"Aftershock" Hong Kong Version DVD

“Aftershock,” the long-awaited film by one of China’s more successful directors, Feng Xiaogang, grossed over RMB 100 million within three days of its release on July 22. That means it has beaten the record previously held by "The Founding of a Republic," which took three and a half days to earn RMB 100 million and went on to earn more than RMB 420 million in box office revenue in China. "Aftershock" also set a new box office record when it earned RMB 36.2 million on its first day, the most ever made by a locally made movie on opening day. “Aftershock,” with a budget of more than US$20 million, quite high by Chinese standards, is also the first Chinese-directed movie to be screened in IMAX theaters. Already the most successful film ever made in China, "Aftershock" has been chosen to compete for the nomination at the 83rd Academy Awards next February.

Based on the novel Aftershock by Zhang Ling, the film follows a family who fell victims in the Tangshan Earthquake. The father, Fang Daqiang (Zhang Guoqiang), was crushed dead while trying to rescue his children, Fang Deng and Fang Da, who were trapped in the house. Unable to save both kids, the mother, Li Yuanni (Xu Fan), is forced to sacrifice Fang Deng for her feeble younger brother Fang Da, a decision that proved agonizing for the entire family. It turns out that Fang Deng survived the quake and was adopted by a couple in the aftermath. Thirty-two years later (2008), the grown-up Fang Deng (Zhang Jingchu) would finally cross paths with Fang Da (Li Chen) in Wenchuan, Sichuan...

In a significantly distant pole with Hollywood production disaster flick like “2012”, “Aftershock” isn’t a special effects flaunt and even the earthquake sequence doesn't last for a long time (cause it doesn’t try to be China’s answer to that Emmerich’s film), but the arousing journey of the survivors set apart by a catastrophic event goes on for much longer. It might be fun to watch fictional disasters on the big screen, but watching the fictionalized effects of a real life disaster is just heartbreaking, a story that is as universal as the natural disaster itself. In this film, Feng follows a family that survives China’s most disastrous earthquake, the massive 7.8 temblor that flattened the entire city of Tangshan in the early hours of July 28, 1976. Adapted from Zhang Ling’s 2006 novel of the same title, “Aftershock” shows the raw human emotions of choices made in the heat of an emergency whose effects resonate throughout a lifetime.

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"The Stool Pigeon" Hong Kong Version Blu-ray

Already having given us "Fire of Conscience" earlier this year, it seems that there is nothing stopping hot property of the moment Dante Lam, who had helmed hard hitting same genre movies such as "Sniper" and "Beast Stalker". Starring Nicholas Tse, Nick Cheung and Kwai Lun-mei, "The Stool Pigeon" is again another gripping action thriller from the director. Despite having much of the same cast of his previous hit film "Beast Stalker", Dante Lam said "The Stool Pigeon" is not a sequel. Dante stated that he "felt the pressure when I was working on the new movie because "The Beast Stalker" did so well and received a lot of positive feedback. I did not want the new film to live in its shadow because it is an entirely different movie, except with the same cast."

Synopsis:
Senior Inspector Don Lee (Cheung) relies heavily on the information provided by stool pigeons in his job. Barbarian is a painstakingly meticulous armed robber. Don needs an informant to infiltrate his gang so he recruits street-racer Guy (Tse). Guy provides information on Barbarian’s next job, but Don is unable to effectively act on them until the final moment. Since Barbarian has not left any evidence, Don is pressured to convince Guy to become a witness for the prosecution.
Don promises to provide Guy with a new identity in another country, but the departure is beset by accidents and Guy only barely makes it to safety. Haunted by his ruined relationships with his ex-wife and former stool pigeons, Don no longer wants to be part of a world that is one betrayal after another.

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"Ip Man 2" Hong Kong Version Blu-ray & DVD

“Ip Man 2” is a semi biographical martial arts film as well as the sequel to the thriving martial arts flick “Ip Man” back in 2008. Doubling the intensity, this sequel not only powered by Donnie Yen alone, but also legendary kung fu cinema great - Sammo Hung, the action director of both films which now participated too as one of Yip Man’s rival. In its theatrical run, "Ip Man 2" has become the highest grossing Chinese film so far in China this year at slightly over 200m yuan. The success of first “Ip Man” film, and now its sequel, is are down to the special style of kung fu it displays - Wing Chun, a technique made famous by Bruce Lee. Hong Kong megastar Donnie Yen once again showing his awesome talent as the historical figure Yip Man aka Ip Man, a Grandmaster of the marvelous kung fu style. Directed by Wilson Yip, the sequel, which is more martial arts oriented, sees Yen against with Sammo Hung in some of the most exciting martial arts sequences in the recent years. Now you can collect the blockbuster film cause it's available on the friendly home video formats.

Continuing from where the first film left off, Wing Chun master Ip Man and his family move to Hong Kong in the early 1950s after their escape from the Japanese. There, Ip Man plans to teach "Wing Chun" on the roof of a building owned by newspaper editor Kan Leung (Pierre Ngo). A young boxer by the name of Leung Wong (Xiaoming Huang) and his friends asks Ip Man to become their master and thus, Ip Man gained his first pupils in Hong Kong.
Ip Man's pupil Leung Wong is then kidnapped by bully Wai-Kei Cheng (Yu-Hang To). Ip rushes to a fish market to save Leung Wong and there he meets the bully's master Chun-nam Hung (Sammo Hung). Master Chun-nam Hung informs Ip Man that if he wishes to teach wushu in Hong Kong he must accept challenges from masters of all wushu types within the time of burning a joss stick.
Ip Man realized that he must fight these other masters and so took on the challenge. The last challenger to Ip Man was Master Chun-nam Hung. The two masters fought to a stand still by the time the joss stick finished burning. Master Hung admiring the skills of Ip Man and was now allowed open his own wushu institute.
Master Chun-nam Hung was involved in a King of Boxing Competition and invited Ip Man to the show. Ip Man brought his pupils to the King of Boxing Competition. At the King of Boxing Competition a ruthless foreign man named Twister (Darren Shahlavi) insults Master Chun-nam Hung and challenges him to a fight. Master Chun-nam Hung is beaten to death in the match. Ip Man unable to restrain himself anymore, steps onto the stage and fights the King of Boxing ...

Blu-ray and 2-disc DVD Editions come with:
● Making Of
● Cast and Crew Interviews
● Deleted Scenes
● Featurette on Four Major Scenes
● Shooting Diary
● Gala Premiere
● Photo Gallery
● Trailers

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"True Legend" Hong Kong Version DVD

"True Legend" is regarded by critics as one of the most stunning flicks Yuen Woo-Ping has ever directed. Many of its scenes were shot in breathtakingly dangerous places, like the Hukou Waterfall at the Yellow River in North China's Shanxi Province. This latest film from the famous martial arts choreographer and director is about 19th-century hero Su Qi-Er whose stories were passed down as folk tales. He was originally a wealthy kung-fu amateur in the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), but after losing his fortune because of a conspiracy against him, he devoted himself to martial arts and eventually became a renowned master. One of the most memorable characters in martial arts film history, having been played by Simon Yuen Siu-Tin (Woo-Ping’s father) in DRUNKEN MASTER (1978) and in a comedic light, Stephen Chow in KING OF BEGGARS (1992). In this martial arts epic that sees Woo-Ping return to the director's chair he has vacated for 14 years, has mainland action star Vincent Zhao (Once Upon a Time in China series) as the legendary figure Beggar Su. Now you can check for yourself how rich are the martial arts scenes in this film by purchasing the special DVD edition via YESASIA.

Synopsis:
"True Legend" is the extraordinary journey of a man - a martial arts hero - whose greatest dream is to create a unique school of martial arts for the world to follow.

All his life, Su Can has been pursuing the summit in martial arts. There are two things he holds dearest to his heart – the dream of creating a unique kind of martial arts that will pass on to generations; and his beloved wife. Su has a happy family and his wife is the joy of his life. But owing to a turn of fate and his own stubbornness, Su falls helplessly into a quagmire and his family is destroyed.

After losing his wife, Su cannot live with himself and collapses totally. He is drunk all the time and becomes a crazy beggar in everyone’s eyes. Everyday, his young son ties him with a piece of rope and leads him through the streets, greeted by people’s curious and disdainful gazes.

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"14 Blades" Blu-ray Hong Kong Version

“14 Blades” is a mix of martial arts and espionage flick which Chinese title “Jinyiwei” means “The Brocaded Robe Guards” was a nickname to the Ming emperors' own version of the CIA. The organization was set up in the late 14th century by Ming dynasty founder Zhu Yuanzhang (Emperor Hongwu), first as his own personal guards numbering in the hundreds, and later gaining many more other responsibilities (including intelligence, of course), reaching their apex in the 16th century with a total force around the low six figures. “14 Blades” is the latest from Hong Kong director Daniel Lee, who made the brainless “Dragon Squad” and the much improved “Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon”. The film starred the most sought after Kung Fu star in Chinese cinema today, Donnie Yen, and also features a mix of new and veteran performers. Veteran genre actors who make appearances include Chen Kuan-tai, one of Shaw Brothers’ top kung fu stars of the 1970s who starred in cult Kung Fu classic “Flying Guillotine which are very similar in plot to this film, Wu Ma (The Dead and The Deadly), Sammo Hung (Martial Law, Resurrection of the Dragon), mainland wushu champion Xu Xiang-dong (“Wing Chun” TV series), Chen Zhi-hua (Ip Man), and Damian Lau (Duel to the Death). However, all of the young stars featured are idols rather than dedicated martial artists. Wu Chun is a member of Taiwanese boy band Fahrenheit and has starred in several TV series. Qi Yuwu is a former Star Search China winner from Singapore. As the leading lady is mainland actress Vicki Zhao Wei who made appearances in John Woo’s “Red Cliff” as well as “Mulan”, Chinese live version for the country’s legendary epic tale.

Set in the final years of China's Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644), the Imperial Guards are raised and trained to be ruthless killing machines since childhood, to execute whatever questionable orders from the Imperial Court or Emperor without questions, and Green Dragon (Yen), being the most highly skilled of them all, is no exception. Each of them possesses a chest containing 14 blades, and the Imperial Guards would use different weapons under different situations, with 8 being used for all forms of tortures, and another 5 for killings, and the last one for hara kiri. And they are also experts at psychological warfare, negotiating or weakening the enemies' minds in order to accomplish their missions. But deep within his heart, there's still an iota of conscience left in Green Dragon, who begins to question its motives and runs away from the organization while being hunted down, when he discovers a big conspiracy as an evil eunuch gains control of the Imperial Court and Imperial Guards. While on the run, Green Dragon becomes acquainted with Qiao Hua (Zhao), daughter of the chief of an Armed Escort Agency. Initially, like all Imperial Guards do, he's merely making use of her. However, he gradually falls for her while she finds out that she's being made use of.

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"Overheard" Hong Kong Version DVD

With a star-studded cast and crew, the Hong Kong film "Overheard" has became one of the biggest Chinese blockbusters of 2009. "Overheard" shares the same cast and crew of the critical and popular film "Infernal Affairs." But in this one, there are no fights or bullets. The plot is concentrated on the challenge of gathering intelligence. The story unfolds through the performances of the A-list actors and actresses. Written and directed by Alan Mak and Felix Chong (the writers behind the "Infernal Affairs" trilogy), it's the first time for Lau Ching Wan, Louis Koo and Daniel Wu to appeared in the same film and all three play the bad guys. Daniel Wu marries a rich woman but is continuously looked down on by his father-in-law. Louis Koo gives an impressive performance in the role of a father who has cancer and four children to raise. And Lau Ching Wan plays the head of an information office who is consistently let down by life. Famous mainland actress Zhang Jingchu plays the wife of Lau in role that rarely shows up in a film led by men. The film was released theatrically in Hong Kong on 30 July 2009 and now it expected to release on DVD version on this September 30, 2009.

Plot: A major stock exchange in the world, Hong Kong attracts not only money but any who try to manipulate the market. At the Hong Kong Police Force Commercial Crime Bureau, an operation is underway to infiltrate a trading company, Feng Hua International where a man, nicknamed “Boss” is the chief suspect.
The team, led by Inspector Leung (Lau Ching Wan) together with Yeung (Louis Koo) and Lam (Daniel Wu) install interception devices to monitor the company’s communications. When a crucial information on a surging share was intercepted, a moment of greed led the team in a cross fire between the Bureau and the boss.

With producer Derek Yee acting as advisor, "Overheard" is easily the most morally ambiguous Hong Kong movie to get the thumbs up from the Mainland censors in recent memory. (The big lesson here? Don’t play hero if you’re busy breaking the law in the meantime.) As its three leads all contribute nuanced yet non-flashy performances, the film manages to morph its first half’s spontaneous humour and its final act’s abruptly efficient killings into a consistently engrossing whole. Unlike its famed predecessor, Overheard isn’t going to stand a chance in the pointing-a-gun-at-each-other-without-shooting contest; and it’s all the better for it.

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The Battle of the Warriors U.S. DVD

It has announced that Dragon Dynasty will be releasing Jacob’s Cheung’s 2006 period war epic "A Battle Of Wits" on DVD September 8th under the name "Battle Of The Warriors." The film is a Hong Kong historical action drama film based upon a Japanese historical novel of the same name which was in turn inspired by Warring States history in China. The epic starring Andy Lau (Infernal Affairs, House Of Flying Daggers, Warlords), Fan Bingbing (Forbidden Kingdom, Shinjuku Incident), Ahn Sung-ki (The Divine Weapon), Wang Zhiwen, Nicky Wu, and newcomer Choi Siwon. Also based on the sensational Japanese manga series called "Bokko," "Battle of the Warriors" features a gritty, realistic style, with an incredible level of historical detail that highlights each of its unparalleled, ferocious battles.

Plot: The film is set in the Warring States Period of China. The state of Zhao invades the (fictional) city-state of Liang. Ge Li (Andy Lau), a Mohist, comes to Liang to help protect the city. He warns of the dangers of surrendering to an invading Zhao army that intends to conquer Liang. The king of Liang (Wang Zhiwen) worries about Ge Li inciting war amongst the public, but decides to allow him to temporarily aid in defending Liang.

Ge Li's creates a bulwark and various traps to slow down the invading army. The Prince (Choi Siwon) and Generals of Liang question his leadership and skills as a tactician, but time after time, his tactics proved successful. The Prince of Liang eventually develops a high level of respect for Ge Li's wisdom and experience. After Ge Li successfully defends the kingdom from superior numbers, he becomes highly revered by the local populace.

Feeling threatened by Ge Li's popularity, the king of Liang plots to have him be deposed of rank and executed on false charges. Ge Li returns from a scouting mission and is charged with starting a war under false pretenses. The Prince of Liang fakes a fight against Ge Li so that he can use himself as a hostage to help free Ge Li. The improved arrows that Ge Li used to help defend Liang were then ironically used against him. The Prince of Liang is killed in the incident. Ge Li's sympathizers are falsely accused of being part of a rebellion against Liang, and they are tortured and executed.

The King of Liang foolishly believes the Zhao army has already left, but the Zhao army raids the city in a surprise attack. Ge Li returns with a surviving group of the Liang army to restore power to the people of Liang. After the conflict, Ge Li leaves with some orphans of Liang to promote peace among kingdoms. The King of Liang would be killed five years later, and eventually the Qin army would unite China and became the Qin Dynasty.

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Shinjuku Incident Uncut Version DVD

Directed by Derek Yee (Protege), the crime drama "Shinjuku Incident" marks a new turn in Jackie Chan's career as he begins to move away from the action and comedy-oriented fare that has largely defined his film career since his first notable break starring as a Bruce Lee clone in director Lo Wei's "New Fist of Fury" (1976). This film apparently features very little of Chan's trademark screen action and instead focuses largely on a dramatic story. The film also sports so many quality actors including Naoto Takenaka who is a three-time Japanese Academy Award winner. Then it has mainland Chinese talents Xu Jinglei (The Warlords) and Fan Bingbing (The Forbidden Kingdom), great character actors like Lam Suet (Exiled) and Paul Chun (Fist of Legend), and action veterans Chin Kar-lok, Ken Lo and Yasuaki Kurata (So Close). "Shinjuku Incident" was released in early April 2009 in many countries in Asia to favorable reviews eventhough it was banned in China for its unflattering portrayal of illegal Chinese immigrants and for its sexual themes and violence. Now, Chan's controversial and violent crime thriller will arrives on English friendly DVD and Blu-ray, and you can find the original uncut version DVD and Blu-ray via YesAsia.com.

The story of the film set in the early 1990s, a tractor mechanic from China nicknamed Steelhead, portrayed by Jackie Chan, enters Japan illegally in search of his girlfriend Xiu Xiu (Xu Jinglei). Steelhead and his friend, Jie (Daniel Wu) meet in the busy Shinjuku district of Tokyo and take manual labor jobs to earn money. When Steelhead finds out that Xiu Xiu has married a Japanese yakuza leader named Mr. Eguchi (Masaya Kato), he decides to remain in Japan. When Eguchi was targeted to be murdered, Steelhead saves his life. To consolidate power, Eguchi formes an alliance with Steelhead to carry out his revenge. Soon, Steelhead has become embroiled so deeply in the ways of the yakuza that there is no turning back..

DVD Specs:
Release Date: 2009-07-09
Language: Cantonese, Mandarin
Subtitles: English, Traditional Chinese
Country of Origin: Hong Kong
Picture Format: NTSC
Region Code: 3 - South East Asia (including Hong Kong, S. Korea and Taiwan)
Rating: III
Duration: 120 (mins)
Publisher: Joy Sales (HK)

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Red Cliff 2 Hong Kong Version DVD

The first part was the highest-grossing film shown in China last year, taking more than 300 million yuan across the country and 700 million yuan around the world, and it seems that the second part will do the same or more this year. “Red Cliff 2” which centers on the epic Battle of Red Cliff during China's Three Kingdoms period (220-265) is John Woo’s ambitious epic that has featured impressive battle scenes, including one in which 2,000 ships are burned. The second part movie also has rushed past the 100 million yuan ($14.6 million) threshold in its five-day opening weekend in China only. It was very clearly that this "M:I II" director wanted to make a Chinese-language blockbuster that rivaled the Hollywood productions he worked on. And the Hong Kong native filmmaker obviously succeeded to putting the "epic" in "historical epic" in the second installment of his two-part series based on the famous ancient Chinese battle of the same name. Following a legendary story about a fight between the imperial army and two allied warring states, which won because of their superior military strategy despite being outnumbered. Now, the epic historical film is ready to purchase on the DVD version, so get ready to re-experiencing the "Red Cliff" part 2 with its more battles, more drama, and even more jaw dropping action.The ambitious Prime Minister Cao Cao, by using the Emperor as his puppet, waged war on a kingdom in the west, Xu, ruled by the emperor’s uncle, Liu Bei. Cao Cao’s ultimate goal was to wipe out all the kingdoms and install himself as Emperor to a unified China. Liu Bei sent his military advisor Zhuge Liang as an envoy to the Wu Kingdom in the south, trying to persuade its ruler Sun Quan into joining forces. There he met Wu’s Viceroy Zhou Yu, and the two became friends amidst this uneasy alliance.
Enraged to learn that the two kingdoms have become allies, Cao Cao sent an army of eight hundred thousand soldiers and two thousand ships down south, hoping to kill two birds with one stone. Cao Cao’s army set up camp at Crow Forest, across the Yangtze River from Red Cliff, where the allies were stationed.
With the food supply running short, and the army vastly outnumbered by Cao Cao’s, the allies seemed doomed. Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang had to rely on their combined wisdom to turn the tide of battle. Numerous battles of wits and forces, on land and on water, eventually culminated into the most famous battle in Chinese history, where two thousand ships were burned, and the course of China’s history was changed forever. That was the Battle of Red Cliff.

MOVIE CAFE REVIEW:

While the first part was inclined more on storytelling, launching and interlacing together a colorful cast of characters, in this sequel, it pointing the focus on the final showdown, the epical battle that showed off Woo's mastery of some of the largest and most complex scenes in modern Chinese cinema. The war scenes are as impressive in scale as in detail. It probably the biggest, the longest, and the most extended battle scene you have ever seen in a Chinese movie. One of the most entertaining parts in this film is also seeing some cunning tricks played by both opponents, including the famous 'Borrowing the arrows using the scarecrows', which was one of the main highlight in Three Kingdoms. It also showed the rebel soldiers making bombs by packing explosives into clay urns, and extracting the oil from fish to use as an accelerant.
With facilitate from California-based CGI company, The Orphanage, Woo captures the splendor of the combat sequences best known to Chinese audiences — like the rebels burning the imperial army's fleet and sending in boats staffed with straw dummies to attract a sea of arrows.The only pitfall is that the battle's dazzleness overshadows Woo's characters, executed by strong presentations by Cannes-winning Hong Kong actor Tony Leung Chiu-wai as the rebel leader Zhou Yu; China's Zhang Fengyi as the imperial prime minister Cao Cao; and Japanese-Taiwanese heartthrob Takeshi Kaneshiro as the rebel military strategist Zhuge Liang.
The director also shows a penchant for melodrama when he sends Zhou's wife, played by Taiwanese model Lin Chi-ling, to seduce Cao. But the side plot only serves to bog down the narrative and delay the spectacular climax.

In conclusion, everyone should give Red cliff a try. It is entertaining with the intensity in it. It also quite exceptional, somewhat different from other war films. Those, who had experienced the previous part, absolutely should watch this because you will see Woo’s signature stamped in a lot of action sequences, which were muffled somewhat in the first installment.

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