black scar blues

Rising Tiger Films Debut Feature, BLACK SCAR BLUES, Is Now Available On Streaming And Digital HD

Black Scar Blues The fondness hasn’t waned, to be frank. I very much enjoyed Rising Tiger Film’s debut milestone feature, Black Scar Blues, a crime noir with a dark twist, anti-hero tropes and semi-stylish action choreography that amplifies the tragic events that encompass the tale of a broken bond between two friends in the midst of the criminal underworld. The film marks the first out of the barn for debut director Leroy Nguyen who stars alongside Edmond Shum and after years of making countless shortfilms online in the realms of action, martial arts, drama and comedy. That said, evolving Black Scar Blues into a viable feature film was no easy feat, a fact emphasized by both stars when I interviewed them. Thus, with the accolades they accrued in the film festival circuit because of this project among others, it’s only right, as it is opportune, to see how it flourishes. […]

Review: BLACK SCAR BLUES (2017) Heals Its Wounds With Indie Triumph

Lee B. Golden III

Looking at most shortfilms, many prove to be workable concepts that, if handled with care and granted the right amount of money and production muscle, could turn out to be something of a worthy feat. Most times though, especially with independent filmmakers, achieving that sort of thing with little to no money at all and a small crew with extenuating circumstances in between can ultimately prove to be quite an endeavor, which is exactly what filmmaker Leroy Nguyen endured considering the well-over five years it took to make his feature-length debut, Black Scar Blues, a reality. With an online resume on their YouTube channel that dates back as far as 2006, Nguyen’s production banner, Rising Tiger Films, rose with the growth of an arm of the online film scene geared toward making action movies. Since then and for the last five years to date, Nguyen and his team have become […]

VOLTRON FILM SCHOOL – PART II: An Interview With Actor And Filmmaker Edmond Shum

Lee B. Golden III

If you’re reading this, hopefully you’ve been keeping up in the wake of the latest milestone successes with the folks over at Rising Tiger Films. Last week’s interview with founder, actor and filmmaker Leroy Nguyen presented a candid tale of effort and triumph over tribulation for their feature debut, Black Scar Blues, which is currently running its first trailer. As such, its been nearly two years since this fine indie film group landed on my radar and almost a year since I’ve met them in person. Hopefully it won’t be the last time as fun as it has been while covering these people and I look forward to even more of their endeavors following Black Scar Blues, for which I cannot wait to share my review. For now, however, I leave you with the second of my two-part interview with the two leading artists behind Rising Tiger Films, and their […]

VOLTRON FILM SCHOOL – PART I: An Interview With Actor And Filmmaker Leroy Nguyen

Lee B. Golden III

It’s pretty imaginable – the demanding list of items and moving parts a filmmaker has to manage and keep track of in the course of a project’s evolution. I say this whilst not being a filmmaker myself, but having spoken to a good few who’ve worked on either one or both sides of the lens and that pretty much enlists most of the people I’ve written about off and on in the last eight years – less than three of which have been here on this site. For certain, actor and filmmaker Leroy Nguyen can attest to these and much, having cut his teeth for well over a decade through his own projects, as well as shared ventures with numerous other aspiring film professionals, and with a distinct interest in action and martial arts. Joined by longtime friend and film cohort, Edmond Shum, the two have found a unique working […]

Watch The First Official Trailer For Rising Tiger Films Premiere Feature, BLACK SCAR BLUES

Lee B. Golden III

Marking a major milestone achievement for Leesburg-based independent film group, Rising Tiger Films, Leroy Nguyen’s directorial feature debut, Black Scar Blues, has certainly undergone a teething evolution to get to where it is now. Thus, we are now brought the first official trailer for the new movie which fuses both raw, gritty drama with thrilling martial arts action as per the company’s m.o. for more than a decade. SYNOPSIS: A young hard-fisted hoodlum returns to the town he escaped from in order to try to right the wrongs he’s committed. What ensues is a devastating spiral of violence and betrayal that will consume everyone that he has ever cared about, and those very few who have ever cared about him. Circus Road Films finally picked up the movie last week ahead of a hopeful release date to be announced soon. Also starring is Rising Tiger Films fellow, actor Edmond Shum […]

Circus Road Films Picks Up Rising Tiger Feature Debut, BLACK SCAR BLUES

Lee B. Golden III

There’s no question that an enduring climb awaits anyone working their way up the ladder in independent film. As such, with one’s own production of a full-length, self-produced and funded feature-length project, landing a distributor is a terrific and incredible milestone, and one that now officially precedes the future that awaits actor and independent filmmaker, Leroy Nguyen of Rising Tiger Films. Fresh from a long-winded, near six-year endeavor of stops and starts, his feature debut, Black Scar Blues has officially landed U.S. distribution at Circus Road Films following acquisition updates last October. Since its evolution as an award-winning short, the newly-completed movie stars Nguyen and actor Edmond Shum in a martial arts-infused Scorsesean tale of two drugrunners, best friends whose ideologies clash before and after a serious of violent incidents. Nguyen made the announcement publicly on Monday, adding “…This is a HUGE step for us, as I NEVER thought we’d […]

FIVE A DAY: A Look Into Some Indie Actioners For 2016

Lee B. Golden III

2015 is winding down by the hour as we inch closer to a new year full of new beginnings, and even moreso, new films and even some of those tend to fall into obscurity. Well, I’m here to help try and fix that just a smidget with another list of five titles adding to the ten I’ve already covered; believe you me, if I could cover them all, I certainly would. There’s at least one other production purely worth mentioning as we approach the new year, and it’s a title I certainly hope sees a 2016 release. The film in question is the upcoming Germany-set martial arts adventure comedy, Plan B, which pits a group of struggling stuntmen and their manager against Berlin’s notorious criminal inner-workings in search of clues to a secret safe when one of their own is held hostage. The film is a premiere effort for directors […]

EXCLUSIVE: Filming Resumes For Rising Tiger Hit Short, BLACK SCAR BLUES Amid Distribution Talks

Lee B. Golden III

Independent filmmaking isn’t a hugely smooth process, especially when working on a zero budget. It’s been a lesson well learned for upcoming actor and fight choreo Leroy Nguyen in the years he’s operated online via his indie film banner, Rising Tiger Films – more so following the festival of his latest indie action drama short, Black Scar Blues. The project is four years in the making with up-and-coming actress Queen Sayat joining Nguyen and Rising Tiger staple Edmond Shum in a story focused two drug runners whose enduring friendship is ultimately tested in the wake of greed, lust and unmitigated ambition. The acting is generally good, but what amplifies it the most is level of intensity drawn from the performances through the script and the intertwining relationship that unfold. I say all this having screened and reviewed the short for myself earlier this year, and I will also add that […]