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The first of Yukihiko Tsutsumi’s three-part adaption of Nakoi Urasawa’s 20 million copy selling 2oth Century Boys is released today – check it out! (Sorry, no English Subs!)

You can read our review of 2oth Century Boys here »

Next Monday quite possibly the best martial arts/kung fu film ever finally makes its way on to DVD in UK! (more…)

Director Shin-Yun Won’s darkly comic thriller, described as ‘A heady blend of Deliverance and Old Boy’ is showing at the ICA cinema, London. Click here for more details and to book screenings.

It’s no accident this has been causing such a stir! Intelligent with a fantastic premise, surely this one of the finest Hong Kong films of the last decade… (more…)

A naff title but this potentially very interesting release sees action choreographer Ching Siu-tung return to the directors chair after many years of collaborations with Zhang Yimou (Hero, House Of Flying Daggers, The Curse Of The Golden Flower) and Stephen Chow (Shaolin Soccer). (No sign of a DVD with English subs yet!) Kelly Chan, Leon Lai and Donnie Yen star…

After the rather dark and overly serious Ong Bak 2 (sorry, Ong Bak: The Beginning for UK readers), the proper sequel is on the horizon – slated for release in Asia in April 2010.

As previously mentioned, Ong Bak: The Beginning is now available on DVD and Blu-ray in the UK.

On release today at selected cinemas around the UK, Fumihiko Sori’s enteraining revamp of blind swordsman Zatoichi, Ichi, starring Haruka Ayase…

» Read our full review of Ichi here…

How terrible does this look? The Pang Brothers get to remake their classic original success – with Nicholas Cage in the lead? Oh, and is it just me, or have they remade John Woo’s The Killer by accident?

Let’s hope their sequel to The Storm Riders, Storm Warriors, delivers…

Bangkok Dangerous gets released in the US on 5 September after being ‘tried out’ in Europe for a bit.

We were just talking about that subway scene from the original Anime, weren’t we? And here is the new version – the opening clip from Chris Nahon’s live-action remake starring Gianna Jun. As you can’t have missed, Blood: The Last Vampire opens in UK cinemas tomorrow… Check it out, pretty close, but with a new twist. Enjoy!

(I promise – next week I won’t mention Blood. Not once…honest!)

But don’t forget the DVD and t-shirt Competition!

With the upcoming release of the live-action version, what better time to revisit the original that started it all… (more…)

As the UK gears up for the release of Chocolate, Showbox / Cine-Asia have released a new clip where the filmmakers pay affectionate tribute to the icehouse scene in Bruce Lee’s The Big Boss. The film will make its official London theatrical debut on 24th October, before being launched on DVD and Blu-Ray on 3rd November.

You can read our review of Chocolate here »

The UK release for Ong-Bak director Prachya Pinkaew’s latest have finally been officially announced. Following a couple of festival engagements during the next few weeks, the film will make its official London theatrical debut on 24th October, before being launched on DVD and Blu-Ray on 3rd November.

Chocolate introduces the latest female Muay Thai sensation, JeeJa Yanin, and is a non-stop martial arts action extravaganza about a young girl whose uncanny ability to mimic the combat skills of her heroes Tony Jaa, Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee has made her an unlikely but awesome fighting force.

You can read our review of Chocolate here »

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.

Blood: The Last Vampire is released in UK cinemas on 26 June 2009 by Pathe.

Enter our cometition and win a DVD and t-shirt!

Nominated for Best Film at the 2008 Sitges International Fantasy Film Festival, Yim Phil-Sung’s Hansel And Gretel is a visually stunning and truly affecting fable about the destruction of childhood dreams, the loss of innocence and the power of the imagination to overcome life’s horrors will released by Terracotta Distribution at selected UK cinemas on 16th January 2008.

You can read our review here »

Kim Jee-woon’s fun-packed The Good, The Bad, The Weird – starring Song Kang-Ho, Lee Byung-Hun, Jung Woo-Sung and Uhm Ji-won – will be released in UK cinema’s on 6 February 2009.

You can read our review here »

Yep, just a couple of weeks to go till Tony Jaa’s big comeback (at least from his near breakdown making this movie!) hits UK cinemas courtesy of Revolver Entertainment (16 October). Have the now almost legendary shooting and production problems been worth it? Well, here’s the UK trailer, see what you think…

We’ll be bringing you a full review of the film soon!

Here’s a clip from the new Fumihiko Sori (director of Ping Pong and Vexille) reimaging of the infamous Zatoichi character, this time as a female blind musician who also happens to be a master swordsman. Haruka Ayase (Hero) stars in the title role, with support from Shido Nakamura (Red Cliff; Letters From Iwo Jima), Yosuke Kubozuka (Ping Pong) and Takao Osawa (Sky High). Fight choreography is by Hiroshi Kuze, resonsible swords fights on many of Akira Kurosawa’s later films, including Ran, so expect some old school action.

Ichi will be released by Manga Entertainment and opens at ICA London from 7 July, and selected UK cinemas on 10th July 2009.

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.

It might be little more than Hollywood frippery to keep kids off the streets and out of trouble this Easter, but who’s going to argue with Jamie Chung? Thanks Jamie!

Dragonball: Evolution is the live-action motion picture based on the phenomenally popular Japanese manga created by Akira Toriyama, which has already spawned graphic novels, video games and a successful television series. Justin Chatwin (War Of The Worlds) stars as Goku, the hero intent on protecting Earth from and evil rouge hell bent on dominating the universe in this big budget spectacular.

Perhaps this could be this years The Forbidden Kingdom?

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

Celebrated director Wong Kar-Wai revisits his 1994 film Ashes Of Time, the Hong Kong filmmaker’s only entry into the martial arts genre. Based on the novel by Louis Cha, this film follows a lone swordsman (Leslie Cheung) as time passes. Ashes Of Time Redux also stars Tony Leung Ka-fai, Brigitte Lin, and Tony Leung Chiu-wai, and it features an appearance by Maggie Cheung.

Ashes Of Time Redux is released by Artificial Eye on DVD and Blu-ray on 26 January 2009.

From the man (Yoshihiro Nishimura) behind the outrageousness of Tokyo Gore Police and The Machine Girl comes this crazed response to both Twilight and Let the Right One In, a film that consistently overwhelms the viewer in its sheer dementia……

High school student Mizushima receives Valentines Day chocolates from the new student, Monami. Little did she know that the chocolates contained traces of Monami’s vampire blood. He gets infected from eating them and Monami confesses that she wants to live with him forever as vampires. Meanwhile, Mizushima decides that he wants to fully become a vampire with Monami’s help. Keiko, Mizushima’s girl friend, sees the two on the school rooftop kissing and in a state of hysteria, attempts to throw Monami off the roof but falls off herself instead.

Keiko dies but her father, Kenji Furano, the mad scientist, resurrects her as Franken girl. Thus begins a deadly combat between Franken Keiko and Vampire Monami in the name of love. As we all know, this kind of Vampire vs. Frankenstein conflict can only be solved by fighting, beating, stabbing, chewing, clawing and a showdown high atop Tokyo Tower!

Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl (cert. 18) will be released on DVD (15.99) by 4Digital Media on 15TH March 2010.

One of several blockbusters this summer, G.I. Joe: The Rise Of Cobra is of note for easternKicks.com readers due to being the Hollywood debut for Korean star Lee Byung-hun (A Bittersweet Life, The Good, The Bad The Weird). Could this be the start of things to come? Well, Lee didn’t exactly enjoy his time, as he told us when we interviewed him last year, and outside of the US most audiences won’t know about the G.I. Joe franchise. (We called them Action Man!)

But hey, looking at this clip at least he’s not under that mask all through the film. (Though I can’t watch this without thinking of Team America – f**k yeah!…)

Yim Phil-Sung’s delightful horror fable Hansel And Gretel is released at selected UK cinemas today by Terracotta Distribution.

You can read our review here »

Out in cinemas across the UK today, not one but two major releases for Asian film fans. Ong Bak: The Beginning, courtesy of Revolver Entertainment, and Thirst, courtesy of Metrodome/Palisades Tartan.

Here’s just a taster of that epic finale scene Ong Bak: The Beginning to keep you going…

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…

Johnnie To and Wong Ka-fai’s terrific Hong Kong thriller Mad Detective is released today on DVD and Blu-ray in the UK by Eureka Entertainment.

Both releases will include:

Q&A with Johnnie To at the Cinémathèque Française – Johnnie To retrospective

Exclusive cast interviews shot during the Far East Film Festival featuring Lau Ching Wan, and Lam Suet

Interview with Johnnie To for the French theatrical release of Mad Detective

Original UK theatrical trailer

16-page booklet containing specially commissioned essay by David Bordwell (Jacques Ledoux Professor of Film Studies,University of Wisconsin-Madison)

You can read our review of the film here »

The fantastic new update to the classic 70s series is released today – you can read our review here »

Ong-Bak 2, recently released in Thailand, has been getting some mixed reactions both in Thailand and around the world. Wise Kwai reports on the Thai reaction to the film, while Twitch have posted quite a negative review for the film. A tortuous production that so nearly came to a premature end, it has to be said the official trailer does little for the film.

An historical drama (yes, another one!) it has little if anything to do with the original film, and though the stunts look impressive, they’re nothing on those in the original film that made us fall for Tony Jaa in the first place.

The film is out in Thailand now, opens in Hong Kong on 1 January with Singapore coming a week later – as for the rest of the world we’ll just have to wait and see…

Twitch has also posted a review of the Ghost In The Shell 2.o revamp, a completely remade version of the original film. (Why, I hear you ask…?) And Beyond Hollywood have a review of the recently release Director’s Cut version of Donnie Yen vehicle Painted Skin.

Finally out in the UK on DVD and Blu-Ray, S.P.L.: Kill Zone, starring Donnie Yen, Sammo Hung and Simon Yen. Here’s the UK promo to give you a taster…

Read our full review here »

Easily the most palatable Chinese historical drama in ages, John Woo’s Red Cliff comes to UK DVD and Blu-ray today courtesy of Entertainment in Video. Oh, and it’s the best film he’s done in a long time too, so if you’ve yet to catch it, this is a must!

(Shame it’s not all four hours plus??)

From the creators of The Machine Girl and Tokyo Gore Police comes the latest lo-fi, old school crowd pleasing splatter movie to hit DVD in the UK. It’s Tetsuo meets Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers, and probably goes without saying, but even this trailer is not for minors…

» You can read our full review of Meatball Machine here

Meatball Machine is released by 4Digital Asia.

Peter Chan’s The Warlords, starring Jet Li, Andy Lau and Takeshi Kineshiro, is released in the UK on two-disc DVD and Blu-ray today by Metronome.

You can read our review here »

Coming soon from Manga, Origin: Spirits Of The Past – Directed by Keiichi Sugiyama (Neon Genesis Evangelion), is the first full-length animated feature film made by Studio Gonzo, the Japanese anime studio responsible for the likes of Final Fantasy: Unlimited, Hellsing and She, The Ultimate Weapon.

Read our review here »

Having gone all ‘Ridley Scott’ on us, Wong Kar-wai revisits his 1994 film Ashes Of Time, his entry ino the martial arts genre. Based on the novel by Louis Cha, this film follows a lone swordsman (Leslie Cheung) as time passes. Ashes Of Time Redux also stars Tony Leung Ka-fai, Brigitte Lin, and Tony Leung Chiu-wai, and it features an appearance by Maggie Cheung.

Ashes Of Time Redux is released by Artfical Eye on DVD and Blu-ray, who also re-release two other Wong Kar-wai classics, Chungking Express and Happy Together, on DVD today.

Shown as part of this years London Film Festival, you can read our review here »

Following our review and trailer from last week, here’s more fun in a second trailer of the movie.

You can read our review here »

The highly enjoyable Ip Man – based on the life story of the man who taught Bruce Lee kung fu – is released on Blu-ray and DVD today courtesy of Cine Asia/Showbox Entertainment. We spoke to star Donnie Yen, director Wilson Yip and action choreographer Sammo Hung last week about martial art films, Bruce Lee, Wing Chun and much more besides…

Also out today…

Palisades Tartan continue to reissue their back catalogue with gusto. Today sees two box sets released: Asian Horror – Essential Collection, featuring Takashi Miike’s Audition, ‘Ring‘ Director Hideo Nakata’s Dark Water And The Pang Brothers’ The Eye. A second box set, Korean Horror – Essential Collection, collects Kim Sung-Ho’s Into The Mirror, Park Ki-Hyung’s Acacia And Won Shin-Yeon’s The Wig. They also release Blood Rain today, an inventive thriller set in the 19th century starring Cha Seung-won (Eye For An Eye, Kick The Moon).

4Digital release Cyborg She, lighthearted sci-fi love story about a lonely young man and his female cyborg from the future starring Haruka Ayase (Ichi).

Takeshi Miike’s first English language film, the Spaghetti Western inspired Sukiyaki Western Django, is released on DVD today by Contender Home Entertainment. The cast includes Hideaki Ito, Koichi Sato, Yusuke Iseya and Masanobu Ando with a cameo appearence by Quentin Tarantino.

You can read our review here »

With little more than a week before the UK release of The Forbidden Kingdom, here’s an exclusive clip from the film…!

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 »