Its release slotted between the two installment of Tarantino’s Kill Bill, Kitano’s new film, Zatoichi, is perfect for anyone hungering for a little more katana-wielding action. Slower paced but equally stylish with the same attention to detail, it is a wonderful period piece from the director who made his name with violent Yakuza films. Er, and Takeshi’s Castle.

Read my full Zatoichi review.

For some unknown reason the Grants Warner Village cinema obtained a print, and has been showing it for a limited run. It appears there may be hope for Croydon filmgoers after all, even if the audience was a little on the small side when I saw it. I have to admit that I did feel more than a little True Romance-y going to see foreign martial arts film on my own with a big tub of popcorn, but sadly no carefully placed prostitute (sorry, call-girl) mysteriously turned out to be my soul mate. But the best thing about going to see alternative films is that the trailers have none of the usual trash at all…

I was treated to a teaser trailer for the second Kill Bill instalment, featuring a few tantalising seconds extra of Bill and the stetson-toting Michael Madsen. The majority was a black and white shot of The Bride in a car, discussing her own reviews, “a roaring rampage of revenge”, and basically promising us an even more impressive second half.

Troy is one of the few trailers to literally make my jaw drop. Beginning with a close-up of Brad Pitt (which was probably enough for some people) the camera panned out fluidly to reveal him standing on the deck of a massive galleon surround by about two hundred soldiers, then as we continue to pull back we see ten of these magnificent ship, then twenty, and then an ocean filled with hundreds on their way to Troy. Indescribably stunning.

And last but not least was Van Helsing which is looking as dark, creepy and action-packed as expected, and although I was somewhat dubious about a film that seemed to be drawing in legendry villains in a sort of cash-in move, it appears that it could well live up to the hype.