that was the first teaser - the latest trailer is more in keeping with what we expected and; guns, action and bloodshed are the name of the game. Mystery Robber gets released this week.

Brazil’s Fantaspoa Film Fest announces its full program

2012-04-30T19:28:17+00:00

Latin America is getting in on the genre action! Starting next week, on may 4th and going until may, 20th, Brazil’s Porto Alegre will be capital of Genre Cinema. Fantaspoa – International Fantastic Film Festival of Porto Alegre, the biggest genre film festival of South America will be back for its 8th edition, with 17 days of pure cinephilia, exhibiting 150 films – including 87 features from 32 countries: 5 having their world première, 12 in national première and 43 in their Latin America première. The festival will also bring more than 35 guests, including the duo that will be getting a Career Achievement Award: David Schmoeller and Stuart Gordon. Schmoeller, in the occasion, will also have the première of his first feature in 14 years: “Little Monsters”. The festival will open and close with two world premières: “Nervo Craniano Zero”, directed by Paulo Biscaia Filho will open the festival and “Cell Count”, directed by Todd E. Freeman will close it. There’s no English version of the program but it’s easy to navigate (especially if you stick it through the Google translator) and well worth a look if you like your movie on the different side. Check it out here.

THE FRONT LINE: U.S DVD review

2012-04-30T17:36:32+00:00

Director: Hun Jang. Review: Chris Sawin. It's 1953 and The Korean War wages on. Negotiations for a ceasefire have been going on for over two years, but nothing has come of it. The South Korean group of men fighting at Aerok Hill is known as Alligator Company. Their commander was said to be shot with a gun from his own side and Intel says there's a spy residing in their midst. First Lieutenant Eun-Pyo (Ha-kyun Shin) of the Defense Security Command is sent to look into it. Once there, Eun-Pyo is reunited with his best friend from college Su-Hyeok (Soo Go) who Eun-Pyo thought had died at the beginning of the war. But Su-Hyeok is not the man he used to be as his humanity has been stripped away, he doesn't think twice about killing anyone, and has somehow moved up in rank to Lieutenant in just two short years. But Alligator Company is hiding something that lies within the events that occurred at Po-hang and has left their current commanding officer Captain Il-Young (Je-hoon Lee) addicted to morphine. Despite being a fan of horror, blood and guts, and explosions, war movies have always been the oil to my water. No matter how hard you stir or shake the two of us together we just don't mix and have decided to see other genres because of it. It's not that I think war movies are bad. They just haven't appealed to me in the past and every one I've tried to watch up until this point has been okay at best. Maybe it's because I'm getting older or that I'm beginning to notice more during movies, but The Front Line makes me reconsider that opinion and those feelings.

Sumptuous first teaser for THE EMPEROR’S CONCUBINE

2012-04-28T13:15:09+00:00

Time for a change of pace from all out horror and action, and as we haven’t had a decent Korean historical bodice ripper come our way (that sounds a little wrong) in quite some time, the first teaser for the big budget offering The Emperor's Concubine from director Kim Dae-seung (‘Blood Rain’), fits the bill perfectly. The whole things looks achingly beautiful and lush - so if movies in the vein of Lee Jun-ik’s ‘The King and Clown’ are your bag, best pencil this in right now. The Emperor's Concubine follows the love triangle story of King Sungwon and his Concubine Hwa-Yeon with another man (of course that’s bound to end well) and opens in Korea in June. The Emperor's Concubine trailer

English subbed trailer for Thai horror DARK FLIGHT

2012-04-27T17:34:38+00:00

Ok...so you don’t need to be a rocket scientist to work out from watching the un-subbed trailer for Thai horror Dark Flight that things don’t go well for all involved - but it always helps to get a handle on the “plot” when there’s subtitles along for the ride. Luckily Hong Kongs very handy in that dept, and as the film has just been released there, we can now dish up some Thai scares, with that little big extra. Synopsis: Thailand’s first 3D horror movie is ready to take off. It will be the darkest flight of your life. Ten years ago, a young air hostess, Neuw, miraculously survived a plane crash. Neuw insists that a vengeful spirit caused that accident, but her belief unsettled those around her and she had to go through a psycho-therapy. Now, the woman is ready to fly again. But on her first flight, New is struck by a disturbing feeling. The plane on which she’s working looks familiar, and Neuw realizes that it’s actually the same aircraft that crashed ten years ago, though it has been repaired and repainted. Gripped by terror, but there’s nothing she can do because the plane has already taken off, along with the same vengeful spirits that reside in it. Up in the air, the spirits are determined to take her life this time. Dark Flight trailer

Johnny To’s LIFE WITHOUT PRINCIPLE on U.S DVD

2012-04-26T17:50:25+00:00

It’s always a good day when they announce a Johnny To movie is getting an English subbed release and his critically-Lauded award winning thriller Life Without Principle is next for the U.S DVD treatment next month. This really doesn’t need much more introduction than that. It’s To, it’s great...go buy it! Nuff said. Life Without Principle debuts on DVD, Digital and Video on Demand May 29th Synopsis: An ordinary bank teller turned financial analyst is forced to sell high-risk securities to her customers in order to meet her sales target. A small-time thug delves into the futures index hoping to earn easy money to post bail for a buddy in trouble with the law. A straight-arrow Police inspector who has always enjoyed his middle income lifestyle is suddenly desperate for money when his wife puts a down payment on a luxury flat she can’t afford and his dying father wants him to look after a young half-sister he never knew he had. Three little people who are in dire need of money for the predicaments in their respective lives have nothing in common until a bag of stolen money worth HK$5m pops up and lands them in an intricate situation that forces them into making soul searching decisions about right and wrong and everything in between on the morality scale. Life Without Principle trailer

‘The Ring’ sequel SADAKO 3D heads for Korea

2012-04-25T18:03:17+00:00

One of the most anticipated Asian horror movie events on our calendar for 2012 is the release of the latest incarnation of ‘The Ring’ series Sadako 3D, ands it looks like she’s spreading. Korea is next to get a dose of classic J-horror when it opens there in June 14. Which all importantly, should give us first sight of an English subbed DVD release around September time. New poster and teaser trail at the link. Synopsis: Akane is a high school teacher who hears a rumour from her students that there is actual footage on the Internet of someone's suicide. The footage is said to drive anyone who sees it to also commit suicide. Akane does not believe the rumour at first, but when one of her female students dies after viewing the footage, she and her boyfriend Takanori are fatefully drawn into the horror that has been created by the man who appears in the suicide footage, Kashiwada. Kashiwada's intention is to create chaos in the world by bringing back Sadako and the power of her curse. Now Akane has to fight against Sadako and Kashiwada to save the lives of herself and Takanori. Sadako 3D Korean teaser

New poster and trailer for Thai horror DISTORTION

2012-04-24T18:43:31+00:00

Nonzee Nimibutr’s horror thriller Distortion has picked up a theatrical trailer and poster of its very own. All the back story and info on the movie can be found here, or you can zip on down to check it out right now. Alas it’s rather dialog heavy - without subs - but there’s a hint of obsession and madness thrown into to mix, to spice it up a little too. Distortion open is Thailand in May. Distortion trailer

Takashi Miike’s HARA-KIRI heading for UK release!

2012-04-24T18:01:47+00:00

Stop the press, hold the phone - and generally just quit what you’re doing - if you are a Miiki fan....in the UK. His latest work, Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai, a remake of Masaki Kobayashi’s 1962 cult classic is getting a limited theatrical release next month, May 4th, then drops onto DVD a few days after! Synopsis: Poverty stricken samurai Hanshiro Tsukumo (Ebizo Ichikawa) requests to commit ritual suicide at the House of Ii, run by obstinate Lord - Kageyu Saito (Koji Yakusho), in a desperate attempt for a honourable end. In an effort to persuade Hanshiro to rethink his request, Kageyu tells the tragic story of a similar plea from young ronin Motome (Eita). Hanshiro is stunned by the horrifying details of Motome's fate, but insists on dying with honour. With his final breath, Hanshiro makes a last request which results in the shocking revelation of a bittersweet tale of vengeance against the house of a feudal lord.

Korean horror DON’T CLICK set for release in May

2012-04-23T18:09:23+00:00

A video tape that curses all those who watch it to a terrible death, it’s a premise sounds rather familiar, but seeing as it seems Korean fright flicks are looking mighty thin on the ground this year, upcoming K-horror Don’t Click is going back on our ‘too see’ list. We say “back” because ‘Don’t Click’ was supposed to open in Korea last last summer - under the title ‘Unidentified Video’ - but its back on track for release with a snappier title, a new poster, and a decent summary of the plot. Don’t Click opens on May 31. Synopsis: Jung-mi, who's been living alone with her elder sister after their parents left for the US, uploads UCC often in hopes of being famous. She believes that it's the easy way to make her dream come true: being an anchorwoman. Jung-mi's sister, Se-hi thinks this is useless and same time dangerous but cannot stop her sister. When Jung-mi finds that the video so called "forbidden video" is in the centre of the attention, she asks Se-hi's boyfriend, Joon-hyuk working at special investigation team for cyber crimes to get her the file. Even though it's already forbidden, Joon-hyuk illegally downloads the video file from the closed internet site for Jung-mi. She clicks the file only to find out it contains one high school girl's wicked necromantic ritual. After watching the video, there happen series of strange incidents to Jung-mi. Now, Se-hi has to find the way to save her only sister from the curse of the video.

UK poster for the sci-fi action oddness that is IRON SKY

2012-04-21T13:15:33+00:00

The UK quad poster is out for the sci-fi, action, Nazi, comedy mash-up that is Timo Vuorensola’s oddball adventure - Iron Sky, and even though its virtually identical to the international version, we’ll use it as a blatant excuse to remind all those Brits with leanings to towards strange and downright out-there movies, that’s its on the way to UK cinemas next month. For a low/medium budget movie the effects look amazing and as for the stortline - Nazis on the on the moon -.cummon, what not to get exited about? Synopsis: Towards the end of World War II, the Nazi's realise they are the losing side. Retreating to the dark side of the Moon, they have re colonised, trained new troops, and have been waiting 70 years… for revenge!! Now, fully equipped with space age technology and futuristic weapons, they are returning to wreak havoc and take control. The battle for Earth is gonna get Nazi! Iron Sky Invades UK theatres from May 4. Iron Sky trailer