Goth: Love of Death (2008) Movie Review

“Goth: Love of Death” is director Takahashi Gen’s live-action adaptation of the award-winning novel by Japanese author Otsuichi, which had previously been adapted into a popular manga by artist Kendi Oiwa, and which has apparently been optioned for a Hollywood version. Thankfully, despite its title,...

July 26th, 2009 | Read More

God Man Dog (2007) Movie Review

Originally released back in 2007, “God Man Dog” was the second feature from Taiwanese writer director Singing Chen, following some years after his 2000 award winning debut “Bundled”. His sophomore effort was also a critical success, playing at festivals around the world, and claiming the Tagesspiegel...

July 26th, 2009 | Read More

JeeJa Yanin + B-Boys + Muay Thai = Raging Phoenix Trailers

Muay Thai, B-Boy breakdancing, and little ol Jeeja Yanin, the star of “Chocolate”, kicking enough ass to make Tony Jaa blush? Yup, that’s the latest sure-to-be-all-the-rage action movie from Thailand, which stars “Chocolate” wunderkind JeeJa Yanin, here trading in her autism...

July 17th, 2009 | Read More

Marine Boy (2009) Movie Review

“Marine Boy” marks the debut of writer director Yoon Jong Seok, and has nothing to do with the famous Japanese anime of the same name. Instead, the film is a crime thriller set in the shady world of maritime drug smuggling, and is very much in the continuingly popular modern noir form. The title...

July 8th, 2009 | Read More

Hand Phone (2009) Movie Review

Mobile phone related films have been pretty popular of late in both Hollywood and Asia, with the likes of “Connected” and “Cellular” manipulating the modern over-reliance on technology for tense thrills. Thankfully, Korean director Kim Han Min, previously responsible for the offbeat mystery “Paradise...

July 7th, 2009 | Read More

More Than Blue (2009) Movie Review

Although many films rely upon misleading advertising or false hyperbole, viewers can be assured that “More Than Blue” (a.k.a. “A Story Sadder Than Sadness”) delivers exactly as its title suggests. Directed by former poet Won Tae Yeon, the film is an unashamed tearjerker, offering a tale of true...

July 7th, 2009 | Read More

John Woo Gets Airborne with Flying Tiger Heroes

John Woo’s got his fingers in so many pies it’s hard to figure out what the guy’s going to direct or produce or cater next. But one thing is for sure: he’s definitely getting “Flying Tiger Heroes” off the ground first, because he just recently held a signing ceremony...

July 6th, 2009 | Read More

The Forbidden Legend: Sex and Chopsticks 2 (2009) Movie Review

The category III sexploitation revival continues with “The Forbidden Legend: Sex and Chopsticks 2”, the next instalment of director Chin Man Kei’s adaptation of the Chinese text ‘Jin Pin Mei’, a.k.a. ‘The Plum in the Golden Vase’. Chin is certainly more than qualified to reintroduce viewers...

July 5th, 2009 | Read More

Oh! My God 2 (2009) Movie Review

With the original “Oh! My God” having been a surprise box office smash, a sequel was always going to be a distinct possibility. Now, viewers can get another comic dose of lovable rogue Im Jung Hwan as the follow up arrives, with director Kim Jung Woo having handed the reigns to newcomer Hwang Seung...

July 5th, 2009 | Read More

The Rebel (2006) Movie Review

I had always intended to watch Charlie Nguyen’s “The Rebel”, but never got around to it. Call it procrastination, call it laziness, call it laundries on Sundays. Whatever the excuse, the result is the same: I’m kicking myself for not having watched the film sooner. Released in 2007, “The Rebel”...

June 30th, 2009 | Read More

English Trailer for Hayao Miyazaki’s Ponyo

As far as I can tell from this English trailer for Japanese animation master Hayao Miyazaki (”My Neighbor Totoro”, “Princess Mononoke”), Ponyo is some kind of creature from the ocean who happens to look like a cute and precocious little girl whose destiny is to save the world...

June 24th, 2009 | Read More

Zhang Yimou’s Three Guns is a Remake of the Coens’ Blood Simple

Now this should give all the fanboys who like to bitch and moan about Hollywood remaking Asian films fits — Chinese director Zhang Yimou’s originally announced “Amazing Tales: Three Guns” is actually a remake of the Coen Brothers’ 1984 tale of murder called “Blood...

June 23rd, 2009 | Read More

The 12th Shanghai International Film Festival

(Article by Rita Xia) One of the few international film festivals in Asia, the Shanghai Film Festival celebrated its 12th year between June 13th and 21st. At the conclusion of the festival, the official website issued a list of winners as well as the accompanying jury comments: Best Feature Film ORIGINAL...

June 22nd, 2009 | Read More

The Good, the Bad, and the Weird (2008) Movie Review

“The Good, the Bad, the Weird”, the latest film from Korean master director Kim Ji Woon sees him delving into yet another genre, having tried his hand at horror with “A Tale of Two Sisters” and gangster melodrama with “A Bittersweet Life”. As can probably be gleamed from the title, the film...

June 21st, 2009 | Read More

Teaser Trailer and Pics from Yuen Woo-ping’s True Legend

If the name Yuen Woo-ping doesn’t ring any bells, how about “The Matrix” movies? Yuen Woo-ping is the martial arts choreographer for all three films, and is essentially the man who convinced you Keanu Reeves actually knew kung fu (well, sort of). Later, he made Uma Thurman into a convincing...

June 19th, 2009 | Read More

Red Band English Trailer for Park Chan-wook’s Thirst

Like the idea behind Park Chan-wook’s “Thirst”, but can’t understand a lick of what they’re saying in the previous trailers? Have no fear, non-Korean speaking movie watchers, here’s the first English trailer (with subtitles) for Park’s “Thirst”, his...

June 18th, 2009 | Read More

Haeundae: Disaster Movie Korean-Style

Hollywood has been finding ways to blow up, tear apart, and vaporize the globe for decades now, so it’s about time South Korea got in on the act. We’ve seen the Japanese pull their own versions of “end of the world” movies in the past, but the Koreans have been suspiciously silent...

June 17th, 2009 | Read More

Three Posters for Park Chan-wook’s Thirst

Park Chan-wook’s “Thirst”, the tale of a priest who turns into a vampire after a failed blood transfusion, opened last April in South Korea, and is headed to the States later this year. Three posters for the movie below, including a look at the banned South Korean one-sheet that has...

June 17th, 2009 | Read More

Hark Tsui Comes Back with Martial Arts Flick Detective Dee

(Article by Rita Xia) Hark Tsui, the famous Hong Kong movie director who has a list of well-received martial arts flicks in his credit, is coming back with an all- star historical martial arts suspense thriller – Detective Dee (and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame). I know, that is a long list of...

June 15th, 2009 | Read More

Magnolia Schedules Ong Bak 2 for October 2009

Wacky stories about how its star and director ditched the production of the expensive Thai movie to meditate in the jungles notwithstanding, Tony Jaa’s directorial debut, “Ong Bak 2″ (forget about the title, the film has no connections to the original movie also starring Jaa) will be...

June 15th, 2009 | Read More