Thinking or Dancing?

Opening today in limited cinema engagements are two films of interest.

A drama from Afghanistan that is tough and thoughtful, OSAMA just won the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film.

VIRUMAANDI is an Indian film by Kamal Haasan that just played at Rotterdam and promises action and romance along with the expected dance and song sequences.

Check local listings for showtimes.

Police Story II (1988)

Hong Kong. 101 minutes.
Deltamac DVD. Region 0. NTSC.
Directed by Jackie Chan.
Written by Jackie Chan and Edward Tang Ging Sang.
With Jackie Chan, Maggie Cheung Man-Yuk

A sequel that is a notch below the original, yet still vastly entertaining.

Chan Ka-Kui (Jackie Chan) is in trouble. The police inspector has been busted to traffic cop because of all the expense he incurred on his previous case (well documented in POLICE STORY and recapped in the first few minutes of this picture). And his intense dedication to police work continues to cause problems with his girlfriend May (Maggie Cheung Man-Yuk). Just when it seems as though they've patched up their relationship, Ka-Kui is pulled back into the middle of a bomb extortion case that threatens the lives of thousands of Hong Kong citizens.

In the original POLICE STORY, the villain of the piece was a criminal mastermind. Most of the first half of this sequel focuses on the ganglord's lawyer and his attempts at extracting revenge against Ka-Kui. In the first big set-piece, Ka-Kui dashes across multiple lanes of traffic only to be hit by a truck (!) before beating up the lawyer's henchmen in a restaurant, ending with another truck smashing through what's left of the entrance. Later, Ka-Kui must defend himself when attacked by even more of the lawyer's henchmen in a park playground before being chased down a narrow alley by a pursuing automobile. As the story turns toward the bomb extortionists, the emphasis turns to well-staged explosions both big and small.

The action sequences are jam-packed with whirling inventiveness. They race by so quickly that it's a marvel to consider how much time and thought must have been involved in choreographing and filming them. Words cannot capture the pleasure of watching Jackie Chan in prime physical condition, bouncing off and over people, places, and things. Yet the patchwork script commits a cardinal error by not providing a convincing villain. In the first part of the picture, the mob lawyer is more of a joke than a threat, and in the second half, the bomb extortion team lacks a single, unifying "evil leader with a plan." Ah, well. The pace rarely lags, and, as a director, Jackie Chan knows well how to frame his action and keep the adrenaline pumping.

Among the supporting players, Benny Lai Keung Kuen stands out as a deaf mute member of the bomb extortionist team. Not only does he have a wicked way with explosives, he's fully capable of defending himself with his fists, arms, and legs. Maggie Cheung Man-Yuk is on hand to cry and complain, with a memorable break-up scene in the men's locker room at the police station. The outtakes that play with the closing credits reveal that she, too, bled for her art. Bill Tung Biu and Lam Gwok Hung return as, respectively, Uncle Bill and Raymond, Ka-Kui's gently competing superiors. Look for bit parts by Ken Lo Wai-Kwong as a fire fighter and Lau Ching-Wan as a plainclothes police inspector.

* DVD Notes *

The Deltamac DVD features Cantonese and Mandarin audio tracks (both post-synched and presented in glorious mono), which get the job done. The English subtitles are easy to read and well timed, with not too many glaring mistakes. The picture looks quite decent, with deep black levels and saturated colors; the source materials reflect wear and tear, and occasional scenes look more worn than others.

The original, nearly four-minute long theatrical trailer is included. It features behind the scenes footage of Jackie Chan rehearsing and demonstrating moves. Only six chapters are provided, which makes it a bit inconvenient to locate favorite scenes.

* Background *

Released during the summer of 1988, POLICE STORY II grossed HK$34 million dollars. It was released about six months after DRAGONS FOREVER (the last teaming to date of Chan, Sammo Hung, and Yuen Biao). His next picture would be MIRACLES in the summer of 1989. Co-scripter Edward Tang Ging Sang was a frequent Chan colloborator, dating back to THE YOUNG MASTER in 1980 and continuing through to MR. NICE GUY in 1997.

Monsters Stalk the Land

Toplining the DVD releases of interest are two Japanese films featuring everybody's favorite stampeding monster: GODZILLA VS. MEGAGUIRUS and GODZILLA, MOTHRA & KING GHIDORA: GIANT MONSTERS ALL-OUT ATTACK.

Both titles from Columbia/TriStar are presented in anamorphic widescreen editions and include (hurrah!) the original Japanese audio tracks, plus English dubbed versions.

Here are links to reviews of both titles by DVD Authority (GODZILLA VS. MEGAGUIRUS, ALL-OUT ATTACK) and GIANT MONSTERS by DVD Journal.

It has been reported elsewhere that the English subtitles may be dubtitles, though I have not been able to personally confirm this.

'Godfathers' On Way Out

Box Office Mojo tracked 107 movies in release this past weekend in the United States. TOKYO GODFATHERS finished #66, earning $18,530 for a per-screen average of $1,853. In other words, if it's playing in your city, don't delay in checking it out (advice I do well to take myself). The reviews have been wonderful, and non-critics like it too.

Other releases of note include CRIMSON GOLD, a well-reviewed Iranian drama, and SMALL VOICES, a terrific, family-friendly flick from the Philippines that is playing on two screens somewhere in America.

POSTMEN IN THE MOUNTAINS is playing at one location; is this the Chinese film? I'll have to do some research.

Rotterdam 04 Rocks

The 33rd International Film Festival of Rotterdam begins tonight and runs through February 1. It's not quite the European equivalent of Sundance. For one thing, of course, it's been around longer than Sundance. For another, there's less of a focus on market concentrations, and a healthy selection of experimental and short films are featured. For Asian films, the festival has been an international springboard for a happy collection of unique artists.

By my count, 45 Asian features will screen this year, including a few retrospective titles.

ALL TOMORROW'S PARTIES (2003)

China/France
Lo-tech sci-fi from Hong Kong's indie maverick Yu Lik-Wai. A Taliban-like sect rules Asia until its collapse leaves a huge void in the lives of adherents and dissidents alike. At once intimate and enigmatic... and very beautiful.
DIRECTOR: Yu Lik-Wai

ASHES OF TIME (1994)

Hong Kong
To pay homage to Leslie Cheung (1956-2003), the festival is screening Wong Kar-wai's melancholy martial arts classic, in which the inn keeper Cheung meets lots of swordfighters in the desert.
DIRECTOR: Wong Kar-Wai

BATTLE ROYALE II: REQUIEM (2003)

Japan
Three years after the brutal slaughter in Battle Royale, adults again try to keep kids down using pure violence. This time a school class has to take out the hero from Part I in the name of the 'War on Terror'. With guest roles for Beat Takeshi and Sonny 'Kill Bill' Chiba.
DIRECTORS: Fukasaku Kerta, Fukasaku Kinji

BIRDMAN TALE (2001)

Indonesia
Nugroho is the poet of political cinema: passionate, but with a light and original tone. Here he integrates events in West Papua/Irian Jaya in a fable of a 'flying man' about liberation and freedom.
DIRECTOR: Garin Nugroho

BRIGHT FUTURE (2003)

Japan
Apocalyptic science-fiction melodrama about friendships, generation gaps, murder and the will to change. In other words: how poisonous jellyfish end up in fresh water, yet still choose the deep.
DIRECTOR: Kurosawa Kiyoshi

COP FESTIVAL (2003)

Japan
Japanese film makers each indulged themselves for ten minutes on the genre of the police film. With the assistance of familiar faces and surprising new talents, but who exactly? Last year an indie cinema in the Shimo Kitazawa district of Tokyo found itself with a sudden gap in its programme schedule. The owners contacted Shinozaki Makoto to see if they could programme his TV film Asakusa Kid (shown at the Rotterdam Festival two years ago) in the slot. That didn't work out, but Shinozaki offered to come up with something else for the cinema. He called around to various film maker friends and asked if they could make ten minute video shorts on the theme of police detectives (in Japanese deka which can also mean 'big'). So was born the Cop Festival (Deka Matsuri) phenomenon, which has already run to four programs of shorts with a fifth currently in progress. In this special one off presentation, Shinozaki Makoto will introduce a selection of Cop Festival shorts, rarely seen outside Japan before. The selection of eight short films will comprise some by such well known directors as Kurosawa Kiyoshi, others will be first films by individuals well known as actors, such as Tanaka Yoji (who has been seen in everything from Oshima's Gohatto to films of the One Piece! Series). (Tony Rayns) titles: 1. Ghost Cop by Kurosawa Kiyoshi 2. The Unforgettable Detectives by Shinozaki Makoto 3. Atopy Cop by Iguchi Noboru 4. Love Juice Cop by Honda Ryuichi 5. The Gate of Cop by Fujita Hideyuki 6. Kitty Cop by Ozawa 7. Small Elephant Cop by Tsuda Kanji 8. Coming-out Cop, Kamaoka, by Tanaka Yoji
DIRECTORS: Multiple

DEAD END RUN (2003)

Japan
Cult director Ishii pulls out all the stops in this theme and variation in style and cuts just to the chase. Using great young actors and his usual breathless, hip invention. Cool Japanese and earplugs in. Dead End Run is the first film by Ishii since the spectacular Electric Dragon 80,000 V (shown at the 2001 festival), to which some unsuspecting viewers can still think back with amazed ears and others with a feeling of euphoria that is difficult to place. Ishii continues on the road he had taken. Dead End Run is made up of three short films really. Total running time is 60 minutes.
DIRECTOR: Ishii Sogo

DOPPELGANGER (2003)

Japan
Kurosawa, the Japanese master of modern sci-fi weirdness and modest budget invention gives us existential shivers as the living are haunted by their dead selves.
DIRECTOR: Kurosawa Kiyoshi

DRAGON INN (1966)

Taiwan
Classic sword fighters' film, one of the high points from the oeuvre of King Hu. With a refined, lyrical style of his own, King Hu depicts a game of cat and mouse in 15th century China that ends up in a grand battle. See also Goodbye, Dragon Inn.
DIRECTOR: King Hu

DREAMS OF DUST (2003)

Iran/France
An x-ray of the human soul, according to the maker. With unusual, occasionally surreal soundtrack, this unusual poetic road movie about the fantasy world of an Iranian trucker is literally a dream of dust. Or how life can continue after death.
DIRECTOR: Sepideh Farsi

DRIFTERS (2003)

Taiwan/China
A loafer returns to his Chinese birthplace after being thrown out of the USA. That gives him some status, but doesn't help dispel the disillusionment. Moving and beautifully shot drama offers a glimpse of the complex consequences of (re-) migration.
DIRECTOR: Wang Xiaoshuai

THE FIRST LETTER (ABJAD) (2003)

Iran/France
No one can film running boys the way Jalili can. Humane, poetic, epic and autobiographical: about a boy who grows up in Iran in the turbulent 1970s and has to confront the resistance to art and to his love for the girl next door.
DIRECTOR: Abolfazi Jalili

GOODBYE, DRAGON INN (2003)

Taiwan
Everyone tries to drive out the loneliness - from the visitors to the box office clerk - in nostalgic cinephile film about the last day in the life of a cinema. King Hu's Dragon Gate Inn can be seen once more.
DIRECTOR: Tsai Ming-Liang

GOZU (2003)

Japan
Miike Takashi and his Ichi the Killer scriptwriter have come up with a splendid, slow-burn Yakuza ghost story. A young gangster is ordered to deliver his deranged boss to Nagoya for termination, but he encounters cross-dressing, gender swaps and Gozu (a man with the head of a cow) along the way.
DIRECTOR: Miike Takashi

GREEN TEA (2003)

China
Elegant and confusing film by Zhang Yuan (East Palace, West Palace) about a man who becomes intrigued by a young and pretty unworldly student, who bears a striking resemblance to the fashionable nightclub singer he later meets in a bar. Delightful camerawork by master photographer Chris Doyle.
DIRECTOR: Zhang Yuan

INVISIBLE LIGHT (2003)

South Korea
Intense, strongly acted and well visualised two part 'experimental' feature in which Gina Kim explores a woman's struggle to free herself of obsessive behaviour.
DIRECTOR: Gina Kim

JOURNEY OF THE GRAY MEN (2002)

Iran/Japan
Yet another major talent appears on the stage of the Iranian cinema, with an eye for images and an ear for music. Quirky and ironic, touching and endearingly self-conscious, the story of three old musicians and puppeteers who set off on a long journey across Iran, performing en route and re-discovering old friends.
DIRECTOR: Amir Shahab Razavian

KAKUTO (2003)

Japan
A very energetic, fresh and skilful début in DV from young Tokyo actor and model. Hanging out, clubbing and drugging, a young band of friends get way in over their heads when they inadvertently lose a stash of drugs they're meant to deal to their friends.
DIRECTOR: Iseya Yusuke

LAST LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE (2003)

Thailand
Suicidal ex-Yakuza (Asano) with a fear of infection hides as a librarian in Bangkok. His life has almost come to a halt. Then people die and he meets a Thai who wants to go to Japan. Beautiful (camera Chris Doyle) and sensitive. And with Miike as Yakuza.
DIRECTOR: Pen-ek Ratanaruang

LETTER (2002)

Japan
Seventeen-year-old Yusuke made the world's first texting drama. Apart from the brief prologue, we only see the mobile phone of a young man one lonely evening. Incredibly gripping and moving.
DIRECTOR: Sasaki Yusuke

LOVE IS NOT A SIN (2002)

Hong Kong/Macau
A very talented début DV feature from a young Macao/Hong Kong director about the friendship of two young girls and the strange, uncanny secret of one of them. Understated horror and fresh and inventive style.
DIRECTOR: Doug Kin-Tak Chan

MEMORIES OF MURDER (2003)

South Korea
Melancholy humorous drama was the big hit of 2003 with press and audiences in Korea. The film is set in 1986, when Korea was ruled by a repressive military regime and the police did their best to hunt the first Korean serial killer.
DIRECTOR: Bong Joon-Ho

THE MISSING (2003)

Taiwan
Minimalist parable about loneliness, alienation and emotional traumas is the début by the regular actor in Tsai Ming-liang's films and also shares with the master his great feeling for the atmosphere of urban spaces and architecture. A teenager seeks his grandfather while a grandma looks for her grandson.
DIRECTOR: Lee Kang-sheng

NAVEL (2004)

Iran
Iranian cinema, but very different. Prize-winning Iranian short-film maker Shirvani has made an experimental reality drama about five different modern Iranians (from a former imam to a conscript and a woman who has returned from abroad) in one house.
DIRECTOR: Mohammad Shirvani

ON THE MOUNTAIN (2003)

China
Time flies and snow falls to the ground. On the Chinese mountain, they pick tea. This beautifully shot peasant drama is atmospheric and documentary, but fortunately also often funny. And it all looks so idyllic. Life is hard. Especially on the mountain.
DIRECTOR: Zhu Chuan-ming

ONG-BAK: MUAY THAI WARRIOR (2003)

Thailand
Muay Thai martial arts has found the perfect ambassador: Panom Yeerum (alias Tony Jaa) is stunning, overwhelming and breathtaking. He has to get the stolen Ong Bak Buddha statuette back to its rightful owners. During previous screenings of this ultimate Thai martial arts action film, audiences almost demolished the cinemas.
DIRECTOR: Prachnya Pinkaew

THE ONLY SONS (2003)

China
Beautiful landscapes are an ironic backdrop to this boldly outspoken, surprising and often visually stunning story of religious oppression, petty-communist tyranny and regional poverty from a new talent on the Chinese independent scene.
DIRECTOR: Gan Xiao'er

PEEP "TV" SHOW (2004)

Japan
Raw, cheap and bravura video film that does not pay much attention to the boundary that apparently exists between fiction and reality. With and about a gothic girl and other kids from Shibuya, Tokyo, obsessed by the Internet, looks and security cameras.
DIRECTOR: Yutaka Tsuchiya

PIRATED COPY (2004)

China
Life-sized portrait of contemporary Chinese society based on the ubiquitous illegal trade in pirated western features. Eroticism, violence and confusion, but also tenderness and understanding.
DIRECTOR: He Jianjun

RAGHU ROMEO (2003)

India
The title hero of this mix between popular and independent cinema is an Indian Don Quichot who works in a night club. His obsession with a soap star means he doesn't notice that one of the girls is interested in him.
DIRECTOR: Rajat Kapoor

RAMBLERS (2003)

Japan
With his characteristic tongue-in-cheek wit and understated style, Yamashita draws us into the world of a couple of going-nowhere young film makers, who just ramble around town while waiting for their no-show actor.
DIRECTOR: Yamashita Nobuhiro

RESURRECTION OF THE LITTLE MATCH GIRL (2002)

South Korea
Unpredictable look at H.C. Andersen's famous fairytale about the match girl is essential viewing for gamers and Jang Sun-Woo fans. In the virtual and addictive world of computer games, the frozen girl is brought back to life. Visually devastating.
DIRECTOR: Jang Sun-Woo

ROOM TO LET (2002)

Malaysia
Third feature by Malaysian DV maestro about the unusual inhabitants of an old house in the middle of the skyscrapers of Kuala Lumpur. He doesn't need much to portray the alienation, loneliness and the indescribable elements of big-city life: in other words with ghosts and eroticism.
DIRECTOR: James Lee

SAVE THE GREEN PLANET (2003)

South Korea
A confused young man thinks that a major industrialist is an alien from outer space who is out to destroy our planet. A wild and wacky début with a suitable style for each scene: horror, suspense, detective, slapstick etc.
DIRECTOR: Jang Jun-Hwan

SHARA (2003)

Japan
Kawase's captivating third feature is about a family that faces the sudden and inexplicable loss of a child. Spastic traditions in modern Japan, with hypnotically filmed colourful, ritual festivities, this is also an ode to community values and her home town of Nara.
DIRECTOR: Kawase Naomi

THE SILENCE BETWEEN TWO THOUGHTS (2003)

Iran
How messages from hell can taunt heaven with their beauty. In a godforsaken landscape, a simple executioner does his work. Then he has to marry a woman condemned to death, because she is still a virgin and otherwise she might go to heaven. His world starts to fall apart slowly and inevitably.
DIRECTOR: Babak Payami

SILENT WATERS (2003)

Pakistan/France/Germany
Pakistan, late 1970s. Against the background of increasing intolerance and fundamentalism, in which her son also becomes involved, unbearable secrets about Aicha's past come to light. Winner of the Golden Leopard in Locarno.
DIRECTOR: Sabiha Sumar

SPRING, SUMMER, FALL, WINTER...AND SPRING (2003)

South Korea/Germany
Transcendental, humorous, occasionally grim and above all wise film about the journey of life. An elderly monk teaches his young pupil some hard lessons in this intriguing reflection on the cyclic nature of life.
DIRECTOR: Kim Ki-Duk

TEHRAN 7:00 A.M. (2003)

Iran/Germany
24 hours in Tehran. A traffic cop is interested in an actress, two old sourpusses terrorise the drug control lab, not everything a taxi driver says is the truth and a building worker seems to be in love. By the maker of Journey of the Grey Men.
DIRECTOR: Amir Shahab Razavian

TURNING GATE (2002)

South Korea
Subdued modern love story filled with intrigues about the unemployed actor Kyung-Soo, who falls for Sun-Young, a woman who is already spoken for. Funny with mocking compassion. By the maker of The Day a Pig Fell into the Well.
DIRECTOR: Hong Sang-Soo

UNIFORM (2003)

China/Japan
New realism from the exciting new generation of Chinese 'underground' film makers: a young guy starts posing in a policeman's jacket to impress a girl and raise his income.
DIRECTOR: Diao Yinan

VIBRATOR (2003)

Japan
Love at first sight between a writer and a trucker leads to a voyage of (self) discovery. Hiroki, an expert in erotic fantasies, makes a modestly dreamy, powerful love drama about female desires.
DIRECTOR: Hiroki Ryuichi

VIRUMAANDI (2004)

India
This exciting saga has been made in the best traditions of the Indian popular 'formula' films, spiced with dance and song sequences, action and romance. The extraordinary film personality Kamal Haasan scripted, produced and directed the film, wrote the lyrics, choreographed some dances and sung his songs himself.
DIRECTOR: Kamal Haasan

ZATOICHI (2003)

Japan
Takeshi Kitano plays the famous Blind Swordsman and hits the entertainment high spot without losing any of his creative élan. Witty, with brilliantly choreographed fights and a finale that will have you dancing out of the cinema.
DIRECTOR: Kitano Takeshi

ZEBRAMAN (2004)

Japan
Rotterdam favourite and the dauntingly inventive and prolific king of the Japanese genre pic takes his work in a new direction with this story of a geekish husband who dreams of being a superhero.
DIRECTOR: Miike Takashi

(Blurbs, credits, and pictures courtesy of
International Film Festival Rotterdam.)

Seijun Suzuki Rules!

Region 1 is blooming with three little known but sharp looking classics due for release tomorrow (January 20), all directed by Seijun Suzuki. Retail is $19.95 for these disks from Home Vision Entertainment, which has proven to be a reliable and quality source for similar titles in the recent past.

KANTO WANDERER (1958)
Apparently a yakuza tale involving gambling. Of the three, this is the only one I haven't seen yet. Two users of the Internet Movie Database contributed their impressions; chances are good that Suzuki fans will want to check it out.

I saw the next two films one after another during the "Japanese Outlaw Masters" series of films presented by the American Cinematheque a few months ago. Here are excerpts from my reviews.

TATTOOED LIFE (1965)
"In 1965, we come to a period in which Seijun Suzuki was experiencing frustration with the studio system. In the following two years he would direct TOKYO DRIFTER and BRANDED TO KILL, his two signature classics that also resulted in the termination of his studio career.

"But before that happened, in the year after he made GATES OF FLESH, he made TATTOOED LIFE. It's a very different film than UNDERWORLD BEAUTY, though it's also about criminals." Read more...

UNDERWORLD BEAUTY (1958)
"Dating from 1958, UNDERWORLD BEAUTY creates a hypnotic criminal world that is timeless. The American Cinematheque presented a new 35mm print at the Egyptian Theatre, highlighting the beautiful black and white photography that was shot in wide screen (2:35 to 1 or similar).

"Michitaro Mizushima plays the lead role, a man released from prison as the picture begins. . . . In this den of thieves, he's the most honorable -- if not exactly the heroic type." Read more...

Of the two, I would favor TATTOOED LIFE for a rental but UNDERWORLD BEAUTY for a purchase, because the latter title would seem to have more "replayability." Both are recommended.

Box Office Results: By arrangement with Sony Pictures, distributor IDP opened TOKYO GODFATHERS in eight theaters over the weekend, grossing $30,000 for a per-screen average of $3,750. As a limited engagement, and taking into account very cold weather in New York and the holiday weekend in the US, that's not *horrible*.

In addition to New York and Los Angeles, it is playing four other California cities (Irvine, Berkeley, San Diego, and San Francisco), plus St. Louis, Missouri. It will open in a few more cities (Austin, Texas; Bloomfield Hills, Michigan; Chicago, and Seattle) next Friday January 23. In February it will play in Washington, DC, Denver, Minneapolis, Atlanta, and Cambridge, Massachusetts. (Details available at the Sony Pictures web site.)

The film is the third from Satoshi Kon, the director of PERFECT BLUE and MILLENIUM ACTRESS, two terrific (and quite different) pictures. It's said to be an anime version of THE THREE GODFATHERS, a Western that starred John Wayne, and I can't wait to see it. In Los Angeles, it's playing at the Nuart Theatre on the west side of town.

Site Note: Ever since I began this site, its subtitle has been: "Hong Kong Movies Coming Soon to DVD." At that time (August 2000), the only other site that tried to list upcoming Hong Kong titles was the precursor to Asian DVD Guide.

For quite a long time now, though, Asian DVD Guide has been *the* resource for films released on DVD from Hong Kong distributors, with more specifications and cover art than I can provide, and so I have decided to retire that aspect of this site. Instead, every Monday I'll concentrate on posting information about Hong Kong and other Asian films scheduled for release on DVD in Region 1, as well as box office results for any titles of interest. And, every Thursday I'll post new reviews or highlight Asian films playing at major film festivals.

As always, thank you for visiting.

Sundance 04 - Snow Burn

Getting underway tonight, the Sundance Film Festival is now known primarily as a place for new independent American films to be discovered. In recent times, festival programmers have placed more emphasis on world cinema. While a few non-American films may be able to gain good press, it will be interesting to see if any true "discoveries" emerge, beyond the films that have already made a splash at film festivals last fall but are just now receiving their U.S./North American premieres. Films are listed by festival section.

** Frontier **

THE MISSING (North American premiere)

One day, in the park, a grandmother loses her grandson sending her into a tailspin of anxiety. That same day, a teenager learns his grandfather is missing. (Taiwan)
DIRECTOR & WRITER: Kang-sheng Lee
CAST: Yi-ching Lu, Tien Miao

Comment: This drama seems ideally suited to festival play; it's already played Pusan and Tokyo. Early reviews have been positive, but it's hard to see any commercial possibilities for this first feature from Kang-sheng Lee, probably known primarily as an actor in films by Tsai Ming-Liang (who also served as executive producer). And its English title would probably have to be changed, now that Ron Howard used it for his film a couple of months ago. No U.S. distributor yet in place.

** Premieres **

SKY BLUE (North American premiere)

A futuristic animated feature of the war and love which threatens to tear humanity apart. With civilization destroyed by war, conflict erupts when one man seeks to create a new utopia whilst regaining the heart of a woman lost to his mortal enemy.
DIRECTORS & WRITERS: Moon-saeng Kim, Sunmin Park (English version)

Comment: A revised version of WONDERFUL DAYS, which woefully underperformed at the Korean box office this past summer after debuting at Cannes. With the recent success of TRIPLETS OF BELLEVILLE, might arthouse audiences be in the mood for another unusual animation feature? A very good U.S.-based sales agent has been secured.

ZATOICHI

The adventures of a blind masseur/swordsman.
DIRECTOR: Takeshi Kitano
CAST: Takeshi Kitano, Tadanobu Asano, Michiyo Ogusu, Yui Natsukawa, Guadalcanal Taka

Comment: When Miramax acquired distribution rights last fall, the collective whole of Asian fandom started cursing and then sucked in their breath. Nearly all reviews have been positive so far, but Miramax lately has become a slave to test screenings and could easily bury another highly anticipated title. Here's one note that may not mean anything: the Santa Barbara Film Festival (which starts at the end of January) initially announced that it would be playing ZATOICHI. But the latest schedule does not list the title.

** Midnight **

AZUMI (world premiere)

In war torn Japan, the Tokugawa Shogun, desperate to restore peace, orders the assassination of hostile warlords. A master trains abandoned children to become the ultimate assassins and Azumi becomes the star pupil. (Japan)
DIRECTOR: Ryuhei Kitamura
CAST: Aya Ueto, Joe Odagiri, Yoshio Harada

Comment: Divided opinions about the latest feature from the director of VERSUS have surfaced on the Internet. Yet it's Japanese swordplay action, Toho has an experienced Hollywood publicist on board, and it would very surprising if a small (boutique) distributor did *not* pick this one up for limited play dates, midnight showings, and further festival exposure.

THE PARK (U.S. premiere)

A young man searches the former site of an amusement park for a missing border. In 3-D. (Hong Kong)
DIRECTOR: Andrew Lau; WRITERS: Lo yiu Fai, Sam Lung
CAST: Bobo Chan, Tiffany Lee, Derek Tsang, Kwok-Cheung

Comment: Did not receive very good notices during its run in Hong Kong cinemas a while back. Then again, festival programmers can only choose from among the films that are made available to them. Perhaps they wanted an Asian horror title and this was the best they could come up with? On the other hand, maybe Americans who haven't been over-exposed to the genre will respond very differently. No U.S. distributor yet in place.

** World Documentary **

THE BIG DURIAN

On October 18, 1987, a solider ran amok with an M-16 in Kuala Lumpur. Twenty-three Malaysians talk about his rampage, which triggered a nationwide panic and rumors of racial riots. (Malaysia)
DIRECTOR: Amir Muhammad

Comment: Potentially interesting mixture of fact and fiction. Runs just 75 minutes and sounds like it's worth a look. If it's good, likely to show up at more specialty fests; it's already played at a handful in Asia and at the Hawaii Film Festival. No U.S. distributor yet in place.

JOURNEYINGS AND CONVERSATIONS (North American premiere)

This film is about the many faces and facets of Calcutta's Howrah Train Station, one of the biggest and busiest stations in the world. (India)
DIRECTOR: Arvind Sinha

Comment: Unless it's truly awesome, it's hard to imaging sitting through 88 minutes without dialogue in a train station, even if it is in people-packed India. No U.S. distributor yet in place.

REPATRIATION (North American premiere)

The story of North Korean spies, who spent 30 years in prison, and their eventual repatriation to North Korea. (South Korea)
DIRECTOR: Kim Dong-won

Comment: 149 minutes. The length is a big obstacle for a documentary to overcome. It takes place over a 10-year period, and the director is a veteran filmmaker, so perhaps this is the exception to the rule. No U.S. distributor yet in place.

** World Cinema **

15 (U.S. premiere)

A searingly honest look at the trials and tribulations of five disaffected teenagers, perched precariously on the fringe of Singaporean society. (Singapore)
DIRECTOR & WRITER: Royston Tan
CAST: Shaun Tan, Melvin Chen, Erick, Vynh Soh, Melvin Lee

Comment: A debut film from a 27-year-old director, 15 sounds fascinating. It's already received extensive festival play (Venice, Montreal, Vancouver, Pusan, London, Stockholm), though, without picking up traction. Even with overwhelmingly positive reviews, it will be hard pressed to find a U.S. distributor.

A GOOD LAWYER'S WIFE (U.S. premiere)

Both a young-at-heart housewife and her hard-working lawyer husband have taken lovers. But when tragedy unexpectedly strikes, the family is never the same. (South Korea)
DIRECTOR & WRITER: Sangsoo Im
CAST: So-Ri Moon, Jeong-Min Hwang, Yeo-Jeong Yun, In-Moon Kim

Comment: Kino International, a boutique distributor, will try to press the case for this drama, which has been generally well reviewed (at Venice and Toronto), but unless the sex scenes are hotter than initially reported, this one will have a hard road to travel.

LAST LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE (U.S. premiere)

Thrown together by this common twist of fate, a suicide-obsessed Japanese man and a Thai working girl hide out together, hoping to find love and redemption. (Thailand)
DIRECTOR: Pen-ek Ratanaruang; WRITER: Pen-ek Ratanaruang, Prabda Yoon
CAST: Asano Tadanobu, Sinitta Boonyasak, Matsushige Yutaka, Takeuchi Riki, Miike Takashi, Laila Boonyasak, Tanaka Yohji, Sato Sakichi

Comment: Early reviews have painted this drama (from the director of MONRAK TRANSISTOR) as glacially-paced yet rewarding view. Picked up by Palm Pictures, which already has a handful of challenging Asian dramas (DOLLS and BRIGHT FUTURE among them) awaiting release. I wonder if Palm is picking up more films than it can handle -- or get into cinemas. May be placed on the fast track if it picks up an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film.

SILENCE OF THE SEA

An Iranian ex-patriot visits a neutral island off the coast of Iran in an attempt to reunite with his past and reclaim his identity. (Iran)
DIRECTOR & WRITER: Vahid Mousaian
CAST: Masoud Rayegan, Hossein Sheydai

Comment: Here is festival director Geoff Gilmore's description: "This lyrical examination of an expatriate's quest is delicately conceived and sometimes narratively elusive and meandering." Translation: 'We loved this film, especially compared to the other films we had to choose from.' Most likely of interest only for hard-core festival buffs and film students who love dabbling in experimental cinema. No U.S. distributor yet in place.

SILENT WATERS (North American premiere)

Based on actual events, "Silent Waters" recounts the complex fate of a woman and her son during the political changes in Pakistan when the country became a Muslim state in 1947, and marshal law was imposed in 1979. (Pakistan)
DIRECTOR & WRITER: Sabiha Sumar
CAST: Kirron Kher, Aamir Malik, Arsad Mahmud, Salman Shahid

Comment: A documentary filmmaker used non-actors for her first feature. On the plus side: shot entirely in Pakistan. On the down side: could be dry. Premiered at Locarno last August; no U.S. distributor yet in place.

SPRING, SUMMER, AUTUMN, WINTER AND...SPRING (U.S. premiere)

Against the dreamlike background of a monastery floating on a pond in a forest, panoramic portraits of life flow by in accordance with the four seasons. (South Korea)
DIRECTOR: Kim Ki-duk; WRITERS: Kim Ki-duk, Baek Dong-Hyeon
CAST: Young-Soo Oh, Jong-Ho Kim, Jae-Kyung Seo, Young-Min Kim

Comment: After debuting at Locarno and winning immediate acclaim, Sony Pictures Classics snapped this one up at Toronto. This is their first Korean release, but expect them to do it right with a limited release in major markets, preceded by a few festival play dates. Kim Ki-duk is a master filmmaker and the restraint he reportedly demonstrates here should win him many new converts.

(Blurbs, credits, and pictures courtesy of the Sundance Film Festival.)

Spooky Love, Digital Style

Spooky movie THE DEATH CURSE is due out on DVD from Universe today; the picture stars both the Twins and the Boy'z; what more could you want? Evidently you'd like BREATHING ROOM, an English-language romance; the two are packaged together in a set, though only the latter is coded for Region 3.

Tuesday brings Andrew Lau's 3-D horror flick THE PARK, also from Universe. No word yet on whether 3-D glasses will be included, or if you'll just have to use your imagination. The flick is scheduled to play at the Sundance Film Festival, which starts this week.

Streeting the same day is CRAZY FIRST LOVE from Edko, a Korean comedy that promises, well, craziness and romance. It's coded for Region 3.

HIDDEN TRACK breezes onto retailers' shelves from Panorama come Friday, starring Pu Pu, Shawn Yu, and other notables.

For more specs on the disks and other information, be sure to visit Asian DVD Guide.

Kicking Off the New Year

Toplining DVD releases this week in Hong Kong: Louis Koo and Eason Chan decide to start their own porn magazine in NAKED AMBITION. Panorama will make this available on Friday, January 9. You can learn more about the movie at the official site.

Several other titles will also be released, but I have no information on the content of the films.

Tuesday, Jan. 6:
THE S FILES: SEX MAHJONG
To be released by Maga Base Technology Limited

LITTLE WHITE DRAGON (VCD only)
To be released by Maga Base Technology Limited
With Bo Bo Fung, Ying Choi Cheung

Thursday, Jan. 8:
A CAUSE TO KILL
BLACK MAGIC
LEGENDS OF LUST
LOVE WITHOUT LUST
The latest batch of restored Shaw Brothers films from Intercontinental, coded for Region 3.

Friday, Jan. 9:
EXCESSIVE FORCE
To be released by City Connection
With Siu Wong Fan, Kit Yi Fan

As for Region 1, three Japanese titles are promised:

BLACKMAIL IS MY LIFE
An early effort from 1968, directed by Kinji Fukasaku (BATTLE ROYALE). It tells the story of a kid from the slums who finds blackmail to be his ticket to success and a great new way of living until he crosses paths with a particularly brutal mob boss. Judging from past releases from HVE/American Cinematheque, the print transfer should be as good as possible.

CURE
Kiyoshi Kurosawa directed this eerie, completely unsettling nail-biter about a very disturbing serial killer. Early Web reviews have been quite favorable about the quality of the DVD; previously it's only been available coded for Region 3. I saw this at the first Asian Film Festival of Dallas nearly two years ago -- seldom have I joined with a crowd in experiencing stomach-churning dread and chilling creepiness. Not to be missed.

IKIRU
Directed by the "other" Kurosawa, Akira, this 1952 film concerns an office worker who learns he is dying from cancer and resolves to do something with the time he has left. From the Criterion Collection; specs include a new transfer, an audio commentary by author Stephen Prince, two documentaries, and theatrical trailers. The two-disk set retails for $39.95.

Finally, the UCLA Film and Television Archive will be presenting a retrospective series on Anna May Wong. In their words: "Wong holds a unique place in Hollywood history as the first Asian American screen goddess. The unique career and talent of this Los Angeles native is long overdue for rediscovery and celebration." Check out this link for more information; the series runs from January 9-25.