Lee B. Golden III

About Lee B. Golden III

https://mediumblue-gerbil-491410.hostingersite.com

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

Posts by Lee Golden:

VERSUS Trailer: Re-Live The ‘Ultimate’ Legendary Japanese Action Horror Thriller On Blu-Ray This December

VERSUS Trailer: Re-Live The ‘Ultimate’ Legendary Japanese Action Horror Thriller On Blu-Ray This December

Lee B. Golden III

The zeitgeist of the last twenty years with Asian cinema has been a purely awesome and memorable era to be a part of, and it’s all thanks in part to Ryuhei Kitamura whose 2000 action horror, Versus, helped pave the way for my own fandom apart from Hollywood’s own investments, the “Hong Kong crossover” included. Versus is a film that brings me back to a time when all the money I would ever have to spent would end up at the most convenient Suncoast outlet during my errands from 34th st. and Herald Square when the mall I’d routinely visit was still called the Manhattan Mall. Like with Steve Wang’s Drive and its “director’s cut”, that particular DVD store is one of three reasons why I allowed myself to have multiple copies of Versus – the others being CD Japan, YesAsia and the currently-defunct HKFlix. To be honest though, were […]

Now On Tubi: Wilson Yip’s PARADOX Chews Through A Louis Koo Vengeance Story With Blistering Thrills And Grit

Lee B. Golden III

It’s been several years since the announcement of a third chapter in the Sha Po Lang crime saga with S.P.L.: War Needs Lord. At least tentatively though, the closest we have here is Wilson Yip’s 2017 neo-noir action crime thriller, Paradox, billed as more of a tangible side story apart from the two previous installments, S.P.L., and S.P.L. 2: A Time For Consequences. Casting Louis Koo for the role of Lee, a dauntless Hong Kong cop on a mission to search for his missing daughter in the Thai city of Pattaya, the film also stars Wu Yue, Gordon Lam, Tony Jaa and Chris Collins along with Hanna Chan, Vitthaya Pansringarm and Ken Lo, with a script by Jill Leung and Nick Cheuk. Much like its two predecessors, the non-canonical Paradox takes its inspiration from the the three stars of Chinese astrology. Koo is in fine form as Lee, an imperfect […]

CYBERKATSU: RECODED Signals Blender As The Future Of Action Animation

CYBERKATSU: RECODED Signals Blender As The Future Of Action Animation

Lee B. Golden III

“The future of action animation is here.” says filmmaker Eric Jacobus, which is pretty much just the endorsement any independent filmmaker with an action project could hope for, and it’s definitely greener grass for creator Dillon Gu with his latest short, CyberKatsu: Recoded. The short itself is only a few minutes, woven as a sampling for aspiring creators to show what’s possible with Blender, billed as a robust 3D animation program used by thousands of artists. Gu is using this to pitch his Blender Animation Course which comes with a few perks from now through November 30. Gu’s Bloop Animation is the place to be to learn more apart from the video above. Check it out and enjoy! H/T: Eric Jacobus

ONE TOUGH BASTARD: Adam Howe’s Newest Book Looks To Be The Biggest Throw Back Action Movie Blockbuster You’ll Ever Read This Spring

Lee B. Golden III

Author Adam G. Howe wants to woo you well into the new year with his latest action-packed story, One Tough Bastard. Making the rounds nowadays, of course, is the cover which is clearly meant to signal fan service for lovers of 80s and 90s action cinema as the tagline itself so suggests: “One’s a big dumb animal The other’s a chimpanzee Shit just got real” Wrapped in a world all its own, it centers on an entirely fictional cast with its own filmography, “featuring” Shane Moxie, “…a washed-up 80s action star who refuses to believe his best days are behind him” and Duke, “…a hyper-intelligent chimpanzee and arguably the greatest animal actor of his generation”. Still with me? If so, here’s a meaty synopsis that ought to seal the deal… Reunited for an anniversary movie screening, when Moxie and Duke are targeted by assassins, the feuding co-stars reluctantly join forces […]

The Wandering Earth

THE WANDERING EARTH 2: New Preliminary Artwork Teases A Sequel For The 2019 Blockbuster

Lee B. Golden III

Asian Film Strike recently posted a volley of bit film updates with teaser posters and images, including the latest teaser poster signaling a sequel for Frant Gwo’s intergalactic sci-fi, The Wandering Earth. The inaugural film is headlined by actor Wu Jing, and is based on author Liu Cixin’s 2000 novella, with a story that sees global forces galvanize to engineer the planet and relocate it to a new solar system away from the deteriorating sun. Production was a gargantuan effort with Gwo studying the genre for two years before rolling cameras in 2017. To date, the 2019 movie is a categorical box office success story, additionally setting an all-time 4DX box office record for Chinese New Year attendance, and becoming the highest grossing IMAX release ever in China. News on this one is pretty nascent and all current signs point to a 2023 release, so casting and crewing details are […]

Written by Christina Ortega Phillips

Terracotta Premieres UK’s First VOD Asian Cinema Label

Lee B. Golden III

Terracotta Distribution has officially initiated its in-house Video On Demand offshoot this week. Billed as the UK’s first VoD platform dedicated to East Asian cinema, the new streaming service aims to “showcase a range of new and classic genre, arthouse and indie films from across East and South East Asia”. Terracotta initially took off in 2009 with the inaugural Terracotta Far East Film Festival, as well as a distribution label. The company held five festival events since then and firstly released Hansel and Gretel in cinemas, TV and DVD, whilst steering to bridge itself to meet the demand for Asian cinema for the region’s audience. “We are so happy to have a streaming site purely for Asian film and really pleased with the mix of classics, emerging directors and new releases we’ve put together.” says Terracotta Managing Director, Joey Leung. “We’re really excited to have the Festival Retrospective too, and […]

THE RESCUE: Key Art For Dante Lam’s New Action Thriller Signals A December 18 Day-And-Date Release

Lee B. Golden III

Peep the gallery above as new key art was unveiled this week as an official announcement for Dante Lam’s long-awaited action thriller, The Rescue, now stakes a pre-Christmas December 18 day-and-date release from CMC Pictures in China, North America, the U.K., Australia and New Zealand. The move comes after an extenuating delay for the film among other titles due to the ongoing pandemic. Early screenings gave the film rousing reviews prior to its previous Chinese Lunar New Year release for January at the time, then pushed to December and ultimately delayed again. The film marks a fourth reunion for director Dante Lam and actor Eddie Peng following 2013 MMA drama, Unbeatable, and patriotic action thrillers Operation Mekong and Operation Red Sea. Also starring are Jules Hartley, Will Tomi, Aldo Quintero Torres, Zhilei Xin and Lyric Lan. Billed as one of the most expensive Chinese films ever made, costing $100 million […]

MERCY: Don’t Miss The Official Trailer For Sam Flamon’s Feature Prison Drama Debut

MERCY: Don’t Miss The Official Trailer For Sam Flamont’s Feature Prison Drama Debut

Lee B. Golden III

The twentieth Whistler Film Festival summit kicks off December 1, and on that note, you’re possibly in line to screen Sam Flamont’s feature debut, Mercy. The new prison drama will be made available beginning December 11 with tickets now available, and stars Logan Mainil, Bryan Englund and Shawn Koch, and if you look closer, you’ll even spot Jason Truong as one of the supporting cast. Check out the trailer above and read on! Shot in Regina, and financed by the Telefilm Talent Fund, this is an astute first feature from Sam Flamon about a young man named Finn who is sent to a medium security prison for six months for killing a wounded deer. Finn is a quiet boy who likes to keep to himself, but there are some very scary fellows in the prison., including big hairy men who threaten the lives and the sexuality of their fellow inmates. […]

THE GREAT YOKAI WAR: GUARDIANS Introduces Its Hero In First Look Images For The Miike-Directed Sequel

Lee B. Golden III

If you took a liking any to Takashi Miike’s 2005 Daiei revival from the late 1960s, The Great Yokai War, you’re more than welcome to get your hopes up for more in the new year with the first promo art now online for the follow-up, The Great Yokai War: Guardians. Kadokawa Pictures is also running a first look at young actor Kokoro Terada in the role of Kei Watanabe, as Sci-Fi Japan reports, “an elementary school student with a connection to the yokai”, a hodgepodge of Japanese mythological creatures with a spiritual connection to the world that permeates us. The 2005 film saw a Ryunosuke Kamiki as Tadashi, a young boy tasked with searching for a mystical sword to defeat the evil Yomotsumono and rescue the children of Japan. Official plot details for the sequel are pending but these what we have so far until a teaser arises. Open the […]

RELENTLESS: Terror Films To Release Barry Anderson’s New Survival Thriller November 27

Lee B. Golden III

Looking to whet your survival thriller appetite this Holiday week is director Barry Anderson’s latest, Relentless. Terror Films announced its acquisition of digital rights this week, featuring Rachel Weber for its multi-platform release November 27. In the film’s story, Jennifer (Rachel Weber) is living alone in a large, empty house while struggling with depression after a recent loss. She is trying her best to deal with the hand that life has dealt her. On the eve of a major thunderstorm, Jennifer accidently locks herself in the basement. As water begins to flood in and quickly rise, Jennifer soon finds herself in the ultimate fight for survival! Director Barry Andersson has talked about the challenges of filming, recently. Andersson says of RELENTLESS: “I loved exploring the basic idea of what we, as human’s value when faced with a personal tragedy. What do we hang onto and when do we need to […]

SPACE SWEEPERS: Jo Sung-Hee’s New Space Adventure Thriller Streams On Netflix In 2021

Lee B. Golden III

Phantom Detective and A Werewolf Boy director Jo Sung-hee’s new intergalactic sci-fi, Space Sweepers, was another that fell casualty to the ongoing pandemic affecting theatrical exhibitors in 2020. Going forward though, the film getting a guaranteed release on Netflix early next year with the streamer ramping up its K-Content initiative. The film is one of seven titles among which are several television dramas, including Lee Chung-hyun’s The Call, Lee Eung-bok’s ten-episode drama, Sweet Home, Yu Sun-dong’s The Uncanny Counter and many more. “This year marked an incredible milestone for Korean filmmakers with the triumphant of Director Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite winning the Oscars, positive reviews around Netflix film Time to Hunt, and the global popularity of #Alive via Netflix across the world.” said Netflix content veep for Korea, Southeast Asia, Australia & New Zealand, Minyoung Kim. “Netflix is at the forefront of changing the way entertainment is enjoyed throughout the world. […]

BARNEY BURMAN’S WILD BOAR Scares Up A Thanksgiving Release On Amazon Prime

Lee B. Golden III

To say that Barney Burman has outdone himself in all of his thirty-six year film career might be an understatement, having just taken to his first feature production, Barney Burman’s Wild Boar following his 2019 Wild Boar short film. The completed thriller has since undergone what could only be described as rows upon rows of accolades and wins from its festival circulation, earning multiple Bests in Feature, Original Concept, Gore, Makeup, VFX and Horror Film, and even Best New Director. And this is from multiple award associations around the country. Alas, the film is coming to a head and with Vangelis Films handling U.S. distribution, Barney Burman’s Wild Boar is now on track to release on Amazon Prime from November 25. The official trailer is just above, with the poster below. A group of weekend warriors venture into a toxic wasteland, where an eccentric billionaire (presumed dead) is said to […]

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THE OGUN: Netflix Action Thriller In The Works, Anthony Mackie To Star And Produce

Lee B. Golden III

Former stuntman-turned-action screenwriter Madison Turner is now the latest subject of Netflix’s latest formal feature film announcement, The Ogun. The streamer signaled on Monday the addition of actor Anthony Mackie (Marvel Cinematic Universe) as star and producer on the new action thriller which also has Jason Michael Berman producing for Mandalay Pictures. The Ogun centers on Mackie in the role of Xavier Rhodes, who brings his teenage daughter to Nigeria to find a cure for the rare genetic condition that he passed on to her. When his daughter is kidnapped, Rhodes goes on a rampage through the criminal underworld to find her before it’s too late, testing his powers to the limit. The Hollywood Reporter‘s Borys Kit notes in his exclusive that the film is being tonally likened “in the vein of John Wick crossed with Dante’s Inferno”. A search for a director is already underway. The film marks the […]

THE NEIGHBORLY: Out For A Stroll? Take A Seat And Check Out Caitlin Hutson’s New Action Comedy Short

THE NEIGHBORLY: Out For A Stroll? Take A Seat And Check Out Caitlin Hutson’s New Action Comedy Short

Lee B. Golden III

There’s a reason why I spent a good six years prioritizing stunt performers, as many of them spend a great deal themselves on perpetuating and evolving their craft into other areas of film. Alas, do a YouTube search of actress, stunt performer and pro-athlete Caitlin Hutson and you’ll find ample results of some of her work on both sides of the camera. Her latest short is online with The Neighborly, pitting Anthony Oh opposite Brett Meier in a hodgepodge of action comedy fingergun-fu and bullet-ballet antics, followed by an end plot-twist that gets all the giggles. Check it out above, and follow her wherever she hangs her creative hat online. You know the drill.

PLAN B: SCHEISS AÜF PLAN A Review: Reel Deal Action’s In-House Feature Debut Is A Paragon Of Martial Arts Action Cinema Excellence [Re-Print/Re-Edit]

Lee B. Golden III

My first venture into German martial arts action cinema was a groundbreaking low-budget 2005 feature from Johannes Jaeger titled Kampfansage: Der Letzte Schuler. It was a narrative extension from an earlier shortfilm – one among many which opened my eyes at the time to Europe’s talent pool of online film and stunt creatives in the early two-thousandsies, and it has been a continuing pleasure to see this millieu flourish and evolve from its humble beginnings, eventually sprouting groups like Reel Deal Action as early as 2012. Picturing firmly in this troupe are members Can Aydin, Cha-Lee Yoon, Phong Giang, Mike Moeller and Tanay Genco Ulgen, all of whom have since seen their careers grow and spawn greatness, and even a little acclaim to boot. It’s much deserved and anyone who has seen their projects online knows this as a matter of irrefutable fact whilst taking into account the progress we’ve […]

CAUTION, HAZARDOUS WIFE: THE MOVIE: Toya Sato’s New Spy VS. Spy Thriller Spies An Eye For March 2021

Lee B. Golden III

There’s no question as to how crippling the current pandemic has been on businesses, and that especially goes for film studios in Japan who’ve had to otherwise postpone or shelve titles indefinitely with theatrical exhibitors facing closures. With any luck, 2021 will see a much-needed turnaround though, and imaginably, a hope easily shared by Kaiji trilogy and Gatchaman helmer Toya Sato whose latest action comedy, Caution, Hazardous Wife: The Movie, is now slotting a March 19 release in Japan following a since cancelled June 2020 release. Inspired by Doug Liman’s Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2010), Sato’s Caution, Hazardous Wife: The Movie takes off from the ten-episode hit 2017 NTV series of the same name. Both actress Haruka Ayase and Hidetoshi Nishijima reprise their roles respectively as special agent-turned-amnesiac, “Kumi”, and Public Security Bureau operative “Yuji”. Married under false pretenses with their true identities and occupations kept secret, the series ends […]

Now On Tubi: SHE NEVER DIED Brings Appetizing Horror With A Vengeance And Biblical Intrigue

Lee B. Golden III

If you’re an action/horror fan or a bibliologist with a penchant for genre cinema viewing, there’s a good chance Jason Krawczyk’s He Never Died might have crossed your path in the last six years. Provided that you’ve seen it by now, you’ll have familiarized yourself in prep for the latest chapter currently available on Tubi with She Never Died, helmed by Audrey Cummings. Written by Krawczyk and originally planned as a miniseries before deciding to move onward to feature fruition, Cummigs directs her third outing returning audiences to a world where fallen angels are left to suffer among mankind, unable to die and forced to live out their lives on otherworldly diets that prominently thrive on human flesh. Such is how the homeless Lacey (Oluniké Adeliyi) bites her time while hunting for specific humans with fellow street cohort, Joe (Bill MacDonald). Fastidious with her appetite for fingers, Lacey’s latest craving […]

400 BULLETS: Take Aim At The Official Sales Art For The New Jean-Paul Ly Action Thriller Coming In 2021

Lee B. Golden III

It’s been a grand minute since we’ve given some lip service here to actor and martial artist Jean-Paul Ly. He’s worked both sides of the lens from shortfilms like Dead End and Law Plancel’s The Division, to stunt work in TV and film including Marvel’s Doctor Strange and Street Fighter: Assassin’s Fist, his biggest breaks thusfar have been the successes he’s had on the feature front with Jimmy Henderson’s Jailbreak, and Marc Price’s Nightshooters to name a few. That list now grows a little more with National Film Award Winning and Frightfest favorite, director Tom Paton (Pandorica, Redwood, Black Site) whose sixth film now draws near in the form of military action thriller, 400 Bullets, now aiming for an early 2021 release. Production really played this one close to the chest as very little info was allowed to spill out when we first posted last November, but now we’ve been […]

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BLACK PANTHER 2 Signals Start Date, Casting

Lee B. Golden III

Save for whatever expectations you might have for the future of the Black Panther arc of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, we now have news that production on the sequel is expected to commence next summer in Atlanta with Ryan Coogler returning to the director’s chair. Casting wise, The Hollywood Reporter notes that Tenoch Huerta (Netflix’s Narcos: Mexico) is joining the new movie as an antagonist, opposite returning cast members Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke and Angela Bassett. The sequel was originally announced last summer at D23 for a May 2022 release among its slate, long prior to the death of actor Chadwick Boseman back in August from colon cancer; Boseman carried the role between four films within the MCU, including Coogler’s 2018 standalone film which garnered more than 1.3 billion dollars at the box office.

PREDATOR Back In Play At 20th Century Studios

Lee B. Golden III

Dan Trachtenberg (10 Cloverfield Lane) is being tapped to direct the next installment of the Predator franchise. News hints the new film will take a different trajectory than the previous 2018 thriller, The Predator, which Shane Black directed. The franchise has been a cult hit for fans ever since John McTiernan directed the 1987 inaugural starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, who played the leader of a merc unit that find themselves way in over their heads as they’re pitted in the jungles against a supernatural killer on the hunt. Developments are pending. More at Deadline.