Tony Jaa: King of the Ass Kickers in any Era

You want plot? How’s this for plot: Tony Jaa plays an orphan who gets involved with some martial arts masters who teaches him everything he knows and then Tony Jaa goes around beating the living beJesus out of everyone and anyone. How’s that for plot? Check out some ass-kicking clips form...

October 6th, 2009 | Read More

Quick Bits: Edison Chen is Back in Movies, Liam Neeson in Three Days

For some reason Edison Chen (pictured, left) has been blackballed from Hong Kong cinema, where he’s made his living for the last decade or two. The reason? He slept with some actresses. And we’re not talking about Edison Chen going all Roman Polanski on them here. He didn’t drug them,...

October 5th, 2009 | Read More

English Trailer for John Woo’s Red Cliff

Apple.com has released the first English language trailer for John Woo’s historical epic “Red Cliff”. Released nearly a year ago in Chinese cinema as a 4-hour, two-parter ala the “Kill Bill” films, Woo’s expensive foray into period costume action will be getting a...

October 4th, 2009 | Read More

Cyborg She (2008) Movie Review

“Cyborg She” sees Korean director Kwak Jae Yong of “My Sassy Girl” fame switching to Japanese for a genre blending romantic comedy that adds a science fiction, time travelling twist to his usual formula. Also known as “My Girlfriend is a Cyborg”, the film is not to be confused with “Oldboy”...

October 1st, 2009 | Read More

Bizarre Teaser Trailer For Takashi Miike’s Yatterman

It seems like only yesterday that I discovered “Ichi the Killer” and cult Japanese director Takashi Miike. Even after all these years, I still haven’t seen all of the disturbing projects in his extensive filmography, and I seriously doubt I ever will. However, instead of continuing...

October 1st, 2009 | Read More

RoboGeisha Is Ready To Chainsaw Your Face

Out of all the movies I’ve been salivating over for the past few months, Noboru Iguchi’s upcoming sci-fi action extravaganza “RoboGeisha” is quickly climbing to the top of the list. As a hardcore fan of “The Meatball Machine,” Tokyo Gore Police,” and “The...

September 29th, 2009 | Read More

Samurai Princess (2009) Movie Review

More Japanese gore madness arrives from 4Digital Asia in the shapely form of “Samurai Princess”, the cover art not coincidently bearing a striking resemblance to that of its recent sister in slaughter, “Chanbara Beauty”. The film’s pedigree should certainly give fans of the form reason to be...

September 29th, 2009 | Read More

Ghibli Directors Miyazaki and Takahata Get Back to Work

“Grave of the Fireflies”, in my mind, is one of the finest animated films ever made. The movie is quiet and introspective, whereas I think that a lot of anime is loud and pretentious. Unfortunately, the film’s director, Isao Takahata, who is also the co-founder of Ghibli, hasn’t...

September 29th, 2009 | Read More

Ong Bak 2 Fight Clip Offers More Proof that Tony Jaa is Really, Really Badass

If you wanted to see Tony Jaa’s historical ass-kicking epic “Ong Bak 2: The Beginning”, you’ve probably already seen it. The film has been out on DVD via import discs for a while now, but in case you’re one of those people who absolutely must see it on the big screen, then...

September 24th, 2009 | Read More

Big Man Japan (2007) Movie Review

“Big Man Japan”, now available on region 2 DVD via Revolver, marks the directorial debut of noted Japanese comedian Hitoshi Matsumoto, one half of the popular duo Dauntaun. Here, as well as scripting, he also takes the central role in a mockumentary following the daily life and exploits of Masaru...

September 22nd, 2009 | Read More

Tetsuo: The Bullet Man Trailer Makes Me Giddy

I’ve been a Shinya Tsukamoto fan for several years now, thanks in part to the director’s iconic film “Tetsuo: The Iron Man” and his ultra-violent boxing opus “Tokyo Fist.” These classics, in addition to his twisted short film “Haze,” drastically reshaped...

September 22nd, 2009 | Read More

Have no Fear, the Thai Vanquisher is Here!

Not to be mistaken with Dean Gold’s sci-fi movie of the same name (just in case, you know, you were Dean Gold and you’re reading this), this version of “The Vanquisher” hails from Thailand, and is another one of the country’s stabs at International glory by way of ridiculous...

September 21st, 2009 | Read More

Zombie Self Defense Force Coming To Region 1

Naoyuki Tomomatsu, director of “Stacy” and the upcoming “Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl,” is a seriously warped individual. Fortunately for us, his twisted imagination yields entertaining results, though the majority of his cinematic endeavors are quite hard to locate here...

September 16th, 2009 | Read More

Full Trailer for The Warrior and the Wolf Howls Online

The teaser was nice, but it’s good to get in the full trailer for Zhuangzhuang Tian’s Chinese supernatural period movie “The Warrior and the Wolf”. I’m still not sure if this can be called full-blown epic, but it sure has its share of scenes involving lots of people in heavy...

September 13th, 2009 | Read More

20th Century Boys: Chapter Two – The Last Hope (2009) Movie Review

The epic Japanese “20th Century Boys” trilogy, based upon the hugely popular manga by Urasawa Naoki, continues with its second instalment, “The Last Hope”. Director Tsutsumi Yukihiko (previously responsible for cult hits such as “2LDK” and “Forbidden Siren”) returns to continue the sprawling...