Stranded in the Jungle

Die, Danger, Die, Die, Kill! was stranded in the jungle for the month of May. Enjoy Todd's reviews of jungle adventure movies, including a lot of South Asian films and guys dressed up as gorillas.

NYAFF 2010

The New York Asian Film Festival is coming up and actors Sammo Hung and Simon Yam will be in attending their films Kung Fu Chefs, Bodyguards and Assassins, Echoes of the Rainbow and Eastern Condors. But even if you can't make it, it's worth checking out the films and trailers for the Hong Kong/China and Korea/Thailand/Indonesia line-ups. Yes, Merantau will be playing. Plus, giant killer pig!

Asian Western Round Up

This month we're mixing it up at the Gutter with each editor writing about something outside their usual domain. This week Carol Borden writes about movies. She can normally be found here.

The world is clamoring for more Asian Westerns. Or at least I am.  I'm talking Thai, Chinese, Japanese and Korean Westerns.

They seem like the best ones around. So saddle up and let's ride.

Continue reading...

Interview with Tony Jaa

Tony Jaa talks about his dharma martial art Nattayut, working with elephants, filming during a territorial dispute and his post-Ong Bak 3 future, including Donnie Yen.  (via Wise Kwai)

Ong Bak 3 Trailer

There's a teaser out for Ong-Bak 3 and it's chock full of "Holy Shit!" (Including the Ong Bak Buddha statue, but I really don't think that's what'll make you say, "Holy Shit!")

Nak Prok's Shadow

Wise Kwai reviews, Shadow of the Naga / Nak Prok, and talks a little about the film's legal problems and the fear of a Buddhist backlash.

Monks with Guns

There are no bulletproof monks in Nak Prok/Shadow of the Naga. In fact there are some remarkably violent novices who've hidden stolen money in a monastery and have to get it out again. Wise Kwai has the trailer and a discussion of Nak Prok and the new Thai ratings system.

13: Game of Death

A down on his luck salesman gets a mysterious phone call promising him 100 million baht if he undertakes 13 tasks that go increasingly bad. No fun to live, but really good as a film.

Phobia 2 Trailer

Hey, Phobia 2, what's with the "scare quotes?"

More Real Fight: Raging Phoenix starring Jija Yanin

Jija kicks organ-stealing gangster ass with hip  hop and drunken Muay Thai. It's Raging Phoenix with Jija Yanin, B-Boys Thai, Kazu and champion bodybuilder Roongtawan. (via Wise Kwai)

"Asian movies are dead in America and no one cares."

"If the post-"Crouching Tiger" boom in Asian cinema was an irrational, Dutch-tulip-style bubble, then the virtual disappearance of Asian films from American screens is an equally irrational overcorrection." Andrew O'Herir interviews Grady Hendrix (NYAFF and formerly Kaiju Shakedown), Keith Allison (Teleport City) and Todd Stadtman (4DK) about corrections, industry incompetence and piracy.

3 Trailers from Twitch

It's Twitch round-up time. Supporting martial artists Mike B. and Russell Wong take the lead kneeing and kicking people in the chest in Thanapon Maliwan's The Sanctuary. Lee Byung-Hun, Kimura Takeya and Josh Hartnett go to Hong Kong and walk the line between the police and organized crime in Tran Anh Hung's I Come with the Rain. Matsuyama Kenichi show his ninjitsu in Sai Yoichi's live-action adaptation of Kamui. (What the hell, here's another trailer for Johnnie To's Vengeance).

Kaiju Shakedown Goes Down Again

Like King Ghidorah, Kaiju Shakedown has succumbed to market forces. Again. Hopefully like King Ghidorah, Kaiju Shakedown will rise again.  Kaiju Shakedown's writer, Grady Hendrix, is taking some time to figure out how.

Boo from Rotterdam

Wisit Sasanatieng's haunted room at Rotterdam's International Film Festival. 

Ong-Bak 2, Ong-Bak 3 and International Tensions

So not only is Ong-Bak 2 open, Ong-Bak 3 is already confirmed, starring Tony Jaa and Dan Chupong most recently from Queen of Langkasuka). Meanwhile, Grady talks about "boneless condition" in Ong-Bak 3 and various people ponder how Cambodians will see the use of a Khmer palace in a Thai movie. Others, like me, ponder Tony Jaa's wearing a Khmer scarf .

Ong Bak 2: "Real Fight is Back!"

Tony Jaa lives in a mixed martial arts village, befriends the elephants and takes people apart in this new Ong Bak 2 trailer. He's much better than Mowgli.

Tony Jaa Found! Full of News!

Muay Thai and now mixed martial arts machine Tony Jaa is still found and still working on Ong-Bak 2.  He also has a sword and a Khmer palace and an interview up at his official site. (via Kaiju Shakedown).

JeeJa Yanin vs. Street Fighter

Chocolate's JeeJa Yanin fights Street Fighter characters! On stage! On Thai Game Show 2008! She is the World Fighter!

Thai Spirits Explained at Kung Fu Fridays

Worried you don't know a Banana Ghost from a flying vampire head? Here's a clip with the low down on Thai ghosts.

Where is Tony Jaa?

First Dave Chappelle, now Tony Jaa? The Midnight Madness blog has the story.  Hope it's not as sad as it seems.