Monkey Man is one of the most imaginative action films to come out sometimes and it comes from a first-time director who also stars in the lead role Dev Patel. Described as “Indian John Wick,” the action-thriller film follows the story of a young underground fighter who goes on a rampage against the city’s elite to avenge the injustices done by them to his mother and village. Monkey Man also stars Sobhita Dhulipala, Sikandar Kher, Adithi Kalkunte, Makarand Deshpande, Sharlto Copley, Brahim Achabbakhe, Ashwini Kalshekar, Pitobash Tripathy, and Vipin Sharma. So, if you loved the action and heartfelt story told in Monkey Man by the first passionate first-time director Dev Patel, here are some similar movies you should check out next.
John Wick Credit – Lionsgate Movies
Monkey Man is being described as “Indian John Wick,” so this film had to be on this list. Directed by Chad Stahelski, John...
John Wick Credit – Lionsgate Movies
Monkey Man is being described as “Indian John Wick,” so this film had to be on this list. Directed by Chad Stahelski, John...
- 4/7/2024
- by Kulwant Singh
- Cinema Blind
Back in 2010, screenwriter director Lee Jeong-beom's “The Man from Nowhere” which starred Won Bin, was the highest grossing film in South Korea. Best known for its amazing and thrilling action sequences, the film had fans longing for more from Lee. Therefore it is not really a surprise that he would follow it up with yet another action thriller that featured even more spectacular action but with a similar theme.
on Amazon by clicking on the image below
South Korean screen veteran Jang Dong-gun, best known for “Friends” (2001) and “Taegukgi: The Brotherhood of War” (2004) and one of the country's most recognized and bankable stars plays Gon, a Korean-born but raised in America hitman. As it happens, a Korean company man is selling information to the Russians in the back room of a nightclub. Assigned to retrieve it, Gon calmly shows up and effortlessly takes out everyone there but...
on Amazon by clicking on the image below
South Korean screen veteran Jang Dong-gun, best known for “Friends” (2001) and “Taegukgi: The Brotherhood of War” (2004) and one of the country's most recognized and bankable stars plays Gon, a Korean-born but raised in America hitman. As it happens, a Korean company man is selling information to the Russians in the back room of a nightclub. Assigned to retrieve it, Gon calmly shows up and effortlessly takes out everyone there but...
- 8/25/2023
- by David Chew
- AsianMoviePulse
David Crow Feb 11, 2020
He just won the Best Director and Best Picture Oscars, so if you're a new Bong Joon-ho fan, here is a crash course of where to go next.
So you just saw history be made on Oscar night when Parasite won Best Picture, beating out the expected frontrunner 1917 and becoming the first non-English film to ever win that award. Maybe you were already a Bong fan or maybe this is your first introduction to the increasingly legendary filmmaker. Either way, you want to take a trip down memory lane and explore his previous work. So now what?
That’s where we come in! Below we have assembled the best places to stream his feature length films, Korean and English, theatrical and Netflix-produced. So get on that warm bullet train and hug your super-pig close, because we’re doing this.
Barking Dogs Never Bite (2000)
Here is Bong’s theatrical feature-length debut.
He just won the Best Director and Best Picture Oscars, so if you're a new Bong Joon-ho fan, here is a crash course of where to go next.
So you just saw history be made on Oscar night when Parasite won Best Picture, beating out the expected frontrunner 1917 and becoming the first non-English film to ever win that award. Maybe you were already a Bong fan or maybe this is your first introduction to the increasingly legendary filmmaker. Either way, you want to take a trip down memory lane and explore his previous work. So now what?
That’s where we come in! Below we have assembled the best places to stream his feature length films, Korean and English, theatrical and Netflix-produced. So get on that warm bullet train and hug your super-pig close, because we’re doing this.
Barking Dogs Never Bite (2000)
Here is Bong’s theatrical feature-length debut.
- 2/11/2020
- Den of Geek
Alec Bojalad Jun 25, 2019
Amazon Prime is a good source for all the action movies you need.
Editor's Note: This post is updated monthly. Bookmark this page and come back to see what other action movies get added to Amazon Prime.
Updated for July 2019.
You can see a complete list of Amazon new releases here.
Amazon understands the importance of action movies/ Action has always been an inseparable part of cinema ever since that train rushed towards the screen and terrified everyone in the early 20th century.
It was only a matter of time before action movies became one of the most important genres at the box office. Thankfully you don't have to go to the box office or anywhere else to get your action movie thrills now. Just head to your friendly neighborhood streaming service.
Amazon Prime Video has a whole host of action movies ready to go for you.
Amazon Prime is a good source for all the action movies you need.
Editor's Note: This post is updated monthly. Bookmark this page and come back to see what other action movies get added to Amazon Prime.
Updated for July 2019.
You can see a complete list of Amazon new releases here.
Amazon understands the importance of action movies/ Action has always been an inseparable part of cinema ever since that train rushed towards the screen and terrified everyone in the early 20th century.
It was only a matter of time before action movies became one of the most important genres at the box office. Thankfully you don't have to go to the box office or anywhere else to get your action movie thrills now. Just head to your friendly neighborhood streaming service.
Amazon Prime Video has a whole host of action movies ready to go for you.
- 5/2/2018
- Den of Geek
Variety reports that New Line Cinema has purchased the film rights to remake the Korean action-thriller "The Man From Nowhere." The original 2010 film was directed by Lee Jeong-beom and starred actor Won Bin as a shop keeper with a dark and violent past who exacts vengeance on a drug trafficking ring to rescue a little girl who befriends him.
The film was so successful it became the number one film at the Korean box office for five straight weeks grossing over $41 million. Notable remakes which were adapted from Chinese and Korean films includes Martin Scorsese's "The Departed" starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Mark Wahlberg and Jack Nicholson and Spike Lee's "Oldboy" starring Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Olsen, Sharlto Copley and Samuel L. Jackson.
Source: Variety...
The film was so successful it became the number one film at the Korean box office for five straight weeks grossing over $41 million. Notable remakes which were adapted from Chinese and Korean films includes Martin Scorsese's "The Departed" starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Mark Wahlberg and Jack Nicholson and Spike Lee's "Oldboy" starring Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Olsen, Sharlto Copley and Samuel L. Jackson.
Source: Variety...
- 6/30/2016
- by J.B. Casas
- LRMonline.com
New Line has nabbed rights to offer a western spin on Korean action movie The Man From Nowhere, according to Deadline.
First released in 2010 via Cj Entertainment, Lee Jeong-beom’s über-violent thriller orbits around a “pawnshop keeper (Won Bin) with a violent past who takes on a drug-and-organ-trafficking ring to save the child who’s his only friend.” Largely taking place under the bright neon lights of Seoul, it’s really Bin’s connection with wide-eyed youngster So-mi (Kim Sae-ron) that anchors the action, who often visits our luckless protagonist to escape her own violent life at home.
Touting a similar one-man-army motif to Taken and 2014 sleeper hit John Wick, The Man From Nowhere stormed to the top of the Korean box office upon release, where it remained for five consecutive weeks resulting in a box office total of $41 million. That’s quiet the impressive haul, and it’ll be...
First released in 2010 via Cj Entertainment, Lee Jeong-beom’s über-violent thriller orbits around a “pawnshop keeper (Won Bin) with a violent past who takes on a drug-and-organ-trafficking ring to save the child who’s his only friend.” Largely taking place under the bright neon lights of Seoul, it’s really Bin’s connection with wide-eyed youngster So-mi (Kim Sae-ron) that anchors the action, who often visits our luckless protagonist to escape her own violent life at home.
Touting a similar one-man-army motif to Taken and 2014 sleeper hit John Wick, The Man From Nowhere stormed to the top of the Korean box office upon release, where it remained for five consecutive weeks resulting in a box office total of $41 million. That’s quiet the impressive haul, and it’ll be...
- 6/29/2016
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
India is well known as a spawning ground for remakes and ripoffs or popular films. However, what is less well known is their increasing tendency to officially license films for remake and the increasingly wide net they cast when hunting down the best material. Case in point: Rocky Handsome. Rocky Handsome is an upcoming film starring Bollywood beefcake John Abraham (Jism, Dhoom) as a hitman trying to rescue an adorable little girl from a gang of very bad men. If the scenario sounds familiar, it should, because Rocky Handsome is a remake of Won Bin starrer The Man From Nowhere. Tmfn was one of 2010's biggest surprises and is among the finest Korean revenge films of the last fifteen years, a feat not easily accomplished....
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 3/8/2016
- Screen Anarchy
The Man From Nowhere ( 2010 ) Korean Movie ReviewAction86%Story84%Acting79%2016-01-3083%Overall ScoreReader Rating: (3 Votes)90% What is it about?
An ex-special agent Tae-sik Cha’s only connection to the rest of the world is a little girl, So-mi, who lives nearby. Her mother, Hyo-jeong smuggles drugs from a drug trafficking organization and entrusts Tae-sik with the product, without letting him know. The traffickers find out about her smuggling and kidnap both Hyo-jeong and So-mi.
The gang promises to release them if Tae-sik makes a delivery for them, however it is actually a larger plot to eliminate a rival drug ring leader. When Hyo-jeong’s disemboweled body is discovered, Tae-sik realizes that So-mi’s life may also be in danger.
Tae-sik becomes enraged at the prospect that So-mi may already be dead and prepares for a battle, putting his own life at risk.
Is it any good?
So in truth there...
An ex-special agent Tae-sik Cha’s only connection to the rest of the world is a little girl, So-mi, who lives nearby. Her mother, Hyo-jeong smuggles drugs from a drug trafficking organization and entrusts Tae-sik with the product, without letting him know. The traffickers find out about her smuggling and kidnap both Hyo-jeong and So-mi.
The gang promises to release them if Tae-sik makes a delivery for them, however it is actually a larger plot to eliminate a rival drug ring leader. When Hyo-jeong’s disemboweled body is discovered, Tae-sik realizes that So-mi’s life may also be in danger.
Tae-sik becomes enraged at the prospect that So-mi may already be dead and prepares for a battle, putting his own life at risk.
Is it any good?
So in truth there...
- 1/30/2016
- by Tiger33
- AsianMoviePulse
Our countdown of the 100 best films of the 21st century continues. This is Part 2 #75 through 51.
Click here for Part 1 (#100-76)!
The first decade and a half of the 21st century has brought a lot of changes to the landscape of film. The advancement and sophistication of computers has made realistic computer generated effects a mainstay in both big-budget and small-budget films. The internet and streaming technologies have given big Hollywood new competition in films produced independently and by non-traditional means. We went from purchasing films on yards of tape to plastic disks, and now we can simply upload them to the cloud. Advertisements for films have reached a higher, more ruthless level where generating hype through trailers and teasers is crucial for a film’s commercial success. Movie attendance has fluctuated along with the economy, but that hasn’t stopped films from breaking box office records, including having films gross...
Click here for Part 1 (#100-76)!
The first decade and a half of the 21st century has brought a lot of changes to the landscape of film. The advancement and sophistication of computers has made realistic computer generated effects a mainstay in both big-budget and small-budget films. The internet and streaming technologies have given big Hollywood new competition in films produced independently and by non-traditional means. We went from purchasing films on yards of tape to plastic disks, and now we can simply upload them to the cloud. Advertisements for films have reached a higher, more ruthless level where generating hype through trailers and teasers is crucial for a film’s commercial success. Movie attendance has fluctuated along with the economy, but that hasn’t stopped films from breaking box office records, including having films gross...
- 1/13/2016
- by feeds@cinelinx.com (G.S. Perno)
- Cinelinx
Readers may be aware that John Abraham joined hands with Force director Nishikant Kamat to remake a popular South Korean film The Man From Nowhere (2010) titled Rocky Handsome in Hindi. Produced by Sunir Kheterpal's Azure Entertainment, the film will see Shruti Hassan playing the role of John's wife in the film. Also, the film will mark the debut of Brazilian model Nathalia as an actor and she will be seen playing the role of a single mother in the film. Inspired by the character of Won Bin, John will be seen in a complete action packed avatar as he turns savior to rescue a seven year old from the clutches of a drug mafia. According to Kheterpal, Nathalia will reprise the character of a club dancer and they will also be shooting a dance number with her while Shruti and John too will have a romantic track in the film.
- 6/18/2014
- by Bollywood Hungama News Network
- BollywoodHungama
Welcome to the article best of Korean cinema, in which we look at the best Korea has to offer since it explosion of quality films and output since 200. We look at everything from emotionally heightened Romances to the uniquely Korean line of comedic thrillers. This time we are looking at the output of Kang Je-Gyu, although we aren’t covering his debut film. Shiri (Swiri) was a personal introduction to the new wave. The films we will be covering are Brotherhood and My Way, two thematic companion pieces looking at personal drama in the Korean world war and World War II.
Brotherhood
Directed by Kang Je-Gyu
Written by Ji-hoon Han, Kang Je-kyu & Sang-don Kim
2004, South Korea
Kang Je-Kyu’s sophomore effort is the first of his war films and this time it is the Korean Civil War that draws attention. Won Bin (Jin-seok Lee) and Jong Dong-gun (Jin-tae Lee) are...
Brotherhood
Directed by Kang Je-Gyu
Written by Ji-hoon Han, Kang Je-kyu & Sang-don Kim
2004, South Korea
Kang Je-Kyu’s sophomore effort is the first of his war films and this time it is the Korean Civil War that draws attention. Won Bin (Jin-seok Lee) and Jong Dong-gun (Jin-tae Lee) are...
- 12/2/2012
- by Rob Simpson
- SoundOnSight
The Weinstein Company has picked up the rights to remake South Korea's 2010 box office champion The Man From Nowhere. The original film was released on Blu-Ray last year and tells the story of former top special agent, Tae-Sik Cha (Bin Won) who lives a quiet life as a pawnshop owner. But when his upstairs neighbor involves him with drug-dealing gangsters and is abducted along with her young daughter, Cha must call upon his dormant, lethal skills to try to rescue them and exact a brutal...
- 3/9/2012
- by Alex Maidy
- JoBlo.com
Spike Lee is directing a new Oldboy with Josh Brolin, and now the Weinsteins are getting in on the South Korean action. Their Dimension Films has just picked up the rights to The Man From Nowhere, and given Shawn Christensen the translation job.The original film was written and directed by Lee Jeong-beom in 2010. It starred Won Bin as a former black-ops man for the Korean government, now living a hermetic existence as the owner of a pawn shop. He's forced to break out his martial arts bad-assery when he unwittingly takes delivery of a camera bag containing drugs, and attracts the attention of its original traffickers. They're not nice guys - they're also into slavery and organ harvesting - and when they take Bin's next door neighbour and her daughter as insurance, it's go time...The Man From Nowhere was Korea's highest grossing film in its year of release...
- 3/9/2012
- EmpireOnline
Here’s the deal: I liked “The Man from Nowhere” starring Bin Won, and directed by Jeong-beom Lee. I liked it enough to recommend it in a couple of 2011 lists. But while recommending it, I also realize that it’s highly derivative of a couple of Hollywood movies, like “Taken” and in particular, the Denzel Washington film “Man on Fire”, and said so in my review. As such, I find it somewhat ironic (or is that amusing?) that Dimension Films has now snapped up remake rights to the film, and has already set “Abduction” writer Shawn Christensen to take a swing at it. The original “Man from Nowhere” starred Bin Won as a lonely pawn shop owner with one of those deadly pasts usually reserved for characters played by Steven Seagal or Jean-Claude Van Damme. You know, he’s the best at what he does, and what he does isn’t very pretty.
- 3/9/2012
- by Nix
- Beyond Hollywood
You just have to love end of year lists. Well, you don’t have to I suppose, but they are good fun to compile. Of course, they do get complicated with regards to the actual official release date. In fact it was just last week that myself and the hairy one Justin Laliberty were discussing this very thing. So, when it comes to my list the films have had either theatrical, DVD/Blu-ray (first time and not re-issues) releases or have yet to have releases outside of screeners or a festival showing.
With all that being said, below are my favorite non-horror films of 2011. Any quotes are taken from my reviews (if I reviewed them).
10. Red Hill
This classy Australian flick snuck in with a January DVD release and impressed the hell out of me.
“Beautifully shot, Red Hill truly does have the atmosphere of a classic Western movie. From...
With all that being said, below are my favorite non-horror films of 2011. Any quotes are taken from my reviews (if I reviewed them).
10. Red Hill
This classy Australian flick snuck in with a January DVD release and impressed the hell out of me.
“Beautifully shot, Red Hill truly does have the atmosphere of a classic Western movie. From...
- 12/29/2011
- by Jude
- The Liberal Dead
Usually, this spot is reserved for our weekly rundown of the new movies available to stream on Netflix Instant but August is a dead month and there is only one notable movie new to streaming this week. That movie happens to be pretty big and awesome though. So in honor of The Expendables coming to Netflix Instant, let’s run down the best action movies streaming on Netflix:
New Movies Streaming on Netflix Instant Watch – Sunday August 28th The Expendables
Rated R | 2010
Flickchart Ranking: #1703
Times Ranked: 15833
Win Percentage: 47%
Top-20 Rankings: 31 Users
Directed By: Sylvester Stallone
Starring: Sylvester Stallone • Jason Statham • Jet Li • Dolph Lundgren • Eric Roberts
________________________________________________
The Best Action Movies on Netflix Instant Valhalla Rising
Rated R | 2009
Flickchart Ranking: #3389
Times Ranked: 2716
Win Percentage: 51%
Top-20 Rankings: 4 Users
I cannot recommend Valhalla Rising enough. It’s visually amazing (every frame of the film is staged as if it’s a painting) and thoroughly unique.
New Movies Streaming on Netflix Instant Watch – Sunday August 28th The Expendables
Rated R | 2010
Flickchart Ranking: #1703
Times Ranked: 15833
Win Percentage: 47%
Top-20 Rankings: 31 Users
Directed By: Sylvester Stallone
Starring: Sylvester Stallone • Jason Statham • Jet Li • Dolph Lundgren • Eric Roberts
________________________________________________
The Best Action Movies on Netflix Instant Valhalla Rising
Rated R | 2009
Flickchart Ranking: #3389
Times Ranked: 2716
Win Percentage: 51%
Top-20 Rankings: 4 Users
I cannot recommend Valhalla Rising enough. It’s visually amazing (every frame of the film is staged as if it’s a painting) and thoroughly unique.
- 8/22/2011
- by Daniel Rohr
- Flickchart
Netflix has revolutionized the home movie experience for fans of film with its instant streaming technology. Netflix Nuggets is my way of spreading the word about independent, classic and foreign films being made available by Netflix for instant streaming. Important Note: There may be some films that do not become available on the specified dates. This is merely a report of the most accurate release dates I can find, but is not directly confirmed by Netflix themselves.
Dev.D (2009)
Streaming Available: 06/14/2011
Synopsis: Because they come from different castes, Dev (Abhay Deol), the son of a tax collector, and his true love, Paro (Mahie Gill), are not allowed to marry. After Paro’s family sends her to Calcutta, where she marries an older, wealthy widower, Dev despairs. He soon meets prostitute Chanda (Kalki Koechlin) and gradually spirals down into a life of overindulgence in this adaptation of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s best-selling novel Devdas.
Dev.D (2009)
Streaming Available: 06/14/2011
Synopsis: Because they come from different castes, Dev (Abhay Deol), the son of a tax collector, and his true love, Paro (Mahie Gill), are not allowed to marry. After Paro’s family sends her to Calcutta, where she marries an older, wealthy widower, Dev despairs. He soon meets prostitute Chanda (Kalki Koechlin) and gradually spirals down into a life of overindulgence in this adaptation of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s best-selling novel Devdas.
- 6/14/2011
- by Travis Keune
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
The Man From NowhereYear: 2011Director: Lee Jeong-BeomStars: Won Bin, Kim Sea-RonStudio: Well-Go Usampaa Rating: Not RatedRunning Time: 119 MinsPlot Synopsis:“The Man From Nowhere” is the latest Asian action film to be released stateside. The film follows an ex special agent (Won Bin), who has nothing going for him expect for a connection that he has with a little girl (Kim Sea-Ron). Then one...
- 6/14/2011
- by Anthony T
The New York Asian Film Festival is ten years old! And they have presents for you Asian film buffs! A Takashi Miike World Premiere? Yup. The long-awaited animated epic based on Osamu Tezuka.s life of Buddha? You know it. The International Premiere of the new movie from Johnnie To, rare Filipino exploitation and an avalanche of retro screenings to celebrate our tenth birthday? Hoo-rah!
Special guests at this year's special tenth anniversary include Tsui Hark, Ryoo Seung-Wan, Su Chao-pin, Takayuki Yamada, Tak Sakaguchi and many more!
The New York Asian Film Festival is presented in association with the Film Society of Lincoln Center and Japan Society's Japan Cuts: Festival of Contemporary Japanese Cinema.
You can keep up with the latest festival news at subwaycinemanews.com
Full line-up after the break.
Official Opening Night Film:
Milocrorze: A Love Story (Japan, 2011, North American Premiere, 90 minutes)
Truly trippy, this bizarro musical/variety...
Special guests at this year's special tenth anniversary include Tsui Hark, Ryoo Seung-Wan, Su Chao-pin, Takayuki Yamada, Tak Sakaguchi and many more!
The New York Asian Film Festival is presented in association with the Film Society of Lincoln Center and Japan Society's Japan Cuts: Festival of Contemporary Japanese Cinema.
You can keep up with the latest festival news at subwaycinemanews.com
Full line-up after the break.
Official Opening Night Film:
Milocrorze: A Love Story (Japan, 2011, North American Premiere, 90 minutes)
Truly trippy, this bizarro musical/variety...
- 6/2/2011
- QuietEarth.us
The New York Asian Film Festival turns ten years old in 2011, and while this year's offerings are light on horror, we'd be remiss if we didn't recognize the fest's decade-long contribution to Asian cinema buffs. Read on for what will be available to genre fans from July 1st-14th, 2011.
The New York Asian Film Festival is presented in association with the Film Society of Lincoln Center and Japan Society’s Japan Cuts: Festival of Contemporary Japanese Cinema. Below are the horror highlights only - for the full lineup and list of special guests, be sure to visit Subway Cinema News.
From Japan:
Battle Royale (Japan, 2000, 114 minutes) – A celebratory screening of Kinji Fukasaku’s masterpiece now that it finally – after 10 years!!!! – has a new distributor who wants people to actually see it. Presented with Japan Cuts: Festival of Contemporary Japanese Cinema. Horny House Of Horror (Japan, 2010, North American Premiere, 75 minutes) -...
The New York Asian Film Festival is presented in association with the Film Society of Lincoln Center and Japan Society’s Japan Cuts: Festival of Contemporary Japanese Cinema. Below are the horror highlights only - for the full lineup and list of special guests, be sure to visit Subway Cinema News.
From Japan:
Battle Royale (Japan, 2000, 114 minutes) – A celebratory screening of Kinji Fukasaku’s masterpiece now that it finally – after 10 years!!!! – has a new distributor who wants people to actually see it. Presented with Japan Cuts: Festival of Contemporary Japanese Cinema. Horny House Of Horror (Japan, 2010, North American Premiere, 75 minutes) -...
- 6/1/2011
- by The Woman In Black
- DreadCentral.com
The New York Asian Film Festival has announced that its tenth anniversary edition will open on July 1 with the North American premiere of Yoshimasa Ishibashi's Milocrorze: A Love Story ("one solid slab of psychedelia," promises the festival; image above) and close on July 14 with the New York premiere of Na Hong-Jin's The Yellow Sea (aka The Murderer), which has just screened at Cannes in Un Certain Regard (see the roundup).
There'll be two Centerpiece Presentations, Benny Chan's Shaolin, with Andy Lau, Nic Tse and Jackie Chan, and Takashi Miike's Ninja Kids!!! — which, you may remember Danny Kasman caught in Cannes, and got quite a nice kick out of it, too. The festival will also be screening Miike's "director's cut" of 13 Assassins.
There'll be three special focuses. First off...
Wu Xia: Hong Kong's Flying Swordsmen
Tsui Hark's Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame...
There'll be two Centerpiece Presentations, Benny Chan's Shaolin, with Andy Lau, Nic Tse and Jackie Chan, and Takashi Miike's Ninja Kids!!! — which, you may remember Danny Kasman caught in Cannes, and got quite a nice kick out of it, too. The festival will also be screening Miike's "director's cut" of 13 Assassins.
There'll be three special focuses. First off...
Wu Xia: Hong Kong's Flying Swordsmen
Tsui Hark's Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame...
- 5/31/2011
- MUBI
The Tribeca Film Festival has the stars. The New York Film Festival has the award winners. But the New York Asian Film Festival has the coolest, boldest, and strangest genre movies, and that's why it holds a special place in my heart. While most festivals specialize in quote-unquote arthouse fare, Nyaff brings the Asian mainstream -- the stuff that would almost never play here otherwise -- to America.
We're big fans of the Nyaff at IFC and we're looking forward to another excellent edition this year. The lineup was just announced and it looks stacked. It includes a few superb films I saw at last year's Fantastic Fest, including the entertaining exploitation documentary "Machete Maidens Unleashed" from "Not Quite Hollywood" director Mark Hartley. The stuff I'm jazzed to see for the first time includes the world premiere of Takashi Miike's "Ninja Kids!!!" (their exclamation points, not mine), "Ocean Heaven,...
We're big fans of the Nyaff at IFC and we're looking forward to another excellent edition this year. The lineup was just announced and it looks stacked. It includes a few superb films I saw at last year's Fantastic Fest, including the entertaining exploitation documentary "Machete Maidens Unleashed" from "Not Quite Hollywood" director Mark Hartley. The stuff I'm jazzed to see for the first time includes the world premiere of Takashi Miike's "Ninja Kids!!!" (their exclamation points, not mine), "Ocean Heaven,...
- 5/31/2011
- by Matt Singer
- ifc.com
Directed by: Lee Jeong-beom
Written by: Lee Jeong-beom
Cast: Won Bin, Kim Sae-ron
Written and directed by Lee Jeong-beom, The Man From Nowhere was Korea’s highest grossing film in 2010 and went on to win a slew of Korean Film Awards, including Best Actor for its star, Won Bin.
Ideally, viewers will go into this stylishly made movie knowing as little as possible about it, as part of the enjoyment of The Man From Nowhere is its slow reveal of the titular character’s back story and motivations. Potential viewers, however, will have to forgo reading not only the back cover copy of the DVD and Blu-ray, but the IMDb description and the movie’s own website, all of which relay information not actually given in the movie until the midway point. That said, even if you, like me, read the back cover copy or any of the above, fear...
Written by: Lee Jeong-beom
Cast: Won Bin, Kim Sae-ron
Written and directed by Lee Jeong-beom, The Man From Nowhere was Korea’s highest grossing film in 2010 and went on to win a slew of Korean Film Awards, including Best Actor for its star, Won Bin.
Ideally, viewers will go into this stylishly made movie knowing as little as possible about it, as part of the enjoyment of The Man From Nowhere is its slow reveal of the titular character’s back story and motivations. Potential viewers, however, will have to forgo reading not only the back cover copy of the DVD and Blu-ray, but the IMDb description and the movie’s own website, all of which relay information not actually given in the movie until the midway point. That said, even if you, like me, read the back cover copy or any of the above, fear...
- 4/22/2011
- by dr.obrero
- Planet Fury
Director: Jeong-beom Lee. Review: Adam Wing. What do you get when you cross action-thriller Taken with The Bourne Identity? One of Korea’s biggest movies of 2010, that’s what. The Man From Nowhere was both a commercial and critical hit back home, picking up Blue Dragon, Daejong and Korean Film Awards along the way. Won Bin (Mother) won Best Actor at the Daejong and Korean Film Awards, and it’s not hard to see why - The Man from Nowhere brings with it one of the coolest action heroes of the last ten years. It’s a simple concept - a mysterious agent goes to desperate lengths in order to save a girl - which makes way for stylised action and emotional drive. So-mi is played by award-winning child actress Kim Se Ron, and writer-director Lee Jeong Beom takes to the action-thriller genre like a duck to water, adding a...
- 4/18/2011
- 24framespersecond.net
Tae-shik (Bin Won) lives a pretty lonely life eeking out a humble existence as a pawnshop owner, his only friend a young girl named So-mi (Sae-ron Kim), who visits him from time to time.
Whilst Tae-shik’s ‘emo’ haircut is far too heavy handed a signifier of his angst and downbeat nature there are a number of scenes in the early stages of The Man From Nowhere in which there is a palpable sense of ennui that Bin Won manages to convey effortlessly through his physical performance. The difficulty he has in connecting with other people also comes across well in his interactions with the young girl who, clearly desperate for a father figure, reaches out to this lonely guy.
When So-mi is kidnapped though Tae-shik is forced to break out of his hermetic life, pursuing the men who have taken her with unrelenting fervour. He does this through a...
Whilst Tae-shik’s ‘emo’ haircut is far too heavy handed a signifier of his angst and downbeat nature there are a number of scenes in the early stages of The Man From Nowhere in which there is a palpable sense of ennui that Bin Won manages to convey effortlessly through his physical performance. The difficulty he has in connecting with other people also comes across well in his interactions with the young girl who, clearly desperate for a father figure, reaches out to this lonely guy.
When So-mi is kidnapped though Tae-shik is forced to break out of his hermetic life, pursuing the men who have taken her with unrelenting fervour. He does this through a...
- 4/13/2011
- by Craig Skinner
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Although derivative of other movies such as Hardcore, Taken, Man On Fire and A History Of Violence, there’s something rather satisfying about The Man From Nowhere.
Actor Won Bin, who last year appeared as the dopey killer in Bong Joon-Ho’s superb black comedy Mother, demonstrates he can do an action man routine with a character you root for all the way.
Cha Tae-sik is a mysterious pawnshop worker who meets a young girl named So-mee. She initially bugs the hell out of him but they develop a friendship of sorts. When her junkie mother steals some heroin from local gangsters both Cha Tae-sik and the little girl’s worlds fall apart with devastating results.
Like David Cronenberg’s graphic novel adaptation before it The Man From Nowhere is very much centred around the idea of violence as a rejuvenating and even redemptive force to be reckoned with.
Yes,...
Actor Won Bin, who last year appeared as the dopey killer in Bong Joon-Ho’s superb black comedy Mother, demonstrates he can do an action man routine with a character you root for all the way.
Cha Tae-sik is a mysterious pawnshop worker who meets a young girl named So-mee. She initially bugs the hell out of him but they develop a friendship of sorts. When her junkie mother steals some heroin from local gangsters both Cha Tae-sik and the little girl’s worlds fall apart with devastating results.
Like David Cronenberg’s graphic novel adaptation before it The Man From Nowhere is very much centred around the idea of violence as a rejuvenating and even redemptive force to be reckoned with.
Yes,...
- 4/10/2011
- by Martyn Conterio
- FilmShaft.com
The Man From Nowhere
Reviewed by Abid Gangat
Stars: Won Bin, Kim Sae-ron, Kim Hyo-seo | Written and Directed by Lee Jeong-beom
This is one of the most gripping (non English) films I’ve seen in a while, with brilliantly carried out action scenes, on the edge of your seat twists, and fantastic acting from the male lead (Won Bin) who plays a pawn shop owner named Cha Tae Shik, and a very young talented child actress (Kim Sae-ron) who plays the role of So-Mi a troubled daughter to Hyo Jung (Kim Hyo-seo), a dancer and single mother living in the building where the pawn shop is located.
The Man From Nowhere begins with the drug squad raiding a popular nightclub, which is believed to be a front for a gang of drug traffickers, allowing it to be used for their exchanges to take place. It is here that one of the dancers,...
Reviewed by Abid Gangat
Stars: Won Bin, Kim Sae-ron, Kim Hyo-seo | Written and Directed by Lee Jeong-beom
This is one of the most gripping (non English) films I’ve seen in a while, with brilliantly carried out action scenes, on the edge of your seat twists, and fantastic acting from the male lead (Won Bin) who plays a pawn shop owner named Cha Tae Shik, and a very young talented child actress (Kim Sae-ron) who plays the role of So-Mi a troubled daughter to Hyo Jung (Kim Hyo-seo), a dancer and single mother living in the building where the pawn shop is located.
The Man From Nowhere begins with the drug squad raiding a popular nightclub, which is believed to be a front for a gang of drug traffickers, allowing it to be used for their exchanges to take place. It is here that one of the dancers,...
- 4/4/2011
- by Phil
- Nerdly
Korean writer director Lee Jeong Beom follows up his 2006 quirky gangster drama “Cruel Winter Blues” with the hard hitting noir action thriller “The Man from Nowhere”, headlined by top Korean star Won Bin (“Tae Guk Gi”, “Mother”) as a man on a mission to save a young girl from evil mobsters. Although not exactly a prolific film maker, Lee certainly caught the attention with his finely crafted and offbeat debut, and here he again adds something different to what might sound like a pretty formulaic affair, with a sharp script that emphasises character along with action. The film was not only a huge hit at the box office, ranking as the top Korean film of 2010, with over 6 million admissions, but also with critics, winning a slew of prizes at the at the Blue Dragon, Daejong, and Korean Film Awards, including several for Won Bin. The film now arrives on region 2 DVD via eOne.
- 3/23/2011
- by James Mudge
- Beyond Hollywood
You've heard that they're making a live action American version of Katsuhiro Otomo's Akira (1988), right? That's the sci-fi cartoon that really opened the Anime floodgates here in the States. I have a faint memory of seeing the movie in the theater when it arrived in the States -- I think 1990? -- and that memory involves two things: my jaw was mostly open throughout from the epic violent craziness, and my best friend at the time who I went to every movie with (hi Kevan!) turned to me during the climactic battle when Tetsuo transforms hideously into this blob like creature and said something silly like "quivering mounds of blubbery goo" in a dramatic but silly voice. We started giggling and a rather, um, large patron in front of us turned around to give us hateful looks. Embarrassing! But we were just reacting to the visuals on screen, I promise.
For...
For...
- 3/22/2011
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
If you are in anyway cognisant of cultural trends in cinema, you would be aware that the far east, and especially South Korea, has had- in the last decade- a clear penchant for stylish, hyper-violent thrillers, preferably with heavy themes of vengeance and redemption. By all accounts The Man From Nowhere represents the zenith of this movement.
The film- a sophomore effort from Jeong-beom Lee (Cruel Winter Blues)- has been available in Korea since August last year and subsequent to meeting with across the board critical praise, went on to storm the box office before dominating that country’s film awards, including a best actor award for the brooding Won Bin (Mother) who plays a lonely and isolated pawn-shop broker with only a little girl for a friend. When a drugs cartel becomes intent upon using the girl for his evil ends, Bin sheds his hermitic lifestyle and combats the crime gang head on.
The film- a sophomore effort from Jeong-beom Lee (Cruel Winter Blues)- has been available in Korea since August last year and subsequent to meeting with across the board critical praise, went on to storm the box office before dominating that country’s film awards, including a best actor award for the brooding Won Bin (Mother) who plays a lonely and isolated pawn-shop broker with only a little girl for a friend. When a drugs cartel becomes intent upon using the girl for his evil ends, Bin sheds his hermitic lifestyle and combats the crime gang head on.
- 3/22/2011
- by Ben Szwediuk
- Obsessed with Film
We’ve got an exclusive look at the trailer for the forthcoming South Korean thriller, The Man From Nowhere, before it rolls out to other sites next week. If you’re up to date with your cult and world cinema knowledge you’ll know that South Korean films and talent are in shockingly rude health.
The Man From Nowhere has been called “Taken meets Oldboy” – which is intriguing, to say the least. Directed by Jeong-beom Lee (Cruel Winter Blues) it stars Bin Won, who last put in a storming performance in Bong Joon-Ho’s superb Mother (read our review here).
Synopsis:
Scarred by traumatic events resulting from his past, former special agent Tae-shik (Bin Won) lives in solitude running a pawnshop in a rundown neighbourhood. His only contact with the world is through his customers and his next-door neighbours, a young girl named So-mi (Sae-ron Kim) and her mother, an...
The Man From Nowhere has been called “Taken meets Oldboy” – which is intriguing, to say the least. Directed by Jeong-beom Lee (Cruel Winter Blues) it stars Bin Won, who last put in a storming performance in Bong Joon-Ho’s superb Mother (read our review here).
Synopsis:
Scarred by traumatic events resulting from his past, former special agent Tae-shik (Bin Won) lives in solitude running a pawnshop in a rundown neighbourhood. His only contact with the world is through his customers and his next-door neighbours, a young girl named So-mi (Sae-ron Kim) and her mother, an...
- 3/19/2011
- by Martyn Conterio
- FilmShaft.com
Directed by Jeong-beom Lee (Cruel Winter Blues), this new Korean action thriller finally reaches UK shores after a wave of box office and critical success abroad and we have the new UK trailer to share with you.
The Man From Nowhere quickly became a box office success in Korea in 2010, with over 6 million admissions, and it went on to win a number of awards in technical categories and for the the lead performances of Bin Won and Sae-ron Kim.
The Man From Nowhere is released on DVD in the UK on the 11th April (no Blu-ray sadly) and is currently sitting near the top of my to-watch pile so expect my thoughts soon.
The official synopis is as follows,
Scarred by traumatic events resulting from his past, former special agent Tae-shik (Bin Won) lives in solitude running a pawnshop in a rundown neighbourhood. His only contact with the world is...
The Man From Nowhere quickly became a box office success in Korea in 2010, with over 6 million admissions, and it went on to win a number of awards in technical categories and for the the lead performances of Bin Won and Sae-ron Kim.
The Man From Nowhere is released on DVD in the UK on the 11th April (no Blu-ray sadly) and is currently sitting near the top of my to-watch pile so expect my thoughts soon.
The official synopis is as follows,
Scarred by traumatic events resulting from his past, former special agent Tae-shik (Bin Won) lives in solitude running a pawnshop in a rundown neighbourhood. His only contact with the world is...
- 3/19/2011
- by Craig Skinner
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
A box office smash in Korea, where it became the highest grossing movie of 2010 and swept the board at the Korea Film Awards taking honours for Best Actor, Best New Actress, Best Cinematography, Best Music, Best Lighting, Best Visual Effects and Best Editing, The Man From Nowhere is coming to UK DVD in April, and we have an early look at the trailer:
Scarred by traumatic events resulting from his past, former special agent Tae-shik (Bin Won) lives in solitude running a pawnshop in a rundown neighbourhood. His only contact with the world is through his customers and his next-door neighbours, a young girl named So-mi (Sae-ron Kim) and her mother, an exotic club dancer and drug addict. Neglected by her mother and shunned by the kids at school, So-mi gradually forms a bond of friendship with the loner Tae-shik.
But one day, So-mi and her mother disappear. When it...
Scarred by traumatic events resulting from his past, former special agent Tae-shik (Bin Won) lives in solitude running a pawnshop in a rundown neighbourhood. His only contact with the world is through his customers and his next-door neighbours, a young girl named So-mi (Sae-ron Kim) and her mother, an exotic club dancer and drug addict. Neglected by her mother and shunned by the kids at school, So-mi gradually forms a bond of friendship with the loner Tae-shik.
But one day, So-mi and her mother disappear. When it...
- 3/18/2011
- by Phil
- Nerdly
The Man From Nowhere
Blu-ray/DVD
Directed By: Jeong-beom Lee
Written By: Jeong-beom Lee
Starring: Bin Won, Sae-ron Kim, Hyo-seo Kim
Cj Entertainment
Release Date: March 8, 2011
I wouldn't say I'm a knowledge in Asian cinema; I've seen some of the required viewing films like Oldboy and a few of Kurosawa's works, as well as ones like House of Flying Daggers and Hero, to name just a few. But despite my not having experienced many more of these movies, I'm always excited to see a new one. Running with this excitement, I was able to watch a movie recently that I had absolutely no prior knowledge of, knew nothing about the premise or story, and had not even seen a trailer for -- a movie called The Man From Nowhere.
The movie tells the story of Tae-Sik Cha (Bin Won), a former special agent whose wife and unborn child are killed,...
Blu-ray/DVD
Directed By: Jeong-beom Lee
Written By: Jeong-beom Lee
Starring: Bin Won, Sae-ron Kim, Hyo-seo Kim
Cj Entertainment
Release Date: March 8, 2011
I wouldn't say I'm a knowledge in Asian cinema; I've seen some of the required viewing films like Oldboy and a few of Kurosawa's works, as well as ones like House of Flying Daggers and Hero, to name just a few. But despite my not having experienced many more of these movies, I'm always excited to see a new one. Running with this excitement, I was able to watch a movie recently that I had absolutely no prior knowledge of, knew nothing about the premise or story, and had not even seen a trailer for -- a movie called The Man From Nowhere.
The movie tells the story of Tae-Sik Cha (Bin Won), a former special agent whose wife and unborn child are killed,...
- 3/12/2011
- by The Movie God
- Geeks of Doom
Hitting movie theaters this weekend:
Battle: Los Angeles – Aaron Eckhart, Michelle Rodriguez, Bridget Moynahan
Mars Needs Moms – Seth Green, Joan Cusack, Dan Fogler
Red Riding Hood – Amanda Seyfried, Lukas Haas, Gary Oldman
Suing the Devil – (limited) Malcolm McDowell, Shannen Fields, Corbin Bernsen
Movie of the Week
Red Riding Hood
The Stars: Amanda Seyfried, Lukas Haas, Gary Oldman
The Plot: Set in a medieval village that is haunted by a werewolf, a young girl (Seyfried) falls for an orphaned woodcutter, much to her family’s displeasure.
The Buzz: Amanda Seyfried has grown on me, more and more as she’s aged. I loved her in Chloe. She’s stunning in Red Riding Hood‘s trailer, heck, everything looks fantastic here. From what I’ve seen so far, I’m entirely sold on the art direction, the cinematography, the high saturation color-push, the entire visual approach. When I first heard this...
Battle: Los Angeles – Aaron Eckhart, Michelle Rodriguez, Bridget Moynahan
Mars Needs Moms – Seth Green, Joan Cusack, Dan Fogler
Red Riding Hood – Amanda Seyfried, Lukas Haas, Gary Oldman
Suing the Devil – (limited) Malcolm McDowell, Shannen Fields, Corbin Bernsen
Movie of the Week
Red Riding Hood
The Stars: Amanda Seyfried, Lukas Haas, Gary Oldman
The Plot: Set in a medieval village that is haunted by a werewolf, a young girl (Seyfried) falls for an orphaned woodcutter, much to her family’s displeasure.
The Buzz: Amanda Seyfried has grown on me, more and more as she’s aged. I loved her in Chloe. She’s stunning in Red Riding Hood‘s trailer, heck, everything looks fantastic here. From what I’ve seen so far, I’m entirely sold on the art direction, the cinematography, the high saturation color-push, the entire visual approach. When I first heard this...
- 3/9/2011
- by Aaron Ruffcorn
- The Scorecard Review
"The Man From Nowhere" (2010)
Directed by Lee Jeong-beom
Released by Well Go USA
Matt Singer said there's a sequence in this Korean revenge thriller that has "already taken up permanent residence in the Movie Hall of Fame section of my brain," so what more do you need? "Mother" star Won Bin stars as the man who is framed by local gangsters and seeks to retrieve the young girl he lives next door to after she's been kidnapped.
"Abducted" (2011)
Directed by Jon Bonnell
Released by Brain Damage Films
Originally called "Match.Dead," this 2009 thriller details the perils of online dating when a teen girl (Kathleen Benner) arranges a date with a man she soon learns is a psychopath (James Ray). Alan Smithee is the credited screenwriter on IMDb, so one might not want to go in with high expectations.
"Babysitters Beware" (2011)
Directed by Douglas Horn
Released by Phase 4 Films
If you're the...
Directed by Lee Jeong-beom
Released by Well Go USA
Matt Singer said there's a sequence in this Korean revenge thriller that has "already taken up permanent residence in the Movie Hall of Fame section of my brain," so what more do you need? "Mother" star Won Bin stars as the man who is framed by local gangsters and seeks to retrieve the young girl he lives next door to after she's been kidnapped.
"Abducted" (2011)
Directed by Jon Bonnell
Released by Brain Damage Films
Originally called "Match.Dead," this 2009 thriller details the perils of online dating when a teen girl (Kathleen Benner) arranges a date with a man she soon learns is a psychopath (James Ray). Alan Smithee is the credited screenwriter on IMDb, so one might not want to go in with high expectations.
"Babysitters Beware" (2011)
Directed by Douglas Horn
Released by Phase 4 Films
If you're the...
- 3/5/2011
- by Stephen Saito
- ifc.com
Our friends over at Badass Digest are sponsoring a DVD-release event for one of our favorite films from last year, Lee Jung-beom’s The Man From Nowhere. The film blew us away at Fantastic Fest, and we’ve been dying to catch it again on the big screen. Though the film comes out on DVD and BluRay the following week, we’re going to give it one last performance.
Come to the Village this coming Wednesday at 10pm and see an absolutely Free showing of The Man From Nowhere!
Don’t know about The Man From Nowhere? Read about it from the Korea Herald:
Won Bin’s heartthrob’s pretty boy image is shattered, tossed out, and forever lost buried under the pile of blood splattered bodies in his latest film The Man From Nowhere (Korean title “Ajeossi”) ? an ultra-violent ode to the hard boiled American grindhouse pictures of the 1970s.
Come to the Village this coming Wednesday at 10pm and see an absolutely Free showing of The Man From Nowhere!
Don’t know about The Man From Nowhere? Read about it from the Korea Herald:
Won Bin’s heartthrob’s pretty boy image is shattered, tossed out, and forever lost buried under the pile of blood splattered bodies in his latest film The Man From Nowhere (Korean title “Ajeossi”) ? an ultra-violent ode to the hard boiled American grindhouse pictures of the 1970s.
- 2/24/2011
- by Daniel Metz
- OriginalAlamo.com
One of South Korea’s highest grossing actions flicks of 2010 is coming to U.S Blu-ray and DVD, when The Man from Nowhere debuts on March 8 from Well Go USA. Written and directed by Lee Jeong-Beom (Cruel Winter Blues), ‘The Man’ stars Bin Won and newcomer Sae-Ron Kim in the story of a desperate man out to save a young girl from drug runners. The film comes both subtitled and with a (totally pointless, in our view) English language dub?? Bonus features include the in-depth, behind-the-scenes featurette “The Making of The Man From Nowhere,” as well as a reel of action highlights from the film. Synopsis: An ex-special agent Tae-sik Cha's only connection to the rest of the world is a little girl, So-mi, who lives nearby. Her mother, Hyo-jeong smuggles drugs from a drug trafficking organization and entrusts Tae-sik with the product, without letting him know. The traffickers find...
- 2/10/2011
- 24framespersecond.net
One of South Korea’s highest grossing actions flicks of 2010 is coming to U.S Blu-ray and DVD, when The Man from Nowhere debuts on March 8 from Well Go USA. Written and directed by Lee Jeong-Beom (Cruel Winter Blues), ‘The Man’ stars Bin Won and newcomer Sae-Ron Kim in the story of a desperate man out to save a young girl from drug runners. The film comes both subtitled and with a (totally pointless, in our view) English language dub?? Bonus features include the in-depth, behind-the-scenes featurette “The Making of The Man From Nowhere,” as well as a reel of action highlights from the film. Synopsis: An ex-special agent Tae-sik Cha's only connection to the rest of the world is a little girl, So-mi, who lives nearby. Her mother, Hyo-jeong smuggles drugs from a drug trafficking organization and entrusts Tae-sik with the product, without letting him know. The traffickers find...
- 2/10/2011
- 24framespersecond.net
One of South Korea’s highest grossing actions flicks of 2010 is coming to U.S Blu-ray and DVD, when The Man from Nowhere debuts on March 8 from Well Go USA. Written and directed by Lee Jeong-Beom (Cruel Winter Blues), ‘The Man’ stars Bin Won and newcomer Sae-Ron Kim in the story of a desperate man out to save a young girl from drug runners. The film comes both subtitled and with a (totally pointless, in our view) English language dub?? Bonus features include the in-depth, behind-the-scenes featurette “The Making of The Man From Nowhere,” as well as a reel of action highlights from the film. Synopsis: An ex-special agent Tae-sik Cha's only connection to the rest of the world is a little girl, So-mi, who lives nearby. Her mother, Hyo-jeong smuggles drugs from a drug trafficking organization and entrusts Tae-sik with the product, without letting him know. The traffickers find...
- 2/10/2011
- 24framespersecond.net
Watch the trailer for The Man from Nowhere starring Won Bin, Kim Sae-ron and Kim Hyo-seo. The action film helmed and written by Lee Jeong-beom releases on DVD March 8th va Well Go USA. An ex-special agent Tae-sik Cha's only connection to the rest of the world is a little girl, So-mi, who lives nearby. Her mother, Hyo-jeong smuggles drugs from a drug trafficking organization and entrusts Tae-sik with the product, without letting him know. The traffickers find out about her smuggling and kidnap both Hyo-jeong and So-mi. The gang promises to release them if Tae-sik makes...
- 2/9/2011
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Watch the trailer for The Man from Nowhere starring Won Bin, Kim Sae-ron and Kim Hyo-seo. The action film helmed and written by Lee Jeong-beom releases on DVD March 8th va Well Go USA. An ex-special agent Tae-sik Cha's only connection to the rest of the world is a little girl, So-mi, who lives nearby. Her mother, Hyo-jeong smuggles drugs from a drug trafficking organization and entrusts Tae-sik with the product, without letting him know. The traffickers find out about her smuggling and kidnap both Hyo-jeong and So-mi. The gang promises to release them if Tae-sik makes...
- 2/9/2011
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Parts “Taken” with a large splash of 2004’s “Man on Fire”, South Korea’s “The Man from Nowhere” is not exactly original by any stretch of the imagination. Then again, the same thing that made those other two films so good was the premise – mean-on-the-outside, but a teddy-bear-on-the-inside loner has to resort to his old, deadly ways when bad guys take the one precious female in his life away by force. Much badassery, as they say, commences. As Bryan Mills had to blow shit up and take no names in “Taken” and Creasy had to obliterate half of Mexico City, so too does Tae-Sik have to take out the Korean underworld in order to retrieve a spunky little gal that has invaded his life and given it meaning again. “The Man from Nowhere” stars Bin Won (“Taegukgi”) as Tae-Sik, a former Government killer who, after one of his jobs comes...
- 1/16/2011
- by Nix
- Beyond Hollywood
Well Go USA announced today that it has acquired North American DVD and Blu-ray rights to The Man from Nowhere, starring Bin Won (Mother, Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War) and new-comer Sae-Ron Kim from Cj Entertainment. Written and directed by Jeong-Beom Lee (Cruel Winter Blues), The Man from Nowhere is the biggest grossing film of 2010 in South Korea with a box office total of $45 million.
- 1/4/2011
- by Anthony T
You might have noticed some of my illustrious, talented, and all-around terrific colleagues have set about ticking off their 2010 lists. Never one to miss a chance to throw out an unsolicited (although hopefully compelling) opinion, I thought I might weigh in. This isn't so much a best-of list, as much as a reflection on the last year and some of the films which stuck out for various, particular reasons for me.I think many of the other reviewers on the site have the same lament I've been carrying for the last couple of weeks: 2010 had so many movies and there was so little time to see them all. As of this writing, I still haven't had the opportunity to check out True Grit, Catfish, or give Black Swan the due diligence of a second viewing (if you held a gun to my head for an instant opinion, I'd say it was mostly excellent,...
- 12/29/2010
- Screen Anarchy
The news coming out of Korea these days is upsetting so... let's direct our focus on something beautiful from thereabouts: the movies. The 31st annual Blue Dragon Awards were held this weekend in Seoul. Here are the winners and a few comments. [photo and info sources]
Picture: The Secret Reunion
This is an espionage thriller involving North and South Korean spies. It stars the seemingly ubiquitous Song Kang-ho who you've probably seen if you've ever seen a South Korean picture. He previously starred in the monster flick The Host, the disturbing vampire romance Thirst and the drama Secret Sunshine. The Secret Reunion won the top prize over kidnapping thriller The Man From Nowhere, Moss, epic action flick Woochi and the erotic Cannes drama The Housemaid (a remake of a classic). Lee Chang-dong's awesome Poetry (my review) was not nominated. Apparently he has a rough history with this awards body.
Director: Kang Woo-seok (Moss...
Picture: The Secret Reunion
This is an espionage thriller involving North and South Korean spies. It stars the seemingly ubiquitous Song Kang-ho who you've probably seen if you've ever seen a South Korean picture. He previously starred in the monster flick The Host, the disturbing vampire romance Thirst and the drama Secret Sunshine. The Secret Reunion won the top prize over kidnapping thriller The Man From Nowhere, Moss, epic action flick Woochi and the erotic Cannes drama The Housemaid (a remake of a classic). Lee Chang-dong's awesome Poetry (my review) was not nominated. Apparently he has a rough history with this awards body.
Director: Kang Woo-seok (Moss...
- 11/27/2010
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
At the time of showing, The Man From Nowhere was yet to find a UK distributor, with the very real prospect that it will never be screened again in the UK. That would be a great shame as it's just the sort of blockbuster-with-a-soul that we're sorely lacking. A crime thriller with more than a passing resemblance to its forebears, it also manages to find its own voice and overcome the genre clichés that threaten to hamper it.
Last seen in Joon-ho Bong's wonderful Mother, Bin Won stars as Cha Tae-sik, a mysterious pawn shop owner haunted by a tragic past. Now retired from a previous life as a top flight special agent, he strikes up a guarded relationship with his drug smuggling neighbour and her daughter, So-mi. When said neighbour makes an error of judgement that results in both her and So-mi being kidnapped, Tae-sik becomes embroiled in...
Last seen in Joon-ho Bong's wonderful Mother, Bin Won stars as Cha Tae-sik, a mysterious pawn shop owner haunted by a tragic past. Now retired from a previous life as a top flight special agent, he strikes up a guarded relationship with his drug smuggling neighbour and her daughter, So-mi. When said neighbour makes an error of judgement that results in both her and So-mi being kidnapped, Tae-sik becomes embroiled in...
- 11/10/2010
- Screen Anarchy
Greatest Knife Fight Ever. Period...
Actually, that probably doesn't constitute as a very thorough review for a film you probably haven't even heard of yet. The Man From No Where is the film that came from nowhere. It's experiences like this that remind me of the true joys of attending film festivals, sifting through so much over hyped mediocrity only to be taken completely off guard with hidden gems like this that seem to have received no previous press.
This was added to The Philadelphia Film Festival's line up only a few days ago. It was added so late that even freshly printed schedules released mid fest didn't list it. Luckily, a friend randomly stumbled into this during a previous screening and was blown away. I was urged to skip any previously made plans and do everything I could to make its final screening last night. I went into this knowing nothing,...
Actually, that probably doesn't constitute as a very thorough review for a film you probably haven't even heard of yet. The Man From No Where is the film that came from nowhere. It's experiences like this that remind me of the true joys of attending film festivals, sifting through so much over hyped mediocrity only to be taken completely off guard with hidden gems like this that seem to have received no previous press.
This was added to The Philadelphia Film Festival's line up only a few days ago. It was added so late that even freshly printed schedules released mid fest didn't list it. Luckily, a friend randomly stumbled into this during a previous screening and was blown away. I was urged to skip any previously made plans and do everything I could to make its final screening last night. I went into this knowing nothing,...
- 10/19/2010
- Screen Anarchy
Hye-ja Kim plays Mother. She is in her fifties and apart from scraping a living selling herbs and providing acupuncture to the local customers, she spends her days mollycoddling her mentally disabled 27-year-old son Do-Joon (Bin Won).
After being released from an assault charge, he goes out on a drinking binge vowing to have sex with a girl but he gets so plastered that he is thrown out of a bar. As he stumbles home he comes across a young schoolgirl who he propositions.
The next morning the police find the very same girl dead and the evidence points to only one suspect. Do-Joon is arrested for murder and now this overprotective Mother will do anything to clear his name and prove him innocent. After all her son is only a harmless slow-witted fool isn’t he?
As the plot thickens and unravels we uncover extra details and complications that...
After being released from an assault charge, he goes out on a drinking binge vowing to have sex with a girl but he gets so plastered that he is thrown out of a bar. As he stumbles home he comes across a young schoolgirl who he propositions.
The next morning the police find the very same girl dead and the evidence points to only one suspect. Do-Joon is arrested for murder and now this overprotective Mother will do anything to clear his name and prove him innocent. After all her son is only a harmless slow-witted fool isn’t he?
As the plot thickens and unravels we uncover extra details and complications that...
- 9/20/2010
- by FilmShaft Staff
- FilmShaft.com
Bong Joon-ho’s superb murder mystery is coming to Blu-ray and DVD on 20th September (we’ll be reviewing it shortly) and while a change of pace and style from his creature feature The Host, Mother is a wildly inventive suspense thriller with a very dark heart.
Featuring superb central performances from South Korean icons Hye-ja Kim and Bin Won and exquisite cinematography, Mother is easily one of the films of the year. Hence our championing of it.
South Korean cinema is definitely getting noticed for its invention and strong auteur-led hits. Check out the trailer here and why not read our cinema release review here
Synopsis:
A mother (Hye-ja Kim) lives with her twenty-eight-year-old son, Do-joon (Bin Won) and spends her days working as a herbalist and offering acupuncture. One night, a school girl is raped and murdered, then Do-joon is charged with the killing. His mother sets off...
Featuring superb central performances from South Korean icons Hye-ja Kim and Bin Won and exquisite cinematography, Mother is easily one of the films of the year. Hence our championing of it.
South Korean cinema is definitely getting noticed for its invention and strong auteur-led hits. Check out the trailer here and why not read our cinema release review here
Synopsis:
A mother (Hye-ja Kim) lives with her twenty-eight-year-old son, Do-joon (Bin Won) and spends her days working as a herbalist and offering acupuncture. One night, a school girl is raped and murdered, then Do-joon is charged with the killing. His mother sets off...
- 9/14/2010
- by Martyn Conterio
- FilmShaft.com
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