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:

Win A Copy Of THE WITCH: SUBVERSION On Blu-Ray Combo Pack

It helps that Park Hoon-jung (screenwriter – I Saw The Devil, The Unjust, The Tiger) is rated well in the upper eightieth percentile between critics and audiences on Rotten Tomatoes for his newest film, The Witch: Subversion. The film was released in 2018 as a Part 1 to what looks to be a 2021 sequel that could see the return of actress Kim Da-mi who, in the first installment, plays a young teenager suddenly on the run from mysterious figures after escaping a secret government facility ten years earlier. Well Go USA is proudly releasing that film finally in North America on Digital, Blu-ray™ & DVD on March 10, and we’re giving away three copies to readers. All you need to do is answer the following by March 13: What is your favorite female-led film featuring witches? Email us your answer at filmcombatsyndicate@gmail.com with THE WITCH in the subject line. […]

IN FROM THE COLD: Five More Join Spain Shoot For New Netflix Spy Thriller Series

Lee B. Golden III

Spy thriller series, In From The Cold, is what’s stirring this week from Netlfix with production starting this month in Madrid, Spain, and featuring actress Margarita Levieva (Allegiance, The Deuce). In From The Cold centers on Jenny Franklin (Levieva), a single mother living in suburban Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Her life is turned upside down when the FBI arrests her and forces her to make a choice: confront her long-buried past as a highly trained, bio-engineered Russian agent, and become an asset against Russia’s underworld drug trade, and shadow war on U.S. elections—or put her family and the new life she has built at risk. Netflix has announced a quintet of series regulars naming the following:Ivanna Sakhno (The Spy Who Dumped Me, Pacific Rim) will play Anya, a promising young, Russian Intelligence agent precariously caught between her domineering mentor trying to keep her bound to the lies of the Soviet […]

DAISY SCARLETT: ‘Foxtrot Six’ Actress Julie Estelle Shortlisted Among Candidates To Star In Spy Novel Adaptation [EXCLUSIVE]

Lee B. Golden III

While no deals are being signed just yet, preliminary screening is underway for casting and crewing efforts for Daisy Scarlett, an adaptation of Ben Trebilcook’s novel which has been long in the works. Several talents are in the mix, and we can exclusively report that actress Julie Estelle is a potential candidate for the title role. Also in the ball park are actors Pierce Brosnan (007 franchise, The Foreigner) and Mel Gibson (Lethal Weapon franchise, upcoming Boss Level) for a key role. “Naturally a lot of talents have been discussed, but Julie Estelle is my top choice for Daisy”, says Trebilcook. “It’s a terrific, physically and mentally demanding role and Julie has proved in all of her films every type of gruelling demand.” While plot details are light at the moment, the gist of Daisy Scarlett centers on an MI-6 agent with a bit of drinking problem. She’s torn between […]

GREYHOUND Trailer: Tom Hank Stars In All New WWII Epic

Lee B. Golden III

In case you missed it, Get Low director Aaron Schneider’s second feature is set to take the summer with Greyhound, opening June 12 from Sony Pictures. Schneider directs from a script by Tom Hanks who now stars in this, his latest return to the WWII warfront since Saving Private Ryan. The only thing more dangerous than the front lines was the fight to get there. Screenplay by Tom Hanks inspired by actual events, Greyhound comes to theaters June 12. In the early days of WWII, an international convoy of 37 Allied ships, led by captain Ernest Krause (Tom Hanks) in his first command of a U.S. destroyer, crosses the treacherous North Atlantic while hotly pursued by wolf packs of Nazi U-boats. Hanks’s script is adapted from the novel, “The Good Shepherd” by C.S. Forester. Greyhound also stars Stephen Graham, Rob Morgan and Elisabeth Shue.

THE BATMAN: The Batmobile Revealed!

Lee B. Golden III

Production on The Batman has so far seen director Matt Reeves flick little crumbs of goodies from the set of his new DC Comics-inspired flick. We have a camera test teasing the costume, as well as shots of actor Robert Pattinson on the snowy set with what looks to be the Batcycle, and now Reeves is touting his own presentation of the Batmobile, which looks like a steady and slick hybrid between the Lincoln-Futura and the other darker, grittier all-black models. ?? #TheBatman pic.twitter.com/qJFNprk1ut — Matt Reeves (@mattreevesLA) March 4, 2020 Production officially began in late January and is expected to open on June 25, 2021 from Warner Bros. Pictures. Lead pic: Matt Reeves/Twitter

KUNG FU GHOST: Jennifer Linch Begins Shooting Her Feature Directing Debut

Lee B. Golden III

This week marks the official start of principal photography for Kung Fu Ghost, a delightful personal project birthed from the mind of actress Jennifer Linch who first landed on this site’s radar several years ago with an action short called Flowers Of The Night. The official press release went out on Tuesday along with several behind-the-scenes shots lending an eye on Linch and some of her cast and crew currently on hand. The film is also the launchpad for Linch’s Nameless Studio, where she also sits in as first-time director of her own feature-length project. Linch herself has been training restlessly since last year, and she’s already toughing out a few mild setbacks. She’s definitely not letting anything slow her down though, and I’m also told she’s looking to begin screening the film later this year. Beneath you’ll find the announcement. As a matter of disclosure, I’m serving on Kung […]

HACHIOJI ZOMBIES: No Rest For The Rhythmless In The Official Trailer For The Feature Adaptation Of The Hit Stage Play

Lee B. Golden III

Quirky zomcoms make their return to the fray this summer with Love x Doc helmer Osamu Suzuki’s new film, Hachioji Zombies. The film is based on a his own stage play led by Exile Tribe offshoot J Soul Brothers member Kenjiro Yamashita who also stars in the Tokyo MX drama of the same name which premiered last month. Yamashita reprises the role of Takashi Habuki, a failed dancer whose temple retreat lands him in the unforeseen position of teaching a group of handsome and outgoing zombies how to dance so they can perform during full moon nights and achieve Buddhahood. Suzuki shepherds the project with his creative team, HiGH&LOW franchise cohorts Kei Watanabe and Daisuke Kamijo. Toei Video Company Ltd. is releasing the film in Japan on June 5.

BUTT BOY: Unsolved Mysteries Go Deep Where The Sun Don’t Shine In The Official Trailer

Lee B. Golden III

It’s not everyday you come across a film with a name like Butt Boy. That day came last year as an official Fantastic Fest selection and eventually garnered its deserved praise from critics. The film hails from the creators of Tiny Cinema, starring Tyler Cornack who directs from a script written with Ryan Koch, and with Tyler Rice, Shelby Dash, Austin Lewis and Kristina Clifford also starring. Chip Gutchel (Cornack), a bored IT Engineer, has an awakening after a routine prostate exam. What starts as a harmless rectal kink, soon grows into a dangerous addiction as he becomes responsible for a missing child. Chip eventually buries his desires in Alcoholics Anonymous and tries to move on with his life. Years later, he becomes the sponsor of Russell Fox (Tyler Rice), a newly sober detective. After Chip relapses, Russell is brought in to investigate another missing child at Chip’s office. Russell […]

CRAZY SAMURAI MUSASHI: Tak Sakaguchi Is A One Man Army In The Latest Sales Art Visual

Lee B. Golden III

It’s been the longest time coming for Tak Sakaguchi’s recent pairing with Yuji Shimomura, the now internationally titled Crazy Samurai Musashi. Production has seen more than its ample share of behind-the-scenes drama that have thankfully borne little affect on the carefully-played hand Sakaguchi dealt in the years since then. With extensive shoots and post-production in its wake along with a teaser last summer, Crazy Samurai Musashi now dons its first official world sales poster which you can view below. Plot details are nil though the teaser still pretty much speaks for itself as does the tagline in the artwork: 400 vs. 1 IN A SINGLE TAKE Yeah, I’m keen. My Theater D.D., Inc. is repping sales for the film, which is about all the info I can gather at the moment. In the meantime, check out the artwork below, along with last year’s teaser just beneath.

WHY DON’T YOU JUST DIE! Review: Oh, The Things We Do For Love…

Lee B. Golden III

Kiril Sokolov’s feature debut, Why Don’t You Just Die! takes a searing and catastrophic glimpse at twisted family drama with brutal results. Best of all is the film marks the latest outing of actor Aleksandr Kuznetsov who first landed on this site’s radar with a physically impressive supporting turn in Rustam Mosafir’s period actioner, The Scythian (also known as The Last Warrior), which is an absolute blast. Kuznetsov’s performance lends an equally raw physicality to Sokolov’s unfolding and whimsically comedic and dark drama. It doesn’t take long for the gears to begin turning with a story that centers on Matvey (Kuznetsov), a man who is compelled by his girlfriend, Olya (Evgeniya Kregzhde), to kill her father, Andrey (Vitaliy Khaev), for an alleged incident during her childhood. Armed with a hammer and expecting only to confront Andrey by himself, Matvey’s simple plan unravels into a not-so-simple standoff with the man sitting […]

In Memoriam: Eric Kovaleski (1979-2020)

Lee B. Golden III

News broke over the weekend that actor, community leader and martial artist Eric Kovaleski sadly passed away in the early hours of Saturday, February 29. Cause of death remains unknown as of this report. From age three, Kovaleski was introduced to martial arts by his father, Tang Soo Do Grandmaster Robert Kovaleski, and Korean martial arts pioneer, Senior Grandmaster Frank Trojanowicz. In 1994 he founded his first school with his current multi-based chain, Master Kovaleski’s Karate U.S.A. In addition to serving as President of the Global Korean Martial Arts Federation, among other endeavors, he also shepherded the Legends Of The Martial Arts Hall Of Fame Awards serving as founder and President alongside Vice President, actress and martial arts star, Grandmaster Cynthia Rothrock. Kovaleski’s growing network would also see the addition of actor, Grandmaster Kim Won Jin (The Suspect, China Strike Force, The Scorpion King), with both planning Kim’s own versatile […]

THE GARDENER: Production Wraps On Action Thriller Starring Robert Bronzi And Gary Daniels

Lee B. Golden III

Principal photography has since wrapped on the new thriller, The Gardener. Several behind-the-scenes photos have made their way online in the past few weeks revealing actors Robert Bronzi (Death Kiss and Once Upon A Time In Deadwood, Escape From Death Block 13), and martial arts star Gary Daniels (The Expendables, I Am Vengeance). Bronzi stars from a story by Jeff Miller and screenplay by Ben Demaree, that focuses on Peter, an immigrant worker in England whose quiet, idyllic life as a gardener at manor house will find him turning up the volume, and employing his old skills to save the family he works for from home invaders. Scott Jeffrey and Rebecca J. Matthews share directing duties and are producing via their Proportion Productions label. Ben Demaree penned the script from a story by Jeff Miller who exec produces along with longtime producer Mark L. Lester (Class Of 1999, Showdown In […]

TORN: DARK BULLETS Locks And Loads ‘Wu Assassins’ Fight Coordinator Dan Rizzuto’s Feature Crime Drama

Lee B. Golden III

More than twenty years into his profession in stunt performance and direction, Dan Rizzuto’s provenly versatile career takes on a new milestone with riveting new crime drama, Torn: Dark Bullets. Rizzuto makes his narrative feature film directing debut in the wake of sharing recent behind-the-scenes stunt and fight choreography work on projects such as Ben Bray’s El Chicano, and hit fantasy martial arts series, Wu Assassins strarring Iko Uwais. Co-written by Rizzuto and writing partner Joshua Mazerolle, Torn: Dark Bullets stars Sam Vincent, Dexter Bell and William ‘Big Sleeps’ Stewart, Karen Holness, and Christina Lewall, and is described as one of Rizzuto’s most ambitious projects, detailing “a raw and unapologetic look into a police shooting, racism and the connections they share”. The film signals the official launch of Rizzuto’s own production company, Cerebral Monkey Entertainment, producing the film with partner Scott Bailey. Rizzuto is one of the most vociferous and […]

WHY DON’T YOU JUST DIE!: Kiril Sokolov’s Outlandish, Critically-Acclaimed Horror Comedy Opens In The U.S. On April 10 From Arrow

Lee B. Golden III

Kirill Sokolov’s latest, Why Don’t You Just Die!, landed at Arrow Video last Augustfollowing its festive premiere at the 23rd Fantasia Festival during its fest run. The film will release in select theaters nationwide on April 10 and a trailer has already begun making the rounds. Matvey (Aleksandr Kuznetsov) has just one objective: to gain entry to his girlfriend’s parents’ apartment and kill her father Andrey (Vitaliy Khaev) with a hammer to restore her honour. But all is not as it initially seems, and Matvey’s attempts to bludgeon the family patriarch to death don’t quite go to plan as Andrey proves a more formidable – not to mention ruthless – opponent than he anticipated… and Matvey, for his part, proves stubbornly unwilling to die. Why Don’t You Just Die! has received critical acclaim from festivals around the globe, taking home the New Flesh Award for Best First Feature and Silver […]

THE CLIMBERS: Win A Copy Of Wu Jing’s New Survival Thriller

Lee B. Golden III

Well Go USA’s latest release, The Climbers, is now available on DVD and Blu-Ray, and we’re giving away three physical copies of the film for you to enjoy. The film marks action star Wu Jing’s latest collaboration with director Daniel Lee, here for the cinematic retelling of the true story of a trio of trailblazing Chinese mountaineers who gather a team to climb Mount Everest to not only make history once again, but also to get it on record. To win a copy, e-mail us at filmcombatsyndicate@gmail.com and simply answer the following question (it’s a bit tricky and will take a little more than using Wikipedia): Using its idiomatic spelling, what is the Tibetan name of the mountain? The contest extends only to readers in North America and ends on March 7. Good luck!

AMERICAN RONIN: Newcomer James Moten Black Developing Original Urban Samurai Action Drama [EXCLUSIVE]

Lee B. Golden III

Actor and indepedent creator, newcomer James Moten Black is working to develop American Ronin, an original project that will firstly shoot a conceptual proof trailer to help gain attention from potential investors. Plot details and specifics about the film are pending, though it’s described as a contemporary martial arts piece cosigning his love for classic jidaigeki cinema and anime. Black is an accomplished martial artist since the age of eleven; He trained in Tang Soo Do under now-Grandmaster Linda Denley (Armor Of God), studied Muay Thai and scored a win in the competitive arena in sparring and forms. He moved to Los Angeles in 2014 to pursue acting, joining the Breakin’ Through Acting Workshop headed by actor and founding instructor Choice Skinner, and eventually picked up on Iaido and Kenjutsu under Skinner’s tutelage, next to learning visual effects compositing. The two have since flourished in their creative partnership, most prolifically […]

THE HIT LIST: February 24, 2020

Lee B. Golden III

I can honestly say that one thing I wasn’t looking forward to doing this weekend, among other things, was fighting a nasty cold and fever. Alas, here we are. The Hit List is always a welcome labor and thus, we begin with a playlist filled to the brim with stunt demo and training reels from today’s talents: Shawn Bernal, Natascha Hopkins, Eric Miyashiki, Luke Davis, Justin Carney, Patrick Chu, Alejandro Gil, Todd Ryan Jones, Joshua Romeo, Mike Marin, LJ LaVecchia, Linda Kessler, Diandra Stoddard, Brittany Battle, Dani Parker, Cheryl Lewis, Gabriel Lewis, Lexter Santana, Jason Elwood Hanna, Bridgette Michelle, Hugh O’Brien and Jodi Stecyk. As far as trailers go, the only one on my radar hails from Darren Holmquist whose latest short, Phone It In, is set for a March 28 big screen premiere for the Indie Shorts Showcase at the Laemmle in Claremont, CA. Click here for tickets! There […]

CROSS THE LINE: Wanderlust And Hysteria In The First Teaser

Lee B. Golden III

Filmax is slating an October release in Spain this year for The Pact helmer David Victori’s thrilling new drama, Cross The Line. The Barcelona-based firm is repping the film in Berlin as we speak as they’ve already closed sales in several territories according to Screendaily. Dani is an all-round good guy who has dedicated the last few years of his life to taking care of his sick father. After his dad passes away, he decides it’s time to get his own life back on track and buys a round-the-world ticket. But before his journey can get underway, he meets Mila, a young girl who is as attractive and sensual as she is disturbed and unstable. What starts out as a night of adventure quickly turns into a living nightmare, taking Dani to extremes he could never have imagined… Actor Mario Casas leads the cast in the new thriller for which […]

DISRUPTED: Catch The Trailer For Andre Welsh’s World Premiere For Cinequest In March!

Lee B. Golden III

Realization Films is making headway this Spring with the Cinequest premiere of Andre Welsh’s feature directing debut, Disrupted. A limited theatrical and digital release is expected to follow in the summer, and host to a cast that includes Ron Kaell, Geoffrey Lower and Chioke Jelani Clanton. Voted as the Best Film Festival by USA Today readers, Disrupted is described as “a singular journey about the weight of one’s past and the impossible challenge to do right by it in the present, bound into a tight-knit psychological suspense crime thriller that festers in the collateral damage of gentrification and race-related tensions rooted in modern day Oakland.” For longtime Oakland resident, Pete, survival is an endless struggle in a gentrified, tech-driven world that’s left him in its dust. But he’s clean and sober, has rectified a relationship with his daughter, and the memories of his wife’s unsolved murder from decades ago rarely […]

BLOOD ON HER NAME Review: A Darkly-Redemptive Exercise On Moral Flexibilty

Lee B. Golden III

Having found its way into festival favor in the past year, Matthew Pope’s feature directing debut presents a stunning, dramatic glimpse into middle-American suburbia in cerebral crime drama, Blood On Her Name. Opening with the shot of a tipped-over gas can, the movie begins with a follow-up shot of Leigh (Bethany Anne Lind), mildly wounded and struggling to compose herself after what appears to have been a physical struggle. A bloodied wrench lies next to the body of a seeming male assailant who is dead, his corpse lying in plain view of the open drive-in door of Leigh’s garage. The film follows Leigh’s every desperate attempt to hide the body before eventually dumping it in the shed of the owners related to the corpse. It is during this process that Leigh’s actions continue to weigh heavily on her mind as it slowly begins to affect her day-to-day routine as a […]