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Director : Sergei Bodrov
Producers : Sergei Selyanov, Anton Melnik, Bulat Galimgereyev
Writers : Arif Aliyev, Sergei Bodrov
Cast : Tadanobu Asano, Sun Honglei
Official Websites : Mongol (Russia) | Mongol (US)
Release Date : Fall 2007 / TBA 2008
Synopsis
The story recounts the early life of Genghis Khan who was a slave before going on to conquer half the world including Russia in 1206.
Trailers
Teaser Trailer #1 | Trailer 2
Director : CL Hor
Executive Producer : Adrian Wong & Wong Chee Meng
Producer : Jean Liang, Andy Lee & Andrew Lee
Photography : Jacky Tang
Scriptwriter : Chow Kam Leong
Music : Chow Kam Leong
Screenplay : Chow Lam Leong & CL Hor
Art Director : Ben Hor
Stunts Director : Chin Kar Lok
Synopsis
The movie is set in the Kinta Valley in the 1880s, when tin ore was discovered in the area and Chinese immigrants flooded the valley in the hope of making their fortune.
Quick View
As Malaysia’s First Martial Arts Film, Kinta 1881 would be one interesting flick to catch this year. Directed by CL Hor (3rd Generation) and the action sequences will be choreographed by Hong Kong’s actor/stuntman - Chin Kar Lok.
Official Website
http://www.kinta1881.com
Release Date
November 2007 (Malaysia)
Director : Prachya Pinkaew
Cast : Tony Jaa, Petchtai Wongkamlao, Pumwaree Yodkamol, Suchao Pongwilai, Wannakit Sirioput and Chumphorn Tepphithak
Synopsis
Booting lives in a small and peaceful village. One day a sacred Buddha statuette called Ong Bak is stolen from the village by a immoral businessman who sells it for exorbitant profits. It soon becomes the task of a young man, Ting to track the thief down to Bangkok voluntarily and reclaim the religious treasure.
Review
by Edward Tang
Tony Jaa. He’s a guy who has already reached acclaim with his first film, just like Bruce Lee did, what 35 years ago? Jaa’s skills outweighs his charisma as he is presented in his first feature film, Ong-Bak. It’s hard to live up to the hype this film has on it’s back, but it delivers every single moment of such. From the moment I saw Tony Jaa fight, I was awe struck on how well done these fights were, especially considering the idea of good action films hadn’t hit me in the land of Thailand. But what story was there is this film?
Director : Alexi Tan
Producer : John Woo & Terrence Chang
Cast : Daniel Wu, Shu Qi, Liu Ye, Chang Chen, Tony Yang.
Synopsis
Blood Brothers (aka Gateway to Heaven) tells the story of 3 youngsters from the countryside who arrives in decadent, dangerous 1930s Shanghai where they find life is the big city isn’t quite the paradise they hope for. As time goes by each is forced into a life of crime, taking a different path in life. The days of innocence have passed for them and the three men must grow up quickly and make hard choices.
Quick View
Produced by John Woo and Terrence Chang and directed by newcomer Alexi Tan, Blood Brothers is a stylish and elegant gang flick. Inspired by John Woo’s classic -Bullet in the Head (1990), Blood Brothers shares similar story where three youngsters arrives in Shanghai to find fame and fortune. There are some beautiful moments in the movie but overall Brood Brothers still lack of depth and never satisfy as a gangland epic.
Director : Benny Chan
Cast : Nicholas Tse, Jaycee Chan, Shawn Yue, Andy On, Wu Jing
Synopsis
The rise of Ronin Gang, a band of notorious robbers affected the lives of three policemen drastically. Each of the three policemen: Fang (starring Shawn Yue), Jing Hau (starring Jaycee Chan) and Chen (starring Nicholas Tse) have their own stories but are motivated to achieve a common goal: to bring Jiang (starring Wu Jing), the leader of the Ronin Gang to justice.
Time is running out as Jiang’s influence grew and the gang’s ruthless acts are getting out hand. With Fang’s wit, Jing Hau’s courage and Chen’s dexterity, the three vowed to capture Jiang. However, it was also during the intense period of tracking the Ronin Gang that the three learnt about the presence of a prominent figure in the police force who is in cahoots with Jiang… With all these against them, they are even more determined to rid the evil doings of Jiang and his accomplice…
Director : Wilson Yip
Action Director : Donnie Yen
Cast : Donnie Yen, Louis Koo, Fan Bing Bing, Kent Cheng, Collin Chou, Ray Lui, Xing Yu
Synopsis
As the Detective Sergeant of Serious Crimes Unit, Jun (Donnie Yen) detests crime and his life long nemeses are a Vietnamese gang of three brothers - Archer, Tony and Tiger. In order to further infiltrate the gang and fight them from within, Jun has planted a mole, Wilson (Louis Koo), who has managed to gain the complete trust of the gang.
Director : Tsui Hark
Cast : Leon Lai Ming, Charlie Yeung Choi Nei, Lu Yi, Sun Honglei, Kim So-Yeon, Donnie Yen, Wang Xueqi, Zhang Jingchu, Zhou Qunda, Dai Li-Wu, Huang Peng
Synopsis
Adapted from renowned writer Liang Yu-shen’s timeless classic, Seven Swords tells the story of seven unlikely heroes gathered together to save a village from the massacre of a general that is seeking a fortune through killing. In the early 1600’s, the Manchurians have assumed sovereignty and established the Ching Dynasty. A highly oppressive reign thus began. To fight against the brutality of the new government and save the innocent, seven unlikely heroes gathered together and became the Seven Swords. Each sword carries its own character - The Transience Sword, The Dragon Sword, The Heaven’s Fall Sword, The Unlearn Sword, The Deity Sword, TheCelestial Beam Sword and The Star Chasers Sword.
Review
Well, finally Seven Swords hit the Asian cinemas. Adapted from renowned writer Liang Yu Shen’s novels, it tells a story of seven unlikely heroes gathered to save a village from the massacre of a deadly, barbarian cult armies. They are seeking fortune from killing the innocents to collect prize money from the government. Basically, Seven Swords follows the “Seven Swordsmen Leaves Mountain Heaven” novel where 5 swordsmen are summoned from Mount Heaven to save the innocent people. Each and every of them carry an unique sword which has it own capability and usage. There are The Unlearnt, The Dragon, The Transience, The Deity, The Heaven’s Fall, The Celestial Beam, and The Star-Chasers. Another 2 swordsmen came from the village itself and joined as a group to become the Seven Swords.
Director : Tanit Jitnukul
Cast : Voravit Kawepand, Jaran Ngamdee and Sririwat Chevasud
Synopsis
Sema, the son of a swordsmith, has just come back home from a sword fighting training institute. With his strong sword skills, he’s made a sword trainer in the household of Khun Ram. There, he met beautiful Rerai, daughter of Khun Ram and they felt for each other. Unfortunately, she’s already been engaged to Moo Khan against her own will. However, Sema and his company are mistakenly recognized as rebels and they had to flee a guerrilla band. Then he heard that Burmese had been rallying a large war, he rushed to the war scene and he couldn’t stand the sight of Thai soldiers being slaughtered. He then chopped off the head of Burmese General. Sema finally gained back his reputation, but he still had to fight for his own love.
Review
by Edward Tang
“Sema” is one of those films you pick up because of the box art. Noting that it reads on the cover “An epic action adventure from Thailand”, I was intrigued for sure. Then obviously recalling that I just had seen Ong-Bak a week earlier, I was eager to check this bad boy out. What Sema delivers is more or less a watered down epic that doesn’t deliver in the action department. Everything is just very basic, down to the story and the acting. See dumb kid, he wants to be a soldier, he becomes a soldier, he has a boner for the hot chick, they become friends, mean bastard army dude gets angry because he has a boner as well, and then from there things are sketchy. Basically the editing was so bad, I didn’t know what the f*ck was happening most of the time, but I still felt that they would deliver on the action side. I’m afraid it didn’t hit up once.