Five years ago, acclaimed Japanese fashion photographer and music video director Kazuaki Kiriyamade an explosive and groundbreaking assault on the movie world with his directorial debut feature, the visually stunning and hugely ambitious sci-fi epic, ‘Casshern’. Now, Kiriya returns in his own inimitable style with the equally spectacular period, fantasy action-adventure, Goemon.

Produced by Kiriya and legendary producer Takashige Ichise (The Ring; Dark Water; The Grudge; Shutter) and boasting a star-studded cast that includes Yosuke Eguchi (Shaolin Girl), Takao Osawa (Ichi; Sky High), Jun Kaname (Blood; K-20; Casshern), Tetsuji Tamayama (Norwegian Wood; Casshern) and Susumu Terajima (Casshern; Ichi The Killer), Goemon is based on the exploits of the film’s eponymous, ninja bandit hero – the Japanese folklore equivalent of Robin Hood.

The year is 1582 and the ruler of Japan, Oda Nobunaga, has been brutally murdered leaving the country in a state of political chaos. Meanwhile, a chivalrous thief known as Goemon, whose loyalties lay with Nobunaga, has risen as a hero figure amongst the populace thanks to his propensity for stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. Goemon’s latest haul, stolen from one of his arch-enemies, includes a small wooden box of Western origin which he believes to be worthless and accidentally bestows upon a young street urchin. In truth, the box is a priceless artifact - a true Pandora’s box that holds a deep secret coveted and sought by Japan’s most powerful and deadly warlords.

Realising his error, Goemon seeks to regain possession of the box before it falls into the wrong hands. But its existence has also attracted the interests of a legendary swordsman, Matahachi, the legendary ninja Hattori Hanzo, and Goemon’s fearsome former friend and current rival, Saizo. With such a prize at stake, the stage is set for a series of bloody frays between Japan’s most skilled and deadly ninjas and swordsmen in a conflict that will have a profound effect on the country’s future.

Goemon (15) is released by Momentum Pictures and opens at selected UK cinemas on 23rd July 2010.

The Ornament by Pat Dorian is a festive themed stop motion animation that's somewhat lacking in festive cheer. 

Via: quietearth.us

Trailer for Gaspar Noé's (I Stand Alone, Irreversible) Enter The Void. 

www.enter-the-void.jp

What must be a couple of years back now, Jim Groom (Revenge Of Billy The Kid, Room 36) mentioned he had a project in the works called Zombie God Squad. At the time he was finally bringing cult noir comedy Room 36 to the big screen after a serious of unfortunate events and disasters saw it languish for more than a decade. Since then Room 36 was released on DVD and then out of the blue this little teaser pops up. 

www.ivorytowerent.com

Director Jamin Winans first feature Ink was one of last years film highlights, a brillantly shot modern fairytale, with a look that far exceeded it's budgetary constraints.

This new short film Uncle Jack was commissioned by Pentax cameras and as itlooks great, no doubt is a great showcase for their product. It's also a wonderful short film that will put a smile on your face, somebody should really throw some serious money at Winans and his team.

www.doubleedgefilms.com

From the creators of the excellent Pervert, comes Sex Galaxy. Made entirely out of stock and public domain footage, the DVD is available from Amazon next week (April 13).

www.stag-films.com | www.myspace.com/sexgalaxy

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis cameo is this new trailer joining a cast that includes: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Eric Roberts, Randy Couture, Steve Austin ,Terry Crews, Mickey Rourke, Danny Trejo, Charisma Carpenter, Gary Daniels and the late Brittany Murphy.

Like most I'd like to have seen Jean-Claude Van Damme and Steven Seagal in there, but all the same for 80's throwback action this looks fantastic.

If there's a part 2, I'd like to see Chow Youn-Fat, Billy Blanks, Olivier Gruner, Don 'The Dragon' Wilson and the one and only Bolo Yeung dragged out from wherever they are and handed an AK47.

expendablesthemovie.com

Trailer for Luc Besson's Les aventures extraordinaires d'Adèle Blanc-Sec with English subtitles.

Louise Bourgoin stars as Adèle Blanc-Sec in this adaptation of the Jacques Tardi comics.

www.adeleblancsec-lefilm.com

Nimród Antal (Vacancy, Armoured) directs this return to the Predator franchise, in which Laurence Fishburne, Topher Grace, Adrien Brody, Alice Braga and Danny Trejo take on the titular murderous space dreads.

www.predators-movie.com

Cheung played by Andy Lau (House of Flying Daggers, Infernal Affairs, Fulltime Killer), is a man whose cancer is in the advanced stages, with a maximum of 4 weeks to live. Cheung however has a few scores left to settle and does not intend to sit around and pass into death quietly. He sets about executing an elaborate plan to see his scores settled. This starts a 78 hour game of cat and mouse between him and hard boiled cop Inspector Ho played by Ching Wan Lau (Colour of the Truth, Full Alert, Return to a Better Tomorrow).

Running Out Of Time was written by French writing team Julien Carbon and Lauraunt Courtiaud and then further adapted into the Chinese screenplay by Nai-Hoi Yau whose writing credits include PTU and The Bare-Footed Kid. Although French the writers are long time fans of Hong Kong cinema and have created a great plot with plenty of twists and turns and that all essential male bonding that proliferates much of Hong Kong's cinema. Directed by Johnny To whose film credits include PTU, The Mission, Heroic Trio 2: Executioners.

Hong Kong cinema and particularly the "cops and robbers" sub genre is enjoying a renascence, while this new wave of movies do not match the Heroic bloodshed genre of the 80’s for ballistic violence, they do offer a great deal of style and arguably better plots. In the twisty plot department Running out of time does not disappoint, if you enjoyed, Colour of the truth, Infernal affairs, Cop on a mission etc. then this is another film your going to love.

Andy lau is excellent as ever proving again why he is one of Hong Kong cinemas hot properties and a firm fan favourite. In fact Andy Lau won the “best Actor” accolade at the 2000 Hong Kong film awards for his performance. .Lau Ching Wan as inspector Po holds his own well on screen with Lau giving a great deadpan performance to match Lau’s enigmatic Cheung.

After Cheung robs an insurance company, he takes a hostage on the roof and Inspector Ho a master police negotiator is called in. Ho asks Cheung what he wants offering idea's such as a helicopter, a fast car and even a chance to call a girlfriend or wife. Cheung shoots the hostage and say's “I don’t want any of those things; I just want to play a game with you for 78 hours”. Confused and intrigued by Cheung’s statement Ho finds himself becoming obsessed with taking him down before the time runs out. As the plot develops and the two try and outwit each other they develop a strong unspoken bond and a growing respect.

Director Johnny To gives the film a very stylised feel that is almost noir in its tone, with haunting sad music throughout that serves to reminds you that Cheung is a tragic character. To further the tragic feel there is a very effective sub plot in which Cheung's character forms an almost romantic relationship with a beautiful girl he meets on a bus while avoiding the police who are hunting him. They only meet twice onscreen, but the character interplay is done beautifully, in their second meeting they have dinner in a restaurant with Chan telling her “If only I had more time”, she does not understand until a coffing fit makes him spit blood into his drink and his ill health becomes apparent to her.

The great thing about Running out of time is that it manages to skilfully combine the stylish look seen recently in Johnny To’s PTU with some great action sequences including gun battles and car chases that remind you, should you have forgotten just why you love Hong Kong cinema so much.

Running out of time is a great blend of modern noir-esque visuals, haunting background melodies, twisty plot, great acting and explosive action. A great addition to the genre and other piece of must own Hong Kong cinema.

Buy It: amazon.co.uk