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The latest from Kim Ji-woon (A Tale of Two Sisters, The Quiet Family), a slick tale of that revenge resounds with amazing style and wit, but ultimately do we really care?… (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.

Biting social satire meets hilarious black comedy. Laugh or the dog gets it… (more…)

This Korean Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon styled epic may have been top dog in it’s homeland, but – with a liberal referencing of over thirty years of Hong Kong swordplay films – it’s really more of a mongrel… (more…)

The BFI to screen the entire filmography from one of the finest and most inventive filmmakers in the world – Bong Joon-ho – including a preview of his latest offering Mother, followed by a conversation with the man himself… (more…)

The BFI will screen the entire filmography of one of the finest and most inventive filmmakers in the world – Bong Joon-ho – including a preview of his latest offering Mother, followed by a conversation with the man himself… (more…)

A breathtakingly impressive directorial debut, and one of the best Asian films of 2009… (more…)

Another solid horror from South Korea, but surely the lesson here is don’t give your daughter a scary haircut like that girl from The Ring?… (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.

Over half a decade since making such an impact with Nowhere To Hide, director Lee Myung-se finally returns to our screens with Duelist – but has it been worth the wait?… (more…)

We always knew director Park Chan-wook would do something different after his acclaimed vengeance trilogy (Sympathy For Mr Vengeance, Old Boy, Lady Vengeance) – but were we expecting this? (more…)

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…

Two/thirds effective, efficient thriller starring Aaron Kwok, one/third bizarre (and near ridiculous) revelation – you will never guess this twist!… (more…)

Some six years after it was originally released this Korean classic has finally been made available in the UK – but has it been worth the wait?… (more…)

Wise Kwai reports that Chocolate has bombed on it’s release in Taiwan in comparison with the previous success of Ong-Bak and Tom Yum Goong (Warrior King) – mind you, could that have something to do with the now widely available DVD releases, including the UK release next month? Also to be released in the UK soon, Chukiat Sakweerakul’s bloody psychological thriller 13 Beloved.

Wu-Jing.org reports on the release of Gordon Chan’s take on Painted Skin, starring Donnie Yen. Very much of the Chinese Ghost Story ilk, it’s a story that’s previously been interpreted by Pao Feng (1966) and King Hu (1992).

Twitch reports on new Korean cable TV drama, Fight Master, as well as the sad passing of Korean actress Choi Jin-Shil, star of Partisans of South Korea and Roses & Beansprouts.

Meanwhile beyondhollwood.com talks about the official announcement of a Kung Fu Panda sequel, and the new poster for the latest Asian horror to be remade in Hollywood, The Uninvited – a remake of Kim Ji-woon’s A Tale of Two Sisters. (Thankfully not out till January 09 now!)

Director Park Chan-wook’s follow-up to Sympathy for Mr Vengeance is an even better twisted tale of revenge… (more…)

Chen Kaige’s The Promise finally crawls its way on to UK DVD and Blu-Ray, courtesy of Momentum Pictures. Originally released way back in December 2005 and reviewed by us shortly afterwards, it failed to spark any interest from UK distributors despite being given a limited release in the US, France, Germany, Greece, Russia – in fact just about everywhere else! Unsurprisingly Chen’s attempt to follow rival Zhang Yimou into wu xia territory met with mixed reactions. Indeed the core story itself holds a neat fable with beautifully baroque costume design (pre-empting Yimou’s Curse Of The Golden Flower), but relies perhaps a little too heavily on CGI to make it all happen.

Sadly, this is a ‘bonus feature lite’ DVD release, and worse still, it’s the edited US release, running some 20 minutes shorter. Mind you, guess better to have it than not at all (?)

Also out today, Afro Samurai: Resurrection on DVD from Manga Entertainment.

Director Jingle Ma (Silver Hawk) and star Tony Leung (In The Mood For Love, Infernal Affairs) re-unite for a belated but rather disappointing follow-up to Tokyo Raiders… (more…)

The latest Tsui Hark movie is more than a decent stab at a ‘wuxia’ movie in the wake of Zhang Yimou’s Hero and House of Flying Daggers – but does it fall short of being the epic he intended?… (more…)

A letter written seven days before Jang Ja-yeon’s death, an actress in popular soap opera Boys Over Flowers, has caused a national outcry in South Korea, with the media focusing on ’slave’ entertainment contracts. It’s opened up the less-than-salubrious side to KoreanTV.

Read the full story on Guardian Online »

Crying Fist director Ryoo Seung-hwan out Kill Bill’s Tarantino in this enjoyable Korean action movie with some real crowd-pleasing scenes… (more…)

Let’s get ready to rumble! Song Kang-ho stars in Kim Ji-woon’s (The Quiet Family, A Tale of Two Sisters) hilarious comedy about wrestling… (more…)

The director of A Bittersweet Life and A Tale Of Two Sisters talks about his latest movie, a homage to Sergio Leone’s The Good, The Bad & The Ugly… (more…)

Based on true events in 1979, director Im Sang-soo’s political satire on the last hours of South Korean President Park Chung-hee is a biting black comedy… (more…)

First Zhang Yimou made a film about the same subject as Chen Kaige had, now Kaige has followed Yimou by making a CGI led ‘wuxia pian’ movie – will these guys ever stop treading on each others toes?… (more…)

Some girls will do anything for that pair of Jimmy Choo’s – but perhaps this is going to far?… (more…)

What’s this? A wig that will make you look and act just like all those other scary Asian horror girls? My word, is no one safe? (more…)

One of the worlds finest directors returns with a superb deconstructionist take on the Vampire myth… (more…)

Solid horror anthology with three very different takes on life after death from three different Asian countries and directors… (more…)

A solid follow-up to horror anthology Three features segments by Park Chan-wook, Takeshi Miike and Fruit Chan… (more…)