News

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...

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.

on Amazon by clicking on the image below

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,...

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...

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.

Subscribe in iTunes or RSS.

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.

Subscribe in iTunes or RSS.

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.

Subscribe to The Newsstand in iTunes or via RSS

Contact us with any feedback.

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?...

Thanks to everyone for supporting our site by buying through our affiliate links.

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...

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...