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Sure, I know what you;re thinking, but it’s true – Zhang Yimou (Hero, House Of Flying Daggers, Not One Less, Raise The Red Lantern) has remade the Coen brothers classic Blood Simple as a historical Chinese drama called A Woman, a Gun and a Noodle Shop,aka A Simple Noodle Story.

Will it work? Who knows. Either Yimou is being rather clever or lost the plot completely, but it’s about time an Asian filmmaker got their own back for all the Western remakes. (Even if, if this trailer is anything to go by, it’s all a little close to the original…)

Coming soon to American theatres, from 3 September. As for when we’ll see it in the UK…?

The lovely Vicky Zhao stars in this fine live-action version of the famous Mulan legend – so why is there such an overwhelming feeling of Déjà vu…? (more…)

Yep, half-term must be coming up. You can always tell when these things are coming up – but weirdly, looks like the root is quite manga…

First up is the DVD and Blu-ray release of Astro Boy, getting a big budget CGI makeover courtesy of Flushed Away director David Bowers and featuring an eccentric mix of voice actors including Freddie Highmore, Kristen Bell, Nicolas Cage, Samuel L. Jackson , Charlize Theron, Donald Sutherland, Bill Nighy, Matt Lucas and Eugene Levy. Oddly the source material, the manga by Osamu Tezuka and following highly influential animated series, the godfather of all things Anime, don’t even seem to get a mention.

Arguably a little closer to the source comes Sleeping Bride, adapted from another work by Tezuka, The Glass Brain. An offbeat love story between a boy and a girl in a coma, it was directed by Hideo Nakata between his Ringu films and the ultimate J-Horror (actually it’s so good let’s not even label it) Dark Water. (His second English language film Chatroom, after the almost entirely unconnected The Ring Two, having debuted at the Cannes Film Festival to mixed reviews).

Both films come out this Monday, 31 May – though I’m betting the latter is a lot less orientated towards kids, and maybe a lot more interesting…

GARY OLDMAN STARS IN THE ACTION-PACKED CRIME-THRILLER BASED ON THE BESTSELLING NOVEL BY BARRY EISLER.

Based on the first book in the series of bestselling ‘John Rain’ novels by acclaimed author and former CIA operative Barry Eisler, the action-packed crime-thriller, Rain Fall, brings Eisler’s half-Japanese, half-American anti-hero to the screen for the first time in the form of award winning Japanese star, Keppei Shiina (The Last Princess; Sakuran).

Adapted for the screen and directed by Max Mannix (Dance Of The Dragon), this slickly mounted, tense thriller co-stars Gary Oldman (The Dark Knight; Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix), veteran Japanese actor Akira Emoto (Ichi; Memories Of Matsuko; Sinking Of Japan), Kyoko Hasegawa (Nanayo), Misa Shimizu (The Unbroken; The Harimaya Bridge) and Dirk Hunter (Undead).

Former US Special Force soldier turned contract killer John Rain is an assassin who specializes in making his ‘hits’ look like deaths from natural causes. Following his own, strict, self-imposed code of conduct, Rain only targets key figures and never accepts a job if it involves killing a woman or a child. But complications arise during Rain’s latest assignment when he becomes attracted to a young woman named Midori, the beautiful daughter of his most recent victim.

It soon becomes apparent that the killing of Midori’s father and its repercussions are just one small part of a much wider conspiracy involving both the CIA and Tokyo’s gangland crimelords. Now, both Rain and Midori have become targets themselves and Rain is forced to compromise his beliefs and to risk everything to protect the girl he loves before she is eliminated as collateral damage for being an innocent witness to a vast CIA cover up operation.

A hard boiled action thriller that will appeal to fans of the ‘Bourne’ movies, Rain Fall marks star Keppei Shiina as an action star in the making and features and typically powerful performance from Gary Oldman as Rain’s nemesis, the Chief Officer of the CIA’s Tokyo Bureau.

Rain Fall (cert. 15) will be released on DVD (£15.99) by Momentum Pictures on 29th March 2010.

Slightly old news now, but it seems the upcoming remake of Oldboy, directed by Steven Speilberg and starring Will Smith (don’t even get me started on the suitability of Smith in the lead!) has hit a bit of a sticking point…

The Hollywood Reporter says Futabasha, publisher of the original manga by Nobuaki Minegishi and Garon Tsuchiya on which Park Chan-wook’s film was based, has filed a case against Show East in Seoul, alleging the Korean company never had the right to negotiate a remake. The issue is further complicated by the fact that Show East has closed down and its CEO has disappeared. (Which itself sounds like it could be out of a Korean thriller?)

Despite this the production is moving ahead. An original US adaption of Oldboy was muted as far back as 2006, eventually with Justin Lin attached as director.

We talk to Yuri Lowenthal, star of Jinno in Afro Samurai and Afro Samurai: Resurrection, about life as an Anime voice actor… (more…)

More clips and trailers coming soon…!

Also out on DVD today – as if we haven’t mentioned it enough times! – two absolute Shaw Brothers kung fu classic in the shape of King Boxer and 36th Chamber Of Shaolin! If you’ve yet to order your copy, enjoy this slendidily exploitative trailer from King Boxer’s US release as Five Fingers Of Death…

Long regarded as one of the best examples of Anime, Blood: The Last Vampire is set to ignite screens alight with a whole new live-action version. Directed by Chris Nahon, responsible for the only decent Jet Li US vehicle Kiss Of The Dragon and featuring fight choreography by Li favourite Corey Yuen (So Close, Fong Sai Yuk), the film has a seriously good pedigree making it one of the most anticipated live-action adaptations of any anime ever produced.

Check out the trailer and see what you think!

Dragonball: Evolution is the long-awaited, live-action motion picture based on the popular Japanese manga created by Akira Toriyama. Toriyama’s work spawned best selling graphic novels, videogames and a phenomenally successful television series.

The live action adventure centers on the heroic Goku (Justin Chatwin – War of the Worlds), a powerful warrior who discovers his inner strength and protects the Earth from an evil rogue bent on dominating the Universe and controlling the mystical objects from which the film takes its name.

Dragonball: Evolution will be released in cinemas around the UK on 8 April.

Could this be why Chow Yun-fat could do Red Cliff? With a strong Asian cast including Eriko Tamura, Joon Park and Jamie Chung, the live action version of the popular manga, game and animation Dragonball looks set to be a big hit for Hollywood this Easter (in a The Forbidden Kingdom sort of a way).

Dragonball Evolution will be released in UK cinemas on 8 April.

Get your (rare) groove on with Dennis Coffey’s legendary soundtrack to the equally notorious (for all the wrong reasons!) Jim Kelly vehicle… (more…)

Jackie Chan is set to play the role of Mr Miyagi in the remake of 80s classic The Karate Kid. Originally played by TV favourite Pat Morita, he even won an oscar nomination for his role in the original movie.

The Karate Kid will be played by Will Smith’s son, Jaden. Will Smith confirmed his son will be appearing with Chan this morning on BBC’s Breakfast programme.

The original Karate Kid was played by Ralph Macchio, but people often to forget that two time Oscar-winner Hilary Swank made her cinematic debut in The Next Karate Kid.

Read more on the BBC News website »

Ah, David, what’s all this White Crane business? Don’t you know you’ll always be Grasshopper to us…? (more…)

A dazzling ode to neon lights, beautiful but as hollow as a glass tube… (more…)

With the upcoming release of The Forbidden Kingdom in UK cinemas on 11 July, here’s a little more of what you can expect.

Read our review of The Forbidden Kingdom here »