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:

HBO Max Briefs: DMZ In The Works; THE LAST OF US Ordered To Series

This week’s seen a fantastic growth of news for HBO Max subscribers, the latest two of which include current development of DC/Vertigo adaptation, DMZ, and Friday’s announcement of a series take based on the hit video game, The Last Of Us. Production is set to commence next year for a four part adaptation of DMZ, based on the 2005 Vertigo/DC publication, marking the latest milestone since its planned development first landed at SyFy in 2014. DMZ is set in the near future where America is embroiled in a bitter civil war, leaving Manhattan a demilitarized zone (DMZ), destroyed and isolated from the rest of the world. The show will chronicle the harrowing journey of fearless and fierce medic Alma Ortega (series star Rosario Dawson), who sets out on a harrowing journey to find the son she lost in the evacuation of New York City at the onset of the conflict. […]

REDEMPTION DAY: Gary Dourdan Stars In The New Action Thriller Arriving In January

Lee B. Golden III

News was slow to come in roughly the past year-and-a-half since we first spotted some BTS footage for writer and director Hicham Hajji’s geopolitical action thriller, Redemption Day. That all changed at some point when Saban Films acquired U.S. distribution rights and now we’ve got ourselves a trailer that brings actor Gary Dourdan back into the fray for his latest return to the screen. Having just returned home, decorated U.S. Marine Captain Brad Paxton’s (Gary Dourdan) wife, Kate, is kidnapped by a terrorist group while working in Morocco. He is forced back into action for a daring and deadly operation to save the woman he loves. It’s not often I get to promote a film with an actor as underrated as Dourdan is, and I’m definitely looking forward to seeing more of him into the new year. Redemption Day also stars Serinda Swan, Martin Donovan, Ernie Hudson, Samy Naceri and […]

BEASTS CLAWING AT STRAWS: Artsploitation Digs Its Claws In December For Kim Yong-Hoon’s Crime Thriller

Lee B. Golden III

Kim Yong-hoon’s cerebral and brilliant crime drama, Beasts Clawing At Straws, was definitely one of the finer viewings during its festival run. Artsploitation snagged the film stateside for a limited theatrical release back in October and is now rolling out the pic on VOD beginning December 15. A Louis Vuitton bag stuffed full of cash sends a group of hard-luck lowlifes on a desperate chase for fortune in this pitch-black neo-noir crime thriller. Fish-mongering gangsters, a greasy cop, an “innocent” gym cleaner, a scheming prostitute, her wife beater of a husband, her ruthless boss and her clueless boyfriend all violently plot to get their hands on the elusive bag. First time director Kim Yong-hoon’s witty thriller is a beautifully constructed puzzle that with each double-cross, the pieces fall into place. Beasts Clawing At Straws is based on Keisuke Sone’s 2011 novel and stars Jeon Do-yeon, Jung Woo-sung, Bae Sung-woo, Yun […]

HERE ARE THE YOUNG MEN: Well Go USA Lands Early 2021 Release For Eoin Macken’s Gritty Irish Teen Drama From Arclight

Lee B. Golden III

Gritty Irish teen drama Here Are The Young Men has locked a North American distribution deal for next year from Well Go USA Entertainment. The film was adapted for the screen by director Eoin Macken who co-wrote the film with Rob Doyle, whose acclaimed 2014 novel serves as the basis for the film. Set in 2003, the film catalogs the last summer of three Dublin high school graduates – aimless Matthew (Dean-Charles Chapman, HBO’s Game of Thrones), his charismatic yet deranged friend Kearney (Finn Cole, HBO Max’s Peaky Blinders) and their precocious friend Rez (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Sing Street) – as they embark on an epic binge to celebrate a future without limits. But when they witness a catastrophic accident, the incident sends them spiraling, forcing each to grapple with the most daunting challenge of their lives: facing the demons inside. Also headlining the ensemble cast are Travis Fimmel (Ridley Scott’s […]

JIU JITSU Review: Logothetis’s New Martial Arts Sci-Fi Has Blockbuster Ambitions, Barely Gets A Grip

Lee B. Golden III

Best known for reimagining 1989’s Kickboxer with two storied back-to-back reboots, filmmaker Dimitri Logothetis segways into the comic book genre for the first time, adapting Acme Rocket Fuel’s in-house IP, Jiu Jitsu. Teeming with action-heavy talent per usual, the film rejoins Logothetis with Kickboxer Vengeance and Kickboxer Retaliation star Alain Moussi, having since escalated from stunt performance to achieving leading man status for the martial arts niche. It’s not too long before the film’s biggest players join the fray setting our story in Burma, namely Nicolas Cage who appears briefly in one of the film’s opening moments following an eruptive chase sequence opener that leaves Moussi’s character injured, unconscious, and floating in the water. Pulled to safety by a farm couple and escorted to a nearby Army base, our protagonist is treated, and sooner interrogated by Army intel officer Myra (Marie Avgeropoulos) who tries to mitigate whether or not she […]

THE LADY FROM NOWHERE Shortfilm Teaser: Stephanie Pham Returns In Killer Noir Fashion

Lee B. Golden III

I still have folks asking me just when the heck I’m bringing the Hit List back. That time will come eventually. I don’t know when, but it’s coming. In the meantime, I’ll still allow myself to publish minor bits of news here promoting some of the fine creatives still doing exemplary work for action fans among netizens and that especially goes for Joey Min and the rest of the miscreants over at Art School Dropouts. Fact is, “Lady”, the name of one of their recent brainchildren of the last several years, has become a personal fan favorite of mine, and while I can’t urge Min enough to build a feature length story around her character, it’s nice to know that at least during quarantimes he’s still able to put out some smaller scale gems. Enter The Lady From Nowhere, which runs at about maybe five minutes or so, and it’s […]

CHAOS WALKING Trailer: Thoughts Come To Life In The New Novel-Inspired YA Sci-Fi With Daisy Ridley, Tom Holland And Mads Mikkelsen

Lee B. Golden III

This one took some several years to finally see the light of day what with reshoots and scheduling among actors being a factor. Alas, Doug Liman’s newest thriller has arrived with a first trailer for Chaos Walking, and it looks all kinds as epic as YA sci-fi fans might expect. Release date is pending. In the not too distant future, Todd Hewitt (Tom Holland) discovers Viola (Daisy Ridley), a mysterious girl who crash lands on his planet, where all the women have disappeared and the men are afflicted by “the Noise” – a force that puts all their thoughts on display. In this dangerous landscape, Viola’s life is threatened – and as Todd vows to protect her, he will have to discover his own inner power and unlock the planet’s dark secrets. From the director of The Bourne Identity and Edge of Tomorrow and based on the best-selling novel The […]

THANH SOI: Dong Anh Quynh To Star In Veronica Ngo’s ‘Hai Phoung’ Origin Spin-Off For 2021

Lee B. Golden III

Word around the martial arts fandom this week is the commencement of pre-production for Thanh Soi, an origin tale based on Veronica Ngo’s latest action thriller hit, Hai Phoung, (a.k.a. Furie). The new film – to be likely titled Furies for markets outside Vietnam – will see Ngo shepherding the pic under her Studio68 banner. She will direct from a script by Aaron Toronto who penned Ngo’s 2016 fantasy adaptation, Tam Cam: The Untold Story, casting actress and model Dong Anh Quynh for the title role previously played by third-degree blackbelt, actress Hoa Tran opposite Ngo in the 2019 inaugural thriller. That film saw the two go toe-to-toe with Ngo in the role of Hai Phoung, an ex-gangster whose daughter’s kidnapping jettisons her into a rip-roaring mission through her former criminal network in the big city, tearing through streets and hordes of villains until catching up with the infamous criminal […]

WONDER WOMAN 1984 Stakes A Day And Date Theatrical/HBO Max Release This Christmas

Lee B. Golden III

A little over a year since its originally-planned release last December, it appears that Warner Bros. Pictures is done kicking the can down the road further and has resigned to a releasing the long-awaited Wonder Woman 1984 simultaneously in 3D/2D/IMAX theaters and via HBO Max. The announcement was made Wednesday with a trailer relaunch, dating the film’s release accordingly in time for Christmas on December 25 in the U.S., with HBO Max releasing the film at no additional cost to subscribers. International markets will get to debut the film a week in advance from December 16. The move definitely cements things a little further as the country continues to struggle with the on-going pandemic and its crippling effect on select businesses, particularly the traditional theatrical model, as some exhibitors continue to face foreclosures and bankruptcy, while some consumers in select areas turn toward drive-in screenings as a more feasible model […]

HUNTER HUNTER: Devon Sawa Dares To Out-Wolf A Wolf In The Official Trailer

Lee B. Golden III

Shawn Linden’s latest thriller is finally making the rounds with an official trailer for survival thriller, Hunter Hunter. Following its acquisition by IFC Midnight a few months back, the film is now poised to roll out in theaters and VOD from December 18. HUNTER HUNTER follows a family living in the remote wilderness earning a living as fur trappers. Joseph Mersault (Devon Sawa), his wife Anne (Camille Sullivan), and their daughter Renée (Summer H. Howell) struggle to make ends meet and think their traps are being hunted by the return of a rogue wolf. Determined to catch the predator in the act, Joseph leaves his family behind to track the wolf. Anne and Renée grow increasingly anxious during Joseph’s prolonged absence and struggle to survive without him. When they hear a strange noise outside their cabin, Anne hopes it is Joseph but instead finds a man named Lou (Nick Stahl), […]

BLACK FRIDAY: Now Filming In With Bruce Campbell, Michael Jai White And Devon Sawa

Lee B. Golden III

Director Casey Tebo’s latest narrative sci-fi, Black Friday, is now filming in Boston with word from Deadline‘s Tom Grater. The film hails from Warner Davis Company and MFW Productions with a script by Andy Greskoviak, and actor Bruce Campbell headlining the film alongside Michael Jai White and Devon Sawa. Set on the busiest shopping night of the year, Black Friday, the story follows a group of disgruntled toy store employees who have to defend themselves from legions of holiday shoppers when a mysterious alien parasite sends them on a murderous rampage. The cast also includes Ivana Baquero, Ryan Lee, and Stephen Peck. Campbell made the festival rounds here as the central figure in Steve Villeneuve’s most recent documentary, Hail To The Deadites, which will release on a date TBA from Indiecan. White, among other pending titles, recently wrapped up Christian Sesma thriller, Take Back, and can currently be heard voicing […]

THE HUNT: SAVAGE WITHIN: Madeleine Humphries Heads Cast Line-Up For December Sci-Fi Action Shoot From ‘Die Fighting’ Director [EXCLUSIVE]

Lee B. Golden III

American-born Filipina actress and model Madeleine Humphries has been given the lead role in The Hunt: Savage Within, the new action sci-fi from filmmaker Fabien Garcia, which shoots in the second week of December. Also joining the cast for the developing sci-fi proof of concept are Brett Tutor (upcoming Monsters Of Men), Lou Wegner (Last Call In The Dog House), Carla Seneca (Sons Of Thunder, upcoming 22 – The Unforgotten Soldier), Xango Henry (Call Me King, upcoming Keep The Faith), Davis Chong (Die Fighting) and Amje Elharden (upcoming Archenemy). Crowdfunding for the project began in July followed by a month-long extension prior to its success around September. The goal is to shoot a proof of concept short that illustrates the ambitious size, scale and scope Garcia and company are aiming for as they look toward hopeful feature film investment by next year. Humphries will covet the role of Sarah, a […]

DON’T TELL A SOUL Trailer: A Crisis Of Conscience As Life Hangs In The Balance In The New Crime Thriller

Lee B. Golden III

Saban Films and Lionsgate are proudly releasing Don’t Tell A Soul, the debut feature from writer and director Alex McAuley following its acquisition earlier this year. The film stars Jack Dylan Grazer, Fionn Whitehead, Mena Suvari and Rainn Wilson. While stealing money to help their sick mother (Mena Suvari), teen brothers Matt and Joey (Fionn Whitehead and Jack Dylan Grazer) are surprised by Hamby (Primetime Emmy® Award nominee Rainn Wilson), a security officer who gives chase and is then trapped in a well. Over the next few days, Joey and Hamby forge an uneasy relationship. Hamby tells Joey he’ll keep quiet if Joey sets him free. But Hamby holds another secret, one that will threaten Joey and his family, in this twist-filled, cat-and-mouse thriller. Don’t Tell A Soul was previously an official selection for this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, prior to the festival’s postponment due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The […]

FATMAN Review: Mel Gibson Serves The Fans With A Badass Santa With Neo-Western Thrills And Notable Satire

Lee B. Golden III

Imagining Santa Claus as anything more than a lighthearted, kid-friendly figurative Christmas fixture in movies goes quite the route from the latest work of directors Ian and Eshom Nelms. For this, it’s not every season that a film like Fatman comes around what with all the potboiler Holiday movies and the occassional reminder of Tim Allen in a fatsuit for that one film franchise that’s probably airing on some channel on TV or something or another. Alas, it’s 2020 and in the post-Deadpool era, while Fatman doesn’t go the full monty with its action and violence, it certainly spills enough of it to balance out the reverence in its message and overall fun throughout its execution. It’s a film that takes the Cris Cringle you and your parents know (depending on how old you are, of course) and refurbishes him as a hefty, salt and pepper-bearded, steely-eyed version of Santa […]

ARMY OF ONE: Ellen Hollman Leads The New December Action Thriller From Uncork’d

Lee B. Golden III

Actress Ellen Hollman’s upcoming role in the new Matrix film is the prime selling point for Uncork’d Entertainment’s upcoming release, Army Of One. I gather this ought to whet the appetite nicely enough as an action feature to show moviegoers what she’s made of, and it’s certainly refreshing to see such a title with a female lead.This one sets sail for home viewing on DVD and Digital from December 15, and now has a trailer running to service the curiousity. Rising action star Ellen Hollman, star of the forthcoming The Matrix 4, is an Army of One this December. Out hiking, Special Forces Brenner Baker and her husband stumble upon an illegal drug compound. The drug dealers capture them, kill her husband, and leave her for dead. They should have made sure they finished the job. Now, 1st Lieutenant Brenner Baker of the Army’s 75th Ranger Division is on a one-woman killing mission carving […]

KNUCKLEDUST: Moe Dunford Dares To Bring It All Down In The Official Trailer

Lee B. Golden III

He recurred in hit series, Vikings and is soon set to appear in David Blue Garcia’s 2021 reboot of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Until then, we have Irish actor Moe Dunford set to pounds some faces in and lay waste in the new thriller, Knuckledust, with an official trailer now running courtesy of Samuel Goldwyn Films. Police discover an elite fight club where they find seven underground levels, filled with the dead bodies of fighters from around the world. Only one man is found left alive. The task force has to work out if he’s a mass murderer or the lone survivor? Samuel Goldwyn will release the film in the U.S. on VoD beginning December 11 according to their website. The film is directed by James Kermack and also stars Kate Dickie, Camille Rowe, Phil Davis, Alex Ferns, Olivier Richters, Jaime Winstone, Gethin Anthony and parkour extraordinare Sebastien Foucan.

SLATE: Ahn Ji-Hye Jumps Into Action In The First Trailer

Lee B. Golden III

At some point Jo Ba-reun’s directorial debut, Gang, might show up more internationally as home streaming platforms take shape for some of the world’s more obscure titles in foreign cinema. For good measure, get a taste of that one here as we now pivot to what lies ahead in fantasy action comedy Slate, about an aspiring action star who finds herself in a whole new world. Literally. Since she was a child, Yeon-hee dreamt of becoming an action star. Even though she has an amazing swordsmanship, the reality of reaching her goal is just too hard for her to handle. One day, she is hired as a stand-in for an action film and goes onto the set, only to be transported to a lawless parallel world where people carry swords and kill each other without any retribution. Almost immediately, she is welcomed to the village as their protector and is […]

JIU JITSU: Win A Digital Download Code For The New Martial Arts Sci-Fi Thriller

Lee B. Golden III

Right about now if you’re a Nicolas Cage or Tony Jaa fan and you’ve been caught up in the buzz for the new film, Jiu Jitsu, chances are you’re already lining up your viewing plans for next Friday going forward. The new sci-fi martial arts thriller is set to release theatrically in the U.S., as well as on demand and digital on November 20, and rejoins Kickboxer reboot star Alain Moussi with director Dimitri Logothetis who adapts his own comic book publication with scribe Jim McGrath. An ancient order of Jiu Jitsu fighters faces a vicious race of alien invaders in an epic battle for the survival of Earth. Expect my own review later this week. In the meantime, we’re giving away three (3) digital codes for folks to use upon release. All you need to do is send me an e-mail at filmcombatsyndicate@gmail.com ahead of November 19 at 10:00pm, […]

THE GREATEST POWER: A Word With ‘The Misadventures Of Mistress Maneater’ Star Lorrisa Julianus

Lee B. Golden III

The Misadventures of Mistress Maneater Trailer from Binary Star Pictures on Vimeo. I have to especially thank industry stunt performer Bob Beck for pointing me in the direction of a few aspiring Chicago film professionals in the past month with film duo Lorrisa Julianus and husband, film director C.J. Julianus. Their latest collaborative effort marking C.J.’s directorial feature debut with romantic crime comedy, The Misadventures Of Mistress Maneater, is currently abuzz with great reviews from a number of critics who’ve already weighed in prior to its current Amazon Prime release, myself included. As typically hard and long fought most battles are with independent film productions, the victory with The Misadventures Of Mistress Maneater was a delight to see unfold, and it made corresponding with its creators even more prospective. Plus, it’s been months since I’ve interviewed a female on this dear website, and not for lack of trying despite […]

WATER MARGIN: Shinsuke Sato Boards Futuristic Take On Ancient Chinese Epic For Netflix

Lee B. Golden III

Director Shinsuke Sato just boarded his first Netflix movie deal in an exclusive report for Water Margin, via Deadline. He’ll be partnering with Screen Arcade whose Eric Newman and Bryan Unkeless are producing with Scott Morgan as exec producer. The film will steer away from the period setting ofn Shi Nai’an’s 14th century novel – about a band of 108 outlaws granted amnesty by the government and sent on campaigns to stave off foreign invaders. As Deadline’s Justin Kroll tells it: The film is a futuristic take on one of the great classical novels of Chinese literature, The Water Margin is an epic action-adventure saga filled with glory, romance, and intrigue. The story explores timely questions about loyalty, leadership, and our duty to take on society’s problems no matter the personal cost. Deepwater Horizon scribe Matt Sand is penning the script. Sato’s never left my radar in the last eighteen years since […]