Lee B. Golden III

About Lee B. Golden III

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Native New Yorker. Been writing for a long time now, and I enjoy what I do. Be nice to me!

Posts by Lee Golden:

YAKUZA PRINCESS: MASUMI Slays In The Official Trailer From Magnet Releasing

Lee B. Golden III

IGN just published the official trailer for Motorrad helmer Vicente Amorim’s upcoming Fantasia-selected thriller, Yakuza Princess, which you can check out above. Based on Danilo Beyruth’s graphic novel and slated for a September 3 theatrical, digital and on-demand release from Magnet releasing, the film marks the screen debut of actress and recording artist MASUMI, with Jonathan Rhys-Meyers and Tsuyoshi Ihara also starring. Set in the expansive Japanese community of Sao Paulo in Brazil — the largest Japanese diaspora in the world — YAKUZA PRINCESS follows Akemi (MASUMI), an orphan who discovers she is the heiress to half of the Yakuza crime syndicate. Forging an uneasy alliance with an amnesiac stranger (Rhys Meyers) who believes an ancient sword binds their two fates, Akemi must unleash war against the other half of the syndicate who wants her dead. I actually just screened this film for Fantasia and won’t go into specifics since […]

NYAFF XX Review: Benny Chan’s RAGING FIRE, A White-Knuckle Cop Thriller With Posthumous Deference

Lee B. Golden III

The past two decades or so proved to be a pretty interesting era in Asian movies. Specifically, new blood entered the arena by the late nineties to carry onward the legacy and momentum of Hong Kong cinema following its latest crossovers of Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Donnie Yen and Michelle Yeoh, placing younger stars like actor Nicholas Tse firmly in the spotlight as the terrain shifted. The result has seen the trajectory expanded on significantly more prospective terms as, namely speaking, Yen’s pursuits saw him traveling the world for productions on both sides of the lens, while the likes of Tse and his Gen-X Cops helmer Benny Chan – director of Yen’s 1995 incarnation of Fist Of Fury – would eventually see the two collaborate several times over from 2004 through 2011. A director for more than twenty years, Chan’s films draw me to several conclusions about his work – […]

Japan Cuts XV Review: Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s WIFE OF A SPY, War And Strategy Amid Matrimony

Lee B. Golden III

If you’ve seen your fair share of WWII movies, it’s no real mystery the challenges that lie ahead for our main characters going into Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s new period drama, Wife Of A Spy. The 1940s were a trip as world governments collided, and dehumanizing atrocities were taking shape at the hands of countries like Germany, and of course, Japan. Kurosawa nimbly crafts his story around these events, inviting viewers into a character study, specifically of one woman who, despite all her daily exuberance at life and subservience to her husband, gets thrust into confronting her own identity when she learns a horrific truth for herself, and her husband’s flummoxing role in it all. Our story begins in 1940, just as a British businessman gets accosted and taken by Japanese authorities from a raw silk firm in Kobe, where Yusaku Fukuhara (Issey Takahashi) manages a trading post. His pastimes occasionally include […]

COLLABORATIONS: THE CINEMA OF ZHANG YIMOU AND GONG LI: Eight Newly Restored 2K Titles To Own On Blu-Ray This September

Lee B. Golden III

Australia’s Imprint Films is proudly rolling out the eight-film box set, Collaborations: The Cinema Of Zhang Yimou And Gong Li on September 15. The official trailer for the box set has been out for a while but you’re welcome to check it out above, as it’s worthy sampling of what’s in store for fans of the two stalwarts. Both Yimou and Li have proven to be transformative and impactful in their respective careers, especially the former whose works have not been without some air of ceremony or even a tad bit of controversy. So when you look at Yimou, you’re looking at an auteur who continues to stand the test of time, and with Li’s stunning cinematic presence, needless to say, there’s magic happening. The box-set is currently up for pre-order at the official website for Imprint Films, so read on for the feats and tech specs and get yours […]

NYAFF XX Review: Ryoo Seung-Wan’s ESCAPE FROM MOGADISHU, On Surviving A Political Warzone

Lee B. Golden III

I can’t speak for North Korea, but it’s always compelling cinema to watch from Southern directors, with stories featuring parties from both sides of the DMZ. Seeing and observing the mannerisms and dispositions of both parties as they’re forced together in situations that imperil them and implore finding a common ground should be a welcome challenge for almost any filmmaker to tackle. More to the point, director Ryoo Seung-wan facing this challenge head-on is a feat I’m keen on witnessing, as big in scope and scale as many of his productions have grown, from the heydays of Die Bad, Crying Fist and Arahan, to international thriller The Berlin File and explosive period epic, The Battleship Island. Ryoo’s escalation continues this month with Escape From Mogadishu, spotlighting a colossal moment in Somalian history as the African nation became ground zero for the two Koreas, with the South vying for membership in […]

Well Go USA’s RAGING FIRE Sets August North American Theatrical Release

Lee B. Golden III

It’s been a rather Donnie Yen/Benny Chan/Raging Fire kinda day, hasn’t it? At long last the film has been granted an August 13 release in North American theaters from Well Go USA following the film’s acquisition in June. What’s more is a new trailer is now online which you can check out above. Shan (Donnie Yen) is a highly respected hardline cop with a long history of success on dangerous cases. However, his past unexpectedly comes back to haunt him when a sting operation is attacked by a mysterious group of criminals led by Ngo (Nicholas Tse), his former protégé, a talented former officer who had once respected and admired Shan. However, a terrible mistake three years prior landed him in prison, quickly turning the once rising star into a furious man with a grudge, and the will to destroy everyone who had wronged him—including his former mentor. The film […]

SINKHOLE

NYAFF XX: Benny Chan’s RAGING FIRE Heads Up Centerpiece Premiere With Kim Ji-Hoon’s SINKHOLE To Close Festival

Lee B. Golden III

Not to be outdone for a ways to end the week on a high note, folks attending the New York Asian Film Festival will undoubtedly be privy to the addition of two more titles to this year’s hybrid festivities, with the Centerpiece presentation of Benny Chan’s Raging Fire, and the closing premiere of Kim Ji-hoon’s survival pic, Sinkhole. This brims things up even more with several ceremonies already lined-up on top of the now 75-title schedule. To be honest, I felt like this was going to happen what with the timing and all and August already on approach. It’ll be right for the occasion too, with fans of Chan eager to show out for his final posthumous bow. Read the announcement below and head to the official websites here and here to gather all you need to purchase tickets forthwith! New York, NY (July 30, 2021) – The New York […]

[UPDATED] Indie Martial Arts Action Comedy DEAD HAND Unveils First Look Trailer, Launches Indiegogo For Post-Production!

Lee B. Golden III

UPDATE (8/3/21): The official campaign for Dead Hand has launched over at Indiegogo! EARLIER: Six years in entertainment with multiple skillsets on both sides of the lens and two years since co-establishing Spectrograph Films, we have a new update to share from actor, writer and director John Francis McCuallagh with the first trailer for indie action comedy, Dead Hand. McCullagh was featured in out Hit List column a few times for his reels so it’s awesome that he’s kept up the craft to reach this latest pinnacle, and it’s his feature film debut to boot. McCullagh directs from his own script in the role of Eoghan Flynn, an agent who must enlist a new in order to take down an international terrorist on the verge of gaining nuclear power. The film also stars Brandon Yates and Angel Rodriguez and is currently in post-production, with plans to launch an Indiegogo crowdfunder […]

Fantasia Adds Donnie Yen Action Thriller RAGING FIRE To This Year’s Festival Line-Up!

Lee B. Golden III

It’s always a welcome feat that festivals like Fantasia drop a surprise last-minute addition. This year, the 25th hybrid installment just got a little bigger with the announcement of action crime thriller, Raging Fire, starring Donnie Yen and Nicholas Tse. The film, the last was which to be directed by Benny Chan before his untimely death nearly a year ago, was acquired last month by Well Go USA for pending U.S. releases both in theaters and its in-house streamer, Hi-YAH!. Tickets are now available with Fantasia hosting the film’s Canadian premiere at the Cinéma Impérial on August 10. Check out the programming notes below as penned by Fantasia’s Chu King-Wei: Havoc reigns in Hong Kong! A disgraced former cop has returned for vengeance against his former mentor Shan, the decorated hero of the police force. He has assembled a wild bunch of merciless assassins to generate death and destruction till […]

NEIL MARSHALL on the set of THE LAIR

THE LAIR: Neil Marshall’s New Action Horror Outlines Cast As Cameras Roll In Hungary

Lee B. Golden III

Principal Photography is already underway in Hungary for Dog Soldiers and The Reckoning helmer Neil Marshall’s new film, The Lair. Set to star in the film are Jonathan Howard (Marvel’s Thor: The Dark World, Skylines, Warner Bros.’ Godzilla King of Monsters), Charlotte Kirk (The Reckoning, Warner Bros.’ Oceans Eight), and Jamie Bamber (UMC’s “Battlestar Galactica,” Cinemax’s “Strike Back,” 20th Century Fox’s Money), from a script by Marshall who is also exec producing. The Lair centers on a command squad led by Sergeant Tom Hook, tasked with findinf Lt. Kate Sinclair, a downed Royal Air Force fighter pilot Afghanistan. Sinclair, pursued by insurgents, ﬁnds refuge in a long abandoned secret bunker and unwittingly releases a deadly man-made biological weapon – half human, half alien and hungry for human ﬂesh – the Ravagers. Hook and his team, accompanied by a handful of British SAS troops must save Sinclair from the insurgents, and […]

INDEMNITY: South Africa’s Answer To Jason Bourne Just Landed An Explosive Official Trailer

Lee B. Golden III

If you’re keen on South African genre cinema and have been curious to know the goings on of late with the creators of Netflix series Blood & Water, then your answer has finally arrived with the official trailer for fugitive espionage action thriller, Indemnity. The film is set to screen for Fantasia’s 25th and hybrid installment, in addition to an in-person World Premiere on August 11 at the Imperial Theatre in Montreal, QC, and from the looks of things, attendees at Imperial are in for a real treat. I’ve mused plentily on South African action and stunts during the run of The Hit List and so to see the names Vernon Willemse and Grant Powell in the announcement below certainly rouses the excitement and curiousity. Check out the trailer above and read on: An ex-firefighter in Cape Town is forced to fight for his life after being accused of murdering […]

GINTAMA: THE VERY FINAL, The Odd Jobbers’ Epic Final Battle To End It All Arrives This November!

Lee B. Golden III

It’ll be a while before I’m able to get my eyes on the live-action sequel to 2017’s Gintama. In the meantime, the longstanding animated series I binged that year will remain in my beating heart for years to come, and if you have access to a streaming service for animated shows that includes Gintama in its library, consider this an invitation to one of the best, most hilarious and entertaining experiences of your life…so long as you can stomach some occasional toilet humor along the way. This show’s also had some animated films in between, all the while breaking the fourth wall more times than I care to count in jabbing at its own longevity with inside-jokes about getting cancelled, which was never the case. The animated series finalized its run though, and it was a really GOOD one, with fans celebrating the voice actors in arenas non-stop and filling […]

Revenge Thriller FAST VENGEANCE Heats Up On Tubi Ahead Of DVD And Blu-Ray Releases This August

Lee B. Golden III

Director Pearry Reginald Teo (The Gene Generation, The Assent) quietly emerged on ad-supported free streaming app, Tubi, with his latest action thriller, Fast Vengeance. Previously titled Burnout, Fast Vengeance stars D.Y. Sao, an actor and martial artist who’s been hustling for longer than I’ve been writing with small roles in films like Cradle 2 The Grave, and larger ones in indies like R.L. Scott’s martial arts action sequel, Champion Road: Arena. He’s also been privy to crowdfunding efforts that would’ve eventually seen him more prolifically even sooner than now, and unfortunately, those campaigns fell short of their goals. Nonetheless, with the days of Sao’s Usurp Productions long behind him, it’s high time I finally started seeing more of Sao on screen, especially considering his action performance caliber and athleticism could easily contend with that of other stars today. Sao can even be seen as of late among the crop of […]

CRAZY FIST: Well Go USA Knuckles Up For Hi-YAH!, Blu-Ray, DVD & Digital Releases This August And September

Lee B. Golden III

It was in the months leading up to a Five-A-Day piece I did back in December 2017 when I shared a bit of what found online regarding a film I didn’t think would ever see the light of day. This pertains to Crazy Fist, a film I did manage to catch floating around in market news with All Rights Entertainment repping the project, all whilst having heard nothing about its movement or any acquisition whatsoever. The casting of Steve Yoo, who’s been a rising star of sorts featuring opposite Xing Yu in 2013’s The Wrath Of Vajra, Jackie Chan’s CZ12 and Little Big Soldier, and cameoing in Keanu Reeves’s Man Of Tai Chi, I felt would’ve been a motivator for this film to catch some momentum. Alas, seeing that Well Go USA Entertainment has snagged the rights to this heavy-hitting action thriller probably doesn’t surprise anybody considering their expertise in […]

LIVING: Don’t Miss The First Teaser For Cuong Nguyen Phuc’s New Dramatic Crime Thriller

Lee B. Golden III

Cuong Nguyen Phuc has a new shortfilm on the way with crime thriller, Living, and the official teaser has been released on YouTube as of Tuesday. The project was written by Jeriah Hunt, and actor Jeremiah Alexander who stars alongside Alexander Luna, Cynthia Santiago and Reese Gordon. Two brothers attempt to heal from their past with the help of an ex-heroin addict and her daughter. Living remains in post-production, with more updates being made available via social media.

RUPTURE: A Rear View Look At Mark Strange In Upcoming Sci-Fi Action Thriller

Lee B. Golden III

Production has long since wrapped about a week ago for Ranjeet S. Marwa’s new action thriller, Rupture, which is now in post-production. The team have been steadily rolling out stills from the film featuring starring actor and martial artist Mark Strange (Ip Man 4: The Finale, Redcon-1), the latest of which you can tap to enlarge above, courtesy of production. Production on Rupture comes following completion months ago on Marwa’s dark dystopian survival thriller indie, Exiled: The Chosen Ones, which could roll out later this year or early next, acquisition news pending. Marwa directs Rupture from a script and story treatment by Daniel White, and centers Strange in the role of Raven, a recently freed man from prison who must confront the people who put him inside, whilst mitigating the answer that truly lies at the core of his mission: Revenge, or redemption. Rounding out the cast are James Bryhan, […]

FANTASIA XXV: Twenty Titles You Don’t Want To Miss At This Year’s Hybrid Festival

Lee B. Golden III

The third wave just recently hit for the 25th Fantasia International Film Festival, which is hosting in-person and virtual screenings and events from August 5 through 25. Thus, peep the first wave and the second wave before hitting up the latest article and take in the full line-up as things rev up to help make for one awesome post-Covid semi-comeback. This site has a team of four which will be reviewing titles and hopefully getting to do an interview. As such, our obligatory curtain raiser is here to help spotlight some recommendations. We took the initiative to put together at least thirty selections, but I’m reducing it to at least twenty; At this rate, choosing for the list was quite the challenge, but that’s part of the fun though. Isn’t it? I’m fully aware the gallery function isn’t working properly, so I’m doing this in list format, citing descriptions directly […]

Gordon Lam Ka Tung, Hand Rolled Cigarette

NYAFF 2021: Variety Star Asia, Daniel A. Craft Honorees Announced Among Others For This Year’s Festival

Lee B. Golden III

Tickets are now on sale for the 20th edition of the New York Asian Film Festival which runs from August 6 through 22, and more than ever today’s announcements prove this is a festival you don’t want to miss. More than 70 films are now listed for the hybrid line-up with a closing title soon to be announced. Among its ceremonies currently in store, the festival will be handing actor Gordon Lam Ka Tong the Variety Star Asia Award. The festival will be showcasing four titles, three of which are screen-credited to Lam: Soi Cheang’s Limbo, Chan Kin Long’s Hand Rolled Cigarette and Vincent Kok’s star-studded All U Need Is Love. Lam also produced Ricky Ko’s assassin pic, Time, which will screen for the festival. Lam now joins the ranks of previous Star Asia Award recepients such as Donnie Yen (2012), Sandra Ng (2014), Aaron Kwok (2015), Lee Byung-hun and […]

Don’t Miss The 24th KUNG FU EXTRAVAGNZA Now Streaming Online!

Lee B. Golden III

The 24th annual Kung Fu Extravaganza was held on Thursday evening as planned with hosts Ric Meyers and Preston Downey (a.k.a. That Phat Samurai Guy). The two held a panel that also included Frank Djeng of 88 Films, Justice For Hire co-creator Jan Lucanus, filmmaker Chris Mancini and Hong Kong action veteran, actor/musician Vincent Lyn, comprising a 208-minute celebration of Asian films and action cinema, from the classics to contemporary works, to independent movies and shows, and an interview by Meyers and Downey with actors Philip Ng and Van Ness Wu of Well Go USA’s Undercover Punch And Gun. I live in the east coast, so I only stuck around for the first two hours before hitting the sack and skimming the remaining hour and a half prior to this post, but Meyers and the panel do dive quite a bit into things. This partly included some philosophy on Kung […]

HYDRA: Seize Your Blu-Ray Copy Of Kensuke Sonomura’s Debut Hit Action Thriller From Well Go USA [UPDATED]

Lee B. Golden III

UPDATE (7/23): Prior to posting this contest, I ordered three copies and was only sent one by the PR firm in charge, and given that it’s the release week for the film and the wait period for the other two, I moved ahead and launched the contest on Thursday. The other two copies finally arrived on Friday morning so.. there’s that! EARLIER (7/22): Kensuke Sonomura’s directorial debut, Hydra, was a magnanimous offering for all those involved, and definitely a fun ride for a first time effort from the stuntman-turned-filmmaker. The buzz generated on Twitter from the film’s streaming launch on Hi-YAH! is worth a look as well, putting actor Masanori Mimoto (Yakuza Apocalypse) in a very good position as we look forward to his next endeavor. Until then, fans looking forward to physical ownership can look toward wherever movies are sold to own a copy on Digital, Blu-ray and DVD as […]