Wolf Warriors 2 Review 2017 China 战狼2

Wolf Warrior 2 战狼2
Year: 2017
Director: Wu Jing
Writers: Wu Jing, Dong Qun, Liu Yi
Cast: Wu Jing, Celina Jade, Frank Grillo, Hans Zhang, Wu Gang
Running Time: 121 Minutes
Country: China

2017's surprise blockbuster hit Wolf Warrior 2 is one of those rare cases of the sequel not only being better than the original but surpassing the film in every single way.

After the events of Wolf Warrior, Leng Feng (Wu Jing), China's deadliest special forces operative settles into a quiet life on the sea. When sadistic mercenaries begin targeting nearby civilians, he must leave his newfound peace behind and return to his duties as a soldier and protector. A Chinese destroyer arrives to evacuate strictly Chinese civilians caught up in the middle of the civil war, but after overhearing guards talking about needing someone to rescue workers at a factory and an important doctor who knows the vaccination for Lamanla, Leng Feng volunteers.

Viewers will realise within the first few minutes if this film is for them. Kicking off with an immense fight scene between Wu Jing and Somali pirates which takes the fight into the ocean. Cleverly orchestrated, they are submerged underwater into one of the best underwater-fight scenes ever filmed, which is neatly edited to look like one take. It's fun, ridiculously over the top and sets the tone for what's to follow for the next two hours.

Many viewers and critics had issues with the original Wolf Warrior, mainly due to its propaganda feel and the fact it came across like a recruitment video for the Chinese army. This sequel essentially strips all that away. While still being highly Nationalistic, it actually works to the plot and doesn't feel quite as contrived. The film has less in common with The Founding of a Republic and it's more in line with a Chinese version of Rambo. Wu Jing directs the film, as well as starring once again. Wu has improved leaps and bounds as a director and this time he keeps the plot simple and straight to the point, which allows the story to flow without the need to ever over-complicate things. If at any time your mind starts to wander during some of the character development scenes, don't fret because there is another exciting action scene right around the corner.

The location of Africa is also a fresh setting for the series, while not explicitly stating which country the film is set in, it's only ever mentioned as Africa. The setting emerges the viewer right into the heart of Africa. Full of wild interesting locations, including the slums which play host to an exhilarating car chase. There's also the introduction of some very fun African characters. There is a touching relationship with a boy that Wu Jing becomes a godfather too. The boy and his mother are both hilarious characters and inject some humour into the violent action story. The stereotypes of some of the Africans may be bordering on offensive to some, but it all seems in good fun.

Wolf Warrior 2 is probably the best action film of the year thus far! It's filled to the brim with some breathtaking action scenes and set-pieces throughout. The action is on a huge scale and with great stunt work that would make a Hong Kong stuntman proud. There are highly intricate martial arts hand-to-hand fights which Wu Jing shines throughout. There are also plenty of shoot outs full of a wide variety of guns and tanks, topped off with knife fights and loads of explosions. Some of the action scenes are ridiculously over the top, such as Wu Jing stopping a bazooka in the most ridiculous yet entertaining way possible. But that's all part of the fun! Suspend your disbelief and have some fun. Although Scott Adkins is missing from the film, Frank Grillo steps up and plays an excellent villain. Grillo also helps deliver a brutally skilful final fight-scene with Wu Jing which doesn't disappoint at all.

Remain in your seat after the film is finished for a mid-credit Marvel-esque teaser scene that reminded me of a Coors Light commercial... And will give fans of the series something to look forward to.

Wolf Warrior 2 is a highly entertaining film. If you like your old school action films, this is for you. It's fun from start to finish and the action never lets up. Given all of this, it's really not a surprise that the film is doing so well at the box-office. As a side note; this is the first time in years, outside of festivals, that I've watched a film in the cinema that received a round of applause.

7.5/10

Once Upon A Time 三生三世十里桃花 Review 2017 China

Once Upon A Time - Shi Li Tai Hua - 三生三世十里桃花
Year: 2017
Director: Zhao Xiaoding, Anthony LaMolinara
Starring: Liu Yifei, Yang Yang, Luo Jin, Yan Yikuan
Based on: Three Lives, Three Worlds, Ten Miles Peach Blossoms by TangQi Gongzi
Running Time: 110 mins
Country: China

Once Upon A Time is the latest Chinese CGI-heavy fantasy-romance drama. Big budget Chinese films brimmed of CGI have become increasingly popular over the years but with many previous films not having special effects up to Hollywood's standard, how does Once Upon A Time compare?

This is the story of Bai Qian, a goddess and monarch from the Heavenly Realms. In her first life, she was the disciple of Mo Yuan. Due to a devastating war, Mo Yuan’s soul was destroyed while sealing the Demon Lord. Seventy thousand years later while Bai Qian was trying to reseal the Demon Lord, she was sent to the mortal realm to undergo a trial to become a High Goddess. There, she meets Ye Hua with whom she falls in love and eventually married. However, their love ends tragically. Many years later, the two star-crossed lovers meet again as deities but all her memories have been erased due to her request. Ye Hua, who is now a crown prince black dragon 90,000 years younger than Bai Qian, gets a second chance at love with her.

Sounds confusing? Well, it is. Prior knowledge of the original book "Three Lives, Three Worlds, Ten Miles Peach Blossoms" or maybe even the TV series would have helped. But with this being my first time discovering this story, I was left scratching my head a few times. The confused identities, the forced romance and the convoluted plot would work better over the 58 episode TV series. The enormous task of trying to cram all of this story into under 2 hours was always going to be tricky. That being said, the 2 directors almost manage to pull it off, with only a few of the ideas not entirely clicking. The story revolves around two seemingly star-crossed lovers who continue to encounter each other over numerous lifetimes, in its simplicity. Keep telling yourself that.

Surprisingly Once Upon A Time is actually beautiful to look at. Shot almost entirely against green-screen with limited physical sets and props, the visuals are stunning! Being co-directed with visual-effects artist Anthony LaMolinara, whose credits include Hollow Man and Spider-Man 1 and 2, appears to have certainly helped in that department. The backdrops all look mesmerising and seem to go on for miles; the visual-effects creatures look more real than what most Chinese films have to offer. The costumes are also exquisite with many remarkable embroidered outfits and complex hairstyles which are worthy of recognition. The same praise can be given to the music which is full of traditional sounding Chinese instruments and reminiscent of big blockbuster scores from films such as House of Flying Daggers.

The two lead characters Liu Yifei (Bai Qian) and Yang Yang (Ye Hua) are both great in their respective roles. There is good on-screen chemistry between them and their love story is charming, even if it does seem a little contrived at the beginning. Once you discover more about these complex characters and their stories unfold with twists and turns, it ultimately results in some emotional and heart-warming scenes delivered from the pair.

Another exciting aspect of the film is the action scenes. There is more action in the film than the trailers and advertising would lead you to believe. Some of these are executed fairly well with fun wire-fu sword fighting magic and battles with CGI monsters including a tiger, a dragon and some bizarre giant earth-tree creature. All of these are a welcome break from the drama and they give your brain time to recover.

The film is flawed but still enjoyable overall. With many good elements to it, especially being a treat for your eyes and ears. The plot is bewildering but eventually, the main points become clear and allow you to relax and soak it all in. If you like big fantasy fairy tales then you will enjoy this one, but make sure you keep your thinking cap on!

6/10

A Better Tomorrow 2012 Review South Korea 무적자

A Better Tomorrow 무적자
Year: 2010
Director: Song Hae-sung
Writers:Kim Hyo-seok, Lee Taek-gyeong, Choi Geun-mo, Kim Hae-gon
Cast: Joo Jin-mo, Song Seung-heon, Kim Kang-woo, Jo Han-sun
Running Time: 124 minutes
Country: South Korea

This South Korean remake of the original Hong Kong classic is a dramatic action thriller which sadly lacks the charm of the John Woo original.

A Better Tomorrow tells the story of Hyuk (Jin-mo), who lives the fast life as a high-ranking mobster in Busan, South Korea with his closest pal, fellow mobster Lee Young-Chun (Seung-heon). Hyuk is haunted by the memory of leaving behind his younger brother Chul (Kang-woo) and mother as they attempted to flee into South Korea from North Korea. In a set-up, Hyuk by the police and jailed. Three years later, he is released and travels back to Busan to find his younger brother Chul now a high-ranking police officer. Hyuk tries to earn back the trust of his brother, but rejection and betrayal are hard to forget. Things come to a head when Young-Chun pulls Hyuk into doing one last gig. It happen to be the case that Officer Chul is in charge of, and the three brothers meet again one final time.

The first thing you'll notice about this film is how great it looks. The remake is very aesthetically pleasing, with stunning cinematography and exciting locations. In terms of Korean budgets, it looks very well accomplished and a big step up from the original which was produced with a very tight budget.

While it's not a direct shot-for-shot remake, the story still focuses on the themes of loyalty and brotherhood. The theme of 'heroic bloodshed' is still there. But as it's Korean there is a lot more emphasis on the dramatics, even during the wild action scenes. There is actually too much emphasis on the drama without any of the fun and laughs of the original, which helped balance out a violent and somber tale.

To keep the storyline feeling fresh, the writers have changed some elements and plot points and also added in many Korean traits. Most of which works in it's favour. The brothers now have an origin of being North Korean defectors who fled to South Korea for a better life, and in turn, got wrapped up in the world of gangsters. Another plot point which helped the story progress was rather than being counterfeiters like in the original, they now work as arm traffickers. While this doesn't make the characters any more likeable or relatable, it does explain why they have easy access to guns for the shoot outs... and believe me, there are an abundance of guns to go around.

The shoot-outs are all filmed extremely well and the choreography is great. The action is fast paced and relentless. And the hits are violent and bloody. It's everything you really want, only with a bit too much drama sometimes placed in the middle of them, especially in the lead up to the finale when it crosses over in to melodrama territory. 

Each of the main actors did a fine job in their roles. But a big issue is that none of them really stood out or seemed that different from each other. They were all a bit samey. Except of course, Lee Young-choon. He really is a bad-ass character and comes across as tough as nails. Easily the coolest character in the film, but unfortunately he doesn't have the charisma of Chow Yun-fat's Brother Mark. There is a plenty of exposition and character development throughout but you really don't start to care for characters until around the final third of the film, and by then, it's almost too late. But what a bloody exciting finale!

In it's own right, A Better Tomorrow 2010 is a decent enough film. It doesn't ever feel like a waste of time watching it. But the problem is, there are better Korean action films already out there, like The Man From Nowhere and A Bittersweet Life. And, it doesn't have to compete with just them, it also has to match up to the original. Which is ultimately fails at equaling. 

6.5/10

Matt Damon and Andy Lau team up to fight monsters in 'The Great Wall'

The trailer for The Great Wall has dropped... And it looks insane!

Directed by legendary director Zhang Yimou(House of Flying Daggers/Hero), starring Matt Damon & Andy Lau and featuring an all star international cast of Willem Dafoe, Pedro Pascal, Eddie Peng and Jing Tian.

When a mercenary warrior (Damon) is imprisoned within The Great Wall, he discovers the mystery behind one of the greatest wonders of our world.  As wave after wave of marauding beasts besiege the massive structure, his quest for fortune turns into a journey toward heroism as he joins a huge army of elite warriors to confront this unimaginable and seemingly unstoppable force.

The Great Wall is Zhang Yimou's first English language speaking film and is currently the largest budget Chinese film of all time with a budget of $135 million.

Coming to cinemas on February 17th 2017.

Office Review 2015 Johnnie To 華麗上班族

Johnnie swaps cops, gangsters and shootouts for office workers and catchy musical numbers in his new film Office.

Billion-dollar company Jones & Sunn is going public. Chairman Ho Chung-ping (Chow Yun-fat) has promised CEO Winnie Cheung (Sylvia Chang), who has been his mistress for more than twenty years, to become a major shareholder of the company. Lee Seung (Wang Ziyi), a new hire at Jones & Sunn, brings with him youthful ideals and dreams. On Lee Seung’s first day he is paired with another new start, under qualified Kat (Lang Yueting) who has her own secret agenda. As the IPO team enters the company to audit its accounts, a series of inside stories start to be revealed.

Johnnie To making a financial based musical is such a crazy idea on the surface to the western fans. Most western fans know of To for his action and bloodshed films. But, he has actually directed a bunch of comedy and drama films, so it isn't that much of a stretch for new territory.

The financial world setting works well and comes across as fun and even exciting in parts. Set before and after the 2008 financial crisis, there is enough meat to chew on.

The music is extremely upbeat and easy going even if you don't understand the native language, the feeling isn't lost through the subtitles although some of the lyrics might not translate as poetically to English. Some real catchy songs are included and also a superbly shot dance which left me in awe.

Office does have it's problems, one being the length. At just under 2 hours, it almost feels like you are putting a shift in at your work office and time is going by slow while you are willing it to end. This is about the 3rd quarter mark though, and the film does pick up again thankfully.

Another issue is the main character's stories. Lee Seung and Kat have the easiest going sections, full of humour and both likable characters, their story plods along at a reasonable pace. Chow Yun-fat doesn't star in this film, it's a "special appearance". And, although his character Ho Chung-ping is conflicted, you still find yourself rallying behind him, and as usual it's another great performance.

The third story revolves around David Wong played by Eason Chan. David is really the only villain type of the story, and unfortunately the part which is least interesting. Oddly David is the most polished character and Eason delivers a fine performance. But there is too much already going on and the film would have benefited with his story being trimmed down.

Saving the best for the last, the set design is simply incredible. I don't think a film about an office environment could actually look any better. Based on Sylvia Chang’s stage play Design for Living. The film has embraced it's theatre roots. Filmed entirely on a set, the office changes to a rooftop, a convince store, a nightclub, apartments and much more. The sets are made up of long lights, mainly blacks and whites, long vertical lines, and a giant clock. It's almost simple bare bone sets but with a neon steampunk twist. And it is exquisite. Production designer William Chang has created stunning sets which almost takes the world they create to style over substance as you can't peel your eyes off these stunning visuals.

Office is still a fun harmless film and if you enjoy musicals you will get plenty of enjoyment out of it. However, it just isn't up to the standard that Johnnie To has been delivering to us for so long.

6.5/10

The Mermaid Review 2016 美人鱼

The Mermaid

The Mermaid is the latest film from fan favourite Stephen Chow. Unfortunately for viewers Stephen Chow yet again doesn't star in his own film, but he is a marvelous comedic Director and his comedy timing is perfect in his new fantasy-romantic-comedy film.

Real estate tycoon Liu Xuan (Deng Chao) has been making a fortune using new sonar technology which happens to destroy all near by sea-life. Liu buys up a large area of protected land which he intends to use for real estate development, it just so happens this area is the home to a group of mermaids.
The mermaids hatch a plan to take down Liu Xuan and get him to abort his new development. The plan involves getting one of the mermaids to seduce and then kill him. Shan (Lin Yun/Jelly Lin) is chosen as the sexiest mermaid, she gets modified and trained to blend in with the humans then complete her mission.

From the synopsis, you can almost guess where this film is going. The basic story isn't that fresh but the film as a whole is completely original and distinctive from pretty much any film for years. Comparable to possibly only Splash and The Little Mermaid, this is such a refreshing take on the mermaid rom-com genre.

The Mermaid is genuinely hilarious. Full of great entertaining and creative gags, there's something that makes you genuinely laugh every few minutes, the pacing is brilliant. There is great uses of subtle humour in a scene with Liu trying to explain to the police that he was kidnapped by mermaids which had the cinema roaring. But there is also plenty of crazy slapstick comedy, one scene in particular is of Shan trying to kill her target and failing miserably, it gets stretched out with each gag getting funnier and more absurd.

A Mermaid... half person, half fish.

The cast are all brilliant in their roles. Liu Xuan comes off great as a wealthy jerk who is actually misunderstood and looking for real love. The Octopus played by Show Luo was surprisingly good and involved in a couple of hilarious scenes, one involving him pretending to be a chef and part of his body ends up getting cooked for customers.

But Shan(Lin Yun) is the star of the show. Unknown to most audiences, the 19 year old's performance is adorable and incredibly cute. Full of quirkiness, from her facial expressions, to reactions, to her waddling about pretending to be human. Lin Yun has an ocean full of charisma and could go on to be a big star. She reminds me of a young Shu Qi mixed with Zhang Ziyi, only a lot more warming.

I hope no one notices I'm peeing right now.

Like a lot of Chinese comedies, the tone of the film changes drastically at points. Towards the end it gets a little too dark, which shocked me considering how light in tone the rest was. But this is more as part of their environmental message, which is still as important today as ever. Using real footage of water pollution and dying sea-life, The Mermaid does contain an underlying message from Chow which should be applauded.

The CGI in The Mermaid is hit or miss. In some scenes it actually looks pretty great. In others, it stands out too much and is quite jarring with how fake it looks. But for a comedy, this isn't actually too important. And in some ways, it almost adds to the charm of the film.

A shock to many, The Mermaid has not only gone on to become the highest grossing film in China. It is also now the 2nd highest grossing film in the WORLD this year, so far!

Sitting right behind Deadpool, it's second in terms of money. But for me The Mermaid is first in terms of laughs.

7.5/10

The Mermaid is currently showing in many cinemas across the UK, USA, AUS/NZ and of course Asia. So check if any cinemas near by are showing it now!

Ip Man 3 in select UK cinemas on 24th December! Then released 15th January across the UK!

Merry Christmas From Cineworld! 

Looks like we are getting Ip Man in UK cinemas after all. And a select few cineworld cinemas are showing it Christmas eve!

Then it opens nationwide on 15th January. Brilliant! This looks like one not to miss.

Stay tuned to I Love Asian Cinema and their official website for more release details including US, Australia and New Zealand releases.

Ip Man 3 is getting a cinema release in the UK, Australia and New Zealand on the 24th December!

Although the details are vague, this looks extremely likely now!

The Facebook page that made this post "I Love Asian Cinema UK" is the same people who brought Lost In Hong Kong and now Ex-Files 2 to worldwide cinemas. Their aim is to release Asian films in various countries on the same original release date. So this looks very promising! 

Here is the link to the trailer they posted. The description says UK, Australia and New Zealand cinemas on the 24th of December!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbLb2CCi6I0

Fingers crossed for now. And when I hear any more news I will share it here!

Sadako 3D Review (The Ring 3D)

Sadako 3D
96 min - Horror - 12 May 2012 (Japan)

Director: Tsutomu Hanabusa
Writers: Kôji Suzuki (novel) & Yoshinobu Fujioka (screenplay)
Stars: Satomi Ishihara, Kôji Seto and Tsutomu Takahash

Firstly let me get this out of the way, I didn't get to see this film in 3D. I'm not really a fan of 3D. But Sadako 3D really needs to be seen in 3D if you get the option! I will touch on that more later.

Sadako 3D is in The Ring series of films, although many probably won't acknowledge it with the original trilogy. Sadako 3D is directed by Tsutomu Hanabusa and is based on the novel 'S' by the creator of Ring, Koji Suzuki. There a few similarities and many, many differences.

Synopsis:
Akane is a high school teacher who hears a rumor from her students that there is actual footage on the Internet of someone's suicide. The footage is said to drive anyone who sees it to also commit suicide. Akane does not believe the rumor at first, but when one of her female students dies after viewing the footage, she and her boyfriend Takanori are fatefully drawn into the horror that has been created by the man who appears in the suicide footage, Kashiwada. Kashiwada's intention is to create chaos in the world by bringing back Sadako and the power of her curse. Now Akane has to fight against Sadako and Kashiwada to save the lives of herself and Takanori.

... I'm really scared.

Sadako 3D is a completely different style of Horror flick from the previous Ring films. The story telling is different, the style is different, the pacing is different and the scares are very different.

While the original Ringu films were scary in a slow suspenseful way, like most Japanese horrors. Sadako 3D tends to lean more towards the Hollywood style surprise scares. And it is full of them! I will honestly say this film made me jump on quite a few occasions.

Can you remember the ending to the original Ringu film? Of course you can, it's one of the most iconic horror endings and images of all time. Sadako 3D tends to run with that and over use it by having Sadako come out of every screen possible, phone/laptop/TVs. Nothing is safe. Even the giant plasma screens you see around the busy streets of Tokyo aren't safe from Sadako and her long hair and gruesome hands.

This is were the film would look good in 3D. It's really shot for 3D with lots of hands stretching out straight to touch you and objects flying directly towards you. Seeing it in 3D could really add to the scares! A gimmick, yes. But if used correctly it can be a clever gimmick.

However, this outing is also extremly flawed. It doesn't have the same atmospheric feel as the other Ring films. It's more aimed at the teenage audience with their "idols/popstar" cast. Even Sadako looks like some kind of Japanese popstar when you see her as a normal girl. Watching the trailer, it never gives you the chills once that pop song kicks in! However this has obviously worked in terms of the box office, Sakdako 3D has done very well with 1,500,000,000 Yen ($19,228,500 USD), more than half of the box office was made up of teenagers, and a sequel has been announced for Summer 2013.

The other big flaw is after Sadako comes out of the screen and is in the real world. Without ruining it for anyone, they have changed her look drastically. And it kills the momentum of the film. After this point, any credit or scariness Sadako 3D had is pretty much gone. The creepy Sadako we all remember is gone, and is replaced with something that just looks stupid!

So, see Sadako 3D if you enjoy horrors. But don't expect a classic. And don't expect it to live up to the other Ringu films in the series, because it doesn't. However, I think this will still entertain most J-Horror fans, flaws and all.

5/10

Trailer below, with English subtitles:

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Now for some light hearted fun. Japan might not do horrors like they used to... But something they do brilliantly is promotion for films! Check out some of these photos of live promotions going around Tokyo for Sadako 3D.

 

Awesome!

Tom Yum Goong 2 news! Tony Jaa is back!

Tom Yum Goong 2

After some production delays, Tom Yum Goong 2(The Warrior King 2/The Protector 2) is getting released in Thailand in May 2013. It officially went into production August 2011.

This is the first time since 2005's Tom Yum Goong that the director Prachya Pinkaew has been reunited with Tony Jaa and Panna Rittikrai! It's a solid team! Here's hoping that the script is good and we end up with a better effort than Ong Bak 3.

Also exciting news about this film is it also stars Jija Yanin from Chocolate and Raging Phoenix. She is possibly the best female martial arts star of all time and she has all the potential in the world! Looking forward to seeing these two team up, and this film is sure to put her on the map!

No idea why this is being shot in 3D. But who really cares as long as the film lives up to the potential we all expect! Bring it on!

For those unfamiliar with Tony Jaa, check out this video to see some of his awesome fight scenes and stunts!

Ip Man 3 with Donnie Yen

It's official Donnie Yen will return for the 3rd Ip Man film. This sequel will continue the story of Ip Man focusing on his relationship with Bruce Lee. The film will be directed by Wilson Yip and is written by Edmond Wong with a budget of $36 million. And for some reason will be shot in 3D...

I highly recommend the first 2 films, both great in their own way, but I slightly prefer the first for the fight scenes and realism. In the first 2 films Ip Man fought the Japanese in China then when he moved to Hong Kong he fought with the British and kung fu schools. Ip Man 2 ends with a young Bruce Lee making an appearance so this instalment looks like it continues right where it finished off.

The producers are said to be searching for an actor with martial art skills to play a grown up Bruce Lee. Lynn Hung is returning for this instalment and Simon Yam is currently in talks.

Watch this space.

The real Bruce Lee and Ip Man

Sadako throws opening pitch at baseball game!

Yip. The girl from The Ring throws the first pitch at a Japanese baseball game! WTF!

 

 

We all know Baseball is the biggest sport in Japan, well looks like Sadako knows that as well! Here she is at the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters Vs Chiba Lotte Marines game from the Japanese baseball league, throwing the opening pitch to promote the new film in the Ringu series "Sadako 3D".

Sadako 3D opens across Japan on May 12th. No word yet if it will get a worldwide cinema release, just need to keep our fingers crossed!

Until then, here is the full length trailer:

Hara-Kiri coming to UK DVD, Blu-Ray and.... Cinema??

The latest film from one of the hardest working directors in Japan, Takashi Miike, is getting a limited UK cinema release of the 4th May and will be available to purchase on DVD and Blu-Ray on the 7th May. The film is entitled Hara-Kiri: Death Of A Samurai and is a remake of Misaki Kobayashi's classic from 1962.

Synopsis
Poverty stricken samurai Hanshiro Tsukumo (Ebizo Ichikawa) requests to commit ritual suicide at the House of Ii, run by obstinate Lord - Kageyu Saito (Koji Yakusho), in a desperate attempt for a honourable end. In an effort to persuade Hanshiro to rethink his request, Kageyu tells the tragic story of a similar plea from young ronin Motome (Eita). Hanshiro is stunned by the horrifying details of Motome's fate, but insists on dying with honour. With his final breath, Hanshiro makes a last request which results in the shocking revelation of a bittersweet tale of vengeance against the house of a feudal lord.

You want me to do WHAT with the sword?!

Hara-Kiri was highly talked about because it was the first 3D film to be shown at Canne film festival. Bearing in mind, Miike's earlier gory films, one would expect blood and guts to be flying out the screen in 3D. But Hara-Kiri is more of a well made, slow paced, period drama. And the 3D is used more subtly to show scenery, sets and costumes like thread on kimonos, trees with autumn leaves and snow flakes falling. However, there is enough sword play to keep Miike's fans and Samurai film fans happy! The movie has received pretty positive reviews and is sitting with a 7.1 on iMDB and 80% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Hara-Kiri is getting a limited release so check your local cinema listings to see if you are getting it. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like Glasgow is! Unless GFT gives it a small run. DVDs and Blu-Ray are available to pre-order from the usual places like Amazon and Play. And if you need something to keep you going until then, I highly recommend his last Samurai epic "13 Assassins" which was one of my favourite films of 2011.

The Ring goes..... 3D

Someone hold me...

Sadako 3D

Horror - 12 May 2012 (Japan)

Director: Tsutomu Hanabusa
Writers: Kôji Suzuki (novel), Yoshinobu Fujioka (screenplay)
Stars: Satomi Ishihara, Yusuke Yamamoto and Shôta Sometani

Akane is a high school teacher who hears a rumour from her students that there is actual footage on the Internet of someones suicide. The footage is said to drive anyone who sees it to also commit suicide. Akane does not believe the rumour at first, but when one of her female students dies after viewing the footage, she and her boyfriend Takanori are fatefully drawn into the horror that has been created by the man who appears in the suicide footage, Kashiwada. Kashiwada's intention is to create chaos in the world by bringing back Sadako and the power of her curse. Now Akane has to fight against Sadako and Kashiwada to save the lives of herself and Takanori.

Wow! Firstly, I'm not a fan of 3D, seems like a fad to sell more cinema tickets and make movies "better". But what I am a fan of, is J-Horror. And what kick started my love for it? Yes... The Ring. One of the scariest and best horrors of all time, so I'm really really looking forward to seeing the next one in the series. And for the record, I can kind of understand the 3D direction behind this.

Check below the teaser trailer for some newly released stills!

Some freaky shit.