On DVD and Blu-ray from today, the latest from Ghost In The Shell director Mamoru Oshii, his superb The Sky Crawlers. Read our full review of The Sky Crawlers here »
Also out today, Teddy Chan’s Bodyguards And Assassins. Read our full review of Bodyguards and Assasssins here »
Mawkish, overbearingly nationalistic, and perhaps more than a little revisionist – thank god for the second half, then? (more…)
Still glowing from last years success, the Terracotta Far East Film Festival for a second run with a fantastic lineup of 15 hand-picked films from Hong Kong, China, Japan, South Korea, and Thailand. (more…)
“A TENSE AND RIVETING PIECE OF ACTION CINEMA… IMPRESSIVE FIGHT SEQUENCES… BONE-CRUSHING VIOLENCE.” – TWITCH.
Nominated for 18 Hong Kong Film Awards including Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor, Best Cinematography and Best Action Choreography (the results will be announced on 18th April 2010) and the winner of the Best Actor (Wang Xueqi) and Best Supporting Actor (Nicholas Tse) prizes at this year’s Asian Film Awards, the epic, period action movie Bodyguards And Assassins is a dramatic fictionalized retelling of the suspenseful events of 1906 that eventually led to the 1911 Xinhai Revolution and the founding of the Republic of China.
Directed by Teddy Chan (The Accidental Spy) and featuring an impressive cast of Hong Kong and China’s biggest stars, including Donnie Yen (Ip Man; Kill Zone), Leon Lai (An Empress And The Warriors; Seven Swords), Xueqi Wang (Forever Enthralled; Warriors Of Heaven And Earth; The Red Suit), Tony Leung Ka Fai (Missing; The Myth), Nicholas Tse (Dragon Tiger Gate; New Police Story; The Medallion) and Simon Yam (Ip Man; Triangle), Bodyguards And Assassins is a sumptuously staged, action-packed blockbuster, full of political intrigue, tragedy and drama that will appeal as much to lovers of quality cinema as it will to martial arts aficionados.
On October 15th 1906, the man destined to become the Father of Modern China, Dr. Sun Yat-sen, is due to arrive in the British Colony of Hong Kong to discuss plans to overthrow the corrupt Qing Dynasty with a group of leading anti-Qing revolutionaries. Aware of Sun’s intentions, the Qing Court dispatches an elite army of assassins to the port where Sun is due to arrive, with orders to see to it that he never makes it to his appointment and does not leave the colony alive.
Receiving news of the proposed assassination, a newspaper editor and a local tycoon, both sympathetic supporters of the revolution, take it upon themselves to protect Dr. Sun at any cost. To help ensure his safety they recruit a motley band of fellow sympathisers, friends and acquaintances, all skilled in martial arts combat to act as Sun’s bodyguards. Additionally, they devise a risky plan to secretly replace the assassins’ target with a human decoy in an attempt to lead the killers away from their quarry.
As Sun arrives on the fateful day, the stage is set for a bloody confrontation in which a small group of selflessly courageous men and women will risk their lives fighting against hundreds of adversaries in a conflict that will determine the fate of millions.
Cleverly taking his time to establish his characters, their back-stories, motives and sub-plots in the deliberately paced first half of the film, director Chan expertly unleashes a barrage of non-stop, action set-pieces in a final hour that will leave viewers breathless.
Among the many standout sequences in a film that manages to be as emotionally involving and moving as it is exciting are a brilliantly directed sequence that echoes Brian De Palma’s homage (from “The Untouchables”) to Eisenstein’s famous Odessa Steps sequence from “Battleship Potemkin”, an extended free-running duel involving Donnie Yen and Cung Le, and a ‘man versus horse’ confrontation that is nothing short of jaw-dropping.
THE TERRACOTTA FAR EAST FILM FESTIVAL IS BACK IN LONDON, UK TO PRESENT ITS SECOND ROUNDUP OF CHOICE FILMS FROM THE FAR EAST!
From Thursday 6th to Sunday 9th May 2010, there’s fantastic lineup of 15 hand-picked films from Hong Kong, China, Japan, South Korea, and Thailand – http://terracottafestival.com/
The festival opens with the UK premiere of Little Big Soldier starring Jackie Chan. Set during the tumultuous period when China had yet to be born from the unification of seven warring states, this story follows Big Soldier (Jackie Chan), an ex-farmer and reluctant conscript from the state of Liang.
A brilliant comedy and touching tale reportedly 20 years in the making, Little Big Soldier looks set to be a new favourite for fans of Jackie Chan fans, action flicks and road trip movies and will be released theatrically later in the year, courtesy of Cine Asia.
Phobia (out on DVD from 10th May 2010 courtesy of Icon Home Entertainment) features four chilling tales from modern-day Thailand by four masters of horror. In the last decade, Thai filmmakers have brought a new and refreshing perspective to the face of horror. Black magic, superstition and the scary side of the supernatural abound in this collective of four tales, which are sure to take root in the more terrifying depths of your imagination.
The closing night film is the multi-award winning Bodyguards and Assassins and another UK premiere. Hong Kong, 1905. Revolution instigator Sun Yat Sen is about to visit Hong Kong for five hours only, for a covert meeting with the leaders of a planned coup from all the provinces in China. On hearing this, the Imperial Court dispatches an elite team of assassins to Hong Kong to deal with him. Fervent revolutionary and Sun’s contact in Hong Kong, Chen Shaobai (Tony Leung Ka Fai), is alerted, and out of desperation he assembles a motley crew of inexperienced fighters to escort Sun safely to his meeting and back.
Brilliantly shot with large-scale recreations of Hong Kong during the turn of the 20th century, this film is a fast-paced cat-and-mouse game which will have you on the edge of your seat. Bodyguards and Assassins will be playing at selected UK cinemas and is available to buy on DVD (courtesy of E1 Entertainment) on 31st May 2010.
Out this Friday from Cine Asia, Jackie Chan’s historical fantasy AND martial arts comedy spectacular The Myth on DVD and Blu-ray. With a cast including Tony Leung (Election, New Dragon Gate Inn), Korean actress Hee-seon Kim (Bichunmoo) and Bollywood sex symbol Malika Sherawat (Murder), The Myth – directed by Chan collaborator Stanley Tong (Police Story 3: Supercop, Rumble In The Bronx, Jackie Chan’s First Strike) – one could think Chan was intent on hitting every conceivable market!
The 2-disc DVD includes over four hours of extras, including a ‘Making of ’ featurette; trailer and music videos gallery ; interviews with Jackie Chan, Tony Leung Ka Fai, Kim Hee Seon, Mallika Sherawat, Stanley Tong , Sun Zhou and Choi Min Soo; deleted scenes; lost scenes ; behind the scenes (11 featurettes) ; Just For Laughs; HK Premiere; Easter Egg – Cannes Festival.
The Myth is released on DVD and Blu-ray on Monday 4 May.
Shot back-to-back with Ashes Of Time and sharing much of the same cast, the stars get to let their hair down in a very different take on the same Louis Cha novel… (more…)
Wong Kar-wai returns to his 1994 classic to produce a definite version – but is it really any better…? (more…)
Action movie superstar Jackie Chan and Hong Kong director Stanley Tong reunite for their first collaboration in a decade since their double-whammy of “Rumble In The Bronx” and “Jackie Chan’s First Strike” in The Myth, the multi-period action-comedy that combines sci-fi, martial arts and historical fantasy in one spectacular adventure, released in the UK by Cine Asia on DVD and blu-ray on 4 May.
han stars as Jack, an intrepid and world-renowned archaeologist who has begun having dreams of a past life as a warrior in ancient China. When a fellow scientist asks for Jack’s help in locating the mausoleum of China’s first emperor, the past collides violently with the present as he discovers his amazing visions are based in fact. When they discover an ancient sword and a magical gemstone that can defy the laws of gravity, the past collides violently with the present with often comical consequences.
Coming to DVD as a two-disc Ultimate Edition featuring over four hours of extras, the film sees Jackie Chan (playing dual roles) starring alongside fellow Hong Kong star Tony Leung (Election; New Dragon Gate Inn), Korean actress Hee-seon Kim (Bichunmoo) and Bollywood sex symbol Malika Sherawat (Murder). Special Features; Disc 1
; Dolby Digital 5.1 and 2.0 Stereo Cantonese and 5.1 English audio options; English subtitles
; ‘Making of
’ featurette; trailer and music videos gallery
.
Disc 2 ; Interviews with Jackie Chan, Tony Leung Ka Fai, Kim Hee Seon, Mallika Sherawat, Stanley Tong , Sun Zhou and Choi Min Soo; deleted scenes; lost scenes ; behind the scenes (11 featurettes) ; Just For Laughs; HK Premiere; Easter Egg – Cannes Festival.
The Myth (cert. tbc) will be released on DVD (£15.99) and Blu-ray (£19.99) by Cine Asia on 4th May 2009.
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.
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.
Oh dear, Angelica Lee’s (The Eye, Re-cycle) seeing dead people again. Again. This time Tsui Hark’s at the helm in this rather convoluted psychological thriller… (more…)
A solid follow-up to horror anthology Three features segments by Park Chan-wook, Takashi Miike and Fruit Chan… (more…)
The secret of eternal youth lies within Aunt Mei’s dumplings, but be warned, they may be an acquired taste… (more…)
Hong Kong directors are ditching young stars for old veterans who’ve hardly been on screen in twenty years or more, but the real surprise is they’re giving them the best roles (more…)
