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With John Wick 5 moving forward at Lionsgate, fans await to see how the next installment in the popular neo-noir action film series plays out after Keanu Reeves' titular character seemingly died in the last sequel. Though franchise director Chad Stahelski admits he and fellow creatives are still tweaking the John Wick sequel's story, he's sharing his vision and inspiration for the anticipated film.

Speaking with SlashFilm, Stahelski delved into his ideas for the next John Wick movie, including his influences and some potential production locations. According to the stuntman-turned-director, Chinese and Japanese cinema elements will be incorporated into John Wick 5, further boosting its neo-noir presentation.

"I will tell you as much as I know, which isn't much. Look, we have an inkling to it ... I can't tell you what John Wick 5 is about because we haven't quite got it all down. We have thoughts, I have a thematic.... You can...

John Wick: Chapter 5 gets a new tease from director Chad Stahelski, who hypes the film's globetrotting story. With each new John Wick movie, the franchise became bigger and more popular, culminating with the fourth film in 2023, which ends with Keanu Reeves' titular assassin seemingly dead and buried. The film left enough clues that Wick could return, however, and it was announced in April that John Wick: Chapter 5 is in development with Stahelski and Reeves both returning.

During a recent interview with SlashFilm, Stahelski shares what influences and cinematic styles he's hoping to incorporate into John Wick: Chapter 5. While the director makes clear that the film is currently short on story specifics, he does reveal that the works of iconic directors from Japan and China will continue to be a major source of inspiration for him moving forward, naming both John Woo and Akira Kurosawa. Global politics permitting,...

Bristol’s leading repertory genre film festival returns for another banner year of explosive action and terrifying monster movies in 2025, with Forbidden Worlds of the Deep; a near week-long celebration of classic and cult films set on, around the ocean.

After all, 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of the genre movie to end all genre movies – Jaws. And what better way to celebrate the legacy of Spielberg’s industry shifting blockbuster than with big-screen bows for some of the all-time greatest Jawsploitation knock-offs. Including schlocky camp creature-feature Alligator and a Saturday night IMAX screening of the new 4K restoration of Dino de Laurentis’s positively mental Orca (preceded by a presentation from The Bad Movie Bible’s Rob Hill).

Also Jaws-adjacent is a couple of sea monster themed curios in the James Earl Jones-starrer Blood Tide (playing late Friday night), and the first ever UK theatrical screening of Daiei...

“An Eye for an Eye 2: Blind Vengeance” is, as the title clearly suggests, the sequel to a film from 2022. The Chinese action superstar Xie Miao played “the blind swordsman”, a fighter named Cheng Xiazi who earns his money as a bounty hunter. He meets a young woman named Yan Ni (Gao Weiman), whose entire family has fallen victim to a brutal attack. Cheng is only reluctantly persuaded to help her with her mission, which is of course revenge. The film lasts 77 minutes and is a flagship product of the bustling Chinese streaming service iQIYI. iQIYI, it seems, produces new films and series practically around the clock. These are now also finding fans in the West. As different as the quality of these products might be – the output of iQIYI alone is impressive.

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Ahead of the game’s release date on March 20th, Assassin’s Creed Shadows is unveiling two new animated shorts exclusively on Crunchyroll News. The animations by Sato Creative transport viewers to a vivid world based in feudal Japan, showcasing principal characters, Yasuke — a samurai based in historical legend — and Naoe, a stealthy and agile shinobi. The shorts give a brief look into the characters’ origin stories as the scene is set for a tale of vengeance, renewed purpose and shared destiny in the backdrop of the Iga Province. Assassin’s Creed Shadows marks more than 17 years of the long-standing Assassin’s Creed franchise. The game promises to give both Yasuke and Naoe equal narrative stake in the game, as well as allow the player the ability to swap between the contrasting play styles of both protagonists. Assassin's Creed Shadows Naoe Animated Short Assassin's Creed Shadows Yasuke Animated Short Creative Director Jérôme Perrillat Collomb,...

Quick Links The Times, They Are A-Changing, Including Theaters Tarantino's Comments From the Ivory Tower

My perception of Quentin Tarantino and his works has always been a love-hate relationship. Films like Pulp Fiction mesmerized me in my youth, and the release of Jackie Brown timed perfectly with my growing interest in exploitation films. Yet the hype and sensation around Kill Bill began to sour me on his work. At that point, I was deeply obsessed with Japanese cinema and was hyped to see great works paid homage on screen. Lady Snowblood, Zatoichi, and Goke: Body Snatcher From Hell were among my favorite features referenced in the movie. However, the discussion around these films was minimal when it came to Kill Bill outside of those in the know.

While some personal reflections may seem like a non-sequitur, Quentin Tarantino's recent comments about the state of the movie industry seem to take a very pro-corporate,...

Japan has a robust and storied history of film, with some of the most influential movies of all time coming from the country. Akira Kurosawa is considered one of the greatest directors of all time, Kurosawa's movies helped pioneer the modern Hollywood blockbuster, with monumental films like Seven Samurai, and Yojimbo, which played a major role in shaping the Hollywood Western, and vice versa. In fact, George Lucas was heavily influenced by Kurosawa's films when making Star Wars, particularly The Hidden Fortress, as they share many similarities.

Japan's cinematic history is incredibly varied, with some of the greatest films fitting into a variety of genres, including samurai stories, family dramas, and horror. Alongside legendary directors, these films also include some of the best acting performances of all time, with some of the best actors in the world. Actors like Hiroyuki Sanada, Setsuko Hara, and Toshirō Mifune have all played significant roles in Japan's film industry,...

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,...

Anime distributor AnimEigo returns to anime's golden age in the 1980s as it announces the Blu-ray home media release on October 8th of Otaku No Video. The anime Ova spoofs the life and culture of otaku as well as the history of Studio Gainax and its creators.

The Inside Story of Anime's Late, Great Anime Studio!

Director Takeshi Mori (Gunsmith Cats) and the anime madmen of Studio Gainax (Neon Genesis Evangelion) gather with their friends for the most explosive club meeting ever! Bolstered by Kenichi Sonoda's (Bubblegum Crisis) charming character designs and the great Kohei Tanaka's (Gunbuster) rousing soundtrack, Otaku no Video bursts onto Blu-ray in stunning 1080p high definition! Featuring the original Japanese language with English subtitles!

The original anime club is back in session!

The year is 1982 – one year into the glorious New Anime Century! Unfortunately, college freshman Ken Kubo has yet to bask in the...

Sometimes, movie studios buy the rights to source materials in the hopes of producing a long and enduring franchise. Other times, it is the star power behind the films that turn them into an exciting cinematic universe. Whatever the reason, only a handful of franchises survive the trial of time. And those who do amass a loyal fanbase, boasting a string of movies that become the benchmark of their respective genres.

However, continuity and creative slump are the sworn enemies of any franchise. Studios often go for the magic number three, with many franchises folding their cards with a trilogy. The fourth entry in a film series is almost always a litmus test for the future of the franchise, both in terms of box office and critical response. There are not enough conversations regarding these films in fandom circles, which is quite a shame, given how much there is to appreciate about them.

From the opening of Yamamoto Satsuo’s first entry in the Shinobi series, Band of Assassins, we’re thrust into a tangled web of battling clans, all vying to be the first to kill bloodthirsty warlord Oda Nobunaga (Wakayama Tomisaburô). Even within individual factions, duplicity reigns supreme, with all the double crosses and dual identities obfuscating and complicating the motives of every virtually every major character. The film tends toward convolution through the flurry of personal and clan names constantly being introduced, but this tactic of disorientation is ultimately a deliberate and effective one that’s very much in line with the tactics deployed by its ninjas.

Among all these embittered and embattled clans is Ishikawa Goemon (Raizo Ichikawa), a highly skilled young ninja looking to quickly rise through the ranks. Like many of the lower-level ninjas and samurai in Band of Assassins, he, too, falls victim to the Machiavellian...

Three years before his career-defining role as Itto Ogami in the six Lone Wolf and Cub films, Wakayama Tomisaburô starred in a trio of films about doctor, bounty hunter, and sometimes shogun assassin Ichibei Shikoro. Where the Lone Wolf and Cub series leaned much harder into the strategies associated with the exploitation filmmaking movement that was booming in Japan during the early 1970s, the “Bounty Hunter” trilogy has both feet firmly planted in the 1960s, drawing influence from James Bond films and spaghetti westerns as well more violent contemporaneous samurai films such as Okamoto Kihachi’s Sword of Doom and Kill!

The influence of the 007 films on Killer’s Mission, from 1969, alone is evident right out of the gate, both in Yagi Masao’s score and our first glimpse of Ichibei preparing his gadgets, including a cane sword and a miniature crossbow, as he readies himself for his mission to prevent an enemy,...

Another of Kitano's masterpiece is also his most commercially successful film, taking $23.7 million in the Japanese box office and $31.1 million worldwide, mainly because of its wide release in the US that reached 55 theaters. Furthermore, Kitano won the Silver Lion for Best Director at the Venice Film Festival and yet again, plenty of awards from all over the world, and finally some from the Japanese Academy, although he was solely mentioned in the editing one, along Yoshinori Ohta.

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The story behind the production is, once again, one of extreme interest. Shortly after Shintaro Katsu's death, who played the main character throughout the Zatoichi franchise, Kitano was approached by the very powerful madam and ex-dancer Saito. She was a close friend of Katsu's, and owned the rights to everything pertaining to Zatoichi. An extremely wealthy woman, the owner of dozens of strip clubs,...

Jedi training is not limited to those who can wield the Force. Anyone can tap into the Force, but it requires discipline and dedication to become a Jedi. The Force is an energy field surrounding all living things, not just Jedi. Natural talent is helpful, but without training and discipline, it means nothing. Sabine Wren's ability to progress in her Jedi training depends on her willingness to open herself up to the Force.

George Lucas explained the rules for the Force over four decades ago, and Star Wars is finally following through. Sabine Wren is undergoing Jedi training in Ahsoka, but she's an unconventional apprentice in that she can't wield the Force. This is merely a road block for the Mandalorian warrior, however, as Star Wars' creator confirmed that one's aptitude for the Force doesn't dictate if they can be a Jedi.

A 1981 conversation transcribed in J.W. Rinzler's The...

There will be spoilers for "Star Wars: Ahsoka" Chapter 3 - Time to Fly

The third episode of "Ahsoka," titled "Time to Fly," begins for Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) with an extended training sequence. At first, she's drilling with the Jedi droid Huyang (David Tennant), but then Ahsoka (Rosario Dawson) arrives and believes she needs something a little more difficult. That's when Ahsoka suggests a training regimen called "Zatochi." 

Huyang is convinced that Sabine is clearly not ready for such an exercise, but Ahsoka is adamant. Ahsoka then puts a blast helmet on Sabine, much like Obi-Wan Kenobi does to Luke Skywalker in "A New Hope," and tells her to stretch out with her feelings and block her blows without being able to see. Just like Huyang thought, Sabine is not very good at this, but she gives it the best she has. But there's more than a "Star Wars...

The Zatoichi series was one of the longest-running in cinema history, and one of the most well-known film franchises from Japan that isn't Godzilla. Depicting the adventures of a blind swordsman/gambler/masseur, the series ran for 25 films between 1962 and 1973, had a television show 100 episodes long that aired between 1974 and 1979, and then concluded in 1989 with a 26th film. That one brought the series to a close in the sense that it was the last to star Shintaro Katsu in the titular role, with the actor passing away in 1997 at the age of 65.

Bruce Lee wanted Japanese action star Shintaro Katsu to star alongside him in one of his films, but it never happened due to Katsu's contractual obligations. Katsu, known for his samurai films, was idolized by Lee for his fast movements and exciting on-screen choreography. Lee believed that a battle between him and Katsu in a film would solidify his position as a superior martial artist and take Fists of Fury to another level.

Bruce Lee wanted another popular martial arts actor to face him in one of his movies, but it never happened. The action star is known for popularizing Kung Fu in Hollywood, and his short career forever revolutionized the film world. Lee had several on-screen battles with famous martial artists over the years, many of whom were his real-world students. However, one of his idols never appeared in a Bruce Lee film, despite the actor's hope that he would one day.

This year's edition of Cannes film festival offered a number of high quality titles from Asia, both in competiton(s) and side bar programmes. One of the most awaited films was Takeshi Kitano's “Kubi” screened in Premiere section, in director's presence. Back to the samurai genre, 20 years after the critically acclaimed “Zatoichi” and with a period piece based on his own historic novel published in 2019, Kitano struggled to bring his characters close to the audience, but stayed faithful to the title by making many heads roll. “Kubi” (which was also the title of his novel) means “neck”, a beloved target of the samurai sword. This is allegedly the last film by “Beat”, if we take his statement before the festival kicked off seriously.

A year after his drama “Broker” brought Palme D'Or for Best Actor to Song Kang-ho, and five after he was awarded Palme D'Or for “Shoplifters”, Hirokazu Koreeda...

A project that’s reportedly been in gestation for 30 years, so long that Akira Kurosawa once expressed huge hopes for its success before he died, Kubi is a labor of love.

Billed in its press materials as “the latest film by Takeshi Kitano” but hopefully not the veteran director’s last, it marks Kitano’s return to the samurai genre for the first time since 2003’s Zatoichi (a.k.a. The Blind Swordsman). The latter did modestly solid business in its day for an international film, and it will be interesting to see if Kitano, practically a national treasure in Japan, still has the same pull across Asian territories as he used to, let alone across the Pacific and beyond.

But regardless of any box-office performance, this challenging, extremely violent, ravishing-looking, intricately plotted adaptation by Kitano of his novel is of interest for its fresh take on a musty genre.

Two Japanese films by internationally renowned auteurs — “Monster” by Koreeda Hirokazu and “Kubi” by Kitano Takeshi — are in the Cannes lineup this year, and both carry with them big box office expectations in Japan.

“Monster,” which is screening in competition, will be released on June 2 by Gaga and Toho, the latter Japan’s largest distributor and theater chain operator. Koreeda’s two previous films — “The Truth” (2019), shot in France, and “Broker” (2022), filmed South Korea — were both box office disappointments in his home market. “Monster,” however, promises a return to the earnings form of his 2018 Palme d’Or winner “Shoplifters,” whose $34 million cumulative total was the fourth-highest among Japanese releases that year.

One reason: The screenplay is by Sakamoto Yuji, a veteran writer of hit TV dramas and films, including the 2021 smash romantic drama “We Made a Beautiful Bouquet.” The story of “Monster,” about a quarrel between elementary school children...

Leading Japanese film studio Kadokawa has picked up all rights to “Kubi,” the upcoming film by Kitano Takeshi which will have its premiere out of competition in Cannes. Kadokawa will handle both the international sales and the Japanese commercial release.

The film depicts the historical ‘Honno-ji Incident’ from 1582, when a key vassal of Oda Nobunaga rose in revolt and caused his master to commit hara-kiri in Kyoto. The reasons for the revolt and whether Akechi Mitsuhide was really the ringleader have been debated ever since.

The film will explore the ambitions, betrayals, and fates of various characters, including warlords, ninjas, traveling performers, and peasants, and brings out the essence of Kitano’s world, including intense violence and dark humor.

Speaking at a press event over the weekend, Kitano explained that “This film is based on my own understanding of what the period and people were like,” and it will definitely...

When "John Wick" dropkicked its way into theaters in 2014, it raised the bar on U.S. action films but didn't quite feel like a total game changer at the time. Keanu Reeves as the sympathetic rogue assassin was undeniably cool and relatable without reaching instant icon status. The gun-fu interplay felt fresh and exciting with clear influences from Hong Kong cinema that most audiences were already at least somewhat familiar with. Director John Woo, for example, imported his unique blend of action and artistry with the shoot 'em up classics "The Killer" and "Hardboiled," introducing international audiences to a rebirth of cool in hitman movies that also had a soul.

Fast forward to "John Wick: Chapter 4." Reeves, director Chad Stahelski and the entire creative and technical teams have taken all of their influences from some of the greatest choreographers and martial artists to truly transcend the action genre. At nearly three hours long,...

After nearly settling down to domestic life with a good woman in 1963’s “New Tale of Zatoichi” by Tozuka Tanaka, our hero Ichi now finds himself dodging bounty hunters and getting stuck between warring Yakuza in “Zatoichi the Fugitive”, the second Zatoichi film of 1963 which is also directed by Tanaka.

Zatoichi finds there is a bounty on his head after fatally wounding a young samurai who attacks him for the reward. Promising to tell the samurai’s mother of his demise, Ichi goes to his village and decides to live there until the upcoming festival that the village is preparing for. He takes up residence in the local inn, whose owner is an ex-Yakuza looking to return to his glory days and whose daughter has fallen for the heir apparent leader of the local Yakuza, who her father is plotting against. Zatoichi finds himself stuck between this...

After the success of the first two installments of what would soon become one of the longest running franchises in Japanese film, the third movie directed by Tokuzo Tanaka finally demonstrated the belief of the producers in the potential of this character and the stories which could be told with Zatoichi in the epicenter. The fact that “New Tale of Zatoichi” is shot in color was one of the many indicators, as author Scott Morse points out in his commentary for the release of the films by Criterion, that Daei had big plans for the character and realized what kind of stories could be told with the blind masseur who had become so popular in so little time, to some extent thanks to the performance by actor Shintaro Katsu.

At the beginning of the film, we find Zatoichi (Shintaro Katsu) on the road again. After the killing...

The success of “The Tale of Zatoichi” was surprising for many, including those at the Daiei Film studio, who wasted no time in green-lighting a fast-tracked follow-up to the film. Sure enough, a mere six months later, “The Tale of Zatoichi Continues” was released. This trend of urgent follow-ups would go on to continue throughout the production of the Zatoichi series, with as many as four films often releasing in a year and several in various stages of production at the same time.

Still remorseful from killing Hirate, the man he thought he could grow to be friends with but regrettably found on the wrong side of the feudal war in the first film, Zatoichi decides to visit his grave to mark a year of the warrior’s passing, a journey that is going to prove a lot easier said than done, for hot on his heels...

During the 1960s and 1970s, the changes in the world with all its social and political upheavals as well as the general feeling of renewal (at least culturally) was reflected in the cinema of that time. While in the USA directors such as Arthur Penn, Francis Ford Coppola and Martin Scorsese made films which were about to change the face of Hollywood, as well as being satirical, sometimes dark comments on their times and Europe saw the rise of such filmmakers as Jean-Luc Godard, Rainer Werner Fassbinder and Francois Truffaut, in Japan the studio system was about to realize its state of stasis. With most of the big companies – Nikkatsu, Toei and Toho (just to name a few) – having to go through a time of economic difficulties and the strong competition from Hollywood movies, these studios had to react in order to stay relevant, not to lose the Japanese audience...

Craig Lines Dec 6, 2017

Christmas and martial arts movies? They rarely crossover. But amazing fights in the snow? Now we're in business...

I love martial arts movies and I love Christmas so I'm kinda sad that the two have never really come together (Kung Fu Panda Holiday doesn't count). I'd hoped to find at least one good example to write about, as we move into the festive period, but I guess since most martial arts films come from Buddhist countries and Christmas is a Christian holiday, I was destined for disappointment.

I did briefly consider making one up with the aid of Photoshop, but wasn't sure I could get away with it so, alas, The 25th Advent Chamber Of Shaolin is not to be. For what it's worth, I'd got as far as an apprentice monk named Ho, fighting his way through 25 'doors' of a giant temple designed to resemble an advent calendar.

By David Kozlowski | 28 July 2017

Welcome to Issue #6 of The Lrm Weekend, a weekly column highlighting cool and unique videos about film, TV, comics, Star Wars, Marvel, DC, animation, and anime. We also want to hear from you, our awesome Lrm community! Share your favorite videos to: @LRM_Weekend and we'll post your Tweets below!

Previous Issues: 7.21.17 | 7.14.17 | 7.7.17 | 6.30.17 | 6.23.17

Hey Lrm Weekenders, we survived San Diego Comic-Con 2017 -- did you have a favorite moment? Thor: Ragnarok's latest trailer was a big hit at Lrm (Hulk speaks!). As July comes to a close, we're ramping up for the big movies and TV shows of the late summer through the holiday season.

This week our emphasis is on Akira Kurosawa, the legendary Japanese filmmaker who's works have inspired generations of directors, screenwriters, and actors. Kurosawa's films have been adpapted and remade dozens of times, and we hope that this week's column gives you...

With a seemingly endless amount of streaming options — not only the titles at our disposal, but services themselves — we’ve taken it upon ourselves to highlight the titles that have recently hit platforms. Every week, one will be able to see the cream of the crop (or perhaps some simply interesting picks) of streaming titles (new and old) across platforms such as Netflix, iTunes, Amazon, and more (note: U.S. only). Check out our rundown for this week’s selections below.

Blow Out (Brian De Palma)

In a career fixated on the machinations of filmmaking presented through both a carnal and political eye, Brian De Palma’s fascinations converged idyllically with Blow Out. In his ode to the conceit of Blow Up — Michelangelo Antonioni’s deeply influential English-language debut, released 15 years prior — as well as the aural intrigue of Francis Ford Coppola’s The Conversation, De Palma constructs a conspiracy...

In this episode of CriterionCast Chronicles, Ryan is joined by David Blakeslee, Scott Nye, and Keith Enright to discuss the Criterion Collection releases for September 2016.

This will be the last episode of Chronicles for 2016.

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Links to Criterion Night Train to Munich (1940) Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman The Story of the Last Chrysanthemum (1939) Cat People (1942) Blood Simple (1984) Dekalog (1988) Valley of the Dolls (1967) Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (1970) Links to Amazon Night Train to Munich Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman The Story of the Last Chrysanthemum Blood Simple Cat People Valley of the Dolls Beyond the Valley of the Dolls Dekalog Episode Credits Ryan Gallagher (Twitter / Website) David Blakeslee (Twitter / Website) Scott Nye (Twitter / Website) Keith Enright (Twitter / Website)...

In this episode of Off The Shelf, Ryan and Brian take a look at the new DVD and Blu-ray releases for the weeks of September 13th and 20th, 2016.

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Episode Notes & Links Links to Amazon

September 13th

Aliens 30th Anniversary Edition The Captive Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe De Palma Dr. Mabuse: The Gambler The Exotic Dances Of Bettie Page The Fits Frankenstein: Complete Legacy Collection Hammer Horror 8-Film Collection The Horrible Dr. Hichcock Jekyll and Hyde Together Again Love Me or Leave Me Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War Metalstorm: The Destruction Of Jared-Syn The Monster of Piedras Blancas Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping Raising Cain Road House Sin The Story of the Last Chrysanthemum Transformers: The Movie The Wolf Man: Complete Legacy Collection Yours, Mine and Ours Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman

September 20th

Beauty and the Beast: 25th Anniversary Edition Beware!

Mark and Aaron are joined by Dave Eves to evaluate the massive Zatoichi serial starring Shintaro Katsu. We explore the character of Zatoichi, and how he’s an unusual type of superhero. We also share tips on the best way to watch the series, whether a little bit at a time or to go on a binge-watch. We evaluate the series as both a piece of art and as pop culture, observing the high and low points.

About the film:

The colossally popular Zatoichi films make up the longest-running action series in Japanese history and created one of the screen’s great heroes: an itinerant blind masseur who also happens to be a lightning-fast swordsman. As this iconic figure, the charismatic and earthy Shintaro Katsu became an instant superstar, lending a larger-than-life presence to the thrilling adventures of a man who lives staunchly by a code of honor and delivers...

Mark and Aaron celebrate the Summer Olympics by exploring Downhill Racer, an independent film about the Winter Olympics. We draw parallels to what is portrayed in the Michael Ritchie with the actual sporting events that take place today, including the thrills of victory and the agony of defeat. We discuss the groundbreaking cinematography, the nature of winning in an individual sport and the the enduring legacy of Sundance that began with this film.

About the film:

Astonishing Alpine location photography and a young Robert Redford in one of his earliest starring roles are just two of the visual splendors of Downhill Racer, the visceral debut feature of Michael Ritchie. In a beautifully understated performance, Redford is David Chappellet, a ruthlessly ambitious skier competing for Olympic gold with an underdog American team in Europe, and Gene Hackman provides tough support as the coach who tries to temper the upstart’s narcissistic drive for glory.

This time on the Newsstand, Ryan is joined by David Blakeslee and Keith Enright to discuss the September line-up from Criterion, a number of the phantom pages that have gone up recently, and a few other pieces of news.

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Topics Criterion Completion Podcast September 2016 Criterion Collection Line-up John Waters’ Multiple Maniacs Tarkovsky Blu-rays from Artificial Eye Phantom Pages Galore Cameraperson Night Train To Munich Night Train to Munich (1940) Night Train to Munich Episode 85 – Carol Reed’s Night Train To Munich June 2010 Criterion Collection New Releases Announced! Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman The November 2013 Criterion Collection Line-up: … The Story of the Last Chrysanthemum The Story of the Last Chrysanthemum (1939) Kenji Mizoguchi – Explore Watch The Story of the Last Chrysanthemum | Hulu The Boland Design Co. Wacky New Years Drawing Hints At The Criterion Collection’s...

The Criterion Collection’s monthly line-ups are never a let-down, but every so often one comes along that truly drops your jaw. That’s the case in the just-announced September slate as we will finally get a restoration of Krzysztof Kieślowski‘s 10-part epic The Decalogue, as well as Coens‘ debut Blood Simple, a Valley of the Dolls double feature, Jacques Tourneur‘s Cat People, The Story of the Last Chrysanthemum by Kenji Mizoguchi, and Carol Reed‘s Night Train to Munich.

Notable bonus features include restorations of A Short Film About Killing and A Short Film About Love in the Kieślowski set, new interviews with the Coens and cast & crew for Blood Simple, Kent Jones‘ documentary Val Lewton: The Man in the Shadows with Cat People, and more. Check out the line-up below and click each for full details.

Note: Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman will also be getting a Blu-ray only release.

What’s your most-anticipated Criterion release of September?...

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A note on Amazon deals, for those curious: sometimes third party sellers will suddenly appear as the main purchasing option on a product page, even though Amazon will sell it directly from themselves for the sale price that we have listed. If the sale price doesn’t show up, click on the “new” options, and look for Amazon’s listing.

I’ll keep this list updated throughout the week, as new deals are found, and others expire. If you find something that’s wrong, a broken link or price difference, feel free to tweet at me.

Deals On Amazon Us

Deal of the Day (8/25): Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman Criterion Collection box set for $97.99 (56% off) Criterion Collection Blu-ray Deals Kino Lorber Studio Classics Sale

Deals On Amazon UK

Two DVDs and Blu-ray for £10 Blu-ray Under £7 The Mizoguchi...

While we have some new titles to look at this week, I want to point out to you that Barnes & Noble is having its 50% off Criterion sale right now and I've already posted a massive article offering a look at several titles I would personally recommend, including The Complete Jacques Tati and Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman as well as a selection of favorites and new 2014 titles to consider... Here's a snippet of that: A Selection of My Absolute Favorites Persona Breathless 8 1/2 Seven Samurai Yojimbo and Sanjuro The Battle of Algiers The Seventh Seal Sweet Smell of Success The Wages of Fear The Night of the Hunter New Recommendations for 2014 2014 offered plenty of new titles to consider from top directors and classics in desperate need of a proper upgrade. Here are a few of my favorites. New David Lynch and David Cronenberg Eraserhead Scanners read my review here New Federico Fellini...

It's that time of year again and it's time to update the list for the second half of 2014 as Barnes & Noble has just kicked off their 50% off Criterion sale and as impossible a task as it is to cut things down to just a few titles, I have done my best to break Criterion's titles down into a few categories. Hopefully those looking for box sets, specific directors or what I think are absolute musts will find this makes things a little bit easier. Let's get to it... First Picks I was given the Zatoichi collection for Christmas last year and being a collection that holds 25 films and another disc full of supplementary material it is the absolute definition of a must buy when it comes to the Criterion Collection. It is, once again, on sale for $112.49, half off the Msrp of $224.99, and worth every penny. I spent the entire year going through it.

I'm not sure what the deal is this week, but there are pretty much no new releases to discuss seriously in terms of purchasing. Thankfully, that opens the door for you to use all that money you've saved up for the Barnes & Noble 50% Off Criterion sale. I posted an article yesterday with a bunch of recommendations, which you can check out here, but here were the top eleven suggestions: Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman Persona Breathless 8 1/2 Seven Samurai Yojimbo and Sanjuro The Battle of Algiers The Seventh Seal Sweet Smell of Success The Wages of Fear The Night of the Hunter The fact you can now get the Zatoichi collection of 25 films for only $112 when it's regularly $224 is a steal. I own this set and have been watching Zatoichi movies since Christmas and have gone through 23 of them so far and still have the special features to watch. So check out those titles,...

Barnes & Noble has just kicked off their 50% off Criterion sale and while it's impossible to suggest titles that will suit everyone looking to beef up their collection at this perfect time of year, I will do my best to offer some suggestions. Let's get to it... My Absolute First Pick I am almost done going through this collection and it was a collection I got for Christmas under these exact circumstances. Typically priced at $224.99, you can now get this amazing set of 25 Zatoichi films for only $112. Box sets, in my opinion, are what sales like this were made for. Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman Next Ten Recommendations It isn't easy so this is a collection of just some of my favorite films (of all-time and within the collection) and a little variety, though pretty much my standard, go to Criterion first picks, especially if you are just starting out. Persona Breathless...

Amazon's Gold Box Deal of the Day is up to 53% Off Select Criterion Collection Titles including Frances Ha, Rififi, Nashville, City Lights, Repo Man, Seconds, and Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman.  Like all gold box deals, it's only good while supplies last or midnight tonight so don't wait.  Here's the link: Gold Box Deal of the Day: Up to 53% Off Select Criterion Collection Titles [Note: Collider earns a small referral fee when our readers purchase something on Amazon through one of our links. The money generated helps pay our staff and keep the site running. Thank you for reading and supporting Collider.]...

This year’s Saturn Award nominations have been announced and include a number of horror movie and TV releases, such as The Conjuring and The Walking Dead:

“Los Angeles – February, 2014 – Alfonso Cuaron’s Gravity and Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug both received 8 nominations as the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films today announced nominations for the 40th Annual Saturn Awards, which will be presented in June.

Other major contenders that packed a real punch were The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Guillermo del Toro’s Pacific Rim, Star Trek into Darkness, The Book Thief, Her, Oz The Great and Powerful and Ron Howard’s Rush. Also making a strong showing was the folk musical fable Inside Llewyn Davis, which proves that the Coen Brothers are a genre onto their own. And Scarlett Johansson was the first Best Supporting Actress to be nominated for her captivating...

Moviefone's Top DVD of the Week

"Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me"

What's It About? The Memphis band Big Star has legions of diehard fans and critical acclaim aplenty, and its influence can be felt across the history of rock 'n' roll. But why did mainstream success elude them? Why did Big Star flame out after only three albums? This doc tries to put the pieces together.

Why We're In: Even fans don't know the whole story about this cult band and its members, so this doc will help them fill in some of the blanks. Chris Bell died in 1978 as an unknown, and the late Alex Chilton was also not a huge fan of talking to the media. "Nothing Can Hurt Me" puts the band into context of the Memphis scene, and it has tons of interviews with everyone left who was involved with the band, rock critics, and...

Remember, it's Black Friday deals week at Amazon right now and I have a full rundown of deals galore right here and while you're looking for deals, Barnes & Noble is still having their 50% off Criterion titles through the end of the month. Take a look at that sale right here, but before you head out check out this week's new titles directly below. There may be a few that catch your eye. Breaking Bad: Final Season and Complete Series With the final season of "Breaking Bad" finally on DVD and Blu-ray perhaps now Netflix will have those final eight episodes available for streaming and I can finish the series. I must say, however, if I was as die hard a fan of this series as some people seem to be, the complete collection is an impressive little curio, at least as far as DVD and Blu-ray sets are concerned.

Before we get underway, once again I'll remind you Barnes & Noble is still offering their 50% off Criterion titles through the end of November! I have included some suggested titles along with links to my reviews, including my just posted review of Charlie Chaplin's City Lights from yesterday. Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman Samurai Trilogy (read my review) America Lost and Found: The Bbs Story Roberto Rossellini's War Trilogy (read my review) John Cassavetes - Five Films (Shadows, Faces, A Woman Under the Influence, The Killing of a Chinese Bookie and Opening Night) City Lights (read my review) Frances Ha Tokyo Story The Uninvited (read my review) La Notte (read my review) Eyes Without a Face (read my review) Seconds (read my review) Autumn Sonata (read my review) Safety Last! (read my review) Repo Man On the Waterfront Brazil Godzilla (read my review) 12 Angry Men Rosemary's Baby The Killing Paths of Glory...

Criterion has announced their February 2014 titles and among them is the lone Wes Anderson film that was previously missing from the collection (edit: aside from Moonrise Kingdom and yes, this is Criterion's first animated film, post laserdisc era), Fantastic Mr. Fox, which was previously released by Fox Searchlight, but is now getting the full Criterion treatment. Here's a look at the features: New digital master, approved by director Wes Anderson, with 5.1 surround DTS-hd Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray Audio commentary featuring Anderson Storyboard animatics for the entire film Footage of the actors voicing their characters, puppet construction, stop-motion setups, and the recording of the score Interviews with cast and crew Puppet animation tests Photo gallery of puppets, props, and sets Animated awards acceptance speeches Audio recording of author Roald Dahl reading the book on which the film is based Gallery of Dahl's original manuscripts Discussion and analysis of the...

Before we get to this week's new releases, it's that time of year again and Barnes & Noble is offering tons of Criterion titles for 50% off! I have included a few suggested titles below and in some cases including links to my reviews. The best deal out there right now is for the 25-film Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman DVD/Blu-ray collection, which has a retail price of $224.99, but is on sale right now for $112.49, which is $87 cheaper than Amazon is selling it for right now. If this is at all of interest to you, click through and get a look at this set and I think you'll begin drooling. Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman Samurai Trilogy (read my review) America Lost and Found: The Bbs Story Roberto Rossellini's War Trilogy (read my review) John Cassavetes - Five Films (Shadows, Faces, A Woman Under the Influence, The Killing of a Chinese Bookie...

Blu-ray & DVD Release Date: Nov. 26, 2013

Price: Blu-ray/DVD Combo $224.95

Studio: Criterion

Shintaro Katsu relies on his blade in 1963's Zatoichi on the Road.

The colossally popular Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman action-adventure films make up the longest-running action series in Japanese history and created one of the screen’s great heroes: an itinerant blind masseur who also happens to be a lightning-fast swordsman.

As this iconic figure, the charismatic and earthy Shintaro Katsu became an instant superstar, lending a larger-than-life presence to the thrilling adventures of a man who lives staunchly by a code of honor and delivers justice in every town and village he enters.

The films that feature him are variously pulse-pounding, hilarious, stirring, and completely off-the-wall.

This deluxe set features the string of 25 Zatoichi films made between 1962 and 1973, collected in one package for the first time.

Here’s a list of the films in the collection:

The Tale Of Zatoichi...

Paul Pope, Bill Sienkiewicz and Yuko Shimizu have provided artwork for a new Zatoichi box set.

Criterion has gathered 25 top artists to illustrate its 27-disc Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman DVD/Blu-ray collection.

Samuel Hiti, Greg Ruth, Scott Morse, Josh Cochran, Evan Bryce, Ricardo Venâncio, Robert Goodin, Jorge Coelho, Vera Brosgol, Matt Kindt, Connor Willumsen, Patrick Leger, Jim Rugg, Jhomar Soriano, Angie Wang, Ming Doyle, Caitlin Kuhwald, Benjamin Marra, Andrew MacLean, Polly Guo, Barnaby Ward and Victor Kerlow also provided illustrations.

The mysterious blind swordmaster first debuted on film in 1962. The box set collects the 25 films that were made in the period running up to 1973, collecting them in one place for the first time.

The character also featured in a four-season television series.

Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman will be released on November 26.

It’s the start of another week, so you know what that means: yet more DVD and Blu-ray releases hit the high street, ready and waiting to swallow up all your hard-earned cash – if you have any left after the holiday season that is! So here’s the rundown of what’s available to buy from today, January 9th 2012.

Pick Of The Week

Witchville (DVD)

Prince Malachi (Luke Goss) is forced to take on the role of King after his father dies suddenly. He returns to a land that has been overthrown by a coven of witches lead by the Red Queen (Sarah Douglas). In order to save his kingdom he must fight their darkness and bring them to defeat.

And the rest…

Troll Hunter (DVD/Blu-ray)

Whilst investigating a series of suspicious bear killings, a group of students track a mysterious ‘hunter’ who wants nothing to do with them...