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English subbed trail for Thai horror thriller DISTORTION

We first covered news on Nonzee Nimibutr's (‘Tears of the Black Tiger,’ ‘The Eye 2’) latest movie - psychological horror thriller Distortion last month, and even though the films already opened in its home country, we thought this newly discovered English subtitled trailer for the film would round things off very nicely. With such a well known name a Nimibutr’s attached as director, and the fact they’ve gone to the trouble to create one at all, usually means they will be angling for some overseas sales, so we’ll expect to see it turning up in an English speaking territory soon. You can scan through a detailed synopsis of the plot here, or head straight down, for some madness and murder.

 

 

Distortion trailer

A BETTER TOMORROW 2012 hits UK Blu-ray

Well here’s for a change, an Asian country remaking an Asian film. The reboot in question is Hae-sung Song’s Korean s 2010 big budget remake of John Woo's 80’s HK action classic...A Better Tomorrow....and Kaleidoscope Home Entertainment are bringing it to the UK on DVD and 3D Blu-ray. Being huge fans of the original we’re bound to be a little biased against a remake - but saying that, reviews on the whole have tipped more towards the positive, and most agree you cant fault it for some full on action.

Time will tell….Our reviews coming soon. A Better Tomorrow streets on June 11.

Synopsis: Hyuk lives the fast life as a high-ranking mobster in Busan, South Korea with his closest pal, fellow mobster Lee Young-Chun. Hyuk is haunted by the memory of leaving behind his younger brother Chul and mother as they attempted to flee into South Korea from North Korea. Hyuk is set up by the police and jailed. Three years later, he is released and travels back to Busan to find his younger brother Chul now a high-ranking police officer. Hyuk tries to earn back the trust of his brother, but rejection and betrayal are hard to forget. Things come to a head when Young-Chun pulls Hyuk into doing one last gig. It happens to be the case that Officer Chul is in charge of, and the three brothers meet again one final time.

A Better Tomorrow trailer

2nd poster and English subbed trailer for THE CASES

Further to our post on Monday we’ve a quick update on hard core Chinese horror The Cases. The summary of the plot we turned up was fairly good for giving us the gist of what was to be expected, but an English subtitled version of the trailer is always a welcome addition - and to round things off, we’ll throw in a new poster just for hell of it. Supernatural goings on, at the link.

 

 

 

 

The Cases trailer

IRON SKY: DVD review

Director: Timo Vuorensola. Review: Adam Wing.

As far as killer concepts go, you don’t get much better than this. The idea has been knocking around for years, but it took the combined efforts of Finland, Germany and Australia to finally get it off the ground. Produced in collaboration with online film enthusiasts - who were invited to share their ideas and input - Iron Sky is the latest in a new wave of ‘participatory cinema’. Too many cooks can spoil the broth though, and if Snakes on a Plane proved one thing, it’s that you need more than a kick-ass trailer to keep your audience enthused. Iron Sky has a killer concept, but can the filmmakers stretch an ingenious concept over 90 minutes and milk it for all its worth?

In the last moments of World War II, a secret Nazi space programme made a daring escape into outer space. In the 70 years since then, they have been living on the dark side of the moon, building weapons and plotting revenge. When an American astronaut stumbles upon their secret Moon lair, the Fuehrer (Udo Kier) decides that it’s time to go back and conquer their old stomping ground. Ruthless army leader Klaus Alder (Gotz Otto) leads the charge against an unprepared civilisation, and the world is forced to unite in order to repel an invasion so ridiculous, it’s astonishing this movie wasn’t made sooner. Things are about to get very Nazi because Iron Sky is available to buy on DVD courtesy of Revolver Entertainment...Continue reading review.

Iron Sky UK trailer

[REC] 3: Genesis UK DVD and Blu date announced

Behold! The artwork has been let loose on the world, and the release date announced for the UK DVD and Blu-ray debut of [REC] 3: Genesis...the 3rd and penultimate episode in Paco Plaza’s superb Spanish Zomb horror odyssey. For those readers State-side we don’t have such good news on the Film. Word is you’ll have to wait until September for what will most likely be limited theatrical release...So if you've got that ever handy region free DVD player sitting under your 42” LED TV, you know what to do. '[REC] 3: Genesis' goes on sale Sept 3rd. Yay!

Synopsis: Koldo and Clara about to celebrate the most important day of their lives: their wedding. Everything appears to be running smoothly and the bride and groom and their families are enjoying a wonderful day; that is until some of the guests start showing signs of a strange illness. Before they know what’s happening, the bride and groom find themselves in the middle of a hellish ordeal, as an uncontrollable torrent of violence is unleashed on the wedding. Amidst the chaos, Koldo and Clara become separated and begin a desperate search for one another. What started off as an idyllic day quickly descends into a nightmare of the worst kind.

[REC] 3 Spanish trailer

Poster and trailer for Chinese handcam horror THE CASES

After a shaky start (still, saying that, it’s only been over the last couple of years they’ve really been allowed to make them) the quality of mainland Chinese horror movies seems to be improving in leaps and bounds. Latest to catch our eye is a hand-cam horror The Cases, based around a group of paranormal investigators travelling across Asia - on the hunt for ghostly, bloody, goings on and it seems they find them!

The Cases has been given a category III rating which is pretty much the highest there is. So we expect it to be nice n gruesome. Cases opens in China and HK, May 31.

Synopsis: Edmond Poon, a renowned Hong Kong DJ hosts a psychic programs, supported by the meta physical masters and warlocks from Southeast Asia who acts as advisors, leads a psychic exploring team to scout for little-known mysterious and supernatural cases or strange customs including Soul-grabbing Witchcraft, Menstruation Witchcraft, Headless Horseman, Suicide Curses and a Secret Organization know only as “Shadow Team,” to name a few. Many precious clips are uncovered for the first time providing gruesome viewing experience, and hints to what exactly ultimately caused the teams demise.

The Cases trailer

Sundream wants some DEAD SUSHI

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

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 goodies are in store.  

Fright Fest poster

Release date confirmed for THE GUILLONTINES!

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 already 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

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...Continue reading review.

Deadball trailer

France set to enjoy a BANGKOK RENAISSANCE

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 (I.E 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

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...Continue review here.

Himizu trailer

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

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

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 wholly 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

If spectacular street chases and non stop explosions galore are your thing (and who wouldn’t!?) then you could do a lot worse than cast your eye in the direction of the upcoming U.S 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

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 films, perversion and oddness on offer, check out the fests official site here.

Full trailer for Singapore horror GHOST ON AIR

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 quick 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

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...Continue reading review.

War of the Arrows UK trailer 

Check out our review of the U.S theatrical release of Arrows

MITSUKO DELIVERS: DVD Review

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...Continue reading review.

Mitsuko Delivers trailer

THE RAID to explode across the UK

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.  

The Raid UK trailer

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