Fantastic Fest XX Review: In DEATHSTALKER, Part Homage, Part Spoof, All Fantastic
The film enjoyed its World Premiere at the 20th edition of Fantastic Fest.
comedy
Fantasia XXVI Review: Short Films Short on Time but Not on Entertainment
One of the aspects of covering film festivals that I look forward to most is covering the short films that are shown. This year’s selection of shorts at the Fantasia International Film Festival did not disappoint. My friend and I now have new favorite directors to watch for and we have obscure lines we can quote from these shorts for a laugh. You should try to view these as well: Meat Friend Meat Friend made its Canadian premiere on July 15th. Written by Stephan Johanson and Izzy Lee (Lee also directed), this short is horror and comedy and fantasy and just a meaty good time. A young girl microwaves raw hamburger meat which causes it to become alive. It just isn’t any sentient being though, this Meat Friend has the spirit of an ex-con who loves to teach young Billie lessons he has learned from his life of crime. This […]
12 SLAYS OF CHRISTMAS: Cathy And Christina’s List Of Non-Traditional Holiday Thrillers To Enjoy This Season!
Sleigh bells and reindeer and sappy Christmas wishes: It’s that time of year when Lifetime and Hallmark play holiday movies back to back, and although the actors change and the music may vary, the plot basically remains the same: if someone is bitter, they find happiness thanks to Christmas; if someone is single, they find love thanks to Christmas; and so on and so on and can we get some better viewing options? If you agree with the above rant, have we got a treat for you! A couple of us here at Film Combat Syndicate decided to put together a list of non-traditional Christmas movies you should watch this month. In no particular order, here are the films as stored in the gallery below, or simply scroll down if you’ve opened this article via Twitter. THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS (1993) What it’s about: Jack Skellington lives in Halloween Town […]
AFFD XVIII: Inuyashiki, Miss Baek, Fly By Night, Samurai Marathon, Zombie Parties And SO Much More Fun Starting Tonight!
The 18th annual Asian Film Festival of Dallas kicks off as of today through July 25 with a tasty raft of titles. Lee Min-Jae’s undead rural comedy, The Odd Family: Zombie On Sale, is poised to launch this year’s events, screening at the Angelika Film Center (Mockingbird Station) at 7pm, followed by a zombie-themed party at AKAI, a speakeasy inside Musume, located in the Arts District. This festival is ripe with other titles that have already drawn acclaim and movie fans are gonna want to sink their teeth into, including Zahir Omar’s seething Malaysian crime thriller Fly By Night starring Sunny Pang, and director Lee Ji-Won’s evocative and captivating Han Ji-Min drama, Miss Baek – both delighful feats for their screenings earlier this year at the NYAFF Winter Showcase and you can read my reviews and coverage here and here. Other titles attendees might take interest in include Well Go […]
And Now, A Word From Master Ken…
On second thought, I’ll skip the formalities Just know that if you’re taking TaeKwonDo, somewhere in your hemisphere, Master Ken is watching and judging you…and that things could be… well… …well, just watch.
Jean-Claude Van Damme Will Be Renamed JEAN-CLAUDE VAN JOHNSON For TV
Film director and producer Ridley Scott may be busy with another offering of Alien sci-fi for the fans, but now he’s dabbling back into television with at least six projects through his Scott Free Television banner. And what’s more, is that the slate now leaves room for a new TV comedy starring Jean-Claude Van Damme. Deadline reports Scott’s slate of deals between CBS shows developing at AMC will include the new series, Jean-Claude Van Johnson. The half-hour long series will be written and executive produced by Dave Callaham with Van Damme partly starring as himself under the aforementioned alias who also happens to be the world’s most dangerous private contractor. This wouldn’t be the first time Van Damme placed more of himself under the microscope with films like JCVD whilst flexing more of his acting muscle as of late. Moreover it’s not the first time the Double Impact and Replicant […]
Christy Chung To Return To Action In A New Spy Film
From TriStar Pictures It’s been a couple of years since actress Christy Chung did a film, but nowadays you’ll find her in the company of her keyboard working on the script for an upcoming spy comedy. The title and plot are pending but JayneStars reports Chung is returning to the fray following her recent work on the reality show, “Perhaps Love”, and will be starring in it with her new and younger boyfriend, actor Zhang Lunshuo. Chung is producing the film which will take on a tone similar to the 2005 film, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and will also feature her daughters as well. Chung herself is no stranger to the action genre with a post 1993 pageant career leading to appearances in The Bodyguard From Beijing with Jet Li, Yuen Woo-Ping’s Tai Chi II with Wu Jing and Red Wolf with Kenny Ho, Collin Chou and Elaine Lui, Jackie […]
Rock Out With The New U.S. Trailer For NZ Horror Comedy, DEATHGASM
Writer and director Jason Lei Howden‘s newest horror romp, Deathgasm, has become quite the favorite in all of the past year with festival showings at Neuchatel, Fantaspoa and SXSW to name a few. In short, if the reviews tell you nothing else, they’ll tell you chalk this one up as a must-see if you love outrageous gore, action and spectacle with a plot and a story with a look cranks everything past the knob’s reach. For this, the kind folks over at Dark Sky Films are the ones to thank as we now have a U.S. theatrical and digital release date set for October 2. Exclusive screenings are still being shown as of September 13 with tour dates set for Tucson, Los Angeles and New York City as the latest of the slate, and you can make note of them for yourself at the film’s official website. As for this […]
Sex, Pirates And Rock & Roll Headline Simon West’s New High-Seas Action Comedy, SALTY
Likely following the production of the new British SAS thriller, Stratton, ConAir and The Expendables 2 helmer Simon West will be tackling a dose of comedy for another new action flick he’ll be directing later this year. Salty is the title with billing that references it as a cross between The Hangover and Get Him To The Greek, which already lends an idea of the kind of action comedy we’ll be in for coupled with a plot that goes a little something like this: The film follows an ageing rock star, and reformed sex addict, who is persuaded to take a holiday by his wife, a former supermodel. Things take a turn for the worse when she’s kidnapped by Thai pirates raising money to buy a new boat. Variety reports that Carnaby has boarded the film as its international sales agent following the film’s venture into crowdfinancing via SyndicateRoom since […]
Watch The New Trailer For Indonesian Wire-Fu Comedy, KACAUNYA DUNIA PERSILATAN
Standards and expectations for quality martial arts action aside, some directors aren’t afraid to get a little crazy. Such is the case for Indonesia’s latest upcoming fantasy action comedy, Kacaunya Dunia Persilatan (translated as Chaotic Martial World) from Skylar Pictures, whose director, Hilman Mutasi doesn’t mind going for a bit of Stephen Chow flare here. There’s no synopsis I can find at the moment, although some Google translating did reveal a bit of the film’s basic plot which centers on the search for a missing heirloom, a sword that could define the fate of the martial world. At any rate, the new trailer is below, and though I’m pretty sure there’s a plausible story involved, this one should be pleasing for the action fanbase to some degree, if not worthy of at least a Facebook *like*. Tora Sudiro, Joe P. Project, Amink, Darius and Atiqah Hasiholan are the names rounding off […]
Kung Fu Comedy Calls In The New French Action Short, ANGRY PHONES
It took about a year to complete in between tasks, but post-production is finished and director Vincent Gatinaud is out with another taste of indie action for the fans now in the form of the new short, Angry Phones. And with a title and font like that, you could probably imagine where this might go. French actionistas, actors Kefi Abrikh, Cedric Cirotteau and my dear friend Anthony Pho, all star in this little gem, spoofing the classic three-way fight scene from the 1988 hit, Dragons Forever; A footchase and flurries of fists and kicks and ensue, on top of phone juggling, random bilingual conversations…and of course, an angry chicken with an egg to hatch. Bombs away! Check out Angry Phones below and subscribe to Abrikh‘s channel!
Help Fund The New Action Comedy Series Pitch, S.M.A.C.K. UNIT!
It’s been well over a year since I first talked about actor and martial artist Shahaub Roudbari who launched his channel last summer with the goal of creating entertaining diversity-driven content. Building on those efforts, Shahaub recently teamed with a colorful group of actors and filmmakers to help put together a pitch video for an inspired new television series that looks every bit as worthy of mainstream syndication as many popular shows to date. The series in question: S.M.A.C.K. Unit, an action comedy series that guarantees a fair share of slapstick and amazing chemistry, with the usual assortment of world class quality action delivery to boot! David Crabtree (Psych, Where Would We Be) is directing the series as well as writing the script with leads Roudbari, and actress Ajarae Coleman (Scandal, Iron Man 2), and it goes a little somethin’ like this: The agents of S.M.A.C.K. Unit (Specialized Multi-Agency Counter […]
Lee Jeong-Jae Is All Smiles In The New Poster For THE BIG MATCH. Watch The Trailer!
If you’re in the mood for some more Korean action, the wait may be over in a matter of just a few months thanks to director Choi Ho in lieu of the upcoming SK release, The Big Match. Typhoon and The Thieves actor Lee Jeong-Jae takes the lead in this harrowing thrill ride which sees his character, Ik-ho, on the run after being framed for murder and caught in a life-or-death game at the hands of a mysterious gamemaster. The new poster is already out and about trailer has just been unveiled, and while assuring plenty of action and danger to service the niche, filmgoers may also get in a laugh or two. Considering the harrowing mission Ik-ho is on, his knack for humor may be his best weapon yet. SYNOPSIS: A Korean MMA rookie, ring name ‘Zombie’, Ik-ho (LEE Jeong-jae) seemed as though he would have a smooth journey […]
Oharra Strikes Back In Faux Commercial, ENTER THE WATER!
Filmmaker Derek Underwood has been making movies since the age of ten. It’s a path that has proven lucrative for him, having also been a fan of iconic martial arts legend, Bruce Lee. That said, take a gander at Underwood’s new faux commercial, Enter The Water, a satirical spin the 1973 headlining hit, Enter The Dragon featuring living martial artist and actor, Bob Wall spoofing his iconic and villianous role, Oharra. Karate Gi, scar, broken bottles, the works. And yes, ninjas. And Pai Mei. More below! The PARODY FAN FILM “Enter the Water”, not affiliated with Enter the Dragon, Warner Brothers, KO Water, or World BlackBelt, finally premieres on YouTube! The faux commercial stars former heavyweight kickboxing champion Bob Wall who also co-starred in Enter the Dragon, Game of Death, & Return of the Dragon. Bob reprises his role as O’Hara in this faux commercial that parodies his iconic character […]
Ninjas, Ninjas Everywhere In The Latest Trailer For EAT. PRAY. NINJA.
When in doubt, add ninjas! Well, least that is the solution for actress Caroline Ward in the upcoming romantic action comedy shortfilm, Eat. Pray. Ninja.. Lunar Stunts Action Cinema founder and indie filmmaker Eric Nguyen directs Ward who portrays a screenwriter in search of the one element that can make or break her screenplay, and as you may very well guess, insanity ensues… and ninjas! Actor and martial artist Irvin Nguyen is the pointman of this comedic tale of black-clad ninja buffoonery and awkward romance along with actors Joshua Bross and Joey Bravo and actress Joelle Nguyen. Folks in the Costa Mesa area of California can expect further announcements for local screenings of the new film around halfway through September before its net-wide release in October. Watch the trailer below and stick around for more info. And ninjas!
Shane Black Lines Up To Direct 'Remo Williams' Reboot,THE DESTROYER
Director Guy Hamilton’s 1985 mystical action caper comedy classic, Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins, a live action version of the mens’ action novel franchise, The Destroyer, was a cult hit at the time despite mixed reviews and poor commercial performance. Nonetheless, it kept fans clammoring for a sequel, or even so much as a reboot, which was finally announced back in 2009. This week, the official word now is that Iron Man 3 helmer Shane Black is coming abord to direct The Destroyer, a live-action revival of the classic character, from a script by Fight Club scribe Jim Uhls, and novel co-author James Mullaney. Mullaney was one of the latter authors who continued the mens’ action novel series from its genesis in 1971 from then-partners Warren Murphy and late author Richard Sapir before its end in 2008. Deadline describes it as follows: Williams was a Newark cop until he was […]
I Just Really Needed To Get This Off My Chest This Morning
Robin McLaurin Williams, 7/21/51 – 8/11/14 (Photo: Patch Adams, 1998 film) Saying anything about the death of legendary comedian, actor and Chicago native, Robin Williams was a little difficult for me last night. I suppose enough time has past now, the sun is up on my end, eating breakfast, at work and starting my day. I’m still affected, but moving forward is our best and only option at this point. But I’m in the mood to reflect… A few people have died this past week though…legendary action film director and producer Menahem Golan, actor J.J. Murphy who died four days into filming the new season of Game Of Thrones, mother and father who fell off a cliff in Spain while trying to take a vacation selfie as their children watched in horror…and even the hundreds and hundreds of deaths that have taken place between Gaza and Israel, and so on. In […]
HMCIndie Presents: THE BREAK-UP
Just several days after sharing his latest 48 Hour Film Fest action comedy short, The Finnisher with actress Jessica Wolff, it was about a day later that fans of indie action performer Fernando Jay Huerto would get another dose of his misadventures in Finland back in May, this time, with the release of the new shortfilm, The Break-up. Directed by fellow indie action neighbor, Finnish independent filmmaker and 13-year lensman Mikko Löppönen back in May, the project marks their first collaboration together this year upon finally meeting in person just a few years after knowing each other online. The project is also Huerto‘s first collaboration with Wolff, prior to The Finnisher, and marks as one in a handful of hopeful projects that are on the way between now and next year. Löppönen is also in the middle of putting together another project in the form of a sci-fi short called […]
Self High Five! Watch Jabronie Pictures' New 48-Hour Film Fest Action Comedy Short, THE FINNISHER!
Fans of online action cinema well-knowing of the comedic misadventures that take place in the body of work from award-winning independent filmmaker and actor Fernando Jay Huerto will be pleased to stick around in the coming years. He’s got some things brewing with a few friends from overseas, including Finnish singer, actress and Wushu purveyor Jessica Wolff who can now be seen in the latest 48-Hour Film Festival project from Jabronie Pictures titled, The Finnisher. The story takes off with Wolff in the role of Joyce, a Finnish I.A. investigator who coerces an unsuspecting fellow named Tim to help her allocate the sensitive info she has against the will of a corporate goon squad hot on her tail. The project was completed within two-days on the week of June 28, with Jabronie Pictures, representing the project for its festival premiere in San Diego in mid-July, ultimately winning best fight choreography […]
LBP Stunts Chicago Presents: MIDNIGHT RUN
I’m not too sure if this has anything to do with the classic DeNiro/Grodin 1988 road comedy of the same name, but it does carry its own weight. Stuntman and actor Bryan Sloyer is back once more indie action director and fellow stuntman Emmanuel Manzanares for the quirky new action short, Midnight Run. Sloyer is joined by fellow LBP fall guy Alex Hashioka with a guest performance by fellow stuntman and actor Vonzell Carter in a one-on-one chase that ensues a three way throwdown and a killer finish. And the improv at the end is pretty cool too! You know how this works, watch and subscribe!
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