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One of the most unique action movies, probably ever, is now available to stream on Prime Video. Helmed by and starring legendary Japanese filmmaker Takeshi Kitano (you’ll no doubt recognize him from his role in 2000’s Battle Royale and for hosting the hit gameshow Takeshi's Castle), Broken Rage was released last year, and follows Kitano as an aging hitman who is offered one last job in exchange for his freedom from a life of violence. While this may not sound all that different from the myriad of other action thrillers, Broken Rage comes with a twist. And what a twist it is.

Directed, written, and led by Takeshi Kitano, Broken Rage tells the same story twice. First, as a brutal and bloody action thriller...and then again as a comedic parody. See, it really is quite the twisted approach to the age-old story of an aged action hero. Broken Rage stars Tadanobu Asano,...

Prime Video has announced that the Japanese Original film Broken Rage will launch on February 13, exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.

Directed, written by, and starring the legendary filmmaker Takeshi Kitano, who continues to receive worldwide acclaim, Broken Rage is based on his concept of exploring “comedy within a violent film.”

This hour-long film is divided into two parts. The first half depicts a hard-boiled crime action where a hitman, caught between the police and the yakuza, struggles to survive. The second half ingeniously retells the same story using self-parody techniques, presenting it in a comedic style.

This work, which director Kitano himself described as an experimental endeavor, was selected for the Out of Competition section at the Venice International Film Festival 2024. It marks the first Japanese film produced for streaming to be officially selected for the prestigious international film festival.

Tadanobu Asano, who starred...

Takeshi Kitano’s new film, Broken Rage, will be available on Prime Video on February 13 worldwide. This streaming-only film is the first Japanese movie officially chosen for the Venice Film Festival. It will be shown outside the game at a major event in 2024.

Kitano, a well-known Japanese film director, stars in and directs the movie. Kitano is known for his creative storytelling, and in Broken Rage, he takes a bold approach by mixing two different styles in the story. The first half is a gritty crime thriller about a hitman in a deadly conflict between the cops and the yakuza. The second half reimagines the same story through a comedic lens, using self-parody to shift the film’s tone.

Kitano described his project as an experiment to see if there can be comedy in a violent film.

Tadanobu Asano, who won the Golden Globe for Best Actor, stars in the film.

The film is based on the notorious “Inaba Case” an actual turn of events that occurred in Hokkaido in 2002, and was called the biggest scandal in Japan’s police history. The perpetrator, Yoshiaki Inaba wrote a book about the case after spending 9 years in prison, with the script following the novel.

The story starts in 1970s Hokkaido where Moroboshi, an unemployed Judo champion is hired by the local police department to help them win the national judo championship. Starting in his new job without knowing the ropes at all, Moboroshi soon becomes an object for mocking and bullying, until a senior colleague named Murai, decides to make him his protégé. Murai however, has ties with the local Yakuza, who help him by giving him tips for other criminal organizations, and is actually a brute, who spends his time drinking and womanizing in hostess clubs. Moboroshi follows his advice of finding...

The first details of Takeshi Kitano’s secretive project Broken Rage have been revealed ahead of its world premiere at the 81st Venice Film Festival.

It has emerged that the latest feature by the veteran Japanese actor and filmmaker is the project that Amazon MGM Studios announced it was producing in June. It means that Broken Rage is the first first Japanese film produced for streaming to be officially selected for Venice and will premiere at the festival on September 6. The feature will stream exclusively on Prime Video in 2025.

When first announced as part of the Venice line-up, no plot details or cast were revealed,...

113rd directorial credit for Takashi Miike (he actually already has two more after this), “Lumberjack the Monster” is based on the homonymous 2019 Mayusuke Kurai novel, was released widely in Japan December 1, and is now available on Netflix.

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The rather labyrinthic story unfolds as such. The initial scene shows a raid inside the house of a woman, who turns out she was doing experiments on children she had abducted. Before she is arrested, she kills herself in front of her latest ‘specimen'. The next scene introduce us to lawyer Akira Ninomiya, who is soon revealed to be a psychopath killer, a capacity that grows more intense as the movie unfolds. His only friend, if someone can deem him so, is Dr Kuro Sugitani, another psychopath who acknowledges both himself as one and Ninomiya, and is actually a champion of the complete...

"If he's trying to murder me, I'll kill him first." Another official trailer is available to watch for this kooky and crazy Japanese horror film called Lumberjack the Monster, based on the novel of the same name. A suspenseful thriller directed by Takashi Miike and starring Kazuya Kamenashi. The brutal film is about a series of bizarre murders by someone wearing a strange monster mask found in the picture book 'Monster Woodcutter' who then steals their brains. Akira heads out to get revenge on this Lumberjack killer. The plot follows this Patrick Bateman-like psychopath lawyer (who also kills) going up against this vicious masked murderer - pitting a psychopath against a serial killer in a totally bonkers new Takashi Miike creation. Only someone like Miike could make something so absurd! Lumberjack the Monster stars Kazuya Kamenashi as Akira Ninomiya, Nanao, Riho Yoshioka, Shota Sometani, and Shido Nakamura. The film already opened in Japan last December,...

Japanese filmmaker Takashi Miike has over 115 directing credits to his name, and it has only taken him 33 years to reach that impressive number. One of his latest credits came on a blood-soaked horror thriller called Lumberjack the Monster, and the folks at Rue Morgue have confirmed that Lumberjack the Monster is going to be available to watch on the Netflix streaming service as of June 1st.

Before the film reaches Netflix, New York City’s Japan Society (located at 333 East 47th Street) will be hosting its the North American premiere screening on Monday, May 6 at 8pm. Rue Morgue notes, “There will also be a pre-screening reception at 7pm with beverages donated by Sapporo-Stone Brewing and Brooklyn Kura. The screening is being presented in conjunction with the Tribeca Film Festival, as part of its Escape from Tribeca program.”

Lumberjack the Monster is based on a novel by Mayusuke Kurai and stars Kazuya Kamenashi,...

Prolific genre filmmaker Takashi Miike (Audition, Ichi the Killer) is back with Lumberjack the Monster, an adaptation of Kaibutsu no Kikori by Mayusuke Kurai. And it’s heading to Netflix this summer.

It’s going to be battle to the death between a serial killer and a psychopath.

Lumberjack the Monster will make its North American premiere on May 6 at the Japan Society, in partnership with Tribeca Festival’s Escape from Tribeca, ahead of its Netflix debut on June 1, 2024.

In the film, “Akira Ninomiya (Kamenashi) is a remorseless lawyer who doesn’t hesitate to eliminate anyone who stands in his way. One night he is brutally attacked by an unknown assailant wearing a monster mask. Although he miraculously survives the assault, Ninomiya becomes fixated on finding the attacker and getting revenge. Meanwhile, a series of gruesome murders occur where the victims are found with their brains removed from their bodies.

When a Ping Pong anime series was first announced in early 2014, I had to ask: Why? Taiyo Matsumoto’s manga had already been adapted to film back in 2002. Directed by first-timer Fumihiko Sori with a script by rising star Kankuro Kudo, the film launched the career of actor Shido Nakamura. It even came with songs by Supercar and Boom Boom Satellites. I couldn’t imagine anything better than that. When I learned Masaaki Yuasa was directing the series, I became even more curious – and confused. Yuasa was one of my all-time favorite anime directors (and still is.) His 2007 science fiction series Kaiba changed my vision of what TV anime could be. He would have been a great fit to adapt Yuasa’s epic No. 5 . Instead he was hired to go back over old ground. I didn’t understand why at the time. Now I recognize that of all Matsumoto’s comics,...

Villains like Colt, Tanaka, and Frank challenge heroes with their formidable combat skills and menacing personalities in iconic martial arts films. Characters like Ko Chun, The Beast, and Scorpion showcase unmatched power and skill, testing the mettle of renowned action heroes in thrilling battles. From Han in Enter the Dragon to Madam Yeung in Iron Angels, powerful antagonists elevate martial arts cinema with intense fights and captivating intensity.

Martial arts movies are famous for their stunning fight sequences, usually showing the hero easily overcoming the villain. However, there are instances where the villain's power poses a significant challenge for the hero. Throughout the history of the genre, iconic films have featured villains whose martial arts abilities and intimidating presence have pushed the protagonist to their limits. From the ruthless crime lord Han in the best martials arts movie Enter the Dragon to the vicious Madam Yeung in Iron Angels, these...

The 17th annual Asian Film Awards (Afa) announced the winners and special award recipients at a ceremony held at the West Kowloon Cultural District's Xiqu Centre in Hong Kong on March 10, 2024. Sixteen competitive prizes and six honorary prizes were given out.

A total of thirty-five films from 24 countries and regions were nominated for 16 prizes at the 17th Afa. From Japan, Ryusuke Hamaguchi 's Evil Does Not Exist received the Best Film Award and Best Original Music (Eiko Ishibashi), marking the second year in a row that Hamaguchi and Ishibashi have received Afa Awards; and Hirokazu Kore-eda won the Best Director Award with Monster, following last year's wins with his Korean film Broker. Koji Yakusho won the Best Actor Award for Perfect Days, his second such Afa Award following his win at the 13th Afa in 2019 for The Blood of Wolves. Perfect Days won the Best Director Award at the Japan...

‘Snow Leopard’, ‘Paradise’, ‘The Goldfinger’ and ‘Godzilla Minus One’ also land multiple nods.

South Korean box office hit 12.12: The Day and Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s Evil Does Not Exist lead the nominations for the 17th Asian Film Awards, with six nods each including best film.

Also up for best film is Prasanna Vithanage’s Paradise from Sri Lanka-India, Wim Wenders Perfect Days from Japan and Chinese feature Snow Leopard by the late Pema Tseden.

Scroll down for full list of nominations

The winners will be announced at a ceremony in Hong Kong on March 10 and will be decided by a...

"What really happened doesn't matter. You will defend our school." Well Go USA has revealed the official US trailer for an acclaimed Japanese film titled Monster, the latest film from prolific Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda. Set to open in art house theaters this Nov/Dec. Koreeda already won Palme d'Or a few years ago for Shoplifters, and debuted his Korean film Broker in Cannes last year, returning to Cannes this year for this premiere. A mother demands answers from teacher when her son begins acting strangely. The film has a score by the late Ryuichi Sakamoto. The cast includes the talented Sakura Ando, Eita Nagayama, and Yuko Tanaka, who overwhelm the audience with their transformative performances, and rising stars Souya Kurokawa and Yota Hiiragi, who play the two boys with freshness and emotion, as well as Mitsuki Takahata, Akihiro Tsunoda, Shidou Nakamura. The Rashomon-esque story follows a boy at school,...

The Village is a Japanese film starring Ryusei Yokohama, Haru Kuroki, and Arata Furuta and directed by Michihito Fujii. The movie takes us on a journey between fantasy and reality in a Japanese village that has become a dumpsite. This film blends ancient tradition with the harsh reality of modern times, making it very relevant.

About the Movie

The film constantly seeks the truth, which is commendable. It is a different kind of movie on Netflix, as it is full of realism and delves into a pressing issue of contemporary society: waste management and the social problems it brings. It is a good starting point, and after an excellent opening sequence about Kabuki theater, the film continues to maintain our interest by presenting a well-told story that finds its own rhythm. With a lot of personality and a strong message, the film develops and reaches a level of maturity.

This movie will have its audience,...

"Psychopath vs. Serial Killer!" Warner Bros Japan has revealed the first look teaser trailer for a brand new Takashi Miike film, a surprise new production called Lumberjack the Monster, based on the novel of the same name. It's set for release in December in Japan, though we still don't know when it'll show up in the US - likely sometime in early 2024. "A suspenseful thriller directed by Takashi Miike and lead starring Kazuya Kamenashi." The brutal horror film involves a series of bizarre murders by someone in a monster mask from the picture book ‘Monster Woodcutter’ who then steals their brains. The plot features a Patrick Bateman-like psychopath lawyer who goes up against this masked murderer - pitting psychopath against killer in this totally bonkers new Miike creation. Only someone like him could make this! Lumberjack the Monster stars Kazuya Kamenashi, Nanao, Riho Yoshioka, Shota Sometani, and Shido Nakamura. This is teaser is only 40 secs,...

The ever-prolific Takashi Miike is back this year, following his Disney+ series Connect last winter. Based on a novel “Kaibutsu no Kikori” by Mayusuke Kurai, the Japanese director’s latest feature is Lumberjack the Monster, a serial killer vs. psychopath thriller that will arrive in his native country this December and is awaiting a U.S. release. Starring Kazuya Kamenashi, Nanao, Riho Yoshioka, Shota Sometani, and Shido Nakamura, the first teaser and set of posters have arrived.

Here’s the synopsis: “Akira Ninomiya (Kamenashi) is a remorseless lawyer who doesn’t hesitate to eliminate anyone who stands in his way. One night he is brutally attacked by an unknown assailant wearing a “monster mask.” Although he miraculously survives the assault, Ninomiya becomes fixated on finding the attacker and getting revenge. Meanwhile, a series of gruesome murder occur where the victims are found with their brains removed from their bodies. While police conduct an intensive investigation,...

Prolific genre filmmaker Takashi Miike (Audition, Ichi the Killer) is back with Lumberjack the Monster, an adaptation of Kaibutsu no Kikori by Mayusuke Kurai. A brand new Japanese teaser trailer highlights the violence in store when a serial killer crosses paths with a psychopath.

The trailer introduces a Patrick Bateman-like psycho and a masked killer that may prove even more bloodthirsty, teasing a hyper-violent grudge match for the ages. The film’s official site explains, “A series of bizarre murders in which people wear a monster mask from the picture book ‘Monster Woodcutter’ and steal their brains with an axe.” The teaser also touts Miike’s feature as “insanely suspenseful.”

Whoever loses, all signs point to audiences winning. Miike always delivers on the unexpected and never shies away from pushing boundaries when it comes to violence or taboos.

Lumberjack the Monster is slated for theatrical release in Japan on December...

In the early ’90s, Japan’s Takeshi “Beat” Kitano was on a roll, with a superb string of nuanced crime movies that stood in stark contrast to the good-vs.-evil bullet operas that were coming out of Hong Kong at the time. Kitano’s darkly funny cynicism (who else could have made Violent Cop?) made him stand out by miles, but it soon became his weakness, as became evident in the lean period after the success of Zatoichi in 2013. The experimental, semi-autobiographical trilogy that followed — Takeshis’, Glory to the Filmmaker and Achilles and the Tortoise — seemed to offer little more than self-sabotage, the work of a frustrated artist trying to take a blowtorch to his populist image without much thought for the future.

The collateral damage was his international reputation, which took a hit to the extent that his next trilogy, the Outrage series, generally was received as the half-hearted work of a bored auteur.

Kadokawa has revealed the first look teaser for a movie called Kubi, a historical epic from iconic Japanese actor Beat Takeshi. This will be premiering at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival later this month in the Cannes Premiere section. This film was conceived by director Takeshi Kitano around the same time as Sonatine, one of his early masterpieces, and has been in the works for 30 years. It depicts the "Honnoji Incident" along with the ambitions, betrayals, and fates of various characters, including warlords, ninja, comedians, and peasants. The ambitious new film has assembled a splendid and unique cast! Takeshi plays Hideyoshi Hashiba, who plots the "Honnoji Incident," and Hidetoshi Nishijima plays Mitsuhide Akechi. Ryo Kase gives a dubious performance as the mad genius Nobunaga Oda, while Tadanobu Asano and Nao Omori play the military strategist Kanpei Kuroda, who supports Hideyoshi, and his brother Hidenaga Hashiba with a great sense of humor.

Toho in Japan has revealed a full-length official trailer for Monster, the latest film from prolific Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda. He already won Palme d'Or a few years ago for Shoplifters, and premiered his Korean film Broker in Cannes last year, and is back at the festival again. This trailer dropped moments after the film was announced as a major premiere at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, playing again in the competition. The story spun by Hirokazu Kore-eda this time is colored by the world-class music of Ryuichi Sakamoto (who sadly passed away recently). The film's cast features the talented Sakura Ando, Eita Nagayama, and Yuko Tanaka, who overwhelm the audience with their transformative performances, and rising stars Souya Kurokawa and Yota Hiiragi, who play the two boys with freshness and emotion, as well as Mitsuki Takahata, Akihiro Tsunoda, Shidou Nakamura. The Rashomon-esque story follows a boy at school, examining who...

Legendary Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto has signed on to write the music for Palme d’Or-winning director Hirokazu Kore-eda’s forthcoming feature film Monster (Kaibutsu), Tokyo-based production company Gaga Corporation revealed Thursday.

Sakamoto will provide newly written compositions as well as some of his pre-existing music for the film, producers say. A musical polymath, Sakamoto made his film debut with the iconic score for Nagisa Oshima’s Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983), starring David Bowie. He later won an Oscar with his music for Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Last Emperor (1987) and a Golden Globe nomination for his compositions for Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s The Revenant (2015). The partnership with Kore-eda marks his first work on a high-profile Japanese title in some time.

Monster is also Kore-eda’s first Japanese film since he won the Cannes Palme d’Or in 2018 with Shoplifters. It follows the director’s French film The Truth, which opened...

The official website for the upcoming film recently updated with a poster featuring the three main characters, also revealing its official title “Death Note Light up the New world”.

The sequel film is set 10 years after the first two live-action films, focusing on a battle for the new six different death notes fall to the human world. Shinsuke Sato (Gantz, Library Wars) will direct the screenplay by Katsunari Mano (Aibou TV drama series). Warner Brothers Japan will distribute it from October 29, 2016.

The poster features Tsukuru Mishima (Masahiro Higashide, center), Yugi Shion (Masaki Suda, left), and Ryuzaki (Sousuke Ikematsu, right). It contains the text, “A decade after that incident … Six new Death Notes have been scattered.”

In the new film’s story, a highly advanced information society is beset by global cyber-terrorism in 2016. New charismatic figures, who “inherited the DNA” of Light and the detective L , emerge. The successors of the...

First Pond Entertainment has acquired North American distribution rights to "Tenshin," a biopic on the life of Japanese artist Okakura "Tenshin" Kakuzo. Also following the announcement is the release of the first exclusive poster for the film, featuring a painterly vision of the legendary artist.  Read More: Meet the 2013 SXSW Filmmakers #15: Junya Sakino Explores Social Issues Through Comedy in Sake-Bomb  "Tenshin" follows Kakuzo as he works to establish himself as a revolutionary voice in the Japanese art world. Starring Shido Nakamura and Naoto Takenaka, the film promises a close consideration of the life of a great artist whose modern artistic flourishes continue to inform Japanese art.  First Pond Entertainment recently released "Man From Reno," "Sake-Bomb" and "Patang." They will release "Tenshin" this winter. See the elegant poster above.  Read More: Laff Review: Pepe Serna is a...

Moviefone's Blu-ray of the Week "Cloud Atlas" What's it about? Cloud Atlas delves into how the consequences of one's actions can travel farther than we know – through time and space, impacting lives even in the distant future. Why we're In: Aside from its its all-star cast and dynamic action, Cloud Atlas has a plot that will put your brain through the wringer. Moviefone's New Release of the Week "Back to 1942" What's it about? Starring Adrian Brody, this film portrays the Henan Province famine of 1942 against the backdrop of a war-torn China at a time when the country was partially occupied by Japan. Why we're In: Filmmaker Feng Xiaogang is considered to be one of the greats, which is enough to get our attention, but Best Actor Oscar Award winner Adrian Brody gives this dark epic extra appeal. New on DVD & Blu-ray "Frankie Go Boom" What's it about? A promisingly hilarious...

Monterey Media has acquired all U.S. rights to “Leonie,” from director Hisako Matsui. The company plans a winter theatrical release. Emily Mortimer, Christina Hendricks and Shidô Nakamura star in the real-life-based story of journalist-educator Leonie Gilmour and Japanese poet Yone Noguchi, who fall in love and bear a son who becomes famous artist and architect Isamu Noguchi. The film began a festival run in 2010. Read More: Monterey Media To Release "I Kissed a Vampire" iTunes Web Series Theatrically Matsui, who adapted the screenplay with David Wiener from Masayo Duus’ biography, produced the movie with Ashok Amritraj, Masao Nagai, Yuuki Itoh, Patrick Aiello, Joyce Jun, Shuichi Fukatsu and Manu Gargi. ICM Partners, which reps Mortimer, negotiated the deal on behalf of the filmmakers. Monterey recently released “Road to Nowhere” and “Take Me Home.” “Bringing Up Bobby” comes out later...

Essential Eastwood: Director's Collection was just released in a four-disc DVD and Blu-ray set on June 1 and we just have to celebrate this collection with some of the best films directed by the legendary Clint Eastwood. We have a new contest running and we're giving away copies of this new Bd set to our readers. You know these high-def sets will go fast, so be sure to enter this contest today.

Winners Receive:

Essential Eastwood: Director's Collection four-disc Blu-ray set

to win this brand new Blu-ray set today.

Letters From Iwo Jima Japanese soldiers defend the Pacific island against invading Americans during World War II. General Kuribayashi (Ken Watanabe) and his men transform what might have been swift defeat into nearly 40 days of resourceful combat.

Million Dollar Baby "I don't train girls," boxing manager Frankie Dunn growls. But one wins his respect and earns her shot at success in a...

Earlier today, it was announced that Nichirin no Isan, a 1993 novel by Naoki Award-winner Jiro Sato (58) will be made into a film starring Masato Sakai (36).

The novel, which has sold over 500,000 copies to date, revolves around a top secret mission to hide Japanese treasures currently valued at a staggering 200 trillion yen near the conclusion of World War II. Sakai will play Major Mashiba, an intelligence officer with Japan’s Imperial Guard. Together with First Lieutenant Koizumi (Seiji Fukushi) and Master Sergeant Mochizuki (Shido Nakamura), Mashiba attempts to execute secret orders to hide these valuable treasures from the occupying forces of Douglas MacArthur in the hopes of funding the nation’s reconstruction at some point in the future.

Out of necessity, 20 young girls are enlisted to help with the mission without being informed of the details. Yusuke Santamaria (39) will play the girls’ teacher and Kaoru Yachigusa (79) will play one of the girls in the present day.

Chicago – When moviegoers think of John Woo, the first image that comes to mind isn’t legions of ancient armies fighting each other with bows and arrows, but rather two men holding each other at gunpoint (as in his 1992 classic “Hard-Boiled”). His best action set-pieces are the most intimate, with gunplay and bloodshed taking on an almost balletic grandeur.

Yet at age 61, Woo was clearly ready to venture out into new terrain, and tackle a project he had been dreaming up for nearly two decades, based on Guanzhong Luo’s 14th century historical novel, “Romance of the Three Kingdoms.” It’s reportedly the most expensive film ever made in China, and certainly one of the most audacious. Unfortunately, like many epic films aiming to reach an international audience, the picture has been butchered for mass consumption.

Blu-Ray Rating: 2.5/5.0

“Red Cliff” was originally a five-hour epic released theatrically in two parts...

Emily Mortimer was terrified she'd jeopardised her pregnancy after dining on raw chicken in Japan - to impress her colleagues.

The British actress and her husband Alessandro Nivola welcomed daughter May last month - but Mortimer feared she'd harmed the baby during her pregnancy after a particularly traumatic evening in a Japanese restaurant.

Mortimer was so desperate to impress her Leonie co-star Shido Nakamura and the film's director and producer, she gulped down what was put in front of her.

She recalls, "I was trying so hard to be charming and have them think I was cool, and they were all so impressed by me because I ate some sort of weird Japanese spinach."

The star then opted to try a piece of sushi: "I took a bite and it was raw chicken! I kid you not. It was raw chicken dipped in raw egg, which was apparently some delicacy. And the weirdest thing, instead of stopping there I kept eating it. Then I got home and cried on the phone to Alessandro, 'I've killed our baby!'"...

It’s 2010, and while there will be plenty of great anime in the coming weeks and months, AniMania is starting the new year with something a little different by taking a look at the live action sword drama, “Ichi”.

“Ichi” is the latest in the long line of works to draw on the Zatoichi blind swordsman mythos, but with a twist. Ichi, the title character, is a beautiful swords-woman, who travels from village to village in search of the only man to ever show her kindness. Along the way, she meets Toma, who at first comes across as a hopeless bungler, dependent on Ichi to get him out of one sticky situation after another. But as time goes on, we learn that he is hiding a tragic past. There just might be more to this clumsy, would-be samurai than his humorous antics let on.

Live action is nothing new, of course.

For those who are interested in such things, John Woo’s martial arts epic “Red Cliff” (formerly “The Battle of Red Cliff”) opened in limited release in the States yesterday. Granted, the perfect timing for this post would have been yesterday, but hey, better late than never, right? In case you were still wondering what the movie is about, or if you should go see it, here’s a question: Do you like epic battle scenes? If the answer is Yes, then you should go see it. The film is a bit long, even at its current edited length of 2 hrs. 28 minutes. Trust me, that’s about 1 hour and 30 minutes shorter than the original Asian version, which clocked in at over 4 hours. Check out some battle scene clips from the movie below. Also added, the English trailer. The film stars Tony Leung, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Zhang Fengyi, Chang Chen, Shido Nakamura,...

Freshly off a screening of Fumihiko Sori’s Ichi - a partial re-envisioning, partial continuation of the classic Zatoichi saga - I feel quite confident about two things.

First, though he now has only three feature films to his credit Sori is arguably Japan’s most wildly diverse director. Thus far he has made a charming indie comedy (Ping Pong), an animated scifi spectacle (Vexille), and now a traditional swordplay drama. All are impeccably crafted and all vary so wildly in style and approach that you’d never guess that the same man directed all three if not for his name in the credits.

Second, if there is any man on the surface of this planet with a fighting chance to out-do Riki Takeuchi in the crazy-face department then that man must surely be Shidou Nakamura. Yes, both are in this film and, yes, both break out the crazy-face on a regular basis.

Who wants a movie with Tadanobu Asano having a guitar battle with space aliens to reclaim the drum kit that is the source of his power? I do! I do! Throw in the fact that the piece was directed by Asano himself - just the second directorial effort from the international star - and written by Shinji Aoyama and I’m sold well before I even get to the other people involved in R246 Story. That the other contributors include the likes of Shido Nakamura is purely a bonus in my books. We’ve been tracking this one for a while and now we’ve got a full theatrical trailer to go along with the two earlier teasers. Tasty. Check them below the break.

COLOGNE, Germany -- Leading German indie distributor Constantin Film had a productive Berlin, snapping up German rights to several big titles at Berlin's European Film Market, including John Woo's hotly anticipated actioner "Red Cliff".

Constantin picked up the $75 million film, which chronicles the epic battle between three Chinese kingdoms in 208 B.C. from Summit Entertainment. "Red Cliff", which features Takeshi Kaneshiro ("House of Flying Daggers"), Chen Chang ("Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon") and Shido Nakamura ("Fearless") is still looking for a U.S. buyer.

Also on Constantin's Berlin shopping list was Richard Kelly's "The Box", a horror thriller starring James Marsden and Cameron Diaz, which the Munich-based distributor acquired from the Weinstein Co.

Based on a short story by Richard Matheson, "The Box" revolves around a suburban couple, Marsden and Diaz, who receive a mysterious, magical box. If they press the button on the box, they will receive $1 million, but in the same instance someone they do not know will die. Warner Bros. is releasing "The Box" domestically.

Constantin also picked up Virtual Studios' "Bangkok Dangerous", an action thriller starring Nicolas Cage as a professional assassin, which Lionsgate is releasing stateside.