Criterion Collection teases Bruce Lee, Wong Kar-wai box sets

Annual doodle hints at upcoming home video releases for 2020.



Just a little bit of fun news from movie geeks who still like getting DVDs and Blu-rays for the home collection, like me. These days, physical purchases are reserved for special items. So this recent "announcement" from Criterion Collection has given me reason to save up some hard-earned cash.

As is tradition, the home video distributor specializing in "important classic and contemporary cinema" dropped its annual doodle teasing some of the year's upcoming releases, leaving it up to us cinephiles to decipher the maddeningly simple drawings. This year's clues hint at releases that align particularly well with my tastes: Wong Kar-wai and Bruce Lee box sets.

Fresh Off The Boat: The Complete First Season DVD

Revisit the historic first season of the Huang clan's television adventures.



Hey, Fresh Off The Boat fans. As you know, season two is currently underway and off to a great start. But if you're a collector, and you'd like to go back and revisit the historic first season of the Huang clan's television adventures, the Fresh Off The Boat: Season 1 DVD is now available. All thirteen episodes of season one are collected two discs. Special features include a "Fresh Facts" Trivia Track and Gag Reel.

Giveaway: Win 'Kung Fu Killer on DVD

Donnie Yen stars in the kickass critically-acclaimed martial arts action thriller.



The kickass critically-acclaimed martial arts action thriller Kung Fu Killer, starring legendary Hong Kong superstar Donnie Yen, is now available on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital Download from Well Go USA Entertainment. To celebrate, I'm giving away some free DVDs. Who wants one? Scroll down for details...

In Kung Fu Killer, when a vicious serial killer targets top martial arts masters, convicted criminal and kung fu master Hahou (Donnie Yen) is the only one with the skills to stop him. Released from jail and into police custody, they soon have their doubts about Hahou's true allegiance, causing Hahou to be hunted by an unstoppable killer (Wang Baoqiang) and the entire police force.

Here's the trailer:

Angry Gift Guide: 'A Picture of You' Limited Edition DVD

"A serious movie about life that gets sideswiped in the supermarket parking lot by a funny movie about death."



Here's a cool gift idea for the indie film lover in your life...

Writer/director JP Chan's award-winning feature film debut A Picture of You, starring Jo Mei, Andrew Pang and Jodi Long, is described as "a serious movie about life that gets sideswiped in the supermarket parking lot by a funny movie about death." The movie is now available on DVD exclusively from Amazon.

Estranged siblings Jen and Kyle travel from New York City to rural Pennsylvania to pack up the home of their recently deceased mother. While there, they inadvertently make a shocking discovery that turns their world upside-down. It's a story about family, loss, secrets, letting go, and starting anew. I'm a big fan of this film.

Here's the trailer again:

Giveaway: The Grandmaster on DVD

Enter to win Wong Kar-wai's martial arts drama The Grandmaster on DVD



Check it. If you like your action flicks with a touch of class, then you must see Tony Leung and Zhang Ziyi in The Grandmaster, available this week on Blu-ray and DVD, as well as On Demand and Digital Download.

Presented by Martin Scorsese, the latest film from acclaimed auteur Wong Kar-wai is a visually-stunning period martial arts drama inspired by the life of legendary Wing Chun master Ip Man -- teacher to Bruce Lee -- who survived the turmoil of 1930s China to change the world of martial arts forever.

The Grandmaster is an art house kung fu flick, equal parts gorgeous and kickass. Tony Leung is awesome as usual, but it's Zhang Ziyi who really steals the movie. She embodies the spirit of the movie, both stunning and fierce -- the real grandmaster we follow through Wong's saga of love, honor and vengeance.

Want to win a copy of The Grandmaster? I'm giving away some DVDs. Scroll down to the bottom for details on how to enter. But first, here's the trailer for The Grandmaster:

Oldboy: The Brutally Honest Bootleg Special Edition DVD

"An unnecessary sub-par remake."



I know a lot of fellow Asian cinema fans hate remakes. To be honest, I find nothing inherently wrong with them. That said, I detested the very notion of a Hollywood remake of Park Chan-wook's Oldboy. I just never saw the point. So I was fairly pleased when Spike Lee's remake stumbled into theaters last fall, was tepidly received, and quietly crawled away. And even better, now we get this freaking incredible bootleg DVD art.

Chinese Bootleg DVD Marketing Needs a Little Work

Oh, I disagree, Slate. If this is indeed a "real" Chinese bootleg DVD of Spike Lee's Oldboy, this brutally honest pull-quote -- seemingly taken from an Amazon customer review -- is right on the money. And I love it. Can somebody get me the bootleg? I don't even want to watch it. I just want this for my collection.

Linsanity on DVD

Feature documentary tells the amazing underdog story of Jeremy Lin



The feature documentary Linsanity, directed by Evan Jackson Leong, is now available on DVD. To celebrate, I'm giving some free copies. To find out how to enter for your chance to win, scroll down to the bottom... [UPDATE: The giveaway is now closed. Thank you to all who entered.]

The inspirational film, which premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, chronicles the unlikely underdog rise of basketball star Jeremy Lin, who seemingly came out of nowhere, off the New York Knicks bench in February 2012 and proceeded to electrify the world of professional sports and beyond.

Fortunately, Evan and his team had the cameras rolling long before anyone got an inkling of the phenomenon we now affectionately call "Linsanity." Behind Jeremy's incredible rise is a simple story of family, faith and finding identity. You don't have to care a lick about sports to find inspiration in Jeremy's amazing journey.

Here's the theatrical trailer:

Kristina Wong's Wong Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest DVD

A comedy about depression



Whether it's professing obsessive love for Jeremy Lin on Totally Biased, or declaring "Suck it, white ladies!" in the most awesome TV interview ever, writer/performance artist/provocateur is full-time awesome.

So if you're a Kristina Wong superfan like me, then you should check out the feature film version of Wong Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, her critically-acclaimed one-woman show about suicide and depression among Asian American women, now available on DVD and VOD from Cinema Libre. Watch Kristina take the stage and use her show to cure all the mentally ill and suicidal Asian American women in just 85 minutes.

Okay, so that's kind of a lofty goal. According to a report from the American Psychological Association, suicide is the second leading cause of death among Asian American women aged 15-34. With this sobering statistic in mind, Kristina tackles taboos and says 'suck it' to stigmas, crafting a razor-sharp, insightful and hilarious show that examines the phenomena and stereotypes associated with Asian American women.

Here's the trailer to Wong Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest:

Fast & Furious 6 Blu-ray/DVD Extended Edition

The biggest and baddest installment of the auto action franchise, directed by Justin Lin

If you had told me in 2001, upon release of The Fast and the Furious, that they would eventually go on to make six of these freaking movies, I would have told you to get the eff out of my car. But indeed, they've not only made six, but they've turned Fast & Furious into an international blockbuster franchise -- and arguably getting better with each film -- helmed by one of Hollywood's most successful Asian American directors. Whaaat.

You've come a long way, Justin Lin. Fast & Furious 6 marks a closing chapter for his run with the series, after successfully weaving together the seemingly disparate character/story threads from the first three movies, spinning a movie mythology and managing a bulging ensemble while continually upping the action ante. Yes, this is a big, loud movie, but it delivers in all the ways that count.

The movie also closes the loop for fan favorite Sung Kang as Han, who [SPOILER, like seven years ago, bro] meets his fate in The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift -- the third movie in the franchise, but chronologically, the bookend to the series so far. Hats off to one of the coolest Asian American movie characters ever.

Fast & Furious is now available on Blu-ray, DVD, VOD and Digital Download. Here's the trailer again:

Giveaway: Win a LUMPIA 10th Anniversary Edition DVD

Patricio Ginelsa's "ultimate home made movie" cult hit celebrates ten years



Our friend Patricio Ginelsa's Pinoy-powered home-made indie cult film LUMPIA is celebrating its 10th anniversary. To celebrate, they're releasing a newly remastered and remixed DVD, out this week.

Set at the fictional late-1990s Fogtown High School, LUMPIA is a defiantly low-budget action comedy tale of misfits, bullies, wayward youth, teenage longing and deep-friend justice. Seven years in the making, Variety calls LUMPIA "a youth project that got delightfully out of hand."

I've got some free DVDs to give away. Want one? Scroll down all the way to the bottom for details.

First, here are some more details about the DVD:

John Cho could have played Jim on The Office

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Jake Shimabukuro: Life on Four Strings on DVD

The feature documentary Jake Shimabukuro: Life on Four Strings is now available on DVD.

Beautifully shot, and mixing exhilarating performance footage with personal interviews and behind-the-scenes footage, the film tells the inspirational, heartfelt story of a musical sensation. A musical sensation who happens to totally shred on the ukulele. Award-winning filmmaker Tad Nakamura traces Shimabukuro's incredible virtuoso career, from his humble island beginnings to international superstardom.

Take a look at the trailer:

The Mind of Chef Season 1 DVD

If you missed the television broadcast, season one of the PBS cooking/traveling series The Mind of a Chef, is now available on DVD. Narrated and produced by Anthony Bourdain, the show takes you on a cultural and culinary journey into the mind of noted chef/restauranteur David Chang, the guy behind New York City's wildly popular Momofuku restaurants and the and the New York Times best-selling cookbooks Momofuku and Momofuku Milk Bar. Take a look at the trailer:

angry gift guide: miami connection on blu-ray/dvd/vhs

For something different... From out of the vault, via the mean streets of Florida, comes the greatest so-bad-it's-good synth rock ninja action street justice saga you've never heard of: Miami Connection -- a new cult classic.

Written, produced by and starring 9th degree black belt philosopher/author/inspirational speaker Grandmaster Y.K. Kim, the film was only released theatrically in Orlando in 1987 before getting quickly boo'd off the screen and into obscurity before being unearthed decades later by Drafthouse Films.

Recently released on Blu-ray, DVD and limited edition VHS (yes, do you remember?), Miami Connection is, hands down, one of the worst, most awesome and most enjoyable movies I've ever seen. First, behold the trailer:

yes, we're open now available on dvd/digital download

Film lovers. Something for you. The indie sex comedy Yes, We're Open is now available on DVD and Digital Download. You've heard me rave about it. If you missed it on the festival circuit, now's the chance to watch it from the comfort of your couch or, heck, even your handheld device. It's the future.

Lynn Chen and Parry Shen star as Sylvia and Luke, a seemingly liberal San Francisco couple who reconsider just how modern a lifestyle they actually lead when they meet a provocative polyamorous couple. With temptation around the corner, Luke and Sylvia must figure out where they really stand on love, sex, and honesty.

Want to win a copy of the DVD? Scroll down. But first, here's the trailer:

k-pop giveaway: win I am smtown: live world tour in madison square garden on dvd

This is for all you K-pop fans out there. The concert documentary I AM: SMTOWN Live World Tour in Madison Square Garden, featuring performances from Korean pop superstars KANGTA, BoA, TVXQ!, Super Junior, Girls' Generation, SHINee and f(x), hits DVD shelves this week.

The film includes the full-length, sold-out 2011 U.S. concert at one of the world's most-hallowed arenas and a feature-length documentary, venturing behind the scenes and providing unprecedented access to these mega-hit K-pop acts.

Watch the trailer here.

To be honest, I don't know whole lot about these groups, but I do know they're pretty darn popular. And it just so happens that I have two extra copies of the DVD. Anyone want to take it off my hands? Yes, I am giving away the I AM: SMTOWN Live World Tour in Madison Square Garden DVD to one lucky winner.

Want it? Here's how to enter:

New on DVD: Lou Ye's 'Summer Palace'

Lou Ye's epic melodrama Summer Palace is now out on DVD from Palm Pictures. It's an amazing, breathtaking film. I was familiar with some of Lou Ye's previous work, like Purple Butterfly, which I could only describe as intense. Summer Palace packs a similar punch, evoking a powerful, specific sense of time and place.