The Asian DVD Guide

Thursday, 8/16/2007

Mega Star August 22 Releases

Hooked On You (2007) Director: Law Wing-cheong Cast: Miriam Yeung, Eason Chan Synopsis It is the summer of 1997. 27-year-old Miu starts working as a fishmonger at Prosperity Market to pay the heavy debts of her philandering father. She sets a 3-year plan for herself: before she turns 30, she shall clean her father's debts, leave the wet market, find a man worthy of her, and break the spell of her bad karma. No sooner has she set foot on the market than she finds herself at loggerheads with Mr Fish in the neighboring stall. A fierce battle of survival is unleashed, only to turn into a mutual entente when the existence of Prosperity Market is jeopardized by the aggressive emergence of supermarket megastores. In the end, they fail to save the market. But their camaraderie has blossomed into a deeper feeling for each other, an unanticipated development Miu is not ready to embrace. When her father suddenly dies of a heart attack and the government plans to demolish Prosperity Market, Miu decides to leave the market for good. Convinced that a new face will set her free from her smelly past, she enrolls in a makeup course funded by the government. As she embarks on her new life as a makeup artist, the world indeed becomes bigger, brighter, cleaner. Time flies. It's the fall of 2005. After years of emigration, Uncle Chicken and Auntie Veggie finally come home – to their beloved Prosperity Market. But Uncle Chicken is very sick; time has caught up on him. To protect him from fatal disillusionment, Mr Fish, Miu, and Porky decide to assemble all the former mongers there to re-create Prosperity Market in its full glory! After years of shunning Prosperity Market and Love itself, Miu finally comes to an epiphany: criteria, identities, and deadlines have no significance ultimately; what truly matters is finding this special someone whom you love and who loves you back... Specs Letterboxed and 16x9 enhanced Audio Cantonese (DTS 5.1) Cantonese (DD 5.1) Mandarin (DD 5.1) Subtitles Traditional Chinese Simplified Chinese English Coded for regions 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Extras Making Of Trailers

Tuesday, 8/14/2007

Mei Ah August 16 Releases
Love In The City (2007) Director: Jingle Ma Executive Producer: Stanley Tong Cast: Shawn Yue, Gao Yuanyuan, Takuya Suzuki, Naoko Miyake Letterboxed and 16x9 enhanced Cantonese, Mandarin (DTS + Dolby Digital) Chinese (Traditional), English, and Chinese (Simplified) subtitles DVD-9

Wednesday, 8/8/2007

CN Entertainment August 9 Releases

I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK (2006)
Director: Park Chan Wook
Cast: Rain, Lim Su Jeong

Synopsis
Young-goon is a patient at a psychiatric clinic because she is convinced she is a cyborg. She refuses food, charging her batteries instead with electric shocks from a transistor radio. Naturally, this does nothing to improve her health. Undaunted, the young woman dons her grandmother's dentures and insists on talking to all manner of machines - from slot machines to lamps. Young-goon is by no means a unique case. Other patients at the clinic are prone to having conversations with imaginary interlocutors. One patient's fear of his wife has led to his impotence. Another suffers from an oedipal complex. Yet another struggles with a guilt complex and is always asking for forgiveness. One female patient is addicted to cosmetic surgery.

Young-goon's life changes the day that Il-soon is admitted. This good-looking young man who has a penchant for wearing masks, is considered to be anti-social. He soon convinces his fellow-patients that he also possesses the uncanny ability to steal their personality traits. It is not long before a tender romance develops between him and Young-goon. However, the young girl's condition is steadily deteriorating. She is administered electro-shock therapy. Feeling as though her batteries have been fully charged, she imagines that she is able to shoot down staff members at the clinic with bullets fired from her fingers, disgorging empty bullet shells from her mouth.

In reality, Young-goon's physical condition is extremely worrying. With the aid of some of the other patients, a desperate Il-soon tries to put her back on her feet again.

Korean, Cantonese
Chinese (Traditional) subtitles
Region 3
Running Time: 108 minutes

Joy Sales August 10 Releases

Mr. Cinema (2007)
Director: Samson Chiu
Cast: Anthony Wong Chau-Sang, Ronald Cheng Chung-Kei, Theresa Mo Sun-Kwan, Karen Mok Man-Wai, Bau Hei-Jing, John Sham Kin-Fun

Synopsis
This is a "Cinema Paradiso" of Hong Kong. The story runs from 1964 to 2007, the most memorable years in Hong Kong history. Kong, whose last name is "Left", has had spent most of his life in a cinema. He had once held the authority for Mainland Chinese films and "Great Wall, Feng Huang & Sun Luen" films in Hong Kong. He was a projectionist at Silver Cinema. Beginning in the sixties. "The Great Wall, Feng Huang, Sun Luen" had produced many films that led the main stream. They are where the famous Xia Meng, Jet Li, Johnny To, Cherie Chung and many others started their film careers. The films they produced had not only captured the glamorous of the stars but also vivid sceneries of China. In his early years, Kong had always said to his friends and families that he loved China and his biggest wish was to visit the place. But no one could have guessed that his dream would not come true in the next forty years. Nowadays, when millions of Hong Kong citizens are transiting in and out of China on daily basis, Kong is yet to implement his dream. Unlike his father, Chong hated being "Left", his biggest dream was to make money. In the 80s, Chong became an adolescence and China had opened her door to the world. Chong had finally decided to take his dream into the adventurous Mainland China. At the time, Ying, Kong's wife had become the first "Working Housewives". The cinema had let Kong experience the different dimensions of life.

Letterboxed and 16x9 enhanced
Cantonese (DTS), Cantonese (DD 5.1), Mandarin (DD 5.1)
Chinese (Traditional), English, and Chinese (Simplified) subtitles
Extras: Trailers.
DVD-9

Tuesday, 8/7/2007

Kam & Ronson August 2 Releases
Rough (2006) Director: Kentaro Otani Cast: Masami Nagasawa, Mokomichi Hayami Letterboxed and 16x9 enhanced Japanese (DD 5.1 EX) Chinese (Traditional), English, and Chinese (Simplified) subtitles Extras: Trailers. Region 3 Running Time: 106 minutes

Monday, 8/6/2007

Edko August 14 Releases

The Letter (2006)
Director: Jiro Shono
Cast: Tetsuji Tamayama, Takayuki Yamada, Erika Sawajiri

Synopsis
"How are you been?" Tsuyoshi's letter is delivered once a month to his younger brother, Naoki. Tsuyoshi is serving a life term in prison for the crime that he had committed to save his brother. But the crime's aftereffect extends to Naoki, and, branded as a "murderer's brother." Naoki is deprived of his love, career and dream. His desperate situation gradually changes when he has found true love with Yumiki, who always stands by him. To protect the love that he has finally found, Naoki begins writing a letter to Tsuyoshi...

Letterboxed and 16x9 enhanced
Japanese (Stereo)
Chinese (Traditional) and English subtitles
Extras: Theatrical trailer, photo gallery, and cast/crew filmographies.
Region 3

IVL August 9 Shaw Brothers Releases

DVD/VCD
Casino Tycoon Series Box Set containing: Casino Tycoon (1992) Director: Wong Jing Cast: Andy Lau, Alex Man Chi-leung, Joey Wang Jo-yin, Chingmy Yau Shuk-ching Genre: Action Synopsis Fiction mixes with fact in this gambling epic, inspired by the life of Macau's "Casino King" Stanley Ho. Andy Lau is in his element as the tycoon of the title, tracing his blood-splattered fight to the top and spanning the 1930s to the 1960s. The combination of action, romance, and gambling was irresistible to local audiences, and proved a resounding Chinese New Years hit in 1992, the very height of the last great golden age of Hong Kong cinema. Letterboxed and 16x9 enhanced (1.85:1) Cantonese (Mono), Mandarin (Mono) Chinese (Traditional) and English subtitles Extras: Trailers, picture gallery, poster art, biographies/filmographies, and production notes. Region 3 Running Time: 124 minutes Casino Tycoon II (1992) Director: Wong Jing Cast: Andy Lau, Alex Man Chi-leung, Michelle Reis, Chingmy Yau Shuk-ching Genre: Action Synopsis Prolific director Wong Jing mixes the laughter, action and suspense - as only he can - in this sequel. It is 20 years on and Ho Hsin (Andy Lau) is now the proud and powerful owner of a chain of casinos in Macau. Unfortunately, he is also the target of many enemies, some of whom are in dangerously close proximity to him. But Ho has faced adversity before and is not about to just roll over and die. Letterboxed and 16x9 enhanced (1.85:1) Cantonese (Mono), Mandarin (Mono) Chinese (Traditional) and English subtitles Extras: Trailers, picture gallery, poster art, biographies/filmographies, and production notes. Region 3 Running Time: 107 minutes
Kid With The Golden Arm, The (1979) Director: Chang Cheh Cast: Sun Chien, Lo Meng, Pan Ping-chang Genre: Martial Arts Synopsis As directors jumped on the kung-fu comedy bandwagon acclaimed director Chang Cheh adhered to traditional brotherhood and moral code films. Chang reunites the Five Venoms in his second biggest cult hit in the West, The Kid With The Golden Arm. It's one Lo Meng's most memorable performances portraying the righteous villain Golden Arms whose eventual showdown with the drunkard Hai Tao (Kuo Chue) is graphically violent while being artistically decorous. Letterboxed and 16x9 enhanced (2.35:1) Mandarin (Mono) Chinese (Traditional) and English subtitles Extras: Trailers, picture gallery, poster art, biographies/filmographies, and production notes. Region 3 Running Time: 81 minutes
Swordswomen Three (1970) Director: Shen Chiang Cast: Shen Yi, Essie Lin Chia, Pan Ying-tzu, Chang I, Lo Lieh Genre: Martial Arts Synopsis While the rest of the world celebrated the woman warriors of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Hong Kong audiences knew that feminist empowerment kung-fu films had been around for decades. Here, Shen Yi (The Angel Strikes Again), Essie Lin Chia (Return Of The One-Armed Swordsman), and Pan Ying-tzu (The Eight Dragon Sword) are the swordswomen three -- taking on Shaw's first international superstar, Lo Lieh (King Boxer) for possession of the powerful Han Family Sword. That makes this a four-star treat for action fans. Letterboxed and 16x9 enhanced (2.35:1) Mandarin (Mono) Chinese (Traditional) and English subtitles Extras: Trailers, picture gallery, poster art, biographies/filmographies, and production notes. Region 3 Running Time: 99 minutes

Sky Entertainment July 19 Releases

Running Wild (2006)
Director: Kim Sung Soo
Cast: Kwon Sang Woo, Yoo Ji Tae, Kang Sung Jin

Synopsis
Jang Do-young is a hot-blooded homicide detective who has lost faith in the law. Oh Jin-woo is an elite prosecutor who stands in opposition to Jang in that there's nothing but the law in which he can believe. However, learning that they're running after the same target, the two men decide to team up. As they get deeper into the investigation, a huge conspiracy awaits them, in which Yoo Kang-jin, boss of the Kuryong family, is involved. Feeling threatened, Yoo blackmails Jang's family and pulls strings to get Oh off the case. Now an unavoidable battle begins between two men and the kingpin of the criminal world.

Letterboxed and 16x9 enhanced
Korean (DD 5.1), Korean (Stereo)
Chinese (Traditional), English, and Chinese (Simplified) subtitles

Thursday, 8/2/2007

Joy Sales August 3 Releases

Undercover (2007)
Director: Billy Chung Siu Hung
Cast: Shawn Yue, Sam Lee, Monie Tung

Synopsis
After reverting from undercover police in the triad, Ken (Shawn Yue) always feels that his colleagues all treat him with a bias. Ken prefers to take drugs to evade his pressure. Ah Fai (Sam Lee), the drug dealer, is the only friend that Ken can pour out his unhappiness. In an incident, Ah Fai had killed the police officer in order to protect his drugs with the presence of Ken. To avoid getting himself into any trouble, Ken makes a big mistake to destroy all the evidence by burning out the car. But he forgets his most important witness - Ah Fai. However, the result of continuously covering his mistakes are pushing himself to convict an irreparable sin...

Letterboxed and 16x9 enhanced
Cantonese (DTS), Cantonese (DD 5.1), Mandarin (DD 5.1)
Chinese (Traditional), English, and Chinese (Simplified) subtitles
Extras: Making of and trailers.
DVD-9