Interviews

ALL-IN: Catching Up With Filmmaker Wych Kaosayananda

Lee B. Golden III

It’s been seventeen years since director Wych Kaosayananda’s Ballistic: Ecks Vs. Sever put him on the radar for many a filmgoer for several reasons. For someone pennamed Kaos for the film’s marketing, I totally expected Wych to stick around and blow minds. Of course, that was how my fanboy brain worked at the time. Wych and I spoke of this and more back in 2014 for our first interview, and he certainly gave an in-depth perspective about his career to keep in mind. Around this time, he had just finished a seething murder mystery thriller called Angels along with serving as director of photography for a few projects from directors like Daniel Zirilli and actor Dustin Nguyen. I don’t plan on re-editing it like recent reprints given the time-sensitivity, but I welcome anyone willing to check it out if it provides any current and needed context. For this, the director […]

cover gofundme JB SK FILMS FLAT2.png

KILLER STUDIES: An Interview With Filmmaker/Author John Borowski

Christina Ortega

In early September, I attended HorrorHound Weekend in Indianapolis. Hosted by the magazine of the same name, it is a horror movie, television, and pop culture convention. A whole weekend full of all things horror! It was at this convention that I met independent filmmaker/author John Borowski. I’m not a stalker or anything, but since I heard him lecture, I’ve picked up a book of his, watched two of his films, and have followed him on three forms of social media. Nope, not stalking. If you are interested in true crime tales, you may already be familiar with Borowski’s work. He has written books and made films about Ed Gein, H.H. Holmes, and Albert Fish. I recently interviewed him via email, so other true crime geeks like myself could get to know him better: What drew you into the true crime genre? It was my love of horror films and […]

Dan Rizzuto

DUELING DESIGNS: An Interview With ‘Wu Assassins’ Fight Coordinator Dan Rizzuto

Lee B. Golden III

Nowadays, Twitter seems to be the most bustling window into activity among fans interacting with the cast and crew of hit series, Wu Assassins. Now one of the most viewed martial arts action dramas streaming this summer, hopes are high for a second season returning actor Iko Uwais into the mystical fantasy urban millieu of the show’s San Diego, Chinatown setting. The show has bolstered some hopes and prospects (I know I have mine) – particularly for another season following the conclusion of season one. Either way, it’s a milestone success for everyone involved – specifically stuntman, fight coordinator and choreographer Dan Rizzuto who, along with stunt coordinator Kimani Ray Smith and Indonesia’s own Uwais Team, joined forces in steering the show’s requisite stunt and fight scenery. I initally crossed paths with Rizzuto on Instagram where he manages social media for his professional stunt fighting and performance community, M1 Fight […]

Bryan Larkin in DEAD END II

MAKING DEAD END’S MEET: A Word With Actor, Producer And Filmmaker Bryan Larkin

Lee B. Golden III

It’s only a matter of weeks before fans attending this month’s 2-day induction of the Fighting Spirit Film Festival will be able to check out at actor, producer and maverick filmmaker Bryan Larkin’s latest gritty short duration entry, Dead End II: A Justified Kill. I had the privilege of seeing the first two installments in the last few years and I’ve enjoyed them both thusfar in my own excitement of wondering just what would become of this ambitious shortfilm series. For this, I can earnestly say that this was one of the most enjoyable Q&A’s I’ve done, as Larkin’s story is one of tested mettle, faith and tenacity – having pounded the pavement and strived for the very platform he has to maintain his growth. He’s proven himself to be a leader as much as he is an artist in multiple facets. He talks the walk and walks the talk, […]

TRULY AMERICAN INDIE: A Word With AMERICAN FIGHTER Director Shaun Piccinino

Lee B. Golden III

The 23rd Fantasia Festival just wrapped while my review coverage of the event is also finally culminating. Click and you’ll find at least one review for director Shaun Piccinino’s latest hard-hitting action drama, American Fighter, billed as a non-canonical follow-up to Alex Ranarivelo’s notable hit, American Wrestler: The Wizard. About six years since our first interview, I finally got to reacquaint with Piccinino over last few weeks about his work just as film screened in Montreal for the festival. Needless to say, there’s more to come from him and his at Truly Indie Studios, and I’ll be sure to help spread the word. Enjoy our conversation below! Hey Shaun, I’m glad we can catch up again in the wake of your latest premiere. How have you been? Thanks Lee, I’ve been great! Working on so many wonderful projects, I feel truly quite lucky actually and grateful for all the great […]

JuJu Chan on the set of WU ASSASSINS (2019)

THE INVETERATE DRAGON: A Roundtable Chat With Acclaimed Martial Arts Star, Actress JuJu Chan

Lee B. Golden III

Distinguished martial arts star and actress JuJu Chan left a spritely impression with Adrian Castro’s award-winning short, Hit Girls alongside Maria Tran back in 2013 in my own discoveries. She’s been a sight to see ever since with hopes all the more prevalent that she’d become a greater film presence in due time, missed opportunities notwithstanding. To say the least, the uptick in work over the last several years has been gradual and hugely welcome. Her status as a Hong Kong national athlete with accolades earned in Taekwondo and Thai boxing have paved the way for opportunities to work with and stand among the best in entertaimment with a current raft of TV and film titles coming forthwith. For most action fans, the upcoming Netflix streaming release, Wu Assassins, couldn’t come any sooner, and with Indonesian action superstar Iko Uwais dominating the fray with a vision of fight choreography that […]

THOSE WHO GO TO HELL…AND BACK: An Interview With Emmanuel Manzanares

Lee B. Golden III

Back in 2012, I had been about four or five years away from the online action community since its burgeoning began over at The Stunt People forum – the unfortunate perks of not having a working computer, sadly. That year, a lot had changed within the community, and particularly with new additions to the fray, including folks like Emmanuel Manzanares. By the time I got acquainted with who he was and his work, his 2012 short, Dogfight, was the talk of the interwebs among the niche, and of course, as eager as I was to get back into the mix of things, it got my attention. Getting to know Manzanares was a pretty slow process at first. We hadn’t spoken often, but I’d come to know him through small exchanges, as well as his interactions with his peers. His role in Dennis Ruel’s feature debut, Unlucky Stars, as a martial […]

MY GENERATION FIGHTS: An Interview With Chicana Filmmaker Kayden Phoenix

Lee B. Golden III

A smashing new and original graphic novel is on the way this summer which ought to bring something special to book lovers and comic book fans alike. For any and all on the matter, I’m leaving the details to author and filmmaker Kayden Phoenix who I began following at some point last year. Her progress in filmmaking seen well over a decade of results in her craft to date, with social awareness and documentary focus, as well as a variety of narrative genre projects in her wake – her new graphic novel, Jalisco, being one of them. It’s a project that’s especially arisen and deserving of attention now that 2019 looks to be even more prospective in bringing diversity to the superhero genre with Ben Bray’s latest directing debut, El Chicano. For Jalisco, just shy of two years now, things are only just beginning. Phoenix has a sizzle promo that […]

FIGHT BY NIGHT: Catching Up With ‘Kill-Fist’ And ‘Fly-By Night’ Star Sunny Pang

Lee B. Golden III

My weekend has been rather tasking but I’m happy to present my latest interview catching up with Headshot, The Night Comes For Us co-star, Singaporean actor Sunny Pang to start things off. He’s been busy filming a new show and circling other projects while he’s now got two films lying-in-wait: searing heist thriller, Fly By Night, and urban martial arts tourno drama, Kill-Fist. In this our second interview, Sunny and I talk a bit about both and then some, though primarily it’s more to do with Kill-Fist seeing as it just screened in Cambodia. The film’s director, James Lee of Doghouse 73 Pictures, is currently crafting a brand new trailer which we will proudly present in the coming weeks once all is officiated and legit. This movie’s got some layers to it! First off, your character is a badass – and yet at first glance, Zhang is just this unassuming […]

WHAT DOES THE DAPPER FOX SAY?: An Interview With PANDA Director Trent Dickens

Lee B. Golden III

Trent Dickens is somebody who’s accrued more than enough experience in his young life to venture into a variety of pursuits. The actor and oft dancer has since positioned himself behind the lens for his recent shortfilm debut, Panda, which even got Kevin Smith’s attention via Twitter at one point. Yes. That Kevin Smith. Panda goes live on Friday following my own review, and so at long last, we now take to our first interview to discuss his career and work going forward. Panda marks your directorial debut online soon but you got your start in entertainment as a dancer. Talk about that aspect of your career for us and your segue into film. My Mother is a dance teacher so I grew up in the studio. I always had a dream to make movies one day but had no idea how to go about it, dance was what I […]

IN GOOD COMPANY: A Word With Maverick Tokusatsu Filmmaker, STREGA Star/Director, Bueno

Lee B. Golden III

As you can see, director, Bueno, is no stranger to the release of finishing a daunting task like shoestring indie filmmaking. His efforts in 2014 with Gun Caliber and his latest sequel, Strega, are no exception as they’ve both proven significantly for Bueno in his hard-earned efforts to turn a new page for the suit-action genre. The latter, in which he stars alongside AV idol and actress Mai Miori, is coming soon this year, and I even had the opportunity to review Strega, as well as share photos from the Yubari screening. Bueno talks about the screening, the movie, his goals and much more in our first ever interview, and you are more than welcome to check out a review by clicking here for further reading. Greetings Bueno and thanks for taking the time to talk to us. As often as I follow independent films I can’t begin to imagine […]

TRIPLE TIME – Part IV: A Word With TRIPLE THREAT Star, Actress Jeeja Yanin

Lee B. Golden III

Martial arts star, actress Jeeja Yanin will be the forth and final entry into our interview series leading into next week’s sequential March 19/22 rollout of Jesse V. Johnson’s new ensemble action thriller, Triple Threat. It’s been five years since she and I traded Q’s and A’s and there was at least one area that I felt needed covering, so I’m especially pleased to have heard back from her as I did. It’s also worth noting that folks in the UK looking forward to seeing Jeeja in action among the heavy-hitting cast can watch the film at the Mockingbird Cinema Birmingham on April 28, courtesy of the Fighting Spirit Film Festival organization. Whether or not any cast attendance remains to be seen but for what it’s worth, the film will assuredly get its time on the big screen as Johnson wishes, and fans are more than welcome. Click the names […]

TRIPLE TIME – Part III: An Interview With TRIPLE THREAT Star Michael Jai White

Lee B. Golden III

Actor, martial artist and cult superstar Michael Jai White became endowed with a royal title at the top of the year. That’s just one topic that I felt I needed to cover going into this, my second interview with him in the years since our first interview leading up to the release of Ekchai Uekrongtham’s 2015 action thriller, Skin Trade. He’s since found his way back to Netflix in Thomas J. Churchill’s The Hard Way with Luke Goss, and will next be seen back on the big screen very soon for at least two thrillers already garnering praise – one being director Jesse V. Johnson’s newest ensemble pic, Triple Threat. Our interview marks the third in a small series of cast and crew interviews as we approach the film’s one-night select theatrical premiere on March 19 and subsequent VOD rollout on March 22; Fans in the UK are welcome to […]

TRIPLE TIME – Part II: An Interview With TRIPLE THREAT Star Tony Jaa

Lee B. Golden III

Martial arts action cinema fans are just weeks away from catching Jesse V. Johnson’s newest ensemble action adventure thriller, Triple Threat. Respective reviews will likely go out by the week of Friday, March 15, which is when we’ll proudly post ours. In the meantime, Thai action star Tony Jaa who broke out in 2003 with venerable cult hits like the Ong Bak trilogy and the Tom Yum Goong films, has kept himself favorably busy working with directors in China and Hollywood. He’s back with us for the first time in about five years touching base since we last exchanged in 2013, and I’m also pretty glad we cleared the air on a few items of mention. Read on for the rest, and be sure click here to catch up with our latest chat with Triple Threat director Jesse V. Johnson, and then get your tickets today! Jaa, it is an […]

TRIPLE TIME – Part I: An Interview With ‘Triple Threat’ Director Jesse V. Johnson

Lee B. Golden III

This week we’re starting the first in a series of interviews ahead of the release of the new Jesse Johnson action thriller, Triple Threat. Reviews from select sites remain pending, including ours, so fans can expect plenty of chatter from the press out and about here covering this film. We’ve especially doled out questions to send via e-mail courtesy of the film’s PR firm and handlers and for this, first and foremost is director Jesse V. Johnson in our second interview since the press rounds for Accident Man. He’s especially been the center of attention with Triple Threat after kicking so much on-screen butt in the last few years, and thankfully, we’ve had those hits (The Debut Collector, Accident Man, Savage Dog) to pass the time while post-production and distribution deals took the wheel behind the scenes following the 2017 comic-con trailer. Here’s our interview (photos courtesy of Jesse V. […]

ESTABLISHING ‘ORDER’: Producer Bruno Marino Talks The World-Building Potential Of Upcoming Sci-Fi Thriller ‘ENHANCED’

Lee B. Golden III

It’s been more than six years since stunt professional James Mark got the engine running for his 2018 debut, Kill Order. He kept his creative stride a second feature with crime thriller, On The Ropes, and with a continued eye for the chair, he’s looking to build on the world birthed in Kill Order with the new sci-fi thriller, Enhanced. Enter brother and fellow stunt cohort Chris Mark who saw his acting debut in Kill Order which took more than five years to complete with a release. In addition to fight choreography, he switches gears for the narrative as the villain opposite starring Wolves and Goon 1 & 2 actor George Tchortov who leads the cast for the film’s hopeful release later this year. For this, I managed to get into touch with the producers about the project, which, according to its plot, “follows a disenfranchised soldier and a super-power […]

RIDING THE WAVE: An Interview With “MARIA” Star, Actress Cristine Reyes

Lee B. Golden III

When talking Philippine cinema in 2019 for action fans, engaging the dialogue may almost always certainly include the successes of one of its most celebrated auteurs, Erik Matti, whose award-winning ripped-from-the-headlines crime thriller, BuyBust, scored hugely among festival crowds last year. Going forward, the concurrent efforts of other directors may certainly be noted – folks like Pedring Lopez whose 2015 accolades earned in Manila with action horror, Nilalang, especially earned him a place on our radar and the world markets. Two horror features later, he’s back and following suit with his own female fronted actioner, Maria, starring Cristine Reyes in her first-ever action role. The official trailer has already garnered well over three million views and shares on social media much to Pedring’s credit, and certainly to that of Ms. Reyes who I managed to garner some answers in our first interview. In my view, this is pretty huge for […]

THE PROCESS: A Word With ‘Man Down’, ‘The Raid’ And ‘Point Blank’ Screenwriter Adam G. Simon

Lee B. Golden III

Well, the new year has begun and I’ve all but remained vigilant of any and all legitimate news regarding director Joe Carnahan’s development on The Raid given how much of my own time I’ve invested in covering this film – from pestering XYZ Films’ Todd Brown for info to covering as much ground on Indonesian films within the genre as possible. Needless to say, not everyone is convinced just yet, even as Carnahan and partner Frank Grillo went public in interviews a few years ago to state their intent; I tend to rub it in a few faces of folks that I know because, in all honesty, one can never really, or always, tell how good or bad a movie is unless they’ve seen it, or how the reviews are in whole or even if they take reviews seriously enough. For this, I’ve personally been urging caution for fans to […]

ZEROING-IN: An Interview With Actor And Filmmaker Eliver Ling

Lee B. Golden III

Having managed to resurface in time among friendly faces attending the 6th annual Urban Action Showcase and Expo back in early November, I had the honor and privilege of meeting and greeting up-and-coming actor and filmmaker Eliver Ling. It’s also worth stating that his latest directing gig also happens to be one by chance as the once R.L. Scott-helmed proof-of-concept pilot, Option Zero, was shot and then abruptly left in Ling’s hands. I did perecive this as something peculiar, though it’s worth noting after the release of crime thriller Call Me King, Scott was already neck deep in ideas for launching a superhero production foray of his own. This included developing an adaptation of The Almighty Street Team, and as we speak, the current post-production and table talks to help propel the rollout of Lazarus starring Sean Riggs. Inevitably, it seemed that the fate of Option Zero would now rest […]

HER HERO ACADEMIA: An Interview With Actress And Martial Artist Angela Jordan

Lee B. Golden III

Going forward, there will definitely be some significant changes in the atmosphere – albeit for the better. New partnerships and relationships will form and with that, new prospects to come in lieu of my own observations and coverage, and you can certainly tack on the name Angela Jordan to the list of folks adapting to the ever fluctuating atmosphere. It was precisely on March 21, 2016 when this super-talented New Jersey resident landed on my radar, and it’s been a thrill covering her ever since. Eventually taken under the wing of Joey Min and Stephanie Pham for a time at Art School Dropouts, Jordan’s burgeoning resumé in the independent online film scene has grown immensely with her proliferation as a desired favorite. The first of her next few appearances will be in the not-too-distant online premiere of the hotly-anticipated second episode of Power Rangers: Unworthy, from Deviant Children Productions and […]