Film - September 07

30th September

Behind the scenes trailer for Kenta Fukasaku's ‘XX’ (ex-cross)

Further to our post back on Sept 22nd, the website for Kenta Fukasaku's bubblegum horror ’XX’ aka 'ex-cross' has had a second update, with a new behind the scenes trailer for the movie. Head on over to the site to see all the high jinks, and more than a few severed limbs fly!

XX Website

30th September

Oxide Pang's 'The Detective' opens well at B.O

It seems one of the two Pang boys has another hit movie on his hands, with the news that Oxide Pang’s new thriller ‘The Detective’ broke the Hong Kong $1 million mark, on its first night box office takings. The film stars Aaron Kwok as a private eye called Tam, who finds himself in the middle of a mysterious series of murders.

Early reactions to pic goes to say that although the film appears outwardly to be "another detective story," Oxide (who is better known for his work in the horror genre), has built in some good twists of added suspense and a little terror into the case-within-a-case storyline. One to add to the DVD list there then methinks.

The Detective Trailer

29th September

Korean Horror 'To Sir With Love' limited edition English subtitled DVD

Director Im Dae Woong brings a refreshing new lift to the horror genre with this entertaining teen slasher flick. StarringYeo Hyun Soo, Lee Dong Kyu, and Park Hyo Joon. 'To Sir With Love' also marks the big screen return of Lee Ji Hyun (Boss X File). The impressive ensemble cast might not bring much "love", but they deliver plenty of gory scares.

A group of elementary school classmates get together to visit their former teacher Ms. Park (Oh Mi Hee - All For Love), who moved to the countryside after retirement. Sixteen years have passed, but the schooltime memories are still vivid for all involved because of the terrible things she did to her students.

Some of them are left with psychological trauma and even physical impediments from her harsh treatment. Ms. Park, of course, remembers things a little differently. With the students determined for revenge, this school reunion is anything but typical, and the teacher-student relationship gains a new and very striking meaning.

To Sir with Love website

Order the R3 (limited edition) DVD

Order the R1 (standard edition) DVD

29th September

'Masters of Horror' DVD giveaway

To mark the release of the season one ‘Masters of Horror’ DVD box set, the good folks at Anchor Bay have offered up 3 discs from the collection to give away. The big bonus is that each disc will be signed by the director of that episode!

Too take part is easy. Just drop us an email with you name, including “Masters” in the title field. The first three names drawn out of the hat, will each win a DVD. Entry closes October 16th. This one is just open to residents of the U.S and Canada.

29th September

'Afro Samurai' heads for Japan

‘Afro Samurai,’ the hard core animated series based on the graphic novel by Takashi Okazaki is to get a feature length theatrical release in Japan. Voicing up the title character, and co-producer of the original five-part TV, is Samuel L. Jackson.

Synopsis: “With his unusually long blade, a cold-blooded attitude, and an occasional drag of a hand-rolled cigarette Afro is a lone warrior who roams the land knowing no love and shedding no tears. Upon his head is a cloth band with a mark that ranks him as the #2 fighter in the world. But in truth, he lives only to wreak revenge on the man who killed his father in a duel. That man ironically happens to be the world's top fighter, who wears another cloth headband marked by the symbol of the #1!”

The pic will premiere at Cinema Rise, a major arthouse in the Tokyo entertainment hub of Shibuya on Oct 27th, then roll out nationwide. Rumours still persist that Jackson ‘may’ also be starring in a live action version of the Manga. But we wont hold our breath on that just yet. Afro Samurai (Official Site)

28th September

Full lineup announced for Toronto After Dark Film Festival

The Toronto After Dark Film Festival has just announced its complete lineup of new horror and fantasy features, premiering October 19-25, at the Bloor Cinema, in Toronto. As well as the great titles already scheduled , such as Russian fantasy 'The Wolfhound' and Zombie fest 'Automaton Transfusion,' the seven additional feature premieres revealed include: NIGHTMARE DETECTIVE, the new supernatural crime thriller from Japanese director Shinya Tsukamoto, IN THE NAME OF THE KING: A DUNGEON SIEGE TALE, a star-studded new fantasy epic in the mould of LORD OF THE RINGS, with Jason Statham, ALONE, the excellent horror from Thailand, and THE REBEL, a martial arts action epic that is also the most expensive film ever produced in Vietnam. For the full lowdown on the fab films being shown, head on over to the festivals site.

Toronto After Dark Website

28th September

Lionsgate picks up indy horror 'Mulberry Street'

According to a post on the website for the movie, Lionsgate films has just picked up the north American distribution rights to indy (Zombie rats?!) horror ‘Mulberry Street.’ Apparently the film giant now plans to release the pic in U.S theatres in November.

In 'Mulberry Street,' the routine of daily life changes forever when, one morning, an inexplicable wave of rat attacks occurs across New York City. Those bitten fall ill and begin to change in horrific ways, undergoing painful physical mutation and becoming as impulsively violent as the rats that attacked them. In a frighteningly short amount of time, New York’s streets spin out of control and into a whirlwind of blood, bone and agony.

In a decaying tenement building on Mulberry Street, a group of tenants - an aging former boxer, his daughter who just that day returned from serving in Iraq and whose face has been scarred in battle, a single mother, her son, and an array of alcoholics, addicts and medically-fragile pensioners, all struggling below the poverty line -- watch their city change and fight against all odds to survive, under terrifying attack by their own neighbours.

Mulberry Street (Official site)

27th September

New poster and website for 'Triangle'

A new poster and official site are up for 'Triangle'. Within lies the added bonus of an English subtitled version of the trailer. 'Triangle' is the result of a first-time collaboration between three masters of Asian cinema, Tsui Hark, Ringo Lam, and Johnnie To. Each directed a segment of the film, based on an adventure quest they had imagined. It involves the characters Sam, Fai, and Mok, three penniless friends, a group of gang members, and a priceless ceremonial robe embroidered with gold, the object of everyone's desire. The three must choose between friendship, greed, & survival. 'Triangle' opens in Hong Kong October 3rd.

Triangle Website

26th September

Release date announced for Stephen Chow's fantasy 'A Hope' aka 'CJ7'

Hong Kong actor/director Stephen Chow's latest film the fantasy ‘A Hope,’ has finally had it’s opening date set for January 31st of next year. Film investor, China Film Group, announced the date, saying that Chow is still very busy editing the film.

‘A Hope’ marks a departure from familiar territory for Chow. In the new film he plays a poor father who can't afford to buy a toy for his child. He finds a makeshift toy in the garbage and brings it back to his son. The toy is actually a powerful alien device and the aliens are desperate to get it back.

[Source:CRI]

25th September

2nd trailer for Turkish horror 'Musallat' (Haunted)’

A second (still very much teaser-ish) trailer has just gone live on the official site for Turkish horror “Musallat" aka (Haunted). Head on over to the site, then select "Fragman," to check out the new clip of this very promising chiller.

Musallat (Official site)

24th September

First promotional still for 'Blood: The Last Vampire'

The first real promotional pic has appeared for the live action remake of the hit Anime, 'Blood: The Last Vampire.' It shows lead actress Chun Ji-hyun in character as the Vampire Saya, next to co-stars JJ Field and Liam Cunningham.

The film is directed by Chris Nahon. Allison Miller ("CSI: NY") co-stars opposite Chun Ji. Currently still in post production, ‘Blood’ is due to open in the new year. To take a look at the pic a little bigger, check out the link below.

Blood (Promo picture)

23rd September

Taiwanese official site for Ang Lee's 'Lust, Caution'

Focus Features the American distributor for Ang Lee’s thriller ‘Lust Caution,’ do seem to be dragging their feet a tad on the marketing for this film. With just a couple of days to go until it's opening in the U.S. there is still no sign of a website? Not so in Taiwan, (Lee’s home country) where they are flying the flag for their home town boy, with a shiny new official site for the flick.

Lust Caution (Taiwanese official site)

23rd September

Guilty pleasures: 'Flight of the Living Dead' now on R1 DVD

Never let it be said that we here at 24fps are afraid to dip a toe into the murky waters of American B-Horror, when the occasion warrants it. Just such an event is news of the release of Scott Thomas’s Zombie fest ‘Flight of the Living Dead,’ on DVD. With a high end look that belies its humble budget, ‘Flight’ is by no means a genre buster, but great fun none the less.

Plot summary: "On a flight from Los Angeles to Paris, a mad scientist on the run from the CIA is transporting a sealed coffin containing the body of a colleague infected with a genetically modified virus. While the 747 crosses a violent thunderstorm, the instability of the aircraft allows the corpse to get out of its container. The flesh-eating zombie quickly starts to spread the virus, infecting many of the passengers which now will have to fight for their lives stranded in the air with no way out..."

Flight of the Living Dead Website

Order the DVD here

23rd September

Website and Synopsis for Andy Lau's 'Brothers'

Well they say a picture paints a 1000 words, so when we got our first (Sept 14th) look at Andy Lau’s new thriller ‘Brothers,’ it was pretty clear that it wasn’t going to be a happy tale. Now the movies site is up with the plotline, it’s definitely clear what we will be in for. A good ol fashioned tale of family feuds, blood and revenge. Great stuff!

Synopsis: "BROTHERS depicts the mistrust and feud between two brothers through the eyes of an investigating police officer. Despite their close relationship, Yiu and Shun were separated at a young age due to a decision made by their father. Years later they meet again when the family runs into crisis where Yiu, inspired by his father’s last words, manipulates a series of setups which endangers Shun’s life, so as to achieve his goal."

'Brothers' opens in Hong Kong October 18th.

Brothers Site

22nd September

New trailer for Kenta Fukasaku's ‘XX’ (ex-cross)

The website for Kenta Fukasaku's horror ’XX’ ('ex-cross') has been updated with a new “special trailer” for the film. ‘XX’ is based on the (extremely bloody, from the looks of the trailer) Manga series of the same name, which in turn originated from the hit novel written by Nobuyuki Joko in 2004.

The Story: "Kagome, Kagome..." A chant echoes in the moonlit night. Madness fills the air. Then a death-cry breaks the still of the night. And the doomed lore handed down in the village crawls out from the oblivion of time once again...

Early summer. Two university students, Shiyori Mizuno and Aiko Hiuke, get off at a shabby bus stop. They're at the Ashikari Village, an isolated hot springs village off the beaten track in the mountains. A place so remote that it does not even come up on an Internet search. The ideal place, Aiko suggested, to heal her friend's broken heart.

Then, Aiko makes an appalling confession. Deeply shocked, Shiyori returns to the inn alone and discovers an unfamiliar mobile phone waiting for her. As the phone rings, she picks it up, just to hear the most spine-chilling words in her life: "Run! Or your legs will be slashed off!"

'XX' opens in Japan in December. XX Website

22nd September

Japanese action fantasy 'Dororo' on English subtitled DVD

Adapted from Tezuka Osamu's popular manga, Dororo is a rollicking period adventure. A blockbuster success in Japan, with not one but two sequels already in the works, Dororo features the idol pairing of Tsumabuki Satoshi and Shibasaki Kou as demon hunters Hyakkimaru and Dororo.

This unabashedly fun comic book actioner may seem like an unlikely entry from acclaimed indie director Shiota Akihiko (Don't Look Back), but the film also touches on serious themes of family, war, and redemption which Shiota underlies with convincing humanity. With action choreography by Ching Siu Tung (Hero) and plenty of CG demons to boot, it's fast-paced and swashbuckling from beginning to end.

Dororo Website

Order the DVD here

21st September

Update: New trailer for Thai horror 'Body'

The official site for the extremely promising Thai horror ‘Body’ has just been updated with a new version of the trailer with some extra scenes. The new content only goes further to confirm this is one great looking frightener. For the full low down on the films plotline, zip down the page to September 7th.

Body (Official Site)

20th September

Teaser posters for Russian horror 'Tropa Smerti 2’ aka ‘Path of Death 2’

A swathe of teaser posters are out for ‘Tropa Smerti 2,’ aka ‘The path of death 2’ the sequel to last years independent Russian horror hit ‘Tropa Smerti.’ ‘Path’ was an absolute blockbuster in terms of Russian cinema takings. For the first week of release, the teenage horror covered its production cost – about one million Rubles ($37,500). That doesn’t sound a lot in western terms, but a million Rubles goes a long way in Russia. Still in production, the movie is due out in the new year.

Poster 1 2 3

Tropa Smerti 2 site (Not yet fully active)

19th September

Website live for Paddy Breathnach's 'Shrooms'

The website for Irish horror ‘Shrooms’ has just gone live. Directed by Paddy Breathnach, the film stars Lindsey Haun, Jack Huston, and Max Kasch.

Synopsis:” A group of American teens comes to Ireland to visit an Irish school friend who takes them on a camping trip in search of the local, fabled magic mushrooms. When the hallucinations start taking hold, the panicked friends are attacked by ghostly creatures; never able to determine if they are experiencing gruesome reality or startling delirium. When one teenager unknowingly eats the dangerous Death's Head mushroom, the group's nightmare takes a deeply sinister turn.”

There's also been some good news for those in the U.S eager to see the film. Word is that Magnolia Pictures have just picked up the U.S rights to the movie. So expect a release there, some time in the new year. ‘Shrooms’ arrives in UK Cinemas, November 9th.

Shrooms Website

18th September

'Warlords' drops from Oscar race

Well that’s one down already. Further to our post on Sept 12th, we have our first casualty for the Chinese foreign language entry to the Academy awards. The Peter Chan film ‘The Warlords’ has been dropped from competition. Media Asia Films, one of the film's Chinese investors, announced the decision on Monday, citing disagreements among investors as the reason.

That means ‘Warlords’ will miss February's Academy Awards and have to wait another year. A shame, but that’s show biz. So that leaves two horses in the running. Ang Lee's "Lust, Caution" and Jiang Wen's "The Sun Also Rises," will compete to be named final nominees for best foreign language film. It’s going to be a tough call as to which will win now. [source]

Warlords official site

18th September

Theatrical poster for Jean-Jacques Annaud's 'His Minor Majesty'

The theatrical poster is out, in all its day glo glory, for French fantasy ‘Sa majesté Minor ‘ aka ‘His Majesty Minor.‘ The movie opens in France in October.

His Majesty Minor (Trailer)

17th September

'Straightheads' aka 'Closure' on R1 & R2 DVD

Gillian Andersons revenge thriller ‘Straightheads’ (renamed ‘Closure’ for its American release) hits R1 & R2 DVD this month. Good news for U.S. fans of the film, as they haven't had a chance to see this great thriller before now, mainly due to Sony Pictures woeful failure to give it even a limited theatrical release.

Synopsis:" When Adam (Danny Dyer) is invited by Alice (Gillian Anderson), a woman he has just met, to accompany her to a lavish party in the country he knows he is going to have the best night of his life. Following mind-blowing sex, the pair speed away from the party down a wooded and desolate road in Alice's car. Minutes later, a moment of distraction causes a fateful collision occurs leading to a vicious and brutal attack that results in a consequent vendetta where Adam and Alice must fight violence with violence. A dark and disturbing sexual thriller, Straightheads is a brutal and uncompromising tale of lust, violence and self-preservation." Straightheads trailer

Check out the R1 disc here & R2 disc here

17th September

Fantasy epic 'Taewangsasingi' makes Korean ratings history

The most expensive television program in Korean history got off to a solid start as ‘Taewangsasingi’ aka 'The Four Guardian Gods of the King' grabbed a 20.4% share of Korean viewers, but producers are still waiting to decide if the ambitious series will grow into a genuine hit. At a cost of $43 million for twenty four episodes, "Taewangsasingi" features a spectacular and effects-heavy take on Korea's mythology.

"Taewangsasingi" has been pre-sold in 14 Asian territories, and they are apparently in talks for as many as 70 more countries. By far the most important territory for the series' success is Japan, where state broadcaster NHK is expected to begin airing "Taewangsasingi" in December. A theatrical run there also is a possibility depending on demand.

The series stars Bae Yong-joon, who became one of Korea's biggest international stars following the success of the melodrama "Winter Sonata" in 2003. When Bae signed on to "Taewangsasingi," the show's budget soared from $11 million to $33 million. "Taewangsasingi" is directed by Kim Jong-hak and longtime co-writer Song Ji-nah. Kim and Song teamed on two of the biggest Korean hits of the 90s, the dramas "Tears of Dawn" and "Sandglass." [Source]

Taewangsasingi (Official Site)

16th September

'Eastern Promises' Wins Top Prize at Toronto Film Festival

‘Eastern Promises," the thriller by Canadian director David Cronenberg, won the Cadillac People's Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival which closed Saturday after screening 349 films over ten days.

The London-set film follows the mysterious and ruthless Nikolai (Viggo Mortensen), a Russian gangster tied to one of London's most notorious organized crime families. His carefully maintained existence is shaken when he crosses paths with Anna (starred by Naomi Watts), an innocent midwife who accidentally uncovers potential evidence against the family.

The Toronto International Film Festival, now in its 32nd year, is widely recognized as the most important film festival after Cannes and the most successful public film festival in the world.

Eastern Promises website

16th September

New posters for Thai horror 'Body'

Two new posters, for director Paween Purijitpanya's frightener 'Body' are available for your consideration. Full details for the flick are down the page a ways, dated September 7th.

Posters 1 2

15th September

London Film Fest line up announced

The Times BFI 51st London Film Festival's full line up announced today by Artistic Director Sandra Hebron, includes a massive 184 features and 133 shorts as well as a host of screen talks, masterclasses and live events.

Opening the Festival on Thursday 17 October is the UK premiere of David Cronenberg's Eastern Promises with Viggo Mortensen, Naomi Watts and Vincent Cassel, whilst Wes Anderson closes the Festival on November 1 with the UK premiere of The Darjeeling Limited, starring Jason Schwartzman, Owen Wilson and Adrien Brody. But in between those two is a wealth of other great titles. We're in for quite a treat, including:

• Park Chul-Hee's No Mercy for the Rude
• Fumihiko Sori’s Vexille
• Sean Penn's Into The Wild, starring Emile Hirsch
• Ang Lee's Lust, Caution with Tony Leung
• Michael Moore's Sicko
• Robert Rodriguez' Planet Terror
• Christian Bale in Werner Herzog's Rescue Dawn
• Naomi Kawase's The Mourning Forest
• Sion Sono’s Exte

To name but a few. The full list is available at the BFI’s official site here. The Fest runs from Oct 17th to Nov 1st in cinemas all over London.

14th September

Website live for Turkish Horror ‘Musallat (Haunted)’

The official site for Turkish horror “Musallat" aka (Haunted) has just gone live. Both written and directed by Alper Mestçi, the movie stars Bigkem Karavus, Kurtulus Sakiragaoglu and Burak Özçivit. What's inside, well this very stylish theatrical poster for one thing. No new trailer yet alas, but there are some suitably unnerving (number 4 creeped us out) stills from the film to be seen. “Musallat" opens in Turkey Nov 16th.

Musallat (Official site)

14th September

Teaser trailer for Andy Lua's new thriller 'Brothers'

Short, but oozing with atmosphere and menace, the first trail for Andy Lau’s upcoming thriller ‘Brothers’ does what every good teaser should. It makes you want to see more! We are still trying to nail down a plotline for the film, but one thing’s pretty clear from watching the clip. This doesn’t look like it’s going to be a movie about brotherly love. More as we get it.

Brothers Teaser

13th September

'Severance' finally on R1 DVD!

Christopher Smith's ('Creep') darkly humorous and at times extremely bloody horror 'Severance,' finally gets released on R1 DVD next week. Starring Danny Dyer and Laura Harris in the story of international arms dealers Palisade Defense who reward its six-member sales division with a weekend team-building retreat in the mountains of Eastern Europe. However, the agenda for their trip quickly changes when the group finds themselves set upon by a renegade band of war-crazed soldiers seeking revenge. Forced to defend themselves, the group of corporate execs finds that while 'there's no I in team', there are a couple in 'kill or be killed.'

Severance Website

Order the DVD here

13th September

New poster and trailer for Oxide Pangs's 'The Detective'

The first (handily, with English subs) trailer is out for Oxide Pang's new horror thriller starring Aaron Kwok, 'The Detective.' For a summary of the movies plot, zip down the page to September 3rd.

The Detective Trailer

12th September

'Lust, Caution,' 'Warlords,' 'Sun' vie for ticket to Oscars

As the deadline for Oscar applications approaches, it's becoming clear that the three Chinese blockbusters "Lust, Caution," "Warlords," and "The Sun Also Rises" will all bid for the upcoming race for a Best Foreign Film. Fresh Golden Lion winner "Lust, Caution," as critics comment, perhaps weighs more as a result of Ang Lee's directorial talent than for Tony Leung and Tang Wei's acting. It is possible that Ang Lee will also pick up a second win for Best Foreign Film or Best Director.

Hong Kong director Peter Chan's ancient Chinese action epic "The Warlords," starring Andy Lau and Jet Li, is now under final production and will be screened for seven days at the end of September, to meet the Oscar requirements. Venice Film Festival president Marco Muller spoke highly of the film after watching its 6-minute trailer during the festival.

Third in the race, mainland director Jiang Wen's third directorial work “The Sun Also Rises” also boasts a stellar cast, including Joan Chen, Anthony Wong and Jaycee Chan. Despite receiving no awards in Venice, promotion for the film has never ceased, and it will be in Chinese theaters this Friday. All three have strong points for being selected, but we recall rumors from last year hinting that Academy members are growing bored of Chinese historical epics. If true, it could put ‘Lust, Caution' and ‘Sun’ as the front runners. [Source:CRI]

11th September

Multi lingual teaser trailers for Franck Vestiel's Sci-Fi horror 'Eden Log'

Now this can only be described as a very clever global marketing campaign. BAC films the production house behind Franck Vestiel’s French Sci-Fi horror ‘Eden Log’ have now released the teaser trail for the film in English, plus 9 other languages. Nothing like having all your bases covered. Each has the visual narrative sequence of the trailer performed by a different actress.

Synopsis: "Eden Log" invites you to witness the painful awakening of a man deep inside a cave. Suffering amnesia, he has no recollection of how he came to be here nor of what happened to the man whose body he finds beside him. Tailed by a mysterious creature, he has no other choice but to continue through this strange and fantastic world."

As well as the (in the language of your choice) trailer, you can also check out some cool conceptual art over at the directors Myspace page here. Still in post-production ‘Eden Log’ opens in France (and many other countries soon after it seems) in December. Eden Log Trailers

10th September

Full trailer for Thai supernatural action pic 'Opapatika'

The first full trailer has just surfaced for the Thai supernatural action pic ‘Opapatika,’ and all we can say is: DAMN this looks good! The cinematography is simply stunning, with production values you’d usually only see in a high end Hong Kong or Korean release. We really wanna see this now. For more gen of the film, head down the page to our post dated Sept 1st.

Full trailer

Via

9th September

New posters for Takashi Miike's Crows Zero

Two new posters are out for Takashi Miike's ‘Crows Zero.’ Billed as a prequel to the events in the hugely popular Manga (written by Takahashi Hishori) ‘Crows,’ the live action movie is a story of violent warfare between rival high-school gangs. For a taste of the (with many a face being pounded to bloody pulp) action, check out the trailers on the official site. ‘Crows Zero’ is due out in Japan, in October.

Poster 1 2

Crows Zero (Official site)

9th September

'Black Sheep' hits R1 DVD October 9th!

'Black Sheep' the horror comedy from writer/director Jonathan King is finally set for release on DVD. The movie deals with an experiment in genetic engineering being conducted on a sheep station, that goes horribly wrong. Mutated and bloodthirsty, the woolly beasties go on the rampage with a craving for human flesh.

Black Sheep (Official Site)

Order the disc here

9th September

Indonesian horror roundup

No doubt Indonesian cinema goers love a scary movie like the rest of us. A good job too, as it seems that their autumn film releases are heavy on the horror front. Two out of three upcoming big names, are sequels to already hugely popular film titles. Heres a rundown

Kuntilanak 2

Having scored nationwide success late last year, director Rizal Mantovani returns with a sequel to his hit movie 'Kuntilanak.' The second installment sees Samantha (Julie Estelle), who now has a power to call Kuntilanak (a she-demon) to eliminate whoever she despises, is being sought after by a secret sect aims to include Samantha and her demon under their wing. Her reluctance can only mean one thing: a rise in the body count.

Kuntilanak 2 Website

Pocong 3

Monty Tiwa returns to director’s chair for the second time after his debut in comedy Maaf Saya Menghamili Istri Anda (Sorry I Knocked Up Your Wife) was greeted with critical positive response. This time, he helms a sequel to last year’s blockbuster horrors Pocong & Pocong 2.

Synopsis: "a local DJ, Putri (Francine), receives news about her father’s passing. The news leaves her in a great confusion, since his father actually left her ten years ago, and there isn’t any clear indications on his death. The confusion leads to delusions that haunt Putri and her work. Putri sets out to find the answer for her curiosity by contacting Laksmi (Rina Hasyim), her father’s younger sister, who may be the key to the puzzling events. But everything is not as simple as it seems: Laksmi is much more than what Putri perceives to be." Pocong 3 Website

Wondering what a 'Pocong' actually is? Wiki tells all here.

Lawang Sewu aka (1000 Doors)

The 3rd and only non sequel of the group is director Arie Azis’s ‘Lawang Sewu.’ The film stars Thalita Latief, Salvina, Bunga Jelita, Tsania Marwa, Marcell Darwin, Ronald Gustav.

Synopsis: ” A group of teenagers decide to go to the town of Semarang to spend their school holidays. Little do they expect that when they arrive at the ruins of Lawang Sewu, that they will encounter a series of frightening events that will unravel each of their well-kept secrets.”

Lawang Sewu website

8th September

The J-Horror that wouldn't die: A new 'Tomie’ movie is on the way

Yes indeed, the incredibly long running cult J-Horror series 'Tomie' is to get yet another installment. Based on the horror comics written and illustrated by Junji Ito, 'Tomie' was first brought to the big screen by director Ataru Oikawa way back in 1999. Since then, there have been many (some rather more successful than others) incarnations of the story on film.

For those not up on the story of Tomie here’s the synopsis for the first film, to give you a flavour of what it’s all (if that’s entirely possible) about: “After a high school student named Tomie is murdered, a police investigation reveals a string of deaths--in which the victims were all named Tomie--dating back to the 1860s. Detective Harada finds clues in a classmate of Tomie's named Tsukiko who has no memory of the three months surrounding Tomie's death. Meanwhile, Tsukiko's former teacher has given birth to a strange humanoid creature that grows into a beautiful, oranged-eyed girl who responds to the name Tomie. And Tomie will not die."

The new movie titled ‘Tomie VS Tomie’ will be the 8th in the series, but the 7th (there was also a TV movie) feature film. Japanese company Artport are producing, with a release date set sometime in November. It will be interesting to see if they can perhaps inject some new life, into this long running franchise. Thanks to Mark at Black Hole Reviews for the info.

Tomie vs Tomie site (Not yet active)

8th September

Donnie Yen's 'Flashpoint' on English subtitled DVD

The Donnie Yen-Wilson Yip team return with the blistering actioner Flash Point. The actor-director combo previously made waves with SPL and Dragon Tiger Gate. Flash Point is a return to SPL territory - at least character-wise.

This prequel to SPL finds Yen's Inspector Ma involved in a difficult case versus a trio of deadly Vietnamese gangsters. Inspector Ma's partner Wilson poses as a member of the gang to keep tabs on the trio, leading to the arrest of Archer. However, Archer's cohorts Tony and Tiger are still at large, and will stop at nothing to prevent Wilson and other witnesses from testifying. When they kidnap Wilson's girlfriend to blackmail him, only Inspector Ma is willing to come to his partner's aid - and whoever stands in his way had better watch out!

Cue Donnie for some martial arts mayhem. 'Flash Point' is due out on DVD, September 28th. Flash Point website

Order the DVD here

7th September

First trailer for Thai horror 'Body'

We first covered the Thai horror 'Body,' back on May 21st of last year, then June 3rd of this. So you could say we've been holding out for quite a while, to get a look at this first work by director Paween Purijitpanya. First impressions. It was well worth the wait!

Synopsis: "A human being contains 5 liters of blood, 6 pounds of skin, 206 bones, 600 muscles, and 35 million glands. It takes a human body more than 25 years of life to grow such things. But one man actually believes he can rid himself of every single piece of human flesh by just using scissors and a small surgical blade. And he is going to prove it. Chon, a med student, starts seeing a psychotherapist after he dreams about a woman who he had only met once in a restaurant.

In his dreams, a mysterious man murders her, slices her body into pieces, and flushes them down a toilet one by one. The murderous dreams haunt him into his waking memory, and eventually he feels as if his own body is being dissected and carved up by the surgical knife. Slowly, the terrifying images take control of him. He comes to believe that the dead woman is sending him messages through these nightmares. But these are not messages for him, they are meant for her murderer. They speak of revenge, and say: "I am still here."

The official site for the film is currently just a holding page, but within is the trailer, in both Flash and hi-res Quicktime versions. The hi-res version takes an absolute age to download, but its definitely worth it. Production values on this film look fantastic. 'Body' opens in Thailand in October.

Body (Official Site)

7th September

Full trailer for Jean-Jacques Annaud's 'His Minor Majesty'

The first full trailer has arrived for Jean-Jacques Annaud's (Seven Years in Tibet) ‘Sa majesté Minor ‘ aka ‘His Majesty Minor.‘ Billed as a mythical comedy, the story is set on an island in the Aegean Sea before the founding of Ancient Greece. The film stars Vincent Cassel (Sheitan) as the demi God Pan (Satyr). The new trail only goes to confirm two things. This pic will be a beautifully crafted visual feast. And second, I really should have paid more attention in French classes at school. ‘Majesté Minor‘ opens in France in October.

‘His Majesty Minor‘ (Trailer)

6th September

Posters for Ho-Cheung Pang's 'The Exodus'

Some new one sheets are out for director Pang Ho-cheung (‘Isabella’) upcoming film ‘The Exodus,’ a detective story with dark comedic twists. Starring Simon YAM (Election) , Annie LIU (“Black Night”, “Ashu”), Nick Ka-Fai CHEUNG (“Exiled”). ‘Exodus’ is a tale of all out war between the sexes.

The plot: "Living with a beautiful wife in a nice house, hard-working policeman Jim leads a perfect life, except for his nagging mother-in-law. Then one day, he encounters a pervert caught peeping in the ladies room who blabs on about overhearing an outrageous plot of the women to terminate all men. Unlike his other negligent colleagues, Jim starts investigating. When the peeping Tom is found dead, Jim even starts nosing into he pervert's ex-wife's life, without realizing his job, his family and his life are at stake. He can't trust anyone - not even his wife."

Poster 1 2 3

Exodus trailer (Youtube)

5th September

Teaser trailer for Japanese racing pic 'Speed Master'

A teaser trailer is up for Taikan Suga's ('The Last Love Song on This Little Planet', 'Blister') drift racing action pic 'Speed Master.' Following up on his manga-based otaku hits, Suga's new offering is a fusion of Fast and the Furious meets Anime style, which is bound to be a crowd pleaser. That, and the fact its got cool cars going at break neck speeds, left, right and centre. Sounds like the perfect recipe for race movie to us. Head on over to the site to check out the trailer.

Speed Master website

5th September

Russian horror fantasy 'Day Watch' up for pre-order on R1 DVD

Director Timur Bekmambetov's 'Day Watch,' the second installment of the innovative film trilogy (the follow-up to last year's critically-acclaimed Night Watch) is now up to pre order on R1 DVD.

Based on the best-selling horror/sci-fi novels by Sergei Luyanenko, Day Watch revolves around the conflict and balance maintained between the forces of light and darkness -- the result of a medieval truce between the opposing sides. Each side has gained a powerful Great Other, who are headed for a clash, and Anton Gorodetsky is once again caught up in the midst of this conflict.

On one side is Anton's son, Egor, who has joined the ranks of the Dark Others, while Anton's love interest Svetlana is the hope of the Light. But that's just the beginning of his troubles: Anton is on the run after having been accused of murder. Things are getting worse, and only the ancient Chalk of Fate can save the day. The problem is the Chalk was lost 100s of years ago... Disc hits the shelves on Oct 30, 2007.

Day Watch website

Pre order the DVD here

4th September

'Evangelion' annihilates the competition at Japanese B.O.

Released on Sunday, Sci-fi Anime ’Evangelion 1.0’ has stormed to the top of weekend B.O in Japan with takings in excess of Y280 million ($2.4 million), and further screenings are already sold-out across the country. There will be more box office mayhem to come, as the movie is only part one of a projected four part series, all of which will be released theatrically. [Source:Variety]

Evangelion 1.0 (Official Site)

3rd September

Teaser poster for Oxide Pang's 'The Detective'

The Pang boys are back. Well in this case Oxide Pang, with his new horror thriller starring Aaron Kwok, 'The Detective.'

Synopsis: "Tam is an impoverished private detective. One day, a guy nicknamed Fatty asks Tam to find a lady who wanted to kill him. He left Tam a portrait of the lady without giving any details. Tam could not resist the money and starts the investigation. He identified the lady as Sum who is a frequent mahjong player.

Tam starts tracking her whereabouts through her mahjong playmates, but he is shocked to find each of them murdered every time he is about to be in contact with them. He discovers a half-burned photo at one of the scenes. Tam realises the suspicions behind the deaths and decides that he has to protect the next target of the invisible murderer. The photo is the only clue for Tam to uncover the case."

The movie opens in Hong Kong on September 25th.

1st September

Character posters for Thai supernatural action pic 'Opapatika'

Some full sized character posters have just been released for the Thai supernatural thriller 'Opapatika.' And they look fantastic. 'Opapatika' has been on the back burner at production house sahamongkol films for nearly two years, and we were starting to wonder if it was ever going to be released. But with the appearance of these, plus some recent buzz in the Thai online press, may mean it’s finally due for release.

The story: "Opapatika' are beings born as adults into the world with immense supernatural powers. Those powers can be used for good or evil, but with a price. As with all things Karmic, whatever you do, good or evil, comes back to you many time stronger as reward or punishment." As well as the posters, theres a great looking teaser trailer to watch. More as we get it. [Source]

Opapatika teaser trailer

Posters 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

1st September

Johnnie To announces new project

Director Johnnie To ("Exiled, Election 2") on Thursday held a press conference to annouce his latest project, the thriller "Ghost Blows out the Light,” a trilogy adopted from a popular online novel of the same name. Shanghai-based Meridian Pictures Group was confirmed as having successfully purchased the film adoption rights to the novel. It plans to narrate the story in three movies. Jonnie To was invited to supervise the shooting of the trilogy. Meanwhile, the director will choose to direct one of the three pieces.

Johnnie To told the website Sina that he would make his decision depending on the screenplay, which hasn't been finished yet. The director didn't reveal who will star in the trilogy. Internet celebrity Xiao Pang or Little Fatty also appeared at the event. The Shanghai boy was previously rumored will land a leading role in the story, though this hasn't been confirmed by the director yet. The novel "Ghost Blows Out the Light" debuted as a smash hit on the Internet back in March last year, and was later released in printed form in October. It tells a story about two grave robbers seeking hidden treasure. [Source: CRI]