"Truck" is a Korean thriller directed by Kwon Hyeong-jin who has previously given us "For Horowitz" and the direct to video "MOB2025." Actor Yoo Hae-jin (Tazza, Kidnapping Granny K)takes the leading role for the first time, ever since he made his debut 11 years ago, in this movie. Other members of the cast include Jin Goo (Epitaph, Dirty Carnival), Ji Su-won (Vanishing Twin, Quiet Family) and Lee Chae-yeong. Actor Jin Goo also changes his good boy image in "Truck" as a serial killer, through this movie, the actor shows the existence of good and evil in one person as he fights against the truck driver Cheol-min that acted by Hae-jin.
Chul-min (Yu Hae-jin) is a simple truck driver transporting liquor, vegetables and other necessities. When his daughter is diagnosed with a congenital heart disease, he scrambles to borrow money from his friends to pay for for the operation but cannot raise the necessary amount. He follows a friend to a gambling house to raise the outstanding money, but luck deserts him and he loses everything. In a further bout of bad luck, he enters the wrong room in the gambling den only to witness a gang boss stabbing several victims to death in a murderous rage. After his friend begs for Chul-min's life, the gang boss sends him to a faraway province to dispose of the corpses. Carrying the dead bodies in his truck, Chul-min listens to the radio for company on the nerve-racking journey. The news program is about extraordinary serial killer Young-ho (Jin Goo) who is under police escort to a mental asylum. As Chul-min passes a country lane, he spots a car that has fallen into the ditch. Inside, he finds the bodies of several murdered policemen. After some hesitation, he leaves to complete his duty to bury the corpses. However, a policeman unexpectedly flags his truck down and orders him to drive him to the exact province that he is heading to. As Chul-min unravels the real identity of his passenger, his nightmare really begins...
DVD Specifications: Product Title: Truck (DVD) (Korea Version) Language: Korean Subtitles: Korean, English Screen Format: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1, NTSC Sound Mix: Dolby Digital 5.1 & 2.0 Region Code: 3 - South East Asia (including Hong Kong, S. Korea and Taiwan) Publisher: Premier Entertainment Disc Number: 2 Discs Release Date: 2009-01-13 (Save your copy)
Finally, the English friendly subtitle DVD for the best Thailand this year, "Phobia" aka "4bia" is out. Becoming number one hit when it first released in many Asian countries, this horror film created by four acclaimed director of the country is totally one package that can't be miss out.
What happen when you watch a film that was made by three young masters in horror movie and one veteran director who can be called as the mentor to those three? Well, absolutely you can get a foursome chill and thrill just as what you are able to get in this four 25-minute horror segments that working together to create a package of “Crash”-a-like in a horror film. Come out from Thailand, the original title of the film is “See Prang” (literally "four crossroads"), but in English, this four-segment horror film is being promoted as 4bia, or “Phobia”. Each of the segments is directed by one of Thailand up-and-coming masters of modern horror movies which are Banjong Pisanthanakun and Parkpoom Wongpoom, the young Thai directors of the original version of “Shutter” and the currently being remade “Alone”, Paween Purijitpanya, who did the slick and bloody “Body #19”, and, for the first time tackling horror, veteran director (and a mentor to the three young filmmakers), Yongyoot Thongkongtoon, director of the international smash hit gay volleyball comedy, “Iron Ladies”. About Banjong and Parkpoom itself is what they’ve done this time is direct separately for the first time in their career, just as you can guess that each of them are contributing one segment to this four part Thai horror anthology. But unlike other Asian horror anthologies, such as “Three”, which was also initiated by Thai director Nonzee Nimibutr, with vastly different parts that compete against each other, the four segments of “Phobia” work together as a package, and even reference one another. Here's a look at each segment that will dealing with a different kind of fear.
Loneliness (by Youngyut Tongkontund) An unemployed, broken-hearted, desperate young woman, Pin (Maneerat Kham-uan), has a broken leg and is left alone in her apartment on the top floor of a soiled building. Unable to move around, and with no friends nearby, she clings tightly to her pink Motorola flip phone and relies on SMS to communicate with the one apparent friend she has. She then receives an SMS from a stranger, who persists in sending her messages even though she at first ignores them. Lonely, she gives in to temptation and strikes up an SMS chat session with the person, who turns out to be a guy and also the one that she will be regret it after finding out who he is. The story begins to getting up its tense as the identity of the mysterious one is slowly revealed through a series of increasingly intimidating messages. “Loneliness” is somewhat success to pulling off a grand experiment that serves as a great beginning to the foursome of fear.
Deadly Charm (by Phavee Purijidpanya) When a group of bullying youths have been busted for smoking pot, they blame a little kid for stealing on them. Some of the boys then bundle the kid and his bicycle into the back of their pickup and beat on him while they are going down the road. The violence escalates with horrible consequences. Only one of the kids, one of the two girls (Apinya Sakuljaroensuk), voices any concern. Then what turns out is, that the little kid who wants to take revenge on them is into black magic, and he has a cursed manuscript -- a diploma of death that if people read them, they will meet whatever grisly end is spelled out for them.
The Middle Man (by Banjong Pisanthanakun) This is a tale of four best friends going camping in the remote jungle and they are bedded down for the night in their tent sharing ghost stories along the way. Their chitchat is self-referential, with one of the guys revealing himself to be a serial spoiler of movies, and right there he gives away the ending to “Shutter”. He also decries the horror films that all have female ghost with long black hair. "Can't they do something new?" he asks. They also argue over who gets to sleep in the middle of the tent. They have scared one another into believing that a ghost will haunt whoever sleeps on the end. To shut them up, the guy sleeping furthest away, Aye, says “If I die, I’ll come back and haunt who ever sleeps in the middle first.". The next day, while whitewater rafting, the boat overturns and Aye is the one who doesn't make it.
Last Fright (by Parkpoom Wongpoom) Terror is waiting for one unlucky air hostesses, who will face this alone. An airline is on a charter flight for the Princess of Khurkistan. What was supposed to be an ordinary flight turns into something tragically more turbulent when the princess dies due to an allergic reaction to something she ate. The royal house of Khurkistan requests that her body be sent back immediately for royal cremation. The airline schedules flight attendant Pim (Chermarn Boonyasak) for the flight, on which the only other passenger will be the corpse of the princess. This chapter presents the mixture of phobia. It’s an inappropriate flight for anyone with claustrophobia, nyctophobia, fear of noise, fear of air pressure, and fear of corpses.
DVD Specifications: Product Title: 4 Bia (DVD) (Hong Kong Version) Language: Thai, Cantonese Subtitles: Traditional Chinese, English, Simplified Chinese Picture Format: NTSC Aspect Ratio: 1.78 : 1 Sound Information: Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS Digital Surround, DTS Extended Surround(TM) / DTS-ES(TM) Region Code: 3 - South East Asia (including Hong Kong, S. Korea and Taiwan) Duration: 111 (mins) Publisher: Kam & Ronson Enterprises Co Ltd Special Features: - Behind the scenes - Deleted scenes - Music MV - Trailer Release Date: 2008-12-12(Save your copy)
Hikikomori is the Japanese term for "Those who isolate themselves," in English is call 'loner' which is a label for a person who does not actively seek, avoids, or is isolated from human interaction. There are many reasons for solitude, intentional or otherwise. Various mental illnesses, social difficulties and personal philosophies can be linked to reclusiveness; however no specific cause is implied by the term loner. The term loner is usually used with a negative connotation in the belief that humans are social creatures and those that do not participate are different. The label has often been applied pejoratively by the media to individuals deemed strange or pathetic. The loner may take pride in or be ashamed of his or her behavior. With borrowing the phenomenon of social withdrawal, director Park Jae Sik made up his new movie and also added a terrifying twist in this thrilling debut feature "Loner" (a.k.a. Hikikomori and Orphaned). Popular young actress Ko Eun Ah (Swindler in My Mom's House) delivers an impressively unsettling performance as a normal, happy teenager who becomes a hikikomori in this unpredictable horror. Jung Yoo Suk (You Are My Sunshine) and Chae Min Seo (The Wig) co-star as Ko Eun Ah's uncle and psychologist who attempt to save her from the grasps of darkness. The home cinema version for the big screen thriller has already released now in the Korean version with English subtitle region 3 DVD. Ko Eun-ah shares many experiences filming her new movie "Loner".Ko confessed that she practiced her role day and night without even washing and dragging her slippers around the house. "Loner" contains many thrilling and horrific scenes. However, the movie set among the staff and actors was bright and fun. Everyone had to concentrate deeply to get the mood of the story to come out. The story of this triller highlights the horror that can be lurking inside even a tiny and lonely room. Su-na, once a bright and adorable girl, locks herself alone in her room after her best friend's suicide. She starts to talk and behave as if someone else exists in her room, but never opens the door to anyone. Finally, her uncle brings his fiance, Yun-mi, a psychologist specializing in hikikomori (people who isolate themselves from society), and she finds Su-na's trouble has something to do with the family's secret history.
DVD Specifications: Product Title: Loner (DVD) (Korea Version) Language: Korean Subtitles: Korean, English Disc Format(s): DVD Screen Format : Anamorphic Widescreen Sound Mix : Dolby 2.o & 5.1 Region Code: 3 - South East Asia (including Hong Kong, S. Korea and Taiwan) Publisher: Fantom Korea Disc number: 1 Disc Special Features: - Making Of - Hikikomori - Premiere Scenes - Poster Shootings - Trailer - TV Spot Release Date: 2008-12-05 (Save your copy)
Adapted from the bestselling novel by Kotaro Isaka “The Accuracy of Death”, “Sweet Rain” is proximately could become the Asian version to Brad Pitt’s “Meet Joe Black.” Why? Because both are equally playing in a narrative zone about a handsome Grim Reaper who meets a woman on earth and begins to understand human emotions and learns about life. In a substitute to Pitt, the pan-Asian heartthrob stars, Takeshi Kaneshiro playing as the God of Death in this film. This was his first Japanese role since 2002's “Returner,” the actor most recently could be seen in the Chinese historical epics “Red Cliff” and “The Warlords.” The Director is Masaya Kakei, whose unique style, mingling fantasy and humor, has made him one of the most-watched figures in Japanese film today. His picture “Bijokan” drew attention at the festivals to which it was invited in Japan and abroad. “Sweet Rain” is his first full-length feature which beautifully realized on screen with handsome photography and CG effects. In Japan itself, this is also the latest death god feature to appear, after the recently most popular “Death Note”. Though “Sweet Rain” is actually one of those three-story setups, but in three different time slots (past, present, future) – three unrelated stories, at least initially. But the hints of the links are all there and I don't think it is the director's intention to craft convoluted twists. The focus is on the mood, the characters and how they interact with the Grim Reaper. Co-starring in each stories are Konishi Manami (Angel's Egg), Mitsuishi Ken (Megane), and Fuji Sumiko (Hula Girls), and this sensitive and affecting drama explores the value of life and inevitability of death through these three seemingly separate lives, and the lonely death god who connects them together. Check it out completely in the DVD version of the film that already being releases in a friendly English sub Hong Kong version disc.As the story developed into three periods, 1985, 2007 and 2028, the characters in each scene are linked unexpectedly. Grim Reaper Chiba (Takeshi Kaneshiro) loves "music" and believes that it is the best invention by humankind. He is not interested in neither human life nor death but simply manages his task as a Grim Reaper. His task is to assess a targeted human being and to make him die... To be more accurate, it is to observe a target for seven days and then choose either "execution = death" or hold = life" (in most cases "execution" is chosen.) This time his target is Kazue Fujiki (Manami Konishi). She is an unfortunate woman because anyone whom she loves dies one after anther. Chiba would choose "execution" as usual. However, her certain talent moves Chiba and causes him to change his opinion toward human being....
DVD Specifications: Product Title: Sweet Rain (AKA: Accuracy of Death) (DVD) (English Subtitled) (Hong Kong Version) Language: Japanese Subtitles: Traditional Chinese, English Picture Format: NTSC, Widescreen Anamorphic 1.78 : 1 Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 Region Code: 3 - South East Asia (including Hong Kong, S. Korea and Taiwan) Duration: 114 (mins) Publisher: Panorama (HK) Release Date: 2008-11-24 (Save your copy)Featured Reviews:
# Filmcritic.com, by Don Willmott Accuracy of Death is delicate in stating its themes. It's beautifully shot, and it's charming throughout. Credit for much of the film's success goes to Kaneshiro, who is in every scene and never lets you forget why he is one of the world's most compelling big-screen stars. You simply can't take your eyes off him.
# movieXclusive.com, by John Li Being a Japanese production, you can expect everything to be beautifully visualized on screen. The cinematography by Takahide Shibanushi showcases the melancholic showers, the gritty mafia showdowns and the withering sunflowers to great effect.
# Twitch, by Ard Vijn "Accuracy of Death" is by no means a masterpiece and will not floor you with new stunning insights into human nature, yet it still manages to be quite a pleasant little movie. Takeshi Kaneshiro steals the show and is worth the price of admission all by himself.
# A Nutshell Review, by Stefan S The first thing that comes screaming to your mind when you come to know of this movie, is MEET JOE BLACK, yes in caps, and a nagging feeling that it's a rip off / copycat coming some 10 years after that Hollywood movie. Although this is based on the Japanese novel by Kotaro Isaka, you can't help but to ponder upon the similarities between the two movies.
# The Brunei Times, by Pamela Samia, BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN Watching this film, don't expect to shed buckets of tears or even have eureka-moment about our life beyond, and yet this movie is guaranteed to warm your heart. It triumphs because it tells about life and death as we know it, "nothing special but important".
For everyone who is interested with Thai art and culture, period drama mystery “The Haunted Drum” is probably worth to be one of the recommendation films. It’s about a traditional Thai drum instrumental that wrapped by a romance mystery theme which included ancient curses and killer drums made from human skin in the story. Region 1 DVD is scheduled to release on this November 25 by Tai Seng entertainment. And below is the complete synopsis for the film.
In the year 1821, King Badin and professor Sau were obsessed with making the superb traditional Mohn hill-tribe drum. The story circled for a while that during the making of the drum the band broke up and King Badin’s child, Tip died of a strange illness. In time their story was forgotten. 60 years later, teacher Duang inherited the drum from King Badin. Many revered this drum as an instrument with a spirit that protects the musicians. If any musician pledge their allegiance to the spirit of the drum, they must honor their pledge or suffer ill fate. Ping, a young orphan was determine to study traditional art. He resigned from his government job and went to ask teacher Duang to accept him as her disciple. He was so eager to learn that he secretly practiced during the night. One night he met a young girl name Tip. She saw his determination and she started to teach him. They grew close and fall in love. Deputy Chief of the town wanted the drum for himself and sent some people to confiscate it. Duang fought them off but have to agree on drumming contest. She entered Ping and he won. But the Deputy Chief would not give up the drum so he tried to take it by force. That was a big mistake. Ping found out later that the drums are made out of Tip’s skin. Have to say that this one is more to a love romantic movie than a horror one like what the title or its poster had hinted. So, if you really prefer to the culture entries and the oldies love story, it still has something to look for.
DVD Specifications: Format: Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC Language: Chinese, English Subtitles: Chinese, English Number of discs: 1 Run Time: 90 minutes Studio: Tai Seng DVD Release Date: November 25, 2008 (Save your copy)
If commonly it’s Hollywood that took ideas from Asian film, now it’s turn for Hong Kong to borrow from Hollywood. But from many good titles, why director Benny Chan has chosen to remake a mediocre film like “Cellular,” is probably something that can make us scratched our head a little. The original version was released on 2004 and starred Chris Evans, Kim Basinger and Jason Statham. For Asian audiences, the entertaining and suspenseful thrill ride has adapted to a title “Connected” with stars such as Louis Koo (Rob-B-Hood) who taken the everyman hero played in the Hollywood version by Chris Evans, Barbie Xu (Meteor Garden) in the role originated by the older Kim Basinger, Liu Ye (Blood Brothers), Nick Cheung (Exiled), Louis Fan (The Moss), Eddie Cheung (Election), TVB actor Wong Cho Lam and model Ankie Beilke in key supporting roles. The film has just opened in multiplexes around Asia last September, but now it’s already up for the DVD release that had scheduled on this December 4.
In the film, Bob (Louis Koo)’s life isn’t going well at all. A single father in a dead-end job as a debt collector, he’s trapped in a job that goes against his usual easy-going helpful nature and he’s under tremendous pressure to be a better dad, a better brother, a better worker, even a better person. While dealing with all this and his sister (Flora Chan)’s threat to move to China with his son to force him to clean up his act, Bob receives a call out of the blue. It’s a stranger called Grace(Barbie Hsu) who claims a mysterious kidnapper(Liu Ye) is keeping her against her will and begs him to save her and her young daughter. Is it just a heartless prank? The detective (Nick Cheung) he tried reporting the call to seem to think so but Bob’s instincts tell him that he may just be the only thing standing between them and a painful death. But does he have the mettle to rise above his own self-centered concerns and risk everything – including his own son – for two people he has never met and who may not even exist?
Like its original version, “Connected” is also just a fun and thrilling suspense ride that sometimes quite success to grab our attention. As a fun entertaining movie in the weekend, this one is still recommended.
DVD specifications: Product Title: Connected (DVD) (Hong Kong Version) Language: Mandarin, Cantonese Subtitles: Traditional Chinese, English, Simplified Chinese Picture Format: NTSC Region Code: 3 - South East Asia (including Hong Kong, S. Korea and Taiwan) Publisher: Joy Sales (HK) Release Date: 2008-12-04 (Save your copy)
Summer season was once the prime time for Korean horror films, but in the summer of 2008, Korean Cinema went horror-free and just saving for one big exception: “Death Bell” (a.k.a. Gosa). Proving that quality trumps quantity, the modest budgeted 'rookie' project “Death Bell accumulated over 1.2 million victims in cinemas during 18 days, according to its producer Go-eo Contents Media, and has become one of Korea's highest-grossing horror films ever. The feature debut of music video director Chang, the high school horror focuses on an already dreadful experience that students in Korea are all too familiar with - exams are hell - and takes it to a bloody, terrifying extreme. Acclaimed actor Lee Bum Soo leads a fresh cast that includes singer Nam Gyu Ri of SeeYa in her acting debut, up-and-coming actor Kim Bum (Hellcats), and TV actress Yoon Jung Hee (Love in Heaven). Now the first press Korean edition DVD for the horror thriller will arrives on the store at November 8th, just save one for your copy of this one of the rarely Korean horror movies.
In “Death Bell” 20 of the top students from Chang-ahn High School gather together on an inconspicuous Saturday. Some of whom are: Lee Na (Gyuri Nam) a loyal and sweet young person, Hyeon Kang (Ki-beom) the Don Juan of Chang-ahn and the rebel, Hye-yeong the girl obsessed with becoming the valedictorian, Ko-beol a student that suffers from schizophrenia, and Dong-hyeok the second highest ranked student and a chronic insomniac. These students sit in a classroom eager to partake in lessons held by Chang-wook (Beom-su Lee) and 3 of his co-workers. During the middle of their Saturday afternoon class, music suddenly blares out of the speakers and the television turns on. The students become even more stunned when they see Hye-yeong on TV, submerged in a tank full of water. A voice then comes out and asks the students a question, the correct answer will save Hye-yeong’s life and the wrong answer will end her life. The students only have a limited to come up with their answer and there’s no escape for the 20 students assembled at Chang-ahn High School. Futhermore, more students disappear as more questions are asked. A bloody mid-term is in session.
DVD Specifications: Product Title: Death Bell (AKA: Gosa) (DVD) (First Press Edition) (Korea Version) Language: Korean Subtitles: Korean, English Video Format: Widescreen 1.85:1 (Anamorphic), NTSC Audio Format: DD 5.1, DTS Region Code: 3 - South East Asia (including Hong Kong, S. Korea and Taiwan) Running Time: 85 Minutes Publisher: Planis
Special Features: Disc 1: - Audio Commentary - After Commentary - Teaser - Trailer Disc 2 - Making of - Making of costumes - Making of Music - Poster Shootings - Premiere Scenes - Music Videos
