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OPINION: Star Wars Stories Are On Hold, And That’s AWESOME!

Yesterday, Lucasfilm dropped a real bombshell; Star Wars Stories, the movies released between numbered Star Wars films, will be put on hold for the foreseeable future. The angry, racist, manbaby Star Wars “fans” have no doubt pounded their chests and claimed a victory against the tyranny of Kathleen Kennedy and her Disney overlords but nothing could be further from the truth. As an evil, SJW, Commie bastard who loved The Last Jedi, I think this is the best thing that could have happened. Now Lucasfilm can step back and ask itself a very important question: what the hell are Star Wars Stories even supposed to be? Despite being one of the biggest franchises since the dawn of cinema, Star Wars is in an unenviable position. In many ways, it’s become too big to fail; an institution able to coast on its name but beholdened to the expectations of its own […]

Review: INCARNATION (2018) Woos You With Its Hitchcockian Charms

Who would have ever guessed that the Groundhog Day approach to movie plotting would prove so effective for the action genre? From studio blockbusters like Live.Die.Repeat to indie fare like the Rope a Dope series, time loops seem like a great way to frame balls-to-the-wall action. Now, writer/director Filip Kovacevic takes the genre in a more cerebral but no less thrilling direction with Incarnation. A man wakes up in a square of an unknown city. He has no idea who he is or how he got there. As he stumbles around the square trying in vain to get answers, he is pursued by three masked assassins. The men corner him and gun him down only to have him wake up again on the same bench. The man is stuck in a time loop he must desperately find his way out of. Incarnation is a masterclass in audio/visual storytelling. Much […]

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WHEN FANDOM BECOMES FANATICAL: How Toxic Fans Are Ruining The Joy Of Films For Everyone

Last week, actor Kelly Marie Tran was forced off social media. This came after months and months of harassment from those following her about her character “Rose Tico” who Tran played in the latest Star Wars film, The Last Jedi, written and directed by Rian C. Johnson. The Last Jedi is a interesting film in the current American filmography, the second part in a new Star Wars Trilogy under Disney. While a huge commercial success and lauded with praise by the film press, it’s easily the most divisive film amongst any fanbase in recent memory. From what this writer has seen, one either loved the film or absolutely hated it with no grey area in between. I was about 7 or 8 years old when I saw the original Star Wars Trilogy on VHS. A few years later, the Star Wars prequels were announced and shortly released. To say that […]

DEVIANT PERSPECTIVES: If Looks Could Kill…

“Well, pumpkins, looks like it’s the age-old dilemma. Style… or substance.” – VIDA BOHEME Peter Lawton In my time, I’ve watched quite few indie action projects, hundreds if not thousands by now and there is always something that sticks out about most of them, something that just didn’t sit well with me. It’s only in the last year that I finally was able to pinpoint this flaw as it were, as I continued to expand my own skillset as a filmmaker. That flaw is a lack of Visual Theme. As an Indie filmmaker, having a visual style, a particular way of creating a film, is really important because style is visual information and we as artists work in a visual medium. This is known as “Mise En Scene” or “Visual Theme” in traditional filmmaking and it’s something I wish more indie action filmmakers took seriously. Too often, indie action films […]

Action Stream: JAILBREAK, MANHUNT, HELLBOY, THE CROW, DEMOLITION MAN And More!

Welcome to the May 2018 edition of ACTION STREAM! After a pretty quiet April, May kicks down the door and bombards us with great action movies on all three platforms. But it’s Netflix who brought the biggest guns to the party as it flies through the air, dual-wielding the Cambodian actioner Jailbreak and John Woo’s Manhunt. Manhunt Netflix may have the slimmest lineup of the three this month, but what it lacks in quantity it makes up for in quality. In addition to the afformentioned heavy hitters, this month sees the launch of Wanted, The Bourne Ultimatum and the perpetually reliable Hellboy II: The Golden Army. May 1 Darc Hellboy II: The Golden Army Reasonable Doubt The Bourne Ultimatum May 2 Jailbreak Jailbreak May 4 Anon End Game Manhunt May 15 Only God Forgives May 16 The Kingdom Wanted May 19 Bridge to Terabithia May 22 Shooter: Season 2 May 25 […]

Review: MAD MAX: FURY ROAD – BLACK AND CHROME EDITION Is In True, Living Color

I don’t always care about special editions or director’s cuts of movies. My favorite version of BLADE RUNNER is the one that has the dreaded Harrison Ford narration on it. Sue me, I think it belongs there. There are exceptions, of course. Guillermo del Toro’s director’s cut of HELLBOY is the only version of that movie that makes sense to me. It’s the same with the extended editions of the LORD OF THE RINGS films. But it’s a case by case thing for me. I think the theatrical cut of TERMINATOR 2: JUDGEMENT DAY, one of the greatest films ever made, is far and away the best version of that movie. So what made the monochrome edition of FURY ROAD matter to me as something I had to see? Well, for one thing, the use of color in cinema and the possibility of post-production manipulation of color that has evolved […]

Creature Thriller TREMORS: A COLD DAY IN HELL Arrives For Home Release In May!

Since the end of Tremors 5: Bloodlines, a very thrilling installment in South Africa pairing up Michael Gross as the eponymous survivalist Burt Gummer with Jamie Kennedy who portrays Travis Welker, Gummer’s son from an indiscretion with a 1960s liberated woman, people could not get enough of this fairly successful franchise and were looking out for a sixth movie in the works. According to Michael Gross from his official Facebook page, he had announced that there was going to be a sixth straight-to-DVD release of Tremors 6 back in late 2016. This time, Graboids are being used as weapons in the Arctic and it’s up to Burt and Travis to take care of this new threat at a remote research station. Originally with a January 2018 release date, Mr. Gross keeps fans updated on his Facebook page with the film’s progress while Syfy works on a new Tremors TV series […]

DEVIANT PERSPECTIVES: A Constructive Analysis Of Independent Action Cinema

BTS Photo: Krystal “Honey” Pizarro on the set of Black Betty (2018) “Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance”– Some Dude Who Probably Learned This the Hard Way. In the world of action cinema, quality certainly reigns over quantity; A single well choreographed, well shot action sequence can excite more than two and a half hours of “lights and noise”. However even in action films both large and small, not much is mentioned of the things that had to come before that DVD started spinning in your player. Action filmmaking is highly technical, more so than most other genres that tend to offer more creative interpretations of on screen physicality. Being an indie filmmaker is already tough, but indie action filmmaking takes those challenges and complicates them even further. As of this article, we are just over one week out from going into production of Black Betty, a action short film that […]

Action Stream: BAD BOYS, MORTAL KOMBAT, ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK, 24 HOURS TO LIVE And More!

Welcome to the April 2018 edition of ACTION STREAM! Compared to the blowout that was March, this month seems a little anemic. Of course, the one-two punch of Wolf Warrior 2 and Blade of the Immortal (not to mention Power Rangers and Jessica Jones) is a hard act to follow. Action fans may not be gaining much, but we’re also not losing much either. Between last month’s holdovers and a few pleasant surprises this month, it’s doubtful that anyone will be at a loss for entertainment. Netflix is the clear winner for April thanks to one film in particular, 24 Hours to Live. The film has been lauded as the DTV John Wick and Ethan Hawke continues to build an interesting filmography of genre films that are better than they have any right to be. The streaming giant will also be the home of celebrated Donnie Yen/Andy Lau headliner, Chasing […]

Review: MANHUNT (2017) – John Woo Returns To The Heroic Bloodshed Genre!

Wanna feel old? Last year, the film Face/Off (John Woo’s last true heroic bloodshed epic) turned twenty years old. It’s been an interesting two decades for the man who helped redefine the action genre. He butted heads with Tom Cruise over the flawed yet entertaining Mission Impossible 2, dove into hard sci-fi in the ironically titled Paycheck (so many Affleck jokes) and torpedoed his Hollywood career with the expensive (and ultimately unsuccessful) war epic, Windtalkers. Then he entered the Chinese film market with a pair of grand, two-part epics in the form of Red Cliff and The Crossing. Finally, after all these years, the maestro has returned to the kind of dual wielding spectacle that made him famous. But does he have another symphony in him? A remake of the 1976 Japanese thriller starring Ken Takakura of Black Rain fame, this slick thriller follows Chinese lawyer Du Qiu (Hanyu Zhang) who […]

Streaming Action Alerts: SHADOWHUNTERS, JESSICA JONES, NEVER BACK DOWN 2, REBOOT: GUARDIAN CODE And More Coming In March

Following my recent piece, Indie Action PRIME, it was pretty well received and so I took an interest in further digging into the comings and goings of what lies ahead for three prominent streaming platforms regarding action titles. To start, we begin with No Contest approval as Hulu wins the month of March. The one-two punch of 2017 megahit Wolf Warrior 2 and Blade Of The Immortal almost seems like bullying at this point. The lineup is rounded out by a gaggle of James Bond movies, the now complete xXx series, and a Power Rangers reboot that nobody asked for. Launching in March March 1 A View to a Kill (1985) Antitrust (2001) Billy the Kid (2013) Breakdown (1997) Die Another Day (2002) F/X (1986) F/X 2 (1991) Fire with Fire (2012) For Your Eyes Only (1981) Goldeneye (1995) I’m Gonna Git You Sucka (1988) License to Kill (1989) Moonrakeer […]

Indie Action PRIME!

The days of video stores are long behind us, as are the days of distributors throwing literally EVERYTHING at the booming DVD market. In those halcyon days, independent distributors were lining up to partner with (see: take advantage of) indie filmmakers and help chains like Blockbuster and Hollywood Video fill the gaps in their shelves between big Hollywood releases. For those of us brave enough to wade through this swamp of content, the occasional diamonds felt like a gift from god. For every 10 unmitigated disasters, there was a gem like Mean Guns or Extreme Heist to incentivize further exploration. Sadly those days are lost to time; a fading piece of nostalgia that older millennials will lament to future generations. But maybe those days aren’t totally lost. The torch of obscure video store treasures may have been passed to an unlikely new champion… Amazon Prime! From the beginning, Amazon Prime […]

Review: KICKBOXER: RETALIATION Doubles Down On The Action (TRIPLES Down On The Weird)

Two years ago, action fans were given a polarizing reboot of a 1989 Van Damme vehicle in the form of Kickboxer Vengeance. Regardless of expectations, this reboot turned out to be the same kind of entertaining yet disposable action-fest that the original was. Sadly it was released in the far more saturated media landscape of 2016, which amplified the DISPOSABLE part of the equation. Vengeance was a far cry from the Undisputed movies (which it was inevitably compared to), but when approached on its own terms it was actually quite entertaining. Now, the second part of a planned trilogy is upon us and it begs to question: Can this franchise carve out its own part of the market, or will it perpetually be in Undisputed’s shadow? After surviving a fight to the death with human jack hammer, Tong Po (Dave Bautista), Kurt Sloan (Alain Moussi) returns to the US and […]

CINEMATIC ACTION DIPLOMAT: A Conversation With Alexander Nevsky

ITN Distribution In a perfect world, a man like Alexander Nevsky would need no introduction. Often referred to as the “Russian Schwarzenegger”, the 6′ 6” bodybuilder and fitness author has been a cinematic force to be reckoned with since writing, producing and starring in the 2004 actioner Moscow Heat. Since then, he’s grown exponentially as a filmmaker and cinematic diplomat with a series of action extravaganzas; all possessing strong themes of international cooperation and understanding (along with a healthy dose of action and explosions). Coming off of his directorial debut in the 2014 thriller Black Rose, he’s back as the producer and star of Showdown in Manila; a throwback action film from first-time director Mark Dacascos. Film Combat Syndicate: Hello Alexander! It’s good to finally talk to you! Alexander Nevsky: Hello James. Let me tell you something… Film Combat Syndicate was supporting me and my films long before I started […]

PUT THE BUNNY BACK IN THE BOX: A Conversation With Director Simon West

This year marks the twentieth anniversary of Con Air, a roller-coaster of an action movie starring Nicolas Cage and the debut film of director Simon West. Like fellow action maestros Michael Bay and Antione Fuqua, West worked his way through the ranks at Propaganda Films making award winning music videos and commercials. As a feature filmmaker, he’s directed everything from the surprisingly solid Tomb Raider (starring Angelina Jolie at the height of her fame) to Expendables 2 (the best film in the franchise) as well as TV shows like Human Target. Now he’s here to talk about his latest action project, Stratton. Adapted from a popular book series about an elite operative in the British SBS (Special Boat Service), this could become a new British action franchise to stand side by side with Bond. West (left) directing a magnificently grungy Nicholas Cage (right). Film Combat Syndicate: You’ve had a pretty […]

Prime Finds: BIG MATCH (2014)

Back in the halcyon days of video stores, I always made it a habit to forego the latest Hollywood releases and would scour the shelves for obscure and odd films that struck my fancy. Now, in the days of streaming, I’ve rediscovered my passion for diamonds in the rough on Amazon Prime; a service that is turning into a goldmine of oddities to dive into. And now, on the first of many editions of this column, I give you Big Match (2014). Why did I watch it? Big Match wound up on my radar back in 2014 when I stumbled across its trailer online. This stylish, fast-paced glimpse checked all of my boxes in regard to movies I needed to see. And then I waited. And waited. The film, for whatever reason, never materialized on US shores. I never lost hope in the film, despite my frustration with the film’s […]

Review: “Stratton, …John Stratton”

Since his 1997 debut film, Con Air, Simon West has been a solid B+ action filmmaker. Over the last twenty years, he’s directed ten feature films ranging from the surprisingly decent (for its day) video game adaption Tomb Raider (2001) to the Jason Statham remake of The Mechanic (2011). He’s responsible for the best film in the Expendables franchise (Expendables 2), though that’s not exactly high praise. But over the last five years, the kinds of films that West specializes in have fallen out of fashion and into the DTV realm. There are plenty of talented directors in the DTV space making solid and occassionally spectacular action films, does West have what it takes to join their ranks? John Stratton (Dominic Cooper) is the leader of an elite team of British anti-terrorists. After his team is betrayed on a mission, their token American is killed and Stratton barely survives. Now, […]

Review: JUSTICE LEAGUE Is A Beautiful, Chaotic, Entertaining Mess

Few films have the kind of rocky origin story that Justice League has had. Its predecessor, the “surefire hit” Batman v Superman, was savaged by critics and audiences alike. The harshest responses of all came from the fanboy community, who reacted as if Zach Snyder had broken into their houses and destroyed all their memorabilia in front of them. Warner Bros., a studio that has become the poster child for overreacting, proceeded to butcher Suicide Squad in hopes of making it more audience friendly (they failed) and started trying to micromanage JL. Things got worse last March when Snyder had to leave the project entirely due to the tragic suicide of his daughter – something that more than a few fanboys treated like poetic justice for making a comic book movie they didn’t like. Snyder’s replacement for the (extensive) reshoots and post-production couldn’t have been more different from him; Avengers […]

Review: THOR: RAGNAROK Is The Absurdist Action Comedy The MCU Needed!

Let’s begin this review with a wildly speculative statement: Thor was NOBODY’S favorite Avenger. Despite the impressive charisma and costume destroying physique of Chris Hemsworth, the character just never clicked. His solo movies fell firmly into Marvel’s B-material and his presence in the Avengers films was overshadowed by everyone else on the team (except Hawkeye). This put Marvel in a position where they had nothing to lose by going a little crazy. So when the studio hired celebrated Kiwi director Taika Waititi (What We Do in the Shadows), it seemed like an idea just crazy enough to work. Not since Iron Man 3 has the studio thrown caution to the wind and put a film in the hands of an auteur director. A series of online shorts featuring the misadventures of Thor and his roommate Darryl made us realize there might be more to the character than we realized. Thor: […]

Review: ULTIMATE JUSTICE (2017) – From the Team That Brought You ‘One Million K(l)icks’ Comes…Another Movie.

To be a fan of Mark Dacascos is to be well acquainted with frustration and disappointment. There’s no doubt that he’s one of the most gifted action stars of his age, but he’s often underutilized or downright miscast in the majority of his filmography. For every Drive, there are five China Strike Forces; for every Brotherhood of the Wolf, there are ten Cradle 2 the Graves. Dacascos was given a chance to be the “next big action star” in the 90s with Only the Strong, but due to some bad career advice (cough, Double Dragon, cough) he missed out on his big break. With every new Dacascos action vehicle, fans are filled with an increasingly faint glimmer of hope that we’ll see him be utilized to his full potential… But more often than not, we walk away disappointed. This is a lamentation that is shared by, of all people, Mark […]