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The Terracotta Festival returns with the biggest programme yet, and just maybe strongest line-up too… (more…)

An impressive neo-noir thriller from Pen-ek Ratanaruang (Last Life In The Universe)… (more…)

The Pan-Asia Film Festival returns for a 5th time tomorrow, with a strong and, as ever, diverse range of films… (more…)

A meditative and technically impressive piece, sadly let down by a lack of plot… (more…)

A polished if somewhat unoriginal Thai Horror that adds a dose of Fatal Attraction to the mix. Interesting for the unlikeable protagonist, but lets itself down by really having no clue how it wishes to conclude its own story… (more…)

On it’s way to being a pretty good giallo, but then turns into Stand By Me… (more…)

Pretty effective Thai shocker – until it gets a bit too silly, that is… (more…)

Following the example of Ong Bak 2: The Beginning, this once again thrusts Muay Thai boxing into a period setting. Shame it’s kinda dull then…? (more…)

We have three copies to giveaway of historical Thai martial arts epic epic Yamada: Way Of The Samurai on DVD, all you have to do is enter our competition!… (more…)

My inbox has been brimming this week with the news that Tony Jaa will return to the screen with the sequel to Warrior King (aka Tom Yum Goong, aka The Protector – can we have less English titles, please?).

Produced and directed by Prachya Pinkaew, Warrior King 2 (aka Tom Yum Goong 2, aka The Protector 2 – sheeesh!) will also star Jija Yanin (Chocolate, Raging Phoenix), Marrese Crump (who recently worked on RZA’s The Man With The Iron Fists in Shanghai), Dan Chupong (Born to Fight, Ong-Bak, Ong Bak: The Beginning, Ong Bak 3) and Kazu Tang (Raging Phoenix, Danny The Dog). The picture above shows the main cast at the production opening ceremony last Wednesday in Bangkok, left to right: Jaa, Crump,  Tang, Chupong, and of course Yanin in front.

With Prachya at the helm from the start, here’s hoping this doesn’t turn into the disaster areas that were the Ong-Bak ‘prequels’…

Once upon a time a British label released classic Hong Kong films on DVD the way we’d always wanted to see them. Spruced up, restored, original language and bucket loads of extras! This pioneering label made an international name for itself remastering and reissuing old Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee and other classic kung fu flicks.

Thoroughly spoilt we thought those blissful days would never end. But they did, when the label folded at the beginning of 2008.

(But then Steve Rivers, who founded Hong Kong Legends in the first place – and sold it to Contender – started up Cine-Asia, and that soon became just what we’d been missing, especially over the last 18 months!)

And now Steve’s got his mitts on the films released on the HKL label once again, as Cine-Asia start to reissue them once again – giving those of us who remember the label a chance to catch-up on titles we missed, and newbies a chance to catch-up full stop.

The schedule starts from 4th July, with the Bruce Lee classic Fist Of Fury, Sammo Hung classic The Prodigal Son and Tony Jaa’s Ong-Bak (yay!) andWarrior King aka Tom yum goong (er, not quite so yay!).

And we’ll be bringing you a fascinating insight into the Cine-Asia label soon. (Honest Steve & Louise, I will get round to it!)

Once upon a time a British label released classic Hong Kong films on DVD the way we’d always wanted to see them. Spruced up, restored, original language and bucket loads of extras! This pioneering label made an international name for itself remastering and reissuing old Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee and other classic kung fu flicks.

Thoroughly spoilt we thought those blissful days would never end. But they did, when the label folded at the beginning of 2008.

(But then Steve Rivers, who founded Hong Kong Legends in the first place – and sold it to Contender – started up Cine-Asia, and that soon became just what we’d been missing, especially over the last 18 months!)

And now Steve’s got his mitts on the films released on the HKL label once again, as Cine-Asia start to reissue them once again – giving those of us who remember the label a chance to catch-up on titles we missed, and newbies a chance to catch-up full stop.

The schedule starts from 4th July, with the Bruce Lee classic Fist Of Fury, Sammo Hung classic The Prodigal Son and Tony Jaa’s Ong-Bak (yay!) andWarrior King aka Tom yum goong (er, not quite so yay!).

And we’ll be bringing you a fascinating insight into the Cine-Asia label soon. (Honest Steve & Louise, I will get round to it!)

Just when you were starting to think the Pang brothers couldn’t make a decent movie anymore, C+ starring Aaron Kwok finally gets a UK release… (more…)

The producers of Ong Bak, Tom Yum Goong, Raging Phoenix and Chocolate are back – with a kids movie! (Well, maybe, if not for the language and violence)… (more…)

FROM THE PRODUCERS OF ‘ONG BAK’ AND ‘RAGING PHOENIX’.

From producers Prachya Pinkaew, Panna Rittikrai and Sukanya Vongsthapat, the creative forces behind such world famous Thai action movie hits as ‘Ong Bak’, ‘Warrior King’, ‘Raging Phoenix’, ‘Born To Fight’ and ‘Chocolate’, comes Force Of Five (aka ‘Power Kids’), the directorial debut of Krissanapong Rachata.

A jaw-dropping action-adventure packed with non-stop Muay Thai martial arts mayhem, the film stars Sasisa Jimdamanee (Born To Fight) and actor, martial arts coordinator and stuntman Johnny Nguyen (Serenity; Spider-Man 1 and 2; Cradle 2 The Grave) alongside a cast of young, up-and-coming child stars whose incredible martial arts skills will blow your mind.

Despite their small size and inexperience, having grown up under the roof of a Muay Thai school two young brothers and their friends have become highly skilled, if undisciplined, martial artists. Sadly, the youngest of the gang suffers from an acute heart condition, which following a minor scuffle with some local bullies lands him in hospital and desperately in need of a life-saving transplant. Fortunately, a viable heart soon becomes available at another local hospital, but before it can be transferred the building is overtaken by rebel soldiers-turned-terrorists prepared to kill if their politically-driven demands are not met by the authorities.

With only four hours in which the surgery can be performed successfully, the young friends take it upon themselves to infiltrate the hospital and retrieve the donated organ. Armed with only their martial arts skills and the will to save their friend’s life, this small group of mini Muay Thai marvels embarks on a desperate race against time in which they will be forced to defy danger, confront an army of terrorists and make an heroic bid to overcome insurmountable odds.

Brilliantly showcasing the talents of the next generation of Thai action movie superstars, Force Of Five is a raw and relentless thrill-ride that culminates in a jaw-dropping final showdown that will have viewers shaking their heads in disbelief.

Force Of Five (cert. 15) will be released on DVD (£17.99) and Blu-ray (£24.99) by Cine Asia on 5th July 2010. Special Features include: Interview Gallery; Making of; Behind The Scenes; Original Trailer; Dolby Digital Thai 2.0 and 5.1 (DVD); DTS HD MA Thai 5.1 (Blu-ray); English Subtitles.

Director Apichatpong Weerasethakul has become the first Thai filmmaker to win the coveted Palme d’Or at this years Cannes. The 63rd Cannes Film Festival closed yesterday evening with the announcement of the jury prizes, led by US director Tim Burton.

Weerasethakul’s film Lung Boonmee Raluek Chat (Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives) concerns a dying man who is visited by his late wife and his missing son, who has become an ape. Uncle Boonmee is played by Thanapat Saisaymar, a roof welder from north-east Thailand whose previous acting experience was limited to TV commercials. The director had previously won the third-place jury prize at Cannes with his 2004 film Tropical Malady.

Lee Chang-Dong won best screenplay for Poetry. And another Korean filmmaker, director Hang Sangsoo, won the Un Certain Regard Prize for Hahaha.

Find out more on the official Cannes website »