Election 2 Tagged Articles at Cinematical

Ok, so everyone in the US who wanted to see Johnnie To's Election already has a region-free DVD player and the disc from Hong Kong. Me too -- but the thought of it actually getting distribution here remains pretty exciting, if only because it's a sign of respect for the film and maybe, just maybe, a hint that more quality from HK and its sister Asian indistustries will find its way to American screens. No, you're right -- I'm dreaming. Still, though, the news that Tartan has stepped up and acquired US distribution rights to not only Election but also its sequel (which reportedly had a very successful screening at Cannes) is heartening to fans of quality Asian films. I mean, when is it NOT better to see a movie on the big screen?

That said, it's unclear whether Tartan's plans for Election include a theatrical run or only a DVD release. The company does, however, fully intend to get Election 2 into theaters later this year, a run that will be supported (they say) by "a strong publicity campaign."

[via Kaiju Shakedown]

The big cheeses at Cannes just revealed the competition slate for this year's festival, and it turns out that most of the rumors were true. Among the high-profile films competing for top honors will be Pedro Almodovar's Volver, Richard Linklater's Fast Food Nation, Sofia Coppola's Marie-Antoinette, Guillermo Del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth, Richard Kelly's Southland Tales, and Nanni Moretti The Caiman.

Screening out of competition (in addition to the previously-announced titles) will be Johnnie To's Election 2, which just had its premiere at the Hong Kong International Festival and was very well received.

The full list is after the jump.

The 30th Hong Kong International Film Festival is in full swing, torturing all of us from afar. In addition to a broad slate of premieres and other new films, this year's festival also features a 20-film tribute to the Hong Kong industry's greatest action choreographers, including the work of people like Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee, Sammo Hung, and Yuen Woo-ping. The tribute is being seen as bittersweet because, as GreenCine Daily contributor Saul Symonds put it in his first report for the site, the "blood and sweat [of these men] literally built up Hong Kong cinema into one of the world's most vibrant and productive industries...and now Hong Kong cinema is dying, and everything they've worked towards is being sadly swept away." Yeah, that's depressing.

On a more positive note, also at the festival is the always-reliable Grady Hendrix, who is posting reviews and reactions over at Kaiju Shakedown. Among his reviews is one of Johnnie To's eagerly-awaited Election 2 (he really, really digs it), as well as looks at Simon Yam's fashion sense, and Black Night, a horror anthology featuring segments from Japan, Thailand, and Hong Kong.

If you're interested in Asian film and, like me, wish you were in Hong Kong right now, keep checking in with Grady and the folks at GreenCine Daily for your fixes on the fest until it closes, on April 19.